SailorStar9: After getting Chapter 10 out, this is Chapter 11 of this fic. (Sighs) Every time I write these B.S disclaimers, I die a little inside. Remember, boys and girls, reviews are an author's subsistence.

Disclaimers: I own nothing, except for the plot bunny.

Chapter 11: Shiryu and Ryuho, the Souls of Goroho

"That was…" Ryuho stopped in his tracks, the small group having sensed Ikki's passing. "A large Cosmo just disappeared. Father!" he turned. "Father?" he blinked, seeing his tearing father, Jupiter had slammed a fist into the wall in frustration.

"Ikki…" Mercury looked up at the ceiling to hide her tears. "Has fallen?"

"Father…" Ryuho warned as the army of Pallasites charged at them.

"Rozan Syoryu Ha!" both father and son blasted their combined attacks at the guards before the door.

"Ice Dragon!" Mercury's icy dragon finished the rest off. "Why am I not surprised?" she muttered, the group entering a fighting arena.

"Is this an arena?" Ryuho blinked.

"Indeed." Rhea declared. "I am Rhea, the class-2 Pallasite. Libra Shiryu, Drago Ryuho, and Cosmo Mercury and Jupiter, to advance, you must defeat me."

"What did you say?" Ryuho glared. "What can you do on your own?"

"Wait." Shiryu pulled his son back. "Step back, Ryuho. He's come alone and faces us barehanded. As Libra Shiryu, I must answer in kind. I am the Golden Saint, Libra Shiryu." He declared. "I shall fight you alone."

"Are you certain?" Rhea taunted. "Athena's life and the Earth's fate depend on you. If you prefer, you may attack together."

"No," Shiryu stood firm. "None of Athena's Saints is such a coward as to refuse a one-on-one fight."

"Excellent!" Rhea immediately went on the offensive, striking at Shiryu with his hand knife.

"What a fierce duel this is…" Ryuho was stunned as the combatants fought. "This is how my father fights? I've never seen it before."

"Impressive skills." Shiryu blocked off the next attack. "I'd expect nothing less from a Class-2 Pallasite."

"And I expected nothing less from a Gold Saint." Rhea grinned. "Libra, I owe you an apology. The reason I challenged you alone was simply because I do not rely on the power of others. Hardly for some noble reason. And you seem to think I'm unarmed, but…"

"This is…" Shiryu jumped back when two marionettes emerged from the ground, an axe in their hands.

"I have a weapon after all." Rhea smirked. "This is my weapon. Servant, Perfect Form!"

"How cowardly!" Ryuho cursed. "You were hiding those things?"

"No, there is nothing to worry about." Shiryu corrected, sensing a sharp spike in power.

"Mercury Holy Power!"

"Jupiter Holy Power!"

Ryuho gaped when he saw the two Cosmo Senshi shining their respective colours and elements as they powered up.

"Endless Winter!" Mercury encased her opponent in a block of solid ice.

Jupiter simply tackled the other training puppet into the wall, sending it blasting out of the arena.

"Jupiter…" Mercury started.

"I guess I don't know my own strength now." the Jovian Senshi joked.

"Impressive." Rhea noted. "But you've slightly lowered your guard. Now is the time to attack! Shine, my right hand… Pierce with the spear of the Gods… Gae Bolg!" he shot straight at Shiryu. "I got him." He grinned. "What?" he gaped when Shiryu blocked off the attack with one hand. "This can't be… the Spear of the Gods, Gae Bolg that can pierce anything."

"Quite powerful." Shiryu remarked. "As you said, that technique could pierce anything. However…"

"Impossible…" Rhea looked at his shattered armguard.

"My right hand is the Excalibur." Shiryu continued. "Given to me by a Gold Saint I once fought. There is nothing in this world it cannot cut. Roar, Holy Sword Excalibur!" with a single slash, he cut through the Chronotector.

"Why?" Rhea questioned. "A Spear that pierces anything and a sword that cuts anything… they have the same power, so why did I lose?"

"That should be obvious." Shiryu remarked. "There is nothing cowardly in using a weapon. However, even the most veteran soldier's resolve weakens a little with use of a weapon. That was what decided the battle. Thus, the Libra Saint never draws his weapon before the enemy. That is the law of combat."

"That's right." Ryuho recalled. "Genbu-sama didn't draw his weapon first, either. So that's why…"

"Why you…" Rhea glared. "But I have yet to lose…"

"Rhea, you don't know when to give up." Shiryu sighed.

"Shut up!" Rhea snapped. "Pierce, Spear of the Gods, Gae Bolg!" he renewed his attack.

"I'm sorry." Shiryu blocked off the attack. "But the same technique will never work twice on a real Saint. A doll?" his eyes widened when he saw the doll before him.

"You fell for it." Rhea smirked, stabbing Shiryu on the side and piercing his armour. "Gae Bolg is a Spear of shadow. There is nothing my Gae Bolg cannot penetrate. You won't say this is cowardly, will you?"

"No," Shiryu admitted. "Splendid, my foe…" he muttered and collapsed.

"Impressive, Libra." Rhea praised, Mercury immediately setting to work to heal Shiryu. "You were hit by the orichalcum-piercing Gae Blog, but you still live. Still, I'll finish you now."

"No, I won't let you kill my father." Ryuho snapped.

"Drago, you are the son of Libra, yes?" Rhea questioned. "Then run back the way you came. You're a mere Bronze Saint. You cannot defeat a Class-2 Pallasite. As a warrior, I offer mercy. Libra, I shall not kill your son. So die in peace."

"Meikyo Shishui!" Ryuho lifted his shield, only to be thrown back.

"Splendid bravery." Rhea noted. "But don't' be stubborn." He slammed a punch into Ryuho's stomach. "There is nothing that sadden a parent so much as a child that dies before them."

"Shut up!" Ryuho retorted, raining his punches on Rhea.

"You have impressive potential." Rhea remarked, dodging each punch. "But you're only a Bronze." And sent the younger Saint to the ground via an uppercut. "Clearly, you are far weaker than I. Libra, you're still conscious?" he wondered, Mercury having closed up the wound. "Then tell your son to run. I do this out of respect for you."

"No, there is no need." Shiryu corrected. "My child, Ryuho, holds a far greater power than I. The power of a new generation that can bring an unseen future. I have no need to protect him."

"Foolish father." Rhea tsked. "A mere Bronze cannot have such power. But if you insist, then very well. I'll send you four to hell." He summoned his puppets. "No." he gaped when Ryuho powered up. "There's no way he could stand. And this power… this is the Seventh Sense… no, this power is… it cannot be."

"A power that all Saints," Shiryu replied. "No, all people possess to some degree. People's hearts can connect with one another and we can care for each other. That caring is the power that allows the soul to rise."

"No, it isn't possible…" Rhea was stunned. "Why are you removing your Cloth?" he demanded.

"I'm putting my back against the wall." Ryuho replied. "By putting myself in grave risk and not relying on my Cloth, I'm raising my Cosmo to its limit. To defeat a Class-2 Pallasite like you, I must raise my Cosmo to the limit… no, beyond the limit."

"Foolish tricks…" Rhea scoffed. "Get him, Perfect Form!"

Ryuho's multiple dragon strikes took out the puppets.

"This power is…" Rhea gaped. "Impossible… I can't… no! That was close." He heaved in relief, Ryuho collapsing from the energy drain. "But why did Drago suddenly fall?"

"I guess I pushed you a bit too hard." Shiryu admitted. "The power was too sudden and too great for him to handle, so he collapsed. What incredible power my son has."

"How can you stand, Libra?" Rhea demanded. "After that hit from Gae Blog, you shouldn't even be able to stand."

"Rhea, I should apologize to you for something." Shiryu remarked. "Your attack came an inch from hitting a vital point. No, I allowed myself to be hit to see that that would happen."

"Then you let my Gae Blog hit you?" Rhea gaped. "Why would you…"

"To put his back against the wall." Shiryu replied.

"You did it to draw out your son's… Drago's power?" Rhea was stunned.

"Your attack was powerful." Shiryu admitted. "One mistake, and I would be dead. But even so, I had to do it."

"Why would you have to do that?" Rhea asked.

"Because my heart is like the yuzuriha plant." Shiryu answered. "With each generation, we Saints of Athena must become stronger. And for that, I would gladly sacrifice my life."

"What resolve." Rhea breathed.

"Rhea," Jupiter started. "Deliberately losing is the most insulting thing a warrior can do."

"I won't just let you kill me." Rhea charged in. "Pierce through them, Spear of the Gods, Gae Blog!"

"Supreme Thunder Dragon!"

"Ice Wyvern!"

Rhea screamed as the combined dragon constructs hit him dead-on.

SailorStar9: Now that's done, read and review.