Previously:
When they finally made it to the room where Odin and Zeus had told them to come to Apollon, Hades, Dionysus, Tsukito, Thor, Sif, Freyr, Freyja and Vidar were already there, sitting around a table. Odin and Zeus were standing in front of them and Hugin and Munin were there as well, sitting on Odin's shoulders.
"Alright, we're here, now tell us why we can't get close to Weed." Takeru demanded as he and the rest took the seats beside the others.
"Zeus, what is going on?" Hades asked his brother.
"Is Fairy alright?" Apollon added, worried.
"Tell us already!" Freyja cried out.
"We've got some disturbing news regarding Kusanagi." Zeus said with his eyes closed.
"Hugin and Munin here told me what they had seen when they had found Kusanagi in the world of the Greek gods today." Odin explained.
"What was she doing over there?" Dionysus asked with a raised eyebrow.
"We will come to that." Zeus informed. "But for now, you should know that your friend is in danger and close to death."
The room got quiet before everyone exclaimed, "WHAT! ?" and Apollon, Takeru, Loki, Sif and Freyja rose from their seats. "What the hell are you saying! ?" Loki shouted.
Now:
"Is this some kind of sick joke? !" Takeru shouted.
"Hurry up and explain! Why is Yui close to death? What happened?" Sif asked.
Zeus slammed his staff in the floor and a floating mirror appeared above him and Odin. That silenced everyone. "Let me show you flashbacks of Kusanagi from the past few days."
Everyone tried to take deep breaths and calm down as their eyes focused on the big mirror that would soon show them a painful truth.
Flashback:
The mirror showed Yui and the little boy walking down the road towards Yui's cottage.
"Come on kid, let's get you home." She told him as she picked him up.
Once they were inside her warm cottage she put the kid down and sat down on her knees to help him remove his jacket.
She noticed he was staring at something. "What is it?" She asked and looked to the side to see what he was looking at. Her eyes widened and she slowly stood back up and moved so that she was blocking the boy. "Sisyphus… right?"
Sisyphus grinned at her. "Yui… right?"
End of flashback:
Sif, Freyja and Balder were holding a hand over their mouths, the rest looked at the screen in shock.
"And this happened while we were searching in the mountains?" Tyr asked.
Loki slammed his fists in the table. "Damn it!"
Flashback:
"What do you want?" Yui asked.
Sisyphus laughed and moved to the side. "I wonder… " He sat down in the couch and didn't say anything more.
Yui looked like she was thinking about something when suddenly Sisyphus raised his left hand and fired a ball of energy at them. Yui quickly jumped to the side, shoving the kid out of harm's way and the two fell to the floor.
Yui managed to pull herself from the floor but she didn't have time to get her arms around the crying boy before Sisyphus suddenly stood right in front of her, trapping her between himself and the wall. "Stupid woman, I noticed right away you were thinking of a plan to escape."
Yui's eyes found the amulet around his neck. "That amulet…it's…"
Sisyphus grinned at her. "So, they have told you about me. Then you should know that I was once human like you. I have heard about you as well, Yui, and I should tell you that I'm not pleased. You see, I escaped the gods' punishments for two reasons. First, I wanted to live, forever to be exact. And second, I wanted to be a god like them so I could live on Mount Olympus with Zeus and be surrounded by gorgeous goddesses for all eternity. I thought that they would eventually think of me as a very cunning man and admire me for it, grant me immortality and make me a god like them. I thought they needed someone like me but instead they sent me down to Hades in the underworld and made me roll that huge boulder up a steep hill over and over again. As the years passed I was beginning to think that it was over for me but then I remembered something they had told me, that I would be free if I could make the boulder stay on top of the hill. So I continued to try, never losing hope. I could feel myself getting stronger every time I rolled the boulder up the hill and finally, finally, the boulder stopped moving. It didn't roll back down again and I was free! Free to do what I wanted with my life! But… I knew that now when my punishment was over I would have to age like any other human. I had been in the underworld for so long I wouldn't have anything to come back to down on earth, I would be alone, I would get old and my muscles I was so proud of would disappear in time. Then it hit me, if I could somehow find something, anything, that belonged to the gods, then perhaps I could use it to make myself one of them. Since they hadn't noticed I had escaped I was able to move freely for a while in Mount Olympus until I found this amulet in a room that was sealed away. No god would have been able to reach it but I was no god, I was human, and I could open the door to the room with ease. I then stole the amulet, knowing it must be powerful since it was sealed away and forced it to turn me into the one thing I always wanted to be."
"But it didn't work, right? It turned you into something else…"
"That's right, it turned me into a demon, an ice demon. It doesn't matter though, I was immortal and became very powerful. That was good enough for me and before I left I used the staff the amulet had granted me and froze at least half of Olympus. They never saw me again after that."
"Then, why have you come back? You were free weren't you? "
"I wasn't planning to, Yui. Someone sought me out."
"What?"
"I didn't think it was possible, I was well hidden in my ice castle very far away from Mount Olympus after all. I guess rumors must have spread over the years and someone was bound to see me eventually. Anyway, someone found my castle and went inside to meet me and told me everything about you."
"You have come… for me?"
"Bingo! I have come for your life, little human." He was smirking now. He adjusted his hold on the staff and pointed it at her throat with the sharp edge almost touching her skin. "Why were you granted immortality and not me? Zeus was the one who decided, right? He made you immortal!"
"P-Please…"
"Why? Because you were a friend of a few gods ? ! Because you begged them to let you stay with them? !" Sisyphus's eyes were glowing red and the sharp edge of the staff was touching Yui's throat. "Sisyphus, please listen!"
His eyes stopped glowing. "Now it's my turn to deliver a punishment." He smirked and moved the staff away from her throat and down towards her chest. He pulled the fabric of her dress down less than one inch and pressed the edge slowly through her skin. A moment later the staff started glowing and he removed it from her. "Killing you like this would be too easy, you're not a god, just immortal." Sisyphus pointed out. "I want to see you suffer before you die a slow and cold death." "It won't be long before you freeze to death, that patch of ice will spread both outside and inside your body."
Yui looked too shocked to speak.
"Let's make this clear, I want you dead but I'm still going to give you a chance to cure yourself, that's fair right? Show me you deserve immortality but know this…" Sisyphus said as he turned away from her and walked over to the little boy and picked him up. "If your so called friends find out about this, then this little human boy will be killed, got it?"
Yui pushed herself away from the wall she was leaning on. "Let him go!"
Then she was back against the wall, Sisyphus was in front of her again and the staff he was holding was stuck in the wall, dangerously close to her head. "Tell them this, you went to the human world and delivered the child like you were supposed to." He then removed the staff from the wall, turned around and walked towards the door.
"Please, please don't take him!" Yui cried after him.
Sisyphus touched the blue ice that covered the door with his staff and it instantly melted. "Oh, and one more thing. The kid will only be set free if you can find my castle, but before that you will have to find a way to heal yourself. And, not only will I kill the kid if anyone finds out about your condition but the ice will begin to spread much faster through your body and you will die almost instantly. In short, both you and the kid will die if you're unable to come to my castle to fetch him. He dies if you die, remember that." Sisyphus's body began to glow. "And don't even think about trying to fool me in some way, with that curse I put on you you and I are connected, if anyone finds out… I will know."
"Stop!" Yui cried and threw herself towards them but they both disappeared right in front of her eyes before she could reach them.
End of flashback:
"He was after Fairy all along…?" Apollon asked, still in shock.
"The bastard fucking cursed her!" Takeru shouted.
"And he's using the kid to silence her." Vidar added.
"Zeus, there has to be something we can do to help Kusanagi! " Hades uttered, sounding desperate.
"If there isn't, then Kusanagi-san will…" Dionysus whispered.
Zeus cleared his throat. "This is very unfortunate but with Kusanagi's memories we've found out that Sisyphus resides in a ice castle far away from Mount Olympus, he might as well still be in the world of the Greek gods. And the one who sought him out seems to know Kusanagi because he or she could tell Sisyphus enough about her."
"But who would do such a thing?" Balder asked. "Yui-san is a sweet person, everyone she meets grows to like her."
Flashback:
Yui was looking for something in her wardrobe and she seemed to be in deep thoughts when suddenly she fell to her knees and held a hand over her heart. The ice was spreading and it looked like it hurt alot. A moment after it stopped she rose to her feet, then it appeared like she was talking to someone inside her head (the gods could hear Sisyphus's voice echo inside Yui's head).
"Yui."
"Sisyphus?"
"I see you are able to hear me."
"What do you want?"
"I was just going to tell you something important, do you want to hear it?"
"Please just let the child go."
He ignored her. "Listen closely. As you may have noticed the ice has started to spread and you will have to find a cure quick if you don't want you and the kid to die."
"I know that already… You made it very clear."
"But no one can find out about it and it's impossible for you to do it on your own, so you will have to seek help from other mythological beings. The ones who have no connections to the most known gods and live in solitude, far away from civilization. The ones who have no intentions of taking any contact with others and roam the earth like ghosts. You will find these creatures in places where no one ever goes. Remember, they are not like the gods and goddesses you have met. Some of these beings are like walking curses… like you are now."
"... Why are you telling me this? You want me dead, right?"
"Yui, Yui, Yui… Killing you would be no fun, not without having you endure a little torture and a few tests first. You see, I enjoy watching my victims fight for survival before I end their lives."
"!"
"Good luck, Yui. I look forward to see what dangers you might run into while trying to stay alive. Have fun with the outcasts!"
End of flashback:
Next flashback:
Yui was in the library with Helga. "Helga-san, look at these. They're beautiful."
"Oh?"
Helga walked up to Yui and looked at the picture. "Ah, the elves. Yes they are indeed very beautiful creatures. They can usually be found deep in the forest."
"I see, and they don't have any connections with gods?"
"Not really, if gods and elves meet then they will only nod to acknowledge each other's presence and walk their separate ways. We may not interact with each other but we still like to be polite."
"And… what if I met one?"
"I guess they would either ignore you or approach you. If they do, they want to see if they can do anything for you, for a price that is."
On her way home from Odin's castle the ice started spreading again and she tried to walk as fast as she could and finally made it inside her cottage. "I won't be able to hide it for long…" She whispered to herself.
End of flashback:
Next flashback:
The female elf reached out to touch the ice. "You poor thing…"
"A curse." The male whispered.
The female removed her eyes from the ice on Yui's chest. "Why can't the gods help you with this?"
"The one who put this on me is called Sisyphus."
"Sisyphus? That ice demon who was once human?"
"Yes. You see, I was going to return a human child to my old world when he found me, put this curse on me and took away the child. If any of the gods find out, the little boy will be killed. Sisyphus gave me a chance to heal myself and save the boy but to do that I would have to seek help from the ones who have no connections to the gods."
"So you came to us, hoping we could remove it." The male stated. The female ignored him and spoke to Yui. "My dear, this will kill you soon."
"I know. I have nothing to offer you but if you are able to do something, please, I'll do anything. I have to save the child before I drag him down with me. If I die, so will he. Sisyphus will not let him go."
The female elf placed a hand on Yui's head. "Yui, I'm afraid we won't be able to do anything for you. There are many things we can heal but this, this curse of yours, we simply do not possess that kind of power it takes to destroy it. I'm sorry, I truly am."
Yui bowed at the beautiful elves in front of her. "Thank you for having a look at me, I appreciate it."
End of flashback:
Next flashback:
Yui was talking to an otter who seemed to know a way to remove the curse and she followed him to the dwarves where she found out the otter was actually a dwarf as well.
Yui, Otr, Fjalar, Galar and Regin were sitting around a table inside Fjalar's stone house when the ice started spreading and Yui was clutching the ice over her heart tightly. In the next moment she flew up from the chair and managed to take a few steps before she collapsed on the floor.
After she had woken up in the bed, she received the star-shaped stone from Regin.
Later, Otr and Yui headed for the dragon named Fafnir.
"I'm going to help you." Otr said.
"I can't ask this of you…"
"You don't have to, I'm going to do it anyway."
"But-"
"You're going to need my help and I'm willing to lend you my strength." Otr assured her as he took her hand in his.
Inside the cave:
Yui was talking to the dragon when everything got out of hand and Otr had to get her out of there fast.
Yui opened her eyes and breathed heavily, she was lying in the snow and the wind was making her shiver.
"Yui-san!"
She looked to the side. "Otr… san…"
"How are you feeling?"
"Cold… and it feels like… my skin's been torn up…"
The next scene showed Otr letting Yui down from his back and let her rest with her back against a tree. Yui pulled the sweater down so that the skin over her heart was showing, gasped, and let go of it. "This isn't… good…" She whispered with her head against the tree.
Later, the elf she met earlier, Einar showed up and Yui gave him half of the blood in exchange for a portal.
"Don't die, alright. I won't forgive you if you do." Otr told Yui.
"I won't give up, I can promise you that." She smiled down at him. She was just about to turn around when a hand on her arm stopped her. "Otr-san?"
Otr placed his lips on her hand.
"O-Otr-san?"
Otr let go of her hand and looked her in the eye. "Come visit me, alright?"
End of flashback:
Next flashback:
Yui continued to smile at Balder, Apollon, Tsukito and Loki as she followed them to the front door and waved at them as they walked down the road. Then she closed the door, turned around and leaned against it for support. The ice was spreading, but thanks to the star-shaped stone Regin had made for her she was able to handle the pain better.
The next day she went to find the elf, Einar again.
"I don't wish to scare you but, it doesn't look like you have much time left." Einar told her.
"I know, I can feel my body giving up."
"Are you giving up?"
"No, if I was I wouldn't be here right now." She answered and took out one of the bottles from her pocket. "If this is enough, I would like another portal, to the world of the Greek gods."
Einar made another portal for her and gave her the red thing that could take her anywhere she wanted.
Then she met Iaso.
"I'm willing to try anything. Please, this is my decision so you don't have to take responsibility for it. It's just that-..." Tears began to form in Yui's eyes. "I don't want to leave my friends!" The tears started falling and she tried to wipe them away. "I don't want to leave them behind and I want to bring the little boy home to his parents!"
Later, Yui was leaning against the couch, feeling very sick and exhausted, her skin was pale and her eyes were cloudy. "We shouldn't try anything else, you're only getting worse, Yui-san." Iaso informed. "None of the salves worked."
"I have to… keep trying… or else I-" Yui got quiet after that.
End of flashback:
Next flashback:
Iaso took Yui to meet the centaur, Chiron, but ran into Alexandro first.
"You do indeed look like you're unwell." Alexandro pointed out.
"It's only getting worse I'm afraid." Yui answered.
Right after she had finished the sentence, the ice started spreading again and Yui dropped down to her knees and screamed.
Alexandro took Yui and Iaso to Chiron as quickly as possible.
"Chiron-san, you don't have to waste your time on me if you're busy…"
"Don't worry about that, Yui-chan, I have all the time in the world." Chiron answered calmly. "You poor thing, the world hasn't been fair to you. But I must say you're very brave and strong minded for holding out for yourself and that boy."
"But soon it won't matter… I can feel my body dying."
Iaso then told Yui about how the stone Regin had made for her had cracked and Chiron informed her about Yuki-onna.
Yui put the necklace around her neck. "This is the part where I say goodbye."
"Where are you going?" Alexandro asked. "I can take you there, you know?"
"If there's anything else we can do-..." Chiron added.
"What are you going to do, Yui-san?" Iaso asked.
Yui just smiled at them and grabbed the necklace. "Thank you for everything."
End of flashback:
When the floating mirror disappeared everyone but Zeus and Odin were either looking down at the table or to the side. After seeing everything that had happened and the state Yui was in when she had left the world of the Greek gods they couldn't bear to talk or even look at each other.
After a moment of silence Apollon spoke. "Why didn't we see it? Why didn't we see something was wrong?"
"Some friends and protectors we are…" Dionysus whispered.
Thor was trying to comfort Sif who was trying to wipe the tears away but it was no use since only more tears fell as she did.
Tsukito lowered his head. "Kusanagi Yui is… dying…"
"She's not!" Loki shouted, making everyone look at him. "There's no freaking way!"
Balder put a hand on his shoulder. "Loki, calm down…"
Loki stood up hastily, making the chair fall to the floor, and put his hands on the table for support. "I knew it… I knew something was wrong…"
"What do you mean?" Hades asked.
"Her body was getting colder, she was putting on fake smiles, wanted to read about medicine and looked like she was hurting." Loki explained.
"Loki-Loki, don't blame yourself, there is no way you could have known." Apollon said.
"He's right, she was trying to hide it so don't beat yourself up." Freyr added calmly.
"Still, we all left her alone." Takeru reminded them.
"We were looking for Sisyphus, we didn't know he was actually waiting for her in her home." Tyr said.
"I should have stayed with her. Damn it all!" Loki shouted. "What the hell do we do now? Didn't Sisyphus say that if we found out about this she would die?"
It was Zeus turn to speak. "The two are connected, as long as Kusanagi doesn't know that we know, Sisyphus won't find out about it. We still have time."
"But how can we help her without her finding out that we know the truth?" Balder asked.
"By starting with finding the one who told Sisyphus about Kusanagi." Thor spoke.
Everyone turned to look at him. "Do you have any idea who it might be?" Odin asked.
"I'm not sure." Thor answered. "But there is one goddess who has shown she doesn't like Kusanagi being here."
Silence ~
Zeus's eyes widened a little when he realised, "Aphrodite."
A/N: Sorry for the long wait~ And I will post the next chapter in about 3 days!
