Saint Seiya Fan Fiction ❯ Kage no Seinto (Saints of the Shadow) ❯ Spores of Death ( Chapter 4 )

Arukai had sensed two cosmo disappearing just a few minutes ago. He recognized Souki's, but the other one was unknown to him. He had not enough time to think about that, though, because he sensed that the rest of the Demoniac were approaching to his House really quick. They finally reach the House of Shadow Cancer, and waste no time in entering the House. But suddenly, Arukai appears in front of them. The Demoniac looked surprised.
-Idiots -Arukai said-. You won't make it to all the Houses.
A Demoniac approaches Arukai.
-We'll see that, Shadow Cancer! Acidic Spores!
Arukai reacted quickly enough to evade the attack.
-Soul Nova! -He exclaimed, and shot a white ray from his finger.
His attack reached the Demoniac, but it was not strong enough to injure him.
-Very, very impressive… But you're no rival for me, Bithet of Scorpio Demoniac!
The Demoniac takes off his dark tunic. He reveals his Scorpio Demoniac cloth.
-Really? We'll see.
-Comical, aren't you… Let's see how funny you are once you receive this! Acidic Spores!

Bithet launched his acidic spores again, and this time Arukai didn't react quickly enough to evade them. Some of the spores reached his cloth. He looked at Bithet with an anger expression set on his face.
-It's not going to do much anyways. You know that.
-No, I don't -Bithet said, and laughed-. Look closely.
Arukai was confused.
-Look at your cloth.
The cloth of Shadow Cancer was starting to get heavier and heavier.
-What?! How is it possible that with one hit, my cloth…?!
-... Is dying? -Bithet continued, with a smile in his face.
He laughed louder than before.
-This just a weak demonstration of the power of us gods.
-Well, you don't know the power of us humans -Arukai said-. So far, the gods have been defeated.
-They have not! I will show you how powerful you humans really are! Acidic Spores!
Arukai couldn't evade them again. His cloth turned heavier and heavier.

He could no longer wear his cloth; it was far too heavy for him. Bithet noticed this, and laughed in his face.
-Don't you ever humiliate me like this again... Now, you'll see the true power of a human!
He removes his cloth, which forms a crab-like creature. Bithet seems surprised.
-You will fight me, a god, without a cloth? You really want to die, don't you? Or are you just stupid?
-No -Arukai responded-. I just want to defeat you, thus protecting the rest of my friends, and the Pope, and Athena...
-Athena has left you -Bithet said-. Why doesn't she comes to aid you?
-Don't try to trick me!
Arukai's cosmo started glowing brighter than before, and it started to expand. He screamed as his cosmo had expanded to such degree that the whole area was white. No one could see a thing; he had blinded everyone, temporarily.
-Stream of Emptiness!
The white light starts fading away. The Demoniac were astonished when they saw Bithet lying on the ground, with holes in his cloth. He had his eyes closed, and he was not moving. His cosmo strength was very little.
-How could this happen?! -A Demoniac asked.
Nobody answered. Instead, they looked at Arukai. He was standing up; but with yellow spots in his wrists and arms. He fell to the ground, too. He's dead, apparently.
-Humans... So stupid to give their lives for just winning. Let's go, Bithet will catch up later.

Mai notices the Demoniac were coming to her House. She armed herself with courage.
-Arukai… You did even more than what you could… It's my turn now…
She starts remembering the times where she trained with her master, Midori of Shadow Virgo.
-Peaceful times… I just want to go back there, to the--
She stopped talking to herself, because she saw the Demoniac were reaching her House. She ran towards them, forgetting the fact that she was outnumbered and she would not be able to defeat them all.
-This is for what you did to Arukai! Electric Claws!
A hand grabbed hers and stopped the attack.
-Such a slow attack. Do you think that would even hurt me? Me, Adonis of Pisces Demoniac?!
He pushes her with incredible force, making her fall to the ground. 
-Now you will know what's really fast! Lethal Petals! -He exclaimed.

Adonis started to shoot petals to Mai at the speed of light. She couldn't see where these petals came from, they were far too fast for her eye to see. She got her skin cut by some of these, but she managed to escape from the attack with no major injures.
-I must be honest -Adonis said-, I thought you were going to get more injuries.
-We'll see who gets more injured now!
Her cosmo was starting to become stronger.
-Now you'll see… Electric Claws!
Adonis, however, used his petals to stop the attack and protect him. He shot the petals against her, this time injuring her even more. He  looked at Mai. She was standing up.
-No one has ever received my attack twice and stood up… What keeps her from surrendering?
-Adonis… I… I won't let you pass so easily! Lion Bite!
As Mai runs towards him, Adonis looks kind of worried.
-Her anger... She has focused all her anger on me...
He was not able to evade her attack, which destroyed parts of his cloth.
-What…?! -Adonis said. He was not injured, but his cloth was in a really bad state. 
-I… I have done it…I--
But she was not able to continue, for she was starting to become unable to move. Ice was starting to cover her limbs, until she  was trapped in an ice block. Adonis looks back and looks at the person who had done this.

-Hikari... Always getting in people's business... -Adonis said and smiled.
-I don't like girls who talk to much.
-Neither do I -a voice said.
It was Selena; she had just reached the House of Shadow Leo. She looked at the small number of Demoniac.
-Ah, I see. Shadow Gemini's technique...
-Yes we were expecting you to help them get out of there.
-Dimensional Door! -Selena exclaimed.
Suddenly, a vortex appeared in front of them, and the three trapped Demoniac started to appear from it.
-At last, for a moment I thought we were going to stay there forever.
-We've wasted a lot of time -Selena said-, thanks to you fools.
They didn't like to be insulted, but they were thankful to Selena for rescuing them.
-Next time, be more careful while dealing with Shadow Gemini -she said-. He has learned well from his master.

The ice started to break. An orange cosmo had melted the ice. Mai jumped and screamed as she ran with fury towards the Demoniac. Hikari, Selena and Adonis looked at her. 
-Wow, she's really strong -Hikari said-. No one breaks my ice so easily.
-Come on, let's not waste time here -Selena said. 
-You will not… Defeat me so easily… Lion Bite! 
Selena, Hikari and Adonis attacked back at once.
-Substance Coalition!
-Freezing Wind!
-Lethal Petals!

Mai, despite how strong she had become just in that moment, stood no chance against three Demoniac attacking her. She was left nearly dead. Selena looked at her, with repugnance, and sighed.
-Anyways, let's go.
-Wait -Adonis said.
They saw another figure going towards them, coming from the House of Shadow Gemini.
-I think that's Vlad over there.
-Yes, it's him.
Vlad meets them, with his cloth broken, and less injured.
-Good to see you again, Vlad.
-Thank you...
-Has anyone heard of Ryu Wo? -Hikari said, abruptly.
-Not a word. Do you think he was defeated by a saint?
Nobody answered. They left the House of Shadow Leo and begin running towards the House of Shadow Virgo.
-Once Alexander falls, the Shadow Saint Order will fall as well…And Athena will never know.

 

This is a work of fiction. Original story by Masami Kurumada. Copyright 1986 Saint Seiya. All rights reserved.