Awakening the Spirit
The
day she was born, they gave her the name, Enyalis Rei, from that of her
guardian star and from the light that dwelt in her
aura.Even as a child, it
seemed quite certain that Enyalis Rei would possess the gift in her psyche
and the prowess to hold the fire of Mars on her hand.Besides, she is the
Spirit of Mars.
***********************
"How
about another round, Princess?"
"No."
"Get another set of arrows--"
"--No!" She threw her bow to the ground. "I just want to rest now."
"This is the fifth time in a row you have missed the target.It is not like
you, Princess."
But Enyalis just tossed her hair without even turning back at the bewildered
maiden behind her. Phobos could have protested.She was her guardian ever
since the Princess was born, but now she was thinking whether she was also
destined to hold up to this kind of temper.Her twin, Deimos, helped to
pick up Enyalis's bow.
"She probably had another vision," Deimos said.
Phobos shrugged and sighed."I understand."
Enyalis continued to display her indifference as she entered the palace.
Its halls had been quiet and cold for a long time. It didn't greet
her or comfort her today.
But the Princess did not have any vision.She considered this a blessing.
At some points, she would wake up and find herself despairing to know the
answers to her dreams. They were all preludes to bad omens and she was
the most unfortunate of all. Seeking answers through the sacred fire as
if everything was within her.
Today, the Princess of Mars was simply exhausted, and she felt that no
one would understand that.She did not wish to entertain
anyone's opinion on her
feelings anyway.
"Aren't you going to prepare yourself, Princess?"
The Princess was half-startled as she searched for the familiar voice of
her guardian.Phobos and Deimos were both standing in the doorway.
"Prepare myself for what?" she asked.
"You're going to the Moon," one of them said."Queen Serenity has called
on you."
"Why? The Princess hasn't done anything clumsy again, didn't she?" she
asked irritatingly.Or did she?
Phobos and Deimos looked at each other and smiled. "Well, no," one of them
answered."But the other senshi will be there, too. It must be an important
meeting. You will leave two weeks from now."
Enyalis tossed her hair again and nodded. There was no mistake and her
guardians felt it, too.The look of irritation on their Princess was too
evident.This was one of the real feelings that she did not wish to hide.She
turned her back on them again and proceeded to walk away.
"Don't forget that you are sworn as a protector of Princess Serenity,"
one of them warned her.
Enyalis stopped."Protector, yes! But I am not her baby sitter."
***********************
I know I had slept troubled...but what am I doing walking on this land?
But now I realize. From this distance, I can see the
castle draped in a bit of
mist. It was so far away. So I ran. Only, it seemed that I won't reach
it. Either I was going far away from it, or it was going away from me.Then,
I sensed a presence behind me.I can't see his face. He was walking nearer
and nearer to me.Who is he?
Who is he?
"Intruder!" The Princess of Mars was stunned as she uttered the word and
found herself in bed.The sun was shining its faint rays over the plains.She
looked out from her window and became paranoid of her vision. It looked
so real, as if she felt that he was really near. It was the mystery of
his person that astounded her, not fear. She did not know who he was yet
to make a judgment on whether he was evil or not.
The sacred fire didn't help.Her meditation only dampened her hopes. Something
was stopping her from discovering him further. Feeling helpless and yet
restless with the search, Enyalis Rei compelled herself to practice her
attacks.
"With all due respect, Yor Highness, your attacks are getting a little
bit...sloppier today," it was Deimos who commented. The Princess had mistaken
her for her other guardian.
Sloppier?Enyalis did not react.She tried to control the fire from her hands
until it hit a small boulder that almost crumbled on Deimos's face, had
she not managed to get away. Her target was actually the larger boulder
a far safer distance from her guardian, but they did not know that.
"Weeee-ll, except for that," Deimos said.
"I'm sorry," Enyalis apologized, her head bowed.
"Is something bothering you, Princess?" Deimos asked. But she had not been
careful about the subject."You had another vision,
probably?"
"No! No!" Enyalis tried to smile as she gestured with her hands. "I probably
just need practice, that's all!"
"Your Highness!Your Highness!"Phobos shouted as she ran towards them.
"Slow down," she instructed and wondered the news that can't wait.
"There are intruders near the castle!"
***********************
"What
have you done now?"The taller man blamed his companion.
"Nothing!Where have we teleported to?"
"I don't know.But how come we don't know where we teleported to?"
"That's right, Nephrite. We should know!"
His green eyes and long red locks had been unmasked under the moonlight.
Nephrite stared at sight a short distance from them. It was huge and stately.
Then, he looked around him. Two moons shone above the red plains. Now,
he knows where they are. He looked at his friend. The lights of both moons
and the dark red shadows in the plains made his blonde hair appear a little
green. It was apparent that his friend was quite engrossed at what he was
seeing.
"Mars."
"I know," Nephrite told him.
"Everything is monotonous. The Earth has a lot of color."
Nephrite was surprised at the observation. "Yes, but each planet has their
own distinct beauty."
"You're right."
"We should not forget what we came here for, Jadeite."
"Right."
"Do you ever wonder about the planets beyond Jupiter?"
Jadeite walked further to survey the plains. "The homes of the Outer senshis?"
"We have met all of them first." Nephrite knelt to study a shining rock.
"I think we might visit them again another time."
Jadeite stared at the huge palace. It was probably the only shining monument
in the entire planet. They were safe for the moment. The entire time on
Mercury and Venus, they managed not to be detected by the guards. He will
make sure none of it will happen this time.
"I'll take a look around the palace," Jadeite told his friend.
Nephrite nodded. "Meet me here later," he said and ran north.
Jadeite watched his friend disappear until the red dust he trampled covered
his tracks. One of the guards had ran out of the palace. Seeing nothing
in the area, he returned inside. Jadeite was safe behind the huge pillars.
***********************
"Hear
anything of our uninvited guest?" Enyalis Rei asked her two guardians.
Phobos and Deimos shook their heads as they faced their Princess as she
sat on her own throne.
Enyalis nodded. Her vision was correct again. And the only way she would
know who the intruder is and for what purpose is by
meeting this intruder herself.
"The guards are already searching for them, Your Highness," Deimos said.
"There is not just one?" she asked.
"A guard saw two or three, I think. He was not sure," Phobos answered.
Two or three? But I only saw one of them in my dream.
"Don't worry about it, Princess."
Enyalis stood and took a step. Phobos and Deimos started to follow her.
"I'd be alone in my meditation," she said.
With that, Phobos and Deimos halted. They found it strange that their Princess
would be so much troubled by a problem with illegal trespassers. This would
certainly not be a big problem for her.
But Enyalis left with a most uncertain look on her face. She was walking
fast and with difficulty dragging the long skirt of her
gown. She reached the empty
halls, making sure that no one was there and changed into something more
suitable for a hunt. The short skirt only reached to her thighs, but the
senshi fuku might alarm an intruder who might not be an enemy. She ran
immediately to the exit. Only the faint picture of the intruder was left
in her memory. He is near. That would be enough to search for him.
***********************
Nephrite's communicator lighted. It was Kunzite. He had called in the midst
of Nephrite's wanderings. There were only few Mars citizens that he had
met and they had not recognized him as an intruder.
"Kunzite-san?"
"On what planet are you now?"
"Mars. Its citizens are friendly and hospitable. No wars or anything unpleasant
in the past years."
"And Jadeite?"
"Surveying the palace. He'll take care of himself. I'll meet him there
later."
"Good. You should be back soon. We should meet Queen Serenity later in
the week."
"Okay."
Nephrite wondered why his companion had not called him. They should be
leaving with their full report soon. He got on his way to meet his friend.
***********************
Jadeite waited for his friend in the place they had agreed on earlier.
There was nothing unusual or unpleasant. He even managed to see the throne
himself with no singular individual there. Not even a soul that tended
near it. In the middle was a small prop that fueled a fire that blazed
mightily. Its smoke reaching to the roof.
He had seen guards and nobles around the palace. But nothing amazed him
at all. The only thing that bothered Jadeite was that Nephrite was late
and they have to teleport soon.
However, he felt a presence coming. The guards must be leaving for their
routine check again. Jadeite was expeditious in getting out of their view.
He had hidden behind the great pillars again. This was safe and good. He
could be able to see the guards without himself being seen.
Enyalis emerged out of the palace, running and unaware that she was being
watched. She stopped to survey the familiar surroundings.
Nothing. She had almost circled the entire palace grounds on which the
intruders were said to be. But this was the last point and would not accept
that her search would be fruitless. So she was willing to try again and
began to walk cautiously trying to look for whoever unpleasant stayed on
the plains of Mars.
Jadeite stood in awe in his hiding place, moving a little uncomfortably
from his pillar while he watched her walking. He was able to see clearly
how the wind had caught the strands of her dark hair and fell smoothly
to her waist. The faint glimmer of the moons was enough to reveal the purple
highlights of her hair. He wanted to see if she did look as charming as
she was from this distance. It was too soon to tell. Even steadily graceful
as she moved. Jadeite found himself instantly curious about her. Now, he
felt better that Nephrite was late.
Enyalis, in the meantime, had perceived that the uncommon presence could
still be in her grounds. It could probably be coming from the opposite
direction from where she was walking. That was very doubtful, but she wasn't
really sure. No, it is this way. No, that! What has she got to lose choosing
either?
She had chosen the opposite direction from where he stood. Jadeite had
made an effort to move closer, and with much difficulty. But she
was moving out of his view!
"Huh?" Enyalis was distracted by her own gift. She was wrong. The
impetus of her psyche was now pressuring her back to the other way. She
looked back at the direction of the palace and ran to meet the intruder.
"Who are you?" she shouted.
Jadeite was aware that he had been spotted. This was to be the first time
in his entire career. Unluckily for him though that Mars had a resident
clairvoyant and she had dreamt about his illegal presence even before.
He worried that the raven-haired beauty might call the guards and that
might be the end of him.
Enyalis slowed to a pace when she had seen him coming out from one of the
pillars. The soft tinges of sunlight caused an even darker shadow to fall
on his face, but she recognized the figure that was the silhouette in her
dreams. She was surprised when she saw his face as he stepped into the
light. He was taller than she expected. And she could not help but deny
sensing some gentleness on her intruder. "Who are you?" she asked again.
Jadeite noticed the battle stance from his, well, interrogator. He was
thinking of ways to stall time while he studied her pose. He was immediately
outspoken by her words.
"Who are you?" she was backing a little as Jadeite was walking further.
Jadeite thought that this was the more appropriate distance for him to
take a good look at her, but admitted that the circumstances were far,
far inappropriate. Had he not seen for himself, he wouldn't have aptly
decided that he had been right all along and probably underestimated her
unfairly. In front of him was an ever remarkable face with piercing
dark eyes that were a darker purple from the highlights on her hair, and
even lovelier when she is angry. "I can't discuss the reason for now,"
he told her. "But we shall let it know to your ruler--"
"--I'll let her know," Enyalis interrupted.
"I'm sorry. I can't." Jadeite answered sternly.
"Why not? Are you planning anything--"
"--No! That's not our intention!"
"Then, tell me who you are and where you come from!"
Having seen her stance, he prepared himself for an attack. "I'm sorry I
can't," Jadeite told her wearily.
Enyalis was at a loss again on whether she should attack. She was so unsure
of the right action and still she sensed that he did mean what he was saying.
But should he be trusted? She wasn't especially keen on judging this man
by his appearance. Or why shouldn't she be the same with any man? Why be
different with this stranger? She had learned early in life that she should
not trust anyone easily. No matter that the stranger was not the monster
she expected him to be.
Jadeite dodged the attack successfully. He was a far distance away from
the fire she released. Magnificent! he thought. She's very strong!
Quickly, she raised her finger and directed the fire to him. He disappeared
and dodged it again. The fire was now in her hands and sure that she would
hit her target surely, but he had leapt farther and had missed it. Jadeite,
in the meantime, did not wish to counter her attacks thinking that he could
not blame her for perceiving him as a threat. Besides, he thought that
he could very well manage everything she threw.
Nephrite had seen the fires in the air from a distance. He rushed immediately
to find out whether Jadeite might have been trapped in some kind of hell
fire. Nephrite had approached him in some sort of frenzy, as he saw
Jadeite leap from the source of the attacks.
"Jadeite! We should leave now!" Nephrite called.
Enyalis stopped and saw the other intruder. And like the first, and with
such a short a glance, she thought that he did not look anything evil at
all. But an intruder, nevertheless. So she ran towards him.
Jadeite was floating in midair and nodded at his companion. Enyalis only
saw the redhead intruder strike his chest and disappeared.
"I'm sorry this has happened," that was intruder's goodbye, before she
saw him disappear as well.
***********************
"Nephrite!
Jadeite! What took you so long?" Kunzite asked the two as they reappeared.
"Jadeite here has been unruly fighting one Mars citizen," Nephrite said
as he patted his friend's back. "A very beautiful Mars citizen!"
"She attacked me first!" Jadeite protested. Hardly understanding how his
associate had noticed the charisma of his attacker on such short a gaze.
"You've met someone? Good. We'll be meeting the senshis with Queen Serenity
and the delegate from Mars is already our enemy!" Zoisite remarked in disbelief.
"I doubt that. It will all be in friendship and we will be there to explain."
Kunzite said. "But I don't think attacking a citizen is good--"
"--She attacked me first!" Jadeite repeated. "And I did not charge back."
"Of course," Nephrite laughed. " You shouldn't attack someone like that.
They're scarce!"
"Beautiful, maybe. She has bad aim!" Jadeite smiled and walked past the
other generals who seemed ready to tease.
"Bad aim?" Nephrite asked. "Take a look at your sleeve!"
The other generals were laughing as Jadeite looked at his sleeve. The left
sleeve was fine, but a quarter of his right sleeve and the edges of his
glove had been burnt.
***********************
A week has passed and Enyalis had been still far concerned with one other
thing besides her meeting with the head of the Silver
Millenium. She did not know
the purpose of Queen Serenity's invitation and she didn't care, much less
wonder about such an impromptu design that was not like Queen Serenity.
Enyalis consulted the sacred fire almost every day, wishing to know the
intruder's identity and where he came from. That was all, she told herself.
I don't wish to have anything to do with him! She had always been curious
and careful that not one in the palace, especially Phobos and Deimos must
know about her encounter. Good or evil, Enyalis had not been sure. Although
she was considering that he was really the gentleman he was when she met
him.
Phobos saw her Princess looking at the small fire that blazed in the middle
of the room where her throne sat. What came to her mind was that the Princess
was not just marveling at the beauty of the fire that was a gift of Mars.
It stood there everyday when Enyalis sat to entertain friends and counselors
about her kingdom and about the Silver Millenium. The fire was an amazing
thing--being small and yet its flame was so brilliant! But as far as Phobos
was concerned, the Princess saw it everyday and she had been bored with
it. So the Princess was not just looking at it, but what is she thinking?
"Still bothering you, Your Highness?" Phobos tapped her shoulder which
startled Enyalis. She was right.
"Ohh--what?" Enyalis managed to ask while yet recovering from her daze.
"I don't know," Phobos answered. "The intruders escaped, but there was
no harm done...Were you thinking about that?"
"No," she lied.
"Don't worry about it, Princess. Mars is still good and peaceful when you
teleport tomorrow."
"I am not worried," she lied again.
Phobos left her staring at the fire. Enyalis was trying to remember the
stranger's features.
***********************
"There is nothing in the planets that we've been to," Nephrite announced.
"Nothing that would help us know about the Silver
Millenium.
"It would be better if we just met the senshis," Jadeite said.
Kunzite was silent. Queen Serenity was not a threat, but not having met
her guardians is puzzle to what they might do to them. They had already
met her senshi from Uranus and Neptune, and thought that although they
seemed a little distant, there wasn't enough discussion with them since
they had to return to their duties.
"And we haven't even studied Jupiter," Nephrite reminded. "Is that still
necessary?"
"No," Kunzite answered. "We shall meet with Queen Serenity tomorrow. Maybe
we might meet the guardian senshis."