Loss
Shaina had reached Sanctuary’s cemetery. The long path had nothing but scared her, for she was fearing the worst. The energy around the sacred place had been fluctuating, changing from Athena’s protective aura to one that was dangerous to an extent she could not comprehend. Yet, the woman understood as soon as she saw the graves opened from the inside. Only one in the world had such power and in that way, she let the other Saints know. What were they to do? She a Silver Saint and the others? Nothing but Bronze Saints that the truth said, had done nothing for Athena in the past?
Shaina shivered, for there was a bad omen in all that.
That morning, when they had woken up, Milo and her had talked about death. It was not a common conversation to have with the person you talk about spending your life with, yet, that had been the topic. Milo had said he was not afraid of death. That he respected death for he knew it better than anyone, especially given that he was death itself. The woman had listened carefully to each one of his words and had hugged him from behind, he still sitting at the table, while she was making breakfast. Ophiuchus trembled again. She never cooked—had that been a bad omen as well?
There had been a moment though, in which Milo had remained silent, making her uncomfortable. It had also been at that moment, that Shaina had felt more vulnerable. ‘I don’t wanna die, though…’ he had said, smiling sadly, ‘I’m scared…you know? What will happen to what I was in this life? Will you miss me? Will I be ready to let you go?’ the depth of his words had made her fear as well, for she understood them. And him.
The woman had hugged him, and kissed him deeply; while he, feeling bewitched by her had fallen to her enchantments and had responded with all his being. They had shared their time and laughed that day—until the afternoon befell and they took different paths. Shaina knew not of Milo’s whereabouts yet at that moment, when she was lost in her thoughts and trying to prevent a higher tragedy to happen, she felt him. What was he doing in Athena’s temple?
The ground under her feet had started to shake, and in a moment in which she turned to look towards the place Milo was in, she saw his cosmos shining brightly and pain pierced through her, as if she had been stung by him. The woman opened her eyes, and for a second, she intended to scream and go to see what was happening, but she could not. Her duty was first. Milo’s duty was first. And more importantly, Sanctuary was first.
The Bronze Saints faithful to Athena were already there. Just a few moments ago, she had exchanged a few words with Cygnus and Andromeda and they were already running upstairs, to the twelve Temples. Jabu was now helping her burn the opened graves and with them, the ones that were still closed.
The cosmos of the Gold Saints had been burning in the place. Even those of the ones who had been long dead had revived and were now shining next to their fellows—and against them. One by one, they had started to disappear. Deathmask and Aphrodite, then Shaka. She gasped. For Saga, Camus and Shura were now facing Aioria, Mu and Milo.
Milo—the morning they had spent was before her eyes once again. Yes, it was definitely a bad omen.
She sat near the Coliseum, for her place was not among those closest to Athena. Jabu and the others were rounding Sanctuary, making sure nothing else was to happen. She was concentrating on that which was taking place far from her. Two more cosmos were facing each other in Aries. Shaka was gone, she could assure and now the others were moving upstairs, back to Athena’s.
She followed her feet through the rocks and the sand and climbed the hills until she found herself hidden behind the columns of the last of the Temples. Shaina had walked that path many times before, never with such weight on her heart. The Amazon saw them reunited. The last six Saints, all dressed with their armours, shining gold, deep dark. Athena and Kanon with them.
The woman feared. Athena had suddenly taken the blade to her throat and seconds later, Milo was smiling towards the place she was standing as if saying goodbye.
Shaina wanted to scream, yet Milo’s name was said in her mind alone. She had meant to run to him before he disappeared, clearly following their enemy.
“No.” she finally managed to say, before falling on her knees and break into tears.
Ariadne, August 12, 2006