WARNING: Vague references to lynching, torture, execution, and mild gore (severing).

A Lover's Reawakening

Marin stood over the edge of a hill, before its steep fall to sprawls of rocks and the deep water. The waves weren't the harshest that day, and the sun still shone brightly above, hot enough to bring her to a sweat. Not only was she on earthly ground, she also stood above the Adriatic Sea, an arm of the Mediterranean to the south of Greece and in Yugoslavian territory. Quiet and watchful, her red hair was merely caressed by landward winds, the woman in apparent expectation for something or someone. Around her torso, between portions of her armor, were the straps of a much larger bag than usual, certainly containing precious delivery.

Below the surface, two sources of Cosmos raged. A cacophony of chants reflected along the depths, albeit unheard by ordinary humans, for it served the same purpose of the echolocation of dolphins and whales. As was expected, the ones emitting these peculiar noises were proven to be the amazons who emerged rather afar from each other: Dolphin Alicia and Piscis Austrinus Anka.

Having positioned themselves, they looked back to shore and swam in return. First they crawled to grab the bottom of the hill, then climbed up with mighty strides, reaching Eagle with their Cloths and clothes damp with saltwater. Once the three women convened, they did not bother to dry themselves, since they planned on going back in soon enough.

"You felt something in the pit too, didn't you?" Alicia asked her colleague.

"Y-Yes!" confirmed Anka. "Though… it's far from shore."

"How far are we talking?" Marin asked next.

"I… I'd say fifty kilometers off from here, but the depth..."

"Fifty is not too far."

Alicia agreed: "With a lunge, we could cut down a good chunk of the distance and swim the rest of the way, but the issue is whether we'll have the air to clear the depth. It felt well over a hundred below the sea to me."

"If this thing is active, then surely it has to be in reach. According to what our Lady said, these are used to go back and forth between Atlantis and Earth," Eagle reminded.

"Then we should trust her and go through with it."

"A-Alicia… we… we should triangulate the target," Anka suggested. "We should go first and correct as we go, and Miss Marin should come after us."

"Sure, that way we're likely to find it faster."

"Go on then. I'll be tailing you."

Having their concerns expressed and plans settled, the trio exploded with energy and flung themselves far into the distance, doing their best to cover the distance without swimming. As the two in front fell back to sea, they used Cosmos to keep themselves on track of where they spotted the artifact, always paying heed to the other colleague's position.

Having struck the water, both sliced through the waves and swam expertly towards the depths. With their aura kindled, they were visible even as the sea darkened deeper into the pit, and from there they used ultrasound to make it all a single-dive trip.

To not be left behind, Marin had to do her best to accompany her colleagues, who were way more proficient swimmers. With effort she did not lose them, and, although this took a while even to the inhuman speed of Saints, they crossed through blue and the rare sight of marine life to find a spectral glimmer far below.

Thereon the two guides no longer required their powers and rather hurried towards the sight, which could be nothing but what they sought. Indeed, the darker and colder the surroundings of those depths were, and the harsher was the pressure against their flesh and bones, the more powerfully did that structure shine.

Its warmth served as an invitation for some of the deep sea creatures, yet the haunting hum it emitted scared the rest away. To the Saints, in the other hand, this structure served as a beacon. With a quarter of its side buried under the seabed, that portal was no different from the one once unearthed by Kanon and his companions, and it was as active as when the same one caved in the men who inadvertently activated it.

As if seduced by that vision, the three went straight into its blinding shine, overwhelmed by rainbow hues. Disoriented, they came out through the other side swimming against air rather than liquid, leaving pools of water over the surface of a similar structure seemingly connected to the last one.

The place they walked into was equally dark, had it not been for the other beacons that lit its archaic architecture, pillars of a rough Aeolic order, and walls bearing ancient markings so faint they could barely be told, let alone under scant light. Anka, the second to come out, slipped over a puddle and fell to her side.

"Are you alright?" Alicia asked as she took her back up, and the younger girl seemed much more dazed than the other two.

"Yes, don't… don't worry," the other stammered.

As they looked down to the floor, they noticed that the place had many such puddles, and wondered whether this meant the portals saw frequent usage by the Poseidon's army. Indeed, although some of the structures were deactivated, many of them were alive and well, and those were the ones with the most wetness about their confines.

"It's so warm in here," Alicia commented.

"The air is almost heavy to breathe in," said Marin.

They walked further and were faced with a round platform encircled by many steps, whereon all of those portals stood. These they walked down towards wider ground below, made of equally slippery marble. Some steadier light appeared to bleed between multiple passages to the outside, and this revealed the stone of the walls and columns to be between greenish and blueish in color, but whether this was stained, natural, or weathering was uncertain.

Minutes still inside this strange temple, the group was startled by the echo of foreign boots from outside; as the volume grew, so did the quantity, clearly a large retinue coming their direction. Understanding their precarious position, they slipped into the shadows and took superior defensive positions, prepared to exit through the portals if so required.

Eventually the steps came past the arches between that vast chamber and the corridors attached to it, and many of Poseidon's soldiers entered, all armored, tridents boun. The metal with which they were donned was a ruddy one, and its structure was like that of intertwined scales, like those that protected Mermaid Thetis. The man in the center, however, was of a much higher rank, a proper Mariner, and his protection had a yellowish hue that hinted at gold.

He was a dark-skinned Indic man, black hair starting to gray, another sign of advanced age apart from the lines on his face. His narrow, dark brown eyes were invisible to the couriers, for his helmet shadowed half his face; similarly, his broad, rough muscles were covered by plates, and the trident he carried was heavily adorned, longer, with gems at the seams and subtly flanged blades.

With slight curves at the edges, the man's Scale had sharp ends like that of the weapon, a motif displayed with depressions in the metal decorating its many facets. The long boots and greaves saw spirals of such patterns that rose and pointed towards the similarly sculpted skirt. The fierce way with which the warrior walked was a mirror of his fierce appearance, and had they been able to see his stare then, they'd only confirm such impression.

The soldiers and officers told each other to check the shadows, although this Mariner interrupted them by lifting the trident; thereon he pointed its blades towards an unlit spot on the stairs, and their form was clear: two of them were long and swirled down to a taper, whereas a third one was shorter and appeared like a horn. Its length was much like that, with systemically forged waves that reflected unevenly on the metal.

"Do you see a thing, sir?" an officer asked.

"There are three," he said, voice rough, despite not being the lowest, "and they are ready to strike."

"Damn Saints!" the soldiers complained, although the leader kept his calm, and instead lowered their animosities.

"Keep your insults to yourselves, men. If they were here to attack us, most of you would already be dead."

The figure he aimed at took a slight step back, and it was clear this was Marin, for the bag she carried finally reflected some of the light behind. The Mariner took note of this and felt more at ease, understanding she was Athena's messenger. Eagle, too, noticed that her slight movement was duly observed, and that the man they faced would be too powerful to successfully escape. Unlike her colleagues, she knew they were now hostage.

"You bring something with yourself, amazon," commented the man.

"I delivered your messenger's package to Lady Athena, and I have come with her response," Marin replied. "Is this how Atlantis welcomes her couriers?"

"Could you enlighten me on why one would need three people to deliver a single letter?"

Eagle's mask panned slightly from left to right, her eyes behind it calculating her distance from the soldiers. Unlike the Mariner, they had not found Alicia and Anka, and they stood further in fear due to his past mention of their lethality.

"The two Saints that accompany me are capable of using ultrasound to locate objects under the sea," she explained. "Without them, it would have taken too long to find a way in."

"I see," the man spoke. After a few seconds of tension, he lowered the trident just as confidently, to which the soldiers responded in confusion. "I apologize for the truculence."

"I was told that Atlantis sought peace with us, not this."

"Lord Poseidon fears war ever since he learned of what took place in Sanctuary," the Mariner told. "He has the military up in arms to that end. War is not something he actively seeks, only something he wishes to be ready for."

"It does not matter ultimately. As long as this is delivered and his confirmation is returned to us, our job here will be done."

"You wish for a direct answer from him, so hand it to one of these officers and await his reply here."

"That would be preferable," Marin agreed, and at that point the other two Saints appeared from the sides, approaching her position; the men only realized them once they saw their hair dripping water over the marble. "We would feel unsafe entering Atlantis in such small numbers."

The Mariner signaled for one of the officers to step forth, and the man obeyed cautiously. As he stepped up the stairs to approach the amazons, Eagle opened the bag and pulled a cylindrical container from it, which she therewith extended to him. From afar, he took the object and stepped down the stairs yet turned to the women, exposing his back only when he had reached a line formed by allies.

All this care was comprehensible from both sides, so they did not judge it. With haste, the officer left the chamber accompanied by a small group, and the place fell awkwardly silent for the next seconds. Poseidon's soldiers would occasionally chatter at a low volume, while their leader merely watched the newcomers.

Anka feared the idea of being lost from her friends, although her curiosity of the temple's architecture and utility almost surpassed that. She rotated slowly in place and took in the sight of the shining portals, and the faint markings on the walls and ceilings. She was certain this place experienced great use recently, despite Sanctuary's jurisdiction over Earth prohibiting Atlantis to operate on it; soon enough, she also came to notice she had forgotten the place through which they came in.

"M… Miss Marin," she whispered.

"What is it?"

"Do you remember which portal we came through?"

Marin and Alicia turned back to the lines of portals at the top of the platform behind, and found out the same thing, that they too had not marked its position. "That's a good point," the courier replied.

"Does it really matter?" Alicia said. "If we come out in Africa, America, wherever, we can just find a way to Athens again."

Having overheard some of their speech, the Mariner addressed their issue: "If you are lost, I may be of aid."

The women turned to him with cynicism covered by their chaste masks. "How?" one of them wondered.

"Assuming you came directly from Sanctuary, you must have utilized the portal under the Adriatic Sea," he spoke, and Marin nodded. "If that is the case, it is the third portal from the left which you seek."

They looked back momentarily to check, and suddenly their memory came to them. When they looked back, however, they felt the situation did not beget gratitude, apart from Piscis. After noticing that her partners did not respond, she shakily said: "Th… thank you, mister."

Alicia snuck a soft slap with the back of a hand to the girl's elbow, who groaned as a grievance. To that the Mariner cracked a smile, something they did not expect to see that day. "I am Chrysaor Krishna," he revealed. "Since we serve different gods, it is improper to refer to one another with names such as 'mister' or 'miss'. And the three of you are…?"

Marin was the one to answer: "The young girl is Piscis Austrinus Anka, the blonde is Dolphin Alicia, and I am Eagle Marin."

"Eagle, of course," he reinforced with eyes shut. "We were told you are Athena's favored messenger at the moment, so it is no surprise that we meet under these circumstances."

"At least our end is peace and not battle. Quite exceptional, given the history."

Krishna sighed and lowered his head momentarily, pending a reply. When he spoke, his voice went from grave to natural, as if bothered by the thought of conflict: "I assume all us good folk share such sentiment. We do not wish to see death, no matter how necessary."

"That is why we are here."

"Thankfully."

They fell silent, now for several minutes, and the soldiers again began to murmur among themselves. Closer to each other, the couriers preferred not to utter any words, lest the men assume they planned something ill-minded. Chrysaor, however, did not seem intent on partaking in their conversation, and remained aloof, oft watching the three women.

Marin started to grow impatient — she knew herself as one not to antagonize Poseidon's army, but wondered whether they possessed her same sincere intentions. To press them, she raised her voice before the chatter grew too loud in such a reflective chamber: "Will the reply take long?"

Soldiers and officers cut their talk short and Krishna tilted the head, appearing inoffensive like before. "Tell me, Sanctuary is a vast place, is it not?" he asked.

She took a while to respond, wondering the question's intent. "Sure."

"I read that it can take a quarter of a day to reach the Temple of Athena from the grounds. Reaching our Lord is no different, for we wish to protect him just as well. His temple is of difficult access, though I am certain the officer I sent hurried in its direction," he explained.

"Fine, I don't mean to pressure you too much," Marin tranquilized those present. "We only wish to learn how long it will take to go back home."

"That is understandable, Eagle." A flash of Cosmos behind the soldiers caught their attention; this subtly alerted the Saints, but due to its position, they simply assumed it to be a returning officer. When its source landed, the men closest to the door began to open space all the way to Krishna. "It seems your wait is cut short. Someone has returned."

To that no answer came; instead they paid heed to the commotion, and saw that the small retinue of warriors and officers entered empty-handed, circling a sight familiar to Marin. In her red Scale, Mermaid Thetis entered, helmet under the armpit and blonde hair loose to spread with her each movement.

When her eyes acclimated to the darkness and met the image of a damp-haired Eagle, she grinned out of amusement. "Eagle Marin," she called, "I'm glad to meet you again. Have you made Krishna's acquaintance?"

Because the Saint apparently refused to speak back to her, once the barrier opened and Mermaid stood side-by-side with the other Mariner, he was the one to answer: "We have met well already. They are a shy but educated bunch."

"Wonderful! Lord Poseidon has confirmed the origin of your message. It is in fact his niece who sent it, and I have brought a response," she said as she pulled a piece of crumpled paper from under the breastplate. The men seemed to look away from her mannerisms, apart from Krishna, who took it merely as strange quirks of her personality. "Our Lord apologizes for the tense welcome, and informs you that Atlantis is currently in too chaotic a state to be viewed by visitors of so… important a caliber," her tone finished that with the slightest hint of snobbishness, which seemed to bother Alicia the most. "He is satisfied with the schedule and place for the meeting, and will gladly meet her then, provided that Sanctuary lends us the permission to operate in that area."

"That won't come as a problem," Marin told her. "Obviously, the permission is already conceded, although only for the span of time surrounding the meeting."

"Oh, don't worry, Miss Eagle. The least amount of time we spend on Earth, the better."

With a brief, conclusive giggle, Thetis turned the head, and her golden locks flipped in the couriers' angle — again this peeved Alicia, who could not hold her complaint: "What a…"

Marin shoved herself ahead of the girl, an act to shut her up, although it was obvious Mermaid knew what was to come. She eyed the women sideways and gave a more malicious smile, which soon gave way to a serious stare towards the other Mariner. "General, our Lord has entrusted you with seeing them off," the woman told him.

"As he demands," Chrysaor replied after lowering his face, and thereon Mermaid left the building, no longer followed by those who escorted her in. With that trident standing tall beside him, he stared up at the visitors and awaited, soldiers guarding in alert. After a signal of the head, he spoke: "Third portal from the left, Saints."

Marin and the others took steps back, and the closer they got to their exit, the more they noticed that none of Poseidon's men would dare move in their direction. When they felt safe, Alicia and Anka turned their backs, although the other continued to eye back, since overt safety always served them well. Once they were close enough, one after the other they ran through the overwhelming glimmer of the portal, and back into the depths of that Adriatic pit, struggling against pressure and tide to swim back to surface.

It came to be that, with the return of the couriers in Sanctuary, this information was handed directly to Athena and thus relayed to intelligence through Shun. Because the meeting would take place in around a week, they had plenty of time to prepare for it, if not to keep others aware of what could take place in the meantime.

First the army and Saints were warned that activity from the Marina should be expected on Earth, but that it should not be meddled with unless it threatened innocents, nature, or Athena. This did not mean that all of their attitudes, strange or otherwise, were to go unregistered by officers. They sought to find patterns in how Poseidon's subordinates acted before the summit.

None of this came to be. There was no more sign of foreign activity on Earth, and every resource wasted in seeking it brought no returns in form of intel. If anything, this only reinforced Poseidon's claim that he pursued a peace meeting and naught else.

In the earlier days of this preparation, Shun called a large group of Saints and agents in plain clothes to secretly meet in the barracks. Kiki, Nachi, and Anka were there, but so were Seiya, Jabu, June, and the others. Marin, busy as she was, could not be present, but amazons, trainees, and Saints from Paximadia and Andromeda Island were hailed, including Lepus Ethel and Cassiopeia Reda.

Although most of those present were Bronze Saints, their caliber alone proved this to be of utmost importance. When Shun spoke up, he referred to details on the upcoming meeting, starting: "The peace talks will take place in an office that Graad has purchased in Athens. All operations from there are in name only, although the place is fully furnished; it has a meeting room where they will be comfortable to converse." He leaned back against a table, trying to stay relaxed in the middle of that tight room. "Marin told that Poseidon's message to her seemed sincere and peaceful, but Lady Athena advised against believing his words. We want the extra security no matter the cost."

"They don't even have to know we're all there though," Seiya said, "just have the main group of us following her as bodyguards, and everyone else stays far away. We can definitely take on those guys."

Shun smiled awkwardly upon hearing that: "You know that would never happen, because…"

"The Gold Saints," Pegasus finished for him and let his head hang down.

"Yeah…" the boy continued "… I was personally approached by Milo yesterday. She said Aiolia was especially agitated about the whole idea — completely against it in fact. The consensus they came to is that they would not allow Poseidon near Lady Athena unless all of the Gold Saints were in the perimeter, fully armored."

"Sure, keep her safe and all, but we might get caught like that!" Kiki complained.

"As I said, we want the extra security no matter the cost. Whatever they are planning, this meeting is a sign of weakness. I am confident it will end up well."

"Then how do you plan on doing this?"

Andromeda turned to Shaina first, who sat behind Seiya. "Miss Shaina will scout the whole perimeter on her own. She will be our only moving piece, and will give us an evaluation on the Marina's positions. If things are looking ugly, we should be able to correct in time," he explained and then turned to Unicorn. "Jabu will be without his Cloth in order to communicate us of Miss Shaina's assessment through the phone. This way information can be shared into the office, and we can prepare even from inside."

"Hey!" Jabu protested. "You won't keep me out of a fight, will you?"

"If Poseidon is honest, there will be no need for such worries, but you can bring your Cloth anyway. Put it on if the situation sours." The boy therefore turned to the remainder of the team. "Nachi and I will be the only bodyguards in plain clothes. We will stay in the office, take care of the presentation, and make sure Poseidon feels safe. In the case of an emergency, my chain will be on me, so I can buy time for your arrival."

"Shun," Ikki's voice called, stern as it oft could be, although much more tranquil than what the boy had grown accustomed to before his year of absence. "You are aware of this group's potential. All of the people here worked on liberating Sanctuary's grounds before we worked our way up the Ecliptic. No matter what the Gold Saints decide to do on their end, if I manage our positions, we would surely have an edge on the enemy like before."

"Do not think of them as the enemy, Ikki," Shun calmly replied, "at least not yet. It is too early; we wish for them to be a tenuous alliance at least. Regarding your participation, Lady Athena insisted that her intelligence agents be in charge of all organizing. I only lack jurisdiction over the Gold Saints, as you understand."

Phoenix shut his eyes and subtly nodded, arms crossed. "If this is what she wants, so be it," he so easily ceased.

"But nothing will be kept secret from you," Andromeda assured them. "Once we have finished discussing the details, I will hand over a plant of the building, its surroundings, and the positions you were assigned. These should be done by tomorrow, so you are free to go for the time being."

"Already?" someone spoke amid the sound of people standing and leaving for the passage. "That was quick."

"Just stay available by tomorrow, so that we can reach you," Shun concluded. In that moment he was reminded of a request, and walked betwixt a few colleagues to reach for June with a finger. "Except you, June."

Chameleon and Lepus were together at that instant, and both turned to their friend. "What's the matter?" the first asked.

"I know it comes as sudden, but before I came down, Lady Athena asked you to visit her in her Temple. You should bring Ethel along," he told.

June hummed out of confusion, but accepted this regardless. Rather than resting or training like the remainder of the group, the two Bronze Saints went immediately to the foot of the Twelve Houses and walked up the Ecliptic, not to extend the goddess' wait.

As per usual, this trip was long, and to Ethel, it seemed to be a tiring nuisance. They saw the states of the Houses along the way; Mu, healed from his affliction, went back to teaching and training Kiki when he had arrived from the meeting; Aldebaran was nowhere to be seen, likely working out to keep his body ready for battle; the Temple of Gemini was empty and dark, and despite its inactive trappings, June felt unease run up the spine at the memory of its illusions; High Priestess Aleka and Cancer's aspirant yet occupied the Temple of Cancer, caring for stray souls as did Deathmask before he died; the damage in Leo's temple had been repaired in the past year, although Aiolia preferred to stay in his quarters and study, like he did at the time; the Temple of Virgo had gone back to its glorious sight, and as was common to him, Shaka meditated at the center of that splendid garden, unbothered by the amazons' passage; although the House of Libra remained empty, it was no longer dusty like it was before, for the Cult had been allowed inside to maintain its long-neglected hygiene; the Temple of Scorpio had received repairs too, and Milo wandered its halls in training, wearing wrappings about the shoulder and chest that hinted at the terrible injuries not having fully healed, if they ever would; the girls greeted her warmly and passed up to Sagittarius, that had also been cleaned and cared for, finally reunited with its Cloth box; next, although the ceiling of Capricorn had been repaired, the deep split cut through the backyard's platform remained, and the Cult improvised with many long planks of wood to cross safely to the stairway; in Aquarius, extensive repair and reform was visible in the ceiling, floor, and columns, its Cloth resting alone as did Libra's, Sagittarius', and Capricorn's; Aphrodite's rose garden in Pisces appeared as tender and perfumed as ever, despite the deadliness of the flowers, although the beds in the stairs behind it were empty, leaving the way plain and undefended.

This long travel did little to June apart from losing time, since she saw no point in running in times of peace. To Ethel, in the other hand, it was thoroughly exhausting — despite it taking her much longer than an ordinary human to grow tired. Near the summit, when Athena's statue loomed over them at its largest, Chameleon turned back to her friend and noticed her struggle, so many steps behind her. "Slow!" the girl grumbled. "So slow! Come on!" She thus turned and walked a bit more to reach the front, where the sign of the owl watched from the entrance. Again she looked at Lepus and was amazed by her lack of energy. "Eh, Ethel, are you sick or something? You shouldn't be that tired."

The other, feeling her knees weaken, yelled back from that distance: "Of course it takes you longer to get tired! You know the Seventh Sense, so this is a walk in the park for you!"

"Nonsense," June mumbled. "Stop making excuses for yourself! I haven't used any Cosmos to get up here, just pure leg work. Sounds to me like you haven't been training enough."

"I… I haven't…" Ethel stopped for a moment to catch her breath. "How dare you? I trained almost every day in Paximadia!

"Then you might be training wrong."

"You clearly have no idea what it's like to instruct a bunch of newcomers while you try to stay fit, June."

Chameleon shrugged at that. "You may be right," she gave in, "but I bet I could do it. I'll try to spend some months in Paximadia once I get the chance. I might be able to teach everyone the Seventh Sense, that would be awesome!"

Once both had at last finished the trip and entered the hall, they were met by Athena's main attendant, the former acolyte Zamira. Somehow she recognized June by appearance alone, despite her not wearing her Cloth, and told them to wait while she called for the goddess.

Unlike in the cases of Shiryu and Marin, Athena walked out of her office and quarters entirely, anteceded by the one who called her. She came out to the hall in a pale dress, a loose leaf book in hands. After approaching the amazons, she bowed respectfully, and they did so too, lying each a knee down to the marble.

When they stood, they noticed that the woman's expression was grave. "What do you request us for, Lady Athena?" June inquired, a level of formality she wasn't wont to assume.

The goddess sighed and said: "Nachi has been busy at work on a separate investigation, aiming to amass as much of a complete record on the war as possible. While he investigated the situation ahead of Aries, he was told worrying stories by civilians and watchmen alike. It pertains to one of the roads connecting the theater."

The Bronze Saints were paralyzed by such words; Ethel lowered her face in shame, while June confronted Athena head on. "The strip," the latter whispered.

The other woman sighed and confirmed: "I am certain you know what I speak of."

"Yes…" June spoke louder now "… we do."

"More than twenty dead men, many lynched and abandoned hanging off their posts. A handful found dead chained to the walls, seemingly as prisoners executed on the spot. They spoke of a severed hand." She quit reading the book and stared at them. "I wonder what was the point of that last one."

Ethel babbled in their defense: "He tried to…!"

"I did not actually want an answer," Athena interrupted her with severity, so Lepus once more lowered the face. "Look at me." Her obedience to that woman bested her every fear and humiliation, and thus she endured it to raise that mask and meet the consequences of her actions, although not without tears pooling under her chin and spilling off the bottom of the covering. "Behind these masks are two young women who carry my light in their semblance; I know you are as sacred as one would imagine. I have met folk who would bathe themselves in those tears if they could, yet you have it in you to degrade, torture, and murder your own allies without remorse. I cannot fathom how you slept the year with hands tainted in so much blood and suffering. Your heads should weigh heavily with the sorrow of those men's families!"

Feeling a pressure grow in her throat, Ethel sobbed openly now. "F-forgive us, my Lady, please! Please, forgive us for how we tainted our hands!" she begged, and her body nearly curled again in shame and pain, whereas June stood and stared, despite experiencing similar guilt.

"Forgiveness is not to be given till I learn the point of this. What would make Saints and amazons act like bandits for a night?"

June had her own argument: "Sanctuary killed our sisters, our master…"

"No, no!" Ethel interjected. "Nothing justifies it, my Lady!"

"Sanctuary was not the one to kill them, June. It was Saga's lies. You knew it then, yet you committed such barbaric acts…" Athena insisted.

June breathed calmly. With the stern, blank stare of her empty mask, and the quietude with which she dealt with the accusations, the goddess was puzzled when it came to her true feelings. "It doesn't matter anymore. We sinned," the girl spoke. "It's our duty to own up to it and make sure it never happens again."

"Hm, absolutely," said the woman, finding such calculation unforeseen. "Another war is sure to come, and however it may look, I beg you not to so grossly err again."

"We promise, Lady Athena! What we did was terrible, I… I was out of myself then, and I completely lost control," Ethel exclaimed.

Athena lowered the head in sympathy. "War may break the kindest among us and turn them into monsters. Be careful not to forever lose yourself in battle," she taught and finally shut that book she possessed. "Now go on. You may return to your duties."

"Thank you so much, my Lady," Ethel responded and knelt another time, which June did not do. Her friend took note of this and wondered if something was wrong; as she got up, she looked to the side for answers.

"You can go back without me," Chameleon told. "I still have something I want to talk about."

"Oh, alright," Lepus reticently muttered. With a briefer bow to Athena and a nod to her attendant, who stood closer to the quarters, she walked down the hall and left for the stairway.

Only when she was gone that Athena got back to talking, and June stayed in that same unwavering position from before. "I am here to listen to your woes, June," she offered.

"What we were taught is that our loyalty was, first and foremost, to you in soul and flesh. We serve Sanctuary only because it's concerned with your protection," June said. "We were raised to kill in… our duty was to kill…" Her voice finally cracked.

"June…"

Once and for all, Chameleon's tears flooded from the corners of her mask, streaming down her neck. With a tightened fist, she pressed on: "Imagine what it felt like to be us. Orphans, teens raised to kill in your name, promised nothing apart from loyalty, to suddenly see the little we have in life crumble, to see those we love dead despite our dedication. We couldn't let them get away with that!" Her nails dug into the palm's flesh, and her voice twisted in a slight fury she could barely contain, a reminder of how she felt at the sight of her sisters' graves. "We decided to make Sanctuary experience the same pain we felt."

"That is not healthy," Athena commented.

"You're right, I learned that too. I went too far, and I'm not the only one," the girl said. "When you were hit by the arrow, we massacred Sagitta and his men without debate. We spilled the blood of every bowman with the intent of seeing their bodies pile up on the ground, nothing else; they didn't stand a chance. When Sagitta fell, he learned of the truth and begged us to end him right then and there. He wouldn't be able to live knowing he made an attempt on your life. What do you think went through his head as he died?"

"I cannot know."

"I think I do," June said. "I think he wanted to slice the throat of the one that made him do it. Like us, he had little but his colleagues, his Sainthood, and his duty — all things he felt like he betrayed and lost. I bet he wanted to make the Pope feel the same pain he felt when he found out the truth. Sagitta wasn't perfect in that sense." The girl sighed heavily, recomposing her crackling tone. "I'm not perfect either, but I got better."

Athena's lips parted. She was no stranger to the ills of her Saints and soldiers, though this somehow enlightened her in some ways, that someone so young would have to endure said hardships for the first time. Still, her curiosity piqued: "Better how?"

The sight of Chameleon's now clean mask was stark under crystal light, a contrast with the blood-red streaks that ran down the cheeks in a now distant past. There was some pride in how June kept it raised to the open, to announce her background and role for the world to see. "I held onto something from long ago, even though I believed myself to have gotten over it. I noticed this spoiled me so I wasn't able to deal with the loss of those precious to me," she revealed. "If I wanted to move on and be a better Saint, I had to give it up, so I did." In place of her formerly grave frown, Athena smiled in relief. "I can't promise that I'll be soft like Shun, but I'll better focus on my responsibilities from now on. I'm not a child anymore."

"I am glad to hear those words from you, June. It reassures me that you deserve the Cloth you wear," said Athena.

June's attention was caught. "Do you think so?" she asked for confirmation; to hear that from Sanctuary's head herself would give her the greatest certainty above all previous doubts.

"Indeed I do."

"Well, thank you," the girl spoke, audibly behind a smile. Nonetheless, there seemed to be something about Nachi's investigation and their recent chat that continued to bother her. "Something else I wanted to mention, you do know…"

"Yes," Athena preemptively replied, eyes shut.

"Huh?" Chameleon inspired air and insisted nonetheless. "I meant something about Ikki."

The woman nodded and affirmed: "He assigned you there on purpose. He knew you would be so mad with vengefulness as to not allow a fly past that road."

"Yeah, and I fell for it. At least it got the job done."

Athena nodded more hesitantly this once, although this was a truth she would never deny. She wondered, however, whether in his absence, Phoenix had grown to be less of a pragmatist, or whether he continued to balance the monster Graad had seeded within him.

"You should return now," she told the Saint. "I must continue work on my records."

"Got it. I'll see you some other day then." Therewith the two left the hall, and Athena's attendant followed suit, each to their own duties, whichever those may have been.

The remainder of the week passed and the Saints rehearsed their parts in watching over the imminent meeting. Everyone involved was well aware of each other's role and the entire planning, except for what the Gold Saints had in mind; they, in the other hand, kept every single one of their plans a secret, and there came a point where Shun and the others were uncertain that they would even be present.

Upon the day's arrival, a series of administrative and formal matters were resolved with the building, which housed other offices and workplaces and possessed multiple stories. Sanctuary's soldiers patrolled Earth more vividly, and in the hours preceding the anticipated moment, they finally caught glimpses of the Atlanteans.

First the reports had to be confirmed, though the difference in equipment and tactics was too great to be a coincidence. Later the locations made it clear: the streets of Athens were being peacefully scouted by Poseidon's soldiers in preparation. When the sight of either side met, suspense could only be felt, though it never manifested itself. Sanctuary's people abode by the concession and allowed their old enemy's presence, just never without watching carefully.

The past sunny days slowly faded into overcast skies, and the rumble from above painted a bleak picture, haply a bad sign for things to come. Noon came and the streets around the building appeared largely empty at face value; neither Saint, Mariner, nor soldier could be seen, whether by absence or subterfuge.

Floors up from ground level, beyond the windows of the office building, the image of Nachi in a formal suit was visible, staring down at the asphalt. Soft steps came behind him, so he turned, a discomfort visible in his movement; the suit, pants, high-heeled shoes, and tight belt made him feel like an action figure.

Shun was dressed rather more casually, under a loose green button shirt and white pants, the long sleeves and sharp cut more formal than his usual mundane outfits. With both delicate hands he reached for Wolf's black tie and shuffled it such that it was tighter against the neck; the other gulped and contracted muscles in the throat to give way.

"Wow, Nachi, I can feel your tension from here," Andromeda said. "Try cooling off a bit. Maybe nothing bad is going to happen, you know?"

"I have a bad feeling, but the worst is how stiff these clothes make me feel," he said. "I never had to dress this way. It's like wearing a thousand Cloths on top of each other."

"Just loosen those muscles. You will be the one greeting them, so we need you to dress sharp, like a real steward."

"Couldn't it have been Kiki or Anka?"

"Too unsafe for Kiki, and Anka stutters too much. You have to be it," Shun spoke and gave a tap on Nachi's shoulder. In that instant, a ring behind a counter caught their attention, so both turned away from the window. "Alright, I will check on her. Do not forget to call Jabu."

"Got it," Nachi said, and while Shun left to a corridor on the other end of the room, it was clear the two of them were in the office's reception. The place was well furnished indeed, with a patterned carpet, light paneled walls, and Modernist stuffed seats interspersed by wooden coffee tables. The counter itself was a work of art no different from the evocative paintings on the wall, with geometric shapes in its front and a glossy finish behind; there the young Saint took a call from a gray phone. "Yes, let them up," he responded to the person on the line. Once that had been confirmed, he hung the call and awaited a few seconds to take the speaker to an ear once more; he quickly tapped a long phone number lest he ran out of time.

Down on the streets from where they were, Jabu leaned against a black sedan, dressed in sneakers, denim pants, and a purple t-shirt. The parking lot in which he idled was nigh empty, an outlet surrounded by a grocery store, restaurant, mechanic shop, and gas station. Although he attempted his best not to seem suspicious, his eyes darted left and right, seeking signs of something in the heavens, or so it seemed. From a line of yellow booths in the alley behind the establishments, the sound of a phone rung; he calmly walked to it and took it, speaking in as natural a tone as he could muster.

"Hey, is that you? Yeah, yeah, I was just waiting for you to call me back!" he told. "This is not my number, no, it's from a phone box. How are things over there?" The youth faked leaning back to relax so that he could stare up some more. "That's great. Over here it's fine so far, uhm…"

As he scanned around, his voice fleetingly stopped at an uncommon sight. A barrage of red paper airplanes were carried by incoming storm winds, that bold color standing proud against the leaves of a tree. Some glided without issue, whereas others met turbulence in clashing forces, to the extent that they fell onto the pavement below to litter the ground.

"… oh, right, uhm… it…" he walked back under the booth's protection and continued to talk "… it was the dog's birthday yesterday, did I tell you? Yeah! Mom told me she threw him a party with cake and all. I don't even think dogs eat cake. Wish I could've been there." Next he no longer watched the skies, but rather the corners, a bit more anxious than prior. "I'd better go now, man. I'll call you when I'm home, got to do some errands before it rains, okay? Speak to you soon!" Finally he hung the call and, without missing a beat, hurried deep into the outlet's alley, to leave the sedan behind.

Not much later, Nachi had the front door to the office opened, and he was met by the sight of his visitors. The one right in front was unmistakably Sorrento, his hair longer than ever, dressed in a much fancier suit than Wolf would ever feel comfortable wearing; it was a wine red over a gray vest, a butterfly tie rather than the one the Saint wore. Right behind him was the beauteous Thetis, in similarly hued office clothes, her pencil skirt tight and shorter than would be deemed appropriate by many companies; her high heels were so tall as to render her height close to that of her childhood friend, despite not making her taller than the man behind them. The significantly taller Poseidon — or really his vessel, Julian Solo — towered over the subordinates, wearing a long burgundy suit, its fabric similar to satin; from its chest pocket sprawled what seemed like some white flower, under the sight of golden chain adornments similar to others found about the outfit.

There was no doubt in his mind, seeing such proper folk. "Ah, you must be Lord Poseidon!" Nachi softly spoke and waved towards the inside. "Please, sir, right this way." Without unneeded pleasantries, each visitor entered, the god coming last. Like a true butler, Wolf shut the door behind them and led them through a hall to a pair of wooden doors; beyond them was revealed a meeting room, a vast table placed in its midst and outlined by dozens of comfortable office chairs. Unlike the corridor behind, the carpet was solid, and the walls saw neutral colors with wooden panels properly spaced out from one another. Because the blinds were partially shut, only a bit of the already meager sunlight was allowed in, so the lights were switched on.

Once Sorrento ventured into this place, he noted that it was empty and, not allowing the others past, turned to Nachi. "I do not see Lady Athena," he remarked.

Nachi calmly answered: "Sir, she should show up soon enough. She is getting ready still."

"We shall not enter till she greets us in person."

"Sir…"

Poseidon lifted a hand in front of Sorrento and stood between the two young men. "Sorrento, please, mind not such a minor nuisance," he spoke, and his voice was the soothing one of Julian rather than the sinister one of his companion soul. "I can wait a while for my niece."

Not letting his eyes deviate from Nachi's for several seconds, Sorrento inspired air and let it out through the nose softly, an attempt to calm the nerves. "As you will, my Lord," he whispered and finally walked towards the chairs on the opposite end.

From the door, Nachi bowed and said: "If you need anything, such as water or coffee, you may call me at any point."

"We are thankful for the courtesy," Poseidon was the one to reply while taking a seat with his company.

The door was shut to allow Atlantis' summit their privacy, and therefore the Saint walked back to the hall, into the narrower corridor, then past a plain door. Beyond it were desks, binders, chairs, archives, and a diversity of utensils. Shun was side-by-side with the entrance, leaned against the wall, while Athena spied out the windows through the blinds.

She chose to wear something as light as Shun's attire, with no more than a white button shirt and a black, elastic knitted skirt over stockings. Her heels were not too tall yet not too short, though they were closed and modest compared to Thetis'. Once she turned to the warrior, it was clear that she put on some nude make-up, the sort not to give the wrong impression — she was beautifully presentable, but did not seek to catch any extra attention to her appearance.

"Hm? Is everything alright?" Shun asked upon seeing his friend.

Nachi explained the situation: "They're waiting in the meeting room. Jabu said it was his dog's birthday, so…"

Andromeda's face dropped to a frown, although Athena seemed more serene. "Did he give any further information?"

"None, but it doesn't bode well."

"Could it be that they are being as careful as us?" the other boy questioned, having turned to the goddess.

"Whether that is the case or otherwise, our strategy yet stands," she said. "I have felt no Cosmos thus far, but we are to remain alert."

"Then let us do our best."

"Come. It is unwise to leave my uncle hanging."

The three left and made their way to the meeting room, where they waited in front of the doors. They could hear whispers on the other side which subsided upon encroaching, but ere the handles were turned, both Saints stared at the goddess for confirmation. She breathed in and looked at each bodyguard before a determined nod.

The doors slowly swung open to reveal the sights within and without. Athena walked in to present herself, and her uncle had his back turned, so he turned the chair to encounter her semblance. Their gazes met and they were no longer themselves; their souls dumbfounded their minds with comparatively mundane memories.

A cold sensation exploded in their chests, stopping both on their tracks. The others did not observe this so quickly, so the doors were shut for Shun and Nachi to stand guard beside their goddess. Soon it dawned on Sorrento and Thetis too, that the woman standing before them was not only the goddess they awaited, but also the pampered granddaughter of Mitsumasa Kido, an old friend of the Solo household.

"You!" Sorrento grunted, and so all of his past questions clicked in place. He could not fathom a soul capable of so effortlessly escaping his song if not one that achieved godhood. Even long ago, that woman was her, the one to rule over Sanctuary and Earth.

Shaking, it was Julian now, not Poseidon, who slowly slid to a stand, hands finding stability on the table ahead. "S… Saori!" he gasped.

Hearing that name estranged the Saints as well, though in that instant it had become impossible to discern vessel and soul, whether both were truly one. It could be said perhaps, by virtue of love or some otherwordly force, that it was Saori's heart and voice who uttered next: "Julian?"