The Forgotten Zodiac

"Oh! That gives me ideas," Snider smiled curtly, reaching into Tasia's cage and grabbing her by the hair. He dragged her to the table and it was all too fast before Tasia was strapped down. Her chest, arms and legs were all tightly bound with thick leather straps, then chains just in case. "Leo, pass me the scalpel. Miss Dragonian, you might not want to move, or I'll bump something I shouldn't by accident. And we all know that the lion doesn't like eating things that are already dead!" He chortled, quickly getting to work when he was given said tool. He made a deep cut right at Tasia's throat, smiling as he listened to her breath whistle and bubble out of the cut as blood welled up in it. He moved quickly, reaching in with the scalpel. One cut there, another there, and he pulled out what looked like a short string of membrane. It hissed and he dropped it on the floor with a yelp, watching in facination as it slowly turned black and burned itself up.

"Perfect!" He giggled, quick to stop the bleeding with a quick injection into Tasia's throat, stitching up the wound with one quick knot. "Absolutely beautiful. I'm proud of myself." He chortled, then reached for a shelf that had nails and a mallet. He pushed Tasia onto her side, fighting with her for a moment to line her wings up.

Then he made short work of nailing the bones together.

Tasia found that she couldn't scream loud enough to express how painful it was for her. In fact, she couldn't even scream. It was like her throat had closed off, not allowing anything other than desperate bursts of air. She gasped hard, sounding like a dying animal, her eyes completely blank. Tears poured from her eyes, dripping down onto the table and pooling there until they could slide off to the floor. She could barely even cough hard enough to get rid of the blood in her throat.

Leo watched heartlessly from nearby, shrugging his shoulders and tapping the wall with one claw.

When he was done, Snider was quick to shove her back into her cage. He then unlocked Werr's cage; the human king scrambled back as far as possible, desperate to not let this freak lay hands on him. But Snider was stronger than he looked. Werr was dragged out and strapped down to the table. He watched in terror as Snider poked around the tools. Eventually, he made up his mind. "I did a little research. Your knights are both half-cats! I thought that was cute, so I've decided to give you something to match to them." He grinned.

Snider proceeded to grab what looked like arrow heads out of a drawer. He made cuts on Werr's finger's, then grabbing what looked like a hot poker. It took about an hour (and a lot of screaming), but when he was done, Werr had arrowheads welded onto his fingers, making it look like he had misshapen claws or something on his right hand. "Oh, but that's not enough, is it...? No, not enough..."

He proceeded to make several cuts on Werr's chest, eventually breaking several ribs with the mallet. When all was said and done, Werr had numerous shallower cuts on his chest that made up the mark of the Silver Tornado, with bruises that colored it black and blue. He was shoved back into his cage, still shirtless.

"So! What do you think, Leo? These two will make a splended meal for the lion, don't you agree?" Snider said, smiling curtly.

"Yeah yeah, whatever," the half-cat said, waving his hand around dismissively. "Freakin' lion can eat 'em, for all I care..." He ran a hand through his fried black hair several times, staring around him with blurry eyes. His eyes landed on Sylas again, drawn back over and over. One word rested on the half-cat's lips, and it seemed that even though he had already said it and Sylas had already accepted it, he couldn't say it enough.

"Sorry..."

Snider shrugged and left after putting away his tools again. Sylas didn't reply; he just swallowed hard and nodded, hiding suspended tears from his friend. He knew that Leo would have been on the table next if he had intervened, so...it didn't matter. Sylas watched his son as Werr laid there, gasping for breath and clutching his hurt hand. Snider had welded the metal right onto bone; if he were to try and rip them off, he would have to snap his fingers off first.

Snider returned eventually, wearing a clean white cloak again. The other had gotten a bit of blood on it. "Right then. It's dinner time. Help me out, Leo," Snider ordered, unlocking Werr's cage and moving on to Tasia's.

The drunk panther stood up, though he was a bit wobbly. He walked over to Werr's cage and grabbed him by his collar, then took Tasia and slung her over his shoulder. She was limp, still crying with no sound. Leodhaius glanced over at Sylas, his dark yellow eyes dull. "Wish I coulda done more...old friend..." he said softly, then turned and exited the room.

Sylas didn't say anything, just curling up and facing the corner again to try and rest. "Galai protect you, Werr..." He murmured, letting out a slow sigh and closing his eyes.

Werr watched as he was dragged down a long hallway and up a few flights of stairs until they were outside. They seemed to be on a mountain or something. There was definitely a cliff, Werr saw that much. Then he and Tasia were dropped into a deep pit of some kind. "Ten minutes before the lion is ready. He kind of...ate one of his caregivers, we're working it out." Werr heard Ina giggle. "Just make sure you grab some remains of Werr's and bring them to me." She walked off again, probably back to her throne room.

Werr looked around again. They were in a small ravine-like pit, with an arch on one side that had a solid steel cage door keeping things out. Or in. Werr looked over at the sobbing Tasia, then closed his eyes. "Tasia..." He murmured. "I'm sorry. For...dragging you into this." He laid there and stared up at the overcast sky. "I...couldn't tell anyone. About Ina. She lined the foundation of the castle with high grade explosives, one day that we were out...I'm surprised they didn't go off when Naybrin burned it. She said that if I warned Cynyr or Welk about why I made her my heir, she would blow the entire castle sky-high, with everyone in it. And every time I tried planning a mock evacuation, she was always there, hanging around in the shadows. Just waiting. I didn't tell Welk or Cynyr because I was afraid people would get hurt because of my actions. And now...they're going to get hurt anyways. Ina beat me. W-when she kissed me in the Eternal Garden, she put a capsule in my mouth with the message saying I would be taken soon. And then the dragons attacked...I thought she would call it off, b-but...apparently that was the very thing she was waiting for." Werr said quietly.

"So...I'm sorry. For things I said, for getting you into this..." Tears rolled from Werr's face, out from under closed eyes. "I'm so sorry...although really...it's a very empty apology. There isn't much I can do, now..."

"There it is," Toro pointed up ahead. They were at the bottom of what looked like a cliff, part of the mountain range that bordered Alastor from the desert. The place was hidden quite nicely; it took several seconds of staring for Nate to spot the windows and small house on top, carved right out of the mountain. "The entrance is through that little house there. We use an elevator system to get in and out normally, but that's been hidden and probably blocked off, since I don't see the entrance...I think Queen Libira knows we're coming..."

((The pit is on the other side of the house. Make sure they go inside first so Toro can lead them to where Sylas is so they can keep him alive (for now). I want to see some interaction between him and Galai. :T))

Zephyr wiggled out of Nate's pocket and took his largest sized, giving himself a shake. "Then we'll go up," he said, flicking his tail. "All aboard, I insist." He held one wing out, level with the ground, so they could walk up and sit on his back. Once they were all on, he jumped up into the air and flew towards the small house on top. He landed just in front of it, the gusts from his wings scattering small rocks.

"Come on, we'll have to move quickly if we don't want to be stopped or caught," Toro said, sliding off of Zephyr and moving forward quickly. The front door led to none other than the throne room; it was empty, which drew a sigh of relief from Toro. He was quick to pull aside one of the banners, opening the door for them. "I'll take you straight to the dungeons. That's probably where Werr and Tasia are being held. If they're not there, then...let's hope they're there..."

Seria trotted along with the group, looking up as Zephyr alighted on her shoulder in small form. He blinked his large red eyes at her, then looked forward as they entered the appropriate room. Seria's jaw dropped when she looked around at all of the cages, not seeing the two people they had come to save. "No..." she murmured, walking forward and placing her hand on the bars. "They're not here..." She carefully walked along the cages, looking around sadly, then her gaze came to rest on Sylas in his cage. She froze for a long moment, then said "...Werr?"

"One generation backwards," Sylas said, not opening his eyes. It took him several moments to sit up and look at them all. "I'm Werr's father. My name is Sylas Rowe. Werr w-was taken to the feeding pit."

"Oh no," Toro gasped. "They don't have long, then!"

"Neither do you," Said a voice from behind them. Snider was there, grinning away. "Hello there, Toroph. It has been awhile...what is that around your neck?"

"I-I quit the Silver Tornado, Snider. I fight for Amnarius now," Toro said, sounding a little scared.

He backed up several paces when Snider raised a hand and wagged a finger at him. "Bad rabbit. You don't just leave the Silver Tornado, silly boy. You know what will happen when I tell the queen...she'll send someone after your head. You know that!" Snider sounded upset, frowning deeply. "I liked you, too...Well, no matter. I'll take her your head," He pulled a sword off of what appeared to be a decoration on the wall; it was an actual sword, of course. Nate drew his own, a look of pure hatred on his face. His wife was in danger, and he wasn't about to let anyone in his way.

*

There was a creak as the cage door opened. None other than a lion stepped out, shaking its thick mane as it looked around. Sylas hadn't been kidding; it was huge. It looked like it could easily eat a small child in a single bite. Werr watched as it spotted them, the lion's eyes quickly gaining a hungry light. It trotted forward, his gaze switching from Werr to Tasia as it decided on which one to go after.

Tasia tried desperately to scream, but couldn't make any sound at all. She tried to run away, desperate to find a way out, her eyes wide in terror. Her wings throbbed and ached, bleeding from the nails hammered into her bones. She tripped over a rock jutting out of the ground, unable to cry out in pain. Her lip was bleeding from the fall and her arms and legs were cut up, blood dripping from the cuts.

The movement directed the lion's attention to Tasia. It padded forward, excited. It growled as Werr stood and staggered over to Tasia. He fell on his hands and knees over Tasia, looking at her with dull eyes that were filled with heartache and pain. "Pretend to be dead. I'll...buy you some time. It's the most I can do...j-just don't move, and--" He cut off as teeth sank into his chest and back, powerful jaws digging the sharp teeth in deep. Werr gasped with pain and scratched at the lion with his 'claws', screaming as the lion bit down, trying to cut him in half with his teeth alone.

Tasia curled herself into a tight ball, crying soundlessly. She was scared, so badly so. Her body shook and trembled with fear and pain, her arms shaking badly.

With a thunderous, echoing roar, Zephyr plunged down out of the air, slamming into the arena with a ground-shaking thud. He snaked his head around and roared right in the lion's face, then crushed his heavy jaws around the lion's body. When the lion reflexively let go of Werr to bite at Zephyr, the dragon yanked the creature back and slammed him repeatedly into the ground until he moved no longer. The dragon panted softly, then jerked his head around when he spotted movement.

Leo was standing at the top of the arena, hood drawn over his face. Inside, however, where they could't see, he was shocked. A dragon? Here?! The half-cat took off and Zephyr roared after him, not daring to leave Werr and Tasia's sides. He curled himself around them, waiting for the others to make it out.

Werr collapsed into a puddle of his own blood. He felt drained, hurt, and he couldn't take his eyes off of the disgusting excuse for claws that had been put on his hand. He tore his eyes away to look up at Zephyr, then slipped into unconsciousness.

Snider stepped back several paces. He was scratched and cut in several places, his own blood staining his cloak now. "Tch! Fine, I'll let the boy go...but someone will come after him. Trust me." Snider turned and darted away, disappearing down a hall. When Nate charged after him to follow, he found himself staring at a complete dead end. There was no time to figure out where Snider had gone; Nate marched right back to the others, only to find Sylas refusing treatment from Seria.

"Save it for Werr, he'll need it more," Sylas groaned, shaking his head. Even that seemed to be an effort.

"Look, if he doesn't want healed, just do as he says," Obelisk growled, finally fed up with hearing him whine. His bandages were around the human in a second's time. "I'll carry him. If this lion is as bad as Sylas was saying, we should probably find Tasia, yes?"

"R-right...the feeding pit is...is this way," Toro nodded, feeling numb as he led the others towards the stairs.

Seria took cat form and raced off, galloping off in the direction Toro had led them in. Her tail flailed behind her like red ribbons as she bounded up the steps and made her way out to the pit. She arrived just in time to see Zephyr bend his head down and press his tongue to Werr's chest, coating the boy's body in a thick layer of his healing saliva. He pulled back when Seria approached, concern written all over her face. She pulled a handkerchef out of her pocket and got a bit of the saliva off of Werr's body (even though it had helped stop the bleeding) and set about closing the wounds. Once that was finished, she took a roll of bandage and bound up his 'clawed' hand, deciding to save that for the Divine healers. There was no way she could fix that without deforming his hand permanently. She then glanced around for Tasia, spotting the girl shivering and hiding under Zephyr's arm, curling against his belly. She hissed frantically when Seria tried to come help her, warning the healer away. She was scared beyond her wits and only wanted one thing at that point.

Her husband, of course.

Nate dropped down into the pit, having to roll to prevent his legs from breaking. He started forward, easily sliding under Zephyr's arm and wrapping his arms tightly around Tasia. "It's okay," He said quickly, gently. "You're okay now. I have you." He said, pressing his forehead against hers and hugging her as tightly as he dared.

Werr stirred, groaning as he did so. "I'm...alive...?" He pushed himself over, wincing as his broken bones ached with the simple movement of rolling onto his back. He looked at the others, then remembered something. "Th-the artifacts! The...ar-artifa...cts..." He trailed off, going limp again.

Tasia was totally limp against him, crying with no sound. She shifted her blue-green eyes up towards him, her mouth moving slightly as she tried to say something, but no words came out. She managed a twisted, strangled sob, shaking weakly. When Seria came forward to help her, Tasia let her this time. The dragonian girl rested one hand weakly against Nate's chest, just feeling him breathe and move. When the others showed up, Seria looked over at Toro and said "Where would the artifacts be?"

Toro shook his head. "I...I don't know. I really don't. I'm pretty sure they might...be on someone, probably."

"Well, we can dismiss the idea of the white-cloaked man having them, or he would have used them." Ophile snorted, disappearing in an instant. "I'll go poke around. Don't leave without me."

"Well," Obelisk snorted. "This is quite a mess, isn't it?"

"You could say that..." Seria said, carefully working on Tasia's wings. The girl flinched and soundlessly whimpered with every touch, digging her claws into Nate's shirt without hurting him. With her other hand, she held on tightly to his hand, her hands wracked with slight tremors. Seria glanced over at Werr, watching as Zephyr carefully took the boy's shirt into his teeth and lifted him, laying the boy against his warm belly-scales.