It shouldn't have come to this.
There was so much she wanted to say to the man who had ousted her, who had set her and the Bronze boys on this path of blood and tears.
She wanted to scream at him, to curse him; but when it all came down to it, he was just like she was.
A pawn of the gods, an unwilling victim. A powerful figure with the beating heart of a mortal.
When Aphrodite kidnapped her and brought her to the Pope, she expected to die. To see a monster. But she saw none of those things.
This was a man who had been fighting with himself for nearly two decades. Fighting to protect her. And she was none the wiser. He threw her into Another Dimension, threw her away from himself to protect her. It was then she knew what she had to do.
She had resolved herself to save him. To reach Sanctuary, to summit to the Pope's Temple, and free him from his fate. And she had gotten so close. When they were finally face to face and the evil was expelled, she rushed to greet him.
And yet, he once again prioritized her over himself.
He forced Nike between them and, in the goddess' panic, her staff form shifted to that of a spear. A fated weapon of Athena to stand beside her beloved Aegis.
"Nike, no!" Saori cried, but it was too late. Divine Gold pierced flesh, rending muscle and bone, skewered something vital. Saori tried to burn her Cosmo, to heal what was hurt, but she was so weak.
It would do nothing to save him. Huge, glistening tears rolled down her flushed cheeks as she realized that he would die here. Despite it all, he was to die for sins that weren't his own.
"Athena," Saga said, placing a hand at her cheek. She couldn't bear to look into his eyes. "After everything I put you through, this is the only way to atone."
I refuse to believe this was the only option.
Her voice didn't leave her throat. Her responses were all in her mind, and she couldn't speak them to assuage his guilt. It was as if her grief muted her. Prevented her from bridging the gap. Oh, the cruel irony.
"The other Gold Saints will take care of you from here."
I want you to be here too.
"Do not let this inconvenience you any further."
How could you ever consider your life an inconvenience?
"I'm sorry for hurting you for so long."
All you've ever done was protect me.
"Do not let the world turn you cold. Continue to love, as you always have.
"I hope that, even while away, you enjoyed your life."
I had so much fun.
"Your life will only grow more difficult now. Please, don't forget to take care of yourself.
"You are all that I lived for. You are my life.
"You're safe, in good hands. I can leave you in peace.
"Goodbye, Athena.
"I love you."
I love you too.