The Forgotten Zodiac

Toro wrung his hands together nervously, then nodded a little, tilting his head to one side. Ophile nosed Nate, letting the Dragonian settle his hand on his head. "I see...this is all very unfortunate. Werr was taken by the Silver Tornado, as well as Nate's new bride. That, coupled by the disaster caused by the dragons...we have quite a handful to deal with." He shook himself off. "Toro, we need your help in finding the Silver Tornado and helping Werr. We will likely have to traverse on foot or horse, as both of our dragon companions' hides are wanted by their kin."

"Oh...y-yes, I guess I can help...I definitely know the ins and outs of the Silver Tornado, so...I kind of have to come with you." Toro nodded.

"That would be ideal..."

Seria listened quietly, then said "I'll gather my things and make sure our bags are stocked. I'll take care of the horses, too, and their saddlebags. I should go find Cynyr, he can help me. I'm surprised he wasn't there helping you, Nate."

It was eerily quiet for several long seconds after she spoke.

"What?" she asked, a worried tone tinting her voice. "What's wrong?"

"About a half an hour ago...Werr accused me of treason because I hit him with a sleeping dart so he could rest. He ordered that Cynyr arrest me, and when he refused...Werr attacked me. I didn't hurt him, I only put him on the ground, and Werr accused Cynyr of treachery, and...called him a worthless scar face. Then he fired Cynyr and threatened to put him in jail..." Nate sighed heavily. "Cynyr left. I'm pretty sure...that he left Amnarius entirely."

"Werr was acting scary. Like my aunt," Toro bit his lip. "I'm not sure I want to save him..."

"But if Werr dies, Ina is put in charge of the entire kingdom, and she's kind of...loopy. I still have no idea why Werr named her as his heir." Ophile sighed. "Actually, where did Ina go? I haven't seen her since yesterday..."

Seria's mouth opened slightly in shock, then she slumped back against the wall, her expression shocked. "He just...left?" she murmured, her voice low with heartache. "He didn't...he didn't even say anything to me. Even to me...his fiancee...h-he..." She pressed a hand to her mouth unhappily, squeaking "I'm sorry," as she turned and left the room quickly. She made her way out to the gardens, where she sat down near a fountain, releasing a tembling sigh. Moments later, she started weeping softly, feeling like she had been abandoned. Which, in a way, she had been.

Seria cried alone for a few long minutes. Finally, someone spoke; Obelisk was sitting nearby, smiling slightly. "'And lo, she wept bitterly, afraid. Afraid for her future, and what it might hold. Afraid for her dearest, fearing his doom. Afraid that things may not come to pass the way she wishes. And afraid that the world may be ending soon.' Rather poetic, is it not? That's probably because I took it straight from a poem. If you must know, the woman ended up killing herself out of fear. But...you aren't quite like that woman, I suppose." He said, moving a little closer. "So tell me, great healer, 'whyfore does't thou weep'?"

She looked over at him, graceful tears still dripping down her face, then she said "C-Cynyr...I'm worried he w-won't c-come back. I love h-him so...s-so much, but he...he brings m-me so much heartache! I d-don't know how to b-break through to him a-anymore! What do I d-do when I h-have nothing left to give?! I k-know he's suffered terribly, but he n-never comes to me w-with his troubles! I a-agreed to be his wife for a reason!" She cried behind her hand for a long moment, then whispered "What do I do when I need him and he's not here...?"

"Well, there are a number of options. You could weep, like you happen to be doing so now. You could pray to whatever god you believe in for his safe return. You could, in fact, do what Cynyr does and bottle everything up and pretend like you care not. You could do as Werr used to, and turn to your other friends for help and advice. Whatever you do, however, I suggest you do it with haste. If the leader of the Silver Tornado is who I suspect it may be, your king Werr may not have too much longer to live. Nor will the dragonian Tasia, as Nate foolishly got her dragged into Werr's affairs." Obelisk replied quietly. "Really, though...I wouldn't go for Werr, if I were you. His mind is tearing itself apart at the seams, and he'll soon be much like a certain Raptorix I once knew. Albeit much less...regenerative."

Seria was quiet for several seconds, then she slowly halted her tears and stood up, running her hand over her face. She held her head back and nodded silently, then moved to walk past Obelisk and paused near him.

She turned and gently hugged him, murmuring "Thank you, Obelisk. You don't deserve of a lot of what people think of you."

Then she let go and walked off to prepare their things.

"If only everyone saw the way you did," Obelisk commented quietly before standing up. He wasn't about to let the others leave him here. He was the best fighter they had now. At least, he could stand up against the dual mage that they now had to face. Obelisk smiled again, reflecting upon how foolish Ophile was for not realizing that he had placed a bug in the Tartaran's system. Every memory Ophile absorbed, Obelisk recieved also.

He stopped after a moment, faintly realizing that he had just been hugged. Something that had not happened in a very, very long time. People were afraid just to touch him, but a full hug...Remor winced as his thoughts brought up memories of his long dead wife. He put them out of his mind, sighing heavily as he headed back towards the guest house to see if anyone would accept his offer to help make preparations.

Zephyr and Vaira were walking out in the gardens when Obelisk walked past. "Greetings, Sharp-Spirit," the emerald male dragon said, dipping his head slightly at the dark creature. "I was informed by a red-furred cat that you all intend on heading out for the Silver Tornado. I know it isn't exactly safe for us to leave, but me and my mate came to a decision." He nuzzled Vaira, then said "I wish to join you, if so possible. I can, after all, shrink down to a very small size."

Vaira bumped her snout lightly under his jaw, licking his scales softly. "I and Boko will wait here in Amnairus for your return," she said. "But I want my mate to be of help to you all. Please..."

Obelisk paused and looked up at them. "I do not mind. It would be beneficial if you came along, certainly..." He shrugged and turned away again. "It would be best if you stuck with your dear friend Nate, dragon. According to popular opinion, I happen to be far from the best companion available at the present time." He started walking again.

"What did he say, mommy?" Boko looked up at Vaira, confused by the way Obelisk spoke.

"Just talking to daddy," Vaira said, bending her head to lick down Boko's back, the way he liked. Her tongue was warm and soothing as she groomed down his scales, then started at the top again. She purred softly to him, then looked up as Zephyr moved his head around to lick his son. "I'll be going away for a while longer, Boko," he said, sighing out a steamy breath at the drakeling. "You have to take care of your mommy, okay? Be a big, strong drakeling for me, but listen to what she says. Got it?" He nuzzled the baby, closing his eyes in pleasure.

Boko nodded eagerly. "I understand. Don't hurt, daddy, or I cry and then eat tears. Weird, a little." He reached forward and tapped his claws against Zephyr's muzzle scales, rapping them once or twice with his long and sharp talons. He had already taught himself restraint; he could easily take off a scale or several with his claws if he wasn't careful. So he was always careful when playing with his adopted parents. "I luv yew, daddy. So no hurt." He said, sounding quite serious.

"Hm," Ophile padded towards them, looking up at the mismatched dragon family. "Curious." He murmured as his eyes fell on little Boko. "Regardless, I was told you were coming with us, Zephyr. Is there anything I need to inform you of, in regards to what we're doing, exactly?" He looked up at the large dragon, his tail tucked around his paws.

"I heard some from Seria," the dragon said. "Though I imagine there are still several details I don't know. I know Werr and dear Tasia were taken by a dual mage who works for the Silver Tornado. That is all." He shook his head, flicking his long ears, then suddenly leaned his head closer and peered at Ophile. "I heard you can see memories through touch," he said, curling the edges of his lips up into a smile. "Would you perhaps like to see the memories of a thousand years? Though I admit, most of it is fairly...lonely and painful."

((As before, I"ll delete this when I know it's been seen. I posted again, Bun. :D))

The dragon thurmmed good-naturedly, then carefully brought his huge muzzle forward and rested it lightly on Ophile's head, closing his eyes as the memories passed through them. It was as Zephyr had said. A long, lonely exsistance, with a few good memories sprinkled in between. First was Zephyr's first hundred years in the forest his mother had nested in, far from the Sacred Plains, where he saw his younger brother Firestorm hatch. That was a good memory. Then Zephyr's mother was killed by knights and Zephyr and Firestorm fled fearfully, getting separated. Then started the lonely span of nine-hundred more years, where Zephyr travelled alone. Three-hundred of those years were spent with a spear stuck in his side.

Then he stumbled on a fair-haired half-cat healer and the dragonian that went to any length to rescue her.

His memories grew better from then on, filled with unimaginable joys and heartaches, but a satisfaction that was deep and fufilling. It took a while for Ophile to absorb all of Zephyr's immense memories, but it happened nonetheless.

"When you've been alone for so long, you tend to overlook the few differences that separated you from others," the mighty dragon said through their mind, chuckling. "Taking Vaira as my mate and adopting Boko where two of the best things that ever happened to me."

"I see that clear as day," Ophile replied. "I'm curious about something, though..." Without warning, the images switched entirely. It went to Ophile's quiet life; this lasted merely a minute or so, as the wolf hadn't even been alive for as long as Forin had been. It started when he woke up in the throne room, kneeling before Titus; he was originally assigned as a guardian. His memories showed a young woman who cared for Ophile as though he were an old friend, though she died due to a human disease only a few months after he was summoned.

Ophile's next summoner, a year after his first, was a greedy, rich older woman who didn't want Ophile around. He hid around her house, followed her from afar, and basically did what he had to in order to protect her without being seen. But a fire was started in her mansion one day, and Ophile had been forced to drag her out by her hair. She was fine physically and emotionally, but she hated Ophile as though he had been the one to start the fire. She went out of her way to put herself into dangerous situations; Ophile nearly died several times while saving her from swords, traps she set herself, and thugs she threw herself into mindlessly. She finally died when she hung herself.

But of course, if a summoner kills themselves, their summons is immediately returned to Tartarus and stripped of their Guardian title. Guardians were meant to protect their summoners and give them reasons to live; Ophile had done all he could, and it really wasn't fair. Titus understood that much, which led to him being placed in the position of watching over Werr and his friends. Ophile was diligent, and he was a part of the group almost as much as Nate or Seria was. As he said himself before...he was content. Not quite happy, as he was incapable of such emotions, but content.

"Well, that worked better than I thought." Ophile commented quietly. "Sorry for doing that without warning you. I was curious."

"It is fine," Zephyr answered. "Now we have shared and are even. Thank you, O wolf, for allowing me to give and for giving yourself." He pulled his muzzle back and hummed happily, the ground vibrating softly under him. He licked Boko again, closing his eyes lightly, then stood up and nuzzled Vaira, saying "I should go. I promise I'll return, no matter what."

She licked his nose, saying "I know."

He smiled, then licked Boko again and took smallest form, landing on Ophile's head and squeaking "Let's be off, then." He held onto two clumps of the wolf's black fur, his little claws digging in just so.

Ophile dipped his head at Vaira before turning and padding off to the guest house again.

Werr grunted as he was forced to his knees. A burlap bag was secured with rope over his head, his feet and wrists tied fast with several ropes. "You won't get away with this!" He snarled at no one in particular, struggling uselessly. "My friends will come and--" He yelped as a knee suddenly slammed into his face, knocking him onto his back. He was forced upright again.

On the other side of the room that Werr couldn't see, a female voice said, "Welcome to my castle, Werr Rowe. And...Dragonian, what's your name?" She questioned, her nails rapping against the armrest of her chair, which sounded like wood.

Tasia whimpered, fear etched into her every move and tone, then managed to squeak "T...T-Tasia...F-Furhblast..." She sniffled softly, having not stopped crying since she had been captured. She whimpered lowly, frightened beyond compare. Her wings were bound up tightly behind her, along with her arms and legs. A blindfold was wrapped her around eyes and there was a weird strap around her throat that restricted her fire breath, weak as it was. Plus it made it hard for her to breathe. She tried to shift backwards, away from the scary woman, but she bumped up into something. By feel, she could tell it was a pair of legs. Unknownst to her, it was the dual mage that had captured them. He growled and kicked her forward, back into place, which resulted in her crying worse.