A Bloody Rose

Deathmask Intervenes! Uncle Radamanthys to the rescue?

As Aphrodite had suspected, Cancer Deathmask stood behind him, his cosmo blazing in challenge to the young specter.

'Cancer Deathmask' Y/N thought to himself. 'If I'm not mistaken he and Pisces are good friends. I guess it's not so surprising he came to help, but still........."

"How dare you stand in the way of my vengeance! Begone from here Saint!" Y/N roared.

Deathmask took in the young specter before him. For a long time people had considered him to be the cruelest saint of their generation. His habit of murdering intruders and sealing their souls in his temple had horrified many (hey is a good deterrent). That opinion had quickly changed after Aphrodite's ghastly confession; that he had a son who he had abused and in the end murdered. Deathmask had never considered his friend to be capable of such cruelty. In response Athena had somewhat exiled him to the borders of the Sanctuary, to be their first line of defense.

Aphrodite had obeyed without hesitation, leaving the twelfth house to isolation. Few dared to go near him during his isolation. Most were due to fear of his status as Gold Saint, or his roses. The rest were due to disgust. The only ones who visited were himself, Shura, Aiolos surprisingly, and the young Andromeda bronze saint whenever he was at Sanctuary. During his visits Aphrodite had told him stories of his deceased son, when he was a newborn before the abuse had started. He had spoken about the child so many times even all grown up Deathmask recognized him.

"So you're Aphro's kid huh? Must take after your mother cause you look normal like hell."

Aphrodite glared at him a little while Y/N glared at him a lot.

"I am not his son!" Y/N spat.

Deathmask chuckled. "Hai hai. He certainly inherited your short fuse Aphro."

"Why are you here!?" Aphrodite demanded.

"Aiolia, Milo & Mu are dealing with the specters, I could sense how you seemed to be losing spectacularly and I had to come and see. Imagine my surprise to see a kid wearing a cheap imitation of your cloth ready to kill you."

"I AM NOT A KID!"

"Yeah yeah cool your diapers." Deathmask cackled. "He may be your kid but did you even try to put up a fight Aphro? You look like shit, real unbecoming of a Gold Saint."

"Like you're one to talk." Aphrodite spat back.

Deathmask shrugged as he dodged what was supposed to be a surprise attack from Y/N. "You're not exactly wrong."

"STOP MOVING!" Y/N growled. He would've shouted some more if he hadn't been sucker punched in the gut by the Cancer Saint.

"Now listen here kid." Deathmask chided. "Your dad here held way back cause he doesn't want to put a scratch on his son.."

"I AM NOT HIS SON!" Y/N roared. "GREATEST CAUTION!"

Deathmask unleash his own technique in retaliation. "SEKISHKI MEIKAI HA!"

Both techniques clashed with one another, however Deathmask quickly overpowered Y/N, forcing the specter back.

"..I however," Deathmask continued. "Have no such qualms about hitting you. I won't kill you, but I will leave you with several bruises."

"You talk big. Try backing them up." Y/N grinned as his strings raced towards the Cancer Saint. However a burst of cosmo from Deathmask pushed them back.

Y/N didn't relent however as he threw attack after attack at Deathmask, trying to get one hit in. He succeeded in getting one or two hits in but they lacked the strength to do any real damage.