More than Gold is (not) Complete

by Jenny DeVic

Book of Sagittarius: What would happen if Mitsumasa Kido chose to carry Aiolos back to Japan instead of his Cloth? Book of Gemini: What would happen if Saga never committed suicide? Book of Centaur: ?

52. Gemini Epilogue:Love,Death,and Politics

THREE MONTHS AGO

HOUSE OF LIBRA

Saori descended the stairs until her feet froze into place to grab her chest. It only took her a moment to figure out that Aiolia was training. She was told during these times, by the guards, that it would be best to wait a couple of hours due to the strength of their blows. But this was too important. She turned the corner and standing in front of the Cloth of Libra, was her faithful Leo shadow-boxing the wall. His hands were wrapped in brown bandages that showed he must have been bleeding and healing, but his face was stoic and focused as if he was suffering merely papercuts over repeatedly splitting the skin of his knuckles. Suddenly, Aiolia stopped in his spot before unleashing a strike that sent a shockwave that forced the air to leave her lungs.

Aiolia froze and darted his head in the direction of the sound of something collapsing. "Shhhii-" he cried out, self-censoring his mouth. "Athena!" he grimaced as his blood and sweat were saturating her snow-white gown. "Athena, are you alright?" Relief filled him as she nodded, thankful that she didn't lose consciousness. "You should've sent a message."

She touched her chest. "I had to come, it was important," she spoke as she took a few breaths and stood up. "Relax, I'm okay!" her charming smile radiated the room.

Aiolia felt his own heart beating harder than when he was working out. She said she was okay, but that was only because he was doing his warm-ups before he would start bringing out the techniques. He turned his head and grabbed his towel to quickly dry himself up while casually healing the open cuts and blisters on his knuckles. "Why are you here? Did Shaka have any news of where my brother and Saga went?"

"Unfortunately, he's still unable to find any traces of them. But that's not why I'm here."

The Leo turned toward the Libra Cloth, cobwebs now building up where the weapons sat from being outside of its box for so long. Just looking at it made his eyes wet with a mixture of tears and blood that dripped in between the emerging whiskers that grew over his face from being separated from a razor for so long. He still recalls that moment when his brother tumbled in, Saga following after, yet he was unable to enter as if a thick piece of glass separated them.

When the dagger mysteriously vanished in front of them, he knew he couldn't leave. But contrary to his appearance, he didn't exactly go full hermit either. He used his cosmos to keep in touch with Marin, and he had one of the door guards bring over their Tele-cam so that he could still have contact with his psychologist. "Why are you here?"

The Goddess walked over and touched his arm. "I know, you don't want to abandon this place. But I don't think Aiolos would want you to stay here endlessly and he's not the only one," she spoke as she pulled out a letter.

Aiolia reached over, recognizing the sweet floral perfume Marin always wore every morning before flipping it over to where the sign of the Eagle was stamped over it. But why would she send this when they have the cosmos? He flipped the seal and pulled out a black piece of plastic with streaks of grey upon it. He gazed upon the image. "Wait...is this the baby? How did they take the picture while it's still inside? They can do that?" he gazed upon it as if it was pure sorcery.

Athena smiled. "It's called an ultrasound."

A small gasp followed. "Oh… yes I've heard some women talk about it. But why did she get one without telling me?"

"She wasn't feeling well and didn't want you to be more stressed than you already were. She went to have it checked out in Delphi. They told her she just needed to go easier on her training-"

A sputter of near-laughter followed the Leo. "Good luck with that!"

She laughed a little too. "Yes, the people in Delphi said she told them the same thing. Anyways, they offered to perform it on her." Her wise eyes shifted in a coy manner. "She said, they told her the gender, but she says you'll have to come back to find that out yourself."

The Leo tenderly stared into the picture, tilting it at all angles. His beloved Marin. She knows how to tease him, but that is why he loves her more than the sun itself. However, his head turned back to the spot where the mysterious doorway opened and closed as if he was forced to choose the woman he loved and the brother he cared about.

But Athena walked over to the Cloth and took a seat next to it, pulling out a book and a small picnic basket. "Go, my Leo. If something happens, you will be the first to know. By the way, she says she hopes he doesn't mind if she's...a bit bigger now."

Aiolia gazed at the picture. "Sounds like she's grown more beautiful." He sighed as he took the hint. "Alright, I'll try to be back in an hour."

But Saori shook her head adamantly. "Not one hour. One day. You'll be back in one day, so say your Goddess!" her tiny voice thundered.

He shook his head. "Alright, one day." He walked over and pulled on his trainer, strapping his armor back on. He walked over and knelt in front of the Libra Cloth and laid a hand upon it, doing his daily one-man-brother-to-brother-banter, "Forgive me, but the women have beaten me….I've stayed here for over thirty days. Be a jerk and come back on the one day I'm not here…. please come home…" he prayed.

He ran out of the inner chambers of Libra, his eyes blinded by the dim light. He turned his head toward a metal vase that was used for decoration and gazed upon his features. "Goddess I look like…" he muttered and was ready to say he must look like shit after having avoided haircuts and shaving for a while, but honestly, he didn't think it was too bad. He touched his five o'clock shadow. He supposed it wouldn't hurt to allow it to keep going just to see how a little facial hair would look. Hopefully, Marin won't complain since the bigger she got, the list of positions at night was growing smaller.

He ran at light speed over the endless stairs when he suddenly stopped at a kneeling soldier that was in between Gemini and Cancer.

The Leo looked down at the laying balls of fluff. "Neptune? Hera?" he gasped at Kanon and Saga's black and orange cats were carpeting the stone steps, their tails twitching to indicate they haven't grown stiff yet.

The door guard turned his head. "Oh, Saint Leo…" he bowed his head. "Sorry I was not at my post, but I heard some sounds and found them here again."

Aiolia wrinkled his nose. It was the first time he's ever seen one of the cats from the Third House running out. "Again!?"

The soldier nodded. "Every darn day, no matter how much food and water we leave behind, the cats just keep trying to run up, until they pass out."

The Leo leaned down and could see the felines heaving from the heat, their paws trembling from exhaustion. He knew the doves and pigeons would encircle the House of Aries and would act strange when Mu was out. He wondered if cats did the same thing. He reached over and picked them both up, hearing them meow gently in protest. "Oh relax, I wasn't serious when I told Saga I would turn you into a hat," he spoke, gently massaging the matted dusty fur until he looked up to the guard."Do me a favor, go to the House of Gemini, retrieve their supplies, and bring them back to the House of Libra. I think I know what they are trying to do." He turned around and headed back to Athena.

O|================|O

PRESENT (A DAY AND A HALF AFTER AIOLOS AND SAGA RETURNED)

HOUSE OF LIBRA

PRIVATE GUEST BEDROOM

Aiolia slipped on the last of his gauntlets before resting his headpiece upon his blond hair that was much straighter after allowing the tight curls to grow out. Anytime the Pope summoned everyone, Golds were expected to come fully dressed in their armor. It was the norm, even when Saga was pretending to be Shion, but the normal venue was typically in the House of Scorpio. Today, Aiolos wanted everyone to come into the Courtroom of Libra, a place reserved for formal hearings for Saints or high-ranking officials.

At least that was the intention.

Ninety-five percent of the time, treason was handled in the typical matter of granting a permanent cure for a bad headache.

Of all the places, why did his brother summon everyone here?

Aiolia attempted to sit beside his brother, but the combination of age and the weight of his Cloth caused the brittle yellow bedsheets to crack and splinter. He guessed that the last time a servant had changed out the blankets was back when Dohko had hair on his head. That was when he noticed his brother holding up the helmet and the mask of the Pope as if it were the skull of Yorick. "What is it?"

Aiolos directed the Colchian Dragon on top toward his younger sibling. "Before Shion died, he told me and Saga that one of us would wear this helmet. He told us that no matter how bad things got, to wear it with pride. That was my intention and I did so during my first three months as Pope. But after talking to Libra Panda, I'm not sure if I can put it on."

Aiolia had yet to hear what happened. Saga and Aiolos were so dazed and confused when he found them. The skin around their eyes was so dark as if they both sank to the depths of hell and back. Neither of them realized he brought both of them to the side rooms where they napped a good fifteen hours straight. "Then don't. You're the Pope and if Ares caused all of this then why not a change in tradition? It's not like it is made of some special metal like our Cloths. Fuck tradition and wear what you want to wear." He turned his head, expecting a counter-argument, but to his surprise, his brother raised a brow in enlightenment. "You agree?"

"Yeah...I do." He stared hard at the red eyes of the dragon, his mind flashing to the same pair that stared at him and Saga as he tossed them carelessly through Another Dimension before dumping them in a field like a pair of prisoners ready to be executed. He doesn't care what position Ares was in the past, he swore himself to Athena and as one of her highest representatives, he needed to show it. He took the scarlet helmet, slamming it with a heavy thud on the table before twisting the grim masked face toward a wall. He didn't need to hide his identity right now since he was among other Golds. When it comes time to return to the Chambers, he would rather cover his head in a burlap sack than put what will soon be a mere metal paperweight back over his head. "Yeah...that feels much better already." He smiled and looked up, grasping Leo's head and flopping the blond lengths as if it was some grand mane. "Careful with your words, little brother. Otherwise, people will start thinking you're the older and wiser of the two of us. By the way, what made you decide to grow a soul patch?" his gloved finger gently petting the chin, its fine fabric catching upon each of the bristles as if there were thistles.

"Couldn't shave or go to the barber while you were missing. When I saw my reflection, I decided to stick with it."

"Good choice. It looks very good. Gives you a more regal look," spoke Aiolos. Aiolia seemed a bit different too, a little more mature, but in a good way. Not like when he first came back to Rodario after waking up from his coma. "Throw a crown on top and you could probably pass off as a king."

Aiolia grinned cheekily as he used to do as a child. "Thanks! I'm glad you and everyone else likes it. I was also thinking of complimenting it with a nose or a lip ring."

Aiolos frowned. Chuck it. So much for Aiolia maturing."Oh please don't. You get a lip ring, I swear I'll fire an arrow and pin you to a tree with it until you rip it out."

Aiolia shrugged. "Yeah, Marin said the same thing. I think it would look badass, but she says I've been hanging around Deathmask too much."

The archer groaned. Of all the people his little brother had to be neighbors with. "Speaking of which, you should think less of putting a ring up your nose and getting one on Marin's finger."

The Leo brought a playful finger near his lip as if stroking a metaphorical whisker upon his face. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box, shaking it a bit like a golden bell.

"Are you serious? Have you?"

Aiolia shook his head. "Not yet. I just haven't figured out the best time. I'm not afraid, I just don't want to look insensitive. I mean, do I propose to her before the baby, or after the baby? Is she going to be upset that I waited until she was huge, or will she take it the wrong way when she goes back to being thin after the delivery? I even asked Shaka's opinion and he's like: Irrigators regulate the rivers; fletchers straighten the arrow shaft; carpenters shape the wood...it's some quote from the Pali Canon which is the Buddhist reply for look man, I meditate alone for hours in a field and I don't know jack shit about women, go find someone else. So what do you think?"

Aiolos breathed in,

Aiolos breathed out.

"Well-" he boldly starts before his arms drop, both limbs functioning just as much as his lower half. "-I don't know. I haven't exactly been able to hold a relationship that lasted more than two weeks yet."

"Which one, the one with Futaba, or the one you hid from me with Saga?" the Leo thought to himself, wondering if Aiolos realized he let it slip that he wasn't as straight as he kept telling him while he was cursed. He didn't care about him being gay, but he could do so much better than the Gemini.

The heavy chime of the ancient grandfather clock echoed in the room. "Well, time to start the trial...confession...or whatever I should refer to it. Could you go and let Athena know I'm ready?"

Aiolia helped his brother up before passing a cane to him. For a moment he hesitated. He hated Saga, but after seeing how the curse affected his brother, he just couldn't outright blame the Gemini anymore. "Saga doesn't need a trial."

That was when the archer passed an odd expression. "The trial isn't for Saga, it's for me."

O|=============|O

COURT ROOM

HOUSE OF LIBRA

The Gemini sat on the stone bench of the persecuted, as the other golds paced back and forth, working their legs and anxiety. He wasn't sure if this was where he needed to be, but it made the most sense.

As the former Pope, the most important step is to know when to command the room and when to quietly read it, such as the latter. The first thing his dark blue eyes examine is the position of each of his fellow neighbors.

Aphrodite and Deathmask stood next to him, the Cancer desiring freedom to do as he pleased while the Pisces valued his approach to ruling Sanctuary. For them, Aiolos was too soft and won't have the backbone and see him as Shion 2.0 and that is not the direction they want to see things go.

On the other side of the room were Aldebaran, Shura, and a green orb that granted Dohko a presence in the meeting. Mu was not too far from them. If Aiolia was here, he would probably be with them. They detested his False Pope style. True it got things done, but it was also fracturing the trust and bonds needed when the Holy War comes.

Of course, in between, Milo and Camus held steady together, moving all around interacting with both. They understood they could swing between both sides, and that in itself is a power of its own.

Finally, Shaka sat in the center of it all. Shaka shows no loyalty to anyone at this point. Shaka quietly meditates.

Shaka is Shaka.

The door swung open, Aiolia holding the heavy oak for his brother while Aiolos hobbled in a bit, the Goddess followed by his side after waiting in the hallway for the two brothers.

As a proper courtesy, everyone went down on one knee, with Aiolos gesturing just as quickly to rise. All was proceeding as normal with Athena approaching one of two marble thrones. However, rather than follow the one he wished to serve, the archer approached the Gemini and gazed at him with a sordid expression. "Take your seat among friends, Gemini Saga. We will discuss your place within the Sanctuary afterward."

Saga's face puffed up, as if he had just swallowed a fly, but bowed his head and stepped aside as he was asked. The moment he left, Aiolos sat in his spot, the area still warm from his body heat. "Your Holiness?"

But Aiolos took his gloved hand and motioned the third guardian to join the others. He knew this would happen after previewing his brother's reaction earlier, but he can't back out now. He rested his hands on his lap, his fingers positioned as if he still had the long piece of paper that he endlessly rehearsed last night as if today was the day he would stand upon a scaffold. "Everyone, although I was falsely accused of being a traitor five years ago, the actions I've done over the course of three...months, were of my choosing. As we all found out, a great evil was poisoning Sanctuary from within. Because said evil was so well hidden, I intended to send Saga of Gemini out with an order to find out more about this curse. I expected that I would be granted years of immunity against it as Saga was, but instead I had underestimated its power and was overwhelmed within hours. Because of my mistake, a controlled form of chaos enveloped Sanctuary, but not only that, I violated many of your sacred trusts forcing you to do things out of your control. I thank the Goddess my actions were undone, but nevertheless," he turned his gaze toward the others, focusing heavily on the Pisces and Cancer Saints. "Especially you, Aphrodite. You were one of the first and longest under my control, and I am deeply sorry for all I have done and will accept whatever punishment is fitting of the crime I've committed."

Nearly every Gold Saint in the room was shocked by the confession that the archer delivered.

All accept one.

"Aiolos, you brilliant bastard," thought the Gemini as he swallowed every breath of boisterous laughter down his throat. He had seen it on the chessboard and even in battle, but at long last he was able to witness Aiolos finally applying his gift in long-term strategy to an aspect that the archer struggled in: The political one. On the surface, it appeared as if Aiolos' admission of guilt before Aphrodite and Deathmask would be considered weak. However, number one, because Aiolos was the first to admit it before the group, he controlled the narrative. Number two, because Aiolos stressed that his fate would be decided afterward, Aiolos was giving Aphrodite and Deathmask a chance to demonstrate mercy upon him, and in turn, have the others show the same for him.

But it was still quite a gamble.

If Aphrodite and Deathmask go against the grain, which the two are heavily known for, it also risked fracturing Sanctuary even more especially if they try something stupid like demand the resignation of Aiolos despite the two being outnumbered even with the support of Camus and Milo.

Luckily for them, Aphrodite had hung around near the top of Sanctuary to understand how matters like this were played.

A favor, for a favor.

Fine, he'll bite

The Pisces immediately rested his hand upon Deathmask's shoulder to silence the Sicilian before he spouts out shit that they would have to walk back over to help Saga. "Your Holiness, when we awoke from whatever bewitchment you had us under, we were deeply troubled, fearful of what actions we may have partaken upon. However, we are pleased about the promptness in which you wish to discuss and resolve it. Not only that but as you yourself experienced, your actions were not your own as were the others," Aphrodite delicately gestured to Aldebaran, Shura, and every other gold that was under the cursed red arrow.

At that moment, Saga unleashed a focused harmless pulse of cosmos at the Pisces, letting him know that he was pressing his advantage too strongly. If Aphrodite was too harsh or made any demands, the others will ask the same, if not more eagerly when it comes time for his judgment.

It was a hint that Aphrodite took quite seriously. He returned his gaze toward the Pope, cleared his throat, and fine-tuned his approach. "Anyways, you do not need to seek pardon from us, but if it grants you relief we accept your apology and seek only to serve you as our one true Pope."

Deathmask, not wanting to remain completely silent, raised a hand in agreement. "Ditto!"

Aiolos showed no reaction, but deep down, he was quite pleased. He could tell Saga was guiding Aphrodite a bit, but he suspected if there was one person who could read what he had planned, it was him.

A favor for a favor.

He had a feeling Aphrodite would go with that and therefore, he would deliver.

"Thank you." He turned his head. "As a measure of good faith, I would like to write up legislation that will see that those who were either under the influence of the curse or were following orders issued by higher-ups, will be pardoned of all wrongdoings."

At that moment, Aiolos could feel the rise of a few of the cosmos there as a quiet indication of disagreement from some, his brother included. It's one thing to write off throwing others in jail, it's another to forgive for countless murders. He knew it was overly broad and open, but it was not an act done out of carelessness.

Saga recognized it as well. But he had a feeling Aiolos did so on purpose, but rather to allow him to step forward to show that they were both on the same page. "Your Holiness and Goddess Athena, while I am grateful for the mercy that you bestow, I had made previous commitments of atonement that I wish to honor. For your brother, the chance to redeem your name, for Saint Mu, I agreed to return his Master's Golden Orb and swore years of therapy as per Lemurian customs. For Saint Dohko, a large percentage of my pay will go to the families of those lives I have taken. Grant a full pardon for everyone else, but as for my fate, I wish that these promises of atonement be added to any order you craft."

Aiolos bit his lip, hearing Saga reaffirm his promises to the others, demonstrating how serious he was at following. While it was clear they did approve of Saga's actions, he personally felt the Gemini shouldn't have to do them at all. If the others understood the torture and madness one went through, they too would feel that the fact that Saga being forced to hold onto the curse until the end would be penance enough. Sadly though, they won't know the true horror of the curse until they are under its effects and he has to produce a decision now. "Request granted. Submit to me a written form of documentation of promise of atonement and I will see that they are incorporated."

Aphrodite turned to Aiolos. "I feel it is necessary that in addition that such atonement be added on, that it be necessary we include the position of Saga's place in Sanctuary in writing." He turned his head toward the others. "It is easy to see the bad, but let us not forget that five years ago, Sanctuary was drowning in debt and lacked various welfare programs. If Saga had not enacted the deal with the Kido Foundation, more than half of our army would still be fighting with broken Cloths right now with only eight years until Holy War is predicted to start."

For Aiolos, it was always on the agenda, but naturally, the Pisces saw the moment to twist his arm as if granting the illusion that he was the one who moved when others spoke and not the other way around.

Goddess, he missed having Milo and Shura as his neighbors in Sanctuary.

The archer remained quiet and closed his eyes in contemplation.

Everyone was watching, and they all were expecting an answer. Saga took a deep breath, having been in such situations as the false Pope. He knew that whatever Aiolos says next will either make or break his reign for years to come.

Finally, Aiolos raised his head and took a deep breath as he turned toward his friends and neighbors. "Fine, let it be transcribed that Saga, you will forfeit your right as my successor in the event of my death. Another Gold who will be consulted privately to resume this position as my assistant," he spoke as he turned to Mu and the others who were with him when he took back Sanctuary. Then he turned toward those who stood in his way. "As for your place, we're retiring Gigars, and giving you his position of High Advisor."

Saga could feel the burst of energy in the room, but he too was equally giddy. Aiolos had

-elevated his approval among his peers as the Pope while dodging what could've been a highly controversial blemish upon his reputation

-grant the Gemini the third most powerful position in Sanctuary

-managed to attain bipartisanship in a heavily partisanship environment by sacking Gigars.

Damn. The son of a footsoldier who didn't touch a book or learned to write his name until he was five years old had just accomplished the equivalent of a political hat trick.

Suddenly, a wave of cosmos was felt, causing all to grow silent, not because it was strong, but because of who it came from.

Shaka held a serene exposed palm near his cheek, white cosmos burning from the tips of his fingers and illuminating the sharp edges of his jaw. "As joyous as all this is, we have yet to discuss the origin of the curse."

As usual, Shaka moved to his own drum.

Aiolos turned his head and caught the Gemini walking over before sitting next to him. They had everyone here, so now was just as good of a time as any to discuss it. However, he was feeling a bit dizzy. But he could tell everyone wanted to know and he was a bit eager to let them know as well.

Just as the two used to do when they and everyone else were children, Saga raised his hands, crafting a large rectangle of solid light cosmos ready to use his powers of casting illusions to assist. "As all of you know, the first Holy War came about when Athena opposed Poseidon who sought to flood the Earth. While most of the Olympians chose to stay away from the conflict in fear that it would spill into their domains, Ares sided with Athena as equals," he stressed.

As Saga produced an image of the God and Goddess of War standing side by side, he could see the shock in the others. "Search all of your hearts. The Pope is dressed in the colors of Ares. The Colchian Dragon, a creature heavily tied to the God of War as the owl is to the Goddess of Wisdom is upon his helmet."

Aiolos looked up. "It can also clear a few contradictions that many of us questioned yet never say a word upon in the lore of Saints. If you all wonder why some of us have weapons despite the Goddess forbidding their usage. The fact is, Athena detested weapons while Ares championed them Also, the Holy War was different too. Bloodier. Longer. A lot longer," Aiolos spoke flatly. "A thousand years longer."

Puzzled looks bounced back and forth, trying to make sense considering most Golds were lucky to live past thirty. Milo held out both hands. "A thousand years as in fictionally it was short but historically longer like the Trojan War or multiple conflicts like the Crusades?"

"According to the First Sagittarius, it was literally a thousand years long. The First Libra also confirmed that the first Golds didn't just fight and die. They fought and died, and thanks to the Ophiuchus Saint, were revived over and over. Poseidon's side was using the Waters of Rhea to revive their Mariners repeatedly as well."

Mu's eyes narrowed. "Master Shion spoke of how he and his Master, and his Master before him warn of the dangers of resurrection. War is checked by death and without death, War flourishes like weeds upon a field."

For Shura, the moment he thought he killed Aiolos in the quarry was still burned into his memory, five years of questions, denials, anger, and helpless guilt. "How did they not go insane from that!?" Shura gasped.

"That's exactly what happened," spoke the Gemini."No one wants to lose a war, especially a Holy War. They would die, resurrect, and repeat in hopes of changing the outcome. Nobody liked it, but it had to be done. Unfortunately, there was one God in particular who despised it most of all. I'll give you a clue, it wasn't Athena, Ares, or Poseidon."

"Hades," whispered Athena as she felt her blood grow cold.

Aiolos waited until the dark raven hair and endlessly beautiful sad eyes formed upon the image that Saga had crafted."The God of the Underworld was so enraged by the blasphemy that he wanted to join in the Holy War and destroy both sides. In the words of the First Libra:

Athena and Poseidon both decided that was when the endless resurrection would stop, daring not to defy the brother of Zeus whose army of the Dead greatly outnumbered their armies of the Living. But Ares foolishly disagreed. While Athena received worship during peace, he was a god who was spared a sacrificial goat when there was combat and was surely jealous! So he began making plans to not only keep the war going but to fight Poseidon and Hades at the same time! Under Athena's divine will, I gathered a few others in a secret meeting and told them it was time that Ares had to go.

We knew it would be far from easy. Ares' weapons have crafted scars into the Earth that still exist as mountains today. His true armor, not that shell that you saw him wandering around to hide his skeleton remains, was crafted by Hephaestus himself.

We almost gave up on the plan, but one day, a servant of mine, a lovely black-haired lass named Ker came to me and told me a secret she overheard. She said that there was only one time Ares or any other man of war would take off his armor.

So the plan was set. A fake message that his wife, the Goddess Aphrodite was going to meet him in a forest.

"And he fell for it?" Pisces Aphrodite expressed with heavy skepticism. "The puppeteer of this whole mess for all these centuries was tricked by a love letter?"

"That's his wife! I'd go if Marin sent me something like that after being away from her for a thousand years," Aiolia clapped back.

"Let me finish," Aiolos groaned as he rubbed his face a bit.

"Aiolos, are you going to be-"

"-Saga, let me finish," Aiolos stressed once more, tension dripping in each word.

The Gemini wasn't quite so sure, but arguing with his friend in front of the others would hurt the goodwill they showed each other and become a sign that it was fine to argue with the most powerful man in Sanctuary. He bows his head and changes the scene for the others.

Aiolos took a deep labored breath. "Anyways:

We were prepared for a long-drawn-out battle, but was easily vanquished thanks to my carefully laid-out plan!

Ares was dead. But Hera and Zeus were furious, for Ares was one of the few who was born between their union.

He was also their only true son.

Even if he shared no relations, the idea that a mortal killing a god was blasphemy in Olympus.

Zeus was ready to imprison all of the Golds for their defiance.

After our Holy Goddess Athena begged and pleaded did Zeus and Hera grant

one

last

chance

Thus the curse was born, a means for Zeus to test whether or not the Gold Saints, those that represent humanity through the Twelve Houses, were worthy or not. So when those afflicted by the curse come, we grant a test, if they pass, their Cloth is purified with our essence.

Everyone was silent, unsure of what to say. Zeus was so close to striking down Sanctuary? The thought of a nuclear bomb dropping down upon them brought more comfort than the All-Father visiting them.

Mu turned his head toward the orb, leaning toward it. "Old Master, what do you think? He was your predecessor."

The orb produced a gentle light as if to signal to the others that Dohko was there and thinking. "I was already blinded once, and I shall not be again. While Ares is ruthless, I question how much validity this story holds when it comes from someone who plotted murder."

Athena sat quietly too. She may be seven, but she was still the reincarnation of the Goddess of Wisdom. Sometimes she felt like Saori Kido, and other times, as if entering a dream she becomes the wisest in the room. "I too wonder how much truth is in it. If the True Athena was around back then, I would believe she would play a greater role. The First Libra made it sound like she knew nothing of the plans at all. I don't know when the First Athena reincarnated into a human and learned the beauty of compassion for others. But if the old myths are true, as a Goddess, she was just as petty as the other Olympians, punishing those who happened to be more beautiful or more skilled."

Out of nowhere, Aiolos looked like he was about to collapse before Saga twisted over and caught him.

"Goddess, I knew he didn't quite look right," thought Saga before he smacked the new Pope's cheek. "Your Holiness!"

"What have you done, Saga!" snapped Aiolia as he and everyone came forward.

"ABSOLUTELY NOTHING, CUB!" The Gemini snapped.

Aiolos scrunched his face, eyelids stretching open and shut, unsure whether to leave them closed or not. Various cosmos were tense around him and he needed to establish order. "He didn't do anything. I just got a bit dizzy, and I'll be fine."

"Bullshit!" thought Aiolia as he ran over and tried to hold his stubborn older brother. "Come on, you need to go get more rest."

Aiolos drew his hand to his face. The last time this happened was when he was dying in the middle of the rock quarry, the light slowly going blurry and bright, when his body just couldn't handle anymore no matter how much he willed it. "A small nap would be nice," Aiolos muttered as he leaned a bit on his knees.

"Try a couple of days. You probably haven't recovered from the Collective." Saga spoke, being the only one who knew how hard they worked to get out of there. "Aiolos, you haven't worn a full Cloth for years and Asclepius…" Saga couldn't even finish his message through the cosmos. He made Aiolos relive fucking back surgery, a type of torture he thought only the residents of the lowest part of the Underworld were capable of.

But Aiolos turned his head. "I know what I went through, but it's only traumatizing if I didn't want to go through with it. However, I would gladly go through with it a thousand more times if he dares try to give me an offer where I would betray my friends."

Saga shook his head. Aiolos was a stereotypical Stupidly Loyal Sagittarius. "That's not the point. If I'm still feeling exhausted, you are three or four times that."

"Saga, I need to arrange for a meeting with Gigars and later the High Council."

Saga smirked. "I'm your High Advisor now. I will gladly let Gigars know of the news. As for the High Council, I will be more than pleased to introduce myself," he spoke before a deep roar of laughter followed.

O|=======================|O

GEMINI EPILOGUE: LOVE, DEATH, AND POLITICS

Defying Gravity

O|=======================|O

RODARIO

HIGH COUNCIL MANOR

A fairly elderly woman with long silver hair and rows of gold around her neck snubbed her nose as she held out her coat for one of the migrant servants of Asgard to take hold. Her eyebrows arched in a look of displeasure at the idea that she was forced to wake up and get ready before nine in the morning as if she was some common worker and not the eighth generation daughter of the House of Tuffin in Delphi. Someone needed to give the Pope a good swift kick in regards to how much she needed her beauty sleep. "Gigars, you better have a good reason to summon me this early on a Saturday!" she snapped. The idea of waking up before eight o'clock should be reserved for bakers and laborers, not those who have maintained their status as a high born. She darted her head, turning to the other heads of the noble houses of Sanctuary. "What is wrong with you? Why are you all sitting there with your hands upon your laps like children?"

"Because Gigars no longer runs the High Council, I do," mused Saga as he spun the chair with a smug proud look upon his face.

Her thin lip dropped. "Wait...I thought you were on the run and the cripple…" She gasped and paused.

Saga frowned. The pompous poodle before him has yet to adjust her tongue. Must be difficult when it is most likely normalized over here. "That cripple is your Holiness…"

Here parchment skin flushed red. The lack of sleep had made her careless. "A mere slip, apologies. I was thrown off that the mere son of a mediocre accountant can acquire such a high position," her lips smiled as her eyes stared sternly.

Saga frowned but smiled back. He too can produce a Stepford smile just as well as anyone. "Oh, you heard correctly. I was on the run, but now I am not," his hand gently pushed forward the paper with Aiolos' gigantic signature and seal at the bottom of it. "Now I wear the Owl Hat!" He spoke as he stroked the fine tips.

"YOU'RE JOKING! THERE IS NO WAY!"

But Phaeton, Gigar's old assistant shook his slouched head in disagreement. "It's true. Gigars was asked to take a large bonus and pack all his things or else he would have to march up to the top of Sanctuary and have a discussion with his Holiness in front of the rest of the Twelve." He didn't think the crippled Pope had it in him to fire anyone, especially one whose family had bestowed several investments in Rodario over the years.

Saga slid and interlocked his fingers in smug delight, ringing his new Owl Hat like a bell. "That's right. And as his Holiness' High Advisor, any bill that you wish to introduce to him… has to come through me! Whatever happens here, will pass through my lips. You had all had your fun with Pope Shion, Goddess rest his soul, but now, such deception will come to an end. I guarantee you that I shall parse through every bit of information from the ink that it is written in, to every minuscule comma. I will not allow things to slide. Believe me, with an evil undead God of War residing within me, I am not in the mood to play around." On the surface, he was as carefree as a butterfly, but he knew it was best to have the reflexes of a hawk among these people.

"YOU'RE MAD!"

"NO! I'm cursed!" The Gemini snapped back. "You want madness?" He reached into a leather bag and pulled out dozens of folders. "This is madness! According to the other Golds, since Aiolos went missing, there has been more legislation passed in the last four months than there are countries in Europe! The only one who can sign these bills is the legitimate Pope unless he is formally declared deceased and judging by this paperwork, it was not the case."

An elderly gentleman scrunched his face."We were confused!"

"How!?" gasped Saga as he pulled out all the death certificates. "How much more blunt does the cub have to be when he scribbles FUCK NO! each time?"

The gentleman shook his head back and forth. "That's not it. One moment the Pope was tall, the next floated on the table, we had one that cursed in French and another was polite in Portuguese."

Saga drew a hand to his face. Apparently, without Aiolos there, a Pope had to sit on the throne. Rather than nominate one of their own, they instead took turns. Without any consistency, there was chaos. While some Golds were smart enough to choose to do nothing but sit pretty in a robe, others decided the best course was to sign every single bill delivered as if they were the Terms of Agreement. So naturally, the nobles were the first to see this and leaped upon it like a glass of water in the middle of a desert.

"It was the end of the year, we needed a budget!" muttered one of the nobles.

Saga rolled his eyes. "Oh please! The bill I had carefully crafted in the middle of the year ensured our budget was in the black and kept it as such even without any updates. This monstrosity over the past four months leaves us in a black hole! Do you think Sanctuary wants to build up relations with North America by sending half of your grandchildren as representatives to a four-day-three-night-all-expenses-paid trip to Disney World?" He watched the other nobles whispering and sending cosmos messages to each other. "Oh Ares, do you miss this? Do you miss this skull-pounding, finger-cracking drudgery known as Sanctuary Bureaucracy!?" he whispered to himself. If Ares is going to spend so much time watching the background, he might as well become his new bitching wall.

The Gemini leaned back and focused on the group in front. Messages of cosmos were being sent back and forth, and little did they know, his mental abilities were high enough to read every one of them. Most of them were about how much more difficult things will be now that Gigars has retired to the countryside of Delphi.

Good

Let them sweat it out, for he knew their game quite well. He gazed upon each player, memorizing each facial feature of panic. In their old and aging eyes, he looked like he was sitting still, but the pen in his hand worked vigorously at lightspeed, taking notes on every single thing they said while just as quickly removing each sheet of paper before they noticed.

How cute. They all think they will have him taken down within a week.

There was a good reason why both the wealthy and the whores were always on their knees at the Pope's Chambers when he was in charge.

Phaeton meekly turned his head. "We heard your wages were heavily garnished now."

Saga raised a brow. Was that all they fucking got? Money? "Yes, they were. Don't worry because unlike all of you, I don't have to worry about a daily regimen of caviar. Besides, after sleeping under a filthy table for the last three months my palette has been refined to embrace the exquisite taste of bottled water. If you desire some inroads with me, let's cut to the chase. I have done some very bad things in the past and all of you went along with some very very bad things with me."

The elderly woman frowned before smacking her hand upon the table. "I have no idea of what you're talking about," she lied. "But it doesn't matter. We've heard he's granting forgiveness to those who have done wrong."

Saga's fist fell upon the table shattering every glass upon it. If they think they can outplay him, they are sorely mistaken. "Your spies heard he forgives all, but his pen dictates he's referring to those of us in the Army," Saga lied, but takes note to ensure to let the archer know of the loophole. "You may wear more gold than me, madam, but you are no Gold Saint. But if all of you play along, I shall whisper thoughts of inclusion and not of all the times you all had your spies fed rumors to ensure the little brother's place as a pariah." He narrows his eyes with the same steely gaze that he used to cut his opponents from a standing position to that of one on all fours. He used the little brother card, and if there is one thing that Aiolos has made clear, nobody touches the cub. He had shown his fist, it was time for an olive branch. "I do not ask for much, merely that the reputation of his Holiness' former identity be restored in the public."

"A reputation that is drenched in pig shit," Madam Tuffin spat.

Saga waved a finger. He dares not lose his cool, but he understood some favors were more difficult to deliver than others. "But not impossible especially for all of you here. How about you have your servants bring out all of that paperwork from five years ago that features the door guard logs of Aiolos reporting that he was going to the Pope's Chambers to check on the Goddess without a fake baby?"

"Gigars had them burned," spoke Phaeton.

Saga let out a deep roar of laughter. "Oh please, we have a Lemurian. Bring the ashes and he'll not only restore them to pristine condition, but he'll use non-GMO organic ingredients in the process." He pressed the pads of his fingers together and tilted his head with the grace of an elderly Catholic nun. "Of course, Mu will probably come across some other writings over the past five years...some interesting tidbits…some he's already discovered when we were going through the ashes of the former High Advisor's fireplace..." he chuckled.

"Fine, we'll grab the current record copies and reforge them back to what they originally stated," groaned Phaeton, wishing that Saga was back to being the Pope and being a bit easier to control.

Saga stared. How pathetic. They were all so willing to declare an innocent man guilty, yet they drag their feet when it came to announcing that a guilty man was innocent. If this was what it was like in their little theocracy, he had to see how things were in a democracy.

Madam Tuffin shook her head. "And who will take the blame? Do you think we can come to the front of Rodario and say we're sorry as if we were a group of children? The idea that a Saint's name was slandered for the last five years is as sacrilegious as someone having a shrine to Hades in their bed chambers. A head must roll and it certainly won't be mine!"

"Oh, I'm aware that a new scapegoat is needed. I am also aware of many residents questioning what happened to Shion's brother who has been running things for the last five years. If we wish to put that past in the past, my former alter ego is one of those things that must vanish along with it." Saga snatched a piece of paper and began to bullet a list that proved his former alter ego was to blame. He then crafted a story in which he was imprisoned for bewitchment for the last seven months, forcing others to temporarily sit on the throne while an investigation was taking place. That should at least cover the fact that the Pope looked oddly different for the last four months. "There we go. And just to play it safe and to ensure all bases are covered, throw in some unreleased orders: Pope Ares demanded to raise the taxes in Rodario and to throttle the bandwidth in Delphi."

He rolled the parchment as easy as the wind before tossing it to Phaeton. "Now go and quickly!"

Phaeton turned toward the list. "How quick?"

Saga glared. That was the downside of being a High Advisor in that he was given an assistant of low intelligence. "What part of quick do you not understand? As in every man, woman, and child knows by tonight. As in, every farm animal is curious about what is going on. I want this to spread like the Goddess Aphrodite with a bad case of syphilis, now go! Or else it will not be the head of Pope Ares that rolls!"

O|===============|O

THREE DAYS LATER

THE COLOSSEUM GRAND BALCONY

Shura, dressed in his formal Captain of the Guards uniform approached the side curtain and peaked out to the large crowd. Every possible seat was filled as if it was the Eighty-Eight-Night Festival. He was certain that he heard from various soldiers that several businesses and trades around Rodario even closed shop early just to attend this place. He shouldn't be surprised. Knowing how anxious the village was, he was forced to summon every foot soldier with a pulse for guard duty in the event things go bad just like they did five years ago.

"Don't worry, everything will be fine," spoke a calm and assuring young voice.

The Capricorn turned and knelt before her. It was so strange to see Athena's face so much and not Paz's anymore. The Capricorn turned toward his hand, the one that crippled Aiolos and nearly slaughtered the Goddess. " Will it? Tonight Saga or Pope Ares will receive the blame, and yet here I am….just as guilty," He shook his head. "I knew things were wrong after you and Aiolos were rescued...and I knew it when you two were in the House of Sagittarius, but I just went along with it anyways… while Aiolos was shamed, I was revered when it should be the opposite. If there are to be others to confess before the crowd, I should be one of them," he confessed. "I rescued nothing five years ago. I'm tired of everyone treating me as the hero that I am not naming babies and drinks after me."

But Athena shook her head in disagreement. "You are thinking of things after the fact."

"What do you mean?"

"Saint Shura, think back to the moment. Let's pretend, Aiolos did support a False Athena believing her to be the True Athena. Let's pretend he was against Sanctuary as well."

"Aiolos wouldn't do that," Shura shook his head in disbelief.

Athena glared. "Sometimes the main enemy is not a large scary man with hair of fire." Her face then reverted in gentleness. "Don't worry, I trust him. Just follow along. Anyways, if that was the situation and you were worried that he may have done something terrible like stab Saga, there is no fear to hold back. You were willing to risk your life in the name of justice. You were not the one who crafted the deception, only caught up in it. But all your actions that night were done in earnest."

Shura looked up, the whites in his eyes were slightly pink. "What about half a year ago with whatever happened in the House of Sagittarius?"

The Goddess smiled. "You chose not to take the life of anyone and you promised to serve me once more, and I know you will continue to do so. For that, you are still my faithful Capricorn." She spoke as she swung her arms around him. Her poor Saints. Her faithful knights. It's not enough they train until every bone is broken, but they must be commanders, leaders, politicians, and teachers. The world is so heavy on their shoulders, and none of them even carry a driver's license.

Over on the other side, Saga turned toward the Colchian dragon helmet and the black mask that connected to it with the white gloves, staring deeply into the two ruby eyepieces. "One last time…" he prepared himself before he slipped it back on, the heavy metal of the dragon pressing down upon his skull as if its two claws digging into his scalp. Ares has been very quiet lately. It was very unusual, but this was a god that toyed with others, and they say that horror is produced by allowing moments of calm in between. Nevertheless, he needed to focus on the present.

He turned to his wrists and attached a set of metal cuffs on each wrist with a chain connecting each side. There was nothing special about them the iron they were crafted from might as well be paper with his strength. However, a first impression was important and he wanted nothing more than to burn the admission of guilt into the skulls of every Rodario citizen there.

He tossed the silk red sash to his side and stepped into the sunlight.

Normally, the crowds would cheer with grand enthusiasm, flowers and torn tissue paper raining from all over. Instead, there was a low rumble of whispers, fingers pointing toward the fact that the revered necklace of the Pope was missing and replaced by his lovely Andromeda Island bracelets.

He pulled his hands closer as if attempting to hide his cuffs and miserably failing.

Shion once praised him for his ability to hold a crowd and such an ability helped him carry the lie. Therefore, to establish the mood, he starts by breaking many of the rules when it comes to proper speaking.

A confident and honest man would hold himself high and gaze as openly as if he was in front of every one of the people in the audience.

Therefore, he transforms himself into a dishonest coward, his shoulders lowered, his masked head facing downwards as if the Colchian dragon was ready to tumble right down upon his carefully organized cue cards. His body trembled as if the hundred-degree temperature had a negative sign in front of it. "People of Rodario, over the past four months, many of you have voiced concern and prayers about the status of my health. As you suspected, several others had stepped in my place and conducted all affairs required of a man in my position. However," he stopped and for the first time, forced himself to weep somberly, taking the hanging sleeves of his robes and attempting to bring them close to his masked face. He did for about a minute before he continued, "my absence was not due to old age or illness, but a question of my capability to serve all of you faithfully."

The Gemini pauses, hearing the murmurs echo in the colosseum before raising a desperate hand upwards to silence them."One of the Gold Saints began to question the records in Sanctuary in regards to the event of Aiolos five years ago and requested that an inquiry be done over the matter. Three days ago, rumors circulated that the previous Pope was not I, but had indeed perished five years ago. These rumors...are," he paused and wept accordingly. Before he hugged the podium as if trying to gain strength, but really to conceal his laughter. "Those rumors are correct!" he shrieked in agony allowing himself to sink more into the podium as loud gasps followed.

He had their attention. Now came the tricky part. Saga dropped a pencil and knelt behind the table and used Another Dimension to teleport into the Cloth of Gemini on the other side. He pulled on a face mask and tucked in his hair. He watched as the duplicate stood back up, and the crowd was none the wiser.

How tragic that he had a great deal of experience in that type of ruse. It was the reason he managed to pull off the False Pope act for so long and could do so for as long as he didn't lose himself to the curse.

Duplicate Ares turned his head cockily. "On his deathbed, Aiolos was to be named the Pope! That bastard! How dare he choose him over me! I WAS HIS BROTHER! But the rumors are true. I just threw my dead brother's clothes and sent all the Golds out to take out the trash. PRAISE ATHENA FOR THE RAVENS THAT PLUCKED AIOLOS' EYES OUT!" he shouted with gleeful delight before he dodged a beer bottle.

The crowd booed and jeered. Everything and everything they could grab was being tossed.

From the side, Saga focused hard. Producing another version of himself was so taxing to his mind, each projectile that struck the illusion further risked him breaking his concentration and the false Pope disappearing in thin air. He will need to end this soon.

Duplicate Ares turned his head, his eyes glowing red. "How dare you! I HAVE GRANTED FIVE YEARS OF PROSPERITY AND YET YOU ALL SIDE WITH HIM?" He raised a glowing fist causing the people of Rodario to gasp in fright. The heavy waves of cosmos pulsed causing those in the front to shift from yelling profanities to crying out their prayers as soldiers began to run to the front. "I WILL KILL YOU ALL!"

At that moment, Gemini Saga came forth, grasped the helmet of the Pope's head, and crushed it like a tin can, before tearing it off with the spine following. He nearly threw up in his mask from the sight, but he needed to endure it for the sake of authenticity.

The crowd cheered as the Gemini took the crushed helmet and spiked it on the ground like a volleyball upon the lifeless lower half.

The original plan was to simply have Duplicate Ares walk off in shame. However, he had done some research prior, and apparently, the polls of Rodarians indicated that only 55% of them believed the rumors that he had circulated the first time while only 56% and 58% were calculated afterwards. While 58% was still a majority there was too many doubters. The quickest way to turn a gridlock into wedlock was to bring about a sense of danger to the negative nancies. They'll change their tune when they are caught within the danger instead of merely criticizing it.

Gemini Saga stood in the center of his gloriously gory illusion.

True he could've just pretended to knock Duplicate Ares unconscious and had him apologize profusely afterward, but this was Rodario. Things were run differently.

It wasn't a bar unless a fight took place in it.

It wasn't a tournament unless someone lost an ear during it.

And nothing less than a permanent cure for a headache afterward would have been acceptable.

Some were running up in hopes that some of the mess will drip upon them as if it was a souvenir!

Such hopes were in vain since the red fluid was all an illusion.

Strangely enough, such illusions were normally extremely difficult. Not this one. This was how in the past he secretly dreamed his reign would end. Laying in a river of red, the curtain finally pulled, finally free of his guilt.

Now it was just an illusion within an illusion, for suicide does not equal the penance that he had long sought.

Goddess, if it was this hard to redeem Aiolos for a crime he did not commit, what will he do when he finally finds Kanon and be forced to explain the treason that his younger brother had attempted?

O|================|O

A COUPLE DAYS LATER

POPE'S CHAMBERS

The Leo stepped out from the hidden passageway carrying a large box from Mu. He leaned against the side of the wall. Normally the trip up to here wouldn't leave him this exhausted, but things have been very busy ever since he was tasked with planning a "funeral" so that the body, or at least what was left of it, out in the quarry could properly be buried.

The worst part was that as the last relative of the late Sagittarius Aiolos, he had to create a speech with practically everyone in Rodario planning to attend it. After five hours in front of a piece of paper, half of that time procrastinating finishing half a dozen pages of Prince Caspian, he probably wrote two lines, both with pen strikes covering them.

Fucking hell, this was going to be the worst fake eulogy ever and it was due tomorrow evening.

He looked up at a large shadow against the wall and stared at it for a few seconds. "Right foot plant, loose knees, hip square, left foot behind with heel to the floor…" Aiolia whispered, matching his words perfectly with the motion on the walls. Of course he would have it memorized. It was the same basic foot stance practice that he would watch his brother perform in his spare time when he was a kid and always tried to imitate.

Aiolia carried the box in, and sure enough, it was his brother, no cane no nothing. "Thread of Ariadne, how are you…" as he approached, he felt a change in the air as if his body was being held up, yet his feet were still touching the ground.

Aiolos turned his head, wiping a bit of sweat from his face before pointing over toward the side. "Saga's helping me out. If you don't mind, I'll let him explain, but right now, I want to finish a couple more rounds before Shaka comes."

Aiolia turned to the side where Saga sat, his legs crossed with his hands in a meditative position. He frowned a bit but knowing how limited his brother's free time was, approached the Gemini. "What are you doing to him? You don't have telekinesis."

"No, not at all. This is different. This is a technique I picked up in the Collective. To avoid quantum jargon, When you have a force that pushes and a force that pulls, it becomes neutral. I neutralized the gravity so that what little strength Shaka was able to regain in Aiolos' legs through his treatments, can be utilized." He still had yet fully utilized the technique. He had just learned it a few days ago, its usage still in its infancy, much like how the illusion he could produce when he first started was just a flat black dot. But he was still proud that what he knew was at least useful.

Aiolia turned his head to his brother. Part of him was happy, and yet another part very skeptical. "So if my brother wants to walk around, he needs you...he'll have to drag you around Sanctuary just to get it."

Saga sighed as he continued to use Defying Gravity. "Yes...he'll need me, but do you think your brother would allow me to nanny him for the rest of his life?" He watched the cub pass a glance of acceptance before he continued. "Your brother told me that Shaka wants him to strengthen those muscles that were neglected when he was stuck in a coma and a wheelchair. So, with a bit of practice, I can adjust the gravity from zero force...to what he has right now. The goal is that over time, he builds up the weak muscles and Shaka will treat them. I adjust my technique to ensure a little more gravity is applied upon his body, forcing him to work harder, muscles build up, Shaka treats it, and we repeat until he doesn't need me anymore."

The Leo turned back toward his brother, watching him continue for a bit before returning his glance to the Gemini. "So...is this part in your quest for redemption for my brother?"

At that moment Saga smiled. "Actually, no. This is not about redemption, this is about being a friend. You're not the only one who wants to grant him his wish of being able to walk again."

Perhaps it was seeing his brother moving so freely by himself or even that the Gemini's words were sincere. But the world turned upside down, and Aiolia said the two words he never expected to exchange with the Gemini, "Thank you."

Saga quietly nodded, trying to maintain his focus on his work, but at the same time offer his gratitude. "I try. He deserves it. By the way, the door guards told me what you did for Hera and Neptune. Thank you for watching over them in Libra."

The Leo shrugged. "Yeah, apparently they kept trying to find you. Even Zephyr was kind of doing the same thing, but I could put him in a stall to keep him still. Your cats on the other hand were darting the moment someone came to feed them. I didn't want anything bad to happen so I thought I would give it a shot and set up their things there. Besides, they are quite cute and I can see why you spoil them as much as you do," he laughed.

"Careful you two. At the rate you both are agreeing, the planets will align and Greatest Eclipse will occur," spoke Aiolos as he moved over and sat down before Saga ended Defying Gravity."Is that the new helmet that Mu designed?"

"Yeah, it is. It was a marathon, but he managed to finish it before tomorrow," Aiolia spoke before he passed it over, watching his brother put it on as giddily as a boy with a new toy. "He advised that it wouldn't be wise to completely remove the Colchian Dragon. It may be the creature of Ares, but it's also the symbol of every honorable Pope that followed afterward. What he did was that he incorporated it more into the design so it's not as prominent, while altering the overall look to reflect Athena more."

Aiolos slipped it on, lifting and dropping the mask up and down over his face. "That's fine, I trust Mu's opinion when it comes to these matters. I like the hinge. Way better than having the mask slide into the helmet."

"Yes, tell Mu that he did a fine job," said Saga as he gazed at his friend wearing it. Gone was the blood-red color, now a brilliant gold. "Half mask, like the First Sagittarius?"

Aiolos nodded. "I liked the idea of it covering the top of my face. I told Mu, I wanted a design that showed part of my face while still hiding my identity. That way everyone can tell if the person changed underneath or not." He knew the tradition was to have the Pope remain completely anonymous to the public, but part of what caused issues was no one knew if they were talking to Shion or Saga. It will make it trickier to walk around freely in the village, but there needs to be more accountability. "He even made it where the metal around my nose pressed against it slightly to alter my voice too." He took it off and passed it over to the Gemini to allow him a better look at it.

Saga turned it to face himself. Mu did an excellent job keeping some of the Colchian Dragon by texturing parts of it like scales with small bits of wings on the sides. He ran his fingers over the top. "I like the crest. It looks more balanced than that dragon statue, and it resembles the one from the Cloth of Athena. Definitely an Anti-Pope helmet if there is one. When are you planning to debut it?" he spoke as he handed it back.

"When else, when I attend the funeral of the late Sagittarius Aiolos," the archer chuckled until he spotted his brother's sickly expression. "Aiolia, come on, it'll be fun! I'm not really dead and all of my favorite food will be served there!"

"Easy for you to say, you don't have a eulogy to give!"

Saga shifted his eyes. "Look cub, as long as you don't tell your brother's corpse to go fuck Persephone in the Underworld, you can say whatever you want. The people who feel bad will cry, those that truly care about your brother will cry and clap while all the nobility and politicians will rain crocodile tears. You will be fine!"

"NO! I feel like I'm going to barf out all my organs," the cowardly Leo bemoaned at the thought of nearly all of Rodario in front of him.

Aiolos laughed. His poor little brother. He leaned over and delicately stroked the slightly straighter blond hair like a lioness tending to her newborn cub. "Tell you what, you introduce me and the Pope will have the honor of delivering the speech."

Aiolia frowned a bit. "Are you sure? It's not as easy as it looks!"

Saga turned his head. "I agree. Expectations will be far higher if the Pope, or rather the Anti-Pope, is delivering the eulogy over a common footsoldier."

"Maybe, but I don't want you stressed all about it when you've gone through so much."

"Yeah, but I'm supposed to act like this is supposed to be your funeral, not your fucking wedding!" the cub bore his teeth.

"Speaking of which…" Aiolos raised a finger.

At that moment, the Leo rolled his eyes. "Okay, fine, you do the eulogy. I'm out of here," Aiolia spoke as he hurried out, knowing this will turn into another long talk as to why he hasn't proposed to Marin yet.

O|====================|O

NEXT DAY

HOUSE OF SCORPIO

MAIN CHAMBERS

The stone that concealed the entrance to the main chambers faded before Mu floated up and landed onto the tile, causing the red ribbon tied around one of his horns to gently flutter. "Oh, Aiolia! There you are," his tone full of relief and delight. "Aldebaran said he saw you, how come you haven't come down yet to the Inner Chambers?"

The Leo leaned against one of the columns. "I just want to see if my brother and Saga arrive together. That's all."

The Lemurian twitched his nose in confusion. "I don't understand. Why are you concerned about that? If he comes down with his Holiness, it just means he's stayed at the Pope's Chambers."

"That's exactly why!" a small throaty growl followed the Leo. While he appreciated Saga helping his brother to walk, he still felt the two should remain at most...friends. In the past, it was no big deal, but now he wondered if other things were going on every time they were together.

Mu, still confused and could sense a rising tension, calmly sent a telepathic message to the others that he would stay there as well. "Are the arrangements of your brother's funeral finished?"

Aiolia nodded. "There wasn't much to be done. I got to choose the font for his name on the lid, but aside from that, Gold Saints are required to have a casket made of wood, brushed top to bottom with pine sap."

Mu mused. "A pleasant springtime scent while being highly flammable, sounds like the perfect means of laying a Gold Saint to rest."

The two turned their heads as the sound of hooves echoed. Aiolos rode on top of Zephyr with Saga nearby. Immediately they got on a knee and bowed appropriately, but Aiolia's face was still stuck with a bit of irritation.

"Rise," Aiolos prompted as he noticed his little brother's displeased look and knew exactly why. He dismounted from Zephyr and grabbed his walking stick from the side. He could have had Saga use Defying Gravity, but they haven't worked it out where he could travel at lightspeed over extremely long distances. "Sorry I was late. Saga and I were working."

"On what?" Aiolia sharply asked.

Aiolos' eyes turned downwards through the slits. "The eulogy."

Mu tilted his head curiously. "The eulogy? Why would he need help with that? All he has to do is talk about himself."

Saga folded his arms like a stern school teacher. "Exactly, and unfortunately Aiolos is as humble as a green olive."

The archer shrugged. He must have wiped out an entire forest with all the drafts he penned last night. "I felt like I was bragging."

"My friend, you have to brag," Saga enunciated with a theatrical hand gesture. "The audience now sees you more favorably once more, therefore, you must ensure that such affection is maintained! You can't go in front of everyone where the tone is: All hail Sagittarius Aiolos! Sanctuary's most okay-est Saint to have ever lived!" Saga smacked his golden gauntlets together. "We are not burying our pet dog! We are granting the funeral that a hero was denied!"

The Lemurian raised a finger in objection. "To be fair, I was there to oversee the removal of the skeletal remains, and apparently over three-fourths of it were made of various bones from goats, cows, and chickens."

Aiolia sighed. "Not surprised. Back when you were still a traitor, people would steal bones all the time. I guess that now that you are seen as a hero, disturbing the bones of a Saint is a bad omen. They probably lost the original remains and figured substituting them would bring honor back."

Aiolos turned to his brother. "So if Holy War happened and we didn't burn the casket, would Hades resurrect a bunch of farm animals instead?"

The Leo laughed. "You should totally make some order demanding that your gravesite remains untouched when Hades tries to resurrect the dead."

The Anti-Pope frowned. "Saint Aiolia of Leo, that is an abuse of power-" before his lips flipped into a smile. "-but I'll consider it."

Saga frowned. Goddess, he forgot how goofy these two became. "Enough joking! This is far more serious! Your speech must be the greatest that Rodario has ever heard! You must step up to the balcony, and allow the audience to feel the struggle as your broken body dragging itself across the harsh earth to carry the most precious life in Sanctuary! The blood that stained every stone you touched from blocking the dagger's blade! The greatest personal sacrifice in all of Rodario that caused you to become a Saint of Saints!"

Aiolos jaw dropped. "Oh come on! I did what any other Gold would've-" gasped Aiolos before Aiolia grabbed his helmet and twisted it around until the back was in the front.

"Stop being so modest!" Aiolia sighed, finding it hard to believe he was siding with the Gemini-ham once again. "Saga, we only have a few hours left until the viewing. Write something good that my brother can read and make himself look like the hero he deserves to be!"

A pleased and cock-sure look coveted the Gemini. "Of course. When I am done, all of Rodario will believe that his soul rode a bolt of lightning through Heaven, Paradise, Moksha, and Nirvana before landing upon the fields of Elysium!"

"Ugh stone of Sisyphus..." Aiolos groaned as he twisted his Anti-Pope helmet back around. "Fine, whatever you write Saga, I'll say, but really, the only thing that matters is my coffin is six feet in the ground." He pointed toward the stairs. "I have to start making my way down. I have to talk to Aldebaran over something."

"Can't you take the horse with you, Your Holiness?" asked Mu.

Aiolos shook his head in disagreement. "Now that Milo is curse-free, he asked for me to refrain from bringing Zephyr down. He said that he doesn't care how well trained he is, he doesn't want to risk any bodily waste all over the place as if it was the 17th century in Versailles. It's no big deal. At least he was kind enough to install a handrail to make it easier for me to come down there. Alright, I'll see all of you soon," he waved as he hobbled over down the inner chambers.

"Here, I'll come down too," Aiolia spoke as he followed afterward.

At that moment, Mu was about to do the same thing, but the Gemini gently grabbed his cape, causing the floating feet of the Lemurian to settle back down. "Saga, did you need anything?"

"There is," he looked down and despite it not being his primary reason, he decided to say it anyway. "Thank you for fixing my Cloth, before the event at the Coliseum."

Mu gave him an odd expression. "Gratitude is always welcomed, but this is my duty."

Saga turned his head and touched the chest. Aiolos plugged it with so many Golden arrows that it would make a Silver-ranked Amazon look modest in comparison. "I know, but the only way it could have been restored to this condition was if you started months ago."

"I did. After you left Rozan, I summoned it and began the work, finishing about a month ago." Mu looked up. "When we agreed to move on, that is what I meant. I moved on. Your Cloth was in such disrepair that I made it my priority to ensure it was fit for battle once more."

The Gemini gazed upon the serene face of the Lemurian. Mu and Shion were not related. They can't be since their people were forced to reproduce through alchemy with so few of their kind left. However, from their mannerisms, similar intonation, their kind, and trusting disposition, they could very well be mistaken for father and son. "I also promised I'd get you the Golden Orb as well."

Immediately Mu perked up. "Do you have it?"

Saga felt his shoulders shrink. "I do...but not-" he paused, unable to say anything more. But returning the Golden Orb was the last thing on his long list of redemption and must be completed. He tried to reach into his trainer pockets but his golden gauntlets were too damn big and clumsy. He jerked one of them off and set it down before he slipped his gloved hand in and pulled out the two broken halves rocking back and forth in his palm. The brilliant color and shine were now gone, leaving a pair of dull bronze shells. He felt as if he was holding the remains of a Kinder Egg and not some mystical Lemurian treasure. "-I know you wanted to see your Master, but it broke. Forgive me!" he begged as he placed it into Mu's gauntlet.

Mu used his telekinesis to raise it and examined it as quickly and meticulously. "Tell me, what happened? Did you see anything fly from it?"

"He told me to end the trip to the room that I kept visiting in my mind. I did, and right before that, it cracked and it looked like a bright bird of light flying away."

Suddenly, Mu's face beamed. "Oh! HOW WONDERFUL!"

"Wonderful?" gasped the Gemini in confusion. "But you can never see him again!"

But Mu shook his head in disagreement. Humans were so strange. "Oh, I'll see him. We will all unite eventually in death. The purpose of the golden orb is not to simply cling to the living, but to allow the dead to finish any purposes they had left. Think of an egg. An egg that falls and breaks is tragic. An egg that hatches is joy."

Nearly every muscle relaxed in the Gemini. "Oh thank the Goddess. I thought the orb was useless."

"No no, not at all. I was afraid that my Master would be tethered to the golden orb, but now that he's moved on, I will take this shell and reuse it to pass on to my kin should I fall before all my business is resolved." He could see the Gemini's eyes wet with tears. "Saga, why are you still sad?"

The Gemini breathed in and out, trying to control his emotions. He may have emerged from the darkness of his depression, but such sadness will always linger. It's why he didn't hesitate to find a new doctor after returning to the World of the Living. "I thought I failed him."

Mu floated over and placed his hand upon the Gemini's shoulder. "Saga, before I placed the orb in your head while you slept, I could feel the pain of Master Shion in my hand. He wasn't sad because you killed him... but that so much time had passed that he was afraid he would not reach you before you killed yourself… he said...your suicide was the ultimate sign that he had truly failed you. But now that the orb has hatched, that is proof that he may finally rest in peace."

O|====================|O

Saga moved down the familiar set of stairs of the House of Scorpio. Even though it would make more sense for the Golds to meet somewhere in one of the centralized locations like Libra or even Leo with its hidden path to the Pope's Chambers, when Scorpio wanted something, it got it. Normally, he would ignore the line of paintings of past Scorpios since everyone, aside from small things like scars or an eyepatch, would look the same. But today, he locked his dark blue gaze at them, studying each of the dates and small intricacies, trying to find the cursed Scorpio that he and Aiolos met while being attacked.

"Come on, Saga! Hurry up, man!" Deathmask shouted as he ran out the door.

The Gemini felt his eyes flinch red for a moment, irritated at being interrupted. But a deep breath followed, his fists tightening before the pair of lenses shimmered blue once more. He entered the large meeting room where the portrait of Milo's father and predecessor was erected at one side of the room in front of the large IKEA conference table that the group bought after everyone complained about the old one wobbling too much five years ago.

He opened a dimensional tear to allow his empty Pandora's box to fall into its proper place before taking his spot, the symbol of Gemini, carved out of black marble into a small four-inch statue in front of his spot. Of course, it wasn't really necessary since Mrs. Schafurwatt always leaves a bottle of everyone's favorite drink, and he can probably count on one finger as to who would make non-alcoholic ouzo their primary choice. He reached for the small snack plate and grabbed a couple of thin honey sesame bars. He should save room for the food after the funeral, but after eating mostly canned fish for three months, he missed the head servant's famous cooking. "What have Mu and I missed?"

Aiolos, chuckled a bit as he took a sip of chamomile tea, doing his best to leave his hand off his ouzo before his funeral later. "You missed eight Gold Saints running around with their heads cut off trying to find me a damn chair now that I don't have a Pandora's box to sit on anymore."

Saga gave an impish smile back, wishing he moved a bit quicker and saw the spectacle. "That's right, it disappeared when your Cloth was upgraded."

"Upgrade!?" Aldebaran nearly choked on his bottle of Skol. "You said your box changed into a tablet, you didn't say anything about upgrading it!?"

Aphrodite placed his cup of cherry brandy down and raised his hands in shock. "Wait, hold on...I heard it was gone, nobody told me it changed shape!"

Aiolia turned his head. "I knew, but I thought you two told the others."

Deathmask darted his head over. "Fuck man, you could've at least checked, I live right next to you!"

"Give me a fucking break. I was busy trying to make plans on getting a pine box full of human, cow, and chicken bones two meters into the ground."

Aiolos drew his hand to his face as the Golds bickered a bit, before he took off his Anti-Pope helmet and used it as a gavel to quiet the group, everyone freezing in place and gazing upon him. Despite being able to send messages through the cosmos hundreds of miles away, one area that everyone, including himself, needed to work on, was how to communicate.

It's time they stop acting like a quartet of cliques and become a damn team.

"Let me start from the beginning. If you heard about the upgrade, fine. If not, listen. When Saga and I went to the Collective, I had to summon my Cloth, which caused the past Saints of my Zodiac to appear. It was covered in blood. After I completed the test of the First Sagittarius, the Guardian-"

"What's a Guardian?" asked Camus analytically.

"The Guardians are all the First Gold Saints of each House," said Saga.

Aiolos took a deep breath before grabbing his flask and pouring some brandy into his tea. "Anyways, after I completed his test, the Guardian's body dissolved upon my Cloth, making the blood from the Cloth, himself, and the Pandora's box disappear and caused it to upgrade."

"What does the tablet look like?" asked Shura as he clutched his diet coke.

That's right. He kept mentioning it changed, but he was so busy that he never did show it to the others besides Saga and his brother. "I have it here in my pocket," Aiolos spoke as he dipped into the side of his robes and held the metal rectangle in the palm of his hand.

Mu waved his hand, eagerly gesturing to take a closer look. He waited for Aiolos to toss it in the air before his telekinesis took over and floated it over his hand. He rotated it a few times, the metal exterior made of the same material as the Pandora's Boxes but it was far denser. He turned downwards and took his finger and swiped his finger over the flat Sagittarius constellation. "How curious. I do believe there are records in which during the creation of the Cloths, my ancestors had considered this design as the means to transport the sacred armor of Saints."

Aldebaran was a bit curious. "Why didn't they?"

"Rumor was, they tried it with the First Golds, but soon enough a terrible design flaw was soon discovered! Being small and portable made them a double-edged sword. They deemed that humans would eternally be unable to carry around something that small and important without losing or damaging it at some point in their life!"

Aiolos groaned as the tablet floated back in his hand. "I've lost track of how many times already where I would be sitting down and my Cloth tablet fell in between the couch cushions." He won't embarrass himself by telling them all the times he left it in the bathroom.

"What does it look like now outside of the tablet form?" Shura inquired. "Can you show us?"

Aiolos looked around. "You say that as if I had a choice," he chuckled at the obvious peer pressure around him. He tossed it to the ground and with what felt like a natural connection to it and his cosmos, several ancient Lemurian runes lit up the ground before the purified Cloth of Sagittarius appeared, outshining the others like the sun to a room of mere candlelight.

"...boss!" gasped Deathmask as he stared at the brilliant heavily embossed designs.

Mu gazed upon it almost analytically. "It certainly looks more stunning, but how does it perform? A pity I don't have my tools to perform a deeper analysis."

"Not needed. A simple experiment will do." Camus flatly replied as he stood up, his keen mind already crafting a hypothesis with a set of experimental treatments. "Milo can use Scarlet Needle since its strike can be delivered with consistent power. Mu, we need a controlled variable. Which one of our Cloths share similar defensive properties as Sagittarius?"

The Lemurian looked around. "Sagittarius is a very light-weight Cloth. I would say Capricorn would do the trick."

Shura agreed and walked over to cross his arms and send his Cloth into its statue form, before stepping back, resting his hand wrapped in a red ribbon upon his silk trainer.

Milo strutted over toward the golden goat and raised a finger and delivered three simultaneous strikes, one in the center chest, a front leg, and the helmet. Each blow left behind a small finger-shaped hole with small cracks forming around each of the diameters.

While such blows did cause Shura to flinch at seeing a piece of him being torn through, for everyone else, it was as expected of the signature technique of the seventh House.

The Scorpio turned toward Sagittarius and fired at three similar locations at once.

A muted ping followed.

Milo stared at his finger and for a moment as if questioning if he even fired anything at all.

He twisted his head a bit before he shot all three again, only for the same dull tap to occur once more.

At that moment, Milo knelt and raised a single finger in front of his face while the other began to wave through the air like the baton of a conductor.

Camus peered onwards and recognized the movement as what the Scorpio would perform day after day as a trainee as a means to learn to focus all of his cosmos into his finger. As a teenager, it came as naturally as when he learned to ride a bike he would borrow down the streets of France, but right now it seems Milo wanted to make sure he sinks every bit of focus into his next shot.

A crimson halo formed around the tip of his nail before he unleashes it on the helmet of the Cloth, causing it to twist slightly from the force of the concentrated blast. He staggered toward the gold surface and leaned closer to see that not a single scratch was upon it. Milo's eyebrows curved upwards before he jerked his head to the side where a miniature scarlet crater on the tile remained. "That's it! I'm next! I want to turn evil and get an overpowered Cloth!" he shot straight up, hunting wildly for the dagger.

"Who made you in charge! I want to be evil next!" cried out Aphrodite.

"Everyone! You don't know what it means to be cursed!" snapped Aiolos.

"Whatever! You already had your taste of the Dark Side, Lucas, it's our turn now!" snapped Deathmask.

Saga slammed his hands upon the table, spilling every cup and bottle on its surface.

FOOLS!

IDIOTS!

HAD FIVE YEARS NOT TAUGHT THEM ANYTHING!?

A menacing crimson coveted his eyes."It's not that simple! It's not about who gets a new Cloth. The curse affects everyone differently. Those with more mental training can hold back the curse more while those who focus more on skill are more prone to its influence! LOOK AT ME! LOOK! AT! ME!" his red eyes glared, his hair a sickly grey. "You don't want to even know the price one pays when they fully succumb to the curse and die."

There it was.

The Gemini could feel Ares' presence over him once more and it made him sick. Anger and stress seemed to trigger it back then and it did so now. Everyone around him stared in fright and horror.

They were reminded of how terrifyingly strong he could be.

He was reminded of how terrifyingly strong he could be.

Saga shut his eyes and rocked his head, his grey hair waving back and forth slowly shifting back to blue before he sunk back upon his seat, palms trembling as the dark memories of all those times he lost control in the past haunted him. He suddenly felt a large hand. He turned his head and it was Aldebaran, his neighbor. The one who always took care of his cats when he played false Pope and lied to him openly about being away on missions or meditation sessions. He turned to the Taurus and lightly smiled, gesturing with his fingers that he would be okay. He watched Aldebaran nodded accordingly and sat back down.

It was a reminder that he really did have more friends than he thought he did.

The room was dead silent for a bit, contemplating what they had just witnessed.

For Mu, such words had an inverse effect. The Lemurian turned toward the calmer of the two who traveled into the Collective. "So...what happens if you succumb to the curse and perish? Is it that bad?"

Aiolos lifted the half mask to show a face that was painted in fear and dread. "Yes, it is. The price for succumbing to the curse: You remain cursed, more beast than man, while forced to wander on nothing but stairs for all eternity."

The archer flinched as everyone gasped in utter horror, surprisingly more so than when Saga lost control. But judging by their reactions, he was unsure if it was the first part of what he said or the second that caused them to take the situation more seriously.

"I would rather freeze in Cocytus," Camus muttered in a rare moment where he was the first to speak.

Milo was quick to raise his voice. "So why would Zeus reward their predecessors with such a powerful Cloth upgrade after the First Golds killed his only son?"

Mu was also quick to answer as well. "I don't think we're earning an upgrade. I theorize that what we see with the Cloth of Sagittarius is actually how the Gold Cloths are supposed to be, but the curse is somehow suppressing them. I would have to do more tests in Tibet to find out if a theory I have is true."

Aldebaran touched the spot where his horn was sliced off by Excalibur. "It is a bit strange that except for certain temporary situations, our Cloths don't evolve like those of Bronze and Silver."

Aiolos looked up. "Everyone, this isn't about us earning an upgrade or fixing our Cloths, but there are many Golds in the past who are cursed and are stuck living an eternal nightmare." He paused as the slurry of memories filled his head. "I lived with it for three months. I thought I could handle it and I couldn't. Plus, if we fail, who knows how long it will take for another group of Golds to get as far as we have."

Saga turned to the others. "Not only that, but the order shouldn't be about who wants an upgrade faster. I don't know if this is true or not, but the curse supposedly grows stronger with each Cloth that is cleansed. As the Panda told us, The Collective was corrupted. The place is covered in so much fog we don't even know what is out there. We haven't even met any of the Gladiators there. The only thing we do know is that the stairs aren't fucking empty."

Shaka tilted his head. "An interesting dilemma. Do we focus on the Houses with Saints who are mentally weaker, or do we focus on strategically gaining ground?"

Shura stood up and lifted the lid of his pandora's box. His hand slid past maps, splints for broken bones, an extra foot soldier uniform, non-perishable snacks, extra bottled water, deodorant until he finally was able to grab his notebook with some spare pens and white-out. Battle could break out any time, therefore one should be prepared at all times.

Next, he marked on the piece of paper the twelve circles and labeled each based on who had stronger mental techniques and the supposed entrance. Normally, cutting through the center of a place such as Sanctuary was as effective as breaking the center of a phalanx. "I'll see if I can draw up some ideas on how to proceed. But it looks like we're going to end up running back and forth," his head shook back and forth that he had to take another swig of diet coke in disbelief at the task at hand.

"It would be so much easier if we can just go straight to Ares himself," Aiolia muttered.

Shaka rested his hands together serenely. "The Order of Houses represents Life. But sometimes Life doesn't move in a straight path, isn't that right, Your Holiness?"

Aiolos folded his arms and agreed. "That's right. It's not the enemies I'm the most worried about, but all of you carrying the curse."

"Red eyes, grey hair. Sounds like every drunk that leaves the pub at closing time at the pub," laughed Deathmask.

Aiolos' brows tightened. "It's not about looks. You will see a side of yourself that you may not like, but will be forced to face." He flipped the mask upwards revealing his face and an expression full of shame. "I didn't want to control any of you. In my heart, I wanted peace. I wanted everyone to be safe. I wanted to protect everyone and I wanted everyone to get along. Instead, I nearly enslaved everyone and took away their free will."

Saga turned his head as he thought back. "I wanted to protect my secret, and end the Holy Wars. Ironically I nearly accomplished that when I nearly allowed Sanctuary, the one force that was there to fight other Gods and Goddesses, to nearly implode from within."

Deathmask scrunched his nose. "Shit man, I don't even want to know what I want in my fucking heart."

Aphrodite grimaced. "That makes the two of us."

Aldebaran widened his eyes. "Deathmask, I don't think it matters. Sounds like whatever you feel, it's going to twist it even if it is for the better," he spoke wondering what the dagger will do to him.

"Everyone, stop. I know it sounds daunting, but don't forget, my Master knew about Holy War and of all the people he could choose, he picked us to fight it," cried Mu as he leaned forward.

Deathmask glared with a pessimistic look upon his face. "Mu, no offense to your Master, but we can't even pick out a place to eat without entering a thousand-day war. Besides, since when did Golds ever get along?"

Aiolos shook his head in disagreement. "Doesn't matter. If we can't get along now, we'll learn how to. As I said, it won't be easy. The last five years have been a mess. We are...a mess. But we can be not just better, but great! If there is any group of Golds that can stop this hidden evil, it's us and it's time we started believing it. It's time the world once knew the power that a united group of Gold Saints can do." He turned to the clock and grabbed his walking stick. "Come on. Let's start by putting the past two meters underground. After that, we can finally move on." He took the tip of the stick and tapped the table to end the meeting so they could head to his funeral.

O|=================|O

SIX HOURS LATER

PAZ'S BEDROOM

POPE'S CHAMBERS

Saga finished reading the final book for tonight and set it aside. Just as his mother did for him and Kanon, he made sure to read no less than three different stories before carefully tucking the little girl in, no matter how tired he was after such a lengthy and drawn-out funeral, every politician weeping upon the pine box as if they were holding their beloved Juliet.

Gigars was mourning so hard that Aiolia stepped in, fearful the former High Advisor may perform a bit of necrophilia. They would all be home a lot sooner if they would've just thrown a damn carnation on top and bowed their head like the hundreds of other people there.

At least it was finally over, and he could spend time with the one who he was forced to call Athena in front of everyone, but now was free to say her true name in front of friends.

Paz, her cornflower blue hair tied in braids, smiled, happy that Athena said it was okay that Saga could stay overnight at the Pope's Chambers whenever he wanted even if he was required to sleep in the stardust prison. "I'm glad you're back and not in trouble anymore. I don't like Aiolos."

The Gemini looked down. Right now, the archer was stuck with the difficult mission of uniting all the Golds, and if such a lofty goal was to happen, it needed those around them to be united as well. "Paz, listen carefully. He's a good person and he's not cursed anymore," he spoke with simple words due to her age.

She frowned as she sank her head into her pillow. "But he tried to hurt you twice and he killed all the birds by the balcony."

Saga lowered his head. Paz's favorite spot was now devoid of life. "Yes, and he felt terrible for killing them. Don't worry. I'll talk to Mu and maybe he can get some to come back for a second chance. As for hurting me," Saga paused. Now that the curse was with him once more, there was an internal fear he would slay her as he did with those who found out his secret. However, things are different now.

He had a better understanding of how the curse functioned, and now he desired more to reveal the truth than to hide it. "That was on me. I tried to make him think he lost his brother, and it was wrong. But we forgive each other, and I would like it if you will do the same," he spoke as he sat on the side of her bed.

Paz's large eyes shifted around before she nodded. She was nearly nine years old, but she was well aware that everyone was mad at Saga, but doing their best to give him another chance. "Alright…" she groaned.

He didn't quite believe her, but a start is a start. "Good. Remember Paz, it's not good or healthy to stay mad forever."

"But I like it when you're mad. You're funny," she smiled before it slipped a little. "But I guess you won't be mad at others now that you're not the Pope and I'm not Athena anymore."

A wicked smirk stretched across his face. "Oh don't worry. Now that I am the High Advisor to the Pope, there will be plenty of people that I can be angry at."

"Oooooo, can I watch?" she giggled.

"No, my button. But someday, you can be angry at them too when you rise among the ranks. What have I told you when it comes to speaking?"

The girl squeezed her stuffed owl in thought before she raised a finger. "Raise a fist, but always offer an olive branch," she sweetly and mechanically recites as if it were the alphabet.

"Exactly!" The Gemini grins as he takes his hand and cups the top of her head. "My connections will become your connections. That is a far greater power than being a Goddess!"

The nine-year-old turned her head. "Knowing people will make me powerful?"

"Indeed! Now that I have a bit more free time, I will show you how! When you grow up, I will see that you will become the wealthiest, most powerful Chilean in all of Sanctuary!" he spoke as he raised a hand to the sky as if to grasp hold and pull it down the stars before her feet.

But the little girl twisted her lip. "But I don't want to be powerful. I just want to be with you."

For a moment, the Gemini gazed at her face. Despite himself telegraphing to everyone his desire to die, he would always hide it from her because he knew and was afraid that it would make her cry. "You don't have to worry about losing me. Goodnight, Paz." He leaned down, and just as his mother would do for him, kissed her forehead.

He slipped away and closed the door. Outside, he waits and carefully checks to make sure Paz performs the normal routine of turning the inner lock on her heavily reinforced door. It was a ritual that he greatly enforced since she arrived from South America in fear that he would take the dagger and repeat the event with baby Athena with no Sagittarius to stop him. Only when he heard the satisfying click could he ever sleep in peace.

Saga walked past the cosmos torches in the long hallway, each one flashing with light just as he passed them, illuminating the centuries-old paintings and pottery. Suddenly, he halted when he spotted something new. He turned toward a small marble table with a framed picture and picked it up. On it, was the selfie he took in Japan, featuring himself and Futaba smiling in the cafe. He was surprised Aiolos, being a Prototypo, would even print it, or even knew how to print anything at all. Already this made him light years away from Shion, who despite knowing quantum mechanics, looked like he was going to have a heart attack every time he was told by Gigars that he needed to check his email.

He could tell the archer must have picked it up several times due to how many of his fingerprints dotted around the edges of the glass. He gazed upon the Japanese's face and reached into his pocket to pull out a folded envelope that she asked him to give to Aiolos.

It was a task that he should've done when they first returned from the Collective, but deep down he was afraid of what she wrote inside of it.

Saga placed the picture back and continued to the main room where Aiolos was sitting, clearly tired from the funeral despite it being four hours ago. For a moment he was tongue-tied. He didn't want to talk about the letter yet and needed a bit of small talk to warm up. "I didn't say this earlier, but you seem a bit more mobile now."

Aiolos looked up. "Thanks to you and Shaka. Some spots are sore, but Shaka said that's a good thing. He said I won't notice any obvious improvements right away, but give it a few weeks and I should start seeing a bit more mobility."

The Gemini could hear the giddy tone in the archer's voice. "I can't wait. Especially the moment you won't need me to help you wear the Cloth that everyone is jealous about."

Aiolos gave a serene pause. "For as long as it lasts. Now that the House of Sagittarius is not a blight in Sanctuary, I've filled out the paperwork and performed the blessing to name Seiya as the official trainee to it. All I have to do is ask him and he can start immediately."

Saga gasped. "You do realize that once he is worthy of the Cloth, you will have to pass it on?"

"Yeah, I do." Aiolos paused and was very quiet for a few seconds.

"You were destined to be the strongest. Your cosmos," Saga paused. "Goddess, when you cut loose, I swear Zeus would take notice."

"Well I hope he doesn't take notice, otherwise we would all be in trouble. But Saga, you can't deny how much harder it was for you in the Collective if you didn't need to carry me."

Saga could hear the grit and frustration and tenderly sighed. "You are my friend. I will gladly carry you for the rest of my life if I had to. What's wrong? It's not like you to sound so doubtful of yourself."

Aiolos turned downwards, squeezing his thumb as if fiddling with the tails of his red headband. He then looked up. "Everyone talks about how good of a Sagittarius I was, and I'm a little afraid I will disappoint them as Pope. Everyone says I'm too soft." A soft chuckle followed. "Goddess, I was only on the other end of your heel once back when I retook Sanctuary and frankly I don't want to be there again. Saga, when you were on the run, I read the records from the last five years and I am not surprised Aphrodite and Deathmask are so adamant about having you take up the helmet once more."

But Saga shook his head. "While I do prefer a bit of tough love, how angry you are at others doesn't dictate a good Pope from a bad one. Besides, it's easy to yell and scream at a room full of rich pompous strangers, but it takes someone truly special to confront their friends. Sanctuary is divided and right now, it doesn't need an angry voice to splinter it further, but one willing to compromise, hold their ground, yet still be kind. What you did in the House of Libra...do it again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

And only then will you realize that Shion chose the perfect person to lead it." Saga could see his friend cheer up. Saga knew that he knew that he was not the type to easily say such a thing unless he meant it.

Just as they did as young dumb teens, the Gemini reached over and grabbed a bottle of alcohol-free ouzo, pulling it free from the seven-month dust ring around it and pouring himself a glass. That was the thing about having fine tastes, he never had to worry about others using up his stash anymore. He waited for the archer to pull out a flask before offering a small sentimental toast. "The world now has a fine Pope. A pity it will someday lose a fine Sagittarius."

The archer took a shot, shook his head no afterward. "I disagree. The world will gain one far greater. If you had seen Seiya train as much as I have, you could tell that kid has an amazing amount of potential. Zephyr and I will have our fun while it lasts… but I believe Seiya is capable of surpassing anything I have done and he'll be a great Sagittarius once he...figures out how to aim." Aiolos set his empty cup down and turned toward the table. "Speaking of Sagittarius, what do you think?" He spoke as he picked up a folder and passed it to the Gemini.

Immediately, Saga, a regular connoisseur of the art world recognized the name of the sculptor. "Is one of the nobles attempting to weasel another bill to allow Sanctuary to pay for another lawn ornament for their mansions?" He lifted it and saw where the money was coming from, head darting the moment he saw the few letters. "This is from your account?"

"Sure is!"

I didn't think you were all too interested in commissioning art."

"I just never did it before. I had to go around and ask how to go about it." He took his hand and flipped a page, going quickly past the wimpy-dimpy stick figures of his and straight to the artist's more refined preliminary sketch of Gestalt standing next to Tanya.

The Gemini read Aiolos' notes on the side of the picture detailing what was to be said on a plaque beside it in both Greek and German. "I see. If enough people think of him as a man and not half-horse, maybe he'll have a normal body in the Collective. It's a worthy theory to try."

"It is. It could help us later on, but I didn't do it for that reason, I did it because he's sacrificed so much. You and my brother say I deserve to be seen for who I am and not a traitor. Well, I believe he doesn't deserve to be seen as a joke."

Saga gazed at the image. "Then I will be there when you cut the ribbon to commemorate it," he smiled and passed the folder back to him. "Even if it doesn't work, he's probably watching and appreciates it."

"Yes, I think so too." Aiolos eyes traveled to the Gemini's pocket and noticed an envelope with some hiragana on the front sticking out. Not exactly something that someone that was seemingly fluent in every language but Japanese would carry. "What's that?"

Like a true Gemini, his hand slid over it, as if to hide it yet grab it at the same time. Oh Goddess, why can't Ares come on out from his hidey-hole and take over his mind so that he didn't have to go through with this?

No, hiding was what got him into this shit. He's confronted everything but this.

He took a deep breath and pulled it out, the faded background of Hello Kitty's hypnotic yet vacuous gaze came into the light. The edges heavily wrinkled and crinkled from him gripping tightly onto it like the ledge of some grand cliff. "It's from Futaba. When I was in Japan, I told her I was your friend from Greece and she asked me to give it to you. Sorry, it has a little blood on it. Your brother had to express his... frustration on me in Japan."

"Don't worry about it," Aiolos immediately dismissed. "Here, pass it over!"

Saga looked up and took a deep breath. Back in the Room of the Golden Orb, he talked about waking up, to find Aiolos uncursed, willing to forgive him, and they kissed, living happily ever after.

But that's not how it works.

There's a fine line between falling in love and retaining love.

One can be as simple as two eyes meeting, the other required blood sweat, and tears.

He had gone through so much to reach this moment. His list of things that were required for his redemption was complete, but was it enough?

Would anything be enough for what he had done?

He wished he had more time, but if he didn't say it now, he may lose this chance forever. "Lucas, before you read this, I just want to let you know that I still have feelings for you," he confessed, his entire body frozen as if the wide stunned expression of the archer belonged to Medusa herself.

How stupid. Why did he say this?

"I know I caused a lot of trouble…"

Trouble. That was putting it lightly. He nearly killed him, he wrecked his reputation, and who knows how long will Aiolos be the Saint of Sagittarius after Seiya starts training at the House.

But the Pandora's box had been opened.

The egg had been dropped.

And babies came from sex and not some goofy-ass bird.

He had no other choice but to be brave.

"If you won't give me another chance, I will understand. I will still honor everything that was said in the Collective. I will smile every day and I will treasure this second chance. If Futaba wants you back and you want her, go right ahead and we'll keep things the way they are...professional." His hand trembled as he passed over the envelope, relief only following once the paper was gently pulled from his hands.

At this point, Saga could feel his heart racing, and every muscle was so tense a doctor would've declared he had a case of rigor mortis. He focused his eyes upon a lamp in an attempt to avoid staring at his friend as he was reading the contents. He clutched his palms so hard that he grabbed his trainer pants to avoid tearing the upholstery. Even from a distance, the moment Aiolos opened it up, he could smell a sweet dainty perfume coming from it.

The archer reached inside and pulled out the light pink paper. Aiolos' eyes followed each character. He could tell that Futaba kept it very simple, even writing certain phrases in English. He reached the end and sat silently, his head heavy in thought.

The silence in the room was maddening for the Gemini. "So...was that your name in Japanese on the front of the envelope?" he asked.

Aiolos shook his head no. "No, not at all," he tapped his finger curiously. "She wrote gomen."

"Gomen?" Saga's mouth went dry before he sank deep into the soft cushions, verging on the edge of fainting. Already she was doting him with her love for the most perfect person in the world. "Oh Goddess that sounds so romantic," he muttered before a small chuckle echoed across the room. "What is it?"

Aiolos, a small slick grin was upon his face. "Oh, nothing," he spoke to the enlightened idiot in front of him. He turned to the letter and gazed upon the Gemini. "You'll accept whatever I decide?"

Saga could feel his neck drip with sweat. "Yes, I will." He gritted his teeth, sensing how stupid that sounds. "Please give me another chance!" He begged, but tightened his fist realizing how forceful it was. "I would like that. You were so special...the moment we met…"

"I broke your arm the moment we met and you cried and ran away," Aiolos laughed.

Saga shook his head. "I meant afterward when you found me." He swallowed hard. "But if you want to stay friends or colleagues...it's fine."

Aiolos nodded and folded up the letter, putting it in his pocket. He reached over, grabbed his cane. "I want to see her. Can you make that happen?" he asked.

At that moment, Saga felt as if his body slammed against a riverbed without a drop of water after tumbling from a cliff.

He wants to see...her…

He poured out his heart and he still wants to see her.

But still, he was a man of his word.

He lowered his head, to hide his wet eyes before he opened Another Dimension next to the archer. "It should open in that alleyway in the back. I'll shrink it down to a pinhole. Just give a double whistle when you are ready and I will widen it back up."

"Great, thanks!" Aiolos smiled as he used his cane to hobble over and pass through the dimensional tear through time and space.

The heartbroken Gemini felt his hand cup so many tears that the moment he tore it away from his face, a large wad of it splashed on the title crafting a large puddle.

He's such an idiot.

Why the hell would Aiolos pass up someone so friendly and normal?

Of course, he was going back to Futaba!

Too many good things had been happening.

He got a new duty that he actually liked.

Aiolos reputation was restored.

He found a way to help Aiolos learn to walk on his own.

He can see Paz whenever he wanted.

Hell, he even managed to get along with the cub a few times.

Whenever something goes right, something has to go wrong and turn his life to shit.

There is no such thing as a happy ending.

That's now how it works.

He has to be miserable in some form or fashion.

He was poison.

Should've burned the letter. Maybe you would have a chance?

Saga turned toward the mirror and gazed at his reflection. "Maybe you would've done it, but I'm not like you Kanon. It's not right," he whispered back.

That's why you will always end up alone. If you would've burned the letter, Aiolos wouldn't have been the wiser. If you didn't lock me up in Cape Sounion, we would still be together.

Saga gritted his teeth before he waved a burst of cosmos, causing the mirror to spin and face toward the wall. He gripped his hands. He wasn't going crazy. He could feel the gentle tendrils of Ares once more probing for weaknesses in his inner psyche now that he can't hold him down for the murder of Shion. Of course, he would use Kanon.

Jokes on him.

Kanon is his twin and he knows he's alive.

He guesses that Kanon is somewhere out in the world, siphoning money so that he could live on some beach with a house and a girlfriend living a peaceful and hidden life to avoid the wary eye of Sanctuary. Kanon is probably surfing the waves after learning his lesson to never EVER try something as stupid as attempting to conquer the world again.

His body began to hyperventilate before he began to practice the breathing techniques he learned from his first session with his new therapist. "The world is not going to end...and if he says he will stay your friend he will mean it!" Saga muttered to himself as he attempted to calm down. He turned to his wet clothes and flared his cosmos to dry them off. They may still be wrinkled, but at least he didn't look like he dumped a bucket of water on his face. He turned toward a bottle, but immediately put it back when he realized it was the heavy stuff that Aiolos liked to burn his throat upon. He spent way too long trying to give up his drinking and he can't go back.

Two hours passed.

Saga remained slumped in the chair, staring at the pea-shaped tear in time and space. Aiolos had been out for a long time. He turned his head toward a stack of books. Normally, he would devour the set in seconds, but after researching a centuries-old curse for nearly two months straight, he was booked-out. He couldn't even read a map without getting a headache. The Gemini blew his bangs. Goddess, if Aiolos was planning on banging her in the back kitchen, he could at least have the common courtesy to move a little faster.

The Gemini sank deeper in the cushions. "I'm such an idiot," he muttered.

His head lifted as a familiar whistle echoed. Saga took a moment to straighten out his face and tended to his hair before he widened the hole into a doorway. Aiolos came back out, leaning on a cane with one hand and carrying a couple of large plastic bags in the other. "How was lunch with her?" he whimpered pathetically, before twitching his body realizing he sounded like some creep. "Sorry...I-it's not my business."

Aiolos sighed as the Gemini before him, was a Gemi-wreck. While Saga's voice dripped with jealousy and sadness, he couldn't blame him since it was his fault. "Sorry I was late. I didn't expect to leave an hour and a half later than expected."

Saga slumped. "Don't worry about it." He swallowed hard and examined his friend and his bags. Considering how many containers he had in them, the two probably enjoyed a nice romantic meal together. "Did you have fun?"

"It was a lot of fun. seeing her again and hanging out in the cafe. We exchanged information so that I could continue to keep in contact with her. She's one of the few who never judged me, and I don't want to lose her as a friend."

Suddenly, the third guardian lit up. By the Goddess, did he just say the f-word? "Friend?" Saga waved a hand to enact Defying Gravity once more.

Aiolos lifted the cane and strolled over and sat beside him. "Yeah, friend." He paused and took another heavy breath. "It's not what I want. Even now, I memorized her hair, face, skin, smell...everything. I could lay in bed and fall asleep with her being the last thing on my mind."

The way the archer lingered over such intimate details, tightened the Gemini's heart, for he could tell that this was not a mere crush, but Aiolos was truly, deeply in love with her. Saga knew because the Sagittarius used to act the same way around him. "Why don't you?" his weak voice cracked out.

Aiolos shook his head. "You say that as if being with her never crossed my mind. Trust me, I thought about it just as many times as the Earth had spun." Aiolos took another heavy breath. "The number of lies I told her could reach Mount Fuji. She doesn't know a thing about Sanctuary or me being a Saint. She thinks I'm here with family and going to college on a grant from the Kido Foundation. What should I do? Tell her the truth that all this time, I oversee an army made up of youths where half had never reached puberty and three-fourths of that group may never will after Holy War? She would probably bolt out of Rodario like you nearly did when you first came."

Saga turned his head downwards. He understood where he was going with it. His family as well as those from his part of Rodario by the sea knew how rough Sanctuary was. A chokehold there was seen as soft, while to an outsider, it was a red flag. Someone as sweet as Futaba wouldn't last. It's no wonder many describe falling in love with an outsider was like biting into a piece of forbidden fruit. "I'm sorry."

But Aiolos shook his head. "Don't worry about it." He held the note up. "Thank you for giving this to me."

"She wanted you to have it, and I knew you would want it too. But if you don't mind, what did the note say...if the details aren't too...detailed…."

The archer chuckled. He knew his friend and he was probably holding onto that letter like a ticking time bomb. He and Futaba had their fun back when they were dating, but she was not the type to put any twisty-turny suggestions into writing. "The note that she sent asked how I was doing and that if I ever came back to Japan, she wanted to return my favorite red sweater that I left at her place. Apparently, she tried to bring it over to the Kido Foundation but they wouldn't let her in. If you were wondering why I was late, when I came over, I had to stay at the cafe so she could take the train back to fetch it," he spoke as he pulled out the crimson red piece that matched his headband perfectly and slid it back over his trainer.

"A sweater." Saga gasped in absolute astonishment. A fucking sweater. Here he thought she was begging him to come back and speak sweet kanji in his ear once more. He felt like such an idiot. But still... "Why was she so worked up about giving back a sweater?"

"Well to be fair, she knew the story behind it."

A blue brow raised. Clearly, this sweater was more than finding it in a bin at 40% off. "Alright, I'll bite. What is the story behind this sweater?"

Aiolos brushed the sleeves a bit to remove the wrinkles. "Well...It was Christmas, and Mr. Kido wanted to give me a gift. I told him I didn't need anything, and he told me that it was unacceptable. Now that I was under the fire, I looked around and told him I wanted a new red sweater since the one that I had been wearing for the past two years had holes under the armpits that I was tired of sewing over and over. Well, being the wealthiest man in the world and infamous for never taking up a lunch date that didn't cost anything less than a 1 with five zeros afterward in yen, he flew some vicuñas from Peru, had their wool freshly sheared and handspun. After that, he flew Georgio Armani over to have his team custom tailor and knit a brand new one for about thirty thousand Euros."

"Daughter of Midas, all that money for one piece of clothing!?" Saga gasped. All the Pope's elaborate robes were all hand-made with golden thread sewed in yet none of them cost a fraction of that to make!

Aiolos shrugged, having grown used to Mr. Kido's world-famous tastes in the overpriced. "If you think that's a shocker, don't get me started on the day I turned eighteen and asked for a new pair of underwear," he laughed, hearing his friend join him as well just like old times. But as easy going as he appeared, the truth was, the Gemini's words weighed heavily every second in his mind while he was in Japan. "So anyway, about what you said earlier." He paused as waited for Saga to focus back on him, wanting him to listen carefully. The last thing he needed was to be misinterpreted, especially with the curse residing in the Gemini once more. "For now...let's keep it friendly and professional."

Saga sucked in his breath. It wasn't the I love you too, that he was hoping for but it wasn't too bad. Not friends like Futaba...but friendly?

He could work with that.

The archer could tell Saga was unsure how he felt, so he clarified it a bit. "We've been away for five years and so much is happening all at once. I want more time to settle in this new role," he spoke as he took his hand and patted the helmet of the Anti-Pope. "I also want to make sure...you were good on your word from the Collective."

Saga gazed into the archer's eyes. He knew it was a difficult choice. Aiolos had always been there to prop him up on his darkest days fearing that his depression would lead to him with a rope around his neck among the trees in the forest. But he could tell that it wasn't that Aiolos didn't want to help him...the problem was Aiolos couldn't. He was the Pope. He couldn't just leave whenever he wanted and being paralyzed, he was a bit limited as well. So he reached into his pocket and pulled out a card. "Of course. I promised you I would and I mean it. If I diverge, I have a resource...and I'm not ashamed to use it. She prescribes my medication. No more having the servants barter in the black market. She thinks that with time and careful adjustments...I can actually be weaned off it." Oddly enough, it was the same diagnosis he received a long time ago, where the psychologist proclaimed that he was lucky and there was a chance to outgrow it. A shame that it took almost fifteen years to realize that he wasn't a monster.

But that was the power of verbal abuse.

But he won't be under the heel of Ares. And he certainly won't be under Dimitris.

Saga turned toward Aiolos face, happy to see the relief upon it.

But still, Aiolos had yet to fully answer the question.

"After that-" Saga asks nervously once more.

Aiolos shifted his eyes. Originally he was going to wait a few more months before he answered that. But then again, Saga literally crawled through hell and back to save him. "After that, you get one more chance. But if I have to jump out of another building to save a baby or fall into another coma, you can go back to Geist and we are officially and eternally don-." He paused when the Gemini squeezed him so tightly, he was afraid that Saga was going to break all the progress Shaka had made on fixing his back. But as he felt the Gemini's soft blue hair and loving embrace, it made him wonder how long this decision of just staying friendly was going to last, especially with what he was carrying. "By the way, these aren't leftovers from the cafe," he whispered as he lifted the bag behind the Gemini's back."It was take-out," he smiled as he held the order made….for two.

END OF THE BOOK OF GEMINI

O|=======================|O

COMING IN LATE JUNE

MORE THAN GOLDS

The final book and conclusion to the series. Determined to end the curse and unite Sanctuary before finally passing on the Sagittarius Cloth, Pope Aiolos seeks to finish what he had started with Ares, the deceased son of Zeus.

Author's Notes

Heavily delayed by this one. A COVID emergency (but not medical) caused me to lose a few weeks. I also hate writing about politics so that made it difficult to. Don't worry, the next book isn't going to shift to that. I would rather spend most of the words writing about Gold Saints getting cursed and moving through the Collective.

The chapter was also much longer, because I wanted Saga's quest to repent to have closure, leaving only his mission to be last when it comes to the Collective in the next chapter leaving only his mission to hold on to the curse and find Kanon.

Not sure when in June the next chapter will come out since just like this book, the overall outline has to be decided upon and part of the difficulty is deciding on a good ending or a bad ending.

I hope you've been enjoying the journey and please review.

Cover art has been updated for the next book featuring Aiolos in his upgraded armor ( Yes, it is the LOS movie version) on top of Zephyr (because it is like Gestalt, it is nearly impossible to find Aiolos riding a horse versus being half-horse). It was done by Vervain a year ago. Sadly the cover art version chops off the horse's head.

To view the full version, remove the spaces. It's a very nice piece.

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