The Forgotten Zodiac

"Let me in!" Boko screeched. It had taken well over an hour with Seria weighing him down, but Boko had finally returned to the Sacred Plains. The horizon was just getting a pinkish hue. Boko wasn't sure why, but an invisible force kept pushing him back when he tried to get into the Plains. He smashed into the barrier, again and again, but it was no use. "LET ME IN!" He screeched at the top of his little lungs. "Boko is back, Boko has pretty healer lady, PLEASE let me save daddy!" He wailed, exhausted.

He finally slid to the ground just outside the barrier, heaving for breath. He loosened his grip on Seria, though he kept his hold tight around her waist, refusing her the chance to try and run. He was too tired to fly anymore, too tired to yell. He was so scared that he would be too late to save Zephyr, and his weak mind was on the verge of a complete and total breakdown. It was all just too much.

Seria was more-or-less okay, other than a few bruises from being bumped around by the little drakeling. She glanced up at the invisible barrier that seemed to be in place, then sighed and started gently stroking Boko's tail. "It's okay, Boko," she soothed quietly, looking sadly over at him. "Just calm down." She carefully wriggled out of his tail and walked over to him, kneeling down and wrapping her arms around his head. She rubbed her fingers gently around his eyes and nose, putting her forehead to his. "It's okay," she whispered, closing her eyes. "Zephyr will be fine. I'm sure Naybrin won't let him die."

Boko looked sadly up at her. "But he's making daddy suffer. He's making daddy hurt by not letting us in. Boko must save daddy..." The little Drakeling wept bitterly, pushing his face up against Seria, then pulling away and rubbing it on the grass to wipe away his tears. He then wobbled up to the barrier and started smashing his head into it, hoping that the barrier might break eventually. Even his magic-resistant scales weren't doing much, though. "Let me in, let me in, let me in," He said as he head-butted the invisible wall, again and again and again. He paused for a moment to spit out a bloody tooth, then got right back to work.

Right when he was about to hit his head against the barrier again, it suddenly parted and opened, revealing Mithor. "Naybrin wishes for you to stop," he said, the barrier sealing behind him. "You'll only end up hurting yourself. Zephyr is fine, I assure you. His wound no longer bleeds, but neither does it heal. We need him like this to help assure our goals are met with. If you don't stop, however, I swear I'll throw you off of the Great Mountain. Am I understood, youngling?" A growl played at the edges of his lips for a moment, then he grew silent. "If you keep quiet, I'll take you to where you can have some food. Alright?" His gaze softened a bit and he said "These are Naybrin's orders, little one. Not mine. If it were up to me, I would've let you and the healer in."

Boko fumed at him for a long while, then he finally snorted, "Fine. But Seria stays, so she fixes daddy as soon as Naybrin says so." He was looking extremely exhausted, and his eyes had a concussed glaze to them. At least he had given up on trying to hurt himself...he grumbled something incoherently then moved to follow Mithor. "Why you follow Naybrin, anyways? He just big meanie who hates everything and has yucky scales..." He muttered, a little more clearly.

Mithor sighed heavily, then said "I'm not sure if you'll understand, but...well, it's simply because Naybrin is my best friend and most trusted companion. I, as his General, must support him; no matter what. That's what happens when you make a dear friend, you see. I must be willing to sacrifice anything for him. Even my own life, should it come to that. Naybrin has lived for a very, VERY long time, you see. Few things truly matter to him anymore. Gold holds no value, jewels are nothing. Friends and family are all that's left to him. That's why he's lost his right self and thoughts. He mourns deeply for Grey, his child whom he loved dearly. Don't you think that if Zephyr found you murdered, he would be angry at those he thought killed you? That he would cry and weep for your death? Well, Grey was Naybrin's Boko. And Grey is dead."

"Is no excuse," Boko said firmly. "Stinky-Naybrin's actions are his own. I care not what happened, Naybrin should not be allowed to hurt daddy..." He hobbled along behind Mithor, blinking slowly. Finally, he collapsed, growling at everything that moved near him. He was just a little...broken. Blood dripped from his mouth and he was on the brink of passing out.

"I don't agree with Naybrin's methods either, but I can't go against them. My hope is that Naybrin will realize his actions on his own..." the great brown dragon said. He turned back to look at Boko and sighed, then bent his head forward and picked him up into his mouth. He spread his wings and flew off, heading to a familiar cave that Zephyr had taken Boko to many times.

The salt crystal cave was as glorius as ever, filled to the brim with tall salt crystals. Mithor walked in and laid down near some of the crystals, putting Boko down against his belly. He proceeded to bathe the little drakeling with his tongue, washing him with his saliva to help with his wounds.

((What about Seria? o3o))

Boko laid there in silence for a very long time, before finally drifting off into an uncomfortable sleep that he hated every second of. The longer they waited, the more Zephyr hurt...when he woke again not long after, Boko laid there and watched the cave entrance grow brighter and brighter, until there was finally the roar that called Naybrin's dragons to arms.

Werr stirred, waking up again. Of course, he had been asleep; he needed every wink of it. He found himself waking up with his hand around Cynyr's tail again. He sighed and pushed himself upright, letting out a sigh. "Werr, you're awake," Ophile commented from his corner. "And alive, I see."

"Barely."

"Right, well...any chance you might be willing to turn me back into a wolf?" Ophile asked eagerly, desperate to return to his natural form.

"I...I dunno," Werr looked down at the ring on his finger. "Where's Zephyr?"

"Away. He went to save Boko. The Drakeling was back here for a few minutes, but I don't remember seeing him after that..." Ophile answered thoughtfully.

((Left her at the entrance to the Plains. xD))

Cynyr was in panther form, staring blankly at the ground. He was very tense against Werr's side, but allowing the boy to lay against him and hold his tail. It would be a while before he trusted him fully again. Werr had severely damaged their relationship, but...Cynyr was glad that he was trying hard to repair it. That made it a little easier. He watched Ophile quietly, keeping his head on the blankets. He sighed deeply, then brushed away the tears in his eyes with a heavy paw. He lifted his head and glanced over his shoulder at Werr, then turned his head and carefully put his muzzle against the boy's neck, sighing deeply.

((Derp. Fixed last post.))

Werr let out a heavy sigh and wrapped his arms carefully around Cynyr. He'd said it a million times already, yet he said it again now. "I'm sorry..." He looked up when Ophile caught his attention again.

"Erm, I can tell you how to return me to human...and then you can do the same for Zephyr when he gets back, yes?" Ophile said quietly.

"...Yeah." Werr said, letting go of Cynyr and looking towards Ophile. "What do I have to do?"

"I've already prepared the potion required," Ophile said, holding up a glass vial that held a blue liquid in it. "I messed up twice, but a kind Amnairian helped me get this version. All you have to do is hold it and imagine me and Zephyr in our animal forms, yes?"

"Right..." Werr took the vial, closing his eyes. He thought long and hard, and when he opened his eyes again, the vial was glowing softly.

"Perfect. Thank you," Ophile took it, quick to leave again. Werr sighed yet again and leaned against Cynyr, picking up the stuffed bear that had been in his other hand while he slept. It just seemed so important...

The panther rested his chin on top of the boy's head, his eyes drawn to the bear. It felt familiar to him as well, but he couldn't place why. So instead, he chose to rest his head in Werr's lap and fall asleep.

The bear in Werr's hands grew a tad warmer, like something wanted to come out or do something, but continually stopped itself. It grew a bit warmer, then faded again. And again, in a slow pulsing motion.

Werr hugged the bear after a moment of thought, beginning to think of it as alive. He felt awfully childish, but the warmth...he couldn't ignore it. There was definitely something inside this stuffed animal, something that Werr treasured very much. He was sure of it. And Malice had said...what did Malice say? 'It's closer than you think'? Werr thought long and hard, wondering if he could somehow ask Kiraki about it. If only it would speak or let him know what it was somehow...

Werr was jerked out of his thoughts by an angered roar from the entrance. A roar that he recognized instantly.

Naybrin.

The huge ice dragon was walking through the streets of Amnairus, flanked by two large dragons that were still small compared to him. His long ears were flicked back against his head and he walked with a dignity and grace that belied his size and age. Galai was waiting for him at the front of the palace, since he couldn't come inside. Once Naybrin and his dragons reached the front of the castle, the huge ice dragon came forward by himself.

"Galai," he said by way of greeting. There was more than ice in his tone as he spoke.

"Naybrin Ice-Wing," she said, her tone carefully guarded. "What brings you to my world, your majesty?"

"I believe you harbor a villian in your midst," he said, his voice just barely concealing anger. "I have come to claim him."

"And who might this villan be, exactly?" Obelisk inquired from the alley. "Surely you don't mean..." He paused, clearly for dramatic effect. "Werr Grehi, the human king? Certainly, I'll fetch him." He turned, but paused for a moment. "Hold on a moment, why indeed do you call Werr Grehi a villan? For the murder of your son?" Obelisk snorted. "Werr didn't kill him."

"I did."

Silence.

The dragons around Naybrin slowly backed away out of fear and a few guards quickly ushered Galai out of the way, then turned to watch the horror they knew was about to unfold.

Naybrin had gone completely still and silent. He slowly blinked and lifted his head rather calmly, staring at Obelisk with a blank expression on his face. "You?" he said, his lips pulling back into a feral snarl. "You killed my only son? One of the last things on the face of this accursed world that gave me joy? You?" His tail lashed out and sent Obelisk flying, then Naybrin took a single step that brought him over and slammed his leg down onto Obelisk's body. He wasted no more breath on words, instead rearing up onto his hind legs and slamming his full, powerful, immense weight down onto the mangled form beneath his claws. He preformed this move several times, then pulled his head back and breathed his ancient fire over Obelisk, going until he had no more flames to breathe. Until he literally had exhaused his fire. He panted raggedly, then spat "I know you aren't dead, vile creature."

"Unfortunately so," Obelisk breathed. "I hate this. I can't even be killed by a dragon! Well, whatever. I'm not the one who killed Grey, anyways. I lied. Malice killed him; I was there at the time, questioning your son. Grey had attacked Werr during a time that the human king remembered very little about who he was; Werr could not question him, so I did. And...well, I discovered that Grey had been under the control of Malice. The very being Werr is attempting to defeat. So if you kill Werr, you kill any chance of having any sort of vengance for your dear son.

"If...it makes you feel any better," Obelisk pushed Naybrin's claws away from himself as bandages started wrapping themselves around him again, appearing out of nowhere. "His last, desperate word was 'father'."

Naybrin said nothing for a long, long moment, then said "I still want Werr. I must speak with him, and I...I simply cannot forgive him...until..." He threw his head back with a pained roar, screaming to the sky, then shouted "WERR! Appear before me, lest I condemn more lands that yours to burn!" Great tears dripped down his cheeks, falling to the ground while they still steamed. He thrashed his tail, burying his head down onto his claws in a way that caused his dragon companions to say "Lord Naybrin..." in sorrow-filled shock.

"I'm here," Werr said quietly, opening the door of the guest house. He had ignored Cynyr's protests; the half-cat had pleaded with him not to leave. Werr had left Cynyr with the teddy bear and the ring Artifact, then made his way out here. "Naybrin...there is nothing I can to do bring Grey back. And you already know by now that I'm not the cause of his death. But if you are insistent upon either killing me or burning my land, then...kill me. But...I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Naybrin. I can't imagine what kind of pain you were in...you are in. I'm sorry..." He hung his head, closing his eyes as he waited for teeth and claws to strike.

"Now this is just unfair," Obelisk grumbled unhappily, plopping down on the steps, not even noticing that he was now sitting right next to Galai.

Naybrin literally towered over the human king, staring down at him with an unreadable expression in his eyes. His breath whistled in and out of his huge lungs as he panted, then he snaked his head forward and caught Werr's shirt in only two of his teeth. "You're coming with me," he snarled, then yanked Werr off of the ground and leapt skyward, ignoring the calls of his dragon companions. Whatever he was doing was uncalled for and unplanned, obviously, as the other dragons looked at each other in confusion and shock.

Naybrin left Amnairus and the Eternal Garden, heading towards one spot where the two had visited before.

The very top of the Great Mountain.

Naybrin put Werr in his hand and roughly touched the tip of his tongue to the boy's forehead, granting him the ability to breathe in the sparse air. Once they arrived at the top, Naybrin landed and set Werr down in the very center of the open space, simply staring at him. What went through the ice dragon's mind, Werr didn't know, nor could he fathom.