Saint Seiya: The Legend of Seiya

21 - Hyoga, the Cygnus Saint

The Cygnus Saint rescued the boy and held him in his lap, while Seiya opened the door of a house pointed by him. The two got inside and Seiya saw that the only bed there was covered in leaves and branches, so he made sure to clean as much as he could so that Cygnus could comfortably lay down the boy in this arms. Seiya covered him with the thick blanket and Cygnus, very skillfully, set fire to the fireplace, lighting and heating the hut.

Seiya took the boy's cold hand and burned his cosmos up to make him more comfortable with the warmth of the universe inside of him. He couldn't see it, but Cygnus stared at him curiously while he prepared an ancient samovar to heat the water.

The boy Jacob was still shivering from the cold, but he seemed calmer with the warmth of Seiya's cosmos and the presence of his friend there. Cygnus locked the house and searched a cabinet for some herbs that he tore up with his hands and ground in a homemade pestle.

When the water was warm enough, he soaked a white cloth in and then threw the herbs into the samovar. He carefully placed the cloth on the boy's forehead, who gradually felt better.

"Jacob, Jacob..." he called, for the boy seemed to be a little delirious.
"Hyoga..." replied his fragile voice.
"What happened, Jacob?" asked Swan, worried.

The boy bursted into tears and got up on the bed to hug Cygnus, taken by surprise. Seiya watched as Cygnus caressed his disheveled hair and carefully laid him down again, the boy's mouth was very dry.

Hyoga got up and filled a mug with the tea from the samovar. Jacob drank calmly but very thirsty. His throat soothed and his chest warmed.

"Tell me, Jacob, where is everyone?"
"Hyoga... They... They're all in the mines." the boy's voice stuttered.
"In the mines?" asked Cygnus, confused.
"Yes. They're all working and living in the mines now. I managed to escape thanks to my grandfather who helped me." said the child, in a broken voice.
"And how is Dedushka?"
"Bad, Hyoga. Very bad. The children are also being forced to work. They're all sick. I ran away to try to get to the road and get some help, but..."
"It's all right, Jacob, don't worry." comforted Cygnus. "But why? What happened? What do they want in the mines?"
"It's not us, Hyoga. Some men and women arrived here and forced us to work in the mines. Everyone. Unable to sleep and eating very bad."
"Those idiots. What about the Masters, where are the Masters?" asked Hyoga in disbelief.
"Master Camus has not returned." said Jacob, and then his face pouted with grief and pain. The boy started crying again.

There was something else there, Cygnus knew.

"Tell me, Jacob," Hyoga pressed.
"Cygnus, take it easy." Seiya said beside him. "Let him cry."

Seiya walked over and sat on the bed too.

"Hey... Jacob, isn't it?" Seiya began speaking to the boy in his language, in a somewhat slurred way, but the boy could understand him. "Hold my hand. Hyoga here will rescue everyone and soon this village will be with all your family. Right?" Seiya asked a surprised Cygnus.
"Yes, there's nothing to worry about, Jacob. I'm going to the mines right now." he announced, getting up. "Pegasus, I need to ask you to stay here and take care of Jacob."

Seiya nodded, but Jacob got up and pulled Cygnus by his shirt.

"Hyoga... the Lady Crystal. She is no longer the same as when you left. She's the one who brought these bad people. She is very changed, Hyoga."
"Lady Crystal?" repeated the Cygnus in disbelief.
"Be careful, Hyoga. Please."

Seiya saw in Cygnus face that he was incredulous, as if the possibility of his mentor being around bad people didn't make any sense to him. Seiya knew it wouldn't make any sense if it were Marin.