Chapter 5: The Question of Faith

A mist surrounded Leda as she walked toward the lone building in front of her. 'When did I change back into Sailor Leda?' she wondered. The echoes of her boots against the ground was the only sound.

Where were the others? The mist hid everything, encasing her in oppressive silence. She continued walking, compelled to enter the lone building. A sense of dread increased with each additional step toward the building, yet she could not stop.

“Is anyone here?!” she called. There was not even an echo to answer her. She shivered, continuing her approach toward the building. Evil, she thought. Something evil is waiting for me.

As she came to the building, she noticed it that it could have been a palace at one time. Yet, whatever had destroyed the Charon civilization, it had left its mark on this place as well. She felt a sudden chill as she entered through the shattered oak doors.

Leda passed through several dimly lit halls, still compelled by some force. She wished she had a light, but there was only varying degrees of shadows. At last she came to another set of doors, the ebony structures torn from their hinges.

She crossed the large room, noticing a gray circle of light in the center. She walked straight toward it and stopped when she reached the center. She peered up, but she couldn’t find a source of the light.

A figure appeared from the shadows. It was tall, towering over Leda. It was dressed entirely in black, with a top hat pulled low to shadow the face. It slowly circled her, just staying outside the circle of light.

“Greetings, Lady Leda,” the figure answered, bowing slightly. “I am glad to see that you have arrived here.” The baritone voice did not have an echo despite the walls of the rooms. “You know who I am.” It was a statement, rather than a question.

“Nadomus.”

He tipped the hat back, exposing his angular face, the same face from her dreams. He smiled, his gray eyes menacing. “Then, you know why I have brought you here.”

“I am to battle you, as my mother did.” Her voice sounded lifeless and distant to her own ears. She tried to shake her head but she couldn’t move. She was force to face him.

“Good,” he answered, the wicked smile slightly increasing. “You are a credit to your mother.”

“Why are the others here?” she demanded.

He frowned. “I want them here.”

“That is not an answer.” Slowly she began to regain some control over herself.

“Such spirit. Such impressive spirit,” he said to himself. “Your sisters are here, Lady Leda, to provide additional entertainment after your demise.”

“I wouldn’t plan on it so soon.” She glared at him, hating his arrogance.

“Really?” he asked in a cool tone. He snapped his fingers and Leda screamed in pain. After a moment she sank to her knees. Her screams echoed off the walls, pounding her ears.

He snapped his fingers again. Leda fell further on the floor before him, on her hands and knees, struggling for each breath. He stepped into the circle, a few inches from her.

She looked up at him, at the black mask of a face that the light caused. He reached down and grabbed her hair, pulling her to her feet. He drew her face within millimeters of his.

“I have great power,” he said, twisting her hair tighter in his hand. “You have only had a small taste of it.” He smiled and threw her to the floor. “I await our meeting, Leda. Till then.” He tipped his hat and disappeared into the shadows. Still on her knees, she began to cry.

* * * * *

Neo-Sailor Jupiter studied the sky, watching the lighting shades of gray that indicated the Charon morning. She had been awakened by Callisto, who had heard her crying in her sleep. Not wanting to discuss the nightmare, Jupiter took watch, allowing Callisto to sleep.

“It was more than just a dream,” she whispered. Her legs had new scrapes, ones that were not from the battle. She rubbed her arms to fight a sudden chill and turned to gaze at her sisters.

Europa and Io were sleeping soundly, recovering from the drains of their defensive measures. She and Callisto agreed to keep watch while the others slept in an almost complete, abandoned building.

She had let Callisto sleep longer than her watch warranted but Jupiter hated the prospect of sleep. She looked up at the sky again, realizing that while she had been awake for hours, dawn was still a considerable time away.

She sat down on a nearby hunk of rock, turning to face the shadows of a neighboring building. “I know you are there. You can come out.”

Ganymede slowly emerged from the shadows and stopped a few feet away from hers. “How did you know I was there?”

She gestured for him to sit down beside her. He sat on a rock opposite her, instead, propping the cane against the rock by his hip.

“I have premonitions,” she answered, watching his face for a response.

“Premonitions?” His voice only betrayed a slight hint of surprise.

“Mostly feelings, but sometimes I have visions.”

“Like your dream?” The question made her grasp, but she quickly regain control of herself. “I heard you cry while you slept,” he explained.

“So you watch us from a distance?” He gave no answer. “What happened to me tonight was no dream,” she said.

“Care to talk about it? It may help.”

“I,” she paused, debating whether to discuss the event with him. No, she wouldn’t trust him, a stranger, so soon. She deliberately changed the subject. “I wonder what kind of man dresses in a cape, appears to rescue damsels in distress, disappears without a trace, only to be discovered watching them while they sleep.”

“A friend, as I have told you before.”

“I have only your words.”

“No, you have my actions, also. I saved you once. I will again if necessary.” He rose, grabbing his cane. “Trust is a precious commodity, Neo-Sailor Jupiter. I realize that. But certain situations call for trust.”

“Unquestioning trust is faith, Ganymede.”

“Then have faith, Jupiter. So long.” He vanished into the shadows of the nearby buildings.

“There are too many unknowns for me to have faith.” She peered into the nights, lost again in unhappy, troubling thoughts.


The Question of Faith A mist surrounded Leda as she walked toward the lone building in front of her. 'When did I change back into Sailor Leda?' she wondered. The echoes of her boots against the ground was the only sound. Where were the others? The mist hid everything, encasing her in oppressive silence. She continued walking, compelled to enter the lone building. A sense of dread increased with each additional step toward the building, yet she could not stop. “Is anyone here?!” she called. There was not even an echo to answer her. She shivered, continuing her approach toward the building. Evil, she thought. Something evil is waiting for me. As she came to the building, she noticed it that it could have been a palace at one time. Yet, whatever had destroyed the Charon civilization, it had left its mark on this place as well. She felt a sudden chill as she entered through the shattered oak doors. Leda passed through several dimly lit halls, still compelled by some force. She wished she had a light, but there was only varying degrees of shadows. At last she came to another set of doors, the ebony structures torn from their hinges. She crossed the large room, noticing a gray circle of light in the center. She walked straight toward it and stopped when she reached the center. She peered up, but she couldn’t find a source of the light. A figure appeared from the shadows. It was tall, towering over Leda. It was dressed entirely in black, with a top hat pulled low to shadow the face. It slowly circled her, just staying outside the circle of light. “Greetings, Lady Leda,” the figure answered, bowing slightly. “I am glad to see that you have arrived here.” The baritone voice did not have an echo despite the walls of the rooms. “You know who I am.” It was a statement, rather than a question. “Nadomus.” He tipped the hat back, exposing his angular face, the same face from her dreams. He smiled, his gray eyes menacing. “Then, you know why I have brought you here.” “I am to battle you, as my mother did.” Her voice sounded lifeless and distant to her own ears. She tried to shake her head but she couldn’t move. She was force to face him. “Good,” he answered, the wicked smile slightly increasing. “You are a credit to your mother.” “Why are the others here?” she demanded. He frowned. “I want them here.” “That is not an answer.” Slowly she began to regain some control over herself. “Such spirit. Such impressive spirit,” he said to himself. “Your sisters are here, Lady Leda, to provide additional entertainment after your demise.” “I wouldn’t plan on it so soon.” She glared at him, hating his arrogance. “Really?” he asked in a cool tone. He snapped his fingers and Leda screamed in pain. After a moment she sank to her knees. Her screams echoed off the walls, pounding her ears. He snapped his fingers again. Leda fell further on the floor before him, on her hands and knees, struggling for each breath. He stepped into the circle, a few inches from her. She looked up at him, at the black mask of a face that the light caused. He reached down and grabbed her hair, pulling her to her feet. He drew her face within millimeters of his. “I have great power,” he said, twisting her hair tighter in his hand. “You have only had a small taste of it.” He smiled and threw her to the floor. “I await our meeting, Leda. Till then.” He tipped his hat and disappeared into the shadows. Still on her knees, she began to cry. * * * * * Neo-Sailor Jupiter studied the sky, watching the lighting shades of gray that indicated the Charon morning. She had been awakened by Callisto, who had heard her crying in her sleep. Not wanting to discuss the nightmare, Jupiter took watch, allowing Callisto to sleep. “It was more than just a dream,” she whispered. Her legs had new scrapes, ones that were not from the battle. She rubbed her arms to fight a sudden chill and turned to gaze at her sisters. Europa and Io were sleeping soundly, recovering from the drains of their defensive measures. She and Callisto agreed to keep watch while the others slept in an almost complete, abandoned building. She had let Callisto sleep longer than her watch warranted but Jupiter hated the prospect of sleep. She looked up at the sky again, realizing that while she had been awake for hours, dawn was still a considerable time away. She sat down on a nearby hunk of rock, turning to face the shadows of a neighboring building. “I know you are there. You can come out.” Ganymede slowly emerged from the shadows and stopped a few feet away from hers. “How did you know I was there?” She gestured for him to sit down beside her. He sat on a rock opposite her, instead, propping the cane against the rock by his hip. “I have premonitions,” she answered, watching his face for a response. “Premonitions?” His voice only betrayed a slight hint of surprise. “Mostly feelings, but sometimes I have visions.” “Like your dream?” The question made her grasp, but she quickly regain control of herself. “I heard you cry while you slept,” he explained. “So you watch us from a distance?” He gave no answer. “What happened to me tonight was no dream,” she said. “Care to talk about it? It may help.” “I,” she paused, debating whether to discuss the event with him. No, she wouldn’t trust him, a stranger, so soon. She deliberately changed the subject. “I wonder what kind of man dresses in a cape, appears to rescue damsels in distress, disappears without a trace, only to be discovered watching them while they sleep.” “A friend, as I have told you before.” “I have only your words.” “No, you have my actions, also. I saved you once. I will again if necessary.” He rose, grabbing his cane. “Trust is a precious commodity, Neo-Sailor Jupiter. I realize that. But certain situations call for trust.” “Unquestioning trust is faith, Ganymede.” “Then have faith, Jupiter. So long.” He vanished into the shadows of the nearby buildings. “There are too many unknowns for me to have faith.” She peered into the nights, lost again in unhappy, troubling thoughts.


Chapter 6: The Loss of One Jupiter's Gone