The Crypt

A boy's face nestled itself into the shoulders of a young man, brown hair buried under his blond strands. Their embrace had lasted close to minute by then, such was their desire to not be separated again; desire, however, could not stand against the inevitable. Bound by duty, the boy would be reaped far away, and that would be the last time they touch for the foreseeable future.

In that instant he was surrounded by the warmth and scent of his beloved. There was little between them but the texture of cloth and skin, so he wished that they were glued to one another, to never be divided; to live inadvertently tied to each other by body as they did in spirit, a befitting fate.

Finally they parted, and with it, comforting warmth was engulfed in uncertain cold. The boy's breath condensed to meet the air outside, and his skin congealed at its arrival. Feeling ice penetrate ever deeper into the flesh, he sensed edges growing towards his beating heart to puncture it. Like this he was speared from every direction, thus pain overwhelmed him; every muscle in his body tensed with the onslaught.

In that moment he stormed awake in what felt like a strange bed. With the sudden jerk of his body, he sat up on the mattress and looked around, noticing starlight bleed through a high window. That was his own bedroom, he knew, though it was not that which he grew accustomed to. The walls were of large stone bricks; the air was still and monotonous; the floor was marble, only adorned by a red rug; apart from the bedside table, he could only meet the sight of a wooden desk, a chair, and a vase containing a poor bundle of orchids.

Shun slid his legs to the side, abandoning the sheets' protection. In a loose, thin tunic, he rested the forehead over the fingers and felt his body pulsate from the scare. "Are these nightmares going to continue?" he asked himself, then took another gander at the light outside. "The worst thing about sleeping here is that there is no sunlight to awaken me. If I were to guess, I only have a few more minutes to sleep before it is time to work."

That place was not his bedroom at the mansion, but one lent to him by Athena's army, in a barracks built solely for the Saints. In Sanctuary, the time of day was a bizarre thing, indeed analogous to a day on Earth, but made rather trivial by the lack of a nearby star like the sun. There had been times in history where the structure that contained it passed by bright phenomena, meaning people experienced brighter days, but those were scant and nonetheless not as impressive as some made them sound.

Much like grave shifts on Earth, it was a common sight for people to labor while most others slept. Quieter jobs could be worked at more placid times such as the even, as could those that served folk in the early morning, like bakeries selling bread to the first customers in a day.

For Shun and other members of intelligence, however, ordinary hours were followed, notwithstanding special occasions. After putting on a more proper tunic, linen pants, and leather boots, he and Nachi made their way up to the Temple of Cancer in order to continue an investigation on the origins of Saga's betrayal.

Between the muffled weeping of souls trapped beneath the Hellmouth, the faint voice of High Priestess Aleka echoed through the vast hall. A figure walked amid the altars and statues; this was a ghastly sight, one fully covered head-to-toe in black veils, such that little of their form could be made out through the fabric. This individual hooked a hand bell to an index, although it did no resound at that moment.

After swerving their way to the chest, they pushed against the top with care and allowed a soul to slip past a most minute gap. Like Deathmask once did in life, this person reached forth with Cosmos and grasped that fleeting substance, gloved fingers emitting an ominous, red aura in the process. With the Hellmouth shut once more, the cry of that shade became the loudest thing in the building.

Therewith the person carried said soul along in a hand, flipping the other as to ring the bell in periodic intervals. The longer they walked, the softer became the dead's crying, soothed with each step and tone of the instrument. At some point the figure passed closer to the other three present, and as much as one side could hear the bell, the other could hear a conversation.

Nachi, standing not far behind Shun, noticed the person's shadow and stared on in awe, if not unease. That was Cancer's aspirant, he knew, the one raised and trained by the High Priestess to serve as an emergency replacement for the Cancer Saint in the happenstance of their death. Seeing that the current aspirant was yet young and untrained, Aleka herself took over Deathmask's duties for the year, albeit never abandoning her responsibilities as a priestess. Nonetheless, they witnessed that perhaps the vacant guardianship of that temple was nearing its end, with how expertly the aspirant seemed to console the perturbed.

Shun held a notepad and pen in hands while he listened to the High Priestess' words, not writing yet, for he paid close attention to that which she spoke: "According to the records, this has held true for each time the Geminids fell after the death of the Gemini. Suppose so that the last of the Gemini has passed; from that point, once the Earth is showered by the Geminids, we must only expect a full moon in their constellation. It seems that the last time this took place was in the twenty-fifth of December, nineteen forty seven."

"That was when Saga was born," Shun commented, and the woman confirmed with a nod.

"Indeed, those were likely the days of his birth. However, the records tell me that Saga and his twin were not immediately taken into the Cult, which is against protocol. I assume this happens when the parents are unaware of the prophecy, or when they purposefully escape with the Gemini."

Shun seemed concerned, although Nachi also raised an eyebrow at that. "You mean that they run away, because they don't want their children to be taken by the Cult, or...?" asked the boy.

"Aye, some are not fond of that idea. It is the product of parental love after all, to be willing to risk one's own life in face of the Saints. Of course, Sanctuary mustn't allow the Gemini to be kidnapped, so the twins were always secured in the end."

Nachi chimed in upon hearing what he found to be absurd: "Well, to the parents, you are the ones kidnapping their babies."

"This is needed to ascertain Sanctuary's existence, a thing greater than a parent's love for their child."

Andromeda sighed and wrote a few items down on a page. "I had never heard of this meteor shower, the Geminids," he commented in the meanwhile, "but if this prophecy always holds true like this, then that means someone has set it up to ensure that the Gemini Saint is always present somehow."

"Take our Lady for example. Lady Athena is both every vessel she has ever occupied, and the same soul — the same person that has reincarnated for tens of thousands of years. For her to reincarnate, a number of processions are to be observed, and a suitable vessel is required. The Cult is in charge of all stages in these rites; were this not properly observed, her soul could remain idle for longer than what is ideal," she explained. "Similarly, the Gemini are both the vessels they have occupied, and the same souls that have existed since the birth of Castor and Pollux. So that the living never lose track of their souls, they prepare such patterns in death, and their reincarnations occur by upholding specific traditions. The prophecy I described has been Castor and Pollux's method for over a century now."

"Fascinating," Shun uttered after a quiet gasp, apparently overwhelmed by the thoughts of what the souls of gods and heroes could do in the afterlife, though soon his mind was beset by a further worry. "Oh, in this case, there is one thing we may do. Saga is surely dead, yet his brother has been missing ever since he was jailed many decades ago. The Geminids must've showered since Saga died, so when the next full moon in Gemini appears, can't we learn whether his twin is dead or not?"

"The next full moon in Gemini will be at the end of this year. If, at around that time, no reports are received of twins being birthed in Sanctuary, then it must be true that Saga's brother lives," Aleka told them. "Where he would be, however, is not a matter I may speculate on."

The Bronze Saint scratched the back of his hair with the pen and chuckled. "That will take a while still, but I guess there is nothing we can do if not wait," he said.

At the time, the aspirant opened the chest once more to push the soul back in, and from there held on to a second one. While the torment of souls were exposed to the temple, the echoes were loud enough to overpower their voices.

Aleka was forced to raise her tone so that she was heard: "There is a last thing, Andromeda." The Hellmouth was shut once more, and she spoke less intensely thereon. "The law allows the High Priestess to unseal the results of a Pope's election in exceptional cases. A war in Sanctuary, an attempt on our Lady's life — those cases are exceptional enough, if I may say. I gave myself the freedom to unseal and read the contents of the election that would have made Saga the Pope."

The investigators tightened their brows in anticipation. "So, was he really the chosen one?" Shun questioned.

"Hopefully you can see I am at the verge of breaching sacred law here," the woman affirmed, eyes shut; she chose her words very carefully from that point. "I must refrain from telling you the results, but I should say it is… unlikely that Saga was elected for the role."

"I… I get it."

"Sanctuary tends towards seniority with near prejudice, and Saga was too young to be a serious contender. If I were to guess, the oldest among the Gold Saints may tell you something of substance about how he got that far."

Shun's lips parted; even under the law's strict limitations, he knew the High Priestess had just handed them the closest thing to a solution. If they got the information from the right mouths, they would surely learn what took place in that election.

"Thank you, ma'am! This will be extremely useful, I'm sure," he told her with a bow.

The woman bowed in response. "I am glad to be of aid."

Whereas Athena's handpicked agents pressed on with their efforts in Sanctuary, others continued to live the closest to a normal life as possible on Earth. In Rozan, Shiryu had gone back to his former life beside Shunrei and Old Master; despite the fact that he trained on a daily basis to hone his abilities with the Seventh Sense, he had enough free time to explore the surroundings, or ever so rarely travel throughout the rest of China.

That day, in the other hand, like most other days, he immersed himself under the harsh waterfall, cycling through the Cosmos and becoming acquainted with the ways of the universe. He stood with arms flexed, clenched fists aimed downwards, while his wet hair draped over his face to protect it. Far above, past humid mist, Old Master could watch his apprentice's shadow lost in the fray, as much as he could watch the skies, a sentinel's highest goal.

Dragon's training then was a largely mental one, and it extended itself to the evening, when it was time for dinner. By the time Shiryu returned to the shack, towel around the neck, Old Master already took a seat about the table, and Shunrei brought bowls of food to it. At his sight, the girl couldn't help but smile.

Disregarding that they experienced much of their lives together, she never grew tired of sitting opposite him to dine, converse, and laugh. That day was obviously no different, yet the gravity of his position as a Saint never escaped him and his master.

The old man paused between bites to pull his attention away from their usual topics. "Shiryu, you evolve slowly with your training, but steadily nonetheless," he spoke.

In response, his pupil's eyes turned solely to him. "You are right," he agreed, "but ever since I gained dominance over the Seventh Sense, I cannot fathom power greater than it."

"The Seventh Sense is only the first great barrier for a warrior of the Cosmos," said Old Master, "though, as a matter of course, further barriers lie past it. Most certainly a day shall come where you must attain knowledge and power beyond this, and my training readies you for it. That is why I so oft order you to meditate to the edges of the Seventh Sense."

"I will do my best under your guidance, no matter how many hours I must meditate," Shiryu assured with reverence.

The elder smiled and returned to his meal. When they were done, night fell darker, so Shiryu and Shunrei went to their room. Libra, however, left the shack and perched over his usual crag, watching for signs in the stars up top. As per usual, Rozan was a heavenly and peaceful ambient, although its mist was less sultry at night, rather haunting and cold to the skin.

To a sentinel, watching the stars should've felt like a waste of a life, but this never came to be. Somehow they found meaning in them, acquainted with its intricate details, not unlike the ancients did with their own astrology. While no mark appeared in the constellation of Cancer, many others showed themselves throughout time, and a sentinel was the perfect candidate to inform Sanctuary of that which they could not see.

That day he perceived something different, not the death of a distant star or the collision of a pair; rather it was the characteristic edge of energy, the usage of Cosmos. He was quite used to the sensation of certain people's energy usage: couriers like Marin cycled through it expertly, wasting no energy while racing through space; powerful warriors like Shiryu kindled it like an endless torrent, the kind to vanquish anything in its wake. No — what he felt was an esoteric Cosmos, a brief murmur vibrating through the world, one that faded as soon as it appeared.

There were no questions about it: he had to chase after its origin, especially recognizing the location whence it spawned. With an impressive shine, Libra launched himself off into the distance, forming an arch of light in the air.

Feeling a characteristic pressure, Shiryu slid off his bed almost with haste, having been awaken so suddenly. From the bed on the other side of the room, Shunrei noticed his movements and awoke as well. She saw that the young man looked through gaps in the window sill, seeking evidence of any intruders.

Dragon was surprised by the girl's inoffensive tone. "Is something wrong, Shiryu?" she asked him.

"Oh, not at all," he was quick in denying it. "I just had a brief nightmare, is all."

"A nightmare… if you need to talk about it, I don't mind."

He chuckled at her to say: "It was probably something simple, since I can't even remember it. I have to go the bathroom now, so you should go back to sleep."

"That's fine then. Good night, Shiryu."

"Good night."

With that he exited the bedroom and shut the door behind him, traversing the corridor towards the living room. There he slid into his shoes, though he remained shirtless, fearing that Shunrei would be able to hear him fumbling through clothes to find something. Instead, he coated his body with a towel around the shoulders and went past the front door with utmost carefulness.

There was no doubt in his mind that the Cosmos he had felt was a powerful one, although he could not make out whether it was at the level of a Gold Saint. Regardless, his destination was the crag from where the sentinel watched the stars, where his master could not be found. Seeing that he was also not asleep in the shack, it was clear that the elder had gone somewhere without warning.

Shiryu's trust in Libra was immaculate, so he slighted any question and sat at the crag himself. There he studied the skies as did the man who raised him, seeking unwonted blemishes in the lights that could explain the man's absence. Thus he did nothing but await his master's return.

Old Master had in fact landed not extremely far from there, yet surrounded by the extreme peaks of Rozan. After traversing bushes and trees, his steps left the humid dirt and met harder stone; he faced the steep side of a mountain, its rocks mossy, claimed by the flora. A womanly figure stood ahead of it, clad in black, head covered, and pale hand touching the surface.

He approached with calm, as if this were an expected arrival. Even from a distance one could've noticed a faint glimmer surrounding the woman's fingers, traveling into the mountain and lighting shapes that could not be made out in its depths. When a stone crumbled under Libra's shoe, she ultimately turned to him. Those moonlit eyes and face were undeniably Pandora's.

"Dohko," she called his very name, for she knew Libra longer than most among the living. "Did this lady pester your sleep at the foot of the night?"

"I sat by my post when I sensed your energy," the old man responded. "Though surprise did assail me... your checkup would take place a little later, not tonight — or so I believed."

Pandora turned to the mountain yet again. "Ever since Sanctuary's war, the Underworld fell prey to anxiety. The Judges assumed Heaven conspires against Lady Athena, a cynicism Lady Persephone does not share. The longer lasts this seal, greater is the possibility of a war our own, thus my instructions are to check on it more often," the woman explained.

"I am sure the Underworld should not worry over a war with Heaven," Libra argued.

"I agree, as does Lady Persephone, yet the essence of politics lies not in reason, does it?"

Once that final word resounded, a cryptic shape burned under her palm, ridding itself of the moss that coated it. Therewith the rocks rotated as if enchanted, then sunk into the mountain to reveal a dark passage and a crypt buried deep within. Without looking back, Pandora delved into the blackness and disappeared, while Old Master stayed back. Whereas her job was to study the seals, his job was to make sure that she never broke them, as unlikely as that was.

Several seconds after her entrance, the sound of a wooden door creaking in the depths echoed to the outside, and so he knew that the forbidden chamber had been entered. Through the sound of wind and chirping insects, he somehow heard whispers reverberate from the inside which so soon got lost in cold breeze. Many minutes passed and the door was shut; Pandora came out and waved her hand back at the passage, shutting it back up with the strange formations of rocks. Now that no moss hid it, strange etchings were more visible, yet it was impossible to comprehend what they were meant to represent.

Before leaving, she came closer to Dohko and nodded in respect. She informed him of the situation therein: "My trip was a waste indeed, how unsurprising... the fact remains that the seal is dangerously close to being broken. The sealant has largely peeled off, and I am sure the slightest of winds could expose the vial to the world at large."

"How long do you wager for his release?" the Gold Saint asked.

"It is not the week that the Judges expect, but half a year at the very least."

"We will prepare accordingly. I wish you a safe return, Lady Pandora."

"Stay safe," she said, and like a shadow sweeping into darkness, she vanished. The old man watched the dark forest ahead for the coming seconds, and only when Pandora was long gone did he leap back to the waterfall.

As was expected, Shiryu had experienced the energy of Pandora's leave, then the more explosive energy of his master's return. By the time Libra reached the crag, he already stood in order to meet him, so curious was he of what he had left to do.

Old Master met his student's reverent silence, quite becoming of the situation. Closing in, he shut the eyes in order to calmly explain what had to be done. "You must return to Sanctuary at once," he said.

Dragon's face raised at the thought; he knew the occasion would come, but did not expect it to be so soon, in a year's span. He asked for clarification: "What happened, Old Master?"

"You shall arrive and climb the Ecliptic Temples without rest, then you shall reach Lady Athena's temple with the following news: Hades' soul is at the brink of release, and Sanctuary must stand on high alert."

"H-Hades!" Shiryu babbled. "That means…"

Dohko's eyes met his apprentice's. In his semblance was the grievous fear of one who had seen horrors beyond that of the last war. "There is no time to waste," he reinforced. "A worse war could come sooner than we expect."