Notes: This chapter happens after the end of chapter 5 of "walk over my grave", or at the end of Hades Chapter Inferno. Not necessary to read main fic but more enjoyable etc etc.
Aiolos followed his colleagues as they walked up the steps to Athena's statue. He knew what was to come, as master Shion had prepared him for it.
He didn't say a thing as Saga, Shura and Camus were thrown on the ground, grunts of pain barely audible. He watched as Athena came, her brunette hair waving behind. She was so different from the little baby he gave his life for fifteen years ago, so different from the young woman who had first come to the Sanctuary almost two years ago. This was his goddess, and she was taking the first step towards ensuring Earth was safe. He just wished there was another way.
Mu manhandled Saga until he was kneeling properly in front of Athena, and then accepted the golden dagger he had used thirteen years ago from his twin brother (Kanon couldn't hold his brother's gaze, Aiolos knew that if he had tried coming back to his brother before the battle in Sanctuary, Aiolia would also be avoiding his gaze—). Saga's hands were trembling, as if he couldn't bring himself to kill Athena.
So Aiolos leaned down, his chest against his best friend's back, his arms and hands wrapped around Saga's. If anyone here could see him, they'd think it was a lover's embrace. His hands couldn't do much to steady Saga's (though Athena's hands, clammy with nerves despite her peaceful expressión, could) but he could help carry half the stain that would surely appear on Saga's soul.
He couldn't hear the yelling around him, could only watch the blood leave Athena's body in a flurry of sal petals that Shaka had made bloom out of season. A god who had finally decided to leave his human carcass.
Saga tried to catch Athena's hand, but Aiolos held him back by wrapping his hands around his chest. It broke his heart to hear the despair in his voice, but it had to be done.
Athena was dead before her body hit the ground.
His soul felt a tug, and suddenly he was at the gates of Hell in front of Shaka and Athena.
"Aiolos?" It never failed to amaze him how much emotion Shaka could convey with his eyes closed. "I didn't expect you to come here."
Athena's face completely lit up and ran up to grab both his hands, as if she hadn't taken her own life mere moments ago. "You're Aiolos! I wanted to thank you for saving me as a baby, but I wasn't sure if my prayers ever reached you…"
Aiolos tried to smile. "They have. Although just calling my name normally would've done the trick, I never really left your side." He then tried to chuckle, as if there was any levity in this situation. "Shaka here has actually been aware of my presence for quite some time with his illuminated status, as has Andromeda."
Athena then frowned. "Shun?"
Aiolos nodded and let his expression fall serious again. "You must have already felt the darkness in his soul. If we wander into Giudecca, the place where Hades dwells, I'm sure it will be his face we see seated on the throne."
"I see." Athena sighed. "I'll admit that before being told I was Athena, I had my reservations about him. But through these years with him protecting the innocent so fervently… I'm sure even the presence of the god of the Underworld in his body cannot erase the good he's done, just as the presence of goddess Athena in mine cannot erase the bad I did to those children in my infancy."
Aiolos wanted so badly to refute that, he wanted to tell her there was not a single bad deed she had done. But he had seen the pain she had caused to the Graad Foundation orphans; he had been left speechless when Shun confronted him about it. If saving Shun's soul could give Athena some atonement, Aiolos would be remiss to stop her.
Could it be called fate if the choice made was human in nature?
There was a lightness to his soul Aiolos never thought he would feel, not after fifteen years of wandering earth only half-fulfilling his purpose.
Saga appeared beside him, clad in his training clothes like the last time they'd seen each other physically.
"Did we… did we do it?" Saga asked, as if fearful of getting his hopes up only to go back to hell again.
Aiolos kneeled and grabbed his hands. "We've done all we could, now we just have to have faith in the next generation. I believe they can protect Athena and Earth."
Saga took his hands, still some doubt on his expression. But if Aiolos said it would be fine, he would trust his best friend to know best.
It wasn't about fate; after all, it had been their duties as saints to overcome it. They'd made a miracle by holding out thus far, the kids would be alright.