[ Watashi ]

[ Tomodachi ]

[ Saint Seiya ]

[ Clamp ]

[ Fanfiction ]

We froze as a blinding white light suddenly eclipsed the darkness of night. Feeling... Something that had no name, but so strong... The light died as abruptly as it had come, and silence fell over us.

Silence so deep we could hear our own frantic heartbeats echoing in the air.

Eventually, the shock receded, and we all looked at each other, dumbfounded. Nathalie's voice rose in a question :

"What was that ?"

Adrian shrugged helplessly.

"No idea, absolutely no idea."

He threw a quick glance Liz's, Roy's and my way, but we all shook our heads silently. Steve said suddenly :

"While the light blinded us, I felt something. It was very brief, but I'm almost sure it wasn't evil or bad..."

Kristin nodded at that.

"I didn't sense anything threatening either. I propose we move on, going back to investigate seems a useless waste of time."

We quickly agreed, and ran towards the exit of the house of Pisces and the last portion of the Great Stairs.

The cool air of the night was a true blessing after the infernal heat that had plagued us during the day. I looked up, and thought the remaining part of Stairs would be a piece of cake.

"Stop !"

We froze as we heard Adrian's sharp cry. Wondering what was going on, I looked at him, and saw him staring fixedly at the Stairs in front of us. What on earth?... Suddenly, I smelled it, carried by the light breeze.

A sweet, so delicate perfume...

I stepped back, appalled, staring it it, fascinated. It was almost hidden by the darkness, but fortunately the pure light of the constellations in the sky had given the trap away.

The whole Stairs leading up to the Temple of Athena were overgrown with magnificient red roses.

Gods...

"It's a good thing you told Rika she might need her other spell for the Stairs, Ariane. Otherwise, I wouldn't have paid attention..."

I had forgotten. Completely. I shook my head, trying to keep my mind from envisioning what would have happened if Adrian hadn't been wary of the possibility of a snare. Sionna grimaced, looking at it, and asked :

"How do we go through ?"

Liz sighed.

"Seiya used the Pegasus Ryu Sei Ken, but also he focused his cosmo to gather enough power to destroy the roses..."

She was right. The Royal Demon Roses were anything but ordinary, Pisces Aphrodite had used to grow them himself in the holy gardens of the Temple of Athena. They were the perfect trap for any invader careless enough to walk among them. Rika nodded wearily.

"Okay, I'll use the spell then. It should be enough."

Roy stared at her, clearly worried.

"It will be. But can you use it ? You look so tired..."

She smiled weakely at him.

"Sure I'm tired, but then I'm used to that. All right, everyone stand back please."

We all obeyed, and she closed her eyes, focusing her Will.

Green light shone around her, and the wind rose, answering her call, circling her.

Waiting.

Poised.

Eventually, she opened her eyes and cast :

Jade Whirlwind !

The furious wind howled as she released it, and rushed at the Stairs.

Wild, savage even.

Beyond violence.

Rika staggered, and Mark caught her before she could fall, asking her urgently :

"Are you okay ?"

She hugged him, smiling faintly.

"I'll be okay, if nii-san bears me up for the rest of the Stairs."

He chuckled, relieved.

"Okay, it's a deal. But you walk by yourself once we reach the top."

She nodded, in apparent earnest, but the mischeveous glint in her eyes gave her away. In a noble, princely gesture, Mark ignored this and quite happily played along. Feeling all reassured as to how Rika was doing, we turned back towards the Stairs.

The roses had disappeared, it was as if they had never been there.

The way to the top of the Sanctuary was clear. Together, we started the last part of our ascent.

In the heart of the House of Virgo, on the sixth small plateau along the Great Stairs leading up to the holiest place of the Sanctuary, two Gold Saints watched as the blinding white light dimmed.

Feeling...

Fingertips brushing their souls.

So gently.

Touching their hearts.

So deeply.

In a way only one person could.

From the core of the fading pure light, a young woman stepped towards them, and they bent a knee down, bowing deeply before her. She smiled softly, bading them rise, and went over to the young man still resting against one of the columns of the house of Virgo, unconscious.

She considered him for a moment, then whispered :

"Wake up, Douglas."

Her voice reached his soul, and embraced it gently. Following the words, he stepped back on the shore, the call of the waves, wistful, growing swiftly dim in his mind. He looked at her, in silent awe, seeing a young woman of exquisite and simple beauty. Her long light brown hair was reaching below her lower back, and her smile was luminous.

So kind...

Staring at her, he felt tears welling in his eyes, and it was all he could do to hold them back. Her beautiful purple eyes were watching him.

Laying his soul bare.

Strangely, that wasn't frightening. He was feeling safe like this, as he never had in his life. Eventually, she stood, and only then did he notice the scepter she was holding in her right hand.

Its golden head had a shape he should have recognized. A stylized humanlike shape, with immense unfolded wings which arched upwards and touched, forming a perfect circle.

For the briefest of instants, he felt something radiating from her, something unbelievably ancient and powerful. A presence, overwhelming, which would crush his fragile being if ever she were to reveal herself fully. Then, he saw her, proud and regal.

Unhuman.

But kind. She once more let her human guise close around her like a cloak, the human soul inhabiting it merging again fully with hers and softening the light in her eyes. She turned away from him, facing the two Gold Saints, and asked them :

"Did you notice anything out of place during the battle that was fought in the House of Pisces ?"

Aries Mu smiled sadly.

"When the Andromeda Cloth died, Andromeda Shun's cosmo flared brightly, but it was brief."

Virgo Shaka gestured helplessly.

"The feeling was strong, but I judged it wasn't my place to intrude in the grief of a Saint mourning the passing of his Cloth."

She nodded slowly, watching them.

Knowing.

Eventually, she bowed her head, sighing softly, and said with a smile full of sorrow :

"I see. I wanted to protect them all from this. Him particularily. There's only so much a human heart can bear..."

There was a long, deep silence, and finally she broke it, turning towards Doug and asking him :

"You may stay here until it ends, or accompany us. Which do you choose ?"

He stood hesitantly, and then took a step towards her. When she saw this, an unreadable light flickered briefly in her eyes, and she said :

"So be it."

She walked towards the exit of the House of Virgo, Aries Mu and Virgo Shaka falling into step behind her.

Guarding her.

Doug followed them, his mind still partly numb, under the shock the sight and feeling of her had triggered.

And thus, a mere human being and two Gold Saints formed the honour guard of the Goddess Athena as she ascended the Great Stairs leading up to the heart of her own Sanctuary, her right hand holding Nike.

Victory.

In the center of the Holy Chamber on the top of the Sanctuary, the young man sitting on the throne tilted his head backwards and laughed.

She had come.

He had felt her, as he knew every being in this realm had. Chances were that his opponents hadn't recognized the feeling, but it mattered little whether they knew or not.

She had come for the end, and he knew that, no matter what was her heart's wish, she wouldn't interfere.

She was human, and Goddess at once, she would stand by the rules of this game, no matter how much it might cost her.

She would watch, since she loved humanity so much as to let it choose its own destiny, and refused to dictate her will and lead it in the direction she knew it should go. Only when something that hadn't had Man as its origin disturbed the flow of Time did she and her Saints intervene. He was very much human, as his dear enemies were, and so she was stuck by her own rules.

Condamned to watch destiny unfold in the heart of her own domain, since they had reversed the game and taken the battle to her side.

Condamned to watch as her beloved humanity chose the way that had been its own since the dawn of time, and treaded down the only path it could take.

Self destruction.

Among the shadows of the third House along the Great Stairs, a stray ray of starlight was reflected on something that glinted in the night.

A Gold Cloth.

On the floor, starting from the Cloth and stretching in the Four Directions, something was shining. If anyone had tried to touch this, they would have felt a liquid, warm. If they had tasted it, they would have found it to be slightly salty and bitter.

In the deep silence of the House, the Gold Cloth of Gemini was crying.

Aries Mu's eyes focused on the remains of the Andromeda Cloth, and he sighed inwardly. He had known, but he had wished to believe it would, and would happen differently.

Which, of course, hadn't been the case.

As talented as he was, he couldn't give life back to the Cloth, only one thing could, and he wouldn't ask that of the Cloth's owner. Perhaps Virgo Shaka would let himself be convinced to lend the unique, precious substance that could grant the miracle.

Blood. An awful lot of it.

He couldn't do it, not with the Pisces Gold Cloth as dead as this one. He could shed his blood for one and still be able to repair it, but to do it for two was beyond him. Eventually, he tore his eyes from the sorry sight of the small bits and pieces of what remained of the Andromeda Cloth, and looked forward. In the same time, there was a sharp intake of breath right behind him.

As if someone had just barely choked down a cry.

Aries Mu's left hand reached out, and rested on Doug's shoulder, gently preventing him from rushing forward.

In front of them, a man was lying against a column, clad in the shattered remains of the Pisces Gold Cloth. His eyes were closed, and he looked like he was merely resting, although they knew without a shadow of a doubt that he was as lifeless as the Gold Cloth that was still partly covering his body. In a detached, professional way, Aries Mu scanned the damage quickly.

It was certainly less spectacular than what the Black Piranhian Roses had done to the Andromeda Cloth, but the focused, unbelievably strong blast of power that had struck it had killed it just as efficiently. Aries Mu nodded to himself.

The blow had been dealt with all the power granted by a mastery of the Seventh Sense which went beyond even that of a Gold Saint. There was no doubt about the events that had transpired here.

The four of them stood unmoving for a while, and suddenly the young woman stepped forward. Doug made to follow her, but Aries Mu's hand on his shoulder squeezed, not ungently. She stopped, as if she had percieved this, and asked softly, without turning back :

"Would you then rush at his side and grieve for him ?"

Doug nodded silently, not trusting himself to speak. She went on, with the same gentle, and in the same time merciless voice :

"Would you help him if there was a way, knowing he caused his own death ?..."

Again, he nodded.

"Would you do this, knowing he betrayed you ?..."

Doug's jaw clenched, hard, but still he nodded.

"Knowing he viewed your possible death or eternal grief had you killed a friend as an elegant move in the game of chess, to watch and relish ?"

Doug's eyes closed tightly shut to keep back the tears as he desperately wished she would take pity on him and stop. But he knew she wouldn't, not until she was satisfied. Oh she didn't enjoy hurting him as she was doing, but she would keep on doing so, tearing his soul apart until she was answered in a satisfactory fashion. Gathering his strength, he nodded, whispering in a low, toneless voice :

"Yes, yes I would. I would do anything in my power."

The question came almost before he had finsihed his sentence.

"Why ?"

He numbly looked at her back, his mind wrestling with the question and trying to discern its true meaning. Distantly, he noted that the cut of her long, purely white sleeveless gown was perfect in its simplicity. Like her. Eventually, he gave up on trying to find a suitable, logical answer.

There was none.

Only the truth, or what he felt was the truth remained, even if it didn't exactly make sense. So he replied :

"Because it's in me to do. And because we're friends."

Although he still couldn't see her face, he distinctly felt her smiling. She nodded gracefully.

"So..."

She walked up to the prone body, and put a knee down on the floor beside it.

And reached out.

Her fingertips gently brushed a long lock of jet black hair away from the dead's face, and light softly shone around her.

Touching the body.

Ever so gently.

Calling.

Kyri's eyes opened slowly, and widened at the sight ofher. The light engulfed him, abruptly blinding, and then he heard a voice, felt a presence.

Within.

So close that it touched his very soul.

So close that it knew.

All.

The voice said gently :

"You know how lucky you are to have such a friend."

It didn't say anything more, and the light slowly faded. He looked at her, and knew it wasn't really gone.

She *was* the light.

He knew of course whom she must be, but he'd never have thought she would indeed come, and much less bend her rules to call him back.

And give him the gift of life.

For someone who had seldom been surprised by anything in his life, awe was an amusing sensation. He nodded at her, smiling for once without seduction in mind, and she stood, telling him :

"We have to go now. You are free to come along if you will."

Then she walked back to where the two Gold Saints were waiting for her. Them, and Doug.

On impulse, Kyri stood up and joined them.

After all, what good was a story if one didn't follow it to its end ?

There was a grinding sound as the giant double doors of the Holy Chamber started opening slowly, reluctantly. The young man sitting on the throne grinned behind his mask, envisioning what would have happened if he had bothered to lock them. Oh they could be forced, but still, to hear them pounding on it for a while and imagine the look or utter frustration on their faces would have been fun. Chuckling silently, he berated himself for being just a bit too childish at times.

But only just a bit.

Light rushed in the great hall, wiping away the deep shadows, and the sound of steps echoed in the air, incredibly looud after hours of absolute silence. Distantly, the young man thought that he shouldn't have allowed so many torches to be lit in the hallway leading to this chamber. The light was an inconvenience that forced his eyes to adjust to it. Darkness at least was comfortable.

He watched the eleven people walking towards him without showing the smallest reaction for about ten seconds, and then stood, bowing slightly.

"Please, be welcome..."

He smiled behind the mask as he added :

"You're a bit late, I expected you right after sunset."

There was no answer to his deliberate slight, and he looked at them a bit more attentively. None of those faces were smiling, the cheeriest expression were Roy's, and somehow Mark's... If one could call cheery an expressionless face. In all the others, he could see almost the same things : weariness, anger, bitterness, sorrow and pain.

Good. Very good.

The silence stretched on, and eventually someone stepped forward.

Ah, Ariane of course. She had never shown wisdom or patience. He nodded inwardly, noting the way the pawns were moving on the gameboard and finding with satisfaction that check mate might even come sooner than he had expected. He looked at her, and waited. She smiled, gesturing helplessly and saying :

"Ah well, I'm sure you can find it in your heart to forgive our lack of manners..."

She stared at him steadily.

"All right, we're sick and tired of your game. So drop the mask TIm, it doesn't belong to you anyway."

He laughed.

"And if I don't feel like it ?"

She kept smiling at him.

"Suit yourself. I've carried this universe in my heart for years, I'm as close to it as can be. So are Liz, Adrian and Roy. Lai, Rika, Mark, Kristin and Sionna know it at least as well as you. And Steve and Nathalie can feel it better than someone who has merely been sitting here doing nothing but playing with pawns without truly entering the realm. In plain and simple words : you don't stand a chance."

Her voice had kept the same pleasant, smalltalk tone until the end of her little speech, but the harsh light in her eyes had betrayed what was lurking in her soul. There was a hardness to her, and all of them, that hadn't been there before. There was a cold, icy anger that wouldn't die, fed by the grief and guilt that were gnawing at their hearts.

Perfect.

Now he knew for certain that Kyri's sacrfice hadn't been in vain. He had seen it in all of them : they had been so deeply touched, changed and hurt by what they had experienced that their minds were now only focused on defeating him. They had forgotten about one crucial thing that would be their downfall : they had forgotten what had prompted them to step to the other side and challenge him, and now they were trapped.

Trapped in a story.

A story that would end his way.

He looked at Adrian, Ariane, Kristin, Lai, Liz, Mark, Nathalie, Rika, Roy, Sionna and Steve, and took off the mask so they could see his smile. He told them softly :

"On the contrary my friends. I have already won..."

His eyes focused on Roy alone, and he added in a whisper :

"Isn't it so, Seishirou-san ?"

I felt something cold clawing at my soul when I saw the smile the mask had hidden until now. There was no word to describe it, it was a mixture of triumph, delight, grief and guilt, anger and bitterness, pride, as if opposite feelings had been thrown together, fire and ice somehow forced in the close embrace of lovers.

Then, he whispered the words :

"Isn't it so, Seishirou-san ?"

We all froze, horrified. Staring at Tim helplessly.

No...

No it couldn't be true, it couldn't...

Slowly, I turned my head and saw.

Roy's shadow.

As it had on two occasions, it changed, stretched to become that of a tall, lean man wearing a long trenchcoat.

A bird of prey resting on his left shoulder.

I had seen it before, and it had faded almost instantly. I had convinced myself I was hallucinating... Now it wasn't disappearing.

Now, there was no need for stealth or deception.

From wery far away, I saw Kristin's lips shape the words : "oh my God", but no sound passed through them. We looked numbly as Roy smiled back softly at Tim, nodding :

"Indeed, it is, Subaru-kun."

Deep within me, something shook with fear, primal and uncontrollable. Roy's voice had subtly changed, and the way he had said "Subaru-kun"... The longing and hunger in his voice... He stepped towards Tim, and we watched helplessly as destiny unfolded.

Steve's and Mark's faces marked with effort as they tried to break free of the paralysis that had struck us and failed. I saw Kristin and Sionna try and fail as well. Rika's face was set in a grim mask, and I suddenly understood. If I had been able to, I would have laughed. We were held by a spell, and it wouldn't be released before the caster decided it was convenient.

Roy stopped less than a step away from TIm.

And reached out.

Tim smiled in triumph, his eyes glinting.

Roy's fingertips brushed Tim's left cheeks, and then he gently, tenderly embraced him.

Kissing him full on the mouth.

Roy's left hand came up.

And pushed softly on Tim's right shoulder as he released him.

Then, Roy's shoulders started shaking.

And he laughed.

His shadow being his shadow once more, and nothing more.

"It's really a pleasure to meet you at last, Tim, but I'm sorry to have to tell you you've lost."

Roy walked back to us, and abruptly the spell was released. I ran towards him and hugged him, grinning like a fool. Sionna chuckled, shaking her head.

"You're a devious man, Roy. Very devious..."

I stepped back, and Roy bowed extravagantly.

"The charming lady is too kind..."

Sobering, he added :

"We all owe thanks to Aries Mu. Hadn't it been for his warning, it might have overcome me."

"So..."

We looked sharply at Tim. Shock had left his face, to be replaced by fury.

"You cheated."

Kristin snorted.

"I wasn't aware of a mutual agreement on rules before we started this, mister. Whatever you may be referring to has no hold on us. Besides, Aries Mu's warning held absolutely no meaning for us when it was delivered..."

She smiled sweetly at him.

"Do we agree, or do you wish to acknowledge you're a sore loser ?"

He stared at her for a long while, silent, and suddenly waved her words aside dismissingly.

"It doesn't matter..."

He smiled.

"What's much more intersting is that you have no more won than I have lost..."

He turned his back on us and went ot the throne. Leaning a hand on one of the chair's arms, he faced us and concluded :

"You all went so far as to come all the way up here, so finish what you've started. Try to defeat me, it won't end until you do so, or fail to do so."

Abruptly, the pain and fury that had been kept locked within me rose, hurting, and I felt like yelling at him and shaking him, striking him until he begged for mercy. Damn him, but he was *playing* again, as if this was a mere game, and...

"No..."

Before I could move, Mark stepped forward, his words somehow making their way through the heavy fog of emotions choking my soul, and he shook his head.

Serenity radiating from him like an aura.

Comforting...

"We won't fight you Tim, ever. First because you and us are friends, and second because we won't do you the pleasure of defeating ourselves."

Rika joined Mark and smiled.

"But neither are we turning back. So if you don't step down, we'll stay here, and keep you company, either until you get bored enough to give it up, or until the End of Time if need be."

Nathalie nodded.

"This way, we'll all be locked here. The stories you've already changed will remain so, but other fic writers will come, and write more, and eventually things will balance out, as they always do..."

She added softly :

"The perfect stalemate, don't you think ?"

Kristin gestured airily.

"Yep, and very counter-productive if we stay stuck here for centuries because somebody is too headstrong to know when to call it quits..."

Sionna continued, staring at Tim steadily :

"If you want stories that suit you perfectly, write them. They'll join the cluster of all the tragedies written for millenia. Sure there'll still be comedies on the other side, and in the middle epic or tragic stories which somehow end well. They may be infuriating to you, but then don't read them... Or tell us you were engaged in a holy crusade to convert all the infidels..."

He stared right back at her, the expression on his face unreadable, and eventually shrugged.

"There's no reasoning with you, you don't get it."

Kristin replied at once :

"No, we don't. Why don't you enlighten us ?"

He sighed wearily.

"Think Kris. How could I stop now ?..."

Suddenly, I understood the look in his eyes, and fought to keep on facing him and not bow down my head.

"Now that I have sacrificed my friends, now that Kyri is dead ?"

The grief in those eyes was absolute, a dark abyss that had no depth, no end, no beginning.

Engulfing all.

"You are mistaken, young man."

We all tensed as we heard the woman's voice, and turned to face her.

She was standing in the middle of the alley between the columns leading to the throne, her right hand holding the scepter on top of which was resting Nike. She was smiling gently, and her purple eyes held nothing but kindness. On her side stood Aries Mu and Virgo Shaka, and slightly behind them, Doug and Kyri.

Tim's whisper cut through the stunned silence that had engulfed the hall.

"Is it true ?..."

She nodded, her eyes still set on him. Despite himself, he smiled.

"I don't think I've ever been so happy to see anyone cheat to try and win a game..."

Her answering smile never reached her eyes.

"I always respect the rules I set for myself, young man. You owe this gift to your friend Rika who saved Douglas' life, and to Douglas himself who pleaded for Kyri's life and managed to convince me. Whatever you decide to do now is your choice. Neither I nor my Saints shall interfere until it's over."

He had the good grace to blush this time. Eventually, he managed to tear his gaze away from hers, and looked at us.

"Do we agree to call this a drawn game ?"

Doug's face lit in a radiant smile, and I had the surprise to see Kyri nod, smiling as well.

Steve's voice boomed :

"You bet we agree ! You stupid ! You scared the hell out of us !"

Tim raised an eyebrow at this, grinning all of a sudden.

"I sure hope so !"

Forgotten, the young woman in the background watched as the friends were reunited, looked at the two Gold Saints beside her, and saw that their faces were mirroring the same emotion as hers.

She bowed her head and whispered softly :

"So be it."

She was smiling.

Sorrow shining in her eyes, unhuman.

Beyond what the human heart could feel.

Her unshed tears sparkling like diamonds.

Outside the Temple of Athena, the night was about to end. The sky was grey, for dawn wouldn't come for some time yet. Silence was deep and absolute over the Sanctuary, but the distinct feeling there was to the place had changed along the hours. Gone was the sensation of ancient, infinite patience. The only thing palpable in the air now was sharper, very much sharper.

Expectation.

There was no choice but to acknowledge and yield to the result of the confrontation. So, from the heart of her domain, the Goddess Athena shed her human self for a fraction of a second, and sent out a mere thought. No other than the Gold Saints perceived it, but although it was weak, she knew it would be enough.

And thus, during the brief moment when light and darkness could touch and embrace, before dawn came and the light of day engulfed all, a door was opened. Slowly, it swung.

Both ways.

In a remote region of China, a man who was both old and young was sitting beside the great falls of Rozan. It seemed he had been there for ages.

Waiting.

Suddenly, his eyes narrowed as his senses detected a faint, almost imperceptible tendril of power. He let his spirit follow it, certain he knew where it would lead him.

Hoping against all odds...

Far away, in the center of a wasteland, a black tower stood alone, lifeless. Threatening. The beam of light brushed it, and died instantly.

Unheeding of the deafening sound of the great waterfall beside him, Nei of Libra sighed sadly.

Weary beyond exhaustion.

So it had happened again, as he had known it would. That was the way of human beings, they couldn't help being true to their nature.

Nei of Libra bowed his head, unwilling to watch more for the time being.

He knew, and understood enough.

More than enough.

In the center of a desert plain, where no living being would have dared set foot, the black tower was still standing.

Waiting.

On its one door was a small sheet of paper that had been torn, ever so sllightly by the beam of power that had brushed it a moment ago. If anyone had looked at it, they would have read a name written on the fragile item.

Athena.

The Goddess had once imprisoned there her arch-enemy, hoping to have won peace. And now, she herself had set in motion events that could lead to only one thing :

In time, her seal would be completely torn away.

Then, Hades would once more be free to walk the world of men.

They would rise, Athena's Saints would stand against him, and fight Death.

Again.

And again.

And their war would never end.

Not an End...

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