The captain fell down dead before he knew what happened. Same could be said for many others, though there were more than half a dozen soldiers left standing, and they all reached for their rifles. The prison camp was astir. The guards not at the courtyard were either rounding up the prisoners or running towards the center courtyard. Even Saga could not keep all of them subdued.

Aiolia had stopped crying and now hissed in his ears, "Put me down! I can help!" But Saga simply ignored him.

The situation grew worse by the second. Saga was about to despair when a sudden rumble was heard above them. A commercial passenger aircraft was hovering right above the prison camp, defying all known laws of physics. Then the plane began to lower slowly. A cold wind wafted into the camp, twirling purple shadows. The air was suddenly filled with blood coloured roses. Saga breathed a sigh of relief: finally Aphrodite and Deathmask had arrived.

Only twenty minutes later, all the guards were either dead or subdued and all one hundred and fifty plus prisoners were loaded onto the plane. When Aphrodite and Deathmask saw Aiolia, both drew a sharp breath. Deathmask cursed and looked murderous. Aphrodite, on the other hand, thrust a rose right into Aiolia's face. Aiolia's eyes widened in shock just a split second, then his eyes closed with sleep.

"Aphrodite!" Saga exclaimed.

"Let me take him," Aphrodite said, "I will reset his shoulders and clean the cuts." The Pisces's saint's beautiful face was distorted with grief, and his voice tight.

Saga said no more and allowed Aphrodite to take the child. Aphrodite glanced at him, then looked to Aiowyn standing there pale-faced, and said quietly, "We will be in the cockpit if you need us." With that he and Deathmask disappeared into the front of the plane. A few moments later, the plane slowly lifted. Its engines turned on in mid-air, and the plane shot forward like an arrow, away from Chile and no looking back.

Aiowyn stood there a few seconds looking uncertainly at Saga. Finally she said, "Thank you, Saga, thank you for everything."

"It's nothing," Saga said with an earnest smile, "I would give my life for you and Aiolia, sister. Come, let's go sit down. I believe the others were kind enough to leave us the first class seats."

They sat down in the empty first class compartment. Saga was ready to let all of his tensions go, but Aiowyn's uncertain voice suddenly asked, "Saga, forgive me for asking if I stepped on sensitive ground, but what… what happened to Aioros?"

At that name Saga's head exploded with pain. "Kill her, kill her!" A dark voice shouted inside him. "She knows; she will ruin everything! Kill those brats in the cockpit too!"

"No, no!" Saga screamed silently. "Don't hurt them!"

The voice laughed and roared, screaming without end. The pain in his head was threatening to split his skull open. Furiously he pulled at his hair, trying to drive away both the voice and the pain. He didn't even realize that he was now on his knees, shaking with torment.

"Saga, Saga!" Aiowyn cried, reaching for his hand. "Are you okay, Saga? I am sorry, Saga, I am so sorry, my precious! Don't say anything; forget that I even asked. Just say you are fine!"

Saga pulled away from her. "Don't touch me!" He said shrilly. He looked around desperately, and saw an automatic rifle that a prisoner took while fighting the guards lying on the aisle. Concentrating all his power, he made the rifle fly into Aiowyn's hands. "Check if it's loaded, and take the safety off." He commanded. Then seeing Aiowyn's bewildered face he added, "Please, sister, please!"

"I will do it!" Aiowyn complied, though her eyes were fixed with fear on Saga.

"Now put your finger on the trigger and point it to my heart." Saga said through gritted teeth. The voice inside him was now screaming with rage.

"Saga!" Aiowyn raised her voice. "Saga, no matter what you have done, I would never want you dead!" The rifle in her hands was still pointed downward.

"Please do it, sister!" Saga screamed. "I… I can't control myself sometimes! Please don't allow me to hurt you."

Swiftly Aiowyn lifted the rifle up and held it beneath her right arm. Her right index finger was on the trigger and she pulled close to Saga so the mouth of the rifle was jammed right into Saga. But her left hand reached out and cupped Saga's face. "Look at me, little one," She said, "Look into my eyes. You would never hurt anymore. You will not hurt anyone. Be calm, Saga, calm."

At her touch the voice inside Saga seemed to abate somewhat. Saga closed his eyes, taking slow, deep breaths. Concentrating all his willpower, he finally managed to drive away the voice completely, for the moment at least. He breathed out slowly, and opened his eyes. A smile lit up Aiowyn's beautiful face. "You did well, my precious," She said, "So can I throw away the rifle now?"

"No, no please don't!" Saga said hurriedly. "I… I can lose control!"

So Aiowyn did not move the rifle, only leaned back a little. For a moment she seemed to be pondering, at last she said hesitantly, "Saga, we don't have to talk if… if it's too much for you."

Saga was silent, but at last he shook his head. "No, let me tell you everything." He said. "You deserve to know, sister."

"I killed Aioros, sister," He said, "I framed him of a crime that I committed and ordered his execution."

Saga spoke of everything. He spoke of how he had always coveted the Grand Pope's crown and always believed that it was his; how Lord Shion's choice of Aioros as heir had bitterly disappointed and angered him; how his ambitious twin brother urged murder in return for power; how he had thrown his own brother into the cage beneath the sea to drown; how the small seed of evil had grown into an immortal demon that took over him.

"I couldn't silence the whispers anymore," He said, "It spoke to me every second and it was trying to move my body against my will. I knew I was going to lose eventually. That night… that night I thought I couldn't possibly do this anymore. I stole the holy dagger from underneath Lord Shion's seat and I tried to kill myself. I couldn't. Instead I lost completely and I had no control of my body left. I watched as my own hands killed Lord Shion, my own hands tried to kill the newborn goddess, and I listened as my own voice blamed my crime on Aioros ordered his execution. After it was all over I had my body back, though the voice, it kept taunting me and laughing at me. I… I didn't dare to try to kill myself again. I thought I would lose control again and hurt others."

The story finished. For a long while Saga stared at Aiowyn silently. Then he slowly, cautiously inched closer to Aiowyn until the mouth of the rifle was again jammed into his chest. "Please, sister," He said quietly, "While I still have control, pull the trigger. You deserve revenge and everyone else deserves safety."

Aiowyn tilted her head back a little and asked, "If I pull the trigger, will this evil be gone? Will it die with you instead of lodge within someone else?"

Saga was stunned by this question. Before he could say anything, Aiowyn went on asking, "If I pull the trigger, will Sanctuary be whole? There are only children left there now. Will they keep faith for the war that Sanctuary would eventually fight without their goddess, without their pope, and without even their big brother? If I pull the trigger, will the world be safe from whatever you should be fighting? Or will it be none of your concern any longer?"

Saga did not speak. He could not speak. His breath quickened, his mouth half open and his eyes startled and wide. He looked like a frightened child. Silent tears rolled down his marble carved face.

"I am sorry." Aiowyn said. She placed her left hand on the rifle as well and held it firmly. Mist was gathering in her brilliant green eyes. "Oh Saga, my child!" She exclaimed. "I know you hurt. I know what torment you are in. If you want me to end it, then I will. I spoke too harshly. You did the best you could and I cannot ask you to do more. You deserve peace. But Saga, if you want to assuage whatever damage this evil housed in you has done, you must stay alive. There is much you can do, Saga. It is your choice. Should I pull the trigger?"

So they stayed in that position for a long time, with the loaded automatic rifle between them. Finally Saga shook his head and said in a barely audible whisper, "No, sister."

Aiowyn unloaded the rifle and threw it away. She wrapped her arms around Saga and kissed the youth's white brow. "I will always be your sister, my child, no matter what." She murmured comfortingly, "I love you, Saga."

Saga said in a muffled voice, "I love you too, sister. Tell me what I must do. I want to do my part."

"You must… Compromise."

"Listen carefully, my child," She continued, "If there is an evil that you cannot defeat, then you must compromise with it. Watch, stay silent, save whatever you can. Do not provoke it and try do give it an opportunity to control your actions! Guard those children in Sanctuary, including my little brother, and raise them as a Grand Pope would. Look for your goddess quietly, but do not bring her back to the Sanctuary if you do not think she will be safe there. All of that is your responsibility now, my child. You must compromise with this evil, for now, Saga. One day when good is strong enough to enter your house again, you must be there to welcome her in."

Saga nodded, "I will do as you say, sister."

Aiowyn let loose a fey smile and she kissed Saga once more. "I have faith in you , Saga. I know your heart is good and pure. You will not disappoint me, I know."

"I will try my best." Saga said quietly.

Aiowyn smiled again, and she said, "I think I shall go fly this plane now, so you may make the same promise to two others that need it."

With that she left, and only moments later Deathmask and Aphrodite stepped into the compartment. For a moment Saga stared at them, conflicted and not knowing what to say. He had promised them his head, how could he tell them now that he wished to stay alive so he may do some good yet? Would they even believe him?

Yet contrary to what he feared, Aphrodite smiled at him sincerely and said, "I heard the entire conversation between you and Aiowyn. I believe you. I freely give you my alliance; I will help you, Saga. We shall triumph over this evil in you, eventually."

Deathmask was not smiling. The always grim Cancer saint simply said, "I trust you, Saga."

Finally, Saga allowed himself to smile, just a little.

Saga would live. He had a long road of atonement in front of him yet, and that road began with a compromise.

While this series is not technically finished, I am taking a long break from it. Perhaps I will add a trailer in a few days, but the new story will take a backseat for some other projects. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far! I am very thankful to know that those stories did entertain some people. Your reviews certainly made my day. So thanks again!