The Forgotten Zodiac

((KENDRA AND SYLAS YAAAAAAY))

Kendra smiled a bit at the offer, then nodded. "Yes, I would like that very much," she said. "It certainly seems like it will be a beautiful eventide, and who better to spend it with than good company?" she accepted.

((I figured since I don't want to do anything terribleawful just yet, I'd keep myself calm with a bit of fluff. And since you like the pairing, why the heck not. xD))

Sylas smiled, then stood. "Come on then, I told Versha I'd go with her as soon as the meeting was over. Let's go," He offered his hand to help her up, glad that the light was too dim to see his bright red cheeks at the moment.

((FLUUUUUUUFF))

Kendra happily took his hand, standing and following him outside. The air was a bit chilly despite being near summer - they were in the north, after all - so she took a step closer to Sylas as they walked. She let there be a comfortable silence between then for a while, before smiling faintly. "Your hand is warm," she commented.

"Eh? Oh, uh...I work with my fingers a lot. So, uh...circulation..." Sylas said awkwardly as he led the way to the forest.

"Ah, there you are. Good, the moon is near its peak," Versha greeted them as they approached. "You have the Ether, Sylas?"

"I do." He nodded, holding it up.

"Very good. Let us walk," She turned and hurried ahead.

Kedra smiled, unable to find Sylas' slight discomfort with her anything but cute. She held his hand just a bit tighter as they ventured into the words. Her heart was beating quickly, but it wasn't with fear - she knew she couldn't be safer, what with Sylas and the tree spirit here. She was excited, wanting to see the magic that Versha and the human were going to perform.

Versha walked out into the ruined mess that was Treefort now. The Tree of Shelter was still standing, surprisingly; the tree was burned, harrowed, and mostly dead. "Come along, Sylas," She nodded, smiling.

"Right." He let go of Kendra's hand and hurried over. Versha directed his moves until he stood in the right spot and in the right position. Standing just before the tall, burned husk of a tree. Holding the Ether piece in cupped hands in front of him, his arms stretched out before him. Versha gave the word, and he closed his eyes and set the Ether to work.

Normally, it would simply create a bright glow. Sylas had seen it many times. The surroundings of the forest would be healed equally, with as much power as Sylas could manage. But with this much Ether, the effects were much different; the glow increased and decreased, like the ebb and flow of waves. It send out ripples of light, which ran along the ground and caused the grass to peek its blades out between the ashes. Bubbles of blue glow wafted up from the Ether, which Versha took and directed towards the Tree of Shelter. She set a total of ten around the roots, which sank into the ground and began to heal the tree from the roots up. More bubbles emerged from Sylas' cupped hands, spilling out onto the ground and floating to various spots, sprouting young trees here and there. Some even wafted over to where Kendra stood, but if she attempted to touch them, they would pop and explode into a hazy shimmer of light and beauty.

Bird stepped around Kendra, beginning to sing in a different language. The grass itself sang along, heard by any and all who were around. It all encouraged the growth and restoration of the forest around them, and it was an incredible sight, to say the least.

((SING A PRETTEH SONG, BIRDY BARD

I'm really mad because I had a beautiful song to give you for what Bird would sing and I lost it.

Nevermind, I found it. : D http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bOBjZMJ2l8))

((SONG))

Kenda could only watch in awe at the restoration of the forest, staring with her mouth agape as the magic worked to heal the land and trees. She clasped her hands together and brought them up to rest under her chin, closing her eyes. She listened to Bird sing, allowing herself to be lost in the moment.

((PRETTY SONG

YOU LIKE?))

Between the three of them, Sylas, Versha, and Bird, the Ether shard glowed and practically overflowed with power. The sprouted trees grew into young ones, but that was as far as they got. The glowing stopped, Bird stopped singing, and Versha let out a cry of alarm as Sylas collapsed.

"What happened? Human boy, you aren't supposed to faint," Bird pulled Sylas upright.

"Gentle, Bird," Versha scolded, lying him back down. "He simply exhausted his energy. I knew it would be too much for him, but he insisted..." She frowned and checked Sylas' pulse. Then she smiled. "At least his heart is still going. He said it had been weakened, but I see it's still quite strong. We'll have to carry him back to the camp for now, and continue this another time."

((I LOVE MUSIC))

Kendra immediatly looked alarmed. "You mean that this could have killed him?" she asked, rushing over and pulling Sylas into her arms. She stroked his hair back gently, looking worried.

"It could have," Versha nodded. "But I was careful not to force too much power output. I noticed when he grew weaker and slowed accordingly. He'll be fine, I assure you; I wasn't about to harm him."

"Versha's smart, she wouldn't hurt him," Bird insisted.

"Let's just get him back to camp. He'll wake up soon, I promise." The Tree Spirit smiled. "You have great affection for him. I can sense it."

Kendra's face turned red, but it was dark out, and she hoped that no one would be able to tell. "Yes... well, let's get him back to camp," she said with a nod, pulling the human onto her back and heading back in the direction of Tinyville.

Versha collected the Ether chunk, and followed.

Sylas stirred, blinking away the dark haze that had invaded his sight. "Agh..." He opened his eyes, not at all surprised to see L'arc hanging at his bedside. "Hey...sorry. I'm okay," He smiled a bit as he ran his fingers through his hair. "I'll be fine, L'arc, really."

His friend didn't respond. Sylas frowned, and attempted to sit up, only to find that he couldn't move. It was like he was paralyzed from the neck down. And when his gaze focused, he realized that his 'bed' was a coffin. They were outside, and Verolen was nearby with what was clearly a tombstone. "Wha..no, no, I'm not dead!" Sylas screeched, but silenced himself as L'arc sighed and spoke.

"I'm sorry, Sylas...this is all my fault..." The druid king lowered a flower into the casket, then slowly began to close it.

"No, no, no!" Sylas screamed, but he was enveloped in darkness and could soon feel the coffin being lowered down. And it wasn't until he began to choke on the lack of oxygen that he woke up.

He did so with a huge gasp for air, and a splutter when the sour taste of Bershee's waking salts hit his tongue. "Yech! Wha...what the heck was that?!"

"You were having an awful nightmare and shaking wasn't waking you up. But you're supposed to smell the salts, not eat them." Bershee chortled. "Good morning. What was your dream about?"

"I...I guess I had died, but...I hadn't...they put me in a coffin and buried me, and..."

"You witnessed your own burial?" Bershee raised a brow.

"Yeah." He sighed and looked around. "Where's L'arc?"

((SYLAS IS IMMORTAL, SILLY.))

((HE BETTER BE.))

"He went out to look at the forest," spoke a voice on Sylas' left. He turned to see Kendra, who was smiling at him warmly. After a moment's hesitation, she put her hand on his shoulder. "What you did last night was amazing," she said. "Are you all right?"

((HAHAHA

HE CAN STILL BE BURIED))

"Huh?" Sylas blinked, looking up at her. "Yeah, I'm, uh...I'm fine. I thought I'd have a heart attack for sure, though...I was starting to feel woozy...how far did I make it?"

"How far you made it doesn't matter. You nearly did have a heart attack, you silly boy. Here," Bershee forced a bowl of what appeared to be soup into his hands. "Eat up."

Sylas took a bite, and immediately (and unflatteringly) spat it out again. "Dear Mother Tree, what on earth did you put in this?!"

"I enhanced it. It'll help your heart along and cure any wooziness you feel. And the more you stress yourself like that, the more I'm going to make you eat," Bershee scolded. "I'm giving the recipe to Rush so he'll know what to make if you pass out again. Honestly, Sylas..." She tutted, then looked up at Kendra. "Make sure he eats at least some of it, if you don't mind. I need to go check on my eggs." She departed swiftly, and Sylas was left staring at the nasty soup with an ugly look on his face.

"You heard her, human," Kendra said, seeming a bit amused at Sylas' reaction to the soup. "So eat up... or shall I help you?" she asked teasingly.

"I-I can eat it. It's fine." Sylas took another mouthful of the stew, forcing it down. He didn't really look up at Kendra again, and after several more spoonfuls, he said quietly, "Please don't call me that. I'm not...I'm not one of them. I was raised in the forest, I fight for the forest, and I'll die in the forest." He took another spoonful, then continued. "Humans are born in houses, sleep in houses, and will die in a bed, only to be burned so their carcasses can't become helpful to the earth around it. They fuss about useless things like owning land, voting for leaders, and building trains, only to die without honor and pass from coushioned lives to a cushy afterlife, and I want no part of it. My name is Sylas Semperverde, proud forester and not a human."

Kendra looked stricken for a moment, then, impossibly, like roses blooming in the dead of winter, she smiled. "I know," was all she offered at his monologue. Her hand moved to rest on his shoulder. "I apologize. I did not mean to insinuate... I am sorry," she said.

Sylas looked up at her, blinking in surprise. He had half expected her to never talk to him again after that. "I-I..." He stammered, blushing immediately. "No, I'm sorry. I should be nicer about that...I just...when I was a kid, I used to visit towns like Treefort and whatnot, especially during the winters. I didn't have much of a choice, but...even then, I was an outcast. Now that I'm a hero and all, they have to respect me, at least, but...I still remember Quinn...you know that girl who landed on me when we first arrived? She doesn't remember, but I do. She made fun of me because I'm human. I know you weren't making fun, I just...sorry. I shouldn't have said that stuff." He blushed again, looking away.

"No, you have your honor to uphold. I understand completely," Kendra assured. She tilted her head slightly, then leaned a bit closer to him. "Don't look away from me when you speak. You seemed so confident, eariler." She laughed a bit, then said, jokingly, "Mayhaps I should insult you more often. I like it when you sound sure of yourself. It suits you."

((I SENSE A KISS COMING))

"I'd really rather you didn't," Sylas said quietly, setting the bowl aside and making eye contact with her again. It was only then that she realized how close she was getting, and how hard his heart was pounding. He leaned forward slightly, catching a whiff of her gently scented hair and immediately wondering if she had bathed recently, or if she just naturally smelled that way. It was...enticing. Without thinking, he moved his hand down and rested it over hers, keeping his eyes focused on her.

((YEAH OKAY LET'S DO THIS

IT'S BEEN YEARS, HANNAH

WHY ARE WE JUST NOW GETTING TO A SUPER ROMANTIC KISS))