The Forgotten Zodiac

"Yeah, you don't have to speak to Remor," Sylas shrugged. "Just talk to Naybrin. That works--" He cut short as the door opened abruptly. The woman pulled Naybrin in and slammed the door shut again.

The house was a humble little place, tiny compared to Obelisk's masion. There were only two rooms; the main room, and a little bedroom, barely bigger than a closet. She ate her meals at the castle, so she had no need for a kitchen or dining room. She had a little brick fireplace with a cozy fire burning within, with a housecat dozing on the hearth, who was ignoring the two people completely.  Nerin slid the deadbolt over the door, backing away and pulling Naybrin to the two chairs in front of the fireplace. She sat him down and sat down in the other one, curling her knees up to her chest.

She was a bit older than Cynyr, it seemed. And still in shock; her green eyes stared into the flames, and her dirty blond hair was frizzy and curled, hiding most of her face from Naybrin's view. Finally, she said, "That man...absolutely terrifying. His name isn't Remor, he's Obelisk...he's a monster..." She trembled before managing to calm herself down. "You're here to as about Gual...aren't you? My brother..." She looked down, slowly uncurling herself. "He was always so fragile...I took care of him, my little brother...our parents abandoned both of us when we were younger. I don't care about that, all I cared about was my brother. We were doing just fine, and then a few months ago, that freak of a man came by our house, and...!" She kicked the corner of the rug, not sure if she should keep talking. She didn't know why she had started in the first place. Naybrin just seemed so friendly, and...well, she had to get all of this off of her chest somehow. "We lived in a different city then. But after he visited, Gual made us move here. He got a job in the castle, and...eventually, I did too. So I could see what he was doing. He changed so much...he never came home, he called that disgusting king his brother...a-and I was always begging him to return home, bu-but...it was like he had forgotten about me completely. An-and then they dragged his body out of that house, and I realized that Obelisk lives here..." It took about three seconds before she turned into a sobbing mess. The cat sat up and looked at her, then hopped up into her lap. She started petting it, and slowly calmed down that way, but she didn't say another word.

She couldn't afford to move. She would keep her job in the castle, which would turn into the main headquarters for the Peacekeepers. She didn't mind that, but Obelisk...she couldn't stand the thought of living in the same town as that freak any longer. She passed his house every time she went to work!

Naybrin tilted his head at her, then glanced over his shoulder. "I will tell you what I have found out about this entire situation," he said gently. "I have begun to suspect different hands at play here. I suspect someone is taking power that doesn't belong to them. They used this power to brainwash your brother and pilfer him away from you. He did not change of his own; someone else changed him." He clicked his teeth lightly, a move he would do in dragon form, then took her hand into his and said "I feel for you, young lady. It pains me to know that you have lost so greatly..."

"I know he didn't change on his own...Gual wouldn't have done the things the guards told me he had done." She shivered and moved her hand away, going back to petting the cat. "You're...you're one of the people who were attacked, weren't you?" She shivered. "I still don't understand how he could have done that. Gual's powers...they weren't the greatest. And they hurt him more than anyone else..." 

"Shh, you do not have to explain to me," he said kindly. "I understand. I have no blame for your brother or you." He stood up, a few bones creaking, and gently smoothed out her blond hair, tilting her head back to look at him. "You should sleep, little one," he murmured. "And if you truly wanted to stay away, I'm sure the castle would give you lodging. The Peacekeepers are kindly folk." He stroked the cat once, then said "I should return to my friends. Lovely Nerin, I bid you farewell, and peace."

Nerin slowly nodded, standing and shuffling to her bedroom as Naybrin left.

Obelisk was fuming outside. "I am not a monster. I am not a bad person, and I have never seen that woman before! Move, let me scan her memories," He tried to push past Naybrin, clearly furious and not thinking straight.

Naybrin's hand darted out and connected with Obelisk's shoulder, and Obelisk felt the light hum of his magic energy. "Cease, Obelisk. Leave her be," he said softly. "We understand what you are saying. Just let her alone." He patted Obelisk's head gently, then said "Let's go about our way, okay? Come along." He proceeded to walk, already explaining what she had told him.

"So I heard," Obelisk said over and over again. Of course, he had been listening. How could he not? The woman regarded him as some sort of freak who had torn her life apart. And in some ways, it was true and logical for her to think that way. At the same time, Obelisk was mad. He wasn't the same as he was before, and he wasn't a monster!

"Let's think," Sylas said as they walked back to Obelisk's house. "Have you sensed anyone fiddling with your magic?"

"The only one I sensed recently has been Snider. He knocked me out cold earlier. He didn't do anything else, though, I know that for certain..." Obelisk said thoughtfully. "I can't say I've sensed anyone..."

"And you yourself are...how do you put it? A, uh...self created person?"

"I forged my own soul from mine own memories, thoughts, and feelings. That's all that I am, but it was apparently enough to make a soul. What does that have to do with anything?" Obelisk snorted.

"I'm just thinking, maybe you...lost control of yourself or something." Sylas suggested.

"No." Obelisk snorted.

"Or perhaps there's something else at work here," Naybrin said, shaking his head slightly. "Something much more sinister." He expounded nothing on his theory, however, deflecting their questions easily and skillfully. He walked with one hand on Leo, using the huge panther to keep himself upright. Leo was okay with it, only out of respect for the world's first king, but Sylas knew he still prefered no touch by anyone other than him.

((I've decided to leave Carlyle, Zelana, Dmitry and Marion out of Obelisk's head so they can panic and stuff. : D))

Obelisk didn't pry much further until they reached the house. When they were inside, the 'lord of darkness' closed the door and helped Naybrin to a chair. "Would you like to explain a little more?" He questioned, frowning. "What on earth could be more sinister than...me losing control of myself, Naybrin? Not many things scare me...very few things, in fact. Losing Fawn or Malice...that would be devastating. That scares me. But the thought of losing control of myself...losing myself, in essence...the thought is nearly paralyzing. So tell me it isn't so, and tell me your thoughts, oh first king."

((Okey. .u.))

Naybrin sighed as he sank down into his chair, letting Obelisk lower him down until he could sit comfortably. "I have suspected..." Naybrin said, slowly and carefully, his tone measured. "...that there are some inner workings going on here. There is only one other being in all of existance that I know of that is close enough to you in order to take your powers without your knowledge. One person who would harbor such a grudge. Think on what I am saying, Obelisk. I don't even have to use my powers to know it is so." He fixed Obelisk with his ancient, celestial gaze, a gaze that shone with the light of the stars themselves.

Isslia stirred as Obelisk stumbled away, inadvertantly knocking over the end table in the corner. "Re-Remor..." Obelisk hissed dangerously, shaking his head as though he were trying to get something off of him. He put a hand to his chest, starting to tremble. "N-no, stay down...yo-you can't do that, you'll--" He stopped abruptly, his form slowly relaxing.

"You shouldn't have done that," Remor said, his voice low. He looked around at those in the room; Nate, Ophile, Werr and his friends... "The gang's all here. Mostly, anyways...what did you think would happen, oh 'First King'? Did you think that I would not know that you found me out? It's too soon...you were supposed to go to Kaislun, not Zephyr. Darn Obelisk and his meddling...what to do now?"

"Remor," Naybrin remarked quietly, lifting a hand and resting his chin on it. "I don't really have much to say. You made your work too obvious. But might I question you? Why are you doing this? Do you truly keep such hate in your soul? That's really not healthy." If anyone looked at Naybrin, they would've thought he was merely talking about the weather. He was relaxed and calm, blinking his green eyes softly.

"Healthy? You think I care about my health? No one cares, why should I?" He snorted. "It's no less healthy than sitting around in a made-up world for the entirety of this disgusting existence! You know what...I'll show you. I'll show you!" He snarled with rage. The shadows spoke with Obelisk's voice, desperate and...pleading.

"No! Don't do it, Remor, you'll kill us both along with them! Then where will your precious plans be?"

"I DON'T CARE!" Remor screamed at him, putting both hands on his own chest. Immediately, the shadows exploded outwards, forming long hands of shadow. They grabbed at the members of the group, one by one.

Dragging out their very souls. "You're coming too," Remor advanced on Naybrin, teeth bared. He dragged the First King's soul out with his own hands before the dragon could do anything. Then he slowly absorbed it, bit by bit. All of them, one by one.

Naybrin roared in pain, but he was no match for it. If he had been in his younger days, not even an attack on his soul would've worked. But he had aged, even in soul, and he was too weak to stop it. A dragon-shaped cloud of steam issued from his mouth, roaring and struggling, and was dragged inside Remor.

What was left behind were bodies. Still, cold, unmoving. Lifeless.

Because their owners were in another body.

"Foolish man!" Fawn's screaming at a wall woke them up. They were in what appeared to be a house. Warm and comfortable, albiet a little crowded. It was small, made for one or two people at the most, and there were several all laid out on top of one another in the corner. Even Malice was here. Galai and Diana, however, were not; they had gone for a walk shortly before, and thusly avoided the sudden attack. Carlyle, Dmitry, Zelana and Marion were all missing as well, as they had been in the upper rooms at the time.

Werr groaned as he pushed a limp Welk off of himself. "What the heck is going on? I thought you couldn't talk, Fawn."

"I can't," Fawn snapped at him. "But my soul can still speak, can't it? That's what this is, you brainless king. Now be quiet, I must speak with my husband!" But the shadow she had been talking to was  already gone. She kicked the wall in frustration, then sat down roughly next to the limp form of Malice. She started playing with his hair, closing her eyes and trying to calm down."

Nearby, Cynyr groaned and pushed himself upright, shaking weakly. Apparently, the process of having one's soul pulled out affected others differently. Werr seemed fine, Cynyr was a tad shaky, and Welk...Welk was a mess. He had suffered torments to his soul before, and had thus been weakened to other attacks. He shook and trembled and nearly convulsed, and there was a soft drip of blood from his nose. "W-W-We-We-rr-rr..." he stammered, struggling to calm his spasming body.

Werr rolled over and pulled Welk into his arms. "It's okay, it's okay..."

"His soul is weaker than most. His insides are a little messed up. He'll get used to it." Fawn sighed. "No one else feels bad, right?" She looked over them, then stood and walked over. She knelt next to Isslia and picked her up, settling her in a chair. Isslia didn't move, although her eyes were open. Little trails of deep crimson trailed down from her ears, nose, and eyes. A small silver puppy, her animal form, was tucked in her arms, just as motionless as she was.

((If damaged souls affect things badly, then...I have to take into account the fact that Isslia's soul is damaged, too. :T))

((.D.))

Naybrin stepped over at that moment, gently placing a hand over Isslia's eyes and forehead. She felt a strange sensation about her soul, like someone had placed it inside a mold and poured thick, warm gel over it, filling in the cracks. The dragon looked weaked afterwards, but he was able to move over to Welk and do the same, causing his near-convulsions to stop. "This is temporary," he said softly, sounding tired. "But for now, it will ward off the effects of the transfer."

Welk wiped the blood from his eyes, then pulled Isslia down into his lap, holding her close as he pressed his forehead to Werr's shoulder, suddenly needing the boy greatly.

Isslia watched as the puppy slowly vanished, returning to its connection with her. She smiled a bit, then looked up at Welk. "Hi..." She murmured, pressing against his other side. "What...what happened?" She asked quietly, looking up at Naybrin. "You stopped the hurting. Thank you..."

((Ah, Welk had pulled her to him.))

"I smoothed your souls over with pieces of mine," he answered wearily. "It won't hold forever, but it was enough to stablize you." He moved over to Lexi, who had been motionless nearby, and soothed her soul before turning. She gasped and sat up, shaking her head weakly. Nobody else really seemed to need it that much afterwards, though Seria had been in a bad way. Naybrin fixed her up, then turned, now shaking feebly. "W-we need to...be careful," he said, his teeth chattering from apparent cold.