Ten seconds
That is how much time passes in the real world while he was here in the room of the Golden Orb.
It may seem short, but it's not when it came to the world of Saints. It is long enough for a Gold to run around the world seventy times. It is long enough for a Gold to punch someone seven hundred thousand times.
Ten seconds was a dangerous amount of time.
A Gold Saint could kill someone in a fraction of a second and it would take the brain another four seconds to realize they were dead.
But still, Saga continued to talk and told the doctor everything the doctor already knew from the last session before he continued the story about how he found his discovery in the famous children's story, The Pegasus Run, dumped his ex in the Philippines, apologized to both Aiolia, Dohko, and Mu before he masqueraded as Kanon to peacefully enter the nest of brainwashed Saints.
It's strange how in the beginning, he could barely say anything about his past, especially what had happened in the last ten years. But now, it seemed that the more he recited the past, the less it seemed to cause him pain. Perhaps it was because it helped him recognize how far his path of redemption has come.
Everyone thinks that forgiveness and redemption are the same, but they weren't. Forgiveness was words, redemption was the path. Forgiveness without redemption was shallow, but redemption with forgiveness was life-changing.
Was this what it feels like to let go of the guilt that chained his heart?
His eyes gazed upwards where the circular ceiling light was at, watching a cloud slowly pass, shading its brightness. "...that's when I saw it...a panda that was the size of a small cottage approaching us. Next thing I know, I'm back here...one last time." He sighed as he grabbed his cup of water and poured it down his mouth like a gentle waterfall before setting it aside. "I thought I was getting better...I thought we were close..." his eyes welled up.
Dr. Krios finished writing the last of the long tale, each stroke causing a ripple like a stone to water before he looked up. "What do you mean?"
The Gemini sighed. The chains of depression were so hard to break, the grip of madness even harder. "You heard me! There was a panda? What if instead of reaching Ares, we are in some random dimension inhibited by talking pandas! What if time functions differently and it accelerates the curse?"
The psychologist turned his head. Geminis had to be well studied in the theory of multiple dimensions and it was natural that he was fearful that he had jumped into another world. But he was not just as studied, he was the one who taught him and Kanon about it. "But if that was the case, the panda wouldn't speak the language nor would it take the form of some earthly creature. This would override the idea of truly being in another dimension. We can't even call it a parallel one either since it would mean that somehow pandas evolved to craft human speech as well as overtake man. Even I find such a proposition preposterous."
Saga nodded. In terms of rising against people, pandas would be the least like candidates since they not only lack strength and intelligence, but the birth of a panda in a zoo was more celebrated than the birth of a princess in a foreign country. He did feel a bit relieved by the common sense his psychologist granted him. "That's true."
Dr. Krios could hear the uncertainty even if it was still an acknowledgment. "What is wrong, Saga?"
The Gemini felt his body gently move up and down on the couch as if he was floating in the middle of the lake. "I don't know what to do, and frankly while I should leave this place and know I should, time will resume and I am at a loss of my next action. I'm so unsure, that part of me feels like the best thing to do is to stay here with you since it is like Aiolos is living longer."
Dr. Krios lowered his head. That was the danger of the Golden Room. It was a place where one's fantasy could exist, where pain, war, age, and death didn't occur. He was almost lured into a few times since it was the only place that Yuzuriha was still alive and he had a beloved daughter, Quan, even though one was a mere fragment of her soul and the other a pure illusion. "Saga, you of all people know that to assume that you are helping him by defying your perception of time, is merely an illusion. Do you really want to turn your back toward reality?"
Saga turned toward the window as a sandy stallion rested its head at the window sill as if watching him. Why did it seem like any time he saw a horse now, he thought of his friend? "What do I do?" he muttered.
Dr. Krios walked over to the Gemini and rested his hand. "Isn't it obvious? The panda spoke. So what is the most common sense answer? Why to speak back of course! But you can't quite leave here to do it here. Not yet."
Saga turned his head toward him. His tone seemed so familiar and not only that, it didn't sound like it came from a man younger than him. He could feel a headache building, throbbing within his head before it subsided. "First you say I shouldn't stay and now you sound as if there is a task that I must complete here?"
Dr. Krios nodded."There is a task. In a way, it is optional. However, if you wish to leave here at your best, then you should complete it. The truth is when you go out there, your opponent is most likely not the talking panda, but Ares himself."
Even now, despite having yet to encounter him, Ares' name filled the Gemini with a great deal of dread and his doctor seemed to feel the same way. He was the God of War, and frankly, wars are not won by some brute swinging an ax back and forth, but with cunning and skill. If Ares had been able to remain elusive this far, he must be physically and mentally prepared, for it seemed like there was no room for weakness. Yet he wasn't quite sure what more he needed to face? "I have confronted the best friend of the man I murdered and the brother of whom I deemed a traitor. If you are saying I have to seek Kanon…"
"No...not your brother. You are numb to your little brother every time you gaze into a mirror." Even though the bond of brothers is sacred, Kanon must wait. "There is something you must face before you are ready. Someone you must forgive!" The doctor gestured for the Gemini to stand up and follow him toward a part of the room.
Saga watched the doctor grab a glass of water and splashed it onto the wood, creating a puddle that suddenly melted into a set of stairs, water falling downwards as if each step was a miniature waterfall. Usually, he would be freaked out, amazed, or both, but after the gateway to the talking panda, he gazed upon it as if he was entering a new building and not a new world. He approached it and then set his foot, making sure it wasn't going to collapse before he descended the stairs, each step causing a gentle splash.
Down…
Down…
Down…
He felt like he was walking for hours. Didn't help that time had no meaning.
Down…
Down…
Down…
Why won't they end?
What is this? The scenic route to hell?
Just when he thought he was just going to fling his forward since falling and tumbling would speed things up, the direction began to change. He didn't know how or when, but his descent turned into an ascent.
He felt his feet climb up the water stairs faster, a feat that was made easier since he didn't have to worry about tumbling. Soon the water steps began to dry and before he knew it, each splash was replaced by a hollow echo until the dark brown stained oak steps appeared and he slowed his pace, all too familiar with what looked like the area that would lead to the third floor of his childhood home in front of a familiar door with brass handle and a gaudy gold plate engraved with the name of the man who he was certain was now dining in the deepest parts of the Underworld itself. "...Dimitris' Office?" a mixture of shudder and anger twisted his mind. "NO! I will never forgive him! I will break my kneecaps to eternally bow for Dhoko for forgiveness! I will slice my tongue for the cub to grant his wish of me shutting up! But if you think I will show him a hair of respect…"
The good doctor rested a hand upon the Gemini's shoulder. "I know. But nothing is as it seems. Open the door, Saga."
Saga's blue eyes felt dull as it stared at the same brass handle with the slightly off-color from where so many hands grasped it. He twisted it, hearing the familiar creak before pulling it open. He turned toward the ceiling and felt his heart quicken. Right up there, wearing his yellow suit, his short grey hair in a disheveled, and his eyes red from the broken blood vessels around his eyes, was his father, his thin neck wrapped in a noose.
The Gemini felt his stomach turn, just as it did when he was the first to discover him like this when he went to use the electric pencil sharpener. Of course, he had a fresh new perspective of the situation. For the longest time, he thought he committed suicide.
But then, a couple of months ago he read his brother's journal. His mother had enough of his malicious behavior and with her amazonian training and strength, broke his neck and strung him up to make it appear as if it were a suicide.
Even as a child it seemed he lived in a world of illusions.
Saga turned away, thinking that seeing his body was enough, but the doctor pointed his finger, gesturing to him to look back.
Reluctantly, he did and gasped.
Red eyes.
Grey hair.
Yellow suit.
But it wasn't Dimitris anymore.
It was him.
Cursed Eyes.
Ash hair.
Gold Armor.
The body was slowly turning like an upside-down ballerina as it hung by the rope, the image shifting from his father to himself.
Dr. Krios watched the Gemini carefully. This is a room that everyone had within their souls. It was a place that was hard to reach yet paradoxically easily accessible.
Within everyone's soul was the center of who they were.
It was here where a person can find empowerment, or they can find destruction.
For Saga, this was a place that was the equivalent of a fortress up until this point. Only through walking the gradual path of redemption, can the layers and locks of guilt could be peeled away and grant access to this sacred place of one's being.
"Oh Goddess! I've become him!"Saga drew his hands upon his face, his fingers parted around his eyes as if he wanted to cover them but knew he had to see it. As he stared at the body that shifted back and forth, he knew its meaning, for it was one of his deepest fears. "No! I'm worse! Demitris was horrible, but he never killed anyone! But I…
I am a murderer!"
He collapsed upon his knees. It felt like every time he yelled he could hear his voice in his own like some echo from the past reverberating into the present. "He raped my mother and I had a whole harem of them! He's such a manipulative bastard and I am too! The curse reveals one's heart… and Dimitris was it!"
"SAGA! That is not why you are here!" Dr. Krios grabbed his shoulders. This was the Gemini's inner self and a place that he was very vulnerable. "Perhaps you do see your father in yourself, but that doesn't mean you are him. The life of a human is that to survive as a child, one must imitate those around them, including the selfish and cruel. But that is why being a teenager is so important, for it is a fantastic time of seeking their way in a form of rebellion to choose their own life."
Saga frowned. "How can I choose my life when Dimitris held it in place like an ant before the pad of a thumb or a curse that would never grant me peace?"
But the Lemurian knew he would say that. That is exactly what Dr. Krios wanted him to say. "Yes, the curse tethered you whether it be the fear of losing control or manipulating you to be under its control. It has robbed you of so much time. But even though time is short and precious, the only way to run out of time is by your own hand. But that never occurred! You still have time, and not only that, you are free now of the curse Saga. Besides, I think you miss the point in what you see before you. You are not forgiving him...but rather yourself."
Saga continued to stare at the hanging man. "How can I do that? I hear him within me. My anger parallels his own. He was a terrible man and Kanon and I am the fruit from said tree."
"Reject the traits you hate, but keep those that you enjoy and make you stronger. Don't just think. Let the words pass through your lips because it will help you acknowledge the truth more. It is the reason why I ask you to repeat stories and memories. Now, you must say what you have yet to speak of from all our sessions. Dimitris will never leave your heart, so the only way to handle him here is to see certain aspects in a new light."
Saga sighed and nodded. "By the Goddess, I hated his temper and honestly, I hated trying to live up to being this perfect son. My mother had to sneak my medicine to me. Dimitris equated that being bipolar was the equivalent of being some evil monster, or at the least the idea that at age five, my life was officially ruined. He didn't want his friends knowing I needed therapy...so I always thought and believed therapy was for the madmen...as if to seek help was surrendering. As such… that was how I always thought of myself as.
Perfect...yet never good enough
I was a monster… a creature that must be conquered…
...by a knight on top of a horse with an arrow through his head…"
"Saga, careful...you are shifting back towards self-hatred...I want you to find self-acknowledgment."
The Gemini paused and took a breath to recenter his thoughts. "But, he taught me how to work hard. He would do long hours to ensure I and Kanon did go to a good school. I have seen how many live here… and I never speak of my education as a child because so many at Sanctuary never had the privilege. He was intelligent and while I think he did show off Kanon and me… looking back, he worked us so hard because he saw the value of being smart. As stupid and boring as his parties were, he showed me how to work the room. He was not kind...but sometimes a firm voice is necessary."
"There, see? Not so hard. You and Kanon have some aspects of him, but they weren't all terrible."
Saga nodded but gazed upon him. "Goddess, now he definitely sounds like an old man," thought Saga to himself. Not only that, but there was something about the way he moved and smiled.
Dr. Krios could see that glance once more, sensing Saga's suspicion. But the journey of the Golden Orb was coming to a close. Rather than resist too much, he instead allows the Gemini's mental defenses to ravage his form.
Saga flinched as tiny cracks began to form the doctor's jawline as if his skin was some sort of mask. "It's…" he began to think but suddenly turned away and unconsciously halted his mental defenses as if he understood that his realization was the cause of it and wanted who-he-thinks-it-could-be to stay longer. Still, on his knees, Saga turned his head toward the hanging body, seeing the shifting face from Demitris to his own, eyes rolled back lifelessly. When he first walked into the office and saw that he was dead, part of him felt joy and another part felt sadness. But regardless, he was a child and was powerless. "I hate you, but you don't deserve this," he muttered before he filled his hand with cosmos and slashed the rope before he caught the body.
The Gemini turned downwards, gazing at the form that was a mirror image of his own, watching it shift back and forth from father to son. "If this isn't me, who am I, Dr. Krios?" he spoke his name as if trying to convince himself the doctor wasn't who he thinks it is to avoid him leaving.
"You know the answer, Saga. You have just finished talking about who Dimitris is and his influence. Now for you to move on...acknowledge who you are."
The voice sounded physically older and gentler now. Saga shut his eyes, not out of pain, but because he had a feeling that if he turned around, he would be gone once more. However, he was right. "I…want to do the right thing, I want to finish atoning for my sins."
"Redemption is merely one aspect of life… much like how the moment you earned your Cloth was one aspect. I ask again. Tell me, who you are?"
The Gemini nodded and thought a bit more. "I thought I wanted to be the best...the top of everything. I just wanted to help others, but I was raised to learn that one needed recognition for everything. That's why partially why I respected Aiolos so much. He was always helping others and never once asked for payment nor fame." The number of red ribbons kept by those he helped was proof of that. "Even when Aiolos was granted the title as the successor of the Pope, he didn't change."
"But you still wanted to be the Pope."
Saga nodded. "Yes. Back then, I wanted it because it was the most powerful position. But looking back, part of the reason I wanted it…" he felt his eyes well up. "...I wanted him...the closest to being a father to all of us...to be proud of me."
Dr. Krios walked behind the Gemini, his form slowly cracking away like the fall leaves upon a tree before revealing the double centurion figure wearing his traditional Lemurian clothes. "And I am," his elderly voice cracked before his old wrinkly hands rested upon the Gemini's shoulders behind him.
Saga's eyes widened as he turned toward the fingers and watched them slowly crack before he turned away, tears coming out of them.
Mental Hijacking
It was a high-level technique that all Gold Saints that focused on mental techniques were highly trained against. It entailed surrounding a person in an illusion while blanketing their steps to prevent the person from realizing they were being influenced. Normally, for him at least, it would be easily detected like a hammer trying to strike a rock. He even felt the curse attempt it a few times, but was able to easily repel it. Yet there are some ways to bypass such barriers. If the golden orb was nothing more than a memory orb, the barrier around it could serve as a capsule like a person swallowing a pill until the medicine is released into the stomach. "This place...it's my mind, isn't it."
"Yes, it is," the Pope's old voice returned as the old table with the golden orb appeared in front of the two of them. "I hope you can forgive me for doing this."
The Gemini could feel the old warmth from his hands but knew what he felt was merely memories of when Shion would comfort him during his moods. "Why couldn't you talk to me like this before you died?"
A gentle chuckle followed. "Oh Saga, don't you remember? I've tried! So many times! I would always ask what is wrong… and you would find some excuse to never say anything... But whether it was the curse, you being a know-everything-teenager...or both...I could never reach you. Because I was foretold of my death at your hands, I knew time was running short. So I gave up the golden orb that was given to me long ago and when my life was cut short, most of my soul moved into the orb. When Mu came to collect the orbs I've crafted, I created one with special instructions for him to place the orb within your body-"
"-Bypassing my mental guards." Saga suspected Mu knew something about it when he spoke with him in China.
Shion nodded as well. "But I've trained you too well. Even in this place where your mind is most vulnerable, you had defenses in place."
"I had to. The curse was always trying to find ways of exploiting me."
"Yes, I could tell." Shion still couldn't believe Saga had a mental defense that was able to exploit his old fear of Radamanthys. "But all things must end. According to the rule of souls, a body cannot hold more than one and your mind is fighting the tiny fragment of my spirit off like some common cold in one's body," he spoke, gently gesturing with his hand. "I don't mind. It is that type of training that can hold back the curse and will hopefully end it for good."
Saga could see the hand on his shoulder began to grow transparent. He shut his eyes tightly, trying to drop as many barriers as he could, his own hand grabbing Shion's as tightly as he could. "Please...stay a little longer. Can't you stay here and we can talk?"
"Saga, I wish I could. But this is the part of my soul, that was to be sent to The Collective. I have to join the other Aries Saints now...wherever that may be."
Long ago, to prevent her Saints from being tortured by Hades in the Underworld, Athena created a place called The Collective where most of the soul of the Saint would remain while a tiny fragment entered the Underworld to keep the cycle of death going, as well as allowing the possibility of reincarnation.
Saga sighed, clinging to the hand. "Thank you. I don't deserve…"
"SAGA!" he gently chasted. "You do deserve it! You deserve to live like everyone else."
The Gemini bowed his head. "I just...I know you forgive me...but I ended your life."
Shion felt so light-headed now. He could feel the mental guards of Saga trying to expel him from his mind, with the power of the golden orb fighting back. But it only had so much strength and he will use said strength to tell him what he so desperately desired to let him know. "Saga, what type of life did I have with having two centuries of being stuck at the top of Sanctuary locked up in work and bureaucracy? I know it wasn't what you intended, but I enjoyed the normal moments of you having dinner at Orphee's. A bit of travel. I was able to see my old friend in person. I got to see my old student. I finally understood why humans embrace schadenfreude with your ex-girlfriend."
"But I spent most of that time studying and researching."
"You did. But the truth is, when I fought in the last Holy War, I was told so many times that the human race is selfish and weak and deserves to be ruled under Hades. You are proof that such a statement is far from the truth. Goodbye Saga. Again, I'm sorry that I allowed you to be exposed to the cursed dagger."
Saga could feel the warmth from Shion's hands fade. "No… you don't need to apologize. Your only clue was that Gemini must be first, Gemini must be last. I understand the desperation one feels when so few clues exist. I forgive you…" he felt more tears drop.
Shion wiped his face. "Thank you. Now Saga, Use your second chance of life well, help Aiolos and yourself find your way home, and let the others know I love each and every one of you. Now...end our session."
The Gemini nodded before he took his finger and traced the heart, the Lemurian sign for infinite power upon his head.
The golden orb stopped glowing and a crack formed in the center when a dove, the sacred animal of Lemurians, flies out.
DING DING
O|=========================|O
Gemini: Defying Gravity
Finale 1: Bohemian Rhapsody
BOLD: Cursed Mode
BOLD and Italicized: Ares
O|=========================|O
The Gemini's body flinched as if he fell from the sky, however it was most likely due to triggering the Golden Room while standing up and his body tumbling to the ground. Poor Aiolos was on his back. Yet when he opened his eyes, oddly enough, Aiolos was laying on top of him, his back on his stomach, with his bow in hand. He guessed that despite it being ten seconds after he fell, the archer must have quickly moved into place to defend him from the incoming...panda.
However, it was clear the curse was too much as the air that came out of the archer's mouth was incredibly hot and it was clear he was struggling to hold up the bow long enough to aim.
Goddess, it seemed like no matter how kicked down the archer was, Aiolos was a fighter.
Suddenly, the bright dove made up of a rainbow of light, the soul of Shion, flew out from the center of the Gemini's forehead where he used to make the shape of the heart. Afterward, a tiny ball, that was the size of a quail egg, popped right out and landed in his hand, broken in half just as it was in the Room of the Golden Orb. He clutched the object, the shell felt like a thin layer of gel. "Mu, I'll bring this back to you," he quickly thought as he placed it in his pocket, remembering the Lemurian's request when he was in China.
He turned his head, and there it was. The gigantic talking panda staring straight at the two, its black tiny eyes staring at the two of them.
The good news is that he wasn't crazy.
The bad news is that the talking panda was fucking real.
Well, as Dr. Krios… or rather Shion said, if it talked to him, he needed to talk back. "What are you? Where am I?"
"TOUCH!" The panda charged forward a bit, its massive weight causing the room to shake before it raised its paw out.
The Gemini took a few extra breaths to calm himself down. It was clearly a lot stronger than it appeared and it didn't try to hurt them. Goddess, the pad on its palm was larger than his torso, almost like he could pick him up. He took his hand and placed it on top of the fluffy fur, its claws as large as his palm. before it began to glow.
"Thank you, this is much better. Welcome, Saint Saga of Gemini and Saint Aiolos of Sagittarius. I am Libra, one of the first Gold Saints of Sanctuary!" He then pulled out a large golden sword from the Cloth as if demonstrating a bit of proof.
Saga's eyes widened as the panda spoke perfectly clear Greek through the cosmos, his voice was strong as if a mighty, young, and seasoned warrior in his twenties, a clear contrast by the cuddly cheeks. "Wait? You are a Gold Saint? The first?"
"I am! Saint Saga and Saint Aiolos, you two are the first pair to reach this place, The Collective!"
"The Collective?" Saga repeated in disbelief. "Why didn't you say anything before?" He spoke as he filled his hand with cosmos to link up the panda's cosmos to Aiolos so he could understand it as well.
The Panda wrinkled his jet-black nose on top of his snout. "Look at my face. Do you realize how hard it is to stress an accent when I can barely move my lips? It took me decades just to talk to the both of you as I did now without cosmos."
Well, that explained why he sounded so harsh earlier. Chances were the panda was focusing all his might into forming syllables, limited by its speech. "Why a panda? All the stories call you different animals, but you're human!" gasped the Gemini.
"I am a human and I am also dead." For a moment, the panda's black eyes shut, his head slumped a bit in resigned truth. "Our forms here, especially those who have many stories about them from long ago are based on that. Just like how the truth of the first ones like Heracles and Perseus have been shaped by endless mythology, so have the First Holy War Gold Saints. Those in the world of the living have all but forgotten what and why we fought, with only the tales of the Pegasus Run continuing to reign in the hearts of Sanctuary. That is why I have become that of the children's tale...a panda."
The power of stories and myth.
Whether by books or by the spoken word, telling tales of ancient heroes was as important as prayer.
Saga was not surprised that the most important tale was the Pegasus Run. When he was in Delphi, there were ten times more copies of the Pegasus Run than all the other books combined. Because most of Sanctuary were Prototypo and preferred to pass the tale verbally like Aiolos' family. "But, when my mother told the tale, she said you were a tiger," muttered Saga.
"Tigers are scary!" hissed Aiolos. "A Panda won't scare Aiolia."
Libra the Panda shrugged. "I suppose it is based on what is most popular. A few centuries ago I was an armored devastating dragon, the next a terrifying weaponized tiger, and now a large fluffy cuddly panda, with an insane desire to hug others. Speaking of which, let me get this out of myself before I am driven mad. Don't tell my friends though. As one who served both Athena and the Emperor of China and have slaughtered entire battalions in seconds, I must maintain some dignity." He leaned over and squeezed the Gemini, with a slight nuzzle with the side of his cheek.
Saga produced an awkward look. At least its fur was incredibly soft like being squeezed by a pillow. "But if this form doesn't have you wearing your Cloth, where do you pull out the Golden Sword now?"
"I would rather not think about it. Frankly, I miss when people remembered me as a man."
It was at that moment, Saga slipped out of the embrace and knelt where Aiolos was twisting in agony. "What is wrong with him? Before he came in, his eyes were just red, now he feels like he has a heavy fever!" He clutched the archer's body, Aiolos' breath was so hot that it could melt ice.
The panda shook its round head in sadness. "The closer he is to Ares, the more activated the curse becomes. Now that he is here, he doesn't have much time." He raised a paw toward the door. "He must return to the Collective of Sagittarius. The only way to remove the curse is he must head there, summon his Cloth, perform the task of the First over there and he and his Cloth will be purified."
"Is that even possible? Can he even summon it in this place?"
"He can. This may be a different dimension, but his stars still align in the Collective of the Sagittarius."
That was all he needed to know. It seemed like Libra Panda knew all about the curse, but right now it was best to focus on removing it over learning more about its origins. It could all be a lie too, but there wasn't just any time. Saga lifted the slumped archer on his back before he grabbed the Panda's paw. "Let's go!"
But Libra Panda would not budge. "I'm sorry, I can never leave the Collective of Libra. However, Sagittarius isn't too far. But you should hurry. I sense Ophiuchus was lurking here and his fealty is toward Ares and not of Athena. You may encounter others, but I cannot see beyond my view of this place."
"It sounds like the layout is the same. Is the first Gold Saint of Scorpio there as well?"
"He is. But he can be an enigma when it comes to the matter of where his allegiance lies. All the First Golds are in this place. Remember, in our time, the Greek Pantheon not only reigned at its highest but polytheism as well. Don't be surprised if you encounter Golds who hold allegiances toward other Gods as well. But rest assured, I am with Athena and that is why she had my Cloth be the key to this place."
The Gemini gazed upon the Libra. While his words were filled with years of wisdom, it was damn hard to take it seriously when its face resembled something Paz would cuddle with at night. Nevertheless, it was the only lead he had and he could sense by the massive cosmos underneath its plush coat that if it wanted to kill them, it probably could've done so while he was unconscious. He bid the bear bye-bye and ran out of the dark room. Once outside, he was shocked to see the Collective in its true form.
The sky was dark but illuminated by millions of constant shooting stars, fitting in the fact that when stars die, their remains give birth to new ones. Each of the exteriors of the Houses of Sanctuary was the same but rather than stone, it was a bright crystal exterior, giving each one a luminous glow. Such a sight should be strikingly beautiful and fitting of the place that was considered a means of preventing the torture from Hades after death. However, it was blanketed by a tremendous amount of eerily thick fog.
It was so tall and heavy, that rather than part away with every step, it would curl and wrap around his body.
Not only that but for some reason, the Pope's Chambers were at the bottom next to the House of Aries. They say that ascending to the top of Sanctuary in the real world was like reaching heaven itself. So what is the meaning when they go the opposite?
What does it mean when the Pope's Chambers are in the deepest darkest part of Sanctuary instead of the highest and the brightest?
His eyes turned toward the distance of them and the next House...or Collective of Scorpio as it seemed to be called as. This was supposed to be their version of heaven, yet the place was filled with so many damn stairs.
Deciding to give it a shot, Saga stopped and raised a hand. "ANOTHER DIMENSION!" he ripped a hole in time and space. So far so good. It looked the same as it normally did. He kept the opening small so that he could study it a moment. It was sucking in like it was supposed to and acting normal. He then grabbed a few coins from his pocket and tossed them in, only for them to merely float in the space. The Gemini shook his head in disappointment, but he was not surprised. While the effects of Another Dimension are there, it lost its ability to teleport from one spot to another in this place like opening a door in a house, only to discover it was merely a closet and not an exit.
Suddenly, his warrior instincts kicked in, and the Gemini quickly dodged a bright red spike that shot from the ground in front. Saga felt his hands squeeze the legs of the archer tighter as his head darted back and forth before a pair of scarlet eyes glimmered above the top of a crystal pillar. He stared at the shadowy figure as it locked its crimson glare upon him. But when it lowered its head, the Gemini caught a glimpse of its headgear, recognizing the familiar pointed tiara that every eighth Guardian wore. Was this the first Scorpio Saint?
No, it couldn't be. If Libra the Panda couldn't leave his Temple, the same must be for the first Scorpio as well. But then something else caught the Gemini's eye for the eyes was not just crimson, but the hair was like ash as well as if it was on fire. The Cloth wasn't solid gold, but a liquidy red color that bloomed in bursts of crimson as if bleeding from within like the contents of a lava lamp.
Suddenly it, more creature than man, lunged from the pillar. Saga dashed toward the door, his body twisting and leaning back, narrowly avoiding each crimson slash of this mockery of the Scorpio Saint in front of him.
Its eyes were wide and crazy, the tendrils of grey hair, frazzled like weeds upon a field. Its teeth were broken and sharp as if it had been gnashing its molars and canines for so long that they shattered, a clear contrast to the elegance that those of the House of Scorpio carried. Its long jagged red nail swung like a scythe.
Saga quickly lowered his archer friend to the stairs before he began to parry each swing and slash. He had to focus on the crazed Scorpio's hands and wrist. The way this Scorpio Saint fought was so primal and demonic. With how long their scarlet needle nail was, a Scorpio would often fight like a fencer with piercing attacks, yet this one acted like he was wielding a machete. Saga continued to dodge and move from each strike, carefully trying to guide it away from Aiolos who laid there heaving half unconsciously.
Once he and his opponent were far enough and the violent oppressor leaped forward, the Gemini crossed his hands and summoned his strike. "GALAXIAN EXPLOSION!" he screamed, the blast sending his opponent flying down the stairs, the smoke from the force mixing with the dense fog around them, pleased that it was enough to ensure that the enemy stayed down.
He didn't use as much strength to keep his opponent alive, feeling pity for the thing he fought. Deep down, he had a heavy suspicion that they were another victim of the curse and frankly, he's had enough blood upon his hands.
Saga lifted his friend and placed him on his back. "Aiolos," he gently called to him. "How are you feeling?"
"Voices. Gotta keep going up," Aiolos urged before his arm gently wrapped around the Gemini's neck and he tucked his sweating head into Saga's shoulder. Something told him that this was but a mere taste of the horrors that this place held. "Saga...let me go...I'll drag myself...your sins are paid...go home...please…"
Most would think that Aiolos' breathy voice was a sign he was too exhausted. But Saga could tell he was nervous, not because he was afraid of the unknown but most likely if this was all some elaborate trap or not. "Selfless fool," Saga replied like a true Gemini, complimenting and mocking at the same time. "My sins are not paid and the way back has closed. Even if they were and the door was as wide as the sun, I'm your friend. We leave together or we'll die together." With that, he took the archer's hand and squeezed it tenderly to provide a bit of reassurance of his promise. Suddenly, a small gasp escaped his breath when he noticed Aiolos clutched it back with just as much tender care. It touched the Gemini, partly making him wonder if perhaps they could still salvage the once-promising relationship. However, love was something that will have to wait for another time. Saga refocused and continued rushing through the fog.
O|==============|O
? ? ? = THE POPE'S CHAMBER OF THE COLLECTIVE
Ophichius warped into his Master's sacred room that was filled with the broken hourglasses of Gold Saints who had attempted to fight off the curse and had failed. He bowed his head as he always did for the one he pledged his loyalty towards but was surprised to see the servants tending to him once more.
Ares stood as stoic as a statue as a pair of faceless glowing figures in long white robes were polishing the black surface of his body to a shine. "How was the visit?"
"Brief. The Collective Libra Guardian was already there and alert." It wasn't that The Serpent feared him, even if there was nothing he could do against him, but rather he dared not make his intentions known. "But it was good to have a closer eye upon him. If it weren't for his back, he would most definitely provide a good fit for your Sagittarius Gladiator position."
"It may be his crux, but it provides the proper leverage we need. Of those who I wish to recruit, Sagittarius would be one of the most difficult. If he wants to walk and to properly protect his brother, he can do it through us."
Asclepius smiled and bowed his head in agreement. "My thoughts exactly. As my mother once said, it never hurts to plant more seeds than necessary since the worst that can happen is more plants growing in one spot." His red eyes gazed as two more servants came in carrying a familiar set. "You haven't worn those in a long time."
The third servant came up and dressed the God of War in the fine white robes before laying the fine blue stole around his shoulders.
"No, but I did not need to up until now," Ares spoke as the fourth servant held up his rosary and the large metal helmet that was once used to fight his enemies on Earth before he had it converted to something more formal by having his divine symbol of the Colchian Dragon mounted on top.
"Shall we move out before they reach the Collective of Sagittarius?" questioned the thirteenth Gold Saint?
The God of War had already pondered over such an event the moment they were able to open the doorway to here. "No. Let them go, let them complete their task. If Aiolos is unworthy of that then he is therefore unworthy of joining me as a Gladiator."
"But Master, he is the first to arrive in this place in centuries."
Ares walked over toward the viewing globe, his robes dancing from side to side reflecting the hidden elegance that most would miss due to the frightening appearance of his endlessly burning locks, seemingly black skin, and glowing crimson eyes."Yes, but just because one enters Sanctuary doesn't make them cut out to be a Gold Saint anymore than someone entering here makes them worthy of being a Gladiator. Therefore, if he passes, we will make his next move. If he doesn't, his reward will be that he dies and never becomes a Berserker."
O|==============|O
COLLECTIVE OF SCORPIO
The Gemini resumed his speed and ran through the dense fog and stairs until they reached the entrance. There were no doors, but he supposed there was no need for them. Why were these rooms so dark and black? Was this the place where a fragment of each of their souls would stay at? A cold sweat followed as he turned his head from side to side.
What little he knew of the First Gold of Scorpio was that he was very good at his duty, killing anyone the Pope requested. As Milo described it, it was a very sacred trust. The First Holy War was supposedly extremely brutal and the number of skulls that the First Scorpio had placed in the hidden passage like the Catacombs of Paris was proof of this.
Suddenly a pillar of light appeared and that was when Saga and Aiolos caught their first glimpse of the Eighth Guardian. Supposedly, the House of Scorpio was the only place where the role had been passed from father to son, therefore everyone who took up the role is technically related to each other. While the Saint looked very similar to Milo and most of his Cloth had remained the same, right at the top of the shoulders were an extra set of golden scorpion claw appendages that he supposedly used to clip the heads of his victims before turning them over and drinking the blood like a chalice. Afterward, all that was left would be the skull and it would be placed in the secret passage.
Although, that wouldn't make sense since the head was usually used as proof of a successful assassination, he supposed this was what parents told their children to make them behave or face the wrath of the eight Guardian. Even Kanon was frightened by it when their mother used it against him.
Kallen, if you don't do your homework, the First Scorpio will hunt you down.
"Welcome Saint Saga of Gemini, Saint Aiolos of Sagittarius. So you two are the first in a long time to find your way into the Collective. Quite an impressive feat!" the First Scorpio spoke as he gestured to a pair of wine glasses filled with a red so rich in color.
Saga was surprised at how formal and similar he was to Milo. His voice had a haunting echo, a bit higher pitch than Milo's, nearly feminine but clearly male. One thing he learned from his time as Pope is if the one in a higher position addresses you with manners, you answer back the same. "Thank you. We appreciate the offering of your stocks, but I have foregone my drinking habit and while my friend here wouldn't hesitate a glass, he is clearly too inert to even clutch the stem without staining the finery of this place."
"I have to go up…" cursed Aiolos muttered in stilted breaths, his red eyes glowing.
"Yes, I see that," the First Scorpio spoke as nonchalantly as if talking about the weather before he brought his cup to his mouth and used a pair of long fangs to suck the fluid dry. "You should definitely take care of that first. It is not a pretty sight when you are fully consumed, as you saw by my great-great-great-great-great-great grandson out there," Scorpio Vampire spoke as he turned his head toward where the two Golds had just arrived at. "We were told that the Gemini should be first, but he's a lot like your friend. He was determined to end the curse and thought he could handle it. Six months later, the Aquarius of that time granted him peace...before ending his own life a few weeks later like the widow of a love bird."
It was just as the Gemini suspected, the one he fought was a former victim.
Aiolos could hear the sorrow in the First Scorpio's voice. He may be cursed and his sanity melted away. But his sense of pity and compassion had not faded quite yet. "Can he be cured?"
With one hand upon his glass, another came to his chin in thought. As Scorpio Vampire sat there, one of the clawed appendages lowered down and carefully snapped its sharp edges around the glass of wine with such grace without hardly a scratch or a spill. The claw then brought it over and the Scorpio handed his empty glass to his other appendage and plucked the one to finish it off in one fell swoop. "Who knows. We may have been the first, but the only two who knows about the curse is the one who crafted it and the one who kisses his feet. Just like you, we were all convinced the dagger was some sort of sacrificial tool. I've seen some cursed Saints even try to use it as such, thinking that slitting the throat of a virgin would save them. None of us knew it was really a key to reach this place."
"...Saga…" Aiolos choked as his arm that he used to cling to the Gemini's back squeezed his neck tighter.
The Gemini swallowed hard. Ares was not their greatest enemy, but rather it was Time...or rather the lack of it. They needed to keep going. So far the Scorpio didn't seem to make any hints of an attack. If he was like Milo, despite their rather carnal nature, there was a sense of honor and if there was going to be a fight, it would've been telegraphed by now with words and not offerings of wine. It helped that the silver platter next to him lacked any orders, assuming that he the First Scorpio still listened to Ares. "May we pass?"
The Scorpio Vampire's hand didn't hesitate. "By all means. Right now, you two are the most exciting thing to happen in this place in a long time. Even 'he' seems to be more curious than angry and is making his way from the pit of this place."
Saga's eyes widened and while he held his tongue, Aiolos wasn't so silent. "...Ares…" the cursed Sagittarius murmured.
Immediately, Saga clutched the Sagittarius on his back tighter before darting toward the door, partly because he didn't want to risk the First Scorpio from changing his mind, but also the idea that the God of War was approaching them like some oncoming storm. If they did have to face him, it was best to have Aiolos cured first.
He wished he could've stayed longer though. The Scorpio seemed a bit more open on what had happened and perhaps was a bit sympathetic judging by his tone about his grandson they had just fought. He has a feeling that the Scorpio permitted them to pass due to the mercy they granted.
However, one should not fully trust a man who knelt before Ares and systematically assassinated over two hundred people.
But something told the Gemini there was something that both the Panda and the Vampire were hiding, almost as if they were more ashamed of the situation going on. Perhaps the First Sagittarius will hold more answers.
Suddenly Aiolos grabbed the Gemini's hair and jerked his head sideways narrowly missing a fiery arrow, singing the tips of his cerulean hair.
More alert, Saga turned toward the top of the Collective of the Sagittarius to spot four Berserker archers perched on the top like vultures eager for the first sign of life. "...shit…" he cursed as every single sparring match between him and Aiolos came rushing back to his head. He dodged the other three prepared strikes, each one seemingly aiming at popping his head open while making his way forward as fast as he could. Even at lightspeed, the stairs were still incredibly long. Suddenly he watched as two of the cursed pointed their bows toward the sky while the other two flew from either side.
At that moment, Saga knew exactly what they were attempting. Sagittarius is known for zoning their opponents either by making the area impossible to pass with endless arrows or sniping them from afar. In this case, the group was coordinating it in such a way that they were going to do both at the same time!
Saga watched the strategy play out as one cursed archer focused on raining light arrows directly in front of the entrance to block it while the other was arching them in a manner that it was like a giant tsunami wave ready to crash into them. Goddess, the pair that was flying toward them were forming a pincer attack on either side! The only clear direction was to run back to the Collective of the Scorpio, but that was their intention. Saga knew if they retreated all they had to do was rain endless arrows in front of the entrance, trapping them.
They had to rush forward, but Saga couldn't do it alone. None of his attacks were meant to fend off long-ranged enemies from three different sides, especially since he had to focus on transporting his friend. "AIOLOS!" he screamed while he prepared his attack.
Even though Saga merely called out his name, Aiolos had been training with the Gemini for so long, that was all he needed to hear to figure out how he was thinking and how to support him. Saga's attack would focus on the stationary ones, while he needed to take on aiming precisely at the others. Aiolos grasped his burning head for a moment before he turned to one of the approaching flying cursed Sagittarius. His far more enhanced eyesight, cursed as it may, allowed him to gaze upon his fallen predecessor's bulging pupils focused upon him while his boney fingers were clutching the thick shaft of a golden arrow that was dripping in red energy like blood. Aiolos could see the Saint's hesitation. A Sagittarius was trained to fire hundreds of times a second, and yet he was clutching onto just one as if granting him an opening. "Forgive me…" Aiolos murmured as he unleashed his golden arrow that splintered the other golden arrow and struck the palm of the cursed archer before he switched and did the same to the other, aiming for one of the hands, knowing that was all it took to disable his enemies.
As that was going on, Saga raised a hand as he continued to run forward ready to take on the two in front. "GALAXIAN EXPLOSION!" He shouted. Rather than aim it for the archers who would easily fly off and continue their attack, the Gemini carefully focused it very carefully to where it was right above the entrance. Its energy and shockwaves caused the rain of arrows to scatter in other directions while deflecting them away and incinerating the smaller blasts within the core. Saga charged faster under the blast, doing his best to dodge the few arrows that managed to get past his energy wave.
Saga ran through the entrance of the Collective of Sagittarius, his body tripping over as a lucky arrow struck him in the back of his leg, causing the two to stumble upon the tile. Aiolos also got an arrow in the back, but it appears as if it struck his shoulder and not too deeply. Honestly, it was the best outcome that could happen considering they were under hundreds of projectiles at one point. Saga carefully removed the arrow from his calf before healing the area, thankful it missed his knee since it was bad enough that one of them was crippled. Afterward, when he reached over and began to help his friend, he turned to see the four cursed archers standing there in front of the entrance.
Saga could see all their different features, some with slightly longer hair, others not from Greece. They all wore the Cloth of Sagittarius and just like the cursed Scorpio, they all looked like they were frazzled and their Cloths appeared as if they were bleeding from within. their bodies hunched and jagged.
Aiolos noticed it too. He turned his head expecting them to come and unleash a barrage of arrows, only for them to just stare at the pair. He spotted the one he got a good look at earlier. He could tell that due to how much lighter the ash-colored hair was that he was once a blond, his blue eyes reminding him heavily of his little brother. Suddenly, the archer took his bleeding hand from where Aiolos' arrow struck him and pressed against what was like an invisible barrier as if they were denied entrance to this place. Aiolos tried to reach over but the cursed Sagittarius let out a shriek before turning away and flying off.
Saga could see this too. It was clear those who succumb to the curse were not only tortured in life but death as well. While he wasn't sure if they could help them, one certain thing was that if they didn't do anything now, Aiolos would join them. "Are you alright?" To his surprise and relief, the archer looked much better. His eyes were back to blue.
"Yeah...I think so…" Aiolos spoke, sensing his tone was back to normal. Before he felt like he was going to spontaneously combust at any moment, yet he was feeling more like his old self, as foreign as it seemed. Still, he could feel the curse's influence lurking deep inside despite something holding it back.
"Quickly! Summon your Cloth!"
Aiolos heard the voice once more, the same one that told him that he had to come here...a voice that seemed quite familiar. "Were you the one who spoke to me after my test to earn my Cloth?"
"I am."
Aiolos had endured so many illusions and lies, but he knew that whoever was speaking to him was the absolute truth since he nor any other Gold could ever forget the moment they were blessed and officially sworn in to join the few worthy of serving Athena in the highest rank. He raised his hand and shut his eyes, summoning his cosmos. "SAGITTARIUS!" He called out, his voice echoing the room.
To Aiolos' surprise, the Cloth did appear, box and all. He imagined that Aiolia must have stuck it in a place where he couldn't reach it, but that wasn't enough to stop it from coming back. The archer dragged his body and flipped the top open, allowing the sides to part. "Oh Goddess!" To his shock, the centaur statue resembled that of the other cursed archers outside, albeit to a lesser degree with several pieces splattered in copious amounts of red blotches. His eyes turned toward the side of the box to spot the sticker of Tuxedo Mask that Athena stuck on as a blessing when he was finally united with it. He grabbed the headpiece and his eyes switching maddeningly between it and the three bug-eyed cursed archers outside, hands trembling, trying to wipe it off, but it was clear that the red marks were beneath the surface.
"It's alright to be scared. We were too when we saw how close you were to succumb to it."
A bright flash appeared in the room, causing a moment of blindness. When Aiolos removed his hand from his face, he was greeted by a pair of rustic brown hooves, before looking up to see Sagittarius Gestalt with Sisyphus beside him with several other past Sagittarius Saints.
To Be Continued
O|====================|O
Coming in March
Finale 2
Gestalt and Not-Really-Sisyphus provide more answers about the curse to Saga while Aiolos takes his test to purify himself of it.
Author's Notes: Real life has gotten quite busy now. I didn't forget the story, but I had to slow down my pace tremendously. That is why I won't post an exact time.