The Forgotten Zodiac

Werr wailed and clinged to Welk fearfully, watching the poison on his dearest friend spread like a disease. "Welk...Welk, no," He whispered, clinging tightly to the dragon. The creatures persued, one of them clawing visciously at Werr; he screamed as he was grabbed and pulled out of Welk's hands. He fought his way out of the monster's grip and fell, depending on his dearest friend - his last living friend - to save him.

"No!" Welk shouted, arching after him and scooping him into his claws once again. He couldn't pull up in time; he was too weak. He tucked Werr close and turned in the air, landing with a dull thud on his back. He wheezed out a gasp, knowing something inside had broken, then got back up with a snarl as the remaining creatures decended. He quickly set Werr aside, nudging him into a bush in order to hide him, then screamed as the creatures all attacked him. He entered into a furious fight with them, which ended with Welk getting at least six more harsh bites and the creatures finally having their necks broken and their limbs ripped off.

Welk panted heavily, gasping for each breath, then slowly moved to turn back to Werr and collapsed.

Werr ran forward at once, screaming in anguish. "No, no, no, Welk, don't...don't leave me..." He whimpered, watching as Welk reverted to his half-cat form, almost entirely black. He pulled Welk into his arms, crying in misery and anguish. "Why...? Why? Why is this happening...?" He sobbed miserably, hugging Welk tight in his arms. "You'll be okay...it's just a few bad bites, that's all..." He sniffed, closing his eyes.

"No...no...! I...I'm still...alive! I refuse...to die!" Welk cried, struggling to get up. His body wouldn't support him, however. He screamed loudly, so incredibly upset, then forced himself to get to his hands and knees. His entire body was shaking, his skin turning black all over. "No...no...please..." he begged, seemingly speaking to the air. "I...I refuse...I refuse...to die! I won't go! I won't leave Werr!" He slowly pushed himself to his feet, leaning heavily on his knees. Werr knew Welk had a history of fighting death...

Werr climbed to his feet, leaning against Welk to support him. "I...I'm sorry..." He wiped his eyes, wrapping his arms around the half-cat and helping him walk. "Th-there...see? You're okay..." He kept his head low and his feet dragged.

It definitely wasn't okay. Not in the slightest.

Welk's breathing was starting to catch in his throat. A dribble of blood leaked from the corner of his mouth and from his nose, and it slowly got harder and harder for him to stand. But he fought it, and he fought it hard. Werr was painfully reminded of the time when Welk had nearly died pushing himself past his limits to protect him.

Welk stumbled, sinking to his knees, but he forced himself back up. He had to. He wouldn't give in.

"Werr...I...I don't want to die!" he said fearfully, his voice growing weaker by the second. "I don't...I don't want to go anywhere wh-where you aren't th-there! I don't w-want to l-leave you!" He pressed his face into Werr's chest, sobbing his heart out. "I can't live alone!" he cried. "I need you! We...we were going to g-get old t-together, with Lexi and I-Isslia by our s-sides! I...I...I can't live...unless I have you here...with me..."

Werr shushed him gently, continuing to walk. Before much longer at all, the edge appeared; there were other places to go, but Werr wasn't interested in those. He was interested in the drop into darkness below. There wasn't anywhere else to go.

"It's okay, Welk...we'll go together..." Werr smiled a bit, holding his friend's hand. "We'll go see Cynyr...and Lexi, and Isslia, and Seria...all of them are waiting for us." Tears flowed down his cheeks in a torrent. He hugged Welk tightly, closing his eyes again.

"No, Werr, don't do it," Obelisk hissed. "You won't die. You have to die, in order for--"

"That's what you're doing! I won't let you!" Remor's voice snarled. There was a rumble, and the gaps between the worlds started to close.

"Let's go, Welk, now," Werr tugged at his friend. There was still enough room...

Welk gasped and suddenly went limp, blood spurting up from his throat. He tried to move forward, to do what Werr wanted, but he was finished. He fell down, struggling back up one last time, then fell down and couldn't move again. The nerves in his arms and legs had given out, unable to function to hold him up anymore. His breathing was cutting out; there would be moments where he couldn't draw in another breath, then would finally gasp in one. "W...W-Werr..." he gasped, struggling to move and finally managing to press his face against Werr's neck, tears dripping down his cheeks. "H-hold...me...p-please...I'm...a-afraid..."

"It's okay...it's all okay..." Werr dragged his friend forward, swallowed hard, then stepped forward the last pace. "NO!" Remor and Obelisk both screamed at once.

The first few seconds of falling are always heartwrenching and scary. But after that, the body tends to adjust. There wasn't anything below that they were rushing towards; the darkness seemed to run ahead. Werr twisted around and looked up at what had quickly become a tiny pinpoint in the sky far above. Then it was gone.

Werr looked over at Welk, grabbing his friend's hand. "It's okay...it'll be over soon...right?" Werr smiled slightly. They just seemed to keep falling...endlessly. It was starting to get doubtful that they would find a bottom.

Welk would never live to see whether they landed like that or not.

Welk panted heavily for a moment longer, keeping his head pressed to Werr's neck, then slowly managed to lift his dying hand and brush Werr's cheek gently. Then he twined his fingers into one of Werr's hands, tears dripping down his cheeks, and let Werr hold him tight, sobbing ever so weakly.

He was still holding Werr's hand when he died.

Werr fell. He couldn't do anything else. He just...let himself fall. He dragged Welk's corpse closer, hugging it so tight and weeping so miserably. "It'll all b-be over...soon..." He cried, wishing there would be something to stop his fall. Something to kill him, to end his misery.

But there was nothing. Nothing but empty space and haunting whispers.

When Welk opened his eyes again, he was staring up at none other than Cyprus. "Right!" The Demigod was smiling. "Just one more. Did you manage to get Werr?" Cyprus turned to Obelisk, who was sitting in a chair. He was in much less pain than before, but he looked angry.

"No! He threw himself into the subconscious. Why the heck...gah...I can't reach him," Obelisk grumbled unhappily.

"Oh dear..." Cyprus frowed.

"He'll die eventually...right?" Sylas was nearby, curled up with Leo.

"Only if his spirit, his willpower, gives way. It probably will, but...it might take a day or two."

"We don't have time for that..." Obelisk snorted. "Take his corpse. Show it to the soldiers and explain that Bulliete is the true enemy here."

There was a lot going on. But that didn't stop little Isslia from crawling over the back of the couch, sliding down next to Welk, and kissing him firmly on the lips again. She hugged him after that, content to just lay next to him and hold her dear protector.

Welk was shaking, panting softly, and looking around in a daze. "Wh...what just happened?!" he gasped, blinking sharply as Isslia kissed him. He could hardly believe he was feeling her lips against his; it was a sensation he never thought he would feel again, having felt it only once before. He wished he could enjoy it, but he was in far too much shock at the moment. He slowly sat up, keeping his arms wrapped around Isslia. "C...Cynyr!" he gasped, glancing around frantically for his brother. The panther immediately slipped from his spot next to Seria, taking her with him, and wrapped his arms around the blonde, confused half-cat. "You're...you're alive!" Welk cried, burying his face in Cynyr's shoulder, still holding Isslia very tightly against his body. "But I thought...we..."

"We're not dead," Cynyr said. "At least, not yet. Our spirits were trapped in Remor's mind, not our actual bodies. When we 'died' inside his head, Cyprus was able to put us back into our bodies, which Galai and himself have been keeping alive for us."

Welk was beyond words, sobbing against his brother's black clothes.

"Yeah..." Cynyr said slowly. "The soldiers will recognize us. We were always at Werr's side, everywhere he went. It was our job, our lives. We'll do it."

Welk shivered and glanced over to Werr's body, then immediately looked away. It was hard for him to stomach, seeing his friend's corpse like that. Instead, he nuzzled into Isslia, putting his nose against her soft, light gray hair and breathing in her scent. "Let's go quickly," he finally said. "We need to rejoin our troops."

Welk whimpered, shivering at the sight of the coffin, then looked up when Lexi moved. He hadn't noticed her at first - she had been so still - and she was covered in a blanket. She had been holding Werr's head in her lap, just holding him, and she had lifted her arms with him when Obelisk moved his body to the coffin. She lowered her arms, looking so deeply troubled and upset that Welk felt very sad for her.

"We shouldn't take too many people," Cynyr said. "We want to move fast. Seria-"

"Yeah, I know, I should stay here," she muttered, hugging him tightly.

"Yeah, but I was going to say something else to you, too," he said, then bent and whispered in her ear.

Blush shot across her cheeks, but she looked insanely happy. "Really?!" she gasped, and he quickly stifled her. "Not so loud," he said, frowning. "That's kind of a private thing."

She giggled, suddenly chipper, then hugged him again. He looked ruffled, but said nothing; he merely blushed softly.

Welk peered at him, then creaked "We should take Nate."

"Why?" Cynyr asked.

Welk looked down, tears in his eyes. "Because Nate is our friend. He's our Froggy. He was almost there...from...the beginning..." he said, a hiccup in his throat, then he started crying softly.

Welk hugged Isslia tight, leaning back and pressing his head against Nate's shoulder. Though they didn't share a huge bond, like Werr and Welk's, there was still one there between the half-cat and the dragonian. In Welk's mind, Nate was a comforting presence that was always there when they needed him; a friend to them all. So it was very easy for Welk to cry on his shoulder. Especially since Welk could remember all of the things Nate had done for them.

Nate smiled happily, stroking Welk behind the ears until Isslia remembered something; Werr used to do that, didn't he? Scratch Welk behind the ears. Did he like it? She was very good at going off of memory, and started scratching her boyfriend behind the ears, almost exactly the same way Werr did it. Her thin fingers ran through his hair much easier, and her touch was gentle and soothing.

"The carriage is ready," Ophile said, poking his nose through the door. "Come on, you lot, we don't have much time."

"We should go," Isslia murmured gently.

"Here," Nate shifted, putting his arms under Welk's legs and looping one around his back. He carried the half-cat, and Isslia transformed into dog form so she could curl up on his chest. Soon enough, everyone was in the Alastorian carriage (built by shadows, so that even a thorough inspection wouldn't show that it wasn't really Alastorian). There was no reason for anyone to doubt that this wasn't a royal carriage. There were even horses that Werr would request, pulling the carriage; one black, one white. Werr always insisted upon having these colors.

The coffin fit neatly into the back, with enough room for everyone. Nate chose to drive the carriage, as he was the least likely to look forboding and dangerous (in spite of the fact that he actually kind of was). That minimized the chances of them being attacked the second they arrived, at any rate.

"Shall we be off? Everyone ready?" Nate peered back at them, smiling a bit.

Since Welk wasn't keen on speaking, Cynyr was the one that answered. "Yes," he said, watching Lexi take the seat opposite of Welk and gently touch his knee. Welk was sitting next to Cynyr, Isslia on his other side, still looking incredibly depressed and upset. He just wanted Werr back...

He closed his eyes as Isslia touched behind his ears, unable to express how grateful he had been earler, when she had first done that and when Nate had offered to carry him instead of force him to walk. He still felt awful, but it had lessened a bit thanks to the other members of his family.

He was struck with an impulse and pulled Isslia close, stroking her hair back. "Can...I kiss you?" he asked softly. Just like before, he wanted permission before touching her.