The Forgotten Zodiac

((Much easier to remember than that last one. It's perfect. xD Verukunian it is. :3))

Dulce chortled. "You can't even insult me yourself. You get your little toy to do it. He flung the Death Mace out again. Forin tried to block it, but it was aimed lower than he expected. It hit his legs, knocking him off his feet and causing him to fall forward, onto the Death Mace itself. That didn't stop him from slamming Vorpal's edge into the chain, though. The weaker metal snapped in a few seconds, and Forin was left to try and unstick himself from the thick spikes and sharp blades that the ball was made out of.

He couldn't get out of it fast enough. Dulce grabbed him by the back of the shirt, lifting him into the air and slamming his chest down against the massive ball. Dulce then seized what was left of the chain and threw the orb, which carried Forin with it. Forin landed underneath the mace, and it took several precious seconds (and several heartwrenching wails of agony) before he managed to push it off and roll away. He was bleeding heavily from all of his limbs, but he was ready now to start fighting back. Now that the mace was out of the way...

((8D -hugs-))

When Forin wailed, it was all Luna and Airlia could do to hold Luen back from the arena edge. "I don't care if he gets in trouble, it won't matter if he's dead!" he shouted, and it was easily heard by the two fighting Tartarans and the little weapon imp.

Vorpal pushed his creator's voice from his mind. "Master Forin has no need to soil his voice with insults pointed at someone so unworthy," he snapped. "You aren't worth him so much as whispering to you. Let us end this unworthy creature, Master! He is not even fit to be an Amnairian, much less a proud Tartaran!"

"We know, Luen, but it won't just be Forin in trouble, it'll be you, too! What good is it if you get yourself hurt for helping him when he's trying to protect you, Luen?!" Airlia shouted right back. "He's fighting to protect his friends, and that means you and Luna! Luna, you know what he's doing..."

Defeating Dulce would mean killing him, which would be rid of the threat as it was. If he lost, though...Luen and Allie would no longer have a Tartaran host. They would become guests of Amnairus only, and Dulce would no longer be permitted to harm them. So whichever way it went, they would be safe. Forin knew exactly what he was doing.

Forin was shaking badly in spite of Vorpal's words. He was in pain, and his weapon could tell that he was still scared. He had been from the start. He was pretty good at hiding it, though, as Dulce seemed to just notice.

"Frightened? You should be," The Tartaran laughed, drawing his own sword. It was a thick steel, gnarled and twisted into evil shapes, with multiple points. A razor, or so they were called.

The swordfight that followed filled the cheering air with clanging and the shriek of metal grating against metal. Dulce was finally getting injured. Even if it was just a few cuts and nothing very serious, it showed that he wasn't invincible. Forin still had a chance.

Luna wrapped her arms around Luen's narrow muzzle, stroking his soft white fur and the bandages over his eyes. He didn't struggle again while she was there, especially when Allie nuzzled up against his chest, wanting to comfort him.

Vorpal cursed loudly at Dulce, calling him every nasty name he knew, in as many languages as he knew. "Forin, you can do this!" he urged. "You are worth a million times more than this freak could ever be worth! Do you understand me? Luen shaped me for you for a reason; I am your weapon and yours alone for a reason. You are my master and I trust and believe in you like I can for no other! Now fight like a true Tartaran! Cast away your fear and strike!"

"I'm trying..." Forin muttered, momentarily forgetting about the voice-amplification. There was laughter from the stands, from those supporting Dulce, and laughter from Dulce himself.

"You can't beat me. You know you can't." He laughed, but didn't expect Forin to charge forward so quickly.

Forin was no longer holding a sword, but he had a gauntlet on his right hand. With that, he was able to block the blade of Dulce's weapon and throw it aside, landing a heavy punch to his foe's face. Dulce staggered backwards, but Forin had a lock on him; with his gauntleted hand, he held onto the sword, and with his other hand, he proceeded to punch Dulce wherever he could. Between the armor, and mainly at his face.

By the time Dulce managed to throw him off, he had the workings of a black eye and a broken nose, and several of his teeth were missing. "You'll pay for that, maggot!" He roared, swinging out and catching Forin on the arm and the side. Forin blocked the following swing with a sword-Vorpal, his teeth gritted painfully as the blades locked.

Vorpal held up valliantly, the sound of metal on metal similar to screeching. Do you hear that, my master? Vorpal asked Forin through his mind. The screeching was horribly loud. That is the sound of a blade in pain. It does not have a mind like I have, but it can still feel pain. I am the superior weapon, and you are the superior master of your weapon. Call on my blood-fire, for it is still a part of me, and therefore, not against the rules!

Forin did so at once. Vorpal burst into flames at once. It was hot, hotter than Forin thought he could stand, but he did anyway. Dulce roared with anger as his weapon started to melt. He only pushed harder against Forin and Vorpal, until the locked blades were hanging over Forin's neck and shoulders. The melted steel started to drip; Forin was thankful for the thick leather light armor that protected his chest and neck, but a few flecks of the molten steel dripped onto his cheek and ear, burning with searing pain.

There was a crack, and Dulce stumbled back, holding a broken and melted weapon. Useless. Forin held his burned face and his burning weapon, finding that he had to close his eye to prevent the mettalic fumes from getting into his eye. His trembling was no longer of fear, but more of bloodloss and pain. Dulce dropped his sword and drew two knives, throwing one in a bit of a 'test'. Forin batted it aside with Vorpal, not expecting the sudden charge that came after. He had to roll to the side again, which was starting to hurt; his wounds were only getting worse like this...

"Master Forin!" Vorpal yelped, then reacted instantly. Part of his powers rushed out of him, weakening him a bit as they flowed straight to Forin's worst wounds. They stopped the bleeding and fixed his face up properly, but that was all Vorpal was capable of if he wanted to still be strong enough to fight. And even that tiny bit of healing had drained him.

"Heh...what other things can you do...?" Forin chortled as he picked the cooling steel off of his face. Dulce looked at him as though he were a madman, then looked up sharply as Titus shifted in his chair. He was expecting a break to be called, perhaps. But it gave Forin a chance to charge, that was for certain. He swung Vorpal at Dulce's side, satisfied when the larger Tartaran yelped and stumbled back.

Dulce reacted by throwing the second knife. It hit Forin in the small of the back, where he couldn't reach it to pull it out. Dulce then got something that one of the others had given him; a whip. He hadn't thought he would need it, but he used it now; it swung around Forin's ankle and caused him to fall over. The resulting shock from the fall caused his grip to slip. Vorpal clattered out of his hand. Forin twisted onto his side, trying to untangle his foot as Dulce dragged him closer, away from Vorpal.

"Master Forin!" Vorpal cried, trying hard to switch forms. Unfortunately, because he had healed Forin, he didn't have the strength to switch forms without him. Normarily, he could only switch naturally between imp and sword; he needed Forin for any other form anyways. At half his strength, he couldn't even do that. He managed to shift part-way to imp form and wobble closer, but he quickly lost his hold and clattered to the ground as a sword. "Forin!" he shouted, glowing brightly with blood-fire.

Forin struggled, he really did. His fingers fumbled with the whip, and he actually managed to get it untied; but by then, it was too late. Dulce grabbed him by the arm; Forin felt something tug at his guts as he was lifted into the air and thrown at the audience. The wall of magics stopped Forin, and he hung there for a heartwrenching moment, his back to the crowd, revealing that the knife had been dug in up to the very end of the hilt thanks to the force of the magic wall against the blade. Forin fell, landing with a crunch. At first he thought it was his own legs, but he was relieved to find that he had just fallen on a skeleton. It was about this time that his power begged and pleaded to take over, to be used, but Forin ignored it. He didn't dare, not even for this...

Dulce kicked him roughly, flipping Forin over and grinning at him maliciously. "End of the line, you worm." He lifted the Death Mace's head off the ground by one of the spikes. He didn't pause for a second, slamming the Mace down on Forin's chest.

The crowd fell silent. Forin was still alive, twisting and struggling for some reason. Dulce tore the mace off of his chest, and grabbed Forin by the neck. He held the smaller Tartaran by the back of the head, forcing the bleeding mess to look at his friends. "Say bye-bye, maggot."

Forin opened his mouth, blood gushing forth. He spluttered something unfamiliar, spitting it around blood and a numb tongue. "Verukunian..."

Dulce laughed. "What was that, elvish? Can't even keep from going senile in your last moments. Stupid." He threw Forin back to the ground, then drew another knife. He held it tauntingly over Forin's head, grinning away.

Wham.

What hit Dulce felt like someone had slammed five Death Maces into his stomach. Vorpal, in full release state, was overflowing with power, power the likes of which Forin had never seen come from him before. He had transformed into a tall silver skeleton with long, sharp blades for claws, tearing into Dulce with fury etched into the smooth features of his face. "You will never-" he spat, smashing his fist into Dulce's chin. "-ever-" Another ferocious punch. "-touch-" He pulled his arm back. "-my master-" He grabbed Dulce and held him up, off of the ground. "-again!"

His fist broke Dulce's nose to pieces and sent him flying across the arena. The crowd was utterly silent as Vorpal lurched after him, intent on ending him completely.

"What the...tch..." Dulce glared up at Titus. "This is against the rules!" He screeched.

"You said quite specifically that Forin was allowed to bring Vorpal. This is Vorpal, no different." Titus just watched, a brow quirked as Dulce snarled and threw a fit of rage. Finally, he darted out of the way; it was obvious that Vorpal was not used to this form; he stumbled every few steps and was a bit slower. Dulce had the speed to not only get away from Vorpal, but also rip his whip out and entangle Vorpal for a few precious seconds. Vorpal was not the foe he had to finish off in order to win.

Forin, the useless little maggot who was lying there bleeding to death, was. Titus snapped his fingers, which caused the arena to rumble; the edges crumbled away, revealing lava that ate up the rock pieces that fell into it.Forin was right on the edge. So, Titus was on his side...Dulce grinned and took his chance, seizing Forin by the neck and holding him over the lava. He let go, and was actually surprised when Forin managed to grab onto the edge with one hand, hanging there limply. "Die already!" He screeched, stomping down on Forin's hand. The 'maggot' wailed again, low and sorrowful and filled with sheer, blood-chilling agony. Dulce lifted his foot, letting Forin fall.

"NO!" Luen wailed, lunging for the railing and nearly shoving Luna over, but there was one person faster than them all.

"Forin!"

A scream rent the air, followed by the sound of metal burning away into nothingness. Vorpal had concentrated all of his power in one moment, not thinking about what would happen to him. All he cared was saving Forin, and that's what he did...at the cost of himself. He appeared for only a moment beneath Forin, quickly pressing a hand to his master's back and closing his eyes.

Forin was teleported back to safe ground while Vorpal fell into the lava and died slowly.

"Master...Fo...rin..." he said softly, the lava eating away at him in the most painful of ways. Forin couldn't reach in and pull him out without being burned himself, and it was far too late anyways.

He was dead, the last fragments of his metal form melting away with a hiss. Forin knew he was gone; he felt the slight presence that had been in the furtherest corner of his mind ever since he had bonded with Vorpal fade.

Gone.

"Break." Titus' voice shot out above the screaming and cheering crowd. "Ten minutes." Dulce was pushed back to his corner, and Forin was carried to his, both by shadows. Forin struggled to stand as Airlia shot off to meet him with the other helpers. She eased the knife from his back and healed the nerves, but that was the most she would be allowed to do. Otherwise, she poured water from the healing springs onto his back, chest, arms, legs, and face. Well...basically, she dumped bucket after bucket over his hanging head and limp body. But the springwater could only do so much...

A moment later and Airlia realized that Forin was crying. Airlia sighed heavily. "He...was a good sword..."

"He wasn't a sword, Airlia..." Forin whispered, thankful that the amplifying magics had been turned off for the break. "He was my friend..." He looked up, looking desperately towards Luen and Luna. He started towards them, but another Amnairian stopped him.

"Don't go anywhere, we only have so much time!" She snapped.

"I'll get them," Airlia took off again, quick to fly over to them. "Guys, Forin needs to talk to you..."

Luna raced down to him at once, flinging her arms around her boyfriend, not caring that he was soaked.

Luen did the same, keeping to deer form so Allie could stay on his back. He pressed his muzzle to Forin's neck, whimpering.

"Oh, Vorpal..." Luna murmured, tears dripping down her cheeks. "He knew he was going to die...he had to have known. No, no, Vorpal..." She sobbed quietly, very shaken and broken-up over the sudden death of the noble blade.

Luen pressed his narrow face against Forin's neck, feeling sick to his stomach over the entire thing.

Forin hugged Luna and Luen tightly, sobbing miserably. He ached in more than just his heart; his entire frame felt heavier than lead, and each movement sent stabbing pain burning through his limbs and to the back of his neck. He didn't know how much longer he would be able to stay on his feet, but one thing was for certain.

He wasn't about to just give up. Especially not now, after Vorpal had so valiantly destroyed himself so that he might live. Forin sagged for a moment between Luna and Luen, but he forced his legs to hold his weight again. "A weapon," He finally said, getting control of his tears and voice again.

"Only swords may be used this half," Titus' newest order came loudly. "Five minutes remain."

Forin realized that Dulce had been demanding another warhammer. Thank the skies that the head of the last one had fallen into the lava. "Sword...new sword..." Forin rasped, thanking Airlia when she returned with a standard rapier that was similar to Vorpal's normal shape.

Luen lipped gently at his friend's hair, then pressed his nose to his neck again. "Please, Forin, don't die here," he begged. "Vorpal just died for you. Don't let him have died in vain. Don't...don't leave me." He and Luna clung to their dear friend, just hugging him and comforting him and quietly attempting to push their own magics into him until the five minute marker was up and they were called back to the stands.

Luna kissed Forin passionately, not wanting to part with him, then was forced backwards, towards the stands. "I love you," she whispered, tears blooming in her turquoise eyes.

Luen kept his nose pressed to Forin's neck until the last second.

Forin reached out to them as they were forced away. Airlia dumped another bucket of water on him before leaving as well.

Forin turned. Titus snapped again, and more of the ground crumbled away, sinking into the lava. Forin had to run forward to avoid being caught in the heat and melting rock. Forin stopped at the edge, glaring at Dulce.

"What's this, now? Not afraid anymore? Too tired to run about like the mad little rabbit you are?" Dulce taunted. "Oh wait...you won't respond to me, now that you don't have your precious sword to do it for you. Stupid maggot. I'll squeeze the remaining life out of you in such a way that your precious girlfriend will commit suicide thanks to the horrific memories."

That set Forin off. He roared with the anger of a thousand starving lions, charging forward and clashing his sword with Dulce's again. "I'll destroy you," Dulce didn't stop teasing. Forin was only getting more and more angry with this. "Prepare for death!" He laughed, kicking out at Forin. The smaller Tartaran immediately realized how much pain he was in; the force of the kick opened up several of his wounds again. Forin screamed and slashed out furiously, catching Dulce in the stomach and slicing down at an angle. Dulce retaliated with a slice that nearly took Forin's arm off.

Enough was enough. Forin wasn't going to stand for this. Not now, not ever. He blocked and parried two strikes, then suddenly lunged forward and tackled Dulce to the ground, knocking the sword out of Dulce's hand and dropping his own. The swordfight quickly dissolved into a wrestling match, and Forin was obviously losing. There were several points where Forin was pinned underneath Dulce; the larger Tartaran was relentless. Two times out of the three, he put his knee on Forin's neck and pounded on the wounds that were already there. Forin was furiously fighting with fist, foot, and tooth, but it was no good. They rolled over and over until the ground started rumbling again; Dulce snatched up his sword, stabbing it into Forin's shoulder and pinning him to the crumbling rock. Forin screamed bloody murder when he felt the molten rock hit his shoulders. He was lucky; the ground around the sword tip fell away quickly, and he was able to roll away from the lava before it could devour him. Forin tore the sword out of his shoulder and threw it into the lava, only to be tackled by Dulce again.

This time, Dulce pinned him on his stomach and laughed. "Scream, you fool!" He put his hands to Forin's burnt back. The smaller Tartaran screamed and thrashed uselessly, in indescribable agony.

Luna and Luen both screamed his name, and this time, Luen suceeded in getting over the barrier. Luckily, Allie was snatched from his back by Airlia. The deer collapsed when he hit the ground, having only had one leg to land on (Luna hadn't given him back his metal leg yet), but he didn't care. A few Tartarans who were kindly towards Forin quickly lunged in, tackling the kirin as carefully as they could. "Stop it!" one who vaguely reminded them of Cynyr (without the scars and missing nose) said.

"No! NO! I won't let him die!" Luen screamed, thrashing wildly. "Forin! FORIN!"

The Tartaran conjured a length of chain and he and his friends used that to subdue the ice mage. "Let's take him back to their guest house," the Tartaran suggested, and they moved Luen away, trying to be careful with him.

"Vorpal died for you!" Luen shouted, struggling still. "Let me die for you too, if I must! LET ME GO!"

But he couldn't get free and was removed from the arena.