The Forgotten Zodiac

Manny slowly nodded and picked Eve up. He ran, charged headlong at the window, but twisted around so that his back hit it so that Eve wouldn't be too injured. The glass shattered easily, and the two of them fell like stones. Manny held Eve close, but neither of them hit the ground.

Manny screamed like nothing else. This was what he had wanted, though. This was the only way either of them could have survived the drop. The gate around the castle was spiked. One of those spikes was now driven very firmly through Manny's leg. Eve's arm was held fast in his one hand. She was dangling a few inches above grass. He dropped her, then leaned up and made his leg melt. He melted through the fence and refomed next to Eve, but his leg was still bleeding his dark blood, much like his arm. No matter, it wasn't as though he could bleed out.

The 'blood' was more like tears than anything else. "Co-come on..." Manny pulled Eve up, limping desperately away from the castle. "Go...we've gotta go,"

Eve clung tight to Manny's arm, grimacing as she looked at the wounds he had aquired. She pressed her hands to one of his shoulders, trying to numb his pain with her powers. "Easy, Manny, it's okay," she murmured. "I know where we can go. Let me lead you," she said, trying to help him walk steadily.

Manny slowly relaxed and leaned against her, then started walking at a steady pace with her help. Soon enough, they had vanished into the hills and trees behind the castle. Safe...safe at last.

The town of Rasalhogue shook as Jerod landed. He shook his great head, sighing a bit as his wings drooped in the sand, worn and weary from the long journey. He trekked forward, making sure to keep an eye out for sunbathing Selkies, but he was too tired to transform yet. He rested his head at the edge of the town, peering around.

A little girl looked up in surprise at him. He didn't seem hostile, so she asked with a trembling voice, "Who...who are you?"

"My name is Jerod, little one. I come in search of the forest prince and his friends. Are they here, or have they already made the journey to Fomalought?"

The girl backed away a few steps. "Eltanin!" She called, darting away. "Eltani-in!" Jerod blinking after her.

"Did I...say something wrong?"

Gabe was quick to emerge from a nearby tent and fling himself at Jerod, holding onto the dragon's leg. "Jeroooood!" he wailed, clinging to the manakete. "Jerod, I missed you!"

After Gabe came out, Eltanin followed. The selkie eyed the dragon nervously, and it appeared he didn't know what to say.

"Gabe! How good it is to see you, little one," Jerod greeted happily, nuzzling the boy. Eltanin's hesitance, however, alerted him to the fact that something was very wrong. "Eltanin...where are the others?" He questioned. His tail thrashed at the sight of the next person to emerge.

Aries, bandaged and very beaten-looking. She was using crutches to get around, barely putting weight on either of her legs, both of which had more bandage than clothing. She grimaced at the sight of the dragon. "A shark got me," She explained quietly. "It tore off my ear, and when I tried to swim away, it got my legs..." She sighed heavily.

"That's very unfortunate..." Jerod murmured. "So the others decided it'd be best to continue without you?"

"Eh...I'll let Eltanin explain that," Aries muttered.

"Or I will, if be prefers not to speak," Bershee approached from behing Aries, her touch gentle as she checked the bandages on Aries' legs. "I told you not to rush..."

Eltanin hesitated, not meeting Jerod's gaze. "I have done something... unforgiveable," he murmured, running a hand over his head. "No matter what my reasoning, I... I know..." Without a word more, he returned to his hut, disappearing inside.

"I... MISSED... you... Jerod!" Gabe said/wailed, not letting go of the dragon's leg.

Jerod blinked in surprise, looking back down at Gabe. "Dear child, now you sound distressed!" He tutted. Slowly, he transformed to his human form, then took to hugging the boy tightly. "What happened?"

"Eltanin...betrayed your little group. The Phantom was here and took your friends. Gabe and Quay were lucky enough to be playing on the beach, so they weren't in danger. Aries, however...well, she ran for it. She had my water-breathing pearl on her, so she was able to survive a very long dive. The Selkies saved her from the shark and took the Phantom her ear as proof that she perished, even when she did not."

"I see...why does Eltanin believe this to be an unforgivable sin?" Jerod tutted. "Those Forestum Champions have been endangered many a time before. The Phantom threatened his people, no?"

"He did. Eltanin made a very logical choice; save those he knows and loves over a rebel group that endangers everyone anyway." Bershee said quietly. "It's not very kind towards you, putting it that way, but..."

"We understand." Aries shook her head. "We can't ask Eltanin to choose us over his people."

"Indeed...but," Bershee tilted her head to the side. "All movement causes disruption. When there is motion, there is reaction. Eltanin feels remorse for what was done, and he has no reason not to."

"I see..." Jerod nodded thoughtfully.

Gabe held tight to Jerod like there was no tomorrow. When he realized, however, that he might be hurting the dragon with his tight grip, he relaxed a bit. "I was scared they got you, too," he murmured. "Why didn't you fly here faster? Mommy was dying... and everyone else was gone..." he whimpered.

"I was held up," Jerod said quietly. "I was attacked by Selkies. They were no match for me, but the wounds I suffered did slow me down a bit," He sighed slightly, pulling Gabe away for a moment. His legs were bleeding even harder, now that he was in human form. "Let's set up some rune circles and you can patch me up. Alright?" Jerod, ever the kind one, smiled happily.

"Go on, Gabe," Aries smiled, easing herself down onto a tree stump for a seat. "My injuries can wait."

Gabe stared wide eyed at the wounds. "J-Jerod... I... I didn't even notice! I'm so sorry! I'll... hang on, let me go get my book! I can help you!" the boy said, suddenly frantic with alarm. He had seen many people dear to him getting hurt recently; the thought that another of his friends was wounded scared him, and made him wonder why he himself had remained unscathed.

Jerod watched after him, chuckling a bit. When he was out of earshot, Jerod looked over at Aries before beginning work on the healing circle. "You must have been afraid for him,"

"Terrified." Aries murmured. She sighed a bit, then looked up again. "Have you seen...any of the others?"

"No, I haven't...I would tell you if I knew, Aries. I'm very sorry." Jerod sighed. "In the meantime, I...I can take you back to the Manakete Palace, if you wish. You and your son would be much safer there..."

"I don't know." Aries sighed.

"Did I not mention," Bershee cleared her throat. "Sylas and L'arc contacted Eltanin through sending-stone. I picked up on the signal in time to hear a few names. Apparently, most of your friends are safe at the palace, Aries."

"Wh-what?! Why didn't you say anything?" Aries stood. So quickly, in fact, that she fell over with a slight squeak and a whimper.

"That," Bershee raised a brow. She helped Aries up, then continued. "The names I heard were Eve, Manny, Rush and Byrne. Verdi and Israel are there with them, too..."

"Skies above, we have to get back there..."

"You're in no condition to travel." Bershee pointed out.

"We have a dragon, now." Aries grinned.

"A very old dragon."

"I'm not objecting THAT point," Jerod sighed. "I'm very sorry, Aries, but I don't think I'll be able to make another flight like that for a day or so."

"Oh..." Aries' one ear drooped a bit, but it perked back up when Gabe returned.

Gabe came running back out soon enough, toting his spellbook with him. "I got it, I got it!" he called. He hurried over to aid Jerod in completing the rune circle. "I've been practicing. Let me finish, and you sit down..." he insisted.

Jerod nodded, sitting down with a smile on his face. "Go on then, lad." He smiled. "You should be proud of him, Aries..."

"You don't need to say that." Aries shook her head. "I'm already so very proud..."

"He's a good boy. His heart is pure..." Bershee murmured.

"I fight to keep it that way." Aries sighed.

Gabe glanced up as he heard the others talking about him, but he hadn't really caught their words. Completing the last rune, he moved to stand in the middle of the circle. "Jerod, I'm ready if you are," he said, smiling over at the manakete.

"I'm ready," Jerod beamed. "Go on, Gabe...you can do it."

((Sorry about the short post. I do not feel well today.))

"Got it. Don't worry, Jerod, I'll have you fixed up in no time!" Gabe said, attempting a smile. He set into the spell, closing his eyes as he concentrated. He'd been working on his memorization, so that he could focus more of his energy into the actual result of the spell, not the performance.

Slowly, the cuts on Jerod's leg sealed and healed. He still had nasty bruises, but it wasn't bleeding anymore. "Ah...much better. Thank you, Gabe." He smiled happily.

"With skills like those, you could be a fully-fledged Warlock in just a couple of years," Bershee clapped, beaming. "Dare not give up, little Gabriel. The world needs more pure-hearted Warlocks like yourself."

"That's my boy," Aries smiled. "Come here and give me a hug."

Gabe smiled at the praise, then trotted over and held out his arms to Aries. "It's really not that great..." he murmured. "Just some basic stuff. I could do better," he said shyly.

Aries pulled Gabe into a hug at once, smiling happily. "You're doing your very best. I'm very, very proud of you." She beamed.

"Well, if you'll excuse me," Bershee started to walk away. "I need to go have a word with Eltanin. He seemed...very upset."

Gabe waved slightly at Bershee as she moved off, then went back to hugging Aries.

Eltanin was sitting against the far wall of his hut, absently whittling at a stick as he thought.