uccellodifuoco | 1st Rise of the Phoenix ஜ Action

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1st Rise of the Phoenix ஜ Action

[Ikki is walking through the village with relative calm, he's not pleased and it's obvious in his body language that he's stressed and annoyed. Who wouldn't be, having found himself in an unknown place, a place where he didn't intend to be?

The fact that no matter how much he expanded his Cosmos, he couldn't find his brothers' Cosmos or the Cosmos of anyone he knew didn't help in the situation. Still, he looks quite sure of where he's going, even if he's not, and only the loose-fitting white cotton pants he's wearing point out that he's new in the place.

Those particularly sensible to spiritual energy may notice his strong Cosmos -full of contained anger and hate, directed to no one but obviously there- constantly reaching out and basically checking everyone he can reach. Searching for something, or someone, that would explain him being stuck in that place. Unable to return to where he intended to go or contact his friends, so far he's not having any luck and the idea he's starting to get doesn't please him.]

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[He opens the journal and checks some pages as she talks to get a better idea of what it is. He raises an eyebrow at the voices that filter through the pages and nods at the part of the Malnosso monitoring them. It would make sense, no point in allowing the people locked to communicate without at least one way to keep an eye on them.

Iris' gets his full attention again as she mentions death not being a permanent solution.]

What do you mean with that death is not a permanent solution?

[Ikki chuckles at her question, a special significance? That's a tricky question.]

The phoenix is the same in my dimension, and so I am. [Which means that, yes, he is basically immortal as after death he revives by himself.] It's also significant to my attacks and powers, I suppose, I've never really stopped to question it. And it means that the Phoenix Cloth is mine, but besides that I don't think there's anything special on it even among the Saints.

[Other than the fact that he's the first Phoenix Saint in... What? More than two hundred of years? To the point where no one really ever expected to see the Phoenix Saint ever again.]

Death here works differently than in most worlds. If someone were to pass away, that person would eventually return in approximately a week, revived. However, as a price to pay for their return, they lose something, whether it be the loss of a sense such as sight or loss of memories.

Those who have passed away in their home world can also be brought here to Luceti alive.

[The story of the phoenix was the same in his world? How interesting, all the worlds were again connected in more ways than she had expected.]

The symbol of the phoenix is one that is well-known and respected in many cultures, and most have to do with fire and rebirth. If it is the same, perhaps what I mentioned of death may not so easily apply to you due to the powers you possess.

You also mentioned the name Athena. She is a goddess or powerful, spiritual being in your world? It is known that one deity by the same name was revered as the goddess of valor, wisdom, and war in some ancient civilizations.

[So death isn't eternal here, interesting. He wonders how that would affect him, he can revive by himself in a short time, thought the amount of time depends on the wounds and general condition of his body upon dying. Will he too lose something by reviving by himself? Will he be capable of reviving by himself at all?]

It may not apply. I suppose we won't know until I die, which I have no intention to do anyway.

[He frowns at Iris, this is starting to be more than a curiosity, not that he cares much thought.]

Athena is a Goddess, known to the world as a Greek divine being thought by now many believe that her and the rest of the Gods are just old myths and legends. She's real, the Goddess of valor, wisdom and war, but one that has reasons and helps the world progress, not the senseless war. That would be Ares' territory.

Athena became the protector of the Earth when Zeus, the leader of the Gods, left for a journal, where and why I don't know, neither I care, but it happened in the ancient times. Since then Athena has been fighting the other Gods who have tried to take control of Earth or have tried to destroy humanity. The Saints are her army for those holy wars, thought she despises seeing us die for her so she prefers to sacrifice herself if it can bring the war to a peaceful end.

What else fits with how things are in your dimension?

[She did wonder how death here would affect someone's cycle of rebirth and karma. It was strange to think that one could come back at all by what seemed to be scientific means. What other sort of technological advances have the scientists discovered?]

No, I hadn't wanted to test the theory either or any intention to test it.

[There were more names he said that were familiar or that she had heard before. Earth was definitely the planet she lived on, and the Greeks and Romans did believe in Athena, Ares, and Zeus. Different names, but still essentially the same deities.]

The belief in Athena parallels what you have said. She was believed to be the daughter of Zeus, and emerged from her father's forehead as a young woman in full, military regalia. Her brother Ares was the god of war, but was much more reckless and violent. A famous temple was built in her honor and still stands to this day, and her image is used symbolically to represent wisdom and strategic war.

Yet the similarities diverge from there, as I do not believe she has been associated with Saints or an army, although it is not uncommon to hear of myths of the gods and goddesses quarreling and initiating wars that also involved humanity.

If she has the Saints as her army, do the other Gods also have armies of their own? Does she not have any allies who are gods or goddesses?

[He starts to walk a little, stopping to see if she'll follow back to the village now that they've found the journal.]

I wouldn't say that the similarities diverge, as I said nowadays in my dimension Athena is considered just a myth. Not many believe in her existence and certainly the existence of the Saints is a well kept secret. Very few not related to us know about our existence. It could very well be simply that that's the same case in your dimension.

[He nods briefly.]

Yes they have, in fact that was the reason why Athena, who didn't wish for humans to be involved in the Holy War, was forced to create an army despite despising the idea. One of the biggest armies I've seen was Hades', he had 108 humans serving him willingly. And his army wasn't limited to that actually.

[Her last question... Ikki gives it some thought before answering.]

No. Since Zeus left her in charge of the Earth no one has raised voice in her favor, on the contrary, they remain neutral or oppose her. Well, Nike has always been on her side but that dates from before she become the protector of the world.

[She did indeed follow and walk with him back to the village since she was still unsure if he still needed any help. But she knew that, judging from his character, that he was completely capable of taking care of himself.]

Yes, you bring up a valid point, I don't know if there exists the same or similar Saints in my world. It is something that I should research when I do return. [It would already line up with her interests of religion, beliefs, and myths, being a nun from a temple and needing to study those subjects.]

If I may ask, how many Gods and Goddesses inhabit your world? Based on the myths which you are also familiar with, there is a rather large pantheon of holy or supernatural beings. This war is still continuing in your time before you were brought here?

[A war involving gods and goddesses, it was really something out of the books or texts she had read, only it was now real in another universe or world. The only parallel she could see for her own home were all the wars fought by those of opposing religions. No easy end for conflict anywhere.]

[Ikki's now heading to where he senses his Phoenix Cloth is. And more than being capable of taking care of himself it's that he's used to have to do so alone.]

Do whatever you want.

[Which means that despite the Saints being a secret he's not going to go to try to stop her from researching, neither he thinks anyone would. There's not a law to keep them being a secret, it's just that some people wouldn't accept their existence and others would try to become ones for the wrong reasons. Aside from that no one has ever had problems talking about them to others so long as they believe them.]

I will advice you to be careful thought, the areas where the Saints reside are dangerous places even for us. Many people have tried to reach them being careless and ended dying by falling from a cliff.

[Again Ikki takes a moment to answer her question before he shrugs.]

I don't know the exact number, neither I care. But since so far you're familiar with what I've talked about... The Gods and Goddesses aren't limited to the ones from the Greek myths, I know that Egyptian and Nordic deities are or were around at some point.

And yes, the war is still going on. Thought after the complete defeat of Hades the situation is at a peaceful balance of sorts, some deities have started to move already in preparation for another war.

[Even though she never heard of Saints in her world didn't mean they didn't exist. It was the same way with any sort of belief or religion.]

I will be, thank you. If I do any research, it would be through texts first before actual fieldwork. I don't often have the opportunity to leave my place of residence. [Or where she would be if she were home at the moment, and that would be in prison.]

Oh, I see, other deities from other civilizations existed too. Yes, there are myths about them as well. When you do return to your world... I pray that peace comes quickly.

[She saw that as they were walking toward the village, he was headed to one of the shops.] If you are in need of any items, you can find it in the shops. But if you do have further questions, I will do my best to answer them for you. I do thank you for sharing so much about your world with me.

[He has had his own share of experiences being unable to leave somewhere, not the prison thought, in comparison that would have been better at some times.]

Hn, then research in ancient texts, the older the better.

[After all there was a time in his world in which the Saints weren't a secret, if only because people believed in the Gods and Goddesses. It was as people abandoned those beliefs that their existence became a myth.]

To be honest I doubt the war will end soon. We might have in fact spurred it further by feeding it, two of the three great Gods have been defeated by Athena. Poseidon and Hades, our actions are now in the level of rebelliousness against the Gods, they won't let it go without punishment.

[He looks at Iris and shows a confident smirk.]

We aren't going to give up anytime soon thought.

[He nods at her last explanations.]

I'm going to retrieve my Phoenix Cloth. Since you're already interested in researching, you could accompany me and see it yourself. It would help to have a clearer idea of what you're looking for.

[Who knows, due Mitsumasa Kido many people in his world know of the existence of the cloths but many assume they are just remainders of the ancient past.]

I shall. The temple has its share of ancient texts, and I've yet to read through them all.

[The thought of it made her think of her home and the canonical texts that had been collected. It was something to look forward to at home. The library here might not be sufficient, although it wouldn't hurt to take a look later.]

I wouldn't have believed that you would give up so easily, not after progressing this far in the war. I do pray for your safety and the safety of your companions and your goddess. Perhaps peace will be achieved sooner than expected if your collective determination and will do not diminish.

[Since he had invited her to join him, she didn't turn him down. She really did enjoy their conversation, and thought him to be someone strong, confident, and honest. Those traits were also admirable.]

If I could accompany you, then I would be grateful. Each of the Saints receives their own special Cloth, and none are identical to the others?

[He also did have a good point that it would help to actually see it in person. She had been curious about it too, and followed him into the shop as he searched.]

[He nods at her words of encouragement and wish for peace in his world. Certainly their determination and will won't diminish any time soon, even after losing so many friends and brothers they will fight until they can't go on anymore or they achieve ultimate victory, for the sake of those who have been forced into those wars since the ancient times and of those alive and who know nothing of how their destinies depend on their success.]

There are 88 Cloths in total, each is unique in power and form, and only the rightful owner of it can wear it or even open the box where it's hold. There have been times, however, in which a Cloth has recognized two people as owners but not at the same time.

The Cloths are divided in three ranks, supposedly representing the power of the Saints in those ranks but that's not correct. The ranks go from Bronze as the lowest rank, Silver and Gold. All the Cloths are made to represent a constellation formed by stars in the sky, the Gold Cloths would be the first ones you could think of as they are based in the zodiac.

[It doesn't take him long to find what he's looking for, first because it stands out like a sore thumb and second because he can sense it. Soon he's moving to the outside again, briefly gesturing Iris to follow him before he stops and places on the ground a metal box as big as half of his body.]

This, is what we call a Pandora Box, inside it the Phoenix Cloth rests until it's open. This is the handle to open it, just pull it.

[However even if she tries to open it all she will be able to do is pull the handle, but the box won't open or change in any way. Still he waits to let her try if she wants, some things are better explained by showing them.]

[Ikki did mention the number 108 and now 88 this time. She knew those numbers held some significance in some religions, and it seemed almost symbolic that the armies consisted of that many warriors. The number seemed very specific. But as he explained, the Cloths were tied to constellations, and there were more than enough constellations for each Saint.]

Was there a particular method in which the Cloths were distributed, or a certain way in which you were earned or were given your Phoenix Cloth? Your power is using the Cosmos, but also related to the nature of the phoenix, I would assume, as other Cloths are related to the nature of each constellation?

[She followed him outside once he found the box. It was a lot larger than she expected, but she wasn't sure what to expect. It was a beautiful, intricately-designed box though. There again was the link to some mythology with the name of the box.]

A-all right... [He warned her before the box wouldn't open to anyone but its owner, but she did give it a try. She gently pulled the handle, and of course, it didn't budge. It almost reminded her of the red, trick locks she could make.]

That is amazing that it is aware of who its rightful owner is. Even when it was left alone here, it still would not have opened on its own or be opened otherwise.

[Ikki shrugs lightly.]

I'm not sure about how it went with the Bronze and Silver Cloths, there were several candidates and all of them were trained for several years before taking a last test from what I know. I had no competition for the Phoenix Cloth but that didn't make it any easier, this cloth has had no owner since it was created in the ancient times so many had stopped expecting anyone to be able to become the Phoenix Saint.

I don't know if there was a method to select the candidates before they started training thought. I know that for the Gold Cloths one has to be of the same sign as the relevant Cloth. For example, I as a Leo could only train to become the Leo Saint.

[He hums as he thinks about her last question.]

Every cloth is related to the nature of their constellation, yes, but I'm not sure to which extent except for the cloths of my closer companions. But the Pegasus Cloth has wings, the Andromeda one has chains and so on.

Hn, if I had been in danger or gotten into a fight the box would have opened itself and the cloth would have come to my aid. But other than that it'll remain in the box until I open it, sleeping. Cloths are alive and sentient to a certain degree, that's why they know who their owner is and can't be fooled by any disguises or illusions.

[Ikki pulls the handle, lightly, almost just caressing it. Yet the box reacts and the upper lid opens automatically, a column of fire and light raising from the interior of the box immediately. The fire raises but nothing is burnt, neither it feels hot, its roar almost sounds like a bird's cry as the flames take the shape of a phoenix raising to the sky before it turns and goes back down landing on the box, as it does so the fire begins to vanish until all there's left is the phoenix cloth which mostly seems to be a mere model, despite it giving off the impression of glowing in flames.]

And that's why I didn't open it inside.

[Not that it would have hurt anyone or burned anything, but it would have probably caused even more impression than outside.]

[If the Cloth lay waiting for an owner for that long, she could only imagine how difficult it was to obtain even without the competition from other candidates; it was like a competition between him and the Cloth itself. Plus with all that he mentioned before about the hell of training and fighting for Sainthood... but that didn't need to be said again.]

Would the Cloth have continued to sleep forever if no one was worthy of it? For this type of Cloth, it will never leave you once you've become its owner, but in turn, you cannot leave it as well? It seems that it has an extreme loyalty to you if it will protect you from harm. [It wasn't that he would leave it, but she was interested about the connection he had with the Cloth since it was very close to him and was alive.]

[When he opened the Box, Iris quickly took a step back, not expecting the column of fire. But his demeanor was completely calm and she stepped closer again. The fire wasn't any ordinary fire as it turned into a bright phoenix, and soon there appeared the Phoenix Cloth. It wasn't anything like she had seen before.]

It really does resemble a phoenix... It seems you have a close association with creatures related to royalty, as well as an affinity with fire.

[She's an intelligent woman, that much was already clear. Still Ikki finds amazing the questions she comes up with, she really wants to know and there's obvious thought behind those questions.]

Seeing that it has been asleep for thousands of years, yes, the Cloth would have continued dormant until someone whom it considered worth of it appeared. That's why no one expected me to survive or to become the Phoenix Saint even if I managed to survive.

[Her next question makes him frown thought, it's a matter he usually tends to ignore to his best abilities, specially given the fact that there's someone in the afterlife waiting for him.]

As there has never before been a Phoenix Saint it's unknown how long it will stay with its owner. Cloths normally stay with their owner as long as they live or until they give them up to someone else who is worth of them. But given the nature of this Cloth and that it has taken so long just for a man to be able to be accepted by it... As far as I know it'll stay with me forever. Specially since whenever I die I'll just resurrect after a while, with renewed strength and youth. I may as well grow up to die due old age only to resurrect days later as my young self.

[He lets her observe the armor as close as she wants, or touch it even if she wishes.]

That fire won't hurt anyone thought, at least not people who aren't my enemies. It won't feel hot even if you stand in the middle of it, probably because it's more a projection of our Cosmos than real fire, it won't have any effect to those with a Cosmos that holds no evil intentions... Or maybe it just works against those I consider my enemies.

[He has seen his companions walk through the fire as if nothing was there, but back when he fought them he was able to do so normally. He never stopped to ask them if his fire had given them extra damage or not, and wasn't really interested. As long as it worked against his enemies he would be satisfied.]

[Whatever training or torture he had to endure, the Cloth did eventually choose him as its owner. Or he had earned the right to have it. All that she had gone through her life couldn't compare to even one of the trials he had to endure. She never met anyone like him.]

If I may ask, do you know who or how these Cloths and their Boxes were created? Was it Athena or one of the other Gods who created them? If this Cloth wields such a unique power, I would hazard a guess that several before you would have tried to earn its trust.

[So his Cloth did grant him the abilities of the Phoenix, complete with fire and rebirth. What she knew of rebirth, however, was that a being was reborn based on any deeds committed in a past life and most of the time, memories of the past life would be forgotten. But Ikki's circumstances were completely unique. How interesting that in some way, he defied that one system of beliefs.]

Perhaps it will stay with you forever, if for the fact that it had waited so long for someone to awaken it. Because it is alive or sentient, it must have also wanted to find a trustworthy and dedicated companion. But I wonder, can the Cloths be destroyed in any way? I assume yours might be able to regenerate itself given its power? [Thinking of it in those terms made her a bit solemn because it would be like losing a close friend.]

[She stepped closer to the armor, looking at how elaborate and intricate the design was. But she didn't touch it out of respect for him and for the Cloth itself. Seeing it this close was already privilege enough. His explanation about the fire also caught her attention.]

The Cosmos is much more powerful than I had thought if it could also create that type of fire... There are also stories from home that do describe trials by fire in which the innocent or pure do not burn from walking through flames. It could be one way to judge someone's character or true intentions as well.

Athena ordered the creation of the Cloths to the people of the continent of Mu when during a Holy War against Poseidon Athena's warriors died due lack of protection. Athena didn't approve the use of weapons and armors, considering them symbol of the war Ares enjoyed, but she didn't want more people to die in her name so she gave in and gave the Cloths to her warriors. The Cloths are a symbol of the person being a warrior of Athena, so people called them Saints.

[He crosses his arms calmly.] I don't know how many people before me tried to get the Phoenix Cloth. The place where it was stores was a hell and by the time I went there only the worst kind of people were sent there apart from those who lived there, probably descendants of people sent there in the past. And once I completed my training I still had to fight some idiots who had stolen the Cloth and kept it as if just having it would give them any power.

[Bunch of fools, Ikki seems pleased remembering how he taught those pathetic imitations who was the boss.] Hm... I wonder if I'm really trustworthy and dedicated. Maybe it just got tired of waiting? And it will leave me the moment someone better appears.

[Shrugs, an ironic smile on his lips. His master taught him that he had to hate and feel anger at everything to be able to own the Cloth. Saori said that it was just because Ikki was Ikki that he could obtain the Cloth, that his character had nothing to do with it. Shaka had said that the Phoenix was Ikki's since always, such deep was his connection with it. And Seiya had once said that it was Ikki's tenacity and original character what draw the Cloth to him. Now he hears that the Cloth wanted a trustworthy and dedicated owner. It's ironic somehow.]

Cloths can be destroyed, hits and such crack them, and attacks powerful enough can turn them to dust. It's not a problem for mine, it regenerates just like the Phoenix it represents without needing to be repaired. Anyway it the wounds aren't too serious the Cloths can heal themselves by resting in their boxes.

[He briefly caresses the Cloth before taking off the headpiece. Holding it in his hand for a moment, throwing it briefly to the air and catching it casually, it doesn't seem any heavier than a tennis ball.]

You know, the box won't open if it's not by my hand, but don't you wonder what would happen if I were to be killed after opening it? Someone could just wait for the Cloth to be out to take it.

[He extends his hand, offering the headpiece.] Here, hold it, this is the lightest part of it. [He holds it as if it weighted very little, however in stranger hands it will feel like weighting a kilogram at least.]

Oh, she was the one who created them. It is no wonder then that they hold such power if they were created by a goddess. Yet I find her belief against weapons interesting as it aligns with her belief for defensive war. I would imagine it takes some extra skill to fight against those who do wield weapons.

Anything or anyone with that much power, there will always be a retinue following them. Whether good or bad is also another issue. Power should accompanied by justice, although we both know that that is not always the case.

[Issues of power, she's seen it before. Not to the extreme as in his case, but metaphorically, it could be seen as going to war. How many factions had her family been divided in? How many people had to be hurt or killed along the way?]

Perhaps you can think of it in a different way. Trustworthiness implies a reliance on someone no matter how dire the circumstances, and dedication implies the unwavering attitude in those same circumstances. You will then know that if you face other obstacles in the future that you have the ability to face them without fear.

[She didn't want to think the Cloth would be that fickle, but it was possible that it was. If the Cloth decided to leave him for someone else, it was the Cloth's decision, not his own. He did his part and his best and couldn't influence or control how others would react to it.]

Hm, then your Cloth and other Cloths have a similar fail-safe system that allows for healing given the correct conditions. It is really is like a living being. But that being said, with your abilities, I doubt that it would be difficult for most anyone to slay you.

[She was a little surprised at the offer to hold it, but nodded in response. Carefully she accepted the headpiece from him, feeling its weight, but she expected it from a piece of armor.]

It's beautifully made. If this piece is separate from the others, is there a way for them to be reunited on its own if need be?

She ordered their creation and blessed them, but they are human made. [Thought it depends if the people of Mu were humans, but as far as he knows they were.] There are some Cloths that have weapons, but only one of them all has weapons that really look as such. Not many people believe that a shield or a chain can be a weapon.

Justice is a bland word, anyway, there are many ways to take it. At the end "justice" just ends being a way to reason the victory of someone over another.

[Back then, when he had tried to kill his brother and the others as well as Saori, he had really believed it was a way to make justice. Even when fueled by anger and hate, he believed that by killing them all something good would came, even if it was only the eradication of the blood of that cursed man. Part of him still thinks of that, but he has come to understand that there are better ways and that despite all his hate, anger and resolution, he would never be able to hurt his brothers truly. Shun's possession by Hades proved it to him.]

I can be killed, I have been killed. But it's only a matter of time before I return. I'm not that strong anyway, there are others far stronger than me. [Despite everyone saying the opposite, he's pretty aware of everyone's level of strength. The difference between the others and him, the difference that makes him seem stronger, is that he doesn't hesitate going all out or to kill an enemy.]

Cloths are truly alive, because of that they can die. Except for mine, if a Cloth dies then the owner will have to go find the only person left in the world who can resurrect the Cloths. Normally it takes half of a person's blood to resurrect a Cloth, but in exchange the Cloth becomes stronger.

Unless it feels like it, the Cloth won't bother with calling out any separated parts, but yes it can. You could disperse all the parts of the Cloth around the whole world, if I called for it or if it decided to came in my aid on its own there's nothing that would stop the parts from reuniting.

[He eyes her for a second.] You can hold that piece, but still you should feel its weight, the rest of the Cloth and the box amount to a weight that makes it close to impossible to take it anywhere by just one person. Except for Saints, the Cloth is nothing more than a heavy armor that will crush with its weight an untrained person. And even those trained will be unable to make use of the Cloth as it will refuse to cooperate with them. I've seen cases of the Cloth abandoning its owner even in the middle of a fight, if the Cloth isn't satisfied with the person who touches it or tries to wear it, it won't be of any help. In fact it may bring someone to their demise.

[Most anything could be a weapon. She had seen them brandished, hidden, disguised as another common object, and so forth. Even one's words could be a weapon. She had witnessed it herself. The world seemed to turn upside down, inside out, or turn around just with the power of speech.]

Although I'm not familiar with very many weapons in the typical sense, in the end they are only tools. It's how you use those weapons and for what purpose that give them their power.

[There didn't seem too much room or reason to debate justice since it did have several definitions. Justice in the legal sense she came to believe much more in. Then justice in the more spiritual sense, that any one's actions would return to them in some way, positive or negative.]

You've been killed before? [It shouldn't have surprised her. She had also seen the dead come back to "life" through channeling.] You may return and you have thus far, but the experience must still be rather harrowing.

It seems the Cloths are alive, not only as sentient beings, but they seem to possess personalities or feelings, if they are free to judge, accompany, or abandon those who don them. There is something to be said in how it gains strength after its destruction and thus reconstruction. Some would believe that a second or subsequent version would be inferior to the original prototype.

[She did take another look at the headpiece again, knowing that she was holding something that was really alive. She returned it to him so all the pieces would be together, even if he did say the parts could be reunited despite distance.]

[Ikki simply nods, agreeing with her. It's like with the tails of his Cloth, he has often taken the feather parts from them and used them as throwing knives to stop an attack or catch his opponent's attention. But not many ever think of the possibility of using them for that, not even the Black Phoenix Saints despite having had their copies for longer than him.

Then again all the Black Saints ended being just pathetic excuses of wannabe-Saints. If it hadn't been because it served to his plans to be more than one he would have destroyed them as soon as he got his Cloth. At the end they were destroyed all the same, and in the process Seiya and the others become stronger and more united, enough to be able to defeat him. He would deny that the idea made him even a bit proud of them, specially Shun, thought.]

I haven't bothered to keep a count, but I can say you would need more than one hand's fingers to count them. [He shrugs at the next part.] Dying isn't as bad as people think.

[The worst part is the time in between. After his death and before his resurrection, in a space that isn't the death realm, feeling Esmeralda in the distance but unable to reach her. As if trapped in a small room before he gets pulled back to life. The only bitter comfort on it all is that he can always feel Esmeralda pushing him back to life as well, she wants him to life, unfortunately it also means she doesn't want him with her there and given the nature of his Cloth he may never get to be reunited with her.

Ikki's expression betrays none of those thoughts, but an air of distance grows around him at the subject. At least until she switches back to talk about the Cloths.]

I heard that the Cloths become stronger upon being reconstructed because they synchronize better with their current owner. Except for mine every Cloth has had several owners since they were created, at least one per Holy War, which have been repeating each century. When a new Saint is named they receive the Cloth that has fought countless of battles but that doesn't know them. As they fight together, get wounded and survive, they become closer and thus can reach the real potential of strength the Cloth has.

I don't know if it's really that the Cloth has a personality or that it's just the echo of the will of the warriors who donned it in the past. Though seeing mine it would seem the first idea is the correct one.

[He takes the piece and puts it back with the rest of the Cloth.]

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