Chapter 18

"We have to hurry!" Sol wasn't one to bark out orders, but they all stood paralyzed with what he could only imagine was fear. His words seemed to pull them back to reality as they all turned to look at him and nodded. The shocked faces that were before him just a second ago were now replaced with faces of determination. Sol locked eyes with Makoto and her stare softened, if only for a second.

"The shield is down to 60% already. We'll never make it in time!" Sol couldn't recall Ami ever sounded hysterical before, but she did now. Without saying a word he turned and ran down the old stone steps of Hikawa Shrine. The normally busy street in front of him was almost deserted, save for one van idling outside of a small convenience store not far away. Perfect! Sol took off as fast as his legs would allow. The back doors of the white cargo van were hanging open, which he was glad for; it meant the owner of the vehicle was probably inside. Normally he wouldn't steal anything from anyone, but drastic times called for drastic measures.

Sol came skidding to a halt beside the driver's side door, and was stunned momentarily by a middle aged man sitting there. He quickly opened the door and was about to explain the situation when the man began to protest.

"Hey kid, what the hell do you think you're doing?!"

"I'm sorry sir, but this-"

"You can't just go around and open people's doors like that!" The man interrupted.

"Again, I'm sorry, but if you would please-"

"What the hell is wrong with today's youth?" Sol was beginning to get frustrated that this man kept interrupting him. If he would just let me finish!

"I need this van, so if you would-"

"Ha! Get real kid, you think I'm going to just give you my van? C'mon kid, get a-"Sol's fist flew through the air and connected with his lower jaw, snapping his head to the side as he fell unconscious. Sol quickly reached over and unbuckled his seat belt and awkwardly pulled him out of the van. After placing the unconscious man as gently to the ground as he could, Sol stood to see everyone staring at him with wide eyes. Whether or not they approve doesn't matter. I need to do what's necessary right now.

"I only knocked him out, and this is an emergency. "

"We know" Usagi said with a calm he hadn't seen in her a few seconds before. "I only hope he understands."

"Alright everyone, get in the van. I'm driving." Minako announced with a large grin on her face. Sol ignored her as he pulled his katana from the obi he now wore and placed it in between the two front seats. Hoisting himself up he slid into the driver's seat. Rei turned to her blonde friend, face red with anger. "You don't even know how to drive Mina-chan!" Mamoru got into the passenger seat beside Sol and asked "have you driven before?"

"Yeah, my dad taught me how on country roads in Ireland before we moved to Japan. The police are pretty lenient over there." The older Mamoru only nodded as he buckled himself in. Minako and Rei continued to argue as they all piled into the back of the van. Sol put the automatic into drive and floored the pedal. The result was a slow acceleration down the road.

"Not what I was-" the van shifted into second gear and took off like a bullet as the RPM's began to red line, quickly shifting gears as they sped up. Sol suddenly had a hard time controlling the vehicle as it thundered down the road.

"What's with this crazy driving up there Sol?" He heard Makoto yell from the back of the van. Luckily the streets were almost empty of other traffic so he peeked a quick glance into the rear view mirror. The other four girls were pulling themselves out of piles of packaged goods like bags of chips and soft drinks. Makoto's face suddenly filled the mirror, eyes burning with rage.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry" he apologized, trying not to laugh. Mamoru wasn't holding anything in as he watched the girls fall over each other while Sol veered left and right avoiding some debris on the road. No doubt leftover rubble form the riots. Makoto turned her fiery glare on Mamoru and he stopped laughing abruptly, sitting up straight in his seat, looking forward.

"The shield is down to 37% now. Whatever their doing must be extremely powerful." Sol heard Ami remark from the back. Her voice shook slightly as she spoke.

"Don't worry Ami-chan" Usagi offered softly. "With the five of us together, we can beat any foe." Sol continued to speed down the road way, closing in on their destination quickly. Mamoru turned in his seat to face the Senshi. "We should all transform now. We don't know what to expect when we get there, but there is bound to be other people around." Everyone took their transformation pens out and began to change into their Sailor Senshi alter egos.

Sol rounded the last corner and the Palace was finally in sight. They could all see the force field pulsating as Koji continued his assault. People were running away from the Palace with horrified expressions on their faces. It was like something out of a movie when the end of the world is approaching. Maybe that's not a bad assessment Sol thought to himself. The crowds of people were getting thicker the closer they got and Sol was about to suggest they go on foot when people coming their way stopped.

The girls in the back all leaned closer to the front of the van to get a better view as they closed the distance. A large group was standing to one side of the Palace, where the pulsating from the shield seemed to originate from. Sol strained his eyes to get a better look and was shocked at what he saw. At the front beside the force field was Aksuna, and not Koji. She was tearing, the only word Sol could think to describe it, rifts out of nothing and dark energy poured out at the shield. Each tear was only open for a second or two, but it seemed an immense amount of energy poured forth each time. After the rift closed, she would take a few deep breaths before opening a new rift. Right behind her stood Koji, and he seemed to be in good health again. All around Koji were Forsaken, each of which had transformed into their dark selves. There must be at least a hundred of the Forsaken around them!

"The force field is about to be destroyed!" Sailor Mercury's panic stricken voice shouted from the back of the van. Aksuna opened one more rift and dark energy flowed out. The force field began to pulsate and shimmer and it seemed for a second that it might hold but then it began to crystallize as cracks spread out from where Aksuna stood. The cracks continued to spread all around the shield enveloping the Palace, and finally, it shattered into pieces. Their first line of defense had been broken as Forsaken ran towards the Palace with Koji and Aksuna at the front of the pack.

"Sol, get the van in front of them. Sailor Moon, you and the Senshi will fight Koji and Aksuna. Sol, you and I will hold off the Forsaken until Sailor Moon can defeat them." Tuxedo Kamen gave the orders quickly as Sol sped up to intercept them on their path. Sailor Moon immediately began to protest.

"There is no way you can defeat that many Forsaken!" Tuxedo Kamen turned to face her as the van came bearing down on the intruders.

"We're not going to try and defeat them, only hold them off. If you five can get to the room that amplifies your powers, you can cleanse the world. If you're tied up fighting Forsaken, Aksuna and Koji will get there first and I have no doubt in my mind if they get there, it will be the end for us all. Our only hope is for you all to beat him to the punch." Sailor Moon opened her mouth to protest further, but Tuxedo Kamen took his hand in hers and looked deep into her sky blue eyes. "I believe in you Sailor Moon. Now believe in us to do what needs to be done." The last few words seemed to give her encouragement and she nodded quickly.

"Hold on everyone!" Sol yelled out. The Forsaken were running faster than he expected and he could no longer get in front of them. Instead he decided to ram the front of the pack with the hopes of slowing them down enough for the Senshi to rush into the Palace and cleanse the world of this pervasive darkness. The Forsaken at the front of the incoming rush didn't seem to notice the van about to crash into them, and Sol had thought they would even run over Koji and Aksuna, but at the last second, they jumped high and out of sight. The front of the van made contact with two Forsaken, throwing them violently through the air as the hood crunched and the bumper was crushed into the motor. The force of the impact sent everyone inside the van reeling forward as smoke and stem began to spew from the now disabled engine. Sol reached down and grabbed his white hilted katana before opening the door. The Senshi quickly unloaded out of the back and took off towards the Palace. He peeked back and was horrified to see that Koji and Aksuna were well ahead of them and about to enter the Palace doors. Don't worry about them; you have your own part to play here.

The tall Irish boy turned to face his opponents as he pulled the sword free from its scabbard. The metal rang out like it always did, announcing its arrival. He faced the horde of Forsaken to the front as Tuxedo Kamen came and stood beside him, black cane in hand and ready to fight. Sol began to feel adrenaline course through his veins. His fight or flight instinct told him to run, but he knew that wasn't an option. Overcome your fear, here and now! If you don't fight these monsters, who will? He took a sideways glance at Tuxedo Kamen, who stood full of confidence, unflinching at the task before them.

"How can you remain so calm about this?" He asked Tuxedo Kamen. The other man didn't say anything at first; instead he only gripped his weapon tighter.

"I believe in Sailor Moon. Now, let's show them what we've been working so hard at the last few days." Sol could only stare at the man standing beside him. His faith in her is unwavering. The Forsaken were beginning to advance their position and circle around them so they would have nowhere to run. Three large black skinned Forsaken broke off from the rest and casually walked towards them.

"I'll take the one with the long tongue hanging out of its mouth; you take the one with the baboon arms. Defeat them quickly and we'll both go after the guy with the spiky head." Tuxedo Kamen's voice never faltered while he gave Sol direction. "Remember Sol, Makoto is behind us. If they get into the Palace, it's all over." All the fear inside of Sol was suddenly gone, replaced instead by a burning desire to protect Makoto. He gripped the hilt of his katana tight, holding the blade steadily. He narrowed his eyes at baboon arms, full of determination now. With a roar that came from deep within his lungs, he sprang forth, legs pushing him closer to his prey. Closing the distance quickly, he jumped high into the air, holding the gleaming blade above his head, swinging down he effortlessly cut through the creature's outstretched arms, thick dark blood pouring out the severed limbs, and buried the blade into its skull. He crashed down to the earth on top of the defeated monster and turned his eyes to his next target. I won't let you pass. At the end of this, we will be the last ones standing. With that and the thought of Makoto imbedded into his mind, he thrashed out with all his strength at the spiky headed one, cutting through limbs like they were paper.

-/-*-\-

Sailor Jupiter emerged passed the large opening of the Crystal Palace and quickly scanned the surroundings. The almost clear crystal of the walls shone brilliantly in the afternoon sun, bouncing the light into every corner of the palace. The other Senshi were close behind as they came rushing in, coming to a stop where she stood in the large entry foyer. Which way did they go? Sailor Mercury must have been thinking the same thing, as she activated her visor while she spoke.

"I can link up with the palace and should be able to track where they went." Everyone formed a tight circle around Sailor Mercury as she worked, in case they were planning an ambush. Sailor Jupiter could feel the tension in the air. This was going to turn into a battle ground, she just knew it. "One of them is here, inside this foyer with us" she pointed to a large pillar that was a support for the giant stair case leading to the upper levels "Behind that column."

Sailor Jupiter was ready to spring into action, but Aksuna calmly walked out from her hiding place. The smug look on her face spoke volumes of what she thought of her opponents. "That is a pesky ability you have Mercury. I know who I'll be taking out first." Aksuna crossed her arms in front of her, a devious smile forming on her face.

"We have some unfinished business" sailor Jupiter growled at the tall dark haired woman. "Everyone else, go on ahead. This one is mine." Sailor Venus stepped up beside her green eyed friend and crossed her arms, much like Askuna had.

"Hey now, I'm not going to let you have all the fun" she teased with a smile "If I'm not around to watch your back, Sol would kill me after this." Sailor Jupiter gave her friend a sideways glance and grinned.

"Sounds good to me. Sailor Moon, you take Mars and Mercury and go find Koji. We'll take care of this one." The other three girls started forward, ignoring the threat in front of them. Aksuna's smile was gone as they were starting to pass and was replaced by a rage filled sneer. As soon as their backs were to Aksuna, she lunged forward throwing her leg in a vicious kick at Sailor Mercury's mid section, but Sailor Jupiter anticipated the cheap shot and had already closed the distance. She caught Aksuna's kick with both hands, Aksuna's eyes going wide with surprise, and spun her around, taking her off her feet and throwing her with all her strength away from the other Senshi. Aksuna crashed into the crystal pillar she had been hiding behind with a low thump and slid to the ground.

"Your opponent is right here Aksuna. Now get up and fight." Sailor Jupiter glared at the other woman, who was getting to her feet slowly. A light chuckle began to come from Aksuna and quickly built into a full blown menacing laugh.

"Do you really think the two of you can take me? This will be child's play." She closed her eyes and her shadow seemed to come to life, jumping from the ground and manifesting into a small black skinned creature. The thing threw its head back and wailed an ear piercing scream just before it lunged at Sailor Jupiter. It closed the distance between them with remarkable speed, and Sailor Jupiter narrowly missed being impaled by its sharp claws as she side stepped to dodge. With the little demon off balance, Sailor Jupiter saw an opportunity to strike back, but the thing spun and threw out its fist before she could attack. Sailor Jupiter put her arm up defensively just before its fist connected with her face. The blow landing hard into her forearm, pain shooting through her as the thing readied for another attack. Sailor Jupiter was ready this time and ducked under the straight jab. Grabbing its wrist, she spun on her heel and pulled its arm down to her shoulder, throwing the black beast over her back and slamming it down into the ground. Still holding on to its wrist, she raised her knee and kicked down, but the thing grabbed her high heeled foot before making contact. She felt it squeeze hard and push up with incredible strength. The force was enough to send her toppling over backwards, and before she had even hit the ground, it was back up and lunging for her throat.

"Venus Love Me Chain!" The words echoed through the empty foyer and a golden heart linked chain wrapped itself around the little demons neck, cinching up tight as Sailor Venus pulled hard. The thing was thrown to the ground from the force of Venus wrenching it, landing on its back. Sailor Jupiter got up quickly and clapped her hands together.

"Sparkling Wide Pressure!" She threw the lighting as hard as she could. Right before impact the shadow being disappeared. Sailor Jupiter's attack exploded and electricity crackled out along the floor as Aksuna began to laugh.

"Don't you see how futile your efforts are? I was only toying with you there. Now for the real fun to begin." Her eyes flashed dark and her smile faded. Sailor Jupiter was beginning to think they had underestimated Aksuna as her fist shook with fear she didn't want to admit was taking over.

-/-*-\-

"Go left here!" Sailor Mercury instructed. Sailor Moon did as she said and turned left down a long crystal corridor. Their high heels clicked against the hard floor as they pushed forward, chasing down Koji. "He's going to the chamber where we restarted everything."

"How does he even know where it is?!" Sailor Mars asked a little breathlessly.

"I don't know, but that doesn't matter right now. What matters is stopping him." Sailor Mercury's words carried more weight than Sailor Moon would have liked to admit, but here she was, chasing down an enemy that the five of them almost didn't defeat, with only three. Believe in Jupiter and Venus. They'll beat Aksuna and come help with Koji. Sailor Moon trusted her friends with her life, but she still felt concern for leaving them behind.

She remembered from the last time they were here, that it was only one more turn away, and then it was a dead end. The room they had made to awaken the world was meant to be used only once, so they had designed it to be buried deep inside the palace, somewhere no one would stumble on accidentally. They neared the final corner and Sailor Moon could now see Koji's reflection looking back at them, cold menacing eyes filled with hatred. The three girls rounded the corner and stood face to face with the man who had caused everything since they had awakened the world. The one who framed them and started the riots, the one who wanted to plunge this world into darkness. Sailor Moon was sucking in deep breaths from the run, but she noticed he was still breathing normally.

"Hold it right there!" Sailor Moon struck a pose, pointing her finger at Koji. "Using our palace to try and transform this world is unforgivable!" Koji had a stunned look on his face, eyebrows climbing high up his forehead. "I am the sailor warrior of love and justice, Sailor Moon! In the name of the moon, I will punish you!" The man before them began to laugh, quietly at first, but it soon built up and his whole body shook from the intensity of it.

"This is where you die Sailor Moon. Behold! my true form!" He stretched his arms out to either side and threw his head back. A low growl emerged from deep within his throat. Two crescent shaped horns shot violently out of his head, spraying thick tar like blood everywhere. His right shoulder grew incredibly large before, bulging out before a huge black arm burst through. He isn't transforming like the others! This is like something is trying to get out of his body! Sailor Moon thought in horror as his human arm dangled under the giant clawed black arm. Another black arm shot out from underneath the remaining limb, and the clawed hands reached towards his mouth, prying it open from the top and bottom. His jaw cracked as it was dislocated, lips being ripped apart from the increased tension. Inside his mouth Sailor Moon saw long white fangs dripping with red human blood, quickly turning back and thick like that of a Forsaken. As his monstrous hands ripped his mouth further open, the horns were forced further down his face, his eyes bulging from the increased pressure until one of them exploded, a small amount of blood gushing out of the open socket. The other eye was pushed out from where it belonged and hung by the optical nerve, dangling against the contorted deformed face of what used to be Koji. The hands continued their assault on his human form, pulling the mouth open further and further, until they finally revealed his hideous black skinned face underneath, pulling the human shell off like a hood. The black eye lids flew open, revealing vertical pupils like that of a cat, Koji's mangled human face hanging off the back of its neck limply.

The strong arms plunged themselves into his human torso as it screamed out in what Sailor Moon thought was pain, her hand shaking while she covered her mouth at the brutality she was witnessing. The clawed hands ripped his chest open and the rest of his true form exploded out, sending organs and blood in every direction. His knees were bent backwards like that of an animal with a single sharp curved talon at the end of what could only be called his foot. The skin across his chest was pulled tight, revealing a rib cage that stretched down to his hips, leaving no soft spot in the abdomen. Koji tried to stand to his full height, but the roof of the chamber stopped his progression, stopping him short. This room is fifteen feet tall! Sailor Moon thought, trying to push down the panic that continued to rise up inside her.

What was standing before them crossed it arms above its head and slammed its fists into the walls as it let out a terrible horrifying scream, its mouth opening wide enough for one of them to walk into. The walls of the entire room shook like an earthquake, the crystal cracking under the intense pressure of the blow. Sailor Moon looked from Mars to Mercury and both were paralyzed with fear, eyes wide with horror like that of a cornered animal. Sailor Moon readied her scepter and summoned as much power from the Silver Crystal as she could, pushing her fear aside.

"Moon Princess Halation!" She pointed the rod at Koji and let the energy fly forth, golden crescent moons spinning like discs plunged into his boney chest. The wide blast of energy coming from her had no effect as he reached one clawed hand back and struck down at where they stood. Sailor Moon dropped the rod and grabbed her friends, quickly jumping back just before his giant clawed fingers struck them dead where they stood. The force of the attack shook the room again, his fingers breaking through the hard crystal floor. He pulled them straight back, cutting through the clear crystal, and a powerful burst of pink energy roared out. Koji pulled his hand back and wailed in agony, the tips of his fingers gone as thick black blood gushed out. The wounds quickly closed as he held his wrist in his other hand, growling at the three girls who trying to regain their composure.

Sailor Moon looked down at the deep gashes on the floor and saw her wand in pieces. He smashed my wand. She dropped to her knees, staring at the broken weapon. It's gone, my wand is gone. How will we defeat him now?

A/N: Hope you enjoy this chapter.