Who boy. We are getting close to the end of this arc. There will be an announcement at the beginning of the next chapter regarding my plans for this fic.
Disclaimer: I do not own Saint Seiya or any of the included characters. They all belong to Masami Kurumada.
Saori stared out into the forest outside the villa. It was night time now, and the others had all retired for the night. Saori, however, couldn't settle down enough to sleep, the conversation from earlier in the day echoing in her head.
A part of Saori couldn't quite believe that. Was it really fair that the Saints were expected to do "anything" for their goddess? Was that why Talus had died to save her life when Andromeda Akio tried to kill her? How could the Saints be expected to sacrifice everything for one person?
"Yen for your thoughts?" A voice interrupted Saori's thoughts.
She glanced over to see Seiya and Shiryu standing there, smiling at her. It was Seiya who had spoken.
Saori hesitated. Could she burden the Saints with her thoughts?
"It's okay to be scared." Seiya commented.
Saori blinked, staring at the normally cheerful boy's solemn expression.
"I mean," Seiya said, waving his hands aimlessly, "This is all a lot to take in. Saints and gods and Cosmo and all that."
Shiryu smiled comfortingly. "You don't have to be worried. We've all been training for years to protect you. We won't hesitate, so you have nothing to worry about."
"It doesn't hurt that the Vanguard are the most loyal of Athena's Saints. None of us will betray you." Ikki added as he and Esmeralda stepped out to join them.
"Yeah, yeah. What they said." Seiya added with a goofy grin.
Saori bit her lip, her hands clenching tightly. "That's not it!" She burst out. The young Saints all looked taken aback.
"It's not that I'm scared. I have faith that you'll all protect me. It's just..." Saori trailed off. "Tatsumi told me about Saints that day we were attacked on the bridge, but... Suddenly I'm told that I'm actually the goddess Athena, and that people are trying to kill me, and I don't know how to deal with it. Is this going to be my life from now on? People dying because of me?"
She watched as uncomfortable glances passed between the four teenagers.
"Is it really that simple though?" Shiryu commented.
"What do you mean?" Saori asked.
"As children, we were all taught to believe in Athena above all else, that we would be expected to fight and die for her no matter what. But loyalty isn't something that can just be taught. It has to be earned. You talk like you don't deserve our loyalty, our willingness to fight for you. But we're not just doing what we were taught do. You earned our loyalty in the past. Even if you haven't awakened as Athena, it's our job to make sure you survive long enough to do so. It's-"
Suddenly, Shun went tense, his gaze shifting towards the sky. Behind her, Saori could hear one of the others gasp sharply.
"Something's coming!" Shun hissed.
Before Saori had a chance to react, Seiya was lunging towards her with a cry of "Watch out!" He grabbed her and launched them both off the balcony and down to the clearing below.
When they landed, Saori held bridal-style in Seiya's arms, the purple-haired girl gasped as she saw the cloud of dust and debris surrounding the villa.
Ikki and Shiryu landed in front of Seiya and Saori, dropping into fighting stances. Hyoga-who Saori hadn't even realized was there-and Esmeralda, took up stances on either side of the Pegasus Saint.
Seiya let Saori down. "Are you hurt?" He asked. Saori shook her head.
As the dust cloud began to clear, a figure stepped out of it. The man, dressed in gold armor that Saori could only assume was one of the Gold Cloths, made for an imposing figure.
"Aiolia?" Seiya gasped. And then, "You're a Gold Saint?"
If the man in front of them-Aiolia, apparently-was surprised that Seiya recognized him, he didn't show it.
"Where is she?" He demanded.
"Where's who?" Ikki snarked back.
Aiolia's glare turned dark. "I came here with two missions: the first was to retrieve the Cloths of the Silver Saints that you killed. The second was to find the traitor calling herself Athena... and eliminate her!"
Fear curled in Saori's chest.
"Is that so?" Ikki just about purred. "Then let's just say it's our mission to protect the true Athena!"
As if on some sort of silent signal, both Ikki and Shiryu launched forward at the man at the same time.
The Gold Saint just lifted one hand. There was a burst of Cosmo, and both teens were thrown back and to the ground.
"Shiryu! Ikki!" Seiya yelled in alarm, and rushed to their side, reaching for his Cloth.
"Too slow!" The man declared, and another burst of Cosmo sent the four young Saints flying.
Saori barely had time to blink before the Gold Saint was there, towering over her with a cold glare on his face.
"You are Saori Kido? Where are the missing Cloths?"
Saori flinched back. "I don't know. And besides, I've never claimed to be Athena..."
"Are you begging your life?" The man snapped. He began to lift his right hand, holding it high above his head. "Don't hate me for this, but your very existence spells disaster for Sanctuary. The Pope has ordered for you to die."
Saori turned with a shriek as the man brought his hand down, making to run. She felt the swish of air, felt her hair being severed, and heard a slight grunt from her attacker. Stopping, she turned back to see that Hyoga and Esmeralda were attempting to hold back the Gold Saint. As she watched, he spun, forcing the two Bronze Saints to let go and sending them flying.
Ikki and Shiryu attempted to attack from either side, only for the Gold Saint to use some kind of technique to hit them both. The blond man made to charge Saori again, only for Shun to land in front of her in a defensive stance.
"You need to run!" The Canis Minor Saint ordered.
"But-" Saori protested.
"Just go!" The teen yelled as he darted at the older Saint.
Biting her lip, Saori took off into the trees, survival instincts taking over.
Shun gritted his teeth, clutching desperately at the hand clamped around his neck like a vice. Without his armor, it was far too easy for the Gold Saint in front him to pin him down.
Behind Aiolia were the rest of the Bronzes, scattered across the scorched ground in various states of injured and conscious.
Shun closed his eyes as his vision began to grey nauseatingly. He wouldn't last much longer, but with any luck it would be long enough for Saori to get some distance from the villa.
As Shun felt his conscious slipping, a voice yelled out from behind Aiolia.
"That's enough Aiolia!"
The Leo Gold Saint jerked in shock at the sound of Aiolos's voice behind him. His hand went lose as he whipped around, and Shun slumped to the ground, coughing as he gasped for air.
Lifting his head as he held one hand to his throat, Shun managed to peer around Aiolia enough to see Aiolos, standing in determinedly in front of the smoking remains of the back end of the villa.
Aiolia dropped Talus's student at the sound of his brother's voice.
It can't be! He thought. Brother is dead!
But as he turned, he saw him. Aiolos was older that Aiolia remembered, not surprising considering that he was right nearly thirty now, but he almost seemed older than that, his blue eyes tired as he supported himself against what was left of a wooden pillar.
Aiolos straightened up and began to make his way towards Aiolia. The Leo Saint couldn't help but take note of the limp in the older man's gait.
"Aiolia," Aiolos started to say, "You need to listen to me. Things aren't what they seem in Sanctuary. The Pope-"
"Don't come any closer!" Aiolia barked.
Aiolos lifted his hands in a non-threatening gesture, but continued approaching.
"Please, little brother, just listen to me." There was something in Aiolos's eyes, something so earnest.
Baring his teeth in a snarl, Aiolia prepared to cast Lightning Plasma. Aiolia gritted his teeth. Aiolos was a traitor. Had tried to kill Athena and then fled like a coward. This should be easy.
It wasn't.
"STOP IT!"
Aiolia whipped around at the desperate yell, staring in shock at what he saw. The girl-Saori Kido-stood just outside the tree line, her entire body glowing with pale gold light. It was a sight, a feeling, that Aiolia knew instinctively.
"This Cosmo..." This was the light of Athena.
"Why did you come back?" Aiolia heard the Pegasus Saint yell.
"I didn't have a choice! I just had to!" The young goddess nearly sobbed. "I haven't done anything wrong! There's no reason for me to die, so there's no reason for me to run! What is all of this?" The girl dropped to her knees, shaking her head fiercely.
"Miss Saori has awakened as Athena." Aiolia heard one of the young Bronze Saints breathe.
Okay, that was one of the hardest chapters to write since... I don't know. Did I get Aiolia's and Aiolos's first meeting right?
Send me your thoughts.
See you soon!
