Chapter Two

SEIYA

"We'll be landing in Sanctuary in about thirty minutes," the pilot's voice 
announced from the speaker.

I leaned back against my seat.  Sanctuary.  The feeling of deja vu washed through 
me.  A few years ago we had also been on a plane heading for Sanctuary...But this time 
it was different.  Then I was still worried about Marin and wondering whether or not she 
was my real sister.  This time I had found Neesan.  I had called up the Kido mansion to 
tell her where I had rushed off.  I hadn't had the chance to tell her when I left.  She 
sounded sad but understanding.  I silently blessed Marin again for finding her.

I stole a glance at Saori.  She was staring out of the window, her eyes faraway.  
She hadn't spoken much during the flight other than what was necessary.  Since the 
others weren't exactly the talkative type either, the plane was rather quiet.  Sometimes 
Shun would talk to Ikki, but they kept their voices low.  Shiryu read intermittently.  
Hyoga divided his time between flipping through a magazine or two and watching in-
flight movies, which were mostly Hollywood oldies.

Saori was different, I was thinking.  Every now and then I would catch an echo of 
the little brat who had once commanded me to be a horse for her to ride on.  She would 
speak sharply to an in-flight maid who was too slow or a bit careless.  But at other times 
she simply sat on her seat lost in her own private thoughts. It was at such times that she 
looked very much like a grown woman, composed and worldly.  It reminded me of my 
earlier confusion: was this Kido Saori, or Athena, or both?  Was Athena a part of Saori, 
or were they the same individual?

To prod her out of her silent mood, I asked again about the man called Jason who 
had accosted her at the city park.

"He just showed up and didn't say much, except that I was expected in 
Cimmeria," she replied.  "The memory of Cimmeria was buried so deep within Athena 
that it took me a few seconds to dig it out.  As to what he wants - he didn't mention.  I'll 
know soon enough."

"We," I corrected her.

"You don't have to come along.  I told you the Cimmerians don't have Cosmos 
and they won't be any threat to me.  Besides, they seem to need me to do something.  It 
won't make sense if they do me harm."

"You don't know that," I protested.  "They may be only an envoy from someone 
very powerful who's got a grudge against you.  Hades, for example.  I don't believe he's 
really gone for good.  We won't let you meet with whatever it is that's going on in 
Cimmeria without us."

She startled me by taking my hand.  "Seiya, I know you have a will very few can 
break, and I thank you for always being willing to stand by - Athena.  But the battle 
against Hades has been very hard on you - on all of us.  I want you to have a rest, to 
enjoy a normal life.  Don't you realize none of you ever had one?  You had been trained 
to be a Saint ever since you were very little.  After you did become a Saint, what was 
there for you?  Combat after grueling combat.  You almost lost your lives and," she gave 
a sidelong glimpse at Ikki, "some loved ones as well.  No one should go through all that, 
not even Saints.  You have suffered more agony and heartbreaks than any man could 
endure.  Is it wrong of me to want you to confront this Cimmeria problem and leave you 
five out of it?"

This was Athena, I decided.  Spoiled, selfish Saori would never speak this way.  
"But it is our choice.  Don't you understand?  We go through hell and more because it is 
our life.  We're not blaming you or anyone else.  That's not to say we love getting beaten 
to pulp by enemies, but if that's how it should be done, we'll do it.  It's our lives - we 
make our own destiny.  And my destiny is to be a Saint to aid Athena.  I never regret it."

She squeezed my hand lightly.  "Thank you, Seiya."  Her lavender eyes were near 
brimming.  Embarrassed, I withdrew my hand.  She smiled fleetingly.  "We'll go to 
Cimmeria together and now I'm glad for it."


The statue of Athena towered over us, its torso and head obscured by the night.  
After the Elysion episode, Saori's Armor had reverted to its previous form and she had 
put it back in Sanctuary.  I gazed up at it, remembering when Shion had had it shrunk to a 
miniature.  As a Pope he had truly been loyal to Athena and the loyalty went beyond 
death.  I hoped we hadn't disgraced him.

Saori walked to the front of the statue.  She was wearing a feather-light white 
gown that accentuated her small waist and - might as well say it - bountiful breasts.  
Under the silver white moonglow she was ethereally beautiful.  We stood behind her in a 
jagged line - myself in the middle, flanked by Shun and Ikki on the right and Hyoga and 
Shiryu on the left.  We were all wearing our Gold Cloths, despite Saori's assurance that 
Cimmerians didn't have Cosmos.  Hyoga had put away his glasses, for which I was 
thankful; I hated seeing him with it.

Golden aura lit up Saori's figure and it simmered about her like molten fire.  Her 
long strands of hair began floating around her shoulders.  She lifted her hand. Electric 
green lightning cracked down from the night sky, for a moment appearing to cut the 
statue into two. 

The lightning was gone.  In its stead was what looked like a black hole suspended 
in the air, stretching from the statue's base all the way up to its midriff.  Amorphous 
shapes twisted and changed colors, dotting the blackness. Was that Cimmeria?  I thought.

Saori stepped into the black hole before any of us could move and vanished.

"Let's go!" I shouted and rushed forward.  When I was already within leaping 
distance from the hole, I hurled myself at it.  The air crackled crisply and I cried out.  The 
skin in my entire body smarted.  I staggered back a few paces, not expecting this.  We 
were protected by our Cloths - why the pain?  I looked down and saw that the exposed 
parts of my skin were bright red.

"Seiya!"  Shiryu was beside me in an instant.  "What's wrong?"

"That black hole doesn't want us to join Athena," I said through gritted teeth.

Ikki was testing the hole with the flat of his hand.  He jerked it back, surprised.  
"It feels like low-voltage electric wires," he commented.  He had had his share of electric 
wires as a kid, I knew.

"And it gets through our Cloths?" said Hyoga.  I nodded.

"What do we do?" asked Shun anxiously.

"We'll follow Athena, of course," I said a little too curtly, ashamed at being 
driven backward by minor pain.  "If that stopped us we weren't Saints.  We have seen 
worse, haven't we?  As long as it doesn't grill us alive it can't keep us from going with 
Athena."  I advanced toward the black hole.  It hung in the air between us and the great 
statue, mocking us, I suspected.  "Let's try one more time," I said to the others, preparing 
for my second leap.


HARMONIA

"You mean Athena's actually coming?" I asked incredulously.

Cheiron shot me a surprised look.  "Why do you find it so hard to believe?"

We were standing on a rolling meadow, facing west.  The sun was lowering 
toward the horizon, the sky a pallet of hues.  Jason stood several feet away, hands folded, 
eyes fixed at the horizon.  I knew he had been waiting for Athena for the past couple of 
days.  I admired his patience but deemed it stupid and futile.  Athena would never come.  
Cheiron, however, disagreed with me.  When I came to ask Jason to stop watching out for 
Athena, our mentor told me Jason would not have been waiting in vain.

Jason glanced at us over his shoulder before resuming his staring at the setting 
sun.  Cheiron said, "She will come.  You don't want her to come, is that why you've been 
so adamant in saying she won't?"

I considered this.  "Maybe.  We don't need intruders here.  Athena and a bunch of 
Saints are just too many guests, in my taste."

"The Saints won't be too much of a danger in Cimmeria."

"All the same, I've warned everybody.  If they see Saints who try to do anything 
funny, they'll be welcome to teach those Saints a lesson or two."

"And they listen to you?"

"Please not to allude to my physical endowments, or the lack of it."  Compared to 
most folks here, I was a baby.  I was only fifteen and, to my everlasting sorrow, would 
probably never see five feet two.  But I had striven hard to gain respect among my fellow 
Cimmerians through my fighting skills.  Though many felt scant regard for me due to my 
age and size, most treated me like an equal.

Cheiron turned away.  "I leave it to you and Jason, then."

My love for my mentor increased.  I understood that Jason was his most favorite 
pupil, and hearing with my own ears that he held me in the same level as him gladdened 
me more than anything else ever could.  I watched Cheiron saunter away, then skipped 
off to join Jason in his watch.

He gave me a cursory glance.  "Deciding Athena will arrive after all?"

"No, just doing what Cheiron told me to."  Gosh, why can't I grow a few more 
inches?  My neck hurt from constantly having to crane itself up to look at people.  Jason 
was a perfect example.  He towered over me at his six feet three.  "Is this the spot where 
Athena and her Saints would land?"

"Cheiron said so, more or less."

"Suppose they drop from the sky like a UFO."

He raised an eyebrow.  "You still remember those things?  UFOs and the like?"

I shook my head, not eager to discuss my past.  "A bit."

"Do you miss it?  Your life before the beckoning?"

Why was he so curious?  I shook my head.  "No."  In that life my father got drunk 
almost regularly and beat his wife and kids when he got home.  If it suited him, he'd lock 
us in the basement.  Thanks to the bastard, I had perpetual fear of the dark.  I would never 
return there ever again.  That reminded me that I was supposed to be angry with Jason.  I 
glared at him.  "What's this sick plan about asking Athena to release us?  I'm not leaving.  
You may be getting tired of Cimmeria but this land suits me just fine."

I wanted to say more but he suddenly looked down and stopped me with serious 
dark eyes.  "Believe me, what I'm going to do is for the good of all of us."

"If she brings Cimmeria crashing down I'll make sure you get buried along with 
it.  Don't laugh!  I'm not joking."

He smiled, infuriating me further.  "You are a kid."

If the situation were different I would challenge him.  As it was, I changed the 
subject.  "I've spread word to everybody.  They're to stop Athena' Saints from helping 
her.  We may not be able to touch Athena but the Saints."  I snorted.  "They think 
because they've bested Hades they can barge in here and do what they like.  Well, we'll 
show them differently, won't we?  Hey, this is not to say that I change my mind about 
that crazy plan of yours.  I only intend to minimize the damage."

I could see he was listening only with half an ear.  "Someone's coming."

An odd feeling suddenly swept through me.  I felt warmed from top to toe, and 
inside me pleasant feelings arose, mingled with soothing memories: a cup of coffee by 
the fire on a cold winter's night, sinking into a soft feathery bed, a hug.I looked toward 
the west and there, competing with the setting sun, was a moving, pulsating golden light.  
A silhouetted figure within this light was gliding to meet us.  

"Athena," I heard Jason say through my slight daze.  His tone was neither 
reverential nor awed; he was simply stating a fact.

Athena?  The figure was approaching us briskly.  I had expected Athena's 
reincarnation to be a stern thirtyish woman.  I had not settled for this young girl, who was 
not much older than myself.  She had the kind of shape that would make men howl like 
wolves when she crossed the street, especially when you looked at the chest department.  
I was unwillingly reminded of my own teacup-sized equipment.  I watched her narrowly 
as she halted a few meters apart from Jason and me.

"Here I am," she said to him, and nodded briefly to me as an acknowledgment of 
my presence.  Up close she was stunningly gorgeous.  

"I'm going to take you to the Center of Cimmeria," he replied.  That was what I 
liked from Jason: he got to the bottom of the matter without beating the bush.  "That's 
where the heart of the land - and of the Cimmerians, I think - lies."

"That's fine with me."  She walked away after him.

"Wait!" I shouted, and they both stopped.  Athena looked at me questioningly.  
"Where are your Saints?  Aren't they supposed to be tagging along with you?"  I wasn't 
about to risk letting the Saints slip from my surveillance.  They might be crafty enough to 
follow at a safe distance and only show up when Athena was in direct danger.  In spite of 
what Cheiron had informed us about what would happen to any Saint who entered 
Cimmeria, I didn't want to take chances.  Cheiron would have said I was being 
prejudiced but with immortals - or near-immortals - you couldn't be too careful.

A shadow passed across Athena's face but was soon dispersed.  "They will arrive 
shortly later."

So this was a trick?  I mentally girdled myself.  "If they do I'll be ready for them."  
I didn't wholly agree with Jason's plan to make Athena release us but I hated outside 
interference more.  If those Saints tried to mess up here I would make sure they received 
surprises.


SAORI

This wasn't a very good start.  The girl was suspicious of me and my Saints, and 
seemed keen on giving some trouble to them.  I wanted to say that Saints weren't the 
schoolyard bullies she seemed to think they were, when Jason said, "We must hurry now.  
You may have time to spare but we don't; the land is being torn asunder."

I took a deep breath.  "Let's go, then."  I had to trust Seiya and the others.  They 

had been through enough battles to understand what to do here.
Jason threw a last glance at the girl before leaving.  I walked behind him, trying 
not to be obvious as I surveyed my surroundings.

Athena's memories were still partly submerged, so I didn't remember much about 
Cimmeria.  I had at first thought it would be like a desolate wasteland.  But this place was 
edging on being beautiful.  In the dim light of the dusk I could see a vast meadow that 
spread all the way to the eight winds.  Shadows of trees rimmed the far horizons.  What 
was amiss here?  I said so out loud to Jason.

"We've been having terrible weathers lately," he said.  "Cheiron - that's my 
mentor, the oldest person in Cimmeria - says it's a sign that the land is falling apart.  
There have also been several earthquakes, the last of which actually killed someone.  
When you threw us here you should've built this place better, Athena."

What could I say to that?  Nothing, perhaps, because I hadn't remembered 
sufficiently to comment.  

"It wasn't completely her fault."

Amazed, I stopped in my tracks, as did Jason.  An old man stood in our way.  He 
was the most ancient living being I had ever seen.  He wore a loose white robe belted 
over with a girdle.  He was bent over a cane made of oak wood.

"So whose fault was it?" Jason said in a flat tone.

"Ours, maybe.  This land is the source of our power.  We take our life force from 
it.  No wonder it's draining away."

Jason's jaws tightened.  "All the same, we don't deserve to die."

"We - and the land - weren't supposed to last this far.  Athena thought we'd 
perish somewhere along the way.  But when she was reborn, so were our souls."

These people were talking as if I didn't exist, and my temper rose.  "The Athena 
who did all this wasn't exactly me," I said angrily.  "If it was up to me you all could leave 
right this moment."  Then I heard clearly what I was saying and my heart froze in horror.  
That was Saori speaking and not Athena.  Saori hated to be pushed into coming to 
Cimmeria and was now sulking. 

The old man didn't respond and sauntered away. 

"Who is he?" I asked, covering my confusion.

"Cheiron.  Now let's be moving.  I'm taking you to the Center, where Cimmeria's 
power and that of Cimmerians lie.  Only you can break the seal that keep the power 
contained in this land, and set us free."


SHUN

The first thing I became aware of was that my head felt as though someone had 
clubbed it with a rubber sledgehammer.  As I fought to gain full consciousness, my skin 
smarted all over.  I winced.  Colors and forms blurred before my eyes, and I blinked hard 
several times.  I found myself staring at a sky choked with black clouds.  Cautiously I 
supported myself on my elbows and sat up.  Niisan, Seiya, Shiryu and Hyoga were 
scattered about around me, all of them sitting dazedly.

Something was very wrong - with me, and with them.  My brain refused to 
identify it, then realization burst upon me with heart-stopping suddenness.

We were all dressed in everyday clothes: Shiryu in his traditional Chinese outfit, 
the rest of us in T-shirts and trousers.  There was no sign of our Cloths anywhere.

I stumbled to my feet, confounded.  The frozen disbelief I noticed in my brothers' 
faces must be mirroring my own.  For a moment we simply stared at one another, too 
stupefied to react.

Then Seiya recovered.  "What the hell happened?" he demanded, bouncing up so 
fast he would have looked funny under different circumstances.  "Where are our Cloths?"

Niisan got up slowly.  "Where are we?"

Where are we? my mind echoed stupidly.  Why, we must be in...Cimmeria?  Was 
this Cimmeria?  I gazed about me.  We were in the bank of a river, whose water was 
transparent and gurgling merrily past.  On the opposite side of the river stood a stone 
wall, not too high to climb but high enough to block our view.  The ground on which we 
stood was lush with grass, and wild flowers spouted randomly among it.  Other than the 
dark sky, the place was idyllically beautiful.

"Cimmeria."

We all jumped and turned to the direction of the stone wall.  A girl was perching 
atop it, feet slightly apart, holding a spear in her right hand.  She was short and slim, her 
complexion sunbaked.  Strands of long ebony hair from her temples were pulled back and 
tied up on her crown.  She wore a long-sleeved white outer shirt and black pants, the 
hems of which were tucked inside black boots.  A sheathed dagger hung at the black sash 
around her waist.

Shiryu took a step toward her.  "And, Miss, you are...?"

The girl leaped down from the stone wall and landed squarely on the ground.  
"I'm Harmonia and you Saints have got no truck in our land."

"It's not like we're here for a vacation!" Seiya retorted snappishly.  "Can you 
show us where Athena is?  Once we reach her we'll leave Cimmeria for good."

Harmonia's eyes became triangular slits.  "I was hoping you would.  Leave 
Cimmeria for good, I mean."

This was no way to ask for help, I thought, anxious.  The girl calling herself 
Harmonia seemed to resent our very presence and didn't bother hiding it.  And Seiya, 
with his open-heartedness and easygoing attitude, predictably disliked her undisguised 
hostility.  I decided that probably politeness would smooth her down a bit.  She didn't 
look like a person you could win over easily, but I could at least try to show her we were 
not here to do damage to the land.  "Pardon us, Harmonia, we're only here to look for 
Athena.  Can you please tell us where she might be?"

Harmonia shifted her hot gaze off Seiya.  She appeared to be only marginally 
mollified by my attempt at a less turbulent conversation.  "Jason is taking her to the 
Center.  What are you going to do once you find her?" 

"Nothing detrimental to Cimmeria or to its people, I assure you," Shiryu replied 
gravely.

"Do you know what might have become of our Cloths - our Holy Armors?" 
Niisan interrupted.  I flinched inwardly at his bluntness; that might antagonize Harmonia 
again after a hard-earned little trust from her.

To my surprise she smiled.  "Your Cloths?" she repeated.  "Didn't you know?  
Only Athena can walk in here and still retain her powers.  Others - like her Saints - will 
lose theirs.  The portal to Cimmeria saps the strength, Cosmos in your case, of all non-
inhabitants.  Your Cloths are taking a temporary absence but once you get out of this land 
they will return to you."

I was afraid I gaped at her.  "We lose our powers?"

The news did nothing to calm Seiya; on the contrary.  "So you're saying we can't 
use our Cosmos in Cimmeria?" he exploded, his cheeks starting to color.

"That's right, buster.  Now are you having second thoughts about finding your 
precious goddess?"

"No, we're not."  We looked at Hyoga.  He continued in the same serene voice, 
"Being Athena's Saints are more than Cloths and Cosmos.  It means defending Athena 
until our last drop of blood.  We will protect her in any way we can, and it will take a 
whole lot more than losing our Cloths and Cosmos to stop us."

Well said, Hyoga! I thought, and my heart warmed toward him.  I flashed him a 
smile, which he returned with a brief nod.  It was usually Seiya who declared the 
importance of defending Athena with vehemence, and hearing Hyoga on the same subject 
did my heart good.  It was an indication that the five of us were of the same mind.

Seiya was clearly sharing my opinion.  He raised his chin.  "Can you lead us to 
Athena or not?" he said to Harmonia.

"On one condition.  I want to see how far a Saint can go without Cloth or 
Cosmos."  She pointed her spear at the river separating us.  "If any of you can get to my 
side of this river without getting his feet wet, I'll take you to Athena.  Remember, he's 
not to have any assistance from the others."

"Fine!" Seiya interjected.  "We'll beat you yet!"

"Seiya, it needs more effort than it seems," Niisan said coldly.  "This river is 
roughly ten to eleven feet across.  Unless you can fly like a bird it's no easy feat to do 
what she says."


We looked at the river.  Niisan was not mistaken: the river was too wide to cross 
in one jump.  There were no rocks to use as stepping-stones, either.  And there was 
always the chance of slipping.  I frowned, trying to work out a solution.  One person 
crossing this river without wetting his feet.Was it possible?  Or was it only Harmonia's 
way of saying she didn't want to help us?

Shiryu was speaking in a quiet, meditative tone, "Is this river very deep, do you 
think?"

Since I stood closest to him I assumed his words were directed to me.  I answered, 
"No.  I could see the bottom from here.  It's only about a foot deep, maybe less."

Shiryu looked at Harmonia.  "May I?"

"Be my guest."

Seiya said, "Shiryu, be careful."  Shiryu grunted noncommittally and rolled up his 
sleeves.

He measured his distance from the river, then took several steps backward.  The 
rest of us just watched.  Then Shiryu dashed past us like white lightning straight at the 
river.  I gasped.  

When he was at the very edge of the river, Shiryu jumped high up in the air.  He 
did a somersault so that he dropped to the river headfirst.  A shout shot up my throat and I 
hurriedly clamped a hand on my mouth, not wanting to distract him.  Shiryu stretched out 
both arms.  They splashed onto the water and sank all the way to his shoulders.  As soon 
as they touched the bottom, Shiryu used them to propel himself upward once more.  He 
rebounded and flew the remaining distance to the opposite side.

Harmonia started as Shiryu landed on her left, spraying her with water.  His hair 
and upper clothes were somewhat drenched but his face was radiant with a soundless 
triumph with no trace of arrogance in it.  I felt suffused with pride.

Seiya beamed.  "He did it!" he cried with joy.  "Shiryu crossed the river without 
getting his feet wet!  What are you going to say now?"

She glanced at Shiryu.  "I'm going to say he's a much better person than you - 
good-looking, not boastful and has brains."

I was startled into giving a small giggle.  Seiya's brow darkened at Harmonia's 
sally.  Hyoga said, "Let's go, we don't have much time left."


IKKI

Hyoga put on his glasses after we had walked for awhile.  I didn't think that 
whatever it was that had gone wrong with his eyes could be very serious, but then, it was 
his eyes so he should know better.  He looked less like a Saint wearing that ridiculous 
thing - resembling a young undergraduate more.  I hoped we'd get our Cloths soon.  I felt 
naked without mine.

We were crossing a boundless meadow, led by Harmonia.  I wondered if she 
would prove to be a hindrance later.  From her attitude it was plain she put Cimmeria and 
its people in the first priority.  Athena and her Saints could get their asses fried for all she 
cared. 

Shun was oblivious to all suspicions, as he always was.  He was actually asking 
Harmonia about Cimmeria-related things, seemingly forgetting her earlier unfriendliness.  
On the other hand, Harmonia didn't seem to be annoyed with his questions.  Her behavior 
toward Shun was somewhat less hostile, probably because Shun was polite to her.

"What is the Center of Cimmeria?" he was saying.  "Is it far from here?"

"That's what we call the building - it looks like a castle - where all the powers in 
this land are concentrated," Harmonia replied.  "When Athena breaks the seal that 
contains those powers, we can leave and still live.  Presently, if we stay away from 
Cimmeria for too long, our strength will lessen fast.  And no, the center isn't that far.  
This meadow ends in a cliff, and the building I told you about is at the bottom."

"Did you hear that, Seiya?  Another cliff," Shun said, grinning.  Seiya just 
snorted.  Shun turned his attention back to Harmonia.  "Will Athena have reached it by 
now?"

"Maybe.  She got here yesterday evening, but I think maybe she took a rest during 
the night and left for the Center, as we call it, this morning.  We'll catch up with her 
soon.  Jason is with her."

We all started at the name.  "Jason?  That's the same man who came to her in 
Japan asking her to come here?" Seiya said.  "Are you sure Athena is safe with him?"

Harmonia eyed him frostily.  I looked on, secretly amused.  Shun interrupted 
before a full-scale verbal war could ensue.  "What Seiya means is, our first impression of 
Jason isn't a very favorable one.  And we care a lot about Athena, so..."

"I see," Harmonia cut in.  "Don't apologize for your friend, Shun - that is your 
name, isn't it?  Athena will be safe with him.  He wants something from her and will 
guard her until he gets it.  For your own good, hopefully by then you five will already 
reach her."

Shun saw fit to change the subject.  "The beckoning, the call to Cimmeria, what's 
it like?" 

Harmonia frowned a little.  "You get funny dreams and you begin to think you're 
losing your marbles.  Except that you'll realize they aren't dreams, but recollections.  
You once did live in Cimmeria - well, you in the past, that is.  Am I confusing you?"

"No, I see what you're getting at.  And then, you just come to Sanctuary and find 
the portal to Cimmeria?"

"Bingo.  Guided by instinct and pieces of memory."

"And after you came here, what did you do?"

"Cheiron - my mentor - taught me self-defense skills and some other things.  
He's very wise and kind.  I know that sounds like a cliche but it's true.  He's like a father 
to all of us here."

I remembered my own Sensei, and Esmeralda.  This girl obviously thought all 
teachers were kind and helpful.  I said, my voice deliberately casual, "You are very close 
to him, then?  Close during the night as during the day?"

Shun recoiled as if hit, and I immediately regretted having ever spoken.  
Harmonia whirled around, eyes - astonishingly vivid blue-green in her sunburned face - 
spitting fire.  She raised her spear menacingly.  "What was that again, you pig?" she 
demanded.

From the tail of my eye I caught Seiya staring at me furiously.  Shiryu was 
expressionless, as was Hyoga.  I turned to Harmonia.  The top of her head only reached 
my chest, but the spear might make our height difference insignificant if she decided to 
attack me.  "Sorry," I said.  "It just slipped.  I didn't mean to offend you."

Abruptly she lowered the spear and before I knew what was happening the tip 
slashed a thin scarlet gash across my collarbones.  Blood welled up at the same time my 
brain told me that the wound stung.  Harmonia stepped back, not taking her eyes off me.  

"I know it's cowardly to attack an unarmed opponent, but you do owe Cheiron an 
apology.  Who do you Saints think you are, walking in here uninvited and insulting 
folks?" She was talking rapidly, controlling her anger, I supposed.

"Please forgive my brother," Shun interrupted, large green eyes apprehensive.  
"Sometimes he says things he doesn't really mean."

I knew Shun was hurt by this incident and that softened me.  "I'm sorry," I 
repeated.

"Yeah, you'd better be."  Harmonia strode away, ignoring us.

Shun hurried over to me.  "Niisan, does it hurt?"  He made a half-gesture at the 
red streak across my upper chest.  I shook my head and Shun relaxed visibly.

Seiya hissed, "Ikki, have you gone crazy?  We can't afford to make her mad.  
What if she refuses to take us to Saori-san?  What can we do then?"

"I said I'm sorry, didn't I?"  My tone was icy; I didn't like being reproved.

"Does that mean you're sorry now but will do the same thing again later?  You're 
always like that, you don't give a damn about other people!"  He rushed off to catch up 
with Harmonia, probably to smooth down her feathers.  Good luck to him.

I looked away and saw Shun staring at me.  "I am sorry," I said.

Shun squeezed my hand.  "You do care about other people, Niisan," he answered.  
"You care about me - and Seiya, Shiryu and Hyoga as well."

"The hell of it is that I seem to choose an unusual way to show it, and that you're 
the only one who knows that."

On our right was a thin cluster of trees.  As I was speaking to Shun a man 
emerged from it, his movement so stealthy as to be almost wraithlike.  We all halted to 
look at this man.  He was about Shiryu's height and twice as brawny, the fact of which 
was apparent from the knotted biceps exposed by his sleeveless tosca green shirt.  His 
chestnut hair was unkempt and he wore a headband.  He reminded me for all the world of 
a Japanese farmer.

He addressed Harmonia directly.  "Are these Athena's Saints, Harmonia?"  At her 
nod, he continued, "They don't look like much to me."

"Are you saying we're weak?" Seiya blazed back.

The newcomer ignored him, still speaking to Harmonia, "They're here to do harm 
to our land, did you say?"

"Ask them."  Harmonia gave a nonchalant shrug.  She wasn't exactly warm to the 
man, but neither did she show outright hostility.  My guess was she wasn't particularly 
fond of him but wouldn't stop him if he wanted to challenge us.

I was about to join in when the man's eyes fell on Hyoga.  "You, Mama's boy."

We were astounded.  Hyoga went a shade paler.  "What?" was all he could 
manage.

"Are you deaf?  I'm calling you.  Come on. I want to see what Camus has taught 
you."

Hyoga nearly swayed.  "You knew Camus?"

The man didn't reply straight away.  He turned to Harmonia instead.  "Harmonia, 
if you don't mind?"

"Mind?  Ha!  I'll be greatly diverted.  Take your shot."  She strolled off and 
plopped down under the nearest tree, tucking her legs beneath her.

Hyoga took his glasses off and gave it to Shun.  "Can you keep it for me?"

Shun received the glasses.  "Sure."  He tucked it inside the pocket of his jeans, 
looking back and forth from Xuthus to Hyoga.  "Hyoga, please be careful."

Xuthus turned unreadable black eyes at Hyoga.  "Shall we start?"


Continued to Chapter Three