The Forgotten Zodiac

"Thank you, Lexi..." Werr sighed, looking down. "That...that means a lot to me." He smiled up at her, then stood suddenly. "I have to go make sure things are stable enough for us to leave. I should ask my father if he wants to stay, too...he can watch over things here, if he's not up for coming with us." He stretched a bit, then moved away.

Ophile approached Lexi again, wagging his tail slightly. "You're a very odd girl, you know." He stated bluntly. "In a good way. In spite of yourself, you seem so happy...it warms my heart to see that."

She smiled widely and stroked his forehead, saying "I'm glad you think that. And it's true, I am happy. Not too long ago, I was living in a small town in a run-down, broken home with a father that beat me. Now I'm here, in a beautiful castle with kind, lovely people and someone I just think is...perfect." She sighed quietly, then said "I hope to stay here...forever."

"Oh, I know." Ophile nodded once or twice. "I absorb memories through physical contact. I'm aware of who you are, where you came from, and why you're here. But do be careful what you wish for, miss Lexanna. Forever is a very, very long time. You should know; you've spoken to Obelisk before. Made friends with him before, surprisingly. And he frightened you when he showed his anger. I'm sorry for that. Obelisk may act all high-and-mighty, but he makes mistakes just as much as we do. He likely regrets scaring you like that. So far, you're the only person who's treated him like a normal human being. We're not exactly nice to him, you see..."

((Also, I may or may not have stolen your 150 cobweb. I didn't think making silk would take up quite that much. .3. But I died twice and managed to find 77 more before Nerd had to turn off the server. Soooorrrrryyyy. D: -flailhug-))

Lexi stroked Ophile's head and said "Everyone gets angry, I suppose, and Obelisk has his own way of being mad. He's a powerful being, and he grows powerfully angry. I won't stop being his friend because of this. That would be wrong of me. I said that I would be his friend, and I mean it. Peope make mistakes." She rubbed Ophile's ears, then said "And forever to me is until the end of my days."

((It's okay. n_n -huggles-))

"I see. That's impressive." Ophile sniffed her wrist for a moment. "I know that a normal person would be begging to get away from him. He's a frightening horror among horrors; he himself admits it. And you've brought out the human side of him, I can see that. And that is not something that he would do for just anyone, you know. And Remor...for some reason, those memories are blocked to me. I can't see his face. No matter, though...he allowed you to see him, though. No one has seen his old self aside from you. No one alive today has had that privilege other than you."

Lexi blinked, hit with a bit of how grave it was that she had drawn Remor. It was clearly much more serious than she had thought, and now that she knew it, she made a promise not to ever let anyone see it. I'll destroy it before I let that happen, she thought determinedly. "I think I'll go talk to him, in fact," she said. "Just to let him know that I'm not upset." She scratched behind Ophile's ears for a moment, then said "Watch Welk until we come back, okay? I get the feeling that he doesn't really want to be touch by anyone other than a close friend right now." She glanced over at Welk, who was just sitting on the edge of his plate, staring at the edge of the table and frowning very hard.

Ophile dipped his head, then turned and walked over to where Welk was. He watched the Spectral for a few minutes, then flicked his ears and sat back on his haunches to wait for the return of Werr or Cynyr.

Obelisk was still sitting in his room, stretched out on a hammock made from darkness. It didn't feel all that good to relax like this, but he did it anyways. His muscles (what was left of them, anyways) still required a bit of stretching now and then. After all, it wouldn't be good if his body were to lock up. That would just make moving even more painful. But no matter...it would all be over soon. Soon, soon...

There was a soft knock at the door a moment later, and Lexi's voice was heard. "Obelisk?" she called quietly. "Are...you in there? It's me, Lexi. But...you probably already knew that." She scratched the back of her neck, then said "I just wanted you to know that...well, I don't think any worse of you for seeing that display of anger. I mean, everyone gets angry, and I was a bit scared when I saw it, but now I understand it. You're very strong and it showed in your rage. I understand." She was quiet again, then said "You probably don't want to be bothered. I'll leave you alone." She backed up a step and turned, ready to hurry off.

The door creaked open a moment later, and a bandage was quick to wrap around Lexi's hand. "Wait, don't leave," Obelisk murmured, sounding almost...desperate. In need of comfort. "Please, I want to apologize. Come inside." He let go, clearly giving Lexi the choice to leave, if she wanted to. Or perhaps stay and listen, like Obelisk wanted her to. But he wasn't going to be forceful with her. Never.

Lexi turned quickly, a bit fearful, and she remembered the powerful grip that had been around her fragile neck. But she clearly heard the desperation in Obelisk's voice, and it resonated with her own inner plea; to not be left alone in the world. So many times her father had told her how she would always be alone, how she was only one, unimportant person in the world.

This group of people was showing her otherwise. That she meant something, maybe not to the world, but just to them.

"Okay," she said softly, her soft brown eyes turning down at the sides rather sadly as she moved into the room.

Obelisk shut the door behind her before speaking. "I've never genuinely said this before...not since this happened to my body. I guess I thought...that everything should apologize to me. That I was more of a victim than I could ever make anyone else..." He sighed heavily. He slid out of the hammock and moved forward. "So...I'm sorry. I shouldn't have gotten mad. Not with you, not...not with Werr, nor with anyone. They're not worth my anger and you...you don't deserve it. You've been nothing but kind to me, and I shredded that. I am filled with sorrow at the thought of my own actions. Forgive me if you want, but I won't forget this anytime soon." He touched her neck, where he had grabbed her. Then he turned away. "Sorry."

Lexi watched him, shivering at his touch, then murmured "Obelisk, it's okay. Please don't be upset, really." She looked down for a moment, then moved forward and gently put her arms around him, sighing. "I don't like it when people are upset," she said, closing her eyes. "I'm not afraid of you, and you didn't shred anything. I forgive you, and though I wish you could forgive yourself, it's your own choice." She slowly folded her thin fingers, tucking her delicate nails into the edge of one of his bandages. "I forgive you," she murmured.

Obelisk paused for a moment, then sighed. "I'm not upset. If this is upset, then I am always upset. I have too many regrets...too many for this life. And I've lived centuries and eons locked in the center of the earth, too." He shook his head tiredly. "I'm glad you forgive me, little one...I'm very glad." He patted her once or twice on the head. It was a slightly awkward sight; Lexi, hugging a tall and twisted freak like Obelisk, who allowed the hug in all of his pathetic self-pity.

She finally stepped back, saying "I'm tired, so I think I'll go sleep for a little while. I wish you well, Obelisk. Remor." She dipped her head twice, as if nodding to each person she had named, then patted Obelisk's back and stepped out of the room, heading off down the hall and towards her room.

"May all of your endeavors be successful." Obelisk murmured, returning to the hammock. He drifted off to sleep there; whatever pathetic excuse for sleep he had, anyways.

"May I ask what you're doing?" Ophile asked Welk after awhile. "You've been staring for quite some time now...did the table offend you somehow?"

"No...not that," Welk said, going back to licking the icing from his hands (though it covered his entire body). "Just...I don't know. Something seems wrong. Like everything is spiraling down to only one thing, and that one thing isn't going to be good..." He shrugged and said "But what do I know? I just eat cake!" He shoved another bite in his mouth, munching contentedly.

"You're quite correct. It seems our second story of grand adventure is reaching a climax." Ophile wagged his tail a bit, wondering how many stories would be written about them once they were done. Considering all the books written about their first ventures, it was easy to see how Werr was such a popular king. A living hero of sorts; so many had turned up at his funeral, and now so many were still likely mourning his death.

Welk thought about it, his cheeks full of food, then said "I have to go find Werr. I need him." He swallowed hard and coughed, suddenly seeming to be in a mini-panic. "Where is he?" he said, glancing all around the room. "He left without me. No!" He darted up from the table and raced out, a flying little mess of icing and deep, sudden concern. "Weeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrr!" he wailed, racing around corners and flying down the hallways.

"Welk?" Werr was in one of the halls, speaking with Nate about what to do in case Sylas decided to stay in the castle. The little Spectral thudded right into the side of Werr's head, leaving an icing mess all over his hair.

Welk made a small squeaking sound, almost like a small cry, and clung to Werr's hair, holding on tightly. "You left me..." he said softly, pushing his face close and hiding himself from view. "You can't leave me..."

Cynyr padded around the hall at that time, in panther form. "Yo," he said nonchalantly, masking his new-found worries over his growing family. "What's up?"

Welk sobbed away.

Cynyr stopped short and stared with one eyebrow raised. "Um..." He pointed with a single claw at Welk, giving Werr a questioning look.