A/N: Thank you so much, my dear readers, for giving me the chance to reach your lives. I'm honored. Special thanks to Inensify and spiritodellagobianco for the kindness of your words. I really appreciate the time you take to comment my story.

This chapter contains some violence, both physical and emotional. Nothing that could be too much for Saint Seiya fans, I think, but nevertheless consider yourselves warned.

So here it is… I hope you enjoy!

3.

From the creation of my soul to the end of the universe, you are the reason of my existence. For the sake of you I broke the columns that held the ocean. I went to hell and heaven, and came back. I defied and battled the Gods.

My brothers and I, mortal boys as we were, never had a second thought about it… because it was all for you. There was nothing too hard to accomplish as long as we could hear your infinitely enchanting voice, and feel the miracle of your cosmo.

Alas, in this lifetime I am something more than your warrior, or your hero. I am a man like so many others. A man that has a name, a beating heart made of flesh, and hot blood inside his vessels. You willingly ripped yourself from me. Now, how could you demand my undivided devotion? She said you didn't ask for that, and you only wanted us to find some peace and happiness. She said it so often that started to make me angry. How could she know what you wanted from me or not? She was every day closer to a maiden of your shrine, heavenly and unreachable.

One day I realized I was losing her to you, and it tore me apart. I could not let that happen… without even wanting it, bringing back the Shaina I knew became my personal crusade. But don't take me wrong, it wasn't really that hard… not to me at least.

-----

So, Shun was away with his new wife, Hyoga and Shiriu (and family) left to their respective homes, and there I was, left alone with my thoughts… Nasty thoughts that involved a certain Italian woman in a blue dress, that refused to leave me alone. It took all I have in me, and the whole morning, to gather the courage to go looking for her. It was way past noon when I started searching. Tracing her cosmo wasn't a difficult task, especially when she was training her disciples.

I sat there to watch her teach, very aware of how I was making her uncomfortable, but finding a wicked pleasure in it. Her movements were hard and unmerciful, but she couldn´t hide her gracefulness even if she tried. She treated her students harshly, but I think this was her way to disguise her patient dedication, and the satisfaction their progress inspired in her. She was a good teacher, just like my own Marin. I felt somehow nostalgic of my younger years in Sanctuary… yes, the same ones I hated with the gut in their time. Irony, I know.

I didn't wait long for her to finish her lessons, and I got the impression that the hurry had something to do with my presence. Not that I'd complain. With all the younglings out of our sights, she turned and walked to me. She sat on the floor, embracing her knees. I felt I needed to say something, so I only spoke what was in my mind. "I'm feeling a bit nostalgic, from seeing you with your pupils, I mean."

She didn't answer, but behind the mask was a smile, I told you I could tell. "How about a spar?" I asked, and I don't have a clue of where it came from.

"Uh?" She sounded taken aback "I…"

"These kids are no match for you. Don't tell me you don't miss the real thing?"

"It wasn't many years ago, when you said you would never fight me again."

She had a point. "I guess I changed my mind. Besides, it's just a spar, just for fun, I'm not challenging you to a death match." This seemed to upset her; I knew she hated when I didn't take her seriously. Stupid me.

She didn't answer right away, then she stood up and aimed to go. "It's getting late, sorry but I really should get going."

I leaped from the stone where I was sitting and grabbed her right wrist, "Shaina, please…" She turned to me, her devilish mask had the unexpressive look that always gave me the creeps. Then her face and shoulders drooped as she sighed heavily… it was like a signal of surrender, like if she once more was pleading for me to let her go.

"What for?" She asked with a dismaying voice.

"Told ya, for the sake of old times", I had nothing better to say.

She raised her face and looked directly at me, and in that moment I wondered if I it wasn't too late to draw back.

"Ok Seiya, you asked for the real thing. Don't hold back, because I won't".

---

She took her fighting stand and waited for me to throw the first blow. I had to oblige, this was my idea after all. She moved swiftly to avoid me just to hit my chest with her elbow, and I welcomed the pain with a smirk. The last time we fought she had the speed of sound, but I knew that during the subsequent years she enslaved herself with merciless training. All the sacrifice paid off, she was better that I remembered. Good.

We exchanged blows and kicks, with no one taking the lead. It went like that for a while, until we both understood that a change of strategy was needed. We stood apart without moving, just looking each other. We were both calm and ready, a pair of old warriors with too many battle scars on our backs.

"So," I said, "you said you'd give it to me for real. Don't disappoint me, Shaina."

I heard her irate yell as she charged again against me. She was fast, as I said before, but she also was clever. She threw a feint and I fell for it. Before I could move, she had me in line to receive her Thunder Claw. I felt a thousand volts running through my body… the energy brought me back a few memories, my body shivered in glorious pain… Oh, my beloved Moon, my Goddess! This was the first time in a while that I felt truly alive. I fell to the ground and didn't try to stand back; she stayed where she was, looking down at me. I wanted to see her face, so badly. I longed for her passionate eyes and that mask was keeping them from mi sight. I flew to my feet at the same time I threw a side punch directly to her head. I was fast and took her unwarned. My fist impacted on the side of her face, I would like to say it was gentle enough to avoid harming her, but hard enough to knock the mask off. It fell to the ground; down there it looked like a sheet of junk, not the face of a demon. Before me, where the demonic piece of metal used to be, an angelic face lingered. The fierce angel would make me pay for my daring… I smiled in satisfaction, "wouldn't have it other way", I whispered only to myself.

She didn't move a muscle, her voice low and shaky. "Why… are you doing this?"

"What'd you mean?" I answered her question with one of my own, playing to be unaware and uncaring. I heard myself speaking cruelly to the woman that always stood by my side. Goddess, Goddess… Of course she would take off the mask if I only asked. I know I was being stupid, but in that very moment I couldn't help it. I… I think I didn't really want to be mean to her, but fighting her brought back the warmth to my blood. All the raw feelings I kept caged in the farthest corner of my psyche, concealed for years behind my sorrow, started to break free:

Disbelief, of you abandoning me.

Anger against myself, for being lost without you.

Anger against you, because your ways remain a mystery to me.

And terrible, hurting, heart-bleeding anger against her! Because you talked to her and not me, because she could understand you and I couldn't. I felt betrayed for you both, my sweet Saori and my faithful friend… Deceiving women… the hurt was as intense as the way I loved you both.

"Ossshhhh!!" She complained, "Shut up, Seiya, you better watch your guard!" She charged against me, she was losing her concentration.

"Or what?" I continued with the banter "what could you possibly do to me?" She kept throwing blows, but I didn't have any problem to avoid them. "What is making you so angry? It was because I knocked off your mask? You look way better this way".

"Shut… up" she panted, every time her strikes were less accurate, she was growing angrier and didn't seem to mind anymore if it was affecting her skills.

"Why? What is the big deal? Since when do you mind if I see your face?" She stopped and I could see incredulity and fear in her eyes, like she anticipated what I was about to say:

"It is that you don't love me anymore?"

Ok, so… I said it. If someone ever told me I would use such a low blow, I would deny it. Yet I did. But, did I mention how 'stupid' I was being at that time? Well I think the word is not enough to describe me from this point. Maybe 'jerk', yeah, that may work… Anyway, I was being a complete jerk, and even when she stepped back with trembling wide eyes and her irises shrinking, I didn't get it was enough. Her eyes filled and quickly started to shed copious tears. Her fists were clenched at her sides, the muscles of her arms were stiff in a way that looked painful. "Shut… the hell… up", I could hardly hear her voice.

"Make me."

Next thing I knew was her fist crossing through my face, from side to side. I wasn't ready and had to step back. Gods… She was gorgeous when she was mad. She bounced towards me, but this time I hadn't any difficult in avoiding her blows, she had lost her concentration completely. I took advantage of her forwardness to grab her shoulders; using her own rush I pivoted, forcing her to spin around. Her back crashed against a wall with a dry thud. The wall cracked behind her and she whined; her features were misshapen by the pain.

I clenched her shoulders, pushing her against the wall. Each of my muscles was stiff, using unneeded strength to force her to remain motionless. I didn't care to see her face as I felt my body pressing against hers, my rage made me blind to her suffering. I leaned my head close to hers, and whispered in her ear "why… why does she speak to you?" I could feel her body shaking as her ribs struggled for room to expand enough to breath. "And since she does, maybe you can tell me… Why is she trying to take away everything I love?"

I felt her body becoming limp and all I could hear was her chocking sobs… Oh Goddess… All the sudden my head cleared. I loosed the grip and lowered my head as I stepped apart from her. For a few seconds I felt my body cooling, a chill running through my spine.

Thanks the goodness of you, Athena, she wouldn't leave it like this. Next thing I knew, I was falling on my back and the sole of a worn yellow shoe was over my face, squeezing my head against the floor, and a pointy heel was threatening to pierce my throat. 'Hello there, my old shoe friend… long time not to see'. I knew I remained the master of her passions, if nothing else. I felt like smiling, but for some fortunate reason I was able to think better. I prayed to all the deities I could think of that moment, so my face wouldn't show any of the thoughts that was crossing my mind.

"Don't… you… ever…" She was trying hard to regain her composure, "talk to me… like that… again… Or… talk about her like that… You… selfish… insensible brute."

She removed her foot from my face, and turned to walk away. I didn't want to watch her leaving, so I turned face-down, my forehead against the soil and my eyes shut. I was feeling like crap, for too many reasons. A bitter laugh burst from my throat… and, what else could I do, my Athena-Saori?

I felt so lost… and I hated my sorry self.