The Forgotten Zodiac

Seria closed her eyes and smiled a bit at that, feeling a bit more reassured about Obelisk.

Welk gave a trembling nod, slowly managing to lift a hand and wipe away the tears that had threatened to fall. He was scared of Obelisk, but it had dulled at bit when the dark creature had been rather nice. A change from all of Welk's memories of him. The tiny Spectral sniffled and hung onto Obelisk's bandages, not wanting to fall off.

"There, there," Obelisk said comfortingly, cupping his hand so it was impossible for Welk to fall. "I understand the pain. I know what it is like." He said as he turned the corner to the courtyard, where Werr and Cynyr were. Or rather, where he thought they were. They weren't there now.

"Mama! The tall bandage man is here," Boko squeaked fearfully, recoiling to behind Vaira's paws.

"Calm yourself. I only seek Werr and Cynyr." Obelisk was quick to speak.

Zephyr flared his nose as he took in Obelisk's scent, catching Welk's as well, then he said "Well, they went looking for the little one in your hands." He looked over as Naybrin shifted a bit. The emerald dragon and the light blue were laying side-by-side, with their flanks touching, and Zephyr and Vaira were laying in a similar fashion on the other side. Zephyr and Vaira had been 'sharing tongues' in the dragon way of grooming each other gently, and they had been doing it to Boko and Naybrin in turn as well. Zephyr nodded off in the direction of the castle, saying "They entered there. I'm certain you'll find them."

Welk curled up in Obelisk's hands, sighing and resting his head on his arms.

"Very well then. Thank you." Obelisk dipped his head, turning and heading back into the castle. He would be annoyed, perhaps, but the tiny soul in his hands was incentive for him to keep looking. Why? Did he plan to use it against Werr and Cynyr in order to get his hands on the Guantlet? He wasn't too sure, himself. Werr's voice caught his ear, though.

"Weeelllkkk!" It was desperate, longing. Werr and Cynyr rounded the corner, and both of them stopped short at the sight of Obelisk.

It took him several moments to decide on what to do, but he finally walked to Werr and Cynyr. "Lose something?" He questioned, holding out his hands and revealing Welk.

Cynyr's ears shot back instantly. "And what were you doing with him in the first place?" he hissed, but Welk stopped him. "Don't, Cynyr!" he said pitifully. "I-I flew off to try and figure out how to move on my own. He helped me get back to you both, because I couldn't fly anymore." He rested limply in Obelisk's hand, exhausted.

Cynyr blinked at Welk, glancing up at Werr before saying slowly "Give him to Werr, okay?"

"Indeed," Obelisk murmured. Werr held out his hands and Obelisk moved his forward. For a long moment, he was tempted to withdraw and demand to have the Artifact in return. But finally, he moved his hands and allowed Welk to slip smoothly into Werr's hands. Then he turned away, not willing to talk to the two.

"Um...thank you, Remor..." Werr blinked after the old not-so-human.

Obelisk paused for a brief moment. "Whatever," He snorted, then continued on his path back to the library.

Welk clutched onto Werr's fingers, putting his cheek against the boy's thumb. He curled his long body around Werr's wrist, holding on tightly. He watched Obelisk walk off, then looked at Cynyr as the panther put his muzzle close to Werr's hand, sniffing his little brother softly. Welk moved his hand out and patted Cynyr's misshapen nose gently, then he tilted his head up to Werr and slowly managed to wobblingly fly up, collapsing against the boy's neck, just sort of draped over his shoulder like how someone would hold a small child. He curled close, wrapping his arms around Werr's neck.

"It's good to see you too, Welk. You left while we were sleeping, so I was afraid something had taken you..." Werr sighed with relief. "Now that we've found you...we were going to go see my father. It would be cruel to keep him waiting any longer, after all..."

Welk hugged Werr's neck tighter, whispering "Okay. I'm not leaving again anyways, so you can go wherever." He slowly fell asleep like that, his long little ghost tail hanging down against Werr's chest. Werr and Cynyr made their way down to Sylas' room, where the aforementioned man and Leo already were. The panther was laying on the bed with Sylas leaning against him, both resting quietly.

Sylas wasn't asleep. He hadn't been for quite awhile. They hadn't been told about the dragons' return, nor that his son was alive. So when there was a knock on the door and Werr's voice asked if they were awake, Sylas sighed heavily.

"I think I'm hearing things, Leo. That's not a good thing, is it?" He murmured, closing his eyes. "Seems to me like it would be a bad thing..."

"If you're hearing something, I'm hearing it too," Leo said, lifting his head and staring at the door. He sniffed once and caught two scents; one was his son, and one was Werr. He shook his head, not catching Welk's scent, as he was too small, but he called "Come in," nonetheless. Just to see.

When the door opened to emit Werr holding a tiny silver Spectral against his neck, followed by Cynyr, Leo decided he must've passed away in his sleep. He had known he was getting old, but not that old...

Sylas stared. "No...I'm seeing things, too."

"Seeing things? Father, don't be silly. You know as well as I do that illusions have no effect on you..." Werr shook his head.

"Sure, but hallucinations..."

"I'm right here. No hallucination, no dream."

"Werr...my son..." Sylas slowly sat up, then slid out of the bed. He walked forward, touching Werr's face, just to make sure he was real. "You...you're alive?"

"I never died. It was a clone." Werr shook his head, unable to hold back a few tears of his own once he saw that his father was crying.

Cynyr took human form and stood up, quietly slipping Welk from Werr and then giving Werr a small push forward, forcing him and his father close together. "Hugs all around," he said, quietly putting the sleeping Welk against his neck. He turned and found Leo standing next to him, and a single glare told Leo that he wasn't welcome in the hugs. "What you have there?" he asked his son softly.

Cynyr glared, then said "Your other child."

Leo blinked once, then looked down at Welk a bit closer. "Ah. I see. Welk..." he murmured, then carefully held out one hand. "Could I...?"

Cynyr's eye flashed a dark color and he was tempted to hiss, but he slowly handed Welk to their father.

Leo took him gently, holding Welk flat in one hand and using the other to gently stroke down the Spectral's chest and stomach. Welk slept on, shifting a bit at the unfamiliar touch. "He's so tiny..." he murmured, moving his finger up to touch Welk's hair. He sighed, then murmured "I was such a bad father to you both..."

Cynyr opened his mouth to agree, but for some reason, all he ended up doing was slowly reaching out to touch his father's shoulder.

Sylas hugged his son tightly and wept with joy and relief, while Werr just closed his eyes and soaked in the warmth from his father's embrace. Unlike Cynyr, he didn't hate his father. His mother was a different story, but Sylas...Werr didn't know if his father just hadn't cared before or what, but he cared now. That was obvious. Werr remembered what Malice had told him, and couldn't help but ask, "I thought...I thought you replaced me. Malice said that you...you had replaced me with Dark..."

Sylas sighed. "I was in denial. I didn't want you gone. Dark...was the closest I had to you at the time...but that's said and passed, Werr. You're my son. Not Dark, and not the incinerated...clone. Whatever that was. You." He sat down on the bed, Werr still tight in his arms. "I love you, Werr. I'm so happy you're back."

"I know..." Werr sniffed, wiping his eyes on his sleeve. "I...I love you too."

((DEM FEELZ.))

Cynyr watched them, then turned his head abruptly and closed his eyes, flicking his ears back. He took Welk back from Leo, cuddling the Spectral close to his neck, then turned and walked out of the room. Leo stared after him, then moved to follow, saying "Cynyr..."

"Just...don't," the wind mage said softly. "Don't bother, Leo."

Leodhaius frowned and sighed, looking away for a moment before turning and walking off down the hall, the opposite way that Cynyr went.

It seemed that while Werr was able to say 'I love you' to his father, the only thing his best friend could say was 'I hate you' to his.

An odd sort of tune drifted down the hall, though his source happened to be invisible. Ophile was humming, an odd thing for the strange Tartaran. He was in a decent mood; his belly full of meat from the kitchens, it was hard for him not to be. So he was humming as he padded down the hall, pretty much defeating the purpose of his invisibility. He was actually headed to visit the young woman who had dropped in a few days ago; an entire week at this point. He didn't know if she was still here, or if she knew about Werr's return, so he thought it would be a good time to visit.

Lexi was sitting on the bed of her room, a pad of paper on her knees and a pencil in one hand. She was sketching quietly, a sad, thoughtful look on her face. She soon sighed and set the paper down, which was a drawing of Naybrin. It was very good, and she was obviously talented, but she looked sad as she walked over to the window and raised it, leaning on the sill. Her long black hair blew slightly in the wind as she looked down, watching Luen and Diana as the two played together in the gardens. Taking turns hiding in the bushes and finding each other or just romping around and laughing. She smiled slightly, but she still held a distant air.

"That's almost as good as Forin's," Ophile said, revealing himself in an instant. "Oh, sorry to creep up on you like that." He smiled slightly, padding forward and sniffing the sketchbook. "Yes, you have talent, indeed. I never was able to draw. I'm afraid it's a little difficult to hold a pencil in your mouth to do so." He nosed her hand, wanting to be scratched behind the ears. He had already seen most of what Lexi's mind had to offer, so he didn't see much reason for her to refuse.

Then again, he was a huge talking black wolf. Not exactly the cutest of creatures.

Lexi jumped a bit at his voice, turning to look at him. "Oh. Hello," she said softly, scratching behind his ears. She smiled at him, then looked at the drawing and said "Oh, that. It's nothing, really." She stroked Ophile's ears, then said "I like it here, in the castle, but I'm thinking about leaving. I don't really have a reason to be here anymore..." She sighed, closing her eyes.

"Really? Werr gave you permission to stay as long as you wanted. Sylas wouldn't stop that." Ophile licked her hand once or twice, then continued. "Especially since Werr has returned..." He said, smiling a bit. Of course, he knew about her attraction to Werr. He knew everything about her, after all.