More than Gold: The Centaur Wars

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: The Golds are all alive. Can they finally unite while taking on the enemies of Athena?

19. Sagittarius 3F: A Game of Thrones Part 1

Final Chapter: A Game of Thrones Part One (sorry!)

Fourteen Years Ago

Ten minutes ago, they should've had the cloth strips wrapped around their hands and feet. Instead, it laid untouched, still in their leather sacks that they carried over there to the field at the edge of their town.

It was normally a nice spot to spar. The wind is always blowing without it being too gusty. There was a clean running stream that was fun to jump into when the weather got too hot or the two of them became too dirty. The view was normally quite lovely with the endless wildflowers blooming seemingly all year round, but today said view was ruined by a brand new sign planted in the middle of what the two of them lovingly called their Elysium.

Aiolos and Saga sat side by side at a loss for words. "This is so wrong," the future Sagittarius muttered.

Saga nodded. "Just remember, somewhere out there, someone was paid to spend hours drawing and painting that."

Right in front of the two future trainees, was a 62 square meter billboard with the words

LET'S HAVE FUN!

Right next to the large fun print was Athena and the twelve signs of the zodiac giving each other a big hug.

They've seen these types of signs before. As part of the tongue-in-cheek tourist excuse, Rodario had to spend some of its budget advertising itself, but never something that featured a variation of their zodiac.

The future Sagittarius understood they were trying to be cute, but to the two of them, it was like a slap in the face. They train close to five to seven hours a day and meditate at least four to eight determining on their Cloth. That was not fun, but it was necessary. He and his brother used to have fun all the time. They played with their Dad's old soldier gear, go fishing, explore the woods or just wrestle each other. He watched Saga's eyes almost linger at a couple of kids that had a school uniform similar to the one he and Kanon came in. They were busy showing each other pictures on their tele-cams. He thought it looked boring, but they seemed to act like it was the most engrossing thing in the world. Aiolos himself never went to school, but he imagined Saga's life was far different than what he's used to. He reached over and rubbed his new friend on the back and Saga returned the gesture.

They had been training together for a few months now. To give Saga some variety and Aiolos someone his age to fight against, they were often paired together. He also had Kanon, but ever since he one punched him, the younger Gemini had been hesitant about going against him.

"I hope Kanon never sees this," Saga murmured. Just reading the words was enough to seath a certain heat in his blood, and he was the more cool and collective of the duo. Kanon would see it and either shred it to pieces or at the least punch a few new holes into it. Goddess knows he's already been mistaken for one too many of his antics already.

"Same here with Aiolia, but that's how they'll treat him." Countless times they have been warned there was a good chance they would all be dead before they turn thirty. This was not a lighthearted adventure, but a sacred duty. He turned his blue eyes toward the future Gemini. "But let's not let them get us down. We earn our Cloths and we will be the most powerful in Sanctuary. When we are done training, they'll think twice before they put signs like this," the six-year-old Sagittarius spoke as he drew his callus fist toward his friend, expecting a bump, but instead received a laugh. Aiolos frowned a bit in confusion. "What is it?"

Saga finished his amusement with a small snort before he drew a hand next to his short blue hair. "No we won't," he smuggly shrugged with a silly smile. Saga turned to the Prototypo. While Aiolos wasn't the dumb brute that other young Prototypos his age seemed to act like, there were still a number of concepts that they were drilled with to keep them dumb. He knew, Dimitris, his birth father worked with those who attempt to keep those like Aiolos in their place. "We will be the strongest, but we won't be the most powerful."

Aiolos, tilted his head, causing the tails of his headband to wave on his shoulder. "What do you mean?"

Saga raised a pair mischievous eyebrows. "Punch me, with cosmos, as hard as you can." He barely waits half a second before he had to swing his hand and block it, feeling his whole body slide over from the force. Sagittarius were known for their skills with a bow, but rarely for brute strength. Part of why Aiolos was highly sought after was that he could do both, even mimicking moves for Leo Saints just so he can help his younger brother master them sooner. The future Gemini clutched his hand, wringing in a bit of pain.

Aiolos reached over and used some cosmos to numb the pain down. "You've gotten alot better. I used to be able to floor you each time."

"That's because I have you, lightning fists," Saga complimented back with a smile, but like all Geminis it shifted quickly into a hard cold stare. "Now go to that rock and punch it as hard as you can without cosmos… or I will teleport your brother into a lake."

Aiolos rolled his eyes, and shook his head. "No you won't!" he laughed jovially for a few seconds, but Saga still held a lifeless gaze. He paused as his smile curled into a look of mischievousness."Okay… you're so full of shit," he took his hand and smacked the Moderno. "If you did that, he would drown!" he tried to laugh, but it came out as a chuckle.

"He," Saga paused and turned his head. "...would learn to swim." He raised a brow. "You told me that's the way your father taught you. So what's the problem? So either hit the rock as hard as you can without cosmos or I toss him in the lake. Either way, you'll see how much shit I'm talking about or your brother swims. Win win for you. I know how hard you strike and if you hold back even a..." He turned his head and caught the Sagittarius' fist before it could make contact with the stone.

Aiolos was quiet as Saga held his fist in place. He gritted his teeth as he pushed as hard as he could before he used his other hand to try and punch the stone before Saga caught the other.

The Gemini's face softened."That's power. Don't worry, I'm not going to do anything to your brother, never will. We promised to watch over each other's brother and I will keep it." He spoke as he slowly let go to make sure that Aiolos won't try it.

"Don't joke like that again! That's not funny!" Aiolos chastesized,resisting the urge not to punch his face.

But Saga held his hands up. "I didn't do it to be funny. I did it to prove a point," he spoke before he pointed at him, neither smiling nor a look of pride. Just a composed glow that made it clear he was right.

Aiolos paused and took a good breath. His uncle often spoke about how he and his brother both inherited their mother's hot-blooded nature, the difference being was that Aiolia was like a steady lava, always flowing and always burning. He on the other hand was like a tranquil mountain where one could build a house and raise a family on, until it blows its top and reveals that it was really a volcano. He could tell that what Saga had to say was quite important, and as his Dad says, there is never any harm in hearing what the other side had to say. He folded his legs and rested his hands. "So what does this have to do with the sign?"

Saga sat in front of him and mirrored his position. "The people who made that sign, are the same people who will take orders from the same person you, me, your brother, my brother will all take their orders from."

Aiolos eased his head. The Old Man that all of Rodario lovingly nicknamed in that there hadn't been a Grand Pope ceremony for at least two centuries. No one knew if it was because they hadn't had a new Pope or the last few chose to forgo a ceremony. "The same one we've been following for eons and will continue for eons to persist."

But Saga shrugged. "Actually, he's only about two hundred years old and technically not a man at all."

Aiolos could sense the pride and certainty. There was no way he was faking it. "Did you...see him?" He watched Saga nod eagerly and his interest could not have been any more peaked than it was now. "What did he look like?" He leaned forward, but Saga's lips were sealed. "Come on, man! What do you mean by he's not technically a man! And why would he show..." he paused. "No way… did he?"

Saga smiled, having far too much fun than he intended. "He offered me a candidate position."

"Woah…" a gasp slipped through the six-year-old's lips, his eyes widening like a pair of dinner plates while his fingers played with the red tails of his headband. If the Gold Saints were like the Argonauts then Saga right now was Jason himself. "But why are you telling me anything about him? You're not supposed to do that." He eased his hands, but was surprised when Saga raised an eyebrow and gestured a hand forward. There was no way, but he pointed toward himself.

The Gemini rested his hand on his face. "There's always two candidates. I want you to be the other and his Holiness agreed and said he was eyeing you as well." He watched his friend wildly shake his head no. He hadn't seen him this scared since he was forced to get a needle from the doctor, swearing he'll never visit another one again. "What's wrong?"

"Why? Because I would be bad at it! There's all sorts of paperwork!" he balked. "Why not your brother? He's smarter. It would be like Pope Sage and Alter Hakurei from the Lost Canvas novel." That was when Saga's face drooped. "What's wrong, you don't trust your brother to stomp on the grapes?" he spoke, parroting an old saying from his mother.

Saga blew his short curly bangs, clearly familiar with it. "I don't trust him to serve the fucking wine."

He continued to pull on the tail of his headband. Family should come first. "But he's your brother."

"Yes." It wasn't an easy decision, but Saga knew he had to think more of the future of Sanctuary. "Don't get me wrong, as much trouble as he causes, I still love him and I always will." Saga raised a hand. "But this isn't a duty that should be given based on blood, but on who would be best for it. Even if Kanon receives the position of Assistant, he's going to abuse it. Goddess, he's already doing that now, and he's not even a Gold Saint." He never understood why Kanon would sneak into town and do what he does. If he wasn't a Gold Level Trainee, he would be in jail by now and Kanon is all too happy to make that work to his advantage. "But you won't. I know you won't."

He felt surprised by the compliment, but also curious. He could ask straight out, but since Saga enjoys the devil's advocate approach with him, it's about time he turned it back on him. "How do you know I won't abuse it either? You only know me for a few months."Aiolos folded his arms and pointed down toward the town. "You've seen some of my friends. They're always looking for someone to beat up," he tried to follow it up with an ominous laughter, but it came out a bit too high pitched.

Saga nodded. He'll play along. "Yeah, but you never join them. You tell them they're too bored and make some excuse. Let's face it, you only hung around them because you didn't have anyone else your age where you lived. Aside from a couple of visits, you haven't made too much of an effort to stay in contact with them since coming here to Sanctuary."

"That's true." He could also tell they were treating him a lot more coldly. They were clearly jealous even if they didn't know he was a Gold Level Trainee. Kids worked at Sanctuary all the time and it was seen as a means to get one's foot to the highly prized positions of either a Door Guard or working as part of the staff of one of the Twelve Houses. He thought about letting a couple have the chance to help out the House of Sagittarius, but the moment they said that he only got in because his parents were all dead, he knew it was time to leave them in the past. He had a feeling he'll see them again as foot soldiers like he would've ended up, not that he wouldn't mind since it still meant he would get to serve his goddess. While being a pope candidate meant he would still be serving the Goddess, there was one thing that made him feel like he wouldn't be as good as Saga thinks he would be."I don't…" he bit his lip feeling embarrassed, especially when many of the children of the servants were better than him at it. "I don't know how to read." The silliness slipped away and a bit of shame followed. He turned to his training equipment and was about to reach for them to leave when Saga grabbed his hand.

Saga swallowed hard. "We had to study the Odyssey and you answered the questions just fine. How did you do that?"

Aiolos paused, still a bit ashamed. "It was passed down from my mother, her mother and her mother prior. So I just touched the pages and ran my fingers until you were close to being done and then answered afterwards."

"So you're saying, you memorized it," Saga asked. He watched Aiolos nod. "What about The Illiad?" Saga placed his hands on his hips as he watched the future Sagittarius nod his head again. "That's so cool!" He snapped his finger. "I knew you would be perfect! This is proof!"

Aiolos rolled his eyes. "I can't read! The Pope is swamped with paperwork!"

Saga threw his hand on his face before he sat back down. "Reality… most kids in my class didn't know how to either. Those stories have hundreds of pages and characters! If you can remember it that well but you still know how to apply it towards the questions, that's insane. If you stop trying to pretend to read and try, you'd be surprised." In Rodario, Modernos and Prototypos often have stereotypes for each other with the main one being that Modernos were academic but weak while Prototypos were strong but illiterate. But that was what they were, just simple stereotypes and unfortunately, sometimes if one heard it enough times, they believe it. But judging by the look on Aiolos face, his small speech was clearly not hitting the mark and figured maybe explaining it like Kanon may resonate. "Look, if you can tell me what turd belongs to what animal on the ground, once you figure out what letter makes what sound, you'll get it."

The six year old laughed out loud and Saga followed afterwards. He turned to Saga and saw his face. It's been a long time since he's seen the older Gemini this genuinely happy. Sometimes he would wear a smile like a mask, but his eyes would betray how he was feeling. Other times, like the one time where he would just lay there and do nothing while Kanon just kicked him, he would wear his sadness like his sleeve. "Pope…" he whistled. "I don't know… it's…"

Saga could still see flutters of nervousness. He is not surprised. "Look… let's just stop talking about whether or not you can do it. I told you, you're smart enough, you are trustworthy…" he bit his lip. "Don't know if you're loyal enough to Athena…" he waggled his finger before Aiolos slapped it. "Seriously. Let's just talk about what we can if one of us became Pope." Although with how reluctant the future Sagittarius was, it pretty much looks like he'll be in charge. "We will be in charge of everything. What would you change?"

Immediately, Aiolos took a deep breath. "Uh…" It was strange. So many times he walked in Sanctuary thinking of things he felt should be different, but the moment he is asked, all desires fall by the wayside when he had to tossed out menial stuff like wishing things were cheaper or places were closer. He clicked his tongue and laid on his back. He stared at the clouds and then turned his head to see Saga already laid next to him, his teeth biting his lip."Look, clearly you've been thinking about this a lot longer." He watched Saga shifted his gaze downwards which darn well confirmed it. "How about you tell me first and then maybe I can think of something."

The Gemini was more than happy to start. "First, I would get rid of the Amazon Mask law. It was only made because most of the Amazons were prostitutes at the time and clearly this is not the case. The law is there to divide them and as the Amazons put it, turn it into Harpieland. If anything that needs to be updated, that's the number one thing. If I become Pope, that will be the first thing I end."

"I don't know if you should be the one."

The Gemini jerked his head angrily. "Why not? Are you going to do it?"

His head shook. "It's just that the law is practically religion. If a boy changes it…"

Saga's temper faded. Despite his experience, he never thought of that. It just demonstrated how thoughtful Aiolos was towards others and why he felt he would be perfect to come with him. "That's a good point. The Amazons should decide on it. But if I were in charge, I would force them to vote on it once a year to at least make it optional. Banning it completely would be something that requires a 100% vote, but we could get by with 75% if the mask becomes more of a choice." Saga turned his head at the stunned face. "What is it?"

Aiolos turned his head. The Amazon sect was extremely secretive and yet he makes it sound like he's been there. "How do you know so much about Amazons?"

"Reasons," the Gemini curtly explained. He wasn't sure if it was something he should tell him or not. "

His mouth was a little parted.

The most he ever knew about Amazons was that if you saw their face, they had to love you or kill you, and he lived a lot closer to their village that he could walk while Saga's house needed a bus. "You really researched this, haven't you."

"You have to as Pope, in order to get things done." Saga quickly brought up, in order to cover himself. He then brought two fingers up. "Second thing to do as Pope… no more pass or die tests, or they should at least change them so that those who hold them are permitted to make an effort to save their life!"

"Like the Andromeda Island ones?" asked Aiolos.

Saga raised a finger. "Think about it. If someone is chained to a rock and they can't pass and the Silver can move at least Mach 2, than they should make every effort to save their lives instead of drowning for traditions. I mean, if they reach that far, why have them waste their life? They could do something else instead of pointlessly dying for ad vent guard."

"Yeah, that's a good one," spoke Aiolos. "I've heard of rumors of some Saints who do go against it, but no one wants to say their names or anything afraid they'll get punished. I'm surprised that the rule hasn't changed by now."

"It hasn't been changed, because many are afraid of it. They don't want to make people upset, so they keep the rules the same while trainees who will never be written down will die a silent death."

Aiolos paused. He doesn't want death, nobody does. But he also found it hard to see them doing it simply for tradition. He closed his eyes. What other reason could there be. But that's when he thought of it. "Danger is needed, but that doesn't mean we can't think of the trainee either. If we did create the law, it should be one that is not openly announced. We don't want trainees thinking there is a safety net. Instead, the trainee is still convinced it is life or death, but the Saint in charge has to save their life."

"Mmmm, an illusion?"Saga cackled. The moment Aiolos spoke he understood. "Without the sense of danger, it would be tougher to unlock the other senses as was the original purpose of making it a train or die test, while still satisfying all around."

Aiolos nodded. "Exactly. Remember, a Saint is still technically a soldier, not a student in a school. I agree they should be kept alive, but you can't remove all the danger and expect them to come out as well as previous Saints. Any other ideas?"

"So many," Saga spoke. "The day the Pope offered, I filled an entire prayer book full." He passed it over to let his fellow Greek see it. "There's just so many people here without a voice. I wanna be that voice," he pounded his chest as if desperate to be heard. "Do you have any ideas?"

Aiolos eyes were glued. "Wow, you weren't kidding." He couldn't understand it, but the ambitions were clear with doodles even sketched in. It was no wonder the Pope sought him. He then turned to the second page that was colored from top to bottom. "Is that?"

The six-year-old nodded eagerly. "There's not enough kid holidays. Most of them are just religious ones. So one of the things I want to do is declare a free ice cream day!"

Aiolos licked his mouth. He never had it before. While he could ask his caretaker to bring him some, he'll save his first taste of it for the day Saga creates the special holiday. "Wow, you're going to be like the best Pope ever!"

One picture peaked his interest. It was a fancy building with a garden. Judging by the multiple eraser marks and attention to color, this one was very important to Saga and definitely drew his attention as well. He rested his hands. "Honestly, if you filled this book why don't we just go through your ideas first."

"Yes, but that's not how it works! It's not just my ideas, you need to create some too!" the Gemini lambasted.

But the future Sagittarius merely shrugged. "I kind of like what we're doing now. You be the Pope, tell me something and I'll help you make it better, like a true assistant would." He too felt Saga's excitement spread. It did feel like he could make change. But he didn't really need the fancy robes. If he could just make change just standing there and talking, he'd rather do that.

Saga nodded. Well, at least he wasn't worried about truly competing since it was clear who the Grand Pope was going to be and he was fine with it. He would be quite splendid as one. It was about how he imagined where he would come up with things and Aiolos offered valuable insight. "You still need something." Aiolos was just too humble, but that's what he liked about him. "How about something more personal. Your brother? With Kanon… if I become the Grand Pope, he can easily become the Gemini Saint."

Aiolos thought hard. That was a lot more concrete. "I...want him...well… I want all of us to live a long life."

"That's a good one. A bit open, but it is something." Saga paused. "How old do you see us."

Aiolos shrugged. "I don't know…thirty-five is a good age."

"Oh please. You consider that old?" the Gemini balked.

Aiolos nodded. "I combined the ages of both my fathers."

Saga was a bit saddened, not by the fact that no matter how he divided it, it was a young age, but the fact that Aiolos of all people, saw it as normal, even though it technically was. "Think big, archer! We will double that!" He shouted as he slammed his back of his hand into his palm. "Your brother is going to live to be seventy years old! He will be so old he will go back to wearing diapers!" The Gemini declared with much bravado.

A mix of laughter and exhaustion filled his face. Saga was such a ham, but it was that confidence that made him fun to be around. "Please don't say that. I just now got him back in briefs again."

"Alright, too much, I know," spoke Saga as he relaxed. "But regardless, you will be up there in the Pope's Chamber's with me. Right?" he spoke nervously as if fearful that he was going to be denied.

The archer smiled. When Saga first mentioned it, he was too afraid and if the Pope asked him up front, he would've said no and told him he just wants to be Saint of Sagittarius. But the more he spoke with Saga, the more he realized how much good he could do and that he would be better than he thought he would be. But that's the thing, none of those realizations would be there without Saga and he can't imagine continuing it without his ambitious nature. "If you're not there, I"m not there either." Aiolos gazed at Saga's blue eyes that matched his blue tresses. He's not sure why, but he liked looking into the Gemini's face like it was a piece of art. He's never seen the Gemini like this. "You're so happy…" he spoke as he took his finger and made it glow with yellow cosmos before tapping it at the edge of Saga's grin. "It's...nice…"

Saga nodded as he took his finger and made the white cosmos glow and tap his friend's. He liked his friend's cosmos. He couldn't explain, but it felt warm and honest and he could touch it all day long. "Why shouldn't I be? This is going to be..."

...the best reign ever."

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

Eighty eight steps.

It was a sacred number not just in that it was the number of Saints in Athena's army, but when the number eight is placed on its side, it represented ∞. With victory over both Poseidon and Hades in the past, double infinity meant eternal victory for Athena's chosen warriors.

To lead up to the Pope's Chambers, nothing less than a pure white marble was used, a special cut that lacked any swirls or veins. These steps would often reflect the state of Sanctuary. In peace, the virtuous color would welcome its guests with a shimmer that would lightly reflect the sun, but not enough to blind it's guest. In war, the red carpet, as it was nicknamed would be out. Millions of red roses would sprout and its deadly pollen would fill the air and turn the sky a light hazy pink. Only those of Pisces and the Pope's Chambers and staff are given a special anti-venom to either weaken the effects of the poison or to null its effects completely.

White or Red

It was a simple system, but today was different.

The air was neither clean nor blush. The steps were not ivory nor crimson.

Instead, a pale ash fell upon the group of six that left the view from the top of Sanctuary quite hazy. The gold gleams of Aldebaran, Camus, Shura and Mu's Cloths have dulled. While they still shone, it was nowhere near as brilliant as when they all started.

It drove Shura mad. He would attempt to polish it numerous times, but just as quickly as he would wipe it, the dust would build back up, making him appear like the beam of a lighthouse where it would shine and mute back and forth until he finally gave in.

Aiolos' wet blue trainer, still soaked from the mysterious diversion and stained with blood from the mysterious corpse in the House of Cancer, had creases of black. The leather brown armor was dusty, and his chestnut hair had streaks of grey. His face was a reverse racoon where his eyes were clean from him wiping around it. His eyes couldn't help but stare at the hooves of his horse, as with each step, the ash would part like fresh light snow.

Back in Japan, he had dreams at night where he returned back to the same steps he had crossed hundreds of times before. Donning his Sagittarius Cloth, he had the luxury of skipping the stairs and just taking the balcony entrance. Then, he would wake up. His eyes would wander to his useless legs. One would think that he would lose all hope. However, his mind would recall that Athena was safe with him, and all was well. If he had to repeat the Event and his legs were forced to be amputated or even his death, he would gladly do it all over again. The wisdom of Athena dictated that her justice will always prevail and he was certain the wrongs in Sanctuary would be corrected eventually by her faithful even if he had to crawl through the rivers of the Underworld to make it happen.

But that didn't happen.

Coming back to this place in the condition he was felt like one of those fantasies where one dreamed their dancing on the ceiling or soaring through the stars. He never thought he would return here or make it this far. It was good to see old friends. It was sad to find old friends as enemies. Of course there were some he wasn't sure of. Camus didn't want a flower bracelet, but he swore he'll keep his promise to serve him for now. He and Milo were always their own little pair.

His eyes trailed to the side. Mentally, he knew where the hidden passage was, but he nor anyone could feel any cosmos past its barriers. In the beginning, Athena bid him a stern warning after he woke up from his coma that if he didn't leave to check on him in Greece, he would never see him again. Three years later, that warning will be put to the test. If he was too late, Aiolia may already be dead with Saga tucking his corpse right next to the True Pope. If he is too early and Saga kills him, Aiolia's going come up, see it and make sure nobody will be sitting on the throne.

He looked down and out of habit, took his hand and carefully moved a displaced tress of his Goddess' hair back into place. He hoped to keep her presentable, but the bottom of her once pristine dress was still drenched with patches of dust along the bottom hem. Still, anytime she had summoned her scepter, she always looked amazing. Despite the dirty atmosphere, it was the only thing that continually radiated a bright glow and somehow cut through the haze and illuminated the path in front of them.

[Stay strong, we're almost there.] she switches to Japanese, keeping it slow and simple enough for him.

[I know we're almost there, and that's what frightens me,] he replies back, as he remained fixated on the two doors up ahead. [Right before we came, Kento was teaching me Japanese proverbs. My favorite one that somehow describes Saga is that: The tongue is only three inches long, but it can kill a man six feet high.] He stones his face. He could tell by everyone's glances they had no clue what they were saying and that's how he wanted it. [I'm worried. I don't want anyone to die. But Kento and Old Master, they want justice for the deaths of the Hidden Daggers. My brother deserves justice for the treatment he received in my absence. If I fail, everyone, my Japanese students, the Silvers, the other Golds who helped me or stood by may receive Sanctuary justice…] He paused as he swallowed hard to avoid suspicion from the others.

Her small hand, just like five years ago, reached out and clutched his. [I have a Japanese saying. Perhaps you've heard of it, perhaps not: One who chases after two hares won't catch even one. Don't worry about the aftermath. When you spoke with the Old Master, you stated if Saga did what he did out of jealousy, you would execute him. If not, you will deal with it as fit. Just focus on that.]

Aiolos closed his eyes and sighed. Once more, the power of the Goddess shined through. He didn't tell her what had occured in the House of Libra and yet she knew. It was a good insight but even simplifying it to just "deal with Saga" was not enough. Shaka saw the future and told him that the price to save Saga would be very very high.

He felt a gauntlet tap his arm. His head first turned to see Mu tilting his head forward before he directed it at toward the front where the two massive doors swung open. He watched the two papal guards struggle to push them forward. Aiolos felt his stomach churn as a realization came about. Shion was Lemurian and every time when he came out, he would simply motion his hand and use his telekinesis.

But both he and Saga were terrible at. Neither of them could lift anything higher than a pencil. So one day, he noticed the guards were opening it for him. It threw him off, and five years later, he understood why. That should've been the first sign that indicated the Pope was either unwell or gone. Yet he ignored it. But that was water under the bridge. It was time to move on.

Instead, he shifted his bow from shoulder to palm. He will have it ready, but not armed. He wanted diplomacy, but he didn't want the impression that he was carefree. Besides, he had four other Gold Saints right there, with his brother and Marin in the tunnels. Even if the worse case scenario occurred where Camus decided to turn on him they still outnumbered them.

First to come out was Aphrodite. No surprise there since they didn't see him in his House. However, it was quite a relief to see that he had no rose in his hand, an indication that his guard was indeed down. Like all Pisces, his features could be described as beautiful. In Japan, he would probably be considered Bishōnen, and steal the hearts of all the women there, giving pop idols like Piko a run for his money. He watched the Pisces take the top of his fist and stroke it gently against his cheek, as if using it in place of the soft petals that would normally brush against the same spot, while his aqua eyes were clearly glaring at the shadowy figure behind him.

While to others, Aphrodite was still a bit of a blur, the same enhanced vision that could allow him to shoot an arrow from the bottom of Sanctuary to the center of Saga's mask, could pick out the small gestures that were too faint for others. There was clear resentment in Aphrodite's eyes and he doesn't blame him. They had all trespassed the House of Pisces and Saga probably told him to let them through. The quick twitches of the Pisces nose could indicate that he was ready to fight and was unfairly denied.

Then he came.

"Oh Goddess, it's true," were the first words that slipped through Mu's mouth. He knew his Master was dead, but seeing him there practically affirmed it.

Clad in the black robes, with a fine gold trim was Saga, the mask of the Pope wedged between his index and middle finger.

Aldebaran swallowed hard before he took his hands and grasped the Lemurian's shoulders, fearful that the sight he saw would be too much. The Taurus turned his head, using his helmet to shade the mixture of sadness and betrayal he felt at that moment.

Shura kept his head turned, but he walked over and rested his hand with the flower bracelet upon Athena's back as if affirming to all he will stand by his Goddess as his predecessors have done.

Aiolos was surprised, but in a good way. Of all the Saints, he never expected the Capricorn to rebel against Saga.

Camus, like everything he did, held a stoic expression. He already knew and as long as Milo wasn't here, he didn't care.

Aiolos quietly held his gaze and watched Saga take the metal mask and toss it down the stairs, ignoring the light bounces as the clangs decrescendo before it reached their feet. It was clear that Saga was sending the message that he was aware that everyone knows and he frankly didn't give a shit. But it was more than that too. By showing his face, he is revealing that he was no mere old man, but a Saint who could teleport you as high as space or as far into the ground. He could feel the air grow colder and windier. It was so sudden that he knew that Saga was using Another Dimension at a fraction of its level. Sure it couldn't teleport an ant when it was this low, but the archer could see the uncomfortable shifts from everyone, including Zephyr, who was far more sensitive to the threat than anyone else.

He watched Saga rested his hands on his hips and smugly tilted his chin as he maintained his position still at the highest step. Some may see it as haughty, but as one who trained for the position as Pope Candidate, he knew what he was up to. Saga was outnumbered, just like how a cobra will stretch its hood and raise its body to appear taller, the Gemini was exerting his influence upon the others to compensate, while at the same time, was in a position to either raise them up for Galaxy Explosion or point them downward for Another Dimension. Saga may not be a god, but he knew how to carry himself like one.

"Welcome to the top of Sanctuary, Aiolos. It's been a long time. You want an audience and you shall have it. Come in, but only you alone," Saga spoke in a firm tone. It had been five years since he's heard his voice. The Gemini was just as good as an orator as he was long ago. The way he projected it was silky yet powerful. In astrology, the third house represented the House of Music and Communication and Saga was quite good at wooing the crowd or dominating his enemies. "I promise the old man's body has been carefully preserved and you may have it afterwards regardless of what happens. "He paused for emphasis with a darker tone that followed, "but should any of you so much as crack the door, I'll teleport it and a male guest into a volcano."

Aiolos held his iron gaze at the Gemini, but a deep inner heat filled his chest. This was exactly why he didn't want to declare victory right now. The threat Saga made was quite well crafted too. The body was important both so that Mu could properly send it to the sea, but also to receiving the True Pope's official decision. But by offering to throw one of them as well, he ensured it was relevant to everyone there. However, Saga was careful as to not include the Goddess since endangering her would do the opposite of his intention to keep the others out. The archer could see Saga making sure to at least eye the others at least once to ensure that he held them in his target.

"You were outnumbered, two Golds to five Golds, a Goddesss and an armored horse. Any other person would've surrendered or simply taken their life inside the chambers, yet five minutes later, you regained the playing field once more without throwing a single punch," Aiolos begrudgingly thought to himself. While his intention was to speak with Saga, his old friend was making it clear they were doing it on his terms. "Well played, Khristopher," he thought, reminiscing of the old compliment they would give each other during chess.

Aiolos turned downwards to Athena, her soft blue eyes gazing at him as if to remind him of their earlier conversation. He wished she could be there. If there was one who could match Saga in a war of words, it would be her. At least he knew she would be protected out there and with her wisdom, perhaps she trusts him enough to end this once and for all. He shouldered his bow in order to lift her up and pass her into Aldebaran's arms before he quickly returned his weapon back into his grasp.

He clicked his tongue, and despite the aura of Another Dimension shifting the ash around, Zephyr trotted forward. An animal's instinct was far greater than that of a human, and he could feel his partner's hesitation from the rough uneven pace, to extra whines and grunts. It was almost like the horse was trying to tell him that it was too dangerous and they were marching into a trap, but he will guide them forward as he always had. Aiolos reached over and slipped a hand beneath the armor and stroked his sandy coat to comfort him. He was so lucky to find such a brave horse.

Aiolos reached the final step. Aside from the great statue of Athena, he was officially at the highest point of Sanctuary and had finally reached the height from which he fell from. A stir of emotion filled him, but he dismissed it to focus on the greater matter at hand. Already, Saga had made his way inside. The others couldn't see it, but he watched as Saga perform what most called the warrior fade, where once the battle is over, they would relax, lose the stone face and the profane tongue. In training, it was common to see since that was the time of healing. Here it was for real and despite Saga avoiding any physical fighting, the act of doing so can be just toiling.

How strange, that the Gemini wasn't questioning why he was on a horse. This wasn't like he came in with a new trainer or something small like the flower bracelet. His partner was over a ton in weight, not counting the armor it shouldered. He's grown used to everyone either being curious about Zephyr or at least a good stare.

He gripped his shaft to refocus back on the task at hand. The two rode into the main chamber where the large vaulted ceiling caused the beats of each hoof to crack like thunder. He forgot how much the room echoed, even more so in the great throne in the center of the back. It wasn't an accident either. Since this was the place where those who were granted an audience with the Pope would come, it was designed to make its guests feel awe and welcomed, yet small and insignificant.

"Is it true?"

The message was a bit unexpected and threw the archer off guard for a moment. Despite the Gemini having his back turned, his hand resting on the wooden trim, when one spoke through the cosmos, they could not blanket their emotions, and the tone was full of fear and regret. There could only be one thing he was talking about especially if he ignored Zephyr earlier and that he was choosing to speak privately despite the door being wide open. "Yes it is," he finally answered, knowing Saga can sense his reluctance to the hard reality he must face every morning. He hears a small gasp escape before Saga returned back over.

His head turned toward the others, checking to see if they were out of their sight. "May I see it?" he ever so quietly asks.

Aiolos could feel the guilt drip in his tone now. If he was talking to Kanon, he would say no since the younger Gemini had a morbidly curious nature. But Saga on the other hand, was not the type. So he nodded, leaned and rested his hands on Zephyr's back and waited. He felt Saga's hand reach over and pulled the trainer and revealed his back. The archer turned his head.

Saga's face reminded him of his mother the one time his father was attacked by an 86 kg boar after his arrow missed. The boar knocked his father over and bit his face, before he was able to jab him a few times with his hunting knife, and climbed up a tree for safety until it ran off. He was lucky to survive. But every time mother had tended to him, her fist would be pressed against her lips, her eyes would not tear in order to show a brave face. That was the same look, but the difference was that he could read the message that Saga was quietly mouthing: What have I done?

He felt his hand delicately touch the long streaks of scars that he gained from the endless amount of surgeries he had while he was in a coma. Futaba did the same thing the first time she saw it too. He knew it was disgusting to look at. He's gutted a bear once and he's done his best to avoid looking at it to the point that he can't remember what it looked like other than a long centipede.

"Does it hurt?"

Aiolos took a deep breath. "Physically… as long as there wasn't a lot of pressure on it, no it doesn't. But...being low to the ground does," his voice seathed with sorrow as if it was something he kept hidden for a long time. There was something about being in a wheelchair that causes others to treat him differently whether it be pity or sorrow. He had a couple of other friends in wheelchairs who felt the same way. He turned his head and Saga's eyes met his. The two stared at each other for a couple of seconds, but it was a comfortable silence. Saga nodded before he turned and walked into the left passageway, before coming back with a couple of chairs that he easily recognized.

They were the same set that they used to play chess with. They were actually over a hundred years old, but the wood was a solid oak, filled with horsehair and when the two wore down the old fabric, the True Pope had them reupholstered with red velvet. They had the right amount of firmness that made them perfect to sit in the same spot for hours. Saga sat them next to a square like table with a couple of unopened bottles with a few cups turned downwards to indicate they haven't been used. The Gemini took a seat and turned his head upwards. "If we are going to talk, we will speak the same way we've always have, as equals." He gestured a hand over to the other.

The archer was touched, but still wary. But at the same time, it would be difficult to speak equally if he was mounted the whole time. There was not much choice. "I keep my bow," he spoke as took the rope and dismounted into the red chair.

Saga nodded. "Of course," he spoke as he walked over and gently guided the horse toward the door.

Aiolos gripped his weapon, carefully tilted it so that the mirror gleam could watch Saga give the others an ominous glare as if the Gemini wanted to ensure the two were alone. He took a deep breath and bit his lip. It was a type of pressure he was used to. See an animal and make sure it didn't see you. Fire the arrow and you either hit it, or you don't. Same thing here. If he was right, this was bad, if he was wrong, he's a dead man.

The moment Saga's sandals started drawing back to their spot, he eased his face and leaned back somewhat casually, by laying his bow upon his shoulder so that he could whip it out quickly, but still use both hands effortlessly. He was a bit surprised and wary at how at ease Saga was right now. The Gemini started off exerting a certain aura of power and tension, yet now that they were alone, he had shifted in a way that almost reflected their relationship prior to the event, back when they were friends and for a short time, quite a bit more.

Like joy.

Saga took a spot and passed him the bottle and glass. Aiolos turned toward it, recognizing the logo of the smiling drakaina, the symbol of the family who made Rodario's Ouzo. It wasn't the best, but he remembered his family and himself drinking it at weddings and so it was something that was more sentimental than anything else. It was clearly unopened, but he still wasn't sure. "No thank you, let's just get to business."

The Gemini nodded before he grabbed the other bottle and poured himself a glass, "of course," he spoke as he took a sip, and mulled the silence for a few seconds. "I know… you want answers," he pulled the gold goblet away from his mouth. "But so do I."

"Of course," the Sagittarius was not surprised, especially judging by the fact at how many were shocked by the fact that he couldn't walk.

"If you don't mind, I think what you have to answer, will be a lot easier than what I have to say."

A forlorn expression swept Saga's face, as he stared at the Sagittarius, urging him to go first.

Aiolos nodded quietly, knowing it was true. There was nothing Saga had to gain from his tale since he knew that both he and Athena were alive and he was carrying the last piece of the Sagittarius Cloth. "How much do you know?"

The Gemini wavered his hand. "The night you made your run? Just glances. Some I'm not so sure if they are real since some felt exaggerated or made up in order to make themselves look better. All I know for certain was that Shura couldn't find you, with the next solid lead being that your brother indirectly telling me you were in Japan."

It was a lot less than he expected. With how little Saga knew for certain and considering he would've been dead by the time anyone found him if he had been left behind, it made him wonder if Athena would've been unknown for years to come. He was going to have to say a lot more than he thought. He sat there for a few seconds. It was a bit harder to figure out how to start than he thought. Does he start with the endless dreams of him and his brother? Or the strange sensation of closing one's eyes in the middle of a field of shattered rocks and opening them up to a sanitized white room where nobody spoke his language and learning half of his body was useless? He forgotten how painful and kind of scary how those first few months were.

He grabbed a cup and flipped it up and then grabbed the bottle. A bit of alcohol would make the process a bit easier. He gauged the top. It was definitely unopened and unscrewing the cap and hearing the pressure sizzle out confirmed it. He poured it and took a small but smooth sip, recognizing the familiar bite the alcohol had in it. He felt his nerves ease and decided to start a bit before the coma. "Shura came very close. Athena and I were at a cliff and I could tell that he assumed we were both dead at that point."

Saga sagely nodded, hanging on to every detail. "I'm not surprised. He reeked of the Peacock Stage of the Cloth since he got it the month before."

"He did. There's a reason why any of those types of missions, we are required to take a limb as proof." He sipped a bit.

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

HOUSE OF VIRGO

"Master Shaka, the Saint of Cancer is outside our doors? How shall we greet him?" questioned Lotus Agora.

The Saint of Virgo, sitting on the ground with a full teal cup in his hand, took a sip and pondered. "Like any other guest, with a cup of tea." He raised his head. "But the knot of anger in his soul is extremely tight. Simply open the door and I shall handle it."

The apprentice drew his hands together and lowered his head respectfully.

Shaka frowned for a moment as he got a better feel of Deathmask's karma. "Agora, by opening the door, I mean for you to pull it wide and step far out of the way."

The Lotus Saint knew all too well what that meant. Before his teacher, he was stuck in the endless wheel of greed, anger, and ignorance until he found the peace needed to break free of it. He swung the door wide while the Sicilian marched forward, gripping the side of his ribs. "Namaste, Saint of Cancer."

Deathmask frowned. "Namaste!" he barked. "Now where the fuck is he at?" he spat.

Shaka, having been sandwiched between the House of Leo's bold tongue and the charming guests of the House of Scorpio, barely fluttered at the remark. Instead he took a sip of his tea. "By he, who are you referring to? As you recall from the first house to the last, aside from the caretakers and servants, we are all he. I know I see all, but a compass is a mere paperweight without its needle."

"Aiolia! He was on hands and fucking knees before someone struck me and then he was gon-," before he could finish he grabbed his side. He pushed it as gently as he could before Agora came and used his cosmos to tend to it.

Shaka smiled at the idea. He was growing tired of Deathmask's tongue and the relief from the pain should qualm it.

"Oh mother tits of Aphrodite…" Deathmask thought as the stabbing pain from earlier faded and followed with warm comfort. "Thanks…" he spoke as his speech lightened and eased as the pain subsided. "Sorry… I was..."

Shaka waved his hand. "Please. I do quite a bit of healing both upon the body and the soul. I've heard it all and could probably said what you just said in twenty different languages had I not used my cosmos to discard it." He then motioned toward the ground. "Some tea?"

Deathmask shook his head. "Unless you throw in some ice and amaro in it, no thanks." He twisted his trunk and smiled. "Oh yeah, that feels so much better." In fact he thinks he's in better shape than before his fight with Mu. "Sometimes I wish I could heal. Makes life so much...easier," he paused to control his language.

Shaka tilted his head. "It's normal to wish to be a bird in order to fly, until you realize that you are able to pet the cat. Do not forget you have abilities that others at times desire, too."

DM raised a brow. "Easy for you to say when your cloth is not covered in claws and spikes." He couldn't scratch his ass without leaving a scar. He folded his arms. "So, did you see him?" He paused only for Shaka to shake his head no. "Where the heck could he go?" He didn't sense anything in his House and the trail was lost past the main room of Leo. Either he went and hid in the inner chambers of Leo or used normal speed, however the later couldn't be since Shaka had always kept track of everyone who passed through his House from the servants to the Saints. Deathmask threw his hands to his side. "Where the heck is everyone? Are they chasing after Aiolos?" He still had no idea what the hell Saga's big plan was except for the everything is going as he wanted bullshit.

Shaka finished his drink and held his cup for Lotus Agora to take. As the only one who Shion entrusted the divine plan to save all the Gold Saints, he was perhaps the only one who could remain calm while all his friends danced in the great circus that was occurring.

Shaka knew everyone had a part to play in it, even if their role was not yet quite as obvious like Deathmask's. Even if the Saint of Cancer was not quite needed yet, he saw no harm in at least enlightening him a bit on how things were going. "Let's go," he spoke as he reached out his hand.

DM's mouth parted a bit as an awkward gaze followed. His eyes shifted back and forth. Buddhism was still pretty complex, but the gist of it was this: Don't touch Shaka's palm or expect some weird shit to occur.

Shaka motioned his hand a bit more. "Well?"

The Italian sighed nervously as he slowly moved it closer as if he was about ready to pet the nose of a crocodile. His calloused hand rested on the soft delicate fingers of Shaka and relaxed for a few seconds. Just when he felt comfortable like things weren't actually that bad, a hot eruption seemingly blasted through his chest before he and Shaka blasted like a rocket into the sky. His eyes widened, his mouth screamed as he could see both of their bodies still holding their position in the Twin Sala Gardens while he flew higher and higher. He watched Agora look up and wave before he turned his head to see a pale transparent outline of Shaka next to him. Deathmask raised his own hand and panicked as he realized the tan color of his skin was not there and replaced with a light blue glow. "What the fuck did you do, Shaka!" his voice seemingly echoed.

"When Cloths make connections, they can grant unique gifts to the user in order to further their techniques. When these gifts are combined, they can create interesting effects. What you are feeling now is a combination of part of your abilities that you refuse to use properly and mine as well. It is actually mostly you doing this. I just merely allow it to happen here in the living instead of Yomotsu Hirasaka."

Deathmask felt dizzy as they floated in the sky at the fact that he was capable of this shit. The fact that he even without his body, he still hated heights. "I'm going to be sick. Why don't we just...walk," he muttered as he stared at the soul of Shaka.

"If you wish, but by the time we reach there by foot, all will be over."

Deathmask tried to roll his eyes, but it felt weird since it was obvious he didn't have any on his face or mouth for that matter. "Fine let's go." He watched Shaka nod his featureless face before they began to float over the Twelve Houses.

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

THE POPE'S MAIN CHAMBER

"After we finished gathering at my old house, we took the Taurus servant robes to sneak through town and reached the House of Aries." Aiolos did his best to limit who he mentioned was involved whenever he could. Obviously, he couldn't hide Aldebaran since he arrived with him to the top, but those like the Silver Saints and locals shouldn't be spoken about or were given vague hints in case things went wrong. He kept the tale pleasing enough, with enough details to satisfy the Gemini's curiosity while doing his best to limit them as well. "The rest you probably saw for yourself, and just like every time you use Another Dimension," he sipped a bit more of his ouzo. "I always manage to find a way back." It was meant as a sarcastic means of ending his tale, but was a bit surprised to hear Saga's famous laughter. When it was genuine, it was deep and alive like a beast all its own.

"The time it takes for you to return is why I hold all my required reading in my Pandora's box."

"Yes, I noticed anytime you sent me to the Rearguard section were all the times that the Pope would be assigning the heavier tomes."

"Yes well, I wouldn't need extra time to catch up if your dummy arrows didn't give me so many damn concussions."

Aiolos chuckled and coughed.

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

OUTSIDE THE POPE'S CHAMBERS

"Well?" asked Aphrodite as Camus leaned against the crack.

The Aquarius bit his lip as his eyes shifted between the crack that didn't even have a breeze and the curious group of Golds. "Nothing. But judging by my past experience with watching Saga entertain other guests in the Chambers, they would perhaps start with small talk."

"Small talk?" huffed Aphrodite.

The Taurus turned to the Goddess and sighed. "Well, getting along is a good thing."

The Pisces placed his hands on his hips. "Why would they have small talk?" This was just maddening to him. The fact that the traitor was even running his mouth and not being dealt with was frustrating. Hopefully whatever Saga is planning, will work, otherwise he had a feeling the archer will switch out his bow for an ax. Even if he felt like he hasn't done anything, other than support Saga, he supposed he should work out some good will just in case. "I need a drink. If I grab from my Inner Chambers, anyone want anything?"

"Something light and smooth," spoke Camus. That's the problem with being with the Crystal Saint was that with all the vodka they had on hand, it was a miracle he could still reach Absolute Zero.

Mu waved his hand to decline. He knew of all the stories of his fellow Gold Saints having too much and later finding themselves in places they were too ashamed to speak of. One day, he drank a glass of merlot to be friendly, but the moment he finished the glass, he woke up in a place of sacrilege and intaking the physical embodiment of sin itself. It was both the first and last time he will drink alcohol or eat a Big Mac ever again.

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

POPE'S MAIN CHAMBER

"Japan… of all places." Saga wrinkled his nose and stared off for a bit. "Still can't believe it was true. The first time your brother told me, I thought he was just pissed off, walked to a globe, spun it and tapped his finger on the first country it landed on." He took a drink and returned his gaze back to Aiolos. By the sound of things, the life he had sounded like paradise and that he was well taken care of. "Why did you come back?" He couldn't help but feel a pit of jealousy when he spoke of meeting someone. He watched his eyes give small squints and the smiles he attempted to cover up when he mentioned a girl. He recognized them because they were the same looks they would reciprocate back and forth during happier times. "It sounded like everything you needed was there."

The Gemini's reaction was not lost on the archer. He could sense the hints of betrayal in his tone, but wasn't going to clarify that he had to leave his Japanese flower, knowing that life in Sanctuary would be too difficult for her. He kept out any of her personal details out. Besides, he already saw what happened the last time Saga was jealous.

"It was. But I go where I needed whether it be the depths of the Underworld or the heights of Elysium. How I feel doesn't matter, but what I must do, does." Aiolos held his glass and noticed it was empty, and began to debate whether to refill it. He already carefully drank a full glass and so far he wasn't gagging blood or falling unconscious. Not only that, but it still had the same cheap taste it did when he was growing up, maybe even more noticeable since his alcoholic palate became more refined since Tatsumi showed him what a pousse-café was. Goddess, he never realized how much he missed Japan. Tatsumi maybe an idiot, but he knew how to make just about any drink out there.

He decided to just go ahead and poured himself another. If he wasn't feeling the effects now, he wasn't later, plus poison wasn't Saga's style as the Gemini deemed it something that a sissy noble with no fighting experience would try. Besides, there was no way he could get into the heavier subjects with Saga in a calm tone without more alcohol in his system. "Anything else before we flip the board?" a term the two used in chess to switch colors.

Saga took his hand and wrapped it around his own mouth and stared intently. It was so out of place, like something that a preteen girl would do, yet there it was in his hands. "Why the hell do you have all those stickers on your bow?"

Aiolos turned downward. "Well, if the Goddess grants us flowers or a strip of cloth, we are honored to wear them. I think if she places stickers on me, I shall wear them with honor and pride too."

"The Goddess granted you cartoon stickers of high school girls in mini-skirts?" said the mad man to the sane one sitting across from him. When the archer answered with a prideful nod, it all but confirmed how stupidly loyal the Sagittarius was to Athena. "Alright, if you wear them to honor the Goddess of Wisdom and War, why do you have Artemis on there?" He asked as he noticed the blond girl with the moon crescent on her forehead.

Aiolos raised an eyebrow before he picked up his weapon and began to turn it. "No, that's Luna. Artemis is the white cat…" he paused and the moment Saga gave him another confused glance was the moment he realized he watched way too much Sailormoon.

"Don't worry about it, I'm just fucking with you," Saga chuckled as his face shifted from doubt to a smirk as he took another drink.

He wasn't sure if the Gemini was telling the truth or not. Perhaps he was and was having fun to lighten the mood as he sometimes did, or at the same time, Saga used the sticker question to provide a litmus test at what reactions would work with him and what would not. After all, Saga once commented that the greatest illusion a Gemini could craft was not the one with his cosmos but the one he could shape with his face.

The only means to combat it was to just maintain a sense of stoicism to avoid providing any information. "So, anything else?" Aiolos asked calmly. There was silence between them, but he could tell Saga was studying him, familiarizing himself with the way he made eye contact, his dimples and even how his hand held his drink. He knew because he was doing the same with the Gemini.

After a few seconds Saga shook his head no. "What would you like to ask first?"

The first question was just as important as the first move in chess. What he said will dictate how the Gemini will respond. Saga was right about how much easier it was for him to go first. All he had to do was just recount what he had been doing. Saga, on the other hand, very likely killed an important man. Besides, five years had passed and much had happened and now needed answering as well. Starting off too strong with the most obvious may be the answer he sought, but it could also cause Saga to become very defensive. He will need to allow Saga to do quite a bit of talking since it gave the Gemini a sense of control. At the same time, he can't be too passive since Saga will see it as being ignored and needed to be firm in the right spots. Talking to Saga was easy, but getting him to open up was an art all on its own.

It was important to start off soft, easy, relevant, but most importantly something that Saga could outright brag about yet at the same time, be one of the last questions he would ask to ensure that the Gemini couldn't produce a rehearsed answer. "Before coming here, I noticed the treasury is in very good shape."

"The treasury?" Saga crossed a leg and tilted his head. Any other person with his personality would ask about family or health, and judging by his posture and easy gaze, would think that he was as relaxed as chatting with his brother himself. "By freeing Sanctuary's coffers of stuff like this." He held out his hand and allowed his Another Dimension to teleport the small trash can into it. He reached down and pulled out the last bill he repealed. "Tell me what you think?" he said as passed over the copy of "Emergency Fund for Little Orphan Girls" bill.

Aiolos took one look at the front and the date in the corner before shaking his head. "It's fake."

Saga raised an eyebrow. He was curious, but not surprised he could detect it so quickly. "How do you know?"

The archer took his hand and pointed to the face. "Because she's been dead for at least two years…" he shook his head forgetting the passage of time. "...seven years. I know. I was asked to heal her head after she fell and it struck the ground. But I was still too…" he took a moment to sigh and hold back his emotions. "...too inexperienced to save her."

The Gemini remembered. He wasn't there, but he recalled Aiolos locking himself in his House for a day to be alone, a thing so rare one would've thought he did it because the moon was about ready to crash into the Earth. But he had no idea that the girl on the cover was the same one. "Here, I have different examples," he reached out trying to collect the item.

"This was the most recent one?" Aiolos asked and saw the Gemini nod back. At first he thought Saga was trying to test him, but it was clear that it was a mere coincidence. "No, let's stick with this one." He really didn't want to open it up, but if he wanted to know how the, councils and nobles, the invisible faces of the inner workings of Sanctuary, were thinking, he knew he had no choice. He looked through the pages, seeing more smiling faces of the children of Rodario. He quickly and angrily turned away from the collage of children, with a couple of faces that he knew were gone and buried before the date on the front. He got to the information page and studied it, feeling the creases with his fingers from where he imagine Saga had the same reaction he has now.

Still, he firmed his face, put on his more analytical hat on. He wished he had a pen, but the numbers were so fluffed that he could just round things and still get an accurate idea. "Food budget looks too high for the amount of children it intends to feed." His eyes shifted to picture. "I know which building this place is for, but it is too small to accommodate the number. The rent would be too high for what it's worth."

"If we had the time, I would show you that when all the calculations are made, the paper that the bill was printed on is worth more than any little girl would receive." Saga sighed. "The old Pope, had a good heart. Too good. The men who created these mock charities knew this. They would walk to him with sob stories like this and the old man would weep and sign on the line desperate to help those in need without realizing he was shrinking the funds of those who truly needed it. There are boxes full of bills that claim to help the people, but instead they leech the treasury. So I started going through and slashing away at them. It is amazing how healthy Sanctuary's funds are when the bloat of corruption is slashed away.

Aiolos was familiar with the boxes of fake bills that Saga was talking about and while they both wanted to go through it, Shion did warn that those who backed Sanctuary may pull back if they repeal them. "You probably made a lot of nobles angry," he playfully chastise.

And Saga raised his chin "I did. But, don't think I welded my pen like a battle axe. I was careful. While some did go through with their threat of withdrawing their funding, but," he raised his hand, imitating the bold gesture of Excalibur. "For every Euro they held, I would make three times that amount by slashing their charity and putting it back where it belonged. I was surprised when the numbers were coming in quite strong."

"Based on what I saw, I'm not surprised." Even with rough estimates, by repealing the Little Orphan Girls, Saga would be able to house and feed three times the amount of girls originally proposed.

"It pains me when I had to walk through the orphanages hearing the Maidens telling the children they will wear the trainers of their ancestors and predecessors with honor, but the truth was that they could only afford the rags of the dead," Saga muttered. "Yet no money to help provide mental services or medicine that Saints need. Dead bodies in the woods. Dead bodies in the coliseum, yet there is endless fucking wine. Free wine in the Houses, free wine in the orphanages and hospitals. Goddess, it is no wonder that ninety percent of our army are alcoholics by the age of ten," Saga grumbled as his eyes shifted in color.

The red glow in his eyes seemed far brighter than he remembered. Not only that, but swore that Saga's hair actually shifted a bit. Even though the ability was normal of Geminis with their abilities of bending light to produce illusions, it was clear that the hair color was shifting in relation to the eye color. All he could do was do what he normally did, what he would do when any of his friends were down and tried to make them feel better. "But thanks to you, we have funds again." He sits there patiently and watched Saga throw his hands on his face as if hiding it before revealing his blue eyes once more. Long ago, he thought it was just that crazy phase all Gold Saints went through when it came to making connections with their Cloths like how Aldebaran was breaking everything he touched for a while. But Saga was twenty years old now, long past that stage. Only he could tell him what was going on and the only way was to figure out how to break that wall the Gemini had around him.

He didn't want to bring up Shion quite yet. Another soft topic will do. He looked down at his drink and thought of Saga's last comment. When training was rough, which was about every time, one drank. Too much death, which was also just as often, one drank. Before he started training as a Gold, he had wine about two or three times as a child during a birthday or celebration. Now he drank it just as a monk would take tea. "Any plans to use the funds to prevent children from turning into alcoholics like us?"

Saga nodded. "I've been trying, but it has been very difficult. By the way," he passed his goblet over to his friend. "I gave it up a couple of years ago." He turned to the two bottles. "I saw the way you were eyeing the table. I know what you were thinking. No, your drink wasn't tampered with. I just didn't want to greet you with a non-alcoholic version of ouzo."

Aiolos took the goblet and took a sip. Sure enough, it was like his, but felt more like he was drinking a really bad soda then the drink of his home. The after taste was so bad, if Saga hadn't been drinking out of it, he would've mistaken it for poison.

Of course, he knew Saga wouldn't be ignorant to forget to tell him that one had alcohol and one did not. Saga probably used the opportunity to gauge how wary he was.

"Quitting must have been quite hard. When I was in my coma, even after the alcohol had long cleaned from my system, I still went back." Then again, while he wouldn't admit it, he probably went back to it due to how low he felt at the time. Alcohol didn't stare at you or mutter how much weaker one became. "How did you do it in a place like this?" he asked as he passed the goblet back.

"It was." He gave a long whistle as if he too was surprised by how long it has been since he gave up his angel's share. "First couple of times were an absolute failure." He was surprised nobody died. "So for the third and last time. I went all out."

"Locked the stocks and tossed the key?"

"No, that was the second time I tried to quit. Breaking the door was easy. Trying to carry a large circular door through a narrow hall to fix it was as difficult as the time that Gigas roped us into helping him carry his new couch down the spiral staircase." The two chuckled recalling that painful memory before Saga continued. "No, I had to go a step further. I had my collection at the House of Gemini auctioned off and used the money to replace it with the stuff you see here," he gestured with his goblet.

"But what of the Pope' Chamber's collection? That's not something you can just sell."

"Oh I know. I wouldn't think of it. I merely moved it into one of the vaults and passed the key to Shura since I knew he was…"

"Sober?"

"A dick…" a delightful chuckle followed. "But that too. Fun fact, Shura,hasn't truly left that peacock stage of a Gold Saint."

Aiolos chuckled. "I could tell, during his second attempt to kill me." As morbid as it was, the two laughed at it. That was the culture of those who faced death every time they trained. He figured he would talk about this because it seemed like an easy topic, but now he was genuinely curious. "How do you feel now? Any changes?"

Saga nodded. "Oh yes, good ones too. At first I felt like shit. I threw up a lot, had no appetite. I was restless and shaky. But after a couple of months, I could sleep better. Those headaches that we complained about...they were gone too. I felt really good."

This intrigued the archer. "Really? I can't go to sleep without a glass."

"Same here! My brother too! I felt more energetic. I was also a lot less...sad." He even was able to cut the amount of medicine down by half. His goal was to leave it behind eventually. "Less of the moods too." The last word he grumbled a bit, but shrugged at it since it was something everyone referred to since he was a child.

The atmosphere was quiet between the two. Aiolos knew it was time to bring it up. He raised his head and gazed at the somber look of the Gemini sensed he knew the question was coming up as well. It was a shame. For a moment, it was like they were together again before the Event ever happened. The archer took a deep breath. "Saga," he practiced the words many times on the way, but even now, he felt it was not enough. "Did you kill the Pope?"

He couldn't look at him. "Yes." He whispered, his voice devoid of strength and pride. "I did."

Aiolos couldn't help but observed how difficult it was for Saga to admit it. It wasn't in a way where someone couldn't admit the truth, but his face was strangely physically labored with the confession despite the Gemini knowing that he saw him. He was there that night when Saga held the golden dagger in his hand. But he knew there was more to it. "Was it because I was picked as the Grand Pope?" At that moment, he watched the Gemini's face shift from sadness to a smile.

Saga sat his hunched body up, his cocky composition beaming as bright as the sun. "Because I felt like it!" he laughed, taking his tongue and touching the tip of own teeth. "Why not! He's lived two hundred years and let's face it, he stopped giving a shit about Sanctuary business for the past fifty years if he was having a couple of ten year olds tending to some of the bills." The more the archer frowned, the wider Saga's smile became. "I took my dagger, and plugged every hole that the old man had."

If they hadn't been friends for nearly a decade he would've fallen for it. But the subtle gestures that others would dismiss were not lost on him nor were the memories that betrayed the Gemini's own act. Aiolos knew who he was dealing with and knew when to be gentle and when to be bold, and right now was the time to be upfront. "You referred to that old man as your father, more times than the one who gave you and your brother life. The Pope was not a perfect man, but we can both agree he had a kind heart." Aiolos muttered flatly. "Why would you desecrate his body like a pincushion?"

"Because I'm a monster," he laughed once more. "You've seen my inner chambers and my trophies that I have gathered over the years. Women and children, chopped and sorted like choice cuts for a stew. Their memories displayed in a way that I like to come to my House and reminisce…"

If he didn't say anything, Saga was going to turn the conversation into a three act tragedy. "SAGA, ENOUGH OF THE BULLSHIT!" he raised his voice so loud that it reverberated through the room like a bolt of lightning. "Yes, I went through your house. The first thing I saw, was a dead soldier. His throat was cut, but as bloody as it was, there wasn't nearly as much as there should've been. Trust me, I've gutted enough pigs and deer to have a decent idea of how much ick spills out. His head lacked the helmet marks that the door guards receive. You grabbed a body, put on a uniform, and dumped it at your house for shock value." He swallowed the rest of his ouzo. "Shallow graveyard was clever. For a little bit, I almost did turn away and dismissed it as you having truly fallen. Your mistake was the little artistic touches of bones poking through the ground." Aiolos shook his head. "You forget where I live and what I do. I've seen human remains all in different states. I carried them out too in hopes it brings someone out there peace as well as to ensure my brother never has to see it. You on the other hand," he took his glass and pointed it toward him, "threw up the moment you saw the fox cap that I made for my little brother for his sixth birthday."

It wouldn't have been so bad if he didn't leave the tail flopping around. "They knew what I was capable of. They feared me with good reason. I felt they were a risk and despite..." Saga reasoned.

Saga was on the defensive, but still intent on trying to make him think that the House of Gemini reflected his true self. A little more aggression should end that. "You didn't do shit! Those were animal bones you buried there. You probably had the servants whip up a dinner and kept the bones. They were white from being boiled and the marrow was brown from being cooked. Some had bits of herbs still clinging on the side."

"Why," Saga paused and narrowed his eyes. "Would I do that? It sounds like a bit too much trouble if you ask me," he asked in a gentle condescending tone.

At this point, Aiolos eased his anger since now things have shifted from physical evidence to mere hypotheses and Saga knew it. "You wanted me to find it. You planted it for me. You wanted me angry." He raised his finger. "But you didn't want the others to know. Deathmask said that you did it because there were so many stories of what happened that night, it would solidify to the world that I wanted the Grand Pope dead and everyone saw it."

Saga was a bit intrigued. "Not bad. I'm surprised he thought of that," the Gemini thought to himself. If his goal truly was to further smear the archer's reputation, with a few tweaks it could have worked.

"Except he was assuming that I wouldn't kill you. That I was...soft," Aiolos hinted and shook his head. "But you know me. I may have patience, but you know that you don't take a person's only family and cut off their face and expect kindness even from me." He still needed to ask about the faces of the Hidden Daggers on Deathmask's wall.

It was a dark tone that Saga didn't realize Aiolos was capable of. It was drained of joy and seething with so much hate and darkness that even he was taken a little aback, even if he wouldn't show it. "So why didn't you? Takes a lot more skill to hold back with that shot over simply aiming straight for my skull. "

It was hard for him to admit it. But with the supposed death of his brother, he was ready to cross the line, where he would take human life. It was a line that he feared because as all Saints knew, once you kill someone, there was no going back into innocence. He didn't feel anything when he killed an animal, but his own moral compass ensured he never did it for mere pleasure either. But that was what a Sagittarius was designed to do. The bow was crafted to pierce and kill from a distance in a single shot. The wings granted height which further increase the killing potential. But just because that was what the Cloth was designed to do, doesn't mean he would give in so easily. The Pope had asked him a few times, but he always managed to either talk him out or provide a satisfactory outcome.

If Saga was nearby at the time, everything would've ended nine Houses earlier. The thing was that despite how easy he made it look, such a shot required a lot of time and aiming. Being off by a fraction of a millimeter would throw his arrow off by several meters from that distance. In that time, he began to think. And with these thoughts came a conclusion. "I realized that there was only one goal that you couldn't tell the others. It had to be one that despite you two no longer getting along, you and Aiolia would mutually agree on yet one that he didn't want me to know because if I did, I would never agree upon it."

His eyes lasered in on Saga's face.

"You wanted me to kill you. You wanted to die."

Aiolos spoke, never blinking to ensure he didn't miss a fraction of the Gemini's subtle reactions. The inconspicuous way his lips pressed in sadness with each word, revealed how much of the smile on his face was a facade and a sign that his intuition was correct all along. But he had to know. "Am I right?" he quickly demanded, and sure enough Saga involuntarily nodded his head to confirm it. As good as it felt to know he was on the right track, it also led him in the direction of the dead end question that filled his head, but only the Saint of Gemini could answer himself. "Why me?" he muttered weakly, shocked that Saga had the nerve. "Was it because if I attempted to kill you, it would convince the world that I also murdered the true Pope? Were you so jealous that it wasn't enough that my body was broken that my own moral convictions must be destroyed as well?" He took his fist and slammed it so hard on the table that it caused the glass to rattle.

The Gemini, was quite used to seeing the faces of the angry. One had to be as the Pope since whatever decision he made will always will make a group upset. In battle, it was a good strategy to anger your opposition as well since it can cause them to make mistakes or allow themselves to be read. But seeing Aiolos like this was just as painful as the moment he discovered him on that faithful night. He was always trustworthy, but fair too. He could've came in screaming that he murdered an innocent Lemurian and ruined his life, yet he gave him the benefit of the doubt despite how damning the evidence was. It was one thing to be perfectly good, but it was rare to choose to be impartial and fair. It was one of the countless reasons he still valued their friendship and didn't want to lose it despite all that happened. It was time to be honest.

"I know how you feel. I wouldn't have done it if I had any other alternative, but you're the only one who can do it without the risk of getting killed," Saga spoke returning to his normal soft tone. The Gemini's blue eyes focused hard as if he was summoning Another Dimension yet there was no cosmos around him. "I think I'm… cursed…," he forced out, but his face twisted as if stunned and pleasantly surprised he was able to say it.

"You're cursed?" his jaw agape the anger that he once had transformed into bewilderment. Back in Japan, he was forced to see a psychologist. He didn't need one, but it was a requirement since he had what was considered a life-altering condition. While they deemed him mentally fit within the first hour, it gave him time to ask a few questions about the Gemini. He was expecting him to say he was bipolar or had high functioning depression. This was the last thing he expected. "As in… physically cursed and not… I hate my life and nothing good ever happens...curse...right?" At that moment, Saga nodded.

"You're not fucking with me are you?" he watched Saga shake his head no, his eyes clearly full of fear, his hands clutching together. He knew his friend and how prideful he could be and if he was showing such dread this openly, he wasn't playing around.

Aiolos sighed. He knew something was going on and wasn't sure if it had to do with those pills he kept seeing Saga secretly take or all those times that the Gemini's depression gets the best of him and he just goes and lays around doing nothing. Nope. It was a curse. "Only in Sanctuary," he thought as the fury faded while he took another drink.

Aiolos' head drooped as he turned to the Gemini, sitting there with a loose grip on his goblet while the other hand casually laid on the arm rest, seemingly ready to answer like the good student he was back when Shion was alive. "How were you cursed? When did this happen?" Goddess he had so many questions, but he didn't want to overwhelm him.

"Eleven years ago, when me and my brother found a golden dagger in the House of Gemini." Saga chuckled sadly. "We should've suspected something. We only had a fraction of the control that we do now when we used Another Dimension. So we transported all sorts of weird shit by accident. The most embarrassing was the time we picked up a marbled polecat. Didn't want to kill it since it is endangered, didn't want to call you and your brother up since you two would eat it or turn it into a pair of mittens," he chuckled.

But Aiolos waved his hand. He appreciated his friend trying to lighten the somber cloud that came over them both, but if they weren't careful this could go longer than they wanted. "Saga, let's try to stay on topic."

"Alright." Saga cleared his throat. He felt his chest lighten. He wanted so desperately to tell someone, but the last time he did so with Kanon, and that didn't go well. At least he knew Aiolos wouldn't try anything. "So, anyways somehow we picked up this treasure chest. It was beautiful like some movie prop, but real. Like a true Pandora's box where we didn't question where it came from, but we desperately wanted to open it."

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

"Uggh, I forgot the glasses," muttered Aphrodite as he placed the box of drinks down. "Cam! Cap!" he spoke using the nicknames for Camus and Shura. "Come here and use some teamwork," the Pisces spoke as he uncorked the wine and passed the bottle over.

Shura raised it up, eyed how high to go before he took a couple of fingers and sliced the top cleanly. He lifted the top half like the bowl and stem of a wine glass and passed it to the french man.

Camus used the glass piece as a mold to craft a perfect goblet out of ice. "I'm so glad we are putting my ten years of training in negative sixty degree weather to good use," he sighed with dripping dry sarcasm as he grabbed the bottle to pour it and test it out before passing a glass to Aldebaran.

The Brazilian looked down and took a sip. "Well, with how bloody the Holy War with Hades could be, I could die happy if the only thing my abilities were ever used for was demolition. You would do the same if all you did was form wine glasses with yours."

Athena sat on Zephyr, stroking the horse's mane. "What if Poseidon is on the horizon as well?" she spoke, knowing that she should at least plant the seed in their heads.

Mu, already pale from fear of his Master's body, leaned a hand on the horse. "Goddess help us." The last time Poseidon awakened, he sank an entire continent and committed the mass genocide of his people.

Shura pulled the tab on his diet coke. "We should have nothing to worry about. I heard he shouldn't awaken for at least two hundred years," he spoke, not wanting to say that he heard it from Saga.

The group turned to the doors. It was so quiet, with only the sounds of their white capes flapping in the windy heights near the Pope's Chambers. Aldebaran turned his head at the intricate detailed door, that when pulled together formed the symbol of Athena. Trying to ease the anxious atmosphere, he tried to break it with a little conversation. "You all are the Rear, should we knock or is this normal for them to take this long?"

Aphrodite took a long sip, his eyes closed with his long eyelashes resting at his cheeks. "Sometimes diplomacy can take days. It is not uncommon for guests to stay overnight here at the Chambers due to how long it takes to reach it. I actually had to a take a few in my guest rooms in my inner chambers during a summit."

Camus agreed. He may be in Siberia most of the time, but he's had enough experiences to give a decent opinion. "I doubt it would be that long, but if they are taking time to catch up, we shouldn't expect it to go quickly either."

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

All this time Saga had lied to him that the red eyes he would show from time to time were a part of the Gemini Cloth. It made sense with how mysterious the bearers of the third house were. But back then, he was always bothered about that explanation since he always found it strange that Kanon's personality never shifted as wildly nor demonstrated any physical changes like the red eyes or the recent hair color change. Was it too much that since when the two are together they acted in sync and that they should have the similar effects? He dismissed it, thinking that Kanon wasn't worthy of the Gemini Cloth.

"So when your eyes are red, does it manipulate you?" Aiolos' mind shuffled to the various memories he had of the two and the moments the Gemini wasn't acting right.

Saga shrugged. He wanted to be honest, but he didn't want to steer him in the wrong direction. "It may have?"

Aiolos shook his head. "But that can't be? I mean, you look like you're in control. Sometimes you didn't do evil things when your eyes were red." In fact, sometimes they actually felt quite good when he did.

Saga leaned back in his red chair and pressed his hand on his forehead. "Keep in mind, these are mere theories. You ask for answers, well, I too have been just as desperate to find them as well. Trying to figure out the origin and effects of an unknown curse with nothing written about it despite its prevalence is like trying to ask someone to figure out how they got cancer without any medical equipment or a doctor. Ever since I found it, I studied it, written reflections about it as best as I could."

The archer nodded and placed his empty cup next to the empty bottle that he easily drained during the last three-fourths Saga's tale. He knew when the Gemini became obsessed with something, he will go all out with it. It was best to hear him out. "Alright, what do you find out."

Saga gazed at his pleading eyes. He never told his friend because he was afraid to lose him. He felt a little relief that Aiolos was willing to listen despite how crazy it all was. He wished he had his book, but he kept it in the House of Gemini in order to make it difficult for the curse to destroy it. "I think what the dagger does is that it takes our inner thoughts and desires... and brings them out... sometimes enhancing them… sometimes twisting them." He spoke as he gestured with his hands, mimicking the way he would reach over and play with the curls of Aiolos hair or the tails of his red headband.

When Saga was a kid, even though the Sagittarius bemoaned the difficulty his curly hair caused in trying to attain the long hair that many golds strived for, he admired them. Before the curse, he always kept his hands to himself except for the one time he asked for permission to touch them.

After he was cursed, he gave in and would just reach over and play with them, adoring the way they would wrap around his fingers. The first couple of times, he was fearful that his friend would think he was rude. But to his surprise, the Sagittarius soon began to display gazes that revealed that not only was he pleased by how it felt, but reciprocated such gestures back and played with his hair too. A pity that he may never have such moments again.

"Twisted thoughts and desires," Aiolos thought. If the curse caused Saga to kill the Pope, what about family? Not only that, but Saga tried to have him killed when he first saw his face. "Kanon…" Aiolos muttered before lifting his head. He could see a tense glance in Saga's eyes, the same gaze he gave anyone who brought his twin up in conversation, but this was important. "If he was there, he probably knew about the curse too. What happened to him?"

Saga drew his hands to his face. He thought the archer would think about that since it seemed so logical to tie the curse to his missing brother. "He did know."

Saga paused and felt his fist tightened. Even now, his brother's betrayal still stung. "Unfortunately, he was the first to take advantage that if the dagger influenced thoughts, perhaps one could introduce thoughts and allow the curse to work from there." He waved his hands in perfect synchronicity. "Before he disappeared, he had the idea that since I was practically a shoe in for Pope, why not speed it up? I could rule Sanctuary and he could take the Gemini Cloth?"

Kanon always seemed to have a more violent edge to him, but it surprised the Sagittarius that he would propose murder. Then again, he remembered before his disappearance, the younger Gemini was going through a rough time with no one quite sure of what to do with him. He was far too valuable to allow him to live outside of the House of Gemini, too lazy to do soldier duty like Shura, and at the time, too depressed to seek a Silver Saint path like past twins who were Gold Saints. But if what Saga said was true, it felt like a very extreme reaction. "He wasn't just angry and tried to say something for attention, did he?"

Saga could tell his friend felt sorry for his little brother and just like the others, try to give him the benefit of the doubt. "Unfortunately, it wasn't the first time he proposed a plan to reach the top of Sanctuary quickly."

Aiolos wasn't sure how to react. Saga's raised eyebrows and his clenched jaw made it clear that what he just told him, was merely the surface of Kanon's intentions.

Saga continued with a nervous laugh while shaking his head. "I kept telling him to watch his mouth more times than anyone knows. It started off as normal harmless stuff like seeing what was the most elaborate thing the caretakers would make for us. Stuff we've all tried."

"I never tried that."

"That's because, you were never home. Anyways, the point was, that he would test me. I was happy with whatever they made, but he would suggest some sort of food and see if I would request it. At first I laughed especially since he only managed to succeed once every thirty or so tries. But, then, he got better at it until he was about one in three times able to get me order what he wanted as if he was refining these suggestions he would give me. I told him to stop and he did for a while." Saga folded his arms. "I suppose my love for him was not enough and he would rather use me as some sort of puppet to be controlled," he spat.

Saga shook his head. In a way, he felt violated. The things that Kanon suggested he make him do made the older Gemini wonder if that was what his little brother would do to his only blood relative, how would react if he was controlling a complete stranger. "He began to push other ideas that would abuse the power of the Gold Cloth. But when he suggested I take the position of the Pope, it was the final straw."

The archer's face saddened. "Did you?"

"I hated what he did. But," Saga looked up and met his eyes and answered him the best way only he would understand, "he's still my little brother."

But what happened to him? Where's Kanon?"

Oh how he hated that question. He understood Aiolos had no choice but to ask, but it still frustrated him since he honestly had no idea being that the younger Gemini truly did disappear from Cape Sounion as if some higher power scooped him away. But the twins always had some super natural connection where when one did one thing, so did the other.

One cut their hair, so did the other.

One got a cat so the other did too.

Maybe since he took over Sanctuary, Kanon is off doing the same in some other place. "Doesn't matter. The point is that even though I wholeheartedly disagreed with my brother, the idea was still planted in my head and my heart no matter how much I didn't want it just like how I can't unsee Dimitris' hanging body or the corpse of my mother."

"That's a long time, almost two years between his disappearance and the Event." Aiolos folded his arms. "But our cosmos grew during that time. With yours focusing more on mental strength. There was even a point where you went a couple of years without showing any signs."

Saga shook his head. He thought the same thing. Perhaps if he was stronger, he could overcome it and worked and trained harder than he thought he was capable of. Luckily, he had a partner who enjoyed it just as much. "They never faded. They grew stronger in time. It was just that back then, I was able to hide them better." He stopped reacting to the voices out loud and if he felt it coming, he made any excuse he could to prevent others from seeing his eyes. "At first it was just some tiny voices, like whispers. Then they grew so bold and loud it would be like a mob yelling at me whether I was awake or asleep. As I grew older, I could feel the curse to will my own body like a puppet. If things grew bad, I would black out unable to do anything or remember anything."

The Gemini picked up his half full bottle of fake ouzo by the neck and pointed it to his friend. "In order to understand when a blackout happened, I crafted a small test. Every day, I have my non-alcoholic wine bottles sitting in the open and I would ensure they were all full when the day started. I would never touch them, however by the end of the day, I would notice some were casually opened or drunken out of indicating-," Saga paused. "-Indicating I was doing things that I wasn't aware of."

It sounded like a reasonable plan, but there was a catch. "But how do you know it wasn't a passing guard or guest that drank from the bottles?"

Saga raised a brow. "You tried it and its acquired taste."

"Good point." Aiolos still couldn't erase the strange taste in his mouth. He wouldn't put it past the Gemini to purposely get used to the awful flavor in order to further his understanding of the curse like he was his own labrat. "So, many of those times when things were really bad, you blacked out?" He watched Saga nod.

"So when you killed the Pope..."

Saga sighed in sadness. "I was cursed."

"When you sent the order to have me killed..."

"I was CURSED!"

"When you demanded to use Athena's Exclamation to try and open Mu's rock?"

"I WAS CURSED!" he pounded his fist on the table.

Aiolos pounded the tip of his bow on the floor. "What about all those parties… the orgies you had here at the Pope's Chambers?"

Saga's furious face melted, as he thought back to last Saturday night when he and four other women and the Papal Guard were playing a naked version of the Pegasus Run. Somehow he woke up and realized he teleported at least four mountain goats that liked to roam the mountains nearby and that was one of the tamer nights. "...I was high."

"...oh Saga…" Aiolos muttered as he drew his palm over his face.

The Gemini shrugged. "Look, I was doing everything I could to fight this curse. I gave up drinking, I meditated, I used scented candles and oils. I visited a shaman. I attended a mass. I tried Breatharianism Music seemed to work the best, but Orphee is only available so many times. I took every single plant from Shaka's garden, I took every single plant from Deathmask's garden-"

Aiolos shook his head. Saga sounded desperate, but he didn't do the one damn thing that may have prevented all of this. "Why didn't you tell me! I am your friend!" he struggled to hold back his scream, but found it difficult. "Why did you wait eleven years to tell me now?"

Saga closed his eyes, got up, and started walking away toward a set of double doors. "If I had it my way, I would have never told you," he muttered lifelessly as his footsteps lightly echoed in the grand hall of the Pope, his black robes waving back and forth, gently dragging behind him. "You're right about one thing, the Pope was the closest thing to a father I had." He spoke without turning his back while staring at the door. "Depression is not sadness or crying, it's just feeling numb. I remember one day, I didn't have the energy or the will to return to the House of Gemini, so I just laid there in the back of the library in the Pope's Chambers where nobody tended to come. Well, that day, he was researching something and he found me. He asked me what was wrong, and I finally told him I wish I could go to sleep and never wake up. I thought he would be like everyone else and tell me to stop being sad as if it was a light switch." He swallowed hard while a small tear ran down his cheek, as if the memory caused the rough, but gentle natured tone of Shion to return in his mind. "I could never forget what he told me that day."

He paused. "He said, when one is this old and everyone he knew has moved on to the afterlife. Sure we have friends, but we still feel alone. He said perhaps we could help each other so that we always knew there was someone out there for us. He will always pray that every day he would get a chance to say hello to me, and I was there to greet him back. At that moment, I thought, wow...someone who truly understood me."

Saga leaned on the double doors his head lowered in the dark shadows before he swung them open to reveal the bright sunlight that shone at the vast open balcony used to greet the people during celebrations. He ran to the rail and jumped on top.

It was one of his greatest fears, one that he's held since they were children. He knew what he was planning and he was helpless to stop him. "Saga, STOP!"

But the Gemini simply waved and gave a genuine smile before he leaned back and allowed himself to fall off the edge.

"SAGA!" Aiolos pulled himself out of the chair and tumbled downwards. It was futile but he didn't care. He attempted to crawl as fast as he could until a familiar splash followed. He jerked his head as the Gemini came strolling out through the other set of doors, his robes dragged, leaving swirls of puddles while his cerulean hair was slicked back. At first there was a brief moment of joy to know he was okay, but then anger follow. "What the hell! Why did you do that?" He looked up as the Gemini knelt in front of him, seeing the water drip on his face.

"You asked why I went through the trouble of having you be the one. This is your answer." He reached down and helped Aiolos back into the seat. "The final aspect of the curse is perhaps the deadliest: Self-preservation. No matter how much I try, I can't seem to kill myself. The curse won't allow it. If I am in danger, it will fight tooth and nail and sometimes trigger abilities I shouldn't have," he took his wet hand and tapped the cheek of the man who stole his heart and the one he declared a traitor. "Consequences be damned," he whispered before he stood up, igniting his cosmos to allow his clothes and hair to dry out before taking his seat. "Even my words are governed by it. Otherwise, I would walk in the middle of Rodario and sing to everyone my tale of the time I killed the Pope and nearly you and our Goddess as well as any crime I've committed."

Aiolos shook his head at how powerful this curse was. It altered thoughts, twisted desires, it grew powerful over time and now he learned it dealt with self-preservation… which explained why someone as suicidal as Saga was is still alive. But there was something that confused him. "That doesn't make sense, you're telling me all about the curse now!"

Saga can understand his confusion since he felt the same way. "You know, it took me a while to figure that out too." He rested his hands. "When we trained, it was amazing and brutal. It can happen anytime and anywhere and it was fun. But it was also full of trust that we would not let the other die. We came close with each other, but no matter what, there was a sense of security."

Aiolos nodded feeling the same way. With the others, he was always a little nervous since the higher their cosmos became, the more deadly everyone's attacks became. However, he always knew Saga had a good feel of his limits. "So...you're saying that perhaps the curse became conditioned to not see me as a threat."

Saga smiled. "Exactly. My guess was that since you had Athena in your hands, it reacted differently. However, that changed when you had every right and opportunity, but didn't take the shot." He took a deep breath. "Just like how I once was able to admit it to my brother since at the time, we were very close. I was nervous, but earlier, when I admitted to you about my curse, I was surprised and relieved that I could be so open about it without it retaliating."

Aiolos relaxed in his seat, with a gentle look, but deep down, he could tell that Saga was hiding some things. What he said may well be true, but there was a very big flaw in his argument that Saga was presenting and now that he's heard enough about what exactly the curse was, it was time for him to stop listening and confront the problem head on.

"What about the Pope and Athena? I have a hard time believing that an old Lemurian and a baby could make the dagger feel endangered." He folded his arms. "Saga, you told me quite a bit about the curse, but you still have yet to utter a word about the night you murdered his Holiness or the attempt at baby Athena. You said so yourself, that the dagger takes one's thoughts and desires and twists them." He raised his chin. "Even if Kanon planted the idea of killing the Pope, why didn't you do it the moment he declared me to be the Grand Pope if the curse was that powerful?" Even though it was obvious the curse had caused it, that didn't mean Saga was in the clear. Saga must have had some personal reasons against the Pope and Athena, but until he tells him he was just going to have to dig it out.

Saga stared at him for a moment before looking down. "You're right. I haven't." He leaned against his chair. "I was just having a good time here. I can tell that you're a little uneasy, as you should," he chuckled before shifting his eyes toward him. "I had it all planned out. I was going to enjoy the view of Rodario while listening to Queen on my Tele-Pod. I thought, this was the perfect way," he spoke with great delight before his eyes darkened. "Then you had to go soft."

If he was being soft, he would've given him the thing he desired. "No Saga, I wasn't."

Saga sighed and lifted his head. "Anyways, since you decided to come up Sanctuary, my plans had to change. I thought, well, he is on his way here, let's have this talk. Hell if we're going to have a talk, we might as well have a drink and then we can have one last fight, in fact," he took his hand and lifted a piece of wood from the table with the bottles and glasses on it. He sets it aside before he snapped his fingers. The white cosmos blew away from the table and revealed it to be the Cloth box of Sagittarius.

Aiolos' mouth dropped. He turned his head toward the Gemini and then back at his box before performing a double take. "Son of a bitch," he chuckled as a small tear slipped from the side of his eye. Saga always had a means of using his abilities to entertain people in strange ways. Once Saga's cosmos was off of it, he could feel its familiar warmth and a sense of completeness. The bow in his hand was even resonating with it while his hand yearned to flip open its top once more and see it in its glory. But he knew how much it weighed and knew it would be risky to just slip it on. "Well, unfortunately, I don't think I'm ready to wear it yet."

Saga nodded. "I figured." He quietly spoke. He turned toward the Sagittarius' legs and let out a guilty sigh. He was hoping it wouldn't have been as bad. However, his test with diving off the balcony had shown that even though the archer's heart and determination was the same, his body had yet to match it. He sighed. He couldn't die with the sunset while listening to Queen and he couldn't have a glorious fight to death clad in Gold Cloths. It was time for plan C. "You want your answers. I want my conclusion."

The archer noticed the Gemini was very careful with his wording. He probably didn't want the curse to see him as a threat. He will be careful as well. "Saga. Athena is alive and Shion is dead. Your sudden conclusion is not worth the answers. Let's go speak with the others. Maybe Athena can get rid of the curse..."

"I refuse!" Saga snapped before he drew his hands to his face.

Aiolos sat there quietly, knowing that the Gemini needed a moment. As he did, he began to wonder if this was why Saga didn't want to go more into details.

Saga returned his gaze back onto his friend. If only he understood his suffering. He probably had seven or eight more years before the curse reduces his mind and soul into a hollow shell where the curse will have control over his body and he would be a mere reflection. If he has the opportunity to avoid such a fate, he will take it. "Here's the deal...we will have our fight. During which, I promise I will answer whatever questions you want to know, for as long as the fight continues." He tilted his head. "Don't worry, it will be a fair fight, I promise."

Aiolos looked down. "Unless you want me to sit on the chess chair while battling, can I at least have my horse?" He watched as Saga threw head back in laughter. "What is it?"

The Gemini placed his hands on the armrests. "Why did you think I brought these chairs out? If you had to use the horse to adapt to fighting those in Sanctuary, I don't see no harm in me doing the same and adapting to you." He tapped his palms on the wood. "These… will be our mounts for combat." He smirked.

Aiolos raised a brow in amusement. When Saga said he was going to fight fairly, here really meant it if he intended to do it sitting down the whole time. It was times like this when he wasn't sure where to categorize Saga as crazy, a genius or both. He placed his bow on his lap. "Let me guess, to keep it fair… we're going to play a game of chess. Winner gets to decide the other's fate. Right?"

Saga smiled and took a deep breath. "Oh...I thought of that, but that's a little cliche. Instead, I would like to call this a game of...chairs or thrones since we are both Pope Candidates." He waved his hand. "To keep it fair, we will each have one weapon, you will have your bow and arrows. I shall have this," he used Another Dimension and allowed a familiar table to teleport right beside him.

On the table was a silver platter with the sign of Scorpio upon it. Next was a fine pen with a stack of short pieces of paper. At that moment, Aiolos knew exactly what Saga was up to.

The Gemini could see that his friend recognized it, but decided to formalize it. "They say a Scorpio will only listen to about twenty percent of what you say, but obey a hundred percent of what you write. Here is how the game will work. As I said, you can ask all the questions you want no matter how dumb they are, and I will be happy to answer them. However, as you ask, I will write the names and submit them to Milo to take care of them. You have your bow and arrows and are free to do whatever you wish. Whatever happens, I see this as my final chapter in my story. I hope that there is only one death in the end, but if you take too long in our game of thrones I may end up killing all of your favorite main characters first."

To Be Concluded (sorry!)

Author's Notes: I was hoping to make this the final chapter, but unfortunately, their talk is a lot longer than expected and I didn't realize how much the Thanksgiving would take away my writing time. There is still time to submit questions to Saga. If it hasn't been answered now, it will be in the next. I also faced a lot of writer's block too. Sometimes having two characters discuss is a lot more difficult than having them fight. So hopefully you enjoy it.