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?

41. Gemini 6E: Canon

Twenty years ago

"I don't understand why the baby won't come out?" gasped Mrs. Galani as she sweated profusely.

The doctor shrugged her shoulders. It indeed was a strange phenomenon. The Mother was completely dilated but the baby wasn't even close. She could feel that it was still alive since there was a visible movement in her stomach. "We're going to have to get the child out. Do you wish for any pain killers?"

Mrs. Galani shook her head no. "I can handle it," she spoke as she pulled her ocean blue hair to reveal the old facial marks caused by wearing an Amazon mask for so long.

The doctor lifted her pink hair and showed the same marks upon her face. "I understand. Focus all of your cosmos and do not move." The doctor took her scalpel and waited until the exhausted woman burned her cosmos before she made the incisions and flinched.

"What is it?" asked Mrs. Galani.

"There are two of them! You have twins! The doctor reached in and tried to pull only to be met with resistance. "Oh my, come on, don't be so stubborn!" But she had no choice, and despite grabbing one, somehow the other would not let go. There in her hands, was a pair of twins quietly clinging to the other, their umbilical cords still attached.

Mrs. Galani gazed in happiness and shock. She was wondering why she was so large. "Why are they quiet? Aren't they supposed to cry?"

The doctor nodded, equally surprised as the two held on so tightly that it looked like they were merged. She slipped a hand in between, and that was when the tears rolled out, their mouths wailing at the same tempo. "Oh, you two don't like being separated. Well, that's not the only thing we have to separate you two from. Sorry, but we have to get your umbilical cords off of you," she laughed as she cut them off and clipped the ends. The babies wailed harder and despite their eyes being shut and their vision blurry, they still reached for the other, as if some sixth sense guided the other.

Even when they were placed upon her breasts to suckle, both refused, until Mrs. Galani, recognized their need for each other. She took their tiny hands and guided them to the other to allow the other to at least hold each other's palm before they calmed down and began to feed.

Mrs. Galani stroked their heads. Two babies. "I thought only one was there? It certainly felt like only one was inside."

"Well, I think we got our answer. Normally, twins would have their own amniotic sacs, and yet these two shared the same one." She didn't want to share all of the stories of those that she delivered where their cords were all tangled up, one twin absorbed the nutrients of the other, or simply crushing the other to death. It was clear the two held each other close for nine months for the other to survive in good health...a miracle that only Athena could bestow upon them.

The doctor closed the incision on her stomach and used her cosmos to begin to heal the area. "Their cosmos is the exact same. One receives it the moment two lives merge into one, and clearly, they were one for a long time before dividing into the two you see now. They're cute, but trust me, I've done this many years, and I can tell those two are going to be trouble. As they say, Twice the love, half the sleep," she delightfully teased.

Mrs. Galani laughed, barely able to speak after the ordeal. "They also love each other very much," she spoke as she stroked their heads and watched as they fed at the same time while continuing to hold the other's hand.

She can tell that they wanted to stay together forever.

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

Gemini: Defying Gravity

6E: Canon

BOLD: Cursed Mode

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

PRESENT

31 DAYS UNTIL AIOLOS GOES PERMANENTLY INSANE

We've looked by the woods,

we've looked by the sea.

We've searched every flower,

and we climbed every tree.

Where is the boy,

who's been missing for years?

Where is his smile,

to end our endless tears.

Kanon, oh Kanon,

Where have you gone?

Kanon, oh Kanon,

Our love for you is strong.

Kanon, oh Kanon,

Know you're not alone.

We won't stop searching,

until you come home.

A scrawny man with stringy brown hair with blue highlights smiled as he leaned against his acoustic guitar. He smiled graciously as the family had turned their attention to him and clapped, tossing a couple of Euros in his old rusty coffee tin. "Thank you, thank you!" he graciously smiled.

The father sighed as he held his own son closer. "That poor kid. I can't believe they still haven't found him! I was in school when they first started putting the posters all over the place. I wonder why out of every trainee that has gone missing, why Sanctuary is trying so hard to look for him?"

The mother touched her cheek and stared at one of the thousands of posters in Delphi. "Isn't it obvious? Look at that face! That is the face of an absolute angel!"

Meanwhile, Orphee adjusted his hoodie to hide his face more, while Eurydice's golden tresses were covered in a dark red wig. He was normally one of the few who was fairly open about his status as a high-level Saint. In fact, sometimes when he was feeling a bit overwhelmed or having a creative block, he would find a spot and give a free concert.

Things were very different right now.

The moment that Kanon's mug began showing up by the truckload in Delphi, was the moment Saga, Galan, and Athena packed up quickly from his place. If Sanctuary was sending undisguised guards to Delphi, Orphee knew Silvers would tend to follow and they were going to stay at his place.

They can't go to a hotel, which will be one of the first places they often check as well any of the abandoned buildings. Orphee had a small cabin that was still being built and was unknown to the Silvers. The problem was, if Saga ran back and forth from there to the Archive, it would leave trails of cosmos and the place wouldn't be a secret for very long. It was decided that Galan and Athena can stay there.

But Saga had to wait somewhere.

It had to be near the Archive so that when it was Orphee's shift and right before another Silver would accompany him. The Lyra Saint would merely stand and watch a blur of white cosmos slip right in and run back out after an hour, and use his instrument to flood the area with song and his cosmos to cover the Gemini's tracks. So far, it had seemed to work.

For the other twenty-three hours, the park may not sound like a suitable spot, however, due to how popular it was, it became a hub for those who use music as a focus for their cosmos. With so much of it being played and spread, it allowed the Gemini to blend right in.

But it wasn't just his cosmos that had to blend in.

Orphee kept turning his head back and forth. He hadn't had a good look at him for so long.

Eurydice spotted the familiar grey tent that they were certain that the Gemini was carrying on him. "I think that's…" Her hand moved toward her lips to stifle a gasp. "Is it him?" she muttered in disbelief.

Orphee could feel the figure send a light burn of cosmos to him. "That's him?" he spoke with as much certainty as if trying to figure out if the one in question was Saga or a gremlin. But he was familiar with his cosmos and as every Master tells their trainee, always trust the cosmos over your eyes...even though his eyes certainly had the edge on this one.

The musician slowly approached the former Pope, who was now dressed in a yellowish-white shirt with an oversized dusty blue hoodie that hung over his stringy greasy dyed blond hair that was matted and tangled. Aside from his flawless ivory skin now a few shades darker with red patches of sunburn, his face had a mess of patchy uneven stubble all over. The smell too. Clearly, the diet of only canned fish and bottled water was causing a not so pleasant odor that would at least protect Saga from any soldier getting too close. At least his teeth were perfectly white, signifying Saga wasn't abandoning all matters of hygiene. "How are things going?"

The Gemini, or rather the Gemi-bum, sighed heavily. This was the exact reason why he would never touch any long-term undercover missions."Itchy and rough," he muttered as he scratched his scalp. Long hair needed high maintenance. Back in Sanctuary, he visited the barber like a good Catholic who attended mass. Normally he would brush it four times a day, have it carefully washed, and slowly dried to prevent frizzles.

Now he was forced to choose between using his bottled water to drink or using it to bathe. Needless to say, he looked like he had a tumbleweed when it wasn't brushed, and when he did try to, there was so much oily buildup that any attempt of using Galaxy Explosion will most likely set his head on fire.

The smell… Goddess, he knew it was bad if anyone that passed his tent wondered if a skunk died.

He felt a bit of anger creep in before he took his bottle and took a pill to qualm it.

Part of repenting was to learn to be more peaceful and tranquil. Saga looked up and decided to refocus and address the Silver. If Orphee was willing to risk coming to him, it must be important. "Did something happen?"

Orphee, keeping his distance, decided to say something, even though he had a sense he knew the answer. "Yes, but, before we talk about that, how is the search going? Anything?" he asked before taking a quick breath of much-needed oxygen.

The Gemi-bum shook his head. "It's a lot harder. An hour of gathering books and bringing them back here is not enough." Before, he could stand in one spot and easily judge whether something was worth perusing. But because of his now limited time in the Archive, it felt like he just tossed as much as he could in Another Dimension and spent hours sorting the rest. It was maddening! "I have spent the last three weeks on a fraction of the books that I would normally go through in a single day!" He sighed in frustration before he looked up. "Please tell me why you are here?"

Orphee looked around. He didn't want to spend too much time, or else people would be wondering why a pair like them were hanging out with a homeless man. He took his finger and tapped his head, to indicate to use the cosmos for mental messages.

"I...got a summons from the Pope."

Saga felt sick, reminded of when Aphrodite openly lied to his face about Deathmask being in trouble and then two of them being the first to break into the house that he told them that he was staying at. It was not only proof that Aiolos really could use those Crimson Arrows to control Golds, but it served to target him as well by using those who were the most aware of him being the Pope.

How frightening.

In his dreams, it seemed he could only control others close up with his fist, while Aiolos could strike anyone from miles away. The archer could bring anyone under his command and others wouldn't suspect a thing. It begged the question, did Aiolos manage to get control of all of the Golds, or was he simply targeting Orphee since the musician and he was close due to the musician giving concerts while he was Pope? "Do not go!"

Orphee gritted his teeth in rare frustration. "I know! But what am I going to do! This is a Pope's summoning! You know exactly what happens if I don't go!"

"Of course I do! But I also have a feeling of what will happen if you 'do' go!" The Gemini folded his arms. "Did you sign a paper by the messenger stating you received it?"

"Of course I did!" Orphee spoke with loud unease. After all, it was just a standard procedure. "What do I do?"

Saga shook his head and placed a hand on his face and sighed. He had a good feeling that if the Lyra Saint went, it would be the last time he sees him as a friend. "Just...wait… Unless it is Holy War or a high-level mission, most Saints don't realize you technically have two weeks to go. You won't win any favors and will be frowned upon, but the Pope cannot do anything," he replied before ending the cosmos link..

Orphee turned his head. He was surprised how docile the Gemini was from the news, especially since he's seen how he acted in the Pope's Chambers. "Saga? Are you going to be alright? You just…." he noticed that since that night the purple arrow was removed, the Gemi-bum seemed oddly calm. It wasn't that it was bad, but it felt like he was talking to another person.

The Gemi-bum shrugged. "I'm fine. Just fine," he spoke peacefully.

Orphee nodded. Not wanting to stick out, he still tossed the Gemi-bum a couple of Euros and waved a quick goodbye, to avoid drawing too much attention.

Saga picked up the money and just nonchalantly stuffed it in his pocket. He didn't need it. He still had plenty from what he grabbed from his House, but he had to fit in. Besides, how the hell was he going to spend money? Delphi was modern enough for stores to have cameras and he knew that the guards here actually use those from his experience as Pope.

He shook his head. He needed to focus. Amazing how much harder it was to do all of this in a noisy park with people walking by and random noises over a quiet room. His brain was so exhausted from endlessly translating and reading over the past few weeks. So he does the same thing he always did to keep him going. "Thirty one days...four weeks...one month…" he chanted reminding himself of how little time there was.

He pulled out the book of his observations on the curse that he and Kanon crafted when he was first afflicted. He shifted the pages, watching the handwriting slowly shift from wrinkled letters to elegant and straight before shifting once more to jagged and hard-pressed after the death of Shion, the point where his life had spiraled.

Saga stared at the newer pages that he added. They were full of theories that led to nowhere. Promising books that only held small slivers. "So messy…" he muttered as he pulled out a pen from his pocket. He turned to a fresh page and rearranged the leftover clues. But it didn't take long and it was dreadfully short.

-Thirteen red stones

-Ares-no solid information besides the myths

-Gemini must be first...Gemini must be last…

Kanon, oh Kanon,

Our love for you is strong.

Kanon, oh Kanon,

Know you're not alone.

Kanon, oh Kanon,

Where have you gone?

We won't stop searching,

until you come home.

Saga's fist tightened as he turned his head to see a huge group surrounding the musician, united in song as if it will reach the thick skull of his younger brother.

"ENCORE! ENCORE!" the crowd cries from a distance.

"Of course! I can sing this all day!"

Saga groaned before he skittered into his tent and zipped the door shut. He can still hear them, but at least their off-key notes were muffled now.

How in the world can anyone say he didn't fuck up when he made everyone think Aiolos is the devil and Kanon is an angel?

Saga scratched his itchy face before he took both hands to rub it as if to refocus once more.

...but he couldn't…

"What is happening to me?" Saga mutters soft-spoken as he laid there, his already disheveled hair, clumped together in a terrible knot on the damp grass.

He reached over and pulled a large canvas bag of books. Last night was the worse trip to the Archive since Asterion wouldn't leave the area until he found keys that he dropped. He had so little time that he just snatched what was on the shelves.

-Fish and Marine Life

-The God of Soccer: History of Diego Maradona

-Easy Kama Sutra: A Collection for Those Who Consider Themselves Less Limber

-Rubies! The Power of Red

-Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes

-In Diana Jones

-Survival Techniques

-History of Silverware

And lots and lots of copies of The Pegasus Run.

He stared hard at the pile in front of him.

1 minute passes

5 minutes pass

10 minutes…

1 hour...

"...so tired…" he muttered. An idiot could clearly see that all he had tonight was junk.

Nothing but junk.

Another night will be wasted.

Another night of feeling like a failure.

He was so sick of reading that it hurt to think. He fell back, stringy hair that was so greasy that clung to his cheeks like the stripes of a tiger.

He stared heavily at the top of his tent.

His eyes wandered to his wrist, the flower bracelet that Athena wrapped around it before retreating to Orphee's cabin was peaking through. The moment his fingers reached over to touch it, he could feel her warm cosmos and he could hear her voice.

...Never give up...my Saint of Gemini...

A bit of resolve filled his heart. He lurched forward, not out of shock, but because he needed to do something,

But right now, his brain was so burned out, the mental equivalent of running around the world fifty times while hauling Aldebaran in his arms like a blushing bride.

He wanted to return to the Room of the Golden Orb, but knew he must save it.

"Lucid dreaming," Saga murmured. The idea appealed to him. It was where he could control his own dreams.

He had spent years of being under the curse, taking his worst fears and twisting them every time he slept. After being freed from the curse, he looked forward to nights of peace, but instead, visions of the horrors that he had done in the past and the horrors that had yet to come would invade his mind as well.

He wondered how Aiolos was coping in his dreams?

He pulled off his jacket and the old shirt, revealing several rashes that had developed after a long time without a nice long bath.

He folded his legs and closed his eyes.

Where he shall go?

He wasn't sure.

But the most important thing was who was there.

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

THE BEACH ?

The sun was bright, but it had enough clouds upon it to not be overwhelming. That was always the perfect time to be out there where the rays weren't blinding, but it was still warm enough to be out there. There are no tourists or even fishermen allowing the crashing of waves and distant gulls to comfort his ears. The fog was dense in the distance as it normally was at this time. As he always enjoyed doing, he took his shoes and socks off and slipped his feet in the wet sand. Everyone wonders why he loves his baths. They would too if they grew up by the ocean where the water was always the perfect temperature and running around naked was normal.

Is he a madman to love the water this much when he grew up by the ocean, yet was forced to dedicate the rest of his life on an arid mountain?

He turned to a small tidal pool. He cautiously approached it and gazed at his reflection, seeing his clean hair and face once more and not a maggot-ridden skull as the Curse would depict in his dreams.

He always told others that he simply could not sleep, but the truth was, the curse infliced the purest example of mind rape that he would never wish upon others.

"Nice weather out here." The voice was cheerful, with a slight country accent, with the longer rolling of the 'r's that most Prototypos were known for. There was Aiolos, in his old trainer with bits of leather armor on his body...he was standing upright. The idea of seeing him crippled was just too painful. The archer came up to Saga, sat beside him, and gazed at his face.

Saga smiled. He knew it wasn't real, but it was so nice to see his friend the way he remembered… no confusion...carefree...unbroken...

...uncursed...

Aiolos was one of the few people he felt he could truly trust and could be open with. "Aiolos," he whispered as he bit his lip surprised at how tongue-tied he was, and just said what was in his heart. "I miss you...and..."

The archer gazed on, tails of his red headband dancing in rhythm with the waves. "You look so drained, Khris. I can't describe it. It's not like your times when you just lay around letting your brother kick you because you were remembering the death of your mother. It's not that you haven't had enough rest...what could it be?" Aiolos continued to gaze at him. "You don't seem like yourself."

At that moment, Saga felt a few tears come down his face. It was moments like this when his mind was like jelly from endlessly reading and translating seemingly hundreds of books, which gave them the motivation to keep going. "Lucas...I have to break this curse! But I don't know where to go. Now I went from being able to spend all day in the Archive to a mere hour." He shook his head. "You know the worst part? All of this could have been avoided! ALL OF IT!"

Aiolos ran his hand through Saga's long hair, lightly playing with the long tresses. "That's not true…"

But Saga disagreed. "Yes, it is! On the first night, Galan told me to tell Aiolia all about it. I told him I would, but I never did. All I had to do was let Aphrodite talk to Aiolia...and I was…"

Aiolos turned his head. "You felt guilty for what Aiolia had to go through. You knew he wouldn't forgive as easily as me."

Saga nodded. "He won't. We swore to take care of each other's brother if something were to happen. You searched day and night for Kanon for weeks, trying to spread around those damn flyers...what did I do? Turned the cub into a pariah...a label he still hasn't escaped to this day… and one he never will," he shook his head.

"Saga, nothing is lost as long as you haven't been captured."

"Doesn't matter if I haven't been captured if I haven't done anything... I don't even have any direction..." he muttered limply and defeated.

Aiolos stares at him as if he was targeting his soul. "That's not true…"

"Leave me alone…" Saga uttered.

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

As Saga opened his dark blue eyes, the sound of crickets filled his ears and the soft velvety mixture of sunset and clouds faded until he was back to staring at the triangular shadow of the top of the old tent, his only shelter.

He stares at the top.

Who knows how long he laid there.

He turned his head toward the pile of books.

He stares at it too as if such an action will magically cause them to be read. He reaches his hand and blindly pulls one out.

DING DING

His body tenses, partly out of joy, wondering if he could return to the Room of the Golden Orb, partly because he almost became conditioned as if it was Pavlov's bell.

Instead, it was that of a bell tower and the ringing continued, ten more times to be precise.

30 DAYS UNTIL AIOLOS GOES PERMANENTLY INSANE

Another day has gone.…

...

...

….wasted...

All on a silly daydream.

Just when he was two steps forward, he always seemed like he was taking three steps back.

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

The morning came. His eyes ached from another night of shitty sleep. He reached to the side and pulled out his bottle of water and medicine. He looked down and poured three pills out and took them all.

He must ensure the monster is quelled from within if he had any hope of saving Aiolos.

He looked up and could see the outline of a rather feminine figure tapping the outside of his tent.

He opened it up and saw Eurydice, still wearing her red haired wig.

"Hi!" she called out, taking care not to say his name.

"What are you doing here? Where is Orphee?"

She knelt down. "He's still sleeping. You looked...different. So I got up extra early and made you these." She reached into her bag and pulled out a small waxy cloth bundle.

Saga pulled the ribbon, feeling the gentle warmth they gave. His mouth watered as he looked at the Spanakopita, or Spinach pie, still nice and crispy. They may have been a traditional snack, but they looked like a feast.

Something warm.

Something that didn't come in a can.

But most importantly, it gave off old memories of when his mother would always have a new batch ready for them to eat.

He picked one of the squares up and what was meant to be a small bite ended up disappearing as if his mouth was a black hole. Needless to say, after days of canned fish and perhaps some fresh fruit if one of the Maidens was out passing that out for charity work, he felt like he just tasted Elysium itself. "Thank you. But you don't have to."

The nymph smiled. "I want to help!" She looked at his notes. "Is that what you are working on?"

"Yes...if only I could find some sort of direction."

She leaned over and stared hard, before her eyes widened in excitement. "WAIT, THIRTEEN?" She darted her head. "I have an idea, oh my goodness...Saga...what if thirteen...means thirteen Gold Saints!"

Saga gazed at her bright face. Thirteen Gold Saints… of course he's thought of it. Even those outside of Sanctuary had drawn up the thirteenth constellation. It was nothing new, and the thirteenth Gold Saint idea was something that fell into the same problem with Ares...there was just so much information that it was difficult to tell what was real and what was myth. But still he plays along."Oh my, why didn't I think of that, Eurydice! That is absolutely brilliant! Once I explore my other leads, I will certainly explore the possibilities of the connection between the thirteenth Gold Saint and curses."

She clasped her hands. "I'm so glad I can help." Despite his stench, she leans over and squeezes him into a hug. "I have to go now, don't give up!"

The Gemini watched her toss a Euro in his cup and run off. "Orphee...you're so lucky to have someone like that." It was true. She was kind. She shared his love of songs…

….and unlike Geist...she was faithful.

Even though all Eurydice did was bring him some warm Spinach pie, seeing her energy somehow gave him energy as well.

He pulled out his book that he started as a child, thick with old notes and observations as well clouds of scribbles over things that he later found out was merely mythological fluff. He noticed his eyes kept focusing hard on one single name.

"Ares," he muttered. He stared hard at the page until his vision blurred.

He continued to stare and spent the day reading a book on rubies and Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes…

"Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary," he muttered as he stared at the image of a girl in her garden. "I can't believe this is in a children's book. Don't parents realize that children are singing about a torture device for a vagina and not a flower?"

Darkness came once more. Another day wasted. Worst off, he was so tired he forgot to run to the Archive and fetch more books. Now he'll have to wait until tomorrow.

He grabbed his medicine bottle and took three more pills and swallowed them.

The night seemed a bit chillier than usual.

He grabbed his blanket and frowned. The rain from a couple of nights had somehow managed to seep into it and pass off a mildew smell.

Saga tossed it outside of his tent, fairly certain no one was going to steal it before he laid straight upon the grass. He folded his hands on his chest. He did like lucid dreaming. It was nice, and at least it took him away from the hell he was currently living. He closed his eyes, and focused. Not the beach this time.

Perhaps he could dream about how the future should be, and not the one he was living now.

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

DREAM: THE POPE'S CHAMBERS

Saga opened his eyes and turned towards the bright window, the sunlight illuminating his favorite spot in the corner. In fact, he and Aiolos liked it so much that they set up like their own personal desk. He would have a cup full of pre-sharpened pens and pencils, several bins to store paper and place them in their proper spots, and manilla folders up the wazoo. On the other side, in typical Prototypo form, Aiolos had a single pencil that he would use until it was reduced to the metal cap.

The Gemini looked down and noticed he was wearing a simple black robe, with light gold trim on the collar and sleeves.

"You have a chance to create your own dreams and go anywhere and you picked the library?"

Saga turned, and there was Aiolos once more, wearing the holy white robes, with the far thicker trim to indicate his status. But he wasn't wearing the heavy gold chain of office around his neck nor the various polished stone beads. He was older now, standing of course, but his hair was trimmed just like when he returned back to Sanctuary and not the wild messy curls he had before everything went to shit.

In his normal training clothes, Aiolos had that son of a foot soldier down pat. Yet give him a robe and a light haircut. With the sun gently illuminating his profile, he could be mistaken for a Greek noble.

Yes, this was how it should be. He was the Pope, and he served as the assistant.

But back then, somehow, it wasn't enough, and he paid the price of a living hell for five years when he could've had happiness with the man who treated him as his equal. "Aiolos… I-" he swallowed hard. Even here his mind was so foggy and exhausted as he lowered his head. He thought he could go here and escape.

Perhaps they could just lay on the table and make out?

But he couldn't. Because time was not frozen like the Room of the Golden Orb.

Instead more tears fell. Wasting time made him feel ashamed and guilty. "I'm sorry…I'm not sure..." He looked up as his fellow Greek approached him.

"Saga...you're tired...exhausted… but...most of all...I think you're a bit too calm," he whispered as he tenderly stroked each tear away.

Saga shifted his eyes. "You say that as if it is a bad 't this what everyone wants? For me to be calm and serene?"

Aiolos shook his head. "But this isn't you. It isn't natural, because I know you've been taking too much medicine haven't you?"

The Gemini lowered his head. "I asked Galan to get me more medicine. He's quite good. Gave me enough to last a year if I had the time. I thought…" Saga looked down. "I'm just trying to change...for the better."

"Your medicine helps, but not when you take this much. It is making you very drowsy...and passive...foggy…"

At that moment, the Gemini could tell that it was definitely not Aiolos talking, but his own thoughts, especially since he wouldn't have a clue on the side effects. However, if Aiolos did know, he was certain he would say the same thing. "I've made so much progress... and I have so little time...I can't lose control again and I don't ever want to be the monster I was in the past."

To the Gemini's surprise, Aiolos turned his head in confusion. "A monster? What do you mean?"

"I was obsessed… and angry...egotistical...a madman! As part of my redemption, that side of me shall show no more! " Suddenly Aiolos began to laugh. It was definitely not the reaction he expected. "What is it?"

The archer slowed down to a chuckle before he stopped. "Saga...you're not only trying to shut away from the things that make up you, but you phrase it so negatively!

You call yourself obsessed… but, you're just very dedicated.

You say you were angry… I say you were assertive and bold...and you never unleashed it on anyone that didn't deserve it.

A madman...I never thought that either. I saw someone willing to change things, to try new things… no Pope in history...not even myself...would ever think to allow a Japanese businessman to touch the holy Cloths.

Egotistical?"

Aiolos paused and reached over for Saga's other hand. "I wish! I wish you were egotistical...because you've read my journal and you know that the one thing I wish you ever did more of...was to love yourself just as much as those around you. Do you really think I would grow as close to you if you were that terrible?"

The Gemini shook his head no. "Lucas...I can't...I can't fail… but I don't know what to do."

"That's not true. You do know."

"What is it then? I need something! Please tell me!" Saga demanded.

"I can't…" whispered the archer. "You need someone to help you...but I'm not the right choice when it comes to this.

The answer is within you.

The answer requires you to search deeper.

...and the only way you can find that answer, is if you become whole once more." With that, Aiolos grabbed his hand and led him through the Pope's Chambers until they reached the inner chambers where a large grand mirror was present. Saga stares at the reflection to see a figure wearing the Gold Cloth of Gemini, his body cloaked in the stars and galaxies of the universe.

"Eternity," Saga murmured. "You were my first illusion." He crafted it from a mere blob and over time shaped it into a being that was so in sync with his own psychic that everyone believed that he was alive and well.

Aiolos stood next to the mirror. "Everyone thinks you made him because you needed a spare Guardian for your House."

"That is what he became, but I made him because I felt lonely," Saga lifted an arm and watched Eternity do the same. "Kanon and I were divided the moment we found out the Cloth was only meant for one. Our mother told us all about how failure is treated...a stray finger laying on the side of the road on the way to the bakery...the number of children you pass and struggle to figure out if they lost their teeth because they fell out or were punched out. Failure is frightening and Kanon knew he didn't want to experience it." Saga looked up toward Aiolos. "But Eternity can't speak. He's just a living doll." It was then, Saga noticed a small delay that shouldn't happen. His hand reached out, realizing there was no surface, but merely a frame and he snatched the huge heavy helmet off revealing a face so similar. However, the difference was that if one looked at the middle of his neck that lacked the very slight groove and tan line from wearing the Gemini Cloth all the time. "KANON? Where are you!?"

The younger Gemini stood there still thirteen years old. "I'm always with you, Saga. Always have, always will! Yet you try to deny this side of...us." His eyes traveled upwards. "Geeze, what happened to you? You look like shit!"

Saga turned downwards to see his Gemi-bum appearance. "Merely temporary. It's the only way I can still retrieve books from the Archive."

"Excuses. Saga, you are seriously one beer belly away from the Cloth ditching you at this point. Besides, you know it is more than that and not just to blend in with the other degenerates."

"Is there something wrong with trying to let go of anger? Of pride?"

Kanon laughed. "Yeah, there is! Saga. Anger brings change! Anger is the hammer that slams into iron and turns it into steel. Pride is awesome! What's wrong with feeling good about doing things better than anyone else! Too much is a bad thing, but so is being overly calm and passive. You don't want to overdo it like Demitris, but you don't want to be like Mom and let everything run over you until it is too late. Saga, you're not acting like this because you're sad or depressed, you're just confused on what your identity should be. Take your medicine normally, and just embrace who you really are!"

Saga's eyes widened because this was what he needed to hear. He loved his mother, but she was abused by Demitris and so he and his brother hated him. However, in a way, the curse had done the same with him being under its control for so long...a slave… rather than the glorious freedom he thought he would have without it, the scars lingered and in this time of doubt when he should forge his own path, he was trying to go back to being under the control of something.

Aiolos approached him. "Think of Aphrodite and the Pope. If you focus the Golden Healing abilities of your cosmos in your blood, you should be able to purify it out of your system."

Saga nodded. Living beside the House of Pisces provided uncanny protection, but of course, having an airborne poison carried risks. Both he and Aiolos had to undergo horrific training of how to cleanse themselves in case the antidotes that Aphrodite gave to them wasn't enough. While it was a technique for low-level amounts, it should easily be enough to handle his medication. So he took a spot on the floor and focused, burning his white cosmos heavily.

His blood felt like it was on fire, but he had to do it. Once he wakes up, resume taking a pill in the morning and one at night.

When he opened his eyes, his head darted back and forth, as his body grew alert once more as if he was no longer dragging along. He turned downwards. "Oh Goddess, I look awful!" he gasped as if suddenly aware of what a couple of weeks without a bath would do to a man.

Kanon laughed. "That's right! Damn those handsome Missing Kanon signs!"

"Damn Aiolia!" cursed Saga before he tightened his fist. "By the Goddess, if I ever cross paths with the cub, I shall make the Leo suffer the tenth circle of Hell by sticking his face in my armpit and laugh as all life drains out of Aiolia's soul!" The Gemi-bum swore!

Aiolos darted his head and coughed. "Excuse me! You do realize at this point, my brother is probably your only chance of getting back inside of Sanctuary without causing a full-blown Civil War."

Saga nodded. "You're right," he muttered reluctantly. "Besides, I still have work here." He drew his hands. "Ares...Ares...there is something!" he tsked as he tapped his foot before pacing back and forth as if trying to reorganize his thoughts.

Kanon looked up. "Come on Saga, you know the answer! Name everything you know about Ares that you can use!"

Saga jerked his head. "Oh Goddess, name everything! Do you realize that once all the mythological fluff this man has! Once you filter all of that out, there is nothing of substance about Ares and Sanctuary!" He drew his hands to his face. "It's absolutely mind-boggling! This is no mere Demi-God or some concubine of Poseidon! He is one of the biggest enemies of Athena! He is the God of War! He is one of the most famous of the original Pantheon yet there is so...fucking little about anything! How does a God like that have so little about him!? There are hundreds of books on Poseidon and thousands on Hades! Nothing on Ares!"

Nothing NOTHING NOTHING!

Kanon looked up. "But don't you see? The act that there is nothing is something...and in fact...it is everything. Once you realize it...it will all come together."

Aiolos looked at him. "You did find something. Now that your mind is clear, what was it?"

Saga gritted his teeth. "It was two lines:

The Vase of the Muses is so hard to clean. The handles are tricky. But then I see him! His skin was black like ebony, his hair, long and grey with red tips as if on fire...his eyes ruby red.

Saga drew his hand on his face once more. There. Two months of fucking research just to find that."

But Kanon disagreed. "That's all you need. That is the direction that you seek. Don't think of it as what Ares looks like, think of why you know you should believe this over any other pieces about him."

The Gemini reached into his pocket and wrote out the words and stared hard at it. ""He has red eyes, his skin is literally black. He has fire hair. I guess whoever wrote it was spying on him." Saga was breathing heavily trying to pull what he can from all of this.

Kanon continued to stare at him. "Saga, how do you know what was written was true? How do you know this wasn't another made-up myth and deserves to be dismissed like all the other things you read? "

"I know it is true! I know because...

Saga gasps. "I knew it was true because you can only find that vase in the Pope's Inner Chambers...because I used it all the time to set herbs in to calm myself down when I was cursed...and...and..."

That was when it hit him.

...why would Ares be in the Pope's Inner Chambers?

Kanon looked at him and picked up the helmet. "I have to go and take care of some things."

Saga darted his head. "Where are you? Why did you take Paz's brother and left her alone and abandoned?"

"Look, it is better I grabbed Io. Trust me, Paz wouldn't want to go where I took him."

Saga raised a brow. "Who's Io? Her brother's name is Miguel!"

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

Saga's eyes shot open, his matted hair brushing the back of the tiny tent causing it to waver. The Gemini grasped the bag of the journals of Shion and he began to fan through them. He then realized the one thing in the journal that stuck. He had always read the journals from the perspective that he knew Shion was Pope. But a second glance made him realize that throughout the journals, the Lemurian never once mentioned that he was the Pope.

Aiolos journal was dated two weeks prior before he confessed his love, yet the there was nothing Aiolos writing about being chosen for the Pope. It must have been taken out too.

The position of the Pope was the second-highest in Sanctuary. It was also the most secretive. No one who wore the helmet is ever recorded. There is no public ceremony.

While people understood the Pope exist through art, tales, and song, his life was to remain forever a mystery.

Ares was the same way. Unlike the others of the Pantheon, he too felt like a mystery with only myths and tales to go by.

His mind clearer, he reached into his pocket. "The answer...right there…" he muttered as he pulled out one of two tablets to officially confirm the Pope and give him absolute rule. Aiolos understood that while he was cursed, he could not risk such a thing from happening. Saga himself often dreamt of himself using them and causing the deaths of honest Saints in the process. The tablets, when put together, formed Drakôn Kolkhikos, The Colchian Dragon. It was the symbol of the Pope.

-Never sleeps

-Never rests

-Never lower its vigilance

But there was another aspect to the Dragon and that it could only be found in the Grove of Ares.

His dark eyes stared, his hand gripping the side of his cheek, partially to itch his whiskers and in shock. At long last...something had connected, but this was not quite what he expected. "Oh Goddess," he murmured.

Spiritually, he was treading dangerous waters.

Athena was sacred. All who live in Sanctuary may recognize other Gods and Deities, but it was expected that they only pledge themselves to Athena. Not only that, but Sanctuary was famous in that no other God or Goddess had ever reached the top.

The idea that Ares was there as the Pope was as sacrilegious to them as the idea that the devil was crucified along with Jesus to atone for the sins of humans in Christianity.

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

HOUSE OF SCORPIO

Aiolia leaned against the side of the round rock, the same one that Mu had encased himself in for a few years. Originally, the Lemurian was going to toss it over the side into the quarry, but Milo had convinced him to not only give it to him but even to use his telekinesis to transport it all the way to the eighth house.

Once more, as Camus would say, the Prince of Sanctuary gets his way once more.

But Aiolia won't complain. Now, it was the perfect spot to hold their Frogs of Aristophanes Contemporary Book club meetings since it not only muffled the constant noise, but it was surprisingly roomy, almost like a clubhouse for the three teenagers. After the betrayal, his punishment was that he was stuck at his House for an entire year and on top of it, he was on suicidal watch, meaning he couldn't leave the top floor without an escort. It was for that reason why he now spent as little time as he could in his House unless summoned. He was so angry and tense and only through books did he find peace. But like he told his brother, he just couldn't connect with the ancient works, and he wasn't sure why.

The Leo turned his head to the sealed box. Normally they would send their requests to the foot soldiers and in exchange for good wine, they would receive copies with higher grades of alcohol if the soldier managed to find the copy in Greek. It was the best part of the meetings, seeing what they got. Right now, he was in the middle of the Percy Jackson series, so he was definitely itching for the next one. He wanted to complete it before the baby arrives, even if it will be several months from now.

They were still missing another. Aiolia watched as Milo paced back and forth, his hands in his pockets, his head turning toward the direction of the House of Aquarius. He knew that right now, the two were keeping the peace in the open, but at the same time weren't exactly sleeping in the same room either. "Have you two made up yet?" The Leo may have seemed blunt, but the two are so off again and on again nowadays that it seemed like they were all gathered together, it felt like a flip of the coin on whether the mood of the room would be fun or intense.

Milo sighed as he walked to the table and gazed at the large bottle of wine. As a connoisseur, he examined it briefly before he pulled out a decanter from the corner and began to empty the whole bottle into it. "We still need a little time."

But something wasn't right though. "Why are you worried? He still has an hour." It may seem like a lot of time, but those who live or work there knew that even with the speed of light, this place was still a fortress and a fortress is designed to slow down anyone who comes to it.

Milo grabbed a slice of cheese and nibbled upon it. "He said he was meeting with your brother, for his report about his trainees."

It sounded normal, yet by Milo's tone sounded a bit too concerned, yet it seemed like everything involving Aiolos was attached with concern nowadays. "You sound worried."

Milo bit his lip and looked at Aiolia. He wasn't sure what to say. He was the Pope's little brother and whatever he says, he may speak to Aiolos about.

As Sanctuary's assassin, he is not to question his orders, but just because he follows them, doesn't mean he can't at least take time to listen and hear those he must kill out. Right now, he can see that Aiolia's concern was genuine and so he trusts his judgment and decides to talk to him about what he saw.

"Remember that night when your brother asked us to capture Saga? Well, there was more to it..." Milo continues and then tells him about what he and Camus' suspicions and oddities. To his surprise, Aiolia shares his own, and what was meant to be a couple of hints evolved into an outright confession. "...and that is it." Milo folded his arms. "I know you're not going to like this, but Camus and I...after a lot of thought and sleeping over it...judging by the greater emphasis on recapturing Saga and yet not Athena...we think that perhaps Saga took her to keep her safe."

"He tried to kill her!" snapped Aiolia.

Milo nodded. "I know, I know! Pick the sand out of your vagina and calm down," Milo groaned, trying to halt the train that was Aiolia's temper before it left the station. He grabbed the decanter by its slender neck and drank it down. "It is just like when she was in Japan. If Athena was in danger, we would all feel it, yet we don't. Either she somehow managed to run away from Saga...you know the guy that can go wherever he wants...or...she is being protected by him. That's not all. He's been seeing streaks of red in the sky. He's not sure what they are, but he thinks they are coming from the Pope's Chambers."

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

PISCES GARDEN-EIGHTY-EIGHT STEPS

The hundreds of roses were mere sticks out of the ground with a couple of leafs attached.

There were no blooms, but for him, this was a good thing.

The Eleventh Guardian walked silently up the path before a light glint caused him to pause.

A faint red light, as thin as a piece of string. It was only by chance did he spot it the first time and now his neck was heavily strained by him constantly staring into space.

What it was, he wasn't sure, but he can tell they were coming from the Pope's Chambers.

Camus pulled out a handheld notebook with a small pencil tucked in the spiral to draw four more tallies onto the page, before he silently slipped it back in without saying a word.

How strange was it that this was the same notebook that he used when Saga was starting to act very odd. Of course, back then, it was different in the fact that it seemed like Shura, Aphrodite, and Deathmask were all aware of what was going on, forcing him to gradually earn their trust to reach their inner circle.

He never imagined that he would be doing the same with Aiolos, who seemed oddly secluded over the past month.

He never imagined that he would approach Aiolos in his Gold Cloth out of nervousness and not out of respect.

In the front were the two Papel Guards that Saga last had, before he ran off with Athena. He knew the two of them and was very impressed with how professional they handled themselves.

At least Aiolos managed to keep the guards alive each month.

The throne room was a bit darker inside. Odd.

While the front doors are expected to be shut for any meeting with the Pope, typically, Aiolos would leave the balcony one open, much like he did in the House of Sagittarius to keep the air fresh.

As Camus knelt down, he observed the archer's hands. There were no glyphs upon his palms like there were with Shion. He is surprised that despite it being made clear that Aiolos was the new Pope, he had yet to go through confirmation. Perhaps that is a good thing if his suspicions were correct. "Your Holiness," he spoke. But just as quickly as his knee touched the ground, Aiolos gestured for the two to stand back up.

It was another obvious difference. When Saga was in charge, when one knelt, Saga typically forced them to remain as such the whole time no matter how long the meeting. It got to the point that Milo once told him that when it came time to deliver his monthly reports, the Scorpio would stuff extra fluff in his leg armor just so his knee wouldn't ache the next day.

Camus pulled out his other notebook and stood in front, providing the numbers, progress, and general observations of his trainees. Unlike Silvers or Bronzes who merely mail their results with a yearly report, if a Gold accepts a trainee, the expectations of said trainees are astronomical and with exceptions, such as Roshi, it is required that Sanctuary be properly informed every month in person.

For a while, it was actually a pleasant meeting and it was good to have a Pope who understood what he was talking about. Saga was too busy with his deception to have a trainee and while he had experience with working with the others at Sanctuary the difference between a trainee and helping out is as great as being a parent versus playing the babysitter.

Aiolos nodded carefully as Camus finished his report. "Hyoga is resorting to sneaking out and visiting the site of her ship?"

Camus took a deep breath, to hide the mountain of frustration from within. "I forbade him from doing so, but he still defies me. Punishment means nothing. I've tried a lighter touch by allowing Crystal Saint and Issak to brighten his spirits...but the visits have yet to cease. He's trying to get closer to her… in a literal sense."

"Literal?" his voice piqued with interest. "But you said the ship is underwater?"

"Yes it is, but that doesn' stop him. He holds his breath, but he is quickly mastering the art of using his cosmos to help draw the oxygen from the water and use it to prolong his swimming."

"But that is a very high-level skill in Blugard."

Camus nodded. "It is, and that is what is frustrating. He shows great promise, but there is far too much angst and melancholy that it feels nearly impossible to tap into. I've thought about it, and have decided that if something doesn't change and he will not respect my time and attempts to bring out the best, then I am done. I will focus my energy on Issak and Crystal Saint will take over his training." He watched Aiolos head turned in disbelief, but frankly it was true. How could he be a proper Master if Hyoga shows him nothing but disobedience? Of course, he was never one to voice such concerns so openly, but deep down, he wanted to keep training the half-Russian child and figured Aiolos would have something that could make things easier.

The Pope calmly rested his hand, partially out of contemplation, but also because he had another night of terrible sleep. While the Crystal Saint was a very model Saint and would do well with Hyoga, the truth was that Ivan only became that way in part due to Camus. With the Holy War coming, the difference between a good Saint and a great Saint was the difference between life and death. Not only that, but Camus couldn't fool him. Any other Gold Saint who has a trainee constantly defying him like this would've been abandoned in a day, yet here they were several months in. It was clear Camus cared a lot more about Hyoga than he would let on.

"I will put a call to the Kido Foundation tomorrow. They have several pictures of his mother as well as a few of her things and I will ask that they be sent to him. Do you have a small quiet room that you are not using?" he watched him nod. "Turn it into a place of prayer. Let him grieve there and have either you or Crystal serve as counsel if he chooses."

The Aquarius frowned. "Your Holiness, our abilities are heavily based on our emotional state."

"I'm aware. But right now, Hyoga is already drowning in sadness. You can't just cut off the source of sadness and expect him to get over it like cutting off a child from something like candy. You have to redirect. Teach him how to mourn or all he's going to do is do it the only way he knows how."

Camus kept his stoic face, but beneath, he contemplated his words. "We have the Holy War coming up. As Saints, if we can't overcome our emotions, how can we overcome our enemies?"

Aiolos shook his head. He has a feeling that Camus was quite spoiled by having both the Crystal Saint and Issak, both prime examples of a model student. Hyoga may have problems, but part of Camus' duty is to learn to work with it and not just ditch him because he wasn't like the other two. "As a Master, you are expected to push and hone your student's body. The mind itself is a part of that. Are you truly going to have him run and swim for miles expecting that every day, they move a few seconds faster, and last a few miles longer? Are you going to hold up your hands in surrender when his emotional state doesn't meet expectations?"

For a very brief moment, Camus broke his frozen expression, but not of anger, but rather because he was actually impressed. His face returned to its stoic state, but still, he bowed his head. "Thank you, Your Holiness."

"Any other business?"

"There is. It is unrelated to Hyoga or training for that matter. Although I could use some air, perhaps we can at least open the door to the balcony."

"I rather not. What is it that you wish to discuss?"

It was not what he wanted to hear. When all doors are sealed, cosmos messages couldn't come out. He took a deep breath and calmly approached the Pope. That was the benefit of constantly hiding behind a wall of stoicism: no one...not his trainees, not Crystal, his friend, nor nearly anyone else knew if he approached them as friend or enemy and can merely infer based on how things were going… only Milo was capable of seeing past his facade. He holds his hands behind his back, to give the false impression that he merely wishes to inquire of something private that needed to be whispered.

In chess, the most important step is how one sets up the board.

The Aquarius shifts his eyes toward Aiolos' weapon, and right along the side were streaks of red. While the visual evidence all pointed toward it being arrows, he needed something solid and this was it. Red was the color of curses...red was the color of Saga's eyes. "Would you happen to have a copy of the Asgard Accords that I may borrow?" He asks when in truth the book was made up and an excuse to get out of there.

"I don't believe so."

Camus politely bowed. "Alright, perhaps if I search in my library, I will find it. Thank you for your time, Your Holiness, May Athena be with you."

"And to you, Camus, faithful, loyal, Saint of Aquarius."

At that moment, Camus was about to walk away when the corner of his eye caught Aiolos quietly raising his fingers. Camus was a master. He had to teach others the art of learning when an enemy was about to attack and knew that the archer was preparing his hand to fire his bow with arrows that cut through Gold Cloths like paper.

The Aquarius knew if he turned his back, Aiolos would strike. "Goddess," he thought to himself.

At light speed, Aiolos' arm twitched. Right before his fingers could grasp the shaft, Camus slapped a thick layer of ice over the archer's hand before kneeling down and snatching the bow.

The Sagittarius incapacitated, Camus seemingly flashed in front of the large doors. He was so close. He just needed to take a single step and send a message to Milo.

He pushed, only to be met with resistance. Not only were the Papel Guards pushing back, but the doors were designed to be difficult to open and shut. "DAMN!" Camus thought to himself.

His head turned as he could hear other guards coming down through the Pope's Halls. He can easily beat them, but the priority was sending something to his friend. He doesn't care what happens to him. He has to warn them!

The moment the doors cracked open, Aphrodite flashed in front, holding a spare crimson arrow in his hand as if it were a rose before he plunged it right through the Aquarius' head.

The Aquarius stared hard at Aphrodite's blue eyes before a light red glint flashed as if taunting him before seemingly a thousand thoughts followed. Now it was clear that Aiolos was cursed with the same affliction that Saga had, but clearly, it was moving at a much faster pace. Was Athena taken out of the Pope's Chambers to protect her? Was this why the sudden hive-mind mentality of the foot soldiers was occurring? Are all these red arrows the cause of it? How many other Gold Saints are under the influence. Goddess, he has to tell them.

He has to warn them.

He has to warn them.

He has to warn them.

He has to warn them.

He has to warn them.

He has to warn them.

He has to warn...no, it is best to leave them unaware.

How else will the Pope decide who is loyal to him?

Camus relaxed, the crimson arrow long dissolved into his body.

The Sagittarius quietly sat on his throne and used his cosmos to slowly melt away the ice around his arm while one red-eyed servant carefully dried the water that dripped freely while another servant held his helmet and mask to allow him to see his work easier.

Once freed, the archer turned downwards as Camus stood in front of him with dazed crimson eyes as the effects of the arrow were working its way through his body. Aiolos, not needing to hide right now, pulled off his sweaty helmet and mask, revealing his ash grey hair and red crimson eyes, the skin beneath a bit darkened due to a lack of sleep.

Aiolos turned to the Pisces as he stood there. While he could feel his influence within him, it seemed his control over the Gold Saints was not as long as the foot soldiers below. "Aphrodite, take care of yourself, and resume your post."

The Pisces obediently nodded. "Of course, Your Holiness," he spoke before he pulled out another crimson arrow and stabbed himself in the head, causing his eyes to flash red before doing as he was told.

Cursed Aiolos returned his attention back to Aquarius. "How dare you grab my bow!" the archer sneered.

"Forgive me, Your Holiness," spoke Camus as he went back on one knee and presented it to the archer. "I saw you were going to fire it at me as well as the hints of red upon it. I wanted to bring it down to the others to analyze," Camus answered without any hint of resistance.

The archer looked down, and with a mere lick of his thumb and a quick buff, erased it. "Who else knows that you were going to do this?"

"Just Milo."

Peace is being restored.

Crime is low and Sanctuary is beginning to stop being so divided.

Aiolos took his hand and produced a crimson arrow and tossed it to the Aquarius without any hesitation. "Invite him to your Chambers, and take care of him. Go back to being friends."

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

29 DAYS UNTIL AIOLOS GOES PERMANENTLY INSANE

OUTER DELPHI- ORPHEE'S COUNTRY HOUSE

Saga looked around, the place.

The room was extremely bare, with several carpenter tools and unopened buckets of paint sitting around. There is no electricity installed nor plumbing. A couple of oil lamps were hung while stacks of food, bottles of water, and various toiletries were carefully sorted on the counter. But it was clean, it was quiet, and it had a roof to shade from the sun and the floor isn't soaking wet after an endless rain over the past couple of weeks.

Right now, Saga could die upon this couch he sat upon after laying on the ground for so long. But still, he had gathered the group and focused upon telling them his findings. He was not surprised by their shocked faces.

"You think Ares served as the first Pope of Sanctuary?" questioned Orphee.

Saga nodded. "Well think about it. Why is there no record of Ares in Sanctuary yet he is declared one of her enemies. He's evil because the records say so? No, there's more to it. He's invisible in the records because the Pope is as well. The journals of Shion hide the fact that he was ever Pope, and portray him as a high-ranking Gold Saint. Aiolos journal doesn't have anything that showed he was picked as the successor. The Colchian Dragon, that creature that rests upon the helmet of the Pope is a creature that could only be found in the Grove of Ares. All signs seem to point that Ares served as the Pope, but there is a problem with that theory…" Saga spoke.

Athena raised her head, for she understood the flaw in Saga's argument. "He is a God as well. Why would he serve under me who should be his equal in the Pantheon?"

The Gemini nodded. "Exactly. In fact, I nearly threw out my theory over this fact. For a bit, I was uncertain about where to look since it is clear that any mention of Ares was being hidden...but then I found this!" He reached out and pulled out a book.

"Mother Goose's Nursery Rhymes?" questioned Eurydice.

Saga nodded as he caressed the cover of an old woman riding a swan. "Behold:

Mary, Mary, quite contrary

How does your garden grow?

With silver bells and cockleshells

And pretty maids all in a row

And pretty maids all in a row

He read aloud with the same bravado as if he was giving a speech on top of the balcony of Sanctuary. "I know, so innocent, so sweet. Something that every mother would read to their children night after night. But let me break it down:

Contrary- Psychopath

Mary- Bloody Mary Tudor

Silver Bells: A torture device used to crush one's thumbs

Cockleshells= Another device of torture that is used by sticking it up either side of the cavity of the victim to expand the sides while drilling into it.

The Gemini closed the book. "I assure you, that the song is not about a little girl growing tulips and roses. But that is what brings us together. Most of the history of Sanctuary during the first Holy War was not lost because it was destroyed, but because it was passed down through song!" Back then, even though Aiolos couldn't read, he knew the history of Sanctuary and he recalled all the times he or any Prototypo would simply break out into song. He still remembered when the archer had to calm Athena and sang to her as if it was as normal as breathing.

Saga turned to the musician. "Orphee, you specialize in this! Are there any hymns that stick out involving the Pope and Athena?"

The Saint of Lyra closed his eyes. He was very quiet, but the others could see his fingers tapping the side of his arm as if he was going through songs and playing the melody. He stays like this for nearly twenty minutes, the others growing a little restless, but then his eyes open. "There is one called: Welcome."

Galan lit up. "Yes, that is one my mother used to sing. It tells the story of Athena as she leaves the Pantheon and steps out where those who came to fight Poseidon bowed and were filled with hope that they had someone who could help them."

Orphee nodded and like a true musician, rather than say them, he pulled his lyre and Eurydice sang:

Welcome, Athena,

Welcome, Pope.

The time has come,

To set us all free!

Together we will fight,

Together we will rise!

Together, with the Goddess of War with her spear,

With the Goddess of Wisdom with her eyes.

The musician stopped playing and raised his head. "When I was training, I remembered the song not because it was good, but because...it felt so off despite being famous. I think partially because it didn't feel like it matched the story behind it, and the beats are off." He pulled out a paper and a pen and wrote it out.

Welcome Athena, 5

Welcome, Pope. 3

The time has come, 4

To set us all free! 5

Together we will fight, 6

Together we will rise! 6

With the Goddess of War with her spear, 9

With the Goddess of Wisdom with her eyes. 10

Orphee looked up. "Do you see? The song clearly is structured, but the beats are all off in certain areas as if it was a mistake! Besides, why would you welcome the Pope when he shouldn't have existed before Athena? Why does Athena have a spear? She carries a staff! "

But Saga knew. His mother was a musician after all, and part of what makes a song good is to find a balance between the lyrics and rhythm. No one would touch the song, because it was one of the first hymns that all children learned. But still, he grabbed a pencil. "What if we change some of the words to fit our theory?"

Welcome Athena, 5

Welcome Ares. 4

The time has come, 4

To set us all free! 5

Together we will fight, 6

Together we will rise! 6

With the God of War with his spear, 8

With the Goddess of Wisdom with her eyes. 10

The Gemini stared at the changes, but they filled him and the others with unease. "So that explains it. Ares didn't serve under Athena as Pope, he was with her."

Athena felt frozen. She too is aware of her different portrayals. "My grandfather would try to find what little of the First Holy War he could find. I too noticed that my depiction would switch back and forth and was never consistent."

Saga stared at it too. "It is not uncommon in history for figures to be merged into one. What if it was not just Athena who came down to save humanity, but Ares as well? But in the end, historians wrote away Ares and merely merged his actions in the past with hers to create the First Athena in our history of Sanctuary?"

Galan stared hard. "I believe it, but Goddess, if any of us proposed this in Rodario, they will make the lynching of Aiolos look like a festival."

But Athena gazed at the words. "They would, but we must press forward. Even if the truth does not portray me as your solitary savior, even if perhaps it reveals uncomfortable realities, we must not turn away. It is the past, and right now, we must focus on the present and future."

Saga could hear her words tremble a bit, "You will always be my savior, My Goddess."

"I will accept no other than you, Athena!" called Galan.

"As will I! I swore upon my Cloth to serve you, Athena. This will never change it!" spoke Orphee.

The Goddess smiled. "Thank you all. But like I said, we must focus on what to do now that we have a direction. My only concerns are that we are running out of time. What shall we do now?"

Saga gazed at her, seeing her eyes bright with trust. "Shion could not find anything on Ares, because the most obvious books that would hold such information were likely scrubbed clean of the identity of the first Pope. However, those in charge of such matters will overlook children's literature." He reached into his bag and pulled out several books. "The Pegasus Run. It is the only story that survived the First Holy War intact." He takes the story of how the Pegasus Saint used a combination of skill, wit, and cunning to go past the Twelve Golds to reach Athena" He began to take the various copies and flipped to the last page of each of them. "The Pegasus Run is always illustrated. While each of the portrayals of the First Holy War Golds is consistent the last page is not. Last night, when I went to the Archive, I pulled out the newest copy of the story as well as the oldest."

The new one, featured Athena holding her staff at her side with a hand stretched out, the Pope standing behind her. Her face is full of joy as the Pegasus is kneeling down as a proper Saint should.

-The oldest copy showed Athena, this time with a dagger in her hand, and yet Pegasus is not kneeling, but instead, his body is in a fighting stance. Half of the image is clearly blacked out.

When Saga found the book, he absolutely cried. There was the Golden Dagger.

The elusive cursed weapon was finally found. That night, he spent some time in prayer telling Shion in Elysium that he hoped he could see that their work was finally bearing fruit.

Eurydice looked at it. "Orphee… doesn't that look like that one painting in the Archive Museum section?"

Saga's eyes lit up. "A painting!?"

Even Athena stood up. "What painting!?"

The nymph grew nervous, but hopefully. Has she contributed a second time and not just letting Saga know that thirteen could mean thirteen gold Saints. "It is the Main Floor. As soon as you enter, it's displayed right in the center, between the two openings of the other halls."

That was all the Gemini needed to know since he too visited the place as a child. Saga raised a hand and with the location firmly set in his mind, he ripped a hole in time and space before a large portrait fell out, his hands catching it revealing it to be slightly taller than him.

"Saga, did you seriously steal that painting?" the musician gasped.

The Gemini's eyes widened. Yes he did, but as Kanon would say, his was a matter of Holy War and he was too tired to give a shit. "We are temporarily borrowing it!" He carried it over and set it against the wall. His hand scratched his itchy stubble as he grunted in frustration. "Look at that. That is where the Pope would stand, but I think there is something next to him. Goddess, there is so much black paint over it!" It frustrated him. There was an outline of something there.

Athena stood up as she approached the picture. Before her was the image of her first reincarnation, but as she studied it, it clearly wasn't right. With her grandfather, she had visited many museums and she could see that the hand was off, and indeed the flood of black paint that was supposed to represent shadow looked out of place since the strokes were sloppy and it didn't mirror the other shadows in the picture. Not only that, but years of grime and dust had plagued the picture as well. She turned her head. "Saga, take me to Japan! My grandfather owns several paintings and knows several restorers. It will take some time, but they can remove the old layers...and we can finally find our answer!" She watched his face fill with tears. "Saga, are you alright."

The Gemini couldn't help it. "Answers…" he muttered. "I can't believe it...there's hope...there's actual hope we can do this…" But they can't celebrate just yet. He looked up to the servant. "Galan, come with us, we're going to contact Aiolia."

The caretaker of the House of Leo raised a brow. "No more excuses?" he said, recalling the hundreds of times he questioned whether the Gemini had even started it. "But you said that it has to be done in a way where we can isolate him."

Saga shook his head no. "It is, but I have an idea to meet him. No more hiding. I'm going to need a bucket, a hairbrush, and a razor. I am not going to enact my plan like this." But then he felt a hand. "What is it, my Goddess?" he asked.

She picked it up, gazing at the thick layers of dirt that coated his once ivory skin. "Take yourself and Galan to the following coordinates, and follow my directions. The most important thing is that you ensure that Saori Kido sent you."

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

HAKONE HOT SPRINGS

"My love, after two long months, we are united as one once more!" the Gemini crooned as he delicately tosses the robe and the towel and entered the steamy waters of bliss slowly and delicately like a butterfly landing on top of a daisy. Each step he took, led him deeper into its warm caress, the heat engulfing his skin, the way it would swirl and press on every inch of his body like a gentle massage left him giddy with delight.

It was true that he was forced to scrub himself heavily in the shower, thus spoiling the initial reunion, but right now, he was in paradise. Besides, his hair was restored, without a single tangle and the blonde dye removed.

He stroked his clean cheeks that were as smooth as satin once more.

His skin was dreadfully parched. It will be a miracle if he doesn't absorb all the warm water into his skin. He picked up the scrub brush and wielded it like a hero and his sword before he pressed the bristled end, and let out a delightful sigh as he moved it back and forth between his shoulder blades.

"Is he alright?" a tourist asked Galan as he watched the Gemini swirl and twist giddily in the water like a feline surrounded by catnip.

"I don't know him," the servant lied as Saga took his hands and slowly and sensually rubbed every inch of his own rock hard chest and arms like a ballerina performing Tai Chi.

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

TOKYO DISTRICT-NEAR THE KIDO FOUNDATION

"Oh, Saga! How was it?" cried Athena as she watched the Gemini climb out of the taxi with Galan.

The Gemini grinned from ear to ear. "As if my soul had flown around the moon and back!" Honestly, if he somehow managed to return back to Sanctuary without being locked up for the next fifty years, he was seriously going to take everyone there instead of a brothel like they typically did. "The clothes are nice too," he spoke, touching the soft silk black shirt with the open white sports jacket.

"They were...his…" she spoke, referring to Aiolos. "My grandfather always had many parties and sometimes he invited him over to them. When you said the size you wore, aside from the pants, it was easier to grab his old things."

Saga nodded. "I understand." Having muscles were in a sense a form of Geminism, everyone wanted to see you with your shirt off, but at the same time, if you wanted it back on, unless it is custom-fit, it was damn near impossible to find something that won't rip at the seams because he raised his arm up. "Alright, we need to get started with the plan."

Galan looked up. "Are you sure you want me to remain here?"

Saga nodded. "The key thing is to ensure that Aiolia is alone. If anyone comes along, I'll have to figure out a way to separate him from the rest. In the meantime, you cannot be seen with me. Did the painting arrive fine?" he asked as the Goddess passed him an envelope of Japanese Yen.

Athena wrinkled her face. "Tatsumi sent the wrong coordinates and it ended up on top of the Tokyo Tower. He felt bad and climbed all the way up to grab have some people looking at it right now and they said they should be able to give an estimate on how long it will take to remove layers and see what is underneath." She looked at his face as the sheer glee from earlier faded. "What's wrong?"

Saga folded his arms tightly. "I hope I am right...there's just…" He looked down. The clothes even smell exactly like the archer...reminded him of the old days. "If I'm wrong… there's going to be so little time..."

Galan turned his head. "Saga, we're set on this plan. Let's worry about that after. You need to focus on Aiolia."

Saga pulled his own arms away and stretched a bit. "Alright, I'll see all of you later."

He turned away and headed down the busy street. His head turned back and forth watching as people moved back and forth. He noticed there were some oddly placed ramps built upon the street. "So, this was your little enclave for the last five years?" he whispered to himself as if he was speaking to his archer friend.

His eyes shifted toward the view of downtown and the massive skyscrapers all over the place. "I wonder what your first thoughts of this place were like, friend?" the Gemini continued to speak to himself. His head turned toward the sign of a large noodle bowl with the Japanese characters above it. He can't imagine the archer visiting the other places on a daily basis especially since they were bars or a bit prestigious. "So, this must be where you met your little Japanese flower at?" Saga mused. A pity that the Sagittarius never mentioned her name or what she looked like.

He stepped inside and looked around. Goddess every waitress was a woman, and frankly, they all seemed quite cute. So how does he figure out which one it would be?

"Opa!" he called out in Greek."Opa!" he spoke again with a more musical intonation. "Opa!" he said once more.

Suddenly a girl waitress with soft, slightly wavy marine green hair turned and waved. "OPA!" She answered back.

"JACKPOT!" The Gemini thought as he approached the young woman.

"Hello! You speak Greek?" she asked with a bit of broken English.

"I do! It is my first language!" He replied back in English, making sure to keep it simple and not too quickly. "Listen, I had a friend here who highly recommended this place. He has brown curly hair, wears a red headband, and was in a wheelchair."

"Ah, Aiolos!? Oh, how is he doing?" she asked as her bright emerald green eyes twinkled.

Saga turned toward an empty table. "Perhaps we can talk about it?"

Futaba turned to the clock. "Well, I have a break in about ten more minutes. You don't mind waiting, do you?"

Saga smiled. "Not at all. Especially for you. But could you do me a favor, can we have a quick selfie?" He spoke as he pulled out his Tele-Cam.

"Of course!" She walked over and sat next to him and beamed a wide smile while making a peace sign with her fingers. Saga mirrored the cheerful look before clicking the button and bringing the Tele-Cam over to see the results.

"That looks very nice! Is there something in Japanese that I could say in the captions?"

"How about Kawaii?"

Saga had no idea what it meant. "Kawaii! I like it! Thank you! I will see you in ten minutes." He watched her give a dainty wave and he reciprocated the cheeky gesture back.

The Gemini grinned as he gazed at the photo. He was a bit late in regards to sending something to prove he was still alive every month, but this will work out perfectly. "Come cub, follow the dangling red thread," he murmured as he sent the image straight to Aphrodite's Tele-cam.

Saga grinned. Aiolos was always the type where if one involved something personal, he would, in turn, respond to it personally. Since the archer obviously can't come here to Japan, he will surely send Aiolia. His hands shook when he felt his Tele-Cam vibrate. "Didn't expect them to answer back." He thought to himself.

He lifted it up and noticed an attachment. He pressed the button to open it up and gasped at the image of the Pope sitting at the balcony table next to his orange cat with his arm around it. "HERA!" He blurted out loud before he sneered. He looked at the object on the table. "Is that milk?" The Gemini rolled his eyes. The man crafted every form of furry fashion wear yet had no idea how to tend to the queen of the Third House. "What are you doing!? Don't give her milk! Cats are lactose intolerant! I have done many terrible things there, but don't blame me if half of the three-hundred-year-old rugs in the Pope's Chambers are covered in feline vomit before the day is over!" He texted and sent the message.

"Hi, I'm back!" she chimed as she returned with her purse hanging over her shoulder and taking a spot across from the Gemini. "Have you ordered anything yet?"

Saga looked down at the menu. "I'm not sure what to get. What does Aiolos usually have?"

She took her finger and delightfully tapped a picture. "This one, with double vegetables and extra fish balls."

"Oh that looks wonderful, I will have that as well," he reached into his pocket for an envelope of Japanese yen that he got from Athena before he felt her grab his arm.

"Don't worry about it! You are Aiolos' friend," she beamed. "Aiolos came here every day." She took her finger and pointed to a spot where it was clear that the bench was taken out to accommodate the wheelchair. "It is...on the house… would you like some tea?"

"I would love some!" He looked around. "This is a lovely restaurant, very...kawaii!" his deep laugh echoed while she laughed back.

"It is my family's. This place has been owned by my family for a hundred years! We started off as a small fish market and then we added ramen, but over time, people wanted more ramen, and so we gave them more ramen."

Saga and Futaba sat and chatted a bit. He did his best to stay on safe subjects like the archer's love for hunting, and it became clear that she heard quite a bit about it. While the Gemini came over to try and lure the cub over, he was curious about the one who had stolen the archer's heart. The more he talked to her, the more he could see why. The girl was practically his Japanese equivalent. Cheerful and friendly who deeply cared about her family so much. The girl was extremely vibrant and welcoming, but most of all, it was all genuine. Sometimes he would sit there and she would run off to help a customer stand up from the booth or help them with their things.

Plus, she had a great rack.

By the Goddess, no wonder he was so sad to leave her.

Futaba smiled as she poured him another cup of tea. "I have to go back to my shift," but I will talk to them to see if I can take your order. She reached into her purse. "If you could, could you give this to Aiolos and make sure he receives it? Please?" she spoke as she passed him an envelope.

Saga's heart sank for a moment. "Yes, I will," he muttered, but the truth was that he was very reluctant.

She smiled again. "Thank you, Khris!" she spoke before she returned back into the kitchen.

The Gemini stared at the envelope. It was written in Japanese, so he had no idea what it said. Did she want to go back to him? He stared at it and sighed before he carefully tucked it into his jacket. His eyes saddened. How can he ever hope to compete against someone like that?

His head darted up. Someone was flashing their cosmos at him. It was definitely Aiolia. As if they were on the plains on the Serengeti, the Leo bares his teeth, but he was a giraffe and he shall hold his head up high, nibble his leaves knowing that a single kick will end him in an instant. So far, everything was working according to his plan.

If he went to Delphi, they would close off that section of the city and send all the Saints they wanted.

However, in Tokyo, they cannot afford such luxuries and must keep the group small and discreet. Saga's dark blue eyes turned to the entrance. "So, who will come with you, cub?" he thought as he drank his tea.

Will it be Mu to avenge his Master?

How about Shura to restore his honor?

Perhaps it will be Aphrodite and Deathmask to rub in his face that he has control over them?

Maybe Milo and Camus, since they failed the last time they tried to capture him?

He did owe Aldebaran twenty Euros for purchasing more cat food for Neptune that one week. Perhaps he will demand that back as well?

The Gemini leaned back in his seat. Frankly, it doesn't matter. Sanctuary could send the entire Zodiac and he will gladly take them all on at the same time! There was a good reason everyone knew he was in charge of the Twelve Houses and it had nothing to do with an oversized helmet with a dragon on top of it.

Saga cooly folded his hands together as Aiolia stepped forward, dressed in a light blue shirt with khaki pants and a black jacket to hide his arms. For a moment, daggers flashed between the two.

The Gemini could see the heavy frown upon Leo, but he playfully gestured his hand to approach his table. To his surprise, an unusual smirk came to the cub's face before he held the door open, staring back at him intently as if to savor his reaction.

Saga's hand tightened around his fork so tightly that the metal bent and caused the fork to limply collapse. "No…" he shook his head as the figure stepped in.

What fresh slice of hell was he in this time?

Saga shook his head in wild disbelief. He knew Aiolos posing beside his cat would not be the end of it, but he didn't expect the archer to retaliate like this!?

When he saw the dark raven hair he prayed Aiolos had sent Pandora or Hades himself.

But no, it was far…

….far…

... worse.

"Well played, Lucas!" Saga whispered.

Aiolos had sent the cub...along with his ex-girlfriend, Geist.

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

Coming October 11

Saga and Aiolia duke it out in Tokyo while Geist brings out her own powers of illusion and a bucket of popcorn. Ares, growing tired of Aiolos' resistance and begins to hammer out the rest of his humanity out of him.

Author's Notes: I don't know what it is with me, but back when I was in college, I actually had a number of musician friends who kept coming up and asking for ideas on how to rhyme certain lyrics.

So I guess that's why you see a lot of made up songs in my stories.

When it comes to Saga's recovery, you've probably read him talking about three steps forward, two steps back. I often read about when Saga recovers, it is often a straight up progression. So I try to depict it where he goes back and forth, but he is still progressing upwards. In this chapter, without Dr. Krios does get back down, but the point is that he has recovered enough that he manages to help himself.

Meanwhile, Aiolos shows what going through the curse is like. As Saga gets better, you're going to see Aiolos' descent. What Ares has in store, will not be pretty and that's what makes his areas a lot harder to write about.