Disclaimer: I don't own Saint Seiya characters!

Author's Note: set while the battle of the sanctuary

Flame of thePisces:

Aphrodite

In the last Temple of the Sanctuary, the House of the Pisces was living the most selfish person among the Gold Saints of Athena. Everything he was doing it was only for his own benefits; if he could achieve some interesting goals, he was doing everything, if not – he was refusing. He was very changeable – his ideology was telling him to follow the most powerful, because they could create the world. Many years ago he was listening to the orders of the Pope Shion. Now he was following Saga, the Gemini Saint, who took control over the Holy Land. But it wasn't like he betrayed. He was just loyal to himself.

And of course, he was beautiful.

Oh, yes, Aphrodite was really beautiful, everyone could tell that. Since his early childhood he had delicate features of his face, big eyes in the color of the clear sky and shining, wonderful hairs. Many people were wondering how he was able to survive the harsh training of the Sanctuary – he seemed to be fragile just like his red roses he loved so much. But despite his appearance, he wasn't weak. Raised in the presence of his roses, that could kill instantly, subjected to hard training since he learned how to walk, he became fearsome warrior. Most of the people in the Sanctuary were afraid of him. The Pisces Saint was a man, who could kill without a blink, cause pain and watch calmly at the death.

But as well, everyone knew he was the only man, who could be the last bastion against invaders, since the path from his Temple was heading straight to the Pope and Lady Athena. Every Saint knew about his Royal Garden, garden of red roses that easily could prevent the enemies from invading the Pope Temple, highest House, standing above the whole Sanctuary.

This time Aphrodite was certain, that no matter, who it would be – the real Athena, her pawn in the Sagittarius Gold Cloth or any other Gold Saint and God – there was no way someone could get to Saga, at the upper hill. His Royal Garden was in the way, lying on the stars behind the Pisces Temple. And no one was able to survive this trip without knowing the secret path to the Pope that only the Gold Saints of Pisces knew since the myth ages. He was also aware that these four Bronze brats were passing through the Temples really fast. They were already pretty far; he could feel burning cosmo of Shura, ranging two buildings away.

His sighed deeply. His fellow – Aphrodite wasn't thinking about him as friend – DeathMask already lost his life. It was surprising a little; the Cancer was strong enough to take care about such a low ranked enemy. He couldn't understand how someone could win against sadistic and brute Saint, who was killing mercilessly for a long time already. DeathMask didn't know limits, if he wanted to kill innocent children, then he was doing it; when he was facing strong opponent he was just sending him to the other world without second though. So how could someone so weak, how the Bronze Saint could win against the Cancer and what was more, kill him?

Aphrodite couldn't feel Virgo's cosmo as well. It was incredible for him as well. While the battle in the sixth Temple someone powerful appeared and after big explosion, both of the fighter were gone. It wasn't like Aphrodite felt sad about it. He never liked the Virgo Saint, but he acknowledged him as one of the most powerful among the Gold Saints of the Sanctuary. This strange Saint had to be really strong, if he was able to take down 'the man closest to God'. Shaka wasn't someone to be killed by the first one appearing in his domain.

In some way it was a shame, that Virgo's opponent died as well. It could be very interesting to face him and kill with his own, poisoned roses. The Pisces knew that he was strong himself, and he really didn't want to take care of the weakest among these invaders. There would be no fun with killing someone already sentenced to the death from the first seconds of their match. But the powerful cosmo was gone after the big explosion, probably sent to the dimension of the darkness.

With a contented smile on his face he donned the Gold Cloth of the Pisces and stopped in the front of the big mirror in his bedroom. It was beautiful construction of golden and silver roses, linked in a fancy shape, surrounding the slab, reflecting his face. The small leaves seemed to be so fragile that even he, Aphrodite was afraid of touching them. White pearls were imitating the dew drops, that were appearing on the real flowers every morning. He loved this mirror; it was really pretty, fitting his own beauty with its artistry. It was the only mirror allowed to reflect his person.

Aphrodite looked at his silhouette he could see at the surface of the mirror. He was tall and slim, with long, shining curls around and big eyes in the color of the sky. The springy muscles were moving slightly under the silky skin; the charm of his features and flirtatious glance were seducing his enemies, leading them to their painful death. His pretty face was the object of jealous of many humans.

He was proud of his look. It was something he was taking care for many years already. It was his trophy. In this place full of blood, tears, dirt and pain something so beautiful and strong was unbelievable. Not all of the Saints could stay untouched by the harsh training like he was. He managed to stay fragile, pretty and charming even with his awful training. His beauty was some kind of door to the better place without suffering, without sorrow and the pain. It was something holding his mind in one place, helping him to survive the worst nightmares.

He touched gently the surface of the mirror, stroking gently the place where his face was reflected. Yes, he was proud of this pretty face, of his efforts, but if he would be about to loose it, he was ready to let it go, if it would mean winning. Now his face wasn't so important for him, since he was one of these three men, knowing the truth. He was at the top, being able to create his own word without pain and tears. With Saga and his plans, with his power and possibilities he could loose even his face. Powerful beings didn't need doors to the better place because they were making it with their own power.

Feeling the disappearing cosmo of his fellow, Shura of the Capricorn, he turned away from his mirror, and catching one of the roses in his bedroom, he headed to the entrance of his Temple, waiting for his opponents, that now had to defeat only the Aquarius Saint to get to him and his poisoned flowers.