Author's Notes:

Well, for those waiting for this, here is the sequel to Return of the Valkyries, Heroes of Eternity. There are a number of characters and for a recap of the last story, here are the added characters:

(Kyle) Kylane is Kunzite

(Matt) Matthias is Nephrite

(Zale) Zarek is Zoisite

(Jared) Janus is Jadeite

(Aren – Haruka's husband previously) Adriano is Adamite

(Cirocco – Setsuna's husband previously) Coen is Cordylite

(Ian – Michiru's husband previously) Ilar is Iolite

(Raine – Hotaru's husband previously) Ranae is Rhonite

If the name and planet thing is confusing you, please check the read-me/prologue.

Heroes of Eternity

Chapter 8

"Did you find it?!" Mina demanded agitatedly as her scouts returned.

Ilar and Michiru nodded, and a slow, determined smile lit her face with an unholy glee. Now it was coming down to it. Now was the time. Smartly, she turned to address all the friends that had come with her.

"It's time. Ilar and Michiru found a building, heavily guarded by men. There is no doubt in my mind, or in Raye's, that this is the place." She nailed her gaze to every pair of eyes that watched her, trying to impress the severity of what would be coming. "There is going to be fighting, and killing. If anyone, once again, doesn't think they can kill, then stay here or better yet, go back to Crystal Tokyo and lead the armies here. I'm not leaving without my cousin."

There were no dissenters, no one willing to leave. After a moment, she nodded. She had not expected anything less from any of the men and women in front of her. It was strength of character in each of them that they faced the forces in front of them with bravery and courage, to do what was right. No doubt some of them would fall in the first skirmish, like sweet Amy. Even with the strange enhancements that seemed to touch them, Mina didn't believe some of them would make it. And even if she should fall, she knew that at least one person in her group would make it to the princess, even at the cost of their life.

She turned, squared her shoulders, and took two steps down the trail that would have led to the building, and her ultimate fate, when she stopped. She could not make her legs move. Her hand moved up to clutch at her shirt over her heart and without even thinking about it, she turned around and stared at her pack, sitting like a lump of smug assurance. Surprising everyone, she strode over to it and ripped the box out of it. When she tried to open it, though, it was as if it was welded shut. There was no way, pry as she might, to get it to open and release its precious contents.

"What are you doing, Mina?" Haruka hissed. "Don't you realize what we're about to do? What are you wasting time with that box for?!"

Mina ignored her and began to slam the box as forcefully as she could against a large rock, over and over again, hitting the same place, inexorably making a weak point in its otherwise impenetrable form. Eyes widened with disbelief at her actions, her friends watched her, obviously thinking she had lost her mind.

Finally, it succumbed to the force perpetrated on it and it shattered. Eight pens and cloak clasps fell, sparkling onto the ground like multicolored shooting stars. Eyes shifted to stare in wonderment at the power before them. There had only been legends of what those pens and cloak clasps must have looked like and now seeing them in their full glory, glowing in signature colors, made their whole lives worth this moment.

The princess stared at a golden one in particular. As if her hand was not her own, her fingers grasped the henshin wand. Without warning, the second she touched it, her mind flashed and she knew. She knew who she was, she knew why she could kill for her cousin, and she knew what she was. She was Sailor Venus. She was the leader of the Sailor Senshi!

"Venus Crystal Power, MAKE-UP!" she screamed at the darkening sky, shoving the pen into the air. Golden light burst out of it and encircled her in a golden, bubble cocoon of love and power. Bright blonde hair replaced her dirty blonde coloring, a red bow tying back the hair at the sides. White boots, trimmed with gold, flew up her legs. A double-layered skirt flapped into existence, two long strips of gold flying down to her ankles from a yellow bow at her back. A dark blue bow, held by a star, settled over her chest. Gloves flew up to her elbows, edged in gold once more. And finally, a tiara and choker appeared, both set with stars.

When the golden light faded away, she opened her eyes and looked at those around her. She didn't see her friends, Raye, Lita, Amy…No, she saw Sailors Mars, Jupiter, Mercury…She saw Sailors Pluto, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. She saw…

"Kunzite," she murmured, in an almost sultry voice.

Kylane, now Kunzite, smiled at his beloved and gathered in her arms closely, planting a warm and loving kiss on her lips. Had she not been occupied, she would have noticed the other couples doing the same. She pulled away, running a gloved hand along the strong jaw. "How's Jupiter these days?" she murmured.

He laughed a bit. "Fine. But we can talk more later. Now we have to rescue Serenity."

"Do you…do you think she is our Serenity?" Janus-no, Jadeite asked, holding Mars to him tightly.

Suna, Pluto, nodded. "There is no doubt in any of us, is there, that this is not Serenity? How could we feel as if we want to rip them apart with our bare hands and it not be our beloved Sere?"

Zoisite nodded, having wrapped his arms around Mercury's waist, saying, "She's right, we would know. Where do…where do you think Endymion is? They were always born together in the same lifetime, to find each other over and over again."

Nephrite lifted his head and studied the stars. "He's with Serenity. He's protecting her, like he always did."

"Let's go then!" Uranus said, slamming her fist into her palm. Adamite, her beloved, stood beside her, looking like a silent tornado waiting to go into action. Strictly, the Outers and their soulmates did not appear very affectionate in public. A trait in their personality, perhaps having to do with how reserved emotions, that made them that way.

With a quiet surge, they burst down the path. Behind them, the box that had held those powerful objects, shattered silently and disappeared in a shower of sparks.

--

"See that?"

Cordylite nodded at Pluto's observation. "That's the way in."

They were staring at the eastern end of the building, watching two pairs of guards pay attention to themselves rather than their post. Two men, hidden in an alcove as they kissed, oblivious to their surroundings showed quite clearly that their best bet to get inside would be at the eastern door.

They hurried back to tell their superiors about what they had seen.

--

Serena suddenly gasped and knocked frantically at the door, begging. "Please, send for Darius! I have to talk to him!"

There was the sound of booted feet going away from the door and the princess took up pacing around her spacious room. She had felt a surge of power out there, the signature of it trying so very hard to tell her why she felt as if she knew it. And why it was calling up a strange power inside her. It was going through her and touching the power of the Ginzuishou that had rested inside her breast, in all its glory, since the last time she had inadvertently used it.

The door swung open and closed, Darius looking concerned at her worried face. He hurried to her and swept her up in his arms. "What is it, my princess?"

She explained to him what she had felt, and to her surprise, there was an edgy look on his face. "I…I felt something too, though I can't be sure—"

The explosion that slammed against the wall had an extremely unexpected result. Darius was engulfed with a golden light and Serena silver.

--

Jupiter hissed in triumph as her Oak Evolution blew a new door in the wall. There were plenty of new entrances where there had once been solid wall, thanks to all the Senshi and Kings. Like a swarm of certain death, they flooded the building with their powers, cutting down any that dared get in their way.

When the initial shock wore off and the men saw who they were fighting against, most turned and ran in fright. Their fear filled the air like a perfume, making the whole building stink of it. Her nose wrinkled in anger, wishing she could get her hands around the neck of some of those that ran. Only Nephrite, a constant presence at her elbow, kept her from going into a frustrated, berserk rage.

The sixteen warriors blocked the corridor, stopping suddenly as even though guards rushed past him, one man stood still. His hazel eyes were hard as earth, and just as implacable. Without warning, as he took in what they were, a triumphant smile lit his lips. "It is all falling into place."

"It'll all fall into place!" snarled Mars, "just as soon as I let loose! Mars Flame—"

"Cease your attack! I am Endymion reincarnated!"

It was their turn to be shocked. Mars' fire fizzled out as she stared at him, her eyes going up and down his bear-like form. "It can't be," Mercury muttered.

"That's not Endymion!" Kunzite hissed in anger. "Never would that man ever be Endymion!"

Adamite, Cordylite, Rhonite, and Iolite wormed their way up front of the others. "You dare sully the name of our friend and liege," Adamite murmured, in a deadly quiet tone. "That will not stand with us."

Their counterparts joined them. Uranus turned to glance at Venus, a question and yet statement in her green eyes. After a moment, Venus nodded. "Take care of this; we're going to find Serenity."

And despite her protests, her friends dragged her away. She wanted to zap that man with her lightning, but there was no way to get a good shot with her friends in front of her and the rather slim corridor they were in.

The building was a maze within a maze. Every room seemed to have more hallways filled with more doors. It was painted a drab brown all the way through, with tan, dirty carpeting that must have been that filthy before they had blown holes in the walls and littered the building with debris and masonry.

It was light bursting through the cracks in a door that showed them where Serenity was.

--

Darius gave a small, reflexive gasp of shock when his entire body covered with golden light. Even though his arms were around his beloved and he was in this retched building that housed her against her will, it felt as if the earth itself was tugging him down to its core.

What blossomed before his eyes was a crystal: a topaz; the perfect diamond shape that almost seemed to have another smaller duplicate in the center. Without thinking, he reached out and cupped it in his hands. Almost as if he was a rubber band, once he had touched it, he was shot back up into himself, where he still clutched at the princess.

She herself seemed to have had a similar experience. A slow, sensuous smile lit his features and he leaned down to whisper in her ear, "Usako."

Her dark sapphire eyes lit up and she looked up at him, smiling brightly. "Mamo-chan."

With those words, the whole building was engulfed in the light that surrounded them. The worn clothing they had on faded away. Serena was now Serenity, dressed in a pure white gown, clearly showing her heritage with her crescent moon on her forehead and a delicate tiara settled on her head. In her hand winked the Ginzuishou. Darius, the true reincarnation of Endymion, wore a deep black, silk outfit, a black cape with golden lining and red on the inside flared from his shoulders down to his ankles. Like the Ginzuishou's twin, he held the Golden Crystal.

He linked his arm with Serenity's and turned serenely as the door was burst open and those he had expected flooded in. "Kunzite, Venus. It's great to see you again."

With tears in their eyes, those warriors rushed them, enveloping them in tight hugs and embraces. Slowly the power faded away, back into themselves, but their memories remained.

"Venus, I want to go home now," Serenity whispered in her cousin's ear.

"Anything you want, Serenity, we'll do," her cousin promised feverishly in her ear.

Anything.

--

End Chapter 8