*-----[ Supernova ]-----*

Chapter XIV

[ We're here……], Yaten mused silently to himself. The olive green of his eyes reflected the terrain's black ash, making his irises dark and stormy. Everybody else seemed stunned as well. They expected it to look this way but never thought it was so intimidating to the soul.

Taiki was not aware of how long they've been searching for the battlefield. It mattered even less when he put one foot in front of the other. It was a strange sense that blossomed in his chest that made him move. Almost mesmerized, he turned around and motioned for the rest to follow.

" Let's not waste anymore time." He said, fingering the black storm in the middle of the field." We've already spent too much trying to look for it.

Mars nodded in approval. Her sense of the darkness gave a jump-start. The feeling chilled her to the bone.

" But what about Seiya and Usagi ?" asked Makoto. She acknowledged their missing comrades by glancing worriedly at Yaten.

He replied," If Seiya were dead, I would feel it. And in this case I don't."

" Yes. Trust is of high importance and will need to be used." They heard Ami add." Seiya promised he would meet us here."

Minako shivered slightly in the cold. She always felt like this before a battle. After Galaxia, she thought that this feeling would never come up again. [ Shows you how wrong you can be. ] Minako thought spontaneously

They each took a step forward and were slowly being led to the battlefield. The moment Taiki's feet touched the soil, memories of a long fought battle began to fill his head with images. He saw everything in its twisted sense. The screaming, the fruitless brutality, it was all for a power that would lead them nowhere but decimation. Taiki put a hand to his head and stumbled.

" We have to keep moving." He said quietly, knowing that Yaten was about to put a hand on his shoulder.

Yaten pulled back and scowled a little. It wasn't from the brush-off that his companion gave him but the fact that the situation was turning ugly. The battlefield stretched far and wide and Yaten bet that they couldn't even see the whole terrain. It was an extensive space; it was impossible for their group NOT to be sighted by enemies. Those were among his many worries, besides thinking that the pack of Diviners were still trying to hack their way through the forest.

Makoto stood on her guard every second of the way. She had an itchy feeling that their group was moving too slow. Darting glances was making her paranoid since her face-off with four Diviners at once. Taiki and Yaten were right. It was unworkable to steal a weapon off them, let alone try to use it.

Her instincts were slowly driving her crazy as another unsettling breeze flew by. The sky turned from a dull and swirling gray to a threatening black. A low clap of thunder rumbled in the distance, causing the Senshi to turn their heads.

Meanwhile, Ami had once again taken out her computer. The visor appeared over her eyes with a transparent blue stretch. The yellow grid blinked and once came into sight when few beeps were heard from the tinkering of the computer keys.

The grid mapped out the field as far as her eyes could see. The radar caught substances that were flying in the air, physical or invisible. Where they were heading was a place all the red lines on the grid were being drawn to. Like snakes, the red lines moved smoothly to the very center. But the Senshi were still far away and presently, Ami was unable to identify anything.

* * * *

Blue rays from the sun dried up the moisture from Usagi's hair. Too bad she couldn't say the same thing for her fuku. It hung on her body, ragged, torn and dirty from occurring incidents. Seiya's clothing was no better since his right sleeve was nowhere to be seen, revealing the length of his gashed arm. The crimson blotch that stained his makeshift bandage on his left hand had grown considerably.

It was now morning and the duo wondered how long it was since they had some light. Being down in the dark recesses of the mountain certainly took its toll on them. Seiya had to shield his eyes for the upward climb of the rock stairs.

His hand continued to grip the dry, rugged surface. One foot was carefully placed after the other to make sure he didn't fall. Seiya sucked in a tight breath and leaned over to look down at Usagi. The height of which they were now climbing engorged his stomach in a whirling feeling and he tried to push it down by concentrating on Usagi.

" Just a few more." Seiya managed to grit. He read her mind when she looked up at him pleadingly.

Usagi on the other hand, willed herself not to get tired. It was true that the swim in the darkened tunnel took the air out of her. That was especially so with the giant serpent that threatened to take her head off. Her scepter was put away and her tiara was back on her forehead as she continued to follow Seiya's lead.

After escaping the snake, they had to catch their breaths and both laid on the rock, wet and tattered. Soon it was time to move on and Seiya and Usagi walked a few steps to see another task of rocks to climb.

At first it didn't look too high, in fact, from far away it looked about the simplest thing to do out of their whole journey. Boy, were they wrong. As they drew nearer to the rock wall, it rose above them, leaving them gaping and groaning.

Now they were almost at the top and Seiya was squinting against the bright blue rays of the morning. The sun was right in his face and even though it bothered him, he could tell it was a good sign. He and Usagi were finally back on track, out of the earthquake crack and following the suns.

When Usagi saw her companion's hand hit the end, she cheered inwardly. An excited smile was brought onto her face at the thought of being able to walk in the right direction again. It made her think of seeing the rest of the Senshi with Taiki and Yaten. But one thought led to another and she wondered if they made it the battlefield.

She saw Seiya heave himself over the top of the cliff and his legs disappear over the edge. A second later his head poked out and with a smile on his face, offered her his hand in aid. Usagi hurried the rest of the way and grasped him tightly, feeling herself being pulled up.

A huge sigh of relief was released.

But quickly, their attention was averted elsewhere when the outstretched terrain of Eidoran greeted them. As they sat upon the edge of the cliff, Seiya stared almost in wonder at the vast surrounding. He and Usagi had gone through the base of a rock mountain and from there, he could faintly see where the earthquake crevice was. Mist surrounded the further part of the crevice and signaled they had been making this journey a long time.

" Do you think they're there ?" Usagi suddenly asked, gazing at the rugged scenery.

" I have a feeling they are." She heard him reply with an unreadable tone." With Taiki, they must've been following the suns more carefully than we have. We're even lucky that we got back in the right direction."

Usagi nodded." Let's go. They'll be needing you."

" You mean, us."

" Yes." She started to smile and picked herself off the ground.

With a grab of Seiya's arm, Usagi pulled him up and they started towards the bright circle in the sky.

" I'm worried though." Usagi proceeded." What if they were attacked ? The odds of that happening are pretty high. The Diviners, the way they move, just……it just scares me. The Senshi haven't even seen what they looked like."

She received a reassuring squeeze and a confirming look from Seiya." It's been playing on my mind too but Taiki and Yaten are with them. They aren't helpless."

" I know but I worry about those two also."

" Yaten would hate to hear that." Seiya found himself chuckling." But anyway, we three have had our share of the experience of running. Too much, in fact. I feel like it's pretty much all we can do against them."

Usagi shook her head." Don't say that. Starfighter may be gone but that doesn't mean you can subject yourself to just running. I mean, Yaten can cripple a Diviner by throwing something in its eye and Taiki can hold them off with one of their swords."

She tried to get him to look happier, even if the situation was grim." That's what we're here for isn't it ? To finish it."

The strength of her words seemed to stimulate Seiya a bit more. The drain in Seiya's confidence was originally coming from the reason that he may actually be giving the Diviners what they wanted. Coming here to close the portal was a high risk in itself and made him ponder if Yaten and Taiki were truly all right. What if they were caught ? What if the Senshi had been wiped out already ? It was unsettling to think that he and Usagi were the only ones left here.

If the Diviners EVER got hold of him now, the whole set would be complete. Himself, Taiki and Yaten would surely be subordinated to the prime of the black aura, finally releasing the keys to a hellish plague. Seiya didn't know what would happen to his own body after the Nova was released. Would it fade into nothingness ? Its senses would be gone, leaving nothing but a lifeless corpse and shell. Would it be that way ?

The silence between them soon grew. It seemed like it was needed and it was necessary to mentally prepare themselves on what could be ahead. Silent strength was then operated among Seiya and Usagi like a force to sustain the courage.

They glanced far to the distance, the view in front of them looked gray and misty. The air looked murky and appeared to swirl relentlessly. That feeling was there again. The certain fear that kept crawling up their spines when they looked upon the growing darkness. Seiya and Usagi didn't need more than that to know they were very close.

It would be a reunion with friends, a confrontation of truth or just an engagement of suicide.

* * * *

The whirlpool of clouds was getting darker by the second. To a dark gray, a low hum of unspoken threats began to fill the air overhead. Whispers sounded, causing the Senshi to turn their heads in a beat of nervousness. Sometimes faint screaming and the slashing of weapons broke into the sky, making them relive the last battle that took place.

For a second, Yaten felt an inward surge. He put his hand loosely to his chest with a questioning gaze at the strange feeling. It poked at him again from the inside, making him take a deep breath. Yaten tried to ignore it by continuing to follow Taiki towards the center.

As they got closer, they could familiarize the gathering of the black clouds. The very inhabitants of the soil rose up in a shriek, twisting and weaving the images that flashed within their heads. Rei was the first to feel it.

" What's happening ?" She said, darting glances around her. She stopped walking even though the walk to the portal was almost over.

The rest halted their pace and eyed Mars." I can see……everything. Violence……so much violence…war. The dead are screaming…souls are trapped forever in the ground." Sailor Mars said with hysteria in her voice. She put her hands on her ears to shut out the sounds.

Makoto was the first to come to her side. Worriedly, Jupiter put her arms around her overwhelmed friend. Knowing that Rei possessed a spiritualistic power that neither of them understood, she tried calming her down to the best of her ability.

" We have to keep moving." Rei struggled to say against the barrier of images." Don't stop, we're almost there. We have to close it."

" Rei, are you sure ?" Makoto asked, trying to support her friend's weight. The guardian of Jupiter had already sensed the rage inside Mars. But she persisted walking towards the goal of the portal.

" The memories are trapped in the soil." Rei started mumbling aimlessly again." They're calling out; it's not going to leave us alone. They know we're here……"

Ami's ears caught the sentences Rei was starting to mutter. She looked worriedly at Mars and helplessly at Jupiter." Rei ?"

" Taiki, there's something wrong." Minako called, sounding distressed.

" They know we're coming." Rei stuttered. It didn't look like she was in control of herself anymore. Mars continued to shoot glances at every direction, until they locked with the blackened sky.

" Rei ? Rei !" Taiki put his hands on her shoulders and started to shake her. But instead, the response he received was nothing more than a look of fright. Rei's eyes were wide as if she was seeing something the rest of them couldn't.

" She's going into hysteria." Minako said desperately." Rei, listen to me !"

Venus put both her hands on the sides of Rei's face." Rei ! Don't do this !"

Another consciousness swept towards Rei like an invisible being. Rei's terrified eyes were fastened tightly to it. Why couldn't any one else see it ? It called out to her menacingly, drawing closer until it was right in front of her face. Smiling, it took hold of her senses.

Makoto gasped when Rei's body lurched forward." Rei !" Mars fell to the ground, with an inward battle raging inside her. Although her body withered lightly on the stone surface, it didn't take long until her breathing returned to normal.

Suddenly, Ami's computer beeped loudly. It was almost deafening to the ears. Ami's attention was perked up immediately as her eyes focused on her grid. The red lines that were moving to the center were starting to move faster. She detected a high disturbance in the wind. Something was happening and towering above them.

Taiki and Yaten had noticed this considerably as both mindlessly stepped away from Rei to glance at the thundering of the sky. A strange surging sensation began to fill them as the sound of tearing metal was heard once again.

The Senshi's heads whipped around in fear. The Diviners that managed to hack their way through the rest of the forest were catching up. And it was foolish for the group to forget about their foe.

" Tell me you're not hearing this !" shouted Minako. She forced herself to be calm, trying to prepare for another confrontation with Eidoran's children. For a minute, she hoped she was hearing things and the sounds of metal were nothing more than her imagination playing tricks on her.

Ami shook her head vigorously as the hard realization sank in. The grid on her blue visor was flashing rapidly, practically screaming that the enemy was fast approaching. In the distance, the yellow lines pointed and began to outline the threatening figures. The way these soldiers of the black aura moved, it was highly impossible of how fast they were. Soon, not only were the black and silver figures outlined, their weapons were defined in Ami's visor as well.

The Senshi of Mecury stepped back, almost dropping her computer." We've got company." She heard Jupiter say. Makoto jumped to her feet from Rei's side and clenched her fists beside Minako.

" There's no time !" Ami proclaimed, shooting a desperate glance back at Taiki." You have to get to the portal NOW."

" What the hell are you going to do ?!" Yaten protested incredulously. He kept looking from Ami to Makoto and Minako.

Makoto shouted back but not taking her eyes off their advancing enemies. " What does it look like ?!"

" No. No you're not serious ! They're going to kill you !"

" But if we don't try to keep them at bay, they're going to kill YOU ! And that ruins all our chances of closing the portal !" Makoto reasoned out, shouting back at Yaten.

" Yaten, take Rei." Minako said sternly. Her skilled hands slowly conjured up the sharp glow of the Venus chain. She held it firmly between her fingers and stretched it out for a ready battle stance." Don't waste anymore time !"

Yaten looked at Taiki with reckless pleading. He didn't want to leave Mercury, Jupiter and Venus with the duty of fighting off the Diviners. It was self-slaughter.

" What about Seiya and Usagi ?" Ami asked Minako.

" They promised to meet us here. They're going to make it." Venus said sternly.

" You can't let them do this !" Yaten protested, seeking some input from Taiki. All thoughts seemed to be concentrated on Seiya and Usagi and their absence as well.

But Venus, Mercury and Jupiter were already starting to march forward to meet the enemy. Taiki saw this as an offer of chance. A sacrifice to buy time so that they'd have the opportunity to close the portal.

" We have to go." Taiki said, peering at Yaten's bewildered expression.

" WHAT ?!"

" NOW."

Yaten glanced helplessly at the three Senshi that were meeting a headlong battle." Shit." He cursed and bent down to pick up Rei.

Before they left Earth, Setsuna had told them that Rei was the highest choice to invoke the counter-incantation to close the portal. Due to Rei's strong mental power, she would be able to withstand the task of closing the gateway of the Diviners. Setsuna had given her that incantation and instructed her on how to use it. Rei was an important element to the job.

Taiki helped Yaten pick her up. He shook Rei again to wake her." Rei, Rei we have to get to the portal." He said." It's almost time."

Rei moaned once and stared at the worried faces of Taiki and Yaten. She recognized them immediately and stood up straight." The keys……" She muttered softly under her breath.

" What was that ?" asked Yaten, straining to hear her.

" Nothing." She replied, turning away from them." Nothing at all."

Yaten gave Mars a peculiar look as she walked ahead of them to lead them to the portal. He caught a glimpse of Taiki who was also eyeing her in the same strange fashion. Something about Rei was unsettling now. One minute she was frightened to death, seeing something that the rest of them couldn't. The next thing they knew, she was on the ground, withering as if in pain. Now she was fine……

Nonetheless, Taiki brushed off the bothersome feeling and followed her to the portal.

At the front, Ami, Makoto and Minako stood contemplating the onward battle. The Diviners' pace turned from a walk into a run. The sounds of their metal armor echoed dangerously in the Senshi's ears.

" You scared ?" Makoto mumbled to her comrades out of the blue.

Minako snorted nervously." Of course not." She held her chain tighter.

" You DO know that if we fail, then Taiki, Yaten and Seiya are as good as gone." Makoto replied.

Ami sighed, wishing that Jupiter wasn't so blunt." You didn't need to say that."

" Why not ? It's true."

" Oh yeah, WAY to dishearten us Makoto." Minako said with a grit of her teeth." I see a war medal in your future." Venus couldn't help the sarcasm.

" Who the hell needs a war medal ?" Makoto scoffed. There was only a matter of seconds left before the Diviners were at their throats." All I want is a piece of their asses." She said pointedly at the oncoming front.

" VENUS LOVE CHAIN !" A golden flash exploded, slicing the air cleanly in half as it darted rapidly at the first expected enemy. Bright sparks erupted as it hit the black plated metal with the sound of a screech. The Diviner gave a small stagger to the side but kept on coming.

Long-range magic was put to full use as the Senshi sought to fight their enemies without using too much physical energy. They needed to keep the Diviners away as long as possible by the simplest means.

Mercury's Aqua Rhapsody began to flood the battlefield before them. In a great rush of blue, Ami gritted her teeth, trying to push back each Diviner that made their way forward. Among the fight, Jupiter called the element of thunder to aid her again. Bolts ran down from the black sky, hitting the enemy multiple times.

But they kept coming.

" What the hell are these ?!" Jupiter exclaimed frantically. She sputtered between each bolt of green lightning." They're…not…DYING !"

Venus said nothing, whirling around and flinging her chain expertly as a whip. It struck hard until she summoned the crescent beam, adding the beam's power to the already glowing Venus chain. It lashed out quickly, wrapping around the armored neck of the Diviner. Venus wrenched the chain back with all her might, causing her foe to falter forward. The loud clang of metal was heard as a single sword was dropped to the ground.

" Jupiter !" Venus cried to the nearest Senshi. She struggled tightly to maintain the hold of her chain and motioned furiously to the deadly silver object the enemy dropped." Get the sword !"

One worried glance was all Minako received until Jupiter stopped her hail of lightning. She ran towards Venus, dodging a sharp silver dart by a centimeter. Her hands were outstretched as she made a grab for the enemy's weapon.

It wasn't as easy as it looked. Although Venus made sure the Diviner was securely bound within the golden chain, its feet were not. Makoto almost felt her ankle shatter, as she gave a surprised scream of pain and shock when the Diviner on the ground swung its heavy leg to trip her.

Jupiter collided with the stone ground, her hand only a short way from the blade of the sword. She faintly heard Venus scream her name but the pain in her leg was great. Makoto heaved, trying to catch her breath.

The Diviner in Venus' grasp twisted wildly, trying to break free of the chain. Its hand reached towards its fallen sword. Minako saw this immediately." CRESCENT BEAM SMASH !" She shouted, as a wave of golden power traveled swiftly through the chain and hit the captive head on.

With Venus' purchase of time, Makoto dragged herself forward as her hand latched onto the heavy silver weapon. It was immense in size and it momentarily confused her as to HOW Taiki could even carry it. But that was pushed aside when she dragged it further away from the Diviner's grasp.

Through the current of the aqua rhapsody came sharp silver objects. They whizzed fleetingly through the blue and left a clean gash on Ami's arm. The blood from her severed flesh began to roll down her arm, making it difficult to control the current. A moan of affliction escape Ami's mouth but a shriek soon came out when another dart tore sharply past her leg. Soon, red stained the white of her gloves and the blue of her boots as the heavy liquid from her body began to run.

As the long-range battle with Venus, Mercury and Jupiter was slowly becoming a full contact combat, Taiki, Yaten and Rei were racing towards the portal.

Yaten kept his eyes firmly fixed on the bouncing black strands of hair in front of him, all the while contemplating on whether it was such a good idea to leave the rest of the Senshi to battle or not. It was a wrong idea altogether but it wasn't the only bad factor. Seiya and Usagi were still missing in action.

He rashly pushed back his worries and continued running. Seiya wasn't dead, neither was Usagi. Yaten felt it they were just delayed.

Upon reaching the destination of the portal, Mars, Yaten and Taiki stopped to take in the sight before them. The run from the battlefront to the portal was a short one and it stood gaping and wide.

Instead of the enormous black, swirling void that Taiki expected, the portal was a column of crimson energy extended from the darkness of the sky to the black ash of the ground. The portal stood like an invincible obelisk, untouched and unyielding.

[ The time is now. ] Echoed distant thoughts, swimming through Taiki's head. Himself and Yaten began to walk forward again, awed by the sight but terrified too.

" Rei, do you remember the counter-incantation ?" Taiki asked, being forced to tear his eyes away from the extended red portal.

But Rei said nothing, as her eyes seemed to grow bigger at the sight of the obelisk. It drew her body near, footsteps slowly being taken to advance." I remember……" She uttered in a ghost of a voice.

Something was wrong. Taiki eyed Sailor Mars suspiciously, keeping in mind the convulsion she had before the Diviners caught up with them. He walked up to her and put a hand on her shoulder.

" Rei, are you sure nothing's wrong ?" He asked again but only got a blank nod in response.

Yaten shook his head, sensing something awkward. The whole situation seemed way out of line but before he could voice his discomfort, Rei had turned away from them and took her place in front of the red energy.

The already beating heart lodged in Taiki's chest began to sound in his ears. For while, he thought it was only the fear that crept up his spine and into his brain. Slowly, the pounding became a little louder just as Rei put her hands together for the incantation.

He glanced at Yaten but noticed his comrade had a hand to his forehead. Taiki tried calling Yaten's name but all he heard was the pounding. It was steady and rhythmic; he could hardly hear his own voice over it. Taiki tried again to yell, this time louder. But Yaten seemingly didn't hear him.

Yaten on the other hand was having the same effect. He heard nothing but the pulsing as he lifted his bleary eyes to Rei, who was standing in front of the red portal. He couldn't see her face but her hands were drawn together. The ground began to shake.

Like he had no voice, Taiki screamed at the top of his lungs, trying to get his call over the hard pounding of his head. He was about to reach out to Yaten when he noticed the ground start to move. Automatically, his purple irises darted glances towards Rei.

Miraculously, over the terrible head-pounding sound, Yaten and Taiki heard Rei speaking.

She was speaking words. Strange words that seemed like a dialect that were long forgotten and long unspoken. It wasn't the counter-incantation Setsuna had given them to close the portal.

A flash erupted from the center of the red obelisk, inflaming the very core. Rei's hands drew tighter together, and Taiki suddenly realized what she was doing. Without another word, Taiki ran towards Rei, grabbed her shoulders and whirled her around.

He uttered a gasp that he couldn't hear when he saw Rei's eyes had become nothing more than black hollows. She gave Taiki a corrupted smile when he stumbled back to get away from her.

Rei's body had been taken as a host. The convulsion of fear she had earlier was the battle she fought inside to keep the black aura from taking over her body. It was a battle that was lost.

Yaten realized this with horror, as he remembered the look of fright on Rei's face, as if she saw things the rest of them didn't see. He ran forward to help Taiki's stumbling and grabbed his arm.

They both couldn't hear each other through the powerful pounding that took over their senses. Through panicked eyes, they could only see their own frantic expressions.

" We've been waiting for you……" They heard Sailor Mars speak, except it wasn't Rei. It was a deep guttural voice that shared Rei's body." For a long time……"

Then the dreadful, inward pounding wasn't pounding any longer. It turned into a searing pain.

It was so great that Taiki had fallen to his knees, gasping profusely and eyes wide with hysteria. Pain was all, cutting through flesh and bone, plunging his very mind into throes of torture. Yaten's hands withered against the stone ground, unable to control the red anguish that flowed through his body.

The red obelisk surged brighter and flared dangerously. Rei's eyes reminded black and hollow as her hands lifted slightly, conjuring up the strength of the portal. Soon, gnarled-looking beams in the shape of hands and fingers drifted from the gleaming red core. Rei motioned once and the beams shot out.

Taiki and Yaten were too immersed in their own torment to even realize the outstretched hands that were coming towards them. Yaten couldn't breathe, his insides were being twisted into hard knots. He saw vaguely the red hands, but it was too late when they captured him and Taiki in an impenetrable death lock.

Gasping for air, Taiki faintly knew what was happening. The scene blurred before his eyes, causing the surroundings to sway. His feet swung helplessly in the grip when he recognized the ghastly feeling starting to grow in his chest. Taiki's mouth opened to scream but got nothing more but a strangled croak.

The last time Taiki felt this way was when the Diviners gripped him……after Kakyuu died…….when something was trying to escape his body.

Yaten's fists beat the air wildly at an enemy he couldn't touch. He was desperate, panicking to the brim at the feelings that took hold of him. He remembered all too well the state the Diviners held Seiya in. The sight was all too similar for Yaten and the inward agony grew. It pulsed threateningly and gripped his insides, squeezing them tightly as if to extract something from him.

[ Let me out……let me go…… ] A voice whispered in Taiki and Yaten's ears. [ Let me be free.]

They felt a hard push towards the top of their throats. It was like being torn apart from the neck and up.

[ End this pain……let…me…out…… ] The voice hissed menacingly. Another feeling that tore its way up their throats followed it. The red hands only grasped Taiki and Yaten's necks tighter, trying harder to elicit the dark treasure inside. It crawled, it seethed and churned savagely in its jail that was the flesh……desperately desiring to come out.

Taiki's mouth opened again for another attempt at a scream but instead, out came the sound of an inhuman shriek. The scream he aimed for wasn't even his own voice. It came from another being that lived inside him and it was hell-bent on freeing itself from Taiki's body.

Rei's face grinned sadistically as the red hands did their work. The smile of pure triumph was spread across her features, now twisted, when her ears caught the sound of the shriek. Such a joyous feeling enveloped the being inside of Sailor Mars, causing her body to sway in the ecstasy of success.