Disorder of Cyclades

(キクラデス諸島の騒乱)

Out of the cluster of islands south of the Greek archipelago, situated within the Aegean ocean divided north and south, Naxos was the largest. Despite being neighbors, Demeter and her niece Athena hardly associated with one another; the former, being a patron of family and environmental prosperity, shunned battle and turned down most alliances. In fact, it was edict to not allow any warrior training on her island. In an army's stead, akin to the Saints, the Specters and the Marine Generals, Demeter established only four figures that'll rise up in arms to protect the island if necessary.

Athena's existence sustains battle and killing, Demeter would say, and that the Goddess of Battle would form warriors to fight with their own bodies and to barrier her. Despite that, Demeter acknowledged Athena's compassion for humans and also her belief in the burning hearts of youths who are the light of the future. She may have punished the Earth before due to her emotions, but Demeter hardly waged conflict that convinced the other Gods to send their forces against her.

Damn you, Hermes. Demeter's thoughts fumed as she looked far out at the sea from a coastal cliff. She had returned to Naxos moments ago, and was told that some of Athena's forces were on their way.

"Mother, that Gold Saint can't be trusted." Kneeling by Demeter was Pan, the blonde-haired girl that accompanied the Goddess to Athena's Sanctuary. Without her cloak, her young features were far more delineated; her short cropped hair, soft face, and worn armor made her seem like a pre-pubescent son instead. Perhaps an inexperienced page. Only her placid voice and lean physique described her as a female. Stubbornness and sense of courage hidden in the heart could be reflected in her eyes.

"He cares little for life," Pan continued to insist. "A traitor to his own could turn on you just the same. Then, I would never forgive him."

Demeter was silent; to a disputing child, she'd usually reply in retort or to elucidate her choices, but if her voice wasn't raised, it meant her mind was truly set. Their peace was broken by a bizarre squawk from the air, sharp to the ears unlike the morning sounds of birds. It forced the two to look up, and they saw a black bird circling above them.

"Agron?" Demeter seemed to recognize the bird, her eyes thinning. She noticed something round in the raven's talons. Pan rose from her knee and opened her hand. The bird flew above her and dropped the item, which landed into the girl's palm without fail. She pinched her fingers around the item, which was a tightened scroll. After unfurling it, Pan nearly fixed her mouth to read the contents out loud; instead, her face ruffled and she gave it to Demeter. As the Goddess looked, she only read quietly. She realized who it was from.

"I bet you're talking sin about me, Mother Goddess, but not too worry. You may have some company, but things will go your way. Gonna be late. The Sanctuary's Golds are coming together and I'll meet you in the future with a friend. Ciao. From Hermes."

"I hate him," Pan said, her face furrowing. "I want to write back and tell him that if he fails, Megaera and I shall kill him."

"Not needed," The goddess said. "If he is truly a disgusting man, do not speak like him, Pan." Demeter's voice was tranquil, and she even looked at Pan this time. "I will stop them, now." She then looked back at the ocean, and a glowing aura shimmered around her body. Her white hair rustled.

Pan wondered what was going to happen next, and only continued to press her affirmation. "Mother, if it all fails and Athena's Saints come, I want to commit all my strength to protect you and Naxos."

"I love you Pan, and I thank you. But I detest the idea of battle here. Do not wish it. If they truly reach here, then their dark intentions are quite strong. They will have to spill blood to get to me; they would be true sinners indeed. Despite Athena's kindness, they shall be the enemy. My purpose shall be the scatter them across Cyclades and the Aegean Sea." Demeter lifted her arm and a metal scepter tipped with a husked corn wrapped in a lace of wheat materialized in her hand. Gradually, the sky over the sea became gray and the air cold. The wind became heavy. Anyone would probably mistake this as an incoming storm. Pan tried to peer further across the ocean, noticing that a mist was forming over the water.

"I shall dim their eyes and freeze them in place. I also already sent the Saints there."

"Can they do it?"

"Under the power of my Thesmophoria, they shall obey. No, they will because they are wretched mortals and will not hesitate to battle. That is not all."

"Not all?"

"From what I can tell, they are the perfect candidates against Athena. They are poor beings having lived in the world with a hedonic purpose against the Saints. Their minds and bodies harbor wickedness that can't be put away, and I was able to reveal it. The ones called Pisces and Cancer desire destruction and revenge; Gemini wants to inflict pain on Athena and another; Aquarius is an arbitrary one and, even though he won't admit it, wants to try his might against his finest adversary."

"Athena would have such people in her company? Were you uncomfortable with using them?"

"It seems strange. Although, Scorpio is much like yourself, Pan."

"Why?!" Pan was in disbelief.

"Loyal, a fire in her heart, a yearning for love and the protection of the family, she agreed to her revival if it were to ease me. In fact, she insisted that she can take on Athena's boat on her own."

"To ease you? Why?"

"She said that she sensed and understood my feelings."

"Nonsense mother!" Pan's voice trembled with obvious scorn. Demeter said nothing in return; within her mind, she said her farewells to Athena's Saints. Also, she held anticipation for another person who was out there. The one, unlike the others, with a good head on the shoulders.

"Damnit, what is this?!"

"A blizzard all of a sudden?!"

"This must be Demeter's doing." The six Saints sent to Naxos Island were gathered on the boat deck. The entire atmosphere was bleak and gray; appearing suddenly was a fog so thick that there was no opening. Everywhere the Saints looked, they were lost.

"Both the keel and hull are stuck." Among the comments, Aquarius Hyouga looked over the railed deck and saw a bulky mass of ice coalesced around the boat's base. The ice swelled into chunks, growing up the boat halfway to the deck. It was similar to when foes were struck by Hyouga's Aurora Execution or Freezing Coffin, the ice growing from the base up upon impact. The boat shook violently, a loud cracking sound following after, then the sound of glass breaking. As Hyouga watched, he noticed the ice below the boat giving away, and that the boat was slowly sinking. He uttered a word of shock, surprised at such power; he believed it to be the goddess or another force. Furthermore, what were he and his comrades to do next?

Something jumped onto the deck. Suddenly, Koga leaned back. A knee was shoved into the back of his neck, throwing him into the boat's barrel house. In the next instant, there was a loud thud; Yuna screamed and slid against the deck. Something with unnatural speed was on the boat. And in the next instant, Souma threw himself against a black shadow. He flew over the railing while in a grapple.

"I have you!" Souma's face was in a deep scowl, staring down at before him. Long pink strands waved against his eyes.

"Don't interfere Souma. You won't reach Naxos." The cool, feminine voice unconcerned for Souma's rage was from Pallestra. It would haunt Souma since he was in the infirmary.

"Like Hell I'll let you defeat us, Sonia!" Both the former Gold Saint wrapped in black and the Lionet Bronze Saint crashed onto the ocean surface, which was now frozen solid by ice. Souma's voice rose into a yell as his body shot up in the air. He was kicked off from pinning down Sonia, flying overhead and landing further away.

"Blinded by the fog, which continues to spread, and with no means of travel, everything ends here." Returning to her feet, the revived Scorpio Sonia affirmed both her goal and Demeter's intrusion.

"How will you make it to Naxos now? Surrender your life and look forward to the return of Hell." As Sonia spoke, Souma stood and faced her immediately in a readied stance. Suddenly, his body jolted and he nearly collapsed onto his knee. He let out a loud groan. A fast surge of pain had coursed through him. Sonia had her finger pointed at him.

"Guys, you need to get off the boat now!" barked Souma, holding his wound, a small hole below his shoulder.

"Looks like you have some fight in you," Sonia's sneer came out in a voice suitably cold for a former assassin. "Scorpions don't kill slowly."

"He's right. We can't stick around fighting Sonia. We must find a way to get to Demeter's temple," Hyouga's suggestion echoed through the air to reach the ears of all aboard the ship. From what he could tell, Sonia was alone. He glanced over to Haruto, who was watching over the deck to see the two Saints.

"Haruto," the Aquarius said, "let's split."

"What?" Haruto looked astonished at Hyouga.

"The boat will not move and it's going to sink. The Aegean Sea is surrounded by other islands. If we stay here, we'll just become consumed by the fog. However, the ocean is frozen. Let us use this to move with our feet."

"How do we find Naxos?" Haruto's question left even him stunned. It took him a moment, watching Souma and Sonia, and something came to him. It looked like a desperate situation where all they could depend on was arbitrary faith.

"Vision impairment," Haruto mumbled out his thoughts. Kouga and Yuna came too, followed by Ryuho and Eden. The hull cracked again, and began to collapse quickly like a sinkhole. The six Saints jumped off the boat. At that moment, Souma broke away and ran off, challenging the Lionet Saint to follow her to finish their grudge once and for all. She held on to the confidence that the enemy forces were going to be repelled without fail.

"Let's follow Hyouga's advice," Haruto said, pointing in one direction. "The fog will distort our hearing," he paused, and raised his finger, "and it'll cover the sky, blanketing the sun and moon. Before the fog arrived, I managed to check the sun." With that, Haruto pointed in the previous direction.

"We must go further South. Kouga, I believe you said that you went to Naxos before right? What was the most distinct thing about it?"

"White irony buildings and hills. It's the village surrounding the island. We can probably hear its people from a distance," said Kouga, bowing his head. Haruto nodded in agreement. The Saints had decided; earlier, Souma and Sonia had gone in the same direction, possibly confirming that Wolf's hunch was correct.

Everyone moved, their boat crashing down and laying dilapidated in a hole crusted by ice. Entering the fog, further in, all of the Saints definitely reached an island, unclouded by Demeter's winter fog.

However, everyone was not together. And, every island wasn't the same. When Kouga caught his breath, he noticed that Ryuho was next to him. The two found themselves on a narrow strip of beach sand connecting two landscapes. Looking in different directions, a port loomed in the distance. The ocean water was still frozen and the entire atmosphere carried a somber, gray tone. It felt quiet and abandoned.

"No, this isn't it," said Kouga.

"Which island is this?" Ryuho wondered as he looked around. Both Saints crossed the sandy strip to reach a crescent beach. Buildings and vegetation were shrouded by the cold ghostly fog; the inhabitants, if any, may have been closed in their homes. Kouga was surprised that the fog and ice went so far, that Demeter would go to such lengths to impede them. Ryuho explained that even the Mother Goddess brought famine and drought to the world due to being upset or sad.

"As a goddess, this power shouldn't come off as unusual," said the Dragon Saint.

"Indeed," said a voice, which caused the two Saints to stop in their tracks on the beach. They saw someone approach from the fog.

"Pegasus Kouga, Dragon Ryuho, it's been a while." Entering the path of two Bronze Saints was a man dressed in black; just like before, a luster of armor recognized as a Cloth. After the Silver Saints, Cancer, Scorpio and Pisces, Kouga and Ryuho were prompt to enter their guard. It was the voice of a male; thus, they expected Amor, but instead they froze from deep suspicion.

"Wait." Kouga's eyes widened.

"No, that's impossible!" Ryuho spoke as he shook his head. "Why would you stand before us?" Ryuho believed that, while it was quite candid of a thought, betrayal was never far below a decision for any soul on Earth.

"Former Gold Saint of Athena." The gray fog began to seep away. A break in the sunlight reached the island, highlighting the features of the Saints. Kouga and Ryuho found themselves facing a morose man with sharp blue eyes and bright red hair. Despite the Surplice, he didn't look destitute or wicked; there was a juxtaposition of a brave "black" lion standing before them.

"And, a soul from the Realm of Ashura. Libra Genbu." The former Libra Saint stood as an obstacle, one of the first challenges of Cyclades.

"Why are you against us?" Kouga's disbelief turned into anger, and it easily appeared on his face. He raised a fist in challenge. "If your heart has forsaken Athena, I won't forgive you either Genbu!"

"I told you before. The spirit of Libra will always be with Athena."

"Then why?! Why are you here with the Surplice?"

"That's right, Mister Genbu. You would have to agree with Demeter to your revival just like the rest." At Ryuho's words, Genbu paused and closed his eyes.

"Yes, the rest of the Gold Saints were revived for the very purpose of deterring you. Each had a chapter in life where they turned violence towards Athena." As Genbu spoke, he then opened his eyes. "Bronze Saints, I have something to tell you, but first you must get past me. You know how sincere I am."

"OK, I'm first then." With that, Kouga rushed forward. Ryuho called out in interjection, but the Pegasus Saint did not listen, going with his drive to move forward. Whether there was a deeper reason behind the revival, Demeter's actions, he could not forgive his friends being attacked and killed. He lunged at Genbu and swung a fist, which flew into a blazing flurry of hundreds of strikes. The typical Ryu Sei Ken that covered every side and corner of the enemy, even blind spots, there would be no escape. Genbu lifted his arm and balled his hand. As Koga looked ahead, he noticed that his attacks were hitting, but were also bending past Genbu. Genbu kept still; there was a deflection at the core of Genbu's fist. As the Ryu Sei Ken touched Libra's fist, it was being thrown behind him.

Kouga groaned at the defense and went closer. He noticed a hemisphere of energy around Genbu's balled hand and swung at him. Genbu met Kouga's fist with his, resulting in a loud shock wave in between them.

"Ah—!" Kouga slowly staged back and his punching fist juddered, waggling in the air from a deflection. Genbu didn't bat an eye as he saw Kouga's eyes blank out.

"Facing a warrior who went through the Hells of Ashura won't be an easy task," said Genbu. "You can go to Demeter's Temple Kouga, but you must go to the true source. If you don't awaken the universe to its truest strength, then it's too dangerous for you to continue. No matter what either of you say."

Kouga didn't return an answer and fell on his back.

"Kouga!" Ryuho made a move to check on Pegasus, but quickly froze after a few steps.

Now Genbu, as he straightened his posture, turned his gaze towards Ryuho. "Son of Shiryu, who is my fellow brother, will you fight too? Don't hold back. As we the Saints, who died during the last war and in this current time, were led by the Virgo Saint through the door of the Afterlife. Some of us were severely punished; I was as well, but was somewhat spared, being sent to the Realm of Ashura to quell my fists. As I did, I grinned and bore the Hell I had to endure. Even as a spirit, I challenged myself to keep a promise. However, death is forever, and I may have suffered. But I promise you Ryuho, Kouga, I keep my word as a Rozan warrior and as a Libra."

"You're not like the others Mister Genbu, so why? Join us!"

"Yes, indeed. I have not forsaken the will inherited by my master Dohko and my fellow brother Shiryu. Demeter has acknowledged my self-assurance, but I am still under her orders. However, she has given me the opportunity to see you nurture. Let's go Ryuho!"

"Rozan Shoryuha!" Determined, Ryuho stomped in close and angled his arm upward. His punch and then his entire body were haloed by Cosmo, taking the form of a blue dragon. Genbu saw the gaping maw of the dragon rushing towards him and crossed his arms in front of him. The jaw struck him and his feet left the ground. The Libra Saint was propelled into the air, still in a defensive form; an ellipse shell formed around his body. Ryuho had followed Genbu in a leap, his punch blocked by Genbu's arms. The boy grounded his teeth as he noticed his opponent's heavy guard. He wondered if it he was weak from his therapy training or was Genbu truly strong?

"If you die Ryuho, you can't defeat the true enemy!" Genbu yelled. Libra's words left Ryuho's completely perplexed, and the shock became further heavy as Genbu's punch struck his face. Another shock wave appeared, inhibiting Ryuho's scream. The Dragon Saint was out cold next to Kouga. When Genbu landed, he waited for the two to come back to their senses. He thought that since they didn't die from his Shinbuken, their fullest potential would come to surface.

"Pegasus Kouga, Dragon Ryuho, I will make this curt. Demeter is not your enemy. Your enemy is him!"

Suddenly, a wave of sand and both Bronze Saints were thrown into the air by a sudden blast after Genbu's fist flew over his head in an uppercut. Part of the fog around them dispersed like smoke against a furious wind.

"If you can't move ahead without being stronger, than the Earth is done for."

The pressure they felt nearly turned their insides; even if Genbu was holding back, there was still a threat of danger. However, they couldn't fight someone that was not perceived as truly evil. Kouga and Ryuho still had doubts.

Thinking back, Genbu remembered waking up in solid surroundings. It was unlike the Realm of Ashura, surrounded by flame and distorted, burned corpses pierced by weapons of war, by nails, and by fangs. Many times, he would have to lift his fists and weapons in battle. Instead, he heard a voice call to him, and then, he returned to the living world as substance. He was given a body, a replicate Cloth; he met the face of a woman and familiar faces. His former companions from the Twelve Temples were sent out to harm other former companions without question – under the charge of the woman with ease.

"This man is different." The woman told a cohort that stood beside her. The woman that Genbu met was Demeter. A beautiful goddess; her light hair flowed and her eyes were filled with green life, but within them, the Libra Saint sensed anger or sadness. Three figures stood within a columned chamber.

"Libra Genbu I presume?" Demeter spoke. "You are unlike the others who does not think for oneself; you are a man with a peaceful heart and feeds on justice. I summoned you to the living for a task. With your help, I will bring the Underworld."