A flower's plea?! Goals within arm's reach

One of the Twelve Olympians Apollo—the God of the sun, healing, dance and more— fell in love with a princess of an ancient valiant tribe and birthed a son. That son was writhed in tragedy, having his mother killed by the Gods; whoever advanced on her or touched her was hunted and killed by Apollo or his sister. The son had barely lived himself, but he became eternalized by the symbol of the caduceus, the snake staff that represents healthcare primarily in the Unites States.

That son. When the public thinks of physicians and healing, they think of that figure.

And in this abyssal darkness, yearning to regain its former form of hills, temples, rivers and wandering dreary souls, the Mother Goddess threw herself down on her hands and knees. One of the Olympians—who fought the Titans clan—pleaded to a son of one parallel to her on the pantheon. Pleaded in Limbo.

"Demeter? Is it rough up there?"

Asklepios. He raised his head a little to heed the Goddess. Even in this dank world, draped in tattered clothing, hooded like a prisoner, there was still somehow a dapper presence within his face. It was curtained with shaggy white hair, suspended from his hood, but maybe it was his [ability[ to crouch for an extended time and gather focus on the Cloth before him that did not make him seem entirely like a poor man. Somehow, he emitted regality.

"Please," the Goddess begged, grief seeping into her voice, "save him." In front of her bowed head was the collapsed body of Arion, in between her, Asklepios and the Cloth of Ophiuchus. This was a fact only known among the gods: despite not being an Olympian, or a Titan—just a third-generation divine son of god and woman—Akel, at his peak, was capable of healing any and all wounds.

"Now hold on Demeter, if I deplete the population of Hades's Underworld, I'll be in trouble again."

"Are you saying that I should let him die?!"

"I cannot always give in to your sentiments."

Demeter lifted her head, a rancorous stare wet with tears striking Apollo's son. "You will not? Or you cannot?"

Her words left Akel in silence.

"Are you unable to?"

Stilled by their lack of exchange, the two Gods disregard who was nearby.

"Miss Saori!" The cry of Kouga rose through the dark; amidst Limbo, there was a light that caught his eye—the so-called trapped Goddess who led the Saints. It confirmed the truth that she was taken by the enemy. Furthermore, she would not take a step as her body was twined in chains. It etched into Kouga's mind and his first impulse was to lunge through the darkness toward his beloved Goddess and adopted mother. Even without wearing his Cloth, the yearning to save her pushed him. Athena's eyes widened as she turned to see her Pegasus advance towards her, absolute shock on her face. Or rather, it was shock and alarm.

Kouga completely ignored reality, what might've been an illusion, and what was looking at him.

With a manner of indifference, the man with the obsidian armor—a Surplice reflecting a three-headed dog—turned a red gaze on Pegasus Kouga and Equuleus Subaru, the latter having followed his so-called brother. A black cloud snaked in between Athena and Kouga, and Kouga stopped in mid-air, his forehead slamming into something. He felt something breathe down the bridge of his nose; crimson eyes burned, staring right into Kouga's face. An awkward, stunned voice was uttered by Pegasus. Seeing Athena, he threw away his fighting will for a moment and did not check his surroundings. That resulted in a hard jab in the stomach. Dark Meadow was a completely new foe—in an instant, he had closed the gap between himself and the newly arrived Saint.

"Gwah!" Subaru was given the same treatment except with a swift backhand to the cheek, causing him to spiral into the air. Kouga wasn't deterred for long. It was dark, but there was somehow a surface that everyone stood on. Regaining his footing, he advanced again.

"Pegasus Ryu Sei ken!" The meteors flew with the throw of a fist. At the same time, multiple chains danced across the darkness. They flew in an omnidirectional, haphazard frenzy, seemingly sinking into the ground and air, all around, remerging from invisible voids or portals, until it created a steel net trap around the Saints. The chains thickened to a rotating dome in front of Meadow and took Pegasus's attack, mitigating the Cosmos.

Eyes widening, the Cerberus-turned man raised a lively growl and pursued Pegasus. Black claws, Meadow's clawed gauntlets, dropped down onto Kouga. Kouga arced his body, moved backward, and watched the slashes to avoid them; he believed that he could fight a brute.

"Kouga, retreat!" Athena cried in alarm. She did not expect to see him; then again, she did not expect to get betrayed by Cancer and get taken either.

The word "retreat" did not register with Kouga. Did he not fight Gods and Gold Saints to get to her? To rescue her? It may have been Athena's instinctive concern to say such a word, despite her intense faith in humans, despite sacrificing them in war. She could've said something else to cheer him on, but was she that worried? Was it because of Mirfak's death?

Light suddenly rose in the darkness; from one slash, a swirl of flame licked at Kouga. Barriers surround the Saint, pushing against him. In a swift impulse, he crossed his arms over his face.

Lowering his arms a bit, the Saint pushed forward against the wave. Kouga was like a newborn star as the Pegasus Cloth returned and wrapped him. Cerberus dropped his hand and watched Pegasus advance towards him without obstruction. Kouga's thoughts cracked.

Ah?! Pain swelled up his back, spreading through his limbs. Kouga fell onto his cheek, stunned.

"Kouga! I—" Subaru was back onto his feet, but his face widened from being distraught. His arm was raised, a steel chain wrapped around his wrist and hand, binding the hand into a fist. To the rest who could witness it, Subaru was tied down by the chains that were dancing around. The miniature God turned Saint clenched down his teeth, from the chains binding him and the anger that welled inside of him.

That bastard! He can control me?!

"Everyone! Watch those chains!" Subaru cried out. Shortly after, four figures approach Dark Meadow from the front and the back. Blow of punches land on the Surplice, kicks digging into his back; the attacks slightly shake the man-creature.

It was Lionet Souma, Dragon Ryuho, Aqulia Yuna and Orion Eden. From Demeter's despairing wail, it turned out, Dark Meadow had swallowed and transported everyone from Demeter's Temple to Limbo. Keeping Meadow at bay, or so they thought, the man in the Surplice raised his arms and the chains dance again. The Saints let out cries as they, unable to follow the lines of steel, are bound by their limbs and necks, suspended in mid-air. A booming voice thrashed through the black atmosphere, and it was Dark Meadow.

"The living… is unfit here." The man looked up at the Saints with his stern red eyes. Since he moved, he paced backward and returned to the spot he diligently kept watch over—right by Athena.

"Meadow, do not kill them. No, restrain them. Let them know the despair of uselessness," Demeter said as she looked at each Saint, "as their Goddess die right before them."

The Mother Goddess finally acknowledged who was at her back. She had turned from Asklepios to meet the Saints with eyes of hatred. Her hostility is easily sensed.

"It would be torture for you," she said, "to retain you here for days so that you may watch Hades's revival, unable to do anything."

"Release Miss Saori and give back Miss Shaina's Cloth!"

"You are in no position to make demands, Pegasus you fool." Demeter's voice became biting again. She turned away and looked back at Asklepios.

"What do you need of me?! Or rather, what does Hades need of me?"

"You are digging into a deeper hole," the demi-god said.

"I will kill this planet to protect my family. You know this. We are already crossing borders."

Submitted to silence again, Akel wondered if the Mother Goddess was truly resolved. She would indeed kill this planet. He had told Loom Pan, laying next to him and mumbling, that he would rejuvenate her body "for free" if she did not attack Hermes and the other Saints. Thus, she could stand by her Mother's side and not look like a useless heap on the ground. Such a display would only aggravate Demeter after all. The young Terrae only responded with a disgruntled moan; while awaiting her answer, Akel kept her there.

"Boy oh boy. Seriously, you Gods have caused me so much grief," said the son of Apollo. "The Black Deal becomes ever so larger. I will heal your wound Demeter, but in exchange for saving Arion's life, that's a different matter. For a start, the Holy One wants to know where Ginga is."

Everyone except Meadow, Hermes, and Pan looked at Akel, completely shocked. Kouga choked on his gasp; when he left the second Garden, Ginga was unconscious. He was never aware that he had disappeared.

"Or rather, the Holy One wants the one named Ginga."

"Wants him?!" Demeter felt a weight in her chest.

"As for the rest, I'll let him tell you Himself."

"Nonsense! There is no need for me to wait."

The demi-god's lips trembled at first; through white bangs weighed down by years, centuries of imprisonment in a dreary land, his eyes shone toward the Mother Goddess. The son of Apollo drew out a sickly smile.

"Are you sure about that?"

"What do you mean?"

"It'll only take a moment, Demeter. Aside from bringing the Saints here, do you realize what is happening?"

"Tell me in haste."

"Very well. A mass of souls are coming in. Furthermore, powerful Cosmos call out to Hades."