Echoes of Humanity
folder
+S to Z › Saint Seiya
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
21
Views:
4,524
Reviews:
14
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
+S to Z › Saint Seiya
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
21
Views:
4,524
Reviews:
14
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I do not own Saint Seiya, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Prologue
Disclaimer: St. Seiya is copyright Kurumada Masami and Toei. No infringement or disrespect is intended by this non-profit work of fan fiction. This is a work of noncommercial amateur fan fiction; it is not published for profit or material gain. The author and the posters have no intent to infringe any intellectual property rights held by the owners of existing copyrights in Saint Seiya or its derivative works. The author retains copyright to this work.
Prologue:
‘No god could ever purport to understand the strength of the human spirit, and it would be foolish of them to try.’
Mu pondered on those words, and tried to remember who had said them to him, as he watched the five boys that were fighting for their lives. They hovered in the balance on narrow hospital beds, warring against a crushing force. Around them, machines murmured and buzzed, trying desperately to tilt the odds in life’s favor.
It was not an easy battle, but even as Death attempted to record the names of Athena’s saints in his ever-growing book, the young men fought against him, bodies completely still as their cosmos writhed and refused to be extinguished. They had fought a war for their goddess and won, and yet the battle was far from over. Now, the five boys struggled for the simple right of a continued existence; a battle of wills against the strongest force of nature.
The Aries Saint closed his eyes briefly, blocking out the sterile images the hospital presented – and to the heartbreaking testament to humanity it contained. As the ache filtering through his shields intensified, Mu turned, seeking the owner of the sixth Cosmos filling the room. Strong and overpowering, it nearly drowned the others with its strength, and seemed to flicker painfully each time one of the Bronze Saints weakened.
Saori sat in the middle of the room, staring with unseeing and anguish-filled eyes at the beds. The young woman was no longer filling the role of her destiny. Instead, she was once again the mere child of this incarnation; a child faced with the incredible burden of an inescapable destiny. Slowly, even uncomfortably, Mu tried to lend support and comfort to the girl. A difficult job when he was unsuccessful in even comforting himself.
“It was their destiny, Goddess,” He murmured quietly, laying a gentle hand on Saori’s shoulder. “But even so, they gave themselves willingly.”
Saori started slightly, turning her head to look at the Aries Saint with eyes far too old for her body.
“I know they did” she replied softly, voice wavering “All my saints did. They all…offered themselves…so that my legacy could be upheld.”
Saori’s eyes darkened slightly, and in them Mu could clearly see the age and wisdom of her birthright.
“But that doesn’t make it any better, does it?” She added, a note of anger and desperation giving strength to the question. Mu dropped his gaze back to the bronze saints; to the young men each fighting a solo battle against the fatigue of their own bodies.
“No,” he conceded, violet eyes reflecting his goddess’ own regret, “But it makes it something that could not, and can not, be helped.”
Saori bit her lip, silently regarding the practical man, wondering at the thoughts in his mind, and let quiet to descend upon the room once again. Mu allowed himself to withdraw from the room mentally, the noises of the hospital fading into the background. In truth, the Aries Saint was tense, the unfamiliar environment making him feel out of place and uncomfortable. And although his duty to the Goddess far outweighed his own desires, Mu still longed for the tranquility of his home. He could serve no more purpose here, his own abilities as a healer beaten down by the severity of the harm done to the bronze saints.
After several minutes of introspection, Saori opened her eyes to look at the pink-haired man again. The Aries Saint was standing rigidly, one fist clenched tightly at his side. The stance was completely uncharacteristic of all she had learned of the gentle Saint over these past few days. Carefully, Saori laid a hand over Mu’s, still resting on her shoulder.
“You may leave, Aries. I am safe, and there is nothing more you can hope to accomplish here.”
Mu looked away, ashamed he could appear so transparent in front of Saori; that his goddess could sense his discomfort, even through her own distress. Still, the suggestion had come from his goddess and was as much an order as anything. With a grateful nod and bow, he turned to go. A few steps away, however, he hesitated, looking back towards Saori.
“Should I look in at Sanctuary?” He asked, the question growing from the force of the turbulent cosmos that pressed relentlessly against his own shields.
Saori nodded absently, eyes already back on her protectors as one of the machines made a noise different from the others, a sound that could easily indicate that one of the boys had lost their battle.
“Perhaps you should. I’m afraid I’ve been ignoring my elder saints, and that is not something which they deserve.”
Mu bowed again, although he was aware that the Goddess was no longer watching him, and carefully exited the room, searching for an inconspicuous place from which to teleport back to his temple.
Prologue:
‘No god could ever purport to understand the strength of the human spirit, and it would be foolish of them to try.’
Mu pondered on those words, and tried to remember who had said them to him, as he watched the five boys that were fighting for their lives. They hovered in the balance on narrow hospital beds, warring against a crushing force. Around them, machines murmured and buzzed, trying desperately to tilt the odds in life’s favor.
It was not an easy battle, but even as Death attempted to record the names of Athena’s saints in his ever-growing book, the young men fought against him, bodies completely still as their cosmos writhed and refused to be extinguished. They had fought a war for their goddess and won, and yet the battle was far from over. Now, the five boys struggled for the simple right of a continued existence; a battle of wills against the strongest force of nature.
The Aries Saint closed his eyes briefly, blocking out the sterile images the hospital presented – and to the heartbreaking testament to humanity it contained. As the ache filtering through his shields intensified, Mu turned, seeking the owner of the sixth Cosmos filling the room. Strong and overpowering, it nearly drowned the others with its strength, and seemed to flicker painfully each time one of the Bronze Saints weakened.
Saori sat in the middle of the room, staring with unseeing and anguish-filled eyes at the beds. The young woman was no longer filling the role of her destiny. Instead, she was once again the mere child of this incarnation; a child faced with the incredible burden of an inescapable destiny. Slowly, even uncomfortably, Mu tried to lend support and comfort to the girl. A difficult job when he was unsuccessful in even comforting himself.
“It was their destiny, Goddess,” He murmured quietly, laying a gentle hand on Saori’s shoulder. “But even so, they gave themselves willingly.”
Saori started slightly, turning her head to look at the Aries Saint with eyes far too old for her body.
“I know they did” she replied softly, voice wavering “All my saints did. They all…offered themselves…so that my legacy could be upheld.”
Saori’s eyes darkened slightly, and in them Mu could clearly see the age and wisdom of her birthright.
“But that doesn’t make it any better, does it?” She added, a note of anger and desperation giving strength to the question. Mu dropped his gaze back to the bronze saints; to the young men each fighting a solo battle against the fatigue of their own bodies.
“No,” he conceded, violet eyes reflecting his goddess’ own regret, “But it makes it something that could not, and can not, be helped.”
Saori bit her lip, silently regarding the practical man, wondering at the thoughts in his mind, and let quiet to descend upon the room once again. Mu allowed himself to withdraw from the room mentally, the noises of the hospital fading into the background. In truth, the Aries Saint was tense, the unfamiliar environment making him feel out of place and uncomfortable. And although his duty to the Goddess far outweighed his own desires, Mu still longed for the tranquility of his home. He could serve no more purpose here, his own abilities as a healer beaten down by the severity of the harm done to the bronze saints.
After several minutes of introspection, Saori opened her eyes to look at the pink-haired man again. The Aries Saint was standing rigidly, one fist clenched tightly at his side. The stance was completely uncharacteristic of all she had learned of the gentle Saint over these past few days. Carefully, Saori laid a hand over Mu’s, still resting on her shoulder.
“You may leave, Aries. I am safe, and there is nothing more you can hope to accomplish here.”
Mu looked away, ashamed he could appear so transparent in front of Saori; that his goddess could sense his discomfort, even through her own distress. Still, the suggestion had come from his goddess and was as much an order as anything. With a grateful nod and bow, he turned to go. A few steps away, however, he hesitated, looking back towards Saori.
“Should I look in at Sanctuary?” He asked, the question growing from the force of the turbulent cosmos that pressed relentlessly against his own shields.
Saori nodded absently, eyes already back on her protectors as one of the machines made a noise different from the others, a sound that could easily indicate that one of the boys had lost their battle.
“Perhaps you should. I’m afraid I’ve been ignoring my elder saints, and that is not something which they deserve.”
Mu bowed again, although he was aware that the Goddess was no longer watching him, and carefully exited the room, searching for an inconspicuous place from which to teleport back to his temple.