Chapter Eleven:

Her breathing had been steady before, she had been in a sound and restful sleep, and all of a sudden she bolted into wakefulness. Amara's eyes darted about the room as they tried to come into focus. She strained to hear what might have startled her awake, but the only sound she could discern was that of her roommates peacefully sleeping.

The woman ran a hand through her short blonde hair, it clinging slightly to her forehead. Now she was frowning, she never woke up unless something hit her senses. Be it sound, or smell...Normally there was a reason for her to have awoken so abruptly, but she couldn't find anything.

Nothing seemed out of place...Her eyes strayed to the window, as she noticed it was still raining.

"What is up with that?" She murmured to herself, before casting the blankets aside and leaping out of the bed.

There, she had sensed it only briefly...A power. She had heard the sounds of someone walking before; she only assumed this because she heard footsteps now.

"I'm going to get soaked," she grumbled irritably, but as her hands touched the door handles and pushed the doors open the rain died down to a light mist. She did not miss this at all, and her eyes narrowed, as she called out, "Who's there?"

Someone just out of her line of vision jumped down from somewhere above her...And she almost tensed, but then there was that power again...Something she knew and remembered, and she relaxed.

"Yo," Universe calmly greeted slipping out of the shadows, to sit on the balcony railing. "Been a while, hasn't it Haruka-chan? Though, you aren't called that now. It's Amara-chan, ne?"

"Uni," the Sailor of Uranus couldn't help but grin at seeing her. "Stopped hiding, at long last? Neo had to come and see us."

The Scout gave what sounded like a 'hmph,' "I know, but really there wasn't any other way. There's only so much I can get around, without putting the future in more jeopardy than what it is."

Amara gave a nod, "I understand, and without risk to yourself." She had noted there was far more white in the Senshi's hair than what should have been.

"The risks to my own being are inconsequential," Universe waved Uranus off. Before saying with a grin, "You must be restless, if you woke up. I've visited Kayura like this several times without anyone waking up."

"Maybe a little anxious," the woman paused. "Is that why you didn't slink off?"

Universe was true to her nature and gave an evasive answer, "Perhaps."

Amara could almost sense the change in the elder Scouts mood, "You don't have to worry about us. We're capable of taking care of ourselves, the Ronin included. Though I know you love bailing them out."

Universe laughed gently at the teasing, "Oh I know you're all capable. And hey, it's not my fault I had to actually inform them I was helping them out! Plus, when I helped you out in the past lives I was always rather visible. Can't do for one group, and not the other, don't want my charges getting jealous." Here the woman smirked, "You bicker enough as it is."

The Sailor of Uranus chuckled at that, "Good point. Hey, if you didn't do something you'd get into trouble right?"

"Exactly."

"Kinda like that time, you," Amara began, but halted at the look on the Scout's face.

Universe proceeded to cough, "Ya, something like that. Since we're sitting here talking, be careful Uranus-chan. I know you're not helpless or weak, but without your memories you all could be no more than sitting ducks." The Scout got to her feet now, sighed and shook her head, "And don't think they won't play that to their advantage because they will."

The woman gave a solemn nod to the statement, and the Scout began to walk off. Amara thought for a moment before posing the question currently on her mind, "When are you going to reveal yourself to us?"

That got her to halt...She knew the implications in those words. When was she going to appear to them in a form other than that of a Senshi? Universe let out a sigh and ran a hand through her hair...She was no closer to an answer to that now than she had been before.

Yet, with the knowledge of what exactly would go on after the warriors set foot into the trap, and just how bad it was going to get...She did have some sort of an answer.

Universe glanced back at her and grinned, "Get rid of that seal, Amara-chan. Then I might think about it." She gave a wink, before saying, "Be careful, good luck. See ya!"

"Later Uni," the woman told her, watching as she jumped down to the ground below...Only to slip into a shadow a moment later and vanish. Amara let out a resigned sigh, before walking back into the room and gently closing the doors behind her.

The conversation had done nothing to lift her spirits, but there was nothing to be done. Not right now anyway, sleep was calling her...And she was going to need it, especially with what lay ahead.

Later That Morning

Lita gave a soft sigh, emerald eyes scanning the forest that lay just beyond the clearing where the mansion was situated. The rain continued to fall; it was as if it were a never-ending blanket of falling water had decided to cover this part of Japan. Yet, it suited the mood of the situation, things were already grim and there was a potential for them to get worse.

Her attention was quick to shift to the person that came out of the house, "Morning Serena."

"Morning," the blonde timidly replied, her own eyes scanning what lay ahead now. "It's going to be a long day."

"Mhm," the Senshi of Jupiter consented with a nod. "Rini, okay?"

"Yeah, Darien dropped her and the cats off at my parents," Serena paused a moment, before murmuring. "It'll be safer for them there...I'd take her with us, but I won't take the chance something is going to happen to her. Senshi or not, she is my future daughter."

Lita gave a wry grin, clapping her friend on the back, "Now you're starting to sound like a future queen."

"Heh," Serena wryly grinned, rubbing at the back of her head. "Let's not hope for miracles here. Who are we waiting on?"

"Mmm," Ami brought in, having been sitting in one of the whicker chairs all this time. "Rei and Mina are coming down now. So are the Outers. Not sure where the Ronins-"

"They left a half-hour ago," Trista supplied as she walked onto the porch. "Ryo-tachi at any rate, Kayura-tachi left about fifteen minutes ago."

"What?" Rei gaped, "What on earth for?"

"A group of almost thirty people are easier to get at, remember?" the Elemental Senshi Leader calmly stated. "We all decided last night we'd go in our respective groups and at different times."

"Ya we did," Mina agreed. "They didn't need to get that much of a head start though."

Hotaru gave a shrug of her shoulders, "Ryo-tachi are over achievers, what can I say?"

"I say enough with the complaints, and let's move out," Amara announced leaping off the porch and onto the grass.

Serena gave an immediate protest as the Outers all followed Amara's example, "Hey! Wait for us." She turned to her Senshi saying, "Minna, transform, and let's go."

"Right," the four girls agreed.

The Sailor Elementals waited on the porch and until the Inner and Outer Senshi had fallen from their line of sight before uttering a word.

"We're in for hell," Vanessa said in complaint, her eyes stormy. "It'll be a miracle if one of us makes it out of this one alive."

Kirstin gave a nod, "It will, but isn't it normal for all of us to pull miracles out of a hat?"

"Yeah," Callista commented, but she was frowning. "Normally, but the odds, which normally aren't in our favor, happen to be dead set against us this time. Why are we doing this again?"

Aurora gave a half-snort, saying calmly, "Akemliek isn't the only one affected by a seal, Universe is as well. Both seals are going to fall, let's just make sure the one that affects Universe goes first."

"Mhm," Vanessa toyed with her transformation pendant for a moment. "Because if he gets loose we are in his domain, and he can kill us easily. He's done it before."

"Thanks for those chipper words of wisdom," Kirstin rolled her eyes and walked off the porch. "Let's get this over with already; they all have enough of a head start."

Of course, little did the warriors realize that their brilliant plan of going in their separate groups, where their unity would be the strongest, would aide them very little. It did not matter how far apart they had paced themselves...In the end, the enemy's plan would prevail.

Ryo followed behind the Ronins of Halo and Torrent...Seeing as how they had been the ones to accurately pinpoint the location of the 'anomaly,' they got stuck leading. Yet, the Ronin Leader was painfully aware of where they were headed.

He could have led them there blindfolded he knew the location so well. It was forever ingrained into his memory, and would always remain there as long as his memories were not altered.

Overall, the five young men were exceedingly quiet. Being somewhat reminded of days rather long ago, where they had traversed the streets of Shinjuku waiting for the next dynasty soldier to jump out and attack them.

There was a difference this time though, they weren't reckless teenagers with barely any knowledge of what was going on, they were men and knew exactly what lay in store for them. That, and the added fact they were far closer to these armors than they had the previous ones.

Each Ronin was listening to his own respective element, trying to detect any change that might occur, signifying the enemy had begun to move against them...But, there was nothing.

The fact that they were willingly walking into a trap, did not appear to bother any of them. The five had quickly tired of this game of cat and mouse, and they wanted to put an end to it.

"I want to know," Kento grumbled out in complaint. "What is up with the freaking rain? I don't think it's stopped once in the past three days."

The archer gave a light shrug of his shoulders, "At least it isn't cold enough to be ice or snow."

Ryo gave a snort to that one, "Oh yeah, it's only a grand eight degrees out Ro."

"I don't happen to mind the rain," the bearer of Torrent now brought in. "Except when it goes on for this long."

Sage cast a glance over his shoulder at his teammates, "It is strange, especially since there was no system on the radar beforehand. But why would the enemy be bothered to do something like this? Not their style number one, and number two if they wanted an energy boost it'd have to be ice or snow, not this."

"Good point," Rowen conceded, drawing to a halt when he felt a spike in the energy around them.

He returned his eyes to his friends, noticing that Sage and Cye had halted in front of a large stone wall. A moment later, the entrance to the cavern became visible.

"Full armor, now?" the Warrior of Strength queried, turning his eyes to his leader.

Ryo gave a nod, "Yeah, armor up guys."

In a moment, the five had gone from subarmor to full armor...No longer did they have to call it out to summon it. As with the Seasonals, they had become used to the armors always being present. All it required was the thought, and the armor responded.

Without a bit of hesitation the five Ronin Warriors entered the cavern, ten minutes later the Lady Kayura and the Seasonals followed, then the Outer Senshi, and lastly the Inner Senshi.

The Sailor Elementals were the only ones to hesitate in front of the large cavern's entrance. The four women were used to jumping headfirst into things, after having Glacia scan to make sure there was nothing amiss.

Nova looked to the Senshi of Water and Ice, "Well?"

"Oh yeah we're off to a good start," she commented rolling her eyes. "It's definitely time and space manipulation. It might have something to do with the seal Inferno placed, either way they figured out how to use it."

"And the others walked right into it, peachy," Empyrean mumbled, warily glancing ahead. "Well, we going or not?"

"Going," Aarde stated in a calm tone walking forward, "If we get separated we can find each other later. And if not each other, at least our elemental partners."

Nova chortled at that, teasingly commented, "You just want to find Hardrock, because you like him."

"No duh," the Senshi of Earth replied before walking on in.

She left three gaping comrades behind her, not a one believing those words had just come out of her mouth. They quickly shook themselves, and followed after her.

Kali emerged from the woods with a smirk alighting her features, and with a snap of her fingers the entrance vanished completely, leaving them no way out.

"Now," she commented with a chuckle. "We have you all right where we want you."

With a small chuckle of amusement, the ice demoness faded into the shadows. It was time for the games to begin.

On Akemliek's 'Side'

"Well we should have everything ready," Thanos commented as he once more read over the incantation. "All we need is for them to play into our hands, and it should work."

"Yes, but these have never been that foolish," Akemliek remarked in a calm tone. "Granted, they have no one to guide them...But they are not inherently stupid, without the Great Council and Elders to pull their strings they are quite dangerous."

Thanos gave a nod, "Of course, I did not mean to imply they were not. My apologies."

"Think nothing of it," Akemliek was most likely dismissing it with a wave of his hand. "I like warriors who can fight and think for themselves anyway. Anything else is painfully dull and boring."

"Agreed," Kali chimed in having almost skipped into the cavern. "Yet, Master, and forgive me for saying such, would not it have made more sense to leave this place? This is the third attempt, is it not?"

"Oh more than that," Akemliek commented with a chuckle. "Do not think the lifetimes I mentioned were the only ones that occurred, there were many...But none of them without their appeal and form of entertainment. This galaxy amuses me, it's why I chose to linger here before the Scout sealed me."

"Even if she had not done so," Akemliek went on. "I would have stayed here anyway. She knows their true potential, knows they will give me a fight I cannot walk away from. Universe is right, because I can sense it in them as well. Perhaps not as keenly as she can, but it is enough to hold my interest. Have they arrived?"

"Yes," Kali gave a bow in respect. "Things, so far, are going according to plan. The Elementals did not fall for the bait, like you had suspected, they made their way around the trap."

"Good," Akemliek commented shifting slightly in his chair. "The only thing we have need of is the Ronins using Inferno. Other than that, it matters little how the rest of the plan goes."

"Of course, we understand," the siblings murmured as they both bowed.

"We shall leave you to your thoughts, and make sure the Raikken don't bungle the job," Thanos announced dragging his sister out of the room.

Akemliek gave a snort, as he leaned back in the chair, "Pah, they'll be rather busy then. The Raikken are slightly smarter than those metal morons Talpa used, but they're about as useful as some of Wisemen's minions."

Oh well, he would just have to be thankful that Thanos and Kali thought Beryl was an idiot and joined up with him instead. Otherwise, he would have had to rely solely on the Raikken...Now there was a thought that could give you nightmares.

"Someone needs to develop a smarter minion," Akemliek grumbled out.

A/n: Eight degrees: The temperature is listed in Celsius; 8 degrees Celsius equals around 46 degrees Fahrenheit. So it's not freezing out, but its still too cold for Ryo's tastes.

Hope you enjoyed your update!

-LG