When I met Seiya for the first time, I still didn't awaken my consciousness as Athena and was introduced as the granddaughter of Kido Mitsumasa. Seiya and his various brothers were all gathered within the Kido Manor and started their horrible training, being tortured by Tatsumi, our butler. At first, I didn't know about the training, only that my grandfather adopted many boys to live with us in the manor. But when I watched Tatsumi beating up a boy in the gardens, I couldn't help but stop him quickly before he could beat him to death.

The boy that day was Seiya.

With the help of my maid, I nursed him back to health and asked him why Tatsumi beat him so harshly. Seiya told me about how he and the other boys were brought to the Kido Manor for untold reasons and ever since then he had to train day in and day out. I felt horrible about what he and the other boys had to go through and confronted my grandfather about why he tortured them. At first he refused to tell me anything and when I still demanded answers, he had me locked in my room to calm down.

I was sitting in my room and stitched a handkerchief, when Seiya somehow managed to snuck past Tatsumi and reached my room. When he heard no response from me, he kind of knew that I was in trouble and went through lengths to look for me. It was a kind gesture from him and I felt moved about his worry for me, when he was the one tortured by my butler. I told him about my confrontation with my grandfather and how I failed to help him and the other boys. But Seiya felt relieved to know that someone was willing to help them, and he told me that he would believe in my sincere heart.

For maybe a year or so, I would always try to get answers from my grandfather, hoping to free the boys but everytime I would ask, he would place me in my room to calm down. And everytime that happened, Seiya would visit me in my room and we would console each other.

Then came the day that changed everything.

My grandfather said that it was time for the boys to pursue their paths as saints and sent them away all over the globe to places in which only saint apprentices would be allowed. I tried so hard to stop it but my grandfather locked me back up in my room and I couldn't help but cry in helplessness.

I couldn't do anything for Seiya.

The night before the first group of boys was to leave the Kido Mansion, Seiya once again managed to snuck into my room and saw me crying on my bed "Hey, what happened?" He asked in worry and sat next to me.

Sniffing, I answered "I'm so sorry. In the end, I couldn't do anything for you all. And now you... *sob*"

"Eh? Do you feel bad for me?" He placed his hand on my shoulder and gave me a reassuring smile "I am to leave for Sanctuary tomorrow. It can't be much worse than the beating I receive from Tatsumi here!" He tried to cheer me up and patted my back until I finally stopped crying.

Reluctantly, I pulled out a handkerchief I had been working on ever since I met Seiya "I haven't been much help up until now. You don't have to use it but I... I will pray for your success. And by the time you return as a saint, I will have enough power to help you, no matter how. So... when you take the handkerchief with you and look at it... know that I am here, waiting for your return."

"You did it for me?" Seiya accepted the handkerchief and tied it around his wrist "I will honour your gift!" Looking confident, Seiya took one of my hands in his and requested "But while I am not here, I hope that you can protect my big sister for me. Can you do that?"

I nodded my head with confidence "I will protect her, so you can concentrate on what you need to do."

He held out his little finger and I intertwined it with my own "This is a promise!"

"Yes!"

It was that promise that encouraged me to work hard, not only as the heir of the Grand Foundation but also as the reincarnation of Athena. Like I promised, I protected Seika and made sure that she and Seiya had a home to return to. Before my grandfather died, he finally told me of his meeting with Aiolos in Greece and why he was so determined in raising his various sons as saints. The grief I felt after the revelation was so big, I didn't dare show my face to Seika who was wondering about my well-being after my grandfather's death.

Seiya's suffering, the suffering of all his siblings, it was all my fault...

Six years went by in the blink of an eye and before I knew it, Seiya returned with the Pegasus Cloth, finally reunited with his big sister I protected for him.

He had no reason to stay anymore.

I knew what my grandfather, Kido Mitsumasa, expected for his boys' return but I didn't want to cause more suffering than I already did with my presence. When Seiya returned with the Pegasus Cloth in the Kido Manor, I bowed my head and explained to him why all those things happened to him and his brothers. Seiya was so shocked about all the revelations that he didn't have words at first. So, I bowed my head and gave him a sincere apology "I can't express how guilty I feel about all the things that happened to you, to your sister Seika and to your dozens of half siblings all over the globe. You don't have to forgive me. And you don't have to stay here. Wherever you wish to live, I will make sure that it can be done. Live the life you wanted with Seika..."

Finally finding his words, Seiya asked "And what about you?"

I took a deep breath and looked out the window "Sanctuary is in danger of being misled into chaos. And Sanctuary is the heart that protects Earth from being overrun by the other gods. In order to ensure world peace, I will travel to Sanctuary and see to it that justice is done. Even if it means to fight the very people that are supposed to follow me."

"You... would actually fight all on your own...? For whom?"

I turned back around to give Seiya a reassuring smile "You don't have to concern yourself with that. You are free to go with the cloth you fought so hard for. Live a happy life."

Slowly, Seiya began to shake his head "You... can't be serious... You... Athena- No!" Snapping out of his shock, Seiya called out the name that was given to me by Kido Mitsumasa, the name that made me human. But before he could have said anything else, the window behind me shattered and people dressed in black clothes appeared. Seiya reacted quickly and pulled me out of the way of the glass shards, carefully shoving me behind him. Laughter erupted and a familiar figure jumped into the room through the hole, wearing the Phoenix cloth.

"Ikki!" Me and Seiya exclaimed.

Pushing the mask from his face, Ikki chuckled "I have returned from hell." He demanded the Sagittarius Gold Cloth but I couldn't allow him to have it, since it could cause great damage in the wrong hands.

The black saints started to swarm through the mansion to look for the gold cloth and Seiya was quickly overwhelmed by Ikki and the black saints. Chaos unfolded in front of my eyes and I couldn't tolerate Seiya being put in more danger than he should. So, I picked up Nike that was always near me and unleashed my cosmos, letting Ikki know who he was messing with. In front of my gigantic cosmos, Ikki hesitated to attack me and gave me wide eyes.

"Ikki, I know that you went through hell because of me and the regret I feel for you and your siblings causes me grief. But I won't allow you to just ransack my home and my people. If you want to vent your anger, come at me!" I moved my sceptre in an attacking position "I am not called Athena Promachos just for show!"

Ikki still hesitated for a moment but seeing the determination in my eyes, he started to position himself for an attack "If you are really Athena... then my attack shouldn't be able to reach you."

I flared my cosmos, ready to block his attack with all my might. But before his fist could even reach me, Seiya was already between us and caught his fist. He didn't wear his Pegasus Cloth, probably because he didn't have time to put it on in all the chaos, which was why he had already a few wounds. Even the fist he managed to catch with his bare hand started to bleed upon impact. Surprised about his move, I could only mutter "Why?"

Slowly turning his head back to me, he said with a confident smile "Six years ago, I promised myself that I would return and protect two women that mean the world to me... And even if you aren't Athena's reincarnation, I would still fight to protect you. So, don't tell me that you will fight all alone again. Because now you have me by your side."

"Seiya... you..."

Ikki wasn't patient enough to listen to our conversation and shoved Seiya to the ground "Are you stupid? You actually turn your attention away from your opponent?"

Laughing in pain, Seiya slowly got back to his feet and declared "I will not lose with the goddess of war by my side!"

"I doubt that."

Seiya fought valiantly against Ikki and his hellish time on Death Queen Island was brought up, showing us the real pain that was in his heart. We fought hard to quench the hatred in Ikki and to get Seiya's half-brother back. But just when we thought that we won the battle, silver saints appeared and tried to assassinate me and to steal the gold cloth back. In the end, I could only use my cosmos to hide all three of us until Marin lured our attackers away.

Sitting in my garden, I looked up to the night sky that was slowly filled with smoke from my destroyed mansion "We barely survived that."

Ikki was lying next to me, unconscious because of the silver saint's attack. And Seiya was sitting by my other side, also looking up to the sky "Yes... Who would have thought that Sanctuary was already prepared to kill you?"

I sighed at the irony "Well, now I have no other option than to move forward. I should start my move soon before Sanctuary accidentally hurts other people."

"Don't tell me you are still going alone?" Seiya gave me a harsh glare, telling me not to be reckless."

I snorted at his serious look and tried to suppress my laughter "I don't think that I have the energy to get past you!" It took a few chuckles to get the laughter out of my system and I gave my knight in shining armour a warm smile "Though, as much as I am prepared to give my all to win against Sanctuary, I don't think that we will make it out unscathed against a whole army of saints."

Smirking, Seiya stood up from his spot and turned to exclaim "In that case, we will also gather an army!"

I blinked at his optimism "You don't think of..."

"Kido Mitsumasa was an asshole, at least that much is true! But he prepared a few very dependable guys for you, so you won't have to fight all alone to get back to your rightful place! Besides!" With his thumb he pointed to himself "You have the most amazing saint by your side!"

It sounded so silly coming out of him and I had to chuckle when he said it. But when I saw the handkerchief tied to his wrist, looking all worn out, I couldn't help but feel safe.

He really matured a lot...

Sighing in defeat, I accepted his outstretched hand and let him pull me back on my feet "I really don't want to drag more people into this civil war but if it means that order is being held, I will give my best to convince your brothers that we are fighting for the right cause." I turned my head and looked at Ikki's lying form, pretending to be still unconscious "Ikki, after everything, are you willing to fight alongside us?"

He opened one eye lazily and mustered us, bathed in starlight "As if I could miss out on that drama."

"Great!" Hugging my shoulder, Seiya exclaimed "Let's fight together!"

Making up our minds, I told Ikki to travel to Kanon Island and to heal his wounds. His cloth was damaged but he was sure that the cloth would be healed by the time we would challenge Sanctuary for the civil war.

We were declared dead by Sanctuary and we would have to try and hide ourselves from them until we had enough allies to bring justice. We also had the gold cloth that the silver saints didn't manage to find, because I hid it with my cosmos. With the information I got from the Grand Foundation, I located all the boys that survived their training and we convinced them to fight alongside us. On our adventure I had a talk with Dohko of Libra and with Mu of Aries, two gold saints that refused to listen to any orders from Sanctuary since Pope Shion's death. They already knew that I was the true Athena and were ready to assist me but Dohko couldn't move from Lushan because he had to watch over the sealed specters.

Me and Seiya managed to travel around the globe undetected for almost a month until they sent more silver saints and Aiolia of Leo to assassinate us.

In the end, the day of the battle was there. Standing in front of the entrance to Sanctuary, I took a deep breath and clutched Nike in my hand like it could take my fear away. Carefully, Seiya placed his palm over my hand and said "Remember, we are all fighting together. I will have your back, always."

I turned my head and saw the handkerchief on his wrist. Letting go of the tension, I gave Seiya a confident smile and replied "Let's do this!"