The Forgotten Zodiac

"I just...I can't be sure until I see them," Nate sighed heavily, leaning against his cold friend. Their powers were polar opposite, and so were they; Nate was noble, brave, strong and courageous. Luen...well, the timid kirin did have his brave moments, but...it wasn't the same. Yet somehow, they got along. More than that, perhaps. Though he wasn't Luen's closest friend, he had been one of the first to comfort the Kirin.

"We should get a move on soon," Werr sighed, then looked up as Fawn emerged from the kitchen with a large basket. She gave it to Carlyle, who took it happily.

"It smells wonderful. Thank you, Fawn." He smiled. Fawn beamed and settled down with Obelisk again, quite pleased with herself.

Luen smiled and nuzzled into Nate's neck, sighing and enjoying his friend's warmth. He usually didn't like heat, but Nate's was special. It was different from Forin or Diana's usual feel. It was almost fatherly, something Luen had never had, but...more.

The ice mage sighed and closed his eyes, resting his elegant head in Nate's lap as Welk bounded past, literally hopping like a large blonde rabbit.

"Well," Nate sighed, stroking Luen's ears. "We should go. No need to intrude on Obelisk's hospitality more than we have already." He stood and stretched for a moment before walking over to their host, holding out his hand. "Thank you, Obelisk. for everything."

"My pleasure." Obelisk dipped his head, then took Nate's hand and gave it a firm shake. "You know where I am, if you should ever need me. Whisper your troubles to the shadows, I will hear of it."

"Good to know." Nate smiled and returned to Luen's side.

((So, Welk's death will be at the edge of this one, right? Like, any time now.))

Luen's own goodbye to Obelisk was more subtle. He sent a delicate snowflake in the ancient being's direction, letting it dance and waft until Obelisk could reach out and hold it. It hardened in his hand, forming a small crystal, and remained that way, forming a long, delicate chain behind him. Luen had given a part of his own magic to make this little trinket, so it showed he had trust in Obelisk.

Who was suddenly slammed into from behind by Welk, locked tightly in a hug.

"HA!" the half-cat shouted giddily. "Gotcha!" He was quick to let go, not wanting to lose an arm.

((Aye, anytime. o3o Are we not bringing him back until the 4th book?))

Obelisk held the trinket tightly, not wanting it broken. "Thank you," He said with a smile, brushing himself off after Welk's 'attack'. He had seen it coming, of course; he had merely chosen not to do anything about it.

"You should go," He sighed a bit. "Your kingdom is waiting on you. All of you."

((Huh? Sorry, I'm too sick to think that sentence through.))

Welk smiled, then said "Okay," simply and moved back over to Werr.

One last goodbye waited for Obelisk, however, and it felt it rather than heard her call for him.

Lexi was sitting on the porch in a swing, her hands folded on her lap, waiting.

((xD Welk will die anytime now. My question was, are we going to be bringing him back this book, or waiting until the next one?))

Obelisk left the trinket in Fawn's hands, smiling. He stepped outside the door, still looking quite happy. "Your friends are preparing to leave, miss Lexanna." He knelt next to her. "I'm afraid I can't come to Alastor with you. I have a family to look after. But, you still have this..." He touched the amulet hanging around her neck still. "I'm so very glad that you didn't need it.."

"Master..." Cern said from the doorway. "I...I'd like to go with them..."

"You're free to go where you wish, Cern." Obelisk smiled at the scarecrow. "I'm not your master, and you are not a slave. Go with the Goddess' grace."

((Oh. Either one. I'm too tired to think. You chose.))

Lexi closed her eyes, touching the amulet for a moment, then slid neatly out of her chair and flung her arms around Obelisk's neck, burying her face in his skin. "I love you," she murmured, hugging him tightly. "I will always think of the things you have done for us. It all means so much to me..."

((Hmm...I think you should go take a nap. xD

If it were my character, I'd wait until next book. But that may fiddle with some plans, considering how Cynyr has to go save Seria from Remor's evil clutches between books...which means Werr would be without his knights. Miserable (although Lexi would keep him from turning suicidal or anything). IT IS DONE 8I))

Obelisk blinked, then hugged Lexanna tightly. "I love you, too. You're practically my daughter. I only wish that you would stay...but I can't keep you here. You should go with your love. Live your life with him." He stroked her hair back, smiling gently. "Just remember...I'll always be there for you. The darkness will always be ready to comfort and serve you."

(('Kay.

And I've taken like, five naps today. -3- No moar, it is bunny time.))

"I know," she murmured, cuddling close and letting him hold her tightly. "I couldn't ask for a better friend than you. You've taken care of me like a father...more than my own father ever had..." She pulled back and gently brushed his cheek with her fingers, then bent her head and brought her lips to his forehead, giving him a soft kiss before letting go.

((Butbutbut, if you aren't well...D: ))

Obelisk smiled and took her hand in his. He then stood, straightening his shirt. "Well, I suppose this is farewell for now, dear Lexi," He still held her hand, and he squeezed it gently. He bowed, then blinked at his hand. It refused to let go, only squeezing tighter, to the point where it was painful. Obelisk finally got a grip on himself again, and let go. "Sorry," He murmured, turning back into the house.

((Fien, I'll probably go sleep again soon.))

Lexi stood up, wrapping her arms around him once in a soft hug, then murmured "I'll miss you." She then parted from him, moving into the house to find Werr. Her hand was throbbing where Obelisk had squeezed it, and it had given her a bad feeling in her stomach. Like it wasn't Obelisk that had been trying to hurt her. She suspected Remor, but she wasn't going to say anything about it. Instead, she went and stood near Werr as they gathered their friends and said their last goodbyes, then mounted Naybrin, who would carry them to a seaside town for their final restocking before they left the land completely.

((Go sleep when I go to babysit. o3o))

"See you later," Diana waved to them, beaming happily as she climbed on Naybrin's back.

"Farewell," Obelisk gave a final wave, smiling curtly as Naybrin took off. Fawn touched his arm in concern, and Obelisk shrugged. "They'll be fine, Fawn. They always are," He kissed her forehead, then led her back into his humble estate.

The trip back to the seaside town was rather boring. They stopped for lunch in a field along the way, which helped Naybrin rest a little (it was still obvious that the dragon was getting along in his years). But they reached the port town by sunset, a trip that would have taken several days by horses. Werr trusted that his armies would make it out okay; he'd send the retreat order out before long, and they'd return to his ranks safely, he trusted. Naturally, he expected few casualties. His soldiers were (mostly) wise and brave, and would do whatever it took to help a fallen comrade.

"So," Forin sighed as they gathered around the inn's table for dinner. "We've freed oppressed species, killed two kings, established a republic, and we're all still here and standing. We've collected a few members to our group, and so..." He raised his glass. "A toast. To new friends, and old. May our troubles be easy for the next few years, at least."

"I'll drink to that," Nate smirked, raising his glass as well.

"Hear, hear," Werr did the same.

"Ears!" Diana raised her juice. This produced laughter from several members of the group.

"You're silly," Isslia giggled.

((Fiiiiine. That probably means I'll be getting off completely, but I guess I should rest. I hardly got any sleep at all last night. Everything hurt and I had to run to the bathroom twice. I no wan' puke 'gain.))

There was a sudden but familiar crash and everyone lifted their glasses from the table as Welk bounded under it, making the table jump around on its legs. "Welk, quit it!" Cynyr snapped, dipping his head below the table to shout at he and Werr's youngest sibling.

"Sorry!" the half-cat answered, grinning mischeviously, then settled down and rubbed up against Werr's legs, purring loudly. He put his head into the boy's lap, purring happily, then said "Is that meatloaf?" and proceeded to ransack his plate.

((Here. Fluffiness.

-

Cynyr rose from the bed he and Seria had been laying in, exhaling heavily and reaching for his cloak, which was discarded on the floor nearby. Seria peeked open her eyes at him, watching the contours of his back as he bent over to grab his shirt. The scarred word ‘Worthless’ flashed on his pale skin in the sunlight, but Seria ignored it. She only saw his worth when she looked at him.

“Do you have to get up?” she asked softly, watching her husband run his fingers lightly through his black hair.

“Yeah,” he said, still looking drained. “Who knows what else could happen if I laid there any longer?”

Seria giggled, her cheeks flushing as she remembered their time together during the night, then she sat up, not caring that the covers slid away from her. He smiled as he looked at her, feeling a sense of ease that he only ever felt around Werr, Welk, and possibly Nate. “You’re beautiful,” he said, feeling his rumbling purr work into his throat as he bent down to kiss her, pressing her back onto the bed.

“You’re handsome,” she returned, exhaling against his skin. Her hand found his still-bare chest, roaming over his scars, feeling their frayed edges and lines. She sighed, tilted her head back as he kissed her throat, but she could feel how he had stiffened due to her touch. It was slight, but still there.

His breath on her skin became faint as her hand moved up, over his neck and to his cheek. She stroked her thumb over his skin, then said “One more time, Cynyr? Tell me again?”

Cynyr sighed heavily, closing his eyes, but it was for only a moment. He looked back at Seria, at her beautiful blue eyes and soft, supple body, waiting for his answer.

“Okay…I l-love…you.”

“You can do better,” she giggled. “You told me three times last night.”

“It…it’s hard.”

“I know. But you can do it.”

He hesitated, then slowly forced the words he had trouble saying out of his mouth, murmuring “I love…you.”

“One more tiiiiiime?”

He pursed his torn lips slightly, looking a tad annoyed (thought she knew he wasn’t), then said “I love you.”

“That’s better,” she purred, kissing him happily.

He sighed into it, closing his eyes and managing a small smile, then said “Okay, you got me to say it. But those were binding words, didn’t you know? You’re mine now.”

She made no protest as he pressed down on her, using his wind magic to shut the curtains yet again. Her voice, however, whispered to him.

“I was yours you first graced me with your gaze, years ago.”))

((Don't, then. -nuzzles- Just remember that I loooove you.

And fluffyfluffiness. .D. BEAUTIFUL ;A;))

Werr laughed a bit, clinking his glass against the others' before downing his drink. He ate almost as much as Welk; their recent adventures had taken quite a lot out of everyone, and he was no exception. But he felt...odd. Something was off. He felt like he was being watched, and from the way Ophile was flicking his tail, the wolf noticed it, too. But perhaps it was nothing; after all, the Blood Hawks could still be lurking about. They wouldn't try anything, though. There were far too many of them.

((Hee hee~ ♥

Aww, thanks.))

Once they were finished, Welk spent a moment playing with Blossom, Zelana’s kitten, then simply curled up with Werr on a couch to wait until Naybrin felt well enough to travel. The half-cat sighed and curled close to his friend, then suddenly looked up at him and said “Hey, Werr? Something feels wrong. Like something bad is going to happen.” He went quiet after that, sitting with his paws curled under him, blinking at the ground.

Werr scratched the back of his neck. "I feel it too...but there's nothing we can do about it, is there? Nothing at all...we just have to prepare for the worst. And hope for the best..." He fell quiet as Isslia inched closer, running her fingers into Welk's fur and clinging to him. Werr blinked at her, then questioned, "You alright?"

"I dunno...I'm a little scared. I've never been off the islands before...is Alastor nice?" She questioned, her ears low against her head.

Werr chuckled. "I'm a bit biased towards it, so I can't really say...it's where I was born and raised, and where my kingship holds its domain. I love it deeply. It's my home."

"It's ridiculously hot in the summers and it doesn't snow very much in the winter." Forin snorted. "It's a very arid area, quite unlike here; it's hot, yes, but it's also humid. And this is more...tropical. Alastor is covered in forestland. Without the forests, Alastor itself would be a desert to rival that of the Hadaraak Desert, just over the mountains.

"But, it holds a beauty until some others. The mountains cast a view unlike any other, especially during the summer nights. The mountains give a lot to the land. There are rivers that weave through the land like thread in a wool quilt. The villages dotting the riversides are quaint and quiet, not unlike the smaller villages here. The culture is a bit more...free thinking. Thankfully, you already know the language. Carlyle seems to know it, too--"

"The Buliette soldiers were forced to learn the Alastorian language, Romanian, so they could work together with the soldiers. It's a wonder the Alastorians manage to communicate with the Herracans..." Carlyle frowned.

"Probably because most Alastorians understand ancient Gregorian. It's a fairly common language..."

"Ah. Makes sense." Carlyle shrugged.

"Indeed," Forin frowned, not pleased with the interruptions. "Don't worry, Isslia. Alastor holds much beauty, like this land. You'll adjust well, I think." Isslia bobbed her head, but she didn't move away from Welk. She was still nervous...

((I'M BORED I REALLY NEED TO WRITE SOMETHING I'M SO SORRY FOR THIS

The advancing Things snarled and snapped out at Nate's feet. He was frozen in shock, only able to move because of Forin practically dragging him along. "Snap out of it, Nate!" The Tartaran roared, but it was no use. Nate was caught up in his own panic and fear. Forin looked around desperately, searching for another way out. This place was crawling with Things; they were lurking in every corner, and there were more...larger ones, quadrapeds that stood tall among the throngs of bipedals. It was ridiculously terrifying, the way they growled low and staggered forward, like they weren't used to walking on four legs.

"Move, move, move," Forin pulled Nate out of the grip of one Thing, dragging him through a door and slamming it shut. Forin shivered and glared at the Dragonian. "NATE!" Forin screeched, giving the named one a harsh slap across the face. Nate shook his head, blinking at Forin in confusion.

"The...thi-things...Striders..." The Dragonian spluttered. "Why are they here?!"

"Snap out of it, man, I need you!" Forin snarled, pushing his back against the door as it started to open. Thankfully, there were none in this broom closet. "How do we get out of here?! This is way too dangerous for just us, we...we need a plan!"

"I don't know, I don't know!" Nate snapped. "Let me think!"

"You don't have all that much time," Forin growled, then paused. He pressed his ear to the door, his brow furrowed. The growling and snarling had...stopped? Forin backed away from the door a bit as there was a soft knock on it.

"Little pigs, little pigs, let me in..." It was Remor. Too obviously so. "You came here looking for me, didn't you? No...of course not. I know why you're here...do come out of that closet, children. I won't hurt you. She wants to see you, after all..."

Time itself seemed to freeze.

Or at least, that's what it felt like. When Forin came to again, Remor was standing over him. He and Nate were chained, and in a cell. "T-tch...memory removal?!" Forin snapped at Remor's fingers.

"Indeed...be grateful. I could kill every memory you have...but Diana didn't want that. But oh...she was too late to save poor Froggy over there." Remor pointed, and while Forin turned to look, he stepped out of the cell. Forin stared at Nate; the Dragonian was staring at the ceiling, a look of pure bewilderment in his eyes. "Unfortunately, it's not permanant. I can't wipe that much for good. Have fun figuring out how to get him out of here, as well as back in his right mind."

"Tasia can fix him," Forin snarled, completely confident in his words.

"Hmm, well...I wasn't lying when I said she wanted to see you, Forin." Remor stepped away, up the stairs again. Forin fell silent, resting his head against the bars. He waited...and waited. He closed his eyes for perhaps a second, and when he opened them again, he jerked back with a yelp.

A Thing snapped at the bars, snarling. A rattle of chains, and the beautiful woman behind it drew the Thing back. "That's not food, Fortunis..." She said gently, her voice sweet and...familiar.

"Diana!" Forin wailed, pressing up to the bars again and reaching out as far as he could. She stepped out of his reach, distrust clear in her eyes. "Di-Diana..." Forin trembled. "What did he...do to you?"

"I haven't heard that name in...a very long time..." She murmured. "The only one who calls me that is the healer." She wrung her hands, then walked away a bit, hooking the chain onto a waiting hook on the wall. She then walked back, not surprised to see Forin still reaching out desperately.

"But...that's your name..." Forin shivered slightly, which had nothing to do with any physical cold. The way she moved...she seemed dead. But she was not, that was obvious. But the stiffness of her movements, the way she hardly seemed to breathe...the dress she was wearing was long and revealed her middle, where an unfamiliar mark was. Forin soon realized what it was; it had been emblazoned on the heads of the Things and Walkers - the quadraped freaks - it must have something to do with Remor. These monsters were organized.

It took Diana a long while to respond to that. "My name is Heartless, now. Heartless Strider."

That made the hairs on the back of Forin's neck raise. "No! NO! That's not your name! You're Diana Hartlet, my dear mistress and summoner, the little girl I promised to protect and guard...the little girl I failed to protect and guard..." Tears started to run down his face in rivlets. He didn't drop his hand, not for a second. Diana just watched him quietly.

"Please don't cry..." She said at last. "You won't remember soon enough..."

"What...what do you mean?"

"Soulless Striders don't have memories. Skinless Striders do, believe it or not...so I'll see to it that you'll be a Soulless." Diana murmured. Forin wasn't certain, but he saw...pain...agony, screaming terror in her eyes. Just for a split second.

"No...no, Diana, you don't want to do that..." Forin whispered. "I know you don't. You can't want that...it's not you. This isn't you, Diana."

"Stop calling me that..."

"NO! It's your name, it's who you are, not this!" Forin snarled loudly. He would have stood, but the chain around his neck, tethered to the middle of the room, wouldn't allow it. "Diana, please, take my hand. You must remember..."

"I do remember, Forin. You killed my parents."

The utterly dead silence seemed to stretch forever. Diana seemed mildly surprised when Forin broke it -- with laughter. His eyes still wept, but his mouth smiled and laughing - perhaps insane laughter - poured forth. "Is that...is that what he put in your head? Is that what he told you to think? That's insane...think, Diana. Think! I wouldn't be here if I had done that. In those days, a Tartaran like myself...we couldn't have possibly come to this world if we weren't summoned. I was summoned because you felt pain...pain unlike any other. Loss, horrible loss and misery...your parents were killed in front of you. I remember hearing the screaming...you needed me. So I came. You have to remember that, Diana..." He cut himself off as he reached out further, trying to touch her hand. His voice was strained and choked by the chain, but he talked anyway. "You have to..."

She was the one trembling now. She stared at him for what seemed like years, with the same cold, dead look...her next movement seemed to want to take his hand. She came very close to it, before turning away. She took the chain off the hook and led her Skinless Strider pet away, leaving Forin to weep in his cell and cry out her name.

-x-

Forin...Forin...Forin! Heartless couldn't get that name out of her head. As she sat across the dinner table from Remor, quietly eating her soup and reflecting on what he had said, she couldn't help but think about it. That name. It caused a small warmth to blossom in her chest, her heart to beat just a little faster...what other names did she know? Seria. She hardly ever saw the healer, unless she fell ill. She did that a lot these days. Seria was kind and gentle...Remor didn't like her, though. She would always say strange things...what did she say all the time?

Heartless couldn't remember. She was very confused. Very, very confused. Why...why couldn't she remember? Had Remor done something? Had to be so...ohh, she wasn't feeling good...

"Are you feeling alright, dear?" The man across from her questioned, a single eyebrow raised in curiosity. "Not growing ill again, are you?"

"I...do not know," Diana murmured, taking another sip of water, only to spill it on her dress. She was trembling horribly. It was cold...how odd. She took Fortunis' skinless hand and pressed it to her forehead. He growled. "I have a fever," Diana murmured, shaking her head. She stood, and had to lean on her pet for support. "I...I need to go to my room."

The walk there was exhausting. She felt more ill than she had in a long while. After several minutes of tossing about in bed, she rolled over and vomited over the side. She weakly gave her pet an order, and watched as he left the room.

Fortunis returned several minutes later with an excited looking Seria. She worked as a healer for the town, where Remor's few subjects lived. Bandits and outcasts, mostly. They left her alone, simply because she took care of them when they were injured in fights and the like. If they even spoke wrong to her, she had the right to turn them away, after all. "Diana," The healer fell upon the Heartless Strider in joy. "It's been too long..." She took the younger girl's hand, stroking it gently. "You've grown older."

"I'm sick..." Diana murmured. She peered at Fortunis; his hand had fallen off again. Oh well. She'd find it eventually.

"I know. It's quite alright, I'll have you better in time. It...will take some time, as you know...I heal wounds, not illness. I'll do what I can." Seria murmured, fetching a warm rag to place on Heartless' forehead. "You...honestly, you're looking better than you ever have..."

"That's not funny..."

"I'm not joking," Seria murmured. "You have color in your cheeks, and..." She stroked Heartless' temple. It came back wet. "Tears. Why are you crying?"

"I don't know."

"I've never seen you cry, not since...not since you were brought here..."

Diana didn't reply. She didn't remember that time. An odd question came across her mind. What was she like, before she was brought here? She couldn't keep the question bottled up. She asked it, albeit very quietly. So quietly, in fact, that Seria had to get her to repeat herself.

When she did, Seria blinked in surprise. "Well...you were a little younger. And...kind. You always clung around your summons and friends..."

"Names," Diana frowned. "Tell me their names."

Seria sighed. "I don't remember. Remor took those memories away from me. The only one I remember is Cynyr..."

"Remor cannot intefere with love." The soft murmur from the Heartless Strider surprised Seria.

"How do you know that?"

"Because...I don't know. I just know he can't...I remember a name. I always have remembered two names, just two...I don't know who's they are, though. Forin and Luen..." Diana murmured softly. "I think I loved them. Not like you love Cynyr...but they were...like brothers to me. I think. It's not the same kind of love...you remember Cynyr fully, but I only remember their names, really...Forin and Luen."

"I don't remember those names..."

"I know you don't. But I do. And one of them is in the prison downstairs...Forin, Forin, Forin..."

"You've stopped trembling," Seria noted. Diana looked at her hands, frowning unhappily.

"What do I do, healer?"

"What do you want to do?"

"I don't know."

-x-

Forin leaned against the bars of the cell, still crying. When the door opened again, he jerked his head up--then lowered it again as Remor walked in. The Tartaran didn't cry out as he felt something sharp pressing against the back of his neck, drawing a bit of blood.

"YOU are ruining MY hard work," Remor snarled. "Diana Hartlet is the Heartless Strider, and that is NOT to be changed. Not by you...not by ANYONE!" He hissed. "I would kill you now, but I need you...once you're immortalized as a Strider, the process will be complete. But hear this, you disgusting little bug...if you mess anything up, I will not hesitate to kill both you AND her." He bared his teeth at the Tartaran, who wasn't even looking.

Then he was gone.

Forin, however, smiled.

He wasn't the one who would be messing things up. The storm brewing in the south, that he had seen from his window, told the whole story. A great power was advancing, and it was not one to be reckoned with...

-x-

"Can't you go any faster?!" Cynyr snarled at the Kirin, who galloped beside him at breakneck speeds. His top speed, which clearly wasn't fast enough for the wind mage. Luen didn't bother replying, too busy running. Cynyr pushed ahead, but was forced to come to a sudden stop as the town came into view. Its walls were makeshift, made out of stacked wood logs. Striders wandered the hill to their right, sillohetted by moonlight. A sight that didn't escape Cynyr's notice. A sight that put both he and Luen on edge immediately.

Striders were no laughing matter. They would kill and eat, eat and kill. They were relentless and had twice the endurance as any human who ever lived; they could run for years, climb mountains with ease, and were only taken down with solid hits to the head or heart. One could cut their legs and arms off--it would probably only start wiggling forward to try and eat.

"What are we going to do?" Luen murmured. "This...this changes things..."

"This changes nothing!" Cynyr snarled. "We're still going to find Remor...and we're going to save Seria and Diana."

"If Forin and Nate haven't gotten to them already," Luen pointed out.

"It's been two days, Luen. They said if they weren't back in one, they were either captured or dead. I'm willing to bet that Remor took them." Cynyr growled. "Two years...it took us two years to get a lead on this. I'm not just going to throw in the towel. We're going to find Remor, and we're going to kill him. We're going to save Seria and Diana, and this town...these Striders...none of that is going to stop us!" He roared, plunging down the slope towards the town. Luen galloped after, though he still wasn't too sure...

The town itself was quiet at night. One look at it told many tales, though; this was a place of savages. Heads were stuck on stakes in front of houses, bloodstains were left on the stone street, and there were an uncountable amount of weapons lying about. These were people that fought to solve disputes. That preferred brawn over any thought. Cynyr had no doubt that Seria was here somewhere; in fact, he picked up her scent a moment after thinking of it. It smelled a little different, aged over two years, but that didn't matter. It was her. He had no doubts.

Cynyr tore into the little hut that was clearly Seria's infirmary. She had no choice but to heal people here, supposedly; she was good at her job, too. But she wasn't even here. The beds were empty, no sign of the healer. There weren't signs of a struggle, though, and Seria's bag was gone...where did she go, then? Luen, in human form now, cautiously poked around to try and find some clues. He found a rather sickening one; a skinless hand.

"Yuck..." Luen wrinkled his nose, then checked the desk. In scratched writing on a slip of paper were the words, 'Heartless is ill. Come immediately'. "They must be using Striders for message birds of some kind," He handed over the evidence to Cynyr, who sniffed it at once.

"Seria...she has to be close. Who's Heartless?"

"Heartless Strider?" Luen guessed, then fell very, very quiet. He remembered something, suddenly. Diana had cried over it two years ago. He and Forin had gone away, and Remor had attacked and scared her about this very thing. "The...the castle," Luen said numbly. "The castle..."

"Are you sure?" Cynyr snorted.

"Yes!"

"Let's go, then. No point in waiting." Cynyr snapped, charging out the door. He ran head-first into a rather burly man with a bad cut on his arm.

"Ey," The man snarled. "I don't recognize you..."

Cynyr didn't hesitate to claw his throat open. Luen stepped over the fallen body nervously, but he followed Cynyr, his heart determined to save the one he so loved. But when they crashed through the castle doors...well, Luen didn't know what he was expecting. It was like someone had set off a silent alarm. Thousands of Things crowded them. Luen and Cynyr wound up back to back, desperately fending off the masses of teeth, claws and snarls.

The fight didn't last very long. They were silenced by a loud, "SHUT UP!" From a familiar source. Remor pushed a few onto their hands and knees, so he could stand on their backs and smirk at Luen and Cynyr.

If not for his shadow powers, his head would have been cut off then and there. "Bad children. Shall I put you in the cells with your friends? Yes...I think that will do just fine," Remor smirked. Subduing them was easy. Wiping their memory would be easier.

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Inspiration levels depleted!

Please try again later. -herpderp-))

((...

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...

... p_p < ...

I will go sit in the corner and cry for non understanding, now.))

Welk just curled closer to Werr and pulled Isslia close, licking her cheek happily. He acted faintly distant, however, which was something easily noticed by his friends. Vorpal poked his usual crudeness at him, but Welk just ignored him and stayed close to the two of the closest people in his life. He was quite clingy, and he kept looking out the window and frowning, then looked over at Naybrin or Cynyr, as if for reassurance other than touch.

((But everyone comes out happy in the end! xD -sits down next to and hugs-

See, Remor wants Diana for this purpose. Remember? o3o This would be like, the first chapter. The epic opening to the fourth book. But then, not really, 'cuz we're gonna do it togethaaar. 936 So it'll turn out a lot different. Nate isn't actually supposed to be there n' stoof.))

"Why does everyone look so glum?" Carlyle questioned suddenly. "You're going home, I would expect you to be happier..."

"Something is wrong," Ophile put voice to what they were all thinking. "We know not what it is, however..."

"Well...you're not going to figure it out?"

"If it needs our attention, it'll show itself." Forin snorted. "We're not missing anyone, I've done a headcount fourteen times now."

"Spy?" Werr sat up, looking around.

"I'm here!" The Chimera waved. He was in the corner, enjoying his dinner of termites.

"Oh...right. Good." Werr sighed and relaxed a little more, but he was still very tense.