The following morning was as bright and cheery as the last, though there was a gloom that overrode it, as though Mother Gaia herself wept. Gemini temple was strictly off limits for any reason save for travel, and the brief moments Mu and Aldebaran spent passing through were excellent encouragements of that law, as the very aura of the temple had nearly made the highly empathetic Lemurian want to run off and repeat Saga's act.

Shaka's house was the meeting place for the boys today. The warm, comfortable furniture of the sitting room, coupled with steaming cups of a sweet concoction the blond called "chai" eased many of their tensions and drove away the miserable feelings that permeated the area.

It was as Shaka shuffled into the sitting room with a plate full of crunchy pakoras, a few spicy samosas and a number of unnamed sweets, that the large, ancient cosmo of Shion flooded the house and caused all present to jump at it's sudden appearance.

The owner came through moments later, pausing as he came across the gathering, as well as the five sets of eyes on him. His wrinkled face pulled itself into a slight smile, as he moved into the room. "Hello," he said, as cheerfully as his aged throat could muster. "It seemed wise to inform you that Gemini Saga woke up, though he's very weak. Aioros is with him now. You shouldn't worry yourselves over him. However, the rule still stands: None of you are to enter Gemini temple without the express permission fo myself, Aioria or Saga himself."

There was a collective exhale at the news of Saga's survival, but it was followed by glances that suggested the boys WERE worried, which caused the Pope to chuckle and mutter something about "good hearted lads" before leaning over slightly and plucking a pakora off Mu's plate and simply gliding away, leaving the children to stare at his retreating form and each other...

Meanwhile, a long ways down the hill Aioros paced. He was outside of Saga's bed chambers, fighting over whether or not to go in. Shion had left some time ago, declaring the saint's life in no danger. But really, that reassurance did very little for the worried Sagittarius. Really, the only track his mind was on was "Why?" "Why would Saga do this?" "What is he trying to say? To prove?"

But his musings were cut short by an exploratory prod of his cosmo by one nearby...a weak, tired one. He looked up to the source, only to feel it recede quicker than it had come.

Aioros opened the door to Saga's room.

The Gemini saint...The Demigod, as he was called, looked small, entangled in the soft down cushions and duvets that made up his bed. His normally rosy skin was almost as pale as the linens, and the dark circles that bordered his line were as dark as Aioros' own.

The Sagittarian did not miss the dark trail of tears that marred his cheeks, either.

Aioros crossed the room quickly, restraining himself from climbing on the bed with his friend, instead settling for staring pointedly at the beautiful hands that sat folded in Saga's lap, their majority covered by dull white bandages.

"Why?" He whispered, even as he felt the Gemini's eyes bore into him. "Why did you do this?" Aioros' voice rose in volume as he looked up to meet his friend's eyes.

Saga simply shook his head, and turned towards the window. "A better question," he muttered, "would be 'why did you save me?'"

Aioros clenched his fist to resist smacking Saga. "Why else?" He retorted. "I care about you, damnit!"

Saga shook his head again, dropping his gaze to his lap. "You..." a sad smile crossed his face as he continued, "you don't realize what you've done, do you?" The sharp blue gaze matched the golden eyes of the other saint. "What you've brought upon everyone here?"

Aioros took a step back. Everything about Saga was different – from his tone to his stare, the unconditional love that was once there had receded, replaced by fear, malice, and a heart-wrenching misery. Aioros was scared.

Saga leaned back, his face tilting upwards, as though seeking divine guidance. "We're all doomed..." he continued, "You...me...Master Shion and the little ones all alike...and..." His face darkened, "Athena."

"Wh...what?"

"I don't know, Aioros!" Saga cried, again turning his eyes on his closest friend. "There's something wrong with me! Surely you've felt it! Master Shion has! Hell, Shaka has! It..." Saga again stopped and doubled over, his frail-looking frame shaking in rage, sorrow and fear. A few tears leaked through the seal of tightly closed eyes. "There's something inside me, Aioros, and it wants nothing more than to see you all dead...gone..."

Aioros again closed the distance between them, sitting himself next to the Gemini. He leaned in and pulled Saga, now openly weeping, against him, reaching up to stroke the beautiful golden mane in an attempt to comfort his friend.

Saga was right though – there was something not right with him. It was, for the most part, unnoticeable, but for those who knew him best it was a distressing and depressing change. And to consider Saga's normal temperament, the notion that something so...evil could be felt within him was a though that could only be described as downright terrifying.

Aioros held Saga a bit closer. "It's okay..." he whispered, using the same voice he did with Aioria when the latter was in a similar state. "We'll get through this together, eh? You and me, buddy! That's the way it's always been. That's how it always will be..."

Of course Aioros lied, because within a week he was dead.