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Resolutions... - 3 : Knight Moves.

A Saint Seiya fanfiction by Ariane Kovacevic, AKA Fuu-chan.





The inside of the house of Taurus was dark, but not so much as the House of Aries had been, all the columns clearly stood out around us, and the exit was like a beacon in front of us. Lai waved a silent question my way, and I shook my head helplessly in answer, shrugging. The Chain was still moving slowly around my arms, warning us of danger, but I had no idea where the threat might come from, or when. Rika gestured quickly, mimicking someone running, and everyone nodded assent.

No sense in staying here a second longer than necessary.

Abruptly, we broke into a run, aiming for the exit.

So tantalizingly close...

"Stop !"

We all froze at the same time. Not so much because disobeying would most likely have been a fatal mistake as because we all knew that voice. I turned around slowly, my mind reeling, frantically looking for a way out and finding none.

Stuck in the spider's net.

Trapped.

How ?

Rika's shocked whisper confirmed what we all knew.

"Steve ?..."

Oh it was Steve all right. I suddenly felt like laughing, and wildly fought down the rising wave of hysteria within me. This was mad, impossible.

Steve was standing in front of us, clad in the Taurus Gold Cloth, and he was holding two lightly curved sabers in his hands. A distant part of me noted that the Chain along my arms was still moving as slowly as before.

Unable to show me my enemy.

Kristin made a step forward, asking him :

"Steve, what are you doing here ? What's going on ?"

Ignoring her, and apparently unaware of who we were, he replied :

"I am the Guardian of this House. You may not go through. Go back whence you came ."

Something in his voice... I started. Yes, the words he had used...

Hell, could it be ?

Sionna joined Kristin's side, raising her voice in a desperate appeal.

"We can't Steve, you know we can't. We must prevent our opponent from reaching his goal, you yourself were adamant that we had to go out and confront him. Don't you remember ?..."

When no reply came, she added, pleading :

"Don't you even know us ?"

He shook his head slowly, his eyes fixed on us.

"I know only one thing : your are intruders in my domain. I am the Guardian of this House. None shall pass."

Gods rot it, this was useless. There was no way to reach through to him, none.

Unless...

Suddenly, I heard someone muttering :

"Yes, none shall pass. The Black Knight always triumphs, we know that.

I looked at Lai numbly, and suddenly burst out laughing jerkily, unable to help myself. Gods, this was insane ! Grinning, Lai made a thumbs-up gesture, and I replied with the victory sign, still laughing.

Thanking the universe for madness and friends.

No matter I couldn't even begin to understand how our oppponent had managed this, intuition was telling me there was only one acceptable way of escape, and although I was more than reluctant to do so, I had no other choice than to trust my instincts. So I turned towards Roy, Liz and Adrian, and asked :

"I think our enemy is using Gemini Saga's power to control Steve's mind, but the battle of wills is still being fought now. I'm not sure, it's a wild chance, but I feel that steve has managed to bind the control to the events of the original story. If we can cut off the Horns of the Taurus Gold Cloth... What's your opinion ? Should we risk it ?"

Roy considered for a few seconds, his eyes fixed on Steve, and then sighed.

"The idea seems crazy... And yet coherent somehow... Is there any other thing to try, except to yield and turn back ?"

Liz shook her head.

"There isn't, but I wonder how we can even dream of managing such a feat as cutting off the Horns. We're not..."

Interrupting her, Adrian eagerly stepped forward.

"Of course we can ! Can't you see what we're wearing ? I'll show you how it's done !"

Suddenly, he threw himself at Steve, and I heard Liz cry :

"Heeeeey !"

Before we could move, I heard Adrian invoking :

"Pegasus Ryu Sei Ken !"

I abruptly felt something radiating from him, and watched helplessly as he struck.

Knowing it wouldn't, couldn't work.

A bright light blinded us suddenly, coming from Steve, and it was over in the blink of an eye. A weak moan came from behind us on the left, and we turned to see Adrian sprawled against a column. Liz ran towards him while the icy claws of dread closed around my soul.

Oh gods...

Please...

Liz knelt down beside him, and I walked fearfully towards them, unwilling to think about what was bound to have happened, unwilling to know...

"How is he ?"

I barely recognized my own voice. Liz sighed loudly, looking up at me with a relieved smile.

"He's okay. He's only got a few bruises and scratches. Looks like the Pegasus Cloth did its job wonderfully. I wouldn't be surprised if Aries Mu had tampered with it a bit..."

I half fell, half sat down beside her when I heard this. Gods rot it, but it had been too close for comfort, much too close. The risk...

Hell, we were risking our lives here !

"And Steve had the sabers..."

I looked at Rika sharply. She frowned, her mind focused on something.

"Given what we know of the power a Gold Cloth grants to its wielder, even if he isn't a Gold Saint..."

She smiled all of a sudden.

"It means you're right Ariane, there is a battle of wills going on even now, Steve must have restrained his blows somehow. So we really can free him and find a way out of this !"

I stared at her numbly, unable to reply. She was right of course, but how could we pull this out ?

How ?

And to what cost ?

What would the price be ?

A hand gently settled on my right shoulder, and Kristin nodded to me.

"I know what you're thinking. But remember, we're all here because we wanted to come. If anyone wants to turn back, he or she can. If we all go on, it means we all accept the risks..."

She smiled.

"Did you think you were the only one graced with insanity ?"

I couldn't help smiling back at her.

"No, you're right..."

I shrugged.

"I'll try not to worry, or to let doubts fog my mind."

At this moment, Adrian sat up against the column, asking peevishly :

"It didn't work. Why didn't it work ? It *should* have..."

Liz rolled her eyes heavenward in mock desperation.

"You fully deserve this Cloth, you stupid ! It didn't work because you're *not* a Saint !"

I nodded, adding with a helpless gesture :

"You're no more Pegasus Seiya than I'm Andromeda Shun or that Liz is Dragon Shiryu. These are borrowed Cloths. They give us some power, but they can only draw from us, we're the source. They're Bronze Cloths, not Gold. None of us ever learnt how to master our cosmo, or even to glimpse the Seventh Sense, right ?..."

I sighed.

"I've haunted this place a few times, and I'm quite close to the Andromeda Cloth, which explains why it'll warn me of danger. I can do a few things with it, but it demands a lot... To be short, we're who we are, no more, and no less. And we remain so."

Adrian managed to look contrite for about three seconds, then stood up and looked at Steve, who hadn't moved an inch since the moment he had first appeared.

"Still, how are we going to proceed ?"

Roy hummed a bit, his eyes taking in the inside of the House of Taurus, and then he said thoughtfully :

"I see only one way. It must be a teamwork effort..."

He looked at both me and Kristin.

"Ariane, you said you had some mastery over the Andromeda Cloth. Kristin, you should be familiar with the use of Nataku's ribbon, right ?..."

We nodded at him, and he turned towards Rika and Sionna.

"Can the two of you use your swords ? With precise accuracy ?"

Rika's right hand slowly took out the giant sword from the emerald jewel on her left wrist, held it high, and she looked at its shining blade for a while, her eyes lost in the vision of something only she could see. Eventually, she lowered the magnificent weapon, and she and Sionna nodded confirmation. Roy smiled.

"So it shouldn't be a problem. Do you all remember the second fight in the House of Taurus ?"

I chuckled softly, standing up and closing my hands into fists. Roy's idea was crazy, but it was the only solution we had, and it might just be it would work. I closed my eyes and focused my will, asking the Chain to answer my call. A soft, chimelike sound rose in the silence as the Chain stretched, sliding in the palms of my hands. Breathing slowly, I opened my eyes, careful of keeping the same level of concentration, and nodded to Kristin. She grinned at me, and abruptly we ran towards Steve.

Gods, the timing would have to be perfect...

No time to think about that, no time to spare...

Focusing on my target and what I wanted to accomplish, I invoked in a whisper :

"Nebula Chain !"

In answer, it stretched again, and shot out at Steve. Kristin took the ribbon in her hands, and threw it towards Steve as well. The ribbon flew gracefully, and connected with its target in the same time the Chain did, curling up to Steve's arms and upper body, effectively paralyzing him. He tried to disentangle himself, and his eyes widened as his attempt failed. Suddenly, I felt power rising within him, and Kristin and I shouted in the same time :

"Hurry ! We won't be able to hold him for long !"

At the same moment, I saw Rika and Sionna jumping forward, their blades held high, and they struck. Power exploded, throwing us backwards violently, and we uncermeniously fell on the marble floor.

In the sudden silence that had engulfed the House of Taurus, we heard a clear ringing sound which echoed under its high ceiling as the two Horns of the Taurus Gold Cloth hit the floor and rolled down on it.

Done.

Too drained to stand, I looked up and saw a bright golden light envelopping steve as the Cloth left him and reshaped itself beside him. Rika laughed delightedly and jumped into his arms, hugging him.

"You're back ! I'm so happy !"

Looking a bit bemused, he hugged her back.

"Sure I'm back..."

He grinned.

"You didn't think your onii-chan'd let you down, did you ?"

He set her down gently, and sighed sadly.

"I'm sorry about this mess guys..."

I gathered enough will to stand, and wiggled my index finger at him, smiling.

"I sure don't want to hear that, if anyone should feel responsible, it's me, and that's the end of it."

Adrian smiled happily.

"'Besides, thanks to you I could experience what wearing a Cloth really feels like !"

Steve raised an eyebrow at this, asking me :

"Is that typical Seiya-ish behaviour ?"

I nodded, laughing.

"Alas, yes !"

Liz and Lai watched Adrian disgustingly, and the rest of us burst out laughing.

"Now, to go spank mister 'I Planned All This Nice Welcoming Party Just For You' up there !"

We all threw a fist in the air at Kristin's words, replying in unison :

"Let's go and teach him not to mess with us !"

Some part of me watched this from far away, and thought curtly :

Children.

Of all the questions that still demanded answer, one kept repeating itself in my mind, raising dark, subdued echoes in its wake.

Where would we find Mark ?




On the square of a House among the higher levels of the Sanctuary, someone was watching below, apparently undisturbed by the harsh light of the sun reflecting on his Gold Cloth. He had been watching this way for a long while, maybe so much as an hour, and he hadn't moved at all.

As if fascinated.

Waiting.

A distant part of him hoping...

If someone had looked at his face, they wouldn't have been able to read anything from his expression, he might as well have worn a mask. The only thing that was alive about him were his eyes.

Clouded and dark.

Like a thunderstorm.

Down below, he saw in his mind's eye ten people exiting the House of Taurus and running up the Great Stairs. He nodded silently, acknowledging Destiny and Duty.

Waiting.

An almost forgotten part of him hoping against all odds that they would never reach this place.

Hoping that they would never have to face...

Him.




Safely protected from the heat of the sun in the heart of one of the Twelve Houses, a young man let his fingertips brush the edge of a beautifully scuplted lotus petal and smiled softly, musing silently.

How strange...

And how fitting.

As he sat down in the center of the delicate stone flower, he remembered with some small measure of amusement the expression on the unmasked face of the one sitting on the throne in the Holy Chamber when they had faced each other. Surprise had been there on both sides, certainly, but more on the other's.

Much more.

He reported his attention to what was happening outside, opening himself to the feeling of the battle of wills being fought in this very moment.

It had started the second they had set foot in this universe.

On this side.

And it would end...

He nodded to himself, fully aware that he was being used and not caring as long as it suited him. His path was clear, and no doubts were plaguing him. Closing his eyes and focusing his mind, he watched.

And waited.

They would either turn back, or reach this place. He would have been lying if he had claimed it was all the same to him.

It wasn't.

But then, it mattered not at all.

What mattered was...

Confrontation, and as always strength and truthfulness...

Of belief.




The repeated knocks on the huge double doors of the great hall called Holy Chamber would have annoyed the man sitting on the throne on the far end if he had paid the least attention to them. Fortunately for the foolish footsoldiers who were trying to warn him of the coming of his enemies, his mind was busy elsewhere, focusing on events taking place on the lower levels of the Sanctuary. Eventually, the sound of the knocks died down, and silence once again reclaimed dominion over the dark room.

Absolute.

So they had won through the House of Taurus and freed Steve...

Good.

Very good.

He had expected no less.

This game was unfolding exactly in the way he had foreseen. With a bit of luck, schedules might even be respected, and he wouldn't have to wait too long before greeting them here.

He smiled behind the mask, picturing them all fleeing this universe if they had known.

Fleeing it for their souls.

He had always intended for them to reach him. The game would have lost all subtlety if he hadn't...

That, and fun.

Still smiling, he poured a glass of wine.

By the time they stepped into this hall, their hearts would have bled so much that they would virtually be dead.

Empty.

The trap's jaws were already closed around them, the issue of the battle certain. But still, he would wait until they arrived here.

Then, and only then would he claim victory.

Belatedly, he realized he was still holding the glass of wine and chuckled, holding it out and whispering :

"Apologies..."

From the shadows on his left, a hand reached out and took the glass. A beautiful, perfectly pitched voice replied softly :

"My thanks..."

There was a short moment of silence, then the voice resumed :

"So, everything nicely follows your design, bowing to your will..."

He nodded.

"Yes, it shouldn't be long before we reach a very interesting point..."

Laughter, eerily pure, like crystal, resounded beside him as the other agreed :

"Indeed, I too have always been of the mind that the most elegant and beautiful move at chess is that one..."

His fingers let go of the wine glass which fell in a slow motion before them, and as the fragile crystal struck the ground and broke in myriads of shining fragments, the hidden shadow behind the throne concluded in a soft whisper :

"The Sacrifice."

On the pavement in front of them, the small pool of wine that had formed around the shattered remains of the glass was spreading lazily in the room.

Blood red stain on the marble floor.

End of the Part 3.


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