"ANDI NO!" cried Apollo, running up to the portal as it started to close. "Artemis, Luna, help me!" He put his paw through, and winced at the feeling of deadness it caused.
"Apollo," said Luna, appalled, "You saw what just happened! You can't expect us to just-"
"PLEASE!" he cried through clenched teeth. "Please, you have to help me Luna! It tore me apart when I lost the others! I can't lose Antares too! You can't leave her there! I'm her guardian! I know you hate me, but don't let her pay the price for that!"
The two cats glanced at each other momentarily, then raced forward and each put a paw through the portal, taking in a sharp breath at the cold numbness that raced to their brains.
"Girls, go!" Luna commanded. "We can't hold it for long!"
The nine Sailor Scouts didn't need to be told twice. They jumped through the portal one-by-one, followed by Apollo, but it closed before Luna and Artemis could join them.
The scouts found themselves in a huge cavern-like room full of imposing-looking stalactites and stalagmites the size of giant trees.
"Someone sure knows how to set the mood," mood, mood, mood, mood…
"Shush Apollo!" pollo, pollo, pollo, pollo…
Their voices echoed over and over throughout the cavern, and quickly they took cover behind any sufficiently large stalagmite they could as they heard the sound of footsteps approaching.
Peering out, Apollo saw Feldspar and Pyroxene headed for a double-doorway, with intricately-carved and painted symbols on it, making it seem out of place. They all leaned in closer to hear what was being said on the other side.
"Well? Is the mission complete?"
"Well, mother, things did not go exactly as planned."
"What does that mean, Feldspar?"
"The general has turned against us. He told the girl everything."
"I told you what the penalty would be for failure. Now she'll align herself with the scouts!"
"Not so."
"How do you figure, Pyroxene?"
"A gift for you, Mother. I give you the traitor, and the last of the Star Guardians. Bring in the prisoners!"