The Forgotten Zodiac

"No, no, no!" Diana screamed, fighting against Seria again. "I have to summon him, I want him back! I need him! You don't understand, none of you understand! Let me bring him back!" She shrieked, kicking and squirming about before Obelisk approached, resting a single finger on her head. She fell unconscious immediately, going limp.

"I've had enough of her. If you'll allow me, I'll put her to sleep until her friends return. She'll be better off."

"No," Galai said. "Let her sleep for a little while, then I want to speak with her one more time. And then, if all else fails, I will allow her to sleep until they return." She sighed heavily, watching Seria work, then nodded when she finished and backed away. "Diana, Diana..." she said, sighing. "Oh what you do not know..." She stroked the child's hair back, then simply sat with her in her lap, rocking her gently.

Obelisk nodded and backed away, returning to his wife. It fell quiet again, and the day began to drag onwards.

Across the ocean, Zephyr was finally landing in front of the cave that led to the gates to Kaislun. Forin glared into the gloom, instinctively knowing which directions they would need to take, regardless of the fact that the tunnels changed every now and then. It was his home, after all. "First things first...talking to Resu." Forin led the way, hands in his pockets.

Luen walked forward carefully in deer form, keeping his chin on Forin's shoulder. He didn't want to get lost. Zephyr flew up in his small size, landing on Luen's lower back and clutching onto his fur.

Luen put his nose to Forin's neck and sighed.

They headed onwards, finally emerging into the soft, filltering sunlight of the Eternal Garden.

Resu was there, her spot obvious. She looked the same as when they first met her; grey and white eyes, leaves for a dress, long white hair, and black-painted nails. "Greetings." She said, sitting astride what appeared to be a moose. It brayed and went down on its knees, allowing Resu to slide off. "Welcome back to the Eternal Garden. I sense you have business with me. I assure you, the Guantlets have not been touched since they were turned over to me, if that's what you wanted to know..."

"Not quite." Forin shook his head. "Thank you, though. We have...a very different matter to ask you about." He looked at Luen, grimacing slightly as he wondered what Resu would have his friend do.

Luen swallowed, then stepped forward gracefully. "I need to ask about scapegoating for one of my friends," he said firmly, though his voice shook ever so slightly. "I will accept any challenge you put me to. I'll take it." He shifted to human form, clasping his metal claw lightly over his wrist, a nervous sign Forin knew immediately.

"Scapegoating? You've made new friends, have you?" Resu stepped forward, alighting a hand gently on Luen's head. She took a peek at his memory of Allie, examining her through Luen's memory.

Finally, she stepped away. "Do you really want to, Luen Faolin? Would you kill and pillage and destroy for her sake? You are such a kind and gentle soul...I remember your own trial. It caused you such pain, even I was saddened by what I had you do..."

Luen's jaw trembled softly and his eyes grew quite misty, but it was in a steady voice that he replied in.

"I will."

He tilted his head down, closing his eyes as he fervently gripped his wrist with his metal hand, his long white ears tilted back against his head. A part of him just really didn't want to see it coming, honestly. This was why he averted his gaze.

Resu eyed him curiously, then fell silent, starting to pace. "Goddess intervene..." She murmured after a moment, a request that would not be fufilled. She muttered something else, then stopped in front of Luen. "You must endager something in order to complete this task, Luen Faolin. The lives of numberous innocents, in order to erase the existence of a single witch. The little village of Nao Quint, a village known by very few. Those who live there, of course, and king Werr, who made certain to know each and every settlement in order to help whomever so needed it. Nao Quint houses a witch with a burning passion for influencing mind and spirit.

"Asking around about her will be useless. The villagers will be desperate to protect their dearest neighbor. The second you slay her, they may very well attack...and you will be forced to kill them, too."

"I scapegoat." Forin said at once. Luen, killing innocents? Impossible...it wouldn't happen!

Resu frowned at him, then looked at Luen. "Do you accept him taking this task in your stead?"

"Wh-what? No! No, I don't!" Luen replied, staring agahst at Forin. "Allie is my girlfriend, Forin! I can't let you soil your hands on my account. You've killed before in your past, and I would hate to see you kill again. I can't...I just can't let you. Do you understand? For the people I care about, this would be a burden I want to bear. And besides..." He sighed. "If I'm not noticed by the people, they can't attack me...right? Maybe?" He didn't sound too hopeful. "All I know is that I'm not going to kill innocents," he said firmly. "At least...I can hope."

Forin almost glared at him. "I'm a Tartaran, Luen. My heart and mind aren't wired to feel guilt or shame when I think about the people I've killed. Yes, I've ended lives, and I should feel bad about it, but I don't. I never have, and I never will. But you...you're more sensitive than I. You can't do this, Luen...please, just let me. I'd kill all of them just for you..."

Luen lowered his head, resting his hand over his eyes. "Forin...just...just..." he stammered, and the Tartaran knew he was crying. "...you always...have to carry me. You would slaughter the world if I asked it of you...but I could never ask it... Therefore...perhaps we'll compromise."

He turned to Resu.

"Let us do it together. I'll end the witch, and Forin will protect me. But he can only interfere if my life becomes endangered or if I call for him. Would this suffice?"

Resu eyed Luen carefully. "Not of his own accord. Only if you call for him." She declared. "You may take your time with this. Tell me when you are ready, and I will make the neccessary teleportations."

"Let's do it now," Forin nodded at Luen. "I can fight better like this...I...I know you don't like it, but I'm stuck like this anyway, might as well use it..."

Luen nodded, then shifted forms and rested his muzzle right against Forin's neck, sighing a tearful sigh as the Tartaran closed his hands ever so gently over his muzzle.

"We're ready," he said softly, and upon utterance of these words, they were wisked away...

*

When they opened their eyes, they were on the edge of a small village, where torches flickered innocently in the night. Luen didn't lift his muzzle from Forin yet. He couldn't make himself.

((Oh. So that's this witch?))

Luen closed his eyes tightly, as if absorbing every last piece of the Tartaran's affection and touch, then backed up and turned, galloping down the slope towards the village. He paused just before entering, glancing back to the silent, slightly-illuminated figure standing on the hill.

Luen had to look forward once more and disappear into the town.

Luen blinked, shifting into human form and stepped into the house. He stared at her, snorting once, nervously. He was clutching his forearm with his metal hand. He slowly went to do as she said, as if to buy time. "What is your name?" he asked, clutching the pepper tightly in his hand. He made no move to give it to her yet.

"I'm known by a lot of names. In a previous body, they called me Ellie. Then I was Agatha. Here, I'm Marriettte, but you can just call me Aunt M. Does that work? I do need that pepper, dear, my soup is starting to boil over," She called, smiling away in spite of the fact that Luen couldn't really see her.

Luen didn't move. His hand and voice shook slightly as he said "So you are a witch." He lowered his head a bit, eyes narrowed. "You're brainwashing these people into thinking you're something else. Just a friendly lady that probably works in her garden and loves animals, eh? And how many bodies have you stolen?" His metal claw twitched lightly, perfectly in-tune with his nerves; he had to wait.