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?

36. Gemini 6A: Stars and Satellites

(Continued from Mr. Mistoffolees)

The bus rolled on the gravel road. Outside, it was nearly pitch black now, Rodario, a mere speck in the distance.

Inside Galan ran his fingers through the red silk headband. Five years ago, the mobs of Rodario demanded either Aiolos or Aiolia to lynch for the crime of trying to kill Athena, and in an attempt to save the Leo he allowed himself to be taken. Little did he know, Saga picked him because his prosthetic arm allowed the Gemini to fake torturing him. True to his nickname of The Magician of the Zodiac, Saint Saga switched him at the last second with a corpse whom the crowd was eager to drag, spit, and stab at before hanging it for the birds to peck at.

For the last five years, he stayed in the mountains in a simple hut in one of the hidden villages. It was well stocked, peaceful, very quiet since it consisted mostly of the elderly, but it wasn't Rodario. The only thing that comforted him was that he had a couple of friends who worked in Sanctuary who he could trust and kept him as up-to-date as possible. For the longest time, he thought the Gemini was his and Aiolia's savior, only to learn he had caused it.

At the time, if he had two hands, he would grasp the blue-haired man by his scalp and tear the Gemini in two. But still, he had helped Saga get out in exchange for learning what was going on once they reached the bus that would allow them to get out of Rodario. By the Goddess, if the Gemini didn't appear so serious, he would dismiss it as a fairy tale.

Saga watched the Prototypo, fiddle with the scarlet fabric, his eyes deeply focused upon it. The Gemini did his best to keep it informative and concise, a task made easier since the curse could no longer fill him with heat and torment him to keep him silent. It felt good, but strange like a slave that no longer feared his master's whip. "Does everything make sense?" he whispered, his voice slightly strained. He dared not raise his cosmos in the slightest even to speak. He spotted several foot soldiers on the road. Even if they have never seen his face, he suspects that if a tourist bus full of average people showed any cosmos, they will be stopped immediately.

Galan nods. Needless to say, he was deeply shocked to learn of what sounded like the equivalent of a demon grasping at one's soul. He couldn't say he didn't believe it, because frankly, he did.

"Even the part about Aiolos taking the curse?"

Galan allowed an uncomfortable laugh. "Honestly, when you mentioned that, all doubt left." A sad sigh followed. "Ninety days to find a cure...Goddess."

Saga could hear his voice nearly break in sorrow, but the truth was, he felt the same way. It was time, but it didn't feel like it was enough.

The servant looked up to the Gemini. "So what shall we do? What can I do?" he pleaded.

"Right now, let us focus on reaching our destination and seeing her treated. We can discuss things further there. But if worse comes to worst tell them that I kidnapped you and Athena to spit upon those who dare stole my throne. Throughout your capture, I struck and you repeatedly, my heel beneath your head at times. I laughed at you. I pissed upon you. I spent every waking moment I had to ensure the mere ember of what was left of your soul was pressed into ash between my sadistic fingers. Let them know, you could've run, but she was injured and you, the devoted servant, could not leave the fair Goddess by herself, under me, a cruel and heartless monster, until an opportunity presents itself," the Gemini decried as he tightened his fist, resisting the urge to burn his cosmos into a bright flame, his dark blue eyes embracing his more dramatic side turned, seemingly burning into Galan's nervous expression.

But then Saga jerked his head. Like a true Gemini, all the tension in his dark expression evaporated like as quickly as the shift of the wind. "Oh and don't forget to take the bag with you," he spoke as his hand fluttered over toward his cargo.

Galan's nervous expression"Your cat?" Galan gasped.

Saga snorted. "Yes, my cat! And make sure Aldebaran takes care of her and Neptune. I don't trust Deathmask with them. If he can't walk five feet to place his underwear in a laundry bin and not the bedroom floor, Goddess help him when he must deal with a pair of litter boxes." It was then he noticed Galan had a dumbfounded expression. It was clear that Galan was not used to his type of humor. "I'm joking. Actually..." he raised a hand and quickly performed a miniature Another Dimension to teleport his book into his palm. "...this is all my research about the curse. If something happens to me, you must continue the search."

Galan raised his head. It must be the one that Saga said he had to retrieve from the House of Gemini. "I will, even if there is only one day left, I will do my best. However, a couple of problems, one I'm illiterate, two, you said the book is coded so that only you and your brother understood it."

Saga gave a troubled look. "I wish I could tell you the code, but I can't."

"What are you talking about! What is stopping you?" Galan snapped.

The sudden cutting tone caused the Gemini to widen his eyes and draw his hand to his head.

He can tell Galan.

He wouldn't kill Galan if he did so.

He had been under the curse's whip for nearly eleven years that even though he was freed from it, it's terrible influence still gripped him by his throat. "I apologize. I'm still a bit groggy from my week-long rest and escape." Not to mention, somehow he had two Lemurian headmates in his mind. "As soon as I can procure a pen and a paper, I shall craft a means for you to decode it."

"Thank you." Galan yawned a bit, triggered by the mere mention of rest. "If it is alright with you, perhaps we should get some rest since we have a ways to go."

The Gemini knew how Sanctuary worked since for five years he was the one who turned its gears. If they hadn't been stopped within five miles of Rodario, as long as they don't arouse suspicion, they were safe for now. "Go right ah-" Saga pauses, finding his words useless since the servant's head was already slumped back. He guessed that since he mentioned coming from the mountains, he was already quite exhausted from that ordeal. His blue eyes shifted toward the Goddess and it seemed she too had found her way to dreams, her tiny hand resting upon the exposed nape of Hera's soft furry neck, while the other near her neck. He can tell that she was in quite a bit of pain, and yet, despite the two of them encouraging her to do so, she refused to use her cosmos to at least ease the pain nor allow them to stop at the rest areas to purchase some aspirin in fear of them being detected. After all, the farther they are from the village, the better.

Saga should do the same, but he found it difficult. The voices in his head were gone. It was quiet. Oh, how wonderful it felt to have nothing speaking to him at all hours of the night.

Unfortunately, he still felt himself on guard, as if fearful of the nightmares that came with the curse, especially since people were still idly chatting. He found himself observing the world around him. Inside, the bus was so dark that it made it fairly difficult for him to see the old tears on the leather seats in front of them. The only illumination in there was from the eerie glow from the dials in front of the driver that highlighted the tops of the taller tourists. There was a pale glow between a pair of children, most likely sharing a Tele-cam to keep themselves amused, much like what he and Kanon used to share their Mother's on the longer trips. However, he found himself a bit mildly entertained as he listened to a couple of frumpy middle-aged women with bad highlights who were dissatisfied with the partial refund given to them.

The only reason I came was to visit Demeter's!

Same with me! How rare is it to go to a bakery where the flour is freshly grounded up from actual windmills?

If they were going to film a movie there then they shouldn't have booked us today!

It's not just the price to come here, what about the hotel and the taxi ride? Are they going to refund me on that?

I agree! Once I get reception on my Tele-Cam, I know exactly the review I shall leave. Rodario Village Tours: A place where children run wild, with absolutely no parental supervision, and none of the actors would smile. Every time I spoke with a manager, they would roll their eyes at me as if my feedback to improve the experience of this place was meaningless. The only saving grace was that our tour guide, Milo, was an absolute delight and extremely knowledgeable in Greek history. Unfortunately, he had to abandon us halfway into our tour. A solid one out of five stars, but if I could rate it zero, I would! Save your money and go to Star Beach instead.

The bus suddenly rocked hard, causing several passengers to awaken briefly. Saga jerked his head in fear of foot soldiers checking the vehicle. Instead, all that there was is just a man on a donkey, carrying his wares, most likely returning to Rodario from another village.

He stared at the sky and gazed upwards. Now that they were away from all the lights, the stars were so bright and endless. He suddenly spotted a blinking red light, and a pleasant memory followed.

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

14 Years Ago

Six-year-old Saga laid upon the soft cotton blanket and stared at the night sky. It was their first assignment as Pope Candidates. Since one of the important duties was to read the stars, one must become an expert in identifying the constellations. Just like at school, the Old Man is taking something that he and Kanon always found fun, and turning it into something rather boring. "I think Corvus is on the left and Crater is on the right," he pointed as he turned next to his Sagittarius friend. The two constellations were quite tricky since they were next to each other and were both quadrilaterals.

Aiolos twisted his body trying to figure it out. "Yes, but you're pointing at them backward since we are looking at them upside down." He then pointed over. "See that's the North Star."

Saga turned his head. "How did you find it so fast?"

Well, I started searching once we left the trail. My Dad says it is a good habit to find North before leaving a trail since it is easier and if you get lost, you aren't as stressed," Aiolos muttered as his finger was preoccupied with wiggling a loose tooth.

Saga nodded. Because Aiolos lived by the woods, he trusted his opinion. The Gemini trainee crawled over until he was lying right next to him to have the same perspective. Once he did, what was once a dizzy array of dots began to formulate pictures of the constellation maps that he and Kanon saw at school. "This is much better. I see the Hydra constellation more clearly too." He grabbed his sheet of paper and an old book as a surface and began to draw what he saw.

"Saga? What's the moving white light?"

He looked up and knew exactly what it was. "It's just a satellite."

Aiolos rested his hands on his stomach, his curiosity still needing to be quenched. "I've heard of them. But what are they?"

The Gemini trainee rested his pen. "It's a machine. They use rockets, which are like giant bullets, and they fire them straight into the sky so they can drop them off in space."

"Why?" Aiolos speaks with bright intrigue. Ever since he met Saga, it seemed like he was learning so many things beyond Rodario.

"Many things." Saga thought hard. It wasn't that he didn't know, but it was how to describe to someone who used to help his father extract the oil from wild pig fat and use it to refill the lamp for a source of light at night. "Because satellites are so high up, they can record where the clouds are for predicting the rain or if we will have a lot of dry weather. It can tell people the weather in advance."

"Hmm, that sounds quite useful. My old neighbor would love that since she is always unsure of when it is the right time to plant her tomatoes and zucchini. What else?"

"Well, some satellites are there to make the Tele-cams function. Some are for allowing people to call each other, others help with some features like navigation."

The last word caught the young Sagittarius trainee's attention. "How would it do that? I thought it just took pictures?'

"It does, but it can track us too. The easiest way I can explain it is that instead of us using a compass and map and drawing out the path we travel, it does it for us. So, you can never feel lost...well as long as you have a reception."

Aiolos wrinkled his nose. It befuddled him that while he saw electronics as useful, other times it seemed like it can over-complicate simple tasks. "You don't need a satellite to avoid getting lost, just use a little common sense. Find the North star. Rodario is north, so you just head north until you hit it."

Saga raised a smug brow. "Well. What if it is cloudy? Then what? That is where a Tele-cam can come in handy!"

Aiolos rolled his eyes. "There are other ways. The sun moves east to west, the moon goes west to east. The river runs north to south next to Rodario!" He spoke in such a matter-a-fact tone. After all, children were expected to run chores and not get lost on the way back unless they wanted to expect a good belting for forcing all the neighbors to search for them. "There, the blinking red light, if it stays still, it is Antares, but because it is moving, it is a plane going toward that small airport south of here. Most likely a tourist with a lot of money who wants to avoid going through Delphi," he spoke in the frigid cold, each word causing a plume of breath to fade off. He dropped his hand next to Saga's, causing it to slink off a bit. "Oh sorry!"

"It is okay. I just didn't expect your skin to be that cold," spoke Saga although cold was an understatement. Aiolos hand felt like the metal lamp post outside his house during winter.

The night was a bit chillier than most. It was the only reason he dusted off his old school jacket since it was much thicker than the long sleeve trainer that Aiolos chose. It was probably worse in that their purpose was to gaze at the stars, a task requiring as much darkness as possible and forcing the archer to avoid burning his cosmos. Saga smiled, "I don't mind."

"You don't mind?" the six-year-old archer goofily took both of his arms and gave Saga the biggest iciest bear hug.

Saga's eyes bulged and a sharp squeak to pass through his lips. He should've known. The best indication that a Prototypo saw one as a friend was that they would randomly wrestle the other. Goddess, he missed his school days where one would indicate they cared about the other by Friending them on their social media page. Saga tried to use his feet to pull his body and slip out, only for Aiolos to take his legs and wrap them around into a tight grip. Arms and legs now constricted, Saga headbutted Aiolos chin to free himself. He twisted his body to face him when the archer proudly produced a bloody incisor.

"Khris look! It finally came out!"

Saga turned away grimacing. "Could you clean it off first, Lucas?" He was curious, but the red that coated it turned his tummy a little even if he was starting to get used to all the blood that spilled during training.

"Yeah, hold on." Aiolos snatched a canteen and diligently ran it under before giving it a good polish with the tail of his red headband. He rolled his body over the blanket toward his friend. "There we go, pretty as a pearl!" He passes it over.

Saga twisted it and examined it as if he held a diamond. He looked up. He knew he was overdue for his baby teeth to come out. With Aiolos being the first of the Zodiac to lose his tooth, he was quite curious. "Did it hurt?"

"Does it hurt? We break each other's bones every day and you're asking if it hurts?" Aiolos laughed. "No, not at all. I was more annoyed by it hanging by a mere strand of skin. Don't worry, when it's your time, you won't feel a thing," he spoke before he tucked his tooth in his pocket.

The Gemini noticed the archer's wet shaking hands. A pit of guilt followed before he pulled off his old Kido International school jacket and slipped Aiolos' hands through.

Aiolos' body relaxed a bit under the heavy material. Not only that, but he liked the silk lining underneath since it felt like he was wearing a solid layer of water over him. But he could tell Saga was now cold, the goosebumps that ran all over his arms betraying him.

Aiolos gestured for the Gemini to lay down before he pulled off the coat and shared it on top like a blanket. "There, I know we will be cold together, but soon we will be warm together," he cheerfully reasoned.

The two laid under the century-old stars.

The two laid under the decades-old satellites.

One could curse the satellite for taking the place of a star for guiding a traveler, or they can learn to appreciate that they coexist in the same celestial body and that they both serve man.

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

Suddenly, the bumpy gravel ridden road became smooth as if the bus had gained the grace of an ice skater. Saga felt nostalgia creep in as the pitch-black night began to illuminate with the bright glow of the evenly spaced rows of electric light posts that were designed to appear like thin narrow marble columns that lead to the place that was considered the Second Sanctuary.

He turned to see Galan leaning in toward the window, most likely drawn to each of the crisp white stone buildings that were all just as, if not taller than the Fire Clock.

"So this is Delphi?" the servant groggily asked as he braced his hand on the edge of the seat in front of him. "So, is it true about its people?"

Saga paused. "It has been a long time since I've stepped foot here, so I guess all three of us will find out."

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

Gemini: Defying Gravity

6A: Stars and Satellites

Author's Note: Cursed Mode is bold

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

The driver stood up and stretched his arms. "Everyone, make sure you have your bags for inspection when you get outside," he said as he stepped back to allow the crowd to depart.

"Shit!" Saga cursed. He looked down and sighed. "Sorry, Hera." He spoke as he touched her head before it sank into the bag and a burst of cosmic light followed.

"Did you just send your cat through Another Dimension?" whispered Galan.

Saga mused his lips. "Oh, she's quite used to it." He pointed over toward his hands and Galan made sure to tuck the ribbon deep in his pocket. After all, many who were around when The Event happened are here as well and the red headband is highly stigmatized, a symbol that equates to unfaithfulness to Athena herself. The tourist department was forced to add in a line about visitors avoiding any red ribbons just to avoid getting beaten up by the locals.

A single foot soldier, not dressed in the traditional brown Sanctuary uniform, but the dark blue khakis, a light green buttoned shirt and a sturdy name tag that seemed like a cross between the uniform of the Grecian police and Army.

There were clear signs he was with Sanctuary, the most obvious was a circular owl patch as well as the man's poor attempt to tuck in his long hair inside his cap. "Excuse me! Can you all please hurry up!"

The two men took a deep breath before Galan quietly grabbed the bag.

The first step outside the bus felt so different. Gone was the endless dusty trails or uneven brick, and instead was a smooth white concrete path. The streets were so well lit that the stars were invisible, but the blink lights from planes and satellites still illuminated the sky.

The group came upon a pair of yawning soldiers, dressed like the one that greeted them on the bus. At first, when it came to checking their baggage they were quite nervous. Luckily, the pair of women with the bad highlights managed to voice their frustration for over twenty minutes until a Captain came up and simply gave them a few vouchers for the hotel just to shut them up. After that, the weary pair of soldiers merely took quick glances inside their things before allowing them to pass through.

Further down the road, the assorted buildings and random clothes hanging out to dry that one would expect in Rodario were not there. Instead, everything seemed so clean, square, and uniform.

For Saga, the smell was what stuck for him. One would think that with Rodario being so old fashioned that it would have a medieval smell, but this was farther from the truth. Flowers were treasured in Rodario and one of the most precious ceremonies is when a baby received a flower bracelet upon the arm to baptize it under Athena. Despite how dingy Rodario looked, one could count on various herbs and bouquets all over the place. Since Prototypos took pride in insisting everything be fresh and flowery, there had been several tourists who pick the village as a place for wedding photos.

But in Delphi, the flowers were painted, and rather than the scent of myrtle and lilac, it was diesel with hints of a bit of sewer escaping from the grates.

"What building is that?" pointed out Galan.

Saga turned and read the painted sign. "A dentist office."

The servant gasped. "Goddess, it's grander than the House of Leo. Do they think that highly of dentists?"

"Well of course. The better the dentist the more money they receive. It's not like Rodario where people would ask their grandmother to yank out any bad teeth."

Galan rolled his eyes. "Oh please, we are not that backward. We do use toothbrushes and toothpaste and take excellent care of our teeth. If there were any dental issues, any idiot would ask the furniture maker since they would most likely have a good clean pair of pliers and the arm strength to cleanly pry it out. My mother once traded a whole plate of loukoumades to have her back molar done." He turned his head and pointed over. "So, what is that place?"

"Oh, that's a pet sto-...oh shit...hold on," Saga spoke as he gestured for them to surround his bag.

The servant nearly forgot about Hera. "Please tell me you didn't have your cat floating in time and space for a half-hour," spoke Galan.

"Oh of course not. I just sent her to an empty kennel at her vet's office," he spoke as the bag lit up before a clawed paw swiped furiously and a barrage of hissing ensued. "Don't worry, when she realizes it's not her day for getting shots, she should calm down by the time we reach our destination." He gingerly zipped the top to block off the frenzy feline before he stood up and gestured for them to follow. It may have been a long time, but he remembered enough to get around.

They walked a little way when the Gemini suddenly felt a piercing pain in his chest, causing him to clutch it.

A small hand touched Saga's shoulder before he turned up to see the Goddess stare at him with concerned eyes.

"Sir, are you alright?" called out a soldier from afar.

Saga turned his head and could the other tourists staring at him and drawing too much attention than he wanted. He pulled his hat down a bit tighter to make sure his long strands stay tucked in before he looked up. "I'm just checking on something, don't mind me," the Gemini shouted before he turned to Galan. "Take her a little way. I'll catch up."

Galan nodded as he grabbed the Goddess's hand and guided her over toward another building where he pretended he was interested in it.

Saga touched his head as a bit of sweat dripped down. He clutched his chest where his heart was. What the hell is going on? Goddess nothing would suck worse than to work this hard to get out of Sanctuary only to keel over from a heart attack.

"What a beautiful girl."

Saga gasped. Why does the voice sound a little familiar? He turned his head toward an old woman standing in line, holding her luggage, and gazing at the Goddess. He coughed and not wanting to give out their identities, he felt quick to correct her. "Oh, that is my son," he heavily emphasized. "But do not worry, he gets that all the time."

She shook her head. "No, she is a girl. I know, I used to change her nappy, warm her food and milk, and read her many stories. At least before you killed me." The old woman spoke before she placed a familiar pair of glasses, her neck beginning to bleed first red than green sludge.

"Maiden Leto!?" Saga gasped out loud.

The woman's face grew so pale. "Remember, you shut me in a closet for several days and tossed my body in the garden of roses to be devoured. Remember"

Galan turned his head, watching the Gemini freaking out in front of a woman. "Hey, what are you doing!" The servant ran over, took his good hand, and gave Saga a good rattle.

Saga shook his head as he stared at a confused elderly woman with straight grey hair, a large straw hat, and a soft frumpy blue dress. It was so strange. For a moment, he thought he saw the Maiden in charge of watching over Athena that he killed five years ago before Aiolos ran off.

"Are you alright, young man?" the woman's raspy voice asked. "You look so frightened."

Saga felt the pain in his chest disappear. "Yes, yes I am," the Gemini muttered before he urged the group to continue away from the confused tourist. That was so strange. He couldn't have hallucinated a dead woman just now, did he? He was supposed to be cured! The voices that filled his ears were silenced. Must his eyes now betray him now?

What the hell just happened?

Did Aiolos do something to him during the run?

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

They reached a line of taxi cabs and picked the first one they saw. Luckily for them, using the speed of sound or higher was forbidden on the main streets and so residents were expected to walk or use public transportation. An older gentleman with a scar on his cheek turned his head. "Where too?"

"Gate of Amphion," Saga spoke. While Delphi had a large number of areas for the general public, those that weren't were locked up behind gates with soldiers watching the front. Saga was not surprised that the man narrowed his eyes. Saga then took his hand and crafted a marble-sized ball of white cosmos to demonstrate he wasn't some tourist. He kept it fairly low at a Bronze level since a Gold tended to draw far too much attention and gossip while a Sanctuary grunt would be turned away.

The driver examined it. Even with the lower power level, he could easily see and admire how perfectly round and bright it was. This was certainly no amateur. The driver quietly turned off the meter, clearly understanding the type of company he had. "Which one?"

"The big one," Saga emphasized.

"Right," the man nodded. Everyone knew that place since the owner not only made no effort to hide his identity but relished in fame. "It will take quite a bit of time." He shifted his eyes. "I have some if you flip the latch behind my passenger's seat," he spoke with a heavy wink.

Saga, Galan, and Athena turned to each, a bit confused by how vague the driver's statement was. Curiously, Galan did as he was told and twisted the latch revealing a small drink bar with a bottle of complimentary wine, paper cups, and bags of nuts to nibble upon. "Care to share?" asked Galan.

Saga sighed. Goddess, the Army of Athena had more alcohol than actual blood flowing in them. After tonight, he was tempted to have a cup if he didn't work so damn hard to become sober. "I'll help you, but just pass me a bag of snacks." He said as he poured a cup for Galan before he exchanged it for the bag of peanuts.

Galan turned to the quiet Goddess. "Forgive me, My Goddess, you probably shouldn't eat or drink anything until we tend to that. Is there anything I can offer you? Would you like some nuts for later?" He watched her give a smile before she pointed toward the front. "One of the pamphlets?" He asked before she nodded pleasantly. Galan did as he was told and passed it over.

With the streets mostly empty, they reached their destination a lot quicker than expected. Much like the Twelve Houses, a pair of door guards, dressed in modern army clothing waved them inside the moment the taxi driver flashed a metal plate of Athena's symbol at them before they waved them through.

Galan's eyes widened. As one who lived in Rodario all his life, he never expected to see anything like this in Sanctuary. "Every yard is the size of a small village...every house is like a Pantheon," he murmured.

Saga nodded. Galan was no poet, but his initial impression was perhaps the best way to describe it. Nobles did work in Rodario, but many came from old money and knew not to live in the area where the Holy War or any other conflict took place lest their expensive homes risked being burned to the ground and their relatives being raped and murdered. To them, that was something reserved for poor people. But he could care less about them, instead, there was one House he sought, that stood out from the rest. It was one of the few who lived there, not out safety but because they truly adored the artistic culture that permeated Delphi.

The taxi stopped and while he did not charge the group, Saga still tossed him a generous tip, not just because he was a good host, but to forget that they even took them in his taxi in the first place.

Unlike the rest of the yards where the grass was a deep shade of green, manicured with a row of flowers uniformly spaced. Instead, it resembled a giant wild field, scattered, colorful, as high as one's waist, yet quite colorful, similar to what one would think of Elysium. Saga could even see that six-year-old Athena herself had the urge to just take off her shoes, let down her hair and merrily run around it. If the owner was a noble or a regular Saint, they would be chastised and their yard would be regarded as disheveled and full of weeds. However, the owner was a legend among Sanctuary, and while he won't admit it, he can do what he damn well please.

Saga closed his eyes and briefly sent a quick cosmos message just to let him know that those outside his door were friendly.

Lyra Orphee opened the door and gasped in delight. "Your Holiness! By the Goddess, I can't believe you've come over so quickly!"

Saga gazed at the musician's face. If Aiolos' smile could be compared to the sky, Orphee's, on the other hand, was like a double rainbow. "I appreciate you allowing us to come here at such short notice."

Orphee could practically squeal in delight. How wonderful that one of the biggest fans of music was here at his steps! Although, he wished he would have contacted him earlier so that he had more than leftovers to offer him. His bright sky blue eyes turned toward the others. "Oh, who are you? A servant? But I don't recall ever seeing you."

Galan waved his hand. "I was a servant, but I've been playing dead for the last five years."

Orphee knelt to get a better look at her face. "You there, you look like the Goddess, but you seem a bit...younger?" he muttered with a bit of confusion.

Saga turned downward. "Actually, she is the real Athena. The one you've seen was a fake one for the last five years from Chile."

The Lyra Saint nodded. "Ah, so that explains it. Eurydice, come down, we have guests!" He smiled and waved his hand inside.

Galan couldn't believe what had just happened. How could he act so calm? "You are not weirded out by us?"

"Oh certainly not!" Orphee chimed as a dainty thin woman with skin as perfect as a porcelain doll, silk blond hair, and eyes that resembled a starry sky came forward. "This is Eurydice! She is a nymph from the fields of Elysium and formally a gift of Hades to Thanos."

She tilted her head. "Yes, Thanos started off as sweet, but I was a bit put off by him randomly pointing his finger upon humans and randomly smiting them. So I broke up with the God of Death and he cast me out over two hundred years ago. It was very difficult at first since I didn't have any clothes and was forced to work menial jobs, but now I couldn't be happier, now that I have my beloved Orphee!" she grinned as she kissed his cheek, causing the musician to blush.

The Greek musician smiled. "Trust me, I've heard stranger, right Your Holiness?"

At that moment, the Gemini lowered his head. How odd, he desired nothing more to be free of the grip of the curse, and yet now that he was, he wished he could just black out about now. However, he had to tell the truth that he had been hiding from the musician and friend that has been playing for him for the last four years. "Orphee, if you can, please don't refer to me as Your Holiness. It is a title that I never truly held."

For the first time, an awkward stare followed the musician.

Saga, worried about him contacting his higher-ups, raised his hands. "Before you tell Misty, I want you to hear me out."

Suddenly Athena flinched, grasping at her throat. Eurydice knelt and took a closer look, pulling at the scarf to see the blood on bandages begin to bloom further. "Oh my, you poor thing. Come inside everyone. Orphee-"

The Lyra Saint also knelt and touched the sides of her neck for a moment. He felt her cosmos and was easily startled, but in a good way. He then started to burn his own cosmos. After a quick examination, he stood up and gestured for them all to come in. "Yes come, let's go to the studio downstairs." He turned his head and noticed a sad look upon the Gemini's face. "Come on in. Let me see what I can do for her. Don't worry, whatever trouble is going on, you can explain to me after I stabilize her."

Saga raised a brow. "You are not upset that I was never the Pope?"

Orphee twisted his lip, trying to find the best words to describe himself. "I am confused...but I'm not going to let a little girl suffer to find answers that can be given at a later time." He then looked at his hands. It was so brief that he felt her cosmos, and what he sensed was almost like hovering in a dream. "Besides, that is definitely the real Athena and if she is so willing to follow you, I believe whatever reason is nothing less than for the good of Sanctuary. Again, just tell me later."

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

SANCTUARY

The two Gold Saints had walked up all Twelve Houses without a word between the two. They gave pleasantries to the door guards who offered them and smiled courteously back and thanking them for working overtime. But the moment they passed the guards, their faces dropped into a pair of sulks and frowns, a tension that the other felt by merely looking at the other.

Only when they reached the eighty-eight stairs before the Pope's Chambers, did Milo finally break the silence. "First major mission and we come back empty fucking handed."

Camus didn't meet his gaze. "We've had a few, all a job well done."

"Under a false Pope," Milo emphasized.

"It doesn't matter, the missions we had completed benefited others and not just the false Pope," spoke Camus, finding it hard to believe that for once, he was the more optimistic of the two.

At that moment, Milo rolled his eyes and folded his arms. "Yes they were, but consider everything outside of that." He turned his head. "Your main duty is to train a pair of children in Siberia. A feat that at worst, risked wasting your time. My missions consist of assassinating whoever the Pope sees fit, as my ancestors had for centuries." The House of Scorpio was different from the rest in that everyone whoever owned the Cloth was related.

Camus turned his head. "But Saga didn't order you to kill anyone that didn't deserve it."

"He hasn't sent me to kill someone questionable-yet." Milo snapped. "Any assassination order is given and I am not permitted to question it. For all I know, I could've killed an innocent man just for the simple fact of him disagreeing and not because of a crime. My position is one based on trust and certainty. It has no room for doubt!" His duty as the Sanctuary Assassin was never easy, but as his father always told him, any order is carefully discussed and only after all other options are exhausted.

Despite the high level of death in Sanctuary, any assassination is done with a heavy amount of care. The mere fact that Saga turned it into a game of throwing names left and right has, for the first time, left him visually shaken.

The French man reached out to rest his hand on the Scorpio's cheek, only for it to be met with a bitter slap and a turn of the cape. The French man stood silently. They have had their disagreements in the past but never had Milo been this brittle and never did such a reaction make him feel like this. Camus quietly stared at the back of the Scorpio's head while his thumb silently wiped the small tear at his eye.

Milo scoffed and marched toward the stairs. "Come on, let's hope that we don't wind up a head shorter after our failure."

"It is Aiolos, do you think it is in his nature?"

"No, but then again, I used to think the same way with Saga."

The two silently climbed the steps and waited for the doors to open before coming inside and taking a knee before Pope Aiolos on the throne, his face and head masked before they began explaining how their mission went.

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

Aiolia opened up the door to the balcony, returning to the bloody scene. Aiolos told him he could go back to Marin and Seiya, but something was driving his senses crazy and he needed to check things out in his own time before this place was scrubbed of any evidence left behind. Luckily, everyone was so preoccupied with the missing Gemini and Sanctuary was so short on servants that he had a chance to do this. Aiolia folded his arms as he recalled the exact details of the conversation they had.

"I woke him up. I decided not to kill him. I fired an arrow, it struck Saga, it struck Athena too!"

The Leo wasn't a detective, but without the frantic energy of holding his bleeding brother, it just didn't feel like something Aiolos would say. It was so matter-of-fact and seemed more like a justification than just telling what happened. He turned to the bed and sat upon it, doing his best to imagine a sleeping Gemini in it. He raised his arms and then mimicked raising the Bow of Sagittarius and aiming straight for Saga. His eyes turned toward the triangular blood splatter of an arrow cutting through Saga's right side and looked up to see the same thing of Athena. He could even see the small slight burn mark of where the light arrow passed through the Goddess and struck the wall.

Aiolia nodded. That part of the story checks out. He closed his eyes and thought back of what was said next.

He jumped off the balcony while grabbing her.

Aiolia stepped off the bed and followed Saga's blood trail. It was clear he jumped out of bed and turned. Saga stopped where she was and then rushed over to the balcony. While technically, Saga couldn't have grabbed her while jumping, his brother was not in the best of shape and he could let the technicality pass.

"Why did you fire an arrow at Saga, brother?"

"Because Saga wanted to kill me!"

When the Leo turned toward the blood on the sheets, that was when his bright blue eyes widened. His brother was describing to them that Saga tried to hurt him before he fired the arrow. Yet his brother was on the other side of the bed, meaning he was bleeding after Saga was gone. He couldn't even fire the arrow from the other side either since the direction of the blood spatters would not properly align.

But that would mean, Aiolos fired the arrow before Saga's so-called attack and somehow bled afterward on the other side.

Aiolos lied.

But why?

Aiolia exited the room and approached the side entrance of the Main Chambers where he could quietly see his brother sitting on the throne speaking with Camus and Milo.

"Why did you not pursue? He was right there!" Aiolos questioned, his hands clenching the arms of the throne.

The harsh tone surprised Milo. The two were neighbors and he could count on one hand on the number of times he was ever like this. Still, the Scorpio kept on one knee. He guessed that Aiolos was still adjusting to the position and losing both Saga and Athena added on to the immense stress involved. "You trained with him, Your Holiness. He can teleport. If you want him alive, we only get one shot."

"Yes, you had one shot. He wasn't using Another Dimension and on top of it, he was not at his prime either. I had gone through quite a bit of trouble cornering the prey in a pen for the two of you. You take advantage of it, not dally around with the lock."

Aiolia quietly continued to stare at him. The archer's back was hunched over, his hands clenching the arms of the throne like a wolf ready to pounce. The Leo took a step forward, causing his metal boot to echo. He paused as he watched his brother jerk his head before his hand slipped under his helmet beneath the mask.

Aiolos softened his posture and casually leaned back, feeling the curse rescind like an ocean wave, but still a dreaded sense that it would return. He shook his head a little more to regain his sense and turned to Milo and Camus as they held their knelt position. "Continue examining Rodario for any signs, go check in his bedroom in the top drawer, and see if his IDs are still there."

Aiolos gritted his teeth. He knew in his heart that Saga had long left the village. He wasn't sure if Saga was serious about making his own Pegasus Run all the way to the top of there. One certain thing was that the more time Saga had to search for a cure for the curse the better. Unfortunately, the curse understood this as well, making the situation tricky for him. "Keep searching. Dismissed!" he spoke before he twisted on the throne.

Aiolia waited until Camus and Milo bowed and left, drawn to how the two of them, normally more proper and posed, seemed a bit weary. The Leo was in their Frogs of Aristophanes book club and perhaps could speak with them later to see if they shared the same feelings as him.

"Aiolia, I thought you already left?"

Aiolia turned as his brother sat on the throne and pulled off his mask and helmet, his curls a bit weighted from sweat and his eyes a bit dark. He stared a bit debating to himself on whether to say anything, but he was a Leo so it took all but two seconds before he made a face. "Why did you lie about Saga? I thought he tried to kill you, but everything on the balcony pointed otherwise. There was no blood on the left side of the bed from when you fired your arrow and there was barely a struggle! Saga's attacks produce a lot of cosmos and I've been around long enough to know what it feels like. He didn't attack you! What really happened?" He watched Aiolos' eyes twitch a bit before he shoved the helmet back on.

"He didn't use any techniques, he threw the golden dagger at me and I cleanly dodged it. I fired my arrow, and it passed through him and accidentally Athena who entered at that moment."

Aiolia glared and narrowed his eyes. "No bullshit? Are you telling me he took the Golden Dagger and threw it at you, you dodged it and fired back?"

"Yes."

The Leo turned his eyes downwards for a moment before he returned his gaze. "Brother, make me in charge of hunting down Athena and Saga! I am fucking done with him! I've hung around Kanon long enough to know of a few good places to look. Besides, I want to stand over him and watch his eyes as he produces his final breath!" he hissed.

"Very well. But know that I want him alive. But if it comes down to a choice between him or Athena, so be it."

Aiolia lit up and knelt, "thank you, Your Holiness," he spoke before a hand smacked his helmet off. "Ouch, what the fuck man?" Aiolia laughed as he chased after for the bouncing headgear.

Aiolos pulled off his helmet revealing a raised brow. "What the hell was that?" He pointed toward the ground. "We are alone here having an informal meeting. It's already weird enough having all my friends bow every time they see me." He gestured his hands over before Aiolia finally got the hint and lowered down to hug him."If there are others around, perform the formal flatteries, kiss my feet and kiss my ass, but for the love of Athena, any other time, I just want my brother to stay my brother."

For a moment, as Aiolia hugged him, his eyes grew a bit watery, purely because this was the older brother he grew up with and for the first time since Saga's run and Athena's disappearance was he being himself. "Fine by me. When we are alone, you can kiss your own ass," he chuckled as he heard his brother laugh back. The truth was that he had no intention of finding Saga to kill him, although smashing his face in would be a pleasant bonus.

Despite Aiolos saying otherwise, Aiolia knew his brother lied to him once more. When Paz retrieved him, he ran inside and saw the golden dagger off to the far side. There was no way Saga would have thrown it at his brother without it flying over the side of the balcony's banister.

Back when they first reached the chambers, Aiolos and Saga were talking to each other, he could hear a little bit about the curse. When he fought Saga, there was something incredibly evil within the Gemini that he will not be afraid to admit that he grew quite nervous about challenging him in the first place.

At this moment, this was Aiolos as he always been, kind, but wouldn't use the older-brother beat down card that was bestowed upon him. He wondered if Aiolos' new behavior had anything to do with it. Unfortunately, the only one who could perhaps give him the answers he seeks is the Gemini himself as well the Goddess he took.

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

Paz rubbed her tired eyes, but waited patiently on top of her bed, now dressed in her silk white pajamas. Her eyes turned to the purple wig and white dress that hung delicately on a hanger. She was so confused. She thought that she was told that she no longer had to be Athena, but the real one was taken once more. "Did Saga abandon me too?" she nearly cried before her eyes shifted toward the Pisces Saint.

"Of course not. He is deeply worried and that's why I am here, my dear," Aphrodite comforted. The girl was definitely not the first choice when it came to picking out someone who would pass as Athena. She was two years older with light blue hair. Her skin, while lovely, was a light tan. Most troublesome was that she showed no potential for cosmos and carried a slight Spanish accent. But Saga felt sympathy for her since she was separated from her twin for not being healthy enough and later her brother. Despite their protest, when cursed Saga wants something, he certainly got it. However, she was very sweet and if there was one who deserved to walk out of this mess unscathed, she was it. The Pisces pulled out a headband from a leather bag. "I wove this from the stems of my roses."

The girl from Chile smiled. "It looks pretty. I like the yellow jewels on top. They're huge!"

Aphrodite nodded. They were fake, pried from a plastic crown from one of his servant's grandchildren. "They have to be big. Watch," he reached over and pulled a yellow stone off and revealed a thorn.

Her eyes widened. "Oh, a crown of thorns. Hey-zeus!"

Aphrodite paused. "Zeus never wore a crown of…" he paused realizing her Spanish accent. "Oh, Jesus. Yes, like him, except this for a more practical purpose. Each thorn contains a special concentrated amount of my poison. If Aiolos tries anything, take off your crown and strike him with it."

Paz's eyes widened in horror, her hands drawn to her face. She was still very nervous about the man who took Saga's position, but he didn't seem like he deserved the worst. "Oh, I don't want to kill him."

But Aphrodite quickly waved his hand. "No, my dear, it won't kill him." He thought very hard and decided against making it deadly in fear that Paz may accidentally prick herself. Not only that, but he had a feeling that if Paz did use the crown and it merely stunned the Sagittarius, Sanctuary would overlook it. But if Paz killed Aiolos, even if it was self-defense, she would still be charged with assassination. Since she came from nothing, from a country far away, no one would hesitate to use her as a scapegoat especially if the real Athena was around. "It would only cause him to be unable to move for about fifteen minutes. Just long enough for you to run to me. Now, place it on, and try it on me. Don't worry, I am immune to it."

Paz pressed it in her hair. It was quite comfortable with a nice squeeze. She then pulled it off, only for a few gems to get tangled in her hair. She grunted and unraveled it out before she pulled the gem off and then smacked the headband on Aphrodite's hand. "Sorry," she murmured as a little trickle of blood fell.

"It's fine, but you must be faster!" the Pisces raised his finger. The whole ordeal took almost thirty seconds which was twenty-five seconds too slow.

"I'll try," the girl whimpered.

Aphrodite sighed. "I know. This isn't what you expected." He touched his chest. "When I came here, it was the same for me. I just wanted to raise flowers, tend to the gardens. A perfect day for me is a cup of wine in one hand and a shovel in the other." He sighed. "But, a Gold Saint is required to have a perfectly well-trained body. I am expected to know how to fight especially if I have no access to roses or if my poison is ineffective against my opponent. I am the Rearguard for the Pope," even if it is not the Pope who he felt would serve Sanctuary best.

Paz clutched the headband. "I never saw you fight with your arms. Just roses."

Aphrodite chuckled. "Because I am terrible at it. Trying to fight with grace in this place tends to land one into the mud."

Paz blinked. "But don't you like the mud?"

Aphrodite laughed once more since the eight-year-old was clearly being serious. "Yes, yes I do." He sighed. "Come, let's try it again. I hope you will never have to use it." If it was Saga, the Pisces knew he would never do anything. But with Aiolos, who knew how unpredictable the curse will be with him."

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

DELPHI- Orphee's House

Galan sat holding a cup of coffee while watching the musician and the nymph standing on either side of the Goddess.

He's seen various Saints use their cosmos to heal. Much like how there were doctors who specialize in various fields or body parts, the same went for those who could heal. While those who trained in Rodario were focused more on combat, those in Delphi concentrated on the arts.

It made sense that those Saints in Delphi would be better skilled in repairing the voice box.

Orphee stared into her blue eyes. It saddened him to see his Goddess in such a state, but he knew best to keep his emotions in check since she was depending on him. He still found it quite odd that despite how powerful her cosmos was, she was unable to heal.

To think, in all his memories, he nearly collapsed in anxiety the night before he was to play for the first time in front of the Goddess and the Pope. He never thought such a day could be topped until the day when her life was in his hands. But now that he was mostly finished with the initial examination, he did feel a bit better about her condition.

"Athena, we're almost done. This may hurt a little, but I need you to perform the following note," the Lyra Saint gently whispered before he turned to Eurydice. "D4."

The nymph demonstrated before Athena copied with no problem, the Saint's light mixture of light green cosmos glowing near her throat.

"That's good, now try, C4," this time, after Eurydice produced the note, Athena tried and grimaced, causing Orphee to raise his hand. "Stop, don't force yourself," he whispered gently. The musician used his green cosmos to soothe the pain a bit, while the nymph took a piece of wet cotton and began to clean the area. Once he was done, Orphee walked over toward the servant. "Well, the good news is that while there is a great deal of damage, it is certainly fixable. I should be able to have her fully healed in about thirty days."

"A month? That's a long time."

"It is, but we're not fixing large groups of muscles. Fixing the larynx of a human is like fixing a violin. One could nail a bunch of wood, but it will not carry the same tune. Unless you two want the Goddess to either stay mute or sound like a man, it must be done very slowly."

The two Saints turned as Athena smiled and silently laughed at the comment. For Galan, it is a good sign.

Orphee continued. "Is a month fine?"

Galan wrinkled his face. "Actually, I am not sure. Frankly, I don't even know the plan. I should check with Saga."

The musician nodded. "Alright, just to let you know, tonight, I will repair her throat to where she will stop bleeding and she can drink water and eat liquid foods. But as for repairing her voice, I need to know since the process is something that can't be easily stopped and continued later without risking permanent vocal damage."

Even though the musician seemed lighthearted and merry, Galan could hear the tension in his tone. "Here, I'll speak to him."

Galan walked up the stairs and headed toward the kitchen, the light shining brightly. The rule of what luxuries Saints can have fluctuated between areas. He guessed that Sanctuary would rather have those stationed there to use electricity since torches would make this place stick out. He spotted Saga sitting next to an odd-looking pita. "Gyro meat between cheese?"

"He didn't have any bread left. Besides, after playing an old man who was mostly a vegetarian and a die-hard Thai-spicy curry eater for the past five years, I am so desperate for meat that I am ready to crack open the nearest porcupine and eat its liver."

Galan walked over toward the large pot and forked some meat and cheese. "Mmm, that actually sounds pretty good." He sat over next to the Gemini and turned toward the weathered book, a freshly written paper with nine rings of the greek alphabet upon it, along with a piece of paper with a few notes. "Is that the code?"

Saga nodded. "Without it, the book is impossible, but it is fairly simple with this. There are nine lines on each page, each line corresponding to a separate circle. Find the letter, count backward five spaces and you can decode it. Only me and my brother knew it."

The servant listened to the instructions carefully. He looked up and figured it was time to pass on what the Lyra Saint told him. "Orphee says that he can heal Athena. But he says it will take a month to finish the process."

Saga nodded. "Tell him it is fine. Much of what we need is here in Delphi."

Galan nodded. "So what is the plan? We are here, now what? What do you want me to do?"

Saga sighed. A pity that the man was illiterate. "In short, I have to study my ass off and solve a curse in three months what those in Sanctuary have been unable to do for a few centuries."

Galan could hear the uncomfortable exhausted laughter in his tone, but who can blame him. "What do you want me to do? What about Sanctuary?"

"Right now, I have the Saint of Pisces watching over things. I told him not to tell anyone and to watch over how things go. When possible, I will make contact with him, that way we have an organic means of seeing how the curse affects Aiolos. Once the time comes, we shall come back to Sanctuary, and I shall reach the, and hopefully, I will have a means of curing him."

The servant leaned his head on his only hand. "What about Aiolia? Are we not going to tell him that his brother is going mad?"

"He is safer! The curse focuses on self-preservation and AIolia isn't exactly a walking Buddha who can keep his emotions in check nor his mouth shut. Besides, you've seen how well we get along," Saga snapped.

But Galan had to disagree. "Wasn't your reason for not telling Aiolos about the curse was that you wanted to keep him safe? Look how that turned out," he snapped, not even flinching as Saga's fist came down, echoing in the kitchen.

The two stared hard at each other for a few seconds. At this moment, such a comment would've caused Saga's eyes to glow red and perhaps Galan finding himself needing a second prosthetic arm.

Instead, this was him. Rather than a rain of blood, awkward silence followed. Sometimes he wished he could just blackout. At least he could continue to blame the curse for the fact that he was a miserable person who deserved to die.

Saga drew his hands. Goddess the thoughts were coming back. He could get some sleep, but he needed more time. But then an idea came about. "Excuse me. I'm fucking tired and I'm going to take a ten-second nap before I continue," he spoke as he walked over toward the couch and crashed upon the cold leather and traced the glyph on his forehead.

DING DING

(The room of the Golden Orb is a place in Saga's head that lies between his conscious and subconscious, between memories and dreams, fears and desires. Anything can happen here)

ROOM OF THE GOLDEN ORB LOBBY

Saga opened his eyes to find himself sitting in the lobby once more. It was only his third visit, but strangely enough, it feels like he's been for far longer than that. He turned his head toward the magazines and picked the top one. "Greece Realtors. Live in beautiful Delphi. Homes that are never at risk of being invaded by Specters or Mariners. Schools to ensure your children never have to enter the Army unless their mother was an Amazon and they happened to be identical twins born under the sign of Gemini. Come to Delphi, and support the brave warriors and defenders of Athena from a safe view while still making bank. Oh yes, this was definitely Delphi in a nutshell."

"Hmm, seven magazines, tailored toward women, four targeted at men, and three for both sexes. +10 points."

Saga looked up to see a strong-jawed man with blond short hair and a tight black turtleneck shirt. He always thought he was the only customer. "Are you here to see Dr. Krios?"

"Dr? No, I am here to judge Mr. Krios to see if he is worthy of such a title," spoke the Brit as he scribbled on a piece of paper before tugging his unibrow back into place as it attempted to crawl off his face like a caterpillar. "You must be, Khris Galini. I am not surprised. You have the face of someone that curses the fact that your parents gave you a name that forces you to correct the spelling every time."

"Khris with a K…" The Gemini muttered, parroting every time he was asked as a child to spell it before he ditched it at Sanctuary. He set the magazine down. "You look familiar? Like the Specter from the Lost Canvas with a giant hole in his chest."

Mr. R turned his head. "I get that a lot, especially when I am at the pool." He took his pen and gestured toward the front. "Hurry up and check-in. I eagerly await the moment my eyes meet Dr. Krios and I watch what little soul he has left die ever so slightly."

Saga stood up and watched Mr. R follow suite. He took a couple of steps forward and the judge did the same. "Are you going to follow me during my private appointment without asking me first?"

But the Brit didn't care. Instead, he took his fist and punched through where his heart was before pulling out a metal flask to show he didn't give a shit. "If I don't follow you, Mr. Krios fails. He will lose his position as an unpaid college intern and the landlord will kick him out." Mr. R noted as he took a big swig before he lifted up his shirt and tenderly set his whiskey back inside the four diameter hole as if it was a shelf.

Saga frowned. He didn't want to lose his pseudo-psychologist and what he had to talk about wasn't something that needed to be secretive. "Fine." He walked over toward the counter and was a bit surprised when Secretary Not-Crane-Yuzuriha stood up. Not only was she wearing a shirt instead of merely strips of cloth, but she even had a cash register. His guess was that everyone here is prepared for Mr. R's visit as well.

"Welcome back, Saga. You are one of the greatest customers to ever grace our presence. You are stronger than Aiolos, smarter than Kanon, and with the best butt of all of the Zodiac."

Saga turned his head. He wasn't sure why, but he was always very conscientious about his derrière. "Ah splendid, I was worried my ass may have softened a bit after laying in a bed for a week."

The Lemurian shook her no, continuing her chipper tune. "Of course not! What a ridiculous thought! Your cheeks are still tight enough to uncork a wine bottle!" She pressed a button on her cash register. "Here, have a bag of money!" she chimed as she pulled out a large sack of gold and passed it over.

"Is this a bribe?" Saga asked.

"If it is, +10 points!" Spoke Mr. R as he carefully counted the amount of fish in the aquarium. "Terrible, no underwater castle, -5 points," fretted Mr. R.

"A bribe? Where do you think this is, Dimitris' Accountant Firm? We would never offer such a thing! I have discovered that people tend to return more to see Dr. Krios when I give them money instead of taking it away."

Saga looked down. It isn't like it was going to appear in the real world. He picked it up and carried it over. "Uh, here, you can have it," he spoke as he handed it over to the Judge.

Mr. R graciously picked it up, "oh good, this is just enough for me to get my usual at Starbucks, a grande cinnamon dolce latte, extra extra black with a shot of the tears from Regulus. +10 points." He raised his head, prepared to examine if she was wearing acrylic nail polish as a proper secretary should before he stopped exactly six feet away. "WHAT IS THIS!? WHERE IS YOUR BLOODY MASK!? ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME!?"

The girl gasped and immediately corrected her error and slapped on her Amazon porcelain face.

The brit nodded approvingly, still maintaining his distance. "Much better, but -20 points. Your negligence had nearly placed my health in jeopardy, or worse, forced me to love."

The door opened, as the young green-haired Lemurian opened the door. "Good morning, Saga," he spoke as his glasses twinkled a bit. He turned toward the British man behind him and sighed. Even though Saga didn't realize it, his subconscious was indirectly challenging him once more, much like how the body fights off an infection or foreign bodies. "I guess you found out today is the day I receive my final examination?"

Saga shifted his eyes toward the brit before returning them to the young Lemurian. "You could've told me about this sooner."

The psychologist sighed. It was the same type of words Saga spoke when they had their conversation as to why he was not chosen. "Yes, I should've. But honestly, it snuck up on me too." Of course. Saga's subconscious would choose him of all people. Saga always looked so pale when they would come to the part where Radamanthys would walk around with a hole in his chest in the Lost Canvas. "Everyone come in. Careful though, watch the coffee table, I've bumped my head a few times against it."

It was a warning that didn't make sense until the Gemini was able to see inside. Everything was gently floating in the air from paper clips to the furniture was floating and slowly circling the golden orb as if it were outer space and the yellow sphere was the sun. Even Dr. Krios was adrift.

Once his foot touched the carpet, he too, began to float. At first, he was a bit wobbly and off-center, but thanks to his frequent use of Another Dimension, he began to move with the grace of a fish cutting through the waves until he reached the green couch and pulled himself into it. He may not be able to lie down, but that was okay for today.

However, he took a passing rubberband and used it to tie his hair into a ponytail to keep the strands from floating at his face. He looked down and noticed the judge was casually walking around on the ground with no problem. "Why aren't you floating?"

"Because gravity can kiss my ass," snorted Mr. R as he turned to the desk. "Ah, a container of pens where half of them do not work and an outdated spinning globe with eight continents. Proper decor for a psychologist. +10 points but -5 over the fact that the wood of the desk is maple and not walnut. Everyone knows a high-quality psychologist must have a desk of walnut."

Dr. Krios seemingly swam to his chair and took his usual spot. He spun for a brief moment before the Lemurian touched his forehead and used his telekinesis to steady it. "Saga, this is the third visit tonight. What brings you here now?"

The Gemini held his hands before a stray piece of paper fluttered a bit before it folded into a butterfly and landed on his shoulder. "I know this sounds odd, but I was wondering since I can spend as much time as I want if I can sleep here."

"Sleep?" questioned the Lemurian.

This greatly amused the Judge. "Hmmm, the patient demonstrates extreme boredom the moment he steps inside. Bravo! That is a true sign of a promising psychologist and possibly a high school teacher, +50 points."

Seeing that his request was confusing, the Gemini felt the need to clarify himself. "Look, I only have ninety days to break this curse, and every minute counts! I can lay here and sleep for eight hours and wake up with only ten seconds going by. That way, I can keep going day and night!"

The Lemurian cracked a small brief smile. Saga was at it once again with another crazy idea. Although he will admit this one was quite brilliant if it were not for one problem. "You are free to rest here for eight hours or even eight days, but, when you leave the room, you will still be exhausted and will still need to sleep. I'm sorry, but it won't work." He could see a downtrodden look on the Gemini. "Saga?"

Saga tightened his fists. "I can't afford to sleep! Aiolos needs me to break this curse! I spent the last three hours in the kitchen and I just now decoded one single fucking page in my book! Where will be the time for me to research all of this!"

But then the Gemini snapped his fingers. "Alright, what if I took the materials here to the room of the Golden Orb! I can read a book that would take me a day in ten seconds! At that rate, I could read every single text in the archive!"

Shion didn't know whether to laugh or groan. "No Saga, you can't use this place as a study room. I am afraid the materials from outside this place cannot exist." His gaze softened. "You don't have to do this alone, Saga."

The Gemini groaned as the green couch rolled vertically until the underside was showing, as if he was a turtle that had shrunk in its shell. "It is easy for you to say! You are not a selfish bastard who hid things from his friends and didn't force upon this mess upon everyone he knew and cared about."

At the moment the Lemurian gave pause, for he didn't want the Gemini to repeat his mistakes. It was the main reason that unlike all other Popes, he chose to grant him the position as the assistant. "Saga, finding redemption simply means to make things right. It doesn't have to mean you have to do it alone. In fact, what you intend to do, can't be done alone."

Saga shook his head. "I know, but if I involve others carelessly and I am caught, they will all suffer for their parts."

Dr. Krios floated from his elevated chair, used his feet to gently tap the couch to right it back into its position before he sat next to the Gemini. "Saga, you are a smart young man and I am certain that you are aware that they are aware and are still willing to help. You must look inwards, for I think the reason you don't want any help, is because when one is depressed, they feel they are not a part of a group, but a burden, and so they push others away no matter what. Soon others mistake such behavior as arrogant and they grant that solitude that you make them perceive you want when it is not true and very much the opposite."

For a moment Saga looked at him. Part of why he liked speaking with Shion, was that he was the only one he knew that seemed to understand his depression since he had it from losing nearly all his friends as well as his insecurity as being Pope. As Shion used to put it, he was not chosen because he was the best, but because he had a pulse. But Shion was dead and he had killed him. Besides, he was a psychologist, or rather an unpaid college intern determined to become one. Of course, he would understand depression. He probably had to write a ten-page paper over it.

Dr. Krios could see that Saga was pondering his identity once more. However, the illusion cannot be shattered, not yet...not when they've made so much progress. "I know it will be hard for you to accept help, but like anything else, it will become easier the more you do it. From what I can tell, you are surrounded by many wonderful people who want you to succeed as much as you desire it. I'm sorry you can't sleep here and work, but don't forget, if you want to share your research, you can still talk to me about that. Is there anything else?"

Saga turned his head toward the center of the room as several rows of encyclopedias spun and twisted as if they were forming the asteroid belt. "Why is everything floating today?"

Dr. Krios chuckled. "Because you used your glyph upon your head while you were extremely tired and fell asleep during the five seconds it took to come here. I hope you will forgive me, but the next five seconds of your trip back will be...a bit turbulent," he spoke as he turned toward the orb.

The Gemini turned his head as the objects all stopped before everything stopped before dropping like a rock to the ground. His eyes widened as the carpet was not there, but a dark endless void, his body seemingly falling faster and faster until it smashed into the black concrete.

DING DING

Saga's body twitched hard, from the psychic whiplash, causing Hera the cat who laid curled on his chest to leap off with a loud meow. By the Goddess, he had a massive headache! His mouth even ached, making him wonder how hard he clenched his jaw this time around.

"Good morning, Saga."

The Gemini turned toward the near angelic voice as Eurydice sat beside him, wrapped in a delicate short silk pink robe with Athena, in an oversized blue T-shirt next to her. For a moment he stared at the goddess and felt a bit of relief. Her white skin seemed to hold its glow rather than the pale appearance of a girl in pain and drained of quite a bit of blood. But then, he thought back to Euridice's words. "Morning!?" the Gemini looked down, and sure enough, not only did someone place a large fleece blanket over him but indeed the sun beamed brightly and his heart raced. "Shit!" he screamed before he struggled to kick off the tightly tucked blanket. "SHIT!"

"Saga what is wrong?" asked the nymph as she grabbed the shoulders of Athena.

The Gemini scoffed. "What is wrong?" he repeated in a fit of rage. "Isn't it clear! I overslept! It is the morning! I WAS SUPPOSED TO STAY UP ALL NIGHT TO DECODE THAT DAMN PAGE SO THAT I CAN START MY SEARCH!"

"Orphee!" The nymph called out. She was very used to being around Saints. She pulled Athena far away for it was not wise to even attempt to try and grab a panicked Saint, especially a Gold level one in fear that they cannot control their cosmos and rip the two of them apart.

Saga heaved before he nearly cried. "I wasted all that time sleeping! WHY DID I WASTE MY TIME SLEEPING WHEN I SHOULD'VE BEEN DOING SOMETHING USEFUL! NOW AIOLOS ONLY HAS EIGHTY-NINE DAYS LEFT AND IT IS ALL MY FAULT!" A gentle tune echoed in the room. Saga paused and listened to the gentle and familiar medley.

Orphee stepped out, still in a pair of shorts, but carrying his lyre in his hands. "Hey, do you remember this tune?" he asked calmly. He carefully tried to assess if the Gemini was in control or not, ready to adjust the song into something a bit more defensive if it came down to it.

Saga whistled the tune to himself at a faster tempo than what Orphee was playing. "Close to you by The Carpenters." He watched as the Silver changed the melody, clearly making it more difficult. But because his late mother was a violinist, it was easier, "Carmen, the Overture...or as my younger brother would put it, the music that they played in that one Tom and Jerry episode."

"Good ear, as always Your Hol-er Saga." Old habits were hard to break, especially since he could tell that the Gemini was one of the few he knew among Saints who did have a musical ear.

The Gemini was heaving at this point. He then spotted Athena pointing toward his pillow. He slid his hand underneath when he felt a familiar capsule. He watched her smile and nod. He normally took it before the sun would rise so that nobody would see him do so. He was probably overdue for his dose and it seemed the Goddess may have slipped it to him so that he would have access to it without the others knowing.

It made him wonder if Athena had predicted he would have a manic episode from oversleeping. The Goddess of Wisdom certainly lived up to her name. He twisted his body to take the pill and lay quietly for a moment until it kicked in.

The musician could sense the cosmos of the Gemini seemingly stabilize. He waved his hand for the girls to come close once more. "Saga, what's wrong?"

Saga gazed at Orphee, his light blue eyes seeking an answer, one that he could still tell him. Even though he had his medicine, it was still hard. "I don't have any time to waste. Why did all of you allow me to sleep when there is no time to waste! I should have started my search hours ago, I should've had the page translated so I have a list of books to start with...hell I haven't even told you what the hell happened to the real Pope-"

Orphee raised a quick hand, still shocked when he first heard it."Yes, I know, he's dead. You killed him five years ago and took his place to keep Sanctuary from totally collapsing in on itself before the Holy War. Galan went ahead and told me once I stabilized Athena. I know everything including that the true Pope successor came back and took the curse." He smiled. "I told you, if Athena is comfortable with it, it must be for a good reason and you all can continue to stay here to figure out how to save him."

Saga couldn't believe it. Orphee knew. Part of him was afraid that he would cast them all out, but Lyra Saint was one of kindest in Sanctuary. "Thank you." Saga felt himself calm down a bit more. "But I still have to decode that one page."

Eurydice, sensing things were safe approached him. "Oh, here, Galan also took care of that for you," she spoke as she handed him a sheet of paper.

Saga did recall that he did show how the decoder worked, and even though the servant was illiterate, it didn't matter since reading wasn't required and it was basically exchanging one letter for another. "Where is Galan?"

Eurydice pointed upstairs. "We told him to get some rest when he kept falling asleep on top of the book. Galan said once he wakes up, he will keep going that way you had more time to research."

The Gemini was speechless. Despite all the wrong he had done against Galan, the servant still did so much even in his slumber. Even though he was certain his deeds were all for the archer, it also demonstrated his character and why he was the one that Aiolos entrusted his brother to him. "I should get going. If you could, let him know...he was right and we'll discuss how to bring in Aiolia. Tell him it won't be easy since we can't just send a message, but we will figure out a way." He knew that aside from Aiolia's benefit, Galan missed him.

Orphee looked up. "Are you going to use Another Dimension to reach the archives?"

Saga shook his head no. "Using Another Dimension for small things should go undiscovered, but if I repeatedly make the same trips from this spot, it will draw attention to your home. I would rather use Another Dimension next to the location."

The musician could see his point, but unfortunately, he knew his home well. "But you walking back and forth outside may do the same thing with the neighbors."

But then the Gemini snapped his fingers. "Tutoring! If I am carrying a musical instrument case, they will think that I am your student."

The Lyra beamed. "Yes, that's a fantastic idea. I have a couple of students who I hold private lessons for. Perhaps if Eurydice alters one of my old school uniforms, you can wear that!"

Eurydice clasped her hands and reached over to the table and pulled out a black backpack. "Here, I made this for you. It has writing materials and some lunch and dinner if you need it. Oh, it feels so wonderful to do this. As if you are going to school." She turned her head to her boyfriend. "Can you imagine what it would be like if we had a little girl or a little boy to do this every day with?" she chimed.

Saga held back his laughter as he watched the musician rapidly shaking his head no, clearly indicating that Eurydice's baby fever is not aligned with the Lyra Saint. It was a clear signal that he should take his leave.

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

? ? ?

A large figure, skin as black as coal with eyes as red fire stared at the large orb, an object that was his only means of staring at the world beyond this realm. There he stared heavily at the cursed archer as he ate his breakfast with one hand while reading the large pile of business in the other. "How amusing, to end the curse, Athena entrusts it to someone who only has three months and not eighteen years," the figure mused as he picked up the rather small hourglass with the sign of Sagittarius before turning toward the gigantic one of Gemini. The dark figured sighed. He will miss the old user of the dagger, but the Sagittarius did secretly fire the purple arrow into the Gemini and soon the Third Guardian will succumb to it.

Another figure stepped forward, his metal boots cutting through the thick fog. "It is strange, isn't it master? The Gemini has the greatest resistance to curses while the Sagittarius is meant for long-range combat with hardly any mental defense capabilities. It is as if there is a race and Athena switched out a rabbit for a frog. How foolish! It will most likely fail like all the other times," he spoke as he turned toward the rows of broken hourglasses, each with a zodiac sign. His Master always enjoyed displaying each of them like trophies for him to savor.

The black figure folded his tense arms, his muscles as thick as steel rods. His long black hair constantly grew while the tips would turn to grey ash and scatter in the wind."True, but there is something different this time around. I've never seen her this bold before."

"Are you worried, Master?"

"No, merely curious. She wants the former to go out and find the cure while trusting that the one with the kind heart will hold on and do nothing too terrible in the meantime."

"Oh, that does sound different, Master. I guess she is tired of her Golds succumbing to the dagger that she is taking things more into her own hands...even if it was her fault. What do you think of this new turn of events, Master?"

"It is certainly an interesting strategy. I guess that she believes a heart that sides with order rather than chaos will ensure that nothing wrong will happen. Of course, it is doomed to fail."

The servant turned his head, clutching his weapon in his hand. "Why do you think such a thing, Master?"

The figure stared at the globe, his red eyes focused on the new Pope of Sanctuary, while his hand reached over to lightly stroke a large red metal dragon, its pieces all used to form his God Cloth. "Just watch."

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

POPE'S CHAMBER BALCONY

Aiolos sat on Zephyr. He was going to take his sandy stallion for an easy ride around the garden section, but instead, he could not help but stare over at the view of the village. That was the nice thing about being a Sagittarius since it gave him better sight to see things from afar.

Suddenly, something caught his eye. He drew his hand to his mouth as he watched a person being dragged before their earnings were taken. He unshouldered his bow and pulled out a dummy arrow, an arrow where it lacked a tip, but instead, a concentrated amount of cosmos to keep it blunt. Upclose, dummy arrows can be very deadly, but from afar, they were strong enough to knock a person over without any harm. He just couldn't sit there and do nothing after all. He aimed it quickly and watched the target tumble into the dirt, his stolen contents falling out of his hands. He watched and waited. What should have happened was that the three guards he fell in front of should go and arrest him while returning the goods.

That is what should have happened.

Instead, his face grew red as he watched as one guard merely pocketed one item while the thief tossed a few Euros in their hands. The thief ran off, and the three guards ran off as well as a desperate man ran and screamed to chase the thief to no avail. The thief ducked into an area where he couldn't see nor aim for him, and he didn't want to do a blind shot if he didn't know if others were over there. The three soldiers all look the same with their helmets, their features are hidden away. Soon they were gone too. "It's frustrating, Zephyr," the archer muttered. He watched as the horse turned its head and snorted.

He threw his hands to his face trying and started to breathe silently, only for it to be no use. "Summon Shura...have him delegate a few Captains to get them back on track…" he muttered.

That will be effective...for a few days. After that, things grow lax and the same problems reemerge. An endless cycle of a Captain demanding order receives it, turns his back before many will go, and starts repeating the wrongs all over again.

And again.

And again.

And again.

"Shura, this is…" he paused, still not used to his role. "...the Pope…" Unfortunately, it felt as if his message through the cosmos wasn't reaching him. The Capricorn may be going through quite a bit right now, but one thing that he wouldn't block him. Aiolos had a feeling that Shura was in the prisons again. Trying to communicate with the cosmos from up here to there would be, like Futaba always said, like trying to hunt the tail of a rat with a set of chopsticks.

Aiolos drew his hands to his head as he thought of her smiling face, one of the few who never gave him strange looks for being in a wheelchair. She was always wonderful to talk to even if it meant half the time they spoke simple Japanese or broken English. "Futaba, it's shit like this as to why I don't want you to come here." Rodario had hundreds of people and Tokyo had millions. Yet somehow, there was less crime in the last five years in the capital of Japan than the last five days of Rodario. Hell, Tatsumi even forgot his wallet at the bar and a man ran a whole block to return it to him.

They will never stop… even the honest grunts suffer.

"Dad," he muttered. He still remembered waiting all day, as he always did, when he knew when his father would return. Aiolia wasn't born yet. This was his first dad, not his Uncle that he later loved equally. He was so young, but he remembered him not coming home. It turned out Dad had spoken to the Captain about a few from his platoon taking bribes, and somehow they turned it around and caused him to go to prison for a week. He still remembered Mom dragging him around, begging for every Euro she had, just to pay to get him out. Aiolos remembered asking his Uncle why it happened and he told him:

It's been around for centuries, son. It will probably continue centuries more.

They will never stop… unless you make them stop.

The sandy stallion felt a large burst of cosmos. It's head jerked from side to side unsure of what's going on. It had trained with the archer and was normally quite fond of him. However, while it was like his cosmos, there was something not quite right. But Zephyr was a good horse and knew that no matter the danger or feeling, it must stay still when his partner brought out the bow.

Aiolos' eyes glowed red and his head grew hot, and little did he know, he was having his first blackout. Suddenly a cascade of Crimson Arrows fell into his hand, each one capable of making low cosmos users do whatever he wanted them to do. Right now, Athena may not have the most perfect army, but when he is done, she will have the most obedient one.

More targets.

More fun.

They won't die.

They will become better.

Point…

Aim….

Fire…

Repeat!

Point…

Aim

Fire

Repeat!

POINT

AIM

FIRE

REPEAT!

Repeat!

Repeat!

REPEAT!

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

THRONE ROOM OF ARES

Ares let out a burst of thunderous laughter that could be mistaken as the roar of a lion. He moved around the globe, the thick fog being parted and shifted from left to right.

"There! Behold! The flaw in Athena's plan! She honestly believed that the heart of one that sides with order will not cause trouble.

Whether it is scavenging for more materials for the needs of a country.

To tame a race.

Or to calm the anger of the people after someone important has been killed.

The truth is that war is rarely forged from people seeking to cause Chaos, but rather to restore order and peace. As the former bearer of the dagger once said:

Sometimes Perfect Order is worse than Perfect Chaos."

---

Coming July 26ish

A month has passed, Saga is in a panic as his search is not as productive as he hoped and Aiolia is at a loss at what to do about his older brother.

Author's Notes: Sorry if this chapter was a little late. I wasn't happy with the version of this chapter on Sunday and so I chose to slash out or rewrite nearly everything in this. Not only that but because it had been a while since I continued the present time, I had to go back and forth correcting continuity errors like what the characters were wearing and doing.

There were also a lot of new side characters introduced, including Ares and Saga's newest headmate, Mr. R (who was actually my favorite part to write. Hopefully you guys like him)

I appreciate the support from the reviews and feedback since it really does help out.