Chapter 4

Usagi walks through the park. Her mind wanders to the dream that she had before she woke in Raye's bedroom. It was more of a nightmare then a dream, and she tries so hard to forget. The memory of the dream fills her mind. All she can see are the images of everyone's face as she dies. She can't bear to think of that.

The woman from Mamoru's apartment steps out from behind a tree and into Usagi's path. Usagi stops as she sees the woman and stares at her. She gasps as she recognizes her from the dream.

"Poor Serenity, doesn't he love you anymore?" She asks with a giggle.

"Leave us alone."

The woman goes over to Usagi and places an arm around her shoulders. She places her mouth close to Usagi's ear and whisper softly in it. "I almost killed you once, Serenity. Endymion, the Senshi, the Guardians, and your Mother saved you back then, but this time there is no one to save you from me."

"Who are you?"

"My name is Cassandra, not that you would remember me, Serenity." She smiles and steps away. "Not that you'll be around much longer to care." She whispers as she steps away from her. She snaps her fingers and three creatures appear around Usagi.

Usagi reaches for her brooch, but is stopped by the creatures on either side of her. The one that stand directly between Usagi and Cassandra reaches forward and grabs the brooch from Usagi's from her chest.

"No!" Usagi screams.

The creature gives her and evil smile. It closes its hand tightly around the brooch and begins to squeeze. The sound of the brooch breaking fills Usagi's ears, but when she hers the sound of breaking glass she knows that her fate is sealed. She looks on in horror as the shattered pieces of the crystal fall from the creatures hand like dust.

"Destroy her." Cassandra says as she watches the scene before her with amusement.

The three creatures smile evilly at the idea of being able to kill someone. The two holding her arms throw her backwards into a tree. The one that crushed the brooch, lets it fall to the ground. It starts to build energy as the other two go to reclaim their toy and throw her into another tree.

"Stop!" The creature that is building the energy hisses as they go to retrieve her for a forth time. As they step away from her limp and battered body, the creature releases the energy that it was building at her.

The red and gold energy that the creature releases flies straight at Usagi. As the energy hits her it brings conscious enough to scream out in pain and terror as her body feels like it is in cased in fire and being torn apart. The scream dies and she lies on the ground motionless before the energy even finishes running its course, leaving her whole body to glow for an instant.

"Usako!" Mamoru screams in horror as he sees the energy hit her.

"Time to go." Cassandra yells. Her and her creatures disappear.

"Usa." Raye whispers as she pulls out the communicator to tell the others that Usagi has been found. She pushes the button to call them as she is walking toward Usagi. She stops as she sees Usagi's brooch crushed on the ground. She carefully bends over and picks it up. When she opens it and sees that the Silver Crystal is gone tears come to her eyes. "No. Oh, Usagi, no." She whispers.

"Oh, no, what?" Minako asks her from the communicator.

"Did you find her?" Ami asks

Raye looks down at the communicator. "Get to the park, now." She says before she turns the communicator off. She places the brooch and the communicator in her pocket and races over to where she sees Mamoru holding Usagi's still body.

"Usako, open your eyes." Mamoru pleads with her.

"Mamoru?" Raye asks as she walks closer.

Mamoru ignores Raye. He doesn't care about anything else right now except for Usagi. "Usako, I was foolish. I should have ignored the dreams. I should have known that I can protect you better by staying with you and not running away."

Raye kneels down beside them. As she looks at Usagi, she can't tell if she is breathing or not. She worries that Mamoru may be doing more harm by holding her. "Mamoru." Raye calls to him softly, but he ignores her. "Mamoru!" She yells. He looks up at her with tears in his eyes. "Put her down on the ground. Ami will be here soon and be able to do a reading on her before we take her to the hospital."

"I didn't protect her. I swore that I would always protect her."

Raye hears the running footsteps behind them. She glances back and sees Minako, Makoto, and Ami running toward them. Ami is already getting her computer ready as they approach them. The minute that the get there Ami begins to check Usagi.