The Forgotten Zodiac

The dragon king that was laying nearby lifted his head, humming a dragon tune softly, his eyes sparkling. "If anyone were to say that you hadn't fought for your freedom, I'd have to bite their head off," he said, cradling Cynyr's limp form gently in his paws. He took him gently into a single paw, lifting his arm and laying the panther next to his brothers.

Welk hugged him tightly, clinging to him even as the panther woke up and slowly sat upright. He rubbed his eyes, wincing with the movement, then turned to see what the heck was hugging the life out of him.

"Welk!" he cried, wrapping his arms tightly around his little brother's shoulders. "You're okay..."

"Of course," the blonde half-cat said. "Nobody can kill me." He flicked his short tail, then seemed to realize that he had an abnormal weight on his shoulders. He glanced behind himself and immediately shouted "What the heck, I have wings?!"

Cynyr chuckled, closing his eyes for a moment. Suddenly, the wind mage looked tired and old to Werr's eyes.

"Yeah...wings." Werr smiled happily. "They're a bit odd, but cool." He looked over at Cynyr, then let out a heavy sigh. He spent a moment in silence, remembering those who had died; Asmodius and his daughter, the Divine, Lexi's family, Oridanante, Blackwood and Nightlash, and so many others that Werr couldn't name. Even their enemies deserved a moment of respect, too. Werr spent a full five minutes in complete silence, just sitting there and looking down. When he looked up agan, however, his friend were around him. Nate and Tasia, Forin, Luen, Luna and Diana, Seria and Cynyr, Lexi...and Welk. All smiling tiredly, but happy.

"Hey, Cynyr..." Werr said quietly. "Let's go home."

The panther opened his single yellow eye, looking over at Werr. His clothing was a bit tattered, showing the cruel scars that laced his skin, but he didn't care. He only had to look at his two brothers and the beautiful wife he had standing nearby and know his world was alright.

Naybrin dipped his head low over them, saying "Come. I'll take you where you must be." He blew a warm breath over them, watching as Welk hugged Werr yet again and vice versa; the best friends were overjoyed to be reunited once again. True, they had been before, but now they were fully together again.

Now they were all able to go home.

*

When they arrived back in Kaislun, everything was silent. People were walking around, but they were mostly quiet. When they spotted the great dragon and the people on its back, it didn't take long for applause to burst out in a thunderous cloud.

Welk, ever the mischevious little lion, slowly managed to stand, keeping one hand on Werr's shoulder, and blew kisses to the crowd, being as dramatic as possible. His new wings hung limply to the sides, as he didn't have the strength to lift them yet.

Werr smiled at the attention. He had napped on the way here, and the applause had woken him up. He couldn't do much but smile and wave, but a few were doing a little more than clapping. A couple Amnarians were scattering golden rose petals above them, while a large owl by the name of Drew flew up and congratulated Ophile first, then the others in turn.

Werr looked down at his hands. He was holding both of the Gauntlets; he had figured that the safest place for them would be here. The Temple of the Stars was without a phyiscal protector, now. Amnairus wasn't completely safe, but it was safer than putting valuable artifacts in a desert teeming with overeager explorers and sand bandits.

Welk sat back down after a moment, sitting back-to-back with Werr. He rested his head back on his friend's shoulder, saying "Ah, the crowds. They love me."

"You're such a clown, little brother," Cynyr said, flicking his tail.

"Maybe, but I would be nothing at all without my family," he replied, taking Werr's hand. "I just need a girlfriend and I'll be set!"

Cynyr laughed quietly behind his hand, then looked up suddenly when someone called Naybrin's name.

Namanai hurried over, her eyes full of fear. "Naybrin!" she called again. "We have an emergency!"

The dragon king turned his head sharply to look at her, saying "What is the problem?"

"It's Tasia," the oldest healer said quickly. "She's gone into labor far too early. We're in threat of losing the baby right now!"

Nate seemed to fall off of Naybrin, but he hit the ground for maybe a millisecond before bursting into flight, his blurred shape headed straight for the infirmary. He smashed right into the door, but apparently the lockdown's effects hadn't quite worn off yet. The door was still heavy, and his crashing into it had done little to nothing. To the door, at any rate. Nate shook it off though, knowing he'd see bruises in the morning, but not caring in the slightlest. He yanked the door open, dreading what was behind it, but walking in regardless.

Tasia was laying on one of the beds, panting and gasping for air as she strained and twisted, feeling as though the contractions were tearing her tiny body apart. She screamed, knowing things were going so wrong. She knew her baby wasn't supposed to be born yet, and that if it came out now, it would be too premature to live more than a few seconds. Or it would just be born dead.

She cried out at the sight of Nate, desperately reached her hand towards him, ignoring the frantic workings of the healers around her. They had taken up places around her, directing beams of magic towards her body. Trying to help her.

Nate pushed a healer aside, wrapping his hands around hers. "It's okay, Tasia, calm down, I'm here," He murmured to her, kissing her forehead again and again and again, as if to assure her that it wasn't a hallucination. That he was actually here. "I love you, I love you, please don't cry, I'm not leaving again." He said softly, ignoring the healer that was working around him.

She held his hand close to her lips, sweat dripping down the side of her face. "N-Nate, it hurts so much..." she cried, sobbing against his fingers. "I don't want to lose our baby!"

"And you will not," Naybrin said, quietly entering the room. He was just a little taller than Nate in this size. "I will assist you, little Bright-Skies. Do not fear."

She took in a shuddering breath, knowing to trust the most powerful magic user in the land. She rested her head back on her pillow as her latest contraction subsided for a moment, looking weaker by the second.

Naybrin ducked his head, pressing his nose to her small stomach, then pulled back and said "I and the Divine healers will use our magic to infuse your infant with life. Our magic will speed up the growth rate until the baby reaches a safe age and size, where you can then deliver it normally, without risk." With that said, he ducked his head and touched his nose to her stomach once again, releasing a hum that seemed to fill the entire room. The Divine healers all tuned their magic to his, and almost immediately, ever so slowly, Tasia's belly began to swell as the baby grew.

Nate watched in awe, resting his head near Tasia's. He pressed his forehead against the side of her head, kneeling next to the bed. "I love you. You'll be okay. Both you and the baby. You'll both make it out of this." He said softly, kissing her again before one of the healers pulled him off. He kept his hands around Tasia's, letting her squeeze his hand.

Tasia laid as still as she could, not wanting to ruin what they were doing, but when another contraction ripped down her body, she couldn't help but scream out against the pain. An overwhelming instinct suddenly welled up in her and she cried out "I...I n-need to push...!" Tears of pain leaked from her eyes as she knitted her fingers into Nate's, crying out again.

"Not yet, little one," Naybrin said soothingly. "Hold on just a little longer. Your child is almost ready."

Finally, when the contraction died down again, for merely a few seconds, Naybrin pulled back. "There," he said, tilting his head at her now filled-out belly. "Your infant is safe from any harm. On your next contraction, you must push as hard as you can. It will not go easy with you, Bright-Skies, but the time is now."

Tasia gave a weak, teary nod, then she arched her back and wailed as a powerful contraction swept through her frail form.

The procedure took several hours, as usual births normally did; but soon, Nate held the crying bundle that was his new baby girl. The tiny wings on her back were a dark, ruddy sort of pink that matched the baby fuzz on her head. Nate held the girl tight; the crying was a good thing, right? It meant her lungs were working, a healer assured him. Nate didn't really know what else to say. He sat down next to Tasia, numbly coming to the realization that he was now a father.

His wife was panting softly, laying motionlessly in the bed. The process had drained her completely, far more than a normal birth, but Nate was assured that she would be okay. She weakly turned her head, holding one of Nate's hands while he cradled their daughter, and managed to smile exhaustedly. "Nate..." she whispered. "She's beautiful..." She closed her eyes, bordering on unconsciousness.

There was a snuffling sound at the door, then Zephyr stuck his head in, glancing around. "Hello?" he called warily. "Is it alright if we enter?" He pushed the door open a bit more, showing that Vaira and Boko were there too.

Tasia make a soft sound and held her arms out to her mother figure, who swept forward and buried her muzzle against the girl's neck. "Oh, my sweet girl," Vaira soothed, nuzzling her over and over.

"Vaira-lahnir..." she whimpered in return.

"Baby!" Boko squealed, causing the infant to hiccup and stop crying. Boko eyed the child, then slowly crept his head forward and touched the very tip of his nose to the child. The baby started to fall asleep; she hadn't even opened her eyes yet, but she was exhausted from the rapid growth and then birth. Nate held the child close, then turned and shifted around so that Vaira could hold her.

"What are we going to name her?" Nate questioned, frowning thoughtfully.

"Baby! Baby is her name!" Boko squeaked at once. "Momma, where did Bright-Skies get that baby? Did the magic birdy visit? I am going to eat that bird," He announced proudly, then started sniffing around for the scent of the 'bird'.

Vaira held the baby so gently in her forepaws, her sharp talons not even close to harming the little girl. Zephyr rested his head on her shoulder, smiling and flicking his tongue at the infant. Vaira rested her head on top of his as she turned to Boko, saying "This little one came from Tasia, Silver-Fire. You must be very gentle around her."

Tasia lifted her arms, letting Vaira give her the baby. She held her daughter close, blinking sleepily. "...Ariana," she said quietly. "That's her name. Ariana." She rested her head back against Nate, sighing and breathing in his scent.

"I will be careful," Boko said after a moment, lowering his voice as he realized the baby was asleep now. "Boko will be veeeery careful."

"Ariana Furhblast it is." Nate said quietly, stroking Tasia's hair back. "It's the perfect name for a beautiful child." He whispered gently, smiling proudly. "I'm so happy, Tasia...you've made me very happy. This child...just looking at you and her together...it fills me with so much joy, I can't even explain it." He looked up at the first king and the healers. "Thank you, too. I can't...I can't thank you enough. How on earth could I ever repay you?"

Naybrin flicked his long ears, smiling. "You need not do a thing, Noble-Wing. I wouldn't hear of it," he said, watching as Zephyr approached his best friend and nudged his shoulder, humming happily. "I'm proud of you, Nate-lahnir," he said, his bright red eyes sparkling. "I'm so glad to have met you and been a part of your life." His rough tongue flicked out, catching Nate's cheek, then he simply rested his head on Nate's shoulder and watched little Ariana.

Vaira kept her head pressed against Tasia's neck as the girl slipped into unconsciousness, needing to rest.

Nate watched with glee, smiling away. Malice was defeated, Obelisk was out of their hair, and now his daughter was alive and well. He was tired, too, but he much preferred to sit and watch his dear wife slumber. His smile never seemed to leave his face, even when little Spy poked his head in and made a questioning sound.

"What's wrong, Spy?" Nate asked, looking over at him.

"You're back. Not really wrong, but if you're here, then...did we win?" Spy questioned, tilting his head to the side.

"Yeah," Nate leaned back, nodding thoughtfully. "I'd say so."

Jag came by, spotting the little chimera and taking him by the scruff of his neck. "There you are, snack. Come on, we're going for lunch." He threw a wave at the beings in the room, then walked off.

Tasia was able to rest for a few hours, until her new duties as a mother woke her. She took care of Ariana, then just rested with her husband, leaning her head against his side.

A knock at the door sounded, then voices, then Seria opened the door. Her eyes were still a bit distant, but she was able to smile ever so slightly at Nate and his new family. "Hi Nate, Tasia, Naybrin, Zephyr, Vaira, Boko," she said quietly, opening the door for Cynyr to come in. "Mind if I see the new little one?"

((Welk and Werr wouldn't be here yet. They're outside alone, enjoying time.))

"Sure," Nate nodded. "Ariana is her name. She just finished lunch, so now is a good time to hold her. Oh, look, she opened her eyes." Nate looked over Tasia's shoulder, grinning at his baby girl. "Hi there, precious," He said gently, smiling away. He picked the baby up, holding the infant close as he gestured for Seria and Cynyr to come in.