The Forgotten Zodiac

In Forin's mind, Luen had his sight. Unlike the single time inside Luen's mind, however, he didn't have both living arms. He still had his metal arm, as to Forin, a living arm made no difference in his dear friend.

Luen glanced around and gave a small shiver, then said "Um...nice place." He gave a soft chuckle at the bravity of his little joke, then said "Anyways...let's get started, shall we? In truth, this will be harder on me than you. I have to do all of the work, and this is your mind, so naturally, your mind wants to repress me. But I'll manage." He closed his eyes and folded his hands together, concentrating hard. Sweat beaded across his forehead rapidly, but he finally managed to evaporate his form into the environment. "Okay, I've...I've taken control of the surroundings," Luen said, his voice giving a slight tremor. "Just like before, I need to attack like I mean to kill you. In here, I am supressing all of that corrupt power. I'll slowly start syphoning it to you, but only in the smallest incriments. Once you can control every last bit of that power in here, it'll be easy to control it outside of your body. Ready?"

"Of course I am!" Vorpal said, standing tall on his master's palm. "I am always ready, master Forin! Now call me to my weapon form so we may battle together!" He turned neatly, facing their surroundings, and closed his eyes tightly. When Forin concentrated, honing into his trusted little weapon-imp, Vorpal's form changed. Forin invisioned a sleek, long black sword, shinning faintly in the light, the soft glow of red flames licking up and down its length, and that was what Vorpal became.

Their surroundings shifted at that moment, signaling that Luen was ready to attack.

Forin took on a defensive stance, ready for anything. "Just stop if you don't think you can hold up, Luen," Forin said, not doubting his friend's endurance, but concerned that he might hurt himself. "I'm okay with taking breaks, too. There's very little rush on this, okay? Just...don't overdo it." He insisted.

Really, he should have been more concerned about himself.

Forin quickly came to the conclusion that if there was ever a magic class on mental abilites, Luen would be a grand master. Once Forin gave the okay, Luen got right to work. The surrounds shifted and bubbled, changing right before Forin's eyes. Immediately, lava bubbled up from the ground in a circle, forming a long, wide plot of land for the Tartaran to work on. From the lava there now burst a figure, coated in the lava, but glowing brightly with the powers Forin knew he was meant to take hold of. It looked sort of imp-ish, like Vorpal, with smooth, indiscernable features. The only things Forin could see on it were bright, glowing oval eyes and a long, wide mouth that was filled with sharp, pointed teeth, all spread in a sinister grin.

It rushed forward with its long claws bared, releasing a chilling howl.

Forin rolled to the side, and very nearly dropped into the lava. He ran along the edge of the circular mound he had been trapped on, working to get behind the beast that was attacking him. He focused and put his mind and Vorpal to work; when he blinked again, Vorpal was no longer a sword, but a shield. Perfect for blocking those claws that so wanted him dead.

Forin slid to a stop, glaring at the beast and taunting it to come.

Vorpal grunted as the creature slammed into him, digging sharp claws into the shield. Luckily, Vorpal (being a weapon) naturally couldn't feel too much pain. Not that he was the type to cave when hurt in the first place.

The creature danced backwards, having plenty of room to work with. Luen had shaped a pretty big arena out of the lava and ground, after all. With a gurgled laugh, it lunged, skittering across the ground on all fours. A long tail lashed out behind it, trying to get at Forin's ankle in order to overturn him.

Forin, however, jumped. Lunged high in the air, over the monster attacking him. He had been so close to the edge intentionally; now, there was little to stop the creature as it slid straight for the molten liquid that would greedily eat him up. Forin landed badly, though, awkwardly on his side so Vorpal wouldn't grind against the ground. He might have broken his arm, but it seemed okay for now.

The creature wailed as it tumbled into the lava, trying desperately to claw its way back up onto land. It sank below the surface with a gurgle, giving Forin a moment's respite.

"Master Forin, I beseech you," Vorpal grumbled. "Use me as nothing more than a tool. This is your fight, not mine. No fight is mine. I am merely and will only ever be your weapon. I am not meant to 'exist' as a sentient being. Ignore my pain, for it matters not. Use me, I beg of you, to shield yourself. Do not become injured on my behalf. It must be the other way around." The way the sturdy weapon spoke of himself as insignificant was disturbing, but Forin didn't have time to talk with him about it.

The creature leapt out of the lava no worse for the wear, now with the molten liquid dripping off of it. It clearly hadn't been affected at all. "Use my power against me!" it screeched. "Are you afraaaaaid? Your weapon hurts a tad, but if you want to truly master this strength, you must beat me down into nothing! Squash my consciousness out of this power and take it for your own! Or I'll have your body for mine once again."

Forin flinched, almost seeing himself in that monstrous form again. He pushed it back, out of his mind. He scrambled to his feet before the monster could lunge again. "Fine..." He snorted, taking on another defensive stance, now standing near the middle of the arena. "You want this body? Come and get it," He snarled, waiting for the monster to lunge again. Simply waiting.

The creature laughed and lunged forward again, teeth bared and claws extended. "You lack a killing lust!" it howled, slashing feverishly at Forin's shield. Deep marks were ripped into Vorpal, but he took it without a single complaint or sound. "You are scared of losing yourself to me!" the power shouted. "Just think about it. The things I'll be able to do once I kill your mind and take your body for myself. That girl...Luna..."

The way it said her name made Forin shudder.

"Just think of all the things I'll be able to do to her once I am you," its hissed, letting a long, dripping tongue extend from its mouth as it grinned. "When I'm in control, it won't be just your body that will be mine forever. She'll be mine too. My personal little toy."

Forin snarled with rage, focusing again. Fishing for the inkling of power that he still had control over. As he focused, the monster wrapped its claws around the shield's edge, meaning to rip Vorpal off. Forin pushed the shield forward, but not to shake the beast off; it was definitely more intentional than that. Vorpal had gained an array of large spikes, that were now digging into the creature's chest.

Forin wouldn't let a bloodlust overcome him. That was what had led him into that monstrosity before. He wouldn't allow it to be so again. Never again.

The beast snarled, then suddenly belched a stream of laval up from its gut, coating Vorpal in it. To his credit, Vorpal held up valliantly as he quite literally began to melt. Laughing, the creature flipped away, crawling around on all fours. "I've told you, foolish child," it hissed. "To defeat me, use my power! You must take it and claim it for your own! If not, then I'll take your form right now. That attack was decent, I'll give you that." It brushed a hand over its chest, healing the holes that had appeared there from the spikes. "But not nearly good enough to tame me in such a way that I could never oppose you again," it sneered. "To put it shortly, you have to kill me, the essence of these powers, and only then will they take to your concsious as their master. They will have nowhere else to go. But I doubt you'll do it."

It shrieked loudly as the new weapon hit it, sending it flipping head over tail. It crashed into the ground and slowly sat up, blinking and rubbing its broken jaw. "That's more like it!" it said, shoving its jaw back into place with a fizzing sound. It grinned widely, steam issuing from its mouth.

"Now let's go bigger."

Wings snapped into existance and he leapt upwards, belching another blast of lava at the Tartaran. Suddenly, just on the other side of the lava surrounding the arena, a sharp burst of ice cracked through. Luen was starting to struggle to contain everything properly by now, but he was still able to manage well.

"Your friend is losing control. I feel I should warn you; he is in your mind. If you can't stop me and I take control, I'll kill him along with you, even if I mean to or not. I'll crush his soul in my jaws, then destroy his body outside," the creature taunted darkly, grinning.

The creature screamed and plunged to the ground, wiggling violently beneath Forin and releasing horrible sounds. Forin's hand latched onto his throat, holding him tightly in order to prevent escape as he continued to impale him with the sword. Finally, the creature was limp, covered in bloody wounds. "So...you have a little killing lust...after all," it crooned, grinning. "It seems you've gained mastery over a bit of my power. A bit. Not all of it. Don't worry, Forinny.

"The next time we meet, you will be crushed."

And he poofed from existance just as the ground underneath Forin ruptered, releasing thick plumes of snow and ice into the air.

Luen reformed nearby, looking torn and haggered. He fell onto his knees, shaking badly. "C-can't...k-keep it up..." he stuttered, straining to return to Forin in order to take them out of his mind.

"Cyprus!" Galai exclaimed, hugging him tightly. "Oh my dear, are you alright now? I heard about what happened to you..." She ushered him in, saying "Can I get you any food, Cyprus? I was just about to get some lunch set up...we need to keep strong, after all." He realized she looked tired, and it was no wonder; keeping all of the fallen bodies alive was hard work, and put quite the strain on her.