A small, select group of people, consisting of mostly Silver and Bronze Saints, were sent to investigate suspicious Specter activities surrounding a small village, as people have been disappearing, especially during nightfall, without a trace. Recently, acquiring their own Cloth, the sworn sisters Lionet Kanako and Wolf Noburu, who work very well together, were tasked with assisting and supporting Cerberus Saint.
Being a female Saint was difficult, as they often got verbal insults and were spoken foully by some of their brothers in Sanctuary. Many often lamented how women were best suited and fitted to be in the home and even in the bedroom, instead of on the battlefield. Yet, thankfully, Cerberus Saint wasn't like any of those ignoramuses. Instead, he was a respectful, kind leader who saw both the Lionet and Wolf as fellow Saints of Athena, warriors who were capable of standing and fighting on their own. And believed they were well deserving of their own cloth they had obtained.
And when the kind-hearted man was mortally wounded, it even shook the cold-hearted Lioness's heart. "Brother Cerberus!" Lionet spoke without a thought, as she reached to the man's side who only foolishly smiled at her.
"Ha! It's kind of you to finally call me that…now." None of them expected the village to be plagued by several Specters at once. If they had only known, they would have instead sent Gold Saints to deal with them.
One Saints down and a rookie Bronze Saint is left to face several Specters on her own. She knew she was way out of her league and that it would be suicide. Without hesitation, she threw a smoke bomb to blind her enemies as she grabbed the wounded Silver Saints and escaped.
After finding a secluded and safe spot, she laid her leader against the tree. And in the corner of her mind, she knew their enemies would be able to hunt and find them in a matter of minutes. Shaking her head. Turning her focus to check on Cerberus, the Lioness bit her lips. Even without using her Cosmo to check on his injuries, it was visibly clear that he was badly injured.
"Lione-" And before he could speak another word.
"Sir Cerberus…" Returning to formally speaking to him. "I will do my best to lure the Specters away from you. Wolf Noburu will find you in a day or two."
"No…" His feeble voice caught her attention before he weakly grabbed her hand. "Listen to me, stubborn Lionet. Understand that your death will only and truly spell my defeat. So kindly listen to me for one last time…" He paused before continuing. "You and I know that I'm dying very soon.."
And Kanako didn't deny it, as she hung her head and bit her quivered lips to stop the tears from falling.
"Do not let my death trample your spirit. It is my duty as a Silver Saint and a brother to protect all, even you, Lionet Kanako. The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him." He expressed a quote to her. "You are the new generation who will continue to grow and become a true Saint of Athena. I'm sure of it. I believe in each and every one of you…"
"…Sir Cerberus…" The Lioness wishes she could take his place, as he was too good of a man – no, a person – to be taken away so soon.
"P-Please tell the Master that I'm sorry that I have failed…"
"Sir Cerberus, what do you mean?" The Lioness gently shook his body and froze, noticing the light and life in his eyes had disappeared. The woman who had always carried a stone-cold emotion began to weep for him. Gently, the raven brushed his eyelids closed with her fingertips to let him rest. And soon, her sadness began to dwell with frustration and anger, furious at herself for not being strong enough to aid him in his time of need. She became infuriated at the senseless war that then brought nothing but death and destruction, and good people like him were dying more every day.
Then, her shoulders slumped with defeat as she felt like fate was having a good time tearing her spirit down. When she hears heavy footsteps and sensed dark energy in the air approaching her, she knew death's door was upon her.
"We found you. And it looks like your 'brother' is dead after a long, sad struggle. Tsk! Tsk! Tsk!" The Specter's tone changes from serious to humorous as they poke at her in a joking manner.
Quick to glare back at her enemies with all the burning anger and hatred boiling inside of her.
"Oh look! The little kitten looks so furious with us. I'm so scared…" They provoke her even more as they laugh at her threatening glares. "Let's kill her after we've had our fill…"
"And hang them by their necks and show Athena how pathetic her Saints are…"
And her fear was mounting, causing her to tremble with anxiety. Yet, she kept her composure and refused to let them continue to belittle the late Cerberus any longer. A passing thought crossed her mind when she thought of her sworn sister, who she might leave behind.
"If I'm going out, I better go out with a bang…"
Putting her hand in front of herself and clasping it, she mumbles, "That sounds like a worldly advice…" And pulling and exhausting all the Cosmo she could conjure, she focused it into one powerful attack. "LIONET BOMBER!" Altering her attack to a long-range one, she launched a powerful fireball at her enemies in hopes of inflicting them with a searing burst of heat. Quick to feel the impact and consequences of her actions, darkness began to blind her as her last thoughts lingered on her sworn sisters, Noburu, and Chidori.
[ starter for @arcgeminga ]