The Forgotten Zodiac

"No! NO!" Luen screamed, forming a giant spike of ice and driving it into the ground, digging fiercely at the surface, wailing. "Diana! Diana!" Even as Forin and Nate rushed to make him stop, he shoved them away, screeching inhumanly. Finally, Nate grabbed the kirin by the back of his neck and gave a very subtle poke on a nerve there. Luen's entire body stiffened, then he went limp, unconscious, with tears still dripping down his cheeks.

Cynyr had drew back from Werr and was screaming as well, tearing at the ground with his wind powers, even as a tornado whipped up around them all. Without his wife...no, no, no, he couldn't deal with this, not now, not after losing Welk...there was nothing, nothing, he was destined to lose it all...

Forin gritted his teeth, still shaking. "She's not dead...they're not dead. If Remor wanted them dead, they'd...be dead." He whispered. "We just have to find him...and end him."

He looked up at Naybrin. "Time to go. Get us back to Alastor. Spy, you're going to have to come with us. We need your help."

"Oh...okay..." Spy nodded quietly.

"Luen, pull yourself together..." Forin murmured, touching his friend's shoulder. Then he advanced on Cynyr. But he turned to Werr, instead. "Pull yourself together, human king. You have things to deal with. Cynyr!" He snapped. "We can still save Seria. Save that anger for when we catch up to Remor."

"Don't tell me what to do!" the panther howled, rounding on the Tartaran and switching to human form. "I have more than enough hatred for this whole Goddess-forsaken world! I can hate every person here from now until the day I die, and I'll go DOWN hating them! We're not cared for anymore, do you understand? If the Goddess was real, Welk wouldn't have died! There can't be a Goddess alive that lets all of this happen to us!"

"Young man!" Naybrin said, shaken by the panther's words. "How dare you speak about her like-"

"Can it, old man! It's true!" Cynyr spat, shaking from head to toe. "There is no Goddess. I'm through with believing in an old hag in the sky. I'm through with everything. I'm going to go find my wife and be done with everything. I can't DO this anymore! I'm FINISHED. I'm finding my wife, and then I'm giving up and going to live somewhere where nothing can ever hurt me again."

Naybrin's heart broke for the panther right then and there. He could sense such a deep and terrible ache inside the half-cat, and Naybrin wondered if it was one that would never go away.

Forin gritted his teeth. How could he say such things about the Goddess, who had very well saved them and the entire world from an eternity of misery under Neathor's reign? How could he say that when, only 10 minutes ago, the island they were standing upon now hadn't existed?! The Goddess had made this place so that they would be able to rest for a few minutes. So they would be able to fight back against Remor at all, at that. How could he deny the Goddess' existence when a Demigod was sleeping on the First King's back?

"Fine then!" Forin snarled. "No one said you have to believe in what's so obviously there! Be grateful she doesn't smite you where you stand for such heracy, even after all that she's done for you!" He snapped angrily. "I'm going to find Diana, with or without your help. Now get your disgusting corpse onto Naybrin's back now, or we're leaving you here on this island. Which, by the way, didn't exist 10 minutes ago! No Goddess, my right hand...Luen, come on." He pulled the Kirin along, forcing him to follow.

"What a mess..." Obelisk had woken up by now. It was kind of hard to continue sleeping, what with all the yelling. His bandages moved out, scooping up Werr and placing him in Naybrin's hands. Then he picked up Welk and Isslia as one, grateful that she didn't struggle. She just glanced sideways at him, blinking dully. "I'm Obelisk," He said quietly, which was enough to let her relax again.

"Time to go, then." Nate sighed a bit. "Come on, Cynyr. You shouldn't stay behind. How will you be able to find Seria if you're trapped here, on this island?"

Cynyr said nothing, merely throwing out his air wings and leaping into the sky, leaving them all behind. He looked back only once at Werr, but when the boy gave no sign of noticing, Cynyr disappeared.

He would've come back if Werr called him. He would've apologized about the Goddess if Werr had told him to.

He would've done anything if Werr asked.

But he hadn't.

Lexi watched him go with a heartbroken expression on her face, then slowly stood up and wandered over to Naybrin's hands, climbing in with Werr and cuddling up to him, starting to cry against his chest.

Werr slowly wrapped his arms around Lexi, but he didn't move aside from that. Welk was gone. Cynyr was gone, some part of him realized. He whispered the panther's name, but it was too late. Forin growled unhappily. "Let's go, Nayrin. We're done here."

The dragon took off, and that was that.

((IT WILL BE MORE DRAMATIC IF WE TIME SKIP, BUT I ALSO WANT TO VISIT BOKO AND SHIYA AGAIN BEFORE WE END THE BOOK SO HERE WE GO.))

"He's waking up," Lutrez' voice whispered.

"I know, shut up. Give him his space," Vuker chided gently. "You heard Zephyr. He needs a lot of rest."

Boko opened his eyes a little. He was greeted with the fuzzy sight of his nest and home. But it was a bit different; He was stretched out on a long log, held in place with magical ropes. Held down and pretty much unable to move, he looked...sad. But his spine had to be straight if it were to ever repair properly, after all. He was lucky he didn't damage too many nerves.

"Hey, Boko," Vuker said from a short distance away. "You feeling okay? Can we get you anything?"

"Shh...aaaaahhhhh..." Boko slurred.

"Water?" Lutrez tilted his head to the side.

"C...uuuld..."

"Cold? Vuker blinked.

"I'll sit by you to keep you warm!" Lutrez wiggled forward at once, very careful not to bump the log or anything.

Vuker smiled, figuring it out pretty quickly. "Lutrez...I don't think he wants you to do that. C'mon, we have a female to get. Don't worry, Boko, she only went to get you some piping hot water from the springs. We'll let her know you're awake."

"Thh....aaahhh..."

"Don't mention it." Vuker purred, nudging Lutrez away and out of the cave, leaving Boko alone. Vaira and Zephyr were busy arguing with the Elders; the old dragons didn't seem to think that Boko and Shiya were truly soul mates. Boko was oblivious to this, staring at the cave entrance with a great misery in his eyes.

((AIE PIE.))

Finally, they returned with Shiya between them, and she ran forward at once to embrace her bonded. She slowed and carefully laid down next to him, cuddling close enough so that her scales only barely brushed his, so she didn't hurt him. She pressed her tongue to his lips and he opened his mouth, giving her a kiss in return, then she just nuzzled him for a few seconds.

"Oh, Boko..." she said softly, tears slipping down her cheeks. "I thought I had lost you..." She picked up the stone bowl she had been carrying in her teeth and offered it to him, revealing that it was filled with steaming hot water.

She blinked, staring at him, then hesitantly pushed her thoughts back at him, in silent wonder of this miraculous new bond between them.

I love you too, Boko. Leonen's not around, don't worry. I just had some trouble getting the water. She nuzzled him again, then said I'm so worried for you. Will you be okay? You got hurt so badly...

((Probably Lexi taking over the lead for a little while and showing Cynyr and Werr.))

Shiya licked Boko's nose again, saying No, I'm fine. It was just a sprain, and a bit of your mom's saliva healed it right up. I'm fine. She purred and nuzzled closer to him, saying I was so scared...but that Skydance...it felt so great.

((Except maybe his parents. xD

And yeah, we'll probably end on Welk's funeral.))

Shiya purred away and set about grooming him gently, enjoying every touch. She worked her tongue through the small grooves between his scales, then around his stubby horns, grooming him happily. She purred away, closing her eyes and sighing.

Boko smiled and purred, quite content. Yes, it would be a month or so until he could carefully move about freely, but he would heal.

Not all wounds, however, heal so easily.

"Werr? Lexi?" Nate poked his head in through the door. It had been a couple days since their return home, and the preparations had been made at last. "We're waiting on you..."

Werr didn't move until Lexi did. He was practically tied to her; he followed her around like a silent shadow, and from the looks of it...that was what he had been reduced to. Both of his knights, his dearest brothers, were gone. They would be burying one today. Not burned as the custom; Welk had died a hero, so he would have the burial of a hero. That had been the only thing Werr had said to anyone besides Lexi. He simply refused to talk to anyone else, and Lexi only managed to get a few words out of him here and there.

But Werr knew his place. He straightened himself up and did his best to look kingly for the funeral. Nate would be giving the obituary, and he himself would have to give a few words...the service itself was decorated and elegant. Most of the capital city's citizens were there, and as Werr and Lexi walked in, Nate was sitting down with his wife and daughter. Carlyle was there too, sitting with Zelana. Obelisk was there but not, watching from the rafters, where no one would bother to look. Ophile was there, Jag and Lily were there, but not Luen or Forin. Both of them had left the second they touched ground. Of course.

Lexi held Werr's hand tightly and walked out slowly with him, already feeling tears burn her eyelids. She didn't want to make Werr do this. She wanted to take him back to their room, lay down with him, and comfort him as best as she could. But she had to take some charge now that he was so depressed and forlorn. She had to help as much as she could.

As they approached the funeral, Werr was greeted to the sight of Cynyr sitting on the edge of the regal, dark red coffin that was resting on the alter. He was murmuring things, his form draped over the edge of the coffin, one arm curled under his head and the other inside the coffin, stroking Welk's lifeless form.

"You hate the darkness...they're burying you in the darkness...how dare they do this to you...how dare they...I won't let them bury you there, where you can't see the light...I won't let them...my dear little brother..."

Werr, who had drawn closer, heard the words. He didn't say anything until he was within arm's length of Cynyr. When he did say something, it was said with such a dull, weak voice that it might as well have been Werr himself in that coffin. "I can't bear to watch him rot..." He murmured softly. He removed his crown and placed it over Welk's chest, as was the custom whenever one close to the king died. He fought back a dead sob before turning and practically collapsing in his throne. He looked on with listless misery, doing his best not to cry as he watched Cynyr and the coffin.

((Is Cynyr about to go psycho and steal Welk's body? xD

AWESOMMMEEE))

((-slaps Werr repeatedly- Unless SOMEONE were to comfort his FRIEND.

Maybe. xD))

Cynyr ignored him, ignored everyone around him, as he laid there on the coffin, a haunted shell of his former proud self. When Lexi looked closer, she saw that Isslia was curled up in dog form on his back, staring listlessly into the coffin. It seemed he had taken to her in his misery, having known Welk loved her. Even as they watched, he held out one hand for a stepping stone, allowing her down into the coffin to cuddle with Welk one last time.

((I like the idea of Isslia and Cynyr bonding together now since they both are so sad. It's a cute little note in all of the sadness.))

((LOLNOPE

Also, I said obituary up there, I meant Eulogy. xDD))

Isslia slid down into the coffin, licking Welk's ear and cheek before snuggling down next to him. Nate wasn't entirely sure if he should continue, but finally, he stood and turned to the crowds. "Welk Kaelen was...a man to be idoled. Kind...courageous...caring. In his last days, he not only saved the world from a Titan's wrath, but he saved his friends from the anger of an old enemy. Before that, he saved a young girl from a lifetime of tragedy and pain, and showed her joy and peace insead. He assissted Werr, our beloved king, in freeing a far-off country from a tyrant, and put in motion a peaceful republic that will last for years to come.

"Welk Kaelen was more than a friend. He was a brother, a caregiver, a guardian, and a son. I recall, in my first days upon meeting him, he treated me with such reverence and awe because I looked 'cool'. I remember the days when rolling about in the grass with Werr and playing pranks on Cynyr were all that mattered to him. And these memories we will hold dear, for as long as we live. Welk Kaelen may be gone, but he lives on in memory." Nate turned to the coffin and gave his salute before walking back to his seat, his head low. There was short appluase from the crowd, then silence. There was soon, however, the buzz of murmurings and whispers; why was Cynyr on the coffin, disrespecting the corpse? Why was that small grey dog with him?

"I can't," Werr murmured, only Lexi hearing him. Tears streamed down his cheeks. "I can't...say anything..."

((Got it.))

Lexi stroked his hair, bending down to give him a gentle kiss, then stood up with her head held high and spoke for him.

"Welk...I can only ever remember him as kindhearted and full of happiness. At the rare times I saw him angry, it was an anger like no other. Like it didn't belong on his face at all. He could very well have been the embodiment of joy. I know that, even in his dying moments, his thoughts must surely have laid, not with his approaching doom, but with his family. None needed to be related to him to be his family. Someone he would lay down his life for. He was...our sunlight. I don't know what we'll do without our light shinning away anymore..." She sighed and lowered her head for a moment, then looked up again, tears slipping down her cheeks.

"Welk will be missed. From now for years to come, there won't be a day gone by without someone missing him. They say time heals all wounds, but...they never saw this level of devotion and loyalty."

She lowered her head again, then stepped back and was silent.