espadadorada:

“…truly, Shiryu, youth like you amaze me. Happiness for us all. That’s pleasant.”

         Happiness felt like a luxury he had to yet earn. Shura over thought it; his mind was heavy at the moment clearly. Regardless, Shiryu’s simple warmth was something to take comfort in. Enjoy it while it was here to stay…

Shura took his own cup of tea, the beverage of its kind was not unfamiliar; it made him reminisce of his days of training with his own Master. He had grown accustomed to the bitterness. He sipped softly, not seeming to notice any hints of displeasure reflecting from the young man’s fine features.

Long eyelashes fluttered, Shura taking in Shiryu’s concern into mind. He couldn’t blame him. Thoughts of this never came to Shura’s mind. They didn’t think this far as children; such worries or what if’s regarding beyond their roles as Gold Saints was non-existent. Shura and the others became gold saints at tender ages, most barely even ten years old. Their minds were molded and this is all they ever knew.
        Yes, they knew of the outside world. The world of the mundane and how it worked. And yet most of the time it was only like their own trips taking a brief glimpse outside of a moving dome. 

Shura held out his hand to Shiryu, waving it to dismiss the other’s apologies, “No…your concerns are rather understandable. We are not normal men and our lives are bound to sainthood.”

He didn’t feel like an adult at that moment. Vulnerability at best. It should be clear what his answer is. To serve Athena. To guard the temples. 
But he too had to wonder would that be enough? Due to his past atrocities against her, Shura felt guarding temples was too easy off of a task in attempt to redeem himself. And the feat he did during the Holy War in aim to assist bringing Athena her cloth…
          Dark greens scaled softly to his hands. He had to take the life of another fellow gold saint; enforcing his lack of faith in humanity that only twisted him; the image of Athena with the dagger to her own throat….

He had much to atone for…
“In all honesty, I am unsure if I’d be rather content being alive with a so-called-second chance, Shiryu, if it meant to stay situated at the Capricorn Temple when I have much I feel I have to atone for.”

What was the purpose of being alive again.
        “Being a Saint…it’s all I know. A part of me would thirst for battle again, growing bored of normalcy if not my desire to make reprimands would motivate me.”

Odd it was to speak like this. Shura wondered if something in him refused to resurrect.
“Athena. I never got to know her personal. Would you suppose she’d have the answers?”

              ❖││✘ＲＩＳＩＮＧ ＤＲＡＧＯＮ✘││❖

                                                  A THIRST FOR BATTLE. ^{That is truly what he feared. Shiryu fought in order to} PROTECT. ^{He fought to keep} BALANCE ^{in the world & swore an oath to answer the call whenever it needed him. He never wanted to find himself one day} CRAVING A BATTLE. ^{Never did he want his life to become that barbaric. But, it came with the territory. Everyone was different. Maybe, he would be spared such a fate; ‘tis all he could hope for in this time of peace.}

                                                               ^{The question asked of him caused him to PAUSE for a moment. He knew two sides of Athena. He knew the goddess they all swore to protect. The} STRENGTH ^{that poured from her albeit} GENTLE COSMOS ^{as she called for her saints. With her they stood tall & never questions nor waived their faith in her & what was right. But, he also knew Saori-san. The granddaughter of Kido. The same brat girl they all grew up with when they were just} ORPHANS ^{& unaware of what was in store for them. She grew from the child they knew into the woman she was today;} WELL WISE BEYOND HER YEARS.

                                                             ^{He looked down into his cup as though it had the words he needed in order to} FORMULATE ^{his response. Many sought to him among their ranks for advice. However, the advice he gave along with this} DEMEANOUR ^{never seemed to go together. Although his thoughts were GENUINE, Shiryu always seemed to give off this} ALOOF & APATHETIC ^{disposition. It always seemed to unsettle people; quiet terms among his peers had been tossed around JUST within earshot.}

                                              UNCARING.
                                                   ALOOF.
                                                ROBOTIC.

                                                           ^{A first impression is a lasting impression & it would seem that his impression with those who did not know him best was unpleasant. Which is why he tried to} GATHER ^{his words before addressing them. ❛ I can only} ASSUME ^{that she will assess you from} EACH & EVERY ANGLE. ^{She will take your} DEEDS ^{& your} PRIORS; ^{I do not doubt Saori-san to be} UNFAIR ^{in her decision. It's her call. In the end we are all} BOUND ^{to the same chain that she holds us on. What she decides is final. But, if it bears any} WEIGHT, ^{I do hope that she will grant you leniency. ❜}

                                                           ^{Shiryu cleared his throat before taking another small sip of the bitter liquid, brows} FURROWING ^{as he did so. The young saint looked up to the elder again. What started out as LIGHT CONVERSATION had now filled both his} MIND & HEART ^{with dark clouds of distress. & yet, he knew not why. But, company he shall keep for he held no} ILL FEELINGS ^{towards Shura. He still saw him as an} HONORABLE SAINT.

                                                           ^{❛ From here, Shura-san. Where will you go? If Athena does not grant you pardon– ❜ Just the thought of being} STRIPPED OF RANK ^{made his mouth go dry. He shook it off. ❛ –what will you do? ❜}