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Thieves of Light Chapter 3.A Saint Seiya fanfiction by Ariane Kovacevic, AKA Fuu-chan. Silence fell over the great hall in the center of Athena's temple as both Aquila Marin and Saori-san finished telling us about the two young men who had accompanied them to the House of Aquarius; the two young men who had joined us here with Aquila Marin and Ophiuchus Shaina, at the very heart of the Sanctuary. Gold Saints without Cloths or proper training.... Birds of prey without wings, a part of me thought with a mixture of compassion and sorrow. "Well, you sure fooled me completely," Seiya said as he put his glass of clear water on the table. Shaking his head in disbelief, the Pegasus Saint added, "I'd never have thought that the two adolescents Marin-san started to teach a few months before I completed my own training could be Gold. You were always silent and closed in upon yourself, Merle, and Lune was always getting a beating from Marin-san for being too arrogant...." This last part said with a sly grin which made the redhead laugh goodheartedly. "Why, of course. We weren't about to allow anyone to find out about us, not even you, Seiya-senpai!" Sobering, Lune went on in a quiet voice, the deep emerald gaze growing distant, "We were angry, angry and afraid; and above all, we wanted to live. When the Pope was killed and Gemini Saga took his place, the Sanctuary became Hell on earth, and many times we thought we would be discovered and dealt with. It was--" With a slow shake of his head, Lune interrupted himself and heaved out a little sigh. "Anyway, that's the past, and it's not important anymore. What matters is what we're going to do now." "What I'd like to know," my brother rested his chin against the back of his intertwined fingers, "is how you managed to feel the presence of an intruder in the House of Aquarius before the archangel actually appeared inside it." The Phoenix Saint's dark gray eyes were set on the red-headed young man and a speculative light was shining in them. "Hyoga felt it, but that's because he has affinities for this House and what it represents. You, on the other hand...." My brother waved away in a gesture of incomprehension and let his voice trail off into silence, his eyes still set on Lune's. Waiting. "Could this mean that you are...Aquarius?" Shaina's voice was full of incredulity. The Ophiuchus Saint had greeted the news of the existence of two potential Gold Saints with skepticism at best. She knew of the two young men, but seemed to be wary of them for some reason. Turning my mind towards Lune, I nodded inwardly. Yes, I could see how one could be wary of this sharp, powerful young man who displayed a self-assurance such as I had rarely seen, and who seemed to respect neither gods nor laws. There was a hardness behind the apparent good humor, a coldness which could frighten if one didn't manage to see how harshly the young man reined in his feelings and emotions. "No, impossible!" Lune chuckled as if Shaina had made some witty joke. "How could I ever be the pure Aquarius?" The redhead gave the female Saint an impish grin and winked when he saw the furious scowl on his friend Merle's face. "No, I wasn't born Aquarius. As to how I managed to feel that the archangel was coming," Lune looked my brother right in the eye, "well I suppose you could say that I have certain affinities with the way dimensions come together to shape universes and paths between them. I simply felt a gate being opened close to me." Dimensions.... With a nod of understanding, I told the young man in a quiet voice, "You're Gemini, aren't you?" That earned me a sharp look from Lune, whose eyes narrowed in thought. Eventually, he shrugged, replying, "Yes, I am. How did you know that, Shun-senpai?" I coughed, embarrassed. "Please, don't call me 'senpai', it feels...weird." A flame of laughter suddenly danced in the pure emerald eyes, warm and gentle. Yes, I know. I know who you are now, and it's okay. It's good to tease you. I blinked, taken aback as the mixture of feelings and thoughts brushed past me. How did you-- Inwardly, I shook my head, realizing that the question was absurd. If he was indeed Gemini, then he had powers of the mind I had no idea of. Eventually, I remembered I owed him an answer, and told him, "I fought against Gemini Saga, once." Lune nodded at my words, while Ophiuchus Shaina turned towards Saori-san and asked, "Do we have any idea of what's happening? Do we know who were the two strangers who appeared at the base of the great Stairs?" We all turned towards her, and the young woman who was the incarnation of the Greek Goddess of Earth, Wisdom and War joined her hands before her face, resting her chin on her thumbs and looking straight at us. "No," she said, and added in a very quiet voice, "but I now know what Assiel refers to: it's one of the alternate spellings found in ancient manuscripts for the name Azazel." Out of nowhere, a cold breeze rose and enveloped us, making me shiver. As if the invocation of such a name was enough to frighten the very air. Looking around us, I noticed that night had completely fallen now; the last remnants of daylight had faded away. On impulse, I stood up. "Shun?" Turning back towards the table, I said with a reassuring smile, "I'm just going to light some more candelabras, Saori-san. It's getting so dark here...but please, continue, I'm listening." She nodded and I stepped towards the closest of the candelabras on the side of the central pathway of the hall. It'd be easier if we installed electricity in the Sanctuary. With a soft chuckle, I chided myself for harboring such absurd thoughts, and reached out to the small match box which had been set beside the great candle. "Azazel is one of the great angels who was cast out of Heaven in mythological times. He's one of the most powerful of those we call the Fallen Angels." There was a small sound which echoed in the hall when I cracked a match and lit the candelabra. For a few seconds, I stared at the fragile flame, unblinking, then I turned to face the tables where my friends were sitting, and stepped back towards it, adding in a voice carefully devoid of emotions, "Then the angel I and Shaina-san saw, the one who came and called the first one Assiel, the one before whom Assiel seemed to bow down...." "Lucifer, the Lord of Hell, yes, that's most likely who it was." There was a hard, almost frightening light inflaming Saori-san's eyes. "An educated guess, but a bit too easy I think." I tensed violently, while crystalline laughter filled the air around us. "Something's coming again!" Lune had stood up, and I could see a blinding golden aura radiating from the redhead. "Impossible!" I vaguely recognized my brother's voice as he hissed that word in the middle of the chaos caused by eight chairs being pushed back to let the Saints of Athena stand and have some free room. Only Saori-san stayed seated, her face completely expressionless. Doki. On instinct, I brought a hand up to my left shoulder as a sharp pain resounded deep inside of me, radiating from the base of my neck. As if I had been struck by an arrow, I thought distantly. Before us, some twenty steps away, the shadow alongside one of the columns set beside the throne reserved for the Pope seemed to grow, and detached itself from the marble, in a slow motion. Wings. Absolutely black, and yet shining with their own, dark light. Wings, the sight of which inexplicably wrenched my heart. He turned to face us, and stepped into the light of the candelabra, his wings gradually fading into nothingness. His purple gaze swept over each of us in turn, and then stopped on me. I stared back at him, fighting with all my will the almost irrepressible urge to bow my head. No, I clenched my teeth, No, I won't yield to you, I won't listen to the chaos in my heart. From very far away, I felt my body shivering, as if I was fevered. Once again, I could feel an unbearable wave of nostalgia, longing, revulsion and sadness rising within me. "Shun!" From the corner of an eye, I saw my brother make to come towards me, but red-headed Lune stopped him, the deep emerald pools of his eyes clouded with what might have been fear or anguish. A smile curled up the lips of the one who had suddenly appeared in the heart of the Sanctuary, as if he had found the exchange amusing, and all of a sudden he turned away from me. And released me. I staggered back a step, unable to help the reaction. Taking a deep breath, I fought to master the trembling in my legs, and forced myself to focus on what was happening. With slow deliberation, Saori-san stood up, as calmly as if the dark angel had been an expected guest. I felt it then, the infinite power that she kept hidden inside her and almost never showed. Her aura shone brightly around her, and she locked her gaze with the other's, saying in a solemn voice, "You are not welcome here, Lucifer. Your place isn't at the heart of this Sacred ground." He smiled again, and shook his head, replying gently, as if he was speaking to a child, "Isn't it, dear Lady of the Earth? You see," his smile turned into a grin, "I belong in this time and place, just as darling Gabriel belonged in the House of Aquarius, because," his voice reduced to a whisper as he said in a confiding tone, "I have a key." Suddenly, everything in the hall seemed to freeze, as if someone's hand had stayed the normal course of Time, and the one whom I had been taught as a little kid was the Incarnation of Evil looked my way. I didn't react, numb, I didn't move, the only thing that I did was to look into the beautiful purple eyes and see the strange flame burning in them. Then I blinked, and the vision vanished as if it had never happened. The Fallen One was facing Saori-san, with the same mocking grin on his face. "A key?" Saori-san's eyes narrowed. "This is impossible." "Is it?" He countered. "But have no fear, it's too precious for me to misuse it." What really happened? I bit my lower lip, fighting down the cold fear which was clawing at my soul. Did I imagine it? Try though I might, I couldn't disentangle truth from lie, and I didn't want to dwell on that question. I didn't want to consider the consequence of the answer I would find. I have nothing to do with all this, nothing! He was playing with us, he had to be. I could remember how I had felt that he knew the truth of my heart on our first encounter. He had to be aware of my fears, of my self-doubts, and he was using that against me. It was likely he was playing the same dirty game with the others. Don't disperse yourself, fool. He's here, now, and Saori-san is in mortal danger. Harshly, I regained control over my emotions away and reported my attention on the eerie discussion. "Why have you come?" Saori-san's gaze was clear, untroubled by what he had just told her. "You are brave, Athena," he chuckled, and then waved towards both Ophiuchus Shaina and I, adding, "your two Saints have told you, certainly, that I would be back to have a little talk with you when the time would be right." That said, he stepped towards us, and calmly pulled a chair away from the conference table before sitting down, right in front of Saori-san. "Let's get down to business, shall we?" Silence, deep and threatening was the only thing that followed his words. For a few seconds, he didn't react; then, lazily, he looked up at the young woman, and heaved out a slight sigh, assuming an expression which was a mixture of feigned boredom and mockery. "Oh please, do sit down, there's no need for such formality." Saori-san's face remained expressionless, but I saw anger flashing in my friends' eyes: the way that sentence had been said, it felt as if he had treated the incarnation of the Goddess Athena as a mere servant. "Why, you bastard--" Seiya was interrupted by a halting gesture from Saori-san, who shook her head in an almost imperceptible fashion, whispering, "Don't, Seiya." She sat down, taking the time to smooth her gown as if she'd been attending a high society gathering, and then faced Lucifer. Quietly, she told him, "State your purpose, then, lord of Hell." He gave her a gracious bow, then leaned back against the chair, his eyes growing distant while he started, "Heaven has moved more quickly than I thought it would." The ghost of a smile came to his lips. "A bad oversight of mine, but fortunately you didn't step into the trap and refused dear Gabriel's request." "A trap? How so?" Lune's voice had interrupted the dark angel, low and hard. There was a cold light shining in the redhead's emerald eyes. For the briefest of moments, Lucifer turned his head towards Lune and nodded. "Yes, a trap, a trap your sharp mind suspected, young hatchling." All trace of humor had left the fallen one's voice. Reporting his attention on Saori-san, he continued, "I came here to warn you, and to propose an alliance." Saori-san's fingers gripped the arms of her chair, hard, but otherwise her face didn't betray any reaction at all. Beside me, I heard Shaina's sharp intake of breath, and realized that my heart was beating a mad dance in my chest, sending distant waves of pain radiating through my body. With a desperate effort of will, I chased away the blank fog which had clogged my mind, and forced myself to listen as Saori-san said, skepticism plain in the tone of her voice, "An alliance, you say, but an alliance against what?" "Please, Lady," Lucifer let out a joyless chuckle, "don't try to play those games with me. An alliance between our two forces for the war that is to come..." in a soft whisper, he added, "the war against Heaven." Hyoga shook his head, distress and incomprehension suddenly flashing into the pale blue eyes. "But Heaven--" "Isn't what you were taught it is, Guardian of Athena," Lucifer finished Hyoga's sentence for him. Turning away from the Cygnus Saint, he once more faced Saori-san, his eyes strangely intent. "And your Lady knows this, don't you, Athena?" This time, the young woman's composure cracked and a troubled light clouded her purple gaze. "No, I have no idea what you're talking about. None." There was something like the beginnings of fear in Saori-san's voice, something like vulnerability and confusion which sent shivers down my spine. "You lie, Lady," the Fallen Angel countered in a gentle voice. "Tell me, why did you refuse Gabriel's request?" "I--" Saori-san shook her head in a slow motion, unable to go on. "Now that's enough, stop harassing her!" Seiya pulled back his chair and stood up, anger shining brightly in his nut brown eyes. Suddenly, I felt cosmo radiating from him. "It's a mistake to challenge a superior opponent unarmed, the more so when one isn't fully recovered from one's wounds," Lucifer said quietly, not even deigning to face the Pegasus Saint. Abruptly, Seiya froze, and the light of his cosmo vanished in the blink of an eye, as if absorbed by the shadows of the hall. "I'm growing weary of interruptions. You will be silent, and remain in your proper place." Right in front of me, Seiya was standing, frozen in half movement, his face contorted in a wild expression which could have meant fear or pain. His whole body was shaking, and the nut brown eyes had glazed over. "Enough." Just as I was about to summon Andromeda to me, Saori-san's tense voice cut through the silence. Between clenched teeth, she said, "Release him, Lucifer. Release him right now." "If you insist," he snorted disdainfully, and Seiya staggered back one step, falling into his chair like a puppet whose strings would have been abruptly cut. Life came back to the Pegasus Saint's eyes, who blinked as if he was waking up from a nightmare. "Are you okay?" Shiryu's urgent whisper was met by a weak nod from Seiya, and I sighed inwardly, relieved. "Had you accompanied darling Gabriel back to Atsilouth, you would have forfeited your own life, Athena, as I'm sure you well know." Lucifer's calm words were like thunder roaring in the great hall. "What?" Saori-san was staring helplessly back at the Fallen Angel, and her face was livid. Surprise marked Lucifer's unearthly beautiful features, and his eyes narrowed in speculation. "Could it be," he mused, "that you really weren't aware of the danger?" All of a sudden he laughed, a harsh, mocking sound which echoed among the great columns of marbles and faded into the shadows. "The irony of this is priceless." He shook his head, then faced her again, asking, "Have you forgotten the truth of yourself, Athena? Don't you remember who and what you are?" He let his words hang in the air for a few seconds, and then went on, his purple gaze lost in the contemplation of things only he could see, "It would explain much, it would explain why you so carelessly fought against Poseidon and sealed him, and most of all it would explain why you made the grievous mistake of killing Hades." Sealing Poseidon and killing Hades, a mistake? It didn't make sense. We hadn't chosen those terrible wars, we had had no alternative but to fight them to preserve humanity. What was Lucifer talking about? "What I don't understand, though, is why the memories slipped away from you, they're a part of you, and--" Abruptly, he cut himself off, and a cold smile came to his lips. "Of course," his eyes once again focused on Saori, and he said softly, "you were afraid. You hid the knowledge, you sealed away your own memories, that has to be it." With a slight sigh of frustration, he waved his own words away as if they were a minor inconvenience. "That won't facilitate things, but it changes nothing to the situation." "The situation?" Saori-san repeated, and I heard the slightest trembling in her voice. Grimly, Lucifer nodded, and said, in deadly earnest, "Heaven will demand that you give back what belongs to it, the Heavenly Host will gather, and demand your life. There will be war, a war such as this world of Assiah hasn't seen since the time of our Fall, and once it's over it will be no more, unless you accept my offer of alliance. Unless we combine our forces and take on Heaven itself before it comes to destroy us." Saori-san bowed her head, and her shoulders slumped, as if what she had just heard was too much for her to bear. We watched her in silence, numb. Lost. "No...." The young woman's hands clenched into fists, and she looked up, saying, "No, this doesn't make sense. Zeus would never allow--" "Zeus?" Lucifer snorted. "Please, Athena, don't play dumb with me. There will be no help for you, none other than mine. Believe me or not if you will, but think well on this: would the Olympian Gods have stood by and let you seal Poseidon and kill Hades without intervening? Would Zeus have allowed the precious balance of power of his universe to fall apart without reacting? Would he have let this happen just because the one who broke it was his favorite daughter?" Saori-san's eyes widened, and she flinched, almost imperceptibly. Eventually, she asked in a whisper, "Why? Why is this happening now?" All of a sudden she looked like a frightened girl, an ordinary human being with no trace of divine power left in her. Lucifer merely smiled. "Do you accept my offer of alliance, Lady of the Earth?" A long, heavy silence followed the question. On both sides of the table, the lights of the candelabras was waning. Noticing this, a distant part of me wondered just how much time had passed since the Fallen Angel had appeared in the great hall. Looking at Seiya, I saw distress shining in his eyes, and I bit my lower lip, sharing with him the urge to go to the side of the young woman who was sitting with her head bowed, vulnerable and alone. More alone than she's ever been, it's as if the universe had given way beneath her feet. I wasn't faring better than she, on the opposite, but I didn't dare let myself dwell on that. At least I could discard my own fears while I waited for her decision like my friends. Even Lune stayed silent, the redhead's face set in a somber, unreadable mask. It was Saori-san's, Athena's burden, and we had no right to intervene. We had gone against her wishes in the past, but this time.... There was a loud creaking sound as the young woman pushed back her chair and stood up. Taking a deep breath, she stared at Lucifer steadily, and said softly, "No, I won't ally myself with the forces of Hell. If answers must be found, I'll seek them. If a war must be fought to defend humanity, we'll fight it on our own, but I won't give you a way of stepping into this world, Lucifer. I won't fall into that trap." An unfathomable light flashed in the Fallen Angel's eyes, then he stood up as well and bowed. "Very well." A cold smile came to his lips, and he added, "See for yourself what the future hold, then, Lady." He turned away from us, and stepped over to the shadows between the columns of marble. Just as he reached the border of the space which was lit by the candle's weak light, he paused. Without turning back, he said quietly, "You'll change your mind, soon. When you do, remember that my offer still stands. We'll discuss its terms in that moment." With that, he stepped into the shadows and vanished. One with the night. "Wasn't it a mistake to send Shun-senpai and Hyoga-senpai away?" Lune asked, with a calm that was unusual for the redhead. "No," Saori shook her head, explaining, "I need to understand what Lucifer said, and in order to do this I need to get in touch with Julian Solo. Shun is best suited to do that, he knows Sorento better than any of us do, and the former Marine Shogun won't let anyone approach his lord easily. With Hyoga accompanying him, I'm confident nothing can happen to them, and while they're gone, I have you, Merle, Seiya, Shiryu and Ikki to look after the Sanctuary. I'm sure that together you're up to the task." The young woman looked at each of the young men assembled around her in turn, and gave them a warm, reassuring smile, displaying a confidence she was lightyears away from feeling. There's no other way, doubting it would be pure folly. "It'll take some time for all the Saints to assemble in the Sanctuary as you requested anyway, Saori-san." Shiryu's dark eyes met hers, and he gave her a rare smile. "Some of the training centers, like Andromeda Island are very far away, so better to try and gather as much information as we can in the meantime." Am I so transparent? The young woman who was also a Goddess wondered. With an effort of will, she chased away the blush that she could feel was trying to come to her cheeks, and managed to keep her composure as she nodded back at the Dragon Saint. Warmth spread into her heart when she saw the gentleness in the wise gaze of the young man, and she smiled despite herself. It doesn't matter, after all. Thank you for helping assuage my fears, Shiryu. Reporting her attention on the glass of water that she had lifted to her lips a few seconds ago, she emptied it of its contents and put it back on the table, standing up in the same time. "Excuse me, but I need to be alone for a while." At once, they all stood as well and bowed before stepping out of the small conference room. As Seiya reached the door, he paused and looked back at her, saying earnestly, "We'll be close by. If you need us, if anything happens, just call us and we'll be beside you in an instant." Saori gave the Pegasus Saint a single nod, and then smiled to herself after he was gone. Yes, I know you'll always be there, Seiya. I know.... Heaving out a little sigh, she chased those thoughts away from her and exited the room as well. The climb up to the Altar of Athena was a steep one, but Saori was used to it. Besides, it was winter and the sun was kind, even though it was at its zenith. When the young woman reached the parvis of the Altar, she was greeted by a small breeze which brought her a feeling of wetness as well as scents from the sea. Turning her head, she looked at the mountains which delimited the Sanctuary's territory, and beyond them at the human megalopolis called Athens. The sea was sparkling in the horizon; the ever-present pollution cloud which choked the giant city weaker in this season. Eventually, Saori snapped out of her idle contemplation and stepped over to the golden statue of Athena. Unlike many other representations of the Goddess, this one was life-sized. The Kamui, the divine Cloth. Mine. The young woman shivered, all of a sudden. The thought felt alien, the memories of the brief time during which she had worn it to confront Hades unwelcome ones. For a long time, she stood in front of the statue, then eventually she shook her head. "Why have I come here?" Her faint whisper was taken away by the breeze. "What answers could there be in this place?" Saori stared at her reflection on the Shield of Athena, idly wondering if it might come alive and give her the knowledge she lacked, the knowledge she needed if they were to have a single chance of saving this world. For of this at least she was certain. Lucifer had told her the truth in this one thing: a war against Heaven was coming, and humanity was in danger. She had felt it, deep inside her heart, when the archangel Gabriel had held out his hand towards her. She had seen it in the strange, eerie sadness which had flashed in the beautiful gray eyes for the time of a heartbeat. Have you forgotten the truth of yourself, Athena? The young woman shivered, hearing the echoes of the Fallen Angel's crystalline voice echo inside her mind. Don't you remember who and what you are? Saori's right hand clenched around the scepter which held Nike, the small, winged Goddess of Victory. Lucifer's words had triggered a violent reaction inside her, giving rise to what was close to panic. As if the Fallen Angel had almost reached something that couldn't be touched. Must never be touched. There was a knot, hidden deep in the shadows of her soul, a place she couldn't reach. Saori was a Goddess, but she was also a human being, a young woman who had barely reached eighteen. Unlike Julian Solo or poor Shun, she had been born with the spirit of Athena inside her. She *was* Athena, and she was Saori at the same time. There might have been a time when two essences shared her body, but she doubted it. She was one person, one heart and one soul. She had few memories of her past incarnations, which was for the best: her human mind couldn't have borne with the memories and feelings of all those others she had been. She learnt as she grew up and was confronted to events, and she had innate understanding of things like the balance which held the world together, a balance set by her father, Zeus. Would Zeus have allowed the precious balance of power of his universe to fall apart without reacting? Saori blinked, feeling her heart skip a beat as Lucifer's voice once again echoed inside her mind. Grimly, she forced the raw, unnamed fear which had tried to envelop her just now *away*, and made herself analyze what the Fallen Angel had told her. There had been truth into those words, a disturbing truth which troubled the young woman far more than she could admit to her friends. "Why didn't any of them intervene?" She asked softly to the slight breeze. Of course, there was no reply, but she hadn't expected any. With a self-deprecating smile, Saori stared at her reflection in the Shield of Athena, and had a sharp intake of breath. Cracks had appeared in the structure of the sacred object. On instinct, she reached out to it, but her fingers didn't feel anything wrong on its surface. The mirror is shattering. Saori recoiled, snatching her hand away as the foreign thought formed inside her mind. Biting her lower lip, she shook her head, slowly feeling her heartbeats speeding up and air burning her lungs as if she was running away from something. Are you all ready? Then let's begin. "Ah!" The strangled cry escaped the young woman lips, and her eyes widened while she slowly fell down to her knees. Night has fallen, and clouds cover the sky, masking the moon and the stars, which is just perfect. They're all there, gathered in the center of the circle of giant stones. They're twenty, and the young woman's hand clutches at the fabric of her long robes as she hugs herself. She can only pray that they'll be enough to have a hold on what they're going to summon. If not.... We won't fail. We can't fail. It's her father who convinced them all, who gathered the forbidden knowledge mandatory to reach their goal. At first she was horrified by what he proposed, but she has opened her eyes since then. She has looked at the world. She knows that he's right. "Are you all ready?" She looks at her father and nods, in the same time as the others. He smiles at her, and gently takes her hand. "Then let's begin." A hush comes over the ancient hill, while they all link hands together. While they gather all the will and strength they have. Then the deep voice of her father recites, "I require thee, O--" "No!" There was a loud clang as the scepter of Nike hit the ground beside Saori. She didn't hear it, trapped by the memories which were assaulting her mind. On instinct, the young woman hugged herself, trying in vain to prevent her body from shaking. In front of her the cracks which were marring her reflection in the Shield of Athena were widening. "The pact is sealed, then." The purple fire which burns in the eyes of the Accursed One who has come to seal their forbidden alliance sweeps over all of them, but they hold fast. He doesn't try to break their unity, he has never tried to, for some reason the young woman doesn't understand. Perhaps he had his own reasons to help them. The thought sends shivers down the young woman's spine. She cannot let doubts touch her heart, she knows that they have no other choice than to proceed with their carefully thought out plan. "Who will give me the token I require?" Frightful silence follows the question, then a quiet voice rises in the night: "I will." The young woman watches, numb, as one of her uncles steps over to the side of the beautiful, unearthly being who reigns over darkness. She knows what must follow. They have chosen among themselves before coming here. Her uncle volunteered for this, because he's the most fitting choice. His heart is fair and pure, and he's the one whose task it will be to venture into the lands where the sun never shines, after. The purple eyes of the Fallen One shine with a frightening light as her uncle reaches his side and slowly holds out his right hand. "You're a wise choice," the soft whisper is almost like a purr which makes the young woman's legs shake with feelings and emotions she cannot name. Gently, the lord of Hell takes the offered hand, and brings it to his lips, closing his eyes as if he was about to kiss the center of her uncle's palm. The young woman cannot see what happens afterwards, but suddenly her uncle staggers, and the Fallen Angel's other hand come up, resting against the left side of other man's neck to support him while he whispers softly, "Hush." A few seconds pass in the most absolute of silences, then the One whom she cannot name releases her uncle, who steps back towards them in slow, careful motions, as if he had drunk too much wine. There is a smile on the Fallen Angel's face, at once cruel and tender. The sight of it shakes the young woman to the roots of her being, and suddenly she thinks that they have failed, that their life is going to end here, in this barren place-- "Now, I will keep my part of the bargain. Belial," he calls, and another materializes in the night. "Show them the path to the Other Side, show them the path to the Qav." "This is impossible!" There was desperation in Saori's voice. Horror at what hidden memories of the past were revealing to her. Slowly, she bowed her head and closed her eyes, as if that could somehow stop the flood of images which were drowning her mind. As if it could wipe everything away. "Hades?" The young woman feels her heart wrenching in compassion as she sees her uncle nod. "It's done." There's something broken inside him, something that mars the purity of his heart. A shadow over his soul. She looks at her father, but he doesn't acknowledge her. Zeus knows, she tells herself. Oh yes, he knows that the price her uncle paid for all of them, and the dark task that was set on his shoulders have changed him forever. Dark, but no darker than what we all did. She nods to herself, aware of this. Aware of the unforgivable crimes they've committed: the most awful of thefts, and betrayal. She's aware of guilt, like a stain on her spirit. They're all clad in their Cloths of Light, ready to go their separate ways. It's the way of things, she knows, but it will be hard to be alone. She has strength inside her, she has the Light with her, and she is apt to her own task. But still what is ahead of them seems so difficult, so complex, so much beyond what human beings can do.... But we are no longer human. Briefly, she closes her eyes, and sends doubts away, for the last time. They did all this for the world, they did all this for mankind. She remembers the pain of the world she looked at before making her own decision to join her father in this endeavor. It may be their names will be cursed for all eternity, but at least they'll have acted on their beliefs. From now on, it will be human hands which will guide humanity, human hearts which will guard it, and not the impossibly alien God who created it from a whim. Before they acted, the universe was Atsilouth, Beriyah, Yetsirah, and Assiah, and now there is only Heaven, Earth, Water and Death. Four realms upon which they will rule, sharing the power among themselves. "It's time." The young woman starts, surprised, and then looks up to see her father's eyes set on her. "Farewell, my daughter, preserve the balance we decided upon, always." She nods, and then steps out of the unreal world of Heaven, Olympus, as her father now calls it. Before she completely steps into the world that was Assiah and is now Earth, her domain, one last time she hears her father's voice: "Farewell, Athena." Saori let out a ragged, painful breath, and opened her eyes. The flood of memories had mercifully stopped tearing at her mind. She stared fixedly at her hands which had come down on the marble floor to support her, unaware of anything else, the thick curtain of long hair spread around her like a shield separating her from the world. Watashi wa...kono te de.... The voice which cried out inside her was a little girl's. Something was burning her eyes, tears she couldn't shed, tears which belonged to another. Regrets. Fear, horror at the enormity of what the hidden memories had revealed. It wasn't me, it wasn't me! The young woman felt distress coming over her like a tidal wave. It washed over her, threatening to rob her of reason and take away her sanity. Sobs rose in her throat, undeniable. Go, Seiya, do what you must. I'll be waiting for you here, I'll keep faith, and I'll bear with the pain inflicted by the arrow. The words resounded within, tearing through the dark veil of despair, and Saori opened her eyes, remembering. I'll keep faith. The memories which had returned to her weren't another's. They were her own, memories of things she had done back in a time when the world was young. Memories of how it had all begun. The decisions which had been made at that time had been hers, were hers. The deliberate choice to violate that which was sacred, to betray a pact and to sacrifice one of her own family in the process.... Yes, all that was hers, theirs, for they had all agreed, Hades included. But she had forgotten, she had made herself forget, because it was too dangerous to remember, too dangerous to know that beyond Olympus itself.... Saori shivered, unable to push further in that direction. When she had fought against Hades, she had done so unaware of the past. But now.... Forgive me. The young woman hugged herself, and wept in silence for a while. Eventually, the tears stopped, and Saori raised her head, in a slow motion. While the thick curtain of her hair lifted, she looked inside her heart, she looked at the fear and the doubts, she confronted the regrets and the guilt, and a grim smile came to her lips. I know why I made that choice in the past. I would reach the same decision now, if I had to do it again. Reaching out, she closed the fingers of her right hand on the scepter of Nike. It hadn't been another who had committed those crimes, it had been her. She wouldn't shy away from the truth, she wouldn't shy away from the consequences of her actions. They had had powerful reasons. They had had hopes and dreams greater than the frail human beings they had been, and her dreams were still there: the ideals she and her friends had fought for all along. The ideals and dreams we will keep fighting for if we have to. There was no turning back, there was no atoning for the sins of the past. There was just one thing that was necessary: acceptance. Saori did so, she faced her reflection in the great Shield and acknowledged the dark scar which marked her heart. She stared at this other self for a long time, unmoving, then eventually she stood up and turned to look at the Sanctuary below her, at the world of men beyond it, and smiled. A beautiful, painful smile. Yes, a war against Heaven was coming, and she would fight it with all her strength. She would protect the humanity that she loved so very much, no matter what. The Heavenly Host could come, she wouldn't doubt anymore. Indeed, why should she have? She was already damned. She took a deep breath, and then released it slowly, feeling the caress of the wind against her cheeks, and hearing the distant echoes of the sea. Closing her eyes, she focused on the feeling of the world around her, on the wonderful magic of its existence, and warmth spread inside her. She stayed like this for a while, content to feel her heart beating in harmony with the land, then started down the stairs which led back to the main building of the temple of Athena. All of a sudden, the bright light of the sun faded, and Saori froze. The wind had pushed some of the great clouds right above the Sanctuary, and their shadow was enveloping the place. The young woman looked up at the sky, and watched as the powerful wind pushed the heavy clouds further north, and as the sunlight started touching the Sacred Domain once more. There was something that still troubled Saori, something which disturbed her heart like the clouds did the sky. Lucifer. Try though she might, the young woman couldn't understand the Fallen Angel's actions. He had deliberately told her the words which would make her remember. He had wanted her to remember, but why? It seemed absurd. Why had he offered her an alliance? Was it all a convoluted game of his? With a slow shake of her head, the young woman acknowledged that she couldn't fathom the mind of the lord of Hell. Not yet. With that, she resumed her walk and left the altar of Athena. Bright flashes of light were coming from the foot of the great Stairs. At first, it was a rather strange sight, but as one came closer, one could realize that it was just a play of the sunlight reflecting on the metal of Bronze Cloths. Unicorn Jabu and Lionet Ban were sitting on the first steps, apparently indulging themselves in idle talking, but they hadn't missed any movement of the young woman who was coming towards them. They didn't recognize her until she got very close to them, standing against the sun as she was, but when she stopped beside them, they greeted her with a warm smile and a polite bow. "Is the situation as bad as I think it is?" She asked as she bowed back. Nothing in her voice or her stance betrayed nervousness of any kind, and the mask on her face insured that neither of the Bronze Saints could guess what she was feeling. Unicorn Jabu gave her a somber nod, replying, "It must be. Saori-san called everyone back to the Sanctuary, and she has asked that the borders of the Sanctuary as well as the foot of the Stairs be watched night and day." "And she forbade anyone to engage combat. If we spot an intruder, we are to send warning, that's all." Lionet Ban shook his head, adding quietly, "I don't like this, I don't understand it. There's a strange feeling of fear which has taken hold of the Sacred Domain. I don't like this at all," he repeated in a whisper. The young woman observed at both Bronze Saints behind her mask and thought to herself that they were right. Ever since she had set foot in this holy territory, she had felt the hush over the place, as if the mountains themselves were waiting for something. She felt glad for the Cloth she was wearing, for some reason she couldn't fathom. Eventually, she discarded her reflections, and asked the two young men, "I just arrived from Andromeda Island, and I've been looking for Shun. He doesn't seem to be anywhere on the lower level of the Sanctuary. Would you happen to know where I could find him?" "Ah, Shun." The grin which came to Unicorn Jabu's face suddenly made Chameleon June feel like beating the fool senseless, and she cursed herself for her own stupidity in allowing herself to be touched by two simple words. Angrily, she chased away the blush she could feel heating her cheeks, and thanked the Goddess for her mask. Oblivious to all this, the young man continued, "You're lucky, he just came back to the Sanctuary. He's up there," Jabu pointed towards the top of the peak behind him, "in the temple of Athena. I suppose he and Hyoga have been reporting to Saori-san. Go ahead," he winked at her, "we'll pretend we didn't see you." Unable to help herself, June laughed. "You're a scoundrel, Unicorn Jabu!" Shaking her head, the young woman stepped beyond the two Bronze Saints and started going up the great Stairs which led to the temple of Athena. At first, she simply walked, but soon she grew bored of the slow ascent. It'd take her the better part of an hour to reach her destination, and she didn't feel like wasting her time. She needed to see Shun, she needed answers. Now that she led the small colony of apprentices and Bronze Saints on Andromeda Island, she had a responsibility towards them. She had to know what was going on, all of a sudden, she had to know the reason behind the gathering of the Sanctuary's forces. Why now? Now, when there was no god left to fight. Sparking a small fraction of her cosmo, June started running. The Houses followed one another, their columns of marble blurs on both sides of her vision. She didn't stop in any of them. There had been a time where she had been intrigued by the fabled Twelve Houses which guarded the way to the temple of Athena, but not anymore. Not since the terrible night when the Specters of Hades had gone up the great Stairs, not since the Gold Saints had died. Silence. June froze, her right hand tight on the whip at her side. Just as she had entered the sixth House, the echo of her footsteps had stopped resounding among the columns of marble. It had died, all of a sudden, as if someone or something had wanted to extinguish an annoying noise. Saori-san waved away in a gesture indicating helplessness. "I see. Well, we couldn't know that both of them would be away, and on the other side of the world to boot. Did you manage to find out when they'll be back?" I nodded, replying, "Yes. The series of concerts that Sorento is giving in Australia for the moment will be over in nine days. He and Julian Solo should be back in Greece after that. But they won't stay for long; they have concerts scheduled in France which start at the end of this month." "All right," Saori-san leaned back against her chair. "It seems we have no other option than to wait until they come back. I suppose I could send a message through the Graad Foundation, but...." The young woman's voice trailed off into silence, and the look in her eyes grew distant. I blinked, then looked away from her, feeling weird for no reason I could have named. There was something different in Saori-san, it was as if something in her had changed in the few days that Hyoga and I had been away. My eyes met Seiya's, who shrugged, shaking his head in ignorance. The Pegasus Saint was as much at a loss to understand what was going on as I was. On my left, Hyoga stood up and stretched, yawning. "My, but I need a nap! If my presence isn't necessary anymore, I think I'll go take some rest." This last sentence had been directed at Saori-san, who nodded and said with a warm smile: "Of course, I'm sorry I asked you to come here before you had a bit of time to yourselves." "Don't worry about it, Saori-san," Seiya was harboring a mischievous smile on his lips. "After all it's our duty as Saints to report the information we have learnt before we do anything else, no matter how lazy some of us can be." I burst out laughing when I saw the furious scowl on Hyoga's face, and thought he had it coming to him. "Seiya!" Saori-san chided the Pegasus Saint, who looked back at her with his best innocent expression. On the other side of the table, Ikki-niisan snorted derisively, and Shiryu heaved out a small sigh, smiling. Doki. My cosmo violently flared to life, and I felt-- Presences. One, a small candle light which flickered with the wind, one that I knew, as close as family. Another, yet indefinite. Coming. Abruptly, I snapped out of the trance and stood up. Unheeding of the startled look in my friends' eyes, I ran towards the door. "Shun, wait!" I didn't hear Saori-san's voice, I didn't see her outstretched hand. I didn't see Lune's pure golden aura suddenly illuminate the room, as if in answer to mine. I ran, unheeding of anything but the fear which was roving in my heart. June stepped back when she saw the humanlike shape detach itself from the blinding light which had suddenly appeared in the center of the House of Virgo. Desperately, the Chameleon Saint fought to regain control of the riot of feelings and emotions inside her, and got a harsh grip on herself. The light of her cosmo was gone, swept away by the violent explosion of light. Try though she might, she couldn't touch that part of herself anymore. Something akin to terror was clawing at her soul, but she couldn't yield to it. She had no right to yield to it, even though it was devouring her from within. Pull yourself together, fool! The young woman forced herself to focus on the one who was coming towards her, and felt her own body trembling when she saw the impossible wings in his back. An angel? The question frantically echoed in her mind, but found no answer. There was nothing she could do, nothing but confront the being of light. Gathering her courage, June asked in a voice as steady as she could muster, "Who are you?" The angel stopped, as if only now registering the Bronze Saint's presence. He was beautiful, inhumanly so. He was just as angels were supposed to be, or so the Chameleon Saint guessed. A smile came to the apparition's lips, and he said, "I am Hamaliel, Lord governor over the Zodiacal sign of Virgo. Now, tell me where I will find Andromeda Shun." His voice was music, a sound of such purity that it touched the young woman's very soul. Under the blind mask, June bit her lower lip until she tasted blood in her mouth, until the pain was enough to break the spell of the angel's voice. Almost, she had answered him, and that almost irrepressible urge was still present in her heart. Focusing on the metallic taste of blood in her mouth, the female Saint took a good look at the one who was standing less than ten steps away from her, and felt cold savagely hit the pit of her stomach. The smile on the angel's face was ice, it was absolute contempt. Anger sparked in the young woman, and it washed away the fear which was choking her. June knew a threat when she saw it, and she nodded slowly to herself. So, this is the new enemy the Sanctuary must face. The power which was exuding from the angel's lean frame was beyond anything she had ever felt, beyond Scorpio Milo's, beyond Shun's. Beyond hers. Far, far beyond hers. Looking straight into the golden fire of the angel's eyes, the female Saint didn't see her reflection in them. I don't even exist for him. Bowing her head, the young woman felt a crooked smile creeping up her lips. The cold inside her grew, but this time it didn't clog her mind, on the opposite. It made her sharper. There was no mercy to expect from the inhuman being, nothing but death. As the thought formed inside her, June's heart cleared, and deep within it, she found the light she had thought lost, burnt away by the angel's. With slow deliberation, she set fire to the small light that was her cosmo, she gave it all the strength of her fragile life, and lifted up her head. Looking the angel right in the eye, she told him quietly, "Go to Hell." Then, moving in a blur she freed her whip and rushed forward, hurling herself towards the enemy. As her left foot touched the ground, she froze, held by an invisible hand as if she'd been a lifeless puppet. Something touched her then, a blinding light which blew her mask to bits and exploded inside her, burning her heart and soul to ashes in an instant. When I entered the House of Virgo, I felt the light of June's cosmo go out. I felt the angel's power, as his fire consumed her from within. No. I ran madly towards the two silhouettes standing at the center of the House of Virgo, denying what my perceptions had told me. No, it's not true, it can't be true, it can't be. The words echoed in my mind like a prayer, on and on. "June-san," I whispered when I reached her side. Please, please, help me, someone, anyone, please, don't let-- As I touched her left shoulder, the young woman fell backwards. On instinct, I passed my right arm around her back, catching her before she could hit the floor. Her head rolled sidewise against my arm, like a broken doll's, and abruptly I saw her unmasked face. Emptiness engulfed me when I stared into the glazed eyes that life had deserted. I opened my mouth to cry out, but no sound could pass through my lips. Tears were burning my eyes, but I couldn't shed them. I couldn't weep, I couldn't feel anything anymore, there was nothing left within me. I was empty. The only thing that I was aware of was that she was still warm against me. Slowly, her body pushed against my arm as it continued its initial movement towards the floor, and I gave way, accompanying the movement and falling down on my knees. I held her back, then, bringing her against me and resting her head against my chest. I couldn't let her touch the floor, it was too cold, too cold for her, it would hurt her, and I couldn't let that happen. I had no right to let that happen, I had no right.... "Why are you holding on to that corpse?" I didn't hear the unveiled disgust in the beautiful voice. "Let it go, and come with me to Heaven, Andromeda Shun." I didn't look up, unaware of anything but the weight of June's body leaning against me. Already, she was growing cold in my arms. So horribly cold.... I hugged her tight and bowed my head, resting my brow against her beautiful golden hair. So soft, almost like silk, so precious. The distant, absurd thoughts drowned into the void that I had become. "Curse you, willing or not, you will accompany me to Atsilouth." A hand harshly gripped my shoulder, but I didn't move. I didn't even feel its fingers bruising my flesh. "Oh sweet Goddess, Shun!" Seiya's horrified cry resounded in the House of Virgo, but didn't touch me. Nothing could touch me anymore. "Gate of Space and Time, close upon my enemy!" Right in front of me, a great wind rose, pulling at the body of the young woman I was holding in my arms, and a hole opened in the fabric of the universe. The wind became storm, and I hugged June with desperate strength. In the same time, the grip on my shoulders vanished, and the angel was violently pulled away from me, swallowed by the gaping maw of darkness. Just as the great gate closed, eyes of liquid fire met mine, and something shattered the emptiness which had claimed me. Hatred. The angel's inhuman, eternal hatred. Then the windstorm died, as abruptly as it had come, and the voice of Lune cut through the deep silence which had settled over the small temple. "It should be safe now, but since he wasn't human, I don't know how long the inter-dimensional prison will hold him." "I got you. Thanks, Lune, you saved the day." My brother's voice lingered in the air, the gruff appreciation there had been in the words echoing inside me, mixed with the sound of footsteps coming towards me. "Shun--" I tensed violently when I felt a hand rest upon my right shoulder, and without looking back, I snarled, "Don't touch me!" June's body was growing colder and colder against me, even though I was hugging her with all the strength I had. I set fire to my cosmo, then, I went deep within and found the path to the seventh sense, using its infinite power to inflame the light of my life. I willed its flames to burn higher and higher, I willed its heat to envelop the young woman I was holding against me, but nothing changed. She kept growing colder with each second that passed. Her heart didn't start beating again. There's no heart left inside her, fool. There's nothing left. Nothing. Nothing at all. Nothing at all! I felt my whole body shaking as the thoughts swirled inside my mind and danced a mocking dance of absurd sounds. "Shun, it's useless. There's nothing you can do for her, little brother. She's dead." I felt Ikki-niisan's hand on my shoulder once again. I felt his fingers trembling, and I heard the sadness there had been in the gentle whisper. I blinked, but no tears came. No cry of grief managed to pass through the barrier of my tightly closed lips. Eventually, I nodded; and I stood up on my own, bearing up the frail body of the young woman in my arms. Without looking at my friends, I stepped towards the entrance of the House of Virgo, right in front of me, and absolute silence accompanied me as I left the small temple's shadows.
End of Chapter 3.
Notes
Lucifer: Light Giver. In fact, Lucifer was erroneously equated with Satan due to a misreading of Isaiah. Myself, I prefer the name "Lucifer" to that of "Satan" (which wasn't a name but rather a function assumed by an angel who was not a fallen one or anything. It's only much later that "satan" became "Satan"), so I decided to use it. What's more, I rather like the paradox between the meaning of his name, and the fact that he's (mistakenly) believed to be the lord of Hell. Actually, Lucifer connotes star, and applies to the evening star (hence the end of chapter 2).
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