The Forgotten Zodiac

((.3. ? The only thing I can think of is a flash I've seen before.))

Inside, Cynyr was clawing at Obelisk's neck, tearing at the bandages and gurgling out a growl as blood dripped everywhere. He reeled backwards and took shadow form again, whipping in circles and howling hauntedly. He arched back down and, with a ferocious lung, sliced clean through Obelisk's middle and cut him in half. Cynyr flew ceiling-wards, trailing shadows behind him.

((S'from Mortal Combat. xD))

Obelisk fell. Slowly, the shadows started to ebb. One by one, faded away. Blood spread thickly around Obelisk's fallen form. It was done, then.

Outside, the golem collapsed into a pile of rock and rubble. The soldiers faded and the possessed corpses collapsed one after another. Things went utterly silent; there was no more taunts from Obelisk, no further voices of rage...nothing. Silence. Peace would be a better description, perhaps.

Cynyr panted hard, then quickly took his full form again and ran into the main hall, only to see Welk waiting there with Werr. "What are you doing?!" Cynyr snapped, shaking his thick muzzle. "Get out of here!"

"I wouldn't go without you," Welk said determinedly.

Cynyr sighed, then gave Welk a nudge and got him going, heading out to where Seria was running everywhere, healing this and that and expending her energy all around. "You're alive!" she called when she spotted them, smiling wearily. "Are you all okay?" she asked, moving forward towards them. She stopped in front of Cynyr and moved a hand up gently, letting him rest his muzzle in her hand.

He closed his eyes, sighing quietly.

She moved her head forward and kissed him softly, not caring what shape or form his body had taken. All she needed to know was that it was him.

He didn't kiss her back, only because he was afraid of hurting her. She pulled back after a moment, turning to Welk and Werr.

Welk was sitting on the ground, holding Werr close and sobbing quietly. He looked up at Seria as she knelt down next to him, his eyes begging her to help his friend.

She gently took one of Werr's wrists into her hands and slid her fingers around the needle, holding his wrist. She generated a healing spell and started pulling the needle from his wrist, healing as she pulled it loose. Once it was out, she moved on to the next one, removing it as well, then up to his neck. She removed that one the same, gently passing her delicate fingers over the skin where it used to be. She unwrapped the bandages from him, then healed any other wounds he had from Obelisk's torment. She leaned forward and kissed his forehead gently, tilting her ears back, then stood up and moved on to the dragons.

Werr closed his eyes, smiling slightly with relief. He leaned back into Welk's grip, rubbing his wrists tiredly. "I'm...going to sleep more..." He muttered, sighing heavily.

"Is he okay?" Cici asked. "What's going on?" She questioned.

"Obelisk must be dead," Nate sighed, brushing his hair back. He was wounded quite a bit and tired out, but still standing. "Simple as that. We've won."

"No...Obelisk can't die." Cici shook her head.

"What?"

"He can't die! I've told you this before! It's a bluff, it's--" Cici snapped at him before movement caught Nate's eye.

"SERIA!" He screeched, watching in horror as the healer was advanced upon by what appeared to be twisted shadows, which grabbed her and started pulling her into their shadowy bodies. The golem reformed itself yet again, and the soldiers rose once more.

Obelisk opened the front door of the castle, in time to let the others watch his body being pulled together again. Sown together with darkness. "It's too late, that's what."

Seria screamed and tried desperately to get away, but the shadowy monsters wouldn't let her go. Cynyr lunged forward with a snarl, twisting up into a monster of epic preportions and releasing a deafening roar. He swept forward into the soldiers holding Seria, breaking her free from their grasps and holding her very gently his his claws. He snarled at Obelisk, slowly laying the unconscious healer on the ground.

"I told you! I told you!" Cici wailed with a panic as more and more soldiers pressed in on them.

"She did," Obelisk agreed. "I can't be killed. I'm surprised you fell for such a thing, Cynyr. So now, you're all in one place..." Power and darkness flooded off of him in massive waves that knocked even Nate to the ground. The castle itself seemed to shift, breaking apart into more and more of the golems.

Ophile reacted badly. He twisted and writhed, eventually clamping his teeth down on Welk. Not because he wanted to; he was forced to rake his claws down the half-cat's back and sides.

"I'll kill you all where you stand!" Obelisk's shrill laughter mingled with the battle-cry of the dark soldiers.

Welk screamed in pain and thrashed around, trying desperately to free himself as blood welled forth and gushed from his wounds.

"No!" Cynyr shouted, reeling around in his shadowy vaporous form to arch downwards at the Tartaran hurting his little brother. The panther knew he shouldn't hurt Ophile, so in a sudden burst of rage, he turned on Obelisk, throwing his entire form into pure shadowy vapor. It was risky, as he might not be able to pull all of himself together again, but at this point, he knew risks had to be taken.

Obelisk raised his hands, grinning as huge dark copies of said hands rose up from the ground, grabbing at the vapor. Within seconds, all of Cynyr was pinned to the ground, crushed under the weight of Obelisk's dark powers.

A scream from Vaira could be heard as Boko fell under the foot of one of the golems at the same time, stepped on with a sickening crack.

Cynyr screamed, his voice warped beyond recognition, and Welk wailed with him, feeling that all was lost. Vaira flung herself at the golem and forced it off of Boko, battling it backwards with sheer force. She gathered Boko up in her paws as Zephyr limped close, panting. Seria had woke and she ran over to Welk, quickly healing his wounds before trying to make her way to the dragons, tears dripping down her cheeks. She couldn't be everywhere at once, and it was hurting her to feel the others in pain.

A scream from Diana alerted Nate to the danger she was in; she was being dragged away from Forin by her hair; Nate watched as the giant shadow beast began to form; Forin's monster, which Nate had only seen once before. It loomed over all of them, but was engulfed by the dark soldiers in a matter of mere seconds. They burrowed into its chest and tried to cut Diana out, but the entire thing collapsed before they could. Forin fell unconscious the second they hit the ground; Diana wailed as her legs were broken for the second time that day, this time from the fall.

It was no use. Everything they tried, every desperate attempt was only seeming to make Obelisk more and more powerful. It made him reveal more and more of his massive power. The only one mostly unharmed was Cici, who had been using her light magic to push soldiers away from those who needed relief the most; Welk, Werr, Seria, and now Forin and Diana. This was growing weaker by the second, though; a soldier slipped past her barrier and marched towards where Ophile was still biting down on Welk's shoulders (he had frozen up or something; not biting down harder or moving, but definitely still there). Thankfully, Nate disposed of said soldier, but it was still too close for comfort. And Nate...Nate wasn't invincible. That was obvious from the arrows protruding from his back, and the lance stuck straight through one arm. But he fought on. He had to.

((One more post from you, and Cici will come in, okey?))

((Mmhmm.))

Welk wailed as a spear was drove into his stomach, protruding from his back and splintering dangerously as he fell to the ground. He clamped his claws around Ophile's jaws, trying desperately to make him let go as Seria moved from Boko (who was healed) and darted towards Diana. Even with her divine healer powers, it was taking a lot from her to save them all. Welk withered on the ground, twisting from side to side in sheer pain, and he could only watch as with a sudden shove, Cynyr's clouded form was scattered. The panther quickly tried to pull himself back to a solid form, wincing and gasping for air, but parts of him seemed to have been disorientated. Welk could see black cloud fluttering here and there, searching for the rest of themselves.

Werr was roughly thrown aside as the soldiers advanced on the fallen Welk. This was it, then. Obelisk was just too strong. Too powerful. A shimmer and a blur later, and Cici was gone. Fled? No...she was advancing on Obelisk, throwing herself at the ancient not-so-human, a final, desperate attempt to save her friends.

She was stopped short by Obelisk's scythe. It cut into her chest, and Obelisk was quick to pull it out as she fell to the ground. "Oh, Cici...pathetic, desperate Cici. You see what you caused?"

"Yes...a-and I'll put an end to it..." She staggered to her feet, only to be stabbed with a spike of pure darkness. She screamed in agony, but reached out and took Obelisk's hand.

"I...I'm sorry, Remor..." She murmured as her fingers started to glow.

"Unhand me, you--" Obelisk spluttered sheer instants before something bright and white-hot exploded. Everything was engulfed in the blinding light, everything; the golems fell limp, the soldiers vanished, and all that could be heard was a scream of rage from Obelisk, which faded into nothing after several long moments.

When the light faded, it was as though nothing had ever happened. The castle was no longer in shambles, the shadow soldiers vanished, and everything was calm again. Not far off, a bird twittered a soft song as the sun broke through the fading clouds overhead.

Werr opened his eyes for a moment to see this, but did nothing but roll onto his side, wondering where Welk was and if they were in the afterlife yet. He was quick to start feeling around, though. "Welk...?" He uttered weakly, his voice no louder than a mouse.

There was a weak moan and Welk slowly pushed Ophile off of him, managing to stagger up and head to Werr's voice. He collapsed next to him, tear dripping down his cheeks, then he pressed their foreheads together, not saying anything. He let his touch do the talking, comforting them both in a way that words couldn't.

Cynyr slowly managed to pull himself completely together, shaking his head wearily. He watched as Seria made her way over to Welk and Werr, healing them quickly before running to someone else. Cynyr glanced up at where Cici had been, then softly murmured "We'll never forget what you did for us." He then turned back to Welk and Werr, watching them for a moment before moving over and nudging Welk gently. "Come on," he murmured. "Take Werr inside, to his room. He needs to sleep and you look like you need some sleep yourself." He licked Welk's face lightly, taking silent notice of his black right eye and the cuts across his arms, along with the terrible bruise around his neck from the chains. The living shadow nudged Welk up and sent him towards the castle, following quietly behind him.

((And the rest of it all seems to fall into place perfectly with the rest of the stuff we already have. We could stop here and leave everything else the way it is.))

((Consider it done. : D Sorry I was so slow earlier. .3. I gotta go to school in 10 minutes, too. x.x))

((It's okay. I have to go soon anyways too, we have to do something. xDx But I'll be back later! Looooove youuu~))