Chapter 1

It was the day he would never forget.

The Sanctuary where it was so calm and peaceful one moment ago, suddenly sank into chaos. Sounds of screams, cries and footsteps echoed louder and louder as each second passed. It was already dark that time, and though with his eyes closed, he still felt how many torches had been lighted up for the raising heat in the air. Everyone, the guards, the apprentices, the Saints hastily ran down to the entrance of the Holy Sanctum.

But it was none of his concern. At least that was what he thought at that time. He was during his daily ritual, and he was not going to be disturbed by anything. Came what might, should there be enemies that were the cause of this turmoil then he would destroy them if they could make it to the Virgo temple. Everything other than that was not worth a single bit of his attention.

But that time he was wrong, he was completely and utterly wrong. It was not the enemies who came but his comrades that were back from their latest mission. Probably it could not be called simply a mission anymore but a bloody disaster. The false intelligence information had lead the Saints and the warriors they brought along into a deadly trap. They were outnumbered by the enemies, and even with the strength of two Gold Saints and twenty elite warriors, they could not make a way out. There was no time to call for reinforcements from the Sanctuary, and it was only by the miracle of Athena's kindness that they managed to successfully defeat all the enemies there. However the price they had to pay was so high. Twenty two men now remained only five alive, and among them none was saved from severe wounds and injuries.

The two Gold Saints were among the survivors, Leo Aiolia and Aries Mu. Unfortunately, one's condition was much worse than the other's.

When Shaka could finally sense his friends' weak cosmos, he immediately ran to the first temple with his speed of light. There, he had no choice but open his eyes to witness the consternation that he refused to believe when he first felt Mu's dying cosmo.

Aiolia, who could not manage to walk properly anymore, fell to his knees while his injured arms still held tightly a motionless body that was covered in his blood stained cloak. It was Mu, but hardly anyone could recognize the Aries Saint anymore for the countless wounds and bruises had damaged his body to the case that no one wanted to imagine what had happened to him.

'Please... please save him.' Was all the Leo Saint could say before he himself also collapsed.

-xx-

**Two weeks ago, at the Aries temple

'Mu, do you have a moment?' The Virgo Saint asked with a tone that was polite but at the same time of almost losing patience upon reaching the chamber of the Aries.

'Yes, Shaka?' The young Lemurian turned around and smiled sweetly at his friend. He was currently preparing for the upcoming mission with Aiolia.

'I have something I wish to talk to you about.' Shaka said while approaching Mu, to which the Aries moved away a bit as allowing the blond to sit down next to him.

The eyelids slowly lifted up, showing the exotic sapphire orbs, looking sincerely at the beautiful figure of the young Lemurian. Mu sat still, quietly waiting for Shaka's words.

'I would like to know your answer.' The Virgo spoke slowly and calmly, but his speech made the Aries turned away from his look.

Mu blushed slightly, he knew too well what Shaka was referring to. It had been over years since the day the Virgo knight confessed his love to him. It was astonishing, of course, for he could never imagine the stoic demigod would ever give his love to him. It was an unexpected event, but Mu could not deny, it was a lovely surprise. However, the young Aries found himself stuck in confusion, not knowing how to response to the blond knight. Because to be honest, he doubted the feelings he had for Shaka had ever crossed the line of friendship. They had been close friends since childhood, and when spending such a long time beside somebody whom he wholly saw as a friend, it was hard to accept that person in any other roles. Mu knew Shaka's love was sincere and that he would do anything to make him happy, but he was not sure that he could love Shaka in the same way, with the same intenseness.

Shaka understood that, thus he only besought the privilege of courting Mu, he believed with time he could eventually conquer the Aries's heart. Yet, things did not process smoothly in the way he wanted. The Aries showed no clear signs during that time, he left Shaka crazy in doubt and even as a patient man as he was, he could not take it any longer.

'Mu, what do you think?' Shaka softly asked again as he received no reply from Mu. He reached to caress Mu's hair gently, tried to catch his attention.

Mu did not avoid the touch. He turned to look at Shaka again, and it took him several moments more to start speaking.

'I'm so sorry Shaka. It is so horrible of me to make you wait for such a long time.' He said while touching Shaka's hand and timidly stroked it with his fingers. Such simply gesture yet already raised up the hope inside the Virgo.

Shaka took Mu's hand in his and kissed it tenderly. 'I understand your reason. I just wish to know your feelings.'

Mu was embarrassed at first by the kiss of the gentleman in front of him, but then, gaining more courage, he looked at Shaka in the eyes, knowing he could no longer hesitate. Shaka deserved a proper answer.

'Shaka, I too need to give you my words. I have been uncertain for a long time but now I-'

'Oy! Where are you, lamb?' The thunderous voice of Aiolia startled Mu, making him nervously turn around. The Leo knight came to the first temple to check on his comrade, and unintentionally, broke the intense moment that another friend of him was longing for.

'Are you in here? Can I come in?' The voice resounded again, this time sounded closer as Aiolia was standing at the door of Mu's chamber. The Leo had already had his hand on the handle when he heard Mu's reply.

'Just a moment, I'm coming.' The Aries said anxiously. He quickly turned to his unfinished packing luggage and tried to put in it everything he could.

'Oh Shaka, I'm sorry, I don't expect Aiolia to come so suddenly.' Said Mu shyly while still busy with his stuff. He focused on packing partly to get out of the embarrassment he was having.

'It's alright.' The blond relied tenderly though in his head, he already had for himself a plan to play a deadly prank on the poor Leo for revenge. 'I have waited for years, a few more days will not be a problem.' He said as he joined Mu in packing his belongings.

'Shaka, I...'

'There you go.' Shaka smirk playfully as he finished tying Mu's bag. 'You may want to go right now, unless you want that lion to burst into your room.'

'Thank you.' Mu smiled shyly then carried the bag on his shoulder, he stood up and bid goodbye to Shaka. 'Then we will talk when I come back. Goodbye, Shaka.'

'Goodbye.'

End of flashback**

.

It had been hours since the doctors were called to treat the injured. All the other men, Aiolia included, were now resting in beds, there was no danger to their life anymore. All the attention now all focused on the Aries Saint.

Finally when the heavy door opened, came the old doctor with some of his nurses along. He looked at all the Saints in the room then sighed heavily. 'I don't really know how to say it...'

Everyone had already stood up and approached the doctor ever since they heard the door's opening sound, only Shaka remained calmly on his seat, still kept his eyes opened and looked directly at the direction of the doctor with his usual cold expression.

'No parts of his body are left uninjured. The least severe parts are his right shoulder and arm, which are broken but recoverable.' He spoke slowly. 'Five of his ribs are broken, his spine is also deadly damaged, pelvis is cracked, spinal cord is damaged and I'm afraid to say, he is paraplegic now.'

'Pa... paraplegic, you mean, he will never be able to walk again?' Aphrodite asked in horror. To which, the doctor just quietly nodded.

'Left shoulder is heavily injured, all fingers are broken, not just his legs but his left arm may also be almost useless.' He continued after receiving no more words from the Saints, his voice became lower as the later parts became more and more devastating. 'Corneas are seriously hurt, right eye will nearly be blind, left eye can still see but his vision will significantly decrease. Tympanums are damaged, audition will be affected. Also oesophagus, larynx and trachea are injured due to the severe wound on his neck that may cause him dyspnea, decrease in ability of speaking and pronouncing, and difficulty in swallowing food. Though he will not be completely blind, deaf and mute but I can say he nearly is.'

The old doctor raised one hand to lifted up his glasses, he also did not know what to say next. What he had just said was not all of Mu's rigorous condition but he found no courage to continue. He was about to ask if anyone wanted to see the patient when suddenly he heard a low voice resounded.

'Will he survive?'

The question came calm and slow, from the blond gentleman that was sitting quietly from the start. Everyone turned to Shaka, the old doctor astonishedly looked at him and said.

'Didn't you hear what I said? He's like a broken doll now. And I just spoke about the current injuries he has, in the future he will also have to suffer from syncionus and tons of other diseases due to his weak immune and injured organs. All the damages in his vision, audition and speaking ability are permanent. So do of his arm and legs.' The old man poured out, and surprisingly, the Virgo knight showed no emotion upon hearing his words.

'Will he survive?' Shaka asked again, with the same tone he used, which made even the Grand Pope Shion chilled.

'He will.' The doctor sighed. 'But in a condition that is worse than death.'

Hearing the words he needed, Shaka immediately stood up and walked into the room, did not even bother the presence of everyone else. There inside Mu's chamber, some nurses were currently arranging equipments and medicine, they were all shocked by the sudden invasion of the knight. One of them told him to get out but he paid no attention to it, no one and nothing could stand between him and the love of his life now.

He saw Mu, lying motionless in his bed, a white blanket covered most of his body, only his head, neck and one of his arms were exposed and they were all covered with bandages and compresses. His fair skin turned to a lifeless pale tone and Shaka could feel, his breath was so weak, as if it could fade away in any moment.

'My angel'

Shaka took in his fingers a strand of lavender hair and caressed it with extreme tenderness. His eyesight fell over the bruised face which he still saw as flawlessly beautiful of the Aries. His most beloved, the one that was more beautiful and sublime than anything on this Earth, now was so fragile, so broken.

But it was alright, Mu was still alive, and Shaka needed only that.

'I have waited for so long to be with you, I will not let anything prevent that.'

-xx-

Outside the room, all the Saints fell to silence, even Shion could not raise his voice to speak. It was cruel, too cruel to accept. They all knew, being in this condition was indeed worse than death, especially for a Saint. Not only would Mu lose his title as the Aries Saint, but he also had to leave the Sanctuary. Forever, it might be, because the Holy Sanctum was the place only saved for the Goddess and her most brilliant Saints, and Mu, in his current status, could hardly be called an ordinary being, let alone a Saint.

The bird who slowed down would be reluctantly left behind by its mates. Losing its wings, where could it go?

.

[tbc]