SailorStar9: After getting Chapter 7 out, this is Chapter 8 of this fic. (Sighs) Guys and girls, is it too hard for you to leave a review, instead of just putting this fic up on your favorited list and story alerts?
Disclaimers: I own nothing, except for the plot bunny.
Chapter 8: Start of the Decisive Battle! The Origins of the Goddess of Fate!
"Pallas is within this castle, isn't she?" Koga wondered.
"It's finally time." Tuna remarked.
"We just find this Pallas girl and snap her into half, right?" Harbinger stated. "Then, let's get to it."
"There's no time to waste." Shiryu agreed.
"People all over the world are being attacked by the Pallasites." Hyoga reminded.
"To save the people, I must harden my heart." Shun swore.
"With this number of Saints, no one can stop us." Souma boasted. "Let's rush in there."
"Wait." Kiki cut in. "We know nothing of what lies inside that castle. And the enemy won't allow us to move straight to Pallas. We must be careful from now on, or we will perish."
"Athena." Seiya was immediately beside the Goddess as Pallas continued to drain Saori of her life-force.
"I only wish we knew what is happening within the castle." Ryuho mused.
"I'm back." Haruto returned. "I've scouted the area surrounding the castle. The front door is the sole entrance."
"Mercury?" Kiki turned to the ice Senshi.
"Nothing." Cosmos Mercury shook her head and shut her compact computer. "All I get is the perimeter of the castle. I'm working blind here."
"Nii-san?" Shun looked at his sibling.
"Crowding together will not open our path." Ikki powered up. "Hou Yoku Ten Shou!" he blasted the door open. "Even if it leads to hell, I will follow my own path. Jupiter, stay with the others; you'll only get in my way."
"Nii-san no doubt intends to clear the way for us." Shun concluded.
"Integra?" Saori blinked when the Gemini Saint knelt before her.
"Athena, there's something that troubles me, as well." Integra admitted. "Might I be permitted to enter in advance of everyone else?"
"Very well." Saori gave her consent. "Please be careful. Two Saints have showed us the path." She declared after Integra took off. "Let us follow."
Shun's chains and Hyoga's ice beam deflected the rain of arrows aimed at them.
"Who isn't going to be alive any longer?" Shina retorted, blasting back the attacking Pallasites with the other Steel Saints in tow. "Leave this to us, Athena."
"Let's go." Saori gave the order.
"This is strange." Koga mused, the younger Bronze Saints rushing through the corridor. "I don't feel the enemy's Cosmo at all."
"They got scared of us and ran off." Subaru taunted.
"Most likely, Ikki and Integra are drawing the enemy away." Haruto suggested.
"Keep your guard up." Kiki warned. "We cannot anticipate where the enemy will come from."
"We must hurry." Saori urged.
"What is this place?" Koga wondered, the passageway opening to a courtyard with four gates.
"The path splits." Seiya noted.
"Bravo." Europa applauded. "Welcome Saints and Sailor Senshi. I have been awaiting you. My… to witness such a gathering of Saints, it's quite remarkable."
"What are you planning?" Koga demanded.
"Now, calm yourself." Europa cautioned. "Have you not come to see Pallas-sama? Thus. I've prepared four choices for you. The first is the path of Alfheim, upon which visitors are blasted by a God's judgment. Second, the path of Niflheim that leads to a drift in time and space. Dvergar is the third path, which tasks visitors with the ultimate trial. And the fourth is the path of Vanaheim, said to lead to the end of the world. One of the four will take you to Pallas-sama. Now, then, which will you choose?"
"One of these four leads to Pallas?" Koga echoed.
"Which one is it?" Subaru demanded.
"I'm not going to tell you." Europa teased.
"Then, we'll make you tell us." Souma growled. "Lionet Burning Fire!"
"By the way," Europa continued, blocking off the attack effortlessly. "I do have a suggestion, if you'd like to hear it. My superiors ordered me to lay a path to Pallas. But why don't you simply turn back? You're all too weak. You're only going to die. Is there really any point in further conflict?"
"You say we're weak?" Saori echoed, stopping Seiya from lashing out.
"I am honored to meet you, Goddess Athena." Europa greeted. "I've always thought that, for a god, you have no talent for judging others."
"I will not allow you to insult Athena." Seiya snapped.
"I was speaking of you, Sagittarius Seiya." Europa stated. "When Pallas-sama first appeared in this world, Athena sent you as an assassin. You, who lacked the guts to kill a young child. Athena, you screwed that one up royally. Had you killed Pallas-sama then, this entire war would be over. No, it never would have begun, Athena."
"Europa…" Koga hissed. "How dare you speak that way to Saori-san?" with a war cry, he charged at the Second-Class Pallasite.
"And what about you?" Europa taunted. "Why not just give up? Terrible Slash!" he released his spinning teethed-wheels.
Ryuho and Yuna rushed to Koga's aid, only to be beaten back by the said wheels.
"If we solve every problem for them, they'll never grow." Shiryu pulled Shun back. "Just stay here."
"That was what I meant by no ability to judge others." Europa mocked. "These Saints are useless, but you have them fighting on the front lines."
"Useless?" Souma snapped.
"You think so, huh?" Subaru glared.
"I'm right, aren't I?" Europa smirked.
"Shut up!" Souma retorted and he and Subaru charged in.
"You never learn." Europa tsked, sending his flying wheels in. "See?" he mocked, taking out the two Bronze Saints at one go. "No matter how you struggle, you cannot even touch me. Only luck has gotten you this far. You should have died a long time ago. Athena, if you care for your Saints, should you really force them to fight?"
"Hey, clown-face." Harbinger slammed a fist into a pillar. "If the Bronzes aren't enough fun for you, I can fight you."
"How scary." Europa jeered. "That's a Gold Saint for you. You seem as if you might be of use to Athena."
"I don't fight for Athena." Harbinger snorted. "But just because I want to hear the sound of your bones shattering."
"Athena, why would you use a man like this as a guard?" Europa wondered. "Think about it. You're giving one of your most precious Cloths to someone like this, who has no loyalty at all. You can't hide anything from me, Athena. You're too careless. Are you just stupid?"
"Shut up!" Seiya roared.
"Calm down, Seiya." Hyoga cautioned, after the Gold Saint released his lightning bolts at Europa, who dodged the attack. "He's trying to trick us."
"He just wants you to get angry." Shun agreed.
"You figured it out?" Europa grinned. "But my words are still true. Aren't they, Athena? This fight began between you and Pallas. If you'd acted sooner, Libra Genbu and the other Saints across the world would not have to die. And the world would never have been in danger. You know that, right? That your own mistake, has caused this tragedy. And that you will die here, along with all your Saints."
"Ne, Jupiter," Mercury voiced. "Doesn't that monologue sound familiar?"
"Yeah," Jupiter nodded. "Just like every other enemy we faced that blamed Serenity for simply possessing the Ginzuishou."
"Perhaps, you are right." Saori admitted. "Due to my mistakes, I have caused many people suffering and pain. Like it or not, that's true. But if I'd killed Pallas then, would that have really ended this fight? My power alone could never have stopped this battle, not even from the start. Many Saints still fight, all over the world. Without their help, I cannot end this. I wish to fight with them, to risk my life to restore the world's love and peace. I desire to offer my life for them."
"Why would you do all that for mere humans?" Europa questioned.
"Even if they make mistakes, humans carry within themselves the chance to start again." Saori replied. "I believe in my Saints and in humanity."
"I wonder how much longer that confidence will sustain you." Europa snorted. "The closer you get to Pallas-sama, the more your life will drain away."
"I won't stop moving forward." Saori promised. "Not even if it costs me my life."
"You don't care if you die?" Europa echoed. "Then…" he tossed his wheels at Saori.
"Jupiter Thunder Dragon!" Jupiter's lightning construct blasted the weapons off.
"We won't let you hurt Saori-san anymore." Koga got to his feet.
"Europa, withdraw." Fudo advised. "No one here has any intention of leaving."
"Very well." Europa relented. "If you insist on going ahead, I shall watch to see how far you get."
"Wait!" Subaru snapped and leapt, landing a punch across Europa's cheek.
"That hurt." Europa whined. "I haven't been hit for a long time. I remember this pain. How courageous. What was once a weak little Steel Saint has become a Bronze, Equuleus Subaru. We will meet again." With that, he vanished.
Europa… Kiki mused. Could he know Subaru's past?
"There's no time." Seiya pressed. "We'll split into four groups and head towards Pallas. Normally, the Gold Saints are responsible for Athena's protection. Shiryu, Hyoga, Shun, I'd like you to help the young Saints. Mercury, I'd like the Senshi to do the same. We'll begin with the first path, Alfheim."
"I'm first." Koga volunteered.
"I'll be number one." Souma argued.
"Jeez, I'm worried about you both, so I'll come, as well." Yuna sighed.
"Wait, I'll go too." Subaru insisted.
"You're coming with me." Eden held him back.
"Subaru, can't you do anything without me?" Koga teased.
"Mercury and I will watch over them." Shun offered.
"Actually," Mercury cut in. "I think it'll be better if Saturn went."
"Next is Niflheim." Seiya looked at the second gate after Saturn's group entered.
"Eden, don't' slow me down." Subaru warned.
"Calm down." Hyoga cut the argument. "I can't let a child like you go alone."
"Don't treat me like a kid." Subaru retorted.
"Compared to me, you are a kid." Pluto smirked.
"Eden, I'll go with you." Haruto voiced.
"All right." Eden nodded. "Thanks."
"The third route, Dvergar." Seiya stated, after Pluto's group walking down their path.
"Let's go, Ryuho." Shiryu told his son.
"We hope you don't mind us tagging along." Mercury requested.
"Mercury, are you sure?" Seiya asked.
"Yeah," Mercury nodded. "I just have some ideas I'll like to pass through to the two of them."
"Athena, we should hurry, as well." Seiya pressed.
SailorStar9: Now that's done, read and review.