"What are you doing? Wandering around alone in the middle of the night?"
Saori found Seiya standing not too far away from her. He had interrupted her train of thoughts. Miho was not with him, much to her delight. Had it been a romantic film, it'd be the moment she jump into his arms. However, instead, Saori found herself saying, "It's my freedom to do whatever I please."
"You don't have that freedom," Seiya said, not much of a romantic person himself. "Not on my watch."
He grabbed her by the wrist and dragged her behind him.
"Seiya!" Saori tried to resist but no avail. Like a little girl late for her curfew, she was taken back to Seiya's house.
"Tomorrow morning, we are going to the Sanctuary," she said as she settled in bed.
"No, we are," Seiya said. "You stay here."
"You can't win this battle without me," Saori said. "If you go without me, you will fail and die in vain. You walk right into the enemy's hand, and for what? You can tell them that you fight for me, Goddess Athena. But how can you prove it if I'm not there?" She paused and added, "Another reason I want to go, I need to go, is that I want to know what happened to my mother."
Now she touched a sensitive spot.
"I don't know where she is," Saori continued. "If we go to the Sanctuary together, maybe I'll find her and you'll find your sister."
"Alright," Seiya said. "We'll take you along. But under one condition."
"What's that?"
"Finish the herbs Shiryu brought you."
"Really?" Saori made a face. "But it tastes terrible."
"It's good for you," Seiya said. "You need it."
One sip after another, she finished the herb though it was so bitter that she wanted to gag. She lied down and closed her eyes.
As she slept, Seiya stayed up and watched over her.
You can't love her - that's what Hyoga had told him.
Hyoga, what does he know? The only woman he ever loved is his mother!
The morning came and it was time to go.
The roads were now opened and Saori rode in the car with the Bronze Saints. She was unusually silent. Before coming out of Seiya's house, she had found that the curse from Ptolemy's arrow had further spread over her body. The dark spots were on her shoulders even. No, they couldn't waste anymore time.
"Do you want me to come with you?" Tatsumi asked after they arrived airport.
"No," Saori shook her head. "I'll be okay."
Tatsumi nodded.
"Tatsumi," Saori said. "Thank you, for everything."
She boarded the plane and the Bronze Saints followed.
It was the moment the plane took off that Saori remembered how much she hates flying.
She kept her eyes closed as the Bronze Saints ate. The sight of food made her sick.
"Sushi?" Seiya offered.
"No," Saori replied. "Last time I ate on the plane, I got really sick."
Then Hyoga was having tuna, which smelled even stronger.
Okay, try to think of other things.
"So," she began; eyes still closed. "There's twelve Gold Saints altogether because there are twelve Zodiac signs. By far, we have met Leo Gold Saint Aiolia. And there is Sagittarius; the Gold Cloth is probably back at the Sanctuary."
"Roshi is the Libra Gold Saint," Shiryu said. "And there's also Aries Mu, Kiki's master."
"That makes four. I assume your master and Kiki's are on our side."
"Correct," Shiryu said. "Roshi won't even let me make any comment on you."
"I liked him already," Saori murmured.
"Saori-san, maybe you need this," Seiya handed her a pill bottle. "It'll make you feel better."
Without a hesitation, Saori took two tablets and she did feel better; only drowsier.
"Twelve minus four, which is eight. Eight more Gold Saints who are not on our side," she muttered as her eyelids became heavy. "We got Aries, Libra, Leo, and Sagittarius. Rest are Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Virgo, Scorpio, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces..."
Taurus...
Gemini...
Cancer...
Virgo...
Scorpio...
Capricorn...
Aquarius...
And Pisces...
Each guarded their palace and allowed no intruder to pass. Taurus stood tall and large. Gemini bore two faces or he had a twin? Cancer laughed evilly. Virgo kept his eyes closed. Scorpio was ready to attack with his long red nail. Capricorn was ready to chop any intruder into pieces. Aquarius stood cold and silent. And Piesces with a rose in his hand.
Oh yeah, and Leo too. Last time she saw him, he wasn't exactly friendly.
Of these nine, six stood out: Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Pisces.
Saori found them standing around her in a circle. Their Gold Cloths were shiny and bright.
Gemini Saint had long blue hair. "You can't blame for what happened. It is fate. If you were me, would you have done anything different?" He pulled out a gold dagger. "Aiolos' blood is on it still. It was the sacrifice he was willing to make. I stabbed him with this dagger. I stabbed him ten times."
Cancer Saint chuckled and Saori could tell he was a sadistic man who enjoy torturing his victims. "The Dragon Saint will be fun. He sees himself as a righteous warrior trained under Libra. I see him more fitting in the Land of Dead!"
The Leo Saint's eyes were still as if he were bewitched.
"Aiolia, isn't it?" Saori asked him. "Your brother was thinking of you before he breathed his last. He wanted you to be strong."
Leo Saint said nothing.
"It was not a night he can ever forget," Capricorn Saint spoke. "I grew up with Aiolos and we trained together. I'm always in awe of Aiolos, but fate will have it as I'm the one who ended his life. Aiolia was only twelve when he lost his brother. But it was my duty as a Gold Saint and a loyal subordinate of the Pope. If I were given a chance, I will do it again."
Disgusted, Saori turned away from him and saw Aquarius Saint. His face was stoic. Next to him was an ice coffin.
"Hyoga!" Saori couldn't believe her eyes.
Hyoga was frozen inside.
"You, did you do it?" She demanded. "Hyoga...Hyoga is your student, and you killed him!"
Tears fell from his face.
A rose was thrown at her feet.
Pisces Saint came to her with rose petals around him. "This is a war. The Saints who rebelled against the Pope shall be punished. I have already destroyed Andromeda Island."
Andromeda Island was where Shun was trained.
"There will be a day of reckoning," Saori said to them. "I am Goddess Athena and the Sanctuary is under my patronage. You are the real traitors and you shall pay for what you have done!"
She opened her eyes and found herself in a cold hard bed.
"Saori-san!"
It was Kiki. Behind him was a Gold Saint.
"Aries Mu," Saori assumed.
He knelt before her. "Athena."
She looked around. "Where's Seiya? And the others?"
"They are on their way to face the Pope," Mu told her. "The curse from Ptolemy's arrow is getting worse."
"You can't keep me here," Saori said though she could barely walk. "Seiya...he's no match against the Gold Saints."
"You only have eleven hours left."