Saint Seiya Fan Fiction ❯ Voyager in a Storm ❯ Chapter Four ( Chapter 4 )

Voyager in a storm - Chapter 4

The'li stormed towards the Gemini temple, her silky hair billowing behind her like the flag of victory announcing that the victor had come, and her companions Mime and Alberich so-so managed to keep up with her, so light and steady her steps were! After the so warm welcome The'li got from Mu and Aldebaran, The'li's heart sang with joy and she sang along with it, divine notes escaping her soft pouty lips, and those sounds were so enchanting that Mime wanted to accompany with his harp, despite of the fact that it was difficult to play on the run, and anyway his melody couldn't in any way match The'li's fantastic singing. He sighed and packed his harp back, and so they arrived to the entrance to the Gemini temple.

The'li of course didn't linger in front of the two entrances, steadily and determined she headed towards the right one, turning back to her companions at the entrance and flashing her brilliant smile urging them to follow her. So bold and beautiful she was in the face of unknown danger that the God Warriors involuntarily stopped to admire the setting sun reflecting in her warm eyes and on her ivory smile.

"Come on, boys!!! What are you waiting for! Lets go inside!!!" The'li happily laughed. Then she disappeared in the dark menacing mouth of the Temple.

"Lets follow her, she knows all the better," Mime sighed with delight.

Alberich wanted to go through another entrance in fact, just to demonstrate how independent and vicious he was, but as he timidly approached that other entrance, the ominous gloom that reeked from it made him change his mind and follow Mime into the entrance, where the shining bright outline of The'li was still visible.

The inside of the temple was very spooky -- all black with green grid, like a screensaver on a really old computer. Mime and Alberich felt they did not like the place at all! They cowered and tried to keep closer to The'li who of course was not afraid of anything. But even her cheerful whistling came jammed in this weird place. Suddenly the black corridor was over, and our little company found themselves in the dark airy hall and in the middle of it...

"Halt there! Who dares to wander into the Gemini Temple so insolently like it was your own closet?!"

This was said by the gruesome figure in gold that stood in the middle of the hall and waited for them with his hands extended forward as if it was to grab them any minute!

"My name is The'li, oh valiant Gemini Saint!" The'li shouted and there was no faze no fear in her crystal voice. "Let us pass, I bring extremely important news to Athena!!"

The figure did not move! But it started to look thoughtful.

"The'li, The'li..." it murmured "what a sweetly sounding name and it sounds familiar too... I am sure I knew someone with this name... now let me just remember it... my memory still does not work at full after Hades..."

"But of course you know me, uncle Saga!!!" The'li giggled joyfully, her voice like the jingling of Christmas bells "I am sure you remember me, after you held me in your hands dearly so many times!!! I remember you too!!! You didn't change at all!!!"

"Really?" the golden armor cocked its head coquettishly and its booming voice warmed very apparently.

"Really really!" The'li happily nodded her head several times.

"Is that you really, my dearest niece? Sorry if I sound doubtful, but it would be too much joy if the first person to meet after my return from horrible Hades would be you!" tears were strangling the armor's voice!

"Yes uncle it is me and I am soooo happy to see you too!!!!!" The'li chirped.

But then Alberich who got some courage perhaps radiated onto him from The'li and who was intensely looking at the armor all that time cautiously sneaked to the armor and peered into the darkness between the helmet and the collar.

"Hey Theli but this set of armor is empty like eaten off tin can!" he announced and to prove that he banged his knuckles at the helmet.

"BOIIIING!!!!" the sound echoed and immediately there was a wrathful voice.

"How dare you, humble person!!!"

and the armor's hands shot forward, grabbed Alberich on his hair, then tumbled him into the air!

"Another dimension!!!"

There was a raging yell, and squealing Alberich disappeared in a whirlpool of furious colors!

"Hey, what are you doing..." Mime started but immediately regretting attracting the armor's attention, because it boomed "Another dimension!" at Mime and Mime disappeared too.

"Ahhhh, uncle Saga, there was no need to do so, they're my friends, they mean no harm to you!!!" The'li sobbed, wringing her hands.

"That will teach them puppies a lesson of respect towards their elders," said a voice from behind the column nearest to the armor and Saga stepped out.

"Theli my dear, now come and hug your uncle!!!"

When The'li saw her uncle who looked so much like her beloved daddy, she forgot everything and rushed, sobbing, into the stretched hands of the Gemini Saint and enveloped him in a tight hug.

"Oh Theli my girl, you are so big now! And so beautiful too!" Saga said, tears running down his elegant face "I missed you so much! To think I haven't seen you for all those years, and all those years I so wanted to see and hug my baby girl again!"

"Me too missed you so much, uncle!" The'li happily wailed into Saga's chest.

Even the spooky temple got suddenly lighter and warmer affected by the emotions of a family reunion like it suddenly got its own sun -- but in fact it was so. What can be warmer and nicer than the feelings of a family reunion?!

Even the face on the Gemini helmet wept on the floor, where Saga accidentally knocked it down.

But The'li was not someone who leaves their friends in deadly perils just because she is enormously happy!

"Please, uncle Saga, bring my friends back from another dimension, for they are dear to me!" she pleaded, her unbelievably pure eyes boring into Saga's face.

"Er sorry, my dear Theli, family is family and duty is duty," Saga guiltily shrugged "I cannot let them pass just like that, they must undergo the Gemini test and come back by themselves, see."

"So I will help them!" The'li exclaimed, beaming.

"If you want to, it's not forbidden," Saga smiled.

The'li courtly nodded, then cleared her throat, whistled a few tunes to decide which place of the Temple was acoustically the best, marched to that spot. She stood there for some minutes with her head lowered, obviously in deep concentration so that Saga did not dare to disturb her (despite of the fact it was his own temple after all).

Then The'li raised her head, her upturned to the ceiling face shining readiness and miracle and started to sing

...picture yourself in a boat on a river with tangerine trees and marmalade skies somebody calls you, you answer quite slowly a girl with kaleidoscope eyes!

and there miraculously appeared a dark hole straight in thin air, and the strings of Mime's harp coiled out of it, wrapping The'li's hand in shimmering silver! The'li gripped tightly on them but never stopped singing

cellophane flowers of yellow and green towering over your head look for the girl with the sun in her eyes and she's gone -- The'li in the sky with diamonds!

on her last verse Mime himself popped out and plopped on the ground, dazedly looking around and clutching his harp tightly, and The'li kept singing

...follow her down to a bridge by a fountain where rocking horse people eat marshmallow pies everyone smiles as you drift past the flowers that grow so incredibly high...

Bam! Another hole appeared, and there fell Alberich out of it with some crooked old hat on his head, which he hurriedly snatched away and threw into the shrinking hole, and The'li finished in a tired but happy voice

The'li in the sky with diamonds...

"Congratulations, Theli! You succeeded, I am so proud of you!!" Saga clapped his hands excitedly. The'li smiled modestly,

"Oh, but that's nothing, a true friend will always come to the rescue, you would do just the same for me, wouldn't you boys?" she winked at Mime and Alberich who nodded.

"Don't be mad at me, it's my job," Saga apologized helping Alberich to stand up, "I must try even those who are friends of the girl I love so dear..."

"That's alright," Alberich said sulkily, because he hated to be defeated and never forgot such things, but he was smart enough not to show it openly, "but it was one hell of a dimension you threw me into."

"Oh, tell us Alberich, I so looove to hear tales about dimensions!!!" The'li bounced and Alberich of course could not refuse her.

"Well I materialized into some big hall, full of kids and everything, noisy and lots of dishes on tables, and I fell down straight on some chair, and there was an old hag holding this hat, and suddenly the hat screeched 'He's in Slytherin, no doubt about that, no need to put me on his head!' but the hag said 'Rules must be kept!' so she then put that hat on me, and then I heard your beautiful singing and whoosh I got back. What's Slytherin anyway?"

But nobody knew, and then Mime said,

"I also finished in some interesting place. I found myself in a bed, and there was a skinny guy with pointy ears looking at me, he said "Welcome to Rivendale, Mr. Baggins," and then he said "Wait, you aren't Frodo!" and I said "I think not," then he said "Who are you?" and then your beautiful music carried me back. I wonder what's Rivendale?"

But nobody knew either and did not really care.

"Boys!" The'li happily announced, taking the boys by their hands and turning their faces to Saga, "I want you to meet my uncle, the twin brother of my daddy, the one he loves the most after me, my mummy his wife, his other kids, his labrador Bonzo and his goldfish Moochie! This is my uncle Saga!!!"

"Nice to meet you," said Mime and bowed respectfully.

"Whatever," mumbled Alberich silently and loudly he cooed "My greatest pleasure!"

"Your friends are so well-behaved, Theli," Saga admired "it is no doubt your influence?"

The'li blushed and denied, because she was modest

"Nono, uncle!!! They always are so nice people!"

"If you say so," Saga said sweetly "but no matter how I love to see you here and how I wish to kiss every patch of your silky milk and honey skin and the ground you walk on, I would not ever dare to keep you from delivering that message to Athena. I'm sure it is the most important news! How can it be otherwise if you are delivering it?"

"Yes indeed," The'li nodded darkening as she remembered the foul Borkrkash the Slobberer, "but I promise to get back to you uncle a.s.a.p. and then we will have sooooooooo much fun together!!!"

"So run, my child, run!" Saga passionately cried, secretly wiping his tears away.

"See you soon, uncle!" The'li gave him a last tight hug and swiftly ran towards the exit, followed by Mime and Alberich. At the exit she stopped and blew a kiss at Saga.

Saga waved till there was no sight of The'li anymore, and then bent down to pick up his scattered armor.

Oh what a miracle!!- the crying face on the helmet, it turned into a grinning face, and now there were two happy smiling faces on the helmet!

The next temple on The'li's and her friends' route was Cancer, and its lord was Deathmask, one of two truly evil Gold Saints, that's why even The'li felt uneasy entering the creepy Temple. She cautiously peeked inside from the doorway, her big, glazing, star like eyes glazing with bold apprehension, and Mime with Alberich crowded behind her.

It did not take too long for The'li to brace herself however. She determinately shook her silky mane that shimmered copper in the rays of the red sun, and proclaimed

"Let's go boys!!!"

and bravely stepped inside. Mime and Alberich had only to follow her.

"Ouch!" said Alberich, and his voice echoed in the spacey darkness of the temple.

"What is it Alberich?" The'li turned to him worriedly.

"I tripped on something" explained Alberich, looking down. "Eww, it's an ugly snout on the pavement!"

"Up yours, weenie!" said the said mask on the ground in a mournful voice. "Stop insulting me, I am a poor soul tortured to death by the evil master of this dungeon and locked in this mask so that even after my death he could trample on me! One of his many victims I am, spare my poor soul...."

The'li looked around and saw thousands and thousands of masks grimacing in agony all around the temple!! Her heart bled seeing so much pain and torture and distorted by suffering faces! She turned to her companions, and there were crystalline tears of compassion shimmering in her brilliant eyes. The'li shook her head decisively then, and her hair coiled down her back like a soft blanket of the purest silk.

"We cannot leave it like this!!!" she cried passionately! "How can I live knowing I did nothing to ease the pain of those poor masks!!!"

"Yes, but how can you do that?" Mime whispered, his adoring eyes flicking from The'li to the masks and back. "I was a witness that you can everything Theli, but how are you going to set those masks to freedom?!"

"It will be difficult and I am afraid it will soooo drain me," The'li nodded very seriously "but I cannot help it, Mime, you must understand!"

She came close to Mime who felt how his heart banged like a drum and breath vanished from such a sweet closeness. She put her gracious hands on Mime's shoulders, looking into his orange eyes with her own wide beautiful orbs and said in a voice breaking with tears

"My dearest loyal Mime.... if... something happens to me... please do not let grief defeat you and carry on with my mission, because it is what really is important!!!"

"Please Theli don't talk like this!!!" Mime pleaded "nothing will happen to you while I am alive! I will do ANYTHING so you could carry on with your mission, because you became the most important person in my life... my own life is a trifle I fiercely would sacrifice for the single flutter of your adorable eyelashes..."

And Mime blushed deeper red than his own armor! Never in his life to anyone before he confessed such important things!

The'li was so deeply touched by Mime's words that she cried! And cuddled Mime!

"Awww, Mime, you are so cute!!!"

And so they stood, gripping each other in a warm embrace until the snide remark from Alberich who felt left out and pouted because of that

"Hem hem, can we get over this anytime soon? I thought we have a job to do, no?"

The'li, eyes shedding tears, stretched one hand to Alberich, inviting him to join the embrace of love and brotherhood

"My dear Alberich! I love you too, you are a very significant part of my life, and I want sooooo much to mean something to you too!"

Alberich showed some false reluctance before joining in, but who could resist The'li? Even Alberich though he still was not going to admit that. But eventually he joined, and three they stood, hugging each other though Mime was hugging The'li more and only pretending he hugged Alberich. The'li's words about Alberich's importance troubled him, you see. Mime felt jealous!

"That's it," The'li sighed after some time "and now these poor masks!"

She gently struggled off Mime's grip, closed her eyes, deeply concentrated and elatedly began the beautiful song

Come As you are As you were As I want you to be As a friend As a friend As a known memory Take your time Hurry up The choice is your Don't be late Take a rest As a friend As a known memory ....

When the last sound tenderly died off, there was a hubbub of the masks

"We are free! Thank you beautiful stranger, we will never forget you!!!"

Instantly, the temple was filled with pale milky ghosts zooming back and fro, looking for the way out. For some time, there was a crowd at the exit, when they found it, but soon it all cleared up and our heroes saw there was not a single mask left in the temple!

Alas! They were not alone to notice the disappearance of the masks! Cancer Deathmask, who was out to check whether other Gold Saints were resurrected as well, that's why The'li didn't see him at first, just got back from the entrance facing Virgo to witness the joyful departure of his masks, and felt seriously pissed. Wouldn't you, if someone vanished the collection you collected your entire life?!!!

"Alright, own up you brats!" he shouted furiously, strolling towards the small company "who did that? Your confession earns you a less painful death!!"

The'li proudly stepped forward and shouted back in a dignified voice

"I did!!! And I do not regret about it, Cancer Deathmask, because what you do here is unworthy of Athena Saint's name! How can you be so cruel to lock and torture these poor masks?!!!"

"Easily," Deathmask answered, involuntarily affected by The'li's courage and beauty "and who is this twit who dares to educate me about my morals?"

"Watch your words!" Mime angrily stepped forward, but The'li put her soft little palm in Mime's hand, hushing him instantly. She yet awarded Mime with a peaceful smile indicating she can take care of this herself and then turned to Deathmask again and said

"My name is The'li C'liffo'th Vril-Ya, and I am here to deliver a very important message to Athena!"

"Oh yeah?" Deathmask suspiciously said "Why should I believe you?"

"What, didn't you feel her omnipotent cosmo that resurrected you ungrateful swine???" Mime bellowed, seething with rage.

"I didn't ask her for that, thank you very much," Deathmask retorted "I felt fine there in Hell. And you will pay for 'swine', mark my words."

"Please, don't argue about trivialities now!!!" The'li begged, joining her hands in a pleading gesture "the threat of Borkrkash the Slobberer is too close and too dangerous for us to linger!!!"

"Borkrkash the Slobberer, who's that?" Deathmask said. He was intrigued to hear about a new Athena's enemy, because if there was a greater delight for his black heart than to collect mask, it was allying with Athena's enemies. He would have allied with Poseidon and Hilda, hadn't he been dead at that time.

"Oh Deathmask, you are so lucky you don't know this vile fiend, the enemy of everyone alive and dead, the atrocious orc vampire wizard!!!" The'li exclaimed. "He wants to turn everything to Hell!!! He wants Athena's Nike!!! He wants..." The'li blushed pinkly and murmured in a dropped voice "...me..."

"He does? Sounds fine by me," Deathmask nastily sniggered. "Will serve you right, you pesky trespasser."

This was just too much for Mime!!! With enraged yell, he dashed at Deathmask, pulling at the strings of his harp to activate them before The'li and Alberich could do anything! Not that Alberich would even if he could, of course, what with his black heart burning with green envy. Had it not been for the masks on the floor, Mime would have succeeded anyway, but he so unfortunately tripped! Awwww!!! And the strings only entangled in the spikes of Deathmask's helmet and knocked it down!

"You worthless pig!!!" Deathmask roared. "How dare you!!! I'll show you now!!!"

He stretched his hands and yelled

"Sekishiki Meikai Ha !!!"

And in front of a horrified The'li and excited Alberich, Mime's soul separated from his pale beautiful body and was sucked into the Black Hole!

"What have you done, Deathmask!!!" The'li sobbed, but instantly shaped up, she no way was going to abandon her dearest friend in trouble. The Black Hole was already closing, but The'li just waggled her alabaster finger and it sized up again! The'li looked at it sadly, then at Deathmask reproachfully and turned to Alberich saying

"Please wait for me, my dear Alberich, I will bring Mime back!"

'Wasted efforts', thought Alberich but said nothing.

The'li graciously flew up in the air and fluttered past a dumbly gaping Deathmask towards the Black Hole. At the edge of it she turned around, smiled at Alberich encouragingly and said

"I'll be back."

And went through the Black Hole!

The world inside of it was doomy and gloomy! It was a dark and stormy night there, too! But The'li instantly managed to find Mime among creepy blue lights and creepy black stones. With his head down, Mime's soul was gloomily strolling away until The'li called out

"Mime!!! It's me, Theli! I came to save you!!!"

Mime's soul looked over his shoulder and lightened up, from grim neon blue turning sweet lovely pink.

"Theli, I didn't have a doubt you would come and save me, no matter what it cost you," he sorrowfully wailed, "but here in Hell I realized what a terrible criminal I was! Not only I killed my dad, but I had impure thoughts about you all that time!"

"Yes yes, I had," he sorrowfully nodded at The'li's compassionate look, "and I know you are so very kind and chivalrous and forgive me, but I cannot forgive myself!"

"Please, Mime!" The'li extended her hands to hug Mime endearingly, but her hands went through Mime's ethereal soul. Mime hovered away a few steps and said

"Goodbye my Theli. You'll be better without such a worthless person like me. I better go and find my daddy and apologize to him, but if anything happens, Theli, if a serious threat will be threatening you, just sing a few tunes of "I'm blue dabadee dabadaa", and I'll break through all walls of Hell to come and aid you!"

"Goodbye, Mime...." The'li whispered, sobbing uncontrollably, her crystalline tears shining blue and instantly adorning Hell's landscape with light of an immense beauty "I will never forget you......"

When The'li was back to the Cancer temple, all determined to chastise Deathmask for his awful deed, he found Deathmask and Alberich discussing something.

"Oh Theli!!!" Deathmask turned to her, and The'li saw tears streaking down his repentful face "Alberich told me what a wonderful person you are and I am sooooooooo sorry to think bad about you! I did not mean any harm! You didn't bring your friend back? What, he did not want to go? Just tell me the word, and I'll be there and down on his thankless soul like a ton of bricks!"

The'li shook her head gently

"Thank you, Deathmask, but I respect his wish to stay dead. I'm so very happy that you saw the error of your ways, though a little late... will you let us pass now?"

"But of course, of course!" Deathmask hurried "The door's over here!"

'One trouble less', mean Alberich regarded poor Mime with this thought, while The'li was leading him towards the Leo temple.

Deathmask, left alone, cried a little more and then decided to honor Mime's body that was left in his Temple, with the most beautiful mask, and hang it in his bedroom, straight in front of his bed.

And The'li's adventure only began!!!