The Forgotten Zodiac

Sylas wasn't even trying to hide it. He cried bitterly, shaking his head.

"Poor souls who've lost another...you know that the forest isn't all dead, L'arc..." Arachne murmured. "There are still others. Scattered and doing everything they can to stop this. Crying out for help, for guidance...you have my blessing, you know. My father is evil. I'm not blind. He has to be stopped. The forest cannot be destroyed...not like this."

L'arc clenched his eyes shut until the tears that had formed there went back into hiding like the cowards they were. "...I'm trying," he said softly, trying to keep the small quiver from his voice as he spoke. "I just... don't want to lose anyone else. I don't think I could bear it."

"Then it's settled. We have to put an end to this...at its source." Verolen shook his head, then looked up at L'arc again, wiping his face. "It...it's okay to cry, L'arc...it'll only hurt more, if you bottle it up..." He touched his friend's shoulder, not sure what else to do.

((You meant Sylas there, right? I don't think Verolen ever cries.))

L'arc only shook his head once again. "I can't," he murmured softly. His fingers dug into the fabric of Sylas's sheets, knotting his hands into the blankets as if to ground himself, bring stability to his emotions. "When this is over, then I'll cry. but I can't afford to be weak," he said. He hesitated for a long while, then finished his thought. "It's what lost me my mother."

He'd never talked to anyone about this before. Bermuda, of course, had been around. He had seen with his own eyes. There had been no need to discuss what had happened, because niether of them needed to think on it again. But...

"I can't afford to be weak. I can't lose... someone else."

((Yes. Sorry. Distracted by STUDYING.))

Sylas swallowed hard, knowing how disasterous it had been for L'arc's mother to die. That had happened shortly before the two of them met; Jemina had told him to go collect water from the pond nearby. He had met L'arc there.

"Y-you're right." Sylas sniffed and wiped his tears away again, shaking his head. "If you're going to be strong...th-then I am too." He nodded firmly.

L'arc looked over to Sylas, his eyes glassy, but not overflowing. He cleared his throat softly, then reached over and put his hand on Sylas's shoulder. "You should get some rest," L'arc said. "When Bermuda gets here, I'll make sure he sees to those broken bones. But you still need to relax and let your body heal."

((I love Sylas. He's so adorable.))

((Let's go to Bermuda and Verolen, shall we?))

"It's nice out here," Bermuda commented, looking around the gardens he had Verolen had been wandering in for the past hour or so. "The mountains are nice. I never thought I'd like them, but... I thought the same about the forest. Looks like I'm surprised again," he said.

Verolen smiled a bit. "You haven't seen anything yet. Yo, rat-tail!" He snapped at the bushes. "I know you've been watching us. We're not here to cause trouble. We're just here to see the sights," He smirked a bit as a large rat scurried out of the bushes and transformed into a young witch. One they had seen before (that I forgot the name of).

"Heeey, I know you. You're that cutie who was wanted for quite a bit of money," She giggled and pinched Verolen's cheek, then looked at Bermuda. "You too! You adorable little thing," She dragged the Oceanid prince into a hug, pressing up firmly against him. "Too bad those offers expired. Oh! Do you two want to see some fireworks? We're entertaining a refugee camp. The first one to wander this way. You'd think they'd be brave enough to make it out here; stories of evil witches got into their poor heads, I'd imagine. We're not evil, truly and honestly. Halberd Hall just needs more gold in its vault, so we go after anything that'll get us that. Refugees...not so much. I'm glad the war hasn't gotten out this far." She finally let go of Bermuda and grinned. "But then, no one's brave enough to try and take us witches on. They'd be blown sky-high before they knew what hit them! Say," She got a strange glint in her eye. "Where's that friend of yours? Rush? The Library boy..."

"No clue. Not here." Verolen grunted, then nudged Bermuda to say the same.

Bermuda, who was not so dense as to betray the locations of his friends to complete strangers, quickly nodded in agreement with Verolen.

"I'm sorry, who are you?" he voiced after a short time of silence. His cheeks had reddened a bit from being so close to the girl, but now he began to recover some of his normal coloring.

"Whaaaat? Don't remember me? That's a shame..." She pouted at him, then ruffled his hair. "It's okay. My name is Makke, a witch of Halberd Hall." She turned, then whistled; a large broomstick whizzed towards them and slid to a stop. "Hop on!" She sat side-saddle, inviting Verolen and Bermuda to sit. "I'll show you around." She smiled.

"We don't have to. But it'll be fun," Verolen smiled a bit.

"And here I thought you didn't like flying," Bermuda said, looking at Verolen with a slight smile. "Or is it just because we were on a dragon?" He chuckled softly, then said, "Nevermind. I'm game for anything, though. It's been too long since I've been outside like this."

"Well, yes, and no. Broomsticks are impossible to fall off of." Verolen chortled.

"He's right," Makke giggled as Verolen took Bermuda's hand and led him over to the broom. It grew longer to accomidate the passengers. "It's enchanted to keep you on no matter what. It'll act like glue if you're in danger of falling." She explained as they sat down. "No losing grip with this baby! You two ready?"

"I suppose," Bermuda said, grabbing onto the broomstick with both hands. "Just don't go too fast, yeah? Wouldn't want us getting motion-sick," he requested.

"Sure." Makke giggled a bit, then set off at a steady pace once Verolen was on and set. She flew over Halberd Hall, hovering nearby it to say, "Today's the 100th anniversary of the induction of our headmistress," She smiled.

"Halberd Hall has only been in business for 50 years, how could that be possible?" Verolen frowned.

"You think we always had a grand castle in the middle of an untraversed plains?" Makke laughed. "We used to live underground. It kinda sucked, but our headmistress pulled us through it. Eventually, we managed to build this. All 7,380 bricks enchanted to memorize their placement. Which makes it really easy to fix if it ever breaks." She set off again, flying high over the ground towards a small set of tents. There were already several broomsticks (and their witches) flying in circles above it, letting loose fireworks. The humans in the camp were 'ooh'ing and 'ahh'ing as though they had never seen such things. Which...they hadn't.

Bermuda smiled, half-considering launching one of his own light spells into the display but then thinking that the witches might not like him doing so. "Nice," he complimented. "It looks so beautiful from here."

"That's what we aim for," Makke smiled before swooping low and coming to a stop. She had stopped near a lake that hadn't been there before. "We made this for the refugees. It's clean water, and there are fish deeper in that they can collect for food."

"Wow," Verolen blinked. A lot of the lakes and rivers in the forest had been poisoned thanks to humans. But this water was so clean and pure...it was as Verolen had thought. The witches of Halberd Hall really weren't bad; driven by bad influences sometimes, perhaps, but good at the core. "Makke," He said thoughtfully. "I'm wondering...if maybe you could help with something."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," She skipped back at once, hugging Bermuda from behind. "What kind of favor are we talking? And what's in it for me?"

"I'm just wondering if...you could help us get our friends back."

"Where'd they go?"

"They were taken to Oceanica against their will. They're trapped there..."

"Hm...we could potentially get caught up in something that we're not supposed to...but Oceanica is a rich place. It might be nice to see the sights..." She murmured. Verolen gave Bermuda a questioning look, as though he were wondering if it would be okay with him if they had the witch help.

Bermuda looked surprised that the witches would consider helping at all. "I can send someone with you. A guide, of sorts. He can lead you where you need to go. And it would be convinient; you wouldn't need boats to travel over the ocean. Would you really help?" he asked.

"Sure, why not?" Mikke shrugged and smiled. "Ahh, how can I refuse when you're the one asking?" She hugged Bermuda again, beaming. "You're too adorable! I can't resist. I'll do it. IF,"

Verolen frowned. The dreaded 'if'.

"You promise that I don't have to go to Rasalhogue. Let's just say Selkies and Witches don't...really mix."

Verolen nodded. "I understand. And you're not headed there, you're on your way to Foamalought."

"Ohh! Exciting!" She jumped for joy, then beamed. "Let's go get that guide, then. I want to go as soon as possible!"

"He's right here," Bermuda gestured to himself, then extended his arm. Over his spirit charmer mark was a burn from a rune, and it appeared as though the mark had faded considerably. "He's been sleeping for a while, but I'm pretty sure I can wake him. And... I believe... he can go withyou," he said. He shook his arm once, twice, before the mark began to give off a dull glow. "Yeah, he's waking up. Just give me a minute, here."