Let's go Souma! Two bright smiles!
(行こうぜ蒼摩! 光る笑顔が二つ)
A rift leading into the black matter—its presence so strong, it stretched out to any mortal near its vicinity and impacted all five senses. Arion and the four Saints felt it; the Terrae was already on one knee and getting blind. If the rift's threshold was crossed, one's body would stretch and then exfoliate. While Arion waited for the Bronze Saints' death, at his own body's expense, someone called to him.
Arion, are you out of your mind?!
He heeded it immediately; lambasted by a voice inside his head—and only one voice of such level of nobility would dare to do so and succeed in reaching him—it was impossible to ignore. The one who spoke to him was no stranger of chastisement.
I cannot lose you! Past the fourth Garden was Demeter's temple after all. The Mother Goddess was in her private quarters prone in her bed, resting, and racked with the devastation from losing her "daughter". Cancer Hermes quietly watched the Goddess's face, which creased to denote that her brain was undergoing some activity. Little did he know, she was speaking to Arion through telepathy.
To do such a heavy-handed thing. Why would you open a way to the Path without me there? Anymore and you'll…
"I understand." Arion's lips moved in a whisper, and he promptly shut his hand. At the same moment, the rift leading into the dark matter squeezed to a close, disappearing.
All four Saints dropped to the ground. Through his lidded eyes, Lionet Souma looked to Arion and wondered why he suddenly closed the portal. The Terrae knelt completely still as he had a mental discussion with his Goddess.
I know. Anymore and I'll…he'll…
For you to even risk that, are those Saints even that powerful?
I don't know what I was thinking. Maybe I wanted to show them that their miracles were useless by destroying them immediately. Demeter, something drives them.
What?! Are they still alive?!
They…They are strong, but I am stronger. Rest with ease. It's just one more.
Arion...please…I'm afraid.
I understand. Fear not and understand that you give me hope. I cannot imagine seeing you fall.
I await your return.
Yes.
Lowering his arm, the Terrae panted to regain his senses. The blur from his one eye was gradually vanishing. He could see one thing: Souma standing on his feet, readying himself in a fight stance. One more small draw of breath and Arion rose off his knee. The talk between the Goddess and the Terrae would be a secret between them; what would the Saints think of Arion expressing concern?
"I guess it's up to me," Souma said. "Ryuho set an example for us to be here, so I gotta put in the same amount of work somehow."
"Even though I was compelled to close the rift," Arion said, narrowing his eyes into a glare straight toward Lionet. "It still should've been the end of all of you."
"Heh, I'll keep standing for my companions and Athena. If it's for this Earth. I've decided that," Lionet said, offering a peppy grin.
"Such words cannot create a miracle."
"All my friends are pretty cool and don't know how to give up. That's why we keep burning. That's why we're here."
"Who are you?"
"Bronze Saint of Athena, Lionet Souma."
Lionet's Cosmos. For him…or rather, he is still in one piece. Even to surpass Chthon.
"I am the 4th Terrae of the Garden of Horae, Arion. Well Lionet, I should be enough to rid of you."
"Keep talking pal. You can't extinguish my flame that easily." Souma held up his enthusiasm despite knowing that his friends were out for the count. Instead, he said a prayer within before setting off.
Father, Haruto, Ryuho…and Sonia, watch me.
"Lionet Bomber!" His body glowing, Souma threw himself forward and erupted into a racing fireball. Arion brought his hand over and stopped the Saint's charge before he could reach, dispersing the fiery Cosmos from around Souma. Souma growled, a wave of invisible pressure holding him in place. It was emitting from Arion's palm.
Barriers and anti-Cosmo gimmicks huh? This guy likes defense.
One tossed punch, and a yell, the pressure dispersed, and the fist went straight toward Arion. Surprise flashed across his face as he caught the punch, and quickly grasped the other one. Now both clutched each other's hands. Souma's body blazed with a heat-like Cosmos, clashing with Arion's. Their auras mingled, creating a furious rise of galvanism around them.
"Not gonna fight back after taking a knocking?"
"Be careful what you wish for." Arion carried confidence, but somehow, a piece of doubt slipped into his thoughts: He dare believed that Lionet might've been on par with him. It was confirmed that Lionet had a power that protected him from the rift leading into the Path. To survive that and from Chthon, and to survive from Chiron's Pride as well, it made sense. Arion focused on raising his Cosmos, the ground shaking. Souma gritted his teeth, preparing himself for what was to come. He had to create a lethal blow to pass Arion, but he couldn't if his hands weren't freed.
Suddenly, Souma saw blue, and his body was filled with an eating tension. An electric current went through him. When Arion released him, the Terrae threw him back with a shot of force. One flash of his eyes, and Souma screamed. He buckled forward.
Heavy! Souma's mind shouted. The first thing that came to his mind was that it was some aggressive gravity. However, after entering the Path, he inhaled in a breath and bore through it. How long was Lionet's miraculous power going to last, Arion wondered. The attack passed, and the Bronze Saint approached again, entering close without resistance, letting out punch after punch. Arion raised his arms in arcs, mitigating and redirecting the blows, but Souma kept in close with rapid blows. Were they even? Lionet's speed was keeping Arion bound in one place. However, even if it's for time, the Terrae noticed that his force attacks gave him a gap. He brought a palm towards Souma and shook his small, young body with more pressure. Hit by a stronger force this time around, Souma lost his footing, his arms flinging backward. Lionet's balance compromised, Arion went forward and twisted his hips, shooting his arm out. His fist went right into Souma's abdomen.
Lionet froze completely. No one was conscious to see the punch nearly plowing out his back. A normal punch that felt like a giant's own, but it wasn't amazing strength from muscles or size. Arion could counter malleability; different, but parallel, to Megaera's ability that affected an armor's durability. The Terrae could have confidence that his technique worked. Ignoring the Cloth, which will bend rather than break, he could affect organs. When Arion pulled his hand away, Lionet was doubled over, his arms hanging.
"Are you dead?"
The reply would come seconds after a couple retches. "Not yet," Souma coughed. "Not giving up. We all got something to do."
Arion's eyes slimmed. Curious. Maybe the Saint would die momentarily, or maybe he needed a few more punches.
"There are many times when I was on the brink of life or death, but I believed in hope. Now, I am an instructor to aspiring fighters for Earth. To share that hope and enthusiasm for the planet keeps me up," said Souma.
"The Silver Saints who died…they too had a will to live or had a strong will for Athena I'm sure? Yet, they still died." As Arion said that, he turned away from Lionet and walked to make some distance. So far, such basic attacks did not work, but a couple of ideas gathered within. When he turned back, Arion raised a finger.
An accusatory finger pointed at Souma.
"It matters not. Lionet Souma, your Goddess who gives you strength is a Goddess of war! Whenever you raise your fist, someone is hurt or killed. Humans or divine beings, you hurt them."
"Look pal, I am not some blood-thirsty little lion. I just want to do what's right, and we damn know well that battle cannot disappear." Souma was not touched with culpability. Was he not facing the killer of so many Saints throughout this whole ordeal? Facing someone with so much power?
As he continued speaking, Souma's hot passion gave him the energy to straighten himself. "Everyone keeps fighting, whether it is human or divine. If it's for the wrong purpose, Athena guides us to defeat it."
"Are you trying to justify your actions? Do not speak of Athena as the absolute justice."
"And your Goddess would ruin this world! Just like other Gods! When they do this, we must fight. Wouldn't you do the same?" When Souma charged forward, he nearly bounced off his feet. He was further from his enemy this time. Another go, and he threw out a punch. Arion kept still. His hands forward indicated that he unleashed a new technique. Through his eyes—and only through the trained eyes of a Saint or a warrior with heightened senses—Souma noticed an oval-shaped vortex taking hold of his fist. A barrier?!
Arion grimaced. Not working at all. My pressure should shred his flesh apart. Is he really a Bronze Saint? However…
Another push and Souma broke through the vortex; unhindered, the two charged at each other. Two fists collide.
"Got it!"
When they strike, Arion vanished—facing a large funnel of flame. The Lionet Burning Fire! When the smoke billowed off, fanning away to reveal the results, the body of Arion was still in the same stance. The fist of his opponent slid off his own. Souma's mouth jumped up, and smoke erupted from his body. The Lionet Saint crashed to his knees as a near-searing pain enwrapped him. His nerves barely responded, leaving him on the ground in shock.
Shit, what was that? Souma slowly lifted his head to stare at the Terrae.
"Hey, aren't you a nature Goddess's warrior? Where did you get that much destructive power?"
"What are you implying? You face your greatest adversary thus far."
"Then, are you a true warrior?"
"Carrying the title of the 4th Terrae, the guardian before Demeter's Temple, there is not a gap in facing war. To become one, there is a requirement to face the conflicts of the world. Demeter would use me as she sees fit. The reason why you're in such a condition is that I've seen you battle."
Souma's thoughts stalled. What?
"Not only that, I've seen many Saints like you with forward martial prowess. I can harness that Cosmos and send it back. What holds true is my fighting spirit." Arion's arms moved, and the sunlight within the garden courtyard sunk into deep violet. Souma bit down as he felt his ears whistle.
"You are very resilient. Perhaps this is a testament to Athena's love for you. Thus, I must not hold back. Even if it takes me some time, your resilience will eventually break." Arion lifted his hand upward; Souma followed, and his eyes widened. Above his head, floating within the violet atmosphere, were three enormous, almost spherical bodies. They loomed within the deep air. With one swing down of Arion's hand, one of the bodies dropped down on Lionet. The Terrae jumped away.
Souma lifted his hands, his palms taking the full brunt of the object. He immediately felt his body being crushed; his feet dug into the stone street, his joints squeezing. Lionet kept his scream inside his throat, his focus on his feet pinned to the ground and his palms holding up the nearly obscured weight. Through his palms, he felt the tough texture that could be described as ore. Rock and ore mixed together. Arion quietly watched Lionet's flustered face, veins nearly popping out.
Upon closer inspection, and going by its size and its hard, solid texture, Souma could only amount to one logical thing on what was on his hands: an asteroid! Arion summoned three asteroids large enough to fall upon a small group of people – each about fifteen meters up and across.
"You're doing well," Arion said, "but a horrible fate awaits you." After those words, a hiss sounded out.
GAAAAAAAAAAH!
The sound of steam running out of a boiling pot was followed with Souma's voice elevating with pain. Arion continued to watch. The front of Souma's left arm dissipated, leaving a black stump at the flexor joint.
"I'm not done!" Souma screamed in his mind to rage his Cosmos; his body flared, and his legs began to curve outward. Missing a part of his arm made the asteroid plummet on him more. Arion figured it would be only a matter of time: Lionet would either be crushed or disintegrated.
"Souma!" Someone screamed out, and the asteroid flung off Souma's hands.
By a foot! With each kick, wind pressure gradually pushed back the rock. Arion could not conceal his surprise. One kick after another, until the asteroid was flown upward into the violet air and crashed into the other two.
"Spinning Predation!" In one cry, a giant torrent of silver air ripped through the fore asteroid, and with a loud thundering boom, all three burst at once into pieces. What remained of the dark rocks fell as stardust. A clear, bright presence returned to the 4th Garden; everything that had happened left Arion standing in total silence. Lionet Souma let out a groan, his hand squeezing his black stump; losing strength in his knees, he was held waist up by the arms of Aquila Yuna. She whispered to her friend to hang in there. Rejuvenated by Athena's power, they could do this. Was this the power that aided Ryuho? Passed from him?
"You two. You did it."
Hearing Arion's voice, the two Bronze Saints gathered their breaths and composure, looking up to their enemy.
They did not expect to see a smile.
"I must congratulate you. You somewhat…survived and defeated my Tri-X Cluster. So that confirms it more than before. Athena somehow must've blessed you."
The Saints' strength to battle through such drastic situations has officially broken through Arion's steely temperament. To see them pass against two of his direct combat techniques, both meant for certain death, Arion was deeply intrigued.
"I understand now. The reason why we Terrae have lost. Why Megaera died, why you—Lionet and Aquila—survived Chiron's Pride…and the rift to the Path. Now, my Tri-X Cluster. You even surpassed my Chthon it seems. Maybe this is good. Facing such a great threat, I can release myself."
"The hell you yappin' about?" Souma spat, tightly holding the remaining half of his left arm.
"The admiration that I have for my Goddess and Naxos Island can burn bright. Under the Heavens, I can show my true might. To protect the peace."
"Whatever strength you contain, we must face you no matter what," said Yuna.
"If I can defeat you, I can defeat anyone. Right now, it looks like you're about to drop. How long can Athena's 'miracles' hold?"
"For as long as our Cosmos burn!" Aquila Yuna and Lionet Souma rushed toward Arion simultaneously.
I fight you til you break. I will avenge Meg here and now.
Yuna advanced first at rapid speed, forcing Arion to lurch back to avoid her kick, a breeze slapping against his face, forcing his eyes shut. Suddenly, a low hunched Souma rushed past him, his right fist—his remaining one—outward.
Suddenly, Arion's left knee quivered. "Tch!" It felt like something bit or drilled through his knee, a searing pain that swam up his entire leg, stalling it in one spot. Looking down, he saw a small spurt of flame flickering by his knee. A pinpoint attack?
Both Bronze Saints engage at the same time, front and back, unleashing their greatest attacks that could level the ground. For good measure, they advance close for Arion. They strike another pressured field but pierce right through.
Pegasus Kouga's eyes slowly open. The notion of how long he'd been out was put aside when his ears picked up the roars of battle. His body was still stunned from the poison of Chiron's Pride, but he aggravated himself enough to direct his attention to where the sounds came from. The voices of his friends echoed. When he looked ahead, he saw his two friends and Arion. The Terrae walked in between Lionet and Aquila, and then a few steps right past them as they were still as statues. The scene sent adequate strength through Kouga's body.
"What did you do, Arion?!" The Pegasus Saint's upper body rose.
"Within a human womb, the first thing that begins to construct within you is the cardiovascular system. If that ever were to fail, death is guaranteed."
An evasive ramble for an answer? Pegasus Kouga's face grew dark, folding in from anger.
"Yes, life, while predictable, can also be unpredictable. When we face traumatic disasters and diseases, how do miracles happen? How do we defy death? How do we cling to life? Is it the Gods mocking us? Is it our persistence? Our sheer willpower to live?"
Kouga scrambled to his feet and jetted right past Arion. Reaching his friends, a gasp left him; Yuna and Souma were standing, but their eyes were rolled back, showing nothing but a pale sclera. Breathless; from Yuna and Souma's chests were what could be simply described as a web of pink, clumped goo. A small crescent of that same gooey clump protruded out.
"I said what did you do?!" Kouga snapped.
"I regressed their hearts."
From Arion's answer, that imagery of a "web of goo" changed into a chunk of pink flesh and webbed veins spilling out from an open chest cavity. Fear seeped into Kouga's own heart, chilling him. It was sensed that Souma and Yuna's Cosmos were void. In Embryology, the heart does not have chambers but starts off looking like a "crescent", which would eventually grow into the conotruncus. The ghastly sight of the crescent-mimicked flesh made Aquila and Lionet look as if they barely touched the living world.
"Saints, even I," Arion continued, "are still corporeal. We are not Gods after all. Blessed or not, whether containing the Cosmos that can kill Gods or not, you cannot escape the life cycle, Pegasus."
Arion spun around and with blinding speed, he caught up to his target and his hand clutched Kouga's chest, where his heart is located. A light emanated between both. Hearing Pegasus's cry, Orion Eden sprang into action and wrapped his arms around Arion's torso. Kouga looked up, seeing a giant violet vortex wrapped in active lightning.
"Towa Tornado!" It was Eden's voice. It was a display of Cosmos that eyes couldn't turn away from—Eden and Arion swallowed by a giant tornado storm. The entire temple was swept by a heavy wind, which prompted Kouga to hold Souma and Yuna. He ignored their chilling skins. As he did, his friend and the Mother Goddess's guardian had their clash. Arion flew out of the apex of the vortex and his body fell prone to the ground.
Guh! After landing, Eden embraced his body and fell to his knees. It felt like his insides were about to explode; the Chthon Impulse was still affecting him. He had considered what he did to Kouga before, to diminish the so-called "core", but he conflicted over whether it would leave him defenseless or "burnt out".
His power. Maybe he is on the same scale as a Gold Saint, maybe more. A first class Pallasite?
Eden also affirmed to himself—he faced three Gods and should fear nothing. Eden brought his arms together and charged a sphere of Cosmos between his closed hands. His Cosmos elevating gave out a whizzing sound, accumulating to a higher volume. The sound of a charging attack.
"I am Bronze Saint Orion Eden. Arion, before you die, I want to know something."
Arion did not respond in return. He was slowly returning to his feet, his body coursing with electric currents and smoke. His left knee bucked from the sting of flame from Souma's attack. With a lift of his head, he shot a gold, hard glare at Eden.
"Are you really a Terrae?"
The 4th Garden of Horae was flooded with blinding light as Eden unleashed his attack at maximum Cosmos, the Tonitrui Fera Caelos. A large lightning bolt fired from Eden's hands, striking the knelt Arion. There's a discharged explosion, and the Terrae was swallowed by a large billow of smoke. The attack's loud rumble quieted down, leading to absolute silence. It seemed to mark the end of the battle.
Calling out his friend's name, Kouga rushed and quickly grabbed Eden before he collapsed, hefting him up by his waist. He felt Orion's arm slide behind his neck.
Eden's face was in a closed-eye grimace; he spoke as if holding back pain. "That Chthon Impulse that you once felt. I feel like my strength is gone, and I'm fighting to keep my consciousness."
"Is it over?" Kouga looked at Orion with concern, then turned to the smoke. Eden used all his power in that attack, he thought.
"I don't know." Eden breathed.
"Why?"
"I just thought about it: He seems different compared to the other Terrae. We've only saw two, but those two had their armor and a title."
"Right. Pan was Dancing Fibre and Ginga was Universal Supernova."
"Arion, however,…" Orion paused for a moment; he could've been overthinking, and picked his next words to prioritize the mission.
"Kouga, now is your chance to reach Demeter's Temple. The barrier could be down or at least, weakened. Put me down and get out of here. If what Arion said is right, then Athena is in Limbo near the Underworld. You must save her. Confront the Mother Goddess."
"But—"
"Have faith in yourself. You must—!"
Before Orion Eden's next words, Kouga looked down. Kouga, after seeing Eden's shocked face, noticed a pit within the Orion Cloth. It went through Eden's stomach; the Hunter Saint's weight dragged down Kouga as he collapsed to the ground.
"Eden! Eden!" In a panic, Kouga shook his friend. One by one, throughout this entire ordeal since entering Demeter's Gardens, the Cosmos of his friends seem to dissipate. He could not have anticipated this; he did not desire this.
"I must apologize for two things: First, a censure about the lack of care and heart within Orion Eden. That is why he was unable to defeat me." The voice of a man emerging from a cave. Kouga stood up and glued his eyes on the smoke cloud, hearing footsteps. He gritted his teeth; he felt a blade behind his neck as a rising Cosmos hung in the air, submerging the surroundings into a deep red and blue. What he felt restrained was his anger.
"And second: For holding back. 'Am I a real Terrae?' Orion asked? Indeed!"
Kouga peered as a sharp appendage slid out of the fumes and whipped upward, swathing it away to reveal a half-obscured form slowly stepping out.
"I am the strongest member of Demeter's Four Terrae, the one privileged to stand by her side as a symbol of what she wholly stands for. Owner of the most esteemed title personally given by Demeter herself, as proof of her trust and benediction." It was clearly Arion's voice; it wasn't over, but Kouga stood stupefied. A man wearing cerulean armor with gold fittings had appeared from the smoke. The thing that had cut through the smoke was one of a pair of wings. Metallic, falcon-like wings out of the back of the armor.
"That title: I am known as Life Cycle Arion, the Terrae of Heroic Triptolemus (トリプトレモス英雄のテラ). And now, out of the invaders of Naxos Island, there is only one left, Pegasus. You."