The Forgotten Zodiac

Seria laughed, a calm, happy sound, then hugged him, saying "Oh Obelisk, I can't see how anyone could be afraid of you. True, most people only remember you as a bandage-hewn maniac that loved the darkness, but I somehow don't think you're quite like that anymore." She smiled and leaned up to kiss his cheek, flicking her ears back softly.

If it were anyone else, the words might've invoked a certain annoyance. But it was Seria, the first person to truly accept and befriend him, and no anger could be dealt for her innocence.

"I don't think so either. I like this better, though...I wouldn't go back to it for anything." He smiled as he started to work in the kitchen, though he started to have a bit of a distant air as he cooked. "It's been awhile since I worked with food...Fawn used to take care of everything food related." He sighed and shook his head, fighting to keep his mind off it.

Seria sighed, then moved forward and hugged him tightly, resting her cheek against his shoulder. "Oh, Obelisk..." she murmured, stroking her fingers up and down his back gently. "I'm sorry. You wouldn't be thinking of her if you hadn't come her to talk to me. You should probably go, if it's upsetting you." She turned her round blue eyes up at him, filled with such deep understanding and care.

"Oh, Seria," Obelisk chortled. "You don't realize how close we had become, she and I. I think of her all the time. Absolutely everything reminds me of her. The way you tilt your head when you're worried, for example. But here I am, and there she is. She's at peace now, and I'm going to do my best not to let my grief affect me. I'm still Obelisk, and I've still got things to do today. Grief never gets easier, I'm hardly immune to it; I just don't let it distract me." He started cutting a few spices to put on the chicken, and set up the gravy on the side. There was one thing off, that Ophile observed; Obelisk wasn't using magic.

Probably because he was trying to curb the fighting outside. But...how do I know that? Ophile questioned himself. How do I know that they're fighting outside?

Because the fighting will be soon inside!

Ophile yelped and writhed on the bed, howling and wailing with pain. "No, no, no, no!" He screamed, twisting and squirming until he was all wrapped up in the blankets on the bed, twisted up to the point where he could barely move.

((I...don't understand what just happened. xD Where's Ophile? In the room with them is what I'm going off of. And who was the dark scary voice?))

Seria jerked, turning in shock to the howling wolf. "O-Ophile, Ophile, stop! What happened?!" she said, quickly moving forward to try and help untangle him from the blankets. "Ophile, please stop, tell me what happened! What's wrong?" She clamped her hands over his head, struggling to comfort and calm him.

((Yes, in the room. Veros, of course. The Titan of Ages is more powerful now, remember? He's taken over the hearts of the Tartarans outside, and now he's getting to the ones inside. Ophile first, since he's closest to Obelisk.

Veros heard that he wasn't going, so he has to drag Obelisk there by other means, clearly.))

"No, get back!" Obelisk pulled Seria away, just in time to save her hands from Ophile's teeth. "Veros...how dare you?!"

Ophile didn't respond, seemeingly reduced to a growling pile of fur. Petrified from fighting the control Veros was inflicting on him. Obelisk sighed heavily and pulled Seria out of the room, slamming the door shut. He shrouded said door with shadow before turning to Seria. "Did he harm you?"

((.D.

Also, you remember Ophile was granted human form by Naybrin, correct? If that's not important or you had forgot, I can just take out the one line that suggested it back in Naybrin's death.))

"I-I'm fine," she answered, looking shaken and stunned. "B-but what just happened? What was wrong with Ophile? We can't just leave him like that!" She made to reenter the room but was, of course, stopped by Obelisk. "How do we help him?" she begged, turning her round eyes up at him. "Is there anything we can do?"

((I thought you didn't want to do that because it's just for Hg's whiny little sake. xDDD

I forgot, so just take eet out.))

"No. The most we can do now is keep him from hurting anyone. You know he'd be upset if we let him injure someone." Obelisk murmured, taking Seria by the hand. "Veros overtook his heart. He's fighting it, yes, but it's impossible for him to succeed. The most he can do is delay the takeover. We need to get to the throneroom. We can seal ourselves in there with Galai and Titus, you'll be safe there..."

((Okey.))

"I don't want to be sealed away," she said, clinging to him desperately, as if afraid that he would suddenly disappear, leaving her alone and undefended. "I want to help! I'm a healer, and a powerful one, and I want to be allowed to help. Please, Obelisk." Her eyes begged him, her fingers clenched tightly around his.

"Seria, this is very nearly a full scale invasion. I have yet to discern the point of this, at that. The best we can do right now is hole up and hope they get what they want soon, or they'll tear this entire castle apart. Seria, they won't not attack you just because you're pregnant. They won't stop just because you're helping the injured. The lives within you are more important than a couple scratches, they're--"

"Obelisk! Titus demands your presence, now!" An Amnarian guard approached quickly, Airlia at her side.

"Obelisk, please come quickly," She asked quietly, biting her lip. "Seria...it's good that you're safe," She had a nasty claw mark on her cheek, which had bled all over her pretty dress.

The female half-cat quickly held her hand out, closing her eyes and murmuring something. A tiny, see-thru blue butterfly formed on the tip of her finger, fluttering over to Airlia and resting over the cut in her cheek, where the butterfly disappeared and the cut healed. Opening her eyes, Seria took Obelisk's hand again, determined to stay by his side.

"We were headed to the throne room anyway," Obelisk sighed, running his free hand through his hair. "Let's go, Seria. To the throne room." He hurried along, although his pace was slowed due to Seria being at his side. But before long at all, they arrived in the throne room.

"Obelisk. There you are. Frankly put, I'm not sorry about this at all." As soon as they entered, Titus flicked his finger. A cage of darkness burst forth and encased Obelisk, forcing him to let go of Seria. "Veros has made his demands. He wants you in a gift box, so to speak."

"You know this can't hold me." Obelisk raised a brow.

"I'm aware of that. I was hoping you'd find enough selflessness within you to understand why this must be done. If not, I will have to subdue you." Titus sighed through his nose. "I will not have him trifle with my people any longer. This has gone on long enough, but I'm afraid there is nothing I can do but turn you over to him."

"And you're certain all this would stop if you give me up like this?" Obelisk hissed.

"I made him swear to never touch my people again, as well as Galai's. You know Titans. Incapable of speaking falsehoods. Bound by their word."

Obelisk looked down, and let out his own sigh. "You know what he's after."

"Be that as it may, I have faith that our champions will stop him before he gets it."

Seria leaned against the bars of the cage, shocked etched into her features. "This isn't going to work," she mused quietly. "Lord Titus, you can't honestly think this will solve everything? I mean, I trust Cynyr and Welk and Werr, you know I do, but...I don't know. I feel like...something's not going to work out." She leaned against the bars, frowning sadly.

"It will get Veros away from my children. That's the only problem I have to solve, Seria." Titus sighed. "Plenty of things already haven't worked out. This is one that is going to go smooth as butter."

"Seria, please tell Cern that I'm gone. And check on Malice for me." Obelisk said quietly, touching her hand. "And do yourself a favor and take a long nap after this. You can't push yourself."

She bit her lip, then suddenly turned to Airlia. "Airlia, will you bring me a jar, please? Just...any jar will do." Once the girl returned with said object, Seria opened it and closed her eyes, exhaling a soft breath into it. Immediately, the jar was filled with the tiny healing butterflies. She quietly closed the lid, holding it out to Obelisk. "Here...take this," she said. "It's not near as powerful as if I did it myself, but these little guys are hard workers. It's...the last thing Namanai ever taught me, before she died."

Obelisk took the bottle, which dissolved into shadow. "I'll keep it safe. Thank you, Seria." He gently put a hand on her shoulder, smiling slightly. "And don't worry. Stay in the castle, you'll be safe here." He moved his hand away, then looked up at Titus. "I'm ready. Throw me out to the dogs."

"With pleasure." Titus snorted, flicking his hand. The front doors open, and out went the cage, carrying Obelisk with it.

Seria watched him go, her gaze sad, before she turned away without a word and walked away.

*

Cynyr paced the length of the gardens, trying to work some kinks from his body. He didn't look happy, not at all, but nobody could place what was upsetting him. After all, Seria, Werr and Welk weren't here, and Lexi and Isslia weren't in sight.

In short, he was alone.

His pacing continued undisturbed, mostly. But he wasn't as alone as he thought; Zex was nearby, staring down at the Koi pond. The fish swam lazily under the water, but would all move quickly and converge when he dropped a bread crumb into the water. They practically attacked it, and once it was gone, they went right back to swimming about, as happy as could be.

Zex soon came to find that he hated these fish. He hated a lot of things, but was just now letting the knowledge of that hate sink in. He hated being alive right now. He wanted to be back with the Goddess...but some revolting part of him hated her, too, for letting all this happen to him. None of this would have ever happened if she hadn't taken his brother from him. He wouldn't have signed his soul away to Veros if she had been mercilful enough to keep his little brother alive.

But here he was, seething in his newfound hatred of many things, wondering if he'd ever find peace again. Or if Veros would succeed in his plot that doubtlessly involved world domination, thus condemning Zex to an eternity of service to the beast.

But most of all, more than anything in the world, he hated Lance and Kage. They had done something to him that had made Luna go silent. She wouldn't speak anymore, and didn't even acknowledge Zex's presence around her. That made him more upset than anything, and it made him furious towards Lance and Kage. How dare they play with him like he was a toy...how dare Relic treat him like a chew toy? It was humiliating to think about. And more thoughts came to him over time. What was the new servant like, really? He seemed nice and caring enough about the prisoners. After all, they were his friends.

Friends. Cynyr had friends. That meant he couldn't be too bad, right? Zex sighed, peering down at the Koi again. At least the fish didn't hate him...

The panther oddly didn't notice him. Normally, his senses were sharply attuned, ready to catch the tiniest movement or sound. But this time, it all went unnoticed. He continued to pace, back and forth, over and over, until finally, he seemed to have had enough. He flopped down in the garden path, resting his head on his paws, his yellow-turned-orange eye distant as he stared at his long claws.

Zex's senses were just as peaked as ever. He was jumpy; all the thoughts of Lance and Kage made him think that they would attack him from behind. He turned at the shifting of pace, realizing that it was just Cynyr. He looked...sad. Zex moved forward a little bit, biting his lip as he carefully approached. He couldn't hate Cynyr. He didn't know the panther. So...

"Hey," He said softly. "Are you okay?"