The Forgotten Zodiac

Naybrin tilted his head back and laughed, and it was such a unique, special sound. It was full-hearted and overflowing with a sense of being happy and at ease. He calmed himself, humming happily as Welk followed loyally after his friend, stepping around Lexi, who was cooing over Cinnoa. The fire mage flopped down and rolled all over in the grass, finally coming to rest next to Werr's leg. He wrapped his paws around his friend's limb and said "You know I'll never let you go, Werr. Not physically, maybe...but you know what I mean." He flared a wing, which caught Naybrin's eye. "You can hide those, you know," he said. "They were born of a magical aura, after all. Just concentrate and they will sink inside yourself, able to be summoned whenever you need them."

Welk blinked, startled, then closed his eyes and concentrated. The wings glowed for a moment, then faded away, leaving not even a bump; waiting for whenever Welk wanted to use them.

Werr grinned. "Perfect! Now I can sit on your back properly again." He chuckled, smiling away as he laid there in the grass. "Ahh...it's a good day to be alive, I think. Even so, we should probably return to Alastor soon. I do have duties to attend to. It's not easy, recovering from the entire country thinking you as dead. With any luck, the letters to the dukes won't have been sent out yet. Goodness knows I don't need a bunch of ghost hunters showing up on my doorstep!" Werr laughed, shaking his head.

"We will return soon home soon, Dark-Eyes," Naybrin soothed. "Worry not."

Zephyr lifted his head from where he had been eating a slice of cake, flicking his ears at the First King. "...'We', my lord?" he said. "Aren't you coming back to the Sacred Plains with us?"

"I will, for a short time," Naybrin said. "But then I will be returning to Alastor with Werr. For you see...I've come to a desicion." He closed his eyes, his happiness dulling to a serious tone. "...I am too old to continue living the life I currently am," he said. "I have been living in the Sacred Plains for thousands upon thousands of years. Ever since time began. I could very well live for a few thousand more years. But...I've always craved a life amonst humans. To see how they work and function and speak and...everything. I want to live differently while I still have life. Plus, I want to give someone else a chance to rule. I will live in the Sacred Plains for a while longer, teaching them what to do, then I'm going to live at castle Alastor. Mithor can help teach the new ruler everything they need to know, too. My old friend is the second male dragon created, after all. He knows almost everything I do. As of this moment, I step down as the currently king of the dragons."

Zephyr blinked, seemingly frozen in his place. Vaira also had froze, both knowing how serious this was. "Then...who will lead us?" Zephyr said, his breath stilling in his throat.

Naybrin turned his bright green eyes onto the young forest-green dragon, giving only a smile. "I want a young dragon to rule now," the ice dragon said. "Someone with a good heart and a gentle soul. Shining-Scales, I bestow this honor on you, if you would have it."

Zephyr was completely silent, almost as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing. "You...want me to be the second king?" he asked slowly, blinking.

"Yes," Naybrin said without hesitation. "If you would take it."

There was dead silence for a very long while. Lily broke this by smiling widely, saying, "All hail king Zephyr,"

"All hail!" Werr threw in his own voice, chortling a bit. Lily was a bit odd, Werr realized, but it could just be the fact that she was tired. Oh well. Werr smiled up at Naybrin. "So you'll be staying with us? That'll be great! We'll all live happily, ever after."

((Don't forget that they'll be riding a boat (NOT A BUS) there, not riding a dragon. 'Cuz the Drakelings will declare war due to Boko being important to their history and such.))

((What, Naybrin can't go with? Zephyr and Vaira will stay behind, obviously, but I want Naybrin to go. It's...important. Because I'll probably have him die at some point. Maybe.

Also I don't like the drakelings for this. xD))

Zephyr just blinked over and over and over, staring at the ground in shock. A new king had never been proclaimed before in all of their history. This was new grounds for a mere thousand-year-old like Zephyr. But he gave a long sigh and finally smiled, then said "I guess I'm a king, then."

"And I am your queen," Vaira said, nuzzling under his chin. "And Boko is our beloved little prince." She nuzzled her son, then licked the newly appointed king's nose gently. Zephyr shook himself, and they could almost swear the scales on his cheeks were turning red in furious blush.

Naybrin purred happily, flicking his tail before looking down to Welk, who was practising pulling his wings in and out of his body. He chuckled, then said "You'll get use to them, Fire-Heart."

"I hope so," Welk said, closing them again. He nuzzled against Werr, purring softly and looking a bit tired. But he was more than willing to ransack the table for its food.

((Firstly, I do not want you to kill Naybrin and I will do everything within my power to stop that (have the heartbond twine in so close that whatever wounds Naybrin gets winds up on Werr (but not vice-versa), for example) to stop that.

Secondly, you have to understand; only the Guardian has the secrets of their history locked away in his/her mind. Since Boko was the only survivor of his litter, he is literally the only one who can take up that role. Don't you remember him snapping at Tygan? About how Drakelings came to be, even though no one could have possibly told him before? Boko only knew such things because of his heritage. Most other Drakelings have no clue. The 'kings' Boko talked about was Mithor, and Dru'uru, who I've determined were brothers at one point. But they really did find a human baby and have an arguement over what to do with it; Mithor wanted to return it to its kind, but Dru'uru wanted to raise it to be a Draco spy. The Goddess saw this and cursed Dru'uru to the ground, and turned Mithor into the third dragon. Of course, she is not without mercy, and gave Dru'uru a mate; as such, the Drakelings were formed as one species. Dragons, another. Boko knows all this and more.))

"Boko...is a prince?" The little Drakeling blinked in confusion. "Boko is the Dragon Prince? But Boko is not a Dragon..." He tilted his head so far that he fell over. Then he just laid there, squeaking a bit as he squirmed on the ground. Werr moved forward and started rubbing his tummy, which was cause for more squeaking. Diana didn't let the chance escape her; she darted forward, putting her hand on Boko's nose and then scratching under his chin.

"Princy Boko, Princy Boko!" She giggled.

((Okay then. xD Naybrin will stay alive. I didn't realize you liked him that much. :3

And I guess that makes sense, but crapdang, I still don't like Dru'uru that much. xD))

Vaira ducked her head forward and gave Boko the most loving, gentle lick on his underbelly, humming a note that was only made by female dragons to their young. Surprisingly, Boko felt the ressuring wave that hit him when his mother's tone entered his ears. Perhaps because he had been raised by the dragoness.

A shadow passed over them, and when they looked up, all could only stare.

Galai was passing over, but she was in her true form, which was stunningly beautiful. She looked like a swan mixed with a dragon, mixed with some sort of white-gold crystal. She dipped her head at them in passing, smiling, then gave a flap of her six large wings and flew forward.

((: P You'll like him even less when he makes his demand. There's no way Zephyr would comply with either of them, thus the war shall begin.))

Boko let out a happy hum of his own, though his note wavered and his throat clicked when he tried to hum too loudly. He turned his head upwards as Galai passed by, and squeaked out a happy note as she left. He fell silent again as Titus passed over; that was far more intimidating. All black, but seemingly constructed without skin or muscle. It was all bone, of a purest black. He took the shape of a dragon, although the skull seemed more like a snake's. He joined Galai in the sky, his tail twining with hers.

((Well phooey. (o)3(o) ))

She smiled and kissed the side of his face, twinning the wings closest to Titus into his. They flew onwards, flying by using the wings on their outward sides in perfect harmony. Like one pair of wings moving at once. Eventually, Galai tilted her head and glanced downwards, nudging Titus gently before heading down.

Sylas and Leodhaius were in the garden, talking quietly. Sylas was laying back against his dear friend, who was in panther form, both relaxing under a beautiful cherry tree. Galai hovered just above the ground, shifting to her regular form as Titus followed. "Hello Sylas, Leo," the queen greeted, smiling warmly at the two.

((Goggles? xD (AlsodonotdothattoChzyeverokay,okay)))

"Galai," Sylas looked up sharply, smiling at once. "It's good to see you..." He trailed off, not entirely certain about something. Galai had left the choice up to him; she didn't want to interfere with the descision. The descision that would mean life for one, death for another. Sylas didn't know if he should tell Galai or not, what kind of choice he had made. The choice to give up his own wife to secure the lives of his son and his friend.

((In my innocent mind they were goggles. ;3; ))

Galai bent forward and gently put her hand under Sylas' chin, stroking her thumb just under his lips ever so softly. "My dear Sylas..." she said quietly. "No matter what choice you make, I will not scorn you for it. I can only love you as much as I can love my dearest friend. And though I know you are upset by this turn of events, I have news I know you will love to hear." She straightened and took Titus' hand, leaning her head against his shoulder. "Within the course of merely a month, I am going to give birth to a new Divine. And if you still have the gift our other child left you before its death, then our new baby will be the old reborn exactly."

((I thought so. 936))

Sylas blinked, then quickly nodded. "Here, take it," He said, taking the small necklace out of his pocket and giving it to Galai without hesitation. "I...I need to make sure that's kept safe. Leo and I were about to leave. What better place to leave it than with you?" He smiled slightly, then sighed heavily. There was no point in avoiding it. "Galai...I'm going to give up my wife..." He looked down, feeling disgusted with himself.

She sat down on the lush grasses next to him, ignoring the sideways look Leo gave her, and kissed Sylas' forehead gently. "Oh Sylas...how I wish I could take this burden from you," she said quietly, looking crestfallen. "I wish to the Goddess that you didn't have to do this." She pulled back and her image shifted and wavered. She took her true form once again and bent her head forward, then did something nobody in history had ever seen or heard tell of.

She allowed Sylas to touch her while she was in true form. It clearly showed the trust she held in him. She pushed her head forward, nuzzling him gently. Her wings and tail went out to Titus, however, and she pulled her husband close.

Sylas smiled slightly, feeling the light magic washing off of Galai in waves. "You're so beautiful," He said quietly, feeling her feathered head under his fingers.

"Yes," Titus murmured his agreement, for once not sounding jealous or angry at Sylas. "She is indeed. You should stay for awhile longer, Sylas; you seem to have lost track of time. Evening approaches swiftly. By the time you reach the castle, your curse will have caught up with you. Did you not feel it last night?"

"I did," Sylas replied at once, shuddering a bit. He was grateful for Galai releasing him during the day, but it hurt more than ever when evening came. Even if it was always bright here.

((We really do need to do a seperate adventure for him and Leo. o3o Just a few chapters long, maybe.))

Galai closed her glowing white eyes, sighing against Sylas' chest. She tilted her head back, moving it around to give Titus a gentle nuzzle against his cheek, then rested her head on Sylas' shoulder. "I wish you would stay," she murmured. "But I know it is not my place to force you. If you feel you must leave, I will give you my blessing and allow you to go. Just...stay alive for me, alright? I couldn't bear it if I heard tell of your death."

"Like I would let him go first," Leo scoffed dryly, flicking his ears back. "I've earned that spot fair and square."

Galai chuckled at his horrible sense of humor, cradling the ground against her feathery body with her wings.

"There isn't any time to wait around," Sylas said softly. "Leo will take care of me, Galai...It's okay. Please, don't stress yourself worrying about me. You have a new Divine to birth and raise, you can't spend all your time worrying. Galai...the first place I'll return to is Alastor. But then...I wanted to come back here. I'm getting old...I need to retire. And what better place to do that than here? So...if Werr doesn't need me immediately after we return there, then I'll come straight back here. I swear it. Okay?"

((Forgot to answer to them having their own thing. Yes, that would be good. : D ))

Galai closed her eyes, pressing her muzzle gently against his chest, exhaling into his shirt. "Yes," she murmured. "I would be honored to have you retire here. You too, Leo."

"Humph."

She smiled at the gruff tone, then said "And of course, if the desire for adventure ever strikes you again, then you should know you are allowed to leave if you want. I won't hold you here." She gave his cheek a gentle bump, humming a tender tune.

((^^))

"Well...I would miss it, but...a break. We'll call it that. A break, until I feel the need to get moving again. I never was ever able to sit still for long, not since I was orphaned." Sylas chuckled a bit at the thought, then sighed and pulled away. "But as I said, we really shouldn't wait around much longer. I was just about to get up and say goodbye, so...I suppose now is the time for us to leave, Leo. Unless...do you think we should say anything to Werr and Cynyr?"

Galai tilted her head, but she didn't get a chance to say anything. Leo stood, shaking out his thick fur, and said "Yes, I feel we should. At least...we owe them that much. Imagine how they'll brand us if we just up and leave 'em? No, there's at least one thing I need to say to my son before we go."

Galai smiled at him, then gave Sylas a last tender touch before pulling back and leaping up into the sky, with Titus at her side, their true forms melding together as they flew.

Leo watched them go, then turned to Sylas and said "The only thing I can think of to tell my son is..."

*

Cynyr stared at his father, blinking hard. "What did you say?" he asked, tilting his head down a bit.

Leo stared right into Cynyr's single eye when he repeated himself. "I'm proud of you," he said. "There could never be another father so proud of their son as I am of you. Everything you do makes me proud, and...I'm honored to be your father."

He and Sylas had managed to separate their sons and get them alone long enough to speak with them. Werr was standing in front of Sylas and both Cynyr and Welk were in front of Leo. The dual mage sighed heavily, then said "I admit that I'm pretty much the worst father anyone could ever have. I screwed up the first years of your lives because I wasn't...strong enough to protect you both. But I'm so...SO...proud of you both now. You're upstanding, courageous, strong young men, and I only wish good things upon you. I...wish you could forgive me, but I understand if..."

Welk tilted his head at his father, then slowly pushed forward into his arms, murmuring "I forgive you, dad. It's okay."

Leo blinked, then hugged his younger son tightly, closing his eyes.

It seemed that the roles were switched. Leo was finally recieving acceptance and love from his sons; Werr's voice, on the other hand, carried down the hall.

"I don't care what you say, she's my mother! You can't just give her away to some witch in a swamp and expect me to be okay with it!" A short pause. "You thought...YOU THOUGHT I WOULD HAVE HER EXECUTED?! Who do you take me for? What's wrong with you?! I...I don't care if you're in pain, Sylas, I-I'M in pain! You interrupted one of the happiest days I've ever had, to tell me that you have to go give away yo-your own wife...my mother..."

There was a thud. A simple glance backwards would reveal that Werr had punched Sylas square in the jaw. The older man hit the floor on his rear, wincing. "Werr, you--"

"Go, then!" Werr spat at him, then turned on heel and marched away, his clenched fists trembling. "Go and just...don't bother coming back, you hear?!" With that, he was gone, leaving Sylas to stare at the floor from where he sat, rubbing his jaw.