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?

20. Sagittarius 3G: A Game of Thrones Part 2

Final Chapter: A Game of Thrones Part Two

Lay gently. Remember, if you do it too quickly, the leaves will crackle, and you'll lose the element of surprise.

-Chapter 1

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

His hands squeezed and turned his bow every time his grip twisted it. The heat of his palms and the sweat that dripped between his fingers caused the golden shine on the shaft to fog. One of the first lessons he taught his little brother was to never allow your opponent to see you are scared and nervous. He was easily breaking that simple rule right now with his body language, but he didn't see the point in trying to hide it when his mouth was agape as it was now. "What the hell," he thought for probably the hundredth time since he began his Temple Run.

Deep in his gut, he knew Saga was building up to something the moment he isolated him from the others, Athena, and his horse. He wasn't scared when it came to risking his own life, but his courage was much different when it came to others, especially if he wasn't exactly sure who Saga wanted to drag into their little game. "Why are you doing this?" his voice finally broke while the undertones hinted for him to reconsider.

Saga grabbed a piece of paper and twirled the pen, the weapon of his choice that he had wielded more than his cosmos for the last five years. He could write a name right now to demonstrate that he wasn't playing around, but he could tell that the archer was taking him very serious the moment he proposed the game. "So that's your opening?" he asked with sprinkles of joy and amusement. He had nothing to hide, not anymore. He can sing every sin he's committed since birth as long as dies before the moon casts its glow. "I'm doing this because I am running out of time. Every day that passes, the curse grows stronger. In six or seven years, at the rate I'm going, I will be lucky if I can maintain a few hours of control." He wasn't exaggerating either. As crude as his wine tests were, they did show a growing tread that his blackouts were indeed lasting longer and growing ever so violent. "If you are worried about our friends dying now during our game, just think of the bloodbath that will come in the next few years if you choose to do nothing. Right now, the others don't have to follow me if I am a mere Candidate. But if I were to become the Grand Pope, that's a whole different story. Instead of worrying about one Gold becoming a mindless Puppet, you will have twelve."

He raised an eyebrow. "If you're that upset, just smack me around with a few dummy arrows like you used to!"

But Aiolos knew better. Saga had trained with him enough to know that the Sagittarius Bow was far too strong. This was a weapon that was made to penetrate through the strongest of armors and barriers. It was crafted to kill in one hit. If he fluffed him with weak light arrows, Saga would just keep writing. At this distance, if he tried to knock him out with a dummy arrow, without a helmet, it would easily snap the Gemini's neck. If it was any other enemy, he wouldn't hesitate. However, this was Saga and knowing how much he cared for others, there must be some sort of trick. He was good at bending others to do his will, but threatening the lives of others was just not his style.

The Gemini sat patiently. He knew he wasn't quite ready, not yet at least. However, he noticed that the Sagittarius' striking blue eyes shifting a bit to the right side of the Main Floor of the Pope's Chambers. "Thinking of the Secret Passage?" he mused. "We used to take that way quite a bit when we were children and I'm sure you've used it with your brother a few times too." He watched the bicep of the Sagittarius' slightly twitch as if squeezing his bow in nervousness. "Don't expect the cub to come. He's still stuck in the passageway section by the House of Pisces and will be since I locked that door right before you came here."

Saga watched Aiolos lower his head while leaning against the bow. He knew it was the Sagittarius' way of thinking, but the Gemini was confident that he will not find any way out of this beyond their game. The Pope's Chambers, when all the doors and windows were closed and fortified, were meant to repel direct attacks of the Pantheon itself. Zeus could strike a thousand bolts upon it and it would leave mere blackened marks upon the white marble. When sealed, cosmos messages could not come in or out. The place was soundproof so he couldn't shout for help and his paralysis meant he couldn't lightspeed out of there either. For a bit of extra measure, while it was clear that Aiolos wasn't drunk, alcohol was known to increase impulsivity, the main reason he felt he had to give it up, but a useful tool when it comes to pressuring one to kill.

But he was still wary.

He's played enough chess with the Sagittarius to know how good he was at planning far ahead. How many times where he thought he would win, only for the archer to swing a knight around and win the game? Too many.

The situation wasn't lost on the Sagittarius. He could tell Saga had this well thought out. He knew the Gemini wouldn't ignore the secret passageway, and just like he thought, Saga waited. If Aiolia came first, Saga would threaten his little brother and force him to kill the Gemini. Why he didn't go with that, may have to deal with that self-preservation instinct of the dagger. However, if he appeared first, perhaps the more ideal situation to the Gemini, Saga would simply close the place up and cut the Sagittarius off from any contact with the outside world.

No friends.

No Aiolia

No Zephyr.

No Athena.

That was Saga's plan. To isolate him with nothing, but his bow.

He bet when he told Saga how much he wanted to hold onto it, he was dancing with joy beneath his robes.

He thought Saga may grab one of the others outside. He never expected him to use the plate of Scorpio and use its keeper. No wonder he sent that message earlier to have Milo wait for further orders. His eyes stared at the silvery surface. Saga was all about power. He knew how to have power over people, the environment, while still wielding a considerable amount himself.

There had to be a trick to it. Saga was desperate considering the curse sounded like a fate worse than death, but even he wouldn't be so low as to try to murder others to save himself. "Saga, are you really going to write names and have Milo murder them?"

"I am. I promise that every name I put is real and I will have them killed if I write their name in it," The Gemini's laugh echoed in the room.

"Shit...shit...shit…" Aiolos muttered and shook his head to the rhythm of a clock. If Saga promises, he always keeps it. He had to since he was, as he described it, a magician and he believed that promises were a way to ensure there were no tricks. "Can't we just play chess?" He spread out his hands. "You have the drinks, you have the old chess chairs, we can still be fair, and we played the game all the time! Why can't we do that?"

The Gemini shrugged sweetly. "I wanted to subvert your expectations!" He watched Aiolos roll his eyes before he leaned tapped the pen on the tip of the plate. "However, Shion has the old board and pieces hidden somewhere in storage. Trust me, I've tried several times to dig it out, but no such luck." He shrugged. "Besides, think of how boring that would be when the scholars write about this battle and all they could put down are a bunch of chess notations. Rh1+, Kg8."

Aiolos looked up and back at the floor. "pe2 to e4," his voice firm and calculating before he raised an eyebrow.

Saga turned to the floor too. "Intending to play without a board?"

"Why not? If this is going to be our last get together, let's make it count." Aiolos spoke as he gestured toward the empty air. "Up for the crippled man on a pimped out horse's challenge?" he mocked, repeating the nickname that Deathmask gave him back in his House.

The Gemini stared for a few seconds. It was an interesting challenge and the two were always looking for ways to liven old games. Why not? So he sat up a bit, but still held the pen near a piece of paper, "pe7 to e5." He spoke bringing his invisible black pawn facing off against the invisible white pawn, both pieces equal and neither could take the other without the aid of those around. His deep blue eyes narrowed a bit before he wrote the letter A on the paper. "But don't think the Game of Thrones ends because you start a round of chess."

"Fuckkkk, look at this place! 'Dite's probably flipping his shit right now!" spiritual Deathmask spoke as he and spiritual Shaka floated above the House of Pisces. Normally the stairs were one of the most manicured areas, but now black with grey swirls that shift back and forth with the wind.

"I doubt it. He is no more sorrowful when the heat burns away his roses anymore than the snow freezes them away, for he knows that the roots are strong and will persevere. That is the dual nature of plants, for they are delicate on the outside yet will live on long after our mortal bodies cease to exist," spoke Shaka as he guided the two near the others where they floated.

"Yo, Buddha!"

"Please don't refer to me like that."

"Eh, sorry...just wanted to ask if they can see us?"

"They see us, just as well as when you see the soul float away from the body as it passes to the next world."

"You could have just said no. Not everything has to sound like it's going to be quoted out of the bible or...uh...what is the buddhist version of-?"

"-The Pāli Canon."

"Yeah that." Deathmask was a bit surprised as he watched. Aphrodite sat slumped, clearly pissed while clutching a glass of white wine near his cheek like one of his roses. Camus sat near the door crack, also sipping his glass. Shura held a diet coke while standing near Aldebaran and Mu who surrounded Athena on top of Zephyr as she drank some tea. "Why aren't they doing anything?" the soul of Cancer asked turning his head toward the soul of Virgo's head despite it lacking any features.

"Who says they aren't doing anything? Their bodies are at rest, but their minds are brimming with anxiety. Here, see it through my cosmos," Shaka spoke as he took his semi-transparent blue hand and passed it in the Cancer's head.

"Woah!" the Cancer panicked as his vision shifted from seeing their armored bodies to their spiritual souls, each matching the colors of their cosmos as they were burning at different rates with Aphro's being a bit wild and Camus' being so calm, he could make out the spiritual features of his soul. "That's actually not what I meant. I mean why don't they just charge right in or fight each other. Shit man, now that the flowers are all cleared out, this would make for the perfect battlefield."

"Fear and doubt plague their minds. Anger the side that wishes to see Saga continue as Pope may force a bloodbath while those who wish for Aiolos to rise up, may force several changes and punishment that they may disagree with."

Deathmask knew that feeling. People said that Aiolos seemed to make decisions similar to the former Grand Pope while Saga's style was similar to that of the Old Master back in his days of youth and frankly that's the way things should be. Changes that needed to be done, were made quickly and criminals who were on his wall at the House of Cancer got what they deserved. If Aiolos became the Pope, things would be slow and things will stagnate. Saga as the Pope was changing Sanctuary with incredible speed, crimes were down, the treasury was fat and he will not return the ways of old.

The Saint of Cancer turned to the little girl and was shocked. Instead of having a mannequin like appearance, the girl's spiritual soul was no different than her physical one.

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

Aiolos bit his lip. He was hoping that perhaps the pen that Saga chose didn't work and he was going to pretend to send names and dates. Not only does it clearly work, but he had to pick a letter that was the beginning of his brother's name, but so many Saints and even the Goddess as well. "Fine by me. pg2 to g3," he spoke as he began to start mounting a defense. Athena told him to trust his own judgment and he will do so, not that he had much of a choice. He needed to at least try. Perhaps a softer approach was in order? Give him a little bit, even if it is not what he desired, but at least it wouldn't be riskier than his alternative either. "Seven years is still a long time, Saga. How about this, we end game and we attempt to cure you of the curse together. If nothing works, you get what you want, I promise," he mumbled the last bit but knew it must be said.

But Saga shook his head. "You have no idea how powerful this curse is."

"I think I do. You've told me it twists and acts on your own thoughts and desires. That you blackout during heavy times of stress and it believes in self-preservation," he spoke determined to show he's been listening heavily to his words.

Saga stood up and used Another Dimension to pull out a box with thirteen red jewels upon it. He then set the box on the table and lifted the lid to pull out a beautiful gold dagger. Like a proper magician, lifted the box to show it was empty before setting the lid back on. He walked over toward the balcony doors and opened them back up before taking the weapon and flinging it high in the sky. He calmly closed the doors, walked back and slapped the lid off to reveal the gold dagger hauntingly back in its spot. He wanted to make sure Aiolos knew he tried every damn thing to the dagger.

The Gemini drew a hand near his mouth and sharpened his gaze. "You know my curse," he took his pen and gestured toward Aiolos' legs. "Just like I know what it's like not to walk. I understand that you can't run or jump." He folded his arms and leaned back. "But there's more to it, isn't there?"

The archer bit his lip. Every crack in the sidewalk was noticeable, the stairs were his bane, a ramp was his savior. Everything he needs felt like it was always on the top shelf, more people asked him if he needed help over saying hello, and no matter his age, people would walk up and pet his head like a small child. He would never complain and took it in stride, but deep down, it drove him nuts. It was for those reasons he loved his horse and missed the sandy stallion even right now. "There is, but this isn't about me." Even if Saga did make a good point. "As I said, let's work together. If you know the curse, I'll try to help you. You said you had a book, let me see it and catch up on it."

"The book I keep the details about it is written as such so that only me and my brother can understand to prevent the curse from outright destroying it." It was such a difficult process. It would take a couple of hours just to write a couple of sentences that on the outset would look like gibberish, but he knew it had to be done. This curse has killed every user and ensured its existence remained invisible to the outside world. Before, his hope that even if he was gone, his twin would take the knowledge they had gathered and use it to prevent the same thing from happening.

Then Kanon betrayed him.

The Old Man betrayed him.

Then he betrayed Athena and Aiolos.

Even if they forgive him, they will never understand his book since he and Kanon practically invented a new language just to avoid it from being destroyed. All he can do is to end his life peacefully and take comfort that though he failed, if Kanon is alive, perhaps this generation of Golds will not fall apart. " I will not risk losing my one chance." He shook his head. "I will get what I want regardless and trying to convince me otherwise is a waste of time."

The archer maintained his composure, his nerves finally settling from the initial shock of the proposed game. But inside he was upset at being turned down since it was probably the cleanest method and one that had the greatest chance of succeeding. "Damn you. You are a true Gemini. You are one of the most selfless, but still one of the most selfish people I know," he thought wishing he could scream it at his face but knew it may trigger him. He still needed to say something. Too much silence and Saga may see it as a signal to just liven up the game. Why not ask the most obvious once more. "I remember you being sad and angry after the meeting. Did you kill him because it made you angry that I was chosen?"

"Are you saying if I did it because I was jealous?" Saga was fairly certain that the archer asked him earlier, but he didn't really give him a clear answer. "Of course I was jealous. Why wouldn't I be? Back then, I told myself that I worked harder than you in the Pope's Chambers. I told myself I had a higher fighting score than you and I tested higher than you and I damn fucking well deserved the title." He hissed as if it was deep resentment he wanted to pull out of his chest. But Saga's features relaxed before he rested his head in his hand. He said he was going to be honest and he was going to stick with it. "But...back then, I was immature…" He laughed. "If I wasn't allowing my jealousy to blind me, I would've realized being an assistant to the Pope wasn't bad at all. It may be third in line in Sanctuary behind you and Athena, but it is still a very powerful position."

Saga swallowed a bit. It was a difficult time for him to reflect back then since the curse either made it feel like a blur or he was simply blacked out from it. "But I was only fifteen years old. Fifteen!" he gasped at the absurdity. "It still boggles my mind as to why he thought to give the equivalent of two high school students the most powerful position in the world was a great idea. I was too young and so I responded with anger, just like you were too young as well… and responded with reluctance."

Looking back, Aiolos thought the same thing. If the True Pope would've waited perhaps five years later, the two of them may have reacted a bit more different and a lot more accepting of each other's fates. He still felt hesitation with the idea of him being safe in the back of the Twelve Houses instead of being in the front with his brother and all his fellow Saints during the Holy War. However, the Pope did things that were just as important but were still necessary, a perception that he's learned from being by Athena's side who's never wielded a weapon yet her words have helped guide him through this journey. Without her gentle and subtle guidance, he would be lost. "So, now that we are twenty and the Pope was here and repeated the same meeting, would you react the way you did?"

It was an interesting hypothetical situation, one that he never took time to think of since it was such a difficult time. Saga drummed his fingers. He knew what he was going to say and Aiolos probably knew as well. However, he was a bit more curious at what the Sagittarius would react. "You go first. How would you react? Would you hesitate?"

Aiolos didn't think the question would be turned on him but will do his best. "Well, last time I said yes, but I wasn't entirely honest." The one thing that held him back was the idea that he couldn't be on the front lines of the Holy War. He would be sheltered and protected and considering his willingness to enter this place without a Cloth or the ability to walk, it was not his style. "I think the next time, I would ask him if there could be an exception, but if not, I would ask if it was possible to do what he did and simply wait until after Holy War like what happened to him." He shook his head. "I can't imagine putting my brother in danger while I am safely tucked in the back."

It was good to hear and not surprising. Aiolos was always so concerned with the cub that he always wondered what would happen if Aiolia died? He watched the archer give him the silent nod to acknowledge it was his turn. "I suppose I would be a little upset…"

"-a little?"

The Gemini took a deep breath. "A lot, but," he raised a finger. "If I wasn't cursed, I would accept it and wouldn't have killed him." He shrugged. Even now, it was still hard for him to be open with his deeper feelings, especially when it was clear that he's moved on. "There are some things more important than the position of the Grand Pope. pb7 to b6." He spoke as he too began to build up his defense as well.

Aiolos paused. It was difficult to read the Gemini at that moment. He was better than most, but even there were times where he can't figure if Saga was lying or not. Their chat has grown a bit casual and may benefit if he pushed Saga a bit. "I find that hard to believe. Saga, you've been dreaming of it the moment you were declared it." He shrugged. "You've always been one to seize an opportunity. What makes it different now?"

It was true. He always felt his ambitions had got him quite far in Sanctuary. If his friend desired some harder evidence of his conviction, he shall have it. His gloved hand created a small AD portal and reached inside and pulled out a stuffed toy grey owl. He frowned before he gently set it down and tried again.

It was so quick. Aiolos flinched when the Gemini tossed what he thought was a pair of balls of cosmos until he felt the weight slap his chest and land on his lap. Aiolos picked them both up, his breath stilled. It was the two tablets needed to declare someone the Grand Pope. They were old Lemurian artifacts that when combined give the user a pair of glyphs on their hands that gave them access to places that themselves and Athena could access. It also granted complete authority to the Army of Athena since the glyphs can only exist on one living person at a time. The metal that was used for it was so rare that the name has long been forgotten in the Lemurian culture. The tablets were as sacred as the Imperial Seal of China. For safety, one was held by the Grand Pope the other with the one he trusted, the Old Master. When the Grand Pope declared him the successor, he received one, and Saga obviously knew where he kept that one. But what about the other?

He placed them next to each other to see the words, DRAKON KHOLKIKOS by each other, or the Colchian Dragon. The beast was the symbol of the Pope. In Greek Mythology, it was a creature that was said to never sleep, rest, or lower its vigilance. The wings always raised, the way its horned head stares down at whoever the Pope turns to perfectly depicted this.

He tilted them, the shine revealing that neither one was fake. "How did you get the other? The Old Master said he had it?"

He could say something, but he knew his friend. "Think." Was all he curtly replied.

The Sagittarius was growing tired of these games."Well, obviously you couldn't have just went over to the Five Peaks and taken it."It may have been Saga's favorite move and possibly one of the most useful when using a weaker version of it. However, it still drained a lot of cosmos and expelled a lot making it easily detectable. Plus, how could he use it if he didn't know where the Old Master kept the tablet? Saga still required a target.

"Another Dimension is good, but it isn't that good," the Gemini agreed.

Aiolos' blue eyes turned to the Gemini as he sat somewhat relaxed and studious. His assumption was that Saga was studying him, similar to when the Pope was asking them hypothetical situations. He returned back to the question at hand. The tablet was far too sacred. The Old Master would keep it somewhere safe. However, judging by his mannerism, while the Old Master was an enlightened man, that doesn't mean he was perfect. When he visited, he noticed small piles of money laying around. Who would be foolish to take it? Anyone who came anywhere near the five peaks could be detected easily.

"The only way anyone could go there and take it…" he paused. "...if the Old Master would allow them to come there. If he trusted them." A sick sensation filled him. He didn't want to admit it, but there was only one group who did move back and forth between the Five Peaks and Greece. "The Hidden Daggers."

Saga chuckled and clapped. "Ever since we were children, others dismissed you since your tanned skin and worn features made you look like you were destined to be another foot soldier," he shook his head. "But I knew you were a lot smarter than people give you credit for." He complimented. "True they provided aid wherever they went, but they also smuggled...a lot, clearly without the Old Master knowing. They probably did both so the Old Tiger could be pleased while filling their own pockets with blood money. Altruism can only go so far. When Deathmask found them, there were several rare artifacts and precious writings from the Second Holy War from our predecessors with some written moments before their death in their own blood. There were pieces of Bronze Cloths that need to be reunited with the rest."

Aiolos drew his hand slowly toward his mouth, to ease his shock. Artifacts and writings were indeed treasured, but to sell old pieces of Cloths was a huge hit to the army of Athena. If a Cloth wasn't given out, missing even a single plate meant it couldn't be passed on. It was the reason that so much work was put into the glyphs within the Gold Cloths to ensure there were ways of reuniting the Cloth if the user was dead. If they were with the Old Master, they should know this fact. But still, "they may be priceless, and though the penalty of such a crime is either a long sentence or death that doesn't mean their faces should be sliced off and plastered on a wall."

Saga narrowed his eyes, his dark gaze piercing through his. When one becomes Pope, they find there are far more inscrutable crime going on, then what they were led to believe. "They...didn't just smuggle mere objects." He could see a sick look appear over his archer friend.

His eyes a bit glassy before he turned up. "Women?" Saga shook his head no, and Aiolos felt a bit more nauseous than when Saga proposed their little game. "Goddess…" he muttered. Saga wouldn't lie about something like this. It was a very serious issue and a major problem in the ranks of Sanctuary. So many trainees, so many rough foot soldiers, or visiting tourists and with the death rate so high, a child dying or disappearing does not raise eyebrows unless it happened to be a gold level trainee.

Saga folded his hands."Deathmask maybe crude and rough on the edges, but unlike the two of us who were fortunate to have a house and family for a while, he was practically raised in an orphanage and the streets all his life. He won't openly admit it, nervous that it will make him appear soft, but he will do anything for orphans and their caretakers. He will even ask me if any places are struggling and will secretly donate his winnings from gambling to them. When we found the cargo and their intended destination, he wanted not just the bodies of the Hidden Daggers to suffer but their souls as well. He was sick of those types of people being allowed to live or even let go because they were good at hiding the evidence and bodies. So I arranged for Deathmask to be the executor as he desired," he spoke as he took his finger and scratched around his own face before he formed a set of claws and imitated the sensation of ripping it off, "and he did and now kidnapping is down across the board."

But Aiolos shook his head. "You shouldn't have allowed him to do it that way."

What an odd comment. "I have no tolerance for child trafficking. They got what they deserve!" he directed his pen like a sword as the bottom of his fist slammed the wooden arm of the chair.

But that wasn't what he meant. He had no tolerance for such a crime either and was a bit dizzy at the idea that one of them he befriended may be involved. "I'm not questioning your decision to have them executed. I would've done the same if they were convicted. I just question the manner it was done. Yes, you were sending a message to prevent others from committing such disgusting acts! But, the other half of an execution is the executioner himself, and Deathmask was only ten years old when you ordered him to kill them." He could tell by the way the faces were cut off, that the first was done by nervous hands and the last one was sliced by well-practiced.

The archer recognized the look plastered on Saga's face at the realization of what he did, even if the Gemini did his best to hide it. Perhaps his heart was in the right place and perhaps he was too disgusted and angry to think straight. It was a normal feeling that had nothing to do with curses. Anger and justice should never be combined, no matter how tempting it was.

He continued, "Perhaps he wanted to do it, but that doesn't mean he should be allowed to. Deathmask may have always been somewhat intrigued by it, doesn't mean he should. Rather than discourage and talk to him about it, by allowing him to do it, it makes things worse. Right now, he says he displays faces in the name of justice and fallen orphans. What if he sees it as more than that? What if his pride shifts from killing for the sake of what is honorable to killing for building up a collection?"

The Gemini nodded. "Your words are indeed true," he admitted. He missed the Sagittarius' insight and while he detested people challenging his opinion, Aiolos doesn't merely speak to prove himself right, but rather to help perform the right thing. He's done it so many times that he quite welcomed Aiolos' perspective. Had he heard his words back then, he would've paused when he gave Deathmask permission. While the faces of child traffickers had deterred further crime, he could tell it had changed Deathmask's own persona. At the same time, he could feel that somehow the dagger embraced the corruption of the House of Cancer. Others felt sick and blind, while somehow his soul would feel a warm tickle.

He stood up. "I wish we could speak more on the matter, but other things must be discussed. How about whoever comes out of here, let's make a promise to handle it, shall we?" He spoke as he walked over and offered a hand.

"Agreed," Aiolos spoke as he shook it. Similar to how they could beat each other into unconsciousness and laugh and heal the next, the same goes for a good debate. They show the other perspective and if they do find something that was mutual, they will work together for it.

Saga was about to pull away when he paused. "You said that one of them was the uncle to the granddaughter of the Old Master?" He watched his friend nod. "After this, I would go there and question him and thoroughly ensure that she would be safe around him."

That was not a conversation he was not looking forward to. The Old Master saw his group of Hidden Daggers as a means to extend his goodwill in a world that he was forced to be isolated from, for him to relive the days he wandered and fulfill the goodwill of the Goddess. The problem was that people like the Old Master were rare and to gather a large group and expecting them to be like him may have been unrealistic. To hear that they weren't heroes who nobly gave their lives to try and stop Saga but were stealing from the man who offered them purpose and committing unspeakable crimes will break his heart. Goddess, he hoped that Kento didn't do the same, but the first chance he gets, he must be sure that he wasn't involved. If he was, he will not look at all the times Kento interacted with his Japanese trainees the same again.

Speaking of questioning, he turned toward the Gemini. "Isn't that what I am doing right now with you?"

Saga quietly returned back to his chair. Without so much of a glance, he effortlessly grabbed the sheet he was working on. "Asterion," he muttered as he finished effortlessly scratched the name and a date on it before rolling it up and tossing it. The moment it struck the silvery surface, it vanished in a gentle sparkle of gold cosmos. "The last thing I need for my reign to be successful is a fucking mind reader." He took his fake ouzo and took a swig before pointing downwards. "I'll have Milo kill him first."

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

House of Scorpio

The gold Saint leaned in the chair when a simple piece of paper appeared on top of the platter. He sighed before he walked up and unrolled it. "Asterion of the Hound," he muttered before he approached his own Cloth box and opened it.

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

It was so surreal. Saga did kill the Pope, but he was under a curse. Saga did order the deaths of the Hidden Daggers, but it was due to their crimes. Asterion was loyal to Sanctuary and an overall good-natured Saint. No reason to end his life and yet Saga chose to send Milo after him first without the influence of the curse. He wanted to ask why once more, but it was clear by the smirk of the Gemini that it was intended to send a message to him that he was not playing around and neither was he. "Qd1 to h5, "he spat.

Saga raised a brow. Aiolos hadn't really set up his defenses yet and he still unleashed a very ambitious move. "Your queen? This early?"

He certainly was. Saga's pawn was blocking him from Saga's king. Some regard it as overly aggressive and a rookie mistake to send such a powerful piece without defense or any support, but he had his reasons. There was a more important game to win. "Make a move, friend."

"Ask a question, friend," he retorted back.

Before he could leave the Hidden Daggers topic behind, there were a couple of things he needed to know. "Did you ask them to steal the tablet?"

"Of course not!" Saga snapped before he bit his lip to combat his temper. His way out of this world was right there and he dared not destroy it. "One of them was careless and displayed a piece of Lemurian pottery at one of the windows. For a human, it would be nothing more than a blue vase used to hold flowers. On that day, a visiting Lemurian was coming to council Mu and spotted it, recognizing it as a valuable storage container used to hold unstable stardust. We took the tip very seriously. When Deathmask opened the boxes that they kept the treasures, they had it squished in between some old, but useless, Andromeda Island water jars. They had no idea the true value."

Aiolos picked both tablets up. Judging from what the Old Master said, he's probably had both for about four or five years now. "You haven't used them. Why?"

Saga raised his hands. "I wasn't chosen, but that doesn't mean my heart doesn't desire them. The dagger knows," he paused as his body began to glow with his white cosmos.

Aiolos turned his head as he felt where it was coming from to see a figure dressed in the Pope's white robes, helmet and prayer necklace. "Who is that?"

Saga tilted his head mockingly like Aiolos was the stupidest person in the world. "Why, it is the Pope's little brother, Ares."

The Sagittarius shook his head in disbelief. "He never had a brother."That was when he watched the hand reach over and pull off the mask. There behind it was Eternity, the pet name Saga gave to his first illusion who morphed from being a mere blob to a figure that resembled Saga's shadows with the illustrious depths of the galaxy.

The Gemini chuckled nervously. "Oh don't be ridiculous." He mocked. "You would be surprised at how difficult it is for me to pretend to be an old man. Not just in mannerisms, but the fact that our techniques are very different. My heart understood this and so, during times where I had no control, the dagger perhaps caused me to whisper the sweet little rumor that a younger, more vivacious successor existed. Curiously, I gave him the same birthday and made him a former Gold so his name was-"

Aiolos' mouth dropped. "Aries...Ares?"

"Exactly!"

The archer shook his head in disbelief. It was so stupid. "...and people believe that?"

"They did or at least pretended to. Mu wouldn't, but he was either far away or in his rock to know. But those who desire power will believe it if it meant a means of grasping it. Shion had a fairly wide social circle which was understandable due to his age. When I came, I shrank it down to which I could count those in it on one hand outside of Gold Saints. Desperate to return to the circle, they would've believed, or at least accept anything. So, during times in which I would have no control, I would apparently walk the streets and repeat over and over to the people about my beloved brother Aries Ares… But apparently," he doubly emphasized. "I would tell them that he was merely on some pilgrimage all this time and have Eternity follow me." He turned toward the floor. "pd7 to d6." He spoke, moving a pawn to protect the other. Any pawn the archer wishes to take at this point will lead to the death of his queen and will grant him a huge advantage, although playing without a board was really difficult. He reached over for another piece of paper. "Cetus Moses, you are next."

He didn't care about the promise earlier. Saga couldn't be this nonchilant when he couldn't even kill a forest rodent years earlier. "Are you really writing names down?" he gasped only for Saga to hold the paper up to show it was indeed the Silver's name before he wrote the date, rolled it up, and tossed it on the plate to head towards Milo.

Saga smiled smugly. "Oh relax. Believe it or not, you actually do have time to prevent their deaths. Milo still has to travel down eight houses plus he likes to take a bath and appear presentable and handsome for whoever gets the fifteen love taps of the Scorpio. Not only that but just for this, the paper I've been using is actually a special invention crafted by the Lemurians. They call it," he paused and cutely looked up for a moment before returning his gaze back at him, "heart paper. Whoever drips a tiny bit of blood on it is bound by it. So if their heart stops, the paper dissolves." He clasped his hands in delight. "Since Milo must check the paper upon arrival, if there is no order, there is no assassination."

His eyes rolled. "You made that up. There's no such thing as heart paper." He was certain Saga was doing something, but he was probably saying it to get him to kill him faster.

"I suppose I should prove I am quite serious about this." He grabbed another sheet. "There, no more Babel. That's one less Centaur who will call me a liar," he spoke as he wrote and then tossed the rolled sheet onto the plate. "Look, I know they are all Silver Saints, but you really should take this more seriously. Pd7 to b6," the Gemini ticked at him while furthering his defensive wall.

He took a deep breath. Saga was accelerating his pace and wanted him to do the same. "Ph2 to h4." he'll stick a pawn behind his unprotected queen while tempting the Gemini.

"ph7 to h6," he replied delightfully as he placed a single pawn in front of Aiolos' queen.

Aiolos couldn't help but smirk as Saga raised a brow. Saga's pawn couldn't do anything against his queen nor was it a valuable move, but putting the game's weakest piece in front of the strongest was just basically the equivalent of a cock-tease. Ugh, they were such nerds for this game. But at least Saga was engrossed.

Aiolos gasped as he heard the door open. "Oh no. Please not now…" he thought until he turned and to his relief was a small child in the long virgin white dress. For a moment, he was fooled, but then he gazed at her violet hair that was a couple of shades lighter than Athena's. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but either the strange way the light bounced off the sides, or perhaps her hair was a bit too perfect and lacked the bits of flyaways that many children would have at this age, but he was sure that she was wearing a wig as well.

Saga slowly turned toward the child. Perhaps it was a more conversational tone creating a false sense of security. Judging by the small cup in her hand, it was clear that her thirst was more important than her safety. He quietly gestured toward the pitcher and back at the inner chambers, before he teleported the stuffed owl above her to allow the child to catch it. "Make sure to put your toys back," he gently whispered to her. Using Another Dimension required the object to remain in the spot that he remembered. It was the main reason he made sure to keep his objects orderly and in place so that he could bring them back to himself when he needed to and not teleport things like a doll or some random goat from the mountains.

He could tell she understood the hint as she clumsy hurried over to fill her glass, splashing water on the fine silk carpet before she rushed back to the door, with a hand trying to hold the wig back in place.

Aiolos couldn't help but chuckle at the sweet bit of innocence. She lacked his Goddess's grace, but that didn't matter. As Lizard Misty described it, she was just an ordinary child and still found the moment charming.

While it didn't seem important, he still wondered why she, of all the little orphan girls in the world, was picked? It wouldn't be hard for Saga to go out and find an orphan girl in Sanctuary or any other place. He still remembered one time when Athena brought home a friend whom he swore that if she put on a wig, she could pass off as her.

This child clearly wasn't chosen for her cosmos. He can sense nothing out of the ordinary. Her skin had a natural tan, much like the one he had, but Athena's was supposed to be extremely light as her dress. Her eyes were blue, but thanks to his more enhanced vision, he could make out the slight outline on her iris of light pink indicating contact lenses. Actually, the more he gazed upon her, the more he thinks she looked about eight years old. "She's cute, but where did you find her?"

Saga nodded, he too not expecting her to come out. "She is. I discovered her in an orphanage in Chile."

He was shocked. Despite having Another Dimension, surprisingly, Saga, unlike his twin, didn't like to travel around, despite having the most freedom to do so. He did have a few key places that he enjoyed going to, but he didn't strike him as one to leave outside of Europe. "What were you doing in Chile?"

"I was searching for Kanon and received a tip that he was there. I was confused too, even more than when your brother said you were in Japan. At least it seemed plausible with how many tourists from the Kido Foundation visiting here. But the way the two foot soldiers described him was too perfect. Anyways, long story short, Kanon wasn't at the orphanage that he was spotted at, but I found her."

"But she didn't have any of Athena's features?" Perhaps only a few people saw Athena as a baby, but certain features like skin as light as her purity, hair as royal as lavender, and eyes as blue as the sky are well known. "She looks very sweet, but you could've easily picked any other that would've made a better fit."

Saga nodded. He was understanding the hint that perhaps the Sagittarius was indirectly stating she was some sort of love child or relative of his. While he can understand that sentiment especially with a few of the wild nights in the Pope Chambers, he picked her for a reason that was more personal to his heart. "I went there, talking about twins. We tried a combination of Spanish and English and somehow the woman in charge thought I was looking for some. She brought out five children. I asked if one was a set of triplets. She said no. Instead, as a pair of babies, the girl had asthma and her sister was perfect and healthy. The family didn't want to deal with a sick child, so she was left behind with her brother who was also not chosen for being too old."

Aiolos lip turned in disapproval. Family should never be split up when possible. The way Saga described it, sounded like whoever this family was, treated such a delicate matter like a shopping experience. "Continue."

And the Gemini did. "But the other day, he was picked supposedly by the one that may be Kanon. Don't know why he would do it though. She was crying about how alone she felt." She was betrayed by everyone. He knew how it felt and he refused to join those ranks. "I just couldn't leave her behind like everyone else so I filled out the paperwork." He shrugged at how strange it sounded. What would be even weirder, but not unheard of was if it turned out to be one of those events that the twins would mirror each other. What if it really turned out to be Kanon who adopted first? Then again, what would his brother need with a pink-haired Chilean pre-teen is his best guess since Kanon barely tended to Neptune's litter box when he was around. "I guess you could consider me her father since the papers say so."

Aiolos watched Saga shrug as if it was nothing, yet his eyes carefully glanced at where she came from as if what he told him was a secret he kept from her. While Saga didn't show it there, it was obvious that he did care about her, and she was clearly not afraid of him. But there was the aftermath of this and clearly, Saga was a bit nervous about her fate and seemed to be distancing himself for her sake. But there was no need for that. "I'll make sure she stays safe."

Saga laughed a little. "You speak as if I would think you would do otherwise."

He nodded at the compliment. "No, I wouldn't, of course, there was a time where I once believed you would do the same thing with your reluctance to kill the innocent and your honor. I have no doubt that the child that's there now was well taken care of, but there wouldn't be any need if you didn't try to kill Athena. Why did you do it?" He expected the Gemini to need a bit of time, since it was a difficult question to ask, let alone answer. But to his surprise, the response was almost instantaneous.

"I don't know," Saga muttered, equally troubled by the moment. He was about ready to grab another piece of paper, but he was so unfocused that he turned away from the small pile. "I blacked out for the most part."

"Then describe that." Aiolos gave a soft smile. "I was in a coma for two years and despite that, somehow I was still aware of something. Anything helps."

"Alright," Saga lowered his head and took a deep breath. "Blurry. Then I saw you there in Athena's chambers with my mask on the floor as if the moment was so shocking I simply snapped out. But then my mind grew blurry, the world spun, I was sad and then you were gone. I wish I could tell you more."

But Aiolos disagreed. "Honestly, the fact that you can't say much actually explains a lot."

"Is that so?" Saga was quite curious. "Do tell," he leaned back.

So he did. "You may not be able to recall hardly anything, but I remember everything. Before I saw your face, the way you held the dagger just didn't seem right." So he pulled out a golden arrow and raised it up gesturing the way he saw it. "A simple assassin would want something done quickly and discreetly. A simple slit to the neck or just pushing the blade through the chest was all that was needed. Instead, you're holding the dagger as high as you could with a really awkward stabbing motion. When I caught the blade the first time, if it really was you doing it, you would know to finish me off or do something to incapacitate me. Instead, you just shoved me to the side and went back on performing the same motion again." He shrugged. "Before the mask fell, I honestly thought I was fighting some sort of mindless golem."

Saga turned his glance downwards. "In a few years, that's all I will be." It was a frightening prospect, one that the voices that keep whispering in his head constantly reminding and seemingly mocking his seemingly futile quest to end the curse. He limply pointed downwards. "You haven't made a move in a while."

Aiolos nodded. He closed his eyes and recalled the move list to see where the pieces would be at. Why did he say they play with a board? He taught Aiolia the game when they were kids with rocks with the first letter of what they were called scratched on top. They could've done the same with scraps of paper. "Alright, Qh5 to g5. Queen for a queen?" he asked as he moved his powerful piece to the side a little, where he moved it in the path of Saga's own black queen. But he still had his pawn in its place.

Saga had a choice for both to have their queens or they both lose them. He's not sure why he's so invested in a game he cannot see. He supposed the archer was tickling his more competitive side and despite his desire to end it all, deep down he still had an itch to beat him somehow no matter how petty it was. Rather than surrender his most powerful piece, he was certain he could capture it with it as exposed as it was and slide the game in his favor. "No thanks. Ng8...to f6." He had to concentrate harder since moving a knight was a lot trickier without a board.

Then again he's been forced to concentrate far harder for everything since the dagger. He already knew that a third of his day is spent in a blur where the dagger seemingly has free reign. If only he could get Aiolos to understand how sick and tired he was of going about his business in the day, closing his eyes for a brief moment, only to find a dead body at night.

Saga looked at the floor picturing where the pieces were at. While they both enjoyed the game, he knew Shion had them play to teach them different aspects of life. One reason that he knew the Grand Pope had Aiolos play but never told the archer was that you simply can't save everyone if you want to win. So here they were. Despite him writing some names and clearly sending them to Milo, Aiolos won't give up. Strangely, he wants to die, and he knows how to push the archer's buttons, yet just like earlier when he had the opportunity to give up his queen to kill Aiolos', he just couldn't.

Perhaps he wasn't pushing Aiolos as hard as he thought. Perhaps deep down he didn't want to die?

Or maybe he was afraid of what will come in the afterlife that when his heart stops beating, instead of experiencing an afterlife, he will be surrounded by more of the blurry world of darkness, the same darkness that he felt his death will allow him to escape.

Saga gritted his teeth and threw his hands on his face. He can't be afraid of death. Even if whatever happens afterward was dark and dreary, he knew his body and abilities were just too dangerous. Death would be the best for everyone and while he did blame the dagger, he knew that it needed a source to twist, and it was time Aiolos heard it. "Even though I may not know exactly what happened that night, but I may know why." He teased, his words were like honey for a hummingbird. He could see the piqued interest in his friend, the moment his thumb stopped stroking the grip at his bow. "The dagger twists one's thoughts and desires, and frankly, I wish for us to fight the next Holy War differently… one where she is less involved," he waved his hand as if shooing off a fly.

The archer's face soured. The way Saga's words seemingly danced around the intention of the message, its meaning couldn't be more clear. Was Saga truly proposing they fight Holy War without Athena? "You can't do that. Fighting without her is like trying to win the Holy War without the Pegasus Saint."

"She wouldn't be completely out of the Holy War, she would merely play a more reduced role," the Gemini clarified. "Besides, how do you know we need the Pegasus Saint? Like Carl Jung, Sanctuary's favorite psychiatrist would put it, mere synchronicity. The Pegasus Saint happened to be near her during the final battles. I could easily state several Saints who could fit the mold. In fact, I can do it right now.

We can't win the Holy War without the Virgo Saint and his beads to seal the Specters….

We can't win the Holy War without the Aries Saint guarding the front door….

We can't win the war against Poseidon without the twelve weapons of Libra...

We can't win without you using your bow to help break the Wailing Wall…"

Aiolos raised a hand to halt the Gemini before he turned the debate into a serial novel. "Fine, but please tell me, why in the world would you suggest that we fight without Athena when we barely won the last two with her on our side?"

Saga frowned. Was he seriously telling him this when the two had hammered the history of the Holy Wars in their brains. "Yes, because we wouldn't have won those wars if she didn't get kidnapped all those times and/or carried around like a ball in rugby."

"It's not just that!" Aiolos could feel his temper raise before he eased it. Judging by the sudden rise in sarcasm, that was the intention.

Saga smirked. Anger makes one less hesitant and that is what he wanted. "Is it her wisdom? Like the first Holy War, where she was reborn as a human and promised to save us. So Poseidon ravages the Earth, sinks a continent, killing countless Lemurians. His Mariners would hang the Lemurian men and women from hooks like fish at a market while the Lemurian babies were piled high like harvested potatoes. What does her wisdom dictate for such crimes against humanity? She seals him in a jar that she knew was temporary." He sees Aiolos ready to argue, but he wasn't done. No, allowing him to speak would alleviate his temperament. Aiolos wasn't as quick to temper as the Leo, but he knew if he kept going, he could trigger him. He flashed two fingers. "Second Holy War, Hades rips our predecessors from their graves and forces them to fight against us. His army would march through many of our villages and silences lives like a scythe to the wheat. What does her wisdom tell her to do next? She seals him up in a tablet knowing it will not last forever. So centuries later after the first promise to save the humans, here we are getting ready for another Holy War. Her wisdom that she uses to save us has led to nothing more than an endless spiral, and frankly, I think she should save her wisdom for the peaceful times and allow us to handle the aspects of war."

Aiolos took a deep breath. "So what's your solution?" he spat.

Saga raised an eyebrow. Perhaps this was this thought that the dagger used to twist? A deep desire after reading book after book of the dreadful repetition of Holy War that he knew that if nothing was done, everyone was going to die for.

"Maybe it's time we seek a different way. She may be reborn as a human, but she's still a Goddess and intends to play the game of the Holy War like a God.

All, she clearly wants to do is seal Hades and Poseidon in jars and repeat the Wars.

I say we fucking kill those two, and end the cycle ourselves."

Aiolos was silent. Perhaps Saga wasn't openly saying it, it was clear that in terms of the trust, he had lost faith in his Goddess's ability to win the Holy War. But what could've caused it? He was certain he wasn't thinking this way before the event. "I don't know. Perhaps the future Holy War is needed to fulfill her promise of ending the Holy Wars themselves? Perhaps the fights we have are very costly in regards to our fellow Saints, but to the Gods, they are mere battles and may take more than one to honor her promise."

Saga folded his arms. "Don't you see? Your brother will die if you follow her plan just as nearly every other Gold Saint that had done so in the past! I want our friends and brothers to live!"

"I know." Aiolos sighed heavily too. "I want that too!" He shouted as he struck his own chest before pointing straight at the Gemini."So does she! She wants all of us to live. You act as if treats us mindless and pawns, but she is different from Hades and Poseidon. She cares and she is willing to fight and die to ensure us mortals maintain our freedom of choice. The fact that we can argue like this is proof of that freedom that Mariners and Specters don't have."

But Saga shook his head. "You act as we have a choice. I used to think the same way, that perhaps the Gold Saints bicker and argue against each other is in some ways a blessing like it was the proof of freedom that Athena fights for. But any type of freedom is false. The Old Man showed me otherwise."

At that moment, he saw a clear painful look on Saga's face followed by him giving clear glances at him before returning back to the floor. He knew that the Gemini was ready to open up, especially if he was bringing up the Pope. So he takes the bait and moves toward the direction that Saga wanted. "You know, you still haven't told me about that night."He gauged the Gemini who barely moved. He knew what was coming, but seemed patient. "So what happened? If the curse was as bad as you said it was, why didn't you kill him right there in the throne room?"

Right then and there, Saga inadvertently gave a head nod, showing he was listening, but agreed. Based on his experience, he knew they were all signs that he was reaching him. It was good, but it also made him nervous. Last time he did this, he found out about the history of his birth father and needless to say, he never criticized him for disrespecting Dimitris again. He took a deep breath. "I knew you waited at least a day after the meeting since I saw and spoke to him about your sudden disappearance. He made you angry, but it had more than me being chosen, didn't it?"

There was a flush of red on Saga's face, before Saga's mouth cracked, revealing the white edge of his teeth.

"He said...I-had-evil-in-me and couldn't."

Aiolos shook his head. He thought after what he said about Athena he was ready to open up more, but apparently, Saga was still holding back. If Saga knew how to push him, he knew how to push back. "But you already admitted you were cursed! What does it matter if he said it in your face? You were relieved to tell me. So what made it different if he already knew it?" His teeth clenched as he could tell by Saga's thin lip that there was more than a simple accusation. He wanted to just beg him for the truth, but he keeps it in. He must be patient. He could tell by the way Saga's eyes turned to different spots in the room that there was definitely a battle being fought from within. Perhaps he was reasoning with his mind that telling him was for self-preservation or perhaps it was more elaborate. He could tell it was quite intense, but still invisible.

Then there was a flash of anger, but this anger was a bit more different, more genuine. There were no red eyes, in fact, they were as blue as the sea as they always had. This was not the curse, this was him. "He knew. He always... knew," he whispers before a heavy laugh reverberated in the Main Chamber for the audience of one before he calmed down. "He read our stars, Aiolos. He knew about us before we were born. He knew our paths… our destinies...his fatal...destiny ...even Athena's. He knew he would be killed… he told me...and he said he forgave me with his last dying breath."

It was a long time, but the archer did recall some moments when he and his brother first came there. He was still Lucas and his brother Theo, yet the Pope had moments where he did come close or did refer to him as Aiolos. Ironically, he did it enough times that he felt it was fitting and chose it for the two of them. But once again, why is Saga so angry? They've always known the Pope, due to his Lemurian heritage, combined with Star Hill, was always able to see far farther than a human Pope would. So he knew their names and he kept track of the two of them.

What did it matter so much?

But then it hit Aiolos, hard. The idea of the Pope being able to read the stars was also allow a means to prevent events including the one that would've prevented all this trouble in the first place. It wasn't him saving Athena. It wasn't preventing Saga from killing the Pope. It was something so simple and it happened eleven years ago.

"Did he knew about the curse...before it happened?"

Saga didn't hold back. "He did. He KNEW!" he screamed. "It wasn't a mere coincidence. Apparently, nearly every pair of Gemini was afflicted with it!" It was too much. Saga ignored the rules of their game and stood up. "He knew I would be cursed! He knew I was already dealing with so much shit! He knew it would ruin my fucking life! He knew I would be tortured day and night by the voices caused by the dagger. He knew it would end the lives of so many people! I was only nine years old and all he had to do was come to the House of Gemini on that day and tell me and my brother DON'T OPEN THE FUCKING BOX...

...and he did nothing!"

The Gemini took the top of his chair and flung it, causing it to spin before he threw his gloved hands on his face. "He did...fucking nothing…" he shook his head as if he was just dumbfounded by it like the first time he found out. He raised a finger and pulsed it as if trying to force himself to say it but was too emotional to do so. "He's not the only one… other Popes before him did the same."

A long silence followed one that the archer couldn't break. It was clear that this was the betrayal that perhaps caused him to lose faith in his Goddess. When they first began entering Star Hill as children to acclimate to the famous tower of concentrated stardust, the Pope had discussed endlessly how the role of reading the stars will be both a blessing and a curse. They will see the deaths of their loved ones and read the stars further to find that there was either no way to prevent it or may cause consequences that could lead to a worse path.

But what could be worse than what they were facing now? Athena was nearly killed, Saga was a mess, hell half of the Golds were practically a mess at this point. His brother basically became a pariah, he couldn't walk. That was all that had happened so far. There was still the nightmare of trying to straighten it all among the golds themselves as well as the people of Sanctuary. Did the Pope really allow it to happen like this?

If he did, why?

Now he wished there was a way to find out, but there was a problem and that was the one who could answer it was dead.

Saga, having calmed down during the bout of long silence, knelt down and repositioned his chair back in its original spot. The blank expression of his friend was not lost since he too would see it anytime he looked in the mirror and recount the day the dagger plunged into the chest of the Pope, but not before his words dug straight into his own. In all honesty, throwing a piece of furniture was perhaps one of the most muted expressions of how he felt about it. At least no one died this time around.

He continued. "Apparently… the only way to end the curse for the generation is to kill the one afflicted by it. Of course, we all know the saying, when one dies, the whole Zodiac collapses within a few years' time." He looked up and tapped the side of his face "But… there are always two Gemini… one pair…" he spoke before he used his cosmos and seemingly pulled a copy of his face as if it were a mask and stared at it. "Yet one Cloth. Hmmph," his face twisted into a wry smirk as he flicked his fingers and made the face vanish into a cloud of white cosmos.

With a flash of lightspeed, he carelessly snatched the empty bottle of ouzo, smashed the end before attempting to slash his own throat, only for his cosmos to clearly disintegrate the sharp glass into the original sand that formed it leaving the smooth neck still in Saga's grasp. The concept of self-preservation of the dagger had beaten the Gemini once more. He rolled his eyes before he dropped the failed suicide device. Before he threw his hand on his face. Goddess, he was sick of it all. How ironic. The one person who's been depressed and more gung ho about ending it all can't even do it. "I need a fucking drink," he muttered.

Honestly, after hearing that, the Sagittarius needed more too. But he resisted and gave him a soft gaze. "Saga, you did what I could never do. Don't start back up again," he spoke gently.

The Gemini waved his hand. "What does it matter, I just told you how the curse is beaten. Now be a good friend and do what every other Pope has done and fucking help me."

But Aiolos shook his head. "If the curse is what you say it is, we can't allow it to continue to wreak havoc. I'm not going to kill you without at least trying to stop it."

He shrugged. Maybe deep down he didn't want to die, but it didn't matter. "You know it's what they want," he hissed.

"But it's not what I want."He wasn't going to be fooled. "I don't think it's what you really want either."

Saga closed his eyes and allowed his head to hang. "You need to listen to the people," he calmly urged.

"I do," he agreed, looking down, and for the first time, he found it easy to say what he was about to say next. "But in the end, they will listen to me and if I choose to avoid the temporary route and end this curse once in for all, they will follow me as well." He turned toward a small chuckle and despite all the rage and anguish, in less than a second Saga was sitting there with a pleasant grin. "What is it?"

Saga paused and smiled and chuckled. As angry as he was when he found out that he was going to be the assistant if there had to be someone else, he always felt that at least it was him. The only thing that he was concerned about was that Aiolos would give in too much. That he would be too soft. The Pope even shared the same concern, since it was a struggle he faced as well.

But if his friend could handle him, he should do just fine. Despite his outward appearance, he was terrified of facing the one who he nearly killed...twice, but now he was glad he did. A good friend truly was worth more to him than the title of Grand Pope and he was ready to die happy to have spoken to him one last time.

And so, Saga took a deep breath with a gentle smile on his face, taking a little time to admire the genuine smile the Sagittarius showed knowing that after he goes full Gemini, it may be the last time he sees it. "Nothing much, I was just thinking of all the...

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... that I'm going to fucking murder."

He snatched a piece of paper. "Goodbye, Lizard Misty. I can't stand the fact that there is someone with a bigger ego than me."

"Saga stop!" Aiolos shouted.

The Gemini turned his head. "I was thinking the same thing. No one gives much thought when a Silver dies. Hell, you didn't seem too bothered until I took out the leader. I could do the bronze Saints, but our Bronze Ranks are quite low to go after them. But there are plenty of new bronze trainees from Japan!"

Aiolos heart seemingly stopped at that moment. As he shook his head back and forth, urging him not to consider them.

But Saga smirked and used Another Dimension to teleport him a letter from Tatsumi since he couldn't remember the name off the top of his head. "How about that one with Marin?" He opened it up.

星矢

Saga rolled his eyes. "Oh well, let's get rid of the Ghost Saints. They were always, kind of...weird. Jellyfish can die first."

What the hell happened to him? His guess was that he was picking Saints who weren't stationed at a training ground right now, making it take longer for Milo to find them. He wanted to believe that this was all some trick, but he remembered being in the House of Scorpio and seeing how tall that pile of commands was. It was entirely possible that Saga was saying a name but was writing down someone that was destined to be executed but he couldn't take that chance.

"Next is Geist," he smiled and turned toward the piece of paper with extreme delight.

"Ah, my fellow magician,

I bid you adieu.

You cheated on me with Milo,

So he will be the one who kills you." His silky voice whispered the sweet poem before he kissed it and tossed it on the plate where it teleported.

"bf1 to b5, check!" He spoke as he moved his bishop in a clear cut path toward Saga's king.

"Dammit," the Gemini cursed to himself. He was so engrossed with castling he didn't think of that piece having an opening. This was harder than he thought. If he thinks he will move his King out of the way like a coward, he had another thing coming. "pc7 to c6. There, blocked! Now back to killing!" He returned to his paper and started to scribe another name.

"What the hell is wrong with you!" Aiolos shouted.

Saga nodded. "You're right." He could tell that even though the Sagittarius responded with anger, it wasn't quite as furious as he expected and may need to raise the stakes if he was going to get him mad enough to plug an arrow in his head."How about...Marin?" he spoke, practically singing her name. "Here, let me give you a choice? I can either write her name and let Milo rip her apart and drain her of every drop of blood… or I can have her join my so-called harem on Saturdays." He chuckled.

No fucking way he was answering that. "Bb5 to a4, I am not losing my bishop to a pawn," he spoke before he gave a second whistle. It was time to end it.

Saga turned from the paper. "Nf6 to e4."

"Ng1 to f3." He replied. A second later, He watched the Gemini's mouth cracked open with a slight gasp. "What is it?" He asked but Saga had a slight grin. Aiolos paused and began to recall the move list. "Shit!!"

The Gemini let out a chuckle. "Oh yes… you thought I was merely making room to castle my King and Rook. Oh no, I have bigger plans and you couldn't see the board to realize that-.

A large figure slammed right into the Gemini, smashing the old chair into pieces, with shreds of velvet and old horsehair stuffing flying all over the place, and knocking the Sagittarius Cloth Box to the ground, sending pieces scattering across the white tile.

Plastered on the ground, the Gemini quickly spun around and caught the blurry fists. He could feel his strength pushing him so hard that thanks to the silk robes, his body was literally sliding across the tiles until his back slammed against the wall, the force reverberating and causing a tall candle tree to tumble over, dumping splashes of melted scarlett wax that quickly hardened the moment they touched the cool stone.

The attack was so quick. How the hell did he get in?

He gnashed his teeth and turned his head to see who it was before a smile splashed his face. He could hear the heavy breaths of anger and testosterone. He could feel the tense grip on his fists that had he not enforced with extra cosmos, would shatter into dust. He would feel somewhat threatened if his face wasn't reflecting upon it.

Saga twisted a wrist and took a hand and cupped the porcelain cheek lovingly of the mask. "Ahh, so you finally show your true colors, cub!"

Aiolos' eyes were locked at his little brother, as he took his fist and punched the Gemini so hard that he had to cover his ears from the booming echo. But he was pleased that things worked out how he intended. Due to the ease of the tunnels and the fact that his group was larger and facing his fellow Saints, friendly or otherwise, Aiolia was going to reach the top first. He knew his brother either wouldn't allow Marin into the Pope's Chambers or the poison of the House of Pisces would force him to leave her behind. He imagined that Saga would keep track of where all the Golds were at, but wouldn't anticipate that he would utilize the Eagle.

The trickiest part would fall on the Leo. Knowing Aiolia, Saga would think that his little brother would come there smashing every little thing. It was just like the strategy he used to practice in the woods with him. The problem with that was Aiolia had the patience of a cornered sow with her piglets.

Aiolia was to quietly sneak in and hide in one of the guest rooms and wait for his whistle before making his strike. He told him that he'll let him beat up the Gemini, but he wanted his answers first. While he didn't originally plan it when Athena told him: One who chases after two hares won't catch even one. He felt challenging Saga to a game of chess while questioning him, would keep the Gemini distracted enough to avoid thinking someone else was there.

"WHERE'S KANON!" Aiolia shouted as he pounded his fists into Saga as he blocked with his arms before he grasped Leo's wrists.

"FINE! I'LL TELL YOU! HE'S UNDER YOUR BED!" he screamed back with biting sarcasm before he slipped Another Dimension behind himself, causing the Leo to slam his chin into the tile underneath where the Gemini was.

After studying the fight carefully, he could tell Saga wasn't taking the fight too seriously. In fact, he could see the Gemini dropping his guard a few times as if he understood that Aiolia really wanted to beat the living shit out of him. Using the opportunity of the distracted Gemini, he turned his head toward the fallen piece of paper that never got sent. He grabbed the right gauntlet of his Cloth and tossed it on top of the paper. Using the connection he had toward it, he closed his eyes and summoned the armor back to him, the metal fingers dragging the paper like a fish with a hook. He picked it up and all the fear he had drained and even a bit of laughter followed.

Saint Marin of Eagle

Kill Date: December 15, 3000

Aiolos shook his head in disbelief. He had a feeling that when the Gemini started writing names quickly, he either truly lost it or he was having fun. What he didn't expect was that Saga wasn't lying since technically he really did order their deaths as promised. "Well played, Khris," he laughed before he turned his head as his brother peeled the Amazon mask off his face.

The moment he could get away from the Gemini, like any good boyfriend, he passed the precious object to his brother to hold. "I heard him say Marin's name. What was he going to do?"

Aiolos bit his lip. Knowing his brother and that Saga was lying through his teeth earlier, he kept it gentle. "He said he wanted to kiss her on the cheek," he lied.

Aiolia's face flushed with so much anger and shock, he could've cried blood. "BASTARD! I'LL FUCKING TEAR HIM APART!" he roared before he returned back to the Gemini and summoned Lightning Plasma.

But Saga, having regained his footing, grinned wildly and raised a hand summoning Another Dimension above himself and opening the portals near Aiolia striking him back.

While it didn't hurt him at all, it did piss him off.

Aiolia gritted his teeth and summoned twice as many beams of light and still, the Gemini merely returned them back, striking the cub at various angles. Even though Lightning Plasma had no effect, it still pissed him off as the Gemini smirked back. His body burned with the flare of a miniature sun before he charged forward, with a fierce combo that the Gemini blocked before catching both fists. LIGHTNING PLASMA he shouts at him gripping Saga's hands.

On paper it was good, but Saga had far more experience. Two Another Dimension portals appeared in Saga's hands causing the Leo's own to teleport through them and striking his own back before the Gemini added more cosmos, widened the portals and redirected them over to the Sagittarius.

Aiolos jerked his head and crossed his arms to catch his brother's attack. He may not be immune to them as his little brother, but their cosmos was so alike that it did reduce the damage quite a bit. His eyes caught Aiolia's face turn in horror before the Leo charged forward at the Gemini and resumed using hand to hand combat. "Aiolia, don't hold back!" He knew exactly why Saga did it. It was so that his little brother would hesitate in fear he would redirect them at him.

Now Saga was really toying with Aiolia. He watched as his little brother would attempt to grab a table to throw at the Gemini only for his hands to pass through the illusion. Aiolos winced when Saga performed his favorite trick of going behind the pillar, casting an illusion of himself that ran away toward an illusion of a doorway. The illusion would run through and Aiolia would try to follow, only to slam right into the door, causing the Leo to follow up with an f-bomb before returning back to the pillar. Tricks like that were the main reason Aiolos avoided fighting Saga indoors since he had a lot more tools he could work with.

However, there was something odd about the whole fight. Saga wanted to die, yet while he was holding back, he wasn't simply allowing Aiolia to kill him either. Was that the dreaded self-preservation feature of the dagger itself?

That was when Aiolos began to notice the same changes from earlier. He watched as the longer the two traded blows, the more Saga was twitching and taking time to grab his head. Suddenly, his hair was shifting colors, his eyes were flashing red. But then he began to feel it. Saga's cosmos was rising to a level he didn't think was possible. But Saga wasn't burning harder, instead, it was unnatural like an artificial growth. The Sagittarius closed his eyes and read it, and gasped.

At that moment, Saga had twice the cosmos he would normally have, even when factoring the growth of five years.

He watched Saga's hands raise up for Galactic Explosion, only for him to cancel it out and attempt to run and dodge his brother. He could see the air waver a bit as if Saga was going to summon a normal Another Dimension around them and judging by the amount of cosmos, it was going to extend past the Pope's Chambers and may drag the others including Athena.

Now he understood why Saga was trying so hard to have him do the deed.

Aiolos gritted his teeth and formed an arrow. He couldn't risk it. He shook his head, gave a quick prayer to Athena and sent the arrow straight to the Gemini's heart, causing the Gold to gasp and tumble over just as he tossed the Leo against the front doors, causing them to crack open a bit.

Aiolia, his shirt ripped and dusted with the fine red pollen of the House of Pisces turned to the slumped body and the glowing arrow illuminating over his body.

Like a band of large children, the others slowly peered through the open slit before slowly passing through in surprise. Camus turned his head back and forth. As part of the Rearguard, he, Aphrodite, and Shura all were far more familiar with the arrangement of the Main Chambers. It was so surreal to see it in such a mess with tables turned over, carpet slid all over the place, candles either snuffed or turned over, and broken statues scattered all over.

"Saga!" shouted the Pisces as he ran over. Just as Aries was in charge of checking all who enter Sanctuary, he was to be aware of the wellbeing of his Holiness.

Aiolos turned his head and urged his brother to come. "Here, let me get to him. Someone, get that arrow out and give him CPR until then." Shura nodded. Familiar with having to train the other soldiers, he pulled off his Uni-Capricorn helmet, grabbed the arrow and pulled it. He could tell there wasn't a lot of cosmos in it due to the ease it came out, but it was still enough to do its job. He leaned over and got right to work.

Aphrodite jerked his head, his face as red as his roses. "What are you talking about? You killed him!"

Aiolia reached down and allowed his brother to wrap his arm around his neck before he lifted him up. "That's a shadow arrow. He plugged it there to paralyze his heart. Saga's not dead, but he is in cardiac arrest." He's seen his brother practice it many times on boars, but knew he was very hesitant about performing it on an actual person since he was only able to successfully bring the animal back to life about seventy percent of the time. While he promised to allow Saga's fate to be in his brother's hands, he hoped that the Gemini would fall into the thirty percent range for all the trouble he caused. As he carried him over, Leo noticed that his brother was actually moving his legs as if walking and gasped. "Are you healed, brother? How did it happen?"

He wasn't healed, not by a longshot. But he didn't have time to explain how Shaka was going to give it a try with a series of treatments using his cosmos. "I'll explain later," Aiolos spoke when they reached Saga's still body. Shura pulled away from his hands and made some room. His eyes turned away from the Gemini's muted gaze as it stared into the distance. Perhaps some wanted him like this. But his eyes gazed toward the Chilean child, her violet wig slightly off-center, standing in a side room, squeezing the stuffed owl in her arms and clearly sobbing and fearful at what was going on. He didn't blame her. You didn't need cosmos to see and feel the tension that emanate around the main chambers with eight confused Gold Saints, five of them in their Cloths, with a Goddess on an armored horse.

Aiolos then turned toward the piece of paper that had Marin's name and sure enough, it was nothing more than a pile of dust. Apparently heart paper was another crazy Lemurian invention that indeed existed. While all the names were probably reduced to ashes, he still had the task of bringing Saga back to the living.

Focusing on the task at hand, he reached down and tore a hole on one side of the robe and another on the other side to place his hands in the right spot before using sending an electric current like a defibrillator. He watches Shura check his pulse before he spun his hand to hurry him up to do another round.

This time, the Gemini's face produced a somewhat stunned reaction at the thought that the arrow that he felt earlier did not produce the conclusion he sought. "Saga?" Aiolos whispered in a gentle voice while his other hand stealthy slipped from the side of Saga's chest to his bow in preparation, unsure how the curse will perceive him now that he shot it's host, his red eyes glowing.

But then, they both turned toward the glowing figure that walked in front of them.

Aiolos knew it had been almost five and a half years since Saga last saw. He could tell that he was taken aback by her cosmos. In fact, everyone was. He could sense the mirad of each of their different chaotic cosmos energies in that room slowly began not only ease, but slowly synchronize as if one.

Even the astral bodies of Deathmask and Shaka who secretly watched could see the violent flames of everyone there steady.

Athena knelt down and slowly stroked the ash colored hair. In the cruel world of Sanctuary where you either killed young or died young, she was still the emblem of forgiveness and love and nothing demstrated it more as she comforted the man who had tried to kill her five and a half years prior.

Aiolos gazed at the red in Saga's eyes. Back then, the slight glow seemed more like a reflection in his blues, but now they were not only as red his headband, but the whites were a light pink as if the evil had grown so much it had began to spilled into them. In a way, Athena appeared as if she was soothing a demon in her hands. But the archer noticed the slight muscle movement as his fingers rested on the side Saga's chest and the slight subtle glances at the goddess and knew what will come next.

Aiolia flinched as the Gemini's hands flashed at the Goddess. His fist was glowed with his lighting cosmos as it came down at the Gemini, only to be caught by his older brother. The younger brother turned and could see the archer holding both his fist as well as Saga's wrist as it clutched the staff of Athena attempting to pull into his own chest, thus demonstrating how skilled battle aware his older sibling was at hand to hand combat before he was paralyzed.

Aiolos didn't flinch as he felt Aiolia's hand pull back before he focused on the Gemini's tense grip. He wondered if her presence was somehow so soothing that it was providing Saga the window he desperately wanted to end it all. He could see the glowing heated edge of the sacred staff slowly singe a few stray strands on his gloves as well as the bits on Saga's robe. Despite the fact that he should have the edge since Saga was pulling at an awkward angle and he was able to push back, the Gemini's strength was clearly elevating when the act should be tiring him, no doubt another effect of the curse. Suddenly, a rain a pink petals began to tumble upon the Gemini's face.

He watched Saga pull his lips and tried to turn to get away from the pollen, but the effort proved futile and his eyes rolled back before falling into a deep sleep. Aiolos looked up and could see Aphrodite waving his hand and dropping them like fairy dust and judging by the Pisces sad gaze, it was clear that he's done this many times before.

"Star Hill."

Aiolos jerked up at Aphrodite's sudden words.

The Pisces folded his arms. It was Saga's last command that whatever happened, he had to tell everyone where the Grand Pope was. That was when he finally figured out that Saga's plan from the beginning was that he was going to end the whole charade that they had maintained for the last five years. "The Old Man is in Star Hill."

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

Aiolos took the armor off Zephyr since there was no point in that the Twelve Houses had finally been crossed. He could tell the former wild horse of the Rozan Plains was quite grateful for the act due to the pleasant gait, however, his partner was probably the only happy one. Right in front was Mu. The Lemurian was clearly clutching his chest, obviously and understandingly nervous about seeing the final fate of his Master.

He debated whether to bring the others, but Star Hill was very sacred and was not meant to hold large gatherings. Not only that, but with Athena there, it seemed like the others were a lot more calmer. If he dragged them out in the narrow tunnels, unnecessary resentment and anger could start bubbling especially if Shion truly was at Star Hill. His stomach sickened for a moment. Even though it was not stated, he could tell that as he and Mu left the room, all the Golds in there, including his brother, were all heavily hinting what should be done with the Gemini, each one radically different than the other. Aiolos took a deep soothing breath and rubbed his face. The decision will have to wait for now since he needed to focus on the former Grand Pope.

They finally reached the glass door in the tunnel. Aiolos gazed at the towering structure and turned back to the Lemurian, whose face was shockingly more pale than normal. "Mu?" Even though it was important, he could tell that Mu's fearful face may not be ready for what was in store. "If you need to, we can wait on a later date?"

Mu shook his head. "My Master has spent five years too long in that place… if he is really there." He was a bit skeptical since it did come from Aphrodite who clearly favored having Saga remain as the Pope and was tight lipped on where his teacher was prior hand. But due to how private the Star Hill was, it was plausible and right now, their only lead. "It is time he returns to the sea with all of my kind who were drowned by Poseidon."

Before the archer could say anything, Mu quickly turned and ran across the invisible bridge, perfectly landing on the hidden pedestals and leaping over the invisible gaps. There were two ways to enter the sacred tower. One was from the bottom where a person could take an elevator straight up. The problem with this is that it was purposely crafted to be extremely slow as a security feature. Assuming a person didn't make any stops along the way up, it was easily an hour trip to go up two stories high. Then there was the way that Mu was going that was typical for those who had access to the tunnels. It was a tricky path. The bridge was constructed of another special stone that was only found on the continent of Mu. There was no alchemy involved, instead, it simply featured a color that appeared invisible to the human eye.

He and Saga, on the other hand, had to memorize the path. He gently urged the horse forward. He remembered that it was wide enough for Zephyr to trot on, but the hard part will be ensuring he leaped in the right spots. Unlike before where he could reach an arm or a leg to feel if there was a gap, he didn't quite have that luxury. But he did have experience and like any old dormant skills, he had that instinctive feel for where to go.

He kept a hand on Zephyr's neck to ensure his partner was doing alright, but the horse seemed quite comfortable, without the vertigo side effects that he and Saga experienced the first time they crossed the invisible platform. His guess was that the bridge was just as visible in its eyes as it was for Lumerians. Not only that, but the animal was in good health. He, on the other hand, could feel his strength drain. That was the odd thing about Star Hill was that the more powerful your cosmos was, the more it affected you. That was the reason why it was staffed with various foot soldiers and giants since, by the time one reached the top, a mere foot soldier would be like Zeus while a Gold Saint could be reduced to a simple child.

Mu waited patiently on the outside, his torn and dirty white cape blowing wildly in the open air, with the ash from the remains of the burnt garden still dusting off his Cloth. His features were so pale with worry that he could practically blend in with the stardust himself. "I'm afraid," he muttered.

Aiolos nodded. "Would you like me to check first?"

The Lemurian's head seemingly shrunk a bit between the two ram horns like a large tortoise. "It's been five years." His face turned at the thought. "But I am his apprentice."

He understood. But he also understood how sharp a Lemurian memory was and whatever was there, he will never forget. "I was as well. Let me go in first and see."

It was a good enough excuse for Mu to step aside.

Aiolos guided Zephyr inside. There were two parts, the main dome where the stars were to be read like a miniature planetarium. What was neat was that he could actually see all the constellations in view at that moment despite it being in the late afternoon. But Shion wouldn't be here. This area was public where even the foot soldiers on duty could move around. Instead, he would be in a much smaller room that is kept private to only the Pope himself. It is meant to be somewhere secluded where either to keep records or to have a dream vision.

His mind spun on what could possibly be there, especially since Saga wouldn't detail exactly what he did. It could be quite clean or the room could be painted with his Holiness, his body left in six or more pieces. He still couldn't shake that brief image of that head that cursed Saga tossed at him with all his arrows plugged into it back in the House of Gemini. Despite his experience with the dead, things like that can still shake him.

He took a deep breath and guided the horse through the entrance and there on a solid block of stardust was the Grand Pope himself, his gloved hands resting on his chest with a sheet covering his face. He guided his horse closer and pulled the cloth away. His pearl-like skin looked as hard as porcelain. His body was clearly cleaned up, the robes lacking any bodily fluids upon them as if the body was dressed. But how did he die?

As much as he wanted to be respectful, it was important to decide the Gemini's fate. The first thing he did was pull down the collar, but judging by how smooth his neck was, he can rule out that Saga slit his throat from behind. He unbuttoned the first few on the robes and shifted it open. Right there, was a stab wound located over on the right side. He wasn't sure if it hit his heart or not since Lemurian organs were arranged differently. What was odd was that there were still a few layers of gauze, making him wonder if Shion or Saga tried to treat it. He peered all over the front chest before he closed it and reset the hands. It may not be a deep investigation since it was difficult to do on a horse, but it was another piece of the puzzle on what to do about the Gemini. "Mu, you can come in," the Sagittarius called out. He could hear the metal boots shift slowly as if quite wary.

The moment Mu stepped inside, his nervous expression collapsed. "Master….oh Master…"He released a cry of despair before he rushed over and sat upon the stone platform and picked up the body and cradled his slumped teacher. He stroked the grey hair, his endless tears pouring upon Shion's cheeks as if the sadness was reciprocal.

He quietly waited there. Zephyr, having been trained in holding extremely still when not moving, was like a statue. He debated whether to leave altogether to give Mu some time to spend with his long lost teacher, but Mu suddenly raised a hand up.

"Wait, I want to retrieve the memories now." The final passing of memories from one Lemurian to another was a sacred ritual that was seen as far more important than the birth of one of their kind, for rather than creating something old, it was the preservation of something old. But while his Master did pass many of his memories before his death, he knew what was left was precious and didn't want to risk something irreplaceable.

Aiolos watched as the Lemurian remove his metal gauntlets before his bare hands cradled the Pope's head before aligning the two marks with his own. He knew of the Pope talking about the passing of his memories to Mu, but he never saw it in person. He watched as Mu's two marks glowed, and as a good spectator, kept to himself. However, he couldn't help but gasp when Shion's marks glowed as well despite him being dead. Perhaps this was proof that traces of the cosmos remain with the body even after the soul has left.

Right there, ten pearls that were no larger than quail eggs, each blooming with a gentle pastel color, floated with a radiant glow.

Afterward, Mu laid the Pope back down and tucked the burial sheet under Shion's arms like a blanket, unsure why anyone would allow anyone to rest in peace with a sheet covering one's airway. He stood back up, the memory pearls floating by his shoulders before he plucked the one he needed. "This is the one that has the decision. We should get going."

Aiolos was a bit surprised since the number of memory pearls wasn't very much. The True Pope often spoke how there are typically hundreds that would appear, but it did demonstrate how determined the Grand Pope was prior hand about passing his memories. Another possibility was that the Old Master had simply chosen not to pass these to Mu until now and was determined to have everyone focus on them. "What about the other memories?" Mu turned his head at him and immediately his gaze turned downwards. "Mu, the only time you look like that is when you disagree with your teacher." With those words, the Lemurian turned back up to him and he knew he was right. But he also knew that of all of the Gold Saints, Mu and Dohko were the most afflicted by what the Gemini did. "Mu, what do you think should happen to Saga?"

The Lemurian was caught off guard. He had a feeling Aiolos would talk to him about it, but the way he put it made it seem like he was deciding his punishment. He turned down to the memories and then to him and back at the memories before he answered. "Please don't ask me if a person should live or die." He shook his head. "I just can't answer that."

Aiolos nodded. "I understand. Trust me, this won't be easy for me to decide either." He wasn't exaggerating either since his duty as the Pope would be to unify them, but his first major decision, if he is not careful, will most likely cause it to divide even further. "But you don't have to decide whether he should be executed. But your thoughts deserve to be heard."

Mu took a deep breath for that was something he could answer. "Whatever you decide, whether he dies or be permitted to remain as an assistant, I only request that it formally be stated that Saga will never earn the position of Grand Pope...ever," he punctuated the last word as if he was piercing the Gemini's heart with it. Even though he did not wish for Saga to die, he will not allow him to ascend higher than his master originally decreed.

"Yes, I agree." After all that has happened, allowing Saga to receive the coveted role would be a slap in the face of all those who had been wronged and it would definitely make him appear weak for those who would want Saga to be in the high position. "I will make sure to choose someone as the successor should something happen to me."

He felt his heart ease. His Master was still dead and he wasn't sure whether Saga will join him, but at least he could take comfort that one of his biggest fears will never be realized. He looked at the pearls of memories and picked a very small lavender one. "Here, my Master said he wanted you to see it. Although, I am not sure why," he spoke as he used his telekinesis and floated it to the Sagittarius.

Aiolos had never been this close to them. His finger reached over and touched it. It was soft like a fresh layer of snow yet very warm. The cosmos often revealed the emotions of how one felt and perhaps the pearl reflected it too in its color and touch. "How do I activate it?"

"Cup the pearl in your hands and just focus your cosmos on it like you are sending it a message."

He did as he was told and closed his eyes to focus. But instead of the darkness of his eyelids, instead, he saw what could be described as a scene, as if he was seeing the world from the Grand Pope's view himself.

What he saw was indeed very unimportant.

All it was, is five minutes of the Pope watching him and Saga climbing up the last set of stairs before the Pope's Chambers, right before that fateful meeting.

Aiolos, embrace the moment.

He heard the Grand Pope's voice in it. It was clear and unmuffled from the mask as if he used his cosmos during the recording.

He wasn't quite sure why, and so he allowed it to do so. But then when he took the time to pay attention. Aside from Saga's hair being a bit shorter and his a bit longer and unruly their faces and bodies didn't change from the five years. That was because due to the endless training and huge boost in testosterone from the cosmos, on the outside they aged far faster.

But certain aspects of the brain remained the same. While they looked like a pair of twenty-year-olds, their actions reflected otherwise. Since they climbed the stairs so much, as children they would create games along the way, but as a pair of teenagers, they would invent the dumbest of dares and in this case, it was seeing how many stairs could one of them hop up to on one foot. They, of course, fell numerous times before the recording but by then they got good at it. But nonetheless, they looked ridiculous.

He couldn't hear what he and Saga were saying, but it came back to him as their exaggerated gestures and faces reflected, Saga was accusing him of cheating with his wings telling him to take them off. He was, of course, saying that they were too close and it took too fucking long just to snap them back on. Saga argued about taking off just one wing and he said it would take him off balance. It was childish and as an adult now, only his little brother may have the privilege of experiencing it.

Looking back, he started to enjoy it too because there were so many things he could do with ease that he had a lot of trouble doing now. He forgot how nimble his feet were back then. Even though he still smiled, back then, they were a lot brighter and more cheerful.

Being teenagers, they, of course, would hide their form of dumb fun if someone walked by and played it cool before resuming it once more. Yet somehow, Shion had caught them unaware and seemed to find it amusing despite what was in store for him.

If Shion knew Saga would be cursed, did he also know that he was going to be paralyzed?

Considering how close he was to death back then, maybe that was the best outcome?

He watched the two start climb up. It was probably their last moment of innocence, where there were no more silly games, sparrying for the fun of it, or just living life a bit more carefree or as carefree as being a Gold Saint was. And in a sense that after that meeting:

They grew up.

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

The duo returned back to the door that led to the Pope's Chambers. To the side, was Saga laying in a sleep of pink petals, his hair returning back to the royal blue that it was before with Camus and Aphrodite sitting at a couple of chairs.

Immediately, the Pisces gave a stern look at the Aquarius before he quietly took his leave.

The French man watched the archer and Lemurian turn to each other, giving that awkward look one would pass when they have been snubbed. But he didn't care, and knew if Aiolos was going to be the Pope, as he had a ninety nine percent chance when one excluded the hesitation that he clearly demonstrated, he was going to have to suck it up and get used to it. Besides, it was better that Aphrodite did leave them alone. Camus could tell that the archer had been worn down by Saga's rollercoaster of a temperament and that a more subdued and analytical approach would be needed. "Aiolos, a moment?"

Aiolos turned to the Lemurian and guided the horse over toward the chair that Aphrodite sat upon before he used the rope to dismount and guide himself into it.

Mu quietly listened as Camus began to speak to the archer as if he some lawyer for the Gemini. His eyes closed and a small frown was produced on his lips. From what he was hearing, despite his hesitation for Saga to die, what the Aquarius was discussing was to outright absolve Saga of any punishment.

While the Lemurian didn't believe in an execution, having Saga receive nothing, was outrageous. But Mu closed his eyes and merely sat casually beside the Gemini's sleeping body. What Aiolos didn't know, was that back in Star Hill when he was receiving the memories he saw each and every one of them, including a custom one made by his Master himself. He pulled out the gold memory pearl and with great finesse, he waited until both Saints were turned to each other before he stealthy took the memory pearl and inserted it straight into Saga's head as per his Master's instructions.

Epilogue: Gemini Aiolos and Sagittarius Saga

"I had a dream and you were there. You were among the clouds… you ruled the Earth."

"If I ruled the world, why does it make you sad?"

You took off the mask and you had no soul.

-Chapter 11: The Dark Prophecy

Author's Note: Due to length, I was forced to break this off again. The good news is that the Epilogue is actually ninety percent written with the actual ending with the words THE END plastered at the bottom. Right now, the editing is far trickier since I'm trying to find ways of inserting the other Saints as well as balancing both sides. With Saga, since he has so many versions of what happened so I tried to combine them.

As far as I'm concerned this is it. The final part of the Book of Sagittarius (Sanctuary).

I try to put as much love as I can in each chapter, with the whole Pope's Chambers section being longer than many stories here. So while not required, I do appreciate the feedback. While I do crank these out at a steady pace and make it look easy, a chapter like this takes several hours/days to create and edit. Building character layers takes time. So if you've been reading, this whole time, good or bad, I would like to hear from you, even if you want to throw out whether you think what will happen in the end or whose fate you want to see most.

Jenny D