Darkness returns
By: MimiYamatoForever
Chapter 1
It was near midnight when the phoenix saint quietly crept into his brothers room and saw the lump filled bed covered in moonlight. He walked over and gazed down at his brother who slept soundly. Ikki carefully placed a cool hand on Shun's forehead.
The fever was still there but it had gone down some. This made the older brother feel a little better. He went over and sat down on a chair and watched as Shun slept.
Ikki knew that Shun wasn't taking the whole occurrence well and that made him worry even more about his brother. Ever since Shun had come home he had been quieter than usual and would barely say anything to anyone.
Ikki wanted to blame it on his brother's current illness but he knew that being sick wasn't the reason Shun was like this. He couldn't blame Shun for being this way though. It wasn't something you heard everyday that you were the reincarnation of a God. And not just a God. But Hades. One of the three God brothers who ruled over other Gods and Earth.
When they all had heard about it none of them wanted to believe it, especially Ikki. But Seiya had seen Shun turn to Hades right before his eyes and Ikki had seen his brother as the fully reincarnated Underworld ruler. Hyoga and Shiryu hadn't seen Shun like that and they were glad they hadn't. They weren't sure if they would have been able to handle it.
Ikki wished more than anything that he could burn the image of Shun being that other person out of his mind. It was just too impossible. Shun, a saint of Athena, the physical reincarnation of Hades.
The blue haired saint was brought out of his thoughts when he heard a moan come from the bed. He saw Shun roll onto his back before he was still again.
The only reason he's sleeping at all without remembering the nightmares is because of his fever. Ikki thought to himself. Once the fever breaks, who knows what'll happen.
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Sunrise had come quickly but only two people were awake in the mansion the saints now had as their own since Saori now lived in Sanctuary.
Shiryu and Hyoga were awake and downstairs in the kitchen. Hyoga was absentmindedly stirring his cereal and Shiryu was leaning against the counter with a cup of hot coffee in his hands. They were both quiet and in deep thought.
Finally Hyoga lightly sighed; breaking the silence.
"He can't blame himself like this. It's not healthy. Especially with him being as sick as he is right now."
"There's nothing we can do but be there for him Hyoga." Shiryu said. "Shun is having a really hard time with what happened. I would be too if something like that happened to me."
"I know." Hyoga agreed with a single nod. "But Shun knows that it's not his fault and he was able to drive Hades out of his body."
"And by doing that we managed to defeat Hades in his real body." Shiryu added.
"I still wonder why Hades possessed Shun though." Hyoga wondered forgetting about his breakfast. "I mean, Hades is the God of Death and darkness. Shun is the Andromeda saint serving Athena."
"I don't understand either." Shiryu replied. "The only explanation would be that Shun really was Hades in mythological times."
"I refuse to believe that." Hyoga said.
"Me too." Shiryu agreed.
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Ikki's eyes slowly fluttered opened. He sat up as he stretched and yawned. One quick look around and he saw that he had fallen asleep in the chair in Shun's room. Looking over to the bed, Ikki saw Shun's bed was empty. He bolted up from the chair and looked around the room with panic growing inside him.
He knew his brother well and he knew that the fever Shun had would cloud any sense of judgement that he had. When they were younger and Shun was sick once, Ikki had asked his brother a few questions that were completely off. He had even gotten his name wrong.
After checking the room, Ikki rushed out into the hallway and spotted the missing person coming out of the hallway bathroom.
"Shun," Ikki sighed in relief rushing over.
The Andromed saint looked up. "Huh?"
"You scared me to death." Ikki said helping his brother walk back to his room.
"Sorry Ikki." Shun said tiredly. "I just needed to use the bathroom."
"It's alright." Ikki said. "Now get back in bed and I'll go get you some breakfast."
"No thanks Ikki. I'm not hungry." Shun replied lying down.
"I know you don't feel up to it Shun but you need to eat something to get better."
Shun lightly moaned before nodding.
"Ok. Just stay here and I'll be right back. I'll get you something light for your stomach." Ikki said before leaving and closing the door.
Shun sighed and hugged his blanket close to his body.
I can't believe how sick I am. Shun thought. I should have been over this a long time ago. Why am I still sick?
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Hyoga and Shiryu watched as Ikki came into the kitchen and started to warm up some soup.
"Is Shun awake yet?" Hyoga asked.
"He is but I don't think he's doing any better." Ikki answered turning the stove burner on.
"I'll go check on him for a while." Hyoga said standing and leaving.
"Think he'll get better anytime soon?" Shiryu asked.
"I sure hope he does." Ikki answered. "That fever of his isn't making him think straight."
"I know." Shiryu agreed. "And it must be killing Shun to still be like this for over a week."
Ikki nodded in agreement. He hated to see Shun like this.
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Hyoga lightly knocked on the open door and saw Shun look up at him from his bed.
"Hey buddy. How you feeling?" Hyoga asked walking in and taking a seat on the chair Ikki had slept on.
"Like I was just hit by a very large truck and run over by a bulldozer." Shun answered.
"I remember that feeling when we went against Aldebaran in the Taurus temple." Hyoga said with a small chuckle. "But don't worry. I'm sure that you'll get better soon."
"I hope so." Shun muttered. "I'm slowly going crazy lying around like this."
"You're not use to it." Hyoga stated. "You've always been healthy and active. Being sick and lying in bed all day isn't your thing. But the plus side is that Ikki is your personal servant."
"I heard that swan boy." Ikki declared as he walked into the room with a tray in his hands.
"Wasn't me." Hyoga declared.
"Sure it wasn't." Ikki said. "Time to eat Shun."
"Do I have to Ikki?" Shun asked.
"Yes." Ikki answered.
"It might help you get better a little quicker." Hyoga said.
"Traitor." Shun muttered as Ikki helped him sit up.
"Traitor?" Hyoga repeated.
"He's just a little cranky." Ikki said.
"I am not." Shun pouted.
"Come on Shun. Just eat up and I'll let you go back to sleep." Ikki said.
"Promise?"
"Yes I promise." Ikki said. "I'll be back in a few minutes."
Shun looked down at the soup and his stomach churned in disgust. "I can't eat this." He said.
"Just try to eat a little bit. You don't have to eat the whole thing if your stomach isn't up to it." Hyoga advised. "I'm not like Ikki. I won't make you eat the whole thing."
"I think I'd rather have you as a personal sevant than my brother." Shun said stirring his soup.
"You know that he just wants you to get better." Hyoga said.
"I know. Maybe I am just being cranky." Shun replied as he forced a spoonful of soup down his throat.
"Just remember that it'll all be over soon." Hyoga advised.
Shun swallowed another spoonful of soup. "I just hope that it's soon." he said.
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True to his promise, Ikki allowed Shun to return to sleep after eating a little less than half his soup. The green haired Andromeda saint had almost right away fallen asleep after Ikki had taken away the dirty dishes.
Seiya had just now woke up himself and had gone into the dinning room just as the other three had sat down to talk.
"Morning." Seiya half yawned.
"About time you woke up." Shiryu said. "I was starting to think you might have come down with something too."
"Shun still sick?" Seiya asked more seriously.
"Yea." Ikki answered sounding a little down. "His fever went down a little but he's not doing much better."
"He's been like this for days." Seiya declared sitting. "It has to end soon. What the heck is going on?"
"We all know that Hades is behind the whole thing." Hyoga said. "He's the reason Shun is like this."
"Is there anyway that we can fix it?" Seiya asked. "I mean, Shun's been like this for over a week."
"I can go to Sanctuary and ask Athena if there's a way to help Shun." Shiryu offered.
"Are you sure you want to go all that way Shiryu?" Seiya asked.
"If it'll help Shun then I'll go ahead and do it." Shiryu answered.
"It might be the only way." Hyoga said. "What do you think Ikki?"
Ikki lightly sighed. "I just want Shun to be alright." he said. "I'm starting to think that this might really be Hades doing. If it is then Shun won't get better anytime soon. Asking Athena for help might be the only way Shun will get better."
"Then it's settled. I'll go to Sanctuary as soon as possible." Shiryu said. "Athena may be the only way for us to know if Shun is alright or not."
"Just be careful going there. You know that some of the guards don't like us after the way we beat them trying to fight Saga when he was the pope." Seiya said.
"That was you who beat the guards." Hyoga reminded.
"Oh…right." Seiya said with a sheepish smile.
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After the small talk and breakfast, Shiryu headed up to his room to get ready to pack for the trip to Athens. He grabbed a small duffle bag from his closet, opened it, and began to pick out what he would wear. Not much would be needed.
He had packed two items before he heard coughing. Right away Shiryu knew that it was Shun and went to go check on his friend.
The door was cracked open so Shiryu looked in and saw that Shun had just turned onto his side and was sound asleep again.
"Don't worry Shun. I will find a way to help you." Shiryu muttered before closing the door.
