Chapter 7: Foe and Friends

She was back in the circle of gray light as Sailor Leda. Nadomus stood outside the circle, slowly pacing in front of her. His eyes never left her face.

“It pains me to see you so grieved, Lady Leda. But, surely you have lost a pet before,” he said mockingly.

Leda literally swallowed down the urge to spit in his face. “What do you want? Why are you doing this?” she demanded.

“Have we forgotten our lesson so soon?” He snapped his fingers, merrily watching her convulsions of pain. When Leda was on the verge of passing out, he snapped his fingers again, stopping the torture.

Leda groaned softly, trying to pull herself off the cold stone floor. Nadomus entered the circle, eyeing her with interest. He grabbed her hair, yanking her to her unsteady feet. He twisted her head so she faced him.

“You are in no position to make demands of me, dearest Leda,” he said, his voice ice cold. “Yet, I will answer your questions. I want fun, and that is why I am doing this.”

“I am no man’s entertainment,” she said, emphasizing each word.

“Elara really must be the smartest one,” he said. “But I am a teacher at heart and do enjoy a challenge.” He released her head and stepped outside the circle. Leda steeled herself for the coming torture as he snapped his fingers.

He was mildly surprised when she didn’t scream. Slowly, she collapsed unto the floor, the pain steadily increasing. Once again, before she passed out, he snapped his fingers, ending the assault.

He didn’t enter the circle. She felt compelled to look at his face. He smiled when she was finally able to look at him.

“I will warn you now, Leda. I love a challenge and you definitely prove to be one. Oh, and I will be having more fun with you and your sisters. Like I did with the cat.”

* * * * *

No one woke her from the dream. Nadomus had dismissed her. She slowly rose and staggered out of the building into the night. She collapsed unto a rock and leaned against a wall. She noticed that there were new burns on her arms.

“How am I going to explain what is happening?” she said, peering at a bleeding wound on her leg.

“You could try explaining it to me,” Ganymede answered, appearing in front of her. He knelt by her leg, examining the wound. “What is going on? Who is attacking you in your sleep?”

He took a strip of cloth from a pocket and bandaged the wound. Satisfied that the bandage would stay in place, he sat down beside her. He looked at her expectantly, waiting for an answer.

“Nadomus,” she said, looking away from his ice blue eyes to the night. “He is the one who killed my mother and the one who challenged us.

“When I dream, I am compelled to go this large room in what could have been a palace. There is a circle of light in the center of the room. When I reach the center of that circle, I can’t move to get out of it.”

“What happens?” Ganymede watched every motion of her face.

“Nadomus appears, taunting me. If I demand anything or refute anything he says, I am punished. He snaps his fingers and I am overcome with pain. But he always stops before I pass out.”

“How many times have you been visited?”

“I have been to the circle twice and that is since we arrived on Charon. I have seen his face in dreams of my mother back home.” She continued to stare at the night sky. Then she turned to him, choking on a sob. “Oh, Ganymede, what do I do?”

She put her face in his chest and began to cry. He put his arms around her, trying to comfort her in anyway that he could. After a few minutes, she pulled away, wiping tears from her eyes.

“I’m sorry,” she said, embarrassed. “Everything seems to be happening at once.”

“There is nothing to apologize for, Jupiter,” he answered sincerely. He looked at the sky, noticing the coming of the dawn. “You need to rest. I don’t believe there will be anymore attacks in your sleep now.”

She rose and walked to the opening of the building where her sisters were sleeping. She paused. “Ganymede, I wanted to...” She turned but he was already gone. “Thank you.”

* * * * *

They rose an hour after dawn, following a path that Jupiter had chosen. Each of the sisters noticed the new wounds but knew not to open the subject. They traveled silently, rarely looking away from the road before them.

“We’re nearing it,” Jupiter said, pausing in the middle of the road.

“Near what?” Callisto asked, stopping right behind her.

“The place that we are suppose to meet our challenger,” she answered, never looking away from the horizon. “Promise me, all of you, that you will leave if the situation becomes too much.”

“What? No way, Jupiter,” Callisto said. “We came to defeat this nut, not to tuck our tails up and run.”

“You didn’t come here to die, did you, Callisto?” Jupiter demanded, spinning to face her sisters.

“What about you?” Lysithea asked.

“What will you do?” Io queried.

“Yeah, Jupiter. Are you planning to bail, too?” Callisto stared at her, waiting for an answer.

“It’s different for me. I am the oldest. I was the one who should have been challenged.”

“But you weren’t the only one challenged,” Europa said.

“That was a mistake. Please, leave now! This road leads to pain, destruction, and death. I will not see another one of you die!”

“We are in this together, Jupiter,” Io said.

“For the whole deal,” Callisto added. Lysithea and Europa nodded.

“Please!” Jupiter begged.

“Jupiter! They are right!” Ganymede appeared, walking toward the group. “Nadomus is attacking you alone for a reason.”

"Why?” she asked.

“If he weakens you, then the rest of us are weakened, too.”

She stared at him, obviously confused.

“Don’t you see?” he continued. “You are the leader, the focal point. It’s a good tactic. However, he made a mistake by challenging the five of you together. Together you will be able to defeat him.”

Jupiter looked at the others who were nodding.

“There is strength in numbers and in love, Jupiter,” Ganymede said. “Remember that.”

“He’s right, Jupiter,” Europa said, placing her hand gently on her sister’s shoulder. “Together we’ll be unstoppable.”


Foe and Friends She was back in the circle of gray light as Sailor Leda. Nadomus stood outside the circle, slowly pacing in front of her. His eyes never left her face. “It pains me to see you so grieved, Lady Leda. But, surely you have lost a pet before,” he said mockingly. Leda literally swallowed down the urge to spit in his face. “What do you want? Why are you doing this?” she demanded. “Have we forgotten our lesson so soon?” He snapped his fingers, merrily watching her convulsions of pain. When Leda was on the verge of passing out, he snapped his fingers again, stopping the torture. Leda groaned softly, trying to pull herself off the cold stone floor. Nadomus entered the circle, eyeing her with interest. He grabbed her hair, yanking her to her unsteady feet. He twisted her head so she faced him. “You are in no position to make demands of me, dearest Leda,” he said, his voice ice cold. “Yet, I will answer your questions. I want fun, and that is why I am doing this.” “I am no man’s entertainment,” she said, emphasizing each word. “Elara really must be the smartest one,” he said. “But I am a teacher at heart and do enjoy a challenge.” He released her head and stepped outside the circle. Leda steeled herself for the coming torture as he snapped his fingers. He was mildly surprised when she didn’t scream. Slowly, she collapsed unto the floor, the pain steadily increasing. Once again, before she passed out, he snapped his fingers, ending the assault. He didn’t enter the circle. She felt compelled to look at his face. He smiled when she was finally able to look at him. “I will warn you now, Leda. I love a challenge and you definitely prove to be one. Oh, and I will be having more fun with you and your sisters. Like I did with the cat.” * * * * * No one woke her from the dream. Nadomus had dismissed her. She slowly rose and staggered out of the building into the night. She collapsed unto a rock and leaned against a wall. She noticed that there were new burns on her arms. “How am I going to explain what is happening?” she said, peering at a bleeding wound on her leg. “You could try explaining it to me,” Ganymede answered, appearing in front of her. He knelt by her leg, examining the wound. “What is going on? Who is attacking you in your sleep?” He took a strip of cloth from a pocket and bandaged the wound. Satisfied that the bandage would stay in place, he sat down beside her. He looked at her expectantly, waiting for an answer. “Nadomus,” she said, looking away from his ice blue eyes to the night. “He is the one who killed my mother and the one who challenged us. “When I dream, I am compelled to go this large room in what could have been a palace. There is a circle of light in the center of the room. When I reach the center of that circle, I can’t move to get out of it.” “What happens?” Ganymede watched every motion of her face. “Nadomus appears, taunting me. If I demand anything or refute anything he says, I am punished. He snaps his fingers and I am overcome with pain. But he always stops before I pass out.” “How many times have you been visited?” “I have been to the circle twice and that is since we arrived on Charon. I have seen his face in dreams of my mother back home.” She continued to stare at the night sky. Then she turned to him, choking on a sob. “Oh, Ganymede, what do I do?” She put her face in his chest and began to cry. He put his arms around her, trying to comfort her in anyway that he could. After a few minutes, she pulled away, wiping tears from her eyes. “I’m sorry,” she said, embarrassed. “Everything seems to be happening at once.” “There is nothing to apologize for, Jupiter,” he answered sincerely. He looked at the sky, noticing the coming of the dawn. “You need to rest. I don’t believe there will be anymore attacks in your sleep now.” She rose and walked to the opening of the building where her sisters were sleeping. She paused. “Ganymede, I wanted to...” She turned but he was already gone. “Thank you.” * * * * * They rose an hour after dawn, following a path that Jupiter had chosen. Each of the sisters noticed the new wounds but knew not to open the subject. They traveled silently, rarely looking away from the road before them. “We’re nearing it,” Jupiter said, pausing in the middle of the road. “Near what?” Callisto asked, stopping right behind her. “The place that we are suppose to meet our challenger,” she answered, never looking away from the horizon. “Promise me, all of you, that you will leave if the situation becomes too much.” “What? No way, Jupiter,” Callisto said. “We came to defeat this nut, not to tuck our tails up and run.” “You didn’t come here to die, did you, Callisto?” Jupiter demanded, spinning to face her sisters. “What about you?” Lysithea asked. “What will you do?” Io queried. “Yeah, Jupiter. Are you planning to bail, too?” Callisto stared at her, waiting for an answer. “It’s different for me. I am the oldest. I was the one who should have been challenged.” “But you weren’t the only one challenged,” Europa said. “That was a mistake. Please, leave now! This road leads to pain, destruction, and death. I will not see another one of you die!” “We are in this together, Jupiter,” Io said. “For the whole deal,” Callisto added. Lysithea and Europa nodded. “Please!” Jupiter begged. “Jupiter! They are right!” Ganymede appeared, walking toward the group. “Nadomus is attacking you alone for a reason.” "Why?” she asked. “If he weakens you, then the rest of us are weakened, too.” She stared at him, obviously confused. “Don’t you see?” he continued. “You are the leader, the focal point. It’s a good tactic. However, he made a mistake by challenging the five of you together. Together you will be able to defeat him.” Jupiter looked at the others who were nodding. “There is strength in numbers and in love, Jupiter,” Ganymede said. “Remember that.” “He’s right, Jupiter,” Europa said, placing her hand gently on her sister’s shoulder. “Together we’ll be unstoppable.”


Chapter 8: The Beginning of the End Jupiter's Gone