The Forgotten Zodiac

Cynyr didn't move for a long moment, then he abruptly stood up, his tail lashing dangerously from side to side. He looked enraged, and he hissed at the soldiers ready to move the coffin. They backed up a bit, not knowing what to do. He outranked them, as he was the last remaining personal knight to the king. He glared over his shoulder at them, his bright yellow eye seeming to glare right down into their souls, then slowly let his hand fall into the coffin and picked up Isslia.

In the next moment, all heck had broken loose.

A sharp wind kicked up, a tornado blasted out, and Cynyr was gone, along with Isslia and Welk's body.

((Werr will know where he went. To the waterfall cove, where they first went at the start.))

((I don't think Werr will want to go, but fine. xDD))

Werr stared after them, then closed his eyes. The soldiers looked at him, then to Nate. The head guard sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Just...end the ceremony. We're done here." Nate snapped. Slowly, the people trickled out, confused and - for some - mourning.

The only ones left were those in the group. "Where would he have gone? Darn it, Cynyr, what does he think he's doing?" Ophile paced, his eyes narrow. "Werr...you know where, don't you?"

"He went to where it all started," Werr murmured. "I don't want to go..."

"Too bad," Ophile growled. "You can't mope forever, Werr."

"Do I not get a day to mourn?!" Werr snarled. Ever since he had gotten home, he had been hounded by advisors and guards alike, trying to interrogate him about the occurances in Bulliete and Herrace.

Ophile sighed heavily through his nose, then looked up at Lexi. "You should get him to take you. You're the only one he'll listen to, at this point...clearly."

((Yesh.))

The girl nodded weakly, then slowly took Werr's hands in hers and murmured to him. "Werr...we can't let him go down like this," she whispered. "If...if he keeps this up...he'll go insanely. If he hasn't already. He needs you...I need you...and Isslia. Welk would want you to look after her and your brother. If we have to hurt, why not hurt together, as the family we are? Please, Werr...I don't want to lose Cynyr too..."

Werr tensed. "Cynyr already said he was going away...he was going to save Seria and leave..." He whispered, shaking his head. "It's no use..."

"Are you so weak that you're already losing your mind, Werr?" Ophile hissed angrily. "And you know it's true..."

Werr just nodded limply.

Nate snarled. "Listen to your girlfriend, Werr. There's more at stake here than a corpse. Cynyr is still alive. Was Welk the only reason you two were brothers?" He snorted. Werr seemed to be practically melting in his chair, looking more upset than ever. Nate definitely wasn't helping things, and neither was Ophile.

"Whatever. I can get Ophile to lead me there. You," Nate grabbed Werr by the arms and heaved him up. "Lexi, get on Ophile's back. We're going." He held Werr firmly, easily ignoring the king's weak and pathetic struggles. When Lexi complied, the wolf took off, and Nate followed, heading to the Waterfall Cove near Werr's old home. The journey took an hour or so in itself, but it wasn't a difficult path to follow.

When they got there, it wasn't hard to find the panther. He was curled up in the cave behind the waterfall, laying weakly against the wall, Welk's body draped between his legs, the panther's arms wrapped tightly around him as he stroked Welk's cheek. Cynyr seemed beyond insanity as he laid there with the body, talking to it as if Welk had never left it. Isslia was curled up in his lap too, her head resting on Welk's lifeless chest.

"-never gonna put you in that dark ground. Never. Never, ever. You don't like the dark, I won't put you there. Not where it's cold and dark. No, no, no. We'll just stay here. You don't have to go. Stay here, Welk. Don't leave. Stay here..."

Nate paused outside the cave, listening for a moment. Then he practically threw Werr inside. The king stumbled, instinctively not wanting to fall down. Werr stared at the scene for several moments before rubbing his eyes, as if to make sure what he was looking at was real. Then he walked forward and crouched in front of Cynyr.

The sucker punch was sudden and alarming, aimed right at Cynyr's face. Werr stood up, whipping his hand back and forth in pain. "Am I not here, Cynyr?!" He yelled, the loudest he had been since Welk's death. "Don't do this to me. I'm the one who's supposed to go insane and...and loopy. Not you! You have to find your wife, end Remor and settle down somewhere peaceful! That's what you said you would do! I can't do that, Cynyr...I can't defeat Remor. I can't kill the monster that broke our family...even if he's not immortal anymore, I can't...I'm not...not strong, like you..." He sank to his knees, then dropped onto all fours. "You can't go insane, Cynyr, not now...you can't do this to me...you can't just give up..."

Cynyr slid backwards, stunned, one hand holding his chin as a bit of blood trickled from his mouth. He stared at Werr for a long time, faintly aware of Isslia, unmoving on his chest, then slowly looked down at Welk's body. Tears welled and dripped down his scarred cheeks, and when he looked up at Werr again, he looked...normal.

He gently lowered Welk's body, slipping out from under him and resting him on the ground, then sat staring at Werr, holding Isslia in his arms, everything about him pleading. He was too much of a wreck to be the one to initiate the touch now, but he wanted it. Needed it. And he asked with expression, with the stature of his body, for Werr to just hold him close.

Never, in his entire live, had he wanted a touch as badly as he wanted this one.

Cynyr was limp, curled up against his dear friend, feeling somehow that now that Isslia was leaving, he was losing his last of two remaining links to his dead little brother. He knew Welk's spirit would stay with Werr and Isslia. He couldn't just let her go...

He looked over at Welk, who, to all appearances, could've been sleeping, then slowly said "He always...loved fire. He...loved the light.

"Let him...finally...become fire."

He held a hand over Welk's, slowly pulling the dead magic from him. He used his wind magic to give it a bit of life, just enough to start a spark. His wind kept it billowing, and he looked up at Werr slowly, seeking his permission.

((Do it, because when he comes back, he'll need a new body anyways instead of the old burned one.

Also, Isslia shouldn't leave. 8I))

((Okay. xD

TOO BAD. She'll find a pack of stray dogs to take care of her, and that she can help take care of. It'll help get her back on her feet, and it'll give her animal form the chance to grow a bit, aaaaand she'll be easy to find again. So no worries, this is good for her. Remember how she acted back when they first met her, and then she started acting super dependant and a bit mopey all the time? Well, this will help get her back to the hyperactive, bouncy doggy I initially made her to be. o3o))

Werr slowly nodded. He hadn't wanted it, but...it seemed right. "Let's do it here," He murmured. "In this cove. He always liked it here..." He sighed heavily, then gave a final nod, a signal that Cynyr could go on ahead and do it.

Isslia only looked back at the cove once. Nate had straight-up given her his entire bag, which she carried off into the forest. By the time she looked back, the cove was lit up behind the waterfall. She turned away again, feeling numb as she realized what they were doing. Burning the body...it was fitting, sure, but Isslia...

With her tail low, she trekked off into the forest to find her own path.

((BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH.))

Cynyr and Werr sat together for a long time afterwards, watching as Welk's body burned away into the flames he so loved. Something odd happened as the ashes formed. As the body burned into nothing, the flames swept out, as if carried on a breeze, and gently wound around the two. The still-burning embers slowly settled around Werr's necklace, turning the bright blue stone crimson red. The other embers rested around Cynyr's neck, where a similar necklace formed. How Welk's old one had gotten there, they didn't know, but there it was, around Cynyr's neck, turned red just like Werr's. A tiny, dull-orange flame symbol rested in the center, and as the embers died, they floated away through the air.

They were following Isslia.

((I'M ALREADY WRITING IT.  It's a nice story. 936))

Werr watched in wonder, then tightly held the necklace around his neck. He leaned against Cynyr again, then slowly stood. "You...have a job to do. Don't worry about my safety, I have Nate, and...Jag already said he wouldn't go home if you didn't come back. So...go on. Save Seria and Diana. And...kill Remor. For me." He murmured, his head low.

((BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH.))

Cynyr sighed, pressing his face into Werr's shoulder. His rough fingers wrapped tightly around Werr's hand, holding on desperately, not wanting to let go. With his other hand, he clutched the necklace, feeling a strange pulse go through it every once in a while. Werr's heart beat. With the necklace in place, he could feel if Werr were well or injured, at any distance. It pulsed comfortingly, in a soothing sort of way.

"...Not just for you," he whispered. He stared at the ashes, then whispered "...For him, too..."

((8I IT'S ADORABLE AND I LOVE IT SO BAH HUMBUG.

Really, it starts out horrible, but it's going to end really sweet and nice. And then we'll find Isslia with the stray dog pack, all happy and whatnot...and then she'll be super duper happy when she sees Welk alive. xD))

Werr slowly nodded. "For him, too. I should go," He ran his fingers through Cynyr's hair, then hugged him one more time. Then he pulled away and returned to Nate and Lexi, who were waiting for him. He turned back to the cove and Cynyr a final time, and said, "And...if you want to come home, after...after you've saved Seria and whatnot...you'll always have a place in the castle. No matter what." He turned away again and walked to his girlfriend.

"You burned it?" Nate questioned.

"Him. I...I didn't want him burned bec-because I...I guess some part of me thought he may come back. But Cynyr thought it would be better if his body was burned. He was one with the fire...and now he's gone."

"It's better this way," Nate rested a hand on Werr's shoulder. "Come on, I'll take you home."

"Yeah..." Werr murmured. Home...

((Horrible? Like what?))

Cynyr took panther form and used his air wings to fly to the top of the waterfall, where he perched, his head raised to the fading sun, in all of his noble regality. It was an image Werr would cement in his head for years to come. One of his dearest friends, outlined by the setting sun.

And for only a moment before Cynyr left, Werr could swear he saw, standing just behind Cynyr, the faint, glowing outline of a lion with an exceptionally bushy red mane, his crimson eyes twinkling as he flicked his extremely short tail, a pair of golden wings protruding from his back.

Then Cynyr looked down at Werr, his expression telling him that he would return, and spread his air wings, flying away.

The shape of the lion turned a quick circle, and Werr could swear he heard faint laughter and the crackle of fire.

Then it was gone and Werr was left with the feeling of Lexi's hand sliding into his, letting him know he wasn't alone.

((I will replicate the text I sent to you, and add a bit. o3o

Of course I'm not lying. How on earth could I lie to my bestest friend in the whole wide world? HOW DARE YOU EVEN START TO THINK IT. 030

As for Isslia, it's nothing too terrible. She gets picked up (in doggy form) by a little boy who takes her home, and she discovers he has an abusive family. She tries to help, but is chased out and stoof. Then she'll find herself half-starved to death, and a meaningful stranger (Briana, I was thinking) helps her out there and saves her. But, already being terrified due to her first encounter, she runs off and runs into a stray dog, who takes her into his small pack. They basically adopt her, and it's pretty much smooth sailing after that.

But it's definitely a time of growth and acceptance of a number of things, and I cover things I didn't get around to here; like the book she writes in from time to time.

And I'll just cut it off at a peaceful spot and we can find her later. :3))

Werr looked over at Lexi, feeling tears slip down his cheeks again. He leaned against her, watching Cynyr fade into the distance. Then Nate lifted Werr up again, and once more, they were off.

Once they arrived back in the castle, however, it became extremely evident that Werr was still very much upset. Isslia's disappearance had struck a cord in his mind at last, and he took to wandering the halls, hoping uselessly that she would be hiding in a closet or something. He would have asked Spy, but...the Chimera had gone with Forin.

"Isslia? Isslia! Come on out, I...Welk told me to take care of you, you weren't supposed to run off...Isslia!" Werr called for perhaps the hundreth time. "Issl--" He paused as bandages slipped over his mouth.

"Shush, Krow. She's not here." Obelisk murmured.

"Obelisk..." Werr muttered, pulling the bandages away. "I thought you went home."

"How can I? Remor stole my powers and my body. Even if I were to somehow make it onto a ship, they'd all likely abandon it due to a 'monster' being on board..." Obelisk grumbled. "Hope you don't mind this monster sticking around here for awhile."

"I don't care..." Werr looked disheartened yet again.

"King Werr," The Elder approached, right on cue. "We really need to discuss this business with Gossain! The trade route, I need to know if--" He stopped. Werr looked...angry.

"Just set up the trade route with Aries and Ronan, Elder! Dear Goddess, I can't have five minutes to myself, can I?! Don't you understand why there was a funeral, you old codger?" Werr pushed past the old man, who 'hmphed'.

"Your highness, I understand why you wouldn't want to discuss this right this moment, but if we could--" The Elder started, but Werr cut him off again.

"Let's just pretend there were two coffins at that funeral, and Werr died too!" The king roared, slamming the door to his room behind him.

"I say..." The Elder snorted.

"It's the five stages of grief." Obelisk shrugged. "Denial and isolation, then anger. Next is bargaining. You'll have to keep an eye on him, Lexi, he may try to resummon Welk's soul using ancient and forbidden magics. He'll only create a Chimera that way, and it won't be pretty. After that is a rather crushing depression that could potentially take him years to get out of. Finally, acceptance is after that."

"Yes, thank you, oh freakishly tall one. I know." The Elder shook his head, and turned to Lexi. He sighed a bit. "You're his heir. Are you prepared to step forward and rule during his...stages? Werr will remain king, but there are matters that need attending to that I doubt he would be capable of..."

"Don't worry, Lexanna. I will assist you in whatever way I can." Obelisk reassured her. "It's a big job, after all...not many people realize how much work Werr actually does."

((Chimera...-looks pointedly at Spy- I've been waiting to get that out. For like, FOREVER. THREE BOOKS, AND YOUR ORIGIN IS FINALLY PINPOINTED AT THE END OF THE THIRD. -shakes Spy around- You are lucky you survived this long. I would have killed you off if Trin hadn't objected so much.

Spy: :'C -clinghugs Trin-))

(('Kay. I like the idea of Briana finding her for a little while. She's in the castle right now, actually. She was at the funeral. Werr should find her. She looks so much like Welk.

o3o"))

"Yes..." Lexi said with a small sigh. "I...I'll do my best..." She stared after Werr for a moment, feeling exceptionally sad, then shook her head and stood tall. She was a remarkable girl, to go through all she had and carry herself so proudly afterwards. "I'm ready to help," she murmured, trying to keep the sadness out of her dark chocolate eyes. "Please, show me what to do..."

((That'll take place several weeks after today, so she would go home, right?

And yes, Trin, it's your fault he's still alive. He still hasn't played too much of a crucial role, but at least I can hash out a backstory for the poor thing now. xD))

Obelisk rested a hand on Lexi's shoulder, smiling though the expression did not belong on his burnt and twisted face. "Very well then. Come along, we have much to discuss." The Elder turned and walked off, Lexi and Obelisk following.

When he was sure they were gone, Werr slid out of his door. He noticed at once that a guard was following him at a distance. Whatever. He didn't really care.

Back to the throne room he went, where the funeral items were being moved. Werr took his crown back and plopped down on his throne, feeling the detailed ridges and lumps under his thumb. He sighed and set it on his head. A maid stopped by and offered him a drink and a snack; he turned down the food, but drank the glass of water quite eagerly. Then he sat back to watch as pew after pew was moved out.

((She'll go home in a little while. That's why I wanted Werr to bump into her.))

At the far end of the room, where the doors were open, Werr saw a shape move. It walked slowly, its head down, a bag held in its hands.

Briana, Welk's biological mother, had been at the funeral of her only son.

She was still crying as she passed, her crimson eyes filled with tears. She resembled a female version of Welk so much that it was nearly painful to look at her. She stumbled at one point and fell against the wall, then slid down and cried softly, one hand over her mouth.