Miyuki Miyabe

“But do not misunderstand - I turned him to stone from compassion. Stone men have stone hearts, and stone hearts cannot be wounded or broken. I would show you the same compassion, if you wish it.”

“As long as there is happiness, there will be sadness. As long as there is fortune, there will be misfortune.“…What’s real is something that not even the strength of the Goddess can change. The only one who can change it is me. If I don’t change my destiny, if I don’t cut through the obstacles in my path, then no matter where I go, I’ll always be standing in the same place, doing the same thing over and over again, for the rest of my life.”

“There's a point to all the mistakes, the comebacks, the rethinking, the living--the living for all you're worth. There's a point to finding our own path. Please, give the people of Vision a chance to find theirs.”

“Mistakes were mistakes, and failures were failures. Why torment someone with memories of their past?”

“She put a hand on his arm and gently pushed."What?" Ico asked, his voice hoarse. "You want me to run away by myself, too?"Yorda nodded.”

“She had gone quite a distance. He had to backtrack a significant way, stopping to call out every few paces. When at last he found Yorda, the sight of her slender frame sent a stab of pain through Ico's chest as he remembered the girl he had seen in the water.He reached out his hand to her.”

“Ico ran back to the windmill, growing increasily nervous with each moment Yorda was out of his sight. He didn't want to think what would happen if the shadow-creatures attacked while they were apart.”

“Yorda turned away from the shadow-creature just as its claws were about to close on her shoulders. Her eyes met Ico's, then fell to his outstretched hand.Finally, fear spurred her to action. She ran and jumped.”

“Gradually, strength returned to Yorda's body and she gripped his hand. Ico gripped back. Yorda sat up on the floor, but her eyes were still distant. Suddenly, Ico felt cold. A chill emanated from Yorda's body as he held her in his arms, as though she were a pitcher that had just been filled with ice water. He had the sensation that something else was inside the girl, pushing aside the Yorda he knew.”

“Yorda slid down the side of the throne platform and walked again toward Ico. She moved differently now. This was not the Yorda he had led through the castle by the hand, the Yorda who would wander aimlessly if he did not call out to her. This was the queen's double, her puppet.”

“There was love here, the voice said again.But whose love? Ico wondered. He had assumed Ozuma had been talking about the queen and her daughter--but maybe...From the very first time he had seen her, Ico had wanted to save Yorda. There had been no thought, no reason--when he saw her in the cage, he knew he had to set her free.”

“Ico took the girls hand in his own, the gesture feeling intensely familiar, as the sun shone brightly over the end of their long story.”

“But the boy was there, and he was looking at her. That was when Yorda understood what was drawing out her memories of the castle into the boy. It was him. He wanted to know its dark past. He wanted to know everything. No one could stop this. Not even the queen.”

“Don't give up hope.”

“But the boy protected Yorda from the shadows-that-walk-alone. He took her hand, defended her, swung his thin arm, and fought with his tiny frame, driving them back. If the shades dragged her into their realm, she would once again become a prisoner, and the boy would turn to stone, a sad adornment in the castle. Yorda knew this. But the boy did not--even as he did not know that Yorda was the property of the queen of the castle--and he protected her.”

“Filled with hope, Ico looked into Yorda's eyes. He felt like was looking into an hourglass, trying to pick through the grains of sand for some truth buried there long ago. He hadn't found anything yet, but the warmth of Yorda's hands in his told him that he was getting close.”

“I'll take you with me.”

“Ico stared at Yorda's face. It was beautiful. He didn't dare breathe for fear of breaking the spell. Her eyes were sparkling."Thank you.”

“Ico made to charge her again. The queen raised a clawlike nail, but Yorda stepped between them. Without a word, Yorda stretched out her arms in front of Ico, holding him back. Ico looked into her eyes and she shook her head, pleading with him.”

“Yorda...that's your name?”

“He thrust his hands into the pool, his fingers brushing the soft skin of her cheek. He grasped at her, clawing with his fingers and pulling like his life depended on it. Finally, he managed to grab her shawl. The girl flailed out with her arm and it touched his hand."No! I'm not letting you go!"Now the girl's face was above the swirling darkness. She gasped for breath, half drowned. The fear on her face sent a fresh jolt of energy through Ico. 'I've got to save her!”

“The girl turned to him and to his surprise, she smiled faintly. 'She's beautiful'.”

“But, my son. I knew love here as well.”

“Ico thrust out his left hand, shouting to the girl. She had already sunk to her knees.For the space of a breath, barely long enough to blink, she hesitated. Her eyes focused on Ico, questioning, trying to peer into the bottom of his soul. Where her gaze fell on him, he felt cool, as though clear water washed over him. He gasped with the sensation.She thrust out her arm and grabbed his hand.”

“It was all right to be sad. It was all right to lament. It was all right to feel anger. But [is] not all right to run away.”

“At last, she made her decision and grabbed Ico's hand tightly.”

“Only the very top of the arched ceiling remained in shadow, as though some dark creature lurked there, devouring all light that strayed too close.”

“If men were reduced to sacrificing other men to appease the darkness, the Dark god's reign had already begun.”

“your soul is dust to me. I will swallow you whole.”

“Chikako could see Nobue's flowers reflected in Kaori's eyes. They looked like stars. Like love itself.”

“Don't confuse a kid whining for a treat with the argument of a rigorous, logical mind," he had said, as logical as ever.”

“Vesna Esta Holicia, until you shine again, into vision, into the real world. Though a child of man knows time, life itself is eternal.”