Shun blinked against the sudden light as the door across the room was suddenly flung open, painting him against the darkness. Hades paused in the doorway as he saw him, small and frightened and young, but unmistakably beautiful. He paused for a moment, drinking in the sight of him. The young Saint's eyes gradually adjusted to the light, and he watched the god with undisguised mistrust. For and instant, Hades felt a pang of jealousy against no one in particular. Who could have so gained his trust as to make him continue to fight when he should have lost all hope? He had to know, one way or another. But for now he would bide his time, and wait.

"So, how did you sleep?" Hades asked. Shun refused to answer him, and simply continued to glare at him. "You won't answer? Well then, we'll have to fix that won't we?"

Shun shuddered as Hades entered the room and the door closed behind him, closing them in darkness once again. Shun could not see in the darkness. In here he was simply like a sitting duck. Hades watched with some satisfaction as Shun cast fearful glances around him into the darkness. But it would be much more satisfying to have him look upon him with love and adoration, to have him in his arms and to kiss him. But most of all, it would be best to have him love him, even more than he did Athena, and show to her that he could steal what she cared about as well.

But not right now, he had to tame this wild little princess first. Andromeda was after all, a princess. He slowly approached the boy, savoring the feeling that he could easily inflict pain. The boy was dead, but not dead. It was hard even for Hades to explain. He could still feel pain and he could still destroy his soul of course, because his body remained practically untouched from how Hades had left it. The wound itself had of course not killed the saint. Only Hades power could do that. He had damaged the boy's soul in the process too, but in time it would heal. That was another reason Hades had attacked him himself. While a person's soul was healing, he was easy to manipulate, and therefore, Hades could easily achieve his goal.

Hades struck Shun's head, giving him a blow that snapped his head to the side. The boy shuddered but still showed signs of fighting back. Hades grabbed the boy's arm, and with one deft movement, snapped it clean in two. Shun screamed and fell to his knees.

"Now answer me." Hades whispered from the shadows. "How did you sleep, Shun?"

"Well enough." Shun growled.

And then the boy froze as he felt Hades kneel too and wrap him into a gentle but firm hug. Hades was careful not to put too much pressure onto the boy's injured arm, but also enough pressure that he could not wriggle away. The boy shuddered but did not move. Hades sighed, as if sadly, but Shun did not trust him.

"Don't make me do that again." Hades said. "I don't enjoy it. I don't want to hurt you. Please believe me when I say that I do care for you. I may have brought you here to hurt Athena, but I can't deny that I have been watching you for some time. I have always been with you. Didn't I even return your dear brother to you after Drocrates killed him?"

Shun wanted to pull away, but against all his better judgment, he found the god's words soothing in a way. It made sense. If the god did not in a sense love him, then why would he bring him here instead of someone Athena loved more, like one of the gold saints? And wouldn't the god of death know that Ikki had died. No. Shun tried to shake off the thought. He knew that Ikki had survived, because he had told him so. There was no reason for him to trust the god. But Hades had planted a seed of doubt into Shun's mind. There was no turning back for the young saint now. Hades smiled secretly to himself as he felt the saint relax slightly.

"Now be a good boy and come with me alright?" Hades asked. "I don't want to have to hurt you again. You're just so stubborn all of a sudden. Be the gentle saint I grew to know. Why are you fighting me?" then he slyly slipped in the question he wanted to ask. "Is there someone up stairs that you're trying to stay strong for?"

Shun made no reply but stiffened.

"There is isn't there?" Hades asked. "Who? Well, you don't have to tell me. You're in the underworld now. They can't help you. You're dead my boy. But you'll always have me. I am the god of death. Isn't it great to be favored by the god of death?"

"Perhaps." Shun growled, deciding it was better to play along than to be beaten again.

"Good. Then follow like a good boy." Hades said. "Oh, here. Let me see your arm." Shun winced as Hades took it in his hands, but did not pull away, afraid of Hades wrath. Hades gently laid a kiss on it, reveling in the simple, passionate, and gentle gesture. Shun froze. He had no response to that. But Hades released him again. "There. See? I won't harm you if you can learn to love me. Your arm will heal quickly here."

Then Hades stood and took the boy's arm, leading him to the door. Hades opened the door and patiently waited for the boy's eyes to adjust to the light. Only then did Shun see the cuffs on his arms. They were a brand he realized, a brand that stated that he belonged to the god whose name was branded on them: Hades. He shuddered. What was this? However, they did not seem to hurt him or hinder him in any way, though Shun was certain that they could if Hades so desired. Hades showed Shun the pendant that he had been wearing before, and tapped the center once. Shun felt a jolt run through his wrists.

"Just to make sure you won't try and run off." Hades assured him. "It won't hurt you, only keep you from going too far away from me."

Shun forced himself not to retort to Hades. Where was he getting all this stubbornness from? Was he really that determined to remain a loyal saint? Or was it because of Seiya? But Shun was forced to turn his thoughts else where as Hades started to move and his wrists were forced together as the god got too far away, and then dragged forward a step. He really couldn't get that far away. He growled silently in frustration. He was not in the mood for this.

"Come along." Hades said. "Oh, and try not to speak, whomever we see. It's not good for business. I'm a very busy man, planning wars and seeing to the dead and such. Do I make myself clear Shun?"

"Yes." Shun growled, wincing as his sore arm was jerked again and he ran up to catch up with the god.

"Yes what?" Hades asked.

"Yes, Hades-sama." Shun replied with a growl of frustration.

"Good boy." Hades said. "You learn fast. Now come with me."

Shun found it relatively easy to ignore what Hades said, because he was dead himself and had no say in the matter, whether it be in war, or in the affairs of the dead. He followed the god dolefully as he went about his routine, glancing up only occasionally as the names of his friends were mentioned. Of course, he cared for them, but he was stuck with Hades. And they were mentioned many times. Shun smiled secretly for a few moments. It seemed like they had all gotten to be a thorn in Hades' side. But first Hades stopped along a veranda, overlooking what Shun guessed was the gardens of Elysium. There was the only place where he could see flowers and hear laughter, see streams and other beautiful things. Here he kept his gaze, because every where else he heard screams of agony.

Hades was speaking to a one of his undead servants about several punishments that had been handed down by the tree judges of the underworld for the newly dead, which Hades approved vaguely without looking over the content. He seemed bored, Shun noticed, with what was going on here. He couldn't blame the god. Doing the same thing for eternity seemed boring to Shun too, besides the fact that the god had to watch over the dead until the end of time. But Shun had to concentrate on keeping his footing as Hades began to move again through the dark and dreary corridors of the castle.

Next, Hades had the names of his brother and his friends mentioned to him several more times. Now Shun was growing worried. It was like they were trying to get noticed by Hades. But he suddenly realized that they probably were. They were trying to avenge his death. He felt tears come to his eyes. They did miss him. The thought gave him a new found strength. Of course, he had known that they had never meant all of the things that they had said, but this was undeniable proof. He raised his head a little higher. Seiya would find him. He knew it. And his friends would not give up just because he was gone.

"Alright, Alright." Hades sighed. "Call Pandora to my throne room, and we'll discuss what to do. That's all. Go."

Hades sighed, and Shun found it easy to believe that he had it hard. Perhaps he didn't want this to happen at all. Perhaps he was different. Hades led a silent Shun down countless hallways until he entered into a large throne room, made of marble floors with large steps, banners, and a single throne that looked like a bat was perched atop it. Hades settled himself in the throne, and Shun did his best to disappear, sitting down behind the throne and easily becoming as small as possible.

"I'm here, Hades-sama." Pandora said as she entered. She was beautiful, Shun noticed, with long black hair and lavender eyes. But her eyes shone with the light of devotion, and Shun shuddered, remembering that Hades wanted that from him as well.

Hades and Pandora began to talk about his friends, but Shun tuned it out. He could really care less he realized, because death no longer scared him. He noted that Hades wanted to kill his friends, but the only thing he feared was that his friends would have even more heart ache because of him. He sighed and leaned his head back. This was never on his to do list.

But Shun froze as he heard two familiar voices calling out as he sat there, obviously trying to escape. It was Aphrodite and Deathmask. They were now in the realm of the dead, and they were fighting for all they were worth, even though they had no cosmos. The specters that brought them in were laughing and calling out insults to them, but all fell silent as the two saints were brought before Hades' throne. Shun shuddered but remained silent.

"So," Hades said, "We finally got you. Welcome to the underworld."

"We have no regrets!" Aphrodite growled.

"We were avenging the bronze saint you murdered!" Deathmask spat. Shun froze, and Hades chuckled.

"Is that so?" Hades asked. He tapped his necklace, and Shun suddenly fell limp, though his heart hammered in fear. What was going on? "Did you hear that Shun? They've come to avenge you. Why don't you come out and say hello?"

The gold saints were frozen as Shun's body stood up and obeyed without his permission. His mouth did not work, and in fact seemed sealed shut, and his eyes were glazed over. He stood there watching them in horror, as they stared up at him, hands bound behind them, uncomprehending. He made no move to acknowledge him. His body was bound completely to Hades' will. Shun suddenly felt sick with horror, and only by Hades will did he remain conscious.

"S-Shun?" Aphrodite stammered.

"That's impossible…" Deathmask gasped.

"Is it?" Hades asked. "I am Hades. The dead are bound to me. Shun belongs to me now. He is mine, and not even the bonds of life can steal him away. Don't you understand? This is not the Shun you knew."

The two saints could only watch in horror as the god stood and took Shun by the waist, pulling him into a sickeningly close embrace. Shun longed to pull away, to tell them that Hades was wrong, but his body would not obey. He remained docile as Hades turned his face towards him, fingers under his chin, and gazed into the boy's eyes. The gold saints began to tremble in a sudden rage.

"What did you do?" Aphrodite growled.

"The Shun we knew would never give into you!" Deathmask spat. "What kind of torture did you put that boy through to make him so docile?"

"That, my dear saints," Hades said "is something you will never know. Take them from my sight. Come Shun. Let's go."

Hades turned, Shun still tucked under one of his arms, and walked away. The two gold saints fought desperately to escape the specters once again, calling after Shun as he was spirited away by Hades, but Shun could not acknowledge them in any way. He wanted to call out to them, but he was unable to. Finally, Shun reentered the room he had woken up in, and after Hades closed the door, he was released from the strange spell and fell gasping to the floor.

"Sorry," Hades purred, "but I have a reputation to uphold. You know, I think I'll send those two back to Athena, to tell them what they've seen. Just to freak her out a little. You understand, don't you Shun?"

"No!" Shun growled. "And I'm not going to be stuck here forever doing what you want. Seiya will rescue me!"

"Ah," Hades said, his jealousy flaring again. "so it's Seiya you trust. Very well. I may have to pay him a visit." Shun gasped and bit back tears, feeling guilty that he had betrayed Seiya. "But Shun, you'll be here longer than you think. Time moves differently here. In a week here, it would have already been a month up there. You've already been dead for several days. Do you really think Seiya can save you quickly? It will take years, and that's even if he succeeds. Shun, you're trapped here forever with me, while he ages and then dies. Wouldn't it be best for him to move on and find someone else?"

Shun felt like he had been hit in the stomach. He was right. Seiya shouldn't have to worry about him, he was dead. Seiya needed to move on and continue. He shouldn't be worn down for the rest of his life waiting for something that could never come true. He should be happy, and Shun shouldn't try to step in the way of that. Whenever Hades decided he was ready to truly hurt Athena, then he would send him back, and Seiya could be years older. It hurt Shun, but he knew that it was the only way that Seiya could ever be happy again. Suddenly, all the fight left him, and he became the docile saint he had always been. He couldn't fight Hades anymore. He wouldn't. He was just going to roll over and give up, because he had deluded both himself and Seiya that they could still be together. Hot tears started to pour down Shun's face. His heart had never hurt so much.

"I'll do whatever you want." Shun said wearily. "Just promise me you won't destroy his soul when he dies, and that he'll be remembered as a hero. Seiya and all of my friends."

"Of course." Hades replied, wrapping Shun into a hug that he didn't try to fight. "I know how it must feel, to loose that. But you'll get over it. He's not meant for you. It's only 'till death do we part'. Perhaps you'll come to love someone else, someone who will never leave you."

"Perhaps." Shun replied sadly.

Hades stroked Shun's hair, and the boy did not flinch.


"Athena!" Dohko called.

Athena glanced up from her bed, littered with photo albums of all of the bronze saints. She had been staring at a picture of Shun. But now she turned her red rimmed eyes to the saint. She was still Athena.

"Yes, what is it?" She asked.

"Shun's body…" Dohko said, trying to find the words. "It's still in the Virgo temple, like you ordered, and its just there. It's been two weeks and there've been no signs of decay or even a smell of decay. It's like he's just sleeping."

"This is Hades' work." Athena growled. "He just can't let the boy rest naturally."

"Athena!" another voice called.

Both the goddess and the gold saint froze as Aphrodite and Deathmask reappeared. Dohko prepared to fight, just in case, but they were breathing heavily, and the look in their eyes told them that they were deadly serious.

"You're dead." Athena said suspiciously.

"We were. Hades brought us back to tell you…" Aphrodite gasped.

"Hades did?" Dohko growled. "So you side with him."

"Never!" Aphrodite spat, glaring at Dohko. "Not after what he did!"

"I'm sorry." Athena said. "We shouldn't have jumped to conclusions. What did he send you to tell us?"

"It's Shun." Death mask shuddered. "He's with Hades. He must have tortured him. He was completely docile, like he had served him his whole life, like we never existed. Athena, Hades has made Shun side with him."

Silence fell, and there was not a sound in the world that could be heard as shock, pity, sorrow, and hate descended.