The Forgotten Zodiac

Sylas was clinging to consciousness, knowing that if he allowed himself to pass out, he might not wake up again. Dysonius backed up at this, a look of shock spreading over his face for a quick moment. Then he steeled himself and drew out the only thing he had left; a small knife, looking much like a kitchen knife and little else. "Come and get it then, snake-freak!" He hissed at her, taking up a defensive stance.

"Foolish human," Eve hissed, "You think you can beat me?"

She lunged at Dysonius, fangs bared.

"Ugh. Where's Israel? Maybe he can tell us what's going--"

As if on cue, Israel swooped into sight at L'arc's words. He touched down by Verolen, reverting. "They went into this hut, but they haven't come back out," he reported.

Dysonius spun to one side, but his left arm got caught by Eve's teeth. He let out a scream of pain and rage, stabbing his knife down, towards the back of her neck.

"That's it, then. We need to get in there." Verolen shook his head. "Surrounding the area would be useless at this point. I dunno if we can get in there without being noticed, though..."

"I can generate a spell to force the ground to swallow all humans I see." Rush said flatly. "It wouldn't work for anyone indoors, and the ground will spit them out eventually, but it should give you some time..."

"If you're up for it, it doesn't sound like a bad idea," Bermuda responded to Rush's plan. "Alternatively, I could use a couple Light spells to blind them for a while."

Eve let out a hiss as the knife opened a cut in the back of her neck, drawing back. She looked around for a way out once again, but had to quickly direct her attention back to Dysonius.

"I can do it," Rush nodded. "You can do that for those inside tents and whatnot, Bermuda." He took to the air, spreading his hands out towards the town. Before anyone realized what was going on, Rush closed his hands into fists, starting to chant his spell. People dropped into holes in the ground, one after another. It was a strong spell, but its disadvantage showed itself rather easily. Each of the holes were linked to one of his hands, and when a few humans decided to slash at the walls with their weapons, Rush's hands started bleeding. He ignored it, concentrating on keeping the spell up and staying in the air.

Dysonius had caught her momentary distraction. He was already starting to charge forward, knife poised to stab through her chest.

Eve twisted away from Dysonius's blade, but the steel cut into her back. The wound was not lethal as one to her chest would have been, but it was pretty bad, nonetheless. She lunged at the human again - this time, her bite was laced with poison.

Israel lifted off after Rush, shifting midair. It was never good for someone to be alone, especially in a place like this. Israel would back up the chimera.

L'arc took off in the direction Eve and Sylas had gone.

Dysonius ducked to the side, stabbing at Eve once more. He missed, however, and was forced to back up. He passed Sylas, only to bump into L'arc as the forest boy attempted to charge in. "You!" He snarled, raising his knife and pointing it at L'arc. Sylas gurgled, reaching a badly shaking hand out towards L'arc before going limp again, his vision fading.

L'arc's sword was out in a flash. "Me," he returned, then swung close to Dysonius with his blade.

Bermuda hurried in moments after L'arc, letting out a soft gasp as he ran over to Sylas. He pulled the blade from the human's body, then set to work healing him as quickly and painlessly as possible.

Eve withdrew from the fight with Dysonious, wanting to protect Bermuda and Sylas, just in case something went awry.

"Where are Byrne and Verdi?!" L'arc demanded furiously lashing out at the human with his sword.

Dysonius jumped back, snarling with rage. "Like I'll tell you!" He snapped. "You can torture me for all I care, I'll never say a word to the likes of you!"

Sylas coughed, clearing the leftover blood from his throat. He then went limp again, exhausted due to blood loss and tramua. Dysonius looked behind him at Eve, then in front of himself at L'arc.

Then he threw himself out of a nearby window, running for all he was worth away from the hut.

Rush noticed this. "Israel, get him!" He snapped, focusing on keeping his hands (that were pouring blood by this time) closed in tight fists. It was getting harder and harder though...

Israel let out a screech as he dove after Dysonius, talons extended. He grabbed the human by the back of his shirt, hoisting him into the air.

Eve turned back to Sylas, gently supporting him. Bermuda had finished healing, and began to rummage around the room in search of something that would help them in their search.

L'arc tore out the door after Dysonius. "Come on, Verolen!" he called.

Dysonius screeched and twisted around, trying to make Israel let go. He stopped once he realized how high up they were getting. "I can't hold it much longer!" Rush called, squeezing his eyes tightly shut as he tried to block out the pain in his hands. The humans were ridiculously stubborn...

Veryolen followed suit, looking up at where Dysonius was now. "Right, we've got him, we need to get out of here!"

Bermuda and Eve hurried out of the hut, carrying Sylas between them. THey made it to the cover of the treeline, quickly followed by Verolen and L'arc. Israel flew back to the forest, still carrying Dysonius. "Let's go!" Israel trilled.

((Posted for Hannah.))

Rush finally let go. The ground opened up and forced the humans back to the surface; Rush flew after the others, his hands going limp as they bled still. When they landed, he sulkily held his hands out to Bermuda, just short of whimpering in pain.

Bermuda waved his staff over Rush's hands, the radiant light quickly closing the wounds and easing the pain. "There," he said. He smiled at the Chimera, then turned back to Sylas. "I think he'll be alright," he said as L'arc darted over and relieved Eve of Sylas's weight. He then looked back to Israel, who was holding Dysonious about five feet off the ground still.

L'arc looked up at the slave trader, rage burning in his eyes. He muttered under his breath, and vines sprang from the ground and wrapped themselves around the human. Once bound, Israel let Dysonios hit the ground, the vines holding him in place.

Sylas groaned slightly as he was moved, still limp but not quite unconscious. Dysonious snorted. "I should have aimed for the neck," He grumbled, glaring pointedly at Sylas.

Rush punched him in the face for that one, ignoring the pain in his hands. "You should have aimed for your own neck. At least that way, you wouldn't have given us the chance to interrogate you. Too late now, though...we're going to get that information from you whether you like it or not."

((For Hannah, again.))

"Verolen?" L'arc turned to the demon, expecting for him to know the most about this sort of thing. Bermuda certainly had not experience in the "torture" area, and neither did Israel, besides being on the recieving end, and Eve - well, L'arc didn't know about her, and certainly L'arc himself had no idea what to do... not that Verolen did, but considering his father...

Verolen blinked in surprise. "Me?" He frowned, a little puzzled. Then he realized what L'arc was talking about. He closed his eyes, muttering something under his breath. Of course it had to be him. Of course there was --

"What'cha doing?" A voice made Verolen stop.

"Arachne?!" Verolen frowned at her as she poked her head out of a bush. "What are you doing here?"

"I decided to write a book."

"A book."

"About dragonflys."

"And you're here because...?"

"Because you can't write a book about an insect without studying insects, stupid," Arachne giggled.

"Whatever! You need to leave, I'm busy doing something." Verolen frowned. He didn't think he would be able to do anything with Arachne around; his magics were already clogged up thanks to her magic-stopping ability.

"Maybe we could get Israel to peck his eyes out," L'arc said after a moments thought. Israel bristled slightly.

"No way! Why would I want to--"

"You want Verdi and Byrne to come back, don't you?" L'arc asked the siren, who fell silent and looked to Verolen.

Bermuda was busy trying to not be noticed.

"Look, just..." Verolen waved her off. "Look, I think I see a dragonfly, uh...over there!" He pointed off in an aimless direction.

Arachne ran off, leaving Verolen to crack his knuckles. "Your little sister?" Dysonius chortled. "She's cute."

"Shut up!" Verolen snarled. "Nobody asked you. N-now..." He stepped forward, raising a hand, filling it with dark magics that were ready to target Dysonius' pain receptors. He hesitated, though.

"So I'm going to be tortured? Hmph, and here I thought you weren't your father's boy. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, I suppose..."

Verolen almost recoiled, a bit of fear slipping into his eyes. That was his one worst fear; turning into his father.

Dysonius continued. "You're just like him, in fact. Almost exactly the same..." He grinned as Verolen stumbled away, shaking his head. "Oh yes, you are indeed. You sent your defenseless younger sister towards my camp, you fool!" Dysonius laughed.

Israel spread his wings and lifted off, screeching Arachne's name as he chased after her. "Be right back, Maste--- VEROLEN! Ugh, gotta call him the right name, why do I..." Israel's muttering was cut off as he flew out of earshot.

"Come on, Verolen, just do it! We have to find Byrne and Verdi!" L'arc encouraged.