Chapter 9: The Arriving Threat

Ryo and Mars were walking through the courtyard hand in hand while another party was going on inside. "It's quiet tonight," Mars said softly. Ryo frowned as his arm went around her waist. She was right, the night was quiet. Perhaps too quiet even. Not even the sound of the nightly crickets that normally annoyed him weren't even making a sound.

Mars noticed that something was wrong. "What's the matter, my love?" she asked as she rested her hand on his chest, "You seem distracted tonight." Ryo looked down at her and put on his best smile.

"Nothing, it's nothing," he assured her, "This has just been too peaceful for me."

"Are you expecting something?" she asked.

He shrugged his shoulders a little. "More of a battle," he replied, "We keep hearing about how Beryl wants to attack us, but she hasn't. To me the longer she takes to attack us; that raises a flag that she's building a bigger army than we had expected." Mars stared up at him to see the concern in his eyes.

"Ryo," she said softly, making him look down at her, "Can we not talk about Beryl tonight?"

Seeing that the topic bothered her, he nodded his head slowly. "Just not for tonight, I want to enjoy tonight," she added, "I want to enjoy every moment I have with you."

"Wish granted," he answered as he kissed her lightly, "I love you."

"And I you," she said softly.

He kissed her again, his arm going around her back.

Inside the castle, the other Warriors were feeling a darker presence. It was perturbing all of them enough that their Princesses were knowing a difference in their attitudes throughout the night.

Serenity saw that Touma was off in his own world and made her way over to him. "Dance with me," she said softly. Touma looked down at her, holding onto her hand as they went out onto the dance floor. Instead of his normal Warrior clothes, he had on a black of black boots, black breeches, a royal blue jacket that had silver lining going through it, and he had a cloak attached to his shoulders. Since he would be king soon, they felt it was time for him to dress like a future King. "Touma, what is bothering you?" she asked.

Looking down at her, he gave her a soft smile. "Nothing," he replied as he twirled her around once, "How does it feel that in two days' time we will be dancing together as husband and wife?" Serenity smiled at the idea as she kept her arm around his neck.

"A dream come true," she replied.

She rested her hand on the back of his neck as he smiled down at her. "We will have an amazing future together, you and me. King and Queen of the Moon," she added.

"Still not sure if I quite like the sound of being King," he answered, making her laugh.

"You will be an amazing king," she said softly.

Touma smiled, but then he looked over to see that his friends were still on high alert.

Just as he thought they were all being worried over nothing, they heard a large crash of thunder outside. "What was that?" Shu asked as they ran outside.

All five Warriors stopped in their tracks at what they were seeing. There was a large black cloud hanging over the castle. "What the heck is that?!" Seiji exclaimed.

"WATCH IT!" Ryo shouted when a black lightning bolt shot at all five of them.

Thinking quickly, all five men covered the girls from the blast. They could hear cackling, making them sit up. "Who's there?" Seiji demanded as he kept Jupiter behind him in the attempt to protect her.

"Well, these are the Realms' protectors, I have to say I'm far from impressed," Queen Beryl said with a smirk as she hovered over everything.

"What business do you have here?" Shin demanded.

"Silence little boy, this has nothing to do with you," Beryl hissed, "This is a little wedding gift for Princess Serenity and her Warrior lover."

Serenity gasped when she saw Meratia using her powers and her army to destroy her home. "Serenity, you need to get out of here," Touma told her.

"I'm not leaving without you," she answered.

"Don't worry about me!" Touma told her, "I will be fine."

Ryo glared at the evil, cackling witch. "RONIN WARRIORS TO ARMS!" he shouted. "ARMOR OF WILDFIRE! DAO JIN!" he shouted.

"ARMOR OF HALO! TAO CHI!" Seiji shouted.

"ARMOR OF TORRENT! DAO SHIN!" Shin shouted.

"ARMOR OF HARDROCK! DAO GI!" Shu shouted.

"ARMOR OF STRATA! TAO INOCHI!" Touma shouted.

Touma pulled out his bow and fired an arrow at the evil witch. She let out a hiss that reminded Serenity of a snake. "How dare you!" she hissed.

"We're just warming up!" Ryo answered as he swung one of his katanas at her.

She let out another hiss, throwing lightning at them. "Girls, we could use your help any time now!" Shu called out as he dodged another large bolt of lightning that just barely missed his head.

"JUPITER POWER!" Jupiter shouted.

"MERCURY POWER!" Mercury shouted.

"VENUS POWER!" Venus shouted.

"MARS POWER!" Mars shouted.

The girls transformed into their Sailor Scouts uniform and Mars ran over, jumping in front of Ryo. "MARS FIRE IGNITE!" she shouted as she aimed her attack at the evil witch.

Touma turned towards Serenity. "Serenity, you need to go, now!" he told her, "It's too dangerous for you to be here!" Serenity stared at the evil witch with wide eyes. "GO!" Touma shouted and she ran up the stairs.

A hoard of the Queen's soldiers were running up the stairs with their weapons drawn. "SUPER WAVE SMASHER!" Shin shouted as he swung his spear around.

"MERCURY BUBBLES BLAST!" Mercury shouted as she swung her arms out.

Jupiter let out a shout as she jumped off a rail and held her arms. "JUPITER THUNDER CRASH!" she shouted. Seiji had his arms raised above his head as more of the oncoming soldiers charged at him.

"AH! THUNDERBOLT CUT!" he shouted as he swung his sword around.

"We need to separate!" Ryo called out.

The couples ran in opposite directions to separate the army while Beryl and Meratia were laughing hysterically at them.

Venus let out a shout as one of the soldiers nearly grabbed her. She jumped up and grabbed onto the ledge of a wall and pulled herself up. "VENUS CRESCENT BEAM SMASH!" she shouted.

"IRON ROCK CRUSHER!" Shu shouted as their powers combined.

The floors and walls came apart and started landing on the soldiers that were chasing them. Shu let out a shout when Meratia tried to strike him with another one of her lightning bolts. "This isn't going to be easy!" she called out.

"It's never easy!" he answered.

She jumped from the ledge and into his arms before they took off running together.

Seiji and Jupiter were surrounded, the young married couple stood back to back. "You and me right?" he asked.

"Till the end," she answered smiling.

Seiji linked an arm with hers before he swung out and she started kicking the soldiers that were surrounding them. Letting her go, she did a flip and landed back on her feet. Grabbing his sword he blocked an attack aimed for his wife's head.

Jupiter ran across the room before she jumped, using her momentum to kick herself away from a wall and kick another demon solder in the face. "Do you have a plan?!" Jupiter called out.

"Just one," he replied.

She smirked as they gripped each other's hands and he held his sword out in front of him. "JUPITER SUPREME THUNDER DRAGON!" she shouted.

"THUNDERBOLT CUT!" he shouted.

The combination of their powers working together started tearing the hall apart, but the two of them just stared at their charging enemies head on. Seiji's eyes started glowing brighter and bright as he pushed their powers to work harder. "THUNDERBOLT LIGHTNING CRASH!" they shouted together then aimed their attacks at Meratia.

A large ball of electricity erupted from the sword and into the dark sky. The evil black energy wasn't even phased, but Seiji let Jupiter's hand go, feeling as though almost all of his energy had drained from him. "Seiji!" Jupiter gasped as he collapsed to one knee.

"I'm alright," He assured her, holding his chest.

Jupiter gasped when she grabbed Seiji's sword, swinging out to protect him from a spear aimed for his head. It was then she realized most of her energy had been spent as well. Getting back to his feet, he took his sword from Jupiter and blocked a lightning bolt aimed at them both. "Well, this is getting quite boring," Beryl said with a fake yawn.

Seiji looked over and his eyes grew wide at what he saw. He saw the dark soldiers surrounding Jupiter. "JUPITER!" he shouted, running to her. He kicked one away and covered her as one of the soldiers aimed his sword at her. His eyes grew wide as the pain shot through him as the sword pierced the area where his armor was weak and couldn't protect him from the attacks.

Hearing his husband groan in pain, she looked over with a gasp to see him collapsing to his knees. "SEIJI!" she screamed in horror.

"ARROW SHOCK WAVE!" Touma shouted, destroying the soldiers still surrounding them.

Running over to his injured friend, he grabbed his arm wrapping it around his shoulders. "We need to get out of here!" he called to Jupiter as he practically carried his friend out of the room.

Pulling Seiji down an empty hall, Touma set him down onto the floor while Jupiter knelt in front of him, pulling off his head. She checked his side to see the blood coming from the wound. "Seiji, it'll be okay just let me look at it," she answered.

"This is what I get for being the hero," he muttered with a slight laugh.

Jupiter stroked the hair from his eyes. "You are going to be just fine," she said softly. Seiji grabbed her arm, making her face him. He stared at her for a moment and Touma could hear his friend struggling to breathe.

"You are…the most beautiful…woman I have ever seen," he murmured.

Jupiter pressed a hand to the wound in his side. "You keep flattering me even injured," she quipped softly. He groaned in pain and let out a cough.

"Jupiter, stop, I'm done," he answered.

"Don't talk that way," she scolded lightly.

Her bottom lip shook as she held onto his hand. "Seiji, please don't talk that way," she begged softly. He gave her a soft smile as he stared at Touma.

"This Beryl…her army is stronger than we thought," he murmured.

"We've been up against worse," Touma answered as he crouched in front of him.

Seiji shook his head slowly. "No, we haven't, what we fought seems like nothing but those fights you and I would have as children. You need…you need to get Serenity out of here. You need to get her to safety…Beryl's going to kill her unless you do something," he answered. Touma gripped his friend's shoulder as he turned back to his wife who was trying not to cry. "Jupiter…my love…" he said softly.

"Don't you dare say goodbye to me," she answered.

She let out a sob. "You're not supposed to leave me like this," she told him. Seiji let out a groan as the pain became too much.

"Jupiter, let me hold you…just let me hold you in my arms," he begged softly, "I need to feel you in my arms."

Moving onto his lap, she closed her eyes as his arms wrapped around her as tight as he could with whatever strength he had left. "I love you," he whispered, "It's always…been…you…"

"It's always been you," she answered crying softly.

She tilted her head up and he kissed her once more before he took his final breath and he went completely limp. "Seiji?" she called to him, sitting up. Tears welled up in her eyes. "Seiji!" she called out again, "Seiji, no…no you're not supposed to leave me!" She gripped the front of his armor with tears streaming down her face. "Wake up, you can't leave me like this," she said sobbing.

Touma had tears in his own eyes as he stared at his friend's lifeless body. "Seiji!" Jupiter sobbed, resting her head on his chest as she cried. Touma grabbed her hand.

"Jupiter, we have to go," he insisted.

She shook her head slowly. "You go find Serenity. I'm going to stay here with him," she answered, her bottom lip trembling. She looked at the Warrior of Strata. "I have nothing without him," she whispered. Touma was watching the life leave her eyes as she stayed in her husband's limp arms. "He's my only love," she added. She closed her eyes as she rested her head on her husband's chest.

Touma watched with wide eyes as Jupiter let out only a few more breaths before her body also went completely still. He reached out, touching her neck when he felt for her pulse. His eyes grew wide when he didn't feel one. Standing up, he stared at the lifeless body of his friends for a minute but then he went to find Serenity.

Outside, Ryo let out a shout as he dodged another attack aimed at him. Mars held her hands up in front of her. "MARS FIRE IGNITE!" she shouted. Jumping off the ground, Ryo held his arms above his head.

"FLARE UP NOW!" he shouted.

Mars smiled as their powers were combined and crashed through the army charging at them. Ryo landed beside her as they watched as more soldiers started running at them. "What do we do, Ryo? There's so many!" she exclaimed.

"We fight until the death," he answered.

He smirked at his girl, holding his hand out to her. Mars slipped her into his, then he rested his other hand around her waist as he lifted her up off the ground and she kicked several of the demon soldiers away. He set her back down on the ground. She pulled out one of Ryo's katanas from the sheath, swinging it at a soldier running at her. Ryo pulled out the other blade, letting out a shout as he held the weapon above his head as the soldier tried to bring an axe down on his head. "RYO!" Mars called out, tossing his katana over to him.

Ryo swung his weapons around his head as Mars stood beside him. "FIRE FLARE BLAST!" they shouted together. With Mars holding out her hands and Ryo holding out his katanas the flame was a hundred times bigger.

As Ryo went to do another attack, he suddenly felt a sharp pain go into the space between his neck and shoulder. "RYO!" Mars wailed, but then she felt a sharp pain go into her back and through her stomach.

"MARS!" he called out as he collapsed to his knees.

He forced himself to stand up as he picked Mars up and they rushed past the army rushing up to them. "Let them go! Find the Moon Princess!" Beryl ordered.

The two warriors of fire stumbled into the temple. They collapsed to the floor, groaning in pain. Reaching over, Mars gripped his helmet and tossed it aside. "Ryo…" she whispered as his arm moved around her back. Ryo rested his forehead against hers, smiling softly.

"I have never met a woman like you…" he whispered.

She smiled softly at him. "I have never met a man like you, Ryo," she whispered, "I love you." Her bottom lip trembled as she stared at him

"I love you, Mars, more than anything," he answered

He pressed his lips against hers. She kissed him back, gripping his armor tightly with whatever strength she had left before their strength left them and they died on the floor of the temple where they had fallen in love.

On the other side of the castle, Shu was blocking attack after attack from the demon soldiers charging at them. "Venus! Where are you?!" he called out.

"Over here!" she answered.

Taking his weapon he threw it around his head as he took several soldiers down with him. "There's too many of them, Shu!" she exclaimed once he was by her side again. Shu looked around and let out a deep breath, seeing that there were too many of them. Thousands of demon soldiers were running at them.

"If we're going down, we're taking a bunch of them with us," he answered.

Grabbing her hand, he ran towards the hill with her. "Where are we going?!" she called out.

"I have a plan," he replied.

They ran up to the hill where they used to sit at night and hold each other, looking at the Earth. Where they would talk to each other about their dreams and what they want. Venus stared at him quizzically. "Shu…" she asked.

"We're not gonna make it out of here alive. If we're going to die, we're going to take a bunch of these things with us. We'll die before Beryl wins," he answered.

She nodded, gripping the arms of his armor. "I love you," she told him. Shu pulled her tight against him.

"I love you, Venus, forever," he answered.

He pressed his lips to hers and Venus kissed him back as a single tear rolled down her cheek. Pulling away, he kissed her forehead before they looked back at the army running at them. "Ready?" he asked. She nodded and gripped his hand tightly.

"IRON BEAM CLASH!" they shouted together.

Venus swung around throwing her hands to the ground while Shu swung his staff around his head, throwing it down onto the ground. The ground started separating and breaking apart as if it were paper under water. "Venus!" Shu called out. He grabbed onto her waist, pulling her to him just as the ground collapsed under their feet. Venus held onto him tightly. "Don't close your eyes, V! Look at me!" he called to her. She looked into his eye as he held onto her. "I've got you," he told her.

"I've got you," she answered.

Then darkness claimed them both.

Beryl hissed as she watched as Venus and Shu destroyed almost all of her armor. "The fools!" she hissed. She looked over towards the river where Shin and Mercury were fighting. "I won't let them destroy any more of my army!" she snarled as she flew over towards them.

Mercury threw another blast of bubbles at the demon soldiers surrounding them. Shin grabbed her hand, swinging her around and she kicked another soldier away from her. She did a backflip over a soldier's head, landing behind him. She let out a shout as she kicked him and it sent him straight into Shin's spear. "MERCURY BUBBLES BLAST!" she shouted as another large group of soldiers ran at her.

"SUPER WAVE SMASHER!" he shouted.

Mercury let out a shout, grabbing onto one of the spears aimed at her middle and threw the demon into the river. "Well, isn't it sweat, the Warriors of Water fighting together," Beryl sneered as she looked at them.

"You are going to pay for what you have done tonight, Beryl!" Mercury snapped.

Beryl only rolled her eyes. "Now you and your friend are going to go back to the Negaverse where you belong!" Shin snapped. Mercury jumped off a rock and she landed on Shin's shoulders.

"BUBBLE WAVE BLAST!" they shouted together.

They aimed their attacks at both Beryl and Meratia. Putting all of their strength into their attacks. Only to find that their attacks were no use. Beryl laughed at the couple as Mercury jumped off his shoulders and into his arms so he could place her safely back on the ground. "How sweet, my turn," Beryl said with a sneer.

Before the two lovers could jump out of the way, Meratia shot black electricity at the two of them. Mercury let out a gasp. "SHIN!" she screamed, shoving him as hard as she could out of the way and was hit with the full blast.

"MERCURY!" he shouted.

Mercury screamed in agony as the blast took over her body. Once Meratia finally stopped her attack, Shin caught his love in his arms, collapsing to his knees. "Mercury, why?" he asked. She stared up at him with tears in her eyes.

"Because I love you…" she whispered.

She stared into his eyes, smiling softly. "You have such beautiful eyes," she said softly. She whimpered in pain as the attack drained her body. "I love you, Shin," she whispered. Shin held her to his chest.

"I love you, Mercury," he whispered before kissing her lovingly.

When she fell limp in his arms, Shin felt his heart shatter. He held her in his arms, rocking her back and forth as tears streamed down his cheeks.

"Oh, how pathetic," Beryl said sounding bored.

Shin placed Mercury's body on the grass after kissing her lips once more. He stood up from the ground with a glare. "You're going to pay for that!" he spat at her.

"Am I? This should be a treat!" she said laughing.

Grabbing his discarded spear, Shin let out a shout as he charged at the woman. Beryl dodged his attack, she grabbed his spear and threw it into the water. Grabbing him by his throat, she lifted him up off the ground and squeezed his throat. "You are a handsome one, too bad you're not the one I want," she hissed. Shin struggled against her grasp, but then Beryl sent her magic through his body. Shin started shouting in agony, struggling eve harder but it was no use. Sending all of her power into him, she let him drop to the ground. Shin winced as he looked over at Mercury's body. "And now to finish the job," she said laughing.

Holding onto Mercury's body, he jumped into the river and they both started sinking to the ground. Shin held onto Mercury as his eyes began to close, taking his final breaths in the water as he kissed Mercury's still lips one more time as he closed his eyes.

On the balcony, Touma had watched in horror as his friends one by one died trying to protect the Moon Kingdom. "Touma, we must go!" Endymion snapped at him.

"Where's Serenity?" he demanded.

"She went towards the back," Endymion replied.

Touma ran towards the direction that Serenity was, hoping that he could get his love out of here before it was too late.