The Forgotten Zodiac

"Naturally." Resu tucked the Guantlet into her pocket. "Hurry along now. Into Ka'ael with you. Galai will send a message to me when you lot are prepared to leave. Before then, the gate will be sealed."

"Thank you, Resu," Sylas offered his feeble thanks, smiling slightly.

"Shut up, Silver-Tongue." Resu snapped at him, clearly not in a mood to keep up with his antics. She marched back over to Zela and helped the weaker Guardian stand, then they both vanished, along with the corpses.

"Right..." Werr murmured, helping Lexi sit on Cynyr's back, and sliding on behind her. "Are you sure you can take both of us, Cynyr?" He asked, concerned for the panther's back.

"Shut up," he replied immediately. "You talk about me like I'm an old man. Lexi weighs less than you do, and you're light enough as it is." He slid into an easy trot, looking to his right as Seria came up next to him, keeping close.

Lexi leaned fully into Werr, sobbing into his shoulder and neck. Her cries were so soft, so tender and innocent. She was gentle even in heartache; it seemed that even a touch could break her in two, but she just cried softly into Werr's shirt, even then remembering not to lay against his pocket, which held the two tiny beings. Naybrin took this as his oppertunity to wiggle out, saying "Perhaps this is a good time to work on regaining my other size."

"Perhaps," Werr nodded quietly, expecting to pass through the place between worlds. Obviously, he knew that said place was nonexistent at the moment, but he was still a little surprised when they went directly from the Eternal Gardens to the joined Amnairus and Tartarus. Werr sighed and hugged Lexi tighter as they hurried along through the streets towards the castle.

"Luna! You're back!" Vidia exclaimed. She had been going with Airlia to see about getting some cloth for a new dress when the group had arrived. The large dove landed, her feathers ruffling at the sight of Obelisk. But she peered at Lexi curiously.

"Werr, who is this?" Airlia questioned, tilting her feathery head to the side a bit.

"Her name is Lexi. Leave her alone for now, okay?" Werr said with a small smile. "She'll be alright..."

"Oh...okay." Airlia nodded once, then looked up sharply when what appeared to be two flaming swords stuck themselves diagonally through the gates, golden chains appearing and winding themselves around the swords and the gates. "Oh dear. Lockdown? That's not good..."

"Not good at all," Cynyr said, turning and heading off towards the guest houses. "Come on, everyone," he called behind himself. "Keep it moving."

Welk stuck his head out of Werr's pocket and said "Hey Airlia!"

Cynyr had to laugh a bit at her shocked look. "It takes some getting used to, I know," he said, pausing next to her in order to gently brush his torn muzzle against her arm. "Hello," he purred, turning aside a moment later.

Luna moved forward and wrapped her arms around Vidia, saying "Dear one! How are you? You must tell me everything you've been doing while I was gone."

"Airlia's been watching over me. She's a bird! A big bird!" Vidia exclaimed. She didn't spend too much time outside her room; Luna was like a mother to her. She was given everything she ever needed. "I accidentally used my powers again, though...I broke her wing. But Airlia is okay, the divine healers fixed her up right quick." She nodded happily.

"Are you a summoner?" Diana asked suddenly.

"Hm?" Vidia said, turning her blind gaze in Diana's direction. "No. I could be. I was, once."

"Just wondering. You have the mark, so..." Diana shrugged, resting her head back on Forin's shoulder.

"Where?"

"On your ankle." Diana mumbled as Forin moved away a bit, keeping his distance between himself and the two Amnairians.

"When did that get there?" Airlia clicked her beak nervously. "Who did you summon, Vidia?"

"I...I don't know," The blind girl murmured, feeling down to her ankle and rubbing the spot. It felt normal...but indeed, the black mark of Ka'ael showed quite clearly. "I-is it really there? She asked fearfully."

((Cern again. He'll come into play in the third book. ;D))

Luna bent down and carefully touched the mark, tilting her head slightly to the side. "Yes, it's there. Hmm...most interesting," she said. "And you have no idea who you summoned? How strange. Usually the summoned appears before you." She shook her head, then stood up and hugged Vidia again. "Don't worry too much about it. I'm sure you'll be okay." She took the blind girl's hand, guiding her towards the house as they chattered on.

Luen trotted past on his three legs, wobbling a bit but staying mostly steady as he hobbled along after Forin and Diana. He trotted close and put his nose against Forin's neck, breathing out an icy breath before pulling his head away, smiling.

Forin followed the girls back to the guest house, keeping his head down. Of course, he didn't want to be spotted by other Tartarans. But alas, this was to be so.

"Yo, Dulce!" A dark-skinned Tartaran with the bottom half of a snake slid easily onto their path. "Fight me in the arena."

"How about no?" Forin growled. "I have my summoner with me, Lu, it would be unwise to meddle with--" He stopped short as the tip of Lu's tail flicked across his face with a sharp snapping noise, leaving a red mark on his cheek.

"So you're a coward now, is that it? You find a lady friend, and everything goes downhill with you, huh?"

"Back off, Lu..." Forin hissed under his breath.

"Fight me in the arena, and maybe I will! Titus already knows it too, stupid. Stupid, stupid Dulce." Lu taunted, jabbing at Forin's stomach, then slid around and poked Diana. "And what's wrong with you, weepy? Crying because your summoner is stupid and weak?"

Luna, walking close by, froze and stared at the Tartaran, her eyes wide. She blinked, then quickly ushered Vidia and Airlia around them and into the house.

Luen suddenly pushed between Lu and his friends, saying "I will ask you to keep your distance, naga. We've had a hard time as of late; I would hate to think you were giving us another." He snorted softly through his velvety nose, his tines glinting in the light.

Lu hissed with his forked tongue. "Maybe I want to give him a hard time. What do you know, pony?" His claws were suddenly around Luen's throat. "Maybe I should tear your throat out, huh?"

"Lu. Enough of this." Forin used his powers to move his hand between Luen's fuzzy throat and Lu's sharp claws. "You made your mistake when you laid a finger on Diana. Don't you know that with just that touch, I have the permissions to slay you where you stand?" He hissed. "Summoner orders overrule Titus' laws."

"Fine," Lu spat, moving away. "I don't have to deal with you, stupid. Take your crybaby up to the castle, Titus wants to talk to you." Forin glared after him, but turned and looked up at Luen.

"Diana...stay with Luen." He murmured. "Luen, I know I can trust her with you. Take care of her until I return, alright?" He requested as Diana slid off of his back.

"Of course," Luen said quietly. "Just...please, return to us."

Luna stepped back out of the house, her gaze downcast and worried. She had been listening in on the conversation, and she knew that Galai and Titus would want to see the both of them. Might as well go with him and stand together. She looked up at Forin and sighed, then gave him a smile and extended her hand, saying "All we can do is go together, right?"

"Right..." Forin said, brushing his hand against hers. He didn't want to put it in front of all of the Tartarans that he knew were watching. Lu hadn't figured out who his 'lady' was yet, or else he would have been dragged to the castle by his hair. Might as well face Galai and Titus with dignity while they could.

Forin's welcome was less than hospitable. With a snap of Titus' fingers, the throne room doors slammed shut and a straitjacket forced itself onto Forin, the weight of chains bringing the Tartaran to his knees. "How stupid are you?" Titus' voice boomed and echoed off the walls. "Do you even begin to comprehend the gravity of this situation?!" He seized Forin up and threw him across the throne room, still seething with rage as Forin slid to a stop in front of the silver throne. He laid there, unable to push himself upright thanks to the chains and restraints.

Luna gasped, putting her hands over her mouth in shock before shouting "Stop it! Don't hurt him!"

"Silence."

Luna turned to see Galai sitting on her throne, her mouth set in a worried frown. "Luna, do you realize how bad this it?" she asked, standing.

The Amnairian took a deep breath, then said "Yes, and I would never change it! Your Majesty, I've always respected and honored all of your rules and choices, but in this you are unfair!"

"What?" Galai said, her mouth falling open slightly. "How could I be unfair to my own children?"

"You and Titus harbor the love and strength of a relationship all to yourselves," she said. "Why are we, your 'children', denied this? Because you fear a Divine that isn't yours? Then take away my ability to conceive children! I have no need of it. All I want is a partner that loves me for who I am, and you have no right to deny, not only me, but all of the others this blessing as well!"

Galai was silent, frowning down at her subject. "You would really go so far for him?" she murmured, staring at Luna, who was on her knees by this time.

"I would die for him," was the instant, unhesitating answer. "This is not a ploy for your thrones, this is not to have our own children. All we want is the same relationship the king and queen themselves have. Galai, you have a husband to lean on, and Titus you have a wife that helps you and comforts you. Why can't we have only that?"

"Because it goes against everything within the old laws!" Titus roared. "We cannot allow you two to claim yourselves as partners without being in the place of power, it would be the first step of bringing destruction upon our own heads!"

"And what sort of destruction is an arcane book supposed to bring about to us?" Forin hissed, only kicked across the throne room in the other direction for his words. He hit the wall and slid to the floor, groaning in pain.

"The old laws ensure that no matter what war or tragedy befalls humans, no matter what they try to do to or with us, we survive above all else. They ensure that our way of life remains untarnished and simple. They ensure--"

"They ensure that we're all kept under an iron fist, that we're all subjected to the same stupid 'way of life'? We're being oppressed, and by a book, no less! And you, our high and mighty king and queen, simply allow it to happen? Maybe I don't want to live that way!" Forin screeched at them.

Luna scrambled up, racing towards Forin's side, but Galai's voice stopped her. "Don't touch him!" she said. "That alone could increase your sentence. Please, Luna."

Ignoring her, Luna turned pointedly and slid her arms around Forin, helping him up.

Galai's mouth opened softly in shock. She lowered her gaze, closing her eyes and thinking.

"You know this isn't right," Luna said quietly. "We aren't allowed to love simply because of what an old book says? How does one loving another change anything? You and Titus love each other. And I am not the only one who wants things to change!"

"She's right."

They turned sharply at the meek voice, only to see Momeki, the little guard that had talked to Toro and Welk so long ago in the jail. She had been here, cleaning the floors to make them sparkle, and had hidden when she heard the shouting. Now she stepped forward. "I want to be able to love too," she said bravely.

Luna looked up at the king and queen, murmuring "Please, Galai..."

Galai closed her eyes, then looked up at Titus, her eyes soft. "Titus..." she said. "...perhaps it really is time for things to change, here in Kaislun." The dragon word for two things morphed into one. Amnairus and Tartarus together. "We can't stop it. And I can remember a strong-willed young Tartaran that captured my own heart as well..." She reached out and touched his arm, smiling softly.

"Galai, you know what chain reaction this will cause," Titus growled. "We cannot allow this. It would destroy us from the inside out! What are we to do, tear that page from the book? Simply do away with it because we do not like it? You of all people should know, Galai. There is a way to stop it. We stopped it last time by removing the emotion of Tartarans. You know what is at stake here, and you know how we can stop it." He turned his cold eyes on Forin. "We must simply take back what was taken from me. We'll remove their memory, too. They'll forget about all of this. Problems solved." He pulled his arm away from Galai, seizing Forin up again and pushing his thumb against Forin's forehead, where the mark of Tartarus sat. Forin screeched and writhed, desperately trying to get away.

"No!" Luna shouted desperately. "What are you afraid of?! Are you scared of us taking your throne?! If so, you are fools, the both of you, and I would rather die than have you as my leaders! You're idiots!"

"Titus!" Galai suddenly shouted. "Titus, stop!" When he continued, her voice became a high-pitched scream. "Titus!" she wailed, and when he turned, it was to a shocking sight.

Death was sitting on Titus' throne, his sword pointed right at Galai's throat, touching her skin and drawing the faintest hint of blood..

"My, my," he said, his dull eyes flicking towards the king. "Do tell, Titus, why even Naybrin, who holds more power than you could ever understand, gave his blessing for this to happen? I would like to know."

Forin hit the ground with a thud, blinking in confusion as a white crystalline substance hit the ground next to him. He seemed to realize what it was after a moment and pressed his forehead to it, reabsorbing the memories that he had temporarily lost. He made sure to collect all of it, then laid there limply until Luna helped him up again.

"Death...you of all people know what the book says. The book given to us by the Goddess. We cannot turn against it, not now of all times!" Titus rounded on Death, teeth bared. "You of all people know this! And for the last time, Luna, if I feared you taking the throne from us, I would have struck you down the second you entered this room!"

"The world is already collapsing, Titus," Death said simply. "How doth allowing people to love each other add to that? Thine races already intermingle. Thy mate sees it; perhaps the Goddess herself is controlling these strings? Have you ever thought of that? A new world is being created, your Majesty, and it’s survival rests upon the shoulders of a new generation. Thy time is done. All thee can do is aide those who would save thine kingdom from death. Not from me, but the final death. The one I am having no control over. This final death is fate; herthum, as the dragons say. If you cannot change, if you cannot find ways to adapt and shift with the world you are living in…you will lose it all." He pressed the sword harder against Galai’s seemingly tiny neck, making tears start to slip down her cheeks.

"Stop it!" Titus demanded, the slightest hint of desperation seeping into his voice. "Since when has this debate turned into threats towards my wife? Get away from her! If your plan is to hurt her to get me to listen to these pathetic whelps, you might as well hurt me instead, because the only thing you succeed in hurting Galai is only making me angry!"

"And you admit that your anger clouds your judgement." Obelisk's voice said suddenly, a sullen, unhappy tone carried with it. He was behind the thrones, and it was easy to tell that he didn't care about what was going on at the moment. He was trying to catch Death, but apparently was distracted by the current events.

"As humanlike as that may be." Titus growled.

"It seems they are popping up everywhere," Death said, sighing and moving his sword from Galai, who ran forward to Titus at once, flinging her arms around him. Death watched them, saying "This comes as a warning, Titus. Thy see thineself how easily ye can lose those dear to thee. Thee have already lost thine child. What more must it take to show thee that change must happen? Take the ability to conceive from thine people and allow them to be together in only love. When it is time to chose a new king and queen, grant them their ability back to them. This ensures only royal blood remains and thine people do not turn against thee, fearing thee as tyrants. And if thou should need more to reassure thee, speak to the mighty king that has returned here. Naybrin has a connection to the Goddess even I, the harbinger of forever-sleep, doth not hold."