Before Saga could even finish speaking, his towering frame lurched violently. The cracks running through his Surplice expanded and spread in an instant. A deep, death-saturated dark energy began draining from his body like a receding tide.
His formidable Cosmo flickered like a candle in the wind, dimming rapidly until it nearly guttered out entirely.
"Gah..." Saga clutched his chest in agony and dropped to one knee. Fragments of his Surplice showered down around him as the false life within him began to slip away.
He raised his head. Behind the mask, his gaze held a complex tangle of defiance and faint relief as he looked toward Axis. "Hades... already knows... Damn it... Grand Master Shion's... plan... has been exposed..." His voice had grown impossibly weak. Every breath seemed to cost him the last of his strength.
Almost simultaneously, Camus and Shura, still buried beneath the rubble, underwent the same horrific transformation. What remained of their life force seemed to be seized by an invisible hand and ripped away at terrifying speed.
Their Surplices disintegrated completely, revealing pale, wound-covered bodies. The shadow of death descended over them with unmistakable clarity. The false lives that Hades had granted were being mercilessly reclaimed now that their mission had failed and their secret had been laid bare.
"Saga! Camus! Shura!" Aiolia cried out, his voice breaking, his eyes filled with grief and disbelief. He understood what this meant. These three, once comrades and later branded as traitors, were about to face true death once more.
The four Bronze Saints stood frozen in shock. Seiya clenched his fists. "How can this be happening? They..."
Just as the consciousness of the three former Gold Saints was about to sink into total darkness, just as the flame of their lives was about to be extinguished for good, Axis moved.
He crossed the distance in a single step, his figure appearing between the three of them as if he had teleported. He turned both palms upward.
A vast, pure, vitality-laden emerald energy, the Ki of Life, surged from his palms like a gentle spring, rapidly enveloping Saga, Camus, and Shura.
If it were not for the sake of building goodwill with Athena, he would never have wasted his Ki reserves on these three. As things stood, his divine power was already in a constant state of upheaval.
Having drawn on even a small measure of the Ki, he could feel the turbulence intensify slightly.
However, within Athena's barrier, the upheaval in his divine power seemed to have calmed somewhat. That, at least, was something.
A deep hum resonated through the chamber.
The emerald glow of life seeped gently into the bodies of the three fallen Saints, acting like the most potent stimulant imaginable, forcibly sealing the gaps through which their lives were hemorrhaging.
The death-curse energy belonging to Hades collided violently with the Ki of Life that Axis had infused, the two forces grinding against each other. But the Ki clung on like resilient vines, wrapping tightly around the guttering soul-flames of all three.
The violent convulsions wracking their bodies ceased almost instantly. Their ragged, desperate breathing steadied. The ashen pallor of death that had crept across their faces was replaced by a faint trace of vitality.
Though they remained critically wounded and dangerously weak, the lethal sensation of their lives being drained away had vanished. Their lives had been forcibly sustained, kept hanging by a thread.
But it was only a thread. Axis had not truly resurrected them. That was not something a small measure of the Ki of Life could accomplish.
"What?!" Aiolia and the four Bronze Saints were stunned once again.
This mysterious man not only knew the innermost secrets of the Sanctuary but could actually resist the death curse of Hades himself, pulling Saga and the others back from the very brink? It defied all reason.
"Hmph. Useless Hades. Even the lives he grants are that stingy and hollow," Ultraman muttered, arms folded, lip curled in disdain. He quietly added a bit of flattery for good measure: "The boss is far superior. He can reverse Hades' false hold over life and death."
It was soulless, yet, it was better than nothing. Following this new master was turning out to have its perks. Perhaps this arrangement was not such a bad deal after all.
Axis withdrew his hands and let the glow of the Ki fade. He turned his gaze toward Aiolia, whose face was a mixture of shock and wariness, and then toward Seiya and the others, who looked equally uncertain. His tone was calm but carried an authority that brooked no argument.
"You saw what just happened. If I harbored ill intent, I could have simply stood by and watched them perish, or ordered my subordinate to crush every one of you. But I did not. I have come to form an alliance with Athena. So take me to see her. Now."
Axis gestured toward Saga and the other two, whose auras were feeble but at least stable. "I have bought them time, but this is only a stopgap measure. Hades' curse runs deep. Only a truly divine power over life and death can uproot it completely. And in this entire Sanctuary, the only one capable of that is your goddess, Athena."
"I am sorry, but even I cannot accomplish that, god from another world. The cycle of life and death is not mine to govern." A gentle female voice suddenly reached everyone's ears. It belonged to Saori Kido, speaking from within the goddess's palace. Or rather, it belonged to Athena herself.
"Lady Athena, is that you? What are your orders?" Aiolia immediately dropped to one knee.
"You have done well, Aiolia. Bring them to my palace," Athena said.
At this critical juncture of the Holy War, the sudden appearance of a god from another universe, one who had not even awakened a Divine Cosmo, struck her as deeply strange.
Was Divine Cosmo not something a god possessed from the very moment of their birth? Athena resolved to meet this mysterious deity in person and find out what he truly wanted.
"But Lady Athena, I still need to guard the Leo Temple. Perhaps Seiya and the others could escort them to you instead?" Aiolia said.
Under normal circumstances he would have been more than happy to carry out his goddess's command, but the Specters were actively attacking the Twelve Zodiac Temples. As the Gold Saint of Leo, he could not simply abandon his post.
"Aiolia, you take these three up to her. We will stay here and hold the line. We will not let a single enemy pass through the Leo Temple." The four Bronze Saints spoke up together.
"What nonsense are you talking? You are only Bronze Saints. Defending the Twelve Temples is the responsibility of the Gold Saints," Aiolia said.
"It is fine. I will leave Ultraman here," Axis said with a faint smile. "With him around, no one will get through this place. Unless Hades feels like making the trip in person."
"Very well then. Aiolia, entrust the Leo Temple to this Ultraman for now. Shiryu, Seiya, Hyoga, Shun, the four of you stay here and assist him. Aiolia, bring them to my palace, and bring Saga, Camus, and Shura as well," Athena instructed.
This unknown deity carried the power of life within him, making him the polar opposite of Hades. An alliance between those two was simply inconceivable. This stranger was her natural ally.
As for his purpose in coming here, Athena could hazard a guess. The title of Goddess of Wisdom was not merely decorative. His only possible objective was the awakening of a Divine Cosmo.
That was something she could indeed help with. If this unknown god managed to awaken his own Divine Cosmo, it would be imbued with life energy, and saving those three would cease to be a problem.
"Yes, Lady Athena." The command of the goddess was absolute for a Gold Saint. The task of guarding the Leo Temple was handed over to Ultraman, though in truth, the real handoff was to the four Bronze Saints. Aiolia placed far more trust in them.
"Shiryu, Seiya, Hyoga, Shun. The Leo Temple is in your hands. No matter who comes, do not let them pass. I will complete my task and return as quickly as I can."
"Do not worry, Sir Aiolia. We will protect the Leo Temple. And Ultraman will be helping too."
Ultraman, standing nearby, merely gave a cold snort. He did not care how many small fry showed up. He was the strongest.
Axis, Grael, and Aiolia then set off toward the goddess's palace, carrying the three Gold Saints who clung to life by the barest of threads.
In the sixth temple, the Virgo Temple, Shaka sat with his eyes firmly shut. He offered a silent nod to the group and cleared the way without a word.
By the time they reached the seventh temple, the Libra Temple, two old friends who had not seen each other in many years had already begun their confrontation.
However, Shion had collapsed without warning for reasons unknown, leaving Dohko somewhat at a loss. It was only when Athena's voice rang out across the entire Sanctuary that he understood what had happened.
He had been using his own immense Cosmo to forcibly sustain his old friend's life. When he saw Axis and the others arrive, relief washed over his face.
Axis resigned himself to drawing on the Ki of Life once more, forcibly sustaining the similarly dying Shion, whose false life had likewise been reclaimed. Dohko, restored to his youthful form, watched Axis with a complicated expression.
"Unknown god... thank you for your help. Shion, he... may I ask this of you?" Dohko looked at his old friend's feeble but stable aura. Gratitude flickered in his eyes, though it was outweighed by worry. They knew about the Goddess's Divine Cloth now, and that meant the Specters knew as well.
The situation had become truly troublesome. Would this war prove as harrowing as the one two hundred and forty-three years ago?
"No need to thank me. It is merely a transaction," Axis said with a dismissive wave. He could feel that within the Sanctuary's barrier, his divine power had calmed somewhat, but each time he exerted his strength, the turbulent tendency intensified by a fraction. He needed to see Athena as soon as possible.
"Sir Dohko, I leave the Libra Temple in your hands," Aiolia said.
Dohko nodded. His gaze swept over Aiolia and the four critically wounded former Gold Saints being carried along by Axis's group: Saga, Camus, Shura, and Shion. His voice was grave. "Athena's safety is in your hands, Aiolia."
"You can count on me, Master Dohko!" Aiolia replied solemnly, then turned to Axis. "Let us go."
"Sir Dohko, there is one thing I would like to ask you, if I may." Axis, who had been about to leave, suddenly stopped and turned back toward Dohko.
The others halted as well, unsure of what Axis was after.
"Please, go ahead, divine one. As long as it does not involve the core secrets of the Sanctuary, I will tell you what I can." Dohko showed a measure of respect toward Axis.
After all, here was a god who had not launched an attack on Athena or tried to abduct their goddess. Of course, if the stranger ever set his sights on dominion over the earth, that would be a different matter entirely.
"I would like to ask about the Holy War from two hundred and forty-three years ago. In the previous Holy War, who was the Gold Saint of Pisces?" Axis asked.
He had originally considered asking about the previous Pegasus Saint instead, but he abandoned the idea. In both the original series continuity and The Lost Canvas, the Pegasus Saint was always named Tenma, and Athena's incarnation and Hades' incarnation were always called Sasha and Alone, respectively.
To determine whether this world followed the continuity of the original series or served as an extension of The Lost Canvas, he only needed to learn the name of any one Gold Saint from the previous era.
This had significant implications for Axis's plans going forward. It would determine his entire next course of action.
As for why he chose to ask about Pisces specifically, it was because Albafica had left an extraordinarily deep impression on him.
The others were all somewhat puzzled, unable to fathom why this unknown deity would care about the identity of the previous generation's Pisces Gold Saint.
"That question I can answer. The previous Pisces Gold Saint was named Albafica. Is there anything else you wish to ask, divine one?"
"Thank you for answering. I have no further questions, Gold Saint of Libra." Axis nodded upon hearing the name.
So this world was an extension of The Lost Canvas, the prequel continuity of the Hades arc. At the end of The Lost Canvas, Shion had bid farewell to all the Saints of the previous generation before departing for the Sanctuary.
The Saint Seiya universe actually contained multiple parallel worlds. In the future Omega storyline, the God of Time, Saturn, had once stated as much.
In every universe, the fates of Athena and her Saints differed, yet they all ultimately converged on the same outcome: destruction at the hands of Apsu, the God of Darkness.
Every universe would fall back under the dominion of the God of Darkness, and then a new cycle would begin.
The sole exception was the Omega world, where Apsu had somehow been defeated. That anomaly was what had piqued Saturn's curiosity and prompted his descent.
Saturn, the God of Time, was an existence on an entirely transcendent level, his power firmly in the multiversal tier.
Whether this universe would eventually extend into the Omega timeline remained unknown. If it could not, then Athena's fate was already sealed: destruction at the hands of Apsu, the God of Darkness.
"Then let us continue."
The group swiftly departed the Libra Temple and hurried along the stone steps toward the next temple, Scorpio. There, the Gold Saint Milo respectfully allowed them to pass.
The ninth temple, Sagittarius, stood without a Gold Saint to guard it, and the group passed through quickly. The tenth temple, Capricorn. The eleventh, Aquarius. The twelfth, Pisces. And then the Pope's Chamber.
They pressed onward without pause until they finally arrived at Athena's palace. Athena was already waiting for them. Within the vast palace, aside from the goddess herself, there was only one other figure: a man in blue armor kneeling on the floor. It was Kanon of Gemini, the one reverently known as the Second.
"At last we meet, Goddess Athena." Axis let out a breath of relief at the sight of the goddess before him. Now came the task of persuading Athena to help him.
Meeting the goddess for the first time in her youthful incarnation stirred something in Axis. Who had not dreamed of Naruto and Saint Seiya as a boy?
The goddess's appearance seemed to blend Eastern and Western beauty in equal measure. Violet hair, a graceful figure, and an aura of sacred purity radiating from every part of her being.
Axis could also sense that this Athena was formidable. At the very least, she was no weaker than the Aeldari goddess Isha, and that was after he had personally empowered Isha.
Her body was also peculiar. Like Hades, she existed in a reincarnated form, yet Athena's body was a genuine divine vessel.
That made sense upon reflection. Hades seized a human body by force, whereas Athena transformed herself into an infant to descend into the mortal world.
"The rest of you, please wait outside. Come with me, Lord Axis. I would like to speak with you privately," Athena said to the assembled group.
She was deeply curious about this unknown god.
"But Lady Athena, at least allow me to remain as your guard. Please let me protect you," Aiolia said.
Leaving his goddess alone with a strange deity did not sit well with him at all.
"I appreciate your concern, Aiolia, but I trust that this gentleman will not harm me," Saori Kido said with a gentle smile.
Aiolia acknowledged her words with a nod, then withdrew respectfully alongside Grael. Kanon, who had been kneeling nearby, also bowed to the goddess and took his leave.
He intended to head for the Twelve Zodiac Temples to intercept the incoming Specter forces. Whether the Gemini Gold Cloth would still accept him remained to be seen.
The vast palace now held only two figures: Athena and Axis. They studied each other in silence.
Upon seeing Axis, Athena felt a jolt of surprise. This being's power was not far behind that of her own father. He might even surpass Apollo, the Sun God who currently served as the acting administrator of the Heavens.
And yet, strangely, a god of such overwhelming power had not awakened a Cosmo of his own.
"Greetings, sir. I do not yet know your name. My name is Saori Kido. My divine name is Athena. You may call me whichever you prefer." Athena approached Axis and offered a polite bow.
"My name is Axis." This time, he saw no reason to use an alias. He gave her his true name.
"Then, Lord Axis, you have come to me because you wish for my help in awakening your Divine Cosmo. Is that correct?" Athena asked.
"Yes. I will be direct," Axis said. "I am not a god of your world. I come from another reality. After arriving here, I discovered that my divine power feels as though it is on the verge of detonating.
"I have been suppressing it with another force within me, but upon entering your palace, I noticed the upheaval has diminished considerably. That is why I wish to learn to wield a Divine Cosmo."
Helping a god awaken a Divine Cosmo was something she had never attempted before.
...
..
.
I've picked up a new book, Warhammer: Blade of the Imperium, please be sure to check it out! it's a more gritty warhammer work about an transmigrator who became an Astarte and the changes he brought to the imperium! I love and I'm absolutely sure you will as well.