Chapter Three

CHEIRON

The Center: it was a place of the utmost import in Cimmeria - therefore it 
merited the greatest attention possible.  It could not be left unguarded.  Those 
who had been chosen to defend it must use every ounce of resource within their 
capability to carry out their task.  The Center must never be a weak spot in 
Cimmeria; it had to be the very air that we breathed, the womb from which we 
drew life.  Little had Athena known that what started out as a jail was becoming 
a homeland.  For that was what Cimmeria meant to us Cimmerians.  

I didn't believe Jason wanted Athena to set us free.  None of us preferred to 
return to our previous existence.  Almost all of us who, having realized we were 
reincarnations of people dead long ago and forced to live here, had come to this 
land, could never bear the thought of turning back.  We belonged to Cimmeria 
body and soul.  We and Cimmeria were one.  After all, what was there to return 
to?

Jason, for example. His natural mother was killed by a drunk driver before his 
eyes when he was only three, and he had never gotten along with his stepmother.  
Aristaios was the common school geek whom bigger boys had loved to torment.  
Once they got too far and he actually had to spend a week in the hospital.  
Jason himself didn't have a very high opinion of his stepbrother, but at least 
he was prudent enough not to bother Aristaios.  In Cimmeria, they had grown up 
to be men who could make what had at first looked like flaws into good points in 
their characters.  Jason's quiet yet fierce love for the land had made him risk 
a lot to save it, for which I was grateful.  Aristaios proved to be an 
individual of deep thought and worth listening to.  

Then there was Harmonia. Her father hadn't been a caring, loving one, and one 
night she ran away to Sanctuary in blind trust of some weird dreams she had been 
having.  Before she knew it she had landed in Cimmeria.  It took me some time to 
heal her wounds.  I was achingly proud when she grew up to be not only a very 
talented fighter but also a young lady with a mind of her own.  Of all my female 
pupils, Harmonia occupied a special place in my heart.

The Saints, now...they were the X factor that could be practically any card in 
this gamble to save Cimmeria.  I knew they would temporarily lose their 
superhuman powers in Cimmeria, but their stubbornness - or tenacity, some would 
call it - was a surprise.  Especially the young man with the wavy brown hair.  
My intuition told me this was a person very few could take down.  I had observed 
them from a hidden place when they arrived here and encountered Harmonia.  They 
were warriors Athena could absolutely rely on, and being deprived of their Holy 
Armors hadn't made them any less confident.  Would they hinder Jason's efforts 
to preserve the land?

Cracks of thunder pulled me out of my contemplation.  I looked up.  The black 
clouds were thicker than ever.  Beneath my feet the ground rumbled like a giant 
disturbed in the middle of a profound sleep.  I closed my eyes, praying for 
Jason.


HYOGA

Without my glasses my sight felt a little off-balance, or maybe that was only a 
sign that I was growing dependent on that thing.  That would not do.  Seiya had 
often expressed his dislike of the glasses, and he was right: a Saint couldn't 
afford physical disability.  But at present I wished I could put it back on, so 
that Xuthus would look like a perfectly sharp image.  I'd have less difficulty 
in dealing with him then.

"How is Camus these days?" Xuthus was asking.

"He's doing fine.  What's your relation to him anyway?"

Instead of replying, Xuthus sprang at me gracefully.  He was extraordinarily 
agile and before I could dodge a numbing pain struck my right shoulder.  I 
stumbled backwards.  Xuthus, not wanting to give me a chance to recover, 
followed his initial move with a dozen consecutive blows, all aimed at large 
muscles on my body.  All I could do was avoid him as best as I could; my brain 
hadn't calmed down sufficiently to think up counterattacks.  

He leaped to one side.  "I see that you haven't had much training other than how 
to rouse your Cosmos."  And to Harmonia, "You weren't wrong, Harmonia.  These 
Saints can do nothing once their precious Cloths are removed."

My blood surged up.  Seiya was quick to respond.  "You take that back!" he 
shouted.  

"Admirable spirit," said Harmonia.  "But you'll need more than that if you want 
to go to where Athena is.  If you can't get past Xuthus here, you may as well go 
home."

I decided to take the initiative and went after Xuthus with a series of kicks.  
He dodged to the right and to the left with that speed of his, making my 
attempts look silly.  Once his foot snaked out, hooked mine around the knee and 
yanked.  I fell on my butt with a thump.  The spot where he had hit me on the 
shoulder throbbed dully.

I thought of snowflakes and blizzards, and wished I could summon them.  But my 
Cloth was gone, as was my power as Cygnus.  I watched Xuthus closely.  Somehow I 
had to be either as fast as him, or slip under his guard.  But how to do that?

"Are you going to take all day standing there, boy?" Xuthus said.

The smugness with which he spoke stung me.  I bunched my fists and chased him 
with another succession of blows.  As had happened before, he sidestepped 
easily, effortlessly almost.  I nearly staggered as my last blow found only 
empty space.  

I caught Shun looking anxiously, his hand resting on his pocket where he had put 
my glasses.  Seiya's face was taut, while Shiryu and Ikki were impassive.  My 
friends - no, my brothers - were hoping for me to win.  I couldn't let them 
down!  I straightened up.

This time Xuthus attacked first.  He raced over to me, ready to launch several 
hits of his own.  In a flash of inspiration, I dropped to my knee when we were 
only half a meter apart.  I struck out my foot and kicked both of his from under 
him swiftly on reflex.  The soles of my feet connected hard with his shins.  
Xuthus fell sprawling, and, still on reflex, I shot up over him.  Before he 
could sit I planted my heel firmly on his ribs.

Seiya let out a whoop.  I heard Harmonia grunt in contempt, whether at Xuthus or 
at me I wasn't certain.  Xuthus stared at me, his eyes glazed.  Slowly I 
retracted my foot.  "How do you know Camus?" was the first thing I could think 
of saying.

Xuthus got up, rubbing his chin with the back of his hand.  His eyes didn't 
leave mine.  "We were both selected to be trained as a Gold Saint.  I lost to 
him."  Without waiting for my reply he marched off.  Obviously he didn't care to 
hang around once I won.

I could only gaze at his back, feeling hollow.  The victory didn't do much to 
lift my spirits.  It only revealed that we were next to helpless in Cimmeria.  I 
could take down Xuthus by element of surprise.  That wouldn't work every time.  
What if we ran against stronger enemies?  How could we protect ourselves, let 
alone Athena?

Something tapped at my arm.  I turned to see that it was my glasses.  Shun 
handed it back to me with a smile.  "Nice work, Hyoga-san," he said.

I nodded perfunctorily and stuffed it deep into my pocket.  

Harmonia was walking toward us.  "Huh!" she exclaimed.  "That was only a small 
practice.  Nothing to rejoice at.  We'll see what you're really worth when we 
get to the Center."  She pointed to the east with her spear.  "The cliff is just 
over there, and the Center at the bottom."

Seiya brightened despite her previous words.  "Really?  Then let's hurry!"  He 
rushed ahead, Shiryu and Harmonia in tow.  Ikki gave me a sober glimpse before 
following them.  I lagged behind, the feeling of dejection lingering. 
 
Shun said, "Don't be upset.  We will reach Athena."

"That isn't what's bugging me.  It's our loss of Cloth and Cosmos."

"Hyoga, you said yourself it takes a lot more than that to stop us from 
protecting Athena."

"I didn't know any better then, I believe."

"It still applies.  Besides, aren't we equal to the Cimmerians anyway?  They 
don't have Cloth or Cosmos.  Granted, they may fight better than we do with 
their bare hands and weapons, but we received that sort of training too, didn't 
we?  It's the usual battle - only this time on different terms.  And we are 
going to come out alive, as we always do."

On impulse I gave him a brief hug.  "Shun, we don't know what we'd do without 
you."

"Why, thanks," he answered, sounding startled.  He was not too used to being 
hugged, I supposed.  I couldn't imagine Ikki lavishing anyone with hugs.


SHIRYU

We were at the cliff's edge when Harmonia abruptly leaped down as nimbly as 
though the cliff had been level ground.  She covered every few yards with a 
single hop, and arrived at the bottom of the cliff in no time.

"Where are you going?" Seiya yelled, irritated.

"You don't need a guide anymore, do you?  Well then, goodbye!"  She skittered 
along the drawbridge leading to the castle she had called the Center and 
vanished.

I studied the cliff.  It was not very steep, and we could climb down - or fall 
down, in Seiya's case - unscathed if we took caution.  There were rocks 
protruding along the way, which would provide us with good footholds.  
Then I looked at the Center.  It was an imposing castle, though not too big, 
complete with drawbridge, moat and turrets.  Murky blue water filled the 
surrounding moat.  The castle's dilapidated walls did little to diminish the 
aura of ancient dignity radiating from it.  The whole building lay at the bottom 
of the cliff, and was hidden from view until you stood at the edge of the cliff.  
No light shone out of the windows.  

I was starting to wonder if Athena was really here when I sensed it - her 
unmistakable Cosmos, soft and balmy, an ointment to the soul.  The others 
stiffened and I knew they felt it too.  

Seiya smacked his fist against his palm.  "What are we waiting for?  Let's 
move!"


Looking past the drawbridge to the castle's entrance, I felt once again how 
inestimable the age of the building was.  It gave off the impression of having 
been on this spot for so long that maybe not even Athena knew when it was 
erected.  It had been there before Cimmeria ever was, and was likely to continue 
being there long after the Cimmerians had gone.  

If hitherto we had thought of Cimmeria as merely a duplicate of the earth as we 
knew it, the Center erased that feeling.  This was no ordinary place, and 
whoever dwelled inside might possess powers stronger than Cosmos.  We would be 
sitting ducks if we just entered the place in our present state.  

But Athena was inside as well, and that made a big difference.

Seiya was already inching along the drawbridge.  When Athena was involved, Seiya 
sometimes didn't stop to think.  I didn't want him to fall prey to the nasty 
surprises this castle might have in store, so I followed close.  Hyoga came 
third, then Shun, and Ikki took up the rear.  We made our way along the 
drawbridge quietly.

My eyes dropped to the water below.  It reminded me of coagulating jelly, so 
thick did it look.  No living creature could ever survive in it.  It didn't seem 
to flow, or even ripple.  Could it be -

Suddenly the drawbridge shook violently and leaned to one side.  I managed to 
grab the side and hung there, as did Seiya, Hyoga and Shun.  Ikki however slid 
off the bridge.

"Niisan!" Shun screamed and stretched out his hand.  Ikki clutched at his little 
brother's fingers desperately.  For a second we held our breaths.  Then Ikki's 
grasp slipped and he splashed into the water.  Shun cried out again.

Ikki resurfaced, spluttering.  His face twisted in disgust as he swore fluently.  
Shun sighed, relieved that Ikki was at least uninjured.  Ikki began to swim 
toward us.  Hyoga and I reached out our hands to help him up.  Together we 
hauled Ikki out of the sticky-looking water and he gripped the drawbridge.

"Niisan, are you all right?" Shun asked.

Ikki was coated with bluish slime, which, while it didn't look life-threatening, 
wasn't a pleasant sight, either.  He wiped some off his face with a grimace.  
"What the hell is that?" he muttered.

"Never mind, let's just get to the castle pronto."  As always, when rescuing 
Athena was the issue, Seiya could think little of anything else.

Ikki shot him a look which said clearly that Seiya should get a taste of skinny-
dipping in that water.  Unexpectedly the drawbridge leaned back until it lay 
horizontally once again.  We didn't release our hold until a couple of seconds 
passed, lest it was a trick.  Then Seiya got to his feet, followed by the rest 
of us.  We waited cautiously, but the drawbridge stayed still.

"A diversion," I said.  "Come on, everyone."

The drawbridge ended in a closed door, massive and brooding.  Seiya was about to 
push at it when someone opened it from the inside.  We saw that it was Harmonia.  
She didn't speak or spare us a glance until the door was ajar.  Beyond her I saw 
a vast hall, not a bailey or a yard as I had thought.  It was dim and devoid of 
furniture. 

Harmonia stood facing us, her face blank.  Seiya blurted out, "Where is Athena?"

"She's in here."  Harmonia swung around and walked in.  We went after her into 
the hall.  Then Harmonia stopped and motioned at a staircase leading to the 
second story.  "This castle has three floors.  Athena is on one of them."

"Which one?" Seiya demanded.

"That is what you have to discover for yourself."

Harmonia being here couldn't be a mere coincidence.  I noticed that a sword was 
slung across her back, samurai-fashion.  "Harmonia, are you a guardian of this 
castle?" I asked.

"Among three others, which you shall meet."  She fastened her eyes on me.  "You 
- I want to have a match against you.  The others can proceed to the next 
floors."  

"Why me?" 

"Because I reckon you will make a worthy opponent."

I smiled.  "I am honored."

She tossed something at me and I caught it.  It was a sword.  I heard her own 
sword sing out of the scabbard.

"Shiryu?" said Seiya, wanting to find Athena as soon as possible but also loath 
to leave me alone.

"Don't worry about me.  We've been through all this before, haven't we?  You 
four go ahead."  I gave him a reassuring smile.  Shun looked at me, his eyes 
full of concern.  I went on, "I will catch up with you soon.  I promise.  No 
disrespect to you, Harmonia."

"Be careful," Hyoga said, and started for the stairs.  After a second's 
hesitation, Seiya ran after him, followed by Shun and Ikki.

I turned back to Harmonia.  She was shorter even than Seiya, but I had no doubts 
whatsoever about her swordsmanship.  

She executed a small bow, which I returned.  Her eyes glinted in the unlit hall.  
All of a sudden she seemed five years older.  "Shiryu, isn't it?  Tell me, are 
you very well acquainted with weapons?"

"I had that in my training, yes."

"Then defeating me will not be difficult for you."

"I dare not be so presumptuous."

There was a flash of anger which disappeared the next second.  I realized she 
had interpreted my words as false modesty.  "You Saints are so cocky.  But here 
you can't make use of your Cosmos.  Let's see how your friends can get past the 
other Protectors."  She raised her sword and her feet took a defensive stance.  
"Let's see how you get past me."


SAORI

Jason closed the door behind us.  "Here we are, Athena."

The room was low-ceilinged and the only window was barred shut.  A glass ball 
the size of a human head hung in the air before me.  Contained within the ball 
were eight elliptical white-orange lights, crisscrossing each other.  My gaze 
was riveted to the glass ball.

"It is the real Center," Jason said slowly.  "It's the power that has been 
keeping Cimmeria alive all these millennia...and it's dying.  Do you know, 
Athena, that the glass ball used to be as big as myself.  It began to shrink six 
months ago, and these past several days the shrinking process has been far too 
fast.  According to Cheiron the present size is the limit.  If it gets any 
smaller some of the weaker Cimmerians will die.  The rest will follow before the 
land itself perishes."

I was fascinated by the eight lights, which sizzled and crackled inside the 
glass ball.  "Dying?" I echoed distantly.

"Cheiron says it's used up all the energy in its possession."

My hands moved on their own volition and my palms cupped the glass ball between 
them.  It was not unlike touching a lamp.  "What can I do to help?"

There was a rustle of clothing.  I looked and gasped.  Jason had gone down on 
one knee, his head bowed.  "Athena, this may be too much to ask," he said.  "But 
I can't think of anybody else who can help.  Please lend it your immense power 
so that it can go on living."

I stared dumbly.  "Go on living?  That means..."  My head was reeling.  "That 
means you don't want to leave and intend to stay here?  Is that what you are 
saying?"  I snatched my hands away from the glass ball.  "But why?  I thought 
you said that Cimmeria was a prison and..."

Jason lifted his head.  His eyes were deadly serious.  "To those dead Grecians 
whose names we took after, perhaps.  But to us - to me, and to the people who 
live here and now - this is our home.  This land is the blood that flows in our 
veins.  How can we sever our ties to the land which has become our very lives?  
One more thing.  Almost all of us have had an unpleasant past.  Being able to 
start anew heals us and helps us forget our past.  So you see, we don't want to 
leave, not at all."

I felt I had to sit down.  "Jason - I may not have the amount of power you have 
been hoping for..."

"Why not?"

"Why not?" I groped for words.  Disordered images shifted through my brain: 
Hades, pierced by my Scepter and by the power of Love, Seiya's limp body lying 
in my arms, my own scalding tears.  "Because Athena's power may have been 
reduced.  It's quite a long story."  I gestured impotently at the glass ball.  
"I may not be able to restore the full power of that - that object.  What if 
something goes wrong?"

Jason's face hardened.  "Is that your way to say no?"

I was shocked.  "Jason, I do want to help!  I'm simply telling you that you may 
have put too much faith in me."

"I will be profoundly thankful for anything you are willing to do for us."

He was not begging or even bargaining with me.  It was a statement of bare 
facts.  Either I did something for Cimmeria or the land and its people would 
come to an end.  I sucked in my breath.  "All right.  All right, I'll do what I 
can.  You seem to think I want you all to die.  It isn't so."  I held the glass 
ball again.  "I'll put as much new power as possible inside here."

He closed his eyes momentarily.  "Athena, you have our sincerest thanks."

I offered a wan smile.  "No need for that."

"Now I must be going."

"Where?"

"Well, your Saints have arrived, and they'll want to rush in and whisk you off.  
That will be to our disadvantage.  I must stop them en route."

"You can tell them what I'm doing in here."

"Will they believe me?  I suppose not."  He made his exit.  

I was about to concentrate on flowing my Cosmos to the glass ball when I heard a 
faint, decisive click.  I froze, realizing what it was.  Letting go of the ball, 
I ran to the door and tugged at the handle, but to no avail.  The door had been 
locked from outside.  Fury burned through me.

"Jason!  Jason, open this door!"  I shrieked, hammering at it with my fists.  
"What are you doing, locking me in here like I was a criminal?"

Jason's answer came through the closed door, unruffled and dry.  "My deepest 
apologies.  But I can't afford to have you disturbed for any reason.  The land 
is at stake and for us Cimmerians that is no laughing matter.  Since your Saints 
are presently deprived of Cosmos, they'll take some time to break down the door 
- if they get here at all, that is."  His voice faded away and the last sentence 
was barely heard.

I banged at the door until my fists were raw, then stopped, panting.  A sheaf of 
hair fell across my face.  I tucked it behind my ear, seething.  To hell with 
Cimmeria and the Cimmerians!  They could rot for all I cared.  Who did Jason 
think he was, locking me in like this -

I was swept again in a tidal wave of self-reprimand that was becoming familiar 
to me these days.  Saori was not entirely herself now.  She had become Athena, 
and she had to live up to Athena's responsibilities.  That was by no means easy, 
which was why Saori sometimes rebelled.  But she had no other choice.  All she 
had to do was invoke the Athena within her and finish what Athena had got to do.
  
My hands deliberately held the glass ball and weighed it.  Heat ignited in my 
left chest, spreading like a benediction throughout my whole body.  I was 
beginning to feel at ease, all rage and resentment dissipating.  The glass ball 
throbbed, then swelled.  

Some time - minutes or hours, I couldn't ascertain - passed.  The ball had 
extended until it was almost my own size.  I hadn't let go of it for a second, 
although my knees were going rubbery and my head giddy.  It was as though a 
large quantity of oxygen was being gradually absorbed out from my lungs, my 
blood and my brain.  Soon my feet wouldn't be able to support me.

No, I must hang on till the end.  That was the price Saori had to pay to be 
Athena, and so be it...Red spots danced in my vision.  My hands dropped from the 
ball and I crumpled to the floor, sinking amidst the folds of my skirts.  I 
could hear my own heartbeats in my ears.  

But at least it was over.  I lifted my eyes to look at the now huge glass ball, 
and ice fingers of fear grasped at my throat.

There were no longer eight elliptical lights within the glass ball.  In their 
stead was a form, vaguely shaped like a human being, curled up fetus-like.  As I 
stared on, flabbergasted, the form became more solid until it turned into a man.  
He wore some sort of a light metallic armor, the same color as his waist-length 
hair.  When he raised his head I saw a square-jawed face with two punched red 
holes where the eyes should have been.  My limbs went numb.

The glass ball shattered soundlessly, the slivers vanishing into wisps of smoke.  
The man was now standing on both feet.  The two red holes looked down at me, 
searing into me.  I could only look back, too stunned to react.

"You are not as strong as you used to be, Athena," he said in a deep, rumbling 
tone.  

"Who are you?" my lips mumbled.  Somehow the words were not fully connected with 
my brain; my mouth moved on its own free will.

"Who I am doesn't matter.  I thank you for giving me what is left of your 
precious energy.  I understand you lost some of it when you restored life to 
your Pegasus Saint. And for what?  He turns useless the second he sets foot in 
Cimmeria."  The man laughed, the sound of which sent chills shivering down my 
spine.  "Now I must be leaving.  Farewell, Athena."

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to do something I should have done a long time ago: demolishing this 
land.  Whoever stands in my way I shall eliminate - and that includes your 
Saints."

He glided toward the door and his figure blurred, like the image on a TV screen 
with bad reception.  It seeped through the door and disappeared.

My muscles finally functioning, I tottered to my feet.  "Wait!"  I cried out, my 
voice reverberating throughout the empty room.  My knees went weak again and I 
forced them to stand upright.  

I had to get out of this room!  I had to warn everyone - my Saints, Jason - 
about that - whatever it was - which was bent on killing them.  I yanked 
fruitlessly at the handle, then dashed to the window.  It was bolted shut with 
board planks.  I tried to pry one loose, then jerked back my hand as a rusty 
nail pricked my finger.  I sucked on the finger, thinking that it would sound 
marvelous if Athena were to die of tetanus.  My eyes roamed around the room, 
desperately searching for a means of escape.

Thunder boomed, so close that I jumped in fright.  A moment later the wind 
started to hoot like the lament of lost souls, keening on a higher and higher 
note.  I began to tremble, hugging myself and leaning against the wall.  Rain 
was also pouring, and judging from the sound, it was a real storm.  The barred 
window shuddered.  The wind rose crazily, its howl competing with the rain.

Cimmeria, I thought, numbness stealing all over me.  The creature took away what 
little strength Cimmeria had still had - and the land's destruction was well on 
the way.  How Jason would blame me for it.  He would suspect me of not being 
serious in attempting to rescue Cimmeria from annihilation.

At first I thought it was only my fevered imagination, but then the vague call 
grew louder.  It was sweet music to my ear.

"Athena!  Athena!"  There was a pause, then the voice was closer.  "Athena, 
where are you?"

I flew to the door, knocking at it with all my might.  "Seiya! I'm here!"

"Saori-san?"  

"Yes, I'm here!  Can you open the door, hurry!"  

Hasty footfalls approached and Seiya exclaimed, "Wait, let me..." His words were 
cut off abruptly, followed by a heavy thud.  I could feel blood ebbing from my 
face.  I strained to listen but all stayed silent.

"Seiya?"  I was pounding at the door.  The finger I had hurt was pulsating but I 
ignored it. "Seiya, what is it?  Seiya!"  


SHUN

The second floor branched out in two corridors, along the walls of which 
flambeaux flared like so many little yellow flames.  Both corridors ended in far 
walls.  

"Athena could be anywhere," Seiya said.  He wasn't the least bit pleased with 
this new development.  Once again we had to go separate ways, and in the past it 
was the best way for our enemies to chop us down.

No, I corrected myself, we wouldn't really go separate ways.  Our hearts would 
always be united.  Besides, this time what we were up against weren't precisely 
'enemies', simply people who fought for their land.  I'd like to think of them 
more as people with a different point of view.

"I'll check the corridor on the right," I suggested.

"And I the one on the left," Hyoga amended.

Niisan was looking at me, and I could read his mind.  "Don't worry, Niisan," I 
said with a cheer I didn't feel.  "We have gotten out of more dangerous 
situations.  We'll get out of this one."  

But we had our Cloths before, said a treacherous inner whisper.  Without even 
our Cosmos to shield us, we are exposed to all kinds of perils...I crushed down 
the voice resolutely.  The five of us were Saints and that was something loss of 
Cosmos could never change.  We had sworn to defend Athena and defend her we 
would.  Besides, we were unlikely to run into immortals in this land.  Weren't 
we?

Seiya pondered on this, then nodded.  "Be careful."

"We always are," Hyoga replied calmly.

We split: Hyoga went to the left, I to the right, while Seiya and Niisan 
advanced to the third floor.  I made my way cautiously along the corridor, my 
senses tuned in to anything unusual.  The flambeaux on the walls made the 
corridor seem more like a catacomb than a corridor.  I had a nagging sensation 
of being observed by unseen eyes.  I told myself sternly not to jump at shadows, 
or my own paranoia would fell a victim, namely me.

The wall at the end of the corridor had a sliding door on it, much like a 
Japanese shoji, only the covering was not made of paper but of thick animal 
hide.  It was very weird.  I pushed open the door, bracing myself for whatever 
awaited beyond it.

Before my eyes was a fairyland of colors and lights.  I was at the other side of 
a small stream on which lotuses and water lilies floated languidly.  A red-
railinged bridge curved above the stream, leading to a flower garden.  It was a 
profusion of hues and perfumes such as I had never known: branches upon branches 
of pink cherry blossoms blending with white camellias, yellow daisies, blue 
gentians and other flowers too numerous to count.  Tiny bulbs of light dotted 
the flowers like stars.  I was dimly aware of my hand pushing the door shut but 
was too overwhelmed by the loveliness I was witness of to really care.  

Was this real or an illusion? I wondered.  If it was an illusion I had never 
seen one that was so real, so lifelike and so full of details...

"Welcome, Saint of Athena."

I turned to the direction of the voice.  A woman in her mid thirties was coming 
out from amongst the flowers, wheeling herself on some kind of a wheelchair.  
Her coal black hair was cut in an unpretentious pageboy style.  The gown she 
wore was mint green with a white sash around her waist.  With a jolt I saw that 
her feet ended at the knee, and my neck flushed a deep red when I realized I was 
staring.

"You like my abode?"  She spoke absently, politely ignoring my disconcertment.  
"I grew every single flower here.  I even built that bridge with my own hands.  
Do you doubt it?"

"N-no, Ma'am," I stammered.  This was the person I was supposed to fight 
against?  Athena preserve me.

She hummed, tapping the arm of her wheelchair.  "Now that you have found your 
way in, do you think you can find your way out?"  A smile broke forth.  "I'm 
sorry, I'm such an uncouth hostess.  I haven't introduced myself.  My name is 
Marpessa."

I eyed her warily.  Would she use her flowers as weapons?  It wouldn't surprise 
me.  My hand groped for the door and discovered that the door had retreated 
thirty or forty paces away.  Another stream flowed unconcernedly between the 
door and me.  I stared at the now distant door, aghast.

Marpessa wheeled her chair forward until it stopped near the bridge.  "You are 
Saint Andromeda, am I right?  Where are your chains?"

Rising panic made me speak more sharply than I intended.  "You know very well 
where they are.  No Saint enters Cimmeria without retaining his powers.  Are you 
going to attack me while I'm unarmed?"

"Attack?"  Marpessa gave a captivating smile.  "That is too strong a word.  No, 
you can leave anytime you want.  But I'm a trifle curious as to what an unarmed 
Saint is capable of doing.  Harmonia said Saints would be next to helpless once 
their Cosmos and Cloths are removed.  I'd like to see if she was correct."


HYOGA

The corridor ended in a door, which I opened immediately.  I wanted to see if 
Athena was there, or if she was not, leave in a rush.  Athena might be in danger 
and I couldn't afford the luxury of dawdling.

The sight which greeted my eyes stopped my breath.  I had expected to see an 
abandoned room with overturned furniture littering it.  Instead I saw an uneven, 
boundless expanse of snow and ice.  Arctic breeze blew into my face like 
caresses from a long-lost friend.  My feet carried me past the door and at the 
middle of this - this miracle.  So far away from the Polar region and yet I was 
home.  I exhaled, filling my lungs hungrily with the freezing air.  Even the 
very air had an Oriental Siberian tang.  

Hadn't I been here before, on this exact spot?  Then I remembered: not far from 
here was Momma's resting-place.  Arriving here in such an unforeseen manner 
flooded my heart with conflicting emotions, twisted it with bittersweet 
nostalgia.  

Camus sank her ship but he couldn't take her away from me, I thought.  He was 
wrong; he shouldn't have done so if it was only to help elevate me to the 
seventh sense.  He suspected that carrying Momma's memory within me all the time 
made a weakling out of me.  Well, it wasn't so.  Momma was my strength, the only 
thing that had kept me going all through those hard years.  Momma was where my 
soul had anchored itself.

I was walking farther away from the door - was it still there? I vaguely 
wondered - toward where my mother was.  Soon I would be with her, and could rest 
with her.  There would be no more bone-deep fatigue from cruel battles, no more 
heartbreaks...I could do what I had always wanted to: be with Momma.


Continued to Chapter Four