The Forgotten Zodiac

Sylas' calm look turned into a glare right quick. Even with only one eye, Sylas' glares were serious, considering he rarely glared at anything. "I don't think so. L'arc is high-priority. My skills are needed out there, so I'm going."

"I'm sure the bunny-lady can handle it," Manny spoke softly, not expecting Sylas' next words to be quite so biting.

"Aries is dead! I'm the only one left, the only forester that L'arc knows personally, and so I'm going to help save him, whether I should be resting or dead!" Sylas' words were strong, but Verolen casually pushed on Sylas' chest. Only as hard as he would push a plate of food away, or a small book on a table. Sylas cried out instantly, wrapping his arms around himself and frowning at Verolen. "I'm go-going...!" He said, though it sounded more desperate than anything else, now.

"Kendra is right, Sylas. You need rest." Verolen shook his head. He looked over at her, rubbing the back of his neck. "You should take a look at him, if you can." Sylas groaned and laid back down, wincing with every movement.

Kendra offered Sylas a sympathetic smile. "Mercy, friend," she said. "I know too well the troubles of being left behind. It would do you well to recover while you can, so that you can be strong for the moments when you most need it," she said. She picked up the gauze and gently began to wrap the human's wounds.

"But...L-L'arc..." Sylas was near tears, but Verolen shook his head.

"It's okay, Sylas. I swear it, I'll do everything I have to in order to save him." Verolen nodded, picking up the potted flower off of Sylas' nightstand and putting it in the human's hands. "Would you come with us in his stead, Kendra? We could use all the hands we can get, but I understand if you don't believe it to be your fight..."

"I owe you and your sister a debt. I would be honored to repay it in any way that you deem fit," Kendra said, rising from Sylas's bedside. "I travel light and can be ready in a moment's notice. Instruct me, and I shall do as you bid, prince," she said.

Sylas sniffed, wiping his face. "Verolen...if you come back without L'arc, I'll kill you five times over," He said, sounding quite serious.

"I'll hold you to that, then." Verolen nodded. "I'll be your personal target for practice. Not that you need it."

"Just...go soon, okay?" Sylas shook his head.

"L'arc...I wish to speak with you in private," Rhre said quietly, standing and walking to her tent.

"Private? That means without me." Ullar frowned. "Alright, whatever. I'll keep Rush entertained."

"Don't hurt him, and don't let him hurt you," L'arc called after Ullar, than turned to Rhre, his expression serious. "What's wrong? Who's dying?" he asked, assuming that that was what was going to be told to him.

Rhre shook her head. "No one is dying, dear prince. Byrne is doing well enough. I wanted to speak to you about the health of...well, the forest in general. Look," She indicated the crib fashioned out of wood and furs. "Children are being born among the trees, the plants and trees are flourishing, life has bloomed worlds anew this spring...yet the forest remains without a hierarchy. The outskirts of the forest have been abandoned completely, but there is still life and people in the heart of the forest. Have you even visited the once great cities? Gual is still standing, you know. The Burrows still stand. Calestrom has faced many attacks and razings, yet it and its people stay strong. The capital may be gone, but there are still fortresses and hideouts among the forest that shelter your people. The time is nigh, my prince...this forest needs a king again. They need the reassurance that there is someone behind them, every step of the way. They need to know that they aren't fighting for a lost cause."

L'arc breath caught in his throat, and he shifted uncomfortably. "I... I cannot," he said. "I couldn't ever hope to stand where my father once stood. I... I'm not ready yet," he said.

"Aries is... is dead," L'arc said quietly. "I have no one. How can I lead a people I do not know?" he asked, frowning deeply. "I know that they need someone but... they deserve better than me."

L'arc jolted into a standing position, taking only a moment to register what was going on. He uttered a curse and pulled Lisben out of its sheath. "Come on!" he said. "We have to fight!"

L'arc exited the tent and struck out at the first human he saw, delivering a devestating blow to the head to the poor human who didn't even know what had hit him before he was dead. The forest prince muttered under his breath, and vines leapt from the ground to ensnare the attackers. "We can't let them win!" he shouted. "Any one who is able -- grab a weapon and fight!" he ordered.

((There's only like, three other people here. xD))

Guro was fighting feircely, but he was already injured. There was an arrow in the back of his neck, far enough down to where it wasn't quite fatal, but it definitely hurt. Lora had given her baby to Rhre, and was fighting with a fury just outside the tent.

Imagine their surprise when the tent they were so defending was suddenly ablaze with flames. The infant's wails were heard over the crackle of fire.

L'arc let out a yowl of anger. "Ullar! Where are you? We need your help!" he shouted. The prince barely got out of the way of an enemy's axe, throwing himself back into the fray.

A human raised a sword over L'arc's head, instants from striking when Ullar showed himself again. He bodily tackled the human, clawing at him and dragging him into the sky, throwing him aside easily. He had been distracted by getting Byrne near Rhre and the baby; the Chimera was fighting off human after human, determined not to let anyone past him, and he was doing a good job. With Rhre's help, he was retreating into the forest slowly, backing away from the fight.

"Are you okay?" Ullar questioned, fixing his gaze on L'arc. He whipped around and knocked a human off of his feet, tearing at her throat with his teeth. He was a furious fighter, for being trapped in a hole for so long...

"Yeah, yeah, fine," L'arc said, taking a moment to catch his breath. "Thanks for the help." He turned back to the fight, carving a path through the humans as he looked to incapacitate their leader. He knew little of human battle tactics, but enough to understand that without a general to give out orders, an army would fall apart quickly. It seemed to him, then, that the best way to win would be to confront the enemy general.

The leader was obvious; they wore a helmet that was unlike the others, with a long swallow's feather on the top. And it was quite obvious that he was currently killing Guro. The Viera's blood flowed thick as the general tore the blade out of his chest so viciously that it tore into his gut and spilled more. The Viera warrior gurgled once, then fell, very much dead.

"They shouldn't be holding out this long," The general growled. "What are these monsters aiding them? Tch...we're too spread out. Focus on the Manakete, take him alive!" He shouted his orders. Instantly, Ullar was swarmed, and subdued in seconds. It only took two to hold him down. "Get the others," The general snapped, sending the rest of his unit after Rhre, Rush, Byrne, and the infant.