Saint Seiya: The Legend of Seiya

93 - A Strange God Warrior

The God Warrior had caught a spy in the vicinity of the road leading to the gateway to Asgard, who was none other than his old friend Dragon Shiryu, an Athena Saint. Hilda's accusation, therefore, was correct: the Sanctuary of Athena did indeed plan to invade Asgard and thwart the plans of its greater governess.

The two were face to face and Shiryu was sure that the altered voice she heard under the mask was undoubtedly Hyoga's, as well as the cosmos she felt shining in front of her. It was different, but it was him, the Cygnus Saint. An inattentive observer or one who trusted his eyes too much would be easily deceived, for Hyoga was nothing like the Cygnus Saint who had once produced miracles in the name of Athena; his protection was not as pale as the Siberian snow, nor was his hair down, much less his features escaped the mask that left only his blue eyes on display. And his voice, muffled by the porcelain mask, could disguise even his Russian accent.

But almost none of those details mattered to Shiryu, blind as she was. The muffled voice did not eliminate the remnants of the timbre that she knew so well, but much more important than any other detail, Shiryu was unmistakable as Hyoga's Cosmo was still burning deep in his chest. Shiryu would be able to recognize her friends just by the frequency and sensation their cosmos made her feel. If Hyoga there wanted to hide from his former allies, maybe he was unlucky to run into the one who would recognize him even if he was unrecognizable.

"Hyoga, is that really you?" she asked, pleased. "We've been worried about you for weeks."

Hyoga let out a low laugh and Shiryu noticed that something fell in the fluffy snow they were in; the boy's voice sounded much clearer and, now, unmistakable. It was really him. He had taken off his mask.

"It's been a while, Shiryu." he said simply.

But the Dragon Saint, as well as she could recognize her friend's Cosmo, could see that there was something unique about him too: Hyoga's Cosmo carried an ethereal and ancient feeling, as if aged for a time that had certainly not passed. There was something mysterious about her friend.

"Hyoga, what happened to you?" she asked finally.

"It's been a long time since I was abandoned here." he replied, and Shiryu guessed a certain bitterness in his words.

A chill even crossed Shiryu's stomach.

"We didn't abandoned you, Hyoga. Forgive us, but... Master Mayura didn't let anyone come to look for you, trusting that you would return. Where is Jamian?"

"Jamian returned a long time ago." Hyoga said, without any trace of pain in his voice.

"Returned?" asked Shiryu. "For he never arrived at the Sanctuary."

"And now you're here." Hyoga said. "Not alone."

"Hyoga, we've lost contact with you and Jamian, as well as Seiya and the others. So we came to know what could be happening."

The God Warrior watched as Shiryu took from her robes a golden cylinder, which he immediately recognized as the Seal of Athena; she seemed to show it to demonstrate her good intentions, as it seemed to her that Hyoga had some confusion in her attitudes.

"We also came to seal the last Relic of the Sea. All the others have already been sealed by Seiya. Now there's only one left. The one from Asgard to keep Poseidon from rising."

"You won't make it to the Relic." Hyoga said, sharply.

"Do you know where it is?" Shiryu asked, interested. "Shun believes we can peacefully ask for the Relic with those ruling Asgard. I'm so glad we finally found you, Hyoga; Do you think you can help us? Perhaps talking to that one that your old master used to know."