The Forgotten Zodiac

((Dear Bun, we had to go out. Again. We should be back in around 3 or so hours.

I have my phone.

Love you~))

Werr matched his pace regardless, leaning heavily on his cane. He still didn't say anything, choosing to just quietly watch his friend.

"Werr, you're up," Toro paused in the hall, blinking at his cousin. "I heard you were leaving soon..."

"We are." Werr nodded once, not stopping until Cynyr stopped. Which, the half-cat didn't. So Toro walked beside them, unsure of something. Finally, he wrapped his arms around Werr in a tight hug.

"Be careful, okay?" He whimpered, looking up at Werr fearfully. "Be really, really careful."

"...right." Werr hugged Toro back for a moment, then broke away to continue following Cynyr.

((Okay, something came up and we came back early. .3. Hello.))

Cynyr didn't even look Toro's way. He stumbled at one point, and fell to his knees. He just sat there for a long moment, staring at the ground. I lost a child I didn't even get a chance to meet, he thought. I was scared to be a father. Now...I'm wishing I could've been. Malice...you've sealed your fate today. He exhaled heavily, shuddering out his breath and watching as his hands shake.

((Hihi~ At the school, sorry for the late reply. Kinda had a bustle 'cuz I missed the schoolbus. xD))

Werr knelt next to his friend, putting a hand on his back. "Come on, Cynyr...don't fail on me now. I still need you. We all still need you." He looked up sharply as a growling came from behind them. Werr spun on his heels, coming face to face with one of the remaining Things. It shrieked at them, then stomped forward; Werr stumbled back, remembering where his cane was. The Things from last night had taken it when he had tried to fight back...and they had thrown it into the rift. Werr staggered to his feet and brandished the black cane at the Thing, not surprised when it didn't do anything. Such a feeble weapon...but it was only one Thing. One out of fourteen others that were prowling around.

Black blood sudden splattered across the ground. Cynyr hadn't moved, but now a huge, glistening spike of wind was stuck through the Thing's chest. Another spike, leveled like an axe blade, charged through the air and hacked the creature's head off.

Before that happened, however, a gentle, warm breeze fluttered over Werr's face, forcing him to close his eyes and turn away, like a hand resting there, making him move.

Cynyr slowly moved to stand up, tears dripping down his cheeks again, but he barely made it half-way before stumbling. He sat on his hands and knees, and slowly rested his forehead on the ground, sobbing. It was just like Naybrin had predicted to Werr on Cynyr's marriage day; they have a dark future ahead of them, and they'll need you more than ever, Werr. Their future will grow very bleak before it gains light again...

Werr turned towards the mess as soon as he could. Naybrin's words rang in his mind, but so did Obelisk's. These people had once been human. Innocent people, ripped from their families and homes...tortured and turned into something else. Something gruesome. And Malice had just lined them up for slaughter...

Werr sighed and turned away from the blood and corpse, kneeling beside Cynyr again. "Right...let's do that again, but this time to Malice. Okay?" He said softly, pulling the half-cat into his arms, where he hugged him tightly. "It'll all be okay, Cynyr...everything will be okay."

Cynyr hand's lighted on Werr's arms, where he clutched onto his friend as he put his head against Werr's shoulder, sobbing. Cynyr had a very unique, wholehearted cry. Because it was such a rare thing, because he kept all of his sorrows bottled up so much, it made his cries painful. They were painful to hear, too; they held far too much sadness for a young, mortal half-cat such as he. This loss was yet another scar added to his already vast multitude of wounds.

His tail flicked around, curling around Werr's leg. He pressed close to his friend, crying out his heartache.

Werr held him tight, not willing to let go for anything. For however long it took, he would hold onto Cynyr. Because he knew that if he turned away now, his dear friend would collapse. That was something Werr would never be able to handle.

"I don't want to admit it, but the only reason they haven't opened another Rift is because of Obelisk." Titus growled. "I feel his power, constantly scanning the city...he's looking for them, and they know it."

"What does that mean?" Kiraki questioned quietly.

"That means if Obelisk wasn't on our side at this point in time, we would be Skinless Strider meals. Obelisk disposed of most of the bodies for a reason; we incinerated the others. If the corpses are left alone for long enough, they'll rise up again and continue attacking, no matter what damage they suffered."

"Were they human, then? At all?"

"Yes. But Malice knows spells that the Titans once used...this being one of them. It pains me to say it, but there could be thousands of these things crawling their world by this time..." Titus growled out a heavy sigh. Kiraki looked up at him, then down again as Toro whimpered.

"Those poor people..." The rabbitzen looked down sadly.

"They chose their fate."

Keir was hanging upside-down from the rafters, munching on something he...had gotten out of his pocket. Of course. "Malice tempted each one of 'em," he said. "I saw a couple o' transformations happen. Malice sought out every disheartened person, everyone with fears or worries, or sicknesses they wanted cured, or family members they wanted something for, or for people who were just plain greedy. The people who ain't gotta care anymore, or that care too much, are the ones most easily taken to his side."

He bit into the chicken leg he was eating, chewing thoughtfully, his black ponytail hanging behind his head. "So if Malice makes ya a deal for eternal life, rabbit...don't take it. Because nobody said what kind of life ya'd be livin' eternally," he said through a mouthful of chicken.

"I don't...I don't want eternal life, anyways," Toro shook his head. "I want to grow up and live out what I have here, I don't need more..."

"You and I are wiser than most," Kiraki tutted a bit. "I wouldn't give anything to lengthen this cursed life of mine...at any rate, my king, should I get rid of the intruder?"

"No, leave him and his life force alone. Too many have died this day; I will not allow the next life to be taken here, of all places," Titus shook his head.

"Thank ya kindly for preservin' my life force," the thief said, nodding his head to the king. He unhooked his legs from around the beam he was hanging on, falling and twisting neatly in midair to land on his feet. He put the chicken leg back into his pocket, then gave a low bow to Titus and Galai. "I thank ya both for allowin' this humble, humble thie- er, man, to stay here and assist the little lordship and his club o' ruffians."

Galai smiled softly, saying "In this time of darkness, they need all the help they can get."

Keir smiled widely, then suddenly reached forward and took Galai's hand, bending to one knee in front of her. "Anythin', for one so beautiful as yourself," he murmured, smiling widely as he gently kissed her hand.

Her eyebrows shot up, startled, and she just sat there looking confused. Keir was just teasing, of course; he had no sense of boundary between royals and commoners. But it was enough to startle Galai...and Titus.

Titus snorted through his nose, glaring furiously at Keir. "Go on, then. Let them know you'll be helping." He waved his hand at the man, frowning slightly. Toro inched behind the throne, trying to avoid Keir's gaze; the thief didn't know who he was, as far as the Rabbitzen knew. Which was good. Toro was suddenly afraid that Keir might try and take him. He trembled at the thought and dove behind the thrones, poking his head up on Titus' side to peek at Keir at watch what he did next.

((Ha, that would be interesting. xD))

((What would be? .3. If Keir tried to take Toro?))

"O' course, o' course, m' lord," Keir said, allowing Galai to pull her hand back and rub it slightly, still a bit unsettled by the movement. The theif turned, waving off-handedly at them and saying "Don't wait up. Avast ya'll." He strutted off, looking like he owned the world. And with what all his pockets held, that was a likely possibility.

Galai slid her hand into Titus', sighing. "That one is quite the wild card," she murmured. "Did you see the sheer amounts of magic coming from his pockets? He possesses rare, valuable trinkets inside. Some that I fear could even contain our powers...we're lucky to have him on our side."

((Dear Bun,

I had to go. Super, ultra tired. =.= Had a rough day. -sigh- You know, you're a really good friend to me. We get along, we've never had a bad fight, and we have a good, honest relationship. I feel like I can trust you with...anything. And you know you can trust me with anything too.

You hold my heart, remember? -♥-

Also, last night while I was laying in bed, I picked up my bunny by its ears. I was reminded of you, and decided that you wouldn't like being picked up by your ears.

I put the stuffed rabbit back down and hugged it instead, because I knew you would like that more. When I woke up that next morning, I was still holding the bunny. Made me feel good, because when I normally hug something while sleeping, I either lose it in the covers or over the edge of the bed.

Not this time.

I love you. Goodnight~

♥ ~Trin))

((Awwww. You...-tears- And yes, if Keir tried to take Toro. There's no one in existence like the Rabbitzen, after all. Making him cry and bleed makes you rich...I would imagine Keir wouldn't be against at least taking him and making him cry. xD))

"He's not on our side. He's not on anyone's side, Galai. He will do whatever will benefit him the most...he cannot benefit from a destroyed world. He knows this, so he assists those who can stop the destruction." Titus took her hand, wiping his over it as though he were removing a glove. He rubbed the spot Keir had kissed, then kissed it himself. "Worry not, my dearest. I won't let anything happen to you. Now then...Toroph, he's left. There's no need to hide."

"Sorry," Toro murmured, his ears drooping as he stepped out into the open. "When he said 'theif', I got scared..."

"Think nothing of it. You're under Galai's wing, after all. The best motherly figure a boy could ever have. She's been taking good care of you, and she will continue to do so." Titus smiled slightly, strange as it was to see on his face. "Stand up straight in this knowledge, child. You were chosen to be here, among hundreds who suffer. And you, Kiraki. I understand your plight, but there's no need to look so disheartened all the time. Beoth takes mercy on you, as do I. Be grateful and content in this knowledge."

"Yes, my king," Kiraki dipped her head, actually perking up a bit. Galliant barked happily, wagging his little tail eagerly.

"Shush, mutt," Titus tutted. Quiet as Galliant was after that word, his tail was wagging to and fro so quickly that it was literally just a blur.

((Also, I have school first thing in the morning. If you post early, you may get one before I go, but aside from that, you'll have to wait 'till my off period.))

((He knows better than to take an actual person, though. xD Knowing his personality, he would ask how the rubies and pearls worked and then make a joke out of it. -picks up Toro and puts him over his shoulder- "A'right, you're coming with me now. Bye all!" -pretends to walk out a door- He would totally do that. He had random spurts of 'good feels', which only happen if - A. He's set in food (aka doesn't have to pay for it). B. Has recently been paid for something. And C. Ulterior motives. xD

Also Titus - Compliment, compliment, shush mutt. xD))

Galai smiled, not feeling even a tad flustered at Titus' kiss. A kiss from her husband was something much more to her, something precious. She folded her thin, slender fingers into his larger ones, lifting his hand to her lips and kissing his fingers gently. Then she extended a wing out and curled it around Toro, bringing him close and hugging him tightly. "Titus is right," she said, smiling as she kissed the top of the rabbitzen's head. "You and Kiraki have sacred places here at our sides. We've never before had helpers that stayed as close as you two do." She closed her eyes, smiling widely as she said "I enjoy having you follow me around, Toro. It makes me feel good."

((Heehee~ That would be funny. Toro would scream and possibly cry. xD

And duh. Galliant is a Tartaran. Titus doesn't compliment things he made, it would only pour into their already swelled egos. o3o))

"I have nowhere else to go, ma'am," Toro flushed, smiling a bit. "Thank you for giving me this place to stay, though..."

"My life will be spent to serve until the end of my days, in order to repay this." Kiraki bowed, ever solemn. Toro watched her, then hugged Galai back.

"I love you, Galai," Toroph said quietly, smiling.

Kiraki looked surprised when Titus did nothing. The king sighed and explained. "There are different types of love, Kiraki. Toroph says to Galai what a child would say to their parents. It is still love, but unlike the love I have for her."

((Aww. xD

And I have to go now. -D- We SHOULD be back soon.))

Galai's reply was to squeeze Toro tighter and kiss his forehead, smiling widely and happily as she gave a soft giggle. "Come on, Toro," she said, standing up and taking his hand. "Let's go into the gardens and see if the roses bloomed today." She looked up at Titus, and there was only love in her soft eyes. "Would you like to join us, Titus? You and Kiraki both? Or maybe you would prefer to stay and await our return. I'll accept either one you would wish to do." She tilted her head at him, flaring a wing out and brushing it gently against his arm.

((Okay, gotta go. Love you. -huggles-))

"I will wait. Kiraki could do with a lesson about love," Titus said, standing up. Kiraki still looked very much puzzled; love was a total mystery to her, of course. "Be ever cautious, my dearest," He moved forward and kissed her gently on the lips, then pulled away and sat back down in his throne.

Toro squeezed her hand then let go, darting ahead excitedly. After Titus' words about the Things, though - what was it he had called them? Skinless Striders? - Toroph wasn't about to go very far ahead. He stopped right at the door, turning and waiting patiently for Galai. He scrambled back over to her when a shadow passed over the throne room; Obelisk was scanning still, searching for any hint of the Things. Searching endlessly, scouring rooms he had seen again and again and again.

Galai smiled, then turned and followed Toroph, taking his hand and walking right next to him. They made their way out to the gardens, like a loving mother with her sweet young son. They weren't the only ones out enjoying the tranquility of the gardens, however.

Leo had dragged Sylas all the way out to the gardens, and the two were now laying in the shade of a large weeping willow tree. Leo had curled up in panther form, with Sylas resting against him. The dual mage was licking Sylas' hand gently, and whenever his friend's other hand made for his stomach, his tail would jump in the way, forcing Sylas' hand away.