He reached out his hand, wanting to touch it, but as soon as he made contact with the Dark Gemini Cloth, it automatically disassembled and attached itself to Kanon piece by piece.
Everyone present could feel it—after donning the Dark Gemini Cloth, Kanon's cosmos rapidly surged, quickly reaching the Seventh Sense.
However, Shion, Alex, Aiolos, and Saga all furrowed their brows. From Kanon's cosmos, they sensed darkness, yet at the very core of this pure darkness, there was a glimmer of shining light.
"Master, what exactly is happening to Kanon's cosmos?" Saga asked anxiously. Saints have always embodied the light, yet Kanon was now exhibiting a darkness entirely out of the ordinary.
"Every Gold Saint not only represents one of the twelve zodiac signs but also embodies a special meaning. And among them, Gemini is the most unique of all."
"The most unique?"
"That's right. Do you know why every generation of Gemini Gold Saints has been twins, and why one of them always ends up betraying the Sanctuary?" Melin asked.
"We do not know." Saga's heart skipped a beat upon hearing this—he himself was the new Gemini Gold Saint.
"It is because Gemini represents the very nature of humanity: light and darkness as one. The world is never purely black or white. Even the greatest saints have their own desires, and in their hearts, there exists a shadow of darkness. No matter how much you try to suppress it, it can never be completely eradicated.
Gemini symbolizes both the light and darkness within a person. That is why Gemini Gold Saints are always twins—one represents light, the other darkness. Just as day follows night and darkness fades into dawn, the transition between light and dark can happen in an instant."
Hearing Melin's explanation, Shion and Alex fell silent. Indeed, the history of Gemini Gold Saints had always been as Melin described—twins, with one inevitably turning against the Sanctuary. Even though Aspros had awakened to righteousness in the end through his brother Defteros' self-sacrifice, it did not change the fact that he had once betrayed the Sanctuary.
"Then why was the Dark Gemini Cloth sealed? Wouldn't unsealing it prevent this situation?" The youngest, Aiolia, asked.
"As I said before, the five sealed Cloths are the most special ones, and their inheritors must meet extremely strict conditions. The condition for the Dark Gemini Cloth is this: within the depths of extreme darkness, there must be a shining kindness."
Shion and the others were stunned! Their gazes immediately turned to Kanon, who was still absorbing the power of his Cloth, and soon, they realized—Melin was right.
Kanon was always the laziest among the trainees, frequently causing mischief and bringing chaos to the Sanctuary. He even disliked the honorable combat style of the Saints, believing that victory mattered more than the means.
Yet, despite his mischievous and unruly nature, they all knew that deep down, Kanon was kindhearted and had a strong sense of justice.
Seeing that the others understood, Melin then turned to Saga.
"And you, little Saga, you have inherited Gemini's light. But beneath the light, there always lurks darkness. You have yet to realize this. Your cosmos radiates pure light, but no matter how well you conceal it, you cannot erase the darkness within you.
If you truly wish to inherit the Gemini Gold Cloth perfectly, you must acknowledge and accept that darkness. Only then will you be complete.
If you ignore it now, that hidden darkness will continue to accumulate, until one day, it erupts in an instant and may even consume the light within you—turning you into an agent of evil."
"Master! I…" Saga was terrified. He had never known this secret, nor had he ever explored the darkness within himself. But the consequences Melin described were horrifying.
Shion had once considered making either him or Aiolos the next Pope. If what Melin said was true, and his darkness exploded one day, the consequences would be unimaginable.
And at that moment, for the first time, Saga sensed a faint trace of darkness in his cosmos.
When the Pope had spoken of choosing between him and Aiolos, he had felt anticipation. Though he and Aiolos were close brothers, they were also rivals. He had longed to surpass Aiolos and claim the title of Pope.
Melin's words shattered his illusions. If Aiolos had been chosen instead of him, would he have felt unwilling? Would he have been jealous? Would he have harbored resentment?
The more he thought about it, the more fear gripped Saga's heart.
"Little Saga."
"M-Master… Master! My heart has already been tainted by darkness. Please, take back my Gold Cloth!" Saga fell to his knees, pleading.
"Stand up, little Saga. Things are not as bad as you think. I already told you—humans, even gods, have their own desires. Having darkness in your heart is nothing to be ashamed of. What is shameful is failing to face it, to overcome it, and instead choosing to run away."
"Master! I…"
"Don't worry, child. I am here. I will help you learn to control your inner darkness and become a true Gemini Gold Saint." Melin gently lifted Saga to his feet and assured him.
Saga felt the warmth and hope in Melin's words, along with the radiance of his cosmos. Tears began streaming down his face.
"Thank you for your kindness, Master! I swear on my life to protect the Sanctuary and to serve you and Lady Athena!"
"I believe in your resolve. Now, wipe your tears—little Kanon is about to wake up. You wouldn't want him to see you crying, would you?"
"Of course not." Saga laughed through his tears and quickly wiped them away.
Aiolos, as a friend, patted Saga's shoulder. Though he said nothing, the movement of his lips conveyed a silent message:
"I will help you too."
Saga felt ashamed, yet deeply moved. His heart's darkness seemed to fade just a little.
At the same time, Kanon opened his eyes—his acceptance of the Dark Gemini Cloth was complete.
"Thank you, Master, for helping me find my Cloth!" Kanon was overwhelmed with gratitude. He was no longer the extra, the unwanted one.
"This is what you deserve, little Kanon. Now, train hard—do not let your Cloth down."
"Yes!"
"Alright, let's return. After all this commotion, we need to give an explanation to the trainees down the mountain."
"I believe the trainees will be overjoyed to hear of Master's awakening," Shion said.
"I hope so."
—
At the foot of the mountain, the trainees gathered once more.
"What's happening this time?"
"It can't be an enemy attack—ordinary people can't get past the barrier."
"Two massive cosmos eruptions, but they felt warm… definitely not an invasion."
"Not only that—did you feel it? The first cosmos and one of the later ones were nearly identical. It made me feel like kneeling in reverence."
"Yeah, I felt that too."
"Silence! The Pope is here!"
Melin arrived, followed by Shion and the others. Gazing at the hundreds of eager trainees, he smiled in satisfaction.
Times had changed, faith in gods was waning, and myths were being forgotten. Yet, even in this era, so many young warriors remained devoted to the Sanctuary and the path of the Saints.
"Children, today is a day to celebrate! I know you are all wondering about the cosmic surges earlier. I will tell you now: today, the creator of the Sanctuary, Lady Athena's husband, Father Earth God Melin, has awakened from his long slumber!
Under his guidance, the Sanctuary shall return to its mythical heights!"
Gasps of shock filled the air.
"Lady Athena has a husband?"
"We serve another god?"
"Father Earth God? Why have we never heard of him?"
Melin merely stepped forward, his gentle cosmos spreading over the plaza.
Words may be doubted—but cosmos does not lie.
As reverence and devotion welled up in their hearts, the trainees knelt one after another.
"Glory to Master Melin!"
"Glory to Master Melin!"