Declaration of War
"Goddess of Harvest?"
"So, it is a God after all." Eden said matter-of-factly, while Kouga pondered over the woman's intention. The woman was a cold beauty with rich apparel, but her actions against the Saints and her lament belied her divine identity. Those, however, were the thoughts of a naïve, ignorant boy.
The Goddess of Harvest Demeter was known, if provoked even the slightest, to turn anyone, God or man, into animals as punishment, or fasten heavy boulders against their limbs so that they wouldn't move. She even brought forth a famine to the entire world; she reproached Earth, assailing it in such a way just because her bosom was fragile.
"I was just telling Athena that I did not come to personally cleanse the world like the gods before," Demeter said to the Pope. She paced around freely as she spoke. "Your crimes are vast, as you raised your fists against gods countless times. However, I've always punished the ones who harmed my true love. The agony, in order to stop this agony I feel, I must restore balance to life and death. It is the same as the sun and moon."
"Agony? I don't understand!" Koga interrupted. "What did we do?! What are you going to do?"
The goddess only gave a simple statement: "I am going to restore the Underworld," She said. Those words brought a feeling of dread to Kouga, and he still didn't understand why, especially when the Goddess of Harvest herself was for such a seemingly contrary goal. So much that she had to kill three Silver Saints. According to Shaina, many Saints were being attacked.
"No, I won't let you," muttered a soft voice. A bright Cosmos slowly rippled around Sagittarius Seiya, and then it sprouted into a torrent of flame. His wings stretch out.
"I swear on this Gold Cloth, I won't let you, Demeter!" Seiya straightened his body, and his eyes burned as he looked at the white-haired goddess.
Surprised, Demeter distanced; her blackened Silver Saints bounced back into action, launching towards Seiya. Miguel scrambled on his arms and other working foot to make momentum for his leap.
"Menkar, Bayer, Miguel, I'm sorry. Atomic Thunderbolt!" The golden volley returned, and the result was the same as before. Whale, Hound, and Bootes lie on the ground battered and still. Demeter's eyes widened; perhaps her control wasn't the greatest, but she saw that this time her slaves had expired. They became ash and wafted out from the temple roof.
"I won't let you revive the Underworld! No matter what! If that happens, you will bring darkness upon us all. Not only that, not only that, Athena! Miss Saori!" Enflamed by his power, Seiya's body shook and he slowly advanced on the Goddess of Harvest. He seemed befuddled, but Kouga and everyone else sensed some kind of agony.
"Seiya, please!"
Seiya's movement suddenly seized, and his Cosmos and feelings calmed. He felt her arms against his back.
"That's enough Seiya." Athena's imploring voice was like a melody, characteristic for the goddess who showed great compassion for her Saints.
"Please don't anger her." Even Athena knew of the infamous tales about Demeter, but she didn't have fear.
"Killing your own friends," Demeter breathed; she spoke in a manner as if she felt sorry for a poor soul. The direct insult towards Seiya indicated her restored composure. Athena moved from behind the Sagittarius Saint and gazed at the other goddess.
"Demeter, we traveled to the Underworld to prevent Hades from completing his Greatest Eclipse," Athena said, her tone pleading for understanding. "Even if he shed tears towards what was ugly on Earth, we couldn't allow him to destroy it. An eternal winter would've befallen on all life, the life that you nurture."
Demeter said nothing; Athena was telling the truth.
"You should know well," the Goddess of Justice continued, "that life is the most important gift that humans possess."
Demeter closed her eyes before speaking. "It is the point of the Holy War: Those whose warriors who conquer the other get to choose the fate of the world. It is only divine decree as it happens every several centuries. If life dies, it is reborn under another ruler and nothing more. It is possible that the war with Hades will resume. It is out of consequence for what I plan to do, I'm afraid. I figured that you would want to stop me, so I took extra steps. I can't let you interfere."
"But why? For him?" Athena asked.
"No, for her." With those few words, the Goddess of Harvest crinkeld her brow. "This is what I've decided: To quell my anger for losing my loved one, and to make sure you don't erase the Underworld again, I should destroy your Saints." Demeter then opened her eyes and took steps towards Shaina.
"Particularly her, so that I can get the key."
"Well well, if that's the case, come and bring your goons." The Pope finally spoke up. He strode next to Seiya and Athena. Uncanny for a majestic-looking man was his smile, a wide crooked smile. "You want a Holy War, then you got one! Come at us so we can break your bones!" The Goddess of Harvest stopped and spun around.
"You are wretched!" Demeter snapped, her face flaring. Hearing such disrespect from a figure standing in for Athena was enough to make her skin crawl. She almost wanted to kill him.
"I get that a lot," The Pope's grin was clean underneath his dark visage. "but you know what? Nothing's more wretched then one looking down on others and making them suffer. For killing Whale, Hound, Bootes, and Ophiuchus, I should break your bones lady!"
"You are a true reflection of scum on this planet! I have no idea how a battle-obsessed man like you became Pope. You're so ugly that I want to know this: When you're friends die, will you feel sadness?"
Suddenly, Athena let out a light gasp. She looked up, her face was filled with worry.
"The Cosmos are fluctuating."
"Athena?" Seiya looked with concern.
"Lionet….Cygnus…Dragon…Gemini…something is happening." It was the sign of a goddess sensing that her fellow companions were in danger – enveloped in great pain or tottering on the bridge towards death.
"It begins Athena. Can you bring your Saints together?" Demeter smiled.