A/N: Since March passed, did you know that Dawn of End is five years old? Due to being busy and the global impact of the virus (recently left my job), I've been sluggish and my attention is elsewhere. Plus, this chapter was a bit difficult (and it's also weird) and I'm sorry. I thank everyone for sticking with this story, follows and favorites. It is enjoyable.

It's a draw?! Sonia's commitments.

(痛み分け? ! ソニアの約束)

Why?!

She couldn't put her perplexed thoughts out as words. An inordinary, vibrant anger shined from Sonia's eyes. If she had worn her mask back from her days as a Hornet Martian, it would not have concealed her emotion. Both shock and fury was instilled in her face.

"Enough stubbornness! How do you expect to defeat anyone like this?!"

She wouldn't admit it, but her exasperation was from a couple of things. Again, she felt like her pride as an assassin was being questioned; was the sudden rise of Cosmos by some divine intervention meant to provoke her?

With the exception of her mouth, her entire body was in arrest from a single strike against her chest. The anger rousing from within made her forget the blow she had received. Lionet Souma stood before her with his outstretched arm in a punch; he did not say a word or moved after that. His eyes were dimmed ghost white. He looked how Sonia left him, a walking corpse without his Cloth, and she swore she had destroyed him. For a moment, did his Cosmos elevate? Was that even his? The great Cosmos she felt well up in her body, touching her senses, and then to see Souma before her, Sonia cursed her powerlessness. Athena's guidance reached her opposition, or so she thought. Why was such power needed and within Athena's possession?

"You must be very confident in yourself," said Sonia. Whether the reason was divine intervention or her own weakness, she would not openly admit being overpowered.

"But you're wrong Souma. You didn't win."

Somehow, lifeless eyes looked up at Sonia's face, showing shock. He could not see a warm smile upon the dead Scorpio's face.

"It is a draw." She said.

"How silly. I guess you sense something within me. Do you sense my passion?" Her words seem absurd.

During her father's reign of terror, when she was alive, Sonia never understood the Seventh Sense or what the universe contained as a macrocosm. She saw the strength of Gold Saints and Gods, she only fought superficially; she still wasn't sure why the Scorpio Cloth abandoned her before. She questioned nothing even under Demeter's wing.

Before she was struck by Souma's punch, Sonia's subconsciousness heard a muffled voice. And once again, she heard more voices as Souma stood before her.

"Maybe you're right." Sonia kept her smile and closed her eyes. Her black Scorpio Cloth, along with her body, slowly crumbed into dust. She reached out and grabbed Souma's shoulder before completely dissipating. She left one more uncanny statement.

"You can't win in your state, but just maybe…"

Lionet Souma stood alone on the island, his armor broken and scattered apart by Sonia's Maelstorm. His arms slumped. He indeed looked like he was in no condition to fight; no place in the living.

But, he thought otherwise. "I must keep going, but I could use some rest first. Sorry, guys."

Surrendering to his exhaustion, Lionet Souma dropped to the ground. With no opponent around, it seemed that his battered body had no reason to desperately take action. At least Sonia wouldn't have to listen to his snoring.

No one would know, but a short moment ago, the two had a quiet exchange beyond voice and reason. It could've been best described as "through their minds" or "through their spirits".

"You don't want the world to be destroyed right? You want to be a Saint."

"Don't put words in my mouth!"

"I'm not. I think Lionet or your Cosmos told me."

That was when Sonia smiled at a dead-looking boy. There was one thing that could not die – yearning. It was something a girl like Sonia had that made her commit to her death during the Mars war. Souma was stubbornly passionate; both combined, both characters complemented each other. Even with her destroyed body and wafting soul, Sonia could not remove her crave.

"Maybe I really want to know how to feels to fight like one."

Souma's life and Cosmos were ephemeral; he would die at this point, but somehow, so it seemed, another chance was given. With Souma and Ryuho out, and Sonia defeated, what phenomenon was happening on the Cyclades Islands?

"Looks like we took out two now. Yuna, I made a promise. It's going to be four."

On another island, Eden was about to lead the charge against Pisces Amor, but Yuna proposed to stay so that Eden could leave and hurry to Naxos. It was the snake against a bird of prey, and it's the snake's venom that would stretch into his flowers.

"Move out of the way Amor!"

"No." Amor was moving left and right to stay in Yuna's way.

"Stop it!"

"Can't do that."

"I said move."

"And I said you can't go there."

"You have every intention of fighting for Demeter, don't you?"

"But if I don't kill you, you'll have to face a bigger threat. And you just won't win."

Yuna wondered what he meant, but kept a stubborn look. "You know well the strength of the Saints, and that we must fight against a threat. What you're doing is wrong and will lead to destruction."

"I don't mind 'wrong' at all my dear, sweet Yuna. I do what I must do." Even if it meant serving Demeter to achieve the resurrection of the Underworld, nothing more. All of the Saints were completely in the dark; even with his sneaking around, not even Hermes could fully perceive Demeter's intentions.

"Miss Yuna, we're both opposite attract, but that's what makes it all so charming," said Amor with a smile. Both Saints circled each other in small, considerate steps, not breaking eye contact.

"You're compassionate, but darkness and power can suffice above all. As a fighter, striving to be strong should not come off as surprising. The darkness thrives from the brutality of the strong. There's no reason to clash will our ideals and how we see things, it's just a matter of who overcomes who. And, I do know one thing."

Amor raised a finger a matter-of-factly, never lowering his smile of confidence and cheer. In the Twelve Houses, the Pisces was the last guardian behind the Pope and the goddess. Despite being frivolous, Amor knew what that meant and his next words were assured: "I am indeed incredibly strong! And I like it."

When Eden dashed across the island, heading for the frozen ocean, he suddenly lost his footing. His sight distorted. His entire body convulsed against his will suddenly; if the icy surface of the sea cracked he would certainly drown. What was happening?! Beyond perplexed as he fought with his body rebelling, Eden would not notice the black rose pierced in his chest. Its flight felt like a warm breeze against his face, and Eden paid it no mind. With the rose's gentle, stealthy touch, it took moments later for the effects to set in. Yuna gasped, sensing the distortion in Eden's Cosmos.

"You cannot overcome everything with absolute justice Miss Yuna," said Amor. "Now, let's dance. If you love humanity so much, come and show me." Once Amor's last word left his mouth, he lifted his arm to guard against Aqulia's high roundhouse kick. Yuna's tactic was to hit hard and fast; Amor noticed her angry grimace.

"Blast Typhoon!' Yuna retreated back and touched the ground with the hands. Spinning on a handstand, the impetus of her legs thrashed waves of wind.

"She's so gorgeous!" Amor cried and lifted his hands. Ripples appear between him and the attack; the Blast Typhoon connected to a transparent wall of water and was absorbed.

Back onto her feet, Yuna's body glowed vividly. The wind and flora picked up in a fury, coursing around her. "Attack, my strongest kick! Please defeat Amor so that I can move on." Amor snickered to himself, sensing that what came next looked serious. Yuna rotated and placed all of her force into one leg, whipping it high. The Cosmos that burned around her exploded, howled, and then turned into a wisp of air, licking off the ends of her toes.

Yuna's eyes widened.

"Not sure if I heard this from you or someone else, but…" Amor said. He was standing there, still carrying a smile on his face. He looked more haughty than before with his hands on his hips.

"Can't Saints create miracles and become stronger?"

Completely perplexed, Aqulia Yuna lowered her leg and looked around. The island surrounded by sand, fog, and frozen sea was replaced by a new spectacle. The color of the land, and all sources of light, was vacuumed into darkness.

"My dear sweet Yuna, welcome to my Olbers Garden. One thing we fear is the unknown. Show me the fear of being unable to depend on your abilities or friends."

"What?!"

"None. Not at all Miss Yuna. Your infinite courage, faith in the Cosmos, what will you do without it all? Except to die?"