SailorStar9: With Chapter 36 uploaded, I present Chapter 37 of this fic. For everyone who put this fic on your favorited and followed lists and/or story alerts, thank you, but remember everyone, a lot of authors (myself included) sustain on readers' reviews.

Disclaimers: I only own the plot.

Chapter 37: Lady Evil Sees the Light


"You have to do better than that." Kayura sneered, dodging the curved energy blade.

"Quake With Fear!" Anubis released his sure-kill technique, trapping Kayura and the three Warlords within his chain web.

"You think a trick like that could defeat me, Anubis?" Kayura snapped. "Get a load of my power."

"Wake up, Kayura." Anubis muttered. "Can't you see that Badamon is controlling you?"

"Forget it, Anubis." Kayura took on Badamon's drawl. "Kayura is now under my control. Her body and mine are one and the same." she broke free of her confines. "Die!" she charged straight towards Sailor Cosmo Mercury and Anubis.

"What the hell?" Kento gaped as the blue-clad Senshi defended herself. "Kayura was possessed by Nether Spirits?"

"And she's Athena's younger sister?" even Sage was shocked.

"I can't believe that." Ryo exclaimed.

"What's that?" Yuli spotted the Nether Spirits summon floating barges in the distance from the nine erected towers. "The barges from the Dynasty." he recognized the ships.

Five barges came to a stop above the five Ronin Warriors and moved them into a ship each to transport them to their respective towers.

"What are you trying to do?" Anubis demanded.

"You will see shortly." Kayura bragged. "The five armors belong to me now, Anubis. Do you understand now, Anubis? You cannot win this battle even with that ineffectual girl you call Athena. It is time for you to offer up your life to Master Talpa."

"Badamon's a clever one." Sekhmet remarked. "He knows we can combine our powers with Kayura's.

"This isn't the time to sit back." Dais stated. "Anubis is staking his life on this."

"We're not letting Badamon take this prize." Cale agreed.

"The armored Anubis is strong." Dais reminded. "Prepare yourself and fight."

"Stop it." Anubis rebuked the attacking Warlords. "Don't you know that you're being manipulated?"

"Don't try to fool me." Sekhmet snapped.

"Kayura, I mean Badamon." Cale corrected himself. "Leave Anubis to use."

"Don't you understand yet?" Anubis scolded. "Follow Badamon and you will share the same fate as the five Ronin Warriors."

"What's so funny?" Cale looked at the chuckling Kayura.

"You are now starting to get in the way." Kayura said.

"What's going on?" Sekhmet winced when Kayura shocked the three Warlords.

"Stop it." Dais pleaded. "We're on the same side."

"I no longer need you useless fools." Kayura mocked, summoning the barges for the three Warlords. "Like the other five, you shall be the power of the towers."

"Badamon, you deceived us." Sekhmet snapped.

"Was this your plan all along, Badamon?" Dais demanded.

"Yes." Kayura grinned. "It was Master Talpa's plan all along."

"How can that be?" Cale was shocked at the betrayal.

"How incredibly stupid that it took this long to realize it." Kayura taunted. "It seems Anubis at least has some intelligence."

"Does this mean you were simply using us?" Dais realized.

"The nine armors will be offered to the nine towers." Kayura declared. "And the Dynasty and the human realm shall become one. You have been used from the beginning."

"How dare you seal us in those towers?" Dais demanded.

"So, you finally understand." Kayura chuckled. "But it's already too late."

"That can't be." Cale was in denial. "I'm sure this isn't part of Master Talpa's plan. It's just a ploy."

"Don't be ridiculous." Dais rebuked. "What kind of ploy would cause us this much humiliation?"

"Life Ball Circle." Sailor Cosmo Mercury cast the defensive sphere around the monologuing Kayura. "Seriously, what's up with villains and monologuing?" she sighed as the energy orb solidified around Kayura.

"It's useless." Kayura mocked. "Have you forgotten that this shield affects outside intrusions?"

"Didn't you know that I can also channel the effects inwards?" Sailor Cosmo Mercury fired back.

"You..." Kayura's eyes widened at the implication. "You can't!" Badamon screamed in pain as the purifying halo forced him out of Kayura's body and releasing the trapped Warlords.

"Don't think you've won this, Athena." Badamon sneered.

"I don't think I've won." Sailor Cosmo Mercury fired back, reading a stance for another spell. "I know I have. Pleiades." six light rays shot down from the sky, centering on the battered Badamon and vaporizing him.

"This is..." Sekhmet was stunned by the sheer power of the Goddess Senshi displayed.

"The true power of the Goddess Senshi?" Cale gaped in awe.

"Athena-sama." the freed Kayura knelt before the Goddess Senshi.


In Talpa's throne room...

"Damn that Athena!" Talpa cursed. "Not only did she thwart me, she has also freed Kayura from my spell, destroyed Badamon and turned the three Warlords against me!"


With the awakened Kayura and Warlords...

"We don't have much time." Sailor Cosmo Mercury addressed the fighters.

"Do you have a plan, Lady Athena?" Dais inquired.

Sailor Cosmo Mercury shut her eyes, formulating a plan in her mind. "I do." she opened her eyes. "But I'll need all four Warlords' help. Please, lend me your aid."

"Gladly." Cale answered.

"Kayura," Sailor Cosmo Mercury turned to Kayura. "I'll need you to lead me to the pillar of human sacrifice: destroying the pillar will confine the battle to the Dynasty. Warlords, stall Talpa long enough for me to destroy the tower. Whiteblaze, Mia, Yuli." she turned to the non-fighters. "Your job is to free the Ronin Warriors from their prison towers. Once they're freed, have them join up with the Warlords to wear Talpa down for me to seal him off permanently. We've only got one chance at this, everyone. This is the final battle: it's all or nothing."

"Understood." everyone else chorused.


En route to Ryo's prison tower...

"Go, Whiteblaze!" riding Whiteblaze's back, Yuli headed towards the tower where Ryo was kept imprisoned. "Up the stairs. Ryo!" he shouted, once Whiteblaze reached the top. "Hang on, I'm here to set you free. Nothing's happening?" he blinked, holding up the unresponsive Jewel of Life. "There's so many of them." he panicked at the sight of the Dynasty soldiers charging up. "What should I do?"


With the four Warlords...

With Anubis leading the charge, the four reunited comrades stopped when Talpa blasted his way out of his throne room.

"Talpa..." Cale snarled, tightening his grip on his sword's hilt.

"So, you've come, traitorous Warlords." Talpa looked at his former subordinates. "Die!" he charged down.


In Ryo's prison tower...

Yuli let out a frightened scream, holding up the Jewel of Life which shone on the attacking Dynasty soldiers, purifying them and freeing Ryo.

This caused a chain reaction that also freed the other four Ronin Warriors.


With Talpa and the four Warlords...

"What is that light?" Talpa demanded, Sekhmet and Dais dodged the enlarged sword.

"Good work, Yuli." Anubis praised.

"How dare these pests get in the way?" Talpa snarled. "I'll wipe you all out for defying me like that."


At the pillar of human sacrifice...

"Big Bang Attack: Athena's Staff!" charging the Nike Staff with her divine Cosmo, Sailor Cosmo Mercury tossed the javelin-like Staff at the pillar, impaling the tower and freeing the vengeful souls trapped within.


SailorStar9: This chapter is officially over, and yes, I saved Anubis. That guy didn't deserve to die. Read and review.