The Forgotten Zodiac

Obelisk let the sweet song wash over him. He smiled a bit, deciding not to keep himself hidden any longer. "Forin would find that song repulsive," He commented quietly. "He's a Tartaran; he favors the minor keys and anything major is simply wrong. I, however, find that song quite beautiful. It has been awhile since I've heard a song with such beauty as that."

Lexi jumped slightly at his voice, not expecting it, then smiled slightly and said "Thank you. My mother sang it. It...was my favorite." She brushed a lock of her hair back, then said "Can I draw you now? Just sit down on one of the windows and I'll get to work." She gestured at the window across from her and the one she was sitting on, both of which were long and had big enough sills to sit on.

Obelisk moved to the one across from her, sitting down quietly. "I look forward to seeing how it turns out. Do your very best, yes?" He smiled, the gesture looking foreign on his face. He quickly let it drop, returning to his usual nuetral (half grimacing) self. "I'll have a word with Remor and see if he'll have a word with you while you draw."

She nodded, then turned to a new page and started her work. She spent a moment just studying Obelisk, taking note of every detail of his face and body, then she put her pencil to the paper and started sketching lightly. She hummed quietly, then sang another song after a moment.

"Peace to you, child,

hear the song of the wind,

and hold to the dreams that you have in your heart.

Caretaker of melodies,

spirit of Earth,

come to me and hold me just so."

She hummed the rest of the song, then paused to study Obelisk again before returning to her drawing. She worked quickly, but with a very skillful hand, and she made no mistakes.

After awhile, Obelisk spoke again, in a much quieter, pitiful voice. He started shifting uncomfortably, signaling that Remor could feel the pain of his body again. "Lexi, correct?" He questioned, murmuring something under his breath. "You have such pretty eyes. Reminds me of my daughter..." He rubbed his arm for a long moment, watching as his blackened skin split under the pressure. No wonder he didn't like being touched. A small whimper later, and the bandages shifted to cover the new tear in his old, decrepid flesh. "You...interest me. You've treated us with nothing but kindness, where others would look on with disgust and fear...are you sure you only wish to draw me?"

"Yes," she answered without hesitating, glancing up at him long enough to smile before returning to her quick, neat pencil movements. She worked dilligently, and seemed to enjoy herself. "Drawing gives me pleasure, and I greatly enjoy doing it. It gave me a way to get away from all of the troubles I had. To create people that would never hurt me or say an unkind thing. The better I got at drawing, the more the people came alive." She slowed her sketching for a moment and looked up at Remor, then said "I believe that everyone deserves a little kindness. Sometimes that bit of kindness will stay with someone for the rest of their life and change how they do things. I know that there's people who are too evil to be swayed by that, but I still think that...just perhaps...they need a little bit more. I don't see why I should avoid you or be disgusted when you're just a simple person like the rest of us."

"The others don't think the same," Remor murmured. His voice was slow, a pain-filled drawl, but Lexi was patient enough to sit and listen. "I'm evil in their eyes. There's not much I can do to change that, I suppose. I don't...really care. Obelisk made me a paradise, in the back of our mind. My wife and children are there--memories of them, at any rate. It's better than what I have out here. Just a destroyed body and a bad reputation. But...I am happy to have met you. And I'm happy that Obelisk took a liking to you, too..."

Lexi once again stopped her drawing to look up at him. She smiled, then sat her pencil and paper down and slid off of the window, moving forward. She stopped in front of Remor, standing onthe tips of her toes in order to kiss his forehead gently. She sat back, her hands clasped behind her back, and said "The first kiss was for Obelisk. That one was for Remor." She turned and walked back to her window, sitting on the sill and resuming her drawing.

Remor smiled a bit, then looked down. "Well...for that, I will allow Obelisk to generate an image of me. So you can draw...what I looked like...before." He smiled a bit. "I was in my older years, you know. Old, but still young at heart. I loved my powers, and then...they reigned me in. Like a horse. I'm okay with it now...Obelisk didn't form into his personality until after he had ripped my eyes out. He apologized once or twice, and when my body was laid to ruin, he sheltered me and...well, you see where I am today. I should be getting back, though...Obelisk won't be happy about our arm," He said, looking down at the limb. He had been scratching the blackened skin, causing more and more tears in the paper-like, dead tissue. "It was nice meeting you, Lexi..."

Lexi smiled so kindly and gently, and she murmured sweetly, "It was nicer meeting you, Remor. Your image will be drawn to the best of my ability." She tilted her head at him, then resumed drawing until she had finished with Obelisk's picture. She delicately signed her name in graceful letters at the bottom, spelling out 'Lexanna' perfectly, then tore the page from her book and held it out. "Here you are, Obelisk," she said, smiling. It was him in picture-perfect detail. His head tilted just so, as if listening to something or about to turn to glance behind himself, every crinkle of his bandages, the shading...everything was perfect.

Obelisk took the pictures in his hand, stopping short with his fidgiting. "It is wonderful. I love it." He murmured. In an instant, darkness overcame the little picture, only to fade away. He had copied it and kept the copies locked within his memory vaults. "I'll keep it safe for as long as I live. Which is...forever. Thank you very much," He said quietly, handing the paper back. "Now I hear Remor has given you permission to see his old self. He does not remember it well, but I do. Here," He waved his hand, and the shadows merged together. In mere moments, they took the shape of a person. He was a bit taller than most people (even Sylas), of a sturdy build, and lean figure. He wore expensive-looking garb, although it wasn't exactly royal. His cloak, long and furred, looked to be made out of thick brown wolfskin, the furry and warm material perfect for where he was from. His shirt appeared to be made of a soft white felt, while his pants of a thick leather. His straight jaw was set, his long nose straight and smudged slightly with dirt. His eyes, hazel in color, told a story in themselves; he wasn't foolish, that was for certain. Cunning and swift-minded, always aware of his surroundings. He had a much gentler side to him, but right now, he was a man with a plan, ready to overcome anything.

His black hair was long, tied back into a braid. Flowers were tied into the black ribbon at the end; gifts from his young daughters, wishes of good health and safety. As the shadows finished forming this figure, he ran his fingers through his bangs in order to keep them aside while Lexi drew.

"Before you draw," Obelisk said quietly, his face tilted down at Lexi. "You must promise me that Werr, nor Cynyr, nor anyone else in their group are ever to lay eyes on it. Remor does not want them to see. I don't know why, but they may not lay eyes on this image. Understood?"

Lexi nodded, very seriously, then said "Of course. I promise, I will never intentionally allow them to see it. I'm sure they'll value my privacy and leave my book alone." She flipped to a new page and started on her sketch by studying Remor's image closely, noting every detail, then she began her drawing. Again, she worked quickly and fluently, rarely making a mistake. She moved her pencil with slightly uncertain movement, as if wanting to capture the utmost perfect image. She had to stop and study Remor several times, and she finally seemed to get it together and start drawing with confidance. Finally, she stopped and tore the image from her book, blowing the pencil dust from it before holding it out.

Remor was sitting under a tree, leaning back against it with one leg folded and the other pulled up so he could rest one arm on it. The other arm was held up, where a tiny bird was about to perch on his finger, hovering in midair. Again, everything was in perfect detail, right down to the smallest piece and shading.

"It's perfect," Remor said, his voice brimming with confidence and strength, and wisdom above all else. Much unlike Remor's voice now. "Quite stunning." He passed his hand over it, and the same thing happened with the last picture. He handed it back, smiling as he turned back into shadow and vanished.

"I realize that I haven't told anyone much about how life was back then." Obelisk sighed. "Things were peaceful. Wonderful. Kindoms seldom fought for anything; there were no legions of soldiers lining up to kill legions of soldiers from other countries. The few soldiers the country employed were used solely for the protection from bandits and the like. Petty squabbles were dealt with in arenas; each kingdom had champions that fought it out until they couldn't fight anymore. Whoever was left standing would win, and their kingdom got what they were fighting for. No one died even there. It was a time of great, great peace. There were magical advancements rather than scientific ones of today. Did you know that healing magic wasn't capable of much when I was born? There was no need for it. Healers took care of broken bones and minor scrapes. Rarely was there anything worse.

"Stupid, arrogant humans...all the death, all the illness, all the war these days...it sickens me. Of course, the number of humans has multiplied since then, but only because of the need for soldiers and warriors. This is why I don't like being called 'human'. I don't wish to be lumped with the likes of them. You and I, Lexi...we've suffered at the hands of foolish humans. I think you should join me in the ranks of something alien to them. Of course, I'm not going to make you look like me. That would be silly. You wouldn't survive. Not in body, but in mind. We can't exactly change the world, but we can at least survive in it without being human, no?"

She thought for a moment, then said "I'm sorry, Obelisk, but I'm not sure if I could do that. I'm still a human, after all, and I might someday make a terrible mistake like one. I've made other mistakes, I know that much. I understand that humans have done loads of things wrong. I know that. And I know that it does seem a bit abnormal, how I can just take to you while all of the others avoid you like you have some sort of sickness. I'm glad to be friends with you." She smiled softly, then slid from her sill and walked close, gently taking Obelisk's hand and delicately stroking his long, warped fingers.

((http://www.evosiastudios.com/2012/08/30/video-ascendance/
Either DR or DotS. You pick. :3))

"I see...obviously, I wouldn't force you. That would be the exact opposite of what I wanted to achieve." Obelisk sighed a bit, allowing Lexi to feel his wretched flesh. "Thank you for abiding my strange ideas. And thank you for gracing me with such friendship. I will remember you until the end of my days, whenever that may be. Lexi, the unusually kind..."

((ALL THE THINGS. Seriously. For the entire Darkness Rising saga.))

She smiled again, then said "Thanks for letting me draw you. I'll keep the picture of Remor tucked down into my hope box. I'm sure nobody here would open that; I keep it locked, anyways." She stuck her hand into her pocket and pulled out a small gold key, showing it to the tall, dark being before putting it back into her pocket. "I hope I see you around more," she said, gently letting go of his hand and stepping back to pick up her book and pencil. Then she gave him a neat curtsy and trotted off, still smiling happily.

((Got it. xDD))

Obelisk watched her go, then retreated into his room. Well, one of the guest rooms, but it was the furthest one away from the others, so he had pretty much claimed it as his. He locked the door and sat down on the rug in the center of the room, watching the sun start to set from outside his window. He held out his hand, allowing two things to form there; two round objects, white with hazel irises and black pupils. His old eyes, kept from centuries ago. He could have asked the Divine Healers to put them back, but it just hadn't seemed right.

He made them vanish again, putting his mind to work. He had to think. Think about what his intentions truly were. He did indeed want to die, he reassured himself simply. And Cici reassured him that it would happen. But he was acting foolish, forming friendships with Lexi...but he couldn't bring himself to even think about harming her in any way. She was too much like his daughter. Too familiar. Too kind.

Obelisk was quick to switch the topic to think on, and led himself to start thinking about Malice. What the monster had done so far, and what he could still do.

"Cynyr...dinner should be ready soon," Werr nudged his friend, smiling a bit. "Wake up, you lazy panther."

Cynyr tensed his shoulders and rolled back over, curling up tightly and muttering "Shaddup. I'm not lazy." He flicked his tail several times, covering his muzzle with his paws.

Welk, having been woken at the first of Werr's words, smiled and flew away from Werr's neck, landing on Cynyr with all of the force a tiny Spectral no bigger than your hand could muster up. Needless to say, it wasn't much. "Are too, fluffy!" he said, proceeding to roll around on his brother's flank, sometimes seeming to disappear into the thick black fur.

"Welk, stop it." Cynyr sounded very tired as he spoke.

Welk continued to roll around, finally wiggling his way up to Cynyr's head in order to poke at his ears.

"Are you okay, Cynyr?" Werr asked, a little concerned. He had rarely ever heard such exhaustion in Cynyr's voice. It was worrisome, of course. "I can leave you here if you want to sleep more. It's just dinner..."

((Rushed post, 'cuz I gotz tah go nao.))

((It's okay. ;3))

"I would rather stay, for a little while..." Cynyr muttered, ignoring Welk, who had stopped messing with him and was now just sitting on his head, staring down in concern at his brother. "I'm just tired," he said wearily. "I know better than to hide anything from you two. I swear, all I am is tired." He sighed exhaustedly, already starting to fall back asleep.

Welk gently stroked the wind mage's soft ear, then zipped back up to Werr's shoulder and sat there, putting his tiny arms around Werr's neck.