Saint Seiya: The Legend of Seiya

84 - Trials of the Sea-Monsters

Night gradually falls on that island in the Pacific; the crew, tired of playing so much in the beach, finally retired to the village to enjoy the camp and a lavish feast offered by the villagers. The climate is mild and the stars of the southern hemisphere illuminate the trees and ocean in that region. Far from that night party in which everyone was involved, Meko Kaire prepares a beautiful canoe on the shore of a crystalline lake where a beautiful high waterfall falls.

"Where do you think you're going without us?" asked June's voice behind him.

And when the Captain looked back, he saw his officers all there wearing their sacred Cloths: Chameleon June, Argo Geist, Pegasus Seiya and even little Lunara had her black chains on her arms, as usual, but now she also had protections made of rough wicker legs and a diadem that she had made herself in the likeness of the Andromeda Cloth, although it was as dark as night. They were a distinguished group and he felt very lucky to have them on his side.

"I'm going to Tangaroa's domains." he announced. "Face Ikatere and seal the Relic of the Sea."

"Not alone." Seiya said, already putting himself inside the canoe, next to Lunara.

"Ikatere is the son of the Sea God. This Relic won't be as easy as the others."

"All the more reason for all of us to be by your side." said Geist.

June handed him his Silver Cetus Urn, for, after all, if that fate was so dangerous, he had better be protected too. And as he saw them all in the special canoe waiting for him, he realized that nothing he could say would dissuade them from following him into the depths. He pulled the chain from his Urn, revealing the wondrous whale that gave shape to Cetus, and the silver parts took over his body. He stepped into the canoe along with his officers.

"Ikatere is treacherous and very powerful. The Realm of Tangaroa is the domains of the deep sea, where he can surprise us from any side or depth. Watch out."

Captain Kaire sat in the back of the canoe; there was no paddle there for them to row, but the canoe immediately began to slide across the crystalline lake toward the roaring waterfall that tumbled from a great height, hiding the rock wall behind a veil of water. The canoe broke through the curtain of water, but none of them got wet, as if magically protected. And so they entered a cave of pitch black, where their voices echoed and the roar of the waterfall grew farther and farther away for them.

A bluish light appeared at the end of that tunnel and when the canoe broke through the darkness into the light, they were all amazed.

For they were at the bottom of the sea.

Around them, they could see fish swimming alone, schoals in the distance, large marine animals that sometimes crossed the ocean horizon; below the canoe that floated in the underwater waters, they could see reefs and multicolored corals. Seiya, who was at the front, looked back and noticed that they all had the same surprised face, with the exception of Captain Kaire.

Lunara held out her right hand and realized that she could feel the ocean water just ahead of her, as it was as if the canoe had created a bubble of air for them to breathe. It was something magical and fabulous.

Ahead of Seiya, a sphere of light appeared on the hull of the canoe that slowly floated up to his eyes so that it could light the way across the ocean.

"This is the domain of Tangaroa monsters." Meko announced behind them.

The canoe descended lightly across the Pacific Ocean, revealing around them the richest marine fauna they could imagine: stingrays and sharks, huge fish and small fish, octopuses that could change their colors against corals, seahorses and a host of other creatures hidden. In the distance, they all heard the song of a huge whale that appeared on the horizon just like a distant shadow, swimming behind an oceanic mountain.