“Look,Sire!”excimedVio,erchedontopofhishead,holdingontohissinglehorn.Cyclopslookedbadsawaweakgleamoflightasifingthroughthecrackofadoor.Hemadehiswaycarefullyinthedarkowardsthatcrackoflight,pushedatitwithhishandsandfounditwasindeedahugestonedoor.Cyclopswithhissuperhumah,hundredsoftimesstrohananormalman,pushedagainstthedoorwithallhismight,butmadeabsolutelynoimpait.Infactthedoordidnotevenbudge.Discedandangry,hepuhedoorfuriouslywithhismightyfists.Theboomingsoundoftheimpactresouhevalley,butthedoordidnotshiftintheslightest.TohaveesofarandreachedtheentraoGehenna,onlytobestoppedatthedoorwassomaddeningandinfuriatingthatCyclopsflewintoatrage.Viotriedtocalmhimdownbysaying,
“Don’tbeimpatient,Sire”shesaid.“Letmehaveatry.Imaybesmallinstaturebutinthiscaseitmightbeastrongpointandhaveitsredeemingvalue.Letmetry.It’samethodofthestresort.”CyclopscarefullyliftedViofromhisheadandpcedherbeforethedoor.Shestoodontiptoesandsqueezedherbodysidewaysinchbyinchthroughthenarroerture.Thatfiningspacemiraculouslyallowedthepassageofhertinybody.Viodidherbesttosuppressthedeliriousjoyinherheartandtratedallherattentionherbodyinchbyinchthroughthenarrountilshegottotheothersideofthestonedoor.Whensheresumedherfullstaturesheimmediatelyrealizedthatshefaotherobstaclejustasdifficult,foracrossthedoublestonedoorwasargestologitiheboltwaslongandheavyandquitebeyorengthofayoungwomantolift,nottosayremove.Shekossibleforhertotrytoliftitbyhand,butwonderedifitwouldbepossibletousehershouldertodislodgeitandimmediatelyputherideatothetest.Pgherrightshoulderuhesto,sheusedallherstrengthtopushitupwards.Itactuallymovedalittle.Greatlyenced,Viotinuallyusedhershouldertoraisetheboltandpushittowardstheleft,owice,thrice….Whentheskinhtshoulderbecamebruisedandbloody,sheusedthesamemethodwithherleftshoulderuntilbothshouldersweregashedandbloody.Unbahestantnudging,theheavyboltatstleaowardsonesideandfellheavilytotheground.ViocalledloudlytoCyclopsohersideofthehugestonedoorsaying,“Sire,useyourstrengthandseeifyoupushopenthedoor.”mediatelypushedhardatthedoor,whichgaveoutharshscrapingsoundsandactuallycreakedopenseveralinches.Hisfidencefullyrestored,Cyclopsbuncheduphismightymusclesuntiltheveinsonhisforeheadandhislegsbulgedout.Pntinghisfeetfirmlyontheground,hepcedbothhandsonthedoorandpushedforwardwithallhismight.Thestonedooractuallycmoredopenwithathunderingdin.
Thesebeforethemsuddenlyopenedup,startlingandsurprisingCyclopsandViowhocouldnotbelievetheireyes.Thefullmoonhungluminouslyinthesky,shiningoncalm,kewaterssocrystalclearthatyoucouldseerighttothebottom,withoutasinglewavetomarthemirror-likesurface.Thereweretwomoons,oheskyahewater,vyingforsplendor.Thesurroundingtreesandshrubswerequiet.Agentlebreezeruffledthetipsofthebrailtheyswayedslightlyinresponse.HowcouldthisbeGehenna?Wherearethefieryfiresofhell?Thisbeautifulseryseemedtobeaparadiseoh!CouldwehaveetothewrohisisnottheentraoGehenna?CyclopsandViowalkedonintendingtoexplorefurtherintothispicturesquepce.Buttheycameuponseafterseoftreesandflowersburstingwithblooms,whichseemedmorecolorfundresplehaneveruheradiantmoonlight.Thedroopingbraheweepingwillowsbythesideofthekeswayedintheirownrefleier.CyclopsandViodoubtedmorethahattheywereintherightpce.Justthen,theyheardsoundsingfromthekeasifsomeonewaswadinginshallowwater.Lookingtowardsit,theyweresoastouhattheyjuststoodtheretoofbbergastedtobeabletomoveatall,thinkingthattheireyesmustbedeceivingthem.Forthelowerpartofawoman’sbodywassittingbythebankoftheke,pyfullyspshingtheshallowwaterwhereshedippedherbeautifulshapelylohetoppartofherbodywasafewfeetaway.Uhemoonlighttheycouldseeherlonghairfallingaboutherfacewhileshetratedonweavingabroadwaistbandwithstrandsofweepingwillowshehadgathered.Thewomanraisedherheadandsuddenlyuhebrightmoonlightabeautifulface,calmandserious,glowingwithasacredsheenappearedbeforethem.TotheirastonishmenttheyfounditwasIleen!
“Youarehere!”shesaid.“Iamsogd.ThefactthattwoofyouarewillingtobravethefieryfmesofHell,burstintotheunderworldtosaveme,makesmeverypleasedandhappy.Youaremytwodearestpersonsonthefaceoftheearth.JustnowIheardtheloudcrashofyourpushihegatestoJehenna.”Asshetalked,shewavedandcalledtothelowerpartofherbodypyingbythebankoftheke,“Quick,mydear!ebackhereaourlovedones.Youonlyknowaboutrunninghereandtherepying.Quiebackhere!”ThelongshapelylegswithdrewitselffromtheshallowwaterandwalkedsedatelytowardsIleen.Ileenpcedherhandsonitswaist,vaultedherselfupandectedwiththelowerpartofherownbody.ShecircledthebroadweepingwillowbeltshehadjustfinishedweavingaroundherwaistbeforewalkingslowlyandawkwardlytowardsCyclopsandVio.Hermovementswereslowbecauseherbodyhadbeentwoatthewaistandseparatedintotwopartssoherhandsacouldnotco-ordinatewellnaturally.bracedhiswomaly,mutteringindistinctly,“Thisissuchasurprise.Youarenotdeadbutstillliving!That’sgreat.That’sgreat.Itisgoodthatyouarealive.ThankGod.ThankGod…”andtearssprangfromhiseyes.Viotoocameuptoembracehermother.
“What’sallthisabout,Mother?”sheasked.“IswhatIsawinmydreamsallfalse,alluntrue?Wasitonlyanightmare?”
“No,nochild”saidIleen,lovinglycaressingthefaceofheronlydaughter.“Allthisistrue.Butasone’sdispositionges,everythinggeswithit.”
Ileenhadlivedatumultuouslifefullofupsanddowns,lifeah.Herlove-hateretionshipwithDimitriwashardtodecipherandhadbeentoldinbook1and2ofthisseriessoIwillerateithere.Aftersheiedherownbloodinthter’sbody,shewasosufferthepenaltyofthedamnedandburnforeverinthefieryfmesofGehenna.Dayandnightshestruggledtostayafloatintherollingwavesoffireandwondereddespairinglyifhersufferingswouldeverend.Shecouldhinkingthatifshehadn’tfoughtwiththeotherbeautieshopingtogainDimitri’sexclusivefavor,shewouldhepositionshewasin.“Dimitrididofavorayinparticur,alwaystreatingeveryoneofusequally,withoutanypartiality.Thefactthathedidnotfavormeovertheeredmeandputmeinajeale.Thatangersoonturohatewhituredinthisuntenableposition.IreallyregretwhatIhaddowasIwhoseducedCyclopsandittedtheheinouscrimeoftreason,almostcausingthecolpseofKingDimitri’sKingdom.HundredsofDimitri’sloyalwarriorsdiedinbattlebecauseofme,acrimewhichmadeitimpossibleforhimtiveme.Hissentenniobehalffromthewaistwasaremepunishment,butinlightofmycrimesitwasafittingone.Iehimforit.IreallyshouldnothavedoIdid.”Thatfshofremorseandtritioninherheartbroughtaboutamiraculousge.Thefirethathadbeentormentingherforsolonglostmostofitspowerandhersufferingdecreasedasaresult.Ileenwasgreatlysurprised.Shetiolookintoherheartandtinuedherself-examinationandself-refle.“IshouldnothavepheseedforreveotheheartofmybeloveddaughterVio,leadioitcrimesaswickedasmine.ShetooksomanypreciouslivesaroyedDimitri’sKingdomofDreams.Thebuckshouldstopwithme.Iamtheculpritwhhtaboutallthisdestru.IamtheresponsiblepartyandshouldsufferforeverinthefiresofGehenna.Iffessionandtritioncouldlessenmycrimeauallygainabsolution,Iamwillingtostayhereforever.”Atthatmoment,thefiredisappeared.Ileewasfullofcalmandpeace.Shenolongerfelthatred,ret.Astrongfeelingoflovecameintoherheart.Itwasnotthesexuallovebetweenmanandwoman,butaloveforalllivingthingsoh.Thatfeelingofuniversallovegedthesurroundingenvirointooneofartistidpoeticbeautybrimmingwithharmony.
Vio’smindwasfullofsuspi,butthefactthattheterrifyingfiresofGehennawhichshesawinherdreamshadreallydisappearedwithoutatracewasanundisputablereality.
“Mother”shesaid,“siisso,whydon’tyouewithustoourhomeabovethesteepcliff.WehavetakenDimitri’sbrilliantandmagnifitgoldpaceforourowhethreeofuslivehappilythereimostluxuryandfortoneeverimagine.Iwillstaywithyouandserveyoutomakeupforallyoursuffering.Won’tthatbegreat?”
“No,no,mydaughter”repliedIleenfirmly.“ItisnotthatIdonotwanttolivewithyoubutIotleave.Thecrystalclearkewateryouseebeforeyouisaliveandmagical.Itisalwaystestingmeandmythoughts.Ihofmysoul,theseedsofrevengehavebeenthhlyrootedout.IfIleavehereandgobackwithyou,ifevermydesireforrevengeisreignited,IwouldreallyforeverbesighefiresofGehennawithoutreprieve.SoImuststayhereandprayaaspenanysinsuntilthedaythefireforrevengeisdousedoutforeveri.”
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