Saint Seiya 1. The Protectiveness

_**Disclaimer: I don't own SSTLC characters!**_

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**_Author's Note: __The another and at the same time the last sequel for my stories "The thing, that won't happen again" and "The thing, that might happen again". I planning to write a few chapters to make it longer than then the previous one, and I hope you will enjoy the another appearance of our beloved Degel and Kardia ;)_**

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**_The Protectiveness_**

The very first thing that reached Degel through the remains of his dream was the warm fingers on his cheek that were rubbing his skin gently. Then he felt the heating him body by his side and he heard the quiet breathing alongside with the quick beating of someone's heart. It took a few minutes for him to remember what happened yesterday, and where he was. And with whom he was laying. He opened slowly and hesitantly his violet, cold eyes, blinking a few times to accustom them to the morning light, trying to get rid of the trace of his drams he still had inside his mind. For some time Degel wasn't even able to make any move, waiting for the painful spasm, that could come any moment. But when nothing like that happened, the Aquarius turned his head to the side and looked at the blue curls of his friend. Kardia was lying beside him, warming his cold body and touching his cheek slightly.

"Kardia…?" Degel whispered hardly, raising his heavy hand, and placing it on Scorpio's hair, starting to stroke them.

Kardia moved his head slowly and looked at his injured friend.

"How do you feel, dear Degel?" he asked with weak and tired voice. He looked like he would fall asleep at any moment.

"Kardia, what's wrong? Why are you so tired? Don't tell me that you haven't sleep tonight!"

The blue-haired man smiled widely, stroking Degel's cheek lightly.

"You were really restless this night, Degel. I didn't sleep, because I was afraid that you would have another nightmare. And that your heart would stop…" answered Kardia with the quiet voice.

Degel sighed and moved his hand from the blue curls to the Kardia's heart. Fortunately it was beating strongly, quickly but with the rhythm of the healthy heart. Then he hugged his friend, touched a little by his sacrifice. He never expected that Kardia would do something like that _even_ for him…

"Oh, Kardia… You are so reckless… You shouldn't do that…" whispered Degel, catching his friend's chin and placing the thankful kiss on Kardia's warm lips.

The Scorpio smiled more widely, but he didn't return this kiss on his own way, like the wild animal. He only pressed his lips against Degel's one a little more, and for the Aquarius it was the irrefutable proof that he was really tired.

"Your heart was beating so quietly and weakly," started Kardia, resting his head against Aquarius' shoulder. "But sometimes that beat was getting faster, just like my heart when it seemed to be close to stopping finally… And I thought it is a good idea to watch over you the whole night."

Degel felt the slight twitch of his heart. But it wasn't the twitch of the painful spasm, but the twitch of the emotion. He tightened his hug around his friend, wondering what was happening with his mind. Weeks ago, before the night they slept together in the Kardia's bed, he wouldn't react like that on that recklessness of the blue-haired Saint. He would rather say something really cold, maybe something malignant, trying to reject his friend's feelings away. But now… Now he wanted to hold Kardia in his arms forever, lying in his bed, kissing him and feeling the nice warmth of Kardia's body.

"And you were incredible cold the whole night, Degel. Normal people should have the fever, but you were cold like the dead corpse. I couldn't help it; a few times I was sure that you passed away… Especially when your heart was beating so weakly…"

Degel chuckled quietly.

"It seems that I hurt you even while the sleep," he said, kissing the blue curls of his friend. "You should rest finally, Kardia. I'm sorry, that I didn't allow you to sleep this night."

"Don't mind it, my Degel. After all it was my fault that you are in that shape…"

The Aquarius gasped with the surprise. It was the very first time since they met, when Kardia apologized for his stupid action. It was really incredible, and unnatural to hear _these_ words coming from his mouth. Degel couldn't deal with it peacefully; it was like seeing El Cid giving up his dream about the most sharp fist in the whole world. When did Kardia change so much?

"What's wrong, Degel?" asked suddenly Kardia, raising his head, and looking at his friend with worry. "Your heart is so anxious. Did I upset you with something?"

That was enough for the Aquarius. Firstly Kardia was apologizing and now he was wandering if he didn't angry him accidentally! That should be the end of the world.

"Nothing wrong, my dear," he answered to Kardia, catching his head firmly and kissing really deeply. He couldn't hold himself back; he had to feel Kardia's lips and his strong tongue. The Scorpio was surprised for a few moments, but finally he found some energy inside himself and he returned that kiss hard, just like Degel wanted.

When they finished after a few long and passionate minutes, Degel couldn't calm his heart. He felt heat inside his body and that strange feeling, the same as last night, when he almost forced Kardia to do _something_. But last night he wasn't in the best shape to do that so Kardia stopped him. Now it was Kardia who should rest finally, so Degel should do the same.

"I never expected this passion from you, Degel. I always though that you are the cold bastard without emotions…" murmured Kardia laying his head on the Degel's chest.

Degel chuckled.

"You should go sleep, Kardia. You are starting to talk nonsense," said the Aquarius, stroking gently his friend's blue curls.

"But don't go anywhere. I wouldn't be there to rescue you again, dear Degel…" whispered Kardia, at the same time falling asleep.

"I won't, Kardia," Degel smiled, looking at the ceiling, and holding tightly his friend. Even if he wanted to move from the bed, he couldn't. He was aware that all of his muscles would disobey his will immediately.

Degel closed his eyes, and stroking gently his friend's hair, he felt asleep as well.

* * *

Degel looked at the blue sky above his head, standing near to the exit of his Temple. It was really nice day, with the slight wind blowing between the buildings and the soft sunbeams spreading around the Holy Land. Even there, in the Eleventh Temple of the Sanctuary it could be heard the happy trills of the birds, that was occupying many trees around, and sometimes even the sound of training boys was reaching this place. The Aquarius didn't remember, when he last time was able to take the deep breath of the fresh, summer's air without any difficulties. But his lungs were healed already, and lately even his heart wasn't giving him too many sights of its wound.

It was wonderful to wear finally his Gold Cloth of the Aquarius in the full glare of the morning, even though he knew that Kardia would be really upset to seeing him like that so early. Recently the Scorpio Saint was unnaturally touchy about the condition of his cold friend; very often it seemed that he had the obsession about him. Sometimes Degel was cursing the blue-haired Saint for that. After all it passed already three weeks since that small battle with the unknown warriors and his heart was twitching in painful spasm just time to time. Really often… But Kardia didn't believe him, making him to lie in the bed the whole days, usually even forcing him to not going to the meeting with the Pope. Of course, the Aquarius Saint didn't obey him very well, and he was leaving his Temple as often as it was possible, without even informing his extremely caring friend. He was visiting the Pope by himself, but the head of the Sanctuary wasn't angry at all, that his Aquarius Saint was avoiding all the meetings. He understood.

Degel had no idea how, for the Athena's name, Kardia for so long time could be so protective and at the same time wildly and bloodthirsty like always. These two personalities were so different, that they should collide with themselves at the very beginning. But no, Kardia was taking care of him very well, at the same time treating other Gold Saints with his usual self.

Degel stretched his body, covered by the golden armor, feeling the nice tension in his muscle. He had the big plans for today, and he wasn't gonna let the Scorpio to stop him. The time, when he was forced to stay in the bed was the forgotten past!

He almost run through the stairs between the two last Temples, going to see the Pope. His body and mind were so light, that he even didn't felt the small, really small twitch of his heart. He passed through the Pisces Temple, meeting there quiet and always lonely Albafica, who seemed to be really glad to see his already healthy neighbor.

He didn't wait for too long to get the permission to see the Pope, the guardian let him pass through the big, wooden door almost forthwith like the head of the Sanctuary was waiting for him the whole time.

The old, silver Pope Sage smiled, seeing him so healthy, with the internal energy emanating from his body.

"Degel! I'm glad to see you in so good shape!" said the Pope from his throne.

The Aquarius bowed before him with the whole respect he felt to the old Saint.

"How is your heart? Kardia said that you should rest a few days more…" started hesitantly the former Gold Saint, looking at his young subordinate, searching for any sights, proving the Scorpio's words.

"My heart is healed already as well as my lungs, Pope," answered Degel with official voice.

The Pope laughed lightly.

"What brings you here so early, my dear Aquarius?" he asked with the wide smile.

"I was wondering if you could send me for a mission, Pope. I'm tired of sitting idly in my Temple," said Degel, hoping that there was any mission for him.

"Mission? Isn't it too early for you? You were badly wounded when these warriors break into the Sanctuary."

"My wounds healed already. And it would be the shame for the proud name of the Gold Saint to making more excuses for my alleged indisposed. I'm the Gold Saint of Athena, and three weeks is more that enough, Pope."

The Pope smiled.

"That's the spirit of my proud Aquarius. If you want it so bad, then I can send you for a mission. I was about to ask Shion for doing it, but since you are here, then I will let you do that."

"I'm really grateful, Pope, for your approval."

"For some time something is disturbing my mind, Degel. In the Indian Ocean is a small island. Recently there was some missing of people there, but the Silver Saint who was stationed on that island didn't come to report if he explained everything."

"There were no sights from him?"

"Even his cosmo disappeared some time ago. I sent already a few Saints there, but it was two months ago, and they didn't return yet. There wasn't and message from them either. I would like you to go there and check everything. I'm afraid that it could be done by the Specters," said the Pope, thoughtfully.

The Aquarius bowed his head before him, glad that he could free himself from the Sanctuary for a few days.

"I will depart at once, Pope," he said, leaving the Chamber of the Pope, and heading to his Temple. Of course, before his depart, he should go somewhere else…

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Kardia was sitting on the big stone in the front of his Temple, looking at the Sanctuary and _thinking_. It was really rare for him to do_ that_, usually he was just _acting_. Thinking was good for the Saints like Degel, calm, cool-headed warriors, who liked to analyze everything before taking any action. For the wild beast like him, reflecting everything around always was heading to the bad end. For example thinking could end for him with beating the enemy without the fun.

But now he was really doing it, his thought was traveling around the previously unknown path, and every minute ended with his friend, Degel. Lately the Aquarius Saint was really strange, barely talking with him. Oh, yes, the green-haired man wasn't the type, who like to talk a lot, but he always have something to tell to his wild friend. Now Kardia was hearing only the incomprehensible murmuring almost every time he was in the Aquarius Temple. Degel's voice became cold again like the old days, when they weren't so close to themselves. In some way the Scorpio was aware why Degel was treating him like that. After all he was making his cold friend to stay in the bed for the last three weeks, like the Aquarius was just a baby, who couldn't take care of his own. But Kardia had many reasons to do that, to watching over his friend day and night. Because he knew about the fragility of hearts, and he just didn't want to see as Degel's one was stopping in the front of his eyes.

Oh, any other Saint could just die because of the heart's wound and the Scorpio wouldn't care about that. Actually he didn't care about almost everyone on the world; the people were for him nothing more than the moving and talking corpses. But Degel… Degel was different. He was the very first person, who didn't saw in Kardia just stupid, wild beast that soon would be killed by his own heart. Many Saints around were telling him, that he never would become the Warrior of Athena, with his weak condition he surely would die in the first fight. But it was the Aquarius who told him to not give up, to live the fullest life as a Saint, and doing everything by his own way. It wasn't the case that he cared about Degel, because the green-haired man had the abilities to keep him alive for such a long time. It didn't matter if Degel was helping him with living. He cared about the Aquarius because without him the Kardia's life would be grey. Kardia long time ago found the fun with doing many reckless things and hearing many complains from the cool-headed Saint. He enjoyed their talks like Degel was considered the Scorpio not as a wild monster, but as an ordinary, smart man. Earlier no one was talking with him like that. And… And the main case was that, Degel was the second person who cared about _him_. Really cared, like it would be the tragedy if he would die somewhere…

He was in the middle of thinking about his dear friend, when he felt two muscular, covered by the Gold Cloth of the Aquarius hands, that encircled him from behind. Someone placed the slim chin on his shoulder, hiding his face into the blue curls of the Scorpio Saint. Kardia turned his head a little and looked inside the two, violet eyes of Degel.

"How is your heart, Kardia?" asked the Aquarius Saint, placing his hand on his friend's chest and sending his own cosmo into the ill heart.

"My heart will be in the good state for another few days, and you certainly know it. So why are you cooling it right now? And why do you put your Cloth? I believe, I told you not to do that when you are still affected by your wounds."

Degel sighed with the irritation.

"Watch your mouth, Scorpio. You are talking to the Aquarius Gold Saint of Athena, and I don't want you to talk to me like that," he said coldly, pressing his armored chest against Kardia's back, and tightening his embrace. "I'm cooling your heart now because for a while I won't be able to do that, so if your disease will cause you some problem I couldn't help you."

Kardia frowned a little, with the surprise.

"What are you talking about, Degel?"

"It's really simple. I'm here to say farewell to you. The Pope just gave me a mission."

"What?! A mission?!" asked the Scorpio, freeing himself from Degel's arms, turning around and looking at his friend with the disbelief.

"There is no reason to get angry, Kardia. As you heard, I'm going to the mission now," answered the Aquarius Saint, coming closer to his friend and again placing his hand on Kardia's chest.

"But Degel, how could the Pope send you for a mission with your condition?!"

"I asked him for that. I have enough of lying in the bed the whole days. My wounds are healed already and I see no reason to do _nothing_ anymore."

"What about your heart, Degel? I doubt, that it is healed by now…"

"It is. You are just too numb to realize it," murmured Degel, stroking gently the blue curls of his protective friend.

"Then I will go with you!"

"You won't, Kardia."

"Why? You can't force me to stay here…"

"First you have to go to the Pope to get the permission for leaving the Sanctuary. But before you would get it I will be already gone, dear Kardia. And now stay still and let me cool your heart finally."

Kardia gasped angrily, obeying the Aquarius without the words. After a while he reached Degel's head, took it into his hands, and approached their lips. He looked inside the violet eyes, checking if his friend was in the mood to do that, and when he saw approval inside them, he kissed Degel, firstly really gently, like they were doing it the very first time, but after a while more emphatically. The green-haired man allowed him do to that, sinking his long fingers in the soft, blue curls, tasting slowly his friend, and breaking into Kardia's mouth with his tongue, seeking for that incredible feelings that could be feel only when their two tongues were licking themselves and dancing together.

"Degel…?" murmured Kardia, when their lips departed finally.

"Hmmm?" Degel muttered placing another kiss on Kardia's lips.

"Could you be careful on that mission? For me, please."

Degel smiled slightly to his friend.

"Of course I can, dear Kardia."


	2. The Weakness

_**Disclaimer: I don't own SSTLC characters!**_

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_**The Weakness**_

Degel looked at the small village at the foot of the big hill he was standing now. The sight didn't show him if something bad was happening to the people living there. He could see the streaks of the gray smoke coming from the chimneys; he could see the small silhouettes, moving on the dusty streets, he could even see the playing children at the border of the forest behind the village.

At the first sight there was nothing to be worried, right? It was just the common day for the certain village in the middle of the Indian Ocean.

But Degel could feel something awful, coming from the village. There _was_ something wrong, causing the Aquarius' muscles to tremble all the time. Something was hiding there, in the deepest part of the forest, affecting the people for a long while. The evil aura was almost visible, hanging above the green trees.

The Aquarius Saint was wandering a few minutes if this _something_ was the cause of the missing people and the missing of his fellows. The Pope asked him to go to this island because some people disappeared without the trace and the Silver Saint alongside with a few Bronze Saints disappeared as well. Was it such a danger inside this forest that even the Knights of Athena couldn't do anything? Was it the doing of the Specters? A few months ago they received a report of some movements of the Hades' army, but it was in the different part of the World. Could it be related with the missing of the innocent people and the Saints?

If the Holy War was about to start, then it would be the worst situation they could fell into. The Lady Athena's powers weren't full awake, so now she was really defenseless. What if Hades would attack now? Of course it was just the possibility, but even so, Lady Athena was in the danger. Especially if they still didn't know which person became the Underworld King's vassal. They didn't know anything yet. They just received a few reports about the Specters, they were aware that the twin Gods chose their bodies somewhere. That's all.

And now that small island with missing people. How many disappeared? Are they still disappearing? Actually the Specters never were acting so calm like that. They were showing themselves and destroying. They never took even one hostage, the records about history never said that the army of Hades was so polite for the people. But in some way it matched together, right? A few Saints went missing and there wasn't anyone who could defeat the Knight of Athena beside the Specters.

Degel sighed deeply, taking one quick look at the dark forest behind the village and started to coming down the hill. Standing in one place wouldn't do his job.

He entered the village having the really horrible feelings about everything that could happen soon. The small houses standing around were almost in ruin, barely trying to imitate a safe place for families living around. Some of them collapsed of the old age; some of them looked like someone just destroyed them not long ago. It was horrible sight, surprising Degel at the first look at the buildings. A few places could be recognizing by him as battlefields, he could see the signs of the fights between a strong people. Maybe between the Saints and the Specters?

The Aquarius Saint passed the buildings and found himself in the place that could be considered as the centre of the village. There were a lot of people, small children, adults and elders. They were talking with each other; kids were playing with the smiles. They looked just like ordinary people living in the lost corner of the world.

But Degel didn't fall for that small paradise of normal people. He was able to see it. The traces of the fear in their voices and laughs, the sadness on their faces and inside their eyes. All these feelings were visible for his sharp eyes of the Athena's Saint. Something was scaring them for a long time. He stopped in the front of the huge square, observing them and deciding that whatever it was, he would get rid of the cause of this suffering.

One of the women on the square, talking with her friend looked at the young, green-haired man in the shining Gold Armor and froze. Her neighbor alarmed by the strange expression on her face took a look at the same direction and react almost the same. A few seconds later their faces changed. The fear disappeared, replaced by the disgust.

"Another one," whispered the first woman. Meanwhile the rest of people noticed his presence.

Degel never experienced something like that. The every face of the women, children and men changed at the first look at the Gold Saint of Athena. Their eyes showed him just the disgust, not the hope that finally someone came to save them. It was the thing beyond his imagination and it looked like there was happening something really awful.

The people around send him the looks of disgust, turned away, and disappeared in their houses. The square became empty, only with standing Degel.

"What..?" he looked around the abandoned place. There wasn't anyone.

He sighed deeply, moving from the place he was standing. Whatever happened here it had to be connected with the evil aura above the forest. He wouldn't solve anything, standing in one place and wondering why these people around just run away from him.

Degel passed through the whole village, but it seemed that the news about the Gold Saint reached the every corner, because he didn't see anyone on his way. The pathway was empty, even in the areas of the houses he couldn't see anyone alive. Even dogs were hidden inside the buildings in order to not let them cross the path of the Knight.

In some way it was troublesome for Degel, because he couldn't ask someone about the past events. Of course he would know everything when he finally got to the source of that evil aura, but if there was a possibility to go there with even small knowledge everything would be easier and faster.

The sound of laugh alongside with the quick steps of a few people that came from not far away disturbed his thoughts. A few seconds later a small girl came out from behind the last building, chased by a three boys in her age. They were throwing at her the rocks with the awful smiles on their faces. Degel could see the tears on the red cheeks of the girl, and a few wounds over her fragile body.

The girl stubbed her feet against rut on the ground and with a cry of the surprise she landed just in the front of the Aquarius. She curled up, waiting for the hit of rocks, trying to not cry to loud. It passed a while until she realized that the rocks didn't fall at her; she rose up her head and looked at the tall man standing above her.

Degel took a look at the scared boys that after a while of numbness run away, and then moved his sight at the small body in the front of his legs. The small girl with the big, brown eyes was observing him, but to his surprise she wasn't scared like villagers or these kids. She was looking at him with slight interest, like she was seeing someone like him for the first time in her life.

"Are you all right?" Degel asked, noticing a few awful wounds covering her arms. She nodded. "Then why are you not running away from here like these kids and all the people from the village?"

The small girl blinked a few times.

"Why should I run away?" she murmured, looking inside his cold, violet eyes.

"I don't know why you should run away. But everyone from this village just hid themselves when I appeared."

The Girl snorted.

"They run away because they are stupid."

"Huh?"

"They are stupid. They are thinking that you are just like _these_ people. But you have a nice aura, so you can't be like _them." _The small girl stood up from the dusty ground and brushed her already dirty skirt.

Degel looked at her, surprised a little. He squatted beside her. She had one wound on her forehead; the blood was flowing down through the red cheek.

"What is your name?" he asked friendly.

"M-me? I'm Riha, Mr. Knight."

Degel smiled to her widely, tore off a piece of his cape and wiped gently the blood from Riha's face.

"Why these kids did such a thing to you?"

"Because I can do something they can't."

The Aquarius frowned a little bit. He felt really strange, looking at her. The aura of this kid was strange. It was aura of someone like him. Like a Saint.

"Could you show me, please?"

Riha didn't respond. She lost trust for him.

"You can show me. I won't throw rocks at you for that. You know, I'm a person, who does things that the normal people couldn't." He increased his cosmo a little and the nearest grass turned into the ice.

She looked mesmerized at the frozen grass, and then looked at Degel. Then she stretched her arms, closed her big eyes and silenced. After a while the Aquarius could feel it, the burning cosmo inside this girl. It passed a few moments with concentration and then Riha swung a little her hands and the frozen grass turned into the icy dust.

The green-haired man smiled to her.

"Now could you please tell me about _these _people with evil aura? I wanna know about them a little."

Riha hesitated a little.

"Mr. Knight? Are you here… to help us?"

But Degel didn't manage to answer, when they heard the cold laugh coming from the depths of the forest. Almost at the same time someone attacked them. The Aquarius at the last moment caught the little girl and jumped away from an explosive fist of enemy.

Few minutes later someone came out from behind the trees. Degel recognized him. It was a Silver Saint of Athena stationed here to protect the island. Some time ago on this land were noticed the missing in people, and because the Pope couldn't get the information from _this_ Saint, the Head of the Sanctuary send here a few other Warriors. When they didn't return Degel appeared.

"Help you?" asked the Silver Saint with an irony. "Sorry, shrimp, but even the Gold Saint can't help you!"

He sent an explosive fist at them again, but Degel just stopped the impact with the amount of his cosmo, caught the little girl and took her away from the place in the front of the forest.

"Run away from here," Degel whispered to her and returned instantly to his opponent. "So… I suppose that you are the cause of the missing people and the other Saints that were sent to that island."

"So what?"

Degel chuckled.

"It saves me many problems," he answered calmly. "I don't have to search for you, traitor."

The Silver Saint laughed.

"A traitor? I don't remember when exactly I betrayed the Sanctuary. I never did anything bad," the Silver Saint murmured with an awful smile.

"Should I say it at loud? You had the order to protect this island, yet some people are missing. Then a few Saints disappeared, when they came here. And at least you attacked the Gold Saint of Athena. I think all of it is considered as a betrayal."

The Silver Saint snorted.

"It is so boring to listening to your enumeration. No one is missing. All these people are still on this island. In my castle. I didn't make them to come with me. And if you have to know, I attacked you because you entered my Kingdom!" He sent the powerful fist in the Degel's direction.

The Aquarius Saint looked at him with the pity, wondering why he was thinking that something like that could beat the Gold Saint of Athena. Again he stopped the impact with his power, but this time he had to use much more his cosmo. He felt the warning twitch of his heart. He gasped surprised, when the painful spasm caught his heart for a moment. The Silver Saint smiled, like there was something he could use against the powerful Gold Warrior.

"I pity you, Aquarius," laughed the Silver Saint, gasping his hands with the excitement. "Because you are ranked higher than me, you think I don't stand a chance against you."

His smile was awful. It was like looking at the insane human, who had lost his mind long time ago and now is living only because for his crazy ideas. His aura was similar to people who thought about themselves as the really mighty being. And people like that should be locked away from others.

"But you should to know something. Any Saint stands a chance against me, the Orion Saint, the best Hunter in the world!" He laughed loudly, looking at Degel with the insanity inside his eyes and swinging another strike. The Aquarius Saint snorted quietly under his nose, wondering if this Orion Saint knew any other attacks.

But when he raised his cosmo to bounce this hit again, the wave of impact just went through his defense, as if Degel just used a wooden shield. He jumped away quickly from it, wondering why this time he couldn't do anything against it. He heard loud smirk coming from the Silver Saint.

"You can't escape forever, Aquarius Saint," the enemy chuckled evilly in the front of Degel, sending the rain of his strange hits.

The green-haired man sighed deeply. This game was starting to bore him. That weak Saint has no chance against him in the real fight; his fists were nothing more like the bug's bites. He took a stance to send his Aurora Execution, raising his hands above his head, and wondering if it will be good if he would kill this Saint without asking anything about his motives.

The Orion Saint laughed.

"You are quite open, Aquarius!"

It was fast. Really fast. Degel couldn't even follow this strike with his sharp eyes of the Gold Saint. He felt only a wave of hot air that crossed his body without damaging him.

"Now, you are dead man, Aquarius," announced the traitor.

Degel didn't even answered, feeling that it would be beneath his dignity to react on something like that. He raised his cosmo, ready to end this circus.

"Aurora…!" he started loudly, being sure that he even didn't have to use all his cosmo.

But before he finished his incantation, the really powerful spasm caught his heart, immobilizing him. After a while he kneeled down with the loud moan of the pain. The Silver Saint laughed.

"I bet, you don't know what happened to you right now,' he said, still laughing. "It is because you underestimated me, Gold Saint. Like I said, I'm hunter. I'm searching with my abilities for a weakness of my preys then I'm worsening it. Since your heart is not healthy it was easy to bring you to your knees."

The Aquarius Degel almost couldn't hear him, trying to not fall without senses of the pain he was feeling right now. His heart was tearing apart by some force; he could feel that his wound appeared again, the wound that should be healed. The warm blood came out from his mouth, filling his lungs, making it difficult to breath.

"Shit…" he murmured under his nose, looking at the red fluid dropping at the ground. It shouldn't end like that. After all he was the Gold Saint of Athena, then how he could be defeated by a mere Silver Saint? What was wrong with him? He couldn't avoid the last blow, he couldn't do anything! It was shameful for the Athena's Knight!

He looked at his chest, where the blood started to flow out from behind his armor. He could feel the life flowing out of his body. He could see… a thin string coming from his body and heading to the traitor's hand. So it was _this_ that was causing him so much pain? If he could only tear it of his body…

"So… I think it is time to say goodbye, Gold Saint of Aquarius… I would like you to come with me to my castle, but I'm sure that you will be problematic..."

Degel felt another spasm that grasped his heart, and he knew that it was the end for him. Such a pitiful way to die… And Kardia would be left without any help for his heart…

He sighed long, imagining the face of his wild friend…

Then the string was cut with high sound. Aquarius Degel saw the shadow in the front of him. He looked up at the person who was separating him from the Orion Saint.

The waving, white cape, shining Cloth and the long, blue and wild curls.

Scorpio Kardia.


End file.

Saint Seiya, Romance