The Forgotten Zodiac

"I think I'll be good for a little while longer," Sylas shrugged, closing his eyes and quickly drifting off into sleep.

"You don't want to be friends," Sylas reminded his half-panther friend, smiling. How much older were they now? 25 years. "You know...that Nate guy is working with Werr now. It took a lot of self control not to retaliate in any way. He doesn't seem to remember me, either...or he's just pretending not to remember."

"Correction," the panther said, resting his chin on Sylas' shoulder. "I didn't want to be friends, back then. Now...I know a thing or two more. Gotta bit more sense." He pressed his nose against Sylas' cheek, exhaling quietly. "I know," he said softly. "But I can sense that he regrets what he did back then. We don't gotta worry 'bout him."

"Yes. I suppose you're right. Nothing to do but put the past behind us, I suppose." Sylas shrugged. "Well, at any rate...I should be heading back. It's Titus' birthday tomorrow, after all; if I remember correctly, it's his 3000th year of living. Fun for him, but knowing him, he'll be throwing a party and Galai will want me to come along. I have to thank you for that, too; if you hadn't mentioned Amnairus to me first, I never would have taken the rumors seriously and I never would have found that place. And what a place it is, too." He chuckled a bit, then looked at his friend. "You could...come with me, you know. The Silver Tornado will just use you for their plans to take over Alastor, and then Storaph. They're already a formidable foe with the Artifacts, if they have you..." He sighed, closing his eyes. "I can't stop you from going back, but I can make certain that there's a place in Amnairus for you should you want it."

((Yours))

Leodhaius sighed, pressing his head closer against Sylas. "Perhaps I'll take that spot," he murmured. "We know how hard it'll be when they find out I've ditched 'em. But...I can't leave you again. Ya'll's all I have left, anymore..." He sighed heavily, flicking his ears low. "Stupid accent..." he muttered, his voice becoming thicker with emotion. "I've dulled it a lot over the years. Hatin' it. But when I get all full of feelin', I just can't seem to hide it..."

---

((Mine))

Sylas chortled a bit, resting his head on Leo's furry one for a moment before reaching up and scratching him behind the ears. "It's quite alright, Leo. If nothing else, I'm happy to be your friend. Even if I'm your only one." He sighed then stood, moving over to Dark and scooping the artificial being up. He helped him onto the horse and got on behind, ready to go. "Put out the fire, will you, Leo?" He said with a smile.

Leo nodded, then lifted a paw, claws extended, and pulled the fire into himself, absorbing it easily. He sighed when he finished, standing up and preparing to follow after the horses.

Dark shifted in Sylas' arms, inadvertantly nuzzling closer to him while sighing softly.

Leo shook his head slightly, then said "You find yourself a new little companion, Krow-Rowe?"

"I seem to have. We're opposites in that regard," Sylas smiled, shaking his head. Of course, he had changed his name after the destruction of Grittle. It just seemed safer, and he had been Rowe ever since. He kind of felt bad for Werr; the boy wanted desperately to know who he was, and even after discovering that he came from the Rowe family, he would soon figure out that the Rowe family wasn't even real. Sylas continued, "You have a tendency to make as few friends as possible, and I...well, I like to make friends. It's good to have people who can watch your back, you know."

Leo snorted, then said "Well, if you see somethin' in 'im, then it must truly be somethin' indeed. Let's get movin'; I'm tired of standin' around." He moved closer, then suddenly leapt high and just barely swiped his claws near Sylas' head. Again, something from their younger days; Leo would do that, then threaten him with the line 'I could've killed you just then.' As time passed, it just became a sort of gesture between them, with nowhere near the amount of malice it once held.

Sylas didn't even flinch. Instead, he smiled and set the horse into motion; the spare horse followed, as Sylas expected it to.

Before too long, they wound up in front of the cave that led to Amnairus. It was getting to be morning already; Sylas pressed his horse onward a little faster, careful not to let Dark slip or fall off as they went along. He was surprised the boy had slept until now; the ride back hadn't exactly been gentle.

Dark was still curled up in Sylas' arms, the blanket tucked all around his small frame like a sick child that was being taken care of. His infection had broken, thanks to the medicine, but he was mostly just exhausted by this time. Hence why he had slept so soundly. Now he opened his eyes slightly as he woke up, giving no outward sign that he was awake. There was just the thin black slits, peeking out at everything and wondering about how a human like Sylas could feel so warm and comforting to lay against.

Sylas kept the horses pressing onward; of course, they were easily able to find the right path up the rocky mount, and galloped through the tunnels without much spurring on. Sylas pulled them to a halt just inside the Eternal Garden; Resu stood at the edge of the forest, her red-blue eyes locked on the two horses. Sylas sighed. "I forgot. Leo...you have to suffer a trial before you can be allowed to enter Amnairus. I have an idea of what she'll do, but...if I told you, she would just change it." He pushed his horse on again, which hurried down the slope, eager to return to Amnairus.

((Also, I fixed the post describing Sylas' torture. There was a random, "It was really unfortunate," In there that made no sense. xDD))

Leo's reaction was to laugh, then he took human form and folded his arms, saying "I already got past this once without havin' to suffer a test. What's the worst you could throw at me?" He shook his head, keeping his ears down flat. "C'mon, girly. Give it your best shot, because..." He grinned darkly. "...you'll need it."

"I will take that as a yes, then." Resu smiled curtly. "It's a good thing you have gotten past me before; for the first time in history, a trial will be taking place in Tartarus, where Cynyr the half-cat will be. Leo the half-cat, your trial is to apologize to your son. And he must forgive you, before the four suns of Tartarus reach the horizon once more. That remains as little over half a day. Sylas, I cannot force you to take another trial, but I ask that you ensure that Cynyr goes to the party, lest his father fail this trial."

"Right...that in itself will be a struggle." Sylas sighed.

"If you require it, merely call my name and I shall place him at the party by force. But I will only do so when Leo has ten minutes remaining."

"That's a bit harsh."

"Have you forgotten your own trial?" Resu looked at him curiously.

"No. Never." Sylas smiled a bit at her, then looked towards Leo.

The panther was staring at Resu with a mix of horror, shock, and just general 'oh how I wish those words hadn't come out of your mouth'. His mouth was open and one eye was twitching enigmatically, his tail utterly still behind him. "Are you INSANE?!" he shouted, rounding on Resu with a deep-set anger. "I might as well forfit the challenge now and be done with it! Even if I COULD apologize to him, he would NEVER forgive me! That's like giving him a trial in itself! Never, never, NEVER! It won't happen! This. Is. Impossible." He slammed a hand into a nearby tree, leaving long claw marks in it and snarling with hatred.

"Do you truly wish to forfeit?" Resu blinked slowly at him. "It has already begun. To give up now means death. Cynyr must utter the words, 'I forgive you' by the time limit I have set for you, or you will die anyways. So really, you might as well give it a chance."

"Now calm down, Leo!" Sylas said, watching his friend warily. "If I didn't think you and your son could do it, I would have told you and forced Resu to chance. But you could be killed otherwise..."

((This will probably fail. xD Sylas will likely give himself up as a scapegoat and take on a different trial in order to save Leo.))

((No, they'll do it. Cynyr's matured a lot in the time since Werr first met him, and after he gets a good rage out on his father, they'll make up. Somewhat. .3.))

"Ya don't understand!" Leo snapped. "I riled him up! I thought Werr wouldn't be able to fix him, but he did! He brought Cynyr back from the place I thought I had sent him to permanently! He's going to remember the things I said to him and either attack me or...yeah, that!" He raged silently, hating everyone there, then spat "All I can do is try. I hate him sooooo much, but..." He sighed raggedly, suddenly looking much older than his years, then just mumbled "I'll try..."

((Okay. xD -will probably have Sylas sneak off and do it anyways- He's just that way. :T))

"Very good." Resu dipped her head, then vanished. "Good luck."

"Let's go then," Sylas sighed, setting the horse forward again. They passed through the gate in a matter of moments; Sylas stopped again at the crossroads. "You won't be allowed in Amnairus. Go on to Tartarus, and enjoy the party. The others are probably already there. I'll convince Cynyr to go to the party, don't worry." He adjusted his grip on Dark and set forward again, wondering if he did the right thing at all. Perhaps Leo would have been better off...

Leo didn't say anything, just stalked off in Tartarus' direction. He fumed to himself, boiling mad on the inside, but he was already piecing together what the heck he was going to say to his son.

He had no clue.

He slunk into Tartarus like he belonged there, a dark, twisted being struggling to know what he was going to say to his dark, twisted son. He snarled at a Tartaran, watching it scurry off, then trotted towards the castle.

Indeed, the ball had already started in the castle, though it seemed like most hadn't arrived yet. Titus was waiting boredly in his throne, a golden one next to him, clearly meant for Galai. Kiraki and Galliant were in a corner, the young girl feeding her friend and quickly finding out which foods he liked and disliked. He was able to eat all kinds, of course, so it was just a matter of learning.

The only other noticeable person in the room was Forin. He was sitting in the corner, tethered to the wall by shackles. Of course, he wasn't allowed to go far. His chains stretched ten, maybe twelve feet out and that was it. Barely far enough to reach where the food table was. He was fiddling with the chain and watching the door, and almost looked excited when the door opened, but he went back to dull watching when he saw that it was someone he didn't recognize.

Leo stalked to a corner, slipping into the shadows, but not before he heard the clatter of boots behind the door.

Luen burst in, promptly falling flat on his face from the overexcited movement. Diana trotted at his side, helping him up when he fell, then they both instantly turned eyes on the Tartaran in the corner.

"FORIN!" Luen shouted, his short deer tail wagging crazedly as he scooped Diana up and raced over to the Tartaran. They fell on him with desperate hugs and nuzzles and just pressing as close as they possibly could. If a being was ever hugged to death or smothered with love, that being very well could've been Forin Dulce.

Galai entered next, laughing quietly at their sheer joy. She hadn't protested when Luen and Diana had run ahead of her and Toro. She knew what had waited for them.

Forin didn't protest, wrapping his arms around both of them, smiling and almost laughing as they attacked him with hugs. Diana leaned upwards and placed a kiss on his cheek, then rested her head on his shoulder with her arms around his neck. She was trying very hard not to start crying, even though they were tears of happiness and longing.

Titus looked up as Galai entered, straightening his dark suit a bit. Toro looked around, and made a beeline for the food table; he had spotted the cake and other sweet foods that were there. There were plenty of native Tartaran foods, but most of them were grey and looked like they were made out of rock. But the cake, pies, and assorted other pastries looked absolutely delicious.