The Forgotten Zodiac

Marion hissed and spat at Snider while the Demigod wrapped his arms around Dmitry. "Ohh! We'll have so much fun together, little princey." He looked at Marion. "Two hours. That's how much time you have." He watched as she was released and thrown out. Snider then turned to Dmitry, smiling away. "She might make it here on time...but it won't matter too much, will it? No, it will not...and then I'll make sure to pick her apart, too. Bit. By. Bit."

Diana finally stirred, opening her eyes. She immediately looked down at her arm, trying to hide the fact that she was awake and look at where her wounds had been at the same time. Her eyelids fluttered as she looked to see who was holding her. Galai. Not Forin...it hadn't have worked. Of course not; Forin was already summoned. She couldn't bring him about again in the same way.

"You're awake."

Galai tilted her head down at her, sighing.

"Diana, I need to speak with you. How long do you intend on letting this behavoir go on for? If no one had intervened when you did that to yourself, you could've died from blood loss. Then where would Forin and Luen and Luna be? Without their Diana. Forin would've been forced back to Tartarus, to await his new summon. He would've been taken from Luen and Luna both. All I want is to help you, Diana, but you won't give me that chance. Why not? Luna can only mother you so much. She's young herself, she shouldn't have to. I, on the other hand, have had many, many daughters, and I know about these things." She tilted Diana's head back gently, only compassion in her eyes. "You need someone to really mother you, to teach you how to become a proper young lady, not a small child."

Diana looked up at Galai quietly, tears budding in her eyes. "I...I watch people. I'm really quiet because I'm always watching. Luna and Lexi and Seria...th-they're...not like me." She said hesitantly, trying not to cry. "They don't need to depend on people as much as me, an-and they help the group. I feel like deadweight sometimes...but I don't know how I should act, or how I can help, o-or...anything." She sighed, greatly unhappy. "I didn't want y-you to help me because..." She seemed to partially wilt in Galai's arms. "I...I remember Bala, the un-unicorn that hurt me...I thought maybe you...you would be mad at me, because I tattled...Forin told me that wasn't true, but he...he let me hide behind him anyways. He always does. I don't understand..."

Galai immediately made a gentle, soft sound in the back of her throat, hugging Diana close. "Darling, little angel, I could never be mad. It's okay," she murmured. "Bala chose her fate long, long ago. You needn't fear wrath for a deed long gone. And if you want to cry, dear child, cry. Let it out." She stroked her hair gently, rubbing her back.

Diana smiled a bit. "Fo-Forin always tells me to cry even when I don't want to...because when you bottle it in, it'll only hurt more to let it go..." She sniffed and wiped her eyes, then cried and buried her face in Galai's blouse. She finally calmed down, but remained curled up in Galai's arms, where she felt safe. She finally hugged Galai freely, smiling a bit now, even.

There was one, however, who was not smiling. Cern seemed a little nervous, but finally he worked up the courage to try and touch Galai. He only managed to brush her shoulder before flinching back. He wasn't sure why, but...he knew that this woman knew where his home was. And when he had touched her, he felt as though going home was...a bad thing. They would lock him up. They didn't like him, back home. So of course, Cern backed up again, his eyes downcast.

Galai kissed Diana's forehead gently, then looked up at Cern, blinking. She knew who he was, of course. And his single touch had comfirmed it. She had sensed him easily, and knew he was the same one as before, but with no memories. She took pity on him, however. Still holding Diana, she stood up and offered her free arm to him, saying "You poor thing...you look like you could use some love too. Come here."

Cern hobbled over quietly again, leaning ever so slightly into Galai's hug. He blinked softly at her, his wooden frame trembling as they sat again. "Who...are you?" He questioned.

"She's your mother, Cern." Obelisk said quietly. "Titus, her husband, is your father."

"Mother...father..." Cern stared at him, then looked at Galai again, clearly confused.

She nodded once, softly, stroking his shoulders and the back of his head. "Yes, it's true," she said quietly. "You are a child of our magics, not of our bodies, but are still ours nonetheless. You are a Tartaran, and in your past, you did some fairly bad things at the hands of your summoner." She kissed his forehead, closing her eyes, then said softly, "I pardon you, Cern. You are pardoned."

"It wasn't all at his summoner's hands," Obelisk pointed out, but sat back regardless and decided to stay out of it. Cern blinked, looking at her quietly.

"I remember...a boy. Tar...taran..." Cern murmured.

"That was Michaelis. The boy who tore up lives. Forin's, to be specific...you cared for him. Helped him take organs that he needed so he would survive...but he didn't. You were angry..." Ophile spoke up, then sighed. "It's fine, Cern. I...pity you. This body of yours can't be...it can't be good. Does it hurt?"

"I...cannot feel." Cern uttered quietly.

Galai sighed, then said "I would give you a new form, if only I could. I don't have the powers for that, however much I could wish for it. Only combined with Titus do I have the maximum amount of my powers, and he is not here. I'm sorry." She kissed his forehead again, then said "Is there anything at all I could do for you? Can I ease anything for you?"

"No...I don't think so." Cern said thoughtfully, closing his eyes. "I feel bad. I feel...sad. Unhappy." He sighed, tilting his head to the side again and again. He looked towards the door as Marion stumbled in, allowed in by Obelisk. She was crying, or she had been. She looked over them, her eyes falling on Naybrin, curled up with Werr.

"Dmitry...wants to speak with you," She said quietly. "About his father. He thought maybe...you knew something." She was just guessing from what she had heard from Dmitry so far.

"Marion, what's going on?" Obelisk asked at once. "Your breathing and heart rates suggest you sprinted here from a long distance, and--" He stopped as Marion conjured an orb of light over her head, warding off a bit of his magic. "You're hiding things."

"I just...need Naybrin to come with me. Dmitry needs him." Marion snapped back, checking her pocketwatch quickly.

"You're being timed." Obelisk observed her as she snapped the timepiece shut, hissing at him. He turned, glaring at the window for some reason "And...wa--" He cut off again, but this time, he passed out. All his magic receeded (making the house seem a lot brighter), and he crumpled on the floor in a heap. No one had any earthly idea what happened, save for Naybrin. The First King had detected the reaching magic of a Demigod. Snider.

Cern reacted immediately, sending his own shadows out to every corner of the house, ensuring that no one could sneak in or try to attack while the master was out. Fawn scurried forward at once, leaning over him curiously, poking and prodding and making sure his heart still beat. She relaxed once she was certain he was alive and well. She looked up at the others, then reached into Obelisk's coat pocket and withdrew a small notepad and a pen. She wrote on it, then handed it to Nate, who read it aloud.

"'Obelisk exhausts his body often. Sometimes this will happen. Sorry for the inconvenience.' You sure he's okay? We've never seen him do something like...that." Nate blinked. Fawn nodded, smiling a bit.

Naybrin tilted his head at Obelisk, watching him for a moment before looking up at Marion. "The truth sometimes works better than lies," he said simply. He bent his head and nudged Welk and Werr up, then stood and moved over to Marion. He looked down at her for a moment, then turned his head and looked back to the two he had uprooted. "I will return soon," he said. "Keep a close watch on everything." He tilted his head lightly, giving a small smile, then turned and nudged Marion out the door. He walked at his own pace, not wanting to joustle too many ancient, age-old bones.

Marion sniffed and tried her best not to start crying, but once they were out of the house and on the road, she started crying. She pushed out her thoughts, knowing that Naybrin would be able to hear her. "Th-they're going to kill him...Naybrin, they'll kill Dmitry if we don't get there on time," She leaned against him, trying to dry her tears quickly. "Snider and Mirage...please, Naybrin...!"

He looked concerned at once, gently bending his head down to nuzzle her softly. Come, he replied softly. We'll get him back. Do not cry, young one. I will need your calm and ease of mind to get through this properly. Come, let's get your fiance back. He gave her a gentle lick, passing his tongue over her shoulder, then they continued onwards.

Mirage was waiting eagerly for them when they arrived.

"Good, you've shone up," she said boredly, flicking her long white hair with an air of uncaring. "I was beginning to think that you had abandoned your love, naga."

Naybrin snorted heavily, facing her with his deep green gaze. "Kindly do not speak of her in such a rude way, wyvern," he said shortly. "Release the boy at once. Here I am; what would you have of me?"

"Oh, nothing much," Mirage said, making no move to call on Dmitry yet. "Just a few things that only someone with your magical prowess could give me."

((Shown, not shone. xD))

Marion hissed and started pacing behind Naybrin. She could smell blood. She was furious, worried, and terribly upset. "Let him go, give me Dmitry back," She muttered, but knew that it wouldn't happen just yet. "What the heck do you want from Naybrin? You should be eaten, that's what," Marion hissed, but slowly calmed herself down. She needed to. Naybrin said so.

Naybrin glanced gently back at her, warning her to keep calm, then looked back up. "Speak your wishes, and speak them quickly," he said. "I have business elsewhere."

"Of course. Everyone always has something else to do," Mirage said, standing from her throne. "There's something you're going to give me, and I will not take no for an answer. I want revenge."

"Revenge? On whom?"

"On my father and the people that drove him away. You have to find my father and bring him here."

Naybrin blinked, then said "Child...your heart cries loudly for peace. How can I possibly find your father? I know not even who he is."

"You're lying!" she shouted suddenly, nearly screaming in her ferocity. "You have met my father before, I can feel it on you! Where is he?!"

"I repeat what I told you before," he said sternly. "I know him not."

Mirage screamed and tore the tapestry from a wall, shouting "You are a LIAR!"

Marion quickly shut up after that. Mirage...she was insane! Marion tensed and pressed close against Naybrin when Snider emerged, blood on his hands and white coat.

"Oh! Naybrin. Hi there." He smiled cruelly yet again. "You might as well talk, First King. Because she might tell me to hurt you. I rather want to hurt you. What would happen to Werr if I tore up your wings? Would he obtain cuts on his back, or nothing? He doesn't have wings of his own, after all..." He said thoughtfully, tilting his head to the side. "I think he'll get cuts on his back. The sides of his back. That'll hurt. Blood bonds won't work for electricity, poison, or anything like that; it doesn't transfer like that. But cuts, broken bones...amputations..."

"Your magic does not affect me, Snider," he said, rolling his eyes. "Demigod that you are, I was granted far more powers than you could dream of." He blew a thick plume of smoke at him, then turned to Mirage, who was still throwing things around the room. "I tell you, child, that if I knew who your father was, I would bring him to you. I do not know who you are speaking of, or else I would gladly bring him to you."

"You do too know!" she cried with tears in her eyes. "His name is-"

CRASH.

The roof caved in at that moment, and none other than Keir the thief dropped in with a shouted curse. He had obviously been creeping around in the upstairs room, his pockets laden with stolen goods.

There was silence all around as he righted himself. "Erm...heh heh...I'll just be goin' now," he said slyly, trying to edge towards the door.

"Nope!" Snider grabbed him by the back of his collar, dragging him to Marion. "Intruders are fun! I can hurt intruders, right?" He pulled out a scalpel from Goddess only knows where. Honestly, he didn't use magic to hurt people. He took their pain and turned it into his lifeforce, yes, but he didn't need magic to cause hurt. He could do that just fine by himself.

Marion, in the meantime, was creeping back to the room Snider had come from, hoping to find and save Dmitry.

"That one, sadly, belongs to us," Naybrin said with a heavy, disapproving sigh. "Keirstrider, how many times must you do such rediculously stupid things?"

He looked over at Mirage to continue speaking, only to see that she looked utterly stunned. She was staring intently at Keir with an expression of mixed fury and fear. Finally, she opened her mouth and quite literally screamed something at him. But it wasn't quite what anyone expected.

"FATHER!!" she wailed at Keir, who turned his head sharply and saw her. "M-Mirage?!" he gasped, his eyes darting fearfully from side to side, as if wondering how fast he could get away from his daughter.