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Chap oo1
The first thing Aghora did when he woke up after such fun and nice night, was check to Shiva. The Peacock Saint was still asleep but because some soft moans and the way she was sweating, the brother knew she wasn't right. He didn't want to wake her or anyone else up so decided just to place some cold towel on her, remove the covers and use the meditation energy for her.
For Lotus Aghora it was hard to meditate having in mind that feeling he had last night and how he saw his beloved sister on the morning. But minutes before finish his meditation, something he did alone this time because Virgo Shaka was resting, he felt something really weird. He felt as the air left his lungs and something hit his chest. Aghora didn't wait too long to stop levitating and run as fast as he could to the room where Peacock Shiva was. But there wasn't anything estrange. He waited some minutes as he saw how the woman moved a bit to then stand up, still with the eyes close and sat down.
"How do you feel, sister?"
Aghora sighed with a smile. He felt relieved for a second seeing her like this, still with the feeling of something weird happening.
"I'm just tired, Aghora." The girl smiled and looked at him.
It wasn't even a second, was more less than that, the Lotus Saint removed his smile. And as fast as that moment, he didn't wait to take a fight pose and make his cosmos call the Lotus Armour. Explosion of cosmos that made the other two Saints in the temple wake up.
"Who are you? What did you do to Peacock Shiva?"
The woman and man just looked at him, to chuckled softly as he stood up. He showed his hands and placed them in front of the Silver Saint to show there was no harm on his actions.
"Right now, I'm curious to know how you perceived it, but I'm glad to see humans still are smart." His voice was the same but was a weird tune there, one different to Shiva. "I would love to talk with Athena."
Before Aghora could say anything, the doors opened to find Shaka and Ikki, with their armours, ready to find an enemy. Big was the surprise of both looking to Aghora in a menace pose towards his own friend and sister. But thanks to the cosmos, they understood.
Peacock Shiva's cosmos was low while there was another one, strong enough to be almost side by side with Athena's own cosmos.
"Please, take me to the Goddess. If you wish to chain me or even knock me out to don't be a threat to you, do it." He smiled and kneel down to them, still with the hands up to show them. "I come in peace."
Aghora didn't move at all but was Shaka who come close and, with a strong voice that give him power on his own temple, opened his eyes to look directly at his student.
"I don't know who you are but it's an order when I say you need to leave this body. By no means or reasons, I'll let you come close to Athena, either."
Peacock Shiva stood up smiling. Even Ikki felt surprised in how different his old enemy was now. He decided not to say a word with his mouth but with his cosmos.
"I really prefer you let me see Athena. I don't want to hurt anyone." Shiva looked at Ikki as well. "I know there are kids here and…"
"Don't you fucking dare!" Ikki came close some steps just to be stopped by Shaka.
"I said I don't want to hurt anyone, much less innocents. If you will not let me see her, then I'll leave the Sanctuary... with this body."
"That body is my sister and brother-in-arms, I can't let you do that." Aghora's voice was serious and deep.
Shiva didn't say a word. His smiled fade away and just gave a step forward, his hand stood up to face them and they were ready to the fight if it wasn't because they heard someone else. And not just heard but feel.
"Stop right now!"
The Silver Saint that was now a vessel was the only who down his hand hearing that voice and feeling that cosmos.
The other three Saints let some space so Saori Kido could enter to the room. The change in the cosmos of Shiva was like a battle between her own and this new one who possessed her body. Saori could see it as the friend and goddess.
Either way, he did a reverence and showed a big smile. His eyes were shinning.
"Athena. Such a gorgeous woman you are."
"Dress yourself, whoever you are, I'll be waiting you." She then turned to the Phoenix saint, giving the back to Shiva. "Escort Shiva and let Shaka and Aghora behind. I don't want them around her."
"That will be hard... see you then."
As she arrived, she left. Leaving behind the scene of an angry Aghora, a worried Shaka and, even if others couldn't feel it, a Shiva crying for help to her friend.
Phoenix Ikki's mission wasn't something easy to do. If it wasn't because he asked to Shaka to take care of the kids, and how the same Gold Saint helped him with Aghora, he would take more time to go with Athena. Peacock Shiva was at his side, in silence, walking up the stairs and passing for each temple with a smile. Obviously, for Ikki and the others was quite weird to find out the Peacock Saint using such male clothes, without make up and accessories. He was wearing a plain white t-shirt and some jeans, but the shoes seem elegant and somehow the poise made it look as it was someone very important for every step he did. That, at least, was close to Shiva's personality.
It wasn't very comfortable to Ikki being walking like this, with such silence and curious to know what was happening, but on the Capricorn Temple, he decided to at least talk a bit.
"So, who are you?" he asked finally. "Surely you are not Shiva."
"That's true, but I must admit I like to use this Saint as a vessel. It is beautiful. And it is weird. Do you know him?"
"Enough, I guess. But you didn't answer…"
"Then explain this." Quickly, the man interrupted. "I have blurry memories and feelings of this person. I can't understand if it is a woman or a man."
"She is both. Now, I'm doing this because Athena…"
"And what is he for Athena, by the way?" it looked like the man was not paying attention at all to the Phoenix Saint, who was diluting his patience. "Seems very close to each other."
By that moment, Ikki was tired and didn't want to say anything more. But his face didn't go to an extreme anger as he felt his best friend coming close. Earlier, when in Virgo's temple, he called Cygnus Hyoga to let him know about this problem via cosmos.
Now, entering to Aquarius Temple, Ikki felt much better knowing that he wasn't going to be alone in this small trip to Athena. He was still curious in why she asked that, and at that moment something took more his attention now looking at his brother with that black shirt and those unwashed jeans that for sure were on the floor for a week.
"Hey, bro!" Hyoga smiled as he lifted his hand to wave at them. "Saori told me about…" the Siberian stopped and his face changed in a second. "Who is…?!"
Both man in front of him looked a bit surprised. The older brother turned to look at Shiva, and his face and body was still the same. Of course, some expressions and the way he moved were different from the daily Silver Saint but didn't change at all.
"What you mean?" Ikki asked.
"He is just so ugly, who he is?" Hyoga's cosmos was talking as he was coming close to give his hand as he was going to present himself.
"I think we know each other, don't we?" The Peacock Saint smiled to then look at him careful. "Don't you recognize a friend? Or maybe I'm mixing things?"
"Man, calm down. Are you still drunk?" Ikki, a bit worried now, came close to hold Hyoga's shoulders. "He is Shiva, at least his body. I don't know what the fuck happened but Saori ordered me to walk her to her chambers."
"Him." Said the man.
"Excuse me?" Ikki turned.
"I'm not a female."
The Phoenix Saint sighed and nodded to then hear Hyoga chuckled and look a bit more careful.
"Sorry, sorry, I have the hangover." He pointed at his head and moved his shoulders. "So, anyway, Saori told me to go with you two as well and…"
"Saori?" asked and interrupted again this other man. "You must be talking about Athena." Now looked a bit angry as he kept walking leaving them behind. "The goddess deserves all the respect, do not call her as a mortal name in front of me."
The other two Saints didn't wait to keep walking alongside Shiva, or whoever was now, but Ikki kept a bit curious of what happened minutes before. He would ask again if possible.
After a silent walking towards the main chambers of the Sanctuary, both Bronze Saints entered the room of the throne with the Silver saint. Inside there was Saori Kido wearing her ornaments and the traditional clothes of Athena, dressed for important meetings or having all Gold Saints in the same room, which always meant something dangerous.
She wasn't alone. At her right was Shion and at her left was Saga. The first with his old pope clothes disguising his armour, the other showing it with proud. Both serious and looking at the Saint they already know but couldn't somehow identified. Saga sighed a bit angry from knowing why that burst of cosmos meant and sad because the respect and friendship he had with Shaka to now see his beloved student like this.
This man in Shiva skin smiled once again and quickly walked towards the Goddess. With both hands, up and leaving a gap of space between him and Athena. She was serious, sad and confused. She just stood up and looked at her friend.
"I hope no one bothered you on your way to me."
"No one." Shiva answered. "I may think I should be grateful towards you, my Goddess."
Saori nodded.
"I ask to the Gold Saints don't even go outside their temples and don't worry about your cosmos. It is growing every minute, as I can see."
"Athena?" Asked Saga a bit surprised. "Do you know who is the one who took Shiva's body?"
"I don't know but, even before feel the blast of energy from the Virgo Temple, I felt a cosmos close to me at night that left and woke me up. I felt its movement and followed. That's why I arrived in time to the Virgo Temple." She now looked at the man in front of him. Some seconds just to see if she could remember. "Your cosmos is familiar, as we had met before. And I must admit it isn't dangerous. But, listen to me... I'm not happy at all you are using one of my saints and close friend as a vessel."
"I'm sorry, my Goddess." He did a reverence. "I saw he was close to you, maybe thinking was more than a friend. I just thought was a good idea."
Athena didn't say a word but could feel the rage of Saga being hide and her own surprise. She didn't know if trust this amicable cosmos, even if seeing the face of her friend made her feel uneasy in doubt. Shiva never would hurt her, she saw Saori as her best friend to swear loyalty and friendship to her cause without believing in gods.
"Ikki? Hyoga? Thanks a lot. Please wait outside."
"Outside?" Asked the older as the other brother just turned ready to go. "C'mon. I want to know the gossip, the whole story."
"There is no respect for your goddess?" Shiva looked really angry, but just closed his eyes and sighed. "Mortals."
"She didn't change much in some things." Ikki chuckled to turn as well and hold Hyoga's neck to drag him out. "Let's go, bro. We have time to pass together."
Both saints left, closing the heavy doors behind them. At that moment, Saori just looked at Shiva. She could feel her cosmos fighting but going slowly tired, and Athena didn't know what to do.
"I'm Aries Shion. Pope of the Sanctuary." He presented himself and turned as well to his companion. "Gemini Saga, one of the guards of our goddess." Shion gave a step forward with authority. "Present yourself and what's your affairs with Athena."
"I'm sorry for my rudeness." The man smiled to reveal himself. "I'm son of Hera, I'm the God of fire and metallurgy, Hephaestus."
Saori took some air and held herself to the chair. As Athena couldn't remember much, those years were too much in the past. But as Saori Kido, avid reader and lover to study her own mythology, she knew this character enough to feel uncomfortable.
"What about the other ten?" Hephaestus moved his hand to point at some columns. "They may know how to hide their cosmos but not from me. And it lacks one, which I may believe is the one that this vessel calls 'master' or 'father'. Am I right?" He chuckled a bit. "I didn't come to harm anyone but I understand your precautions bringing your best warriors here."
The two Saints alongside Saori glances at each other. Their aspect was confused but the look on Shion's face said much more than Saga's. One was just surprised because how all the other companion in arms were discovered so easily, he could hear the sight of anger from Deathmask. While the older one just couldn't show his emotion towards the god.
"Looks like they hadn't taught you well." Hephaestus said with a smile and crossing his arms. "Athena, I'm the creator of every single armour in the Greek army. I began with yours because your father asked me but with the time all the other Gods and Goddesses asked me to do the same. I can feel the armours I created so many years, they still remember me." He chuckled. "That's why I knew there were more of you." The god observed at Shion. "Would you like to add something else?"
Athena, Saori Kido, just turned to look at him. He sighed, realising he would need to say it what he knew before the same God.
"As he said, he is the creator of the armours. From Hades to Poseidon, even the same armour you use, our Goddess. He taught to my people how to evolve them, as well how to fix them, we used to follow him as our God."
"But that was years ago, millennials I could say." The God nodded to give him the reason. "I let some of them to come here and serve you, so they could fix and evolve my creations. But, of course, with the time they preferred to follow a beautiful Goddess like you. I can say, I miss them. You can't be a god without people who pray for you."
"That's why you came here?" asked the woman as she stood up. "Do you want them back?"
At that moment, all the other Gold Saints leave their hiding and were in front of their columns. Indeed, the Virgo Saint wasn't there as well the Aries one. Hephaestus looked at them not as insulted but more like an artist who is proud that his piece of art was being shown in this way.
"No and yes." He answered, just to be interrupted.
"We weren't the only one who followed him." Said Shion giving a step forward, as he was ready to attack not with his hands but with his words, saying a sharp truth. "He created the Black armours as well, giving them to your enemies."
"Enemies is an exaggeration for them." The God said with a smile but slightly angry in how this mortal took his word. "I just gave those armours to those who, disappointed and sad, couldn't win an armour from your army. That's why I did the replicas."
"Replicas that had being use by our enemies." Answered Saga a bit angry.
Hephaestus, for the first time, sighed to show his anger. He didn't look pleased, Saori could see that angry face in her friend, something very weird.
"I'm trying to talk with Athena, who is my equal, and you, Golden Saints and mortals, keep interrupting not just me but even being too disrespectful with your own Goddess. She is a grown woman, let her talk and give the questions and answers."
Thanks to this Shion and Saga didn't know how to react or answer towards that. He was right, they thought, but it was something incredible and weird to see a Silver Saint, specially this one who was always in good humour and happy to be around Saori or Saga, talking in this way to them.
Athena herself decided to sit down once again on the throne. Thinking in the words both Saints and the same God said to her. And as well, sending a message via cosmos.
"The Black Saints aren't part of my army, I don't know what has happened to them. You, as a god, must know about them."
"Not all Gods are watchers of the world, Athena. Maybe you forgot about it. If you were in the Olympus you would be, but I'm not." He answered. "I'm too low but too important to do so."
"Then, I'm sorry to give you bad news. I know that some of them are dead. For what I know, they were the strongest Black Saints."
The God just opened his eyes widely, as someone knowing the dead of a familiar that, even if not close, still a familiar. He sighed and held his hands looking at the floor.
"That must be sad." Hephaestus said finally. "Honestly it hurts me to know this, they were my warriors after all. I came too late. But, you see, the armours called me. They are broken and hurt." His face changed to a slight smile. "I just want that. I came to repair them."
"Repair the armours of our enemies?" Saga quickly moved forward again, this time more and more, going downstairs as he talked. "You take the body of an important Saint for us, came here without shame and now you are asking us to repair the armours of enemies?!"
"Saga!" Athena stood up from her throne but was too late.
If Peacock Shiva had patience in such level that was hard to see her angry, this God was something different. He didn't wait any longer as the Gold Saint came closer.
With a single movement of his hand, a blast of cosmos and air made Saga fly towards the ceiling, enough to hit one of the columns. He stayed there for some minutes, as his Armour was now paste to the rock because the constant throw of energy toward him.
"I asked nicely to don't interrupt!"
At this moment, every Saint showed their cosmos and came close ready to attack in any second. But Athena interrupted them. She saw something they didn't. Even if some of them knew Shiva, some were close in one way or another to either her or Shaka, they were seeing and feeling an enemy. A cosmos from a powerful God. But Saori could feel the cosmos of Shiva, tired and falling sleep inside her own body, because now Hephaestus's cosmos was higher and hurting her.
"Put him down, Hephaestus." Said Athena coming close, worried for her friend and how that body was losing energy.
He did as ask. Closing his hand, Saga fell to the floor and Shiva, at least her body, was almost falling on his knees if it wasn't because Saori decided to help.
"This body is strong but not enough to keep a God. Not yet." He sighed holding Saori close to stand up, but she knew was just an excuse to touch her bare skin. "Thanks, Goddess."
Athena quickly moved backwards, looking at Shiva, at Hephaestus. He didn't like that look; was a face of disgusting and anger. The male God sighed and for a moment felt inferior.
"We will think about it." she said quickly trying to recover herself and in the moment the doors opened, with only Phoenix Ikki coming inside.
"Don't worry. I will leave this body by tomorrow." Hephaestus said serious still looking at her.
"Ikki, please, take Shiva to the Virgo temple and tell Shaka and Aghora to take care of her."
"Stop talking to me as I'm your friend, because I'm not."
Saori turned again surprised of those words. Maybe the God didn't think about it but was painful to hear that from Shiva. But it was true. There wasn't Shiva anymore.
"Ikki, please take Hephaestus to the Virgo Temple. Shaka and Aghora will take care of him… as well some guardians will follow you." She said with strong voice. "I will ask you, Hephaestus to low your cosmos. Some other saints already are asking about it and I don't want more problems."
The God just nodded.
"As you wish." The Phoenix Saint smiled to hold Shiva's shoulder to let him know they will go.
For a moment, as the doors closed, the Gold saints were in silence. Those who wasn't helping Saga to stand up, looked at their goddess who was walking towards the room behind the throne.
"Athena? Miss Saori?" asked Shion.
"We will talk about this in some minutes. Give me a small break, please."
Shion didn't say anything, hearing the cut words and feeling the sadness. Her tears weren't visible, but she felt so useless in that moment feeling how Shiva's cosmos was totally asleep, and she couldn't do anything against that.
The path to the Virgo Temple somehow was faster, the silence was heavier and Phoenix Ikki felt a bit less stressed having a God so close, even feeling his cosmos so low, mostly because, thanks to Saori telling him before, Hyoga took the kids away from the Temple. But he still couldn't feel comfortable as this was something that would bother Shaka every single minute and, as his close friend, Ikki didn't like that idea at all. The Phoenix Saint decided to keep silence, he didn't want to bother more the few peace his friend had, he could see it on his face.
Lotus Aghora and Virgo Shaka looked at the God, not knowing yet he was that, and the other guards who were alongside the Bronze Saint. Hephaestus smiled and did a small reverence as it was the first time they met, and mostly because now he said his real name as if it was something normal. Something that made Aghora surprised and Shaka, even if in silence as always, angry.
Ikki explained as he could; they needed to take care of him for a while, just enough time for Saori and the others thought about what this God was asking for. Aghora didn't say a word, waiting patiently as a good student that his master talked.
"Fine, then." Shaka said finally. "You may stay on Shiva's room with the guards."
"Thank you, Virgo Saint, but I would prefer the library. I would like to spend my waiting as I read something."
"I don't see why not." The owner of the temple nodded.
"I appreciate it." The god smiled and looked at his new guardians. "Simple armours but are useful I guess. Please, follow me, I'm very tired and I would like to rest."
The poor guards were confused so they just did as he asked, leaving Shaka and Aghora alone with Ikki. The younger looked at them, they look that were going to say something of great importance and therefore just moved his head to let him know he would follow.
One of the favourite rooms of Ikki on this temple was the library, not because he liked to read or anything, but the inside of those walls was beautiful as nothing else. Old books from different languages and times made this place full of colour and textures. The rugs from the India, some green plants and the wood from the few chairs and coffee table, that always had a tray with cups and teapots of silver with detailed decorations. Some paintings on the walls that showed Buddha, lotus flowers and even one that Ikki brought from Japan that had a beautiful cherry tree. It was impossible to watch every detail, colour, texture and even fragrance this room had.
But that day, all that was left apart from their minds. This room was now a cell for a prisoner, or something close to it. The other saints however, went directly to the meditation room. Ikki could smell the hard incense as Shaka reunited on the floor with his friend Aries Mu, who said hello to Ikki in a very quickly way, and whom had some books open in front of him. Ikki and Aghora sat as well, being the first who realised that was written in old Greek and some notes in an old Hindi that never saw before.
"Are you here for the explanation?" Mu smile. "Well, I don't think so, but your timing it's perfect."
"And now I'm curious." Ikki mumbled a bit for himself.
"While you were going downstairs, Athena explained to me some few matters." Said Shaka holding one of the books. "I think we can help Shiva in time."
"Help her? Well, I understand that but the same God say that by tomorrow she will be ok."
"You don't understand." Aghora said to then sigh a bit sad. "Sorry, I didn't mean it in that way. I know you understand because your brother passed by something similar. But, even if mine looks in a better way because the God promised to go away…" he crossed his arms, looking very wise as his master. "I felt Shiva's cosmos asking for help and crying. And I know she had fight a long way to be able to be the owner of herself, even from her own body, so now…" the way he breathed was a sign of hate and anger that Ikki didn't see even on their battle. "Someone so easily takes it from her."
"You need to control yourself, Aghora." It wasn't the master but Aries Mu who said this.
The silence was there, Ikki could understand this and didn't want to compare his pain with Aghora's, it was the last thing this man needed.
"I hadn't done this in a while and in this level, but an exorcism." Shaka said interrupting the lack of sound. "Must be easy and quickly. A bit painful but will work."
"Wait, you mean you can remove a God from the vessel?" Ikki asked.
"I know what you think but wasn't the same when Shun." The Virgo Saint explained. "The same Gods, as any spirit or energy, has hierarchies. Gods like Athena has their own body, but like Poseidon or Hades are too strong. For what I heard, Hephaestus isn't that powerful and having alongside Athena herself and Aghora, I think will be a good option."
"Ok, ok, I understand." Ikki smiled. "So, you had done exorcism before? Well, that sounds like a cool story I want to hear, later of course. But do you need any help?"
"If you can help us in chain Shiva, that will be great." Aghora nodded.
The Bronze Saint was ready to make a terrible joke, but it wasn't the time, so he just agreed in helping them. That would make Shaka happy and all this better for anyone, including his kids.
"We need Athena herself, something blessed by or belongs to her." Said Mu reading the old Greek notes. "Saints that can control other level of cosmos. I think that's how they called to the illuminated man back then." He chuckled. "And well, knowing the name of said energy."
"We have everything." Aghora said standing up. "We should begin as soon as possible."
"There is only one small problem." Shaka said, as they three followed Aghora in his actions. "I want your around in case something wrong happens, I'm pretty sure I can do it by myself. But…"
"Oh, Shaka, I like how humble you are." Said Ikki as a joke. "Just say you need help."
"Anyway." The Virgo Saint kept talking after a small grin towards the Phoenix Saint. "I believe you are ready for this Aghora, but in this moment you are not in control of yourself."
"What you mean?" he asked surprised.
"I never thought you would break your serenity but looks like you did. Even if I want to begin right now, I will need to ask you to go and meditate till you have it back."
Lotus Aghora was serious, looked anger than before but somehow as well disappointed. He just nodded knowing that his master was saying the truth. How not to break his years and years of training if it was his beloved friend, someone he called sister because their bond, was now in this terrible situation? Aghora was in pain as well.
But as he was going to answer to this terrible truth, the four of them feel an energy coming from the library. As quickly as they could, the Saints ran towards just to find the door closed and some yells inside. Their imagination wasn't so far from reality: this god decided to hurt his guards and run away perhaps.
Aries Mu held the door's handles just to remove his hands immediately.
"They are burning!"
As Shaka helped to heal, Ikki didn't wait too long to concentrate his cosmos on his hands and don't be as hurt as the Gold Saint. When the door open, other surprise arrived.
On the floor, they could find the three guards yelling for help. Ikki and Mu tried to help them to stand up, but their armours were so heavy, so much that one of those had his hand under their body making it break in pieces. Meanwhile, Aghora ran to the open window.
There was no trace of his beloved sister, not a cosmos to follow and, because Saori asked it, not even from the God. They disappeared from the Sanctuary.