Chapter Fifteen

The Last Seed!
Aion Hears the Trumpet's Call

Author's Note: I can't get the formatting to work properly on this site, so I advice you to read this chapter on my website. However, I would appreciate any reviews to be left on Thanks and enjoy!

"LOKI!" Sailor Aion screamed.

Every part of the battle stopped. Hodur and Noctis turned to stare at Vali, holding the shining Star Seed above his head like a trophy. The two remaining Erebus senshi blinked in surprised confusion. Tears streamed down Kami's face as she realized she could do nothing to save her friend.

Aion charged forward, racing towards Vali. She swung at him with the Garnet Staff, but he easily dodged her sloppy blows. Smiling, Vali held onto the Star Seed and danced around Aion. The senshi of Eternity watched her opponent move, righteous anger burning behind her eyes.

Kami raised her head slightly, her ears straining. She thought that in the distance, a trumpet was being played. The sound was otherworldly and sad, but before she had time to fully listen, Noctis was tugging her by the arm. Kami rose to her feet and moved where he sister indicated, helping the semi-conscious Dis as she did. Orcus and Hypnos followed.

"Return the Seed to her!" Aion snarled.

"I don't think I will," Vali replied. "This Seed seems especially important. I think I'll hold onto it."

"Mars Blood Fury!"

A whip lashed from the darkness, snapping Vali's wrist and causing him to drop the Star Seed. Another figure rushed past with incredible speed, coming to a stop behind Vali. Sailor Neptune stood with the Seed balanced on her palm, and Mars leapt from the shadows to join her.

"Thank you," Neptune said.

"No, thank you," Hodur replied, shooting a beam of energy at Neptune.

The nimble senshi of water jumped aside, landing near Noctis. Mars hurried to join them. As Hodur shot another beam at Neptune, Noctis folded the two senshi within her wings and the attack bounced harmlessly off them.

"They are under my protection," Noctis told her former disciple.

"Are you okay?" Sailor Moon asked, crouching near Kami and the Erebus senshi.

"Usagi-chan," Kami said in a relieved voice.

"Sorry it took us so long to get here," Sailor Moon said with a wink. "What's going on?"

Aion once again faced Vali. The demi-god of vengeance looked a little nervous as he faced down the senshi of eternity. Aion's eyes narrowed as she pointed the Garnet Staff at him.

"Wrath of the Void!" she cried.

Vali screamed in pain as the weight of the Void came down upon him. A demi-sphere of gray energy smothered him, consuming him completely until all that remained was the lingering echo of his final cries. Breathing hard, Aion straightened and hurried to Loki's body, kneeling next to it. Hodur stood between her and Neptune, who still held the Seed in her hand.

"Seems we have a standstill," Hodur commented. "How ever will you get the Seed to your friend when I am in the way?"

Hodur put a finger to his chin thoughtfully, pretending to ponder the question. Suddenly, his gaze turned to Kami, Sailor Moon, and the Erebus senshi who sat unprotected. He raised his hand, palm facing them, and sent a blast of dark energy towards them.

"No!" Noctis cried.

Kami rose to her feet and transformed herself into Lucis. The light from her being was blinding as she stood with her white angel wings outstretched. The dark energy sailed towards her, striking her in the chest and knocking her down. Her true form vanished back into Kami as she fell backwards into Sailor Moon's arms.

Taking full advantage of the distraction, Hodur quickly spun around and shot another beam at Loki's Star Seed, knocking it free of Neptune's palm. Without anything to hold it, it began to fly back to its host. Hodur reached out with his hand and grabbed it as it passed. Turning, he smiled at Aion before vanishing. Loki's body sank into the ground as a dark portal appeared beneath it. Aion scrambled to hold onto her, but she was gone too quickly. She screamed in anger before clasping her hands over her ears.

"Aion, what's wrong?" Neptune asked as she hurried to the woman's side. Noctis and Mars were only a few steps behind her.

"The trumpet," Aion managed to say. "The sound is deafening."
"Trumpet?" Mars repeated.

"The Horn Gijall," Aion said. "It announces the beginning of Ragnarok – the destruction of the world."

"Is that why Hodur was gathering Star Seeds?" Neptune asked.

Aion nodded. "I'm only awakened when the world faces its most dire threat. Ragnarok is that threat, and I was supposed to stop it. Loki must have been the final Seed Hodur needed to unlock Ragnarok."

"How long do we have?" Noctis asked.

Aion sighed and stared at the spot where only moment ago Loki had been. "Minutes, hours, days, who knows? It all depends on whether or not Hodur knows what he's doing. All I can tell you is that the world is about to end."

The last of the senshi gathered at the Shrine the following morning, each caught up in their own thoughts. Kami sat on Rei's bed, one arm draped over her stomach as if protecting the injury she had received from Hodur's blast. Akumu sat close to her, the Erebus senshi gathered in a small group at the foot of the bed. Rei, Usagi, and Michiru sat at the table in the centre of the room, and Eitai stood just outside the sliding doors. They were all that remained, the only ones who could stand against Ragnarok. Luna and Artemis sat on a chair together, feeling just as helpless as the senshi they were destined to guide.

"Perhaps this would be a good time for you to tell us the whole story," Michiru spoke up, her voice slicing through the silence like a knife.

Kami smiled weakly. "I'm afraid the whole story would take much longer than we have, an irreversibly damage the time stream."

"But we can tell you about Ragnarok," Aion spoke up.

The senshi all turned to her. She had not spoken a word since the battle with Hodur, after the first announcement that the world was going to end. Kami and Akumu had led her away by the hand after the battle, the shock of Kiki's death still too fresh. Eitai ran her tongue over her lips and turned to face the women gathered in the small bedroom.

"At the sounding of the Horn, the beginning of the end will be heralded," Eitai began. "Monsters will be unleashed upon the worlds, the dead will rise, and the giants will roam free. Only the gods will be able to stop it, and in doing so will cause their own destruction."

Usagi stared in wide-eyed fascination at Eitai and blinked rapidly. "But, the gods are gone."

"But the senshi of Parallel Earth are their descendents," Michiru said.

"But they are gone as well, now," Eitai finished.

"There has to be something we can do," Rei slammed her fist on the table in frustration.

"Not all the gods are gone," Michi spoke up, closing the manga she had been reading. She pointed to Kami and Akumu, seated on the bed. "We have the two goddesses of light and dark right here."

Akumu blushed. "We're not really gods, you know."

Kami inhaled deeply and winced. "No, but we may be the only thing keeping away the destruction Eitai-san spoke of. Prophecies are often vague on the details."

"Then we still have time," Usagi said gratefully. "What can we do?"

"We can go to Asgard and confront Hodur before the horrors are released," Eitai said. "I can take us there."

The other senshi nodded in agreement. Eitai looked out at the sky, the sun still rising into the new day. She wondered if this would be the last day the world would see. Looking back at the young senshi, she began to doubt if they would be strong enough to face Hodur. She smiled reassuringly, to calm both them and herself.

"Very well. We will leave at sunrise tomorrow. Please meet here."

Tansei sat sprawled on a park bench, staring at the lake. He kept replaying the events of the previous night through his mind, wondering what on earth he had been thinking. He told Kami he didn't love her, that he couldn't love her, when truthfully he couldn't stop loving her. She was always in his mind, the last thing he thought of when he fell asleep and the first thing in his mind when he woke up. Whether she wasn't long for this world or not, he had to be with her.

He glanced down at the obituary book he still carried. Cautiously, he picked it up and flipped to the page with Kami's picture. She was still there, smiling as she had in life, like she still did. Beneath the picture were her name, date of death, and the cemetery where she had been buried. He closed his eyes for a moment and sighed. Snapping the book shut, he rose to his feet and left the park.

Tansei crested the final hill at the back of the cemetery, wiping his forehead with his sleeve and wishing he had brought some water. He had no idea the place would be so big, and that Kami's grave would be as far from the gates as possible. He smiled to himself, realizing that Kami was a private person and probably would not want to be with the crowd. Glancing at the map the caretaker had provided for him, he stepped around a tree and looked up to where the tombstone should be.

He was surprised to see someone already standing over it. Dressed in a long, flowing yellow gown with two large angel wings sprouting from her back, Sailor NeoSun stood staring at the grave of her mortal self. Hesitantly, Tansei moved to stand beside her and peered at the stone. It had no markings on it, except for a large ring with a small circle in the centre, the symbol of the sun.

"It's strange standing over your own grave," Kami remarked suddenly.

Tansei didn't turn to look at her. His eyes were locked on the small tombstone and the thought that, six feet beneath him, his true love lay dead for over a year.

"You deserve the truth," Kami continued. "You deserved it from the beginning, but I was too afraid to tell you. It's not ever day you get a second chance at a normal life."

"Who are you?" Tansei asked.

Kami sighed. "My true name is Lucis. It means, 'of light' in the old tongue. I am Light. It's kind of complicated."

"Then who is the girl I met by the lake?" Tansei demanded, turning to face her with fresh tears in his eyes.

"That was Kami, my mortal form. Seventeen years ago, I was reborn on Earth as a human, with no memory of my true self, thanks to the malevolent power of Chaos. When my mortal shell died, I returned to my true form."

Tansei reached out and brushed his fingers gently down Kami's cheek. She closed her eyes, relishing the touch.

"But you're real," Tansei said softly. "I can feel you."

"I am not mortal," Kami said sadly. "What you see and feel is an illusion I created to fit into the mortal world."

"What do you really look like?" Tansei asked.

Kami smiled sorrowfully. "I'm pure light, brighter than the sun. I can't show you."

Tansei put his arms around her and drew her into a hug. He kissed her forehead softly. "If this is only an illusion, I like what I think I see."

Kami returned the embrace. He did not understand everything she had told him, or he did not want to understand. As deeply as he felt for her, and she for him, they could never be. A tear slid down her cheek and she closed her eyes, savoring the warmth of his touch on her body. It was with great regret that she finally broke free of him.

"Ragnarok is coming," she warned him. "The end of the world, unless we can stop it."

Tansei smiled. "I know you can do it."

Kami bit her lip to keep from crying. "Even if we do stop it, I won't be returning. I don't belong in this time, in this place. Not anymore."

The smile on his face dampened slightly and he ran his fingers through his hair. "I made a mess of things, didn't I? I've wasted all the time we could have had together."

Kami caught his hand and held it tightly. "It's my fault as much as yours. Tansei, I'm sorry. I never meant to ruin your life."

He shook his head. "You've made it better by knowing you."

She fell easily into his embrace again and would have traded all her power for that moment to never end.

Eitai sat on a bench in the centre of the Juuban shopping district, her eyes closed and a sad smile on her lips. She was listening to the sounds of the people as they hurried past; pieces of their conversations filled her ears along with their laughter, their tears, and the sound of their footsteps. She could feel the heat from their bodies on her skin, the breath from their mouths through her hair, and the vibrations of their foot falls through her feet. She could feel the life this place had, and knew that it would soon be over.

Loki was gone, and she had failed her mission. The universe would end and all this life and happiness would disappear, as if it had never been. She was the Senshi of Eternity, granted the lifespan and the power to protect the universe, and she had failed.

Eitai sighed deeply and tilted her head back, listening to a baby cry. Its mother was making shushing sounds and shaking a rattle, trying in vain to calm her infant. With the end of the world would come the end of the Void, she thought. At last, perhaps she would be free.

"Eitai-san?"

Straightening, Eitai opened her eyes to see Usagi looking at her worriedly. The older woman smiled to reassure the younger girl and patted the empty seat next to her on the bench. Usagi sat down, her blue eyes still on Eitai's face.

"Are you all right?" Usagi asked.

"Just gathering memories," Eitai told her. "I want to be able to remember this sense of closeness when I return to the Void."

Usagi frowned and put her hand on Eitai's. "You don't have to go back, Eitai-san. We'll think of some way to keep you here."

"That's very kind, Usagi-chan, but I don't belong here."

Usagi withdrew her hand and clasp it on her lap, her gaze moving to her feet. Eitai closed her eyes again and took a deep breath.

"Eitai-san?" Usagi spoke up. "What will happen?"

"Like I said. Ragnarok. The end of the world. The Earth will be destroyed, now that Hodur has the final Seed."

"Sailor Loki's Seed," Usagi whispered.

Eitai opened her crystal eyes, tears springing unbidden to them. Usagi looked up in surprise, one hand going to her mouth. "Oh, Eitai-san, I'm sorry!"

"It's all right. Kiki was – special to me. When I first met her, I thought she was nothing more than a spoiled child. The other senshi couldn't control her, except Odin. I brought her with me to spare her life, and ended up ending it."

"I'm sure you'll see each other again," Usagi said cheerfully. "You'll see. Everything will work out for the best."

Suddenly, the ground began to shake. The shoppers ran screaming for shelter as the floor buckled and cracks appeared and spread. Eitai leapt to her feet, grabbing Usagi by the arm and pulling the girl to safety. Behind them, a building crumbled into dust.

"We're out of time," Eitai said as they moved. "Ragnarok is beginning."

"Deep Sea Crescendo!"

Sailor Neptune's attack struck the monster, disintegrating it into black smoke. Holding her violin in her hand, she spun around only to find herself completely surrounded by dozens of similar creatures.

They had materialized out of thin air, falling from the sky and stepping out of the shadows. The people on the street had run off screaming while Michiru had found a private place to transform. The monsters were not the typical youma the senshi had faced. They were not there to fight senshi, but to destroy everything. Many of the frightened innocents had been caught and torn apart before Neptune's eyes as she fought to keep their clawed hands away from her. She did her best to ignore the final cries of the citizens as their lives ended, knowing that there would be no escape from the demons.

"Deep Submerge!"

A path was temporarily formed through the monsters as the tidal wave eliminated a few of the enemies. Neptune waved some people through, hoping they would be able to make it to safety before more monsters appeared.

"Mars Blood Fury!"

An arc of fire sliced through the enemies, accompanied by the sound of a cracking whip. Neptune smiled gratefully as Sailor Mars appeared beside her, holding her weapon at the ready as they faced the growing number of monsters together.

"Eitai wasn't kidding," Mars commented.

"Monsters will be unleashed upon the world," Neptune said, repeating what Eitai had told them not so long ago. "This must be Ragnarok."

The two senshi fought on, knowing their lives depended on it. The steady stream of monsters seemed without an end until suddenly the ground beneath their feet shook. Both Neptune and Mars struggled to remain standing as the cement cracked and the earth split open. The screams of the monsters were added to those of the citizens as they fell into the newly formed chasms, dragging their allies with them as they vanished.

"Move!" Neptune cried, shoving Mars.

The girls ran, leaping over the creatures that still lashed out at them with clawed arms even as they fell to their deaths. Neptune slowed her pace and turned around, holding a glowing sphere of energy above her head.

"Deep Submerge!"

The few creatures that had not fallen victim to mother earth disintegrated with the final attack, but Neptune did not wait to revel in her victory. Picking up speed, she caught up to Mars and took the lead.

"To the Shrine," Neptune called. "I think our trip has just been moved up."

Akumu watched with mild amusement as Michi carefully licked the ice cream cone she held. Her motions were slow and meticulous, and as a result, most of the ice cream was melting down her hand. Sitting on the park bench on the other side of Michi was Yume, the most reserved of the Erebus senshi. Keishu stood behind them like a sentry, watching everyone who passed, while Sei sat at the edge of a fountain, admiring her reflection.

"Careful, Michi-chan," Akumu warned. "You're losing most of your desert."

"It's so cold," Michi observed, "but it tastes so good! I want it to last."

"You can always buy another one," Yume reminded the lilac haired girl gently.

From the fountain, Sei snorted in laughter. Akumu shot her a warning glance, but the redheaded girl didn't notice. She was once again absorbed in the image of herself in the water.

"We should be hunting," Keishu remarked.

"You were out all night," Akumu told her. "You barely slept this morning, and now you want to go at it again? Relax a bit."

"Keishu-san can't relax," Yume said wryly.

"Try some, Keishu-san!" Michi offered, holding up the ice cream.

Most of the frozen treat had dribbled down her arm. Keishu glanced at the offered treat in disgust and turned away. Sadly, Michi lowered her arm and began to once again slowly eat the ice cream.

"Don't worry so much," Yume assured her leader. "If there were any souls around, I'm sure I'd – "

She broke off suddenly, both hand moving to the sides of her head where she clutched her temples in pain. Michi dropped her ice cream and put her sticky hands on Yume's shoulders, her face full of worry. Akumu moved quickly to Yume's other side, kneeling next to the girl and trying to ask what was wrong.

"Yume-chan," Akumu called, gently shaking the girl's shoulder as she doubled over in pain. "Yume-chan, what is it?"

"S-souls," Yume gasped. "S-so many, I-I can't…"

Akumu glanced at Michi worriedly. Keishu and Sei were on their feet, glancing around in search of suspicious behavior. Yume cried out in pain, her eyes closed and her hands glowing as she detected multiple souls at once.

"We have to move," Keishu said. "We have to trap them."

"There are too many," Michi told her sadly. "Too many for us."

"At the sounding of the Horn, the beginning of the end will be heralded," Sei said softly, repeating Eitai's prediction. "Monsters will be unleashed, the dead will rise…"

"Ragnarok," Akumu breathed.

She stood and helped Yume to her feet, supporting the girl as best she could. Yume was crying, tears falling from her eyes like a waterfall, and soft whimpering noises escaping from her lips. Turning to the other Erebus senshi, Akumu motioned with her head to follow.

"We can't," Keishu protested even as she followed Akumu.

"We must," the mistress of their master said. "We need the others. The end of the world has begun."

Sailor NeoSun landed gently on the ground in front of Rei's Shrine, folding her wings behind her as she did. She smiled to herself as her wings vanished and she gently pried Tansei's hands off her waist. He stumbled a few steps and sat on the ground, looking shaken after their flight across the city, but he managed a nervous grin.

"I told you it would be fast," NeoSun said as she turned herself into her mortal guise.

"Yeah, I know," Tansei replied, "but I didn't quite expect that fast."

Kami winked. "Fast as light, you know."

She held out her hand and pulled Tansei to his feet. He blushed as he fell into her, turning his head quickly and heading for the Shrine. Kami couldn't help but feel happy in spite of the fact that the world was about to end.

Inside Rei's room, the other senshi had already assembled. Rei, Usagi, and Michiru sat at the table in the centre, while Eitai stood leaning against the wall, watching them. The Erebus senshi were all gathered around the bed, where Yume lay with a wet cloth on her forehead. Akumu crouched next to her, but turned her head as Kami and Tansei entered. A smile played across her lips as she saw the two of them together.

Kami sighed inwardly as she looked at the assembled senshi. Ten of them to stop the destruction of the world. Ten left, out of the hundreds of senshi across the galaxy. She had searched every corner she could before she had found Eitai, left every planet and star disappointed that its guardian had died. Putting on her best smile, she greeted her friends.

"I'm glad we're all on the same page," she said to her grim faced friends.

"What's happening?" Usagi asked, tears in her blue eyes.

"And what's he doing here?" Keishu piped up, pointing to Tansei.

Tansei looked uncomfortable and hid behind Kami. Focusing her brown eyes on the pink haired Erebus senshi, Kami gave her a stern look. "He is here because I brought him."

"The world is ending," Eitai said softly. "I can still hear the Horn's echo, summoning Ragnarok."

"We're all that stands in its path," Kami added.

"We've done it before," Rei said, trying her best to sound optimistic.

Eitai shook her head slowly. "This is nothing like what you've faced before. Legend says that the gods will fight Ragnarok, not their descendents, and we don't even have them anymore."

"And while we are fighting in Asgard, Ragnarok will continue on Earth," Kami added. "The earthquakes, monsters, and undead are nothing compared to the plagues that will come."

"Just be happy the giants haven't shown up yet," Akumu muttered.

"So the creatures we've already been fighting aren't Ragnarok?" Rei asked.

"Tip of the iceberg," Kami answered. "The ones you fought were only a sprinkling of the horrors to come."

Michiru closed her eyes and looked away, one hand forming a fist and burying itself in the other. She longed for Haruka's strength, the sense of ease she got whenever Haruka was near. If she were here, there would be hope.

"I will stay on Earth," Michiru spoke up suddenly.

All eyes turned to her. Eitai's mouth was open in surprise and Kami shook her head slightly.

"Michiru-san, do you realize – " Kami began.

"I know the battle will be futile," Michiru continued, "but I will defend the Earth while you stop Ragnarok. It is part of our- part of my mission."

Kami nodded. "Akumu, you stay as well with the Erebus senshi."

"What? Why me?" Akumu protested. "I'm the only one who can withstand Hodur's attacks."

"Which is why you're needed here," Kami finished. "The creatures on Earth will draw their energy from Hodur in Asgard. You will be able to do more good against them, and the Erebus senshi will be able to trap the souls of the dead."

"That's why we're here!" Michi said brightly.

"The rest of us will go to Asgard and fight Hodur," Eitai said. "We will leave at once. Please transform and gather out front once you have said your farewells."

Eitai turned and left the room, heading into the darkening skies without a backwards glance. Rei, Usagi, and Michiru began speaking at once in soft tones, interrupted at times by Usagi crying out for Michiru to be careful.

Kami followed Eitai outside, guiding Tansei by the hand. They walked around the building until the sounds of the last conversations of the senshi were out of hearing. For a moment, neither spoke. They held each other's hands and let the tears roll down their cheeks.

"Is this really good-bye?" Tansei asked at last.

Kami nodded without meeting his eye. "I will not be returning to this Earth. Either we will win, and life will continue, or we will fail and everything will be destroyed."

Tansei held her hands tighter. "You will win, and when you do, promise me you'll visit."

Kami raised her head, a surprised look on her face. "I can't, Tansei. I can't keep popping in and out of the time stream."

"I don't care if you can't," he told her, suddenly angry. "You are able to do it, so promise me you will. I'll wait for you."

Tears flowed from Kami's eyes as she shook her head. "Don't. Don't wait for me. Don't make this harder. Tansei-"

He interrupted her by putting his finger beneath her chin and lifting her lips to his. The words died in Kami's mouth, replaced by a feeling of warmth she had never experienced. She closed her eyes and relaxed into his embrace, relishing the sensation of his mouth on hers and the feel of his breath on her cheek. Finally, they parted and Kami was left trying to control her fluttering heart.

"Come back to me, Kami," Tansei whispered. "I'll wait for you."

"I love you," Kami said. "Please, find happiness."

"I have."

Kami turned and fled, her fingertips lingering for a moment longer on his before they would be parted forever. She did her best to compose herself as she transformed into Sailor NeoSun to join her companions for their final battle. The others were already gathered, and Sailor Nyx looked at her with sympathetic eyes.

"Watch out for him," NeoSun murmured to her sister.

Nyx nodded, unshed tears glimmering in her eyes as she hugged her sister. Turning to join Sailor Moon and the others, NeoSun took a deep breath.

Sailor Aion held the Garnet Orb staff before her so the orb was in front of her eyes. Narrowing her gaze, twin beams of light came from her eyes and passed through the jewel, which fragmented the light into all the colours of the rainbow. The refracted light spread, soaring high into the sky and disappearing from view. Aion lowered her staff and gestured for the senshi to begin their journey.

"Good luck," Sailor Moon said to those left behind. "Be careful."

"We will," Sailor Neptune replied with a smile. "Do your best."

As the four senshi stepped onto the path, the remaining defenders of Earth turned to reenter the Shrine and plan their defense. Neither party of heroines noticed the figure that slipped onto the Rainbow Bridge as it began to fade.

Sailor Moon and Sailor Mars stared at the city of Asgard in shocked disbelief. The entire place was as familiar to them as their own home, like they had only descended the stairs from the Shrine and had not stepped on the Rainbow Bridge. The layout of the streets, the placement of the houses, and even the landscaping of the trees was an exact copy of their world.

But this world lay in utter devastation.

"What happened?" Sailor Moon breathed, unable to tear her eyes from the chaos.

"Hodur killed Baldur, the god of Light," Sailor Aion said.

NeoSun turned her head away at the mention of her former disciple. Sailor Moon noticed tears forming in her eyes.

"Without both gods of light and dark," Aion continued, "the balance of Parallel Earth was destroyed, allowing Hodur to start preparations for Ragnarok. It was what awakened me."

"And what returned me to this world," NeoSun added, composing herself.

"Where do we find him?" Sailor Mars asked.

Aion gestured with her staff up the tall staircase. Mars' eyes widened in surprise as she recognized the all-too familiar steps.

"The Hikawa Shrine?" she gasped.

"Not here," Aion told her. "In Asgard, it is the palace of the Immortal Senshi, and the resting place of the Golden Throne, where Baldur once reigned over Asgard."

The senshi turned to walk up the stairs when they heard a clatter behind them. Instantly each of the girls was on guard, waiting and watching to see what would come from the shadows. Sailor Mars had visions of the dark creatures that had descended to Earth and suddenly began to wonder if the four of them were enough to face Hodur. There was another noise and a figure came from the shadows of a ruined building towards them.

"Tansei-kun!" Sailor Aion exclaimed in surprise.

Tansei grinned in embarrassment and scratched the back of his head. He tried to laugh, but found himself facing the stern looks of four senshi. Lowering his hand, he did his best to look ashamed.

"What are you doing here?" NeoSun asked.

"I couldn't leave you," Tansei told her, "not again. If you can't ever return to Earth again, then I don't want to return either."

"Idiot!" NeoSun snapped. "Don't you understand the danger you're in?"

Aion shook her head. "It's too late. I can't reform the Bridge to bring him home. We'll have to bring him with us."

NeoSun sighed and nodded. "Stay close to me, Tansei, please. If we come across any danger, hide. Understand?"

"Yes," Tansei replied, moving to stand next to NeoSun. "I'm sorry, Kami."

"I didn't want to leave you either," she said with a smile. "Come on."

Sailor Neptune leapt into the air as the earth gave another shudder, heaving the sidewalk and cracking a few buildings. As she moved from place to place, her feet never touching the ground, she noticed Sailor Nyx easily keeping pace with her. The young blue haired senshi's face was full of determination as she took the lead in search of a safe place to stop. Neptune couldn't help but smile and think of Haruka, and how much this strange senshi moved like her.

Not far, the Erebus senshi were surrounded by creatures of all shapes and sizes. The four girls stood back to back in a rough circle, each facing their own opponent. Neptune admired their bravery and dedication to their mission, watching with interest as they held their ground.

"Neptune!" Sailor Nyx cried.

The elder senshi focused her attention back to where she was going as a flying monster took a swipe at her with his claws. She easily dodged the attack, striking back with her own. The flying beast screamed as it vanished and Neptune winked to Nyx.

Above them, the sky was inky black, a mass of swirling clouds that blocked out any source of light. It was difficult to say whether it was day or night as the hours passed and the end of the world kept coming. Occasionally a streak of lightning would highlight the grim sky, but for the most part the senshi relied on the dim streetlights and their own senses to stay alive.

"Nyx-sama," Sailor Dis said as Neptune and Nyx joined the comrades, "there are too many of these things for us to keep fighting."

"And we haven't been able to track down the souls either," Orcus added.

"We can't defeat them," Nyx told her friends. "All we can do is hold them off while the others stop Ragnarok. When Hodur is gone, everything will go with him."

Neptune raised an eyebrow skeptically. How could she be so sure the end of the world was reversible? What if the chaos Hodur had started never ended?

"For now," Neptune said aloud, "we can retreat. There's not much else we can do, and if we fight until we're exhausted, we won't last to see the others return."

"To the Shrine?" Acheron confirmed.

Sailor Nyx nodded and transformed herself into Noctis. Flapping her wings, she rose into the sky.

"I'll buy you some time," she called. "Escape, and I'll meet you at the Shrine."

Neptune nodded, ushering the Erebus senshi away as Noctis drew the attacks of the monsters. Glancing back, it seemed to Neptune that it was a never-ending sea of bodies, whose soul desire was to destroy the world they were destined to protect. She felt the faintest tingle of despair well up in her breast, and sent a silent prayer to Usagi and the others that they would return soon.

The inside of the palace of the Immortal Senshi was bare and desolate. The long tables that once hosted the feasting senshi were turned over or destroyed, bowls and cups scattered on the ground. The wall hangings were like brightly coloured cobwebs, reaching to the ground with tattered fingers. Sailor Moon shuddered as she followed closely behind Mars and the others, her blue eyes taking in the sorrowful hall.

"This was once a place of great happiness," Sailor Aion said, her words echoing. "The senshi lived here, their presence keeping the city of Asgard safe, and the presence of Baldur keeping them happy."

NeoSun lowered her gaze to the ground at the mention of her deceased disciple. Tansei took her hand and squeezed it, offering small comfort to her grief. Sailor Aion passed her crystal eyes over the remains of the palace, resting them on the Golden Throne.

"This is where it began," she said. "This is where it must end."

Reaching out with one gloved hand, a small white sphere materialized next to the Throne. Slowly, it expanded to form an oval portal that lead to a dark area beyond. Lowering her hand, Aion turned to her companions. Would these three senshi be enough? Aion had heard of the power of Sailor Moon from the memories sent to her in the Void, but would this scared looking girl be able to hold her own against a god?

"This is the entrance to the Hall of the Gods," Aion said. "I wondered where Hodur was keeping the senshi he collected, but Akumu described the Hall to me when she was brought here. This is where we must go."

Turning, she stepped through the portal, knowing the others would follow. She heard Sailor Moon and Sailor Mars gasp as they stood on the dark bridge that led to the Hall. Moving her eyes from left to right, Aion knew why they were in awe. Lining the walls were thousands of coloured spheres, each containing a senshi with a single Star Seed floating before them. The spheres stretched higher than any of them could see, and descended deeper than the darkness below them.

"I had no idea," Sailor Mars whispered. "So many of us."

"Each planet in the universe, each star and asteroid, has a guardian," NeoSun explained. "I looked everywhere for allies, everywhere I knew, but Hodur had beaten me. They're all here."

"Are they dead?" Sailor Moon asked.

Aion shook her head. "No, as long as their Seed shines, they are alive."

She began to walk down the bridge, pointing out some of the senshi she recognized as they passed. Many were from her last visit to this world, during the Sailor Wars when they had fought Chaos without the aid of his mistress. She stopped in front of three senshi with long hair tied in ponytails, and stars on their tiaras.

"The Starlights," Aion said sadly. "Starfighter, Starmaker, and Starhealer, of the planet Kinmoku."

"Their planet was destroyed in the Sailor Wars," NeoSun added. "I thought they had died as well."

Aion said nothing but continued down the path. She stopped again in front of a senshi with red hair streaked with blond, wearing a gray fuku and white skirt.

"Sailor Apollo," she introduced. "Senshi of the planet Pythia. She was a friend of Akumu's, even though they had their differences."

They kept moving, Sailor Moon looking into the faces of each senshi they passed. She could feel their sorrow, the pain they had faced while defending their home worlds, only to be taken to this strange place and put on display, neither living nor dead. She wondered what their names were, who their families were, and what life was like where they were from. She wished she could speak to them, assure them that they would be saved. Suddenly, she stopped dead in her tracks.

"Hotaru-chan," she whispered.

Sailor Saturn floated before her, her eyes closed and her shimmering Seed spinning slowly on its axis. Sailor Moon reached out with one hand, wanting to feel her friend's skin to see if she truly was alive, when NeoSun slapped it back.

"Don't touch them," NeoSun said sternly. "We don't know what Hodur has done to them. They're safe like this, for now."

Tears brimming in her eyes, Sailor Moon nodded mutely. Turning, she pressed both her hands to her mouth as she saw the next few senshi. Mars was already standing in front of them, both arms hanging loosely at her side.

"Mako-chan," Mars said to the still forms of her friends. "Minako-chan, Ami-chan."

The three senshi were next to each other as they had been in life, still as the dead, looking like they were asleep. NeoSun took Sailor Moon gently by the shoulders and conducted her past her friends, guiding Mars as she did. Only Tansei noticed the tears in NeoSun's eyes.

Keishu paced back and forth outside the front of the Shrine, doing her best not to let her eyes wander down the stairs. Above her, the sky rumbled and lightning struck as the ground trembled below her feet. The world was shaking apart, Keishu could feel it. She brushed a strand of her pink hair aside as a sudden gust of cold wind blew it in her face. They should not be here, she knew. The senshi of the Underworld should never appear in the world of the living. She paused to stare into the brightly lit room of the Shrine, where her companions gathered to plan their course of action.

Michi was sitting at the table, with Akumu and Yume. Although Keishu could not hear what was being said, she recognized the confused expression on her friends' face all too well. Yume was patiently explaining something, gesturing to a piece of paper on the table, while Sei lay on her back on the bed. No doubt the redhead had a biting comment on her lips, but she was being uncharacteristically reserved. Keishu rolled her eyes, mirroring Sei's impatience. Michi was never very bright, was far too trusting and open to be a warrior. Yet Keishu had seen her in battle, holding her own. No one who met the lilac haired girl would believe the horrors she had seen.

Sei flipped onto her stomach and threw something at Yume. Keishu smiled to herself, swallowing the laugh that was bubbling in her throat. The vain and arrogant Sei, self-proclaimed princess of Erebus. There were times when Keishu wanted to strangle the girl for her laziness, perhaps because she saw something of herself in Sei. Still, she was the first to agree with Keishu whenever a decision was being made, and that made her all right in Keishu's books.

Yume calmly ignored Sei as she continued to instruct Michi. There was something about Yume that always rubbed Keishu the wrong way. Perhaps it was all the time she spent among the mortals, or all the strange sights she described to Michi. It was Yume's fault the impressionable girl's head was full of fantasies about the Upper World. Keishu wondered if the world was living up to her expectations.

Michi, Sei, and Yume; her only friends in either world. The only ones she could trust, the only ones she could rely on. How fragile their friendship seemed now that she thought about it.

"Keishu-chan!" Michi called, waving her hand above her head.

Keishu couldn't help but smile. Raising her hand to return the wave, she didn't see the last of the plagues of Ragnarok appear. As she moved back towards the Shrine, a huge foot slammed down in front of her, crushing the small wooden structure that housed the most important people in Keishu's world.

"Welcome," Hodur said, his voice echoing off the unseen walls.

The senshi stepped into the chamber, the black floor reflecting an unseen light and sparkling. Around them the walls were lost in the deepest shadows making the hall seem like it stretched forever around them. At the end of the hall, mounted on a silver platform, sat an enormous black throne on which the God of Darkness rested. He sat with his chin resting on one fist, his dark eyes locked on the few senshi who dared invade his home. On the arm of the chair rested a black dish containing three spinning Star Seeds, a fourth one hovering meekly on his palm.

Aion led the others forward, and Hodur sat up. A smile spread across his face and he raised a finger to count.

"Four senshi and a mortal?" he laughed.

As they drew closer, four spheres hanging behind his throne became visible. Sailor Moon pressed her hand to her mouth, her eyes widening in shock. Sailor NeoSun put her hand on Sailor Aion's shoulder as the senshi's eyes narrowed. Hodur smiled evilly.

"Do you like them? I chose my favourites to hang in my hall."

He gestured to the senshi behind him. A girl with long purple hair in pigtails, a woman with long dark green hair, a girl with short blonde hair and a defiant expression, and finally a woman with long pink hair in pointed pigtails.

"Sailor Odin, Sailor Pluto, Sailor Loki, and Sailor Moon," Aion named Hodur's favourites.

"I couldn't just leave them with the others," Hodur explained.

"Chibiusa-chan," Sailor Moon whispered. "Setsuna-san."

"Hodur, this is the end," Sailor NeoSun exclaimed. "You have gone too far."

Laughing, Hodur snapped his fingers. From the shadows came a very large figure, his knuckles dragging on the ground. His head was far too small for his enormous body, which was square and muscular. His legs and arms were as thick as tree trunks. He smiled at the senshi, dribble sliding down his chin.

"Vali has failed," Hodur said to the mammoth, "Vidar, destroy them."

"Vidar destroy!" the man echoed, stumbling forward.