Cold and empty it was height, width, and depth all rolling over each other, only marked by small points of light that were scattered for infinity. Thantos looked inside of himself, the deep black endless pit that was his soul. How many atrocities had he committed, how many evils had he learned. All because he knew what others refused to admit, the dark forces were the stronger. Evil bubbled from his very essence making him feel as dark as the dark void before him. Thantos smiled at the thought that he was darkness, he was infinite, he was the universe.
    Thantos' pleasing thoughts were interrupted by Kuroi. The underling entered the room as quietly as possible, holding his arm; trying to hide where his hand used to be. "You have failed me for the last time Kuroi!"
Thantos turned, Kuroi had never seen him frown like that. He was grateful he could see no more of his face. Thantos twisted his fingers into a grotesque shape and shot pure dark energy, in the form of purple lightning, into Kuroi. Kuroi screamed in pain as he fell to the ground and waited to die. Thantos continued the stream of energy for several minutes, then as soon as he started he stopped. The dark energy continued to lash over Kuroi's body. Kuroi screamed in pain as he stared at his master with deep hatred. "Did you think Kuroi that I would be merciful enough to let you die? You will feel this pain for hundreds of years."
    "Damn you Thantos!"
    "No Kuroi I believe it is you who are damned. Bigieu!"
    "Yes my lord."
    "Remove this repulsive carcass. Take it where I can no longer hear his screams."
    "As you wish." Bigieu grabbed Kuroi by the stump of his arm and dragged his shaking body from the room.

    Ami sat in class thinking over what had happened the past week. Rei had left for Hawaii, her mother took the news she had to tell her surprisingly well, but Mamoru received a letter telling him that the American collage he was attending had dropped him due to his failure to return. Ami could tell Mamoru was disappointed, but he did not really care. Mamoru did not seem to care about much nowadays.
    "Ami, the answer please."
    "I'm sorry. What was the question?"
    Miss Haruna repeated the question which Ami quickly answered correctly. "I wonder what has come over her." Miss H thought. "First she disappears than she comes back looking like she's in a gang." Miss Haruna continued the lesson, but, she could not help looking at the band tied around Ami's forehead. "Maybe it’s that Usagi girl." Haruna thought. "But she hasn't been to school for over a month because of whatever it is that happened to her, even the doctors had no clue and the did the only thing they could they sent her home."
    A knock at the door interrupted her lesson. "Miss Haruna, we have a new student for you."
    Urawa Ryo walked into the room, "Ryo" Ami gasped he was the last person she had expected to see. Ryo took one look at the band tied around Ami's forehead and smiled to himself.

    Makoto and Minako are at the Hikari dojo; Mina is working at a punching bag while Kioku is teaching Mako her first lesson in Kata. Ami and Ryo walk into the room, Kioku suddenly stops fighting and Mako hits him upside the head with the padded wooden practice sword.
    "Oh I'm sorry!" Mako helped him up.
    "It is my fault, a vision from my past, a ghost of an old friend. I am beginning to remember more of my past life every day."
    Ryo was laughing now. "I may be a ghost from your past but not as you are thinking."
    "You mean?" Kioku asked.
    "Queen Serenity managed to save many of the people that day We are the few that remember, but others will follow." Kioku nodded.
    There is a loud noise as the door was flung open. "Where is she?!" The short bald headed old man bellowed. The girls were shocked he was usually in such a good mood. A little H but always kind. "I ask again, where is my granddaughter!" The old guy jumps up and kicks Kioku in the chest knocking him flat on his back. Before he can get up the old guy is standing on his chest. "I know you know! Rei is not the only one at the temple who can read the fire." The old guy was beginning to turn red. "And ever since she started coming here, weird things have been happening. First that Tsukino girl has had her spirit taken away, then the Mizuno girl disappears, and now my Rei has vanished also!" Rei's grandfather now looks like he is about to cry.
    "She will be ok, I came back and she will too."
    The old guy turned and looked at Ami. She was right, he knew it. Rei would be back, but he also knew she would never be the same. "Yes but she will be like you, changed and..." He said no more. That Mizuno girl was almost always right, and she was cute too. The old guy helped Kioku up. "I'm sorry but I had to do something before I went crazy."
    "I understand." Kioku answered.
    "Let me know when she gets back from Hawaii." The old guy laughed as he said this. Everyone just stared, he was back to his old self, but how did he know? "Perhaps,"he continued, "some of you pretty young ladies wouldn't mind taking over at the temple until she came back. You could help keep me company."
    "We'd love to but we have to be available because we might hear some news about Usagi." Mako knew they would not hear any new news, but it was the first logical excuse that came to her mind.
    "Well I understand." The old guy left. The girls giggled among themselves while Kioku rubbed his chest.

    So this is Hawaii Rei thought. Except for the grass skirts and overwhelming amount of tourists, she saw nothing special about it. Though she had heard that at night Hawaii threw some of the best parties, Rei knew she had no time for fun. Salamando had told her little of what she had to do, only that under one of the many volcanoes lived a dragon, the last and strongest of the fire breathing dragons that inhabited Europe during the tenth century. Why it had remained hidden she could only guess. Salamando could have at least told her what island to go to - "Explore the islands the way they should be!"
    Rei tuned to face a man standing behind a booth. "Rent hand made canoes only twenty five dollars a day." Now Rei know that the canoes were not hand made, she could easily see the friction burns left by power tools, but she needed to explore undisturbed. No other way in sight Rei reluctantly paid the two hundred dollar deposit and turned down the offer for a guide.

    Mamoru looked down at Usagi's angelic face and wondered what he had ever done to deserve her. At first he had thought her childish and a cry baby, but now without her, his life was meaningless. Images from the past filled his mind. When he left for America and gave her the ring she wore on her finger; the time he didn't know it was her birthday; the shock of finding out that Chibi-Usa was his future daughter; and the time he first met Usagi when her test paper hit him in the head. All those memories and more, they brought both comfort and pain.
    Mamoru decided that maybe a little music would make him feel better so he turned on Usagi's radio. "5 dead and several hospitalised," the announcer on the radio stammered, "eye witnesses say that a young woman with flaming red hair just walked down the street carrying a large axe. Many people are currently in shock, claming that the axe was glowing with a dull purple glow. Authorities have no idea who the woman is or where she is at the current time. Stay tuned for any developments."

Chapter 9