Chapter 3

Reflections of the Past

Nemo stepped from the deck of the ship, making his way down onto the rain-soaked dock below. The wind whipped across his face, blowing the hood tight against his cheek, sending drops of rain racing along his cheeks. Each step seemed to be punctuated by a shouting voice, thundering deep within his mind.

"Worthless brat!"

"You'll never amount to anything in this world!"

"Ugh! Why did you have to be like your mother?"

"Get out! Get out of my presence, you insolent pup!"

"Why did I ever give birth to you?"

The echoes of hateful words resounded within Nemo, beating at him like the driving rain. Long damp streaks from the storm crossed his face and ran from his eyes as he stepped onto the pier. At the end of the old wooden platform, two blurry figures stood facing each other. One was tall and regal, the fur of skinned wolves lining his heavy cloak as he stood in the rain, glaring down at the smaller figure. The youth, barely old enough to carry the sword strapped to his back, stared up defiantly at the older, his hair and worn clothes whipping in the wind.

"You will come back inside, now!" The kingly figure shouted, his voice resounding like thunder as he yelled at the rebellious child.

"I know what you did! I'm never going back!" The boy responded, his small voice barely cutting through the rain's constant thrumming.

The older man smiled, shaking his head at the boy. "Ahaha, ah, you are my son after all. Of course you figured it out. You always knew the truth!" Dropping to look the youth in the eyes, the blackened void of the King gripped the boy's shoulders. "But that is the beauty of what I have done! Now you shall rule your own lands, be the King of your own people, and we shall be mightier than all the other kingdoms put together!"

"No!" The boy slapped away his father's hands, his eyes burning like a great furnace. "You are responsible for what happened! Because of you she will suffer!" Turning his back upon his father, the child stared out at the storming seas, rain running down from his eyes as he watched the torrential waves. "But I won't abandon her!"

Before the man could do anything about it, the boy cast himself into the raging water, swimming with all the power his small body could muster. The dark form of the King howled in rage at his son's defiance as he grabbed guards and yelled at them to retrieve him.

Suddenly, from the ranks of Knights behind the King, one form lunged forward, the mask of black over his face tearing away from his hidden face. He dove into the seas, swimming powerfully after the child.

For a moment, the King was delighted to see a Knight so diligent in his duties. His pleasure was short lived, as the Knight, instead of dragging the young man back, began to swim with him, taking him further and further from the docks, both of them disappearing into the torrential sea.

As the King cursed and shouted, an old woman, hunched with age, came waddling up with an umbrella over her and another child whose glasses reflected the light of the storm's fury. "Do not worry, my King." The old crone drawled pleasantly. "I shall make sure they never return to afflict your mighty kingdom with their strange, chivalrous ideals ever again."

Taking one last look into the storm, the King nodded in agreement, striding away from the docks, leaving the old witch to do her work. "Pay attention, for one day you will inherit my power." The witch spoke soothingly to the silent boy.

Nemo's head erupted in pain, and he dropped to the dock, his memories of that long gone day suddenly ripped into fragments, like paper shreds cast to the wind.

"My Prince!" Ragnarok rushed to his charge's side, followed quickly by Anthy. Leaning forward and looking up into Nemo's pained eyes, the wolf tried see deeper into the young Prince. A man, hard at work, drew up a sledgehammer and struck a large stake, driving it into the ground. Ragnarok cried out in agony, his legs giving out from under him.

Anthy's eyes flashed for a moment, revealing a massive array of threads like spider's silk leaping from everything and everyone to another, interconnecting all that she could see, and much further. A pair of flies were wriggling and struggling in the web, becoming more and more caught as they fought.

Anthy reached out and grabbed the threads that held the struggling insects, but the silken lines suddenly grew thick and strong, engulfing her hands. She tried to free herself, but only managed to start slowly sticking herself to the sinister substances. A vibration shot along the web, rattling the former Rose Bride's hands. She looked along the sticky threads, and found herself staring straight at an enormous, brown-grey spider with a mark shaped like a black bird upon it's back. The sinister form began it's approach, clattering it's mandibles hungrily.

"Help! Utena!" Anthy cried out to the ship, her eyes still locked with the horrible arachnid that was quickly seeking to slake it's hunger upon her.

"Yees! Struuggle my deaar! Thaat power I sense froom you will be a delicacy for mee! It has been a loong time since I enjoyed huuman flesh!" Closer and closer it drew, it's spindly legs drawing it near to where Anthy sat, vainly trying to shield her afflicted friends.

Utena came rushing out of the cabins, struggling to keep her footing upon the rain slicked deck. She hurried to the rail, looking down to where her friends were trapped by the webs. "Anthy! Hold on, I'm coming!"

Drawing her sword from under the heavy coat that hung about her shoulders, she leapt from the rail. "Yaaaah!" The razor edged blade hacked into the web, severing the huge strands that held Anthy in check.

Utena landed with a thud, rolling across the old wooden planks. She began to rise, regretting her decision to jump, when the spider came hurtling down atop her. It's mouth snapped hungrily at her head, trying to get it's venomous mandibles around her. Using her sword as a guard, she held the flat against it's mouth, struggling to keep it from subduing her with it's raw weight.

Anthy continued pulling against the webs, trying to free herself from the web that held her hands. Pulling back, she tried stretching the fibers, but they were too strong, and she was pulled off her feet, head first into the sticky material.

***

Saionji didn't know how, but he found himself wandering further and further through the streets, down long paths and around buildings he didn't remember. The way he had come was long lost in the strange, dark city. Despite the heavy cloak, the rain had burrowed itself down to his skin, soaking both him and the girl he was carrying.

Looking in confusion down the dark paths of the storm lit streets, he tried to figure out which way he was going. Realizing her savior's problem, Ambrosia finally dared to speak, her cheeks flushing at the thought of talking to a Prince.

"Um, uh, hi..." She managed to stutter.

Saionji looked down at her in surprise, almost as if he had forgotten she was there. "Hello, you are that boy's sister, Ambrosia, right?"

Unable to resist the opportunity, despite her shyness and fear, Ambrosia responded. "No, I wanted those men to drag me off, and the girl you're looking for got taken somewhere else."

Saionji was unable to believe his ears. He nearly dropped her to the ground in his panic, frantically trying to think of what to do. "You mean she got taken somewhere else!? I have to go find her before it's too late!"

Ambrosia burst into a laughing fit, unable to control her amusement at his reaction. "I was only joking! My name is Ambrosia," she said with a smile, "and I'm very grateful that you came to save me."

A sense of relief and embarrassment flooded into Saionji, who was feeling all too proud to admit he had been fooled. "Ah, yes, of course! I must get you back to your brother, or he will be worried about you."

"Cray will probably head back to our home, um, Prince. Please, let me take you there!" She carefully regained her feet, bowing humbly to Saionji, her hands placed upon her knees.

"Very well," Saionji replied nervously, unsure if he was behaving properly. Touga made it look so easy. He thought to himself. "Lead the way."

Smiling impishly as she rose, Ambrosia took his hand and hurried off into the rainy streets.

***

The old witch sat alone in a dark room, illuminated only by a single candle on one side of the table. Cobwebs hung in the darkness like rotten drapes about the little table Althea sat next to. A set of children's blocks were all about her on the tiny workspace, sitting around an ancient scroll that was unrolled before her.

Her face was relieved of the stress of earlier, and now she simply read in the quiet darkness of the little room. Occasionally she would reach down and pick up one of the blocks absentmindedly, then place it down somewhere else.

At least that little Princeling isn't bothering me anymore! Doesn't he understand that subtlety is required in these matters? She thought over his actions, shaking her head at the obstinacy he had shown. Of course he doesn't, or else he would know how much I have to do to keep his destiny secure. She picked up another block, then set it down again. Fate is something that changes like a tide, and one can never see every thread. She moved another block. Perhaps he will learn a lesson when he understands how perilous his position is. Then he will respect just how much I do for him.

Rising uneasily from her chair, she walked over to the cobwebs. Pulling out a jar of flies, she opened it, tossing them to the spiders that hung amongst the old strands of web. She smiled in delight as one of the old spiders made it's way quickly to where it's wriggling quarry hung.

She turned, making her way from the dark little room, closing her eyes as she walked. Things would go just as she had seen them, and no one, not even a witch of her age could change it. Behind her, two castles stood on the table, formed of blocks, and on the web, the old spider found that it had not attacked flies, but wasps that attacked it in turn, killing the creature.

***

Darkness... Pain... Memories... Anger... Despair... Light... Truth... Hope... Utena... "Utena!" Nemo suddenly cried, breaking free of the crushing power in his mind. Pulling forward, he snapped the webs that held him, rushing at the spider with a howl that resounded across the sky, as if the storm's fury became his own.

The glittering blade was swept from it's sheath, striking with the might of one who was protecting all he had. The spider let out a terrible shriek, scuttling back to avoid the scything blade.

Rising from the ground, Utena drew herself up to Nemo's side, breathless but firm. Their eyes met for a moment, thousands of words shared in an instant between them. Moving in tandem, they lunged upon the spider, their swords falling vengefully against the creature's carapace, cutting deep gashes in the arachnid's armored hide.

Unable to stand the attacks, the spider tried to withdraw, but found itself cornered at every turn by the two Princes, forcing it further and further along the docks. With a mighty shout, Nemo and Utena drove it back to the edge of the dock, throwing it off the side and into the raging sea.

Exhausted by the battle, they turned back to the others, leaning on each other wearily. "Are you all okay?" Utena asked as they knelt to free their friends from the spider's web.

"I'm fine, but this is really uncomfortable." Anthy replied around the web stuck to her face and hair, the upper half of her body stuck firmly to the dock.

"Yes, I am as well." Ragnarok said, his voice revealing the shame he felt at being stopped so easily.

"It's not your fault, Ragnarok." Anthy said comfortingly to the wolf. "You couldn't have done anything against the magic that was used against us."

"What?" Utena looked in surprise at her friend as she cut carefully at the threads holding Anthy down. "Someone was using magic on us?"

"Yes, I'm sure of it. A spell was used on Nemo and Ragnarok to hurt them, and then another that brought that spider here. But whoever did it is a very skilled witch, much stronger than I was." Anthy explained, bringing worried expressions to her friends. "Um, could you please go faster, my bottom is getting really wet."

As if on cue, Chu Chu hurried down the gangplank, hopping up onto Anthy's rear end. The little blue creature then proceeded to open a tiny umbrella to shelter a small piece of his mistress to the amusement of the others.

"Hopefully we've dealt with the worst they're going to do." Utena said, only half confident in her own words. The others nodded, but a sinking feeling had begun in each of them, a sense of dread over what was to come.