Disclaimer: I don't own SSTLC characters!

The trace of the future

Kardia stretched his body, looking at the Sanctuary, still lying far away, surrounded by many rocky hills, treacherous stones and narrow paths. For someone who wasn't a Saint it was impossible to invade this place, any person that had this stupid idea would die an instant even without intervention of guardians. Actually sometimes even for trainees and Saints it was impossible to escape from the Sanctuary. The weakest Warriors of the Athena had to be very careful with taking the steps in this dangerous area. Just one reckless move could end really badly.

The Scorpio heard the sharp noise of the two squirrels that run above his head from one tree to the other. He smiled wildly a little bit. Day by day these two stupid and loud animals were accompanying him through the forest like some kind of the guardians. It started many years ago, the same time when he met his first friend, Degel. It happened not far away from the place he was standing now; Kardia could see the column where Degel was reading his book and which was destroyed by his own Scarlet Needle. And since then the small squirrels were running through this forest beside him.

The sun hid behind the big, fluffy cloud, covering the forest with the slight shadows. Strong wind blew quickly between the trees, making the loud hum of moving trees. The squirrels stopped on the nearby branch and squawked loudly, like they wanted to remind Kardia about his duties as the Gold Saint. The blue-haired man looked at them irritated and sighed deeply.

"Yeah, yeah, I know," he murmured to them with the sulky face. "I'm going, don't be so loud, shrimps."

The squirrels make another sharp noise and jumped to the other tree, leaving him on the border of the forest. He watched them for a while until they disappeared in the shadows, stretched his body again and run down the path he chose this day.

It was really nice to run without worrying about his weak heart. He could do this every day, run as fast as he wanted and as far as he had the strength. Since a few years it was really rare for his heart to cause him the problems; usually Degel was able to make him feel better just on the first sight that his heart gonna be troublesome.

Kardia was really grateful to the Aquarius to allowing him live the fullest life. Until they met he was afraid in some way, that he wouldn't have the time to do many interesting things in his pathetic live of the person sentenced to the early death. But now… Now he could run and laugh and live the way he wanted.

The cloud flew away, exposing the bright sun. The soft light covered the twelve sacred Temples of the Sanctuary, making them to look really majestically in the late morning. Kardia smiled widely, jumping over the big stone lying in his way and laughed happily. He really loved to run the whole way to the Sanctuary, carrying on his back the Gold Cloth of the Scorpio. He loved the shiver of his muscles after he was stopping in the front of the Aries Temple and he loved this slight feeling of the tiredness in his limbs when he was resting inside his own domain.

Live the fullest live… Right?

Degel looked through the window of his library. The sun was reaching slowly the noon, time to time covering by the fluffy clouds. The day was really calm, any trainee didn't try to escape from the Sanctuary, any enemy didn't invade them and even the Saints seemed to be really relaxed today. But he couldn't focus on the book he was reading right now. Again some uneasiness disturbed his cold mind. It was repeated day by day, like something strange and dangerous was gonna happen soon. The Pope Sage felt it too; a few days ago the old Saint mentioned something about it. But the Pope neither Degel didn't know what it could be.

The Aquarius sighed irritated. He whished this feeling disappeared finally, because he was gonna go crazy if it would continue like that a few days more.

He put the book on the table intending to take a long walk, when his friend, Kardia, like every day, appeared inside his library. The Scorpio sat heavily on the chair in the front of Degel and smiled to him.

"Hey, Degel," he said with his wild voice, looking at his friend.

The Aquarius could see a few drops of sweat on Kardia's face, the loud, hard breathing of the Scorpio's heart filled the chamber. Degel sighed with the resignation.

"Kardia, I told you not to run the whole way to the Sanctuary, didn't I?" he asked instead of welcoming his friend.

"So what if I run? You know that I like it," answered the Scorpio taking the book in his hand, opening it and looking at the small characters on the page. After a few years as Degel's friend he could read some of this letters, but he was too big ignorant to could read the whole words and sentences. He put this book on the table.

"Kardia, if you will continue to treat your heart like that then someday even my cold wouldn't be able to save you. Besides what if I wouldn't be around to help you?"

The Scorpio sighed quietly, laying his arms on the table and resting his head on them.

"I might die…" he murmured, looking through the window.

"Exactly," said Degel, taking the book form the table and leaving it on its plane on the bookstand. Then he sat again, observing his friend.

"But I won't die because of stupid running," added Kardia with determined voice. "I have many things to do before I die; besides I have to lose my life in the fight. So don't worry, Degel," murmured the Scorpio, smiling to the green-haired man.

Degel sighed again. Sometimes Kardia was really troublesome. He wanted to live the fullest live, without regrets, he had a few dreams he wanted to fulfill in the future, but at the same time he was relying on Degel with keeping him alive.

"Do as you want, Kardia. And I'm not worry. I promised you I will take care of your heart as long as you want."

Kardia smiled to him, showing his white teeth.

"You would never break you promise, right Degel? But what if by helping me, you would die yourself?" asked the Scorpio turning his sight from the Aquarius to the bright, blue sky above the Sanctuary.

Degel snorted quietly.

"Isn't it obvious, Kardia? Even, if something like this happen in the future, I would help you and survive to be able to help you again. But why you are asking me about that?"

The Scorpio shrugged.

"I don't know…" he murmured quietly.

Degel shook his head, waving his green hair with that move. He reached by his hand Kardia's cheek and forced him to look inside his violet eyes.

"What's wrong, Kardia?"

The blue-haired man blinked a few times hesitantly, biting his lips strongly.

"Probably you would say that it is ridiculous, but since a few days I had awful feeling."

Degel looked at him surprised a little.

"An awful feeling?"

"Yes. Like something is gonna happen soon. Something unbelievable. And I can feel the scent of the death…"

"What do you mean by the scent of death?"

"Someone is gonna die soon. Someone important in some way for me, for you… Someone important for the future…"

Degel looked through the window, thinking earnestly. He was the second person in the Sanctuary who could read the stars, and he saw it too. The upcoming death, but he was sure that it applies the Hole War that could start any moment. Actually the strange feelings they felt, he, the Pope and Kardia could be caused by the same other reason…

"You know, Kardia… The Holy War is near. So maybe…"

"No. It has nothing to do with the Holy War."

"How do you know that?"

Kardia snorted.

"Dear Degel, I'm the wild beast. My instinct is better that yours. It has nothing to do with Lady Athena or Hades. But at the same time it is connected with all of us… Ugh, I don't know what to think! That feeling makes me confused."

"Then don't think about it. If something is going to happen then just wait."

The Scorpio Saint chuckled under his nose. He stood up, and stretched his muscular body.

"I have some idea," he announced, looking at his friend with wide smile. "Go for a mission!"

"For a mission? Why so suddenly?" asked Degel, looking at his friend surprised. Usually Kardia would rather go for a mission alone, afraid that Degel would take away his fun.

"I'm bored! Besides it was a while since we both were on a mission…"

The Aquarius sighed. Kardia was really strange man. No one can predict when his mood would change and no one was able to imagine with what idea he would appear. Even his friend, Degel.

"Actually it is not a bad idea, Kardia," murmured Degel, smiling under his nose. The Scorpio Saint amazed him every day since so many years.

"What? Why are you smiling? Are you making the fun of me again, Degel?" Kardia muttered a little irritated at his friend.

Degel laughed, getting off his glasses and putting them on the table. He encircled his arm around Kardia shoulders and pulled him to the exit.

"No, Kardia. I wouldn't dare to make the fun of you," he said, still smiling. "I just thought that it is really wonderful idea to leave the Sanctuary for a while."

The Scorpio Saint snorted loudly, allowing Degel to lead him to the exit of the Aquarius Temple.

"Let see if our Pope has something for us," added the green-haired man. He looked at the bright, blue sky above them, wondering what the future would bring to them.

The Pope Sage yawned widely looking at the few cloud on the bright, blue sky above the Sanctuary. He had another restful night; his mind was disturbed by some unexplainable feeling all the time. It was really troublesome for him because he couldn't focus at much more important things. Lady Athena still had to awake her full power before the upcoming Holy War with Hades, a few Specters showed themselves, destroying the towns and killing innocent people and his young, Gold Saints seemed to be dissociated with each other. There was a plenty of problems he should take care of, but this stupid, awful feeling took control over his mind.

He knew that something was gonna happen soon, but it wasn't connected with the Holy War. He knew that very well, but he couldn't stop thinking about it. Lately he was even looking at the stars, searching for the answer, but the sky was giving him another disturbing feeling.

The Pope sighed deeply, turning back to the window and sitting on his throne deeply thoughtful. He really hoped that whatever was gonna happen would come soon.

The sound of knocking filled his chamber and after a while the door opened. The Pope Sage saw his two young Saints, the Aquarius and the Scorpio, walking with the dignity to him. The two men stopped in the front of his seat and bowed their head.

It lasted just a short while but when the Gold Saints were raising their head, the Pope had the impression that he is looking at the different persons. The faces turned into faces of someone else, someone very similar to them but belonged to other humans. He blinked a few times, trying to get rid of that feeling.

"Degel, Kardia. It's nice to see you today," he said when their young warriors turned to their own appearance. He smiled, looking at them and remembering the first day when they met each other. It was many years ago, but Degel and Kardia seemed to be very close friends like nothing was able to separate them. He was aware that they spend a lot of time together and it was making him really happy. There weren't many Gold Saints with such a strong bond with someone else, especially between the strongest Warriors of Athena. "How is your heart, my dear Scorpio?" he asked the blue-haired man, really concern about his condition. Since Degel took care of Kardia, the wild Saint hadn't too much problems with his heart.

"It is healthy like always," answered Kardia with smile.

"I'm glad to hear that. What reason is bringing you two to me?"

"We are wondering if you have some mission for us, Pope," said Degel, looking at the old Saint with worry. Lately the head of the Sanctuary looked really tired and worried about something.

The Pope smiled to them.

"There is always something to do," he murmured taking a look at the sky. "It is really rare hear you both to ask for mission. I can't even aware when it happened the last time…"

"It is his fault," Kardia pointed at Degel with sulky face. "He always stops me from having fun with my pray."

"Because you are always so reckless, Kardia. You don't think, you just doing many stupid and dangerous things. I can't allow you to rampage too much," answered Degel.

"It is my business!"

"No, if your heart is included…"

"Calm down, both of you!" said the Pope with the laugh. These two had always quarrels about the way Kardia was living. And it was so funny to watch them. "You could do something form me."

The two Gold Saints shut their mouth and looked at the Pope with the attention. They could argue later.

The Pope sighed quietly and said them the details of the mission. Actually it was good that they appeared now, asking for a mission. One problem less on his head, right?