𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐬: canon deviation, series-level of blood and violence, some implied ships, modified relationships, expansion on character backstories, OCs included and mentioned, pining and unrequited feelings will be prevalent
𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐬: terminal illness mention, implied/confirmed past child abuse, mental illness and delusions
The Confrontation
Atsuya arrived back at the manor well into the middle of the night.
Despite the time, the manor was still abuzz with activity. The workers were still building the planetarium, and they usually took shifts to ensure the work continued uninterrupted.
He chose not to enter the manor just yet, he instead wanted to see how the children were fairing.
Parking his car and tucking the keys into his coat pocket, he walked around the side of the manor towards the barracks of the 100 boys. Recruits, orphans, no matter what they were called, Aiolos was going to have to live with the fact that because of him, some of these children lost their families.
It made him so angry, but he cannot turn back time. All he can do is ensure the hardships that these children have and will go through aren’t in vain.
“What did I say?! Curfew for you brats is 21 hundred hours! Did you think we wouldn’t know you were goofing off in the middle of the night?!”
Atsuya paused at the door. This voice… Tokumaru?
“W-we weren’t goofing off!” came a small voice from within. Atsuya recognized it as Shun, one of the more recent recruits. Well, could they even be called recruits after how they were gathered? “Myko had a stomachache and threw up, so we were helping him clean up…”
“Shut up! You’re training to become Saints, Athena’s warriors! You’re not babies anymore!”
“Don’t talk to Shun like that!” a harsher voice barked in response. “You’re just being a bully! We’re doing all the bullshit you guys forced on us, the least you can do is treat us like people!”
“You! Always the mouthy brat!” There was a sound of a scuffle, before multiple children began crying out in protest and noticeable fear.
“Ow! Get your mitts offa me!!”
“L-let go of my big brother! I’m sorry! We won’t break curfew again!”
“Shut up, all of you! Since Ikki wants to run his mouth, he can take the punishment for all of you!” Tatsumi lifted his hand to strike the child, but his arm was immediately restrained.
“Tokumaru.” Atsuya seethed, tightening his grip on the other’s forearm. “What is going on here.”
“A-Atsuya-sama!” Tatsumi sputtered, glancing down at the children before looking at the other again. “Well, the children were misbehaving, so I was going to discipline them-”
Atsuya glanced around the room. Most of the children were huddled far away from the scene, shaking like leaves. The only ones who were resisting Tatsumi were Shun, Ikki, Seiya, and two boys that Atsuya hadn’t learned the names of. A blond boy, and a boy with long black hair.
“That’s not true!” Seiya stamped his foot in irritation. “He was bullying us! Like he always does!”
“If you lot didn’t act like animals, I wouldn’t have to discipline you!”
“Bullshit!” Ikki spat, breaking free from Tatsumi’s grasp. “You nitpick every little thing we do! You beat us day in and day out! You just want any reason to take out your frustrations on us!”
“Why you―”
“Tokumaru, take a walk.” Atsuya warned, gripping Tatsumi’s arm so tightly the man yelped in pain. Any more, and he’d probably shatter the bone.
“Y-yes sir!” He quickly ducked out of the building, leaving Atsuya and the children.
After a breath, Atsuya knelt down to the children’s heights and looked Ikki in the eyes. “Has he always treated you like that?”
Hesitant, Ikki nodded slowly.
“And the rest of you? Has he treated you all like that as well?”
More timid nods.
“Why didn’t you tell anyone…?”
“We tried,” the blond boy spoke up, a thick Russian accent permeating his speech. “The old man told us it is necessary to be Saints.”
“Hyoga’s right,” the black haired boy chimed in, shaking his head. “Tatsumi and Mr. Kido told us that we didn’t have the right to complain, that becoming a Saint was a tough route. If we couldn’t handle this, we would die when sent to our training grounds.”
“I never would’ve let him continue to train you if I knew.” Atsuya looked between the five children in front of him. “Being a Saint is indeed a tough and dangerous path, but that doesn’t mean you deserve to be abused and treated like garbage. I wo―”
Ikki scoffed loudly. “And why would we trust you? You barely ever showed up here anyways. Even the little princess is around more. You probably don’t even know half of our names.”
At that, Atsuya winced. No, he didn’t know most of the children’s names. Their official Saint training hadn’t started yet, so Atsuya wasn’t called in to teach them. And yet, he didn’t even do the bare minimum of learning the names of the boys that were to become little soldiers. He’d been so preoccupied with his own issues that he didn’t even consider what the children were going through.
Perhaps a part of him, deep down, didn’t actually care about them.
“No.” Aiolos said, silencing the treacherous voice within his heart. “I don’t know your names. I don’t know anything about you. And I’m not going to pretend that I’m an upstanding individual.”
“Mr. Atsuya-” Seiya started, but Aiolos put his hand up to stop him.
“No matter what my excuses will or could have been, the point of the matter is I failed you all, in more ways than one. It was my passiveness that made things escalate as far as they had. If I had been more observant, none of this would have happened.”
To the children, this may have been referring to Tatsumi directly. But Aiolos was referring to everything, from Kido’s sneakiness to the mistreatment of these boys. He should have realized how little Kido cared for their wellbeing when he’d found that the boys were being fed table scraps and near expired food. He’d changed things then, but never bothered to ensure that the children were comfortable.
What kind of person did that make him?
“He’s never going to lay a hand on you again.” Aiolos promised, extending a hand to Ikki. It was his choice whether or not he wanted to take it. He wasn’t going to touch them without permission. “From now on, I’ll handle your training personally.”
Ikki raised an eyebrow, looking at the hand that was outstretched to him. Still not entirely convinced, but the tough facade was slowly melting away. “Who’re you to train us on anything? You’re just a rich guy.”
Aiolos stood, and in one smooth motion, he channeled his cosmo into his hand to form a golden arrow. He didn’t fire it, but the gesture alone was enough to draw the amazement of all of the children.
“I was a Saint myself,” Aiolos confessed, crushing the arrow in his hand. It exploded into a burst of golden light and fractals. “There’s no one more qualified to teach you than me.
“So? What do you say?”
–
Atsuya returned to the manor, heading right up the stairs towards Kido’s bedroom.
“Ah, Atsuya-sama!” Tatsumi called out, wincing at the glare that was shot his way. Despite the earlier situation, Tatsumi didn’t seem the least bit concerned. In fact, it almost seemed like he didn’t expect Atsuya to still be angry.
How utterly disgusting.
“Tokumaru, I don’t want to hear anything you have to say to me.”
“Ah, but- Kido-sama isn’t in right now-”
What? Where on earth could he be at this time of night?
“When will he return.”
“He said that he should be home before midnight, or 1am at the very latest.” Tatsumi held out a small slip of paper, which Atsuya had taken from him to read himself. Indeed, it was a note in Kido’s handwriting stating that he’d be home late.
“That’s fine,” Atsuya said, burning the note with a burst of cosmo. “I can wait.”
For some reason, Tatsumi found the declaration unsettling.
–
Mitsumasa Kido returned nearly half an hour after midnight.
After passing his greetings to Tatsumi and sending him off to bed for the night, the old man climbed the steps and approached his bedroom. He’d been reading over the documents that he’d gotten from his prior engagement as he opened the door and entered the room, absently flicking on the light with a practiced gesture. Something he’d done every single day to the point of muscle memory.
He approached his desk, setting the papers down with an exasperated sigh.
“Odd. I’ve never seen you emote like that before.”
Mitsumasa nearly jumped out of his skin, whipping around to the direction of the voice. On the far wall, right beside the lightswitch, was Aiolos.
“Good lord lad, have you been standing there this whole time?” Kido immediately reverted to his normal unflappable expression, but his heart was still loudly thrumming in his ears.
“I was waiting for you to return.” he calmly responded, still leaning against the wall. “Why didn’t you tell me you had a doctor’s appointment today?”
“...How did you know that?” He hadn’t told anyone where he was going, not even Tatsumi. As if subconsciously answering his own question, the old man’s eyes darted to his desk. The black book he kept there to keep track of his schedule was missing. His eyes returned back to Aiolos, and in his crossed arms dangled the missing book. “Did you sneak into my room just to swipe my schedule book?”
Ignoring his questions, Aiolos opened the book with one hand. “19:00, Meet with the oncology team.” A pause. “Do you have cancer?”
Kido’s expression was unreadable, but eventually he nodded.
“Liver. It’s proceeded extremely far, and at my age, there aren’t many options for treatment.” Kido motioned to the papers he’d brought home with him.
“Are you dying?”
“Mn. I perhaps only have 2 or so years left.”
Aiolos closed the book, never moving from his spot against the wall. “When were you planning on telling me this?”
“When I couldn’t hide it any longer.”
Aiolos nodded, as if understanding everything now. “Did you do it on purpose? Sending that letter to Vander when Tokumaru was busy, knowing he’d ask me to deliver it for him? Knowing I wouldn’t be able to resist looking at it?”
Mitsumasa slowly sat down in his office chair. Now that Aiolos knows that he was sick, all of Kido’s slow and methodical movements seem obvious now. He looked like a suffering man. And yet, he didn’t feel bad at all for not realizing it sooner.
“You’re angry with me.”
“I don’t think there’s a word to describe what I feel right now.” Aiolos admitted.
“Everything I did was for Saori. For our family.”
“We are not your family. You have a family. Hoshiko, and her son Mei.”
Kido seemed confused, as if the names were strange to him. Vander and Hoshiko had said that Mitsumasa always had problems mentally. The cancer must’ve exacerbated that, thoroughly ruining whatever semblance of a rational brain the old man had left.
“No matter… What will you do now? No matter what punishment you enact on me, I won’t live long enough to truly experience it. But if it’s for you, I’ll accept it all.”
“Stop it. Stop talking like that.” Aiolos threw the book across the room. “You’re a lunatic. I trusted you!”
“Yes? I did all I could to help you and Saori, did I not? What did I do that made you so cross with me?”
“You kidnapped those children! Killed their parents! Bribed people!”
“You told me to find Saint candidates.”
“I didn’t tell you to steal them!” Aiolos slammed his hand on the dresser, causing it to splinter under the force of his strength. And yet, Kido didn’t look concerned at all.
“I want to live long enough to see them sent to their training grounds. I think we should push forward the selection day.”
Aiolos couldn’t believe what he was hearing. It was as if the man had completely lost his mind, acting as if the moment at hand didn’t matter at all to him.
“Mm. Yes, I think that’s what we’ll do. I’ll advise Tokumaru to handle the preparations.”
“We’re not done talking about this. You can’t talk your way out, not this time.”
“We are done,” Kido replied, a lucidity in his voice that reminded Aiolos of when they had first met. “I’m tired, Atsuya, I would like to go to sleep.”
In a breath of a second, Aiolos cleared the distance between them and grabbed Kido by the lapel. The man was extremely light, and up close Aiolos could see that his bulky frame was mostly because of multiple layers of clothing. He truly was just a sick old man. Fragile, like glass.
“What will you do?” Mitsumasa said, meeting Aiolos’ gaze. He harbored no fear, in fact he looked almost relieved. The look in his eyes, as if begging the other to do something. To take that leap past the point of no return. “Are you angry enough? Do you hate me enough?”
Enough to kill?
Aiolos would be lying if he said he hadn’t thought about it. After everything, there was a tiny voice in the back of his brain that agreed that perhaps the world would be better without Mitsumasa Kido in it. It was an awful, awful thing to cross his mind, and yet the more he learned about what the man had done, the louder that tiny voice became.
And yet, no voice was stronger than the one of his heart.
He flooded cosmo from his body into Kido’s, rejuvenating him just a bit. It wasn’t much, there wasn’t much that could be done at this point. But at least Aiolos could extend his lifespan, if by just a little bit.
“Wha-”
“To take a life simply because I could; I wouldn’t be any better than you, now would I?” Aiolos bitterly mumbled, closing his eyes for a moment longer than a simple blink before releasing the old man. “I can’t cure you, and I can’t force you to feel remorse for what you’ve done, but I can keep you alive, just a bit more. For a bit longer. For as long as it takes.
“You don’t get to run away from this. You ruined a lot of lives, you hurt a lot of people. I doubt there’s any humanity left in you. Who knows if you’ve ever truly felt anything for anyone that didn’t involve elevating yourself above them like a tyrant lording over the masses.
“But for as terrible as you are, and for as angry as I am at you, I will never take your life. I’ll do the exact opposite. I’ll extend your lifespan as much as I can, for as long as I can.”
“You’re condemning me to a life of suffering…” Mitsumasa gasped, finally showing emotion. How funny, how fear only appeared when it was for his own wellbeing.
Aiolos smiled, that practiced way that he’d perfected long ago. “Those boys would say the same to you. Isn’t it funny how that works?”
“You can’t do this. You’re a Saint of Athena! You protect mankind! Saori would never forgive you for letting me suffer like this!”
“Don’t you remember? I haven’t been a proper Saint in years.” Aiolos walked over to the book he’d thrown, picking it up and returning it to Mitsumasa’s desk. “Don’t worry, I’m not heartless. You won’t feel much, and with your fortune, you could make yourself comfortable.”
Aiolos helped the man into his bed, tucking him in.
“Such a wicked nature. You’re just like your mother.” Mitsumasa grumbled, closing his eyes. The delusions were taking over again, it seems.
“No, Father.” Atsuya whispered, watching as the old man drifted off to sleep thanks to the residual warmth of his cosmo. The room fell silent, save for the soft snoring of Mitsumasa.
“If anyone passed on their wickedness, it was you.”
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
✓ Live Streaming✓ Interactive Chat✓ Private Shows✓ HD Quality
Anya is LIVE right now
FREE
Free to watch • No registration required • HD streaming
𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐬: canon deviation, series-level of blood and violence, some implied ships, modified relationships, expansion on character backstories, OCs included and mentioned, pining and unrequited feelings will be prevalent, chapters will have specific tags if needed
𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐬: canon deviation, series-level of blood and violence, some implied ships, modified relationships, expansion on character backstories, OCs included and mentioned, pining and unrequited feelings will be prevalent
𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐬: character death, mild blood and injury, character possession, characters are aged up in this story, OC Saintia/Saints
Old Stories Told Anew
It was a warm, calm night.
The scenery was as it always was, silent aside from the sound of nature; birds and insects chirping, rocks tumbling down the nearby cliffs, the sound of plants rustling gently. It was a sobering and rugged kind of sound, one without the man-made bustle of cars and things. There was also no light pollution, so most nights the sky was speckled with the beauty of the universe.
Aiolos sat in his bedchamber within the Sagittarius temple, flipping through a small hand-bound book. It was old and weathered, like it had been read repeatedly throughout the years. He was so engrossed here that he almost missed the owl that had flown into his temple through the window-esque area near the roof.
“How odd. . .” the man grumbled, closing the book and setting it in his lap. Seeing exotic birds in Sanctuary was nothing new, but owls were something completely different. Owls were the personal bird of choice for the Goddess Athena; though their symbolism was everywhere, it was considered taboo and insulting for any living specimens to be kept at Sanctuary as pets. Aiolos personally had only ever seen an owl once in his life, and that was a few days prior.
The goddess Athena had been reborn on earth yet again, signifying that a great strife between gods will soon befall the land. As an elder of the twelve Gold Saints and the next in line to lead Sanctuary as the Grand Pope, Aiolos was of course present for such a momentous occasion. He and his closest companion, Saga, had arrived at the Temple of Athena at the very peak of Sanctuary. Though they couldn’t lay eyes upon the maiden goddess at that time, the very notion of standing near her chambers filled them with the warmth that is her divine cosmo and they both knew then that their goddess had truly arrived. The Saintia, a special type of Saint who were exclusively women and handmaidens to the goddess, were extremely kind towards the men, even gushing about the adorable babe that slept just beyond the doors they stood at.
Notable of them all being Olivia, the leader of the Saintia. She held an immense cosmo and an even stronger aura of compassion and femininity. A lovely woman through and through, and at her shoulder was a large owl. That was the first time Aiolos had ever seen one, aside from carvings and pictures in books. A beautiful and regal animal, truly befitting Athena.
Yes, the birth of Athena is a joyous yet concerning occasion indeed, which had prompted Aiolos to spend his time within his temple, studying the texts of long before, when last Athena descended to earth. The situation of the 18th century’s Holy War, Athena’s turmoil of facing her brother by human blood, and the many battles that drew from it. All of it was fascinating, and was worth researching even if it happened nearly 200 years prior. There was always wisdom to be learned from the efforts of those who came before you, as Pope Shion had repeatedly taught Aiolos and Saga.
However, there was nothing in the texts to explain why Olivia’s owl had made its way to his temple of all places. Though he was certain it was indeed the same one he saw days prior, as it bore the same markings and coloration.
“What’s the matter, my avian friend?” Aiolos extended his arm, to which the bird immediately flew to and perched upon. It flexed its large wings, hooting softly. He gently scratched under its beak, suddenly being assaulted by the immediate sense of dread. The owl quickly took flight again, leaving the man behind as it soared out of the temple.
Something was wrong, horribly so.
Aiolos threw the blanket off his lower half and pulled on his boots, sprinting out of the temple to follow the bird. It seemed to be waiting for him, as it was circling outside the temple before taking off towards Athena’s temple. Horrified at what this implied, Aiolos wasted no time sprinting after the creature, leaving the temples of his comrades behind. Normally he’d never intrude on the other temples without invitation, but if something was threatening Athena, he and the other gold saints had a duty to protect her no matter the courtesy or lack thereof. As such, he made sure to signal the alarm as he passed through each temple.
I’m sorry for the wake-up call, my friends. . .
He made it to the Temple of Athena and was greeted by the scent of blood and the sight of bodies scattered across the floor. Aiolos recognized these corpses based solely on their attire. They were the Saintia, the direct attendants to Athena. He felt his heart drop into his stomach. Who could have done this? And who could have surpassed Sanctuary’s defenses so soundly, without any alert to the 12 temples? Worst of all, Aiolos feared he was too late. If the Saintia were bested, what hopes could there be for the newborn Athena?
The gold saint fell to his knees before one of the Saintia, extending a hand to test her pulse. A futile effort, just judging from the lack of cosmo she was emitting he knew she was beyond saving. There was a glint at her chest that caught his attention, so he gently grabbed the item and lifted it up to see it better. It was a Cloth Medallion. He glanced around a tad and noticed as well that none of them were wearing their Cloths, meaning the assailant must have wiped them all out before they had a chance to react.
“Waah..waaahaah!”
Aiolos was ripped from his melancholy at the sound of an infant’s cries. Athena was still alive!
He launched towards the door that led to the infant’s bedchambers, using his shoulder to bust the door open. There laid Olivia, apparently having been the last line of defense for the goddess, and standing over the cradle was the Grand Pope himself, holding a glittering golden knife.
The golden knife was plunged down at the child but was stopped at the last second by Aiolos himself. He had grabbed both hand and blade, his blood flowing from the fresh wound and saturating the crib below. The infant cried, but not a single drop of blood touched her delicate frame.
“Your Holiness, what are you doing?!” Aiolos cried, using his free hand to grab the other by his arm and push him away from the infant. The Pope seemed startled to see him here, judging by how he didn’t immediately react. Though, this melted away soon enough as he tried to pull himself from Aiolos’ grasp.
“Unhand me, Aiolos! This must be done!”
“What are you talking about?! This is the goddess Athena! Do you understand who you are threatening here?!”
The two men grappled with each other for a few moments, before the Pope stumbled back, morbidly tripped up by Olivia’s body. The mask helmet he wore fell from his person, clattering onto the marble below.
There was nothing but silence between them, but the tension spoke a million words and more.
“It’s. . .you. . .?” Aiolos gaped as the Pope stood, covering part of his exposed face with his hand.
“Why did it have to be you? Why you, of all people?” The Pope muttered, his voice choked with emotion. He raised the hand that still held the golden knife, slashing across Aiolos’ chest while he was stunned.
“Ghhk!” Aiolos stumbled back as the knife carved through his skin for the second time tonight. It sliced through flesh like warm butter, spilling blood onto the marble below. The knife must’ve held some divine qualities, as it felt like his cosmo was dripping from him just like his blood.
“You’ve seen my face, Aiolos. . . Now you need to die.”
Aiolos looked at the man before him and saw the pain in his eyes. As if he were acting not of his own accord. He wanted, no, it was more so that he needed to know what was going on. But the cries of the baby grounded him. There were more important things that he needed to focus on now.
The Pope lunged forward with the weapon held out, swinging it now to plunge the blade within the saint’s heart. Aiolos flicked the golden medallion that hung proudly around his neck, becoming encased in a golden light that momentarily blinded the other man. It was a brief distraction, but it was all he needed.
He grabbed Athena from her crib and took flight, leaving the temple and the Pope behind. He didn’t know where he was going to go, but he knew Sanctuary was no longer his home. Even from the sky he could hear the commotion and the sirens. The Grand Pope must’ve labeled him a madman and who knows what else. In his arms, the infant quieted down, settling back into sleep despite the circumstances.
Seeing her like this reminded him of his kid brother. His kid brother, whom he had left beyond. Aiolos took one last look at Sanctuary, his expression somber.
“Aiolia. . .forgive me.”
His peaceful flight did not last, however, as a slash of light whizzed past him followed by two more. They all got dangerously close to hitting him and the baby he held, yet he still managed to dodge, driven purely by instinct. The issue was not the slashes themselves, but the one launching them at him.
“Shura!”
A bright comet of golden light streaked from Sanctuary, gaining on Aiolos from behind. The Blade of Athena, wearer of the Capricorn gold cloth; the man known as Shura. Admittedly, despite being gold saints and knowing each other for such a long time, Aiolos didn’t know much about Shura as a person. He was a quiet and stoic man who always kept to himself, but his battle prowess and abilities were always considered top-notch, even among the other gold saints. It was this very prowess that concerned Aiolos; normally dodging or even engaging in direct battle with Shura was easy enough. Sure, he’d end up sore and with a few new scars, but it was certainly nothing he couldn’t handle.
But carrying a baby made these options incredibly difficult. Dodging too haphazardly could hurt her, but taking direct hits would be foolish as well.
“Halt, traitor!” Shura called, his voice clear and steady. With a determined glint in his eye, he swung his arm in an upward slicing motion, loosing another energy slash. “First you murder the Saintia who tend to our goddess, next you threaten Her Ladyship directly, all to run once you’re caught?! Where is your pride as a gold saint?! As one of the upper echelon of what all saints aspire to be?!”
Aiolos held the babe to his chest, furling his wings around her as he dodged attack after attack.
Shura’s story made no sense, but Aiolos didn’t have it within him to be surprised. The Pope was twisting the narrative, framing Aiolos as the traitor. An effort to ensure both he and the infant Athena die at the hands of the saints that’ll hunt him down. He was almost impressed at the man’s abilities to adapt under pressure, but he knew the man under the mask better than he knew himself. Which is what made this turn all the more strange.
“Answer me, Aiolos! The Pope ordered us to not let you leave Sanctuary!”
At the sound of his name being called with such deep tones of betrayal and hurt, Aiolos turned to face the other and saw the pain that lay beneath his features as well. So much pain, and all for a reason that he hadn’t grasped yet.
“I’m sorry, Shura. You’d never believe me even if I told you.”
“Because it’ll all be lies!! What reason do you have to barge into Athena’s chamber and challenge the Grand Pope?! Why flee instead of staying and defending yourself?!”
“Shura,” Aiolos used the wings of his cloth to form a protective casing for the infant, fastening it to his chest so his arms would be free to move. “If you had to choose between believing the Grand Pope or believing me, who would you have chosen?”
The Capricorn saint noticeably paused, his expression lost on Aiolos. However, the pause was all he needed to see.
Smiling despite the bitter taste in his throat and the tears stinging at his eyes, Aiolos brought up his golden bow and arrow and fired a shot straight up into the sky. The arrow flew upwards, encased in glowing cosmo, before breaking into hundreds of smaller arrows that fell towards Shura.
“Goodbye, Shura.”
“Aiolos!!”
Using the attack as a distraction, Aiolos quickly flew towards the edge of Sanctuary. If he could just escape the boundary, he’d have time to get some distance before the other saints pursued him further. Judging by Shura’s statement, Aiolos was to be stopped before he left completely. Meaning they were all still bound to stay within Sanctuary’s boundaries until the Pope orders otherwise, lest they too be branded a traitor. All he had to do was leave the boundary and he could disappear! He didn’t know what he’d do once free, but hiding from the other saints would be easy enough using the right precautions.
As he thought of what to do after this point, Aiolos neglected to realize that Shura had freed himself from the arrow bombardment and as a final ditch effort to keep the other from escaping, launched an Excalibur slash directly at Aiolos’ back.
“Gnnh!”
The blow was luckily too weak to cleave the man in half due to being fired off in desperation, but it was still more than enough to hurt, and hurt badly at that. Unable to sustain his flight, Aiolos fell to earth like a glittering shooting star of gold. Shura watched from a distance as his attack hit its mark, as the other fell to his presumable death.
“. . . Goodbye, Aiolos.”
Shura gave a final glance before flying back to the Pope’s temple to report.
—
“Young man, are you alright?”
Aiolos groaned, feeling the brunt of the night’s events bearing down on him all at once. The adrenaline had long since faded away, leaving nothing but pain and throbbing aches all over his battered body. In his arms still was the baby Athena, who was somehow still fast asleep despite everything that happened. The Sagittarius cloth spared them both from becoming smudges in the countryside, and it was probably the only thing keeping Aiolos together.
As his eyes adjusted to the light currently being shined at him, some sort of flashlight, he noticed two figures standing over him.
“Young man?”
“Who. . .who are you?”
“That’s what we should be asking you! What kind of lunatic falls from the sky in the middle of the night?! And what on earth are you wearing! Master Kido, please don’t get too close!” The bald headed man with the flashlight barked out, looking as if he’d seen a ghost. And judging by how ghastly Aiolos currently looked, he couldn’t find it within himself to blame the guy. The man who had been gently calling out to him, an older man with a beard and a soft expression, turned to the other and lightly scolded him.
“Leave him be, Tokumaru. Can’t you see the poor man is injured? Do you need help?”
Aiolos looked around, before turning his head towards Sanctuary which was quite a ways in the distance. Shura’s attack must’ve sent him flying, way farther than he expected. This was good news, it meant he was out of the boundary and had time to put more distance between himself and the other saints. However, he had these two to deal with.
They didn’t seem to have any cosmo within them, latent or otherwise, and Aiolos didn’t recognize their faces so it was doubtful they were Sanctuary soldiers. They also had foreign names, which Aiolos recognized as Japanese thanks to his world studies when he was preparing to become Grand Pope.
Deciding to take the chance, Aiolos told the two all about what happened and who he was, as well as the identity of the baby he had spirited away. At first, he could tell the men were incredulous, but after remembering that Aiolos had fallen from the sky and lived, but also wore a golden set of armor, they were more inclined to believe him.
After his story was complete, the bearded man nodded.
“This all sounds very serious. If the goddess only revives once every 200 years, then her death would spell certain doom for earth, would it not?”
“Yes. Hiding her away will be easy enough, as Sanctuary will most likely assume she’s dead from the fall I took. However, they’ll continue to hunt me down as a traitor. I can never return to Sanctuary, especially not while injured.”
“Though, they wouldn’t have any reason to hunt you down if they thought you were dead.”
“Pardon?”
The older man crossed his arms, gently scratching at his beard as he collected his thoughts. “If we leave some sort of body double here, when those saint fellows come searching, they’ll find a corpse and call off the search. That way you’ll be free to live as you please without a target painted on your back.” He turned to the man named Tokumaru, snapping his fingers. “Search the morgues around here for anyone resembling this young man. And bring up the car, we need to vacate the area.”
Tokumaru bowed deeply before pulling out a cellphone and sprinting out towards the main road, leaving the two men alone.
“. . .
“Why are you doing this for me?” Aiolos held Athena closer to his chest, as if protecting her from the other man.
“You said it yourself, you’re a saint of Athena. Anyone willing to risk his life for another person is worth saving.” The man stood, extending a hand to the other. “My name is Mitsumasa Kido. Come with me, and I can ensure both you and the little lady’s protection.”
Aiolos looked at the offered hand before looking down at the baby. If he declined Kido’s help, he’d be forced to wander with an infant and no way to take care of himself, at least not right away. And without the capabilities of leaving Greece, there was a good chance he’d be found again. On the other hand, he didn’t want to leave Athena by herself with a stranger, no matter how kindly he seemed. Finding no other option, Aiolos grabbed Kido’s hand, getting up into a standing position with the man’s help. Once he was on his feet, the Sagittarius cloth reverted back to a gold medallion, dangling from around his neck.
“Neat trick.”
“Yeah well, it’s either this or carry it around as a giant gold box. Which is fine for training purposes. Not so great for escaping.”
The two turned as Tokumaru returned with the car, which was more like a limousine than the regular cars Aiolos had seen in town. Noticing his stunned expression, Mitsumasa let out a chuckle before opening the door for the younger man.
“Not the most subtle thing on the planet, but it’ll get us where we need to go.”
“I don’t know who you are, Mr. Kido, but it seems like you also have some explaining to do.” Aiolos shook his head in disbelief, sliding into the backseat as carefully as he could without jostling the baby too much.
“We can discuss things in the car ride to the hospital. You look awful lad.” Mitsumasa replied, getting in beside Aiolos and shutting the door behind them.
“I feel a lot worse than I look, that’s for sure.” Aiolos turned to look out the window, watching as Sanctuary grew smaller and smaller as the limousine drove off in the opposite direction. He felt homesick already, leaving the only place he called home and everyone he loved behind. But it was for the greater good. He had Athena to worry about now, and her safety was far more important than his melancholy.
One day, when Athena is old enough and he’s healed up, they’ll return to Sanctuary.
For now, for the first time in hours, Aiolos can relax. And, like the babe lovingly swaddled in his arms, he drifted off to a peaceful sleep.
–
Six hours later, Aiolos found himself waking up in a bland looking room filled with medical equipment. This wasn’t much of a surprise, he’d walked himself into the hospital at the behest of Mitsumasa due to the many wounds on his body. Though Aiolos advised him that he’d heal soon enough thanks to his condition and his cosmo, Kido didn’t seem very impressed at the notion of magical healing and sternly advised him to stop and rest.
Admittedly, he felt pretty good. It’s been a long time since he had the comfort of modern medicine as Sanctuary and the saints had their own healing rituals and remedies that were used. He put a hand over his chest, seeing it was heavily bandaged. And with it, all the memories of the night prior washed over him.
“Oh, you’re already awake?”
Aiolos turned to the sound of the voice, seeing Mitsumasa Kido standing at the door with a tray of what looked to be food. There was a sense of panic that gripped the brunet man as he didn’t see the baby Athena anywhere in the room, to which he quickly began to get off the bed despite being attached to heart monitors and IV drips.
“Easy, easy there lad.” Mitsumasa set the tray down on the bedside table, putting a hand on the younger man’s shoulder. “She’s fine. The hospital is looking over her for any wounds or internal damage. Tokumaru is with her.”
Aiolos sighed heavily, leaning back against the pillows as Mitsumasa readjusted the blankets and set the tray table over the other’s lap. It was a hefty meal for a patient; a serving of omelet casserole, two slices of ladenia flatbread, a takeout cup of coffee, and a piece of karythopita. His stomach growled in empty protest, which spurred him to pick up the fork and start devouring the food before him. He hadn’t eaten much in regards to full meals due to his constant studying, which was something that Saga scolded him for constantly.
Saga. . .
He lowered the fork slowly, picking up the takeout cup and taking slow, pensive sips.
“Aiolos, we need to discuss some things.” Kido said, taking a seat beside him. Whether he meant to or not, Aiolos welcomed the distraction.
“Like what?”
“Your and Athena’s identities. Once you’re discharged, we’ll be leaving for Japan. We’ll need to explain then where you two came from that won’t raise red flags in case Sanctuary happens to cast a glance on the rest of the globe.”
He brought up a good point. If this new life aspect were to take root, he would need a new identity to go with it. However, Aiolos wasn’t known for his skill in naming things.
“What do you suppose I do?”
“I have an idea, though I wanted to run it by you first.
“I’ll be declaring both you and the baby as my kin, specifically my son and my granddaughter. We’ll explain your absence as you were living overseas but the death of your wife in childbirth drove you back to Japan to stay with me.”
Aiolos took another bite of his ladenia, raising his eyebrows in surprise.
“Your son?”
“You’re certainly young enough to be my son, so it would fit well. How old are you, lad?”
He paused, thinking about it for a tad. Aiolos was never very good with dates either, and birthdays weren’t something he kept track of. Aside from his kid brother and Saga, he normally didn’t recall any birthdays. Least of all his own. However, he did know that he had a birthday coming up, as age was one of the main reasons why he and Saga were chosen to study as potential heirs to the Grand Pope title.
“I’ll be turning 19 soon. On the 30th of November.”
“And the child?”
“She was born just a few days ago, on the 1st of this month.”
Mitsumasa nodded, writing the information down in a memo pad he had removed from the breast pocket of his blazer. “Very good. I’ll have my people make some birth certificates and things to officiate your existence in Japan. Unless you have these things in Sanctuary?”
Aiolos shook his head, which the man had already expected was the case. He wrote that down as well as the door to the room was opened. It was Tokumaru Tatsumi and the baby Athena, who was currently cooing and awake.
“She’s been cleared by the hospital, sir. They found nothing wrong, not even a hair out of place.” He advised, bringing the baby over and placing her in the arms of Mitsumasa.
The infant giggled, reached out to grab at the man’s beard. Kido smiled, a beaming warmth that Aiolos knew was genuine care. He’d seen that look before, and even had that expression himself a few times.
“Saori.” he suddenly said, causing the other two occupants to look at him in confusion. “Her name from now on shall be Saori. Saori Kido.”
“Lady Saori. Saori-ojousama.” Tatsumi repeated, testing the name and its honorifics to himself a few times.
“And you, my boy, shall be known henceforward as Atsuya Kido.”
Aiolos scrunched his nose a bit at the name. He didn’t know what it meant or the significance behind it, but it was foreign. Which meant he had plenty of extra studying to do on Japan and its customs.
“Judging by your expression, I assume you don’t know much Japanese?”
“Not quite sir, Sanctuary is quite traditional in its ways, but I needed to learn multiple languages in my studies to be Pope. However I'm only fluent in Greek and English.”
“English is a great first step, meaning we can at least properly communicate with each other. When we return to Japan I’ll hire some tutors for you to learn the language.” Mitsumasa stated, cradling little Saori for a bit before looking at Aiolos again. “Would you like to hold her?”
“No, I shouldn’t―”
“Nonsense, I can see it in your eyes. Here.”
Aiolos quickly moved the tray out of his lap so he could properly hold the infant, supporting her head with the crook of his elbow. She giggled, reaching out and gently grabbing at the gold medallion around his neck. At her touch, it glowed faintly, as if rejuvenated by the goddess’ cosmo.
“I know it must be a lot for you, you’re so young yourself. But Saori will be raised looking up to you as her father. She may be Athena, but within her beats the heart of a mortal. She’ll have doubts, fears, worries. But she will also be full of love, kindness, compassion, and hope. You’re her only tie to the life she was forced to leave behind.”
Aiolos gently ran his thumb along her chubby little cheek, smiling as she laughed and looked up at him with those large blue eyes. The kinship he felt towards her was partly his duty as a saint, but Mitsumasa was right. Athena is always born as a human, even if she has the power and cosmo of a goddess. If only Olivia or the other Saintia had survived the assault. He could use the advice.
“This is pretty unconventional,” Aiolos began, turning to Mitsumasa. “Usually the Saintia would raise the infant Athena. Us saints, being all men, would never be allowed to take care of her.”
“Saintia. You mentioned them before, those poor women who died protecting the child?”
“Yes. . .I didn’t witness what happened, but I can only assume the Grand Pope is the one who killed them. I didn’t know any of them personally, but they were always kind and regal. They didn’t deserve what happened to them, but it's a Saint’s fate to die for Athena. I’m sure they’d have no regrets.”
“Are there any more of them?”
Aiolos paused, trying to recall the faces of the women who died. Aside from Olivia, he counted at least 7 or 8 visible bodies.
“I. . .Not in Sanctuary, no. There may be others across the planet at other Saint camps, but I’d have no way of knowing for sure.”
“The Graude Foundation will search for any living Saintia. We’ll need more of these cosmo-wielding superheroes to protect Saori. These saint fellows, can they be replicated?”
Aiolos leant back against the pillows, not quite understanding the line of questioning but seeing no real harm in it. “It’s not a matter of replicating. Anyone with the ability to harness and use cosmo is able to become a saint. They would typically be sent to any of the training camps across the planet and if they survive the curriculum, they can earn their Cloth.”
Mitsumasa nodded, as if understanding everything perfectly. Aiolos wished he could say the same.
“We’ll handle the travel and extra information on our end.” Kido said, gently taking the baby from Aiolos. Tokumaru came and grabbed the empty tray so that the saint could fully lay back and relax. “Take some time for yourself to recuperate, and we’ll head out before the end of next week.”
“Alright.”
Once they left the room, Aiolos was alone with his thoughts. And his regrets. He recalled the Grand Pope, the bodies of Olivia and the Saintia. He could almost smell the overpowering scent of blood and death, could almost feel the golden dagger rending his flesh and the impact of hitting the ground from thousands of feet up.
Aiolos turned to the window, watching the scenery outside his window. Soon, he’ll be in a new country with a new name and a new life. By now, Sanctuary probably assumed that he was dead. He thought of Aiolia, and the suffering he would endure for the narrative that the Grand Pope will paint of him. He thought of Shura, so duty bound, who would probably self-destruct if he learned the truth. He thought of Saga. . .
“. . .”
The Pope he saw in Athena’s chambers was someone that Aiolos didn’t recognize, not completely. He saw a face and he recognized it, sure, but it didn’t make sense to what he knew of the Grand Pope and the people of Sanctuary. For all he knew, the person he faced was just some spectre, who stole the face of his loved one in an effort to sew distrust and get rid of Athena.
The only names that come to mind were the ones he had recalled from the books and records he had been studying, in addition to his own training and stories passed down by word of mouth. Hades and Poseidon, the two gods who arose every 200 years to steal the Earth. It was this reason that Athena is reborn, as both a herald to the end of days but also the sole salvation of the planet. The only people who would want her dead would be those who want the planet for themselves.
“Gnnh.” Aiolos rolled onto his side, albeit a bit shakily, closing his eyes. He didn’t have the strength or the emotional fortitude to think about this right now. He had to worry about Athena, and how he was going to help her reclaim Sanctuary. It would be a long way out, of course, but it didn’t change the fact that he needed some sort of plan. At least now he wasn’t alone; he had Kido and Tatsumi to help him. They were both older, and more worldly compared to him. He felt like he could trust them with some of the responsibility, at least until he grew a little wiser.
For now though, he felt sleep overcoming him.
Aiolos closed his eyes, drifting off for the second time in less than 12 hours.
–
Mitsumasa remained good on his promise and at the end of the following week, they left Greece to head to Japan.
Aiolos, despite his age, was a child at heart. There were so many things he never got to experience as a Saint living in Sanctuary, and the advancements of technology in the outside world thoroughly amazed him. He clicked through the channels on the onboard tv system within the private jet, going between movies, tv shows, commercials, and sports games. Sure, he’d heard of these things through the grapevine from Saints who traveled to Sanctuary after living in other countries during their childhood, but he never had a chance to experience any of it.
Mitsumasa couldn’t help but be amused at the sight before him. He walked down the aisle and sat across from the younger man, holding out a bottle of water.
“Are you enjoying yourself there, lad?”
Aiolos paused, looking at Mitsumasa, then the tv, and then down at the water bottle. Suddenly, he felt a bit self conscious, grabbing the bottle and uttering a thank you. He had been hoping that question was rhetorical, but once he noticed that Kido was staring at him for a response, he grew even more embarrassed.
“Uhm. I’ve never seen things like this back at Sanctuary. Like I said, it’s very traditional. There isn’t even electricity, not that we need it.” Aiolos looked down at Saori, who lay in a travel seat beside him. “Cosmo pretty much gave us everything we needed, warmth, strength, healing, and even light. There wasn’t much need for anything else.”
“This ‘cosmo’ sounds like quite the effective superpower. Why haven’t we heard more about you all?”
“It’s forbidden to speak of Sanctuary and the Saints to the outside world. Typically our battles take place far away from the eyes of normal humans anyways, so there’s never any need to worry about innocent bystanders or people spreading our existence around.” Aiolos rested his hand in Saori’s car-seat, his expression softening as the infant gently grabbed his fingers in her sleep. “Even the Saints who were born in the outside world and migrate to Sanctuary or any of the other camps later in life had no idea what exactly a Saint was prior to their training.”
“Then how did they find the camps if it’s such a well–guarded secret?” Tatsumi responded, coming out from the galley of the plane with two trays of food. He set the trays down on the table in front of the two men before stepping back to get out of their way.
“If someone manifests Cosmo, Saints who are tasked with recruitment will come and take them to the nearest camp for training. Usually nothing much is said and if a recruit has any family they're convinced it’s just a special type of scholarship or schooling. Though oddly enough, most of the people who end up becoming Saints are either orphans or estranged from their families.”
“So their absence is never missed.” Mitsumasa replied, to which Aiolos nodded.
“Though some Saints are born within the compound of their respective camps. Like me and my younger brother were born and raised in Sanctuary, though we never knew our parents very well.”
“Your younger brother?”
Aiolos glanced down at the trays of food, his silence telling Mitsumasa everything but nothing all at the same time. He knew, at least, that this was a conversation that shouldn't be continued.
“Kido-sama, we'll be touching down in Japan soon.” Tatsumi called from the door of the cockpit, apparently having been conversing with the pilot as the two spoke. Taking this newfound thread, Mitsumasa grabbed a pair of chopsticks and separated them, picking up the bowl of steamed rice covered in delicately arranged meats and a fried egg before looking over at Aiolos.
“Are you ready, son? Once you step off this plane, your life as Atsuya Kido begins. Aiolos died after escaping Greece, leaving nothing behind but his corpse and a wrongly obtained title. You get a luxury that not many can obtain; the ability to start over.”
Aiolos heard the man's words and understood the gravity of it all, yet still there was an awful lump in his throat. Once the plane landed, Aiolos would be dead for good. Atsuya will take his place, breathe air through his lungs and trudge forward on his legs. The road ahead of Athena and himself was paved in cracked stones made of blood and tears, and the cracks can only be patched with more blood and more tears. Innumerable amounts of pain and hardships await them, but it is their destiny to endure it. They, as the last bastion of hope for the earth, were the future generals of the army to fight the Holy War.
But the war will not be fought tomorrow. Nor will it be fought the day after, or the day after that. Perhaps some part of him longed for his future as Atsuya; to live a normal life free of poverty and hardship. The war was far off, and so he could afford, at least for the meantime, to raise Saori with love and care, to teach her of the beauty of the world and all that resides upon it, so that one day when she takes up arms against the old gods, she will do so as a human. Not a human in that she will be easy to defeat, but human in that her love for her fellow man would outshine the divinity that lives as her birthright.
Saori is destined to fight, but she will fight as a human defending her home, not as a god protecting her property. Her mortal heart will beat for humanity and humanity alone, and the fire within her will burn so fierce and so righteous that it will purify the evil that surrounds her. He can wish that of her, as her guard, as her Saint, as her father.
That though the burden she carries is much like Atlas carrying the planet upon his shoulders, she will carry that burden with pride. She with her maiden heart that beats of blood and not ichor, may not be able to shed tears or wear her heart on her sleeve, but she will love. And her love will be stronger than any steel, sharper than any sword, more unyielding than the boulder uphill.
Yes, by the gods, she will love and she will love so truly that some may forget there was ever a time that her love didn't exist. And if he can plant that seedling, then she will do the rest on her own. Aiolos knows in his heart that this is true because her very existence already sparked the growth of love within him.
“Saori. I’ll protect you with everything that I am and everything that I have. So please, grow up healthy and safe.”
The baby, as if awoken by her name, looked up at Aiolos and giggled. She began reaching her tiny hands up to grab at him, cooing happily. He resolved then, upon seeing it, that he will devote his all to protect everything about her, including that smile.
Not that he needed any more reasons, of course.
–
“The traitor’s body has been located and recovered. Nothing was found on him, no Cloth or anything.”
“He must’ve hidden it somewhere right? Keep searching!”
“Hidden how?? His body was in a crater! He must’ve died on impact! Someone must’ve looted his body. Check the pawn shops or black market areas near the area. We cannot let the Sagittarius Cloth fall into the wrong hands.”
A man with deep purple hair stepped away and excused himself from the group of Saints, walking towards the zodiac temples. No one seemed to approach him, instead giving him space or even ducking their heads as he walked by. As he walked through the temples, which all seemed to be entirely empty due to the Saints being scrambled to chase after Aiolos, he simply trudged on like a zombie. His stupor brought him to the Sagittarius temple, the very same one that Aiolos abandoned days prior.
“. . .”
The man collapsed to his knees in the center of the temple, staring down at the ground.
“Aiolos. . .” he whispered, his voice soft and choked with emotion.
“What are you so emotional about, Saga?” Another voice replied, a man with a powerful yet angry tone. “If he stayed here then everything the Grand Pope, that I, worked so hard for would be ruined. You should be glad he died a relatively painless death falling thousands of feet to the ground instead of being dragged back to Sanctuary.”
“How can you expect me to be happy about that?!” Saga yelled, gripping his hair and shaking his head repeatedly. “Of course I didn’t want this! Aiolos― He didn’t deserve any of that. He’s not a traitor, he was next in line to become the Pope! You of all people should know and understand that!”
“You’re so infuriating. If I didn’t need you for my plans, I’d kill you in a heartbeat.”
“I’d rather die.” Saga sobbed, leaning forward until his forehead was touching the ground. “If it means I can atone for my sins and ruin your plans, I’d do it. I’d do anything.”
A burst of light rushed forward and struck Saga, slamming him against the temple wall. The force was immense, enough to crack the stone and knock the wind out of him. He shuddered to think what damage he would have sustained if he wasn’t wearing his armor.
“You’ll die when I say you can die. Your life only means something because I still have a use for it. So save your nonsense, you'll only serve to embarrass yourself.”
Saga groaned from his position on the ground, rolling onto his stomach to get into a better position to stand up.
“Saga!”
He looked up partially, coming face to face with Shura, the Capricorn Saint. He looked concerned, placing his hands on Saga’s shoulders as if he were close to falling apart. “Saga! Are you alright?? What happened to you?”
The aubergine-haired man sighed, standing on his own two feet before placing a hand on Shura’s to ease his worry.
“I’m alright, thank you. I just. . .had a disagreement with the Grand Pope. He mistrusts me, you see.”
Shura seemed to understand completely, nodding his head. It made sense that anyone affiliated with Aiolos would be looked down upon by the rest of Sanctuary. Saga most of all, considering he was not only a Saint as well, but extremely powerful to boot. If he wanted to overthrow Sanctuary, Shura thought, he would definitely get the closest. A sobering and terrifying thought, but Shura was confident that something like that would never happen.
“You’re the epitome of a true Saint, Saga. No one would ever judge you unfairly.”
Saga laughed at the cruel irony of the younger Saint’s words, resisting the urge to look away. “Some good that did for Aiolos, no?”
Shura immediately shut his mouth. Saga appreciated how honest Shura was. He seemed stoic, but he actually wore his heart on his sleeve. He was easily flustered at times, but always staunch in his beliefs and what he held dear. There was power in feeling as Shura did, Saga acknowledged. He wished that he too, had the luxury to feel so openly.
“Worry not about me, Shura. I just. . .need some time. Though you’ll have to forgive me if I don’t want to see Aiolos’ body at the mausoleum but, I must know, is it him? Truly?”
Shura pursed his lips, a pained expression crossing his face, but he did not avert his eyes. “I. . .laid eyes on the body, yes.” He didn’t want to mention how battered the body looked from its plummet to Earth, but he was confident the body had to have been Aiolos. It couldn’t have been anyone else.
Saga exhaled shakily, putting his hands on his head as if fighting back a headache. “Oh, Aiolos. . .”
“Stop coddling him!” came the voice from before. The Grand Pope had apparently been there still, listening to their conversation. “He harbors guilt and regret over a traitor, one who tried to murder Athena with his own hands! He needs to see reality!”
Saga shook his head mournfully. Shura was never one to talk back to those of authority, but even he could tell how this was going a bit too far.
“My Lord,” Shura knelt respectfully in the direction of the voice, steady and calm despite the fear that seemed to bubble within his heart. What was this overwhelming and angry presence? Was this. . .the Pope? “Please, this is a delicate time for all of us. Saga has a right to be upset about this―”
“A right? You think that he has the right to be upset over something as insignificant as a traitor? “
The tone of his voice gave Shura pause.
“If we had mental breakdowns for every single problem we encountered, our Saints would be incompetent and soft. None of you have a right to be a detriment to Sanctuary. Athena’s very life was threatened, and you see fit to indulge him in his delusions? Nonsense. Utter nonsense.
“I want you both out searching for the Sagittarius Cloth. The sooner we recover it, the sooner we can start looking for a replacement. Do not fail me again, Shura.”
He winced, looking down at his feet and not daring to presume to make eye contact. Shura awaited the sensation of the Pope walking past him on his way to his temple at the summit of the Twelve Temples, but there was nothing. Saga had knelt beside him, no longer gripping his head in agony but he looked exhausted, both emotionally and physically. Come to think of it, Shura hadn’t sensed any other presence in the Sagittarius temple aside from Saga, and he had simply stumbled upon him in his sorry state after being attacked.
But, attacked by what? The Grand Pope?
Shura looked around before closing his eyes and focusing hard. He heard his own heartbeat, and the heartbeat of Saga beside him. But there was nothing else. No other signs of life, no one else here with them.
Where had the Pope gone?
“Shura.”
The midnight-green haired man jumped at the sound, thinking that the Pope had returned or perhaps could sense Shura’s blatant disrespect, but upon further thought he realized the voice came from Saga. He turned to the other, blinking in confusion.
“Whatever you’re thinking, bury it deep within yourself. Some things are not worth the price they invoke.”
Something about those words sent a shiver up Shura’s spine. He didn’t quite understand the meaning, but he did recall the state he found Saga in and the anger within the Pope’s voice. Perhaps Saga had gone down the same rabbit hole and was punished for it, so now he was warning his junior of such dangerous thoughts. Shura nodded solemnly.
“We should go,” he said, standing and holding out a hand for Saga. “We don’t want to aggravate the Grand Pope any further.”
Saga seemed to contemplate it, but eventually he took Shura’s hand and stood. Even he knew that it would be suspicious to ignore a direct order from the Pope, especially in regards to a traitor.
“Mm. Let’s head out to the site of the crash. If the Cloth was stolen, the thief should still be somewhere in the area. I doubt they had the wherewithal to go too far to sell it. We’ll send forces out across Greece to search and we should have our resolution within the week. I’m confident that there won’t be any further issues.”
Shura let himself be relieved at Saga’s words. Letting Aiolos make it out of Sanctuary was something that bothered him immensely, and while no one openly blamed him for it, it was still something that felt silently agreed upon. If he had gotten there sooner, he could have stopped Aiolos and prevented the Cloth from being lost in the first place. However, there was no point in thinking of what could have been. He could only focus on the here and now.
As the two left the Sagittarius temple, Saga couldn’t help but look up towards the sky. Millions of stars peppered the night sky like freckles, and it was beautiful, yet sobering. A sight he had seen hundreds, if not thousands of times, and yet it always amazed him. Filled his chest with warmth and hope. Amidst the many twinkling stars, one seemed to glow brightest. Saga bowed his head and gave a silent prayer to the constellation that held the star, wishing for a beacon of hope, a light to cut through the darkness. And, as if answering his prayer, the star and its siblings within the constellation burned brighter. A constellation he recalled from old books of legends in Sanctuary.
Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
✓ Live Streaming✓ Interactive Chat✓ Private Shows✓ HD Quality
Anya is LIVE right now
FREE
Free to watch • No registration required • HD streaming
the idea of Saori finding out three of the closest people to her are vessels for gods that want to kill her is so sad. How would she feel to know that?
It's heartbreaking, to say the very least.
She'd basically grown up with Shun; sure it was only a few years, but it was crucial development years. She considered him a friend, and when he returned from his training he devoted himself to her as all Saints did.
She cared about him and his wellbeing. And then Hades took him from her.
Maybe you consider her close with Julian, a boy who she knew through her socialite life, who wanted her hand in marriage only to become Poseidon and try to drown her in the depths of the ocean pillars while her Saints watched
Kyoko and Shoko weren't necessarily childhood friends, but Saintias are the closest thing to family to Athena. They're her personal handmaidens, some raised her from infancy why others work practically glued to her side.
She'd lost Kyoko first to Eris (who wanted Shoko instead) and then a short time later, she loses Shoko to Persephone (if you go by their striking similarities in STS:O) or she loses her to Eris (if you consider the Dryad Shoko)
What would be scarier to Athena; losing her loved ones to battle, watching them die for her sake?
Or losing them to her fellow gods; To be forced to fight them or watch them be killed knowing they had no say in the matter?
Her poor maiden heart must've been riddled with scars and open wounds from it all
You know, i love Aiolos, even more in your fic but i kinda hope to see him suffer a little to earn Aiolia's forgiveness when everything will be revealed. (i love to see my favorites suffer) XD
Also, little question about your last chapter.
If Aiolos trusts Aiolia to keep silence about him and the fact he's alive, why didn't he trust him with the truth?
We all like to see our little guys suffer just a little bit, because the suffering will properly lead way to a happy ending 🙂↕️ Surely Aiolos will understand in the long run that he's just gotta have a Bad Time for a little bit before the Good Times start!
It's not that Aiolos doesn't trust him with the truth! You have to think about this as if you are Aiolos and had NO other information
He has NO idea the status of Sanctuary, the Pope, or its current hierarchy
He already thinks Aiolia is being mistreated, but if Aiolia won't admit it he can't pursue it
He knows at the very least, Aiolia doesn't know the truth and therefore, isn't in danger like he was
If Aiolos blurts out the truth and Aiolia then goes back to Sanctuary and causes a scene, He will die. If the Pope finds out Aiolia knows ANYTHING, if he thinks Aiolia knows that Aiolos is alive and knows where he is, he may torture Aiolia to get the information out of him and Aiolos and Saori's cover will be blown WAY too early
Aiolos is being smart in keeping the truth a secret. He knows he'll have to tell him eventually, but telling him right now would be extremely stupid and dangerous!
