Chapter 6

By: MimiYamatoForever

"Degel!" Kardia cried looking over the side of the ship as the group of saints were brought onto the deck by Mu's telekinetic power.

The previous Aquiarus saint and the young woman were placed on mats just like Kardia had. And just like before, Shura already had the black mirror ready to call Shun.

Kardia tried to be at his friend's side but was held back by Milo and said that Shura was about to use the same black mirror that had returned his soul to his body.

Aiolos signalled for Shura to go ahead and use the mirror.

"Lord Shun of the Underworld. We ask for your help in returning the souls belonging to this man and woman." Shura said and the mirror glowed the same gold light as before.

"That demon won't let them return!" Kardia declared fearful at who Shura called and tried to rush to Degel's side.

"You're back aren't you?!" Milo snapped holding his counterpart back.

Kardia watched as the gold light streamed up from the mirror, split in two and fell onto Degel and Seraphina. The blue haired man watched as the light completely engulfed his friend and the young woman and then it soon faded.

He felt his limbs so weak when he saw Degel's natural skin color slowly returning and he saw the slow rise and fall of his chest signalling that he was breathing.

He was completely still and silent as the others carried Degel and Seraphina away to rest in their own rooms.

"Are you alright?" Milo asked.

"I...I can't let my suspicions go until I know that it is Degel." Kardia replied.

"That's fine." Milo replied. "Once Degel is awake you can ask and confirm if it is him or not. For now let them rest. We're about to set sail to return to Sanctuary so try to relax for a while."

[][][]

Seiya was with Hyoga and Shiryu in the crow's nest once more but he was just sitting on the wooden floor with a look of thought on his face.

"You as nervous as Kardia?" Shiryu asked looking through the eyeglass.

"I shouldn't be but I am. A little." Seiya answered.

"Shame on you Seiya." Hyoga lightly scolded. "I can't believe you would think Shun might send the wrong souls or get our hopes up like that."

"No, it's not that!" Seiya quickly defended. "It's Kardia. He really thinks that Shun would send the soul belonging to someone else and not Degel and Seraphina."

"He's still stuck in the past Seiya." Shiryu said sitting down. "He still remembers what Alone did in the past and have you already forgotten that he still calls you Tenma."

"I kind of expected that already and I'm sure that Degel will do the same when he wakes up." Seiya replied.

"How does that make you feel when they call you by your past name?" Shiryu asked.

"Everytime they do call me Tenma I always remember the past. Sasha, Alone, seeing Sisyphus for the first time...everything really. Almost makes me feel like I've gone back in time."

"Well at least you have some things from the past so you won't feel so lonely." Hyoga stated.

"I always got you guys." Seiya replied.

[][][]

Camus, Aiolos and Milo were at the ship's wheel once more. Aiolos was expertly stearing while Milo and Camus made sure they stayed on course.

The three didn't admit or show it but their minds were on the two new people on the ship. Degel and Seraphina.

They knew that Shun sent the correct souls but Kardia didn't think so. They knew that Kardia would question Degel to make sure that it really was him once he was awake.

Honestly, they didn't blame him for the way he was acting. If they had been in his place they would assume the same thing. To remember history and then to be told that their greatest enemy was now their ally and returning the souls of the once believed fallen.

It would have sounded the same to them if they had gone through what Kardia did.

[][][]

Kardia sat on a chair watching his friend sleep. The steady rise and fall of his chest told Kardia that Degel was alive at all.

Having created such a large Ice Coffin, Kardia understood that Degel may take longer to wake up then he did.

But his mind was still on the question of whether or not this was actually Degel. The others were telling him that Hades incarnation was to be trusted, that Degel's soul was sent back to his body and that everything would turn out alright.

He wanted to believe that this was Degel before him and that things would turn out for the best but he just couldn't help but remember what happened in the past.

He still wasn't so sure how Tenma could put it behind him so easily. He had seen Alone transform into Hades and he had been killed by him only to be revived by Unicorn and Crane.

The previous Scorpio stood and walked over to the little round window to look outside. The ship was sailing smoothly over the waves and the sun was starting to lower toward the horizon. He had been told that they would be back in Sanctuary after a day of sailing.

He was excited to be going back to the Sanctuary. The only real home he's ever had.

A light knocking snapped Kardia out of his thoughts and he turned to see Dohko walk in wearing regular clothing.

"How are you doing?" the Libra saint asked.

"Fair enough." Kardia answered. "My mind is really on Degel right now. Has Seraphina waken up yet?"

"Not yet." Dohko answered. "The female saints are looking after her though. She may just need time after everything that happened to her when Degel sealed the city."

Kardia nodded and decided to change the subject.

"Has Sanctuary changed since we were there last?"

"Not really." Dohko answered. "A few of the temples had to be rebuilt because of the battles. Virgo's temple was completely destroyed and the current Virgo saint wasn't happy about that."

Kardia lightly chuckled.

"Tell me about the current Gold Saints. I want to know who they are and what they're like."

They both sat at the little table and Dohko began to explain.

"You've already met a few but I'll get a little more into their personalities anyway. Mu is the Aries saint trained under Pope Shion. He's very calm and collected most of the time. We've never once seen him lose his temper about anything. He's got a young apprentance named Kiki and he's an energetic little one. Like Shion, Mu repairs saints cloths if they ever get damaged. He's the strongest when it comes to telekinetic abilities."

"I saw that when he brought everyone onto the deck." Kardia noted. "Go on."

"Aldebaran, Taurus saint. He's almost exactly like Rasgado. Very kind at heart and also very powerful. You'll see for yourself when you meet him. The Gemini twins Saga and Kanon. They look almost exactly like Aspros and Deftros and they bicker like they did. They both had a messy past like our twins did but they've both asked for forgiveness and are doing everything they can to show that they are sorry for what they did. DeathMask of Cancer. He's a little crazy like Manigoldo was but he's a bit more sadist. Before the Bronze Saints came into our lives he was caught between what right and wrong and tended to do what he wished. He's not like that anymore though.

"Aioria of Leo. Aiolos' younger brother. He's the one who's seen around Sanctuary most since he doesn't really like to stay indoors too much. He's become a somewhat training mentor to many of the soldiers since he trains most of the time. Shaka of Virgo. Almost exactly like Asmita. He's constantly meditating in his temple, quiet, eyes always shut but he's not blind, also known as the saint closest to God..."

"Sounds like Asmita was copied." Kardia joked causing Dohko to chuckle.

"Not unless he was reincarnated like Tenma."

"True but your 'little brother' was always more stubborn than the rest of us." Kardia noted.

"Very true." Dohko said and continued to describe the saints. "You already know Milo. Aiolos, the Sagittarius. He's very well known as Sanctuary's sweetheart. The past involving the Gemini twins had involved Aiolos and he was labeled a traitor until his name was cleared and he was revived. He's saved Lady Athena's life many times. He's Aioria's older brother, one of the most powerful in Sanctuary and he's once again been announced to one day take the place of Pope. Shura of Capricorn. Very much like El Cid. Honest, extremely loyal to Athena, well mannered most of the time and he's got the same Excalibur technique. He's even got a statue of Athena in his temple."

"If that doesn't sound like El Cid then I don't know what is." Kardia muttered.

Dohko nodded and continued.

"Camus of Aquarius. He looks and acts like Degel but he's a bit more serious and cold in manner. Before he met Hyoga and took him in as his student, Camus was always to himself and never really seemed to smile at anything. Hyoga is slowly changing that way about him and we all like it. Then there's Aphrodite of Pisces. His beauty is known like Albifica's was but Aphrodite is a bit vain about his appearance. He loves roses just like Albifica and tries to make them as beautiful and deadly as he can. Even though he's always concerned about his apperance he's still a very good friend and loyal saint."

"They all sound so much like our freinds from before." Kardia said. "I still can't believe that...they're all gone."

"I still have trouble accepting that as well." Dohko admitted. "I've been alive for the past two hundred years and every time I'm in Sanctuary I always think I'm going to see one of them walk around or in the temples. But when I would see the current saints I always remember that they're no longer here. It hurts when I remember or think about all of them. Having Shion around eases my pain and now that you and Degel are returning I feel better."

"I know I shouldn't say this because everyone has told me an answer but I still can't help but wonder how all of you believe Alone's words so easily."

"It wasn't easy at first." Dohko said. "At least for those who didn't know Shun well. We all thought that he was going to get controlled again and another war would start but it never happened. We know that Shun is in control and everything has been peaceful. I know that you're nervous about it but we understand and you can take your time to think it over. You don't have to just throw your cautious away. You've never been that way before Kardia."

"I know." Kardia agreed. "I do want to believe what everyone's said because I'm back in my own body and I remembered everything that's happened to me. I've come to make new friends and I still have ones from the past. Now my best friend is on the road to recovery. I think I don't want to be suspicious of this new incarnation of Hades."

Dohko lightly smiled. "Perhaps you'll get to know him sooner or later. I still think he's the same caring young man when he was the Andromeda saint."

"You're going to have to tell me more about that later." Kardia stated before they heard a shifting noise. They both snapped their attention over to where Degel was lying and saw him slowly sitting up.

"Degel!" they both cried and rushed over to his side before he fell over.

"Are you alright?" Kardia asked with concern as he helped his friend sit straight.

"Kardia?" Degel asked looking at his friend and then saw the Libra saint. "Dohko? What are you two doing here? What happened?"

"Listen Degel, what I'm about to tell you may shock you a little but I want you to know that it's the truth." Dohko started.