《Zodiac Hunter: The Spirit Equine》


 The Future Past

    FATE, what is it exactly? I¡¯m not sure I¡¯m even close to figuring it out but I can tell you that it is pretty much to blame for all of my problems. But is it all that bad? I¡¯ll let you be the judge of that with one simple question¡ªdo you believe in fate?


    I don¡¯t. . .or. . .at least I thought I didn¡¯t.


    I could feel the rage boiling inside of me, threatening to rip me apart but not as much as I wanted to do the same to him¡ªthe reason I was stuck here¡ªentangled in all of this mess.


    My rage had grown so much that anyone could literally see it spewing out of me, transforming into an incredible aura of green energy as it enveloped my whole body, equipping me with armor unlike anything I had ever seen.


    Now, I would have been beyond thrilled to be having such an experience¡ªsomething that not so long ago had seemed like utter nonsense had it not been for what lay ahead¡ªwhich brings me back to my starting point . . .my rage for him.


    You¡¯re probably wondering who is this him that I keep talking about. Well, I would try to describe him here but I¡¯m afraid my loathing for him would only convolute the story into nothing short of complete confusion. But I can tell you this¡ªimagine the worst thing you¡¯ve ever laid eyes on your entire life, then double it-no¡ªtriple it by a thousand and picture it with all of its ugliness coming at you, ready to end your life in an instant. That¡¯s the exact situation I was currently in.


    My seething rage did not stop there. No. It continued to ripple down through my chest and to my arms where what had initially been an old weapon of mine transformed into an incredible instrument of death, forged for destroying one thing and one thing only. . .him.


    Our eyes finally met and it was at that moment I realized there was no turning back. It was either him or the fate of my own future. A future I had gone through hell to ensure I still had.


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    He let out a series of laughs, all filled with mockery and devoid of any sense of humanity, matching his eyes which were two red glowing spheres of darkness on a hideous face.


    He began to speak. Either I had been turned deaf with rage and a hunger to kill or from the rumbling thunder from above that had the skies flashing red with lightning¡ªI couldn¡¯t tell¡ªhis words never reached my ears.


    With my weapon at hand, I charged, summoning all the strength I could muster as rain poured down and wet the battle ground.


    He charged back, coming at me with his towering height, his form ablaze with cosmic flames that had caused so much destruction and pain. But that would end there and then; I vowed to myself. I could not and would not let him take anymore.


    The distance between us began to narrow down as I took great strides before finally leaping into the air and my adversary did the same. I yelled out something that must have sounded like a war cry but the thunder had intensified and the only sound that could now be heard was the whooshing of my weapon and the guttural roaring coming from him.


    A loud blast followed upon contact. The sound of metal clanging against metal. The impact turned out to be far greater than I had anticipated. I was thrown backwards, flipping in the air several times before crashing into a set of empty market stalls where I must have hit my head and almost zoned out, willing myself to stay awake until I could catch that distinct growling sound and heavy steps of something approaching fast in my direction. The ground shook beneath me.


    Before I could react, I felt a firm grip on my arm and was rolled over so I was lying on my back and the drops of rain splattered all over my face, blurring my vision but not enough to make me miss the unmistakable blade coming down on me as he roared, towering over me. . .


    I¡¯ve heard people say that your life flashes before your eyes right before you die and judging by what happened next, that may not have been far from the truth.


    I never would have thought that before that day I would be fighting for my life instead of stressing about Calculus homework. So, how the hell did I end up in an absurdly futile battle against perhaps the most terrifying being to ever exist?


    My name is Desmond Turner and to answer that, I¡¯m gonna have to take you a couple of days back. Back to where it all began. . . Stonewall High.

 Stonewalled

    Don''t mind me; just an average teenager who doesn¡¯t know what he¡¯s getting himself into. . .yet.


    NOVEMBER twenty-first¡ªthe day before it all began¡ªand like all the other days before that day, they would all start with me already up and about, with my old bike that was in such dire need of a fix if not getting a new one altogether.


    As per my fifteen-minute window before the clock would strike seven in California, I would be dashing through the streets of Midtown, ignoring the rickety noise coming from my ride as I unloaded folds of the morning paper and toss them across neighborhoods to the people of Sacramento.


    By the time my cart was empty, the sky was already a-glow with the sun and my bike had yet again managed to get me to school.


    I parked the bike, locking it with a chain when I noticed something. It flashed across the bike¡¯s metallic silvery frame where I caught my reflection but also something else. I squinted, inching closer to the image. It also moved closer, becoming clearer. A clouded figure of smoke¡ªgreen glowing smoke reaching out from the frame with its ethereal hand.


    My arm reached out, my mind becoming entranced as an undiscernible voice whispered its way into my ears. My fingers had almost made contact, only to be cut off suddenly by the honking of car.


    ¡°Yo, Des! You still dragging around that piece of junk!¡± I turned around, both startled and annoyed at the familiar voice.


    That was Carmen Azarolla. She calls herself my best friend but the jury¡¯s still out on that one, though she has been able to get me in a lot of trouble since way back in elementary school, so. . .


    ¡°And yet I got here before you,¡± I said as Carmen stepped out of a black and yellow Chevrolet Camaro that had been as a result of a sweet sixteen birthday, a year ago.


    I glanced at my bike but there was no shadowy glowing figure coming out of it. What had that been about?


    ¡°My offer still stands, Des,¡± Carmen pulled me out of my stupor, teasing me with her dark brown eyes.


    At a glance, nobody would ever think that the two of us even knew each other. Born in Mexico, Carmen¡¯s parents had moved into the States when she was five and now, years later, I was looking at a girl with short black hair that curled over her right side of her face, partly covering her eye while her left temple had gotten a faded shave. She was rocking in all-black: a leather tank top and jeans over heeled boots.


    I shook my head in protest to what had lately been an ongoing argument. Carmen had been trying to get me a new car. That¡¯s right. So, here¡¯s the thing, Carmen¡¯s parents were super rich. They owned multiple car dealerships all over the East Coast and several other states. Hell, they even tried to give me a car themselves but I just could not accept such a gesture, I mean. . .you understand me, right. . .?


    I stared Carmen down, in an attempt at ending the charade but I knew better. I don¡¯t think I have ever met anyone as stubborn as her and that was not even the worst part. She had been extremely annoying that day for one particular reason as one could tell from all the mischief written all over her face. It was the eve of my birthday.


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    ¡°What did you do this time?¡± I asked, bracing myself for the answer to which Carmen ridiculously replied, ¡°Geez, relax! Why does it always have to be something that I¡¯ve done?¡±


    I then gave her a look like ¡°really?¡±.


    ¡°Okay, fine,¡± she finally admitted, as if I had not seen this coming, ¡°I know you hate surprises, so here¡¯s a heads-up on a surprise party that may be happening at one of my folk¡¯s condos tomorrow night.¡±


    ¡°Carmen what the hell? I thought I told you no more surprise parties!¡±


    ¡°Too late,¡± she said, taking out her phone and showing me her Instagram story where preparations for the party were already under way.


    ¡°Do you remember what happened last time?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Dude, I told you it was an accident!¡± Carmen replied, grinning.


    Apparently, Carmen was pulling a prank on some kid during my sixteenth birthday and let¡¯s just say that there were some ¡°substances¡± involved and that I may or may not have ended up doing some pretty weird shit that day.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Carmen said, pulling me back to the present, ¡°you¡¯re gonna love this party. I mean, it¡¯s your last birthday in high school!¡±


    I shook my head again and to be honest, I¡¯ve never really understood the idea of people rejoicing over something that marks another point of getting old¡ªit¡¯s like being happy every time you get to a checkpoint that signals you¡¯re only getting closer and closer to your imminent death.


    My thoughts were then disrupted when a blonde-haired girl appeared next to Carmen, saying hi to me before giving Carmen a light kiss.


    ¡°Someone¡¯s grumpy today,¡± started the blonde, Darcy Miller. She and Carmen had been dating since freshman year. They had a lot in common with the only difference being that Darcy did not share Carmen¡¯s level of annoyance, thankfully.


    ¡°You told him about the party, huh,¡± Darcy said as she and Carmen both turned to look at me.


    ¡°So, you inviting anyone?¡± Darcy asked.


    ¡°What?¡± I said, ¡°seems like you both already took care of that.¡±


    ¡°No, I mean, is there gonna be a special someone. . .?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s asking if you¡¯re brining a date, dummy!¡± Carmen added.


    ¡°I know what she¡¯s asking!¡± I shot back.


    ¡°So. .?¡± Darcy persisted.


    ¡°Well, I. . .¡± I faltered, silently cussing at myself for falling into this trap. Damn you, Carmen!


    ¡°Oh, come on!¡± Carmen cried out, ¡°you haven¡¯t asked her out yet, have you?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± came Darcy, ¡°who? How have I not heard about this?¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± I raised my voice, trying to calm them down. ¡°I¡¯m still figuring it out, okay.¡±


    ¡°Mmmhmm,¡± muttered Darcy.


    ¡°I think Desmond Turner is shy,¡± added Carmen and the two broke into laughter. Fortunately for me, the school bell went off and I could not have been more grateful. ¡°I¡¯m going to class,¡± I said and started making my way towards the classes block.


    ¡°You do realize we¡¯re all in the same class, right?¡± Carmen called after me as I did my best to ignore her and that was when I saw her. Not her, the other her. . .I mean, urgh!


    I mean that was when I saw the girl that Carmen had been torturing me about. The girl who had joined my class at the start of term.

 Chem-trapped

    Chemistry is, well technically, chemistry is the study of matter. But I prefer to see it as the study of change.


    OKAY, before I go on any further, I wanna put it out there that Carmen is a real pain in the ass and yet, ironically, I would end up owing most of what would happen next all to her.


    Carmen had come up to me after lunch, taunting me once again for failing to ask out the new girl.


    "It''s now or never, Des," she said, just as the next period, Chemistry, was about to begin and we were all walking to the lab.


    Once we were all settled in, Carmen moved away from our table, which was a bit strange as we always partnered together during lab lessons. Darcy was not taking Chemistry at the time so she was not in our class.


    Before I could even ask what the hell Carmen was doing, Mr. Clarkson had already walked into the lab.


    "Alright, everyone," he started, his thick sandy hair contrasting greatly with his short stature, "everybody partner up! We''re going to be practicing Titration today! I''m looking at you Mr. Turner."


    I looked at Carmen and going like "what the hell?" to which she responded by nudging her head to a different direction and going, "duh".


    Following her gaze, I soon realized what she was trying to do. She was pointing me towards the new girl who, like me, was lacking a lab partner.


    Son of a bitch just chem-trapped me!


    I tensed, turning back to Carmen who furiously spread out her hands and mentally asking me, "Bro, what the hell are you waiting for?"


    For a brief moment, I thought I could get myself out of that situation but the new girl had already spotted me and I could not look away. So, I decided to take the high road and let her walk over to my table.


    "Hey," she said, shortly before taking a seat next to me and I think I might have replied, though I''m not sure what came out of my mouth.


    The lesson''s equipment was already being laid out on the table like flasks, tripod stands, burettes and thermometers. I was positive that if I picked up that thermometer, the mercury inside it would have literally burst out of the glass.


    I knew I had to find a way to salvage the situation before I made a total dick of myself and I saw my chance.


    The new g¡ªokay. . . I knew her name. It''s just that''s what everybody had been calling her ever since she set foot at Stonewall High, two weeks ago and other than that, all I knew about her was she was Asian and had long black hair that flowed straight down over her back and shoulders, kind of giving off that early two thousand vibe as it settled over her dark brown eyes in bangs.


    A stray strand of hair had found its way onto the table as she leaned to examine the equipment and was whisking it back with her right hand when I noticed something on the inside of her wrist.


    "Nice tat. . ." I said, waiting for her response but instead got a puzzled look.


    "Oh, sorry," I quickly added, sensing the confusion, "I mean, nice tattoo."


    "Oh," she reacted with a smile, her cheeks reddening. She pulled down the sleeve of her blue sweater and covered up the tattoo, "thanks."


    "Sorry," another apology, sensing I''d crossed a boundary of some kind. "I¡ª"


    "You didn''t mean to," she cut me off, saying exactly what I was about to. She smiled some more, her eyes meeting mine. "I know. It''s okay, Desmond Turner."


    "How did you¡ª"


    "Instagram and the teacher called you earlier."


    "Oh," I said, feeling like a fool but I didn''t let that hold me back. "You''re Sabrina. . ."¡ª my eyes quickly darted down towards the Chemistry workbook on which she rested one hand. I caught the inscription ''Sabrina P. Lin''¡ª "Sabrina Lin, right?"


    "You cracked it," she said.


    I set up the equipment, using that moment to steal a glance from Carmen, who bore her eyes at me and going like "So, have you done it?"


    I turned back to Sabrina Lin. "Hey, I umm. . .I was wondering if umm. . ."


    Shit! What the hell''s happening to me? Just do it!


    "Would you err. . ." I accidentally dropped a flask and barely managed to catch it before it could hit the floor. I returned it to its initial position and it happened again. A sudden flash of unnatural green light, on the flask''s reflective surface. I blinked and the light was gone.


    "Are you trying to ask me out?" The words came out blunt and direct, the same eerie way she''d finished my other statement, and it was when I caught her smiling that made me even more embarrassed as I replied, "W-would you say yes if I was?" I shook my head as subtly as possible, trying to ignore what had just happened. No way I was going to let whatever this was ruin it for me.


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    "I''m pretty sure your friend over there is going to murder you if I don''t," she said, "yes, I''ll go out with you."


    At that, I turned around to give Carmen a thumbs-up like the total doofus I was, and she went ecstatic to say the least.


    That was not all. There was more. Towards the end of school, Sabrina had called me over. "Hey, so, what are you doing tomorrow right after class?"


    "For starters, try to make sure a certain friend of mine isn''t planning an elaborate scheme to pull on me on my birthday," I said.


    "There''s something I wanted to show you."


    "Oh, okay," I remarked at that random proposition, "what is it?"


    "I''m afraid you''ll have to be there to see it."


    I started getting a little excited and confused. What was she up to?


    "Consider it a birthday present."


    I nodded with a frown. "And where exactly is this ''present''?"


    Sabrina did something unexpected. She started by looking over her shoulder as if making sure that nobody else could hear her before going on to whisper in my ear.


    "Immediately after school," she then added aloud, "don''t be late."


    Carmen found me still pondering over what Sabrina had just told me and had already left before I could ask further questions.


    "Now that wasn''t so hard!" Carmen teased. "We''re heading out to the Santa Monica Pier, wanna come?"


    "I can''t. There''s some books I gotta return to the library," I lied, showing her a set of different History covers. An entire rave disguised as a birthday party was waiting to tear me apart over the weekend¡ªI couldn''t bear getting into more parties before then. Being a party animal was more Carmen''s style.


    "You and your books," Carmen lamented, "you really need to take a break!"


    "Err. . .that''s what tomorrow is for, thanks to you!"


    I watched Carmen get into her Camaro with her girlfriend along with a group of other seniors and we parted ways.


    It was already dark out by the time I was coming from the library. Turns out I didn''t even have to lie after all. One way or another, a book would always seem to find its way towards me; kind of like a curse. Little did I know how much I would come to miss such moments¡ªwhen all you had to worry about was paper clustered and bound together with covers. I digress. As someone who cycled on the daily, I had come to learn my way through multiple streets and alleys in the whole of Midtown Sacramento and had just decided to ride down a street when my bike acted up.


    Great! Here we go again!


    There was a light gale blowing by that could be heard cutting through the power lines as I dismounted and set down my backpack in order to examine the bike. I sat on my haunches, slipping back a silver chain into my shirt. A chain that served as the last physical reminder of someone I wished I had known longer.


    I proceeded to identify the problem and to my amazement, nothing seemed to be wrong with my bike. Its own chain was still in place. I thought about reconsidering Carmen''s offer and getting a car and had stood up to get my backpack when I thought I heard something.


    The wind. It had reduced its blowing and I could feel a breeze across my face. Across my ears, brushing past my lobes and that was when it came.


    One can hear a number of things in the wind but then the voice came again, louder this time.


    Desmond. . .


    I gasped and dropped my backpack. I waited for the voice again but the whispering had reverted to being just a breeze, a soundless breeze that had me standing still, as if expecting something to happen.


    That feeling started to get worse and I swear it was like someone or something was watching me. Why was I feeling this way? I''d been through a lot of shady streets before and not once had a single hair on my body ever stood up, except for every time I had tried to talk to Sabrina Lin. What was I feeling? Was it. . .fear?


    The foreboding feeling intensified and I tried to turn around but my whole body had somehow lost its mobility.


    I then caught a strange sound. It was in rhythmic fashion, unable to discern at first until it started growing louder and clearer. It was a sound that I was quite familiar with. It was the sound of hooves. Yap, that''s right. Hooves as in horse hooves, slowly approaching me from behind and then they stopped. The sound stopped.


    I waited, struggling with my own breathing.


    On my right shoulder, I felt something like a human hand gently settling itself and my whole body went rigid but not with shock or fear but more like a peculiar warmth and I could feel myself calming down.


    I risked a glance, slowly turning my head and my eyes went wide after catching the arm on my shoulder start glowing. It was a brilliant neon green and the light grew brighter and brighter as I could feel my body regain mobility until I was able to finally turn around completely.


    I did not see anything¡ªat least nothing I could make out as I ended up getting hit by a wave of bright green glowing light and lost my footing. I fell on my back and watched as the light glowed brighter until it waned out all at once and it was the end that really had me. I was sure I could hear a horse neighing, its sound vanishing together with the light. Everything then returned to normal: the wind and the darkening night sky.


    "What in the. . ." obviously, I was shocked beyond my wits and did not want to hang around there and wait for more weird stuff to happen.


    My bike then magically worked after that and I rode all the way home where I found a note on the fridge from my mom. She had written that she had to go to work early that night due to an emergency and finished with a ''happy birthday'' and a terribly drawn heart emote that looked more like Pac-Man turned upside down, his mouth facing upwards.


    My mom was a nurse and worked the night shifts at the Sacramento Hospital and we rarely saw each other most of the day, except maybe for the weekends and that was if I did not have some kind of project going on. Damn, Carmen was right. I really do need a break. But so does my mom and yet here we are. . .


    I set the note down and was just opening the fridge when I noticed something on my right arm. It was right over the crook of my elbow and as I squinted at it, it started to take form. A pointy symbol. It was barely visible and I almost ignored it, assuming that someone at school had used a pen on it when it started to glow. It was only for a second but it had lit up in the same neon green color as back in the alley, allowing me to make out a clear outline of what looked like an arrow, pointing down along my arm.


    Once the light had waned, the symbol was still there. I tried rubbing it off first with my thumb and then with water and soap but it did not wash off. I then stared at myself in the bathroom mirror, looking back at a fairly tall black kid with thick dark tapered hair, down to the brown eyes and thinking to myself, what is going on?

 Birthday Boy

    Rise. . .Hunter. . .Spirit. . .Equine. . .Blood. . .


    I could feel myself spinning, floating in an endless void of darkness that seemed to be tainted with tiny glowing spots that looked like stars¡ªan array of complex constellations and different patterns shimmering all around me. The void was so vast and cosmic that I thought perhaps I was drifting through outer space.


    I was in the middle of wondering how I got there when a familiar kind of voice started whispering into my ear, echoing throughout the void. I tried to listen to the words but I could only catch fragments of what sounded like a song? I was not sure.


    Rise. . .Hunter. . .Spirit. . .Equine. . .Blood. . .


    The words kept being relayed over and over as I continued to spin. The star-spangled void started to glow to a point that everything turned blinding white, the stars shimmering brighter and brighter, the words growing louder until I caught my name.


    Desmond!


    "Desmond!"


    I sprang up, startled, hurling my sheets across the bed and discovered that I had been breathing heavily and nearly fell off the bed.


    "Desmond!" the voice called out again, louder and clearer this time. It was coming from outside my room and I soon realized whose it was.


    "Your breakfast is getting cold, get up!" my mom continued, rapping on the door.


    "Okay, be there in a sec!" I said, shortly before sliding out of bed and ruffling my hair. Damn,why am I so disoriented?


    My head was still spinning, making me feel all hazy as if I had been carrying rocks all night. But that would last only for an infinitesimal amount of time the moment my eyes found my phone and I nearly fell back in shock upon seeing what time it was.


    "Shit! I''m late!" I was supposed to have acquired the morning paper supply at the distributors over half an hour ago.


    Followed by more cursing, I took my shirt off, ignoring my appearance that was somewhere between scrawny and maybe just a little flabby (like I could ever workout!)¡ªsomething that always haunted me during Phys Ed. But I guess I was grateful for my towering height which was more than enough to fool anyone.


    Still on thoughts about my physique, I was just grabbing a towel but then paused, taking a second to look at the time and sniff my armpits¡ªa bath would have to wait.


    With that, I resorted into putting on a dark green t-shirt and a fresh pair of slacks, "tidied" my hair with my fingers and was already in the living room with my mom.


    "Somebody decided to sleep in today," my mom greeted me with an avocado sandwich. "You''re not sick, are you?"


    At that, I paused, quickly performing a mental self-diagnosis. Here''s the thing¡ªmy mom, Charlotte Turner, the most beautiful and most noble person in the whole wide world¡ªhad this kind of weird mojo of always telling when something was off. I mean, hell! She should''ve become a psychiatrist instead of a nurse, which then brought me to my second point. If there was one thing that my mom really hated was seeing someone sick or in pain and therefore I would always make sure to never let her catch me having anything as little as a cold. This had me revisiting a harrowing image of that one fateful night on my previous birthday¡ªthe night that had been as a result of Carmen''s "accidental" intervention.


    I shivered. Brushing away that memory and quickly grabbing the sandwich from my mom.


    "No, mom," I said through a mouthful, "I''m not sick."


    My mom regarded me with her brown eyes¡ªsomething I clearly got from her¡ªand had to slightly look up at me as I was already taller than her. She had short, shoulder-length hair that was just as dark as mine but her skin was lighter.


    "Alright," she finally said, her face lighting up with a smile, "you''re lucky today is your birthday, so I won''t bother you that much."


    "Thank. . .you. . ." I said, dragging out the words, "can I go now? I''m really late!"


    "Hold on just a second there, birthday boy," I instantly began to regret it the moment she had said that.


    "Mom," I whined, watching her walk over to the shelf and return with a digital camera.


    "What?" she added defensively, turning on the camera, "this is your day. Do you really think I''m just going to let my handsome young man walk out of here like that?"


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    "Enough, mom!"


    "Okay, smile. . ."


    Snap!


    She was just getting to her twelfth photo when she stopped. Her glowing face had turned into a frown, the kind she gets when she figures out that I''ve been hiding something. But I wasn''t hiding anything this time. . .That had been my initial thought until I followed her gaze down to my right arm after which I nearly gasped.


    "Desmond Arttigiauss Turner," my mother started, calling my name in full which of course was never a good sign and, yeah, my middle name was no picnic either¡ªAr-ti-jies¡ªhopefully that helps.


    Where was I? Right, my mom losing her mind. "Desmond Arttigiauss Turner, please tell me that''s not what I think it is. . ."


    Extended across my arm between the crook of my elbow and a few inches just above my wrist, was a certain symbol that I had seen not so long ago. My shock was that this time, the symbol was clearer, darker and almost as long as a pen. It had been barely the length of a thumb the night before.


    Just as I remembered it, it was in the shape of an arrow pointing down to my wrist but then it appeared to apparently have acquired an added design, whereby a short thin line, about a third of the arrow''s length, cut across it in half.


    "When did you get a tattoo?" my mom asked, all the joy in her face for her golden birthday boy son having vanished.


    I had to think up something quick. "I. . .it''s not a real tattoo. It''s just one of my friends fooling around with a marker."


    The symbol had been drawn on so perfectly that only a professional tattooist could have pulled that off.


    My mom got a hold of my arm and rubbed across the symbol. "A marker did this, huh?"


    "You''ve heard of indelible ink, right?" I levelled, "plus, I didn''t have this yesterday in the morning and was at school all day. It''s not a tattoo, mom. Relax."


    Letting go of my hand and regaining her composure, my mom then looked at me and thank God, her warm smile returned. "I guess you''re right," she said but I could still detect some doubt in her voice after which she added, "that better be gone when you come back from school or you can say goodbye to the present I just got you."


    "Mom," I whined again and my mom stopped me, not wanting to hear any of it. The one other thing I despised more than parties was presents.


    "I got you a present. You deserve it."


    "Then can I ask what it is?"


    "You''ll only find out once you¡ª"


    "Get rid of this," I finished, raising my decorated arm.


    "You still refuse to have a party over, invite all your friends?" she added, thankfully dropping the "tattoo" topic.


    I gave her a look, signaling she already knew the answer.


    "But that doesn''t seem to stop your incredibly adventurous friend, huh?"


    "Unfortunately," I responded in dismay.


    "You''re still not seeing someone?"


    Oh boy, here we go again. . .


    "Mom. . ." I gave her what must have been a threatening ''back off'' look but she simply raised her hands, still smiling, gesturing to stop it at that.


    As I had earlier mentioned, my mom worked the night shift at the hospital and would spend most of the day going through her medical reports, do some shopping or practice photography.


    "I gotta go now," I said, giving my mom a hug and she felt the metallic link around my shoulder.


    I found myself reaching out to my neck and pulling out the link. It was a set of dog tags inscribed JONATHAN, T. A. ¨C my father''s name.


    "He would be proud of you," my mom said softly, looking into my eyes with a look that always seemed to indicate that she was seeing someone different and the same all at once. I reminded her of him; something that I found both painful and comforting.


    I then smiled back at her before returning the tags under my shirt. "I''m heading out now."


    "Alright, take care son," my mom said as I made for the door, "I l love you."


    I was about to say ''I love you too'' but then another thought made its way into my mind. My mother had asked me earlier if I was seeing someone and for the first time, I actually had an answer. I turned around to say it and. . .


    "Love you, mom," either I chickened out or thought better of it but I just couldn''t say it. Maybe I was afraid that I would jinx it? Oh, what the hell! I was running late!


    Getting on my bike, I had to really work myself off in order to get the morning paper supply and deliver it throughout Midtown and just when I thought my day could not get any worse, my trustee old bike broke down and I nearly grazed my knee after I fell.


    I had only remained with a few more papers to deliver which had fallen out of the carrier and one of them went on to scatter from the fold, its pages flipping wildly in the cool morning breeze.


    I walked over to pick it up, slowly understanding why I really despised birthdays and had just sat on my haunches, gathering the pages when my eyes noticed something.


    On one of the pages, there was a set of symbols outlined in a bunch of paragraphs. I found myself specifically focusing on one of the symbols. The ''arrow'' symbol¡ªthe same as the one on my arm, except the printed version was slanted diagonally, with the arrowhead pointing upwards to the right. That was when I finally understood why the symbol had seemed so familiar. It was an astrological sign¡ªthe star sign for Sagittarius to be exact.


    Suddenly, a car honked from behind me after which I realized I had been sitting in the middle of the road. I regathered the papers and had to tow my bike all the way to school and arrived in time for first period.

 Far from Home

    THAT question kept popping up in my mind on loop as I remained seated on the wet sand for what I guessed might have been an eternity, overlooking a vast blue crystalline body of water that stretched far and wide under a clouded sky.


    Okay, so let''s back up a bit. How the hell had I ended up there? Why wasn''t I¡ªas they say¡ªsleeping with the fishes?


    The sound of birds, pelicans, then got my attention. Still seated, I turned to my side to spot several of them swooping down further down shore where I could see people pulling in boats from the water. They were strangely dressed, busy talking to each other as they started offloading what I guessed must have been fish.


    I have to be dead. I said in my mind, getting more convinced that there was no way I could have survived sinking underwater like that. But then everything felt so real as I began to feel myself. My heart was still beating (check), I could clearly see (check), my cloth¡ª "What the hell happened to my clothes?"


    I had said this out loud, gasping in amazement and also confirming that I could still speak (check). I stared down at myself, from chest to toe, noticing for the first time that I was wearing some kind of greyish shirt that felt as if it was made of loose fabric and had laces running down from the collar and ending just over my chest. The sleeves were long, its endings looking torn and worn out. The pants also had the same loose material and then the shoes that looked more like boots, reaching just over the ankle and their texture felt rough like they had been woven from some kind of plant fiber like bamboo.


    Still wondering what had happened to my normal attire, my thoughts got interrupted after someone nearly bumped into me from behind.


    "Watch it, you little nitwit! What are you doing sitting around for?" a burly man with a balding head and a thick beard asked, regarding me with his pale sunken eyes. His accent was just as strange as his appearance.


    "I¡ª"


    "You''d think people would be more cautious what with the Harvest comin'' up!" another man said who was equally as burly and bearded.


    "Foolish kids! They''ll be the first to go, I tell ya!" The bald-headed man spat, ignoring me after which the other added, "Baah! Rotten times that we live in. May the gods help us all!"


    I watched them then walk away, carrying nets over their shoulders as they laughed and cursed before joining the other men at the shore.


    Still trying to piece together whatever the hell was going on, I found myself looking into the direction that the two men had come from. It was just a few yards away, set between an area filled with nothing but rocks that stretched to the waters while the other end had vegetation, farms, and trees.


    I could see houses coming into view as I got closer and they were more like huts with either thatched roofs or big blocks of stone aligned together to serve as roofs.


    The huts were clustered all over, looking like the biggest village I had ever seen, stretched all over a valley, with just one hilly area in the background where I could make out buildings that really stood out from the huts. Their design was different and had a golden appearance, towering in a castle-like fashion.


    That was not even the most spectacular sight. No. That title went to the one other thing that entirely stood out from everything. From the large farms on the opposite end of the golden towers, past the bare grassy area and the wide forested landscape, stood a tall mountain whose single snow-capped peak kept drifting in and out of view from the clouds.


    Seriously, where was I?


    The village was filled with all kinds of people, going about their business: some were taking out herds of cows into the fields, some were fashioning equipment like furniture and other bizarre tools and others were selling and hawking stuff. They all had the same weird clothes just like mine.


    I tried to approach one of them and ask if they could point me to Sacramento when a certain aroma find its way into my nostrils. I turned and found the source. A woman was frying fish on a skillet at a stall and despite being vegan, my stomach''s rumbling revealed that my dietary principles were about to be betrayed. I hadn''t realized how hungry I had gotten all of a sudden.


    I then began walking over to the stall, my stomach rumbling louder with every step and I had hardly opened my mouth to politely ask for some fried fillet when someone suddenly yanked at my arm, pulling me away from the stall.


    "What are you doing out here?" a voice asked, coming from a woman with dark hair tied up in a bun.


    Her complexion was nearly as dark as mine and I nearly gasped upon seeing her face. The way she was looking at me with those brown eyes instantly reminded of my mom. But it wasn''t her. She seemed older as evidenced by thin wrinkled lines visible around her eyes and was much taller than my mom. But the resemblance. . .what the hell was going on?


    "I thought you were working," she started again, her tone unimpressed.


    "I. . ." I paused, realizing something else, "do you know me?"


    The woman''s face turned into a frown, making the same look that my mom had made after she had found out about my tattoo. Oh, the tattoo. I had totally forgotten about¡ª


    "What do you mean ''do I know you''?" the woman cut through my thoughts. "We don''t have time for this. Let''s go before you get yourself into more trouble."


    "Wait, what?" I asked. "Go where?"


    She then grabbed me by the arm after which I pulled away harder than I had wanted to.


    "What has gotten into you today, Despyon?" she asked, her face now masked with surprise.


    "What did you call me?"


    The moment I had asked that, the woman looked as if she was about to lose it when there suddenly erupted some kind of disturbance. Everyone began to rush to their huts or clear out of what must have been the main path. I could even catch mothers beckoning their kids to rush over to them.


    "What is it?" I asked the strange woman.


    "The Order," her response was short and I was sure I could detect some contempt in it.


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    "The what?"


    I got my answer after the sound of steps began to quickly approach but not human steps. It was a sound I had heard before. The sound of hooves.


    I then craned my neck to the direction that the sound was coming from and I was greeted by a magnificent sight of men and women riding on horses. They were all armed with helmets, shields, spears and swords. . .soldiers?


    They then stopped right in the middle of the path and one of them, the one I had spotted leading the others, got off his horse¡ªa gorgeous black stallion. That''s right. I kinda had a thing for horses. Who am I kidding? I''ve always loved horses!


    The soldier was dressed in full combat gear, with his silver-lined Spartanesque helmet partly covering his face, plated armor over his chest and feet and two long axes with curved blades strapped to his back. He kind of reminded me of Magneto, if he was mashed up with a Viking warrior.


    I watched him take out something from a pouch hanging by his horse''s saddle. It was some kind of parchment, which he spread open, hoisting his arms so that I could see red markings like paint smeared across his right breast plate.


    He then spoke so deeply, he barely had to raise his voice. "People of Abinor, his Highness the Chieftain Ulmas Merkurion has issued a decree that beginning in the next hour before dusk, everyone is to secure their belongings, call in their livestock, gather their children and remain at the safety of their homes as the Harvest is nigh. All fishing and hunting activities are to be stopped with immediate effect and last but not least, no one is to go wandering into the Dark Forest."


    The soldier then folded up the parchment and added with a twisted smile, "Have a good day!"


    "Excuse me sir," a man from the villagers asked just as the soldier was mounting his horse, "when''s it starting?"


    "Soon," the soldier replied.


    "They could even already be here," said another, a woman, her voice frail with terror.


    "Our homes won''t be enough to protect us!" cried another.


    "It''s happening again!"


    More of these nervous rantings followed as I remained in the dark about why everyone was so afraid about some harvest.


    "Enough!" the soldier yelled and I understood why they were called the Order. Everyone instantly fell silent and all that could be heard was the mooing of cows or the clucking of chicken.


    "Follow the decree and nobody will die."


    With that, the soldier got on his horse and rode off with the rest of the army. The villagers then resumed their nervous ranting, with everyone rushing off to salvage all they could before this "Harvest" began.


    "Alright," the woman who somehow knew me called before starting to move, "let''s go."


    She did not even look back, expecting me to follow, which I did, having no idea where the hell I was.


    I had to struggle to keep up and was more than grateful after we had arrived at our destination.


    "Alright lady," I huffed, trying to catch my breath, "would you care to explain to me what the hell is going on and how do you know who I am?"


    She walked into the hut that we had been standing next to and I had to follow her in. Dammit! She was not making this easy!


    "You''re lucky the Chieftain has called off work for today," the woman began, taking her time to turn on a lamp. "you know what would have happened if you had been found not at the stables. Seriously, what is wrong with you today?"


    I scratched my head in frustration and gasped for a moment, feeling my hair. It felt tough and thicker than usual. "Lady, that''s exactly what I also wanna know!"


    At that, I guess I might have crossed a line because the woman shot up, staring daggers at me. "Since when did you start to refer to me as lady, young man?"


    "Umm. . .since I have no idea who the hell you are?" I shot back, starting to get annoyed.


    The woman looked like she was about to come at me and strangle me but then thought against it. She sighed. "I''m sorry, Despyon. I know what you''re going through today. I shouldn''t treat you like this. It''s just that you seemed fine earlier. . ."


    Her mood had changed so drastically that I almost felt bad about myself but then there was that name again. Maybe she was mispronouncing my own name? Unlikely. I had just drowned and then found myself on this mysterious land and I had already ruled out the fact that I had been dreaming, thanks to countless number of times I had pinched myself. The other thing, the one that I still held on to, was that I was dead and this was some kind of twisted joke for an afterlife the universe had thrown at me. P.S. I didn''t believe in the afterlife.


    With all that in mind, I knew that if I really hoped to get any logical explanation, I had to work my way in understanding where I was exactly and what better place to start than with acknowledging those who seemed to be noticing my existence.


    "I''m sorry too," I said, taking a seat next to the woman. "It''s just. . ." I faltered, looking for the right words.


    "You miss her."


    That caught me off guard and I did not need to bother wondering what she was talking about as I instantly detected it from her tone and her composure. She spoke just like my mom did every time she would bring up my dad''s name into a conversation.


    Whoever this person, Despyon, was, they must have lost their mother at some point in time, which managed to clear things up just a little, leaving me to wonder then who this woman was to me. To Despyon.


    Strangely, I could tell she was going through this with more difficulty than I was and I attempted to comfort her by placing a hand on her shoulder which made her look up at me.


    "You have her eyes, the same from the moment I took you from my sister''s arms before she. . ." she couldn''t bring herself to say it, just I never have been ever since I lost my dad.


    Everything began to make a little bit more sense. The woman was my aunt, well Despyon''s aunt and must have been taking care of him since he lost his mom. But then even more questions began to pop up out of nowhere inside of my head like how am I Despyon? or was the dad ever in the picture?


    Without warning, the then-established aunt went on to wrap her arms around me, trying to relive herself of the anguish. I hugged her back, feeling her pain and we were both quiet for a while until she finally withdrew. "I''ll make some dinner."


    My train of thought had temporarily derailed as I stared at the dim-lit earthen floor, unsure of what to do next when the voices returned.


    At first, I assumed it was the aunt talking but she was still busy working in the kitchen.


    Desmond!


    The voices called, this time coming from somewhere inside the hut. I looked at the aunt again. Nothing.


    Desmond. Over here!


    Where was that coming from? I traced the entire hut, which was surprisingly big enough to fit a living room, a kitchen and two other rooms.


    Getting warmer. . .


    The last two rooms were the ones I ended up drawing my attention to, particularly one of them that had its door ajar.


    That''s right.


    Another peek at my aunt who was still oblivious of what was happening, I quietly got up and followed the voices into the room that I could make out, thanks to the lighting from the living room.


    The voices then stopped. I started scanning the room, looking for anything that could help me. My eyes filtered through everything, quickly making out that this was Despyon''s room, scanned the walls, the mirror, the windows, the¡ªwait a minute. . .


    I drifted my eyes back to the mirror, which was a broken piece of stainless metal, resembling a damaged shield.


    Right there, in the reflection, sneering at me, was a person.


    Well, well. The reflection spoke, regarding me with distaste, so, you''re the reason that I''m stuck in this mess, huh.


    At that point, I could not take it anymore and I let all the shock overwhelm me before everything went black.

 My Evil Twin

    I yawned, turning over in bed and wondering why my alarm hadn''t gone off but then remembered that it was the weekend. I extended out my arm towards the edge of the bed, feeling for the table with my fingers, expecting to find my phone but ended up touching something soft, furry and squishy.


    My fingers withdrew reflexively and I thought I heard something squeak, followed by the sound of something skittering from the table. This led me to open my eyes after which I wished they could have remained closed.


    I first noticed the table next to the bed where two porcelain bowls sat, filled with what I assumed was bread and soup. . .? I wasn''t sure. A huge chunk from the bread was missing. There was something else beyond the bowls, propped against the wall. Some kind of parchment with something written on it.


    Gone to get fresh produce. Please stay away from the Order. I''ll be back before sundown.


    I thought I was still dreaming, with my eyes still a little hazy until I started to take in the rest of my surroundings, gradually coming to the realization that that was not my room.


    Next to the table, there was a small cabinet that supported what looked like a lantern, then there was a wooden three-legged stool besides it, a pile of folded clothes, and finally, a silvery shield from the previous night. It was jagged on one side, appearing to have been half of a once nearly perfect circle.


    The object caught my attention, instantly giving me a kind of whiplash effect inside my mind as my memory of the latest events were reawakened.


    Desmond!


    That eerie mystical voice had returned as a powerful sensation suddenly shot up my right arm.


    "Ssss. . .aargh!" I cringed, feeling my arm, and there it was, again. The symbol.


    The arrow shaped tattoo was still running down the inner side of my arm, its outline glowing a bright neon green.


    Rise. . .Hunter. . .


    Rise. . .Hunter. . .Spirit. . .


    . . .Equine. . .Hunter. . .Blood. . .


    . . .Abinor . . .


    Rise¡ª


    "Ugh! Shut up!" I cried out, starting to lose it and everything had fallen silent, until. . .


    "It''s not fun, is it?"


    I gasped at the new voice. It felt real, almost as if someone else was there with me in the room, physically.


    "Who-who said that?" I asked, carefully scanning the room.


    "He told me you''d come here but I didn''t want to believe it. . ."


    I turned my head either way but I still could not place the voice.


    ". . .And I cannot endure this charade anymore, which is why you¡ª" the voice paused, then, "Hey, fool. Over here!"


    I got back up from looking under the bed and followed the voice across the wall, past the window and finally resting my eyes on the broken shield and there he was. . .again.


    "You. . ." I gasped, pointing at my reflection in the mirror, except it wasn''t exactly me.


    "Yes. . .me. . ." the reflection talked back. It looked a lot like me, but taller, older and leaner. This then led me to instinctively feel myself and holy shit! I had just realized how old I actually was, or at least appeared.


    From the reflection, the guy was considerably older; give or take five-ten years but indeed looked every bit like me, from the thick dark hair that appeared even thicker, the brown eyes; the face. . .everything. It was like looking at a cloned version of myself, except, you know¡ªolder. His accent was a little different, much like everyone else''s in that strange place; somewhere between British and Scandinavian.


    "I am going to kill him once I get out of here," my older doppelg?nger said, his brows furrowing.


    "Kill?" I asked, "who?"


    "The one responsible for putting me in here, of course!" the reflection snarled at me, "and would you mind pointing those fingers elsewhere?"


    I quickly put down my hand in embarrassment. "Wait, who put you in here? What are you talking about?"


    "If you think I''m just going to stand here and answer to you, you''re entirely mistaken, boy!"


    The reflection stood there, looking at nothing in particular, his face brooding. We were both quiet for a moment until something clicked inside my head. I quickly began to try and piece two and two together, all the more realizing that I most certainly was not in a dream.


    "You''re Des. . .Despon, aren''t you?" I asked, looking at the reflection which sneered back.


    "It''s Despyon. DES¡ªPYON. Despyon Raznar. Gods, can''t you even read?"


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    I was just about to open my mouth and protest about having been crowned the undefeated regional sciences and history champion at the California Educational Decathlon but somehow I had a feeling that this unfriendly reflection would only hit me with an even nastier remark.


    "I''m Desmond Turner, thanks for asking," I said. "So, I''ve been living your life for the past day or something, right?".


    "Well, look at that, you''ve finally cracked it. Suppose I should have Freya prepare you some scrumptious Abinor goat broth to celebrate with."


    "Hey!" I reacted this time, "First of all, I''m vegan. Second, what''s Abinwo? And who''s Freya?"


    "Abinor! ¡ªthe land we live on! And I believe you''ve already met my annoying aunt."


    Abinor. . .I thought I had heard that name somewhere. . .I then recalled the woman whom I had followed there the day before. "Oh. . .don''t you think you''re being a little too harsh there¡ª"


    "Oh please," my reflection spat, "that woman is so full of herself. Using guilt as an excuse to patronize me every single chance she¡ªwhy am I even explaining this to you?"


    "Alright, alright. Geez!" I raised my arms, backing off from the subject, though I was sure I could detect some kind of sadness hidden under that incredibly awful tone but I did not dare try to push any further.


    "Do you have any idea how all of this happened?" I asked, "because all I remember was that I was going to meet this¡ª" I stopped just in time to prevent myself from mentioning the girl that I was to see that never showed up, "¡ªsomeone then I got sucked underwater after touching some kind of weird bow and I finally ended up here in Abi. . ."


    "Abinor!" It appeared as if my reflec¡ªokay, from now on, let''s just refer to it as Despyon¡ªnow that we know its name. I just could not see how such a person could mirror me like that. . .yikes!


    Now, where was I? Right. Despyon''s reaction to my explanation. There seemed to be some kind of dawning expression on his face, which was hard for me to make out, given how he almost looked as if he was just crafting some nasty comeback. God, and to think that was how I would look like to other people.


    "The bow, what did it look like?"


    "It was golden, glowing. . .I couldn''t really make much out of it."


    "Of course, you couldn''t."


    The nerve with this guy!


    "He said the one who bore his mark would be brought here by his bow."


    "I''m sorry, who is this person you keep on talking about?"


    "He is n, really," Despyon continued, beginning to sound a little dreamy and mysterious, "he is like a force of nature. He started appearing to me just as the next Harvest dawned closer, manifesting as a shimmering spirit of light, telling me that it was almost time."


    "Almost time," I cut in, "time for what?"


    "I assumed he was talking about the Harvest at first but there was more. I thought I was losing my mind when he said that you would come, until, well, here you are."


    "But how am I you?"


    Despyon gave off that nasty sneer again, adding a chuckle this time. "Well, the spirit or whatever you want to call it, had a proposition."


    "What kind of proposition?"


    "Not important!" Despyon snapped but quickly regained his cool, "the gist is that it involved my willingness to partake in the spirit''s quest. The quest of bringing you here. That I was apparently the key to your coming here. That we were connected."


    I turned the spirit down, of course but he would not take no for an answer, and the last thing I remember after that was that one moment I was heading for the Chieftain''s stables but then something happened and I ended up getting trapped wherever the hell this is and now you are in possession of my body!"


    I felt sorry for the guy and I almost said it but ultimately thought better of it. "This spirit," I added instead, "you didn''t see anything else?"


    "What, you want me to repeat myself?"


    "Okay, I got it."


    I turned away from the shield, taking my thoughts with me as I stared out through the window where the sun was already high up in the sky.


    "There''s one more thing," I turned at this. "The spirit kept mentioning some kind of prophecy."


    "Prophecy?"


    "It''s something I''ve heard countless times before. The Seer rambles on about it every day, that looney bloke!"


    "What does it say?"


    "I''m going to spoon-feed you through this entire thing, aren''t I?"


    "Oh, come on," I lamented, "do you wanna remain stuck in there for the rest of your life? Cause I sure hell ain''t!"


    Despyon glared at me so heatedly I was afraid he would break through the shield and strangle me with his bare hands.


    "Fine," he said, much to my relief, "it is a text believed to have been crafted eons after the very first Harvest, about a warrior¡ªah! No! Not now!"


    "What? What is¡ªow!" I flinched, feeling my arm. The symbol was glowing again.


    Something''s happening. . ." Despyon gasped and for the first time, I could see what looked like real fear in his eyes. "I can''t. . .you have to end this! You have¡ªurgh! . . .Find the Seer! . . ."


    With that, Despyon''s image dissolved, morphing back into just a normal plain reflection of myself, still older and taller but with no distinctive sneer or sense of narcissism.


    I tried calling out but my reflection did the same. Despyon was gone. I was still inside him (yeah, I heard it as I said it) but no douchey voice was talking back to me.


    The symbol stopped glowing as I pulled down my shirt sleeve, knowing that I could not just stand there and wait for my evil twin to return. Maybe he was gone forever and that would be the last anyone would ever hear of Despyon Raznar. But then there I was; in his image and likeness. I was now Despyon. I had to find a way to fix this. A way to get back to the Midtown streets of Sacramento, back to my mom and, I cannot believe I''m saying this; back to seeing Carmen''s silly face.


    Thinking up all of that was easy. It was the doing part that would be a real bitch.


    I looked at the broken shield again, recalling Despyon''s last words: Find the Seer.


    With that in mind, I stepped out of the hut and was greeted by the sound of chicken clucking, horses neighing, cows mooing, people chattering and children laughing and chasing each other.


    Desmond Turner, I said to myself, I mean, Despyon Raznar¡ªwow, this is gonna be so confusing but I promise to do the best I can. I swear I''ll even be missing this moment, when all I had to worry about was mixing up names and not facing some. . .we''ll get to that, but for now. . . Welcome to Abinor¡ªyou''re a long way from home.

 Abinor

    I squinted my eyes after receiving the full hit of the day''s sun and by judging by its position, I could tell it was around noon. The air felt surprisingly fresh and light in my lungs as I took in a deep breath but my moment was almost immediately interrupted after I caught the sound of running hooves, followed by whinnying and angry shouting. Turns out I had nearly been crushed by a big brown horse that was pulling a cart behind it.


    I was then trying to control my breathing and watched the horse and its rider wind their way through the narrow path that was quickly getting thronged with people going about their business. I made a mental note to watch where I was going and decided to take a good look at where I was exactly.


    Freya''s hut was set just a few feet away from the path. I recalled how I had followed her there after she had found me the day before at the place I assumed had to be the market, though, taking another look around, it seemed like the market seemed to stretch all the way through along the pathway. I turned my head to the path in the direction the horse had taken. I turned to the opposite direction. A man carrying a large basket loaded with what looked like large breadsticks stopped in front of me and tried to make me buy from him. That was when my hunger returned. I had not eaten since I had gotten there but then I had no money or whatever it is that people here used to pay with. Besides, I had bigger problems to worry about than my stomach. Food would just have to wait.


    After what I thought was I a fairly polite smile, I excused myself from the vendor and made my way into the path, in the direction the horse had come from. If I was going to find the Seer then they would most likely be in the more populated region, ergo the market.


    As I walked along the path, I ran into a lot of faces; faces that I unfortunately did not know. How I wish I could just bump into someone, anyone! I also noticed something else¡ªI was nearly the only one heading into that direction. Everyone else was walking against me and were all carrying with them different kinds of luggage. Some appeared to be vendors coming from the market while others were just ferrying their stuff on horses and donkeys and in a sort of a hurried manner. Maybe the market''s closing early today? I thought to myself and went on to recall that bizarre announcement from the soldiers earlier on¡ªsomething about a certain event happening soon? And that nobody was to be outside before sundown or something?


    I gradually began to pick up on the atmosphere. The freshness in the air suddenly started to feel different as if it were disturbed by something¡ªsomething that I could not quite place. I was then instinctively led to quicken my pace.


    By the time I got there, there seemed to be significantly fewer people than the day before. A lot of stalls appeared to be empty while others were in the process of getting emptied. I spotted one vendor, an old bearded man with thick scraggly hair that had patches of white all over. I approached him. He was just getting to his last haul as he shoved fruit into a sack.


    "Excuse me sir," I began, getting his attention.


    "Sorry boy, I''m closing shop," he replied and shoved down the last of his goods.


    "What''s going on? Why are people leaving the market?"


    At this, the man stopped to look at me, his wizened face incredulous. "You trying to be daft now are ya?" he chuckled but with no expression of humor on his face. "Best be gone before it starts!"


    The man then hoisted the sack over his back and heaved his way past me, pushing me aside.


    "Hey, wait!" I called, "before what starts?" He was already disappearing down the path along with the rest of the throng, moving rather fast given his age and the luggage on his back.


    I had to get an answer soon. But how? I was making my way out of the stall when I bumped into someone.


    "Who dares try to disturb my¡ª" I first caught the voice; high-pitched, firm and feminine.


    "I''m sorry," I said, turning to find a young woman standing next to me. She was almost as tall as me and had dark straight shoulder-length hair that parted in the middle. It had bright red streaks highlighted at the seams and contrasted greatly with her light brown complexion, matching her eyes which appeared to be even darker, set under two long sharply curved brows.


    Her striking appearance had caught me off-guard. She was in a short scarlet dress that was attached with a long dark cape that was swept to one side, enhancing her features and making her stand out from the rest of well, everyone else. There was something different about her. She seemed to be exuding some kind of authority with her.


    Her expression, which had been one of distaste, immediately turned into a rather warm and brilliant one the moment her eyes met mine.


    "Despyon?" she gasped delightedly.


    "What?" I hesitated, getting momentarily confused before remembering that I was in the body of another man, taller and¡ªdare I say it¡ªbetter looking. Hopefully the actual Despyon Raznar will never get to hear I just said that.


    So this woman knew me, that is Despyon. That thought almost made me snort, wondering how an annoying person like Despyon could know a girl this attractive.


    "What''re you doing out here?" the woman asked, batting her eyelids.


    "I¡ª"


    "Couldn''t keep yourself from coming to see me even in these times, huh?"


    "I was¡ª"


    "Especially after I didn''t see you at the stables yesterday! I knew you''d come back for me!"


    She ranted on endlessly and perhaps I was getting the sense that Despyon had actually been the unlucky one in this situation.


    "I was actually wondering if you--" she had grabbed at my arm and before I realized what was happening, we were running through the market, rushing past stalls and nearly knocking other people out of the way.


    "Wait, where are we going?" I asked, finally making her to stop.


    I was catching my breath when I started looking around. We were no longer at the market anymore as I could see it just a few yards back. We were standing under some pine trees that appeared to be the remnants of a once large woodland that was cleared out for human settlement, with huts stretching farther from the market and a river was flowing an extra few yards from where we were. I followed it and found out that it cut through into the village and flowed from the direction that the strange woman had taken me.


    "I was hoping I would run into you today!" the woman spoke, her voice weirdly dreamy and not as heavily accented as that of the other villagers, just like Despyon''s.


    "You were?" I turned and almost ran into her face which was just inches from my own.


    "How long are we going to play this game?" she got even closer, stroking my arm with the tip of her fingers until they found their way onto my shoulders.


    I swallowed and my heart started beating way faster than I would have wanted it to. What was happening here?


    I tried to step back but her fingers had found themselves onto the back of my head, firmly pushing me towards her until both our faces were barely an inch away. I watched her close her eyes and project her lips towards mine. For a moment, I could catch the incredible whiff of her perfume and her warm breath as well as that of her body against mine. I felt her lips touch mine but I instantly pulled back as if on impulse, breaking whatever that was before it got any further.


    "Despyon!" the woman gasped, staring at me in bewilderment. "What is wrong with you?"


    "Me?" I shot back, surprisingly finding my voice again, "you''re the one coming at me!"


    She looked hurt the moment I said that but then her brows furrowed. "What''s with you? Why are you talking like that?"


    Of course I did not have that Scandinavian accent.


    "Look," I went on, "this isn''t. . ."


    The sound of something like an explosion rented the air. But it was no explosion. It was coming from above¡ªthe sound of thunder. That was weird. The skies were barely clouded when I had left the hut.


    Upon looking up through the scattered trees, the environment appeared to have changed all of a sudden. Thick dark clouds were quickly gathering, with traces of lightning flashes.


    "It''s finally happening!" snapped the woman, "we need to do this now, Despyon. There''s not much time left!"


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    "What? Do what? What''s¡ª"


    She approached me again and tried to kiss me but I was ready this time as I held out my arms to stop her.


    "I''m not who you think I am, okay?" I started.


    "What?" the woman frowned, "you''re my love! We''re meant to be together!"


    Whoa! Seriously, Despyon. Whatever did you do to this girl?


    "Look, you''ve got this all wrong. . ."


    "You''re-you''re just afraid," the woman cut in, "that''s it! You''re afraid we won''t have time to be together after this! But that''s why we need each other right now. You are supposed to be with me!"


    She approached me and tried to will herself onto me again but I shoved her away, perhaps a little too hard that she almost tripped.


    "Whatever it is you think we have here, it''s not happening," I said more firmly this time, maybe even for Despyon himself. Something just did not seem right with this woman.


    At that, she glared at me. Her eyes no longer two beautiful black orbs. Her face was already getting ruined with mascara or whatever kind of makeup they used in this period, mixed with tears, giving her a ghastly appearance. She then looked away, focusing on a specific direction that led to a clearing revealing a path.


    "Fine," she said quietly, trying to control her emotions, "If I can''t have you, then nobody can!"


    What was she doing? I tried to make out what she was looking at as the thunder intensified and it looked as if it were going to rain any second.


    "Guards!" she started yelling, "guards! Help! Please help!"


    I was shocked by her performance, totally confused as I watched her drop to the ground on her hands.


    The unmistakable sound of hooves was then heard and my eyes widened the moment I spotted a handful of soldiers on horses rushing towards where we were. I stumbled backwards, landing on my ass and turned to catch the woman''s messy face now featuring a twisted grin, silently condemning me to my doom.


    "You will get what''s coming to you!" the woman spat as the soldiers got closer and closer.


    Hell no! I am outta here! I quickly got up, stumbling forwards as I did so and ran as fast as I could just as the sound of horses and men yelling grew louder but nothing compared to the woman''s cursing.


    "Mark my words! You''ll be dead before the world ends, Despyon Raznar!"


    The words were soon drowned out by the increasing thunder. I kept on running, faster than I ever thought possible, though perhaps it was because I was in Despyon''s athletic form but still, I was feeling a kind of fear that just urged me to keep on going. To stay alive.


    I could still hear horses neighing behind me and even at one time, I felt the whooshing effect of an arrow as it shot just over my shoulder before getting lodged into the trunk of a tree. I was pretty sure that that was meant for me. I knew I had to get out of the woods.


    I saw my chance when I caught sight of the river again. I followed it and it led me out into the open. There were no huts nearby. I needed somewhere to hide and quick. The horses were fast approaching. That was when I saw the only other thing that stood out from the rest. It was a tall fortified structure, almost resembling a castle, designed with golden bricks. I recalled having seen this place earlier when I had first arrived in Abinor. It looked really magnificent up close.


    The river flowed right past it and a moat had been built over it, connecting the castle to the rest of the land. I had thought about going to hide in there but I could not risk getting into more trouble over there. Where there''s a castle there had to be even more soldiers.


    I looked beyond the castle and had to heave a sigh of relief. Just several meters away, there was a vast extension of what appeared to be dried bushland and thickets, with huge boulders right in front of them. I increased my pace and made my way over there and found myself a perfect hiding spot.


    By the time the soldiers had caught up, I could hear them conversing as I did not dare try sneak a peek.


    "Any sign of him?"


    "No. Probably ran off into the Outlands."


    "He''s already food for the beasts if he''s out there, besides, the Chieftain''s daughter is safe and the Harvest is nigh. It''s best we steer clear of this place and return to post."


    "It''s happening earlier this time, isn''t it? Thought we had until sundown."


    "Not with this storm brewing. Be on guard men, we''re the land''s last hope of defense."


    "May the gods have mercy on Abinor."


    With that, I heard the soldiers retreating on their horses. It was safe to come out. The air started to get hostile, with strong winds beginning to blow. I knew I had to find shelter and fast. I had no idea where I even was or if I would ever find my way back to Freya''s hut whom I figured was probably worried sick. But why was I concerned? She wasn''t my family. She was Despyon''s aunt. But then I figured that she was all I had out here. I had to get back. I could really use Google Maps right about now!


    The skies were beginning to break as I began to feel the first drops of rain fall on my face. I scouted the area, moving my eyes from the woodlands I had come from, past the castle and that was when I saw it. A structure not that far from the castle. It was nowhere near the magnitude of the castle but looked safe enough for shelter. I ran towards it, the wind beating against my face.


    As soon as I made it there, I was more than relieved to find there was nobody there, at least no one that could chase me down with the intent of skewering me with an arrow. I was in for a much more surprise. Turns out the place was the stables that everyone had been talking about. There were horses lined up in multiple stalls that ran all the way from the entrance to the other end. I marveled at the sight as I began to look for a place to keep warm. But there was something wrong with the horses. I could feel it too.


    The horses appeared to be troubled. Perhaps it was from the storm but it felt like it was something else. The horses kept neighing and acting up in their stalls. I decided to approach one, the one closest to the entrance. It was a white stallion with a magnificent mane that appeared to be subjected to brushing everyday as well as its fur.


    I gently extended a hand. The stallion reared. I stopped, steadying my hand.


    "It''s alright," I muttered, "I''m not gonna hurt you."


    The stallion seemed to be regarding me with his large black eyes that glinted in the dimming light and must have established that I was no threat as he came forward and let me rest my hand on his head. I smiled, obviously excited by this move. I did say that I had a thing for horses, especially when I had been younger. My grandpa had a whole farm of them and I even learned how to ride with my dad until. . .


    The storm grew louder with more deafening thunder blasts. The stallion, along with the other horses, whinnied, clearly terrified.


    "It''s okay boy," I said, trying to sooth him, "it''s just a little bad weather. It''ll pass."


    I should have known that would only go on to be nothing short of wishful thinking. The thunder intensified, louder than anything I had ever heard before. It felt almost unnatural. It was so loud the ground itself began to shake.


    The white stallion reared again. Other horses began to act up more wildly in their stalls as if trying to break out.


    Following another blast of thunder, I found myself heading over towards the entrance. Rain was pouring down, or so it had seemed from inside the stables. What I witnessed next was nothing short of enthralling.


    Standing just outside the stables, I held out my hand in the rain. The sight was incredible. The raindrops were moving up instead of down. Whether it was my eyes playing a trick on me, I was not sure. But something felt very strange, unhuman, as if the balance of nature had been disturbed. And indeed it had. Droplets of rain rose past me and back into the air like some sort of ''reverse rainfall''.


    The strange phenomenon would only serve as the herald of my troubles that evening. I was following the drops back into the air when I was met with an even more striking site, as if the reverse rainfall had not been enough.


    High up in the clouds, something began to take form, twisting and turning and pulling the clouds into a thick dark whirlpool. I thought it was a cyclone at first but then things do not just pop out of normal cyclones now, do they?


    They were like beams of light. Bright light that seemed to materialize in a different color with every beam. The first beam came out as fiery red, then others like blue, green, purple and more, followed. I counted around seven to eight beams and they all looked like the streaks created by comets. I watched them disappear across different parts of the land: some landed towards the thicket area where I had earlier been hiding; some in the mountains; some across other parts of the village and one of them was coming directly at me. It was all just mesmerizing. It was¡ªwait, what?


    It was firing its way right towards the stables, glowing a bright streak of yellow. I yelled, running out of the way and fell a few feet away from the entrance. I watched the streak hit the stables, blasting its way through the roof and hitting the ground with a terrible noise that was just as loud as the thunder. The ground beneath me shook again. The horses grew restless and were now kicking at their stalls in an attempt to escape.


    Getting back up, I slowly approached the stall, echoing soothing sounds to try and calm the horses. The area where the beam had landed was covered in thick clouds of dust. Dust that appeared to be glowing with highlights of yellow neon light.


    I stopped and did not dare approach any further the moment the dust began to clear, silhouetting some kind of figure. A figure that seemed to have been lying on the ground and was now standing to its full frame. It was so tall that it almost towered over the entire stables.


    A certain fear I had never felt before suddenly gripped me. A kind of fear that I could not begin to fathom. I took several steps back as the figure began to take form. I dreaded waiting to see what it was. Its eyes were the first to materialize as two neon glowing orbs of yellow.


    Horses began to burst out of the stables, fleeing in terror. I too knew I had to run from whatever this thing was. I did not need to be told twice, especially after the tattoo that I kept forgetting about started glowing again. The arrow symbol on my arm was lighting up in the same neon fashion as that of the figure''s eyes, but in neon green. I took a couple of steps and was almost making a run for it before I got an idea. The white stallion was fighting to break free from its stall. I turned away from the figure and worked towards opening the stall.


    "Alright boy," I said, placing my palm on the horse''s side, "we''re getting out of here."


    The stallion seemed to understand me for it was only after I had mounted did he bolt out of there and in good time too because not so long after, there was an explosion. I looked over my shoulder and caught the stables ablaze. The fire had torn apart the entire thing but I could not spot the figure anywhere.


    I focused my attention back to the front, holding on to the stallion as he tore through the ground, quickly increasing the distance between me and the stables and together, we were one in the storm, trying to find our way towards safety in the forsaken lands of Abinor.

 The Harvest

    Fear. . .


    That was what was coursing through my veins. The horse had reduced its gallop to a trot as I made my way through the village. Everything had fallen eerily quiet. There was absolutely no one outside, not even at the market. The storm had subsided but the skies were still dark and grey and the rain had reduced to a normal light drizzle.


    It was getting dark out. I knew I had to get back to Aunt Freya''s as soon as possible, especially after what I had witnessed. Just thinking about it made me shiver.


    I was still trying to figure out how I had made my way to the market earlier that day and it was getting harder with the ever-increasing darkness. Luckily for me, help presented itself, though not in the way I would have expected.


    It started with the stallion acting up by neighing and rearing. I had to struggle a little before I finally calmed him down and that was when I saw him. He was dressed in the same combat gear, completely covered with armor just like he had been the day before, only this time, he did not have his helm on. His unexpected appearance spooked both me and the horse.


    "What''re you still doing out here, kid?" he asked, his voice deep and firm. He traced his eyes -- that were darkened in the dimming evening light, making it hard to make out what color they were -- from the white stallion to his rider.


    "I-I kinda got lost a little," I stuttered as the soldier got closer. He was so tall that we were almost the same height with me still mounted. I could now see him more clearly. His eyes were blue, contrasting with his blond hair that was tapered and parted towards the right from where it was swept back and falling just slightly over the forehead where it ended in a rather wild cowlick curl.


    He was the same soldier that had spoken out to the villagers on my first day in Abinor and seeing him this up-close, I could only hope that he was not thinking of, you know, taking out one of the two glinting ax blades strapped to his back and using my head as target practice.


    I was in more luck, I guess. He was not after my head for the moment.


    "The village is that way," he pointed with fingers that were gloved in some kind of steely metal.


    Following the direction to which he was pointing, I noticed something I had not before. Just beyond his arm, there were a couple of lit fires which illuminated a gathering. A group of soldiers¡ªsome mounted on horses while others were seated around the fires, apparently doing things like conversing or sharpening a sword.


    The skies were still faint with a few scattered thunderstorms still audible and I caught the blond-haired soldier''s face as he steadily looked up. I was sure I had spotted some kind of uneasiness there and given the recent events, I had to ask, "What''s going on?"


    He gave me an almost similar look to the one that the old fruit vendor had given me earlier that day. A look of incredulousness, as if he were surprised of how I had no idea.


    "It''s started, kid," he said, "the end of days."


    "What?"


    "The Harvest."


    And there it was again. What the hell was this Harvest thing that everybody kept talking about? I was about to ask for more clarification but the soldier''s hardened expression hinted at impatience, plus something else had already beaten me to the punch.


    There was an abrupt booming sound, like an explosion, kind of like the one that had gone off back at the stables. It had come from a direction further down the market and I trembled after I caught the terrifying sounds of people screaming.


    The soldiers began to mount their horses, talking to each other in alarm. One of them hurried over to us.


    "General, the attacks have started!" he said underneath his helm before turning to look up at me. "Who the hell is this?"


    "Somebody who should be locked in the safety of his home," the blond-haired soldier said, his voice getting even more deeper, "now head back to the village and stay there kid!"


    With that, he smacked the horse and I was soon riding away from the market. I stole a glance across my shoulder just in time to catch the soldier put his helm back on and march on with his comrade to join the rest.


    The horse and I were already en-route back to the village when I began to catch even more explosions happening all around me and even more people screaming. Something very wrong was happening. If only I knew what it was? But there was no time. I had to get back and the horse seemed to understand me as he tore over the ground, moving so fast that the huts and houses around me started getting blurred.


    I was able to make out Aunt Freya''s hut and also realizing it was almost towards the end of the village where there were fewer settlements. I called on the horse to stop but then something happened. Something so horrifying I knew I would never unsee.


    Still mounted, I noticed that Freya''s hut had caught on fire, with tufts of dark smoke escaping through the windows and the thatched roof.


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    "Oh no!" I gasped, jumping off of the horse and racing towards the hut, careful not to step on the few flames that were eating up the surrounding grass.


    "Freya!" I called desperately, "Freya!"


    The smoke was getting intoxicating and the heat from the flames was searing. The entire hut would soon crumble and fall. I heard a sound. A sound of someone choking and coughing. Aunt Freya!


    I followed the sound and my heart almost stopped the moment I saw her lying under the bed, with her upper body slightly coming into view. I fell to my knees and tried to pull her out by grabbing at her arms but she coughed, willing herself to speak.


    "No, don''t. . ."


    "What are you. . .? I have to get you out. . ." I faltered, noticing the bed had fallen down on her, pinning her to the ground. Two of the bed''s legs had broken off from the weight created by a heap of debris that had fallen from the roof.


    I looked around in haste, hoping to find something I could use. Anything. The flames were making it very difficult to do so. All I could make out was already burning, with eerie marks running across the ground and the walls; marks that I did not recall seeing the first time I was there.


    "Des. . .Despyon. . ." Freya called, her voice barely a whisper.


    I tried to lift up the bed, pouring all my strength into it. I cried, heaving and pulling as hard as I could until I could feel a shift in weight. It was working. I heaved some more then the situation worsened. More debris fell onto the bed and another leg broke off. All of my strength was drastically drained as the bed came down some more, pinning Freya further to the ground.


    She gasped and I could tell she was running out of air.


    "Despyon. . .stop. . ." she whispered again, finally getting my attention.


    "I have to get you out. I have to--¡ª" she found me with one of her hands.


    "It''s too late. . ." she coughed, "the shield. . ." she struggled to breathe, her face twisting in pain.


    "What? What shield?" I asked quickly, trying to understand what she was she saying.


    "Your room. . .the shield. . ."


    "I don''t understand. I. . ." it then registered to me.


    I was up on my feet, dashing into the other room that I had woken up in that morning and almost burned myself with how fast I was going, no longer paying attention to the flames that were hissing all around me. I finally saw it glinting in the fiery light and giving off a reflection of a young man who was beyond terrified. I grabbed the shield, pulling it from the wall at its one broken end and on my way back to Freya, I stared down at it, wondering for a moment whether that was me in the reflection of its silvery surface or if it was actually Despyon.


    "I got it!" I said, sliding down towards the bed and tried to use the shield as a jack by squeezing it under the bed but that was as much as I could do. There was not enough space.


    "Take the shield and. . .and. . .get. . .out. . ." Freya exhaled.


    "What? No! I can''t leave you here!" I tried lifting the bed with the shield again.


    "Please. . ." Freya persisted, "it will kill you. . ."


    I ignored her and continued with my efforts.


    ". . .Just as it killed your. . .your mother. . ."


    The shield slipped from my hands and I nearly cut my palms. What had she just said?


    I was suddenly enveloped by a certain overwhelming feeling, as if I was experiencing multiple waves of emotion all at once. I turned to look at her. "What?"


    "The shield will. . .protect you. . ."


    I wanted to ask her from what but I just could not take it seeing her like that. I was about to try again but the flames were more determined than I was. A section of the wall blew apart and I was thrown back, becoming the recipient of a wave of scalding air that washed all over the place. The flames burned at a very unnatural rate, unlike anything I had ever seen.


    I crawled back towards the bed, grabbing the shield again.


    "I''ll get you out. I''ll. . ." I paused turning to where Freya was lying. She was no longer moving. There were no sounds of strained breathing or coughing.


    I dropped the shield and crawled to her side, gently lifting her by her head.


    "No, no, NO!" I cried, tears already wetting my face, "wake up, wake up!"


    I could feel how limp her body had become. Her eyes were closed and she had stopped breathing entirely.


    My own body went limp as that same heavy wave of emotion overwhelmed me again. I did not feel like doing anything else at the moment but just lie there with Freya, a woman I had just met but it felt like I had known her my whole life.


    The flames were already climbing the walls, making their way to the ceiling and I would soon be trapped inside. But I did not care. I felt so hopeless and would have gone on to stay that way had I not turned to the shield that was resting on my side on the ground. I saw myself in the reflection, though this time it appeared as if it really was Despyon. He looked just as distraught as me but he did not seem to have lost hope as I had, not with how he kept nudging his head towards the gaping hole where the wall had broken apart. He was trying to tell me something.


    The temperatures were now soaring high. The smoke was filling up in my lungs, making my chest burn. I looked up at the wall and managed to spot an area where the flames had not touched yet. It was a way out. Despyon was pointing me towards there.


    I looked back down at Freya again, her face calm and quiet. I said a silent sorry and gently set her head down, grabbed the shield and got up from the ground.


    The entire hut started to get upset, threatening to come down and turns out I barely had seconds to rush over through the wall and make it out before the whole thing exploded and I was thrown forwards. I landed on the ground hard, my face hitting against the grass and dirt.


    I turned around to see the hut fully engulfed in flames and I knew there was no way anyone could have survived that, despite how much I wished it were not true.


    Freya was gone. I was all alone. Alone in a world that I did not know. I thought as I watched the hut get reduced to ashes. But was that really true?


    Something nudged at my head and I was hit with a wave of warm horse breath. I looked up to find the white stallion towering behind me, trying to get me to stand. He had waited for me.


    I was glad for the little reunion, though the moment would not last, for something began to stir in the background of the burning hut. Even the horse was now acting up.


    Squinting my eyes over the flames, I could make out some kind of figure. It was tall, just like the other figure I had seen back at the stables but this one was bigger. It looked as if it was literally walking through the flames, its features getting highlighted.


    Simultaneously, my right arm began to glow, the arrow symbol lighting up in neon green. I got this warning feeling that I had to get out of there and fast.


    Without another thought, I did not wait to find out whatever that figure was. I had mounted the horse and once again, we were off into the night but at that point, I had to make something clear¡ªI was to get out of Abinor as soon as possible.

 Tempest

    AWAY from danger I ride. Or maybe take a swim. . .?


    I had not realized how much ground I had actually covered once the horse had come to a stop close to a vast plain of rocks and boulders that stretched towards the sea. I gasped in delight, recalling just a little further away was where I had first set foot in these lands. This would be my way out. I would leave this wretched place for good.


    My excitement seemed to cloud my judgement, however, as I was yet to establish exactly how I was going to make my departure. I dismounted and let the horse roam around a little and he was soon having his dinner by nibbling down on several scattered tufts of grass.


    It had grown dark by then but the clouds had started to part, causing the bright silvery full moon to pop in and out every once in a while, providing much needed light for me to climb on top of a boulder and scan the shoreline.


    Huge waves were rocking back at the shore, splashing and hitting against the rocks, revealing that the waters were still experiencing the effects of the storm.


    I still had the shield with me. I hoisted it up and stared at the reflection. Seeing Despyon''s face only made it worse recalling what had happened. But I had done all that I could. This place was not for me. I had to get out.


    "Hey man," I spoke to the reflection which spoke back in exactly the same way, mimicking my features, "I''m really sorry about everything but I need to go."


    The reflection remained stationary just as me and I started to feel foolish just standing there and waiting.


    "Despyon, you there? Could really use your help?"


    The shield was back to acting like any other normal reflective surface. I even tried lifting it up higher, trying to adjust it to get enough exposure to the moonlight and maybe then it would work. It did not. I sighed and was setting the shield down when I caught something in the reflection.


    I gasped in delight and turned around to see a boat resting over some rocks a few yards away from the waters. I had found my way out. I was about to rush over before I turned to the other side and saw that the horse was still grazing, his magnificent white fur dazzling in surreal fashion underneath the moonlight.


    I became saddened. This was yet another friend I would have to leave behind. I jumped off of the boulder and approached him.


    "I guess this is it, buddy," I said to him, stroking the fur on his long neck. He stopped grazing and looked up at me, regarding me with his big black soulful eyes. "I have to go now."


    The horse whinnied and I swear it was like he could understand every word that was coming out of my mouth.


    "You''ll be safer out here. Just don''t go back into the village, okay?"


    He grunted, shaking his head and his mane danced over his neck. I stared at him for a while, watching his features.


    "You know what?" I said to him, "You remind me of somebody. Someone I used to know. He was just as strong as you but a little shorter."


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    The horse whinnied some more.


    "I think I''m gonna call you Jon," I added, having no idea why I was doing this but it just felt right¡ªheartwarming even. "Yeah, you surely do look like a Jon!"


    "This is it then, Jon," I said, stroking his mane, "I gotta go now."


    With that, I made my way to the shore and got to the boat. It looked to be in good condition. There were no holes that I could see plus there was an oar inside it and a couple of nets that I think had been used for fishing. I was pushing the boat towards the water when Jon the horse decided to join me.


    "I can''t take you," I said to him, "this is not my home."


    I continued to push the boat but it got lodged into some rocks. I sighed, looking up at the horse. "How about you help me get this into the water and maybe I''ll consider taking you with me?"


    The horse grunted, digging its hooves into the dirt. Of course he was calling my bluff. Luckily for me, the waters were more than willing. The waves swept closer to the rocks and started to gradually drag the boat along with it. Jon was particularly displeased by this.


    "Oh come on," I said, "I''ll visit. . ." my words seemed to get lost. I did not even know where I was going. But I figured anywhere would be better than there. I mean, especially not after everything I had seen.


    I then started getting a harrowing image of myself getting stranded on an island out there all alone, talking to inanimate things while eating fish raw and tiny chunks of meat landing on my overgrown scraggly beard. I was pretty sure I could not last a day by myself, let alone four years on an island like Chuck Noland did in Cast Away. The more I thought about that movie, the grimmer my current situation felt.


    Still, I was not staying there anymore. Not for another second. The waves began to hit harder and I had to jump into the boat as it got drifted into the waters.


    I must have imagined it but I think I had caught my arm glowing but it had happened so fast like a flash. I did not pay too much attention to it.


    Jon the horse whinnied, as if trying to call me back to shore. I just looked back and smiled. He would be okay. Me, on the other hand. . .


    The skies were not yet done. I looked up to catch the clouds regathering. The moon was out of view and I was getting further into the waters which began to stir even more. The waves were getting thicker and already towering at frightening heights. I swallowed. This was exactly going to be like Cast Away.


    I had just looked over my shoulder for the umpteenth time and I knew there was no turning back, especially not after I had gotten myself in the middle of some nasty waves that kept knocking at the sides of my boat, threatening to tip me over. I could also tell Abinor was itself an island after I had strained my eyes in the dark to make out the endings of the land mass on either side, which was getting smaller and less visible the more I drifted further out to sea.


    The storm must have really upset the waters that night as the waves continued to come at me, each one more powerful than the last. I was suddenly thrown back, hitting the floor of the boat and looked up in shock to find myself holding a jagged piece of wood or what was left of the oar. That was when things got a whole lot worse. The way that certain wave had come at me, towering over me at nearly twelve feet or something¡ªI could not quite tell, what with my whole body shaking and my mind dreading the worst. I steadied myself, holding onto the boat with my fingers clutching tightly at either side of the edges.


    I would never be able to fathom what had happened after, for all I remember after that tall wall of water was hearing the sound of static fill my ears as water hit my body from all angles. I remember I tried to scream but only muffled whimpers escaped my mouth, coming out in large bubbles. I watched the bubbles rapidly rush to the surface while I got pulled under, spinning and flipping underneath the wave.


    I felt the water begin to fill my lungs and almost wished I was back at the burning hut for it was more agonizing than having to inhale smoke. Soon, I would drown and something was telling me I would not end up in another world or at a different point in time.


    I tried to heave myself towards the surface but the wave''s force was too overpowering. I could barely move my arms. I had run out of air. I could feel it. My eyes started to grow weary and my body limp. I looked up to the darkened surface once more and spotted the bubbles still popping out above the breathable environment. That was the last thing I saw, alongside what appeared to be a flash of bright light, bluish in color. The light was reflected off of the bubbles and all over the surface, illuminating the waters until it morphed into pure darkness and I could see no more. . .

 A Rocky Encounter

    The skies were rumbling with thunder and heavy with rain. The rain was no longer falling in reverse. It fell all over me but I did not seem to get wet, not even a little. The thunder intensified, startling me but then the more I paid attention to it, the more I realized that it was neither coming from the sky nor was it even thunder.


    I turned my eyes from the sky and almost fell after realizing where I was standing. The air was hard and cold. The ground below me was white, entirely covered in snow. I was standing on a mountain, at its very peak where the clouds were but an arm''s length away.


    The thundering sound broke out again, causing the clouds to dissipate and the ground beneath me to shake. I followed the sound and my eyes landed on an opening at the mountain''s peak. A cave. I walked towards it. It was darkened. I could not see anything.


    The cave''s walls vibrated from the sound which had now become clearer. It was like a roar. More than a lion''s but as that of some unspeakable creature. I knew this because I could feel its breathing. It was deep and hot, warming up the entire cave.


    I then heard voices. A lot of them but I could not quite make out what they were saying. They were all silenced by another roar. I was ready this time, following the sound to its exact source and there it stood.


    It must have sensed my presence because its breathing had reduced. The air had grown more tense. I waited.


    "Their souls will be ours to claim yet again. . ." the voice with the roar spoke, sounding almost like a man, but one that was not at all human.


    My right arm started to act up. The arrow symbol was glowing, its light illuminating the cave, allowing me to see who that voice belonged to.


    I gasped and the source of the voice turned around. I only caught its eyes¡ªtwo bright red spheres that looked like fire was burning within them. Fear must have gotten the best of me because I started taking several steps back and out of the cave.


    The source of the voice was coming for me. I could hear its thundering roar once more which shook the ground so hard that I lost my balance and tripped over the edge. . .


    I awoke with a start, instantly checking my body for signs of fractures or bruises. Luckily for me, nothing was broken, no red-eyed monster was coming at me and the only mountain I could see was several miles away, towering over an island as streaks of bright yellow light cut through over its peak. It was daylight. The skies were clear, with no signs of there having been a storm.


    I discovered that I had been sleeping as I sat up and propped my back against a rock. Water splashed against more rocks a few yards away from me. Somehow I had made it back to shore and not drowned, again.


    Still trying to figure out how the hell I was still alive, I got up on my feet after which I wished I hadn''t. My whole body was sore, probably from sleeping on the rocky and sandy ground. I tried to spot Jon but there was no sign of the magnificent white stallion, save for a couple of pelicans swooping down for fish at the shoreline.


    I wanted to call out but thought better of it. I was pretty sure I could not open my mouth, which felt dry. I traced my eyes back to the place where I recalled the horse had been feeding on grass earlier on. Nothing.


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    I traced my eyes further, doing so in a panoramic fashion such that I was sweeping over the entire rocky shoreline until I came across something odd.


    It must have happened in a fleeting second but I was sure I had spotted something move. It looked kind of white, maybe it was Jon? But why would he be hiding?


    It was several meters away from where I was, further down the shore where there were more rocks and boulders.


    "J-Jon?" I cried but my words came out more like a croak.


    I decided to get closer and get the horse out myself. Perhaps he was stuck or something.


    I had almost made it there when my arm started to act up again. I had had it with that weird symbol. It had been pretty cool the first couple of times but at that point, it was just getting irritating. The thing was glowing even in my dreams! It was like being a human LED.


    Anyways, the glowing seemed a bit different this time. There was kind of a pattern to it. Its intensity would rise and fall like a beacon, going from bright neon green to dim. The frequency of the pattern increased the closer I got to the boulders which had created a sort of cave.


    Given what I had just experienced in my dreams, perhaps it was best to not go in there. Maybe that was why the symbol on my arm was glowing. Maybe it was trying to warn me? But something felt strange; stranger than everything I had just recently seen.


    It was like I wanted to go in there, just like back in the dream. I had to see what this was. And just like that, curiosity got the better of me. I walked over to the cave''s entrance and what I saw was clearly not what I had expected.


    There was no horse in there either, instead, huddled on the ground, back against the wall and hands wrapped around knees; was a woman¡ªor at least I thought it looked like a woman. It was difficult to tell, especially when her skin was literally glowing, her complexion somewhere between blue and white. She had thick locks of hair that flowed down to the floor, partially covering her face with bright curls of blue and purple. She was in a long gown that had a surreal sapphire hue, which matched her skin but glistened in the light, making it appear crystalline.


    I would have remained there standing, lost in awe, had I not noticed her eyes. They were big but not in a creepy abnormal way, more like in a mesmerizing fashion, exuding some kind of mystical aura to them, which was only emphasized by their blue glow.


    Her eyes then met mine and I had to stumble backwards. I had seen far too many glowing eyes so far and I was almost beginning to regret why I had walked into that cave.


    Strange things had been happening on this island ever since my arrival. There was no saying what this-this woman-looking¡ªwhatever she was¡ªwould do to me. But I can tell you that it was not giving off a smile and going on to say, "You''re awake."


    When she had spoken, some of her hair fell away from her face and she did not look bad. Okay, I''m being modest here; she was really pretty. Her face looked so timeless, it was hard to tell how old she was but looked to be just about as old as I was.


    I was about to ask how she had known I had been asleep but then another more plausible thought crossed my mind. "Wait, did you¡ªdid you pull me out of the water?"


    "Looked like you needed a hand," the woman replied. Her voice was soft and, dare I say it, weirdly dreamy.


    I took a moment to try and see if I could recall what had happened after the wave had taken me down. I could only see bubbles and the eerie bright blue light but nothing else.


    "You saved my life then," I said, "thanks."


    "Well, it was the least I¡ª" the woman started but her face contorted into a frown as she shut her eyes and let out a low hiss.


    "Are you okay?" I asked, noticing her hands clasped over what appeared to be some kind of wound at her side.


    "Oh me?" she humored, opening her eyes and I was once again looking into their mystical glow. "I''ve never been better. . ."


    The words seemed to trail off, followed by her eyes shutting again. She let out a small sigh and gently fell back against the wall.


    Panicking, as I always did every time someone was in distress, I rushed over and knelt next to her. The symbol on my arm was now glowing wildly and even brighter. I tried shaking her awake but her body had gone limp. I looked at her face. Her ethereal skin was no longer glowing but had taken a paler and more human complexion. There was something on her forehead, something like a symbol, but I was more concerned about the wound on her torso. It was big and appeared to have been gashing with some kind of bluish liquid that I assumed was her blood.


    I knew I had to do something and fast, otherwise my apparent hero would soon bleed to her death.

 Pitchforks

    I had ripped apart a piece of cloth from my sleeve and used it to slow down the bleeding on the woman''s wound by wrapping it around her torso. Doing so made me think of my mother and how she would have greatly disapproved of my actions; using dirty fabric on an open wound.


    I thought on how she would have easily handled the situation as a nurse. I thought about what she might have been doing at the moment back in Sacramento, wondering where the hell her stupid son was. I missed her. She would have helped this woman in a heartbeat.


    The cloth could only do so much. The woman looked like she had lost a lot of that bluish liquid, at which I began to wonder what could have caused such a wound. She then stirred.


    She was trying to say something. I leaned closer with my ear and listened.


    "Water. . ." she whispered.


    She must have been thirsty ¨C I thought as I hurriedly got up on my feet, rushed out of the cave and I was then down on my knees at the shore. I cupped my hands and used them to scoop water from the sea and was heading back before abruptly making a stop. I had not even checked the water. It could have been salty.


    I tasted it. It was.


    I let the water flow out of my hands and splash against the rocks beneath me just as a pang of frustration began to take over me. Where the hell was I supposed to find fresh water?


    I looked over to the cave. That woman did not look like she had that long left in her. I was running out of options. The salt water would just have to do.


    With that, I scooped up some more water and rushed back into the cave where I nearly spilled all of it after finding the woman lying motionless, her back to the ground.


    I was already on my knees, quickly working my way towards her by bringing my water-filled hands over her mouth. I tipped my hands, letting the water trickle down but then the strangest thing happened (as if I hadn''t had enough of those already). The water appeared to vaporize the moment it touched her lips. I tried adjusting my hands so that the water would seep through into her mouth but it all vanished into nothing every time it would touch her until my hands were empty.


    "Come on, wake up!" I cried, growing more and more anxious with every second.


    The woman''s breathing had become alarmingly low, her chest barely moving. This had me scratching through my hair with both of my hands as I got up, completely overwhelmed by the whole situation.


    I had just lost someone not so long ago. No way was I going to let that happen again, especially not this time. There was just something about this woman ¨C something I could not quite explain yet, not to mention that the symbol on my arm kept on glowing the closer I was to her.


    Come on dude, think! What would Mom do?


    I withdrew my hands from my head and spun around to look down at the woman again. I went down on my knees, placed my palms over her chest and began to perform CPR. I pushed down against her chest, gently but firmly exerting pressure with my arms and hoping for a miracle.


    I had lost count of the number of compressions I had done with no sign of the woman waking up, which only worsened my misery. But I remained undeterred and performed even more compressions up to a certain point where I was then going for her mouth, just like my mom had taught me.


    Gently making her jaws part, I leaned in closer so that my own mouth was hardly inches away from hers and I was about to breathe into her when I caught something. I quickly withdrew, more than grateful to do so because my breath really stank!


    The woman let out something that sounded like a tiny moan and it was as if she was struggling to say something alongside opening her eyes but all she ended up doing was reaching out to me, specifically tracing my right arm. She was feeling the symbol which only grew brighter from her touch.


    "Wat. . .must use waaa. . ." she tried muttering something before her body went limp again.


    "No! No!" I propped her over my legs and gasped upon noticing how incredibly pale her face was becoming. "Please wake up, please. . ."


    Grief was starting to take over me when I thought I had heard some kind of sound. It was coming from outside the cave. I listened and there it was again ¨C clearer this time ¨C the unmistakable whinnying of a horse.


    I could only hope that it was him as I called out, "Jon! Jon, in here!" And never had I ever felt so relieved to see a white stallion trotting over into the entrance of the cave.


    Jon the horse regarded me and the woman in my arms with absolute curiosity but seemed to instantly understand what was happening by getting closer and lowering his head towards us.


    "She''s hurt badly, Jon," I said, rubbing the horse''s broad neck. "We have to take her to the village, do you understand?"


    Jon whinnied some more before lowering his body so I could prop the woman''s body onto his back and I would have been surprised by how incredibly light she felt had I not had other pressing issues to deal with at the moment.


    I mounted the horse after ensuring that the woman was secure by having her sit on the horse in front of me so I could support her weight and keep her from falling over.


    Jon carefully exited the cave, completely aware of the situation. Once we were out in the open, I looked over the field of rocks that gradually disappeared as vegetation took over and the faint outline of the village in the background.


    "Alright boy," I patted Jon, "run like the wind!"


    The horse grunted in response and his hooves dug into the dirt, taking off at a high speed gallop and we were soon leaving the rocky shore.


    I had not planned what would happen after we had arrived in Abinor, especially after the village folk had started casting suspicious looks at me and the strange passenger that I was riding with.


    I had tried my best to try and conceal the woman''s face but there was only so much I could do. Her pale skin and my glowing arm were more than enough to attract attention, and not so friendly I might add.


    Jon was becoming uneasy. I could feel his muscles stiffen. People were starting to surround us and would soon block our way if I failed to find a place where the woman would be helped.


    "Oy, what do ya ave there boy?" asked a man as he approached me from the side. He squinted his watery eyes at the woman I was with.


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    "Nobody," I responded shortly, trying to look for an exit.


    More people began to get closer. I nudged Jon to trot further ahead until we had gotten completely surrounded at a hollow opening marked with two very large trees.


    "That ain'' nobody!" spat another man, bearing some nasty looking teeth, "that don'' even look human now do it?"


    "I don''t know what you''re talking about?" I firmly held onto Jon, trying my best to keep him calm and ready to give him the order to run.


    "There''s word that these things had been spotted down at the shore!" a woman added among the ever growing crowd.


    "Yeah!" she was joined by another woman who was holding a pitchfork in her hand. "Them demons that came from the sky last night!"


    "Burned my sheep to a crisp, they did!" the first man, the one at my side, went on, getting even closer. "They attack an'' then ide so that they can finish us off one by one in the night!"


    He started extending a hand towards me, trying to get a better look at the woman. He gasped, quickly withdrawing his hand. "That''s one o'' them, isn''t it? What''re ya doing with that thing, boy?"


    "Can''t you see he''s been corrupted?" the woman with the pitchfork hissed, regarding me with distaste. "We should kill it before it takes over all of us!"


    The woman was accompanied by a number of grunts and yells and it was soon clear what was about to happen.


    "Give it here, boy!" the man closest to me snarled.


    "Back off, all of you!" I said with what I thought was my best commanding voice but all I achieved was giving away how terrified I was at that moment.


    "He''s been corrupted, he has!" the pitchfork woman spat, slowly advancing with her weapon.


    Jon started whinnying nervously, kicking against the dirt, daring anyone to come near him. But the villagers did not seem at all threatened by the horse; not as much as their desire to unleash hell on us.


    There was nowhere to run after the crowd started to come at us from all sides. Jon spun around, with the unconscious woman and myself still mounted. One of the villagers ended up getting struck across the chest with a powerful kick from one of the horse''s hind legs. He flew backwards, taking down a number of people with him and I had to marvel at how smart Jon actually was.


    An opening had been created. Jon turned and was quickly pushing through the crowd but they only regrouped twice as fast.


    The whole thing became a chaotic mess. People were yanking at Jon''s mane, his tail and even at my legs. I constantly ushered warnings, hitting at the hands that would try to grab at the woman''s gown but that was as much as I could do.


    I had felt myself suddenly pulled backwards with such force that I fell on my back and no longer on the horse.


    "No!" I cried, desperately trying to get back up as I saw the crowd go for the woman who lay almost lifelessly on Jon''s back.


    "Get away from her!" I was whacked in the face by the end of a pitchfork and nearly hit the ground again.


    "Urgh, it has even copied our appearance!" the watery-eyed man spat, regarding the woman on the horse, careful not to touch her as if she was carrying some kind of deadly virus.


    "Well, what''re we waiting for?" I heard someone cry out, "let''s kill it while it sleeps!"


    "NO!" I was forced down to the ground, which was when I began to notice how intensely bright the symbol on my arm had become.


    I began to feel something else too, not just in my arm but all over my body and in my mind. It was such a powerful feeling. A feeling unlike anything I had ever felt before and without knowing it, the fingers on my right hand had curled themselves into a fist. I looked up at the woman holding me down with a pitchfork. Our eyes locked and I could feel her grip on the pitchfork loosen. She no longer had that malicious look on her face anymore, but a more frightened expression.


    "You''ve been corrupted, you have!" she gasped and I found myself snatching at the pitchfork and was already back up on my feet.


    That overwhelming feeling continued to intensify so much that I failed to notice what I was doing to the pitchfork.


    The woman had become almost as pale as the one I had found at the cave but her eyes seemed to be directed somewhere else but I did not care. I advanced towards her, having no idea what I was doing when suddenly, something like a strong gust of wind blew through the crowd, stirring large clouds of dust with it.


    The strange thing was that everyone around me, including the woman who had been holding me down, was blown apart by the wind; everyone except me, Jon and the woman from the cave. The wind circled around us in an almost tornado-like fashion, only this time we were the ones inside its eye.


    I watched with awe as the wind continued to twist and twirl until the crowd had been left sprawling on the ground after which the wind dissipated, morphing into a long trail of black smoke, looking like a snake made out of dust.


    I followed the trail and watched it disappear into the tip of a crooked staff that was held in place by a hooded figure standing beyond the two trees.


    "You can let go of the tool young man," the hooded figure spoke, "unless you''re planning on torching someone."


    "What?" I had no idea what the figure was talking about until I turned to find the pitchfork that I still had in my grasp. It was. . .burning?


    The pitchfork was being engulfed by some kind of plasma-like substance, almost as if it was melting. The substance burned in a bright neon green hue which I traced to have been coming out of my arm.


    I gasped, dropping the pitchfork which hissed and twisted on the ground before being entirely consumed by the substance until nothing was left.


    I looked at my hand. I watched the glowing substance run up my fingers, flowing like a river, up my wrist and then draining into the arrow symbol after which it stopped glowing.


    The woman whom I realized I had been about to impale with the pitchfork that I had magically set ablaze with my hand had gotten back up, regarding both me and the hooded figure at a distance.


    "You''re all wretched, the lot of ya!" she spat then directly addressed the hooded figure, "You filthy witch! Cavorting with them demons that kill us and corrupt our children! Wait till the Chief hears about this. He''ll set loose the Order on you and he''ll--"


    "He''ll what. . .? the hooded figure snapped, taking a step closer to the woman who took many steps back before turning around and fleeing with the rest of the crowd.


    "You didn''t finish!" the hooded figure yelled at the crowd, "he''ll what? Yeah, you better run you worthless village scum!"


    The figure then turned to me. "Oh, do pardon me, Desmond. Best be tending to your new friend, don''t you think?"


    "Wha¡ª" I turned around, angry at myself for almost having forgotten all about the woman.


    I rushed over to her. She was still mounted on Jon''s back and I was relieved to find the villagers had not done anything to her though she was still unconscious.


    "She''s hurt bad," I said to the figure, "can you help her, please?"


    "Now that is the question, isn''t it?" the figure regarded me but I could not tell what it was thinking. I could not even see its face.


    "Hand on the staff," it said.


    "What?"


    "Here, hand on the staff."


    I looked at the staff, not sure what to do, especially after what I had just witnessed.


    "Oh, come now," the figure insisted, "what? You think I''m going to whip you up in some kind of sandstorm or something?"


    I gave her a look like "well, yeah. . ."


    "Do you want to save the Zodiac or not?"


    "The what?"


    "Her!"


    I turned to look at the woman then at Jon who seemed to be okay with whoever this person was, otherwise I was sure he would already be using his hindlegs to cause some serious damage.


    Looking at the woman again, I made my choice. No one else was going to help me. This was it. I knew I had to find out who this woman was and then maybe, just maybe¡ª


    "Hold on. . ." I set aside my thoughts, abruptly recalling something.


    I turned to the hooded figure, narrowing my eyes at it. "Earlier, you called me Desmond. How did you know my name?"


    "Ah," the figure sighed, "something tells me you''ll have some questions of more importance than that."


    I regarded the figure, not sure how to respond to that but at least I was still alive and hopefully so would the woman.


    "Hand on the staff," the figure repeated and I placed my left hand, not trusting my right after everything that had just happened.


    Now, I can''t quite tell you what exactly happened after that but the moment I had placed my hand on the staff, I had caught the figure utter something inaudible and then things got really weird. Everything started folding in on itself like I was being sucked into some kind of vortex. The environment stretched out and began to reel past me like a film''s playback being fast-forwarded.


    There was then a not so loud booming sound, like a tiny explosion, after which I found myself in an entirely different place, where, instead of two tall trees, it was one big oak tree. The tree appeared to be growing out of an old hut, with its large buttress roots winding and twisting all around the hut before disappearing into the ground, a few yards away from the banks of a river.


    I turned to find Jon standing next to me, the woman still lying on his back. The figure was already walking towards the hut.


    "Are you coming?" it asked.


    "Where are we?" I countered.


    "Home."


    I looked around me and after making sure there were no signs of lunatics coming at me with pitchforks, I followed the hooded figure into the hut.

 The Seers Keep

    I must have taken an eternity just observing my new environment as it was really mind blowing. I mean, it''s not every day you find yourself inside a house made out of a tree. Tree houses might have come close but this was more like a ''house tree'' ¨C if that even makes any sense.


    Once I had followed the mysterious figure inside, the door behind me had locked itself and somehow vanished into the walls of the oak tree''s large trunk. That wasn''t even the strangest thing. The place had appeared so small from outside, apart from the tree. I could see doors leading to multiple rooms while inside.


    The entire place was illuminated by some kind of dim glowing lanterns positioned at different points high up against the walls. They were suspended in the air, with nothing holding them in place. They looked like large pumpkins, except they weren''t carved out like Jack-o-Lanterns. Tiny balls of flame could be seen burning inside of them, casting an orange hue all over the room; allowing me to spot a bunch of other very weird stuff.


    Strange ornaments lined the walls of the hut, shimmering in the light. They were also self-suspended. My eyes continued to scan the room, taking in even more of the strange objects which was when something had caught my attention as my curiosity heightened.


    Set across one end of the room ¨C just below a hollowed out opening that served as the only window in the entire place ¨C stood a small table on top of which was an odd structure. It looked like a large glass bowl that was filled with water. I walked over to the bowl and looked inside.


    I wasn''t sure what exactly I was looking at. It resembled some kind of fish, no bigger than my hand. The creature had smooth sleek skin, with structures like fins projecting out from all over its body. Its face was hard to make out as I could not spot any eyes. I noticed the creature swim towards my direction. It lifted its head out of the water, past the bowl''s brim. I continued to watch in fascination, wondering whatever it was doing.


    I found myself reaching out with my left arm and extending a finger towards the creature. Its upper body hovered above the surface, regarding me with no discernible expression which only made it the more fascinating.


    The tip of my finger found itself touching the creature''s sleek moist skin and it seemed to like it after it started to gently wrap itself around my finger, coiling its way up to my wrist.


    I started getting this weird mesmerizing feeling, like all of my senses were relaxing and there was nothing else I felt like doing. My whole body felt like it was being suspended just like the lanterns. It was such a strong feeling that all I ever wanted to do was to let go and. . .


    "AAAH!" I yelped. All of my senses returned after I realized what the creature had been about to do to me.


    Coiled around my wrist, the once majestic and mysterious creature had turned into a spine-covered thing. Its tiny head had frighteningly been able to part into a really wide mouth whose length was almost equal to that of my arm. Multiple sets of teeth lined the inside of its mouth and it would have gone on to plunge them into my skin had it not been for my host.


    I watched in disbelief as the figure grabbed at the creature and yanked it free off my arm. The figure was no longer concealed under its long hooded cloaked, allowing me for the first time to catch a better look at what they looked like.


    She had long thick overgrown braids that were as dark and grey as her cloak as well as her eyes. Her dark-skinned face was beaten and riddled with tiny black spots and had thin lines circling her eyes, leading me to believe that she was old; though her actions seemed to show quite the opposite.


    I watched her casually hold the dangerous creature in her hand and even started talking to it. "What did I say about treating our guests with respect?"


    The creature twisted and wriggled in her hand, threatening to rip off her fingers. She did something to it and the creature calmed down after which she tossed it back into its bowl where I watched it morph back into its former less scary looking fish-like form.


    "What the hell is that thing?" I asked, amid trying to control my heightened breathing while feeling my left hand.


    "That''s a helworm, that is," said the old lady.


    "A what. . .?"


    "Helworm," she added with a smile, "got bit by this one while running an errand over at the Dark Forest. They are really peaceful creatures actually. . .until you mess with their habitat and they turn into nasty little buggers!"


    "You don''t say. . ." I swallowed, watching the creature do a spiral inside its bowl.


    "They''ve been known to rip off the heads of fully grown men," the old lady went on and I had to swallow some more as well as take a couple of steps away from the bowl. "The trick is to tickle them just right on their underside ¨C works like a charm it does!"


    I looked past the bowl and had to fight off a shuddering feeling by directing my eyes through the hollow opening where I spotted Jon the horse trotting playfully outside. At least I knew he wouldn''t try to bite my head off.


    My thoughts were cut short, following the tiny moaning sounds of the strange woman I had met at the shore. I had almost forgotten all about her as I rushed over to where she lay on her back.


    She was muttering words I could not understand, with her eyes closed. Her body had gotten so pale, almost ghost-like and her bizarre blue gown was no longer giving off that ethereal sapphire glow.


    The old lady observed her. "Must have taken a nasty hit to her poor tummy."


    "Can you help her?" I asked desperately.


    "Well, the wound is unlike anything I''ve ever seen," the old lady said, "obviously not inflicted by an ordinary weapon, at least not man-made."


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    I had no idea what she was talking about but could only watch on and hope for some kind of miracle.


    "Interesting. . ." the old lady muttered.


    "What? What?"


    "She has been drained of energy in trying to heal herself and slowing the bleeding, otherwise she would have been dead already."


    "W-water. . .wa. . ." the woman moaned, managing a whisper this time.


    "I tried giving her water but it was too salty."


    "Well, get me a pint," said the old lady.


    "What?"


    "A pint, over there. By the helworm! Come on hurry up!"


    I rushed past the bowl with the helworm, careful not to get anywhere near the creature again until I found a large wooden barrel filled with water. There was a cup floating in it which I used to scoop up the water with.


    "Here''s the c¡ªI mean pint," I handed over the water to the old lady.


    I watched her lower the pint over the woman''s mouth, allowing small drops of water to fall over her lips. The drops instantly evaporated the moment they touched her lips.


    "That''s exactly what happened at the shore!" I said, "are you sure this is fresh water?"


    " ''Course it is!" snapped the lady, "collected it from the springs of Atalasia meself!"


    "Then why isn''t it working?" I cried, leaning closer towards the woman until my shoulder came into contact with her side. This caused the arrow symbol on my arm to start glowing again.


    "Well I''ll be damned!" the old lady gasped, her gray eyes looking directly down at my glowing arm. "Even now that I see you here in the flesh, I am still finding it a little hard to take in."


    I shook my head, not understanding what the old lady was talking about when I felt someone grab at my right arm. I turned to find the woman gently wrap her fingers around my own. She whispered some more. "Water. . .wat. . .water. . ."


    ". . .The ways of water and life. . ." the old lady muttered some more gibberish under her breath, her eyes wide with excitement, "it is all coming true. . ."


    "What? What''s happening?" I asked, entirely perplexed. The old lady, still with the pint full of water in her hands, narrowed her eyes, shifting them from the unconscious woman to me.


    She then settled her eyes on my fingers intertwined with that of the woman. She observed how the arrow symbol glowed on my arm.


    "I wonder. . ." she muttered, bringing the pint closer to my arm until it was suspended over the glowing symbol.


    Without another word, I watched the lady tip the pint, letting all of the water splash down against my arm until the side of my shirt was drenched as well as part of the woman''s gown.


    Other than me getting my clothes wet, nothing happened. Not at first at least. I was about to say something to the old lady who kept her eyes on my arm the entire time when it finally happened.


    All the water that had been spilled started to regather itself. I watched multiple droplets flow out of my shirt, out of the woman''s gown until they had all merged together into a watery sphere that hovered above my glowing arm.


    The ball of water descended onto my arm where it started to dissolve and shrink. I watched the droplets seep into the arrow symbol, causing it to glow even brighter until the entire sphere was gone. The symbol let out some kind of fluid from its pointed end, similar to what had happened when I had been holding the pitchfork, only this time, no burning lava was coming out. It was more like the water had been turned into some kind of luminous fluid. The fluid was nearly the same color as the woman''s gown. I watched it flow out of my own arm and over to hers, with our fingers acting like a bridge.


    The fluid flowed through the woman''s arm, up her shoulder, down her chest, all the way to her torso where it drained into her wound. The wound then began to act up. I watched in utter amazement. It had been a huge gash across her torso, like she had been slashed by a blade of some kind. The gash was quickly closing itself up, morphing back into skin until not a single trace was left to reveal if there ever had been any kind of injury to begin with.


    I gasped in awe, watching on as even more bizarre events continued to unfold. I could literally feel the warmth return in the woman''s body and her grip on my hand had become firmer too. Her face was still pale but not like it had been before. Her skin had a strange bluish tinge, almost like a glow to it, matching with her gown whose sapphire glow had returned. She now looked like she had life within her as I observed her features.


    I was finally able to fully take into account the strange symbol that stood over her forehead as it was also glowing just as bright as the symbol on my arm, accentuating a certain impression; two vertical lines that curved outwards and one horizontal line cutting across them in the middle.


    The glowing intensified up to a point that it had overwhelmed the room''s lighting from the lanterns. This went on for a while and both the old lady and me had to cover our eyes until the glowing had dissipated. Even the symbol on my arm had stopped glowing.


    The woman finally opened her eyes ¨C those big blue eyes that I had seen back at the cave not so long ago. She was looking directly at me before slowly propping herself into a sitting position.


    I swallowed, suddenly getting nervous.


    "You''re awake," I said to her, subtly withdrawing my hand after realizing that our fingers were still wrapped around each other.


    She smiled and I swear I had caught her eyes and clothes glowing as she did so but only for a slight second.


    "W-where am I?" she spoke.


    "The Seer''s Keep," the old lady spoke this time, then adding with a little bow, "at your service, Zodiac."


    "That name," I cut in, "you called her that earlier."


    "Well, it wasn''t specified who I was going to find exactly," said the old lady. She scratched her chin with the tip of her staff. "But if I were to make a wild guess I''d say she ought to be. . .what was it again. . .?"


    "I am. . ." the woman stood up, letting her gown sweep the ground with its sapphire glow. "I am Pisces."


    I watched her, still amazed as she stared into space, looking at nothing in particular.


    "Hold up," I raised a finger, "you mean you''re Pisces as in the Pisces like the Zodiac sign Pisces?"


    "That''s what I just said," her accent was American, unlike every other person''s I had met so far.


    "That''s what she just said," added the old lady.


    "I''m not sure I understand what you mean by sign however." the woman spoke again, turning to look at me with those eyes that made me so uneasy for no exact reason.


    "You know, the Zodiac," I said, "Sagittarius, Leo¡ª"


    "You know Sage?" she let out an almost unnoticeable gasp.


    "Umm. . .who is¡ª"


    She had walked over to me and grabbed at my arm, holding it up so she could have a better look at the symbol. "After all this time, I''ve finally found you and you bear the mark just like he said you would."


    I had to gently pull away after noticing she was getting way too interested in my arm almost a little more than the helworm had.


    "Sorry," she quickly added upon catching my reaction, "didn''t mean to spook you."


    "Alright," I raised both of my hands this time, "can somebody please explain to me what the hell is going on? I mean, I''m glad that you''re okay but now I''m standing inside a freaking tree with a literal Zodiac and a¡ªwhat''s your name again?"


    The old lady smiled at me. "Where are my manners? Most people know me as the Seer, the Witch, the Hag, or Ethel."


    "I think I''ll call you Ethel." I wanted to add that she kinda looked like Whoopi Goldberg but I had a feeling she wouldn''t know who that was.


    "It is just as it had said it would unfold," Ethel started, her tone shifting into a more solemn one.


    "What had said what?" I asked, getting all the more confused.


    "That I would find the one who would free Abinor of its demons and the one who would herald the path that would lead to that."


    "Huh. . .?" I shifted my gaze from Ethel to the Zodiac. The latter seemed to be taking in what the Seer was saying with more calmness than I was.


    "You still don''t see it, do you?" the Zodiac turned to me.


    "That''s because he knows not of what we speak," Ethel added, "not yet, at least."


    "What? Speak of what?"


    Ethel sighed, as if dreading to say something she had been keeping to herself for a while before finally uttering firmly, "The prophecy."

 Prophecy

    I could feel a strange connection to those words. The words that the Seer had recited ever so clearly.


    "What was that again?" I asked, my mind processing every single word, wondering where the connection could possibly be coming from.


    "I am afraid we are but out of time," Ethel had walked past me, her staff in hand. I watched her peer over the hollow opening in the room.


    "You have to get out of here, now," Ethel said, her back to us, "both of you."


    "What is it?" Pisces asked, startling me a little and out of my thoughts. The Seer''s words had had me in such a stupor I had nearly forgotten that I had just saved a woman who was actually not exactly a woman but a personified version of the Zodiac entity, Pisces, and that she was from another world¡ªat least that''s how I had understood it.


    ***


    "You still don''t see it, do you?" Pisces said, plunging my mind into confusion that would only be furthered by the Seer.


    Ethel paced the room, her dark cloak sweeping the earthen floor while caressing her staff. "At the dawn of every twentieth summer, the land of Abinor falls under attack from an enemy. An enemy that comes to claim the poor souls of the village folk for a period of twelve nights before returning to their world from whence they came."


    Now, I had no idea what the Seer had been saying but given the solemn look Pisces kept throwing at me, I knew I had to pay attention.


    "They come, they feed, they leave," Ethel went on, still pacing, "in the middle of every twentieth summer, over and over again. But lately, and by lately I mean the last twenty summers , something seems to have changed. Something that I was told would happen and had only found it to be nothing short of whimsical until, well. . ." she stopped pacing and turned to look directly at me, "until you came along."


    He had told me someone would come. Someone who would end this reign of terror and return Abinor to its days of glory. He had even showed me a glimpse of how it would all start. How liberty would be restored."


    "Wait," I had to cut in, shaking my head, "who is this he you keep referring to? Is it someone I should know. . .?"


    Ethel had a strange mysterious expression on her face as she shifted her gaze to Pisces. "Not yet, but the Zodiac certainly does."


    I turned to catch the worried look on the Zodiac''s face. She looked away, shifting her gaze over to one side of the room, looking at nothing in particular. Her skin was still radiating with that surreal blue glow.


    "He told me I would know where to look when the time was right," she said, her voice distant. "and I did what he told me. I looked until, well. . ." she turned to look at me.


    "Until what?" I narrowed my eyes at her.


    "Oh dear," sighed the Seer, "not particularly the sharpest tool in the shed, are you?"


    "Hey. . .!"


    "You are the one that he foretold would come. You are the one the Zodiac was sent to find," Ethel approached me, regarding me with her dark grey eyes, tracing them all the way down to my feet then resting them on my emblazoned right arm.


    "Honestly," Ethel grabbed at my arm, studying it like some kind of sophisticated piece of technology, "I had nearly given up on it ever happening."


    "On what ever happening?" I asked, trying to gently withdraw my arm but Ethel''s frail-looking fingers had a surprisingly firm grip.


    "The prophecy, of course," Ethel looked back up at me, "he had said to look out for the one who would bear his mark."


    I looked down at my arm. "You mean this? This arrow tattoo thingy?"


    "That is no tattoo," Pisces offered, having been eerily quiet for a while, "that is his insignia. An extension and revelation of his existence and power¡ªour existence. We all bear a unique insignia." She gently felt for her head, placing a finger over the symbol that rested there. The strange, yet familiar symbol that I had seen on her from when I had first met her¡ªtwo vertical lines curving outwards, with another line cutting across them horizontally in the middle.


    It was then by looking at the symbol this time that I began to understand what was happening, even if it was just a tiny fraction. She bore the symbol of Pisces. She was Pisces. Man, this was so trippy!


    "If you are Pisces," I returned my attention to my arm, "then that means this tat¡ªthis mark on me belongs to. . ."


    "Sage," Pisces finished, cutting me off before I could say Sagittarius.


    "What?"


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    "Sage¡ªhe is. . ." Pisces paused before quickly adding, "was the leader of the Zodiac and my. . ." she trailed off again, "and that mark on your arm was his insignia. He told me I would find you but I didn''t think it was possible for any of us to be able to transfer their own insignia over to another, let alone a human."


    Pisces regarded me with an expression that was somewhere between confused and a little intrigued, "You must have been really special to have become the bearer of such an insignia."


    "Umm. . ." I frowned, getting even more perplexed, "I''m only above average, though I hope my yearbook will say differently at Stonewall High."


    "What is this high wall of stone?" asked Pisces, her dazed expression breaking.


    "It''s¡ªnever mind," I shook my head, returning to the subject at hand, "so, ya''ll are saying what. . .? That I am some kind of ''chosen one'' who''s gonna save this place or something?"


    "See, now you''re getting it," Ethel chimed, "you seem to have a knowledge on the Zodiac too! I am starting to really see it all now, just as the prophecy foretold."


    "What prophecy?" I watched as the Seer quickly dug into her large cloak and began rummaging in there, apparently looking for something.


    "Ah, here it is," she fished out some kind of folded parchment that had been tied by a tiny piece of thread.


    She handed it over to me.


    "What is this?"


    "Open it."


    I did so, unfolding the parchment which was no bigger than the length of my palm and on it were certain inscriptions done in very crude cursive font. I was about to read aloud but the Seer beat me to it, reciting out word for word without even looking at the parchment:


    "In twenty summers shall Abinor rise,


    by the descent of a hunter''s enemy from high.


    Forged from the spirit equine,


    enlightened by the ways of water and life.


    To undo blood with blood alike,


    and to eternal peace shall Abinor thrive."


    I went through it again, silently, then looked from Pisces to Ethel, awaiting an explanation. "This doesn''t¡ªwhat is this supposed to mean?"


    "Urgh!" spat the Seer, frustrated, "and here I thought we were making progress but alas, my boy. . ." she paused, "one doesn''t see it all at once altogether. That is why I believe you have her."


    I turned to Pisces for an answer but her face was calm and not at all in any rush to give me some pointers. This got me feeling like I was back in middle school when I used to flunk at math so badly and the teacher never made it easy for me by making me solve problems on the board in front of the whole class.


    There was one other thing bugging me, something that nobody else seemed to want to address. "You say your people have been under attack by her people for all these years, right?"


    Ethel nodded. Pisces lowered her head, averting her blue eyes.


    I turned to Pisces, "Why then help the humans? Why help me?"


    It looked like she was about to say something, her eyes still not meeting mine. I would have waited for her answer but a lot was going through my mind at the moment.


    I turned to the parchment and skimmed through the words again, and there it was, that strange feeling. Why did I feel somewhat connected to those words and what they were saying?


    ***


    "What was that again?" I asked, my mind processing every single word, wondering where the connection could possibly be coming from but that would have to wait for there was another problem.


    Ethel was warning us of something as she returned from looking through the opening. I could even catch Jon whinnying outside. He sounded nervous.


    She responded to Pisces''s question, telling us we had to leave immediately.


    "They''ve found us," Ethel said, shuffling around the room, picking up strange objects and thrusting them down her cloak where they disappeared magically. "They''re here sooner than I expected."


    "Who''s here?" I asked while Pisces headed over to look through the opening in the wall.


    "The Order," was Ethel''s response.


    I remembered Freya telling me about the Order. They were the Chieftain''s army¡ªAbinor''s National Guard if you may.


    I watched Ethel crack open a hatch that, just like everything else at her place, seemed to magically pop up out of nowhere.


    "This is a back exit. Get through it, now."


    Pisces rushed over and both of us squeezed our way out.


    "Follow the path ahead, there''s a grove that will lead you into the forest," Ethel said, standing by the hatch.


    "You''re not coming?" I asked.


    "Well, someone has to draw them away, plus, now that you have her, I think my work here is more than¡ª"


    There was a banging sound coming from the other end of the room, followed by the sound of horse hooves and people shouting angrily.


    "You need to¡ªoh, before I forget," Ethel directed her staff at me and a sudden beam of light had shot off from it and into my hands where I was then holding a steely piece of broken metal.


    "Despyon''s shield," I remarked. I must have forgotten it at the shore while trying to revive Pisces. "How did you¡ª"


    "Sometimes you''ll find it is the little things that matter the most. Now, go!" Ethel ordered. I could hear someone from the other end demanding that she come out but that was it after Ethel slammed the hatch shut.


    It was then just Pisces and me. Her form cast a neon blue glow, spreading light to reveal a darkened canopy that was lined with undergrowth, bushes and climbing plants.


    "Let''s go," I said, leading the way, having no idea where we would end up.


    We had started rushing off when there was another sudden loud sound, sharper this time. It sounded like Ethel.


    Pisces stopped moving, standing rooted to the ground.


    "Umm. . .it''s this way," I offered, turning around.


    Pisces looked back to the large oak tree that was Ethel''s house. "We have to help her."


    "But she told us to go," I responded.


    There was yet another wail and some kind of blast. Several horses could be heard neighing.


    Pisces looked at me and there they were again, those eyes that looked like two orbs of burning sapphire.


    "Okay, alright!" I gave in. "what do we¡ª"


    She was already running off around the tree to the other side. "Wait!" How was this even happening?


    By the time I had made it around the oak tree, I was met by a not-so-pleasant sight, just to put it lightly. I had caught up to Pisces and we were both standing a few feet away from a group of soldiers, about two dozen of them, with their horses surrounding the whole area.


    My eyes found Ethel whose staff had been taken from her. She was being held back by two men who had both their swords at her throat. She was still alive.


    "You again?" called a deep voice, one that I recognized all too well as I watched a man step forth from the rest of the soldiers, his signature ax blades crisscrossed over his back. The soldier that had stopped me the first day of the Harvest. The General, so they had called him.

 Fugitive

    His face was hard and set, not as casual as it had been during our first meeting. He was much taller now that I was not on horseback as he carefully took a couple of steps towards me, weary of my travelling companion. He regarded both Pisces and me, his silver-tinted armor glinting under the dim-lit canopy. "I thought I told you to stay out of trouble."


    "Let her go!" Pisces snapped, though not showing any possible signs of hostility, except for her clothes and eyes glowing with a little more intensity.


    "They can talk?" gasped one of the soldiers who was standing closest to the General. I also recognized him from the first day of the Harvest, this time without his helm on. He was almost as tall as the General but with thick dark hair that was pulled back into equally thick cornrows.


    "Never seen one so up close!" he added, squinting his dark sunken eyes. He had a huge scar across his nose bridge that seemed to run across the left side of his face before disappearing into his bushy beard. "Let''s take it down, already!"


    "Calm down, Neldor," the General held him back with a hand after the latter brandished a sword.


    Neldor continued to wave his sword and I could tell from the look on his face, he was silently battling with his superior, eagerly awaiting the command to take action.


    "That is enough!" came yet another new voice, one that I hadn''t heard at all before.


    Soldiers stepped aside, saluting in respect by hoisting poles fitted with red flags and on them I could make out a certain symbol: two swords crossing each other over what appeared to be the shape of an animal''s head¡ªa wolf''s head.


    Riding atop a chestnut stallion that was decorated with all kinds of fancy jewelry was a man. He had on a golden crown over his thick flowing mane of hair that had streaks of white, eyes hard as steel and full of power and authority like the long purple robe he wore. He called his horse to come to a halt.


    His attention was directed towards Pisces. He did not seem at all unfazed to see me standing there that close to the beings that they all appeared to fear so much.


    "Is that him?" the crowned man spoke, shifting his eyes towards me and a response followed immediately after. "Yes," another new voice, but one I thought I recognized as another horse appeared right next to the crowned man with a female rider and as if my day could not have gotten any worse, it was the same woman I had ran into at the market and had started blabbing about some kind of weird crush she had been having on me but I''d turned her down and she had ended up setting loose some soldiers after me. Such a small world. . .


    "Yes," she repeated, glaring down at me, "That''s him, father."


    Wait, what. . .?


    The crowned man dismounted his horse and turned to look at Ethel who was still being held back. He walked over to her, his expression still hard and unrelenting.


    "What have you done this time, witch?" the man spoke, his voice just as commanding as the General''s.


    "Oh, you know me," Ethel shrugged, talking ever so casually, even adding a toothy grin, "always cleaning up your mess, O Mighty Chieftain."


    The two soldiers holding back Ethel tightened their blades around her neck, threatening to slit her throat.


    The crowned man finally let up, letting a chuckle escape him as he wheeled around, returning his attention to Pisces and me. "You''re not entirely wrong there. You did manage to capture one of them."


    "Leave her alone!" Pisces snapped again, with more heat this time.


    Neldor almost lost it and drew out his sword again, after which I didn''t even realize when I had stepped in front of Pisces and held out Despyon''s shield.


    Neldor did not wait to be dismissed by the Chieftain, not after what he saw next, and so did the General, Ethel, the other soldiers and the Chieftain himself.


    "The rumors are true," said the Chieftain, looking at me with interest, "they have corrupted you."


    I caught the reflection of my glowing arm from the shield but I remained unfazed, with Pisces still behind me.


    "Back off!" I muttered under my breath, getting that incredible feeling just like back when I had been surrounded by the villagers.


    "First you break my daughter''s heart and now you side with this. . ." the Chieftain cast a disgusted look at Pisces. "You shall pay for that, boy."


    I could feel Pisces try to move past me but I held her back, brandishing the shield and drawing the Chieftain''s attention back to me. His daughter chuckled silently while still on her horse.


    "Take them!" the Chieftain ordered, turning back to the soldiers.


    There was a brief moment of silence as if everyone was pondering on what to do, everyone except Ethel. From the corner of my eye, I had spotted her do something with her hands which had been pinned to her sides by the two men who held her.


    "Did you not hear what I just said?" the Chieftain boomed.


    I looked at the rest of the soldiers. They were hesitant. They were afraid¡ªafraid of Pisces¡ªnot knowing what she could do. I didn''t know what she could do but I knew both of us had to be ready for what was coming.


    Turning to Pisces, our eyes met and I knew we were both thinking the same thing. If we were going down, then we would do so with a fight.


    "You heard the Chieftain," the General spoke, fishing out his two axes from his back. They both had double blades that were curved and looked so sharp, you''d think that they had been designed to cut you just from looking at them.


    "Let''s get them!" Neldor joined him, menacingly swinging his sword. He had an unsettling look on his face. A look of hunger¡ªthe killing kind. He moved ahead of the General, coming at me first.


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    He swung his blade, growling with delight as he did so. I brought Despyon''s shield forward, ready to receive the impact.


    With my eyes closed, I waited for the sound of metal clanging against metal but it never came. Instead, there was a gasp, followed by several other cries of shock. I opened my eyes.


    Calling it the most spectacular sight would have been an understatement. I watched in utter amazement as the sword that had been meant for me slowly turn into water, dripping to the ground where Neldor stood, totally bewildered until his hands held nothing but drops of water.


    There was some kind of shimmering coming from my side and I turned to find Pisces with her arms extended forward. Her hands were aglow with what appeared to be energy, spiraling and circling her wrists down to her fingers in bright neon blue radiance.


    "Like he said," she spoke firmly, "back off!"


    The Chieftain was in as much shock as the rest of his subjects but that did not at all deter him from ordering them to apprehend us with whatever means necessary.


    "Take action, General," he barked, "now!"


    The General regarded Pisces and me, taking his time to assess the situation and I could have sworn I had caught him lower his ax blades just an inch lower.


    "General!" the Chieftain was growing impatient. His daughter remained silent but I could still catch that undying resentment on her face towards me.


    By the time the General was making his move, Neldor had already made his. He yanked at one of the General''s axes and rushed towards us.


    I steadied the shield, not sure what good it would do me this time but Pisces on the other hand, looked more than ready to take on the raging soldier. She even stepped in front of me this time and I watched as radiant blue energy rose up her arms and into her hands.


    She had been about to do the unthinkable to Neldor before something interrupted the entire assault.


    "FATHER!" the Chieftain''s daughter screamed out sharply, getting everyone''s attention.


    I turned to look at him and the sight had me wondering whether to laugh or be even more terrified than I was at the moment. He appeared to be struggling to breath, with his hands frantically pulling at his purple robe whose long loose ends had somehow found themselves wrapped around his neck. He was being strangled! But how?


    The answer to that presented itself after it turned out to be that Ethel was the one pulling the strings. She had managed to get one arm free with which she had summoned her staff.


    "Let them go!" she commanded, pointing the staff at the struggling Chieftain.


    Neldor snarled and had almost charged at the Seer before the General stopped him, pulling him back by the shoulder.


    The Chieftain started letting out choking noises. I could spot his eyeballs rolling upwards into his head. His daughter was so petrified that it was hard to believe she was the same person who had ordered a whole troop of soldiers after me.


    Ethel unflinchingly held her staff in place, unleashing all kinds of hell onto the chieftain. "Call off your men! Call them off!"


    The Chieftain squealed. His movements were growing weaker with every second. He tried to open his mouth but the words wouldn''t come out.


    "I said, call them¡ª" Ethel shook his head, "oh, sorry about that. Now, call them off!"


    She withdrew her staff by an inch and the robe''s ends seemed to loosen around the Chieftain''s neck, just enough for him to speak. "Stand. . .stand down. Let them go!"


    All the soldiers drew back, including the General and Neldor.


    Pisces and me turned to Ethel, waiting for her to join us but she surprised us by tossing her staff towards us.


    The magic or whatever effect it had had on the Chieftain seemed to have waned out at once the moment the Seer had relinquished it from her possession. The Chieftain went down on his knees, gasping and coughing while feeling his throat.


    His daughter jumped from her horse and rushed to his side but he angrily dismissed her with one hand. "Leave me alone!"


    Still on the ground, the Chieftain looked up at Pisces and me, his reddened face a mask of absolute loathing. He looked like he was about to explode any second, unleashing all the fury that was boiling inside of him.


    "Get them," he muttered, "get them now!"


    Ethel tried to break free from her captors but ended up getting jabbed hard in her torso by the hilt of a sword.


    "Hands on the staff!" she managed to yell.


    I turned to the staff and instantly knew what to do. I held on to it like I had done before. Neldor was charging at us, followed by the rest of the soldiers, all except for the General, who, for some reason remained rooted to the ground. He had a mysterious expression on his face.


    They were almost upon us. I grabbed Pisces by the arm, pulling her out of her fighting stance and just like that, the link had been established. It was now all up to the staff to take care of the rest.


    Just like before, I felt my insides get pulled and twisted. The soldiers started getting stretched out just as everything else around me and then. . .


    I heard a tiny booming sound before hitting something hard. Something else had then hit me from the back. I discovered I had fallen to the ground and Pisces had fallen on top of me, knocking the wind out of me.


    "Ouch. . ."


    "Sorry," she muttered, getting up. "What happened? Where are the soldiers?"


    She held out her hand, helping me get up as I noticed the blue energy on her start to wane, similar to my insignia.


    "I have no idea. I don''t even know where we are." I swept my eyes. There were tress everywhere. Trees that stretched high up into the sky that was growing darker by the minute.


    Ethel was nowhere in sight. I still had her staff, right before it vanished in my hands, turning into a puff of dark smoke that dissipated into the air. Great, now we''re totally alone.


    "We shouldn''t have left her," Pisces spoke and I could detect a riff of anger in her tone.


    "Yeah, well, we can''t go back either."


    "No," Pisces looked into the vastness of the trees, "it''s my time now."


    "Time for what?"


    She turned to look at me. Her eyes had started glowing in contrast to the darkening environment. "To do what Sage had sent me here to do."


    "And what''s that?"


    "To¡ªaaah!" Pisces let out a soft cry, feeling her forehead where her insignia had started to glow. She stumbled backwards.


    "Hey, you okay?" I carefully approached her but nearly fell down myself after her whole body lit up like Christmas, washing the trees and undergrowth in bright blue light.


    She remained transfixed to the ground, her eyes glowing so brightly they were almost white. She looked to be in some kind of trance, totally immobile.


    I dared to touch her and I instantly regretted it for the moment I did, I felt something shoot up my arm like a bolt of lightning, short-circuiting all of my senses. I was then no longer myself, or at least it didn''t feel like it.


    Images started to flash in front of me like a montage video being fast-forwarded in my mind. It all happened so fast that I did not catch anything, almost. The images then disappeared and I was snapped out of that crazy mind warping trance.


    I found myself on the ground. Pisces was still standing but no longer shining like a human. . .Zodiac. . .torch, whatever¡ªyou know what I mean.


    "We have to move," she said shortly, not bothering to check if I was okay or anything; not that it mattered.


    "And go-" I asked, dusting myself off in frustration as I got back up for the umpteenth time, "where?"


    "They know you''re here."


    "What? Who?"


    Pisces started walking as if I wasn''t literally standing just a foot away from her.


    A wolf howled from somewhere. I looked over my shoulder, trying to figure out the way we''d come from but that was impossible. We had freaking teleported ourselves out of Abinor. I could not go back. There was nothing for me there. I was now a fugitive.


    The path ahead surely can''t be that bad. The soldiers and the mean chief were long gone. The worst had come to pass, right? Right. . .?


    Pisces was already disappearing into the woods, save for her glow that had then reduced to a dimming light. I hurried after her, stumbling over what I had thought was a rock but turned out to be Despyon''s shield.


    Picking it up, I stared at the reflection on the broken steely surface and I saw Despyon''s face. The face that I myself had been wearing for the past. . .how many days had I even been there so far? I tried to extract an expression from his face. Nothing. It was a dirtied look with eyes that had seen more than they could handle. The Despyon that had been talking to me seemed to have long vanished since I''d left the shore.


    I was now stuck with Pisces. A literal Zodiac in the flesh¡ªmy only hope of ever finding my way back home and out of this terrifying place. Seriously, what more could the universe throw at me. . .?

 The Enemy at Dawn

    We had been walking for a while now and I could tell by looking around, how dark it had become.


    "Hey, maybe we should take a break or something," I suggested to Pisces. She did not respond and kept on walking ahead of me, her gown providing the only source of light as we got deeper into the woods.


    I had no idea where we were going. Pisces didn''t respond when I asked her that either. She was just silent all the way, ever since her freak glow-up episode. What had she seen? What had I seen?


    Realizing that the distance between us was starting to widen, I hurried over, trying to keep up. How was she so fast? Her gown did not at all seem to get caught in the undergrowth that was a personal hell for me, not to mention Despyon''s shield which was wearing down both of my arms.


    I was then trailing behind Pisces, trying not so well to restrain the miserable feeling that was gradually creeping up on me. I tried to distract myself by looking at the Zodiac''s hair which I hadn''t noticed how long and curly it actually was. It settled just over her waist, glowing with that ethereal brilliance, though not as bright as her gown. It was mostly the thin streaks of violet and white, illuminating the rest of her blue hair.


    It had been a nice distraction, calming even, until my arm started acting up. I directed my eyes down to the insignia. The arrow symbol was lighting up again but it was a little different this time. Instead of gradually glowing in neon green, the light materialized spontaneously then going off and coming back on again.


    It was so weird, it looked like the insignia was glitching or something, and almost at the same time, I started getting this strange creeping feeling. I started feeling myself.


    "What is it?" Pisces asked, finally speaking. I looked up to find her standing several yards ahead. She looked tired but incredibly serious at the same time. Do Zodiac get tired? Well, she had almost died from an injury, so. . .


    "The mark," I said, looking back down at my arm, "just now. I swear it was. . ." I couldn''t quite explain it. The glitching had stopped.


    Clearly annoyed, Pisces turned around and was about to keep on moving but I knew I wouldn''t get another chance to talk to her like this.


    "Hey, come on," I pleaded, hurrying up after her. "Wait!"


    "We need to rest," I grabbed her by the arm without thinking.


    She turned around, staring daggers at me with her glowing blue eyes. I quickly let go of her arm. Never before had I ever felt so stupid and afraid. I was sure she was going to conjure up some blue energy ball or something and blast me to pieces.


    The glow in her eyes lowered, and the tiny crease between her brows was gone. She sighed. "Fine, we can stop here."


    I also sighed, more than relieved that all of my body organs were still intact and no energy blasts were coming at me.


    Setting aside Despyon''s shield, I sat down and rested my back against a tree. Pisces remained standing, looking into the darkness.


    "Are you okay?" I asked, feeling the tension in the air.


    "You wanted to rest, didn''t you?" Pisces asked, not looking at me.


    "Well, yeah," I answered, "you could also¡ª"


    "Then rest," she cut in with a sharp response. Geez, what had gotten into her? She was not the same mysterious yet fascinating Zod. . .okay, I decided I was gonna stop calling her ''Zodiac''. It felt¡ªI don''t know how it felt but she looked very much human to me, minus the, you know¡ªall the glowing. As a matter of fact, now that I was thinking it. She had this strange sense of familiarity to her; like I''d known her before. But then I had just met someone who had a magic stick that allowed you to teleport.


    Was Ethel okay? What was the Chieftain and his soldiers going to do to her? All these questions drifted off as everything around me darkened even more.


    ***


    My eyes opened up to a bright morning and I had to wince until my sight had adjusted. I must have fallen asleep over Despyon''s shield whose curved surface had served as a surprisingly comfortable pillow. I sat up against the tree from the previous night, taking in the surroundings. The trees were clearer this time, towering high up in the air as golden streaks of sunlight penetrated through the leaves and branches which cast shadows over the undergrowth.


    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    I breathed in, letting the air fill my lungs. It felt so fresh and unreal, accompanied with the smell of what I guess was bark, grass and. . .I held my breath, abruptly turning my head either way.


    "Pisces," I called, getting up on my feet. She was nowhere in sight.


    I called out her name again, frantically searching the woods with my eyes. I was getting worried, with just a little bit of fear. Where was she?


    A terrible thought then crossed my mind. She had left me. Of course she had, especially after how she had been acting last night. How could I''ve been so stupid! Rest, she had said. What a¡ª


    "You''re awake!" I nearly jumped out of my skin, turning around to find Pisces standing there.


    "You called?" she added, her face beaming.


    "I. . ." I was flustered by her expression. She was no longer brooding or grumpy as she looked back at me with her big blue¡ªwait, her eyes seemed to have apparently switched from glowing in their characteristic blue color to purple.


    "Where were you?" I asked, trying my best to look away at those eyes.


    "I thought I would go on ahead and scout for enemies and clear our path." She said, smiling wider with every word.


    "Oh, okay," my eyes found themselves looking at Pisces''s forehead where her insignia usually stood sticking out like tiny sharpened pieces of sapphire. It wasn''t there.


    She must have noticed me staring. "Decided to conceal it. Don''t want to attract unwanted attention."


    "Smart," I said in response, though, honestly, I thought her insignia looked really great on her.


    "We should get going," Pisces said shortly, leading the way.


    I picked up Despyon''s shield and walked after her. She was no longer walking as fast.


    "You still haven''t told me where we''re going," I said, using this as a conversation starter, given as to how overly chipper she had turned out to be.


    "Oh, how silly of me," she laughed uncharacteristically, "we have to get out of the forest."


    "And go where?"


    "Well, you know. . .?" she paused, as if I would magically catch on.


    That strange feeling then returned. That ominous sense of dread that seemed to send a shiver right down my spine and, as if on cue, my insignia¡ªwhich I guess it was, now that I''d learned that I had inherited it from the Zodiac, Sage¡ªhad started glitching again, but ever so slightly in a blink and you''d miss it kind of way.


    "What''s wrong with this thing?" I twisted my arm either way, trying to figure out what could have been the problem. "It did this before. Yesterday."


    "It''s just like you said. It''s merely glitching," Pisces added, apparently not at all interested. "We should keep moving."


    "Wait," I looked at her, " I never told you that," I frowned, trying to remember, "did I?"


    "We''re wasting time," Pisces grabbed at my other arm, "let''s go!"


    She was almost pulling me after her when the insignia lit up again. Going on and off twice this time. Pisces quickly let go of me.


    I regarded the insignia and an idea came to mind.


    "What? What are you doing?" Pisces asked as I slowly brought my tattooed arm closer to her. It started glitching again with even quicker succession.


    "Would you cut that out?" Pisces snapped, throwing back my arm.


    "Why does it keep doing that?" I stared at the insignia and it appeared to be quickly gaining a steady glow, with the whole arrow symbol lighting up.


    "Enough already, let''s¡ª" Pisces was cut short by what had sounded like someone yelling?


    "What was that?" I spun around, high on alert.


    "What was what?" Pisces asked with mild interest, hardly even bothering to look towards the direction from which that sound had emanated.


    There it was again, clearer this time and. . .


    "Desmond!" it was her voice. Pisces''s voice.


    I turned around. "Tell me you heard that!"


    "Desmond!" it came again and this time, so did the source.


    She had jumped out of a series of bushes, her long gown sweeping aside fallen leaves as her hair swayed in the air, accentuating her insignia that burned brightly on her forehead.


    "Pisces?" my jaw dropped. My eyesight had to have been playing a trick on me. "How¡ª"


    "Desmond, get away from her!" the new Pisces said to me as I watched her get into an attacking pose.


    "Ugh, enough of this!" I heard those words come out in a very different voice, accompanied with absolute disgust as I slowly turned around just in time to catch the other Pisces start doing the unthinkable.


    Watching in profound terror, her body appeared to be literally morphing and transforming. Her face, formerly with a light pale blue tone, started to dissolve into a new one, slowly turning into a much darker purple hue and so did her hair which shortened until there was nothing left.


    The transformation continued down her neck, blue being replaced with purple and black, all the way down to her feet. This Pisces had then vanished and in her place stood a tall woman with dark purple skin, so dark that I couldn''t tell where the fabric endings of her garments began. There was a strange symbol on her forehead that was almost identical to that of Pisces''s insignia, having two vertical lines, except they were straight and were topped off with a curved horizontal line at their ends.


    The symbol matched another one that stood out over her bust. It was much bigger, covering nearly her entire chest area. They both lit up in a bright purple glow, matching her eyes which burned with a certain ferocity in them.


    "Desmond," I turned to the other Pisces who I then had to believe that she was indeed the real one, "get back, now."


    I instantly obeyed, all while my own insignia lit up like crazy. I rushed over to Pisces''s side, still befuddled by whatever was happening. "Who the hell is that?"


    I noticed Pisces''s jaws tighten and the glow in her eyes intensified. "Pollux," she said, even though I did not quite catch it the first time but I did not dare ask again.


    "I should have known using your own power against you wasn''t going to work," the other woman spat and I shivered as I watched her clawed fingers light up in purple.


    "I told you, Pollux," Pisces levelled, "he''s in my protection. You''ll have to go through me to get to him."


    Finally getting her name, Pollux, the evil purple Zodiac lady, contorted her dark face into a sly grin as she regarded me before fixating back on Pisces. "Fine, you should''ve stayed down. I won''t be so courteous this time, Pisces."


    The two Zodiac then charged at each other, unleashing their fury.

 Pollux

    Being teleported from one place to another was pretty cool but nothing would prepare me for the spectacle that was already unfolding in front of me. No words could ever really describe Pisces as she went up against another Zodiac. Calling it epic would be a mere understatement.


    I had tried to run alongside and try to offer any kind of assistance she might have needed but following a swift movement of one of her arms, a gust of wind had pushed me back, sending me to the ground.


    Supporting myself with Despyon''s shield, I watched the mayhem commence.


    The two Zodiac come at each other, thrusting their arms out which meet in mid execution, resulting in both of them interlocking their fingers against each other. Pisces is pushing back against her opponent and so is Pollux. The two appear to exhibit incredible durability and strength, evidenced by how their feet dig back into the dirt, creating tiny trenches. It is as if they are gauging each other.


    It then looks as if Pisces is finally overpowering the purple-tinged Zodiac whose arms start to loosen and gradually withdraw. But it has all been the start of a different tactic for Pollux. She lets Pisces force her arms down which allows Pollux to counter by delivering a series of multiple kicks, starting with knocking loose her grip with her knee then performing a flip, striking against Pisces''s core.


    The brawl is happening so fast, I can barely keep up with every execution. So fast, that Pollux has barely finished her flip before Pisces grabs her by one of her legs while she is still airborne and thrusts her back down. Pollux never hits the ground, instead, she does something only someone like Pisces could have seen coming.


    While she is just about to touch the ground and fall on her back, Pollux''s body appears to split and transform, like it had done the first time she had impersonated Pisces, only this time, it is as if she splits her body, replicating herself so that another version of herself pops out. This new alternate version then finishes Pollux''s fall by performing that jerking motion of hoisting yourself back into a standing position, using the palms of her hands to create that springing action against the ground. She then reforms with Pollux, vanishing inside her and the resultant effect prevents Pollux from falling who then delivers a powerful right hook that connects with Pisces''s jaw, creating a purple after effect as energy is seen washing across her face.


    Pollux then sneers, glaring at the now staggering Pisces who has momentarily lost her balance. "I remember shifting into Sage''s form," she taunts as she approaches Pisces, levelling her clawed arms in an attacking position.


    "Don''t you dare mention his name!" Pisces snaps back heatedly.


    "Whatever did he see in you?" Pollux continues to mock as I try to understand what it is they are talking about.


    Pollux then advances, engaging Pisces in power jabs that she quickly blocks by using her hands to conjure some kind of nearly invisible shield that can only be seen as a vague wispy blanket of air. Pisces enforces her defenses, bringing her forearms up her face which she tucks against her torso.


    This seems to work for a while but only until Pollux finds an opening and strikes with a vertical side kick that delivers a short burst of energy against Pisces''s exposed thigh. This sends her down on one knee. Pollux progresses her attack, this time raising her foot high up then bringing it down on Pisces as a trail of purple energy accompanies it.


    Pisces is ready this time. She catches¡ªno, it appears as if she has somehow managed to suspend Pollux''s leg in midstrike without even touching it. I then see it. She is using her hands which are emitting bright glowing spheres of blue energy. She telekinetically redirects her attacker''s foot so that Pollux is then spinning on the spot before Pisces slams her body against the ground, again, without any physical contact.


    I get up, momentarily squinting from the reflected light cast on my face by Despyon''s shield. The sun is well up in the sky, shining with brilliance just as much as Sage''s insignia on my arm.


    While Pollux is still on the ground, I catch Pisces say something. Never before have I ever seen her so angry for the little time that we have been together so far. She stares down Pollux, "You''ll pay for what''s coming!" she approaches Pollux. "All of you!"


    Pollux reacts, snorting wickedly before directing her purple glowing eyes towards me. "What?" she says, "you think he can help you? Just because he was endowed with power that does not belong to him?"


    She turns back to Pisces. "Sage was a fool to believe that a stupid human could stand in the way of the cause. There''s no stopping what is to come."


    Without warning, Pollux charges, though she barely moves off the ground. She simply thrusts her arm forwards and projects multiple versions of it towards Pisces as I witness the mind boggling scene of her arm coming at Pisces in a ghost-like fashion.


    Pisces deflects, wafting the fisted arm away which vanishes in the air. This allows Pollux to launch her next attack, using her agility to get to Pisces before she can react and delivers a low blow to her core then finishes with a sickening uppercut that sends her flying backwards.


    My heart is already palpitating. I get the sudden urge to move in. Pisces is in dire need of an assist, so, with Despyon''s shield, I charge. Terrible move. I end up on the receiving end of Pollux''s foot who strikes me with a kind of back kick as her heel connects with my jaw. The impact is much worse than what Pisces had just endured as I am flung sideways, my whole body spinning wildly before hitting hard against a tree.


    I howl in pain, slowly bringing myself into a sitting position, certain that I have multiple broken bones. Despyon''s shield lies scattered several feet away. I look past that just in time to catch Pollux advancing towards Pisces who is still on the ground.


    "Sage was such a waste of us!" I hear Pollux say right before she crouches next to Pisces, "all that intelligence and wisdom and it wasn''t enough to save him." She wraps her arms around Pisces''s neck. I then feel my body shiver as the insignia on my arm intensifies its glow.


    "And do you know whose fault is that. . .?" Pollux continues to taunt, slowly pulling Pisces back on her feet.


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Maybe I was just beginning to feel the effects of a concussion but I could have sworn I had noticed the fierce glow in Pisces''s eyes flicker and wane if only for a second.


    "At least I didn''t go crying to the gods after betraying one of my own!" Pisces snaps, levelling up the heat which appears to have had quite substantial weight on Pollux who reacts by tightening her grip, threatening to snap Pisces''s neck.


    "How dare you?" Pollux scowls, digging her claws into Pisces''s shoulders. Pisces hisses but does not give in, taking in the pain while trying to find a breakaway.


    At that point, I was totally lost as I struggled to grasp at the gist of the cosmic dialogue between the two, all while fighting through the pain coming from my. . .well, from all over, then there was the insignia. It kept on glowing with unending intensity and oddly enough, it was as if it was willing me to do something¡ªjust like with the pitchfork or when the Chieftain had accosted us. The overwhelming feeling seemed to be taking over my pain, pushing me to get up¡ªto keep fighting.


    Call me whatever you want but there was no way I was going to let the one person that seemed to understand what I was going through just die like that. So, with much difficulty, I got back up.


    I make my way towards Despyon''s shield and stoop to grab it but I find that I can''t. Some kind of invisible force holds me back, willing me into submission. I look up and find Pollux extending a hand towards me, a hand that is no longer clawed but covered in that ethereal sapphire material. She has transformed her arm into that of Pisces and is somehow using her telekinetic ability on me.


    "Honestly, Pisces," Pollux chuckles, "this is what your mystical imaginative aptitude gets you? An insolent weak adolescent mortal?"


    I start to get the feeling of weightlessness as Pollux suspends me in the air. "I wonder what we should do with him? Perhaps cut his body in half ? Or maybe turn him inside out. . .?"


    I swallow hard at this. She has to be joking, meanwhile, the insignia is now blazing. I know I have to do something. But wh¡ª


    "On her!" a voice finds its way into my head.


    "What, who said that?" I ask, not realizing that I''m speaking to myself not physically but mentally.


    "Sage''s insignia. Use it on her!" I shift my eyes and they meet those of Pisces. She''s talking to me telepathically!


    "The insignia has charged up too much energy. You need to let it out!"


    "How?"


    "Just do it!"


    "Stop that!" Pollux hisses, apparently realizing what is happening. She digs her claws deeper into Pisces''s shoulder with her other arm that is still wrapped around her neck and she tries to fight off a wail that escapes her mouth. This tips me over the edge. I let the overwhelming feeling of the insignia take over me and I no longer feel the pain as I begin to wear down Pollux''s telekinetic hold on me. I can now move my arms. I direct my right arm towards Pollux while still suspended in the air and with a raging cry that comes out of nowhere, I will all of my strength to my arm, directing all of the energy towards it until the insignia lets up.


    I watch as both Pollux and Pisces are hit by a huge wave of energy that flows out of my arm, glowing in blazing green glory. This manages to severe the telekinetic effect and I fall towards the ground, preparing to land in the most unpleasant of ways. But I end up finding myself standing straight up on my feet, though my legs feel weakened, so I go down on one knee.


    I then look up and discover Pisces has successfully broken free from Pollux''s hold, before using her abilities to ensure my safe landing. I am more than relieved the blast did not hurt her and there is a brief moment where we stare at each other and I can almost tell from her face she felt the same way.


    Pisces then directs her attention to Pollux. The Zodiac is stumbling and staggering as she gets back on her feet and I am seriously shocked by the amount of damage I have managed to inflict with just that one surge of energy.


    She still looks terrifyingly dangerous, even going ahead to shift into Pisces, imitating her full form again. "Look at yourself," she taunts, literally letting Pisces regard her own form, "you''re pathetic!"


    Pollux tries to will Pisces''s own power against her but Pisces cuts her off by whacking her across the face so hard that Pollux morphs back into her original form. Pisces then advances, using her power to hoist Pollux in the air.


    "You can''t run forever!" Pollux yells, frantically struggling while airborne.


    "Who says I''m running?" Pisces coolly responds.


    "Oh, he''s coming for you now."


    Those were the last words that I heard Pollux utter before she was whisked away, screaming as she did so. I watched her body flail in the air, smashing through tree trunks until she had vanished out of sight.


    That had been by far the single most exciting yet terrifying thing I had seen at that point. This was a new side to Pisces that I was just getting to know and I wasn''t sure how I felt about it. I simply wondered what other spectacles and truths would present themselves along the way but for starters, I had to ask her how the hell she had been able to do all of that, right before all of my pain returned.


    I winced, setting myself into a sitting position and feeling my sides. I had a huge gash on my left cheek, courtesy of the purple Zodiac lady''s foot and a number of other bruises that I was still trying to understand how I had gotten them.


    "Where does it hurt?" Pisces asked, ignoring my initial question as she crouched next to me.


    "I''m not sure," I said, "like everywhere!"


    "Alright, calm down," she said gently, her voice surprisingly switching from that once commanding and authoritative one when she had been taking on Pollux.


    "Give me your hands," she requested.


    "What? My¡ª"


    She sighed, firmly but gently grabbing my hands which she enveloped with her own, wrapping her fingers around mine. I noticed how soft her hands felt. They were actually way smaller up close and they had this strange ethereal feeling, like they were switching from warm to cold at the same time. It was hard to explain.


    "What-what are you¡ª" I started freaking out a little.


    "Just breathe. . ." Pisces whispered, shutting her eyes.


    Seeing as there was nothing I could really do, I obeyed. Did she want me to close my eyes too? I didn''t ask and resorted to observing her features. Even after all she had gone through, she still managed to look, well, amazing. There was a sharp cut across her chin, running all the way to her lower lip as a thin blue line. Her right shoulder had identical lines, four of them, but they were deeper and yes, before I forgot, she had blue blood.


    Watching her all that time, I hadn''t realized what she had actually been doing. I was no longer feeling achy or worn down anymore.


    Pisces then let go of my hands but I''d caught a new expression on her face, just before that strange connection between us had ended. She looked like she was feeling discomfort, some kind of pain. Well, she also had her own wounds and scars but not once had I seen her display any kind of distress, except for when she had been brawling with her purple cousin. But her face had masked it away the moment she had caught me staring.


    I felt my face and my sides, and, just like Pisces''s own body. All the scars appeared to have mysteriously vanished, not a single mark to justify there having had been some kind of battle.


    Pisces got up, after which I did the same. There was a brief awkward moment where I was pondering on how I would extend my gratitude.


    "You''re welcome," Pisces helped me on that front, leaving me to eerily wonder whether she had found her way into my mind again.


    Using her telekinesis, she handed me Despyon''s shield then paused a little to linger on the insignia on my arm, an interesting look on her face. "It''s time I told you about him."


    "Who?"


    "The one who gave you that," she wheeled around, her hair swaying after her. "But first, we need to get off the grid. The others will be coming after us."


    I wanted to ask something but Pisces had already started moving. I adjusted Despyon''s shield on my arm, rushing over to catch up with her. Man, I had to find a better way for carrying that thing. Something then moved on the silvery reflective surface, like my face¡ªor rather, Despyon''s face¡ªhad become distorted. Had Despyon finally returned? Or maybe I was just beginning to feel the effects of hunger. My stomach started grumbling. I hadn''t eaten for a while¡ªor at all¡ªever since my unprecedented arrival in Abinor.

 Apples

    The woods were an interesting place, displaying quite the scenery. I don''t think I''d ever been that deep in a forest before, well, except maybe once and it had not been a fun experience. But after everything I''d just been through in the last couple of hours, I guess it had been considerably better.


    The deeper Pisces and I went into the woods, the stranger the surroundings began to get. For starters, the trees here were taller with thicker trunks and their branches would sway lazily in the air in a very offsetting way, almost as if they were somehow alive.


    Animals were also becoming more and more apparent. I would spot groups of rabbits and a bunch of squirrels scampering off every time we would walk past small clearings while brushing loose branches and vines out of the way, and don''t even get me started about the mosquitoes.


    Pisces had not been kidding about us getting off the grid. It would take a century for anyone to find us alright¡ªor so I hoped¡ªespecially if that someone was some deranged superpowered being tried to kill you. I repeatedly kept looking back all the way ever since that incredible fight, still filled with dread.


    "She won''t be coming after us. Not for a while." Pisces spoke, still facing forward while I followed. I preferred walking in single file, letting her lead the way¡ªI was a better coward that way.


    I was about to suggest that we take another break but Pisces appeared to have read my mind, though I wasn''t sure whether it was figuratively or in the mystical fashion. She seemed to always sense everything I was thinking.


    We walked into a clearing that was much bigger than any we had passed through. It was a canopy, with tree trunks curving outwards into the sky, creating a wide open space that was covered with thick grassy undergrowth, surrounded by buttressed roots.


    Setting Despyon''s shield down, my hand quickly went over my stomach. It was rumbling like crazy and I had started envisioning the stale bread and soup that Despyon''s aunt, Freya, had left for me on my first morning in Abinor¡ªthe day it had all began¡ªand that night. . .


    I fought off the image of a burning grass-thatched hut as something that sounded like laughter resonated in the background. It was not heart-warming, more like the sinister and evil kind.


    "Are you hungry?" Pisces asked lightly, thankfully snapping my mind back to the present.


    "I''m starving!" I retorted, letting her aware of her own acknowledgement of the obvious.


    She regarded me with her magical blue eyes, narrowing them in the process. "What would you like to eat?"


    "What?" I started getting a little vexed. "I don''t¡ª"


    "Okay," Pisces nodded, "I want you to think of whatever kind of food you would like to eat right now."


    "Oh, there''s a lot of things I wanna eat," I said shortly.


    "Well, picture one," Pisces added, "create the image in your mind."


    "Okay. . ." I slowly muttered, curious to see where this was going.


    "Do you have the image?" Pisces asked.


    "I-I think I do."


    Pisces then turned, walking across the canopy until she was standing in the middle. I watched her raise her right hand, her eyes fixated on the ground where she stood and about three to five seconds later, something erupted from the ground.


    It tore through the undergrowth and made its way to the surface until it was just as tall as Pisces, sprouting multiple vines and twigs spontaneously in a most mesmerizing fashion.


    I approached, stopping in front of Pisces''s new creation so that it separated us as we stood facing each other. I extended a hand and felt the stem, the leaves, the flowers and the fruit.


    "So real," I muttered, to which Pisces responded, "It is."


    She reached out and plucked out a fruit. "Here," it''s ripe scarlet red color contrasted with the light blue paleness of her hand.


    Taking it from Pisces''s hand, I took a moment to observe it, marveling at its freshness. I looked at Pisces, whose eyes were generously urging me to take a bite. I did. The moment my teeth had sunk into the fruit''s skin, I had felt this strange kind of spark light up inside of me, matching the crunching sound as I slowly chewed the fruit, savoring every bit of it.


    "How is it?" Pisces asked after I was done with the first bite, though from her calm expression, I could tell she already knew the answer.


    "That is the most amazing thing I''ve ever eaten in my life!" yeah, maybe I was over-exaggerating. I hadn''t eaten for a while but that sure felt really good.


    Pisces smiled, which was something I never thought she could actually do.


    "How did you do that?" I asked, completely jinxed.


    "I turned your imagination into reality," she said shortly.


    I looked back at the fruit. It was an apple. A little frown forming on my face which Pisces instantly noticed. "Though it tends to vary on the fine line that is the conversion, depending on the status of the subject."


    When Pisces had asked me to think up a type of food, I had looked back to pancakes. The one thing that my mom knew how to cook. Apple-flavored pancakes to be exact, and from that still puzzling statement, I guessed even for a reality-bending Zodiac like Pisces, her abilities must have been confined to match the settings of her surroundings.


    "Eat up. You''ll need the strength," she said, snapping me back to reality after I had momentarily drifted off and imagined the different varieties of pancakes she could''ve conjured had we been back in Sacramento, all without even bothering to light up the stove. Mom would''ve been totally jealous of her.


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    "You should eat too," I offered, plucking an apple from the structure that was still growing and already turning into a tree, standing just as tall as the others.


    "Oh," Pisces let out an almost humorous sigh as she took the apple, extending her fingers so the fruit settled atop her palm. "We don''t really rely on physical material for sustenance." She then frowned, causing the insignia on her forehead slightly drop towards the tiny space between eyebrows. "Or so it used to be the case."


    "So, what exactly do you rely on then?" I asked, both excited and curious.


    "It used to be the cosmic energy from across the universe," Pisces gently swayed her hand with the apple and I watched the fruit transform into a perfect sphere, resembling a snow globe.


    "Used to?" I got a closer look at the sphere. It was a tiny representation of outer space, with numerous glowing dots that I realized were constellations, materializing inside the sphere across a vast darkened environment.


    "Our story of origin has always been a little. . ." Pisces paused, looking for the right word, "dramatic."


    "And by ''our'' you mean¡ª"


    "The Zodiac, yes." Pisces continued, her attention still directed at the sphere. "We were never born as is the case with most life forms in many worlds out there. We were simply fabricated into existence, crafted into being until we found our way with the stars."


    "Wait, so who brought you into existence?" I asked, though I was feeling like I had heard this story before. I mean, I was the only one in Abinor who knew what the Zodiac were and I still believed I had been thrust into some kind of twisted past, especially after Pisces''s answer.


    "Well, they''ve been known by many names, like we have, but theirs extend much further. A simple term for them would be something like¡ª"


    "Gods. . .?" I cut in and Pisces even turned to look at me this time. "Well put," she remarked.


    See, I told you I''d heard some of this before but I was still puzzled, because, if whatever Pisces was telling me was true, then that would mean we had to be somewhere like ancient Greece or Rome. Why? The legend goes that the Greek and Roman gods created the Zodiac and placed them in the night sky. But Abinor looked nothing out of a Graeco-Roman setting. It was more like Nordic or Scandinavian. Ah, yes. History lessons are starting to pay off.


    "But this is a different story," Pisces said, using her reality bending mojo again to restore my attention. "The gods and the Zodiac parted ways a long time ago."


    "Our kind was left to live out in the cosmos, absorbing cosmic energy and becoming a part of the bigger universe, further from the gods."


    The sphere lit up as the constellations shimmered brighter.


    "This had been the way," Pisces''s tone shifted, becoming solemn and distant, "until some of us decided they wanted more." The constellations within the sphere span, spiraling to form one large galaxy.


    "And now your kind has been suffering for this," Pisces flexed her fingers and I watched the spiraling galaxy morph back into the apple, but it was no longer juicy red. It had holes and patches and appeared to be rotting. "Why siphon dull and lifeless energy when you can feed off the living? Feeding on their fear and souls. . ."


    "That''s why you''re here," I said, shortly before correcting myself, "the others, I mean. They''ve been-they''ve been killing humans."


    "And now you know why I need you," Pisces turned to look at me right after the apple had shrunk and disintegrated, vanishing into thin air.


    "You''re trying to stop them," I said with dawning realization. "But what good am I? I was close to useless when Pollux had attacked us."


    "And I would''ve been dead if it weren''t for you," Pisces said pointedly, directing me to glance at the arrow symbol on my arm.


    "That stands for something," Pisces added, "you were chosen, Desmond."


    "How do you know that?" I asked, starting to get nervous and defensive, "for all we know, it could''ve been an accident or a mistake."


    "An insignia never makes mistakes, not ever since our kind came into existence," Pisces looked me in the eye, "you''re the first life form, the first human to ever become the successive bearer of a fallen Zodiac''s insignia."


    "And how many Zodiac have fallen up to now?" I levelled and immediately wished I hadn''t, especially after seeing the distraught look flash across Pisces''s face, though it did not last.


    Composing herself, Pisces gently grabbed my marked arm. "I know you''re afraid. Terrified."


    "What? I didn''t exactly say¡ª"


    "It''s okay," Pisces''s tone changed. She spoke softly. "I know I am, but a wise friend once told me that the ability to acknowledge one''s fear is the most powerful one could ever get."


    Pisces let go of my arm and looked away into the trees. I followed her gaze, pondering on what she had just said. "Is this friend the one whose insignia I currently bear?"


    Pisces didn''t answer but gave a different response, "I understand if you find all of this too much to handle, but you wouldn''t be here if I didn''t need you. If Sage didn''t need you."


    "You really believe I can do this?" I asked, trying to understand the whole situation, "that I am the chosen one?"


    "You may not see it now," Pisces said quietly, "I was also the same way as you are when Sage had told me the two of us would find each other before he, well. . ." I noticed Pisces not so subtly reach a hand to her side, around the spot where she had had that gaping gash. "He had found a way to end all of this."


    Everything Pisces had just told me weighed heavily on my conscience and I tried hard to believe it all but then images from recent events flashed across my mind, such as the intense fight between Pisces and Pollux and how I had nearly died in the process.


    "No," I said with a tone of finality. "I can''t do it. I''m really sorry. There has to be some other way."


    Now, why was I in conflict with myself? The reality of this incredibly harsh new world was coming at me with everything it got, ergo the fear of the unknown. All I wanted was a break. Just a little break. Was that too much to ask for?


    "There has to be another way," I reiterated and began to walk away and perhaps find somewhere to clear my head within the woods.


    "You''ll find your way back," Pisces said abruptly, making me stop in my tracks and wheel around to face her.


    "What did you just say?"


    "You''re lost, aren''t you?" Pisces approached me, her eyes barely glowing, "so am I. And why do you think that is?"


    I did not have a response to that.


    "The only way we get out of this is if we work together," she continued, "I was taught that a long time ago but I''m now beginning to understand it. Why I found my way to you¡ªso I can help you find your own way back." Pisces grew sincere, her voice soft but still firm at the same time, "you really don''t see it? You just saved me from death, not once but twice already. You''re the one Sage chose to complete his mission."


    Passing both hands up my face and through my hair, I avoided Pisces''s eyes, hoping she wouldn''t get into my head or something where I tried to reason with myself. For one, she didn''t look like she was lying. Not after everything I had seen. Secondly, she was right. At least I wanted to hope she was. I mean, even if I decided I didn''t wanna hop on this ''chosen one'' train and let the Zodiac go solo on what looked like a suicide mission, where would that leave me? I wouldn''t be able to return to the streets of Sacramento. I would be stuck on this island forever.


    I glanced at the arrow symbol. The insignia of the Zodiac, Sage. If it had brought me here then there was a chance it could take me back and that was when I began to fathom what Pisces was trying to tell me. I had to take a chance and face my fears.


    "Okay," I sighed, turning to face Pisces, "so what happens if I do agree to help you on this mission?"


    "Like I said," the glow in Pisces''s eyes returned, "you''ll return to your rightful home."


    "And by that you mean going up against the rest of your cousins?"


    "Yes and, no¡ªwe don''t share any blood relations with each other."


    "And how are we supposed to do that exactly?"


    "Simple," Pisces twisted her lips, "by turning you into the person that Sage sought you out to be."


    "I''m talking about training," Pisces added upon apparently having seen into my mind where I was already conjuring up a harrowing image of myself having been turned into a half-human half-horse figure, as was the typical depiction of Sagittarius. . .Or maybe Sage was different and just had humanly features like Pisces. . .Or maybe his whole body was a horse¡ªOh, hell no!

 Reaction

    We had walked several miles away from the clearing, moving further deep into the woods until Pisces suggested we stop, coming to a halt where the trees were shorter and the undergrowth less but boulders and huge rocks rid the land.


    On the way, Pisces had been engaging me in Zodiac lore as my curious brain fired question after question.


    ". . .Everyone has a different power that matches their cosmic life force," she was saying, "you met Pollux and witnessed her ability to self-replicate into whatever she wills herself to become."


    "A shape shifter," I said comically, "she was lovely."


    "Her power allows her to imitate any of our abilities, making her extremely dangerous."


    "So, she could''ve easily turned into, hmm," I frowned, going back to all the Zodiac that Pisces had mentioned, "someone like¡ª"


    "It only works if the Zodiac is in her field of vision," Pisces cut in, realizing where I was going with that.


    "Huh," I nodded, "makes sense. Such power needs to have its limits." I wanted to ask more about the Zodiac and their relations with each other.


    "If we''re going to stop them," Pisces said, cutting off my question, "you''ll need to be ready to face them. We could talk about them all day but it won''t matter."


    "Still waiting on the answer of how exactly we''re gonna do the stopping," I said, giving up on exploring that topic.


    Pisces wheeled around, her crystalline gown sweeping the ground. "You bear the mark of Sage¡ªone of the strongest of all of us."


    "It was almost impossible beating one Zodiac, how is my weak human form gonna take on ten more of these guys?"


    "It''s six," Pisces corrected.


    "Oh, my bad," I chuckled sarcastically, "it''s only six, sure, let''s take ''em on."


    Pisces threw me a furtive glance and I wished I had kept my big mouth shut. "There were twelve of our kind during the birth of our existence." she said, "Two of whom are no longer with us. . .the rest serve the one who decided to make himself Alpha, the one we need to stop¡ªAries."


    I caught the resentment with which Pisces mentioned that name.


    "That''s who you need to focus on," Pisces said, the bitterness in her tone rising. "The others are merely pawns for his plan; mindless souls controlled by their own fear of him."


    "Over the years," Pisces went on, "after Sage was gone, the others have been losing their way and Aries made sure to exploit this."


    "But not you," I muttered.


    "This is the only chance we have, Desmond. No one knows the Zodiac like I do." Pisces let waves of blue energy glide around her arms. "And I''ll teach you their ways by making you become one."


    "Say what now?" I gasped.


    "Would you quit thinking about centaurs!" Pisces snapped, probing my mind again, "I''m not going to turn you into a centaur."


    I exhaled with a mixture of relief and embarrassment.


    "I''m going to teach you how to harness the abilities of Sage so you can use his power as your own," she pointed at the arrow symbol.


    "Okay," I swallowed, "where do we start?"


    "First, we need to establish your connection with his power," Pisces said.


    "Seems pretty tight to me," I raised my emblazoned arm, "I''ve got a freaking magic tattoo!"


    "But can you use it?"


    I understood what she was saying.


    "I need you to summon Sage''s power," Pisces said shortly.


    I nodded, getting lost but the way Pisces was looking at me had me snapping out of my thoughts. Man, she had to quit it with that. "You mean now?"


    "Mhmm," Pisces took a step back, "now get into position."


    "Wait, what do you mean?" I asked, watching Pisces get into an attacking stance with her palms spread out in front of her.


    "What are you doing?" I asked, getting nervous.


    "I''m going to come at you," her eyes glowed brighter as well as her gown, with blue spheres of energy dancing around her palms.


    "No, you''re not," I said quickly, already getting out of the way.


    "Yes, you are!" without warning, I felt my body become weightless and my ass was on the ground in seconds.


    "Hey!" I lamented, "not cool."


    "Get up!" Pisces ordered.


    "No," I retorted, trying to sound tough and Pisces responded by using her abilities to bring me back on my feet.


    "You need to react," Pisces persisted.


    "That''s what I''m doing! Trying to run away from you!"


    Pisces huffed in annoyance, getting out of her attacking position. "Do you want to go home or not?"


    "''Course I do," I replied irritably.


    "Then you need to man up, Desmond Arttigiauss Turner!" Pisces barked, her face as hard as stone.


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    "How do you know my full¡ª"


    Ouff! The wind was knocked out of me and I was down on my ass again. "Would you cut that out?"


    "Get up!" Pisces ordered and I did not wait to be magically pulled back up.


    "You''re really starting to get on my nerves, you know," I said, showing Pisces I was not at all pleased with her new attitude. "This is dodgeball all over again."


    "That''s right," Pisces smiled so wickedly, had I not been mad at her, I would have been terrified. "Get angry," she added.


    "First of all," I raised a finger in the air, "telling me to man up, that was rude and uncalled for. You''re not even¡ªoh no! What are you doing?" I wailed, staring at my index finger. It was swirling and spiraling like a piece of cloth being wrung. "Stop that!"


    "React!"


    "I am!"


    "Ugh," Pisces shook her head and before I could open my mouth again to try and stop her from throwing me back to the ground, well, I was down on the ground.


    I frantically looked at my finger. It was back to normal. I glared at Pisces. "What kind of training is this? Are you trying to kill me?"


    "No," she levelled, "but the others will. Now, get up!"


    Oh, that was it. I had had it with her.


    Infuriated, I got up. "Alright then," I balled my fingers into fists, "I gotta warn you though, just because you''re a woman or a female Zodiac or however you people identify¡ª"


    I was down. Again.


    "Stop talking and react," were the words that kept passing through my ears with every hit I took.


    "We''re not stopping until you summon his power by will," Pisces readied herself for another attack.


    She charged, flinging me into the air yet again before slamming me face first back to the ground.


    "That''s. . ." I spat out dirt from my mouth, ". . .it!" I got up again, having grown tired of being a human punching bag, balloon, whatever¡ªPisces''s powers was so mind boggling.


    "You ready to react yet?" Pisces taunted.


    "You''re enjoying this, aren''t you?" I asked, trying my best not to clench my teeth in frustration just as my arrow symbol started to act up by glitching.


    I felt that overwhelming sense of power. A kind of exhilaration and Pisces seemed to catch on that as she smiled at me, "Okay, we''re starting to get somewhere."


    I let the feeling take over me. I let myself feel the dread of walking into danger like I had done before with the pitchfork.


    Pisces charged again. She cast her telekinetic mojo at me but I was ready this time. I extended my right arm and I could see the insignia was steadily glowing. I willed myself to fight against Pisces''s power and I was surprised to find it actually worked. Pisces appeared to be significantly struggling in trying to unleash her power. I held her down but I could still feel the effect of her power, furiously trying to lift me off the ground.


    I steadied my arm and the insignia continued to glow, casting a neon green hue all over me. I even started to slowly overpower Pisces, advancing towards her, forcing her to take several steps back. I kept on pushing until we had made it to the river bed.


    I could feel Sage''s power intensify, matching the brightness of his insignia up to a point I could not contain it anymore. This resulted in a huge blast, followed with the terrific release of immense amounts of energy, knocking Pisces clean off the ground.


    By the time the blast had died down, I was already rejoicing, fist-pumping the air victoriously. "Oh yeah! That''s what I''m talking about!"


    "There''s my reaction!" I yelled hysterically but my cries of joy immediately turned into panic.


    Pisces had been thrown several feet away. She was lying on her back at the edge of the river bank. She was not moving.


    "Pisces! Pisces!" I called, trying not to dread the worst as I rushed over to her side.


    "Hey, can you hear me?" I called, crouching next to her, "come on, wake up!"


    I could not spot any visible injuries on her. This could not be happening. I was reaching out for her hand but something else found my face first. I was struck by something wet and heavy, causing me to flip sideways before landing face-first into dirt.


    Groaning, I raised my head to find Pisces beaming down at me. "Today''s lesson¡ªbe weary of your enemy''s surprise attacks."


    "Please never do that again," I got back up, dusting myself off.


    "Did you just hit me with water?" I asked, feeling my wet jaw and just in time to catch large ripples of water dissolving and vanishing into Pisces''s arms.


    "Well done," Pisces remarked, sounding impressed. She was looking at my arm which was still aglow with the insignia. "See, all you needed was a little push."


    "A little push?" I tried ignoring the pain in my jaw, "you hit me with water. And it hurt!"


    "Quit whining," Pisces rolled her eyes, "you''ll be fine in minutes. I don''t even need to heal you."


    I shook my head in disbelief and Pisces widened her smile. I smiled back. I don''t know why I liked to see her smile. She always seemed like she had a lot on her mind and that she had been through a lot. Maybe this was another reason why Sage had put me in her path. So that I could. . .okay, enough of that. I quickly shifted my thoughts, afraid Pisces would read my mind again. She kept on smiling, meaning she didn''t. Or had she? Ugh! Now I wished I could read minds.


    "We''re now one step closer to ending all of this," she said, her smile now gone but she did not seem as set as before. Her face was calm and relaxed. "Soon, Aries will face judgement." the last statement, however, came out with a lot of weight.


    We sat against a huge boulder that stood over the river bank. There was a light gale blowing through the trees and I caught a flying squirrel soar over a branch before disappearing deep into the forest. I turned my attention to Pisces. She always seemed to have that distant look on her face and I joined her in the silence, which could only last for so long for someone like me.


    "Aries," I started, getting Pisces''s attention, "is the one who. . ." I stopped, now regretting why I had chosen this as a conversation starter but Pisces had already caught my question.


    "Yes," she responded, "he killed Sage. . .in front of me."


    I swallowed, having not so long ago witnessed someone losing their life as I watched and being unable to do anything about it. I turned away, knowing all too well words like sorry just never worked in situations like those.


    Pisces seemed to feel my uneasiness more than I myself could. It was like back when she had healed me after Pollux''s attack. Could she feel my pain, literally? She directed me towards Despyon''s shield which I had propped next to one of the boulders.


    "He''s still around, you know," she said.


    "What?" I asked, not getting her the first time.


    "Your friend whose face you wear."


    I gulped, wondering for how long had Pisces known about that.


    "I can sense his mind, lost across the plane of existence."


    That didn''t sound so good.


    "But he''s okay," Pisces said.


    "How do you know that?" I asked.


    "Sage put him there," was her response, making it sound as if it was enough to justify it was a good idea to literally trap somebody''s consciousness inside a freaking shield and have someone else take over their physical form.


    "You people operate in mysterious ways," I sighed, making Pisces smile again. I guess I was handling all this pretty well. For the first time in a while, I was actually feeling just a tiny bit better.


    "Well, well," a new voice suddenly cut in, startling both Pisces and me.


    I turned my head either way but I could not see anyone.


    Pisces appeared to quickly regain her composure and it seemed as if she was aware of what was going on after she got up and lightly lifted herself off of the boulder and landed softly on the ground below.


    "If it isn''t the runaway and her new pet," the voice came again, almost as low as a whisper.


    "Can you see her?" Pisces asked me, to which I replied, "What? See who?"


    Shaking her head with a disappointed frown on her face, as if she had expected a different answer, Pisces turned to the open space before her.


    "Reveal yourself!" she ordered while I watched safely from the boulder, if that could even count as being safe.


    There was a long invisible sigh that was soon followed by a whirring sound and something then materialized in front of Pisces. I watched, totally bewildered as a figure slowly took form until it became physical and entirely visible.


    "What do you want, Zygos?" Pisces asked, sighing in annoyance.


    I didn''t quite catch that, but that''s what I heard Pisces call the figure. It appeared feminine and I could not clearly see its face as it was concealed under a long cloak.


    "Oh, you know me¡ªI''m just here to. . . tip the scales. . ." the figure uttered and from that, I could tell more trouble was coming my way.

 Tipping the Scales

    "Stay out of my way!" Pisces snapped at the cloaked figure before her.


    "What?" the figure shook its head, speaking in a low voice, "you don''t want to hear what I have to say, let alone introduce me to your new boy toy over there?"


    "Hey!" I cried out, obviously offended but still maintained some distance by staying where I was¡ªback on the boulder.


    Sighing, Pisces gave me a quick glance. "Desmond, meet Zygos. You''ll want to steer clear of her mouth."


    A little confused, I turned to the cloaked figure, dreading something like huge sharp teeth coming out of its mouth or something.


    "What are you doing here?" Pisces returned to questioning, "finally decided to crawl out of Aries''s comfort zone, huh?"


    I watched Zygos slightly twist her head back, revealing a little of her face. Her dark thin lips twisted into a smile.


    Pisces narrowed her eyes at her. "He sent you here, didn''t he?"


    "Well," Zygos twisted her head back to its initial position, concealing her face again, "I told him it would be a waste of time coming after you himself. It''d be best if he focused entirely on his grand plan¡ªthat way it would all be over before you and your mortal scum over there could even come to fathom whatever just unfolded."


    "You can spare me the metaphorical bullshit, Zygos!" Pisces retorted heatedly and that was the first time I had ever heard her curse, "I know what Aries is planning."


    "Oh, do you now?" Zygos taunted, chuckling softly. She circled around Pisces and I almost couldn''t tell if she was walking or gliding. Her feet kept coming in and out of view, phasing through the air.


    "What''s going on?" Pisces followed the other Zodiac with her eyes, "you have to tell me."


    "Now, what would be the fun in that?" Zygos whispered, halting her movement, "you''ll have to figure that out by yourself, all while avoiding getting tracked down by the others and if I have found you already, it won''t be long before the others do."


    Pisces''s insignia glowed and Zygos had to laugh, louder this time. "You forget that your telepathy doesn''t work on me quite as it does on many others, little runaway."


    "Why are you doing this?" Pisces''s insignia''s glow waned, "you didn''t use to be¡ª"


    "What?" Zygos snapped, her lower face coming into view again, "working alongside the only one of us who knows what''s right? The only one of us willing to do what''s necessary to ensure our legacy remains known to all?"


    Zygos went on, her tone getting considerably serious. "The gods may have limited my features to not partake combat or battle and forever live to serve as a mediator for the Zodiac. One who delivers justice and balance but he made me realize how blinded I was."


    "You used to restore fairness," Pisces said and I could detect the hurt in her voice.


    "Oh, now who''s full of bullshit?" Zygos shook her head, "Fairness, you say. What kind of fairness was there? Sage would leave us for eons and go on his pointless quests in search of wisdom for his people until Aries found the way. Aries knew what was right for us but Sage and his convoluted intelligent mind thought him wrong. . ."


    "That is a lie!" Pisces snapped, blue energy lighting up in her hands.


    "You can fill your head with all the kinds of stories you desire, little one," Zygos called her out with that title again and for the first time, I realized how tall she appeared next to Pisces. Looking back, Pollux was also much taller than Pisces.


    ". . .But the fact remains," Zygos went on, "true balance had to be restored. Sage''s wisdom would have been the doom for us all, thus someone else had to step up and lead us."


    "Aries will never be a leader!" Pisces muttered through gritted teeth.


    "He showed us a way of obtaining alternative energy sources, didn''t he?" Zygos levelled, "and soon, this will no longer be an issue to us. The gods abandoned us but Aries will restore our status."Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    "Aries is just using all of you!" Pisces persisted, "don''t you see it? All he wants is more power and he''ll stop at nothing to get it!"


    At this, Zygos sighed disappointedly before going on to take off her hood, revealing a face whose skin was the color of gold that matched her straight flowing locks. Her appearance seemed to reflect her surroundings, giving off the illusion that she was both visible and invisible at the same time.


    Just like Pisces and Pollux, Zygos had a distinct symbol etched onto her forehead¡ªher insignia. Hers consisted of two shapes. The first one resembled the Omega symbol whose endings extended into longer horizontal lines unlike the typical symbol, then right below it, was the second shape. It was a plain straight horizontal line whose length matched the upper shape.


    "No," Zygos said to Pisces, "you''re the one who fails to see the truth. It is all but a matter of balance and nothing to do with power."


    She turned to me. "For one to rise. . ." she raised her left arm, pointing a finger to the sky and an image materialized, resembling a golden cup that shimmered in the air, ". . .another must fall." She finished and with her left arm, she pointed to the ground and a similar image materialized. This time, the left golden cup collapsed to the ground where it exploded into gold dust while the other one ascended and dissolved in the air.


    "Isn''t that right, Desmond Turner?" she approached me while I still stood atop the boulder, wondering how she''d known my name. Everybody seemed to know my name!


    "Don''t listen to her!" Pisces warned and I was beginning to understand what she had meant by being weary of her ''mouth''. I could feel the effects of her words in my mind. It was nothing like Pisces''s telepathy. It was way different, like she was pulling me out of my own mind and into hers. Pisces''s telepathy usually had me listening to her in my own mind¡ªin my own world, but Zygos was forcing my mind out of me. Forcing me to bend to her will.


    "When Sage fell, another rose in his place," I heard Zygos''s words envelope my mind. "An act of balance but one that only runs short until you serve your purpose by letting Aries deliver the Zodiac to their ultimate form of existence."


    "Leave him alone, Zygos!" Pisces lashed out, coming at Zygos with her glowing arms and was about to blast her with energy right before she vanished, leaving Pisces to hit nothing but air.


    "What has she been telling you?" I heard Zygos''s voice but I couldn''t see her. It was like she was behind me on the boulder. ". . .That you''ll be back to living your normal life once all this is over?"


    I tried to move but my body was held in place by Zygos''s words, willing me to listen.


    "Don''t listen to her!" I heard another voice. Pisces. She was trying to break into my head.


    "His cause is inevitable," Zygos went on, pushing Pisces out of my mind and regaining control, "you let him show you the way and you get to keep your current and past life, which is more than Pisces will ever give you."


    "Leave him al¡ª" Pisces was cut off again and it felt like a battle was going on in my mind.


    "She was lost after Sage''s death, wandering the universe aimlessly. A simple helpless form," Zygos''s voice pulled me deeper into her own mind. "She has no guarantee you''ll find your home. She is lost and alone, looking for someone to drag down her pathetic hole with. But Aries is the way, Desmond. You needn''t lose your life when you are no longer just human. You bear an insignia of the Zodiac. You have found your way into ours. Why should you waste all of that potential, all of that power by fighting a losing battle?"


    "Desmond, please. . .?" Pisces''s voice was distant now, barely audible. She had been locked out.


    "I can take you to Aries right now," the other, more commanding and luring voice continued, coaxing me further into suggestion. "and end this once and for all. Why risk it all when you can be home in a heartbeat?"


    "Enough!" Pisces''s voice grew louder, breaking into my mind with more strength this time.


    I gasped, feeling something hard against my back and I discovered I had fallen from the boulder. I looked up to find Pisces, her eyes glowing, forcing her power on Zygos whom she had managed to suspend in the air just above the boulder.


    Zygos''s golden glowing aura appeared to be fighting against Pisces''s abilities and in a matter of seconds, she had broken out of her telekinetic hold, vanishing in a wave of golden dust. She then reappeared next to me.


    "All you have to do is chose, Desmond," she said as Pisces tried to force her into the air again. "Restore the balance. Walk towards death. . ." she glanced at Pisces, "or walk away from it and chose life instead." She returned her golden eyes at me, "where will your scales tip towards¡ªlife. . .or death. . .?"


    She was hoisted in the air again by Pisces. "I said enough!"


    "The choice is not yours to make, Pisces," Zygos said out loud, hardly struggling in Pisces''s hold, "he has his own scales to bear. You can''t tip them for him."


    "Quiet!" Pisces increased her power and I was already up and on my way to retrieve Despyon''s shield. I picked it up and was adjusting it on my arm when I thought I had seen something slip past the boulder. I ignored it, assuming it must have been some rodent before returning to Pisces''s side, ready to provide my assistance.


    Zygos sighed the moment she saw me do that, alongside Sage''s insignia already glowing on my arm. "I had a feeling you''d resort to this, but your scales remain unbalanced and if that is the case, then, well. . ."


    There was suddenly a very loud sound. It was coming from deeper into the forest but it felt like it was growing close.


    "Perhaps you''ll need a little bit more persuasion," Zygos eyed me with a twisted smile before she went on to vanish, leaving behind a cloud of gold dust that danced around in the air for a few seconds then dissipated.


    The sound came again, closer this time. It was like an animal. I turned to Pisces. "Umm. . .what the hell was that?"


    Her expression was more than enough to tell me the kind of trouble we were about to walk into.

 I Take the Bull by the Horns

    It had started with birds flying into the air and out of the trees across the midday sun, then the entire forest had gone silent after that disturbing sound.


    "We need to get out of here," Pisces solemnly said, her eyes carefully scanning the woods.


    I clutched tightly at Despyon''s shield, trying in vain to fight off the overwhelming feeling of dread. If I had learned anything from the very little time I had ever spent hiking in the woods, was that my dad had told me whenever the jungle went silent, it meant there was probably a predator nearby.


    As much as I wanted to disprove that statement, Sage''s insignia hinted otherwise with its spontaneous glitching.


    I followed Pisces, doing my best to match her pace as we cut through twigs and leaves. We had walked for a while and that terrifying sound was no longer audible. Perhaps whatever kind of predator that was had decided we weren''t worth the trouble. But the woods were still silent.


    We decided to take a break. I glanced around, looking through the spaces between tree trunks and was more than glad to find nothing was coming after us.


    "You couldn''t see her, could you?" Pisces asked shortly, getting my attention.


    I assumed she was referring to the unsettling golden Zodiac we had ran into.


    "It''s known as the vision," she added. "I can manipulate reality¡ªSage''s power was his eyes."


    "What," I offered, "he could see like really far or something?"


    "Among other things. . .yes," Pisces sighed, directing her attention elsewhere after she caught me observing her face. "We''ll lay low here for a while."


    I would have gone on to try and dwell into that but my anxiety had my mind reeling back to the last Zodiac we had encountered and her words still registered clearly in my head.


    "She didn''t mean anything that she said, right?" I asked, and Pisces could already tell who I was talking about and she took her time to respond.


    "Her words have been known to have an endearing effect, similar to my telepathy but stronger," she started, her face set in what I had come to understand was her primary stance when engaging in solemn conversation¡ªlooking ahead into the distance at nothing in particular.


    "Zygos is rather unique," she went on, "being the only one of us to be crafted by the gods and not possess any abilities that can deliver physical damage. She has never participated in any acts of violence, though it would entirely depend on your definition of the word. We believed she existed to act as a balance among us, as an intermediary during conflict and delivering justice with her words."


    "But. . .I''m guessing that hasn''t recently been the case?" I asked, trying to read Pisces''s expression.


    "Just like everybody else," Pisces shook her head slightly, "she too ended up becoming Aries''s minion, bending to his will and now Aries uses her power of judgement to tip the scales to his favor."


    Pisces turned to face me. "Do not take to heart what she''s told you. You''re the bearer of the mark of the wisest of us. Use that to read through the lines and see the real truth."


    I wanted to ask how I would exactly go about that, noting the emphasis on the word ''see'', but then Sage''s insignia started glitching again, after which Pisces went on high alert, wheeling around and scanning the vicinity.


    The silence had intensified, the only sound coming from my feet against dry fallen leaves. Together, we scrutinized the woods with our eyes, trying to make out anything out of the ordinary. Sage''s insignia was now on a steady glow, signaling that danger was a lot closer now.


    And then it happened. It had jumped out of the woods, nearly knocking me off the ground while Pisces had turned around, following it and had almost unleashed her powers only to instantly cut them off.


    I turned in time to catch a brown furry animal scamper past before disappearing into the woods and I was more than relieved as my heart had almost made its way to my mouth.


    "Pheew. . ." I exhaled, trying to control my heartbeat, "just a deer. . .just a little deer."


    Pisces narrowed her eyes and I followed her gaze down to the symbol on my arm. "Why is it still¡ª"


    It happened so fast, by the time I realized what it was, I was sprawling on the ground, several feet away from my initial position.


    Fighting through a mountain of bushes, I finally got back on my feet, taking some time to regain my breath after what felt like being hit by a moving bus, except you still survive.


    The strange sound came again, very distinct and clearer this time. It was not a roar, but more like bellowing. Yes. Bellowing, like a. . .


    The ground beneath me began to shake and I followed the source until my eyes settled on something that instantly made my legs go limp below my knees. It was huge, towering at a height nearly half that of the trees, its muscles rippling under the heavy brass-plated armor that matched its dark brown skin. It fixed its two eyes on me. Eyes that glowed a faint orange, just like the large symbol above them that rested on its wide head¡ªa head that resembled that of a bull, with four sets of horns projecting out from it.


    The first pair curved out over its head while the other pair was much shorter and curved inwards, aligning with a thick set of jaws.


    The rest of its body had a human-like appearance as the creature parted its jaws, bellowing again by raising its massive arms which took up most of the armor, with gauntlets covering both of its hands which glinted at the knuckles where pointed jewelry projected out, looking almost like the typical brass knuckles.


    Its chest and torso were bare, revealing the toned layers of muscle and skin that looked to be as tough as, well, you get the idea. There was no way we were going to beat this thing and come out alive.


    The creature charged at me, its legs as thick as tree trunks, stomping the ground with a deranged look on its face where a strange symbol¡ªa large bronze-colored ring almost the size of a frisbee that had its upper half branching out at the edges to form two thin rods that connected with its first pair of horns¡ªwas glowing, giving off a brilliant orange hue.


    My eyes went wide as I remained with my feet planted to the ground, paralyzed with fear. The creature brought forth one of its arms, ready to smash my head in but Pisces intervened, using her power to pull back the creature''s arm and forcing it to stumble backwards.


    "Get out of here!" she called, preparing an attack on the thing.


    "No one is going anywhere!" the creature boomed, regaining balance. "Aries should have sent me from the very start. A puny mortal and you. . ." it turned towards Pisces, flexing its arms.


    The minotaur-looking beast came down on Pisces, but she was ready, blocking the large steely arms by creating a virtual shield with her hands while firmly planting her feet to the ground as the creature pounded on vehemently.


    "Don''t you all get it?" I heard Pisces say as I sneaked up on the creature from behind, "he''s deceiving you!"


    "The only deceiver here is you," the creature boomed, "little traitor!"


    One more pound with the sides of its arms and the creature had broken through Pisces''s shield, causing her to stumble backwards. The creature then advanced, ready to deal more damage. I threw Despyon''s shield at it and a clanking sound emanated as the shield hit the creature across the back. I might as well have thrown a pillow at it.


    "Sage''s successor, huh?" the creature grunted, turning to face me. I swallowed, planning my next move just as Sage''s insignia glowed steadily. "You''re in the wrong business, mortal!"


    I shielded my face with my hands as the creature brought forth a fist but contact was never established. The creature bellowed, stumbling backwards and I looked up to see Pisces dragging it back with her telekinesis.


    "Don''t you dare touch him!" Pisces said sharply, heaving the creature with all her might until she had managed to slightly raise it off the ground so that its body was floating towards her. She then executed a powered hook, blasting the creature with mystical blue energy, sending it flailing and crashing into the trees.


    "I thought I told you to leave," Pisces demanded, coming to my side.


    "You want me to understand Sage''s power," I levelled, picking up Despyon''s shield while the insignia on my arm maintained its glow. "How else am I supposed to do that if I don''t help you. This is what you needed me for, right? To stop them?"


    Pisces gave me a long set look with her sapphire glowing eyes and I guess she must have deduced the determined expression on my face and hopefully not seen into my mind where I was currently terrified as hell.


    "Use the shield to engage in long range attacks," she finally said, looking towards the trees, "don''t get too close."


    "What is that thing?" I asked, following her gaze into a segment with fallen trees. "Is it a¡ª"


    "Tauros," Pisces said.


    "A What?" I didn''t catch her.


    "Tauros," she reiterated, "the Zodiac of strength."


    "You don''t say," I exhaled in an attempt to fight off my increasing anxiety and derailing sanity.


    "He is one of Aries''s most loyal subjects," Pisces added before the ground beneath us shook, followed by distinct bellowing.


    Pisces and I got into position, watching ahead as trees shook and swayed wildly until the horned Zodiac, Tauros, reemerged, holding an entire tree trunk in one arm. He eyed us with his bronze glowing eyes that were almost the color of fire. He brought the trunk in front of him and went on to snap it in half with his thigh so that he now had two in each arm.


    My heart rate matched the Zodiac''s steps as he charged at us, stomping quickly against the ground before leaping into the air while heaving back the two trunks. Pisces pushed me aside and received the full hit as one of the trunks got her, bashing her sideways. She rolled to the ground but came back up with a flip.


    I closed in on Tauros, clutching at the shield tightly with my right arm, trying to force Sage''s power into the weapon. Tauros saw me coming and swung a trunk at me like a baseball bat. I brought up the shield in time but even then I could still feel the effects of the blow as hardwood struck against metal, sending vibrations up my arms.


    Tauros whacked at me repeatedly with the trunks and I could only hold on for so long, with every whack and strike landing on the shield and sending me several steps back. Then it happened. Tauros swung one trunk in a golf-like fashion, digging up dirt along the ground as the trunk found its way against Despyon''s shield. My hands jerked from the intense vibrations and I was immediately flying across the clearing before crashing into a patch of undergrowth.


    My whole body shook like a tuning fork and everything around me looked hazy and out of place. One more hit like that and I was sure I would lose my mind, especially after my vision had started playing tricks on me. I thought I had seen something or someone? Standing some distance further into the woods, with its outline coming in and out of view thanks to my ruined eyesight or was it, what had Pisces called it? "the vision"? I didn''t think so. The ground shook again and I lazily turned to find a hulking figure coming down on me. My vision cleared and I was staring at two clenched fists the size of basket balls descending on me.


    I tried to move but my hands slipped under the slippery undergrowth. The fists that were coming down on me then started to get farther away. It was a very strange feeling as my body literally sank into the ground before being brought back to the surface.


    I gasped, feeling myself. I wasn''t covered in dirt and there was no horned Zodiac towering over me. I realized what had happened after Pisces zoomed past me, her gown dancing and flapping with ethereal radiance. She charged at Tauros who was coming out of the undergrowth and did not look at all pleased with his fellow Zodiac''s wittiness.


    Tauros bellowed, retrieving his trunks and went on to hurl one at Pisces who was exceptionally quick on her feet, ducking in time and using her telekinesis to thwart the trunk out of her way. Tauros threw the other trunk and Pisces managed to turn it around by magically splitting the large structure into smaller pieces of wood with pointed ends. She flung all of them back at Tauros.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    Using his arms, Tauros deflected the incoming projectiles. Most of them bounced off of his metallic wrist and shoulder plates while others chipped or scratched across his broad chest and torso.


    I got back up, instantly locating Despyon''s shield and was already on my way to rejoin the battle. Pisces had doubled on the attack, making the most of it and not giving Tauros a chance to fight back as she descended on him with a flurry of superpowered energy blasts, sending the Zodiac further into the trees.


    I tried to launch an attack but Pisces signaled she had it all handled, especially when Tauros started going down on one knee, taking in blast after blast. Pisces then stopped but only for a second so that she could switch to a different tactic. She raised her arms, using her power to hoist Tauros into the air, making sure his body got hit by branches the higher he got. Once she had levitated Tauros to a considerable height, she thrust out one hand, extending out her fingers so her palm faced forwards. This resulted in Tauros getting pushed back by an invisible force, his body crashing through trees. Pisces followed while on the ground and I tried to keep up.


    She thrust herself in the air and met with Taurus, halting his movement only so she could blast him and send him hurtling back to the ground. I had to support myself to a tree as tremors ran below me.


    Pisces was far from done. She was already descending on Tauros, performing a dive with one of her arms extended towards the ground. She yelled, her fist coming down on Tauros but it never connected. Tauros had caught her arm. Pisces yelped, losing her levitation as she landed on one knee.


    Gasping, I adjusted Despyon''s shield which had started shimmering. Sage''s power was slowly pouring into it. I charged, skipping and leaping over the undergrowth. I was just a few feet away when I decided to hurl the shield. It came off spectacularly from my hand, cutting through the air while spinning wildly until it came into contact with Tauros''s head.


    Tauros stumbled back but only by a step. A step that had given Pisces just enough time to try and attack with her free let hand but she cried out, instantly cancelling her move.


    "Not so fast," Tauros muttered and even then I could still feel the bass of his voice reverberating in my own chest.


    "That''s it?" Tauros scoffed, turning to look at me as he tightened his grip around Pisces''s arm who cried out even more. "all that for what. . .a tiny scratch?" he felt the side of his face with his other hand where I noticed a thin orange line that contrasted with his bronze-like skin.


    "You really are Sage''s successor, aren''t you?" he went on, "always relying on toys instead of using your own form to execute power."


    Pisces''s cries were so unnerving that my fear had started turning into rage, slowly building up inside me¡ªor was it Sage''s power? I couldn''t tell.


    I could not take it anymore. I decided to ignore Pisces''s advice and dashed towards Tauros, ready to engage in close range combat. Tauros twisted Pisces''s arm then flung her towards me and we both went to the ground, sprawling.


    The ground shook under Tauros''s weight as he approached us. Pisces felt her left arm, her face contorting as she hissed. "You need to stop this, Tauros! Have you forgotten what he did to you?"


    I looked from Pisces to Tauros and caught him pass a hand over his broken horn. For a brief moment, he appeared to be lost in thought, as if recalling some kind of memory before a grin formed on his hardened face, pulling him back to the present. He glared down at Pisces. "I was put in my rightful place and I have forever known none to be as mighty as him. Which is exactly what I shall do to you!"


    Taurus grabbed both of us by the neck, hoisting us off of the ground. I felt his fingers lock around me like a vice, quickly cutting off my breathing and I could tell Pisces was experiencing the same kind of torture.


    Eyeing either of us, Taurus grinned, his insignia glowing a bright bronze over his eyes and into the inner curvature of his horns. "Tell Sage, Aries sends his warmest regards."


    My vision was getting really terrible. My head grew hot and my body went limp. This was it. Pisces''s body movements were slowing down just as fast as mine. My eyes were shutting down. My heart. . .


    There was an abrupt whooshing sound, similar to an object flying through the air, followed by a loud clank and a silent slash. My eyes reopened and my lungs were instantly replenished with fresh air. I gasped. Tauros''s grip had apparently loosened around my neck.


    "I have a better request," a new voice filled the vicinity, "why don''t you take your regards and shove them elsewhere!"


    Following the source of the sound, I could hardly believe my eyes. Standing at the edge of the clearing, his figure just as tall and heavily armored as I remembered it, was none other than the General himself. He even had his ax blades¡ªno, just one. Wait, where was the other¡ªoh, that''s right.


    Tauros released Pisces and me. We dropped to the ground, recuperating from his death hold. A piece of metal was resting next to my leg. It must have broken off of Tauros''s shoulder plate as I spotted something sticking out of his back, just below his left shoulder.


    "More mortals to kill," Tauros grunted, directing his attention to the tall blonde-haired man whose face came in and out of view from the shadows cast by the trees. "Good!" Tauros clenched his back muscles and the ax blade that had been lodged in there fell to the ground in front of Pisces''s feet.


    "You''re a big one, eh?" the General spoke with the casualness of someone conversing with an old friend.


    The two charged at each other. I watched in awe as the General fearlessly came at the Zodiac, ducking an incoming blow by sliding on his knees then twirling on the spot, bringing back his other ax blade to Tauros''s thigh. The Zodiac stumbled forwards, giving the General more room to engage by knocking into his side with the flat surface of the blade, followed by a swing as he attempted to land the weapon into the same spot where his first blade had made contact, leaving behind a considerably large gash.


    Tauros perceived this, turning in time to cut off the General''s swing, countering with a massive hook that the General was luckily able to avoid but still getting some contact as he was thrown to the ground. He quickly sprang back up on his feet.


    "Looks like you two could use a hand," he shortly said, helping both Pisces and me get up. I watched him use the tip of his right foot to flip his other ax from the ground and catch it in his hand.


    He brandished the two axes in either hand. A closer look revealed that apart from the double curved blades on each ax, their opposite endings had blades too but smaller, angular and pointed, like arrowheads.


    "Finally," Tauros boomed, feeling his back and withdrawing his arm, "some real blood." I could see some orangish liquid on the tip of his fingers.


    "Interesting," he regarded the General and his axes. "No mortal weapon has ever broken through my skin before."


    My mind reeled back to that moment when I had used a shield to create a cut on Tauros''s skin and I heard Pisces''s voice in my head. "Sage''s power enchanted the shield."


    I looked at her, making a silent "oh" with my mouth. She turned to the General and her expression was as intrigued as that of Tauros.


    "Oh, you''ll find that they do more than breaking skin," the General returned before shifting his attention to either of us while still maintaining his gaze on the horned Zodiac. "Alright, here''s what we''re going to do. You''ll flank him, tire him out from the sides."


    "Use his own strength against him," Pisces offered.


    "Exactly."


    "How did you find us?" I asked, still at awe by this unprecedented visit.


    "How about we first focus on trying to stay alive," the General snapped.


    "Right, sure," I shook and nodded all at once, picking up Despyon''s shield and turning to face Tauros.


    Pisces and I engaged, spreading outwards on either side before charging together at Tauros from opposite directions. I threw the shield. Tauros deflected it as if he was swatting away a fly but it had found its way back to me, thanks to Pisces, who had forced Tauros towards her, sending him off balance and I threw the shield again, this time getting Tauros neatly across the jaw.


    Tauros stumbled back some more and that was when the General zeroed in, lashing out with his blades and pushing Tauros further back as he blocked with his arm plates. The plan seemed to be working. We would all attack then let Tauros engage, evading his blows and slowly tiring him out and Pisces was especially brilliant with her ability to bring Tauros to the ground by relaying his own energy shifts back at him.


    At one point, Pisces had managed to pin Tauros to the ground, using her power to press his body against the earth, rendering him immobile. But she was hurt, perhaps a bit more than the rest of us. Tauros must have dealt a good deal of damage to her hand and the effects had started showing. Pisces was losing her hold on Tauros. Her power was weakening.


    I was rushing towards Tauros with the shield, ready to try and crush his huge head which the General had lifted off the ground using his blades as he kneed him from the back.


    Tauros let out a deafening bellow, breaking free from Pisces''s magic. He twisted his head away and I hit nothing but dirt with the shield. He grabbed the General by the arms as he got up, flipping him over and that was yet another body which crashed into my own.


    We hit the ground hard. Tauros grunted, enraged and annoyed. He grabbed at the General''s leg, swinging him in the air like a rag doll before smashing him into the ground. Pisces tried to pull him back but Tauros found one of the General''s blades and threw it at her. It struck Pisces who barely had time to deflect it. She fell to the ground. I rushed towards her.


    The General became Tauros''s main attraction. He was struck twice by the Zodiac''s massive arms before being flung across the clearing. Tauros advanced towards him, finding the other ax.


    "Let''s see how much blood we can extract from you," he chuckled, swinging the weapon in his hand.


    "He''s gonna kill him!" I gasped, getting up, ready to try and attack again but Pisces held me back. "Wait," she said, extending her arms forward.


    She winced and I could tell her abilities were not forthcoming with how the energy in her hands kept on flickering with a faint glow.


    Tauros was towering over the sprawling General. He brandished the ax and brought it sharply down on him. The General locked his arms in front of him and I gasped, wondering what kind of help that would be.


    I looked back at Pisces and I knew she had read my mind. She did not try to stop me as I got up and rushed over to pluck out Despyon''s shield which had lodged itself into the ground. I raced towards Tauros. My arm was glowing incredibly with Sage''s insignia and his power flowed into the shield. I knew what I had to do.


    I yelled out, leaping high into the air and brought down Despyon''s shield on Tauros''s back, cutting across the gash that had been inflicted by the General so that it formed an X scar, with two orange lines dripping with liquid of the same color.


    Tauros howled this time, his bellow coming out hollow and slightly high-pitched. Even with that level of damage, he still held down the General, forcing the ax closer and closer to his chest as I got a visual of the situation. The only thing that separated the blade from the General''s core was his right arm, which strangely seemed unreal, or maybe it was because of everything that was happening but I could have sworn it looked a lot like metal.


    I yelled out again, bashing the edge of the shield into Tauros''s wound. The Zodiac refused to yield, confirming Pisces''s description of him being the embodiment of strength, endurance and stamina. He did not even seem to mind that I was on his back, which led me to try a different strategy.


    With my right arm, I tucked the shield under the Zodiac''s head, then used the left one to grab at its broken horn. I pulled, mustering as much strength as I could, in an effort to divert the force he was exerting on the General.


    Despyon''s shield had even started glowing, gradually siphoning power from Sage''s insignia. I pulled with all my might, tipping back my own head as I held on to Tauros''s horns and neck. I wanted to call out to Pisces for help but something stopped me and I opted for a different approach.


    "If you can hear me. . .please. . .we need your help! I know you can do it!"


    Still struggling with Tauros''s stiff neck, I waited, desperately hoping for a response but no voice found its way into my mind.


    Tauros''s body shifted beneath me. I could feel his muscles rearranging. My grip was weakening. He had knocked aside the General''s arms and the blade was about to sink into his chest and then. . .


    Tauros groaned. The weight started to shift towards my side. His muscles were losing control. I pulled even more with profound power. He finally lost his hold on the General who did not waste any time by quickly knocking the ax out of Tauros''s hands and into his own.


    "Get off!" the General yelled and I realized he was referring to me after I saw what he was about to do.


    I leaped off of the Zodiac''s back, doing so in a backflip that took me completely by surprise. I didn''t know I could do that. The General made his move. He flipped his ax so the arrowhead was pointing forwards this time and then thrust it deep into Tauros''s core, so deep that the tip of the arrowhead ruptured and protruded out of his back.


    Tauros growled, dangerously swinging his arms in an attempt to get the General but he was held back by an invisible force. The same force that had been used against him and stopped him from cutting open the General''s chest with his blade.


    I turned to see Pisces up on her feet, struggling to maintain a steady hold on Tauros, summoning the little power she still had in her. I watched her merely flick her hand towards Tauros''s direction and the General''s other ax came flying into his hands. She forced Tauros further down and I quickly caught on what she was trying to do.


    With a nod of understanding from the General, I advanced towards Tauros who fought like a wild animal against Pisces''s magic. I went for his legs, jabbing him with Despyon''s shield and he went on his knees but he still tried to get up, which was then the General''s cue.


    I moved out of the way and watched the General dash towards the struggling Zodiac, his ax held out high. He jumped, spinning in the air as if he was about to execute a roundhouse but finished with a wide swing, chopping off Tauros''s head clean from the rest of his body.


    Pisces gasped, finally relinquishing her hold. I held her as she gently fell back after momentarily losing her balance.


    Tauros''s decapitated body staggered aimlessly, spouting orange liquid from its stumped neck which I guessed was its blood, forming a tiny fountain. The General struck the body with his foot and it fell to the ground, shaking up everything once again.


    "Like I said," the General spoke, flicking the ax expertly in his hand, "you can shove it elsewhere."


    He plucked out his other ax from the body''s torso and more of that orange stuff squirted out. The body then disintegrated, turning into some kind of ethereal shimmering white powder or as I would soon come to learn¡ªstar dust. The powder dissolved and vanished into thin air, leaving nothing behind, not even Tauros''s blood.


    "See," I turned to Pisces who had regained her composure, "I told you you could do it."


    The General walked up towards us, his appearance calm and reserved, which was a little off-setting, especially after what I''d just seen him do. I hadn''t noticed how bloodied his face actually was now that he was up close. He had a huge dark red lump over his right eye, but other than that, he seemed perfectly fine. Me, on the other hand. . .


    Ignoring the fact that I had probably broken a considerable amount of bones in my body, something had caught my attention. It glinted in the afternoon sun, resting not far from where Tauros''s body had been. It was one of his horns, the bigger one. I looked around for his head.


    "The only part of him that does not die," Pisces''s voice answered my questioning look. "Tauros''s horns served as a testament to his endurance."


    "Where''s the other one then?" I asked.


    "Tauros had his fare share of trouble before all of this started," Pisces went on, "he tried to prove his strength by challenging Aries. Aries decided to humiliate him in return by cutting off a piece of his horn."


    "I have no idea whatever it is that you are talking about," the General cut in monotonously, scrutinizing his ax blades. "But that doesn''t quite demonstrate a sense of endurance now, does it?"


    "Aries was the only one who could do that," Pisces added solemnly. "and in doing so, he ultimately corrupted the integrity of the horns, one of them at least. Which is why you won''t find the rest." I gazed at the curved horn in my hands.


    "They''ve turned to star dust, just like the rest of him and returned to their place. To where they were first created. To the stars," Pisces finished.


    "That was touching and all," the General spoke again, "but do the two of you mind explaining what kind of shit you have been up to?"


    I exchanged glances with Pisces before the two of us turned to face the General with dawning expressions¡ªor at least that''s what Pisces''s face displayed. I''m not sure what the General saw on mine, but one thing was certain, he would end up getting a lot more than he had bargained for, just like I had and I was only halfway through my own plate. Hmm. . . I wonder what dessert will be; maybe some strawberry ice cream or chocolate¡ªoh, who am I kidding? I am gonna get a huge steaming bowl of sh. . .

 Channeling

    The General was a surprisingly good listener. I tried reading his face as he took in all he was told and he did not seem at all fazed.


    "So," he finally spoke, "you''re an immensely powered mage from another world who can do magic," he said pointedly at Pisces then turned to me, "and you''re a boy from another world who happened to inherit magic from another immensely powered mage who didn''t have enough time to complete his homework before his untimely death and now the two of you have to carry on from where he left off and lay waste to these other beings before they destroy us."


    "Well," Pisces shook her slightly, pursing her lips, "that''s a bit of an over-simplification, but, yes. That is the gist of it."


    "She''s more of a Zodiac than a mage and I think I might be from a different time," I offered.


    "That''s exactly what I said," the General shook his head.


    I was about to add something but the look on Pisces''s face made me change my mind, or maybe she had done it herself¡ªI couldn''t tell. I stopped and decided to shift the direction of the conversation.


    "Alright," I regarded the General. His square-jawed face¡ªonce riddled with bloody scratches and lumps, similar to my own face and body¡ªwas now clean of any defects, all thanks to Pisces''s magical healing powers. Man, did that come in handy.


    "You said, um. . ." I paused, slightly tilting my head, "wait, what did you say your name was again?"


    "I didn''t," was his short and straightforward response.


    "Well, you said you weren''t planning on arresting us and taking us back to your chief," I went on, "and after how you took out that raging Zodiac, maybe you wanna tag along and help us and if that''s the case, telling us your name couldn''t hurt, right?"


    The General let out a deep grunt, his face still blank and free of any detectable expression. He shifted his attention towards Pisces, regarded her, then turned back to me, particularly fixating on my right arm.


    "I knew something was off with you the moment I first laid eyes on you," he said, and my mind began formulating images of a magnificent white stallion. For the first time in a while, I thought about Jon. The last I had seen him was when we had left the Seer''s Keep. I wondered where he was at that moment.


    "You''re still the strangest thing I''ve seen out here, kid, even with the likes of you wreaking havoc all over the place," he turned to Pisces, "no offense."


    "None taken," Pisces shrugged.


    "Finding you turned out to be easier than I had anticipated, especially after one of your magical folk was captured¡ª"


    "What?" Pisces cut in, a hint of surprise apparent in her tone.


    "That''s right. Some tall purple looking¡ª"


    "Pollux!" Pisces and me blurted out together.


    "I''m guessing that be its name," the General said, taking in our reactions. "Well, this Pollux now lies chained up in the dungeons together with the Seer who''s the one that actually guided me on how to find you."


    "Ethel. . ." I muttered, recalling the Seer helping us escape from the Chieftain''s army.


    "I had to get myself to do something anyway," the General went on, "what with his highness already working on some psychotic experiment by using the Seer''s staff to try and extract that being''s magic."


    I swallowed at this, all while noticing a kind of resentment towards the Chieftain. "Can he really do that?" I asked, turning to Pisces. Her eyes glowed solemnly.


    "It''s not impossible," she muttered, "our power can be transferred, as we''ve shortly come to learn." She gestured at my arm.


    The General returned his attention to my arm, scrutinizing the black arrow symbol. "So, you''re the one that''s supposed to fix all of this?" he did not wait for an answer. "And from what I just heard is that you still don''t know how to access your predecessor''s magic?"


    "Well, it''s more like cosmic energy," I corrected, "she''s the one with more magical abilities."


    "Same thing," the General grunted and I think I might have caught some arrogance in his undertone.


    "So, what''s the problem then?" the General asked, abruptly grabbing my arm, eyeing it like an interesting artifact.


    "Hey, easy!" I snapped. The dude had an exceptionally strong grip and he didn''t even look like he was trying.


    "He can''t summon Sage''s power by will," Pisces offered.


    "But I was able to do the thing with the shield to Tauros," I pitched, hoisting Despyon''s shield with my other hand. "that''s gotta be something, right?"


    Pisces was silent for a while before turning towards me and without warning, she had charged at me, knocking me to the ground with an invisible wave of force.


    "Ow!" I lamented, getting back up, "what did you do that for?" I frowned at her.


    "See," she ignored me, shifting her attention to the General. "he lacks the reflexive reaction, and without that, there''s no way he can tap into Sage''s power."


    "I''m guessing you''ve subjected him to this kind of training before?" the General crossed his arms over his silver-plated armored chest.


    "Oh, she''s done that alright!" I blurted, getting hysterical and even more annoyed.


    "So far," Pisces added, "he''s only been able to access the power in times of great distress."


    "He needs to gauge his reactions to the smallest of provocations first. . ." the General muttered to himself while narrowing his eyes at me. He started walking towards me.


    I frowned at him with growing suspicion. "W-What are you doing?"


    Just like Pisces''s surprise attack, I had found myself with my back to the ground, seated on my ass.


    "Have you lost your mind?" I hissed, feeling my jaw after it had become the recipient of the General''s knuckles. "The hell did you punch me for?"


    "I think I might have solved your little magic problem," the General towered over me, his thin lips twisted into a half smile.


    Pisces eyed him interestingly as he added, "I might still not know shit about these other-worldly Zodiac things but one thing remains clear." He looked down at me, no longer smiling, "he''s human. Sure, he has been imbued with godlike power but he is still human."


    I got up again, making sure to stand a safe distance away from the other two people that seemed intent on using my body as a punching bag.


    "So, what are you saying?" I asked, still feeling my jaw.


    "You''re just a boy," was the General''s response, again with that really nice straightforward bluntness. "How do you expect to fight like a Zodiac when you can''t even fight like a man."


    "Okay," I raised an index finger, though that had not been my initial first choice, "first of all, ouch. Second, didn''t you see me take on that super big Zodiac that had been about to drive a blade right through your chest¡ªyou''re welcome by the way!"


    Grunting again, the General regarded me, It was a matter of great distress, as she put it."


    Pisces nodded in agreement, turning her attention to me. "It took the three of us to bring down Tauros. The others will come at us with abilities twice as great. You need to let Sage''s power in."


    "I told you I''m getting there!" I yelled uncharacteristically, "sorry. I mean, it''s not easy. You know that."


    "I do know," Pisces levelled, "there''s just not that much time left."


    "Well, then it appears my being here should help speed up things," the General chimed in.


    "What are you gonna do?" I asked, still mad at the guy, "beat my ass up some more?"


    "Exactly," another direct response. "I said I''d teach you to fight like a man, didn''t I?"


    "Now, I wish you could''ve just taken us back to your chief," I shook my head, though I highly doubted Pisces would have gone quietly.


    "Whenever you''re ready," the General said, flexing his arms and neck.


    "What, you mean now?" I asked incredulously.


    "Well, chop chop!" the General shrugged, "how else do you expect to go up against these freaks?" he turned to Pisces who cut in.


    "Yeah, yeah," she sighed, "none taken."


    A little puzzled by what had just happened, the General turned back to me. "Well, lad, let''s see how much of a punch you can pack."


    "Would you quit it with the whacky nicknames?" I groaned, taking a couple of steps back, "you already know my name and you still haven''t told us yours. For all we know, you could be Pollux."Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    "What?" it was now the General''s turn to look incredulous.


    "The shape shifter," Pisces offered, clearing the confusion. "And that''s not¡ª"


    "Possible," I cut in with a sigh, apparently realizing my terrible deduction. "I know. Pollux wouldn''t have helped us take down Tauros. I just think it''s a little weird that he hasn''t told us who he is."


    "If it''ll help you concentrate so we can get this over with," the General said, shrugging, "the name''s Garuvir Belzak."


    I didn''t catch that at first, similar to every other name in this place; human or Zodiac.


    "That wasn''t so hard," I said and almost fell backwards after the General feigned a charge. "So, what are we doing, Gary? Can I call you Gary?"


    "No," he feigned another charge and I stumbled back.


    "What about Zak?" I fixed my arms in what I assumed was a striking stance, after which I caught Pisces''s reaction from the corner of my eye. Wait, did she just roll her eyes at me?


    "No," the General, adding a little bit of intensity to his tone this time. He was getting annoyed. Devil may care attitude my ass!


    He zeroed in and landed his knuckles against my chest, sending me to the ground.


    "I was gauging your defenses," Zak said as I got back up. "you don''t have any." Yeah, I was definitely gonna call him Zak from then on and made sure he knew it.


    "Nah," I brought my hands together, clenching my fists, "sucker punches don''t count. I dare you to hit me again. Come on, Zak."


    Zak stopped his gauging routine. "How about you try to hit me. . ."


    "You''re serious?" I taunted, getting into my own gauging routine by hopping around. "You know I won''t hold back, old man."


    Zak grinned, shaking his head. "Using humor as a way of masking your cowardice. Not a terrible tactic."


    "I prefer to think of it as a way of fueling my confidence, kinda like a boost." I added after I heard Pisces snicker, however so slightly.


    "Is that so?" Zak returned, an amused look on his face. "Let''s see it then. Come on. Hit me."


    I took three steps forward and lashed out with my right arm. My knuckles crunched as they struck against Zak''s hand. He swiftly grabbed at my wrist, heaving me towards him then hitting me in the chest, again. I stumbled backwards, feeling myself.


    "I knew it," I muttered, fixating on Zak''s right hand, "you have a metal arm, don''t you?" I also noticed he had been using his other hand to strike. Perhaps it was time I toned down the jokes. He wouldn''t hit me with his right hand, would he?


    "Yeah, that. . ." Zak said, a little absent-mindedly before regaining his focus. "You need to plant your feet firmly to the ground, otherwise you might as well just be swatting at a fly."


    "Be a dear and warn me if he tries to smash me with his metal arm," I turned to Pisces who had decided to take a seat on a patch of raised ground, apparently spectating my "human training".


    "Oh, I''m almost certain it won''t come to that," she replied shortly, her face beaming.


    "That''s reassuring," I frowned, turning back to Zak who was already charging at me.


    What followed was a montage of ass kicking, eating dirt and some more ass kicking, with the glorified Zak ranting about planting feet, locking elbows and maintaining eye contact. This went on for hours as I noticed the sun sinking beyond the trees. I was getting exhausted. My arms hurt from either blocking or taking in jabs from Zak.


    "We''re losing daylight," Pisces said, getting up from her spot. "We need to keep going."


    I could tell from her face she was trying to hide the disappointment. I hadn''t landed a single hit on Zak''s body who, unlike me, did not appear to have broken a single sweat. He stopped coming at me, giving me a chance to take a breather, thankfully. "At least you haven''t fallen on your ass in the last hour," Zak said. "She''s right, we don''t want to be caught in the dark right now, especially where we''re headed."


    Zak''s eyes looked past me and into the woods ahead and I was curious as to what he might have been talking about but my weariness got the better of me, exacerbating my growing agitation alongside my irritating Zodiac tattoo.


    "One more time," I called, getting Zak''s attention as I wiped a wave of sweat from my face before balling my fists.


    "Desmond," Pisces regarded me, concern in her voice, "you don''t have to¡ª"


    "I can do this!" I stubbornly brushed off her words, gauging Zak some more.


    "Come on, kid," Zak shook his head, trying to be rational.


    "We''re losing daylight, aren''t we?" I tightened my fists. Pisces was approaching me but she stopped, apparently noticing the spontaneous glowing coming from my arm.


    Zak gave in, shrugging, and came at me. His swung his fist, jabbing me in the arm again. I staggered backwards but I remained unfazed. There was something fueling my psyche at that moment; whether it was the anger of losing, the exhaustion or Sage''s overwhelming power¡ªI had no idea. I let them all in. I embraced it.


    The second blow still caught me, sending me down on one knee. Zak extended a hand, "Get up, slick. Let''s go."


    I huffed, grabbing his hand but instead of heaving myself up, I tightened my grip and yanked the unsuspecting Zak out of his position, sending him to the ground after which I got up.


    "What," I said over my breath, "you didn''t see that coming?"


    I didn''t turn to catch Pisces''s reaction but chose to maintain my attention on Zak who was already getting up.


    "Using wit to outsmart opponents bigger than you," he chuckled, "someone''s catching up."


    He came at me again, swinging his arm but I was more than ready this time. I could clearly see his arm; all of its motion, how his biceps and triceps contracted and expanded; how his shoulder rotated, letting the energy flow all the way to his fist which I caught with my hand then countered with my right, getting the General neatly in his core, followed by a faint release of green energy.


    Zak doubled back, managing to keep his feet planted on the ground as I did the same. He had a twisted grin on his face, getting amused by my actions and charged yet again.


    There was something going on with my sight. I could detect Zak''s moves just as fast as he could execute them, blocking all of his hooks and jabs, and countering with moves that would come out considerably more powerful with every hit. At that point, I had dropped Zak more times than he had.


    "Desmond," Pisces called again and I had a feeling she was trying to make me stop but I was only getting started. Something felt different; almost as if a switch had been flipped inside me.


    Ignoring Pisces, I brought my fists close to my face and I could feel a glowing sensation warming up my chin. "Come on. We don''t have all day," I taunted Zak, who, unlike Pisces, was more than excited to keep the charade going. He even fished out his axes from his back.


    "Alright, kid," he grinned at me, a wild glint shimmering in his eyes. "I''ve been taking it easy on you."


    I responded with a smile and I could no longer feel the weariness, only the anger mashed with cosmic energy coursing through my system.


    Zak charged, swinging one of the axes which I perfectly dodged by ducking to the ground, performing a flip and picking up Despyon''s shield. I initiated the next attack this time, bashing the shield into Zak who deflected it with his blades and countered with another swing, smacking me hard on the side with the flat surface of the blade.


    I groaned, losing balance and had to support myself with the shield. Zak did not give me a break this time. He brought down his axes at me but I was quick enough to block with the shield. We were held in a tight position, trying to overpower the other as my knee dug into the ground while I poured all of my strength into the shield.


    "Guys, stop!" Pisces raised her voice.


    "Just. . .a little. . .longer. . ." I said through gritted teeth.


    "He''ll. . .be. . .down in a. . .second. . ." Zak responded and I was glad to realize how much he was actually struggling but my moment of joy dwindled after I felt the direction of force shift. Zak''s blades pushed down against Despyon''s shield, getting closer to my shoulders.


    I willed my senses, forcing all of my strength, particularly the overwhelming power flowing into my body from my right arm. The force shifted again, this time to my favor. My knee gradually lost contact with the ground as I pushed back against Zak''s blades, forcing him back until I had reestablished an upward stance. I did not stop. The power was too much. Both of my arms were glowing incredibly, dousing Despyon''s shield in a magnificent aura of green energy.


    "Des¡ª" Pisces was already rushing towards us but a violent explosion had rented the air.


    What had followed had been more bizarre than the explosion after a blinding beam of bright green light had shot into my eyes and I went on to experience a wild whiplash effect as if my mind had been stretched out and released like a rubber band. Insane visuals appeared subsequently, flashing in front of me, similar to what I had seen earlier when Pisces''s body had lit up the entire woods.


    I did not understand what I saw¡ªat least not at the time. Everything was so bright my eyes hurt. I winced, catching glimpses of strange life forms drifting in and out of misty green clouds with thunder booming and lightning crackling in the background, the outline of what appeared to be an island below all the chaos. I winced harder, finally making out an image. I heard the sound of hooves and could see the legs of a horse and a part of its lower body. The rest was covered in the clouds. The horse appeared to be glowing in a greenish highlight.


    I had the urge to want to find out what this creature was. I tried moving closer but my body was held in place and I could only watch. Something materialized from the clouds in front of the horse whose upper body I still couldn''t see. It was a hand. The hand was holding something. Something that looked like a. . .


    More flashes of lightning formed, making it harder to make out what was in the hand. Thunder followed and the entire image was disrupted, followed by a new image. Everything turned from green to red. The lightning and thunder had stopped and in its place, a grotesque figure had materialized. It was as tall as the creature before it, towering over the island. It was silhouetted in a wave of thick dark red clouds, allowing me to make out something that appeared to have curved horns extending into the heavens.


    The figure walked towards me, shaking the ground. I knew I had to get out of there. But how? I couldn''t see Pisces or Zak anywhere. The figure appeared to be stooping, coming down at me to get a better look. Its form was still undiscernible until it had gotten close enough, allowing me to gaze at its fiery red eyes and its mouth. I caught a strong whiff of something burning. The smell of intense heat against my face.


    A voice followed, echoing throughout wherever I was, booming with the loudness of thunder. "Crawl back into the hole you from whence you came mortal, or burn in my eternal flames!"


    Thick waves of raging fire washed over the island, engulfing it before pouring in from every side like flash floods. I cried, frantically fighting against what was holding me but it was too late. I could feel the flames burn right through my clothes and eat at my skin, instantly melting my flesh.


    I screamed, wriggling and twisting as an invisible force held me in place while I continued to become a human barbeque. I had to get out of there. The pain was unbearable. I turned my head in desperation, looking for a way out, which was when I saw her.


    Her radiant form drifted through the flames, with not a single ember catching any part of her gown as she came to my side.


    "Wake up," she whispered into my ear and I experienced another whiplash effect, shutting my eyes.


    By the time I dared to open them, I realized no terrifying flames were enveloping me and I was standing next to Pisces who had her hand on my shoulder. Zak was standing a couple of feet back, apparently feeling something on his chest while staring at me with a mildly shocked expression.


    My breathing, which had been heightened, slowed down as Pisces maintained her hand on my shoulder. I looked past her concerned eyes, scanning the woods where the trees appeared to be falling in and out of place, the ground beneath me uneven, like vertigo.


    "The fire. . ." I managed to say, "where''s the-the fire. . .?"


    "What''re you on about, lad?" Zak asked.


    "It was everywhere!" I got hysterical, feeling myself all over. "It was¡ª"


    "Hey," Pisces increased her grip on my shoulder, making me look into her eyes. "You''re okay. You had a vision."


    "W-What?" I gasped.


    Pisces smiled and I felt myself relax, letting go of all the dread that had gripped me. "You successfully harnessed Sage''s power."


    "Kid, your arm," Zak pointed and I followed his gaze down to my blazing right arm which had taken a different kind of glow this time. Streaks of green lightning circled my arm, flowing from my shoulder, along Sage''s insignia and into the tips of my fingers where it came out in bright sparks. That was not all. Despyon''s shield which lay on the ground a foot away from me, also had green lightning sparking off it.


    "This is. . .new. . ." I muttered, raising my arm and scrutinizing it, watching the thin neon green sparks wriggle and dance on my skin.


    Letting go of my shoulder, Pisces said with a dawning expression, "You''ve channeled Sage''s power."

 The Dark Forest

    Those unsettling words kept popping up in my head over and over after I had narrated to both Pisces and Zak what I had witnessed as we trudged through the woods which were shrouded in a pale orange highlight.


    "You were able to see into the cosmic plane," Pisces said while Zak walked on ahead of us, still feeling his core where he had received a wave of the energy blast from Despyon''s shield after I had successfully channeled Sage''s power.


    "It''s a supernatural realm where only beings like us or the gods can traverse, connecting us to other mortal worlds across the universe," Pisces added, "and if that is indeed what you saw, things are worse than I thought."


    I recounted how I saw that tall silhouetted figure with the curved horns breathing fire all over Abinor and wiping it out of existence, then there was the other figure before it¡ªthe one resembling a horse. From Pisces''s elaboration, I deduced it had to be Sage.


    "But what was he trying to tell me?" I asked, "he didn''t say anything, except try to hand me something."


    Pursing her lips, Pisces said, "Now that you can see him, expect to have more occurrences of the same. You have the vision now. Do not ignore anything you see."


    I tensed as she said that, a wave of anxiety washing over me.


    "Hey, magic folk!" Zak called, getting our attention, "best be on high alert from now on."


    "What?" I asked as Pisces scanned the vicinity which had shifted from the occasional scattered trees to thick congested vegetation and even more trees.


    "We''re now entering the Dark Forest," Zak said and as we followed him into the thick mass of trees, I noticed how it actually became darker. I even turned and I could make out the difference, almost as if an invisible line was separating the Hunting Grounds from this place.


    "There''s all kinds of. . ." Zak paused and I caught him briefly look at his right arm; the metallic one, ". . .nasty things out here."


    "The air feels different here," Pisces whispered, her eyes glowing in the darkened environment.


    I swallowed, trying to fight off my anxiety. I glanced at my arm. No electrical sparks were coming off it, which I guessed was a good sign. I turned to Despyon''s shield and observed its reflective surface. I thought I could see him with my newly acquired "sight" but it was still a plain reflection.


    Pisces continued scanning the area and I assumed she was using her abilities to check whether there were any signs of danger out there, so, I left her and hurried over to Zak''s side.


    "What happened to your arm?" I asked as he swung one of his axes and cut through overgrown bushes, clearing the way.


    "Haven''t you had enough harrowing experiences, lad," he said, "now you want to know how I lost my arm?"


    "Well, we''re already in the Dark Forest and super-powered beings from another world are coming after us," I levelled, "I don''t think it could get any worse."


    "Alright then," Zak sighed, swinging his axe and falling more bushes. "I was a wee lad, about your age and just as scrawny and stupid."


    "I''m gonna let that one slide," I muttered, offended, "go on."


    "The Harvest period had just passed, twenty summers ago. I was regathering the Chieftain''s horses when some of them wandered off. I chased them down into the Hunting Grounds but I lost them. I knew I was a dead man if I returned without those horses, so, I searched deeper and didn''t even realize I was already in here."


    That''s when the nasties of this place decided to pop out, especially one certain beast I had only heard tales about at the village bonfire. It was getting dark. I had lost my way. The beast had caught my scent. I could hear it howl through the trees, howling into the sky and the moon."


    "What was it?" I asked, "a wolf?"


    "Oh no," Zak chuckled, biting his lower lip, "I''d come to the same assumption but it was no wolf. I ran through the trees like the scared little shit that I was. The beast was faster, catching up to me in seconds then knocking me to the ground."


    I don''t know whether it was how he explained the whole thing or maybe it had something to do with "the vision", I wasn''t sure, but I got an unsettlingly vivid picture of the ordeal as Zak went on.


    "It grabbed me by the leg and tossed me across the forest. It came at me, picked me up with both of its limbs and I could see its eyes¡ªtwo black holes boring into my own. I tried to break free and kicked the beast. It did not like that and thus I kicked it again and something dislodged from its body. The beast growled and bore its teeth at me." Zak glanced at his metal arm which glinted in the dimming light.


    "Holy shit. . ." I muttered, unable to imagine what it must have felt like. "What about this beast? How did you escape?"


    "I didn''t," Zak said shortly, "I used this." I looked at his arm.


    "I don''t understand."


    "Well, turns out I''d managed to knock off a loose piece of its skin. It was as hard as metal and pointed like the horn from that other beast we slayed."


    I felt my side where a tiny bag was attached. Pisces had conjured it for me so I could store Tauros''s fallen horn. I had forgotten all about it.


    "The beast had a lot of them on its body, like spines, sticking out of its back. So, I grabbed the fallen piece and stabbed the beast in its neck as it came down to devour me. I killed it on the spot." Zak flexed his metal arm. "I carried the beast with me, using it to fend off other creatures of the night that would try to come at me, all the way back to Abinor. The Chieftain was so taken by my valiant deeds he had the beast''s hide molted and crafted me this out of it."A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    "Whoa. . ." was all I could bring myself to say.


    "I was recruited into the Order after that, and have served as Abinor''s army and later General ever since. I even have the beast''s blood on me right here," Zak pointed at his right breast plate where three streaks of what I had earlier assumed was red paint, splashed across the silvery metal. "Amarok is its name."


    "It''s kinda like Vibranium!" I marveled, still staring at the arm.


    "What?" Zak asked.


    "You know, like the Winter Soldier who loses his arm and gets a new one in Wakanda and. . .you have no idea what I''m talking about," I stopped upon catching Zak''s puzzled expression. "It''s awesome, though."


    "Awesome?" Zak reiterated.


    "Yeah, awesome. It''s when something really good happens."


    Grunting, Zak regarded me with an amused expression. "You really aren''t from around here, are you?"


    "Been trying to find my way back ever since," I sighed.


    "Well then, let''s not waste any more time and be done with all of this," Zak patted me on the shoulder with his metal arm and it hurt.


    "Guys!" Pisces called when my arm lit up with green electrical sparks.


    "What is it?" I asked as both Zak and me turned around. Then we all heard it.


    It was a low baying sound, almost like the howling of a wolf but this one felt different. It was louder and deeper.


    "Something knows we''re here," Pisces whispered.


    The baying intensified and from Zak''s face, I could already tell what he was thinking. "No," I started, "it can''t be."


    "What?" Pisces looked from Zak to me.


    Heavy loud steps followed and the creature emerged from the trees.


    "Hide!" Zak shot and we all rushed to crouch behind a mass of bushes.


    The baying then turned into deep guttural grunts as I heard the beast prowl, looking for its prey. Zak had pulled out both of his axes and was ready to attack. I turned to Pisces. She was¡ªwait, where was she?


    "What is she doing?" I heard Zak say and followed the direction of his gaze, only to find Pisces standing right in front of it.


    It was exactly as Zak had described it, only it was more terrifying in the flesh. "Get back!" Zak called in a low voice and he sounded more on edge than he had been while fighting Tauros.


    Pisces ignored him and I watched her approach the creature. It was nearly seven feet tall, towering over Pisces''s small form. It had a striking resemblance to a wolf, especially its head, but that was it. The rest of its body was covered in black fur with what appeared to be sharp silvery spines aligned on its back, from its head, all the way to its thick bushy tail. It stood on its hind legs like a werewolf and my heart sunk when it lashed out at Pisces with its forelimbs that were almost as thick as Tauros''s arms and ended with curved claws.


    Unfazed, Pisces stood her ground as the creature tried to scare her by baring its teeth where thick saliva was drooling. It would charge at her then back away as fast.


    "It''s okay," Pisces whispered to it and I swallowed when she extended a hand. "You''re just a big beautiful boy, aren''t you?"


    I lost it at that. She was trying to pet it! And to my bewilderment, it actually worked. The creature gradually narrowed its jaws and was no longer baring its teeth. It even went ahead to approach Pisces who let her rest the palm of her hand on its broad head.


    Pisces stroke its fur with her tiny hand as the sapphire radiance of her body contrasted greatly with the creature''s. The creature was even enjoying it, letting out a deep humming sound and closing its eyes.


    "Well I''ll be. . ." Zak muttered, just as petrified as I was.


    Pisces observed the creature and spotted something on one of its hairy arms. "Oh, you poor thing," she said softly, gently lifting up the arm. There was something wedged in there, in between some of its spines. She reached with her hand and plucked it out, to which the creature responded by snarling but Pisces petted it some more and it calmed down.


    "There, there," she whispered to it, "it was only a thorn." I watched her place her hand over its arm again and appeared to heal the creature. "Much better now."


    "You can come out now," she said to Zak and me and we were reluctant but she persisted. "He won''t hurt you. He''s a good boy."


    I came out first, with Zak following far behind. "Come on," Pisces insisted.


    The creature directed its eyes at me. They were so black I could see my own reflection in them. It did not bare its teeth or try to slice my head off with its massive claws but even then, my hand shook and Pisces grabbed it, gently directing it towards the creature''s fur.


    "He''s an Amarok," she said as I felt the creature''s warm fur.


    "It''s a he now, huh. . ." I swallowed, still shaking.


    "Relax. . ." Pisces held on to my hand and I found myself looking into her eyes. They had become insanely pretty. How was she doing that?


    Realizing I was staring, I looked away, refocusing on the terrifying not-so-terrifying creature. It wasn''t that bad actually. It was like petting a really big dog.


    I caught Pisces brushing back her blue hair over her ear from the corner of my eye before turning around to call Zak. "Even you. Get over here."


    "I think I''m fine. You two go on ahead and have at it," Zak nervously replied, subtly hiding his right arm behind his back.


    "Dude, it''s okay," I found myself saying, "it''s not the same one that attacked you."


    "Three people petting it all at once. I don''t want to scare him off," Zak added defensively.


    "We''ll step back and let you pet him then," Pisces countered.


    "Right. . ." Zak muttered, giving in.


    Pisces and me stepped away from the creature and Zak advanced towards it. The Amarok regarded him, not at all showing any signs of ferocity and Zak was about to extend his hand when everything took a turn. The Amarok snarled.


    "Shit!" Zak cursed, regretting his actions but the creature did not charge. It did the opposite.


    "See," Zak added, retreating, "what did I tell you? I scared him off."


    "I don''t think you scared him off," I said, watching the creature growl at something in the trees, give a high-pitched howl then dash into the opposite direction and was gone.


    "Something now definitely knows we''re here," Pisces warned and the electrified glowing on my arm had returned.


    We did not have long to find out. It started with a distinct snapping. The snapping would come at intervals, like gunshots.


    "I know that sound. . ." Pisces muttered, high on alert. "They''ve found us."


    "Who''s found us?" I asked, brandishing Despyon''s shield while Zak readied his axes.


    The forest fell deadly silent. Deadlier than it already was then the chaos erupted all at once. Something big came hurtling out of the trees, knocking them aside until it was standing before us and I finally discovered where the snapping was coming from.


    I would have passed out had I not seen enough weird stuff already, but they all kept getting weirder, especially what I was currently looking at. It stood taller than the Amarok with its multiple set of appendage legs and had two large curved claws¡ªpincers¡ªthat would repeatedly clap against each other, creating that chilling sound.


    That was not all. There was more. Behind us, opposite the first being, another appeared in a most supernatural fashion by materializing out of the earth with its horns cutting through to the surface until it was standing before us.


    "How should we kill them?" the horned being spoke, regarding all three of us, after which the other being replied, snapping its pincers, "how about we tear the skin from their flesh!"

 Horns and Claws

    I was standing between Pisces and Zak. Pisces spread out her hands, mystical blue energy radiating out of them as she faced the horned being. Zak bore his ax blades at the other being. It was growing darker by the second and the trees of the Dark Forest appeared like long shadowy spindles dancing in the increasing black mass.


    "I suppose they are part of the family?" Zak muttered over his shoulder to Pisces while my arm lit up in green sparks of lightning.


    I caught Pisces''s jaws tighten. Her eyes glowed brighter as she regarded the horned being. "Karkinos and Capricus," she said.


    "What?" both Zak and me responded.


    "Karkinos," Pisces reiterated and there was a way she said it, as if she was making my mind understand the name. I followed her gaze. She looked back at the being Zak was facing.


    This being, Karkinos, had the most baffling appearance out of all the other Zodiac I''d come across. It had five pairs of hooked legs coming out of its broad abdomen and an elongated torso. My mind snapped after catching the unsettling resemblance this Zodiac shared with the typical crab. It had two curved claws coming out of its core and the snapping sound they made as they hit against each other matched the hooked set of mandibles that served as its mouth and then the rest, the only thing that gave the being any kind of human likeness, was its two black eyes which glinted in the dark. Its head was broad and stretched, where two markings were etched. They were two figures looking like the number "6", but flipped and inverted so they mirrored each other, similar to the Yin Yang symbol.


    I assumed it was the Zodiac''s insignia as the markings glowed on its head in a pale white light, contrasting with its crusty dark brown skin. Its whole appearance reminded me of the Xenomorph and I shivered after it snapped its claws again.


    "Well, well," the Zodiac, Karkinos, snapped, his mandibles rattling as he spoke, "I see you''re still fighting a losing battle, Pisces."


    "Maybe you should rethink your words after what I did to Tauros!" Pisces responded heatedly, to which the other Zodiac laughed at, saying, "That brute was nothing. Always sucking up to Aries as if he was better than the rest of us. That will perhaps be the only thing Aries likes about you right now and maybe he''ll spare you."


    This Zodiac was a lot more human-like compared to its Xenomorphic counterpart but was just as tall, standing over the earth from which I had watched it literally crawl out of. Its feet were slender, ending out in hooves, similar to those of a goat and that appearance resonated throughout the rest of its body. Purple colored scales spread out from its thighs, covering the rest of its upper body and would have thin membrane endings on areas like its elbows and jaws which looked like fish fins. Its face was that of a woman as it sneered back at Pisces with its pink eyes and above them was a complicated symbol.


    The symbol was like a "V", except the two endings were twisted on either side: the left was elongated in a straight horizontal line while the right had its line extending into a knot, forming another line that projected downwards into a "J" shape. So complex, I know. That was its insignia. It glowed in a dark hue, almost like Pollux''s insignia and illuminated the scales running on its head, all the way down to its neck and then there were the horns, projecting out from either of its temples and spiraling several inches over its head, looking very much like the horns of a goat.


    "You should''ve remained hidden after running away," Karkinos cracked at Pisces.


    "You, Karkinos, lecture me about running away? Like you did after you failed to defeat Hera''s mortal enemy!" Pisces levelled and I could tell she had struck a nerve while I struggled to comprehend whatever it is they were saying.


    "Hercules was no mere mortal!" Capricus defended Karkinos who''d been stumped, glaring at Pisces and my eyes widened after I had heard that name and made a mental note as to how tight these Zodiac were with the gods.


    "And I would have ripped him apart had Hera not sent me to the stars!" Karkinos levelled, trying to make himself feel good.


    "Always with the same excuse," Pisces taunted and I had to marvel at her ability to crawl under the skin of others. "Don''t you ever grow tired of that?"


    "Enough of this!" Capricus snapped, stomping the ground with her hooves. "It''s time we did what we came here to do!"


    Pisces regarded the two Zodiac. "Where''s Aries?"


    "What," Karkinos guffawed, "you think he''d lower himself to come after you?"


    "Well, I guess he''s already there if he keeps sending all of you to handle just me."


    At this, both Capricus and Karkinos had lost their cool and they charged at us from either side. I readied Despyon''s shield, letting Sage''s power flow into it in the form of green lightning. I broke out from the group as Zak swung his axes at Karkinos and metal clashed against hard cosmic skin.


    Pisces literally phased her body and I watched as Capricus''s claws cut through her but only swiped at air. Pisces reformed and countered by using telekinesis to hurl Capricus across the air before sending her crashing into a tree.


    Zak had one of his axes knocked out of his hand and the blade spun in the air then landed to the ground where it lodged itself into the dirt. I threw Despyon''s shield at Karkinos as he was about to crush Zak with one of his massive claws, cutting him off with a blast of energy and he was thrown back, rolling on the ground and rattling his legs.


    "What''s the plan here, guys?" I asked as we regrouped, having our backs to each other as the two got back up.


    "Karkinos will put up a more physical fight," Pisces offered, " look out for his claws and go for his legs."


    "Ah, now that I can handle," Zak grinned, flexing his arms after reacquiring his axe.


    "But it''s her you really need to look out for," Pisces cautioned as Capricus advanced towards us. "She can manipulate the one thing¡ª"


    Pisces gasped.


    "Where the hell did she go?" I asked after Capricus suddenly sunk into the ground after the earth had ruptured where she stood.


    This distraction resulted in Karkinos launching his attack, catching us off guard. He charged, lashing out with his claws and we barely had enough time to move out of the way as the tips of his claws tore against the ground, narrowly missing us.


    Zak had rolled away from us so he came up behind the Zodiac and flung himself at it in an attempt to land on its extended back but Karkinos perceived this, whacking Zak with one of his legs and sending him reeling to the ground.


    Pisces and I came after Karkinos. I threw Despyon''s shield. Pisces conjured up a ball of energy. I watched as the shield and Pisces''s energy sailed towards the Zodiac but they never reached their target. Instead, the two gradually lost their momentum then stopped moving entirely and remained suspended in the air. At first, I''d thought Pisces had done something as I turned to look at her but my movement slowed. My body lagged and became heavy. Why wasn''t I moving? I gasped. Nothing else was. Everything had stopped, frozen in place.


    The only thing I caught after that was Capricus''s voice as she chuckled maliciously. She came into view, materializing before me. I watched her shoot up from the earth and the displaced dirt did not fall to the ground, it simply hovered over the ground before gradually losing its momentum and also becoming frozen in place.


    Capricus was the only thing moving at that point. Even Karkinos was immobile while Zak was frozen in place, appearing to have been in the middle of getting up.


    "The one thing I can''t manipulate," Pisces''s voice found its way into my head. ". . .Time."


    It took a moment before I understood what was happening.


    "How do we get out?" I asked with my mind.


    "We can''t," was her shockingly direct response as Capricus approached her.


    My eyes were the only thing moving and I forced them towards Capricus''s direction. I watched her regard Pisces, tracing her clawed finger along her hair. "Such unique features," I heard her say. "Such a weak form. You know you never belonged with us and should''ve remained hidden after Sage''s death."The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    I forced my eyes to turn even more and something happened. I was seeing things. Things that hadn''t been there before.


    "Listen," Pisces''s voice found me again as I caught a glimpse of her face. Her eyes were looking ahead, fixed in place and not moving. "We can''t get out of this. . .but you can."


    "What do you mean?" I asked, trying to fight whatever was currently going on with my sight. "What is she doing to us? My eyes¡ª"


    "What? What do you see?" I caught a gasp in Pisces''s voice.


    My sight had become contorted, warped. The darkened environment was dancing in front of me, forming ripples and waves. There was only one other time I had ever had such an experience and it had involved "accidentally" taking some substances while at a party back in Sacramento.


    "Focus, Desmond," Pisces''s voice again. "What do you see?"


    "It''s hard to make out," I narrowed my eyes. The effect intensified until the visuals shifted and became more discernible. "Wait," I said after what looked like tiny balls of green light materialized, dancing alongside the waves at alternate points. "I see spherical shaped light thingies or something."


    An even louder gasp from Pisces followed. "It''s the vision and. . .and something else I didn''t think you''d be able to do this soon."


    "What is it? What''s happening?"


    "You''re seeing through space. The vision is allowing you to evade Capricus''s time manipulation."


    "I''m what?"


    "Those aren''t spheres. They are holes. Gateways through space."


    "And you can''t see them?"


    "Only you can. Now it''s time to use both of Sage''s abilities together and get us out of here."


    "How do I do that?"


    "Focus on the gateways. They''ll show you the way."


    "How?"


    "You just have to¡ª" Pisces''s voice was cut off, turning into a groan that was no longer in my head. I turned my eyes and caught Capricus driving a claw deep into her cheek, causing blue blood to drip down her jaw, apparently unaffected by the twisted flow of time.


    "No wonder Sage took a liking to you," Capricus taunted, glaring at Pisces with her pink eyes. "I''ll peel off your face and wear it as a band."


    Pisces was moaning now, the distress in her voice growing apparent. I turned to the glowing holes in front of me. I had to get out and help her. Focus, she had said. There were half a dozen holes dancing in the air. I concentrated on the one closest to me and I experienced a weird feeling in my eyes. The hole appeared to move closer to me, as if my eyes were a camera, panning into the distorted temporal aura.


    Pisces''s moaning stopped and Capricus had turned to me. "What?" I caught the surprise in her voice. "How are you moving?"


    I could feel more pressure exacted down on me. Capricus was increasing her power and so did I. I concentrated on the hole until it was growing, widening by the second and getting closer and closer.


    Come on! My vision panned out as the hole engulfed me like a vortex, bathing me in bright green light and everything around me folded in on itself and I recalled a similar experience back when Ethel had used her staff to teleport me and Pisces.


    My vision restored itself and everything twisted itself back in place. At least for my part. Pisces was still immobile. Only Capricus and I were moving through time.


    "Impossible!" Capricus spat, bearing her teeth. "Only Sage could do that!"


    "Well," I levelled, still trying to comprehend what was happening. "haven''t you heard? I''m his successor."


    Of course I hadn''t planned what to do after that as the horned Zodiac came at me. She sunk into the ground when she was only inches away, only to reappear behind me. She struck me, sending me falling with my face where I scraped my chin against a rock.


    "You are doomed, no matter, mortal!" Capricus towered over me, grabbing me by the collar. She was about to claw at my face but I brought my arm around, getting her across her own face with my empowered right arm and tiny sparks of electricity dissipated upon impact. This made her drop me after which I crawled, looking for Despyon''s shield.


    "Ugh, you little. . ." Capricus cursed and I could hear her hooves stomp against the ground before she appeared in front of me. She whacked me hard in my side and I was thrown across the ground, landing nearly two feet away from where Pisces stood.


    Capricus was on me again, hoisting me up by my neck this time and I had to remark at just how all the Zodiac I''d met so far had immense amounts of physical strength.


    "You may have our power," she sneered at me, maintaining her grip, "but you''re still a mere mortal. Why don''t I show you what we actually do to your kind?"


    The Zodiac parted her jaws, bearing her fangs and I thought she was going to suck the blood from my neck like a vampire but it was much worse. A faint light materialized from her throat, lighting up her mouth and quickly got me in a trance as I struggled to look away. I could feel my consciousness drift, almost literally, as if it was being pulled out of my body. Remember how Pennywise, the dancing clown, would paralyze his victims by projecting their fear? Well, now I knew what that felt like.


    I was losing myself. My very existence was withering away as my soul slowly broke apart from my body. I tried hitting against Capricus with my hands but even Sage''s power appeared to have been temporarily vanquished somehow. I swung my arms and at one point, I felt the tip of my finger brush against Pisces''s hand. This gave me an idea. One last attempt at cheating death yet again. I could only hope it would work.


    While Capricus continued to feast on my soul, I extended my arm, desperately trying to reach out to Pisces. I did. I could feel my heart rate slow down. My eyes were closing. No! I had to stay awake for this to work and with one powerful surge of strength, I grabbed onto Pisces''s hand and it all happened so instantly, I barely had time to register as Pisces''s eyesight became my own and I was able to see the gateways again. I concentrated and a wave of light washed over me like before.


    The connection had been severed. I was back to losing my soul to Capricus and my eyes began to shut but the ordeal was cut short, followed by Capricus flying through the air and crashing into Karkinos. I fell on my knees, gasping for air and Pisces was there by my side, her hands feeling my face.


    "Are you okay?" she asked and the glow in her eyes had waned.


    "Yeah. . ." I managed to say over a fleet of coughs and wheezes as life returned to my body. "Are you okay?" I found myself looking at the deep gash on Pisces''s cheek.


    She was about to respond when Zak came by our side. Apparently, Capricus''s time freeze had been disrupted after Pisces had knocked her clean off the ground.


    "What-what happened?" Zak asked and I could see the confusion on his face.


    There was no time to explain. Capricus and Karkinos were getting up. Zak balled his fists. He had lost his axes. I looked at Pisces. She appeared to be in much better shape than I was as I tried to regain my composure and face the other Zodiac.


    The two Zodiac were so angry they hit each other while getting up and in my current condition, I was not sure how long I would hold up but a look from Pisces reassured me as a wave of comfort seemed to radiate from her. She used her power to retrieve Despyon''s shield and Zak''s axes and the three of us readied ourselves for the next battle.


    Pisces was leading the attack but appeared to pause, apparently sensing something and as I observed, so did the other Zodiac. Soon, Zak and I would also catch on. It started with a muffled sound in the distance that gradually shifted into a louder thumping sound¡ªthe sound of multiple hooves hitting against the ground. This was followed by the neighing of horses and finally, from one end of the forest, the emergence of soldiers atop horses, hoisting flaming torches and red flags that bore the unmistakable double swords and the head of a wolf symbol on them¡ªthe sigil of Abinor.


    Zak had been the first to react as he watched his troops match into the clearing but keeping clear of us, especially Capricus and Karkinos.


    "Neldor?" he called as the man leading the troops advanced while still on horseback. "Am I glad to see you."


    The conversation had been a little weird and out of place, especially given the fact there were two very dangerous cosmic beings preparing to attack on the other side.


    "Not another step, traitor!" Neldor huffed, his wild eyes hard and set on his face as his scar became visible over his nose under the light of his torch.


    "What''re you doing?" Zak asked, puzzled. "How did you find us?"


    "You forget how we''ve ruled the Dark Forest, you and I," Neldor said, almost in a brotherly manner but there was something in his voice as he maintained his grimace. "We''re scourging the lands of these demons once and for all!"


    Both Capricus and Karkinos snarled, their bodies stepping out of the dark and the soldiers'' light illuminated their appearance, creating gasps, curses and cries among the troops.


    "Well," Capricus spoke, a wild glint in her pink eyes as she regarded Neldor and his men, "this night keeps getting better and better."


    "I almost envy your courage in thinking you can take us on with this foolish excuse of an army," Karkinos added, snapping his claws and cracking his mandibles in laughter.


    "General?" one soldier called and Zak had been about to respond until he realized who was actually being addressed.


    Neldor turned to the soldier and gave him a nod. I looked back at Zak and noticed how he was not doing a good job at hiding the shock on his face after the revelation, but he almost immediately masked it with a sly grin.


    "Of course," he even laughed, "the Chieftain made you General."


    Neldor grinned at him. "It was only a matter of time, now that your name is tainted with treason." He slid off his horse and this time, Pisces was the one to have her jaw drop.


    On Neldor''s silver-plated chest, was what appeared to be a symbol, one I had seen before. The two vertical lines capped off with curving horizontal lines on either end¡ªPollux''s insignia. It appeared to have been painted on at first, but after more light fell on it, it became horrifyingly clear what had happened. You could see pieces of Pollux''s flesh sticking out on some parts of the symbol.


    "What did you do?" Pisces asked, her voice breaking for a moment.


    Neldor smiled twistedly. "Don''t worry. You will all find soon enough."


    Pisces must have seemed troubled but Capricus and Karkinos are the ones who sold it as they both charged at Neldor and his troops and I can''t believe I''m saying this wasn''t even the worst thing to happen that night. That was on its way and you''re gonna wanna stick around or back out altogether, for I tell you this, what would happen next would not be for the faint of heart.

 Blazing Fury

    Under a moonlit sky, a battle had ensued in the depths of the Dark Forest. A battle of mortals against metaphysical entities, one that initially had Pisces, Zak and me sidelined, after one of Neldor''s men had swung his sword at Karkinos and to everybody''s shock, a large chunk of the Zodiac''s crusty skin fell off, chipping away at one of his many legs. Neldor shouted out a war cry and his men ganged up on Karkinos and Capricus.


    "Is it Amarok metal?" I asked Zak whom I could tell had been assessing Neldor''s weapons from where he stood.


    "I-I''m not sure. . ." was his response.


    "It''s Pollux," came Pisces and I noticed her eyes were to the ground, as if deep and far away. "They took her power."


    I swallowed at this. "Is she. . .?"


    "Yes. She''s dead."


    "How''s that even possible?"


    "I. . ." Pisces paused, her eyes searching, "I don''t know."


    "Look out!" Zak yelled and something flew past me, narrowly brushing against my cheek as I fell back. I hastily made my way back up and felt my face after realizing my head had almost been shish-kebabbed by an arrow.


    Still feeling my cheek, I looked down at the arrow. It was lodged into the earth, its rear end sticking out and quivering above the surface. Something strange happened, or at least I think it did. The way the arrow quivered, I could feel its rhythm resonating in my arm and Sage''s arrow insignia seemed to match the rhythm by glowing.


    "Desmond," Pisces called, handing over Despyon''s shield to me. I snapped out of whatever that had been.


    The battle was spiraling and spreading through the forest, with the sounds of metal clanging against metal and people shouting, rented the air. I caught Neldor engaging in a glorified fighting spree as he went up against Karkinos, swinging and lashing out with his sword while a number of soldiers flanked the Zodiac, making it hard for him to put up a substantiated fight.


    Across to my left, Zak brought his axes together, cutting off an incoming arrow. He snapped it in half with his blades before charging at the soldier responsible who tried nocking another arrow and there it was again, that surreal feeling as I watched an arrow get fished out of its quiver and was making its way to the bow. Zak knocked the bow out of the soldier''s hands then struck him in the chest with his foot.


    "Desmond, watch out!" Pisces hoisted a soldier in the air who was charging at me and almost had me with his sword. My mind snapped again and I looked up to catch the soldier get hurled into three other soldiers. He collided into them like a bowling ball as they all went to the ground.


    "What is wrong with me?" I said to myself, shaking my head and regathering my attention. I flexed my right arm, triggering Sage''s power. Despyon''s shield was fueled with green lightning and I advanced towards Neldor''s men.


    One soldier spotted me and engaged, charging in the opposite direction with his sword held high. I charged back, lowering my head and readying Despyon''s shield. We were at an arm''s length away when I decided to bring around the shield and the soldier his sword, but got instantly cut off after the ground beneath us erupted, sending dirt flying all over. I barely managed to come to a halt and used the shield to protect me from falling roots and rocks.


    The soldier had not been so lucky. I looked up to find his lifeless body suspended in the air, apparently having been impaled by buttress roots, their vines shooting up his¡ªI''m gonna say his behind¡ªthrough his body and coming out of his mouth.


    I fell back in shock and the ground underneath me was moving. I tried rolling out of the way but vines grabbed at my ankles and was going for my arms. I used the shield to knock away incoming vines as Capricus materialized from the earth.


    She hissed at me, revealing her fangs and was coming for my neck but something hit her from the back which only made her hiss even more. She turned to pluck out a sword sticking out on her lower back. I took this chance to whack away the rest of the vines from my feet and slid away just as Capricus hurled the sword at the soldier who''d stabbed her, driving the blade right between his eyes.


    Two more soldiers came after the Zodiac, attacking her from either side. Capricus blocked their attacks, deflecting their blade strikes and I noticed how different those weapons appeared. Zak''s Amarok armor was strong, but there was something very different with whatever these soldiers were using.


    Capricus was down on her knees and had stopped fighting. She scraped at the dirt with her claws and was balling them into fists with a twisted smile on her face when Pisces called: "She''s controlling time!"


    No. I was not going through that again. I tightened my grip on Despyon''s shield, gathered momentum before planting my right foot forward, then, with a spin, I tossed the shield and it soared through the air. It left behind a streak of lightning that lit up in contrast to the moonlight and struck Capricus sharply, unleashing a shockwave of electricity that sent her falling entirely, her back to the ground, alongside the two soldiers.


    Pisces was levitating, taking out one soldier at a time from the air by knocking them out with energy blasts. She pulled one that had been trying to pin Zak to the ground, making it look like she was using an invisible rope of some kind and once the soldier was in close range, Pisces knocked him out of the air, sending him sinking into the ground.


    A loud snapping followed and I turned to catch Karkinos get into an enraged fit after seeing his fallen counterpart. The Zodiac lashed out with his pincers, attacking Neldor who was hit on the side but ducked at the second strike and another soldier ended up having his torso torn in half. Karkinos had either parts of the soldier in his pincers and used them to whack at the rest of the soldiers in a gory frenzy.


    "This was suicide, Neldor!" I heard Zak say as he made his way towards him. "You should never have done this."


    "You''re not the boss of me, you traitorous oaf!" spat an infuriated Neldor, his blood splattered face coming in and out of view in the dim night light. "My men and I will. . ." he looked around and I caught a slight widening in his eyes upon seeing the fraction of soldiers still standing. ". . .we will kill all of you!"


    Neldor charged at Zak, picking up a dead soldier''s sword and bringing it around. Zak blocked with one axe and countered with the other. Neldor withdrew, letting Zak''s first axe slice through his shoulder so he could advance and catch the second axe. He snapped it out of Zak''s grip before ramming into him and falling him.


    Zak sprawled, quickly finding his feet as Neldor came after him, now wielding one of his axes and a sword. "We''ve been at this for a while now, Belzak," Neldor said, brandishing the blades. "I always knew you were weak. That piece of metal on your arm proved nothing. You''re just a pathetic fool who always thought too much of himself and in the end, chose to run away from his post and now, here we are."


    "I have to say," Zak winced, spitting blood and steadying himself against the ground, "that is the longest I''ve ever heard you speak."


    Neldor growled and brought the sword and axe down on Zak. The blades ended up hitting nothing but metal as I intervened, cutting off Neldor with Despyon''s shield. I helped Zak up and together, we held back the new General.


    "You know you''ll not get away with this," Neldor snarled, backing away, "the Chieftain will have your head. You will not¡ª"


    There was a sickeningly squelching sound, followed by Neldor widening his bloodshot eyes as a gasp escaped his mouth alongside blood. I found myself looking down at his torso where a huge claw had ruptured through, squeezing out his guts.


    Zak and I fell back as we watched Karkinos toss Neldor''s body aside like a ragdoll. The remaining soldiers gathered around his lifeless body. There were only seven of them left, nearly half of the initial group already dead.


    "They won''t fight anymore," Pisces said, coming to our side. "I can feel it. They''re afraid."


    "That makes a lot of us," I muttered, trying to get over the fact there were human body parts strewn all over but on the bright side, you couldn''t see the blood that well in the dark.


    Karkinos had gone to Capricus''s side, who was getting up after taking that hit from Despyon''s shield. They both looked as menacing as ever.


    "No way they stand a chance now," Zak muttered, "wounded creatures always tend to be the most violent."


    I swallowed at that, holding tightly onto the shield. "We can''t let them kill again."


    "No," Pisces readied her hands.


    The remaining soldiers huddled together as the two Zodiac came at them, having entirely lost the will to fight anymore. Whatever power they had siphoned out of Pollux, it still had not been enough.


    "Stop!" Pisces ordered and the other Zodiac turned around. "Your fight is with me. Not them."


    "And me," I added, standing firmly and Pisces''s eyes briefly met with mine and there was a look of willful comfort and strength in them.


    "Ah blast," Zak sighed, wielding one of his axes, "not like I''m going anywhere."


    "Go!" he said to the soldiers, "get out of here!"


    Karkinos snapped his pincers but Capricus held him back. "There''s no need," she said, "Aries will take them all in the end anyway."This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    The soldiers began to clear, two of them carrying Neldor''s body with them and I was acting up again. It was unlike anything I had experienced before. At first, I had assumed it was my arm. Yes, Sage''s insignia was glowing but my head was going crazy. I could feel my neurons snapping and firing. My vision became twisted and I found myself in the cosmic plane again, with my body high up over the island of Abinor. Thick dark clouds of red covered the sky, just as before but there was something else, something different, something accompanied by a slew of different voices.


    "You need to run!" a voice said. I thought it was Pisces but no, it almost sounded like. . .Despyon?


    ". . .By the descent of a hunter''s enemy from high. . ." another voice, different from the first.


    I listened but this voice also vanished and a new one instantly took its place, one I had also heard several times before. It was deep and guttural, reverberating inside my chest.


    "I told you to crawl back into the hole from whence you came!"


    I was hit with a wave of smoldering hot air before large mountains of flames came at me, burning me out of the cosmic plane.


    "Desmond!" Pisces had a hand on my shoulder, helping me up after I had apparently fallen. "What is it? What did you see?"


    "I-I. . .ugh!" I groaned. My head was on fire, almost in the literal sense. I could feel the heat eating me up inside my mind.


    "You''re burning up!" Pisces gasped, feeling my forehead.


    "Ha-ha," Capricus chuckled, "the mortal is finally breaking from wielding the power of a Zodiac. Who did not see that coming?"


    "Now, you''re making this easy for us!" Karkinos added alongside a terrible guffaw, his rattling mandibles echoing throughout the forest.


    "What''s wrong with him?" Zak asked while maintaining his eye on our rivals.


    "I don''t know," I caught Pisces trying to hide the uncertainty in her voice.


    My head continued to fire up, my mind snapping in and out as my vision shifted between the cosmic and mortal realms. This went on for a while, and Capricus and Karkinos were growing impatient. They advanced and I heard Pisces tell Zak to watch me while she stepped forward and that was when it happened.


    The burning sensation was suddenly cut off and my mind was plunged into instant relaxation. My vision had stopped shifting. I was then in an incredible state of awareness. My whole body was rigid and I caught the mysterious voice echoing in my ears. I followed the sound into the trees and a new feeling had taken over me. One I was expertly familiar with¡ªfear.


    I found myself pointing into the woods and I wasn''t expecting myself to say, "Something''s coming."


    "What?" came Zak, perplexed.


    Pisces, on the other hand, almost seemed to get what was going on from that point and so would we all.


    It had started with the howling of a wolf when the moon stood directly overhead in the sky. The forest''s once gritty atmosphere had shifted into intense ominousness. I looked past Capricus and Karkinos where the soldiers were retreating. Something suddenly cut them off, whooshing right through them in a streak of bright red fire.


    By the time anyone could register what had happened, all seven soldiers had fallen to the ground in a horrifying heap of nothing but bones. Bones that were stacked up together, the flesh appearing to have been literally burned out of them as wisps of smoke could be seen rising into the air.


    The once cold night air was then unsettlingly warm, growing warmer by the second.


    "W-what the hell was that?" I was first to react, dropping Despyon''s shield but deep down I already knew the answer. I just hadn''t expected it to be this worse.


    Zak turned his head either way, raising his axe.


    "He''s here. . ." Pisces muttered and both Capricus and Karkinos laughed, confirming both her fears and mine.


    I watched as the two Zodiac laughed while raising their arms and pincers in praise, welcoming the new visitor. "We found them, master!" they both said.


    "Master. . .?" Capricus called, ending her hysterics, after her ovation had gone unanswered.


    My eyes quickly shifted to her side, instinctively following the appearance of a bright red streak that had shot out of nowhere and Karkinos was no longer there. All I heard after that was a disturbing snapping sound, as if Karkinos''s body was being broken apart.


    The sound vanished and was immediately replaced with silent thumps and I followed this, only to end up looking down at what appeared to be the remains of Karkinos, his legs no longer attached to the rest of his glazed body. I watched his black eyes roll up towards Capricus before his whole body went up in flames. The fire burned with a violent ferocity, rapidly eating up at the Zodiac''s body until all that was left was his head which disintegrated into white sparkling powder.


    Unable to believe what I was seeing, I followed the star dust as it shimmered in the air. I watched it dissolve and vanish, and in its place, he finally stepped out. His tall, built and lithe body materializing out of a flaming vortex.


    "W-why. . .?" was all Capricus could utter and she''d had the most menacing face I had encountered, and that was saying a lot, given there''d been Tauros and his bovine head. But now, Capricus''s eyes were wide as she tried to get more words from her mouth. Her ethereal scaly and purple-blue skin turned pale in his fiery essence.


    The one who''d come out of the vortex spoke, his voice firm and just as dangerous as the flames blazing furiously all over his body. "When I tell you to do something, you do it."


    I could not help but feel as if I were the one experiencing the whole ordeal as I watched him thrust out his arm and grab Capricus by the neck. He regarded her with his eyes¡ªthe eyes I had seen when Freya''s hut was in flames¡ªthe eyes I had seen in all of my visions.


    They were two fiery orbs that burned right under a thick set of massive horns. Horns that curved downwards like those of a ram and settled over his broad shoulders. I was sure he could see right through Capricus''s soul, or whatever it is the Zodiac had for a soul, before a wave of fire slithered out of his arm and ate its way into Capricus''s body.


    I watched as she was burned alive. Her wails were cut off as the flames spread all over her body, enveloping her in a fiery blanket until she had turned to star dust, all the way up to her insignia.


    I knew I should''ve ran but even if I wanted to, my body was unmoving. I was paralyzed. Never before had I seen such power being used to such a harrowing extent. Well. . .Pisces, Zak and I had had a good run. I finally understood why all the Zodiac feared him so much. Why they all feared Aries.


    He turned to face us, dusting off his hands and a casual smile formed on his face, which only accentuated his unsettling aura. He had dark red skin and was highlighted by the flames that would occasionally burn on his arms, incredibly high-hooved legs and shoulders. I instinctively looked up at his head but apart from his curved horns, there was no distinctive symbol there. Aries''s insignia stood out on his chest, spanning on either shoulder and above his torso in the shape of a large "V", with the two endings curving sharply downwards, similar to his horns, at the shoulders. It glowed in ethereal crystalline fashion, like Pisces''s insignia, but in a bright scarlet hue.


    "So," Aries looked down directly at me, "we finally meet."


    I swallowed but there was nothing to swallow. My mouth was dry.


    Aries regarded me and I tried as hard as I could to look away from those fiery penetrating eyes. "The mortal who stole a Zodiac''s power."


    "He didn''t steal it!" Pisces snapped, not letting Aries''s superior presence belittle her. "It was given to him!"


    "Oh," Aries chuckled and flames danced on his shoulders, "is that what you''ve been telling him?"


    "Back off, mate!" Zak found his voice, threatening Aries with his axe.


    "I''m sorry," the Zodiac narrowed his eyes at him, "who are you?"


    "Stop this madness, Aries!" Pisces ordered, tightening her fists but did not conjure up any energy.


    "I heard you''d been on a little quest to try and do that," Aries levelled, thankfully shifting his eyes from me. "Well, here I am. Have at it. Stop me."


    I turned and for the first time, I saw Pisces falter while in front of another Zodiac when no kind of physical pressure was being exerted on her. She even unclenched her fists.


    "That''s what I thought," Aries taunted, "you and Sage. Always filling your heads with ideas and dreams but can''t act when it comes to it. . .unlike me¡ªwho knows what''s right!"


    Pisces remained unresponsive. I decided to act, which was a foolish idea but I didn''t like what Aries was doing to Pisces. No wonder she hated him so much. I raised Despyon''s shield. . .and threw it at the Zodiac as hard as I could, channeling Sage''s power as best as I could.


    The three-foot distance between us and Aries was small, but it had been enough for the toss. The shield struck Aries in the chest and the Zodiac went down on his knee, using his hands to feel himself as the shield stuck to his core.


    There was a brief moment of anticipation as we all waited. Aries coughed, struggling to breathe and I couldn''t believe that had worked. . .until the coughing morphed into laughter. Aries stood, taking the shield out of his chest which I realized hadn''t even touched his skin.


    "That''s it. . .?" Aries spoke, instantly cutting off his comical moment. "That is all you have to offer? But then what do you expect when you cavort with mortals?"


    He said that last part with a lot of resentment. I would never get to the wondering part, not after Aries went on to burn Despyon''s shield into a crisp. My jaw dropped as I watched the shield turn to ash and vanished into the night, taking Despyon along with it.


    "Wha. . ." I was at a loss for words. He had done it. He had killed Despyon. I went on my knees, hopelessly looking for any trace of the shield.


    This act of ruthlessness finally got to Pisces who regained her composure, her hands and eyes lighting up in a powerful wave of sapphire.


    "There she is," Aries grinned with delight, "but unlike my foolish predecessors, I won''t waste time destroying you!"


    Aries conjured up huge waves of flames and was about to barbeque all of us when a new wave materialized, one the absolute opposite of the flames. It was pitch black, darker than the night itself, appearing as a thick swirling cloud and before I had time to fathom the turn of events, I found myself engulfed by the cloud, leaving Aries behind whose infuriated cries could be heard getting fainter and fainter.


    I was swirling in the cloud, spinning and bumping into the black mass, alongside Pisces and Zak. It didn''t last long however, and we were all back in the normal world, and, judging by the lit households with thatched roofs, I guessed we were back at the village. But how did we get there?


    I looked around. We appeared to be in a sheep enclosure as I spotted a flock of them huddled together in a corner and bleating. They were scared.


    "What happened?" I asked.


    "How did we get here?" Zak added.


    The sheep''s bleating was sure to raise alarms.


    "Someone''s coming," Pisces said and a little too late as a man in a straw hat and thick boots walked into the enclosure while carrying a flaming torch.


    "Oy, was goin'' on in here?" the man asked, casting the light onto his sheep. "What''re you. . ."


    The expression on his face was enough to reveal he''d seen us and I couldn''t blame him. We were a really weird group.


    He shone the light on us, particularly focusing on Pisces. "Is you. . .y-you''re one of them! Y-you''re. . ." He turned to Zak, obviously recognizing him. "General, well you''re no longer¡ªwhat''re you doing with them. What¡ª"


    "Just calm down," Zak said, trying to muster his coolest voice yet.


    "Let me," Pisces offered, raising a hand towards the man. "Hey, it''s going to be okay."


    "You trying to corrupt me, is you?" the man was growing hysterical and I was afraid this would create even more attention.


    Pisces approached the man carefully, trying her best not to spook him, though that boat appeared to have long sailed.


    "Get back!" the man swung his torch. "Get back! Get¡ª"


    Another black mass formed right behind the man. The mass swirled like a vortex and out of it emerged a shadowy figure. What followed happened so fast, my heart thumped, thinking Aries had found us.


    I watched the man collapse to the ground, his hat rolling out of his head. The figure from the vortex stopped it with its foot and picked it up.


    "Why do I always have to be the one descent enough to get you out of trouble?" the figure spoke, directing the question to Pisces, who, from her face, I could tell was relieved. Not happy, but relieved.


    "It''s not like I didn''t need your help from the very start. . .Skorpius," Pisces responded with sarcasm and I turned to the figure whose form finally came into the light cast by the fallen torch.

 Into the Shadows

    How many Zodiac had I come across so far? Six? Ten? I had lost count. Well, let''s see, there was Pollux the shapeshifter, Tauros the bull-headed brute, Zygos and her invisibility, Capricus the time manipulator and Karkinos and his snapping claws, and. . . Aries. I still don''t know what to say about him but I''m sure I''ll come up with something once I get over how freaked out I was the first time I saw him.


    Did I forget anybody? Oh, that''s right¡ªPisces¡ªthe only other Zodiac who wasn''t so intent on killing me. . .but apparently somebody else seemed to have hopped on board that train with her.


    Skorpius, just as his name, was a very. . .unusual and badass-looking Zodiac and that is saying a lot after you know, well, everything. For starters, he bore an uncanny resemblance to a certain popular video game character and I could not help but wonder if this was where the game had drawn inspiration from. I mean, I was stuck in the past, so, who knows. . .?


    Anyway, video games aside, Skorpius was of course real as I caught his features in the torch''s light. He was as tall as Zak. He even had a more human/down-to-earth look, especially with his attire that was a cold blend of faded yellow and black, from his feet where flowing robes were held in place by a thick golden belt, up his torso and core where a strange symbol was emblazoned.


    The symbol, designed in bright golden fashion, took the shape of the letter "M". Its three lower endings were curved and the far right ending had a sharp cut to it, like a hook. This had to be his insignia, though I was not sure as his face was hooded, revealing only his eyes. They glowed with a mystifying golden yellow hue, nearly matching the thick muzzle-like cast covering the lower half of his face.


    His hood disappeared over his shoulders where thick crystalline structures projected, taking the form of sharpened hook-like claws and had the same golden highlight. The structures on his right shoulder appeared to extend and run down his entire arm, contrasting with his left, which, apart from three spikes projecting out below the elbow, did not have any additional hooked elements to it.


    "You know he''ll kill you all," Skorpius spoke, his voice low and eerily soft, not at all muffled by the cast. "He was about to, actually."


    "Looks like you finally tried to do something about it," Pisces levelled and I caught annoyance in her tone. "What, you finally grew tired of being a minion?"


    I noticed Skorpius''s eyes flash but only for a second. "I serve no one. Or have you forgotten what he did to me?"


    There was a shift in Pisces''s composure as the glow in her sapphire gown dimmed but then she added, gauging him, "Right, and yet you followed him here to come feed on human souls¡ª"


    "I haven''t laid a finger on a single mortal!" Skorpius''s voice was firm and slightly elevated.


    "You expect me to believe that?"


    "You can read my mind. You tell me."


    I waited for Pisces to use her power but as I''d expected, she did not, or at least she did not appear to have done so. Something already told me she and Skorpius had not been exactly rivals as compared to all the others.


    "You know why I am here," Skorpius tossed aside the straw hat which landed softly on the fallen man''s head.


    "Don''t worry," he added, noticing my expression, "he''s only asleep."


    "Nice arm you got there, mate," Zak said, apparently having been studying the Zodiac the entire time.


    Skorpius paused for a moment, regarding Zak for the first time, as if wondering what to say before turning back to Pisces. "Aries has gone too far this time. It used to be a few hundred at a time."


    I swallowed at this, hoping he didn''t mean human souls.


    "What do you mean?" asked Pisces.


    "He wants them all."


    "But he can''t do that, can he?"


    Skorpius turned and the sheep huddled further together, trying to move as far away from him as possible. The Zodiac paced, deep in thought. "The moment we set foot on this world, I sensed something was different and I know you did too, even if it''s only your second time coming here."


    I turned to face Pisces. "Second?"


    "Well. . ." Pisces had trouble getting the words. "I was¡ª"


    "She was still training as Sage''s prot¨¦g¨¦ until she snuck out of Astra in an attempt to try and stop the Harvest," Skorpius filled in for her, turning to face me.


    "Astra?" I asked.


    "Where we come from," Skorpius shook his head, "I thought you''d be aware of all this by now." His eyes lowered, apparently looking for something on me. "You don''t even have his bow."


    "His what?" I was getting even more confused.


    "What did you find out about Aries?" Pisces firmly asked, reacquiring Skorpius''s attention.


    There was a questioning pause coming from Skorpius before he finally answered. "Aries was growing tired of this Harvest thing. I heard him, Tauros and Zygos discuss a way they could take them all out without ever having to wait another twenty years."


    "You didn''t find out how exactly he was planning to do that, did you?" Pisces said it less as a question but more as an affirmation.


    "The seven days are almost over," Skorpius paced some more, "tomorrow will mark the fifth. Whatever Aries is planning, he''ll want to achieve it before then and it''s only gotten worse after he caught up to what you''re doing, having killed off his most entrusted ally. He''ll stop at nothing to get what he wants."


    "He killed Capricus and Karkinos," Pisces muttered, to which Skorpius responded, "Exactly. He''s only becoming more powerful as time runs out."


    "Time? I asked, "what is this seven days?"


    "It''s how long it takes the Zodiac to consume enough. . .souls," Pisces answered, carefully omitting the word "human".


    "What happens if the seven days are over before, you know. . .?" Zak made a throat slit gesture.


    "Our aura fades and we cease to exist in the mortal realm," Skorpius said.


    "We return to Astra and await another twenty years," Pisces added.


    An idea came to mind. "What if we waited¡ª" Skorpius cut me off, "Waited it out until we all faded out? Sure, that would work but what about the next twenty years and that''s not taking into account the level of damage Aries will have done by then."


    "Right, well," I sighed, feeling like an idiot, "that was a stupid idea."


    "So, this is the only chance we have at stopping this lunatic then," Zak said matter-of-factly.


    "Once and for all," Skorpius grimly added. "The question being, how exactly do we do that?"


    "Is there anyone else left?" I asked, regarding both Pisces and Skorpius. "I mean, you found us. Maybe there''s someone else out there who''s not too happy with Aries."


    "There are two more," Skorpius said, however, the distaste in his tone was a little more than usual. Yeah, he always spoke like he had a grudge with somebody. "Like me, they went off on their own after coming here but that''s as far as it goes. Aries may not have used them to come after you yet but you can bet they''ll do anything to stay alive."


    "Sounds like they can help," I added with a twinge of hope.


    "Hmm," Skorpius grunted, barely raising his voice. I swear I even had to struggle to catch some of the things he would say. "If you thought Capricus and Karkinos were a lovely pair, wait till you meet these two."


    "You know where they are?" Pisces asked.


    "No. Last I saw them, they''d distanced themselves from Aries and disappeared in the mortal village. They''re probably filling up on souls right now as we speak."


    "Who are they?" I asked, getting curious.


    "Parthenos and Leo," Pisces responded this time.


    "Masters of stealth, weaponry and combat," Skorpius added, his tone bitter.


    "You sure they can''t help?" I insisted.


    "We''ll only waste precious time trying to find them. Aries is still after us and it won''t take him long before he catches up to my shadow trail."Stolen story; please report.


    "Your what?"


    "Shadow travel," Skorpius elaborated, growing impatient and equally agitated.


    "He can manipulate shadows by drawing energy from them," Pisces offered, "and uses it to travel through space."


    "It''s similar to your teleportation," Skorpius had his eyes on me. "Or can''t you even do that?"


    "Well, I was able to get out of Capricus''s time freeze."


    "Hmm. . ." another grunt from Skorpius, "at least you''re not entirely useless."


    I decided to take that as a compliment.


    "We need to keep moving. The only thing we have going for us right now is that Aries has his attention on us," Skorpius said.


    "Meaning he''ll be distracted and his plan will be delayed," Zak added.


    "That''s right. But that won''t last. Either he finds us or uses Leo and Parthenos to do so."


    "That puts us in the same position," Pisces said, "we have to get to them first."


    The plan was thus set. I was about to approach Pisces and ask her about her home world, Astra, but Skorpius beat me to it. He brushed past me and sidelined Pisces. I watched them move towards a shed, past the sheep where they engaged in conversation, their figures enveloped in darkness.


    "How have you not told him?" I heard Skorpius say, to which Pisces responded with something like, "Not yet. . ."


    That was all I heard after Skorpius threw me a glance before he and Pisces moved further down the shed and out of earshot. Zak approached me.


    "It''s strange, isn''t it?" he started.


    "I think you''ll have to be more specific," I said, facing him.


    "One day you''re living out your normal life, only for it to take a turn the next day."


    "Yeah. . ." I responded, feeling a little distracted and out of it.


    "A crazy turn," Zak went on, "especially for you. I mean, I have been an army general, fought Amaroks, dragons, helworms, trol¡ª"


    "What?" I snapped, "did you just say dragons?"


    Zak nodded, a mild expression on his face. "Well, they''re not around until the winter season when they come to sleep in the mountains."


    "I''m guessing you don''t have dragons where you come from?" he asked, reading my face.


    "No," I responded, "of course not. Not a lot of things I''ve seen here." I sighed, "and I still fail to see how I''m the one having it crazier."


    "Where do I begin?" Zak mused, "I am used to this life, having been a soldier for half my life and you. . .you''re from a different time, you''re in someone else''s body, you have the powers of a cosmic entity residing within you and you''re trying to court a woman who is completely out of your league and out of this world, literally. Did I miss anything?"


    "Well, I guess my life is pretty much way messed up than I''d care to admit and¡ªhey. . ." I paused, catching on Zak''s last statement. "What do you mean "court"?"


    "It''s when you fall for someone and try to¡ª"


    I shook my head. "I know what it means. I mean, I wasn''t falling for anyone."


    "Is that right?" Zak teased, flexing his axe. He only had the one.


    "Umm. . .yes. That-that is right!" I shot back, a little sharper than I had intended.


    "You think I don''t see how you look at her?" Zak continued to tease, "how you trace your eyes down her long curly blue hair, all the way down to her¡ª"


    "That''s enough!"


    Zak chuckled, looking at his reflection in the axe blade. "You might stand a chance, who knows?"


    I narrowed my eyes at this, then, throwing a very subtle glance over at the two Zodiac conversing by the shed, added, "Did she. . . say something?"


    "What the hell are you asking me for?" Zak blurted, "you''re not expecting kisses from me, are you?"


    "Oh, that''s how you''re gonna play it." I cast a furtive glance, shaking my head. "Not cool, man."


    "Ah, come now," Zak grinned, "you know I''m only messing with you." He patted me heavily on the shoulder with his metal arm and at that point, I was no longer suspicious whether or not he''d been doing that on purpose.


    I was feeling my left shoulder when Sage''s insignia glitched, sparking off with green electric streaks. This was instantly accompanied by my head burning up a storm, as it had happened right before. . .


    The quiet night air was suddenly disrupted by a sharp booming sound. An explosion. One you could only hear when something was moving fast¡ªincredibly fast. There was no time to register what was happening and just as before, a fiery trail of bright orange flames cut through the air, rupturing through the enclosure and he had materialized once again.


    His whole frame was ablaze, from his hooved feet to his curved horns, matching the fiery glow in his eyes.


    "There you are," Aries spoke, standing right between me paired with Zak and Pisces with Skorpius on the other end. "Who wants to die first?"


    He turned to me. "Fine. I''ll pick." He thrust out his arm and a wave of flames flew towards me. I had only a split second to react by bringing my arms together in front of me. The flames were deflected after clashing with Sage''s power. This resulted in a miniature outburst and the shockwave threw both Zak and me to the ground.


    I could hear Aries laughing as the air around heated up. "I''m grateful for this, Sage. You giving me something to laugh at before my grand ascension."


    I heard something else beyond Aries''s voice. It sounded like a blade being withdrawn and I looked up to catch Skorpius retrieve a weapon¡ªno the weapon was literally coming out of him, projecting out of his right arm. It was a long sharp blade¡ªalmost spear-like but with a hook set right under it.


    "Just shut up!" Skorpius brandished the hooked blade and I was a little disappointed, expecting for him to wield a chained grappling hook like a certain video game character. What? He''d done an amazing job resembling him. I''m sure you thought that too.


    "How''s the scar?" Aries taunted, turning towards the shed. The sheep had practically climbed out of the enclosure and bolted into the night by then. "Does it still hurt?"


    Skorpius''s eyes narrowed and he charged, his robes flowing wildly after him. He came at Aries, dashing at a low angle and swung his weapon but Aries was too fast. One second he''d been standing, only to erupt in flames and was several inches away when Skorpius''s hook caught nothing but air. But that had been the plan. Pisces had immediately charged after, getting Aries in his second position and flung him across the shed with her powers.


    Aries landed on his feet and I realized how fast he was moving. He was not disappearing or anything. He was actually running. Running very fast and would leave a trail of fire as he did so. He had been distracted enough for Skorpius to channel the shadows as a thick swirling mass of black formed all around him. His body drifted in and out of view in the mass.


    "Everyone. Grab on to me!" he yelled and we all hurried after him.


    What followed was nothing short of a chaotic mess. I''d never ridden on a rollercoaster before but it sure felt like it. I would get tossed and turned around in the black mass, occasionally colliding into Zak''s shoulder or Pisces''s head.


    "He''s still after us!" I heard Skorpius say, though I couldn''t see him. His voice came from all directions within the mass.


    I tried to focus my eyes through all the swirling and Sage''s "vision" was making a return. I looked through the mass and there he was, hurtling behind us in fiery glory.


    The vision was disrupted after I crashed to the ground, landing with my ass into a crop field. Pisces and Zak were getting up, alongside Skorpius. He appeared to be out of breath. Sage''s insignia lit up again and a streak of fire had cut through the field. Skorpius quickly tapped all of us, and, once again, we were spiraling through the shadows.


    We fell out of the shadow realm into a different section of the village this time. The market. It was deserted, except for a few stragglers here and then who ran off, terrified, after the fiery Zodiac caught up to us.


    I was sure my brain had turned to Jell-O at that point with all the countless times we''d drift out of the shadows and crash into a random location. However, the more shadows we traversed, the more Aries''s trail of fire became distant.


    The dark environment morphed into a dim-lit one as I came falling out of the shadow realm and rolled across a table, knocking down mugs and plates. I fell over to the floor. Zak and Pisces followed and I was a little mad they didn''t crash into stuff as much as I had. Skorpius materialized last in a billowing black fog which dissolved into the lamp-lit room.


    "I think we lost him," Skorpius suggested, high on alert.


    "Well, that was quite the ride," Zak said, looking a little hazy.


    "Yeah, no shit," I groaned, getting up, "where are we?" I scanned the place. It was a spacious room with small wooden round tables set all over the place and had adjacent stools. I looked back at the table I had crash-landed on. It had a low hanging banner over it inscribed with words I couldn''t make out. They were faded. ''The Drken Buel''. . .? I looked past that and there was a platform filled with piles of large barrels stacked up on each other.


    "The Drunken Barrel," Zak said, walking towards the platform. "That''s where we are."


    Pisces circled the room, performing complex movements with her hands. "A protective hex," she said to me, "it will delay Aries for a while. Keep him off our scent."


    "Cool," was all I could bring myself to say, trying for some bizarre reason to sound as casual as possible and in a fleeting moment, our eyes met and Pisces half smiled.


    "Anyone fancy a drink?" Zak''s voice cut through the moment and Pisces had resumed her hexing, almost a little too fast but not as fast as I''d looked away, my face flushing. I watched Zak pick up a fallen mug, spit in it and wipe it with his sleeve.


    He got to one of the barrels. It had a tap and he turned it open, letting a dark brown liquid flow into his mug. He chugged the entire thing while we all stood there watching him. He refilled the mug and, turning to Skorpius, handed it to him. "Here you go, mate."


    Skorpius scrutinized the contents of the mug and I was honestly curious to find out if he''d take off his cast so he could drink or maybe he had something like a straw hidden somewhere?


    Well, I never got to find out after a sound caught our attention.


    "It''s coming from the store," Zak said, his hand going instinctively for his axe strapped to his back.


    The sound became louder until the store''s door flew open and out emerged a young man. He had on overalls and thin scruffy hair. His brown shirt was tattered. He fell to the ground when he saw us, crashing into mugs and furniture before huddling into s corner and pressing his back against the wall.


    "Please, don''t hurt me!" he pleaded in a raspy voice like he''d been screaming all night.


    "Tipper?" Zak approached the man. "I know him," he said to us, "he''s the bartender."


    "My Lord, please! They''re after me!" the bartender cried, tears actually welling in his eyes.


    Zak knelt in front of him. "Who''s after you, Tipper?"


    With a shaking hand, the bartender pointed towards the store.


    "Please. . ." Tipper whispered as we all turned towards the store. Another sound followed. Laughter?


    Yes. Someone was laughing. The store door swung open and. . . something came out. It continued laughing, apparently oblivious of our presence.


    "Will you stop this nonsense!" a voice followed and yet something else stepped out of the store. "You''ve had enough souls, Leo. . ."


    Its words trailed off the moment it saw us and I had to take several steps back, ignoring my glowing arm.


    The first figure regained its composure, coming out of its stupor and the two beings had their eyes on all of us.


    "What are you doing here?" the second being spoke and I could not help but gasp at the massive wings that settled along its back.


    "Well, isn''t this our lucky day," Skorpius said humorlessly. "I can''t believe I''m saying this¡ª"


    "We need your help, Parthenos!" Pisces finished.


    There was an awkwardly long pause after that, the only sound coming from Tipper and his loud shaky breathing. The two beings exchanged glances and as much as I''d expected a quick simple "Yeah, sure! Why not? We''re all friends here. Of course we''ll help you!" that was not the case, especially not after they attacked us.

 The Drunken Barrel

    Leo attacked first. He moved so swiftly his agility would have compared to that of Aries but the latter''s speed was still unmatched. Leo''s movement was expressed in short bursts as his frame quickly closed in on us.


    Now, from the name, this was one of the few Zodiac who registered clearly in my head and not having a twisted or ancient nomenclature to them. Leo was nothing I''d imagined he''d look like; tall and suave, except perhaps being built, which he was. If my astrology lore was correct, Leo''s name translated to "lion". Did he have a thick mane of fiery hair? No¡ªhe had something that was short and golden blond, fashioned in a millitaryesque crew cut. The only resemblance he shared with the king of the jungle was perhaps his two beady yellow predatory eyes, and a long tail and its sharply pointed end. The rest of him was covered in rich silvery robes, richer than even Skorpius''s black and yellow fashion.


    Zak was the first to get hit, having been standing closest to the Zodiac pair. He barely had time to react before Leo''s gloved fists had connected to his core. Zak flew backwards and would have crashed into furniture had it not been for Pisces''s telekinetic intervention.


    A sound came out of Leo''s mouth as his bronze face lit up. The sound was somewhere between a soft growl and a chuckle. His eyes glinted in the lamp light as two black slits settled over the yellow in them, matching a symbol that ran down his forehead, starting in a tiny golden circle then projecting over his left brow as a thin crystalline line and ending over his jaw. It was like a ring with a tail.


    I brought my arms up in an attacking position and was about to thrust out my right until I realized I had lost Despyon''s shield. I faltered.


    "What''s the matter?" Leo taunted, approaching me. His grin revealed a set of pointy teeth. "Sage''s bow not working for you?"


    I did not understand what he had said and would not get the chance to either as the Zodiac twisted his body into a spin. His tail cut across the air like a whiplash and I was knocked out of the way as Skorpius dashed past me, getting there in time to deflect the attack. He grabbed at Leo''s tail and twisted it. Leo groaned and his roar came out clearer this time.


    "I see you''re still convoluting your mind with pride and greed," Skorpius unleashed his hooked blade.


    "And I see you''ve finally decided to stop cowering in your own shadow," Leo countered. He shook his tail free from Skorpius''s grip and came down on him with his fists.


    Skorpius blocked with his hook and every strike would give off a clanging sound, as if Leo''s arms were metal, at which I was no longer surprised. How many metallic arms had I come across so far?


    Beyond Leo, the other Zodiac caught my attention. She had been calmly standing in the background as the mayhem unfolded. She was looking right at me with her ethereal and off-putting white eyes that settled under a symbol similar to the one on Skorpius''s core. It was the same letter "M" but unlike Skorpius''s the far right side did not have a pointed ending but rather curved out, with an additional line curling around it. Her insignia, like her eyes, gave off a bright white glow.


    What had Pisces called her? That''s right¡ªParthenos. Parthenos''s frame matched that of Leo, except brighter as her attire glowed in a mesmerizing white hue, casually shifting between pale and bright. She had a gown similar to that of Pisces, except hers was shorter and did not sweep the ground, with sharp endings and long slits to the sides, revealing thigh high metallic boots.


    I took a mental note at how humanly these last Zodiac were, including Skorpius. Parthenos''s bright appearance was further accentuated by the unexpected sight of a large set of wings. She moved past Leo and was heading straight for me, her wings shining with bright white metallic plumage.


    I watched her thrust out one of her arms and a sharp slender blade materialized in her hand. She threw the blade at me and I reacted by trying to duck but only ended up falling on my ass. I looked up to find the blade suspended in the air. It was hovering wildly, trying hard to fight through the invisible force holding it back and I turned to catch Pisces fast approaching.


    She performed a couple of complex movements with her hands and the blade changed its direction. It darted back towards Parthenos who was fast enough to bring her right wing around. The blade bounced off harmlessly with a clanging sound before falling to the floor where I watched it dissolve and vanish into the air.


    There followed the sound of furniture being disturbed and Skorpius had gone down. Leo thrust his tail at him. Skorpius rolled out of the way, narrowly missing the deep hits the pointed tail would make as it struck against the ground. Skorpius grabbed at a stool and, on his way back up, he hurled it at Leo, disrupting his attacks. Leo blasted the stool with his tail but that had been enough time for Skorpius to counter. He whacked Leo across the face with his hook, sending him reeling backwards and almost bumping into Parthenos.


    Pisces and Skorpius prepared their next attack as Zak got back on his feet, knocking furniture aside in annoyance. I tried summoning Sage''s power but something was wrong. Perhaps it had to do with Despyon''s shield. I was not sure but his insignia was barely giving off a spark of lightning.


    Parthenos and Leo were ready to engage their rivals, the former conjuring up a blade in each hand. This would become another long and endearing battle, which was something that had never been on the agenda that night. There was no telling what would happen. Both teams looked equally dangerous against the other and therefore, I decided to do the only logical thing I could.


    "Stop!" I cried out, hoisting my arms, and, much to my amazement, all four Zodiac gave me their attention. "Wow, that worked better than I expected. . ." I muttered additionally.


    "Look," I continued, shaking myself out of my stupor. "we didn''t come here to fight. Hell, we didn''t even know you''d be here."


    "You can''t reason with them," Skorpius said curtly, his hooded eyes shifting towards Leo who let out a low growl.


    "It''s like Pisces said," I ignored Skorpius, "we need your help. Aries is coming and he''ll kill everyone in this room if we don''t find common ground."


    "He''s not in my way now, is he?" Leo retorted arrogantly, "I couldn''t give a mortal''s ass what he does."


    "That was uncalled for," I said, mostly to myself, then, "but he is. He will be in all of our ways and he''s even killed some of your people already."


    "What are you talking about?" Parthenos spoke, her voice icy, calm and very articulate.


    "It''s true," Pisces chimed in, "Capricus and Karkinos. They died by his hand."


    "And what of the others?" Parthenos narrowed her eyes.


    Pisces was hesitant and I found myself rushing to her aid. "They all met the same ending in working with Aries. He''s only been using them. All of you."


    To my relief, Parthenos did not seem to want further details of how the other Zodiac had died, because I was not sure how I would''ve explained killing Tauros or the Abinor soldiers doing the same to Pollux and wearing her skin as a trophy. But then again, these two Zodiac seemed way detached from the rest, almost as much as Skorpius and Pisces were. We just had to play our cards right.


    "We don''t have time for this," Skorpius frowned, his hooked arm still at the ready. "Either you''re with us or you''re not."


    "Where is Aries now?" Parthenos asked, turning her attention to Pisces.


    "He''s been after us all night, now that he knows we''re the only ones in his way."


    "Then let''s make it easier for him and finish off all of you," Leo growled with delight and Skorpius hissed at him through his cast.


    "Come on, you guys," I sighed, getting impatient. "Do you really think Aries is gonna let you walk away like that if you kill us? From half the stories I''ve heard, he doesn''t sound like a very standup guy. I mean, he literally murdered Capricus and Karkinos without giving it a second thought."


    They still remained unconvinced, especially Leo who was eager to have another go at Skorpius. Parthenos, on the other hand, had a more troubled expression. It was as if she was silently sorting out the facts, trying to decipher if we were telling the truth or not.


    Pisces must have read her mind as she stepped forth.


    "What are you doing?" Skorpius asked cautiously.


    I watched Pisces close her eyes, pausing for a brief moment before reaching out to both Parthenos and Leo. The color of their eyes suddenly shifted and took on a sapphire glow, matching Pisces''s eyes. They were held in a trance-like state for more than thirty seconds before Pisces finally let them go and their eyes returned to normal.


    "What did you do to them?" I asked.


    "I showed them the truth."


    "How do we know you''re not lying?" Parthenos prompted and I had to commend her level of skepticism. "You could''ve easily planted false images into our minds."


    "Believe it or not," Skorpius levelled, "it''s the truth and I don''t know how much more proof you need as to how serious this is. Look at me. When''s the last time I''ve ever conversed this directly to any of you?"


    "Not since Orion gave your face a makeover," Leo retorted and I wasn''t sure whether he was being playful or serious.


    "On the other hand," Skorpius flexed his hooked arm, "I might as well take you on that offer of finishing you off."


    "Enough!" Parthenos ordered, making her look like a big sister putting an end to the squabbles of her two little brothers. "If you''ve come this far, I assume you have a plan?"Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    "Ah, come now!" Leo lamented, "I thought there was going to be a fight."


    "As if you would have stood a chance what with your boundless hunger for human souls," Parthenos snapped as I swallowed at this. She caught my attention. "Don''t worry. I won''t let him feast on you. Neither of us have taken any souls for a while now."


    "It doesn''t feel right, does it?" Pisces muttered but Parthenos did not give a verbal response. Her expression was more than enough to reveal she''d opted out of human soul cuisine.


    "So, what is the plan?" Parthenos reiterated.


    "Well. . ." Pisces faltered and I could sense how embarrassed she felt.


    "I always have to be the perfectionist around here," Parthenos added perfectly, her short silvery white hair coming into view.


    "Where did you last see Aries?" she asked, assuming an impressive amount of authority, one that I''d only seen with Aries himself.


    "We lost him in the village through shadow travel," Skorpius offered.


    "Meaning he''s not far but we still have a little more time thanks to you," she commended Pisces and I could not believe the different waves of emotion being expressed on her face. I had to wonder the last time Pisces had been this close to her people and, you know, not having to fight for her life or something. If anything, they looked more and more like an actual family, despite Pisces''s earlier justification that they did not have any direct blood relation with each other.


    ". . .Which brings me to you," Parthenos''s words snapped me out of my thoughts after I had gone on to picture the number of all white parties she must have been to if the Zodiac ever had parties.


    "What. . .?"


    "The successor of Sage''s power." Parthenos scrutinized my arm. "Where''s the bow?"


    There it was again. What was this bow?


    "I had a shield¡ª"


    "A shield?" Leo cracked up at this, "since when does Sage use a shield. Are you sure you are his successor? You don''t even look anything like him."


    "Thanks for the vote of confidence," I sighed and Pisces threw a furtive glance at Leo.


    "What?" he defended himself, shrugging, "we''ve been hearing rumors about the mortal throughout the land. You''d think Sage would''ve picked someone worthy of his name."


    "Leo!" Pisces snapped.


    "Kid doesn''t even look like he can pick up a rock let alone handle a shield," Leo added and at that point I knew he was just trying to be hurtful.


    "Leo!" Pisces cast her eyes at him warningly.


    "Stopping Aries is unlikely," Parthenos went on, "but not impossible, especially if he really is planning on harvesting every mortal soul on this world before our time here expires."


    I recalled the seven-day limit of the Zodiac''s existence on earth. The period of the Harvest, after which they automatically return to their home world.


    "What if Aries forces himself to extend his stay here, even after his time is over?" I had to ask.


    "It does not work like that," Parthenos replied. "we are a product of the gods. The beings that roamed these mortal worlds before us. They had to craft us with certain standards, otherwise it would lead to situations like these."


    "But it''s not impossible," Skorpius added.


    "So, what are you saying," I pressed, "that Aries is trying to become a god?"


    "If he gets all souls of this world, he just might end up having enough power to break through those standards," Parthenos replied grimly.


    "Can''t the gods help?" I asked, wrapping my mind around the idea of having an unstoppable fiery monster devouring worlds. I did not like it.


    "I''m afraid they couldn''t care less what we do with our lives," Parthenos maintained her grim tone, "not since they put us with the stars. Their own connection to the mortal realm has been waning ever since, growing weaker with time."


    Parthenos regarded me. "You''re from a different time. One that extends far beyond when we are at this moment. How many gods have you physically seen manifest before you?"


    "None," I responded, getting what she was suggesting, but another thought formed up, "but if you''re saying I''m from the future, doesn''t that mean Aries will lose? I mean, I''m still standing here, talking with you."


    "Oh, but you''re wrong and right at the same time," Parthenos countered. "ask yourself this. If Aries had really lost, would you even be here to begin with? To carry on whatever course Sage put you on?"


    "And that''s what Aries is trying to achieve," Skorpius offered, "he''s taking over where the gods have abandoned and using it to his advantage."


    "Looking into the future will not help, even with Sage''s vision," Parthenos said, "what matters is what you do now."


    I contemplated all of this, my mind absolutely boggled and I only had one more question left. "You mention Sage to have had a kind of bow? Like a bow and arrow?"


    "A skilled marksman and hunter," Parthenos mused, her voice distant. She then turned to Pisces who averted her gaze for some reason. "Perhaps if he had spent less time using his power to hunt for wisdom and instead more time in hunting down Aries and his endeavors, things would have gone differently.


    Parthenos glanced at my arm, casting her white eyes over the arrow symbol. "Why you still haven''t acquired his bow remains a mystery to me. But you do have the vision, yes?"


    I nodded.


    "And the ability to jump through space?"


    I guessed she meant teleportation, so, I nodded again.


    There was a moment of silence and this was disrupted by the one other presence everyone had totally forgotten about. He had shot up from his corner and dashed towards the exit, stumbling into furniture before disappearing into the night.


    "Take care, Tipper," Zak called, though I doubt the bartender had heard him while busy running for his life. "He''ll be okay."


    "That was rude," Leo added grumpily in his charismatic fashion that I was gradually coming to understand, "could have at least said goodbye."


    "Weren''t you about to feast on his soul?" Skorpius asked shrewdly.


    "I was only going to have a taste and find out if it was still the same," Leo shrugged and I couldn''t tell if Parthenos was rolling her eyes at him.


    "Now that we''ve exchanged pleasantries," came Zak, planting his axe onto a stool, "how exactly do we plan on taking down this Aries maniac?"


    Parthenos paced around the room, commanding an aura of authority once again. "We start with what we know."


    "Aries is planning on harvesting every other human soul left in this world," Pisces offered.


    "Correct," Parthenos affirmed.


    " He has less than two¡ª" Skorpius glanced at a broken window and the skies were gradually lighting up. "¡ªLess than one day left to exact his plan."


    "Correct," Parthenos nodded. "The only thing working for us right now is his attention on us. It is unknown how Aries plans to carry out this fete but we''re the only ones standing in his way."


    "So, we''ll keep on distracting him," Zak said with little enthusiasm.


    "Until his time runs out," I finished and it was clear to everyone what needed to be done, however futile it sounded.


    With Parthenos in the lead, the plan was set. A plan none of us would have come up with so meticulously if I was being honest. Parthenos was Parthenos for a reason and I would soon begin to grasp the concept as to why. My one wish was if only Pisces and I could''ve met her sooner.


    The plan was straight up direct and easy to comprehend but the kicker would lie in its execution. It all started at its simplest point; Pisces had to take down the protective hex and allow for Aries to reacquire our scent.


    I watched her undo the hex with a different set of complex hand movements, her eyes and hands glowing. I approached her while everyone else got ready according to the plan.


    "Do you think we''ll win?" I asked her and she paused, turning to face me.


    "You can only do so much with thinking about the future," she responded, "it''s your actions that will matter. That''s what will determine the winner of this battle."


    "Damn," I sighed, "you''ve got that Parthenos wisdom flowing in you, don''t you?"


    Pisces smiled and her eyes flashed. "Well, I am hoping we''ll win."


    I smiled back, trying my best to hide my anxiety and Pisces saw right through me. "Hey," she said, "we''ve come this far, haven''t we?"


    Well, I suppose she was right. "We''ve been through helluva lot," I said, passing a hand through my hair, "and I''ve done shit I thought was only impossible."


    "And you''ll do more, Desmond," Pisces''s tone was sincere.


    "You really believe I can do this."


    "I wouldn''t even be here if it wasn''t for you," her voice grew softer, "of course I believe." Her voice then took on a lighter tone. "And you''ll be back home before you know it."


    "Yeah. . .home. . ." my voice became distant. Even the far I had come, Sacramento still felt thousands of miles away, and so did Carmen, Darcy and. . .my mother. . .


    "What is she like?" Pisces''s question had pulled me out of my thoughts. "Your mother, what''s she like?"


    From her face, I could already tell Pisces knew everything about my mom.


    "She''s proud to have someone like you. Someone to love and to cherish. . ." I caught the tone in Pisces''s voice and it dawned on me she never had parents.


    "So, you grew up alone? With no one to watch over you?" I asked.


    "Aphrodite created me."


    "You mean the goddess of love?"


    "The one and only."


    "Wow."


    "It''s no fairy tale, though. Turns out I only came into existence because she needed help fleeing from Typhon."


    "Typhon?"


    "Oh, sorry," Pisces chuckled softly, "it was a sea monster that terrorized the goddess and her son, so she created me and I helped them escape. After that, she thanked me and put me high up with the stars. I thought this would bring me even closer to her but. . ."


    "You never saw her again," I finished.


    "But it wasn''t all that bad," Pisces waved her arms, undoing the hex some more, "that''s where I met Sage and he took me in, taught me everything I know."


    "Your¡ªI wanna say ''childhood'' still sounds far cooler than mine," I remarked humorously, "being created by a freaking god. I don''t think there''s anything that can top that."


    "Having a mother to guide you through the way sounds pretty incredible to me."


    "You know what," I gauged, "my mom would really like you."


    "I think I would freak her out first before we ever got to the liking part," Pisces smiled.


    "Well, duuh. You can move objects with your mind and magically heal wounds! Of course anybody would freak out," I laughed, "but I meant she''d like you, for the person-Zodiac you are."


    "Actually," I added, my mind spiraling, "come to think of it. You''re already quite popular back in my world."


    "Really?" Pisces gauged, still smiling.


    "I''m not kidding. There''s this music band called Nirvana."


    "Nirvana? Sounds made up."


    "Of course it''s made up. That''s what every music band does but the story''s true. There''s a song in one of their albums," I bit my lower lip, "what was the name again. . .damn!" I couldn''t remember. It was right there on the tip of my tongue.


    "And what does this song say?" Pisces questioned, inferring she still didn''t believe a word I was saying.


    "Well, it''s only one line¡ª"


    "Oh, really feeling popular right now."


    We both let out low snorts but not silent enough as Parthenos heard us. "A little less talking and more doing!"


    I was making myself busy when Pisces grabbed my hand. "I want you to have this."


    A small wave of swirling sapphire mist formed over my hand before morphing into a tiny glass vial no bigger than my thumb.


    "What is it?" I asked, observing the vial which felt cold against my palm.


    "A gift," was Pisces''s short response.


    "And now I feel stupid for not getting you one," I joked but Pisces did not smile.


    "Keep it close to you," she said.


    "Why? What does it do?"


    "You''ll know when the time comes."


    Pisces resumed her hex removal and did not say another word, leaving me to make whatever I would of the mysterious gift. I shoved down the vial in my pants'' pocket and busied myself when Parthenos came to check on how Pisces was doing.


    The Drunken Barrel''s wooden walls were already letting light through and it would soon be morning, heralding the day that lay ahead. One that would probably be the worst of my entire existence but I found myself going back to Pisces''s words¡ªthe future didn''t matter, not as much as our actions in the present.

 United We Fall

    The plan had played out well. . .until it hadn''t. It had been Parthenos''s plan, the master perfectionist and strategist¡ªas I had both witnessed and heard from Pisces. So, what went wrong?


    It all started almost immediately after Pisces had taken down the hex and light was penetrating through every nook of the Drunken Barrel as the sun lit up the morning sky. And then he made his entrance, zooming into the tavern so fast he nearly would have caught us off-guard had it not been for Pisces''s quick thinking.


    The little room wreaked of smoldering air as his presence exuded an overwhelming aura. He was standing right there in the middle, with all of us surrounding him but he didn''t attack. How could he? He couldn''t see us but we could see him. I could see him.


    Concealed by Pisces''s mystical wave, an illusion had been cast all over the place, allowing us to blend with the environment.


    His fiery eyes scanned the vicinity, as if sensing something was hiding in there. At one point, his eyes met mine and I had to fight the urge to swallow in the fear of him hearing me. He was just as terrifying as I had last seen him as he stood there, his tall scarlet body covered with flames that did not burn him. I could only pray our plan would work against him¡ªagainst Aries.


    Aries continued scanning the room and it seemed he had totally lost us, until he paused, apparently noticing something through the illusion. He narrowed his eyes, looking directly in front of him where Pisces stood several feet away. He was about to take a step forward and if he did so, we''d lose the element of surprise.


    The next phase of the plan was underway. Pisces spread out her arms and sapphire glowing chains materialized out of nowhere, half a dozen of them, each shooting out from one side of the tavern''s walls. The chains clamped around Aries''s arms, legs and torso, holding him in place.


    Aries growled, the flames on his body violently spiraling all around him but Pisces willed the chains some more and Aries was having difficulty conjuring his fire. This was our queue. Aries was restrained.


    "NOW!" a voice called out from somewhere and I looked up to catch Parthenos breaking out of Pisces''s illusive wave. She had been airborne the entire time, silently hovering above Aries with her magnificent yet deadly wings spread out.


    Parthenos descended on Aries, her wings returning to their normal position behind her back. She landed on Aries''s shoulders, tightly wrapping her legs around him and was fast trying to strangle him.


    Skorpius and Leo followed, emerging from the illusion on either side of Aries. Skorpius dashed forwards and brought his hooked arm around, whacking Aries hard across the face, so hard that fiery sparks shot out of Aries''s head. Skorpius moved past, paving the way for Leo who repeatedly struck Aries with his spiked tail, creating thin orange lines across his core.


    Aries howled, baring his teeth. He shook his body so hard I could feel the ground beneath me shake but as much as he tried, his efforts were only futile at the power of Pisces''s chains and Parthenos''s leg lock.


    It was my queue. Mine and Zak''s. We had been situated farthest from Aries, by the store. Zak and I raced into the battle, joining the others. I took to the left, swiping the sleek double-edged sword Parthenos had given me. I struck at Aries''s thigh and Zak did the same with his axe on the right. The blades would bounce off of his body, sending vibrations up my arms but the Zodiac appeared to be feeling the effects as he would cry out at every strike.


    We had Aries completely surrounded and overpowered. It was time to move on to the next phase¡ªbringing him down entirely. We had all come to an understanding as we exchanged glances. At no point would Aries be allowed to use his legs. They were slender, sharpened and hooved; equipped for running and not just any kind of running¡ªthe near speed of light kind.


    I whacked at Aries''s inner thigh but the sword kept bouncing off and Skorpius had to come to my aid. He jabbed Aries with his hooked arm, managing to tear through his skin, albeit only the surface and fiery sparks shot out from the point of impact. I went for Aries''s left arm, wary of the small flames that would pop up occasionally. He went down on one knee. Leo wrapped his tail around Aries''s other leg and then powerfully uncoiled, sending Aries down. Zak joined him in pulling down his arm as Pisces reigned in the chains so that Aries went down further.


    Parthenos got off his shoulders and conjured a blade three times as long as the one she had given me. It glowed white in her hands. She brought around Aries''s neck, locking it there and trying as hard as she could to drive the blade into his skin.


    The final phase of the plan. Aries had been rendered entirely defenseless. The ambush had worked. It was now time to deliver.


    With one hand projected towards the ground, maintaining the restraints on Aries, Pisces brought her other hand forward, spreading out her palm. She then twisted her fingers in on themselves, unleashing a wave of energy that snaked its way towards Aries. I watched the wave slither over Aries''s chest as I held him down. The wave attached itself onto the large crystalline symbol that ran across Aries''s shoulders and down to his chest. Pisces was trying to pry out his insignia.


    At that moment, I wished we had someone like Tauros on our side. His strength would have come in handy but we had Leo, though not as strong, he was the only one whose strength could have come close to that of Aries. We had to combine all our efforts and it was beginning to show. I could feel Aries''s muscles relax, however so slightly. His flames were dwindling. His struggling had lessened.


    Pisces twisted her hand, exerting incredible amounts of force on Aries''s chest and a slight creaking sound emanated. His insignia was coming loose and he would be no more. If only we''d had a little bit more time. . .


    It was something none of us had accounted for during the formulation of the plan. Something was suddenly different. Aries was no longer fighting against the restraints. Instead, he let them take him completely down. His body had stopped flaming and his body had gone limp.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    Had we actually done it? It was now up to Pisces to rip the insignia from his chest but then it glowed, lighting up in a brilliant bright red. A low whirring sound followed, like an engine firing up. The insignia''s glow intensified and I heard Pisces scream after her hand caught on fire.


    "No!" she managed to say after noticing me trying to come and help, "don''t let go of him!"


    But there was nothing to hold on to anymore. Sage''s insignia finally let out whatever it had been building up inside and a violent wave of fire erupted, blasting me alongside everyone else, out of the tavern.


    A high pitched ringing noise resonated in my ears. I opened my eyes. My vision was distorted as strange images flashed past my eyes. I heard a voice call out to me. Pisces''s voice. What was she saying? I couldn''t understand. More images flashed before me and a fiery silhouetted figure came down on me. It was holding something in its arms and brought it down. A muffled scream followed and Pisces''s voice was now clearer. Her face appeared over the silhouetted figure. She whispered something to me before her eyes shut and she fell. I tried to grab her but the images dissipated and I found myself clutching at dirt.


    My eyesight was restored and another voice sailed through my ears.


    The hunter''s enemy rises. . .


    The high pitched ringing took over entirely, drowning all those other voices. I got up on my feet. My body felt woozy, shaken and out of place. I looked around and there she was, getting to her feet as well. I thought I had seen her falling in front of me. Ugh. . .I was so discombobulated.


    Pisces turned and our eyes met. Relief was written all over her face but then she winced, glancing down at her right arm. It appeared to have been glazed. The others joined us, recovering from the blast. We looked ahead of us where the Drunken Barrel had once stood now lay in a heap of ashes, with thick dark smoke billowing towards the sky.


    "Oh, you''ll pay for that!" Zak muttered under his breath as Aries''s form materialized out of the smoke.


    His whole body was ablaze and he could not have looked any scarier. He walked out of the debris and was greeted by an even bigger audience. The Chieftain and his men had made their way towards the area, no doubt after the events that had transpired.


    "Stay back!" a soldier yelled, hoisting Abinor''s sigil with a flagged pole. He was addressing a young woman who had bustled her way through the other soldiers.


    "Let go of me!" the woman spat and I vaguely recognized her, what with her black hair with auburn endings and dark skin. She had on the same velvety caped gown from the first time we had met.


    "I thought I told you to stay home, Valeria!" the Chieftain scolded, his face weary under his golden crown.


    "And you should''ve killed him when you had the chance, father!" the young woman retorted, particularly directing her eyes towards me.


    Great, this again!


    Pisces turned and gave me a questioning glance. "Don''t ask," I said, shaking my head. I didn''t have time to deal with this. She had been Despyon''s problem. Not mine. I had my own problems to deal with and one was already towering over everything else in its vicinity with its flaming appearance.


    "You there!" Chieftain Merkurion called out, making his horse step out from the rest of his men.


    Aries looked down at the chieftain, an amused expression on his face. "What do we have here?"


    "You''ll address his highness Chieftain Ulmas of Merkurion with respect, demon!" the soldier that had called back the Chieftain''s daughter commanded behind his helm.


    "Haven''t your kind wreaked enough havoc among our own?" Chieftain Merkurion went on with unflinching glory and I was a little envious of his courage, especially bearing in mind everything I''d seen with Aries.


    "You forget your kind is the one that started all this," Aries''s voice was grim and ominous. "Oh, but don''t worry," he laughed and flames danced on his horns. "I''m about to call it a day, not long now." He looked up to the sky and the sun was hidden away by thick dark clouds that hadn''t been there a second before.


    "I don''t have time for this, playing around with you mortals," Aries turned to us, a twisted grin on his face, "and you."


    Thunder rented the air and Aries looked up to the sky again, this time facing the mountain which lay beyond the valley that was Abinor. Lightning was flashing over the mountain. Only over the mountain as the sky grew dark and expectant.


    "The moment is upon us," Aries muttered mostly to himself, still fixating on the mountain. "It is time."


    He turned to us, regarding each one of us; from Leo, Zak, me, Pisces, Skorpius, to Parthenos. It was as if he was pondering on what different methods he would use to kill every single one of us but then thought better of it.


    "No," he said, confirming my thoughts, "why end you now when I can have you bear witness to my salvation?"


    He turned to the Chieftain and his men. "I couldn''t care less about you worthless scum!"


    Without warning, Aries unleashed a wave of flames. It soared over the soldiers and rained down on them in form of firebolts, burning unexpecting men down to the bone.


    The Chieftain fell off his horse which erupted in flames immediately after. He was calling out to his daughter.


    "Valeria! Valeria!" I followed his voice, weaving my eyes through the flames using Sage''s vision until I found her. She had been pulled away from the rest, a fiery chain coiling around her.


    She did not appear to be burning as Aries settled her next to him. "Father! Help!" Valeria cried out.


    "Uh-uh," Aries raised a flaming finger at Parthenos who was spreading her wings. "Don''t even think about it!"|


    He laughed. "That should do. A heavy price to pay for the sins of the father and all of you mortals! Soon, you will all learn your place." He was turning to leave as the others rushed to help the soldiers.


    Where is he going? He''s getting away! My mind was firing up more than the flames on Aries''s body. It was as if a switch had been flicked on inside me. A strange sense of power was taking over me.


    Rise, hunter. The Spirit awaits. . .


    That voice again. The same voice I''d been hearing ever since my birthday and all the time I''d been in Abinor. I did what I hadn''t before. I decided to listen to it.


    The Spirit Equine awaits. . .


    There! I held on to that voice and just as Aries took his first step, my arm was raised again, awash with lightning. I glanced at it and discovered what it really was¡ªa magnificent green glowing arrow. It rested in my hand. I let the voice guide me and I hurled the arrow at Aries.


    The arrow sailed through the air imperfectly and even spinning a few times before striking Aries in the back. But he had already tapped into his speed, pulling Valeria, the arrow. . .and me, altogether with him.


    "Desmond!" I heard Pisces''s voice but it grew rapidly distant and so did the ashes of the Drunken Barrel. I was moving fast. Faster than I''d ever thought possible.


    Aries dragged me after him, unaware I was holding on to the arrow on his back as he hurtled through the valley. Everything around me morphed into fast flashing images and my vision waned as I grew lightheaded. It felt as if I was ascending but that was as much as I could make out. My eyes were weary. The speed was overwhelming and I finally gave in, my mind drifting away. The last thing I saw before blacking out was something materializing in my hand. It glitched and glowed like the arrow but it was bigger and curved with an ethereal string attached to it like a. . .


    Total darkness.

 Abinors Peak

    Rise, hunter. . .rise. . .


    I was drifting in and out as voices filled my mind. Was I asleep? What day was it?


    "Desmond," a voice called. It sounded distant and feminine. "Desmond, wake up!"


    Mom?


    "Wake up," came the voice again, "your breakfast is getting cold!"


    I heard myself say "okay", though I wasn''t sure if my mouth was even moving.


    "Wake up now, before he gets you!" the voice became louder. "Wake up, Wake UP. WAKE UP!"


    My eyes snapped open after the voice shifted from light-hearted to deep and guttural.


    "Wake up, mortal!" I followed the voice, adjusting my eyes in the strange place. I struggled to make out my surroundings until his form took over my entire field of view.


    I instinctively brought my right arm forward but something held it back. I tried again and it was when Aries laughed did I realize what was actually going on. Turning to my side, I discovered a red glowing ring of fire circling around my wrist. The same thing was done to my other arm as well as my legs, with flames dancing around my ankles. I knew I wasn''t simply going to break out of there and take on Aries but I tried to wriggle my way out anyways. It didn''t work.


    "What is it they''ve been calling you?" Aries spoke. His breath was hot and surprisingly fresh and odorless. I mean, what did I expect, especially with how the white in his chiseled teeth contrasted with his scarlet skin.


    "Desmond Turner," Aries taunted, "the mortal endowed with Sage''s power." He regarded my form which waned greatly in comparison.


    "What are you going to do to me?" I mustered my courage, doing my best deep and serious voice that would have made James Earl Jones proud. . .or maybe I was just scared shitless.


    "Nothing compared to what will happen to. . .her," Aries stepped aside and there she was, bound in the same way as I was, only she was suspended over some kind of hole. Fumes appeared to be coming out of the hole with a sizzling effect.


    "D-Despyon," Valeria muttered, her voice small and shaky, "what''s g-going on? W-Why does he keep calling you that name?"


    She was wincing from the stray fumes that would waft her way and her brown skin glistened with perspiration in the dim-lit environment. I didn''t know what to tell her but I found myself feeling sorry for her, despite the fact she had set loose a couple of soldiers after me during our first meeting. The poor girl had no idea what was happening.


    "Let her go, Aries!" I ordered, "she has nothing to do with any of this."


    "On the contrary," Aries walked over to the hole and Valeria pressed her body against the wall, which I realized was actually rock. We were surrounded by it, as if in a cave, big enough to accommodate three Stonewall High school buses.


    "She''s got everything to do with this," Aries peered into the hole and the fire in his eyes increased. "They all have everything to do with this."


    "What could us humans, powerless as they come," I asked, "ever done anything that could come close to pissing off a guy like you? You''re a freaking¡ª"


    "Zodiac used to rule!" Aries boomed, his smug expression disappearing from his face. "We used to roam the cosmos with pride until I realized the gods had merely turned us into laughing stocks. Our story has been convoluted into stupid legend across mortal worlds!"


    "Astrology is kind of a deal where I come from," I offered, gauging Aries. "Everybody knows about the Zodiac¡ª"


    "As simple abstract legend!" Aries retorted. "It''s time all worlds remembered who we really are."


    I frowned at him. "So that''s it? That''s why you betrayed your own kind and murdered Sage¡ª"


    Aries let out a low chuckle as dangerous as the tips of his curved flaming horns. "Is that what she''s been telling you?"


    I cut off what other obscenities I was about to say as Aries approached me.


    "I gathered you and that wretched watery little magic wielder have been spending a lot of time together."


    Watery? Ugh, even his insults sucked.


    "I would have thought Sage''s intellect would have made you wiser and seen through all the lies with the vision," Aries went on, getting closer. "But that would be praising him too much. It''s not like his own powers were of any help to him when he fell for Pisces''s wit."


    "What are you talking about?" I had entirely lost my words and did not like the unsettling atmosphere Aries was casting all over the place.


    "Oh my," Aries chuckled again, "she really did a number on you. She told you what, that I killed Sage and doomed everyone to a life of fear? That Sage was trying to find a better world for us?" he had his eyes burning down towards my own. "Or that she promised you you''d return home after this was over? After she was done using you for her own gain?"


    "Shut up!" I shot, getting annoyed and disturbed by his words. "I know what you''re trying to do and it won''t work!"


    "What am I trying to do?" Aries shook his huge head, a mild expression on his face. "You think I''m lying to you? Trying to get under your skin? You''ll be dead in a few seconds¡ªwhat would be the point? Besides, that is Pisces''s specialty."


    "You don''t know what you''re talking about!" I levelled, not letting Aries get the better of me. "Pisces is a good Zodiac and an even better human than most of us!"


    There, I said it. But Aries was not done.


    "I have to admit," Aries nodded, "your resilience is admirable, Desmond Turner, but it is misplaced. You''ve fallen into the same trap that got Sage killed."


    Aries patiently waited for my response but he could already tell I didn''t have one. "She didn''t tell you how it happened, did she?"


    I remained silent. This conversation was escalating to unprecedented heights and turns and, honestly, a small pang of curiosity was taking over me.


    "Now I''m starting to wish we''d met sooner, you and I," Aries joked, "I didn''t kill Sage. He brought that all on himself. It was during the early days. Sage was exploring new worlds to satisfy his pathetic need for adventure and Pisces followed him once¡ªhere. The two were gone for a while and the rest of us grew suspicious. Of course I knew there would be trouble the moment Pisces had gone missing. I tracked her down here and was met with all kinds of insanity. I watched her rupture a hole right through Sage''s core, killing him on the spot¡ª"


    "Liar!" I blurted, "Pisces would never¡ª"


    "Never what?" Aries snapped, "kill anyone? And what happened to Tauros and Pollux?"


    "She didn''t kill Pollux!" I was getting angry and Aries grinned as he pushed my buttons further.


    "No. She let her suffer at the hands of your people!" Aries countered.


    "They both attacked us. We were. . .we were defending ourselves."


    "I suppose I would commend her for getting rid of Tauros," Aries said matter-of-factly, "that brute was getting on my nerves with his clinginess and an overbearing need to prove himself. It was absolute torture."


    "Well," I regained my momentum, "you''re one to talk. You murdered Capricus and Karkinos in cold blood!"


    "Yes, I did," Aries didn''t even try to deny it, "and you don''t see me lying about it, do you? At least I''m honest. I don''t like the Zodiac. They''ve only gotten worse over time, forgetting who they actually are and I was not about to let any of them foil my plan. It''s why I didn''t bother with Leo or Parthenos or even Skorpius and his scarred face. As long as they stayed out of my way, I had no problem with them but then Pisces came into the picture and began enforcing her delusions towards anyone who would listen."


    Aries flexed his arm and flames slithered down his fingers, dancing around his knuckles. "As fate would have it, she could only get so far. Turns out there are still those who are willing to follow the right path."


    The space next to Aries was disturbed, only to be replaced with an all-too-familiar figure. A figure in golden robes and golden hair.


    "Enough pressure has built up, master," the figure spoke, drifting in and out as it blended with the environment.


    "All in good time, Zygos," Aries said, still facing me. "My salvation is nigh."


    I wriggled against Aries''s bounds and he looked at me interestedly, "you still don''t believe me, do you? I have one last question for you. How is it you got to working with Pisces so quickly?"


    "She was hurt!"


    "And she told you I did that to her. She escaped shortly after Sage''s death. She knew no one would take her back in. She was already an outsider. She manipulated you, boy. You were never chosen by Sage. She only led you to believe that. She wanted you to pity her, fall for her even and my, did it work!"You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    "But I have Sage''s insignia!"


    "Insignias do not choose, especially mortals. You just happened to be at the right place at the right time," Aries laughed, "or the wrong time. Whatever you came across that gave you Sage''s power, that is what Pisces was looking for. Not you, Desmond Turner. You''re merely a flaw that erupted in her plan that she managed to work into her advantage."


    "No," I tried to fight back, "y-you''re lying. Sage gave me these powers."


    "And yet you''ve never seen him with your eyes, have you?" Aries waited for me to respond. His patience was really getting on my nerves.


    "Whatever you''ve been seeing or hearing in your head," Aries pressed, "that is all Pisces. She is the master of manipulation. Even I would have fallen prey to her charms were it not for my thick head." Aries laughed and Zygos smiled cautiously.


    "Alright," Aries shook his head, "I''m giving you too much than your mortal brain can handle and thus I leave you this to ponder for the little time you have left¡ªwhy would anyone grant you abilities without giving you a choice to decide whether you wanted to have them or not?"


    "But I did choose," my own words betrayed me as Aries''s testaments sunk deeper into my mind. "I''m using Sage''s powers."


    "No, no," Aries shook his head, feigning disappointment, "how do you still not see it? Zygos, help me out here."


    The golden colored Zodiac approached me, her hair flowing over her shoulders as her Omega-shaped insignia shone on her forehead.


    "It was as I told you during our first meeting," she started, "I tried to make you see the choice Pisces had made you turn a blind eye on. Where do your scales tip? Towards death or life? I tried to open your eyes to the truth but you let Pisces take over your mind and now, she has made the choice for you. She has tipped your scales towards death."


    At that point, I didn''t know what to think anymore. If I wanted to believe Aries or not. It was all up to me. He had made it blatantly clear. There was no need for him to lie. His honesty spread further to his actions, doing whatever he willed himself to. Hell, he admitted his hate for the other Zodiac and, besides, I would be dead soon, so, it didn''t matter anymore what I thought. But I had one last thing I needed to get off my chest.


    "Why kill humans? What did they ever do to you?"


    Zygos was about to say something but Aries raised a hand, taking over. "You''re all the same. Quick to judge, quick to attack and weak in terms of both reason and strength. Perhaps a time will come when you find out why¡ªwhen your soul wonders aimlessly in torment together with the rest of your kind."


    Well, I wanted to say he actually wasn''t that far from the truth with his assessment of humankind but I wasn''t going to give him the satisfaction.


    "My father will find you and. . .and make you pay!" Valeria found her words, her face smothered with tears.


    "Case in point," Aries shook his head then walked over to the hole. "Do you know where we are, Desmond Turner?"


    "No. But I''m guessing this is what your mother''s basement would look like!" I retorted. A terrible comeback. I didn''t care. I was annoyed at how Aries kept calling out both of my names. I silently dared him to have a go at my middle name and suddenly, Zak''s nicknames weren''t looking that bad.


    "What?" Aries looked at me with a blank expression, apparently not getting it. His words had hit harder than I thought they would but even then, it did not mean his cause was not misguided. But what could I do about it?


    "We''re at Abinor''s Peak," Aries said, "towering over everything." He lowered a hand towards the hole and something stirred, touching the tips of his fingers. It stirred even more until I got a better look. It was lava, bubbling and dancing in Aries''s presence. "A fire to take over all the souls of this world."


    I still had no idea what Aries''s plan was but the way he and Zygos were staring at the lava, I had a harrowing picture of something sinister slowly brewing. . .or boiling.


    A loud sound resonated through the cave. It sounded like thunder and from one end of the cave, was an opening, revealing a mass of dark clouds. Red streaks of lightning flashed occasionally. Aries extended an arm towards the opening and it worked like a lightning rod, conducting the streaks from the clouds. He directed the current towards the cave''s ceiling and the lightning shot out in form of bright red fireballs. They blasted through the ceiling, rupturing the rocks and creating a wide opening as light from the sky filled the cave. We were so up high, you could literally touch the clouds with your head if you hopped.


    "Behold," Zygos chimed, holding her hands together as if in prayer, "the master''s salvation begins."


    Aries directed his arm towards Valeria and she broke into more tears, thunder drowning her cries.


    "What are you doing to her?"


    Zygos answered me, her face dreamy as if in a trance. "She''ll be the first soul to feed Aries''s eternal flame."


    I watched in horror as Valeria''s eyes widened. She tried to scream but nothing came out of her mouth which remained open. Her head tilted upwards and I could literally see her soul rise up from her chest, slowly making its way towards her neck.


    "Please, stop!" my words fell on deaf ears. "You''re killing her!"


    "That is the idea," was Aries''s blank response as he forced Valeria''s soul out of her.


    Aries directed his other hand towards the lava and what appeared to be white thin mystical strings materialized, meandering down into the chasm. It was as if his body was converting Valeria''s soul into some kind of energy.


    Valeria''s eyes blinked rapidly, she was quickly losing consciousness and soon, her very existence. I was losing any ounce of hope that Pisces had apparently filled my mind with but I knew Valeria didn''t deserve this. Sure, she was a pain in the neck but she was still human.


    I wriggled in my bounds. I glanced at my right arm. Sage''s insignia was still there and it felt odd looking at the intricate arrow tattoo, especially after finding out it had been put there by accident and that no cosmic entity was working within me. But I still had to try. Sage''s spirit may not have been there but his power sure was.


    I forced my fingers into a fist, biting down on my teeth and trying hard to summon Sage''s power.


    "Uh-uh," Zygos had her hand wrapped around my neck. "Your scales may tip towards death but your purpose has only become all the more glorious. You are among the first to feed Aries''s eternal flame and kickstart his salvation. You should be honored."


    My witty comeback was ruined by the pressure exerted on my windpipe and this is what I ended up saying instead, "Yeah, mwell. . .buck your honor!"


    Valeria''s soul was surfacing, clearly visible as a tiny glowing sphere, tipping out of her mouth. It would be over for her in seconds.


    I tried summoning Sage''s power despite Zygos''s grip on my neck. Nothing happened. Of all the times that power had come in handy, this was when it decided not to show up? But wait, it worked! Well. . .sort of. A wave of bright light had sprung out, washing all over the cave.


    Turns out it wasn''t coming from me as Aries was thrown to the ground, his soul stealing mojo getting disrupted.


    "Get away from her!" Pisces''s voice rented the air, becoming audible over the thunder. The only joy I had from that moment was when I caught Valeria gasping for breath on the ground. She was alive and Skorpius was on her side, helping her up.


    My own bounds had also been undone. Pisces walked over to me. She held out a hand to help me up. "Are you okay?"


    Looking at her as she stood before me suddenly made me feel terrible. How could she lie to me like that? I ignored her polite gesture and got to my feet by myself. I caught her surprised look at the corner of my eye but I didn''t pay her any further attention. There were much bigger problems at hand.


    "He''s going to wipe out everything with the volcano," I said as Parthenos and Leo maintained their eye on Zygos who had her back to the rocky wall.


    "Thought you were done for there for a second, lad," Zak said, flexing his battle axe. "Now let''s deal with this piece of shit!"


    "Hey," Parthenos tossed over a blade in my direction and I caught it.


    "You just don''t know when to quit, do you?" Aries shook his head and got back on his feet.


    There was a thick swirling mass of black and I caught Skorpius grab Valeria. She gave me a look that normally would have been interpreted as "you''re an asshole!" but at that moment, she seemed to be saying something like "be careful".


    Skorpius vanished with her into the shadows and reappeared a second later without her. "She''s with her father."


    I felt my confidence return, knowing that at least some of the soldiers had been rescued from Aries''s firebolt shower. And now it was him against us, again. It would stay that way this time.


    "You disappoint me, Desmond Turner," Aries had an honest look of dismay on his face. "Even after everything you now know, you still side with her. All of you side with her."


    "Enough of your games, Aries!" Parthenos warned and I caught a better look at her wings which glistened from the watery cloudy atmosphere, revealing their metallic design. They were actually blades aligned on each other in an intricate overlapping fashion.


    "You can talk all you want," Skorpius said, brandishing his hooked arm, "but this is as far as you go."


    "How the times have changed," Aries fixated on Skorpius, "even the mysterious and most elusive of us fell into the well of manipulation. And to think I expected better from you."


    "It seems Orion didn''t give you enough details of what I. . ." Skorpius flexed his hook, "did to him."


    "Oh, he had quite a story to tell but an even better one to share right now with you, Skorpius," Aries added with a twisted grin.


    "Now?" Skorpius asked, the firmness in his tone derailing.


    "But we''re not here to talk about that. She''s the one you should really be concerned about," Aries gestured and everyone had their eyes on Pisces, everyone except me. . .and Skorpius for some reason.


    "Would you quit it with the yapping already!" Skorpius snapped.


    "You''re not even trying to hide it," Aries laughed, "of course you''ve known this whole time. You were there, weren''t you? You were there when it happened."


    "What is he talking about, Skorpius?" Leo asked.


    "Don''t pay attention to him," Skorpius pressed, the firmness in his tone returning.


    "Skorpius?" Parthenos asked this time.


    Tension was filling the room. This was not working out as it was supposed to. Aries was getting some advantage over us but even I wanted it all out in the open. The truth.


    "Are you going to tell them?" Aries said to Skorpius then fixated his gaze on Pisces whom I then noticed had her eyes to the ground during the entire conversation. "Or should I?"


    The tension was becoming unbearable. I felt it and so did Pisces.


    "I killed him," she whispered the words but they had resonated in my ears as coming from a loudspeaker. "I killed Sage," she repeated even louder.


    "What?" both Parthenos and Leo blurted. Apart from Skorpius and Zygos, both of whom I gathered already knew about the incident. Zak did not have much to go on but was still a little put off by the revelation, all the same.


    Everything I''d been through with Pisces was shattering before me. The walls of trust came crumbling down in a heap of betrayal. I really hoped it had been some kind of scheme Aries was pulling but there it was, staring at me with those big blue eyes I had once found mesmerizing. But now, as Pisces looked at me, I could only wish this was an alternate reality or a dream. It was neither.


    "But I. . ." Pisces tried to say, her voice breaking. She looked so hurt I would have felt sorry for her had it not been for the anger swelling inside of me.


    "You tricked me," I said, letting her feel all of my anger. "After everything. . ."


    "Desmond, please. It''s not¡ª" Pisces turned to Aries who was grinning down at her. She inhaled and returned her attention to me. "It''s true. It''s all true. Sage didn''t choose you. I¡ª"


    "You manipulated me!" I snapped and my anger was fueling Sage''s power, causing my arm to light up with lightning arcing all around it.


    "But it was only so I¡ª"


    "What, get me to do everything for you?" my arm was sparking. The more Pisces spoke, the worse I felt. "You took my life away. My friends, my. . .mom. . ." The realization of knowing I was never going back home after all of this was starting to dawn on me in a very unpleasant way. It was like winning a game and finding out there was no prize in the end.


    "That''s right," Aries''s voice took over and it only made things worse. "tear at each other''s throats."


    Without warning, I directed my arm towards him and blasted him with a bolt of lightning. It came out so terribly, with Parthenos''s blade not really helping me channel Sage''s power. Aries had ducked at the last minute and everyone was on him. As much as I detested Pisces, I couldn''t let Aries slip through my fingers. I''d come too far. I was in desperate need for a win or anything at that point. It didn''t matter anymore. Win or lose¡ªwhat did I even have to lose now?¡ªmy story would end right there in the forsaken island that was Abinor.

 Attack on Atalasia

    ARIES¡ªmy bunk mate in hell!


    The skies rumbled as thunder shook, sending vibrations through the cave walls and along the ground. I would have marveled at literally being at the highest point of a mountain had it not been for what was about to ensue. Mt. Atalasia was about to become a hotbed for a metaphysical clash. I could only hope for the worst as both prayer and hope had become obsolete at that point.


    Parthenos, already airborne, flapped her metal wings and dove towards Aries. She descended on him with a blade in each hand. Aries brought his arms together, deflecting the strike. He heaved back Parthenos and she crashed with her back to the wall. Leo zoomed in on Aries, bringing his tail around but even his agility was nothing compared to Aries''s speed. Leo''s tail wound around Aries''s arm. Aries flung him by his tail. Leo flailed and Skorpius came in for the attack, ducking in time to avoid the collision. He lashed out with his right arm in a literal hook. Aries blocked. Skorpius whacked at Aries''s chest but only ended up with his arm being knocked away. He brought it back, finding an opening and his hooked blade connected with Aries''s jaw.


    Aries reared, regathering himself and was ready to counterattack Skorpius''s jab by whacking him across the cave. Skorpius hardly touched the ground before Zak and I closed in on him, flanking him. I was bringing around the sleek blade Parthenos had gifted me while Zak prepared to hurl his axe when Aries let out a fiery shock wave. I expected to land on the ground hard but my fall was cushioned and I looked up to catch Pisces contain Aries''s wave of fire with an invisible force field separating us.


    Pisces forced Aries back, using her power to restrain the infernal Zodiac. All our attention was centered on him so much that no one bothered with Zygos whom I caught at the corner of my eye slipping quietly out of the cave.


    Aries''s fire had been contained. Pisces was shoving down as much power on him as she could muster but even then, Aries appeared to be at his prime. He was barely struggling and would soon break out of Pisces''s mystical hold as streaks of fire flashed in front of him, apparently slicing through the force field.


    Eventually, the force field ruptured and Aries burst forth. He was about to go ablaze but Skorpius had anticipated this. He materialized behind Aries, popping out of the shadows and quickly bringing down his hook. Aries thrust his fiery arm, reaching out to catch Skorpius and flipping him over. Skorpius slammed into Parthenos. Leo rolled out of the way and joined Zak and me in the next attack.


    We flanked again while Leo shot through the middle. Aries was tapping into his speed but went down on one knee. He snarled defiantly at Pisces.


    "I''ve dampened his speed!" Pisces called, hovering over Aries, her feet an inch above the ground.


    Together, Zak and I struck Aries on either side. He almost went down on his other knee and Leo was quick to ensure that by repeatedly whacking him with his spiked tail then ramming into him, using his strength to send Aries flying over the chasm where lava was still bubbling hot.


    Parthenos and Skorpius got back up and joined Leo, Zak and me as we approached Pisces who stood closest to Aries. The cave had gotten considerably hot by then and I could not tell whether it was Aries''s aura or the lava, or both. I resisted the urge to wipe sweat from my forehead. We slowly approached the fallen Aries, the chasm being the only thing separating us from him.


    "That worked better than I thought it would," Leo scoffed, flexing his tail. Its spiked end appeared to be chipped off.


    "We can''t let you do this," Parthenos conjured a fresh pair of even longer blades, her wings spread out behind her.


    Laughter echoed throughout the cave. Aries stirred. His form drifted in and out of view from the steam billowing out of the lava-filled chasm. I saw his arm move towards it.


    "It''s amusing how you think that," Aries''s voice matched his laughter. He was getting up. Pisces hurled an energy blast towards him but he deflected it with a wave of his arm. The blast struck against one part of the cave wall.


    Aries was on his feet, standing over the chasm and his frame was accentuated by his shadow, the curve of his horns inching towards the mountain''s peak.


    "I planned on harvesting the souls of this world and feeding them into the eternal flame," his voice was low and deep, matching the mysterious swaying of the lava steam. "But why go through all that trouble. . .when I can bring the flame to them. . ." His eyes glowed red, brighter than the lava itself.


    I had a harrowing image of Abinor being destroyed by a super powered volcano and, come to think of it, I had actually seen this destruction through Sage''s vision. No, it couldn''t be. What had the prophecy said? . . .And to eternal peace shall Abinor thrive. Yeah, that''s right. The prophecy was still there, though, with everything that was unfolding, I couldn''t help but wonder whether it had all been fake and made up, like all the stories Pisces had filled my head with. It clearly wasn''t the time to dwell on that. Aries was about to turn Mt. Atalasia into Mt. Vesuvius.


    Aries brought up his arm, the one he had previously thrust into the chasm. Lava was dripping down from it as he folded his fingers into a fist. This caused the lava inside the chasm to react by bubbling uncontrollably with thick red hot liquid drops shooting out. The cave was trembling and debris was suddenly falling.


    The trembling disrupted Pisces''s speed-dampening mojo on Aries as the effect wore out, evidenced by flames gradually materializing around his legs. I was first to notice this and charged at him with Parthenos''s sword. I brought the blade down on his feet but a little too late. Aries had caught my blade mid-swing. I looked up at him, my expression contrasting with the dawning grin on his face, heralding what was to come. Parthenos''s blade melted in Aries''s grip like butter until it had been reduced by half.


    I could hear the others rushing towards me. I knew if Aries burned right through that blade, I would be done for. I glanced down at my arm. Sage''s insignia was sparkling. I had lost my channeling ability but that didn''t mean I couldn''t use Sage''s power, however limited it had become.


    I forced lightning to flow into my now half sword, in time to meet Aries''s trail of fire. The two elements fought at each other and Aries''s fire eventually overpowered my lightning, resulting in an outburst of energy and I was down on the ground.


    Judging from how everyone around me was already stirring in my blurred vision, I could tell I had taken a lot of the impact. Pain sharply shot up my right arm. I looked at it and my palm was charred and smoking, with several bleeding cuts.


    The cave was trembling again. Pisces was losing her control over the chasm which she tried to contain from erupting. I looked around me. My head felt weird. I shook, trying to reacquire my composure. The outburst had dealt considerable damage. A huge rock held down Parthenos''s left wing and Leo was working towards getting it off of her.


    Something flashed past me. I looked up to catch Skorpius dashing towards Aries. He vanished in a black mass, attempting a sneak attack, only for Aries to perceive his move. Skorpius reappeared behind Aries, wrapping his arms around his neck. He heaved both of them back into the mass and it had almost worked, the two of them being engulfed into the shadows. A second later, however, Aries''s fiery arm cut through the air like a phantom. His whole form reemerged, this time him being the one having a grip on Skorpius''s neck.


    "How do you kill a shadow?" Aries''s arm ignited with brighter flames as he lifted Skorpius off the ground and the black mass dissolved behind him. "You shine a light on it."


    I think I was experiencing a concussion and had to fight the dreadful feeling of passing out. Something else flashed past me. Zak rushed to Skorpius''s aid. He struck with his foot but Aries simply swatted him away and he sailed past Parthenos and Leo, nearly falling out of the mouth of the cave.


    Skorpius took this as an opportunity to try and break out of Aries''s grip. Strange things appeared to be coming out of him. They looked like. . .like insects? No. Not really¡ªnot the "true" insects, at least. They crawled out of him; spiders and scorpions, making their way towards Aries. They all burned the moment they touched him. Skorpius lashed out with his hook. Aries caught it.


    "You''ve hidden in the shadows too long," Aries forced Skorpius''s hooked arm against him, directing it towards his face. "It''s time you returned to the light."


    If you think seeing scorpions literally come out of someone was disturbing, wait till you find out what happened next. I watched Aries use Skorpius''s hook to pry open the cast on his hooded face. It fell to the ground and I finally saw what Skorpius looked underneath. It was not pretty.


    "Orion did a number on you, didn''t he?" Aries taunted and I was more afraid of the look Skorpius was giving him, the way his yellow eyes glowed and. . .that face.


    "I''ll be sure to give him your regards," Aries forced Skorpius''s hook towards his chest and its tip cut through his armor, slowly making its way into his core.


    I shook my head some more. I had to get up. Leo and Parthenos beat me to the punch, literally¡ªman, I''ve been saying literally so much. Oh, there I go again. My head was so not in it.


    Leo collided with Skorpius after Aries tossed him and turned to deflect Parthenos''s blades. He broke them in his hands. Parthenos conjured a new set and drove the blades into either side of Aries''s torso. Aries groaned and melted the blades out of him. He headbutted her. Parthenos reared, only to make a comeback by swinging her right wing and slashed Aries across the face, barely scratching him. Aries yanked at her other wing, the injured one, and twisted it.


    That was the first time I ever heard Parthenos scream, for all the time I''d come to know her. Her entire left wing was melted off and clattered to the ground as strewn pieces of white metal, losing their cosmic essence as they turned from white to black then to nothing.


    The cave had stopped shaking. This caught Aries''s attention and he blasted Parthenos with a bolt of fire. She hit one side of the wall before falling in a heap next to a pile of rocks. Aries turned towards the chasm where Pisces was holding on, containing the volcano.


    Aries advanced and Pisces directed debris towards him but he either deflected them or burned his way through. He caught up to her. He grabbed her by the neck and I was surprised to notice Pisces was still fighting to keep the volcano from erupting. Her sapphire form contrasted greatly with Aries''s scarlet appearance as he forced her towards the chasm.


    My head was working again, or maybe it was the sudden realization of what Aries was about to do that had me snapping back to my senses. Everyone else was incapacitated. Pisces struggled in Aries''s grip and her powers waned with the cave''s trembling returning. Despite how I felt towards Pisces, suffering at the hands of Aries was not something I''d ever wish upon my worst enemy.


    Aries edged Pisces closer to the chasm. The blue in her skin was turning white. The heat was drying her of both her power and essence.


    "Your feeble tricks won''t save you this time, little one," Aries said, "I gave you mercy once but I now see as clear as the brightest day in all of Astra, what everyone does when given a second chance. You and the mortals are not so different¡ªit is only fitting you meet the same end as they will."


    That was it. I couldn''t afford to waste a second longer. I summoned my strength and staggered towards Aries. I hit him on the side but all I achieved was nearly breaking my knuckles. Aries dropped Pisces next to the chasm and I heard her gasp for air.


    "Why don''t you stay down like the rest?" Aries mocked, turning his full attention towards me. I could barely look at him now. The heat was becoming unbearable as sweat dropped heavily over my eyes. "Perhaps I''ll make your death less painful."The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Weary and having run out of options, I responded by clenching my fists. Blood dripped down my fingers and silently hit the ground. Had I not felt so exhausted, I probably would''ve uttered something witty like "I can do this all day" but any whimsical pop culture references and comebacks I had left had disappeared from my mind and out of the cave just as fast as Zygos.


    "You continue to disappoint me, Desmond Turner," Aries wielded a sword made entirely out of fire, flexing it in his grip. "Sage is rolling in his grave with the stars upon seeing what he''s become."


    Aries brought the sword down and I planted my feet to the ground, stupid enough to think I could take the hit¡ªbut what else was there left to do? Run and hide? I''d done enough of that ever since I set foot on Abinor.


    The sword came down fast, cutting through the air in a fiery flash. I didn''t flinch. I was ready for it. I was¡ª


    A low gasp emanated, followed by a hissing sound; a sound made when something burning touches a wet substance. I was no longer standing before Aries. I was on the ground on my knee, confused by what had happened. All that cleared the moment I looked up to find Aries''s sword not burning through me but instead its flaming tip sticking out of Pisces''s chest.


    My heart, similar to the rest of my body, went limp. My knees buckled and I had to support myself from falling entirely. I wanted to say something. Anything. Anything that would make Aries stop whatever he''d done but it was too late.


    One final look from Pisces and I knew it was over. Her eyes were as I''d first seen them when we''d first met back at a different cave and a much lower altitude. She had needed my help then and I''d offered it as best as I could. Now, as she looked at me, I was the one silently asking her for help. Not for me but for her.


    Why. . .why did you do that? I asked, hoping she would hear the words in my mind. She did not. Her eyes were already failing her. The blue in them was waning as fast as the rest of her ethereal sapphire aura.


    She gave me one last look, and, with her mouth, she whispered, "I am. . .sorry. . ."


    I watched, distraught, as Pisces''s body dissolved, turning into star dust until all that was left was the flaming sword. I felt as empty as Pisces''s presence at that point and I fell entirely onto both of my knees.


    "It ends here, Desmond Turner," Aries regarded me with his sword and was as eager to drive it through me twice more than he''d done it to Pisces. "You''ve had quite a run as a mortal. Perhaps your soul might survive the final harvest¡ª"


    He groaned. Something had flown across the air. I looked up and a battle axe fell from his head, revealing a considerable chip at one of his horns.


    "Has anybody told you, you talk too much?" Zak flexed his neck muscles, clenching his fists. A cry followed and he was dashing towards the fiery Zodiac, bare knuckled and with more courage than I''d ever shown.


    Either Aries had been distracted by the hit from the axe or he just let Zak have a go at him for the fun of it, I couldn''t tell. Zak delivered a right hook, followed by an upper cut, causing Aries to take a few steps back. He was bringing around a third strike when Aries decided to end the charade by catching his arm and then throwing him.


    Airborne, Zak was suspended as Aries extended a hand towards him, causing him to open his mouth against his will. His head tilted backwards and his pupils were rolling up his head. No. It was happening again¡ªCapricus had almost done the same to me and so had Aries to Valeria. In both cases, none had succeeded, but this time. . .


    Zak put up a struggle worthy of his strength but he never stood a chance. His whole body went limp before his soul was sucked out of him.


    "ZAK! NO!" I cried out, having lost the will to barely move. "NO!"


    I watched his soul, a tiny white glowing sphere no bigger than a marble, drift towards Aries''s arm. Zak''s body hit the floor with a lifeless thump. His soul coursed through Aries''s body and flowed out of his other arm that was directed towards the chasm, replicating what he''d been about to do to the Chieftain''s daughter.


    "A soul for my salvation," Aries uttered as Zak''s soul vanished into the lava-filled chasm.


    The cave shook violently. The volcano was seconds away from erupting with nothing to hold it back. Rocks fell everywhere and thunder intensified. The ground was splitting with huge cracks meandering from the chasm.


    Aries marveled at the destruction unfolding and rocks did not appear to hit him. He towered over the chasm, shifting his attention away from me and looking up through the opening above, Abinor''s Peak. His entire body was covered in flames. They swirled around him, dancing down towards the lava.


    I crawled over to Zak. I didn''t bother trying to wake him up. I knew he would never wake up. My face was wet, either from sweat or tears, or both. I felt a hand on my shoulder and Skorpius spoke to me. "We have to get out of here."


    "No," I muttered as Skorpius summoned the shadows. "I''m not leaving him here!"


    Skorpius wanted to argue, probably try to talk me out of it but Parthenos had staggered over and propped up Zak''s body. Leo took him from her and carried him into the shadows. Skorpius pulled me up and I had to look back one last time but I knew I wouldn''t see her. She was gone.


    We all vanished into the shadows before the cave fell apart.


    We reappeared somewhere away from Mt. Atalasia, and, from the few scattered trees on one side while a vast plain section lay on the other, I guessed we were at the outskirts of the Hunting Grounds. The mountain was less visible but the fiery spectacle at its peak and the swirling clouds with lightning flashing through them could be seen from miles away. Soon, the whole of Abinor would be in ashes.


    Everyone else was quiet around me. I could feel their pity towards me and I hated it. I hated myself. I hated myself for letting Aries kill Pisces and Zak right in front of my eyes. I couldn''t stand it. If anyone was to have died in that wretched cave, it should''ve been me.


    Leo tried approaching me but Parthenos called him off. She looked weird with only one wing and a deep cut ran across her forehead below her insignia.


    Skorpius was the only still composed. I never could tell with his cast on but even now that he didn''t have it, his face, other than the jarring scar running across his left cheek over his mouth and to his chin, was as mysterious as his shadow. His hood was off, revealing the most human-like appearance. One that only he and Pisces had, compared to all the other Zodiac. He even had short dark hair that was extremely tapered and swept to one side, ending in a curl similar to Zak''s, with sharp golden intricate lines cutting along either of his temples before joining at his forehead to form the hooked "M" symbol, similar to the one on his chest.


    He silently stood looking ahead at the erupting volcano, his black and yellow garments swaying in the wet windy air.


    I approached Zak''s body and knelt next to him. He was cold. His face was calm, his eyes shut and his lips slightly twisted as if he''d been smiling at the face of death. I placed a hand over his breast plate, particularly over the three red stripes that had come from the blood of the Amarok he slayed back when he''d been my age. I wanted to cry but my eyes were dry. I shifted my eyes from his body to my knees. The silence made me conscious of myself and something lit up inside me, however dimly but it was still something. I directed my hand to my chest and there it was.


    I fished it out, holding it in my hand as its crystalline surface glinted before me. But I wasn''t marveling at its make, rather than what was inside it. "You''ll know when to use it. . ." her words resonated across my mind as I uncorked the vial.


    I looked down at Zak''s body. Could this be it? Could this be what Pisces had been talking about? The more I thought of it the angrier I got with myself for treating Pisces the way I did. And it would only get worse but first, I had to try. I had to find out. I emptied the vial''s contents over Zak''s mouth. It was a clear liquid and could have easily been water. But what could it do?


    The moment I poured the liquid, it transformed into a powdery substance, almost like stardust. I watched it hover over Zak then morph into something like a screen. A wispy visual depicting a land similar to Abinor. I looked on and voices could be heard too. There was someone crying and a new image appeared. There were trees and foliage everywhere until a bright blue light cut through and I saw Pisces. She looked younger as she wiped away her tears. She was calling out a name. I listened closely. She was calling out to someone.


    I peered closer into the visual and another image appeared. Humans. The people of Abinor. There were children who''d been playing with Pisces but stopped when they saw her crying.


    "Why did you come here?" came a new voice and an image appeared. I had to look harder as I wasn''t sure what I was looking at. It was a. . . a man with a horse''s body. Or a horse with a man''s body? This figure cautiously approached Pisces and I noticed the green glowing arrow symbol on his arm.


    "Sage. . ." Pisces sobbed, "I tried to control it like you showed me but. . .but. . ."


    Pisces erupted in a wave of blue energy, and the other character stepped in to shield the villagers from Pisces''s cosmic outburst. The villagers ran off in fear. The half-man half-horse character had fallen before Pisces who cried even more.


    "Listen to me. . ." he said to her, handing over what appeared to be a bow, "take this. Take it and get out of here."


    "But I don''t want to leave you. . .I''m sorry. . ."


    "It was an accident. You didn''t mean to, Pisces. Now you have to leave and find your way." The centaur-like being forced the bow into her hands. "Follow this wherever it goes. It will show you the way."


    Pisces cried, unrelenting.


    "Promise me you''ll find your way. Promise me."


    "I. . .I promise, , ," Pisces cried as the being dissolved in ethereal white dust. She dropped the bow. It vanished at her feet after she made a failed attempt at trying to reacquire it.


    The villagers returned with soldiers. They confronted her with swords and pitchforks. I could tell she was afraid as she pleaded with them but they weren''t listening. Another character showed up, materializing in an unforgettable fashion, his form ablaze. I watched Aries burn down all of the soldiers. All the women and children that had gathered there.


    He regarded Pisces. "What have you done?"


    "I-I didn''t. . .I didn''t mean to," Pisces responded, her voice quaint.


    "You know I can''t let you come back," Aries said, "I could end you right here so, its best you run and never return. You know what the others will do when they learn of this."


    "But I¡ª" Aries''s body lit up and Pisces reared, stumbling and falling back.


    "Leave now," Aries pressed, "before I change my mind, little one!"


    More villagers were coming their way and there was a smile on Aries''s face.


    "What will you do?" Pisces asked but I could tell she already knew the answer. She got up and ran, her character disappearing from the visual, leaving only Aries.


    The villagers were upon him. His whole form erupted in flames and the visual shifted to something else¡ªsomething more modern and civilized. I could see skyscrapers, cars, a tower bridge¡ªwait, was that the Tower Bridge from Sacramento? I looked closely. Yes! It was! What was this? What was going on? Why was I seeing this?


    I never got to find out. The visual dissolved after a bright blue light formed over the city of Sacramento and I was then looking at a powdery wave of white mist. The mist drifted down towards Zak''s mouth, seeping into his lips. I waited. Nothing. I shook him. Nothing. I called him. Zak did not wake up. The vial didn''t work, other than show me a past¡ªone Pisces had kept from me and only then did I see why. I still didn''t understand but I knew why she hated Aries so much and I was not the only one.


    The others had seen the visual too, giving off the same shocked reaction as my own. If you think I''d been angry before, well, buckle up dear reader, you''re in for a wild ride.


    "Pisces did kill Sage but it hadn''t been her will," I said to the others, apparently building up some kind of newfound energy within me. "Aries lied."


    "But why lead us to believe Aries killed Sage?" Leo asked and the silence was gone.


    "She was all alone," Parthenos offered, "she needed someone to work with. . ."


    "Despite how long it took. . ." Skorpius added. "Aries cast her away. She was still new to the group and no one would''ve believed her then¡ª"


    "But you should have," my voice became firm and more solid. Somehow I had found a reason to fight. This even became evident when Sage''s insignia lit up and a bolt of lightning shot towards the sky, followed by thunder.


    I moved away from the trees.


    "Where are you going?" Parthenos asked.


    "To do all I can and stop Aries from destroying this place," I replied with confidence even I wasn''t sure where it was coming from.


    "You do realize that''s suicide, right?" Leo offered.


    "You won''t last a second," Skorpius said.


    "Look," I sighed, "I just realized I let down a friend who only wanted my help to do what''s right. I''m not gonna do that again."


    As if on cue, there was a familiar whinnying and I turned to find a beautiful big white stallion trot out of the trees and come to my side. After everything I''d been through, Jon was a fresh breath of air. I stroked his magnificent white mane and he was more than pleased to see me as I was.


    "Who is this?" Leo asked, amused.


    "The only one who''s willing to help me avenge our friends," I shot back, having no idea how the stallion had found me, though I figured it must have been the lightning.


    I looked over at Zak''s body. I wasn''t going to leave him. I still could not believe he was gone. Maybe the vial''s contents were slow acting or something. I knew that was wishful thinking but I still dragged his body towards Jon and struggled to heave him over the horse. Leo was coming to help but Jon lowered his body just like he''d done when Pisces had been unconscious. If only Zak was unconscious. I propped Zak''s body on his back and mounted.


    "What will you do when you get there?" Skorpius asked, his scar a pale yellow against his skin.


    I looked ahead. The volcano was moving. Whatever Aries had done to it, the lava could be seen as a pillar of fire in the distance, floating in the skies as clouds and lightning swirled around it. It was headed for Abinor, the same place I was going.


    I had no idea what I would do. "I''ll do what I can," I said to Skorpius.


    "Let''s go, boy!" I patted Jon, clutching at his mane while making sure Zak''s body was well supported. Jon broke off into a spirited run, dusting the ground behind him and all I could do was maintain my gaze ahead where the real battle lay.


    I knew I might never find my way back home but now I had something else to fight for. I had to fight for Pisces and for Zak.

 Bleeding Skies

    Jon''s hooves echoed through the deserted market grounds as we crossed a footbridge over the river, making our way into Abinor. I had been looking back occasionally over my shoulder to check on Zak and every time I''d be met with the same lifeless calm face. This time, I looked past his body and over the bridge.


    The flowing waters were rippling from the falling drops of light rain. I was taken by this¡ªnot the ripples¡ªthe color of the water. It was red, reflecting the same tinge that blanketed the sky above. I looked up. I guessed it to be midday but the blood red sky added an unsettling amount of darkness, alongside the scarlet flashes of lightning and thunderstorms.


    I squinted my eyes ahead, trying to make out the mountain. Rain splashed against my face. Mt. Atalasia was completely shrouded in thick dark red clouds. It was presumed to erupt but that had not exactly been Aries''s plan. He had literally siphoned the volcano out of it and was wandering the skies while I wandered the marketplace. Whatever his next move was, I knew I had to be ready¡ªbut I didn''t know how. The moment I had mounted Jon, that had been a glorious sixty seconds as I left behind the only other help I had in taking on Aries but they''d all shown me they weren''t in the game anymore and I really couldn''t blame them. There had to be a different way to do this. . .if only I knew it.


    I had no idea where I was going but I knew I had to keep going. I''d chosen to come back here. Market stalls lay empty, worn out and wet. A dog or wolf, I wasn''t sure, was nibbling at something that looked a lot like a human torso. Ravens would swoop down for a bite but would receive a warning snarl from the animal. It looked up at me with a pair of grey eyes as Jon and I passed by it.


    Thunder cracked and I had to calm down Jon by stroking his mane and we progressed through the red tinged environment. The surroundings gradually changed the more we moved and I realized we were exiting the market as huts came into view.


    "You there!" a voice called and I turned to find a soldier approach me. "All village folk are to be enclosed in the safety of their homes."


    I did not know what to say as more soldiers came into view. They appeared to be engaging in some kind of activity as I spotted some carrying firewood, pieces of clothing and bowls of food. They would pass by Jon and me, coming to and from the village.


    "Where did you come from?" the soldier asked after my silence.


    "I was just umm. . ." I swallowed, "going home."


    "Were you now?" the soldier scoffed then narrowed his eyes at me, apparently noticing something as he took off his helm. "Hold on. You''re that corrupted boy, aren''t you? The one who''s been cavorting with them demons!"


    I did not like where this was going and I subtly tightened my fingers around Jon''s mane, ready to have him get us out of there any second.


    The soldier was getting closer and something else caught his attention as his eyes went wide. He was staring at the lifeless counterpart lying next to me. "By Jove, is that the former General you have there with you, boy?"


    "Umm. . .no," I responded, putting on my fanciest poker face ever.


    "That''s Garuvir Belzak! Is he¡ª" the soldier was fishing out his sword as a couple of his armed comrades joined him.


    "Alright, Jon," I whispered close to the stallion''s ear which perked up. "Time to go. . ."


    Jon was about to bolt when someone stepped in front of us. Someone I had not expected to see again anytime soon. She had on the same velvety cape over a burgundy silk gown that matched her long dark hair with auburn endings¡ªthe same attire she''d been wearing the last time I''d seen her.


    "What do you think you''re doing?" she shot at the soldier and his allies.


    "My Lady," the soldier bowed, "do you not see whom the boy carries with him?"


    She looked over with mild interest then settled her hazel eyes back on the soldier. "We''ve been assisting the villagers in accommodation. One simple boy should not get you all worked up for nothing, do you understand?"


    "But my Lady¡ª" the soldier insisted.


    "Do you not understand?" she eyed the soldier warningly. "You best resume your activities, otherwise, the demons from the sky won''t be the only thing you''ll have to worry about!"


    "Sorry, my Lady Valeria," the soldier excused himself and turned to the others. "What are you all still standing here for? You heard her, move it!"


    Valeria sighed after they left then turned to look up at me. "The hero from the mountains. Come with me."


    Perplexed, I watched her walk off into the village. She stopped and turned around. "It doesn''t seem as if you have some other place you have to go now, does it?"


    Fair point. I said to myself, still trying to get over what had just happened. I nudged Jon and he trotted forward.


    We didn''t go that far as Valeria led me into a hut that stood secluded from the rest. Jon nibbled on grass as the woman helped me take Zak''s body inside. We propped him onto a bed and I had his arms crossed over his chest.


    Valeria paused, a shocked expression on her brown skin. "He doesn''t have a pulse. Is he. . .?"


    I still couldn''t bring myself to say it and Valeria could read it written all over my face. "How long?" she asked.


    "Back when we were at the mountain," I muttered.


    "But that''s been over three hours," Valeria gasped. "He looks as if he''s merely asleep. . ." she paused. "I-I''m sorry."


    I walked towards a window and looked up at the tinted sky, trying to force my mind into thought. I felt Valeria silently approach me.


    "You''re really not him, are you?" she asked behind me and I got my first moment of thought. I hadn''t thought about this for a while now. About him, ever since his shield was destroyed and with it what was left of him.


    "It''s Desmond, right?" she went on, cautiously as if carefully picking her words. "I should have known it wasn''t him. He''d never have stood up for me like that." There was another pause, then, "For what it''s worth, I''m grateful. I wouldn''t be here if it weren''t for¡ª"


    "I didn''t do anything!" I blurted, sharper than I''d intended. "We were both tied up, remember? If anyone should take credit, it''s. . ." I faltered and the gruesome image of a flaming sword flashed before me so vividly I thought Aries had come for me.


    "But you stayed back to fight with the others," Valeria added and it only made me feel worse. I looked into the sky again. What was I doing? "I don''t have time for this," I said, shaking my head. Aries would soon wipe out every living soul from the face of this world and here I was moping again.


    "I have to go," I turned from the window.


    "Wait!" Valeria raised her voice. "Where are you going? It''s not safe out there."


    "You think I don''t know that!" I blurted again and I caught the green glint in the brown of Valeria''s surprised eyes. They reflected the sparks of lightning coming off my right arm. She cautiously took a step back.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    I realized I was lashing out and tried to force myself to calm down. "Sorry¡ª"


    "No," Valeria stopped me. She did not look as scared anymore. "I''m the one who should be apologizing for-for thinking you were someone else. . .for treating you so badly."


    Valeria''s words took me totally by surprise. Clearly, she wasn''t the same person I''d met on my first day here and honestly, I wondered if she had actually been the problem in whatever kind of relationship she''d had with the face of the person I wore. I''d met Despyon and the brief interaction we''d had with each other, it was pretty much looking like he was the true thorn in this relationship.


    "But you can''t go out there like that," Valeria went on, doing me one better by offering to treat my hand.


    I had forgotten about it as Valeria scrutinized the red thin lines on my palm where Aries''s fire had sliced through.


    "It''s not like I have many options now, do I?" I shrugged, feeling miserable and ignoring the sharp pain caused by Valeria as she washed up my wounds with a cloth.


    "What happened to your other. . .allies?" Valeria asked, quickly rethinking her question and stopping herself from saying the word "demons"¡ªone of the many things the people of Abinor had used to describe the Zodiac. She wrapped up my hand with soft white linen.


    "It''s just me now," I muttered and was glad Valeria read into that. I did not want to talk about it anymore. I wanted to focus on other more important things like. . .I narrowed my eyes at Valeria, halting my train of thought. "What are you doing here? You''re the Chieftain''s daughter. Shouldn''t you be¡ª"


    "Eating cookies with milk and honey, cozying up in fancy robes back at the castle?" Valeria''s response came out troubled and conflicted, as if she had her own personal battle. "Sorry," she added, nervously caressing her cape.


    Thunder rumbled and I heard Jon whinny outside. Valeria faced me. "My question to you, Desmond, is¡ªwhat do you plan to do now?"


    A solid straightforward question that Zak would have typically asked me at that point. Thunder rumbled increasingly, even the ground shook beneath me.


    "He''s coming," I muttered in a dawning tone, looking out the window again.


    "The-the thing from the mountain?"


    "Aries," I said. My mouth turned bitter. "His name is Aries. Everything you''ve ever known will be gone because of him."


    "But you want to do something about it," Valeria joined me in looking out the window before turning to face me. "you want to stop him but you can''t do it alone. You don''t have to."


    "I told you," I sighed, "it''s just me now, unless you have some kind of hidden power you wanna share. That would be helpful."


    "What if I told you there''s someone who can help?" I turned after Valeria said that. "But I''d need your help to get to them," she added.


    I covered up Zak''s body with a blanket, save for his face, after which Valeria and I were soon riding through the village on Jon''s back until the large golden fortified structure was only a few feet away, separated from the rest of the village by the river.


    "Are you sure about this?" I don''t know how many times I''d asked that as we crossed the river over the moat leading into the castle. The waters bubbled as we passed and snake-like creatures would drift in and out of view.


    "Helworms," Valeria caught on my interest as she sat behind me. "They are¡ª"


    "Oh, I know what they are," I muttered and was glad when we''d crossed the river and entered the castle.


    Luckily for me, soldiers didn''t flag us down for identification, not when the Chieftain''s daughter was with you. The castle''s yard was like a mini Abinor but more stylized, classy and clean. There were a lot of stone structures I assumed housed some kind of aristocratic family neighborhood. Light was coming from the windows and even in here, everyone knew better than to go wandering about. Everyone was locked in and it was mostly soldiers who roamed the yard.


    "Where''s your dad?" I asked as we dismounted.


    Valeria pointed to the tallest tower. "He''s probably planning an evacuation plan right now and scratching his hair off his head."


    "It''s a little too late for that," I looked past the tower and to the skies. They had grown incredibly red, they were practically bleeding.


    My arm acted up and Sage''s insignia was glowing with electrical sparks. I felt a strange sensation on my palm as if something was trying to materialize. I could almost feel my fingers try to wrap around an unseen object.


    "Follow me," Valeria shifted my attention and the feeling was gone. She had explained her plan on how we''d get to the person who would help me and I had to commend her. Even Parthenos would be proud.


    "You really know your way around, huh." I said as we slipped into a door before a couple of soldiers could see us.


    "My father would kill me if he ever found out how much I''ve been sneaking out of these walls," Valeria nodded to a pair of young women in floral dresses after they curtsied her.


    "Mazel tov," I said, my face flushing when the women smiled at me and giggled with each other as they walked away.


    "What?"


    "Oh, nothing."


    There were a lot of interactions like these and I was relieved when we finally made it to our destination. Several flights of stairs led us down to a basement with a small room. It was dark and the only light came from a damaged lamp whose flame flickered warningly as if it would go out any second.


    "The only dungeon inside the castle walls," Valeria said, taking off one of the many bracelets on her and quickly got to picking the lock on the grilled door that stood before us.


    It was as she had said, how and where we would find the prisoner who stepped into the light the moment the door swung open.


    "I knew I''d be seeing you again," Ethel the Seer said, a toothy grin forming on her face. "Your Grace," she turned to Valeria.


    "Abinor is about to turn to shite, isn''t it?" Ethel gauged both of us and thunder shook the walls of the dungeon.


    "I''ve tried everything," I started, "I still can''t channel Sage''s power, I lost the shield. I lost . ."


    Ethel eyed me, her wizened face mysterious. "Ah, it was as I feared but also as it was expected to unfold."


    "What? What do you mean?"


    "Even with how far you''ve come," Ethel placed a hand on my cheek. It felt rough against my skin. "You still prevent yourself from seeing it all."


    "Please don''t start with the prophecy stuff again," I muttered, "I know I''m not the chosen one. It was all a lie. Pisces told me the truth."


    "Yes, she did," Ethel withdrew her hand. "but that is only one side of the story. Her unique power got to me too but the prophecy came before Pisces and it is only being reinforced as more events continue to unfold. Nothing has changed, my boy."


    "Wait, so you''re saying all of this was supposed to happen?" I asked, "even the lies?"


    "It all depends with your perspective of it," Ethel looked ahead and recited a line from the prophecy: "Enlightened by the ways of water and life."


    I looked back to the vial Pisces had given me and how it had shown me the truth about her past as well as that of Aries.


    "Whatever she did," Ethel said over the rumbling thunder, "she only meant to show you the truth, enlightening you along the way."


    "But why wait that long?" I pressed. "Why couldn''t she just tell me from the beginning?"


    "She has told you already, boy," Ethel said, confusing me further, "it is up to you to see through it. I know you believe there''s no higher reason for your being here but I''ll tell you again¡ªit''s the little things that matter the most. You only have to let yourself see them and understand."


    Thunder intensified. The walls shook and swayed. The ground cracked, lava shooting up out of it. Valeria yelped and nearly jumped towards me after the ground split beneath her feet.


    "It''s happening," I looked around me, dreading the worst. "He''s here!"


    Ethel raised her hand and something came flying into it. She wrapped her fingers around it and there it was, standing as tall as her. Her staff.


    "Ah, have I missed you," Ethel exhaled, caressing her staff. The ceiling was falling apart.


    "Not to overstate the obvious but we need to go!" Valeria stepped away from the splitting floor, afraid she''d fall in.


    "Alright, hold on," Ethel extended her staff to us. I placed my hand on it. "Hands on, luv," she motioned to Valeria and the three of us got sucked into space and reappeared outside the castle.


    Valeria gagged and I guessed she''d never teleported before. The skies were wild with lightning flashing everywhere over the reddened environment and strong winds were throwing splattering raindrops all over me. The ground continued to split as Aries''s presence became more and more apparent.


    Sage''s insignia lit up like Christmas. For the first time in a while, it understood the kind of predicament I was in, even though Sage was non-existent. But his power was with me. I was going to use it, whatever way possible, to take on Aries in whatever form.


    He appeared.


    It was his laughter that got to me first. It was coming from the sky. I fought against the rain, wiping away water from my face and squinting to make out what was coming at me as the sky flashed a dangerous red.


    There was a scream. I turned to the horrifying sight of Valeria being whisked away by the wind, alongside Ethel. They both vanished into the depths of the unknown. Aries''s laughter grew louder as I felt his presence even closer.


    "YOUR UNACCEPTANCE OF FAILURE WILL BE YOUR UNDOING," his voice boomed from all directions, "DESMOND TURNER!"

 All Caught Up

    "YOUR UNACCEPTANCE OF FAILURE WILL BE YOUR UNDOING, DESMOND TURNER!" his words reverberated inside my chest as I looked up into the wildly scarlet sky. I could not see Aries. Massive red clouds swirled along with the billowing winds, sweeping drops of rain across the land as thunder and lightning decorated the atmosphere.


    Trails of bright red fire flashed across the sky. I tried as best as I could to keep up but his laughter echoed throughout the growing storm while the air heated up, making me disoriented and struggling to focus.


    "Show yourself!" I cried over the storm. My arm lit up, its neon green glow contrasting with the reddening environment.


    Aries''s laughter died out. I could now only hear the clouds and surprisingly, my palpitating heartbeat against my chest. Something was creeping up on me. I could feel it in my bones¡ªbut I still could not see it. I could not see him. . .until he made his entrance.


    My hair stood on end, my whole body going into full alert mode after the skies split up above me and out he emerged, coming down on me with a cape of roaring flames. I would have been smashed into the ground had I not rolled out of the way, but even then, I still lacked Leo''s incredible reflexes and was hit by the impact''s shockwave.


    I flew across the land and didn''t even touch the ground before Aries caught up to me, grabbing me by the leg and tossing me like a ragdoll. I tried my best to cover my head as I crashed into one of the many stalls at Abinor''s marketplace.


    I groaned, feeling my sides. My bones were already breaking even before the battle began. This was not good. I strained to get up and pain shot up my right arm. I looked at my palm. It was bleeding again but Valeria''s treatment was holding it together.


    Aries appeared several feet in front of me, his red skin darker, as if he''d absorbed the entire volcano. The winds froze but the rain continued to fall. His flaming eyes regarded me from the distance. "I admired your resilience once, but now, it''s only pathetic!" he conjured his great sword of fire and I had to fight with my own mind, to make myself stop seeing Pisces turn to stardust from the flames of that blade.


    Sage''s insignia sent more lightning sparks arcing around my arm in response. What Aries had done was holding me down and yet at the same time, fueling my will to stand up to him. There would only be one left standing at the end of this and should it be me, I was not going down without a fight.


    I got back up, planted my feet against the wet ground and clenched my fists, forcing myself to get over the pain as blood trickled down through my right knuckles. I charged.


    I cried, bringing around my fist and a trail of lightning accompanied it. Aries simply stepped aside and I hit nothing but air. I turned and lashed out again. Aries reared effortlessly. I came after him, throwing as many punches at him and ending up with the same result. His speed was unmatchable.


    "Are you done?" he scoffed, brandishing his blade that, as the rest of him, was immune to the rain''s waters and continued to burn with profound intensity. "Is this all the great successor of Sage has to offer?"


    I glared at him, trying to catch my breath with my fists still clenched.


    "Oh, that''s right," he felt the tip of his blade, "you''re not his successor. You''re a mistake that happened to be at the wrong place in time."


    His comical mood came to an end, instantly flipping into an enraged stupor. Aries stomped the ground, his hoof creating tremors and the ground split up, snaking its way towards me. I was airborne as the ground exploded beneath me. Aries struck me with the side of his sword. I flailed. He caught up to me and struck again. I flailed even further. He tore right past me, only to meet me on the other side and strike yet again, reverting my course.


    I crashed and sprawled on the ground and my body was burning. Aries''s sword had eaten away at the sides of my shirt and charred my skin. My arm had stopped glowing. I lay with my back to a puddle of water as rain fell all over me. I tried to get up. My body was failing me. I wanted to go to sleep so badly and wash off all the exhaustion. Just close my eyes and. . .no! I won''t! I cannot!


    I was lifted by my collar and could feel Aries''s hand burn my neck. He slammed me back against the ground, splashing water and dirt which evaporated against his body. He slammed me again. My eyes almost rolled over to my head but I bit hard against my teeth, ignoring the taste of blood.


    "You don''t know when to quit, do you?" Aries bore down at me, his eyes trying to burn through my own.


    "I''ll. . ." I groaned and blood slipped out of my mouth, ". . .never. . .stop. . .fighting!"


    Aries laughed and I clenched my fists, letting myself feel it all. My body burned against his. My heart beat as fast as he could run, but my vision. . .my vision was clear. I could see all that Aries was.


    "You. . .will never. . .win!" I brought around my fist, hardly expecting anything to happen but the moment my knuckles connected with Aries''s face, a surge of lightning exploded, the impact throwing both of us away from each other.


    Aries reared several times and almost fell over but managed to stand his ground, his hooves digging into the dirt. Me, on the other hand, was down on my knee. I was looking at my arm. Sage''s insignia was swelling with energy as lightning arced not just on my arm but all over me.


    My vision was acting up. I was seeing something. Something cutting through the red atmosphere, or was it in my mind? It was preceded with a bright green light and out of it emerged a figure with four legs. A horse? I could not tell. It was bolting towards me, bathed in that magnificent light and I heard a voice.


    "By the descent of a hunter''s enemy. . .rise!"


    I shielded my face as the figure came at me. I withdrew my arms and the figure was no more, only this time, my entire appearance took on a drastic change. I was bathed in green light and what had once been my tattered, burned and wet attire, was then replaced with magnificent armor. My shirt had transformed into thick plated material with a rich green hue and so were my pants which took on an even darker tone, down to thick large boots that felt surprisingly as light as air. My arms were covered with plated armor that glowed like jade crystals, matching the long flowing cape cascading from my shoulders and to my legs. I caught the crystalline arrow symbol emblazoned on it as the cape flowed to my side.


    I felt glorious¡ªrenewed. The pain was gone, even my palm had healed as Valeria''s linen straps fell off my hand and to the ground.


    The glowing waned and died out, save for my hands and the insignia on my cape. I had no idea what had happened, but I was glad it had. Someone out there had decided to give me a chance and I was not going to waste it.


    "Impossible," Aries voiced his contempt, his tone revealing surprise. "he is with the stars. How did you do that?"


    "Let me show you!" I burst forth, my cape billowing behind me. My fist connected with Aries''s head again. I brought around the other and he reared, registering the impact which was a lot more than it had been before.


    Feeling his jaw, Aries regained his composure, his face contorting into a grin. He charged. Even with my new upgrade, his speed still overwhelmed me. He zoomed towards me, grabbing me by my sides and hurtling through the market. My body became subject to plenty of smashes along the way. I jabbed at his arms, pounding down until he let go and I hit the ground but quickly got to my feet as Aries rounded back at me.


    He let out a jet of flames that snaked towards me, heating up the air around me. I brought my hands together, deflecting the attack. I withdrew only to be met with Aries''s flaming fists. I was thrown back and landed on my ass. Aries transformed his flames back into his sword. He pointed it to the sky. Red bolts of lightning struck at it, fueling the sword with fire. He directed its tip towards me and massive flames spiraled at me like chains.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    The flames struck the ground around me as I struggled to dodge, managing to tilt my head back as a stream of fire cruised past me, narrowly missing my face. I could only evade as fast and got blasted by a lot more fiery projectiles. I was down on my knees again, fighting through the pain as the rain increased.


    "Is that you, Sage? After all these years," Aries boomed, looking up into space, "you now realize death was not enough! And now you think this meat sack will do the job for you?"


    I got back up, regaining my strength.


    "Well then," Aries''s sword morphed back into flames, "let me send him over to you so you two can be properly acquainted!" he thrust out his arms, sending firebolts in my direction. I was hit by the first one but rolled and dodged the others, leaping into broken down stalls for cover as wood splintered and exploded behind me.


    I sat against one stall and peered over it. I could not see Aries. I turned back and his form towered over me. He blasted me with a ball of fire and I was thrown back into the open, landing into another puddle.


    "I have to say," I heard Aries''s voice as I spat out dirt while pressing my hands against the ground. "I never thought my day of salvation would end up being this entertaining and for that, Desmond Turner, I am grateful."


    I turned around, getting on one knee.


    "You hear that, Sage," Aries reiterated, "I am grateful!"


    Flames danced around his body. He directed them towards his hands then sent them twirling in the air, swirling in one massive red circle. He pointed at me and the flames sailed towards me, blasting me against the ground. He did this repeatedly until the crystalline plates on my left broke apart.


    "Your heir is losing, Sage!" Aries roared over the thunder. "Seems you''ve run out of ideas. I thought you were the wisest of us all!"


    I clenched my fist, reigniting myself with lightning, only to be blasted again.


    I could feel the rage boiling inside of me, threatening to rip me apart but not as much as I wanted to do the same to him¡ªthe reason I was stuck here¡ªentangled in all of this mess. He''s the one who''d forced Pisces down this road. He''s the one who''d forced her into exile, away from her own people, until she met me. And now it was just me.


    My sight flickered. My vision got distorted. My environment switched from red to green and back. It was that eerie apparition again.


    "Forged from the spirit. . ." a voice said. The same voice from before.


    Something was trying to manifest in my hand. Something I had only caught a glimpse of before.


    Another voice, a different one, whispered in my mind. "Well, get on with it, you dolt! Get a hold of it before we''re both dead!"


    I knew this voice. It couldn''t be. Perhaps my mind was playing games at me in a desperate attempt to try and keep me fighting. Well, it was working.


    "How is it taking you this long? Come on!"


    "I''m trying!" I shot back at his voice and even after all this time, it was still as petulant and annoying. I wanted to ask how he was still alive but there wouldn''t be time, not when I myself was gambling with my own life.


    His words continued to nag at my brain. I couldn''t take it anymore. I wanted him to shut up. My seething rage continued to ripple down through my chest and to my arms. That was when it finally happened.


    In my right hand, Sage''s insignia glowed under the plated armor, unleashing energy which washed down to my hand. The energy, in form of green light, hardened, taking tangible form until it was a foot long structure resting on my palm, perfectly balanced.


    "Undo blood with blood alike. . ." the initial mysterious voice whispered the words as I stared at the instrument¡ªa magnificent crystalline bow with intricately curved golden endings.


    I stood upright, looking ahead at Aries. His face was a mixture of shock and confusion, and what was that in his eyes? The fire in them dwindled, if only for a fleeting moment. But I had seen it.


    He let out a series of laughs, all filled with mockery and devoid of any sense of humanity, matching his eyes which grew back into two red glowing spheres of darkness. He said something. Either I had been turned deaf with rage and a hunger to kill or from the rumbling thunder from above that had the skies flashing red with lightning¡ªI couldn''t tell¡ªhis words never reached my ears.


    With my weapon at hand, I charged, summoning all the strength I could muster as rain poured down and wet the battle ground. He charged back, coming at me with his towering height, his form ablaze with cosmic flames that had caused so much destruction and pain. But that would end there and then; I vowed to myself. I could not and would not let him take anymore.


    The distance between us began to narrow down as I took great strides before finally leaping into the air and my adversary did the same. I yelled out something that must have sounded like a war cry but the thunder had intensified and the only sound that could now be heard was the whooshing of my weapon and the guttural roaring coming from him.


    A loud blast followed upon contact. The sound of metal clanging against metal. The impact turned out to be far greater than I had anticipated. I was thrown backwards, flipping in the air several times before crashing into a set of empty market stalls where I must have hit my head and almost zoned out, willing myself to stay awake until I could catch that distinct growling sound and heavy steps of something approaching fast in my direction. The ground shook beneath me.


    Before I could react, I felt a firm grip on my arm and was rolled over so I was lying on my back and the drops of rain splattered all over my face, blurring my vision but not enough to make me miss the unmistakable blade coming down on me as he roared, towering over me. . .


    So, this was it huh? From the moment I''d fallen into the river under the Sacramento Tower Bridge¡ª ended up in Abinor, made some unlikely alliances, fought my way through all kinds of hell¡ªto this. Falling at the wrath of Aries. Well, here we are dear reader. All caught up. Are you still with me? I guess this is all it''s been leading to. The reason why a seventeen year old high school senior was ages away from home where he''d have been busy racking his brain with Calculus equations but instead. . .ends up being obliterated with cosmic flames and therefore, I ask again¡ªdo you believe in fate?


    I tried to give my answer at the start of this story but like I said, I''ll let you be the judge of that. So, where were we?


    Right. Aries''s sword was coming down on my head. Now, I''ve heard people say that your life flashes before your eyes right before you die and judging by what happened next, that may not have been far from the truth.


    The sword''s flames blinded my eyes. I fought to see through and Sage''s vision came to my aid, only I was no longer seeing the sword of fire but instead, I saw her. I saw all the time we''d spent together from the moment we first met at the cave, how she conjured up fruit out of nowhere when I was hungry, how she healed my wounds and how she. . .She looked at me. Her face was calm. She whispered to me.


    "I am sorry. . ." a flaming sword cut through her and she dissolved into stardust. The sword came down on me. I braced myself.


    The tip of its blade came to a stop right between my eyes. I could feel its smoldering heat threatening to burn off my eyebrows. But why did it stop? Why wasn''t my brain skewered and shish-kebabbed?


    I looked up to find a sleek white blade lodged into Aries''s shoulder and another one found its way into his core. What had happened?


    Turning around, I was met with an enthralling sight as three figures materialized into the scarlet atmosphere, beyond the market. Two blades, similar to those on Aries''s body shone in Parthenos''s hands as she regarded Aries, ready to throw them at him and add to the pile. She was standing tall next to a mass of shadowy clouds that morphed into Skorpius and to the other end, his spiked tail curving in the air, was Leo.


    I smiled back at Aries. I couldn''t help it. I was no longer alone.


    Reaching out for the bow, I struck at Aries with my foot and he reared. I got up, backed away and was joined by the others.


    "You came!" I said to them, disbelief and relief in my voice.


    "You didn''t think we were going to let you have all the fun, did you?" Leo grinned.


    "Besides," Parthenos clenched her jaws, her eyes whiter than her hair and skin, "he owes me a wing."


    "Nice outfit," Skorpius remarked.


    "Thanks."


    "Not as fancy as mine but. . ." he added and I only felt happier.


    "Well, I''ll be," Leo directed his attention to the weapon in my hand, "is that¡ª"


    "Sage''s bow," Parthenos finished. "And now it''s yours."


    "But how¡ª"


    "Are you all planning on standing there all day to look pretty or are we going to finish this?" Aries roared, cutting off Leo. He burned off Parthenos''s blades and they melted out of his body.


    He was about to charge but seemed to think better of it. He chuckled instead. "I''ve absorbed enough mortal souls to keep me in this world but I tire of your games. Fighting me now will only be delaying the inevitable, so, why don''t I get on with it? Besides, you''ll be dead by the time I''m done."


    Aries leapt in the air then came back down, striking the ground so hard with his fists, you could literally see it flowing in waves. The ground shook and split open from Aries''s point to all directions and lava burst through. At that point, the ground and the sky had become undiscernible. Everything was turning into a primordial state of chaos.


    The lava spread, spewing out of the sutures and hissing against the rain. Aries looked at us. "My salvation begins." He walked towards the village, causing the ground to rupture with every step he took.


    I looked back at Skorpius, Parthenos and Leo. There was a lot going on with their faces but one thing was clear as we all regarded each other. This was it. This was the final stand.


    I tightened my grip on Sage''s bow¡ªmy bow. An arrow materialized, crystalline, with a blend of jade and gold. I cast my eyes ahead and the others joined me in one last confrontation against Aries.

 Eternal Flame

    . . .To eternal peace shall Abinor thrive. . .


    The final words of the prophecy kept relaying in my mind like a tape on loop. Whatever I was going to do next¡ªwhatever we were going to do next¡ªwould determine whether those final words would come true or be entirely lost in Aries''s eternal flame.


    The ground was splitting up so terribly I had to constantly make sure I was moving, lest my feet got swallowed by the boiling lava. Deep red cracks snaked all over the land, quickly making their way towards the village. The marketplace was already crumbling into the earth''s crust and so did every other thing in Aries''s path as he headed for the village.


    At that point, even Parthenos''s strategic perfection would only have done so much. We went after Aries with everything we had.


    I cut through the middle, leaping over jutted rocks as the ground deformed. Skorpius and Leo flanked while Parthenos sailed over me, managing short bursts of flight despite having only one wing.


    Parthenos threw two blades at Aries. I waited until they struck his back and fired my arrow. It landed right between the blades, discharging a lightning bolt that electrified the blades. They exploded on his back. Aries stumbled forward. Skorpius and Leo closed in, ramming the fiery Zodiac from either side.


    Aries merely frowned as flames erupted around him, knocking away the two. He advanced ahead, apparently not so keen on retaliation. He maintained his progress towards the village, tapping into his speed and tearing at the ground after him.


    "We need to act fast," Skorpius said, brushing off a piece of burning rock from his spiked shoulder.


    "At this rate, he''ll destroy the place in a heartbeat," Leo snarled. His left cheek was charred.


    "Then we don''t let him," I said, "he''s fast. We have to be faster." I turned to Skorpius. He knew what to do.


    We all materialized out of the shadows, in time to throw Aries off course and he tumbled at super speed, his body rolling several feet towards the village entrance, by the river. He still managed to land on his knee. He was getting up. Skorpius sprang up on him from the shadows with surprise attacks, getting him severally across the face.


    Leo and Parthenos raced towards them. Skorpius brought down his hook for another strike but Aries caught it. He squeezed it in his hand and flames began to eat through it. Skorpius howled before he was hurled towards an opening fissure. He jumped into the shadows in time to escape the lava about to swallow him and reappeared behind Leo and Parthenos. The two maneuvered their way towards Aries; Leo dodging the incoming chains of lava by twisting his body through them while Parthenos leaped into the air.


    Aries brought up flaming rocks to shield himself from Leo''s tail but Parthenos flipped, slashing at Aries''s shoulder with her blade. Aries roared, summoning an even bigger wall of flaming rocks. He bashed the two with it, sending them to the ground. I traced Aries''s movements, running around him and looking for an opening. I didn''t found one. I brought my free hand to the bow and an arrow materialized. I fired. The arrow sailed over Parthenos and Leo then lodged into the wall of fire.


    Aries grinned at me but a little too soon as his fiery shield exploded in an array of flames and lightning. He staggered back. I found my opening. Another arrow nocked itself. I fired once, twice. Aries reared some more, his core exploding every time an arrow landed on him. I fired a fifth arrow but Aries had had enough. He froze the incoming arrow, suspending it in the air and dousing it with flames. The arrow spun around and I tried to duck the moment I realized what was happening. Too late. My back spasmed as I received the full hit of the arrow. I fell forward, my body landing on the heating ground.


    "You are only fooling yourselves if you think you stand a chance with those toys of yours!" Aries roared. Lava flowed up into his arms and they appeared to increase in flaming glory.


    I was barely on my feet before I nocked another arrow. It flew aimlessly towards Aries. He swatted it away like a fly and I watched it plunge into an open chasm of lava. Sparks of lightning struck the ground around it before it was completely engulfed.


    I nocked again but Aries bolted towards me. His blow had got to me faster than I could register and I span in the air. He leaped towards me, coming down hard with his hooves. I tried rolling out of the way. My shoulder snapped. His hooves would have crushed into my core had it not been for Parthenos. She had leaped across towards him, cutting him off midair. The two went crashing into the ground but it was Aries who was back on his feet, pummeling Parthenos with flaming fists. He directed lava towards her face. Parthenos shielded herself with her single wing. She tried to knock Aries off of her, slashing at his skin with the metallic ends of her wing.


    Aries grabbed at the wing. I heard Parthenos yelp, followed by a sharp high-pitched noise. Aries was ripping off her wing. I found my bow and was already up on my feet as Leo dashed towards the two, spinning and bringing his tail around. He whacked Aries off of Parthenos. Aries dug at the dirt with his hands and hooves. Leo descended on him but flames shot out of the ground like geysers, disrupting his attack. Aries was on him while he was still airborne. He blasted him several yards, sending him sailing over the river and into the village.


    Aries summoned even more flames as I watched how the lava fueled him. He was coming at Parthenos and me. His movement was strained and black clouds formed behind him. Skorpius''s arms materialized, trying to wrap their way around his neck. Aries pulled apart Skorpius''s arms.


    "Let''s see how you like it!" he struck him with a firebolt, forcing him into the clouds and Skorpius vanished into the shadow realm. I looked around but I didn''t catch him reappearing. The dark red atmosphere was no help either.


    Raising his arms, Aries heated up the air around him then slammed at the ground, creating tremors. The ground split up even more and the river''s banks were ruined. Lava and water filled up the land. Aries slammed the ground again. The impact was greater this time and we all went down in heaps of dirt and debris.


    "And now," I heard Aries''s voice amid struggling to heave myself up as lava quickly ate at the ground around me. "For my final act."


    I gnashed my teeth, building up enough strength to get up from the dirt and step away from the lava. I was joined by Parthenos and Leo.


    "Skorpius?" Parthenos winced, some of the blades on her wing had been partially melted off. There were dark patches on her white skin where she had been burned and I did not dare feel my own face. It stung so much I was sure I looked worse.


    Leo''s face was much better. It was the rest of him. His silver armor was torn apart and I could see areas with a kind of orangish liquid matted all over. His tail had lost a lot of its sharpness.


    There came the sound of horse hooves and I turned to find the Chieftain, accompanied by two soldiers. He gasped at the sight of the ground and he couldn''t have played "the floor is lava" game better than anyone at that moment. He took off his crown and a desperate expression rested on his face.


    "Valeria," he muttered, "my daughter. . .!"


    I had no idea what had happened to her, or even the Seer. They''d all vanished just as Skorpius.


    "I''m afraid you''re about to have a lot more to worry about, your highness," Leo sighed, looking beyond the breaking river.


    Aries was upon the village. Lava was jutting out and falling nearby houses and soon, it would be the whole of Abinor.


    "I heard you were evacuating," I said to the Chieftain. "Are there still people left?"


    "Yes," the Chieftain replied dreadfully. "The evacuation was barely underway before all. . .all of this." He looked at me, confusedly shifting his gaze from Leo to Parthenos then back at me. "You work alongside them." Another glance at both Parthenos and Leo. "And now you are helping us. . .why?"The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    "You need to gather as many people as you can," Parthenos offered before I could say anything. "Or these two are the only thing you''ll have left."


    The Chieftain got back on his horse and rode off with his soldiers. How he was going to get into the village, I did not know but what I did know, lay ahead of me.


    "The lava," I said as the three of us crossed the river, quickly rushing towards Aries. "it''s his power source. He''s feeding from it."


    "Well," Leo mused, "he''s got quite the feast. We''d need a miracle to cut off his supply."


    "The only way we''d achieve that is by using the river," Parthenos said ruefully, "but that would take forever without. . ."


    She never finished her words but I clearly heard Pisces''s name in her voice. More structures crumbled and got engulfed in lava as I looked at Aries''s form in the distance. I watched how the lava would flow up his legs and into his arms and they would go ablaze. He blasted at everything around him. He¡ªhold on. I looked back at the lava. The lava on him and the lava all over the place.


    "What?" Parthenos was reading the dawning expression on my face. "What is it?"


    "What if we let the lava build up instead?" I was already picking up a rock.


    "You do realize we''re trying to do the exact opposite," Leo added shrewdly.


    I dropped the rock into a crack filled with lava. "No. I mean, since Aries is using the lava to juice himself up. . ." the rock hissed as it dissolved until nothing was left. "we could make him overcharge like a. . .like a battery!"


    "A what?" came both Parthenos and Leo.


    "Ah, of course you don''t know what a battery is," I shook my head, quickly adding, "if I''ve learned anything in physics and chemistry class is that energy can only be contained so much¡ª"


    "It would need a release," Parthenos offered and I was glad neither her or Leo asked what physics and chemistry was.


    "And now we''d cut off that release by making Aries fill up on his fiery cuisine," Leo finished. "but how exactly are we to do that? We''ve been having our asses handed over to us more times than I''d like to brag."


    "We would need to contain him," Parthenos said, coming to my aid.


    "Yes!" I responded, "prevent him from exerting any more power."


    "But how. . .?" Leo reiterated.


    I frowned. Aries was causing even more destruction and would soon get to the people of Abinor. Even Parthenos fell short on this one.


    The atmosphere split apart behind us and out came Skorpius, black clouds swirling behind him.


    "Ugh," he exclaimed, wiping off mud and grime from his garments. "I''ve had it with that asinine flaming freak!" I raised my eyebrows, never before having heard Skorpius curse. "Oh, and look who I found. . ."


    The swirling clouds were still there. Another figure emerged and my jaw dropped, my eyes widening. "Zak!" I blurted, still not believing my eyes. I wanted to hug him but thought better of it and instead, ended up giving him a weird handshake.


    "Hey there, chap," he said as if he''d just come from a nap. "What did I miss?" he looked around and of course, noticed the lava and splitting ground. "Oh. . ."


    "How are you¡ª" I had so many questions but they would have to wait as the ground shook. "Right. We have this plan. We wanna contain Aries and use his power against him."


    "But the question is how to do that," Leo added, again.


    I racked my brain. There had to be something. We were running out of time. We were. . .My eyes fixated on the black clouds that dissolved behind Skorpius and. . .was that it? Come on. Could it be? Could it work?


    "I know what we''re going to do," I finally said, particularly looking at Skorpius who narrowed his eyes at me. "What?"


    "How long can you keep your shadow clouds open?" I asked.


    "Long enough, why?"


    "Long enough to repeatedly charge back lava at Aries from all directions at once?"


    Skorpius looked at me, catching on what I was saying, and so did everyone else. I got uneasy at the way his yellow eyes looked back at mine.


    A new plan was therefore set, this time, coming from me. It was a long stretch. A really long one but we were running on empty here.


    Aries had made it into the heart of the village. People were running for their lives, running away from the snaking lava cracks and the Chieftain and his men had made their way there, quickly helping everyone vacate the premises. I watched all of this chaos unfold until I was at the center of it when Aries stopped right in front of me.


    "You''re in my way, mortal," he boomed.


    "That''s because you''ve reached a dead end," I shot back, hoping the comeback sounded as tough as it had in my mind.


    At that point, I had grown used to the billowing hot winds and wet atmosphere. The red environment was more than a bonus then as I could no longer tell whether the liquid on my arms was water or blood.


    "Look around," Aries raised his arms. Red lightning flashed above him. "Everything is already dead."


    I subtly shifted my eyes to either side, hoping Aries didn''t catch on what I was doing. He did not. I hoisted my bow and nocked a fresh arrow. I pulled, aiming at Aries''s head.


    He chuckled and balls of flame appeared on either of his hands. "You still don''t get it, do you? There is no stopping this¡ª" he paused, his smug expression turning into a frown. "Where are the others¡ª"


    "NOW!" I yelled, making use of that fraction of a second when Aries was thrown into confusion and fired the arrow. It exploded against his head. He groaned, staggering.


    He roared and was about to charge before Parthenos had descended on him, dropkicking him and knocking him out of his speed. He span and was welcomed by a whack from Zak''s battle axe on the other side. He span again and Leo slid over, swiping out with his tail which wrapped around Aries''s legs. Aries fell forward, flames exploding out of him.


    Skorpius rounded out the plan, literally, by appearing from the shadows and encircling Aries, creating a trail of shadow clouds.


    Aries got up, infuriated. He was surrounded by shadows in a tight circle. He tried to burst forth but ended up reappearing at the same spot. It was not over yet. He attempted to jump out of the trap but Parthenos took care of that, kicking him while airborne and sending him back into the epicenter.


    Aries conjured up flames and blasted at the shadows. The flames were absorbed and spat back out at him from every direction. He pounded at the shadows but would only hit himself. Skorpius conjured up even more shadows, enforcing the trap''s strength. It was working.


    Another attempt at leaping out of the trap and Parthenos was there again but Aries managed to burn her foot. Parthenos fell back. Aries leaped again and it was Leo who brought him back down this time, wrapping his tail around his neck and slamming him back into the trap, careful not to tamper with the shadows.


    It was time to act quick. "Deliver the charge!" Parthenos commanded, getting up.


    I nocked an arrow and aimed it straight ahead. Skorpius extended a hand and another cloud formed in front of me. He nodded, signaling for me to take action. I fired. The arrow plunged into the shadows and struck out inside the shadow trap, rupturing the ground beneath Aries.


    Lava poured out and quickly flowed into Aries''s body. There was no other exit point. Any stream of lava that would stray wounded up finding its way back at Aries through the shadows.


    "It''s working," Zak said as Aries growled, filling up with lava. He would try to let it out through fire blasts but they would all end up hitting him.


    I approached the shadow trap carefully. "You''re in a loop, Aries. Caught up in your own unending mess. Even you can''t escape."


    The lava continued to build up inside Aries''s body the more he struggled to break out of the trap and a reaction was quickly unravelling. Skorpius''s shadows were morphing into a blanket of fire, spiraling wildly around Aries and charging up his body.


    The atmosphere shifted all of its attention towards Aries, directing all of its lightning at him. "He''s attracting the opposite charge!" I called over the raging storm that was forming over Aries. "We need to get back!"


    Aries cried over the storm and swirling flames. The ground cracked incredibly and the wind blew sharply around him. I strained my eyes. I had to make sure he wasn''t coming out of that. My worst fears were confirmed.


    The swirling wall of fire cracked and Aries''s hand broke through. Lightning arced around it. He struck out again and his foot stuck out.


    "He''s getting out!" Parthenos cautioned.


    I fumbled with trying to nock but Aries had forced his head through, his horns tearing apart the wall of fire. The ground shook and I dropped my bow. The heat was intense and even worse around Aries. Skorpius''s shadows would evaporate every time he''d try to conjure them.


    Aries''s whole form was nothing but liquid red flames.


    I reared and my hand hit something hard. I glanced down and noticed the small pouch hooked to my belt. I dug out whatever was in there, having entirely forgotten I''d had it with me all that time. I took it in my right hand, wrapping my fingers around its curved pointy form. I rushed forward, fighting my way through the heat and thrust out my hand. I planted Tauros''s horn into Aries''s core.


    "THIS. . .IS. . .THE END!" Aries thundered, stomping right towards me. ". . .MY. . . SALVATION! NO ONE. . . CAN. . . ESCAPE IT!"


    I was thrown back and caught the horn go deeper inside Aries, bursting into lava and pushing him back into the flames.


    His body was still reacting to the buildup and he struggled from the pressure. He would soon douse us all in his eternal flame. Aries tried to control the fire but it had taken over him. It was as much as the Zodiac of fire could handle. This was beyond him. Beyond everyone.


    His body finally let up. The overcharge was achieved.


    I tried to teleport but even then, it was no easy fete. I''d only managed to do that once and the intense heat only made things worse, besides, I needed sight to find my way through cosmic gateways. All I saw was red and orange as it finally happened.


    Aries exploded.

 The Spirit Equine

    I had expected a deafening and shattering outburst of chaos as the atmosphere let up, ripping apart Aries''s body into intense amounts of energy in the form of raging fire. That was not it. Instead, I was shrouded in silence, save for my heavy fast-paced breathing and pounding heart.


    My body wasn''t engulfed in fire either.


    My eyelids drew open. I dared to look at where Aries initially stood. The winds were still blowing, the sky still red. And there it was, suspended in the air in a sphere with flames swirling inside in a wild cosmic reaction.


    I looked past the sphere and with her staff directed at it, was the Seer. She was in great distress, her cloak flowing in the wind.


    "Ethel!" I called.


    "Can''t. . .hold on. . .much longer. . ." she muttered, her gray eyes twitching from the pressure as her wrinkles became pronounced.


    I looked to Skorpius. He tried summoning the shadows but they would wither and fade out the moment they materialized.


    "I can carry it out of the village¡ª" Leo offered.


    "No!" Parthenos stopped him. "You''d never make it."


    "Can''t you toss it out of here?" Zak asked and Ethel was quick to respond: "Don''t you. . .think. . .I would have. . .done it. . .by now?"


    I glanced at the sphere. Ethel had only managed to contain it but for how long? I looked for the bow. I couldn''t see it. Would it even help me here? Time was running out. I looked back at the sphere. It contrasted with the rest of the environment. My eyes were not blinded anymore. I knew what I had to do.


    I walked towards the sphere.


    "What''re you doing, mate?" Zak tried to pull me back but I raised a hand at him.


    I extended my arms towards the sphere. I could feel everyone''s eyes on me but I got even closer. The palms of my hands touched the sphere. I swallowed, afraid I would be instantly vaporized. I did not stop. I felt the sphere''s warm surface against my skin.


    I shut my eyes and, for the first time in my life, muttered a kind of prayer.


    "If you can hear me, Sage. . .if you''re there Pisces. . ." I inhaled, "I''m only asking for one last push."


    I waited. I could hear Ethel still struggling with the sphere but not for long. I was going to take away that burden from her. I opened my eyes.


    The environment changed entirely. I could see through Sage''s vision this time, with more detail. More power. I could see the gateways¡ªthe cosmic holes in space. There were so many of them, dancing before my eyes. I looked through them and picked one; the one farthest from my line of sight and could only hope it would take me where I wanted it to.


    I focused on it and it enlarged. It widened in front of me. The gateway was open. I placed my hands firmly on the sphere and took a step forward.


    Bright light washed all over me as I traveled through space with the sphere in my hands. At one point, it slipped, given its size. I would have needed an entire truck to carry it but all was required was a simple touch. As long as I had that connection, the sphere would follow me anywhere. But it was heating up. Another overcharge was coming my way.


    I arrived at my destination after popping out at a different point in space. I found myself standing atop Abinor''s Peak on Mt. Atalasia. Red clouds swirled around me. Around the sphere as it settled next to my feet.


    This would be the safest it would get. The sphere was far away from the people of Abinor and now it was time for me to¡ª


    The sphere ruptured before I could open a gateway and get out of there. The explosion was real this time. I felt it all as orange and red light blinded me again. I was no longer on the mountain. I was airborne, floating and flailing in the air. I fought to stabilize myself and watched as what had once been the sphere turn into roaring flames that destroyed the mountain''s top. The flames spread all over the sky. I shielded myself but my cape did me one better. It wrapped around me and not a single flame touched me.


    The flames sailed past me, decorating the sky. I stopped falling and so did the winds and their blowing. I was suspended in the air. The flames dissipated and I was back in the reddened environment. I looked down at Abinor. The valley was still crumbling in lava. Aries had only been the start. The entire island would still fall. My eyes centered on the heart of the village¡ªthe heart of the island.


    I saw how the cracks of lava snaked outwards from that point. The point where Aries had been destroyed.


    "You see it now," a voice spoke to me. The same voice that had been speaking to me since before I came to Abinor.


    I looked into the clouds, around me. "You''re Sage, aren''t you?"


    "No," the voice replied. "He is gone and has been for a long time now."


    "Then, who are you?" I asked, all while hoping the laws of gravity wouldn''t catch up to me.


    "I''m hardly a force, forged from your own existence, Desmond Turner."


    "I don''t understand."


    "When Pisces brought you here, she christened you in Sage''s name. A Zodiac that no longer lived but it seems your actions were strong enough to evoke a spirit."


    "You¡ªyou''re the spirit. You''re Sage''s spirit."


    "One only brought into existence because of you"


    "So, Sage really didn''t choose me."


    "No. You chose yourself. You made your own path and became the embodiment of Sage himself. Forged from the Spirit Equine, and. . .lucky for you. . ." the air before me stirred and the voice took form. " you didn''t end up with the partial body of a horse." The form of a centaur.


    "Forged from the Spirit Equine. . ." I reiterated, staring at the centaur. It was translucent, its green appearance drifting in and out in the clouds. Then I looked up at its upper human body. I tried to make out its face and almost thought I was falling the moment we exchanged looks.


    That face. . .those eyes. I resisted the urge to call out "dad!". If only the face was entirely solid but there was no mistaking it. The spirit looked a lot like my father, except for the, well, the rest of him that had four legs, and a tail.


    Perhaps it was only my eyes but I swear to this day, I had seen him. His voice was different but his eyes. . .I traced a hand over to my neck and had forgotten I didn''t have the one thing I''d left of my father.


    "You look like you''ve seen a ghost," the spirit said and I could not tell if it was smiling. "Surely you''ve seen a lot worse than me, I presume."


    I shook my head. This was getting way too trippy and the spirit caught on that. It glanced down below. "This is all it has been leading up to."


    "W-Will I find my way back?" I asked, dreading the answer. "Will I find my way back home?"


    "All that entirely depends on you. You''re the Equine Spirit. I am just an extension of Sage. An extension of you."


    Yeah, it was confusing and didn''t really answer my question. I still had one more.


    "Pisces," I blurted. "Is she. . .?"


    The spirit was quiet for a while, then, "It is as I said. It is all up to you. . ."


    "Wait!" I called. The spirit dissolved into the red skies and almost immediately, the bow materialized in my hand.


    "It all depends with me?" I asked myself. "What does that even mean?" You''d think me actually learning I was now a Zodiac, I would know the answer to that. I looked down at the island. The cracks were still spreading.


    Come on, Desmond! Think! Use that Sage intellect!


    Still airborne, I scanned the island. There had to be a reason I was still up here. If only I could "see" it. Turns out I didn''t even need Sage''s vision for this one. It was all there, staring back at me and waiting for me to notice.


    The lava cracks had spread out across the village, creating a kind of webbed circle and at the very center, the heart of Abinor, was a fine red point, popping out more than the rest of the cracks and forming a perfect bullseye. Even you have probably figured what I would do next.


    My arrow landed awfully several feet away from the target. I cursed silently. I nocked again, ready to fire. I paused, letting myself take in the island and its primordial state. I inhaled, taking aim. I fired.


    The second arrow cut through the air and struck perfectly into the heart of Abinor.


    Green flashes of lightning broke out from this point, filling in the cracks and faults. The ground reattached itself, the lightning streaks acting as electrified ropes, pulling the sutures together: from the north where the ruptured mountain stood; the west where the barren outlands kissed the farmlands; the south where the rocky shore and the fishing docks were spread out; to the Hunting Grounds, the Dark Forest and the biggest portion of Abinor valley in the east.


    The lava cooled off and Abinor was no longer at risk of sinking in a volcano. The lightning continued to spread, rising towards the air and I was not sure whether I was safe just hovering there but I was not hit. The streaks passed right over me and mingled with the clouds. Everywhere they touched the red hue would vanish.


    This went on until the entire sky was covered, awash with green lightning. The lightning intensified until it had collectively formed into a wave of bright light. The light shot out in all directions, and, this time, I was knocked out of the air. My old pal, gravity, returned. I was flipping fast towards the ground and had to struggle to focus my eyes and tap into Sage''s vision.


    The gateways formed. I did not waste any time. I plunged myself into one. I landed on the ground hard, smashing into a stall. My bow fell away from me.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    "Is it too much to ask for one soft landing?" I groaned, heaving myself out of the stall. I swiped back my cape and looked towards the sky. I hadn''t even realized it was midday. The sun was high up. The only red I could see from then was from my hands as blood had dried on my palms and my knuckles. I still did not dare feel my face. There had to be a thousand scars on there.


    Something rushed towards me. I panicked, daring to turn around and was met by the magnificent whiteness of Jon. The stallion whinnied, dancing around me.


    "I''m excited to see you too," I stroked his mane and someone approached.


    "Desmond," Valeria appeared and was soon followed by Zak, Parthenos, Skorpius, Leo, Ethel, the Chieftain, his men and the rest of the village.


    Jon stood proudly next to me but I felt suddenly uneasy in front of everyone. The villagers stared blankly at me and most especially at my Zodiac comrades. There was an odd silence, as if everyone was wondering what to do next, then. . .loud yelling and ranting. They were attacking¡ªwait, no. They were applauding.


    I looked to my left. Parthenos, Skorpius and Valeria were as surprised as I was, then to my right. Zak, Leo and Ethel were just as proud as Jon, Leo a little more than the others.


    Zak patted me on the shoulder. "You did it, Desmond."


    "Wait, you called me by my name," I said over the cheering and clapping.


    "What was that?" Zak pointed at his ear, "I can''t hear you, sport."


    "And. . .we''re back," I shook my head and smiled back to the crowd.


    Chieftain Ulmas Merkurion stepped before the crowd and everyone was silent. Now, I''ve never really been a fan of speeches or public speaking but I can tell you the Chieftain talked a lot, even the villagers appeared to get bored but nobody dared air their grievances. But there was something he said that really stuck to me. To everyone.


    ". . .Today, people of Abinor, we have all seen how the good and the bad can come together and fight against the forces of evil. And isn''t that what Abinor should be about? Working together?. . .We may have lost many a good soul but we''ve made even better allies and a story to tell our children and their children. . ." more talking goes on from here but there it was. The people of Abinor and the Zodiac were no longer enemies.


    By the time the speech was over, I was already thinking about the future. A future I thought I never had anymore. A large feast had been ordered by the Chieftain but I was not feeling particularly hungry and Jon had accompanied me out on a walk.


    Zak caught up to me. "Leaving already?"


    "And go where?" I sighed and felt miserable again. "we won the battle."


    "Didn''t think you''d make it here, huh?" Zak flexed his metal arm. "You have a second chance. . .just as you gave me."


    I looked at him, lost in thought. I still wondered whether it was the vial that had saved him or maybe he was some kind of secret immortal. Or a Zodiac. Pisces had told me there were twelve of them but now, come to think of it, I''d only met eleven. I mean, it could''ve been possible but I knew I was pushing it too far. The vial had worked. Pisces had saved him. She had saved me and now she was. . .


    "You think I know what I am to do now?" Zak laughed and Jon neighed. "We just took down the greatest monstrosity to ever walk these lands and breathe fire unlike any dragon I''ve ever seen."


    "Everything will work itself. Don''t lose sight of that," Zak added. "no one has taught me that more than you."


    I managed a smile then narrowed my eyes at him. "Wait, you were really serious about the dragons?"


    "Of course I am!" Zak scoffed, "why is it you find it so hard to believe in their existence after everything we''ve faced? I suppose you don''t have them back at Sacarento, was it?"


    "Sacramento," I corrected, "but we do have Pitbulls," I shook my head uneasily, "trust me, you do not wanna mess with those."


    "Sounds like we''d get along!" Zak joked, though he sounded quite serious. "You still want to go back, don''t you?"


    "Yeah, well," I raised my hands, "this place is great and everything. Probably the greatest place I''ll ever be but. . ."


    "It''s not home," Zak finished.


    "I miss it all. . .I miss my mom. . ."


    "We''ve been through hell and back," Zak said and, again, his straightforward tone made it difficult to tell when he was being literal or joking. I mean, he had literally died then came back to life but I assumed he meant fighting Aries and all that.


    "Surely we can find a way to get you back," he finished.


    "I hope so." I said in my mind and, to my surprise, someone spoke back.


    "You hope so? You know how to get back!" I recognized that voice. It was not the spirit but I''d been thinking too much about home that I went on to ask, "How?" still in my head.


    "Ugh! I''ve had enough of this! I didn''t think it would take you this long. Now, let me out!"


    A strange feeling took over me. My head felt all woozy like my mind was being stretched in all directions. My eyes went shut.


    I reopened them and Zak was staring at something next to me, a puzzled look on his face. "What?" I asked, turning to my side.


    "You have the most exhausting mind I''ve ever been into!" a young man, taller than me¡ªactually, looking back at Zak, he''d gotten taller too. The young man had thicker hair, same dark skin and a leaner body had his eyes narrowed at me.


    I felt myself and the realization hit me. "Oh. . ." I looked at the man again and recognized him. That face. The same face I''d worn since my first day on the island. "Despyon?"


    "That''s Despyon Raznar to you! Who else could I be?" he snapped back, his arms folded. He was in his own clothes while I still had on the cosmic outfit which kind of looked ridiculous on me now. It felt loose on me, like I was wearing someone else''s clothes.


    Despyon maintained his frown at me but it gradually disappeared and he extended a hand. "I''m sorry," he said with so much sincerity I had to be sure I was not dreaming.


    I got over my shock and took his hand. "Sorry." Either we''d been connected long enough that one knew what the other was thinking but we both understood each other.


    "How. . .?" I asked.


    "I have no idea," Despyon replied honestly, toning down his once annoying voice, "the moment that shield was destroyed, my mind was somehow pulled into yours. I was told by a strange woman I would find my way out when the time was right. . ." he regarded me, "and so would you."


    The words I had so desperately wanted to hear. Despyon had made it back to his home. . .and so would I.


    I turned to Zak who still had no idea what was going on. "Sorry, see, this is Despyon," I turned to Despyon, "Z¡ª"


    "I know who he is," Despyon cut me off, "General Gar¡ª"


    "I prefer to think of myself as retired," Zak shook his head, "and don''t bother yourself with explanations. I''ve been through enough of those, especially after coming back from the dead."


    "Okay, okay!" I exhaled, turning to Despyon, "how does this work, exactly?"


    "You find your way back the same way you came," was Despyon''s simple response.


    "Oh yeah, sure," I nodded, pursing my lips, "except that doesn''t make any sense!"


    "Still as thick as the first time," Despyon shook his head, feigning disappointment and now that he was in the flesh, I felt like I wanted to punch him in the teeth, even though he was like an inch taller than me. I''d used his body to take on not one but several Zodiac. I could still punch him. Something told me he wouldn''t have as much combat experience as I had.


    Anyway, intrusive thoughts aside, I shook my head instead and Zak had to step in. "How did you come here?"


    I looked back on the time I''d spent in Abinor. I counted backwards and was surprised to find out I''d only been there for six days. Hardly a week! Come on, my body felt like it had been there for months! I snuck a glance at Despyon and noticed he didn''t have any battle wounds on him, despite having his body physically go through the entire ordeal. Everything that had happened had transferred to my own scrawny form. Thanks a lot, fate!


    "I came here on the eve of the Harvest," I said, recalling how I found myself sitting on the sandy ground at the shore.


    "And what happened moments before that?" asked Zak.


    It all broke out and came rushing back to me. The floodgates of my old life. "I fell over the docks and into the water. There was this bow. . ." I looked into my hand. I was still holding on to the bow. "No way. . ." I muttered. "This is it. It''s the same bow I saw when I fell into the water! I touched it and. . ."


    I stared at the bow even more. "I came here. . ."


    "And now you know how to get out," Despyon said, a smug expression on his face.


    I did.


    Several conversations and more silent wishes to smack Despyon upside the head later, I was standing by the shore. We all were.


    The moment felt somber but it had lightened up at one point when Valeria showed up and realized Despyon and I were no longer one person. That was when I saw Despyon''s true nature. The dude folded like an idiot in front of Valeria and I had to nudge him so he could hug her. That would teach him.


    "The feast is only starting," Valeria offered, "are you sure you can''t stay for the night?"


    As kindhearted as her offer was, it was time for me to go. She did not need my response and instead walked over and gave me a light kiss on the cheek. "Farewell, hero from the mountains."


    The waters rocked against the shore and I reminisced on my first day. I even had to hold back a laugh, recalling when I''d made a fool of myself by trying to leave the island with a boat during a storm. Then she had saved me. I looked across the shore, over to the rocks¡ªwhere we''d first met. . .


    "Hey," Leo chimed, "there''s this delicious goat broth I don''t want to miss out. Can we hurry this up?"


    Parthenos jabbed him with her elbow.


    "What?" Leo lamented, "I''m starting to take a liking to mortal food¡ª" another jab from Parthenos. "Alright, I''m only messing with you. Take care kid. Be sure to spread the great tales of Leo over there."


    I laughed this time. "Sure."


    "Ignore him," Parthenos smiled. The dark patches on her white skin and the scar under her insignia were both already fading away. "Take some time to plan your recovery." I noticed her left wing was growing back, a few blades already aligning along her back.


    "Nothing like a good plan," I smiled back, then something popped up in my head. "Wait, what about. . .what was her name. . .? The one with the invisibility¡ª"


    "Zygos," Parthenos said. "She hasn''t been seen since the mountains but she won''t be causing any trouble, now that Aries is no more."


    "Probably on her way back to Astra as we speak," Leo added, "the cosmos knows what I''ll do to her once I find her."


    "She would be proud of you," Skorpius uttered, careful to avoid saying her name, "I know I am." and was no longer hiding his scar anymore. I never got to ask him about how he got it and who Orion was, but maybe that would be a different story¡ªwho knows?


    "We all are," Parthenos said and Leo joined him. Their time was up too, only unlike mine, theirs was more involuntary. The Zodiac''s essence waned after seven days on earth and they would be returned to their home world¡ªAstra¡ªhigh up with the stars. They had the gods to thank for that but if Aries had managed to beat that limit, maybe one day they too would find a way and one that didn''t involve mass genocide.


    Skorpius approached me and patted me on the shoulder. " Till we meet again." His form turned to star dust and so did Parthenos and Leo. I watched their essences float into the sky until the mystical powder had vanished into the air. They had gone home. It was now my time.


    "How long do you reckon it will take them?" Zak joined me in looking up to the heavens. "It''s been. . .awesome, mate," he turned, extending his hand.


    "Did I get it right?" he grinned, his blond hair glowing in the sun.


    "You awesomely did, Garuvir Belzak." I shook his hand, properly this time. "Still don''t know what you''re gonna do now?"


    "Well," Zak sighed, "as per my early retirement, figured I''d explore the waters, see new lands. Some dragon hunting maybe, you know, just something casual."


    "Sure, that''s casual," I muttered mostly to myself then, out loud, "Take care of Jon for me." He smiled towards the sea. I knew the stallion would''ve followed me in the water, plus I doubt I would''ve kept it together letting him see me off.


    "Oh, enough with all the touching heartfelt moments!" Ethel cut in and I''d almost forgotten she was there. Her gray dreadlocks flowed lightly over her shoulders as she cast her staff towards the sea. "About to make me all teary eyed now, are ya?"


    "Best be on your way now," Ethel tasted the air with her tongue, "the tides might change in an instant and we wouldn''t want that."


    "What, why?" I asked, getting nervous.


    "Quit scaring him," Valeria chimed. She was still holding hands with Despyon and as I looked at them, the two made quite the pair.


    "Don''t screw that up," I said to Despyon, and, for once, he had a genuine smile on his face.


    "Alright, cast the bow into the water," Ethel said.


    "Like throw it or just settle it down nicely?"


    "Whatever you like, doesn''t matter."


    I lowered the bow towards the water until the one end''s tip touched the surface. Nothing happened. I lowered the bow some more. Still nothing.


    "Am I doing this right?"


    Ethel exhaled, stretching herself, "You may see now that the prophecy has been fulfilled but you still have to pay attention to the little things."


    I realized what the Seer was actually doing. She wasn''t stretching. She was¡ªOh no! I was shoved into the water.


    "The little things!" that was the last thing I heard as the Seer''s voice became distant and I plunged further into the water.


    I gasped, taking in deep breaths after I managed to pull myself back to the surface. I lay with my back to the ground. I felt angry.


    I coughed and was getting up to rave at Ethel for throwing me in the water but she was not there. No one was, at least no one I knew. Zak was gone. Despyon and Valeria were gone. The whole of Abinor was gone. I sat up, ignoring my drenched T-shirt and jeans¡ªwait, why was I in a T-shirt and jeans?


    The sun shone in my face. It was afternoon. A boat sped past me. I followed it as it cruised along the river under the Tower Bridge. I was back. I was back in Sacramento. I was home.

 Heart-Shaped Box

    My hands felt the wood on which I sat. I took in my surroundings and they felt both new and old at the same time. I still could not believe I was back home. Had I been dreaming? Had I fallen into the water, passed out and then woken up? No. That seemed unlikely. Someone would''ve seen my floating body. I even looked at my right arm. There was no insignia. The arrow tattoo was gone. Was I back to the moment I''d left?


    I felt my neck and the chain was there, suspending a set of dog tags. I flipped them up with my thumb and my father''s initials glinted across the silver.


    JONATHAN. T. A.


    My hands found their way into my pockets. I took out my phone, all the more marveling to be back in modern civilization. Luckily, the water had not gotten to it. I turned it on and looked at the date.


    Friday, November 22, 2013.


    I gasped, the phone trembling in my hands. It was the same day. The same time. It was like I''d never left.


    "You okay there?" a voice asked. I turned to find a man in a Hawaiian shirt docking his boat. He was holding a coil of rope, a concerned look on his face.


    I didn''t answer. I simply got up, adjusted the bag on my back, and walked out of the dock towards the kerb, my sneakers squelching after me. But I did not care. I saw my bike. It was right where I left it. I took it but did not ride. It was still rickety just as I remembered it. I felt tired, as if the weight of the battle had followed me here but I had no wounds or scars. I hurried all the way until I had made it, rushing through the neighborhoods and streets of Midtown.


    There it was. Welcoming me back. Home. I dropped my bike and turned the doorknob delicately, afraid it might all vanish at my touch. The door swung open. I ran my eyes all over the place like it was the first time I was seeing it all. I stepped into the kitchen and there she was, her back to me as she worked on a set of photos spread out on the counter.


    "You''re home early." Her voice was literal music to my ears.


    I stopped, still caught in a debate between what was real and what wasn''t. My mom was in her nurse''s uniform. Her dark shoulder-length hair had been tied up in ponytail, a few strands falling over one side of her face as she stooped towards the counter, shuffling through a set of documents.


    She turned around after my growing silence and her smile turned into confusion and concern. "You know sneaking up on me never¡ª" she eyed me from toe to head. "You know better than to walk with shoes in here, young man. You''re even leaving prints on the¡ª"


    I rushed towards my mom, startling her with a hug. She hugged me back.


    "I love you, mom," I finally said and was glad I was all wet. My tears would not be seen.


    "Whoa," my mom chuckled, "I love you too, son. Now, would you care to explain why you''re dripping water all over my carpet?"


    I withdrew and it was only then did I notice how actually drenched I was. Okay, time for a quick lie.


    "I-I fell with my bike into a puddle¡ª"


    My mom placed a hand on my shoulder, sighing. "I keep telling you to leave that old thing alone."


    "I guess I should''ve listened," I smiled shyly.


    "Go wash up, birthday boy," my mom shook her head and waved me away.


    I stood there, still staring at her. She frowned at me and snapped her fingers. "Hello, you''re still dripping!"


    "Oh, sorry!" I raced to my room, smiling all the way.


    By the time I''d finished washing up and put on a fresh pair of jeans and a green T-shirt, I was tidying my hair while looking in the mirror. I had even forgotten it was my birthday. A fairly tall seventeen year old looked back at me. He wasn''t as scrawny as he had been earlier that day. He had been changed by something. He had become something else.


    I looked back into the six days I''d spent on that island. How had that even happened? My eyes were lost in my own reflection and I saw Pisces standing there but her image drifted and disappeared. That pang of misery returned. So much had happened. I was glad I was back, having endured all those tribulations. . .but not all of it had been bad. It was only dawning on me I would never see Zak again. I chuckled silently. I''d forgotten to ask if there was any chance he was related to the Hemsworths. He would have probably replied by asking back: "What is a Hemsworth?"


    At least he was still alive. It''s her I would never see again. I fell back into my gaming chair, still looking into the mirror, though at nothing in particular.


    "Desmond!" my mother called, "a Sabrina Lin is here to see you!"


    What? I frowned. What was she doing here?


    "Should I send her over?" my mom asked.


    Oh, what the hell. My room was neat enough and I did not feel like getting up. The least I could do was hear what she had to say.


    "Sure!" I responded.


    Seconds later, there was a rapping on the door to my room.


    "It''s open."


    The door slowly swung open. I watched from the mirror as she stepped in, and so did all the events prior to my ending up in Abinor. She was still the same as I remembered as she stood by the door, especially her black hair. Her bangs rested above her eyes, contrasting with her pale light brown skin. She had on a blue checkered shirt, the sleeves folded above her wrists. Her jeans were of the same color.


    "Hey," she muttered, her voice almost as low as a whisper.


    I did not respond.


    "I¡ª"


    "Do you guys need anything?" my mother''s voice cut her off.


    "No, mom!" I called back, "We''re good!"


    My eyes still fixated on Sabrina Lin''s reflection, I spoke. "You ask me to meet up then you stand me up. Not cool."


    "But I didn''t," Sabrina Lin looked at me, meeting my eyes from the mirror. "I came. You weren''t there."


    I twisted my chair in an attempt at a dramatic swing but only ended up embarrassing myself. The chair got stuck mid swing. I silently cursed and tried to fix it. I yanked too hard and the chair spun violently, nearly sending me to the ground. I glanced at Sabrina and she quickly averted her eyes, smacking her lips.


    Grunt. . ."I waited for you," I regained my composure, "I stood at the bridge like a moron for almost an hour."


    "But¡ª"


    "If you didn''t wanna meet, you could''ve just told me," I shrugged, regretting why I''d even let my mother let her in.


    Sabrina shut the door behind her and approached me. I tensed a little. What was she doing?


    "There''s something I need to tell you," she said somberly.


    "Oh, not even an apology," I had a mild expression on my face, "sure, go on."


    "It wasn''t supposed to happen that way," she started.


    "What wasn''t¡ªwhat are you talking about?"


    "You were only meant to find it."


    "Find what?"


    Sabrina Lin''s eyes were down to the floor. "The bow," she muttered.


    I sat up in my chair. "What. . .?"


    "I sensed your connection to the bow. I didn''t believe you''d even find it, well, until you did but then everything went wrong and you. . .you ended up in Abinor."


    I narrowed my eyes at her. "W-What did you just say?" She wouldn''t meet mine. I pressed, "Who are you?"


    Sabrina Lin walked over to my bed and sat there. Then she met my eyes. "Desmond, it''s me." It took only a second for me to catch on and Sabrina''s eyes lit up, shifting from brown to an ethereal sapphire.


    No. It couldn''t be. I had to support myself in my chair. Was it really her?


    "P-Pisces?" I let it out.


    "You''ve come a long way, hunter," she said and I was no longer looking at Sabrina Lin. Her eyes were no longer glowing and she was still the same with her bangs but it all hit me like a wave. I suddenly felt like I''d known her my whole life.


    She brushed back a fold of her hair over her ear and I saw the tattoo on her inner right wrist. It was as I remembered it the first time I saw it when we''d been paired together in that Chemistry practical. The same symbol that I had seen with Pisces back in Abinor. It was all starting to make sense.


    "But I-I saw you die. . ." I was freaking out. "Aries¡ªhe. . .the sword. . .how¡ª"


    "Hey, hey," Pisces calmed me down. "yes, I died. But only a part of me."


    "I don''t understand," I muttered. I felt a strange sense of excitement combined with misery, as if the universe was playing an honest yet cruel joke at me.


    "You know how our kind has an expiration period when it comes to earth," Sab-I mean Pisces. I mean. . .you know what, I''ll just call her Pisces Sabrina. She started, only confirming she really was there, talking to me.


    "Seven days, but I think it would''ve been poetic if it was twelve days, matching the Zodiac. . ." I caught the patient expression on her face as she waited for me to finish. "Sorry," I quickly added.


    "Yes," she went on, "I had barely come to terms with my existence, having only been created by the gods not so long ago when Aries banished me into exile. I could not return to Astra. My essence could not sustain itself for long as I wandered the cosmos. I thought maybe if I found Sage''s bow, maybe it could help me."


    "You never found it," I said.


    "No," Pisces continued, "my essence waned and tried to connect to the last place I had been before drifting off to space¡ªAbinor. But things had changed. Time had passed and I found myself here." She looked up at me. "I found you."


    "But I didn''t have the spirit¡ªthe. . ."Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    "The Spirit Equine," Pisces Sabrina shook her head, "not yet but I''d grown desperate. I''d learned a little for the seven days I was here before I found you, and was surprised to discover how much humans emulated the Zodiac in their daily lives, especially in this thing called the Horoscope."


    "Told you, you were popular," I remarked and Pisces Sabrina tried to hide a smile.


    "The ideas behind the Zodiac in this Horoscope sounded a little far-fetched but it was the order in which they were presented that got to me. Aries believed himself to be the first Zodiac to ever be created and he would always appear first on the Horoscope. I was last and so was my Horoscope. I wondered whatever made your kind come to this conclusion until I followed the one criterion they''d use in all of the Horoscopes."


    "The dates," I offered. "That''s how you found me. Today''s my birthday¡ªNovember twenty-second¡ªSagittarius season."


    "I still have no idea how some of our names have changed so much over time," Pisces Sabrina mused.


    "But I couldn''t have been the only one in that season when you arrived," I levelled.


    "There''s only so much searching you can do when you''ve just found yourself in a new world, but then I ran into your friend and she was talking about your birthday. The exact date that marked the start of Sage''s season. It couldn''t have been a coincidence. I had to try."


    Finding Sage''s bow and discovering it to be in the same town where I found you only strengthened my faith in you. I had to believe and so, I enchanted your mind and decided to test fate."


    "That''s why you made me go to the Tower Bridge."


    "I could feel Sage''s bow. It was there somewhere but my magic was still weak. Sage''s power was stronger and more ancient. I knew I would never pin point the exact location of the bow. I couldn''t even see it if I found it. But you did. It was supposed to end there. I watched and waited and I''m sorry for standing you up but I had to be sure."


    "Could''ve just given me a heads-up," I shrugged.


    "And that was my mistake. You were taking too long to find it. I thought I was wrong. . .until you did but then you vanished."


    Pisces Sabrina looked away, silently in conflict with herself and I noticed her ball her fists in her lap.


    "And I met you," I added, trying to lighten the mood.


    "You found me hurt and Aries was right. I did do that to myself but not on purpose. The moment I realized you were gone. I cast a spell over the water. I tried to recreate the events and find out what happened to you. You had been transported across time, back into ancient Abinor. I had to find you. I tried bending reality, unaware of the limits of my powers. I tampered with the fine line between time and reality. It didn''t go so well for me and somehow, I ended up splitting myself in two. A part of me was thrust into the past, taking with it all the damage from the result of my magic."


    "That''s why you were bleeding," I offered and Pisces instinctively passed a hand over her torso.


    "You know what happened after that," Pisces muttered, as if trying not relive her own death. "And now the other part was left here. I was thrown out of time, separated from my other half and I found myself back at the bridge. You weren''t there. It was not long before the events of my other half caught up to me. I knew you had to be back and. . ." Pisces Sabrina looked up at me, "I''m sorry, for everything."


    "Are you kidding?" I exhaled, smiling, "I was on the greatest adventure of my entire life for over a week, kicked some serious ass, made new friends and still made my way back home like I''d never left!


    "Y-you''re not mad?" Pisces Sabrina asked.


    "You still have your mind reading mojo, right?"


    Pisces Sabrina''s cheeks flushed. "It''s Sabrina Pisces, actually."


    Sabrina Pisces. Sabrina Pisces Lin. Sabrina P. Lin. I felt like smacking myself upside the head. How had I missed that? It had all been right there from the very start¡ªhow all her books had been tagged back at that Chem practical.


    The little things. . .a Seer''s wise words resonated in my mind. I finally understood.


    "So, what should I call you now?" I asked. "Sabrina or Pisces?"


    "Whatever suits you but I have a feeling it would be much easier with Sabrina instead," Pisces said. She would always be Pisces to me.


    "I had a glimpse of what your world was like. Now, let me properly introduce you to mine." I extended a hand. "Friends?"


    Pisces''s face beamed. She shook my hand. "Friends."


    "Wait," I frowned, "you said you''ve been here a week, right?"


    "Eight days, if you count today."


    "Aren''t you supposed to like. . ."


    "I thought so too." Pisces had a mysterious look on her face. "My essence isn''t fading away. I think it''s because I am now tethered to this world, never having really connected to Astra."


    "Does that mean you''re here to stay?"


    Pisces smiled in response and I only had one last question: "Where have you been holding up all this time?"


    She frowned. "Well, I¡ª"


    "Desmond!" came my mom''s voice, "are you still going to the party? There''s something I wanna show you before you go!"


    I really smacked myself this time. "Dang, my birthday. Carmen must be going crazy." I smiled to myself, "I''d pay good money to see that."


    The movement caused me to knock aside my backpack which was still dripping wet. A book fell out of it. I hunched over to pick it up and caught the title: ''Ancient Symbology: A Relation between the Metaphysical and Spiritual with Human Evolution''. The book Mr. Rogers had given me to assist him on a research project. You remember him, right? The suave gentleman who would have passed more for Neil deGrasse Tyson than a local Stonewall High History teacher. It felt as if he''d handed me the book ages ago, when, in reality, it was only hours. What had even the topic of the research been? That''s right. He never told me. What had he said¡ªto look out for the little things?


    I frowned at the big brown book, recalling someone else who had used those same exact words on me. My eyes caught the inscriptions on the already open pages. There was a bunch of complex symbols, though, the more I scanned through, the more the symbols became less complex and more familiar. But there was one symbol I couldn''t remember ever having seen. There was a large patch of water over this symbol, actually the only patch on that entire page. The patch caused the symbol to appear darker and more concentrated.


    The symbol was made of two zig zag lines lying horizontally, perpendicular to each other, almost like waves. It only got stranger from there as I read the caption directly below it:


    Aquarius ¡ª the Water Bearer.


    Aquarius? I traced my eyes across the page and caught the other symbols. They were all Zodiac symbols. I recognized them all. I had seen them in the flesh, all except for that one. . .


    "What is it?" Pisces was approaching me but then my mom called again, snapping me out of my thoughts. I would never get to find out what I had come across as I slammed the book shut and placed it on the table with the rest of my books.


    Pisces and I made our way to the living room.


    "Your mom is really pretty," Pisces said full heartedly.


    "She''s not the only one," I tried hard to say that out loud but, much to my own dismay, this is what came out instead, "I wanna say thanks but I think that should be my mom''s queue. Pisces smiled some more. Huh, it was still a win¡ªanyway, I looked around for my mom.


    "Mom!"


    "Over here!" she was outside.


    Pisces and I walked around the house into the backyard and I was met by an. . .unexpected sight. Yes, that''s what you come up with once you''ve seen what I saw.


    Remember when I told you I hated presents? Well, I totally loved this one!


    "Mom, how did you even. . .?" I was at a loss for words. "Wha. . .?


    "Are you just gonna keep standing there or are you going to take your girlfriend?"


    I coughed and my delight instantly turned into hot embarrassment, my face flushing. "She''s not my¡ª" I looked at Pisces. She simply beamed, her eyes widening with a polite smile. I couldn''t tell whether she was masking her own nervousness but she seemed to be taking the remark far better than I was.


    I motioned her. I wanted us to leave before my mom could whip up some more fire from the embarrassment bowl. I knew she was enjoying it¡ªmaking fun of me.


    The sun was already sinking over the horizon. Carmen had sent me a tad too many texts and it was about time I showed up to the party.


    "After you," I opened the door of my present¡ªmy black Mustang present¡ª and its chipped hood, slight dents, fresh from a tuning garage.


    I was in the driver''s seat and even the smell of a new second hand car was still better than anything. It was even a manual. I turned the ignition and the engine revved to life.


    "Seatbelt," I said to Pisces and had to demonstrate buckling up. She followed suit.


    "Have fun!" my mom called from the house.


    I smiled back at her before pressing on the gas and the car lurched forward.


    "Let''s see what this baby can really do." I shifted the gear and the car was soon raking against the asphalt, the needle rising quickly against the speedometer. My dad had taught me how to drive and those skills had stuck like glue.


    I turned on the stereo, toggling different frequencies and as if my day couldn''t get any better, one song came up, fitting the mood just right.


    I beamed at Pisces, increasing the volume. "This is the song! The song I was telling you about by Nirvana!


    The lyrics of Heart-Shaped Box filled the car as Nirvana sang over the Mustang''s engine.


    ? She eyes me like a Pisces when I am weak. . . ?


    "Woohoo!" I cried ecstatically and Pisces joined me but I knew I would soon have to turn it down a notch lest I got a speeding ticket for my first motorsport outing.


    I was lifting my foot off the gas pedal when a familiar eerie feeling returned. I instinctively glanced at my arm. It was happening again. Sage''s insignia¡ªwhich I suppose was now my insignia¡ªreturned on my arm as a black arrow tattoo. Something was wrong.


    "Look out!" Pisces yelled, pulling me out of my stupor.


    I gasped, wrapping my fingers around the wheel and twisting it hard after something appeared in the middle of the road. The car swerved, veering off the asphalt. I frantically held on to the wheel, trying to regain control. The Mustang came to a halt, alongside Heart-Shaped Box''s beats, barely inches from crashing into a light pole.


    Clouds of dust engulfed us from outside as I looked at Pisces. "You. . .okay. . .?"


    "Mhmm," Pisces nodded in response, her eyes indicating she was just as shaken.


    The car was still in good condition, thankfully, but then there was the thing that had appeared on the road. I could only hope it wasn''t a person and pray I hadn''t hit them.


    There was too much dust. I couldn''t see anything.


    My insignia was still glowing. What was causing this? Pisces''s eyes flashed blue. She was suddenly apprehensive. I followed her gaze towards my own window and there she stood, her image drifting into view as the dust cleared, revealing her form in a long brown overcoat but it was her distinct golden hair, and face that stood out.


    She stooped, bringing her face closer to the window so I could catch the Omega symbol with a straight horizontal line running perpendicularly beneath it. Her insignia.


    She rapped on the glass with her knuckle, signaling me to open the door. I rolled down the window instead.


    "What are you doing here, Zygos?" I asked, ready for any kind of attack.


    "Relax," Zygos twisted her lips, revealing her golden glowing eyes by sliding down the pair of sunglasses she had on, "you know I don''t engage in combat."


    "Then what do you want?" Pisces asked.


    "Oh, look at you," Zygos chuckled, regarding Pisces interestedly, "you''re still alive and have somehow grown even smaller."


    The clouds cleared from the windshield. Zygos leaned in towards the window as if she was about to ask for my driver''s license. "I see you created your own choice beyond life and death," she was particularly looking at me as I wondered what thrift store she''d robbed for that coat. "You chose to defy the scales and created your own balance by destroying Aries. But there''s a consequence to every action, especially for those who defy the scales."


    "What the hell are you talking about?" I shook my head, silently cursing at how my life was already finding its way back into the mess I had worked so hard to get out of.


    Zygos laughed and looked ahead. I followed her gaze through the windshield. The light poles were acting up, flickering in the setting sun. Something was out there. I could feel it. Something was coming.


    "Mark my words, Zodiac Hunter," Zygos pushed back her sunglasses, her voice drifting away as well as her form. "Consequences come for those who defy the natural balance of the scales." She vanished and blended with the environment.


    "How did she even get here?" I asked.


    "It''s not possible," Pisces also looked ahead, "There''s no way she could''ve come here by herself."


    An explosion rented the air and Pisces and I caught the sight of a wave of bright light spreading out in the distance. I could hear car alarms and people wailing. The atmosphere was changing. It no longer felt like the light and laidback Sacramento. There was something darker.


    I was opening the car door when Pisces stopped me. "Wait. Listen. . ."


    There was a low whooshing sound, like something darting sharply through the air¡ªlike an. . .


    I watched the arrow fly uncharacteristically into the car as if it were being controlled by a remote, through my open window and lodge itself into the stereo. Electrical sparks shot out as I observed the projectile. Sage''s arrows were quite the sight, but this one was different. It was more ethereal, longer and more powerful. It burned in scarlet brilliance as sparks intensified around it.


    We both jumped out of the car right before it went up in flames and the once gorgeous present from my mom was no more. Oh, she was so gonna kill me, that is, unless whatever was attacking us didn''t beat her to the punch. Pisces got up from the road while I met her from the kerb. "Where''d that come from?"


    She looked ahead and more explosions followed. "From him," she pointed.


    Something was materializing from the chaos. I couldn''t make it out. It was too silhouetted by the fires but there was one thing that was unmistakable. The figure wielded a bow.


    "Another Zodiac?" I asked, now that it was becoming apparent more of them were making their way into my world.


    "That is no Zodiac," Pisces uttered in a dawning tone. "Orion. . ." she shuddered, her face twisting into a mask of uncertainty. "He is supposed to be dead but he''s here and I can only think of one reason why that might be," a frown took over, "to carry out the deeds of his master."


    "Any chance you might know who this master is?" I already knew the answer, though there was no harm in confirming.


    "Aries." Pisces''s eyes transformed to sapphire and she was shrouded by an aura of the same hue. I guess we were at it again as my bow materialized, however, the cape and the cool outfit did not.


    "Ready?" I sighed, an arrow nocking itself. I aimed in the distance.


    "Ready when you are," Pisces answered, conjuring bright blue flames around her hands.


    I released the arrow and, as I watched it sail through the air in a trail of lightning towards the chaos, I had a harrowing revelation that my life would never be normal again.


    Okay, then, let''s do this one last time, shall we? My name is Desmond Turner and hardly minutes ago, I never thought I would be fighting for my life, again, instead of stressing about the kind of birthday party my best friend was setting up. . .


    *


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    </figure>


    T H E    E N D

 Book Two (SNEAK PEEK)

    Friday ¨C 5:07 p.m.


    A large ball of fire erupted as red-orange flames ate at what was once a black and white Mustang at the side of the road. He stared, jarred by the image of the mangled second-hand car with its bonnet wrapped around a light pole, all while keeping in mind there were two things that would definitely result in his death: his mother, who had gifted him the vehicle only minutes ago; and the other. . .well, he was about to find out.


    He went from being a driver to something else as he brought up his hand, revealing a magnificent, sleek bow whose mystical workings enabled him to conjure an arrow of jade and gold; its glowing hue matching that of the bow. He became. . . the Hunter. He fired the arrow and to his side, her hands a-glow with bright blue flames and her eyes ethereal, the color of the sea¡ªPisces stood, apprehensive. She braced herself for what lay ahead. And so did he.


    He watched the arrow sail towards the chaos where it blew up in an array of bright green lightning flashes. The chaos cleared and out of it materialized something he should have been terrified upon seeing but given what he had recently come out of, this was an ordinary Friday for him.


    Still, he planted his feet firmly to the ground.


    ¡°Shit,¡± he swallowed, muttering under his breath as the figure before them took form. ¡°Was really hoping we were done with this.¡±


    The figure charged towards them. Towards him. And the battle ensued. . .


    He summons another arrow into his hand and nocks it. The figure is upon them. He releases the arrow. A near miss. The figure darts, zooming in at a low angle, and, before he knows it, he is airborne. The figure has rammed into him. It summons a weapon of its own¡ªa crossbow¡ªan arrow already in place.


    He is brought back safely to the ground against his will by an unseen force. He turns thankfully to his ally once he is back on his feet.


    Returning his attention to the figure, he notices its towering height. He regards it as he recalls its name. The name Pisces had told him before everything had gone wrong¡ªOrion¡ªclad in what appears to be heavy bronze armor from head to toe. There is a helm over his head, leaving only slits for his eyes: two red glowing orbs of darkness, similar to the ones his master had before him.


    Orion reloads and fires. His attack is deflected by the Hunter¡¯s bow. The arrow spins before dissolving in the air. Pisces is already on the counterattack and the Hunter catches a faint strain on her face as she conjures up glowing spheres of sapphire energy and blasts them at the adversary.


    The blasts push him back. The Hunter advances and fires multiple arrows in rapid succession, each one exploding before the figure. He closes in on Orion, together with Pisces, moving over the asphalt with the sun setting beyond them.


    The figure is down on one knee. Pisces suppresses it with her powers. The Hunter fires again but this time, Orion changes tactic, swiftly switching from his crossbow to a large square shield. The Hunter¡¯s arrow ricochets upon contact and darts back towards him. He barely gets out of the way, feeling the hot graze of his own weapon slash across his right temple.


    He is down on the ground. Orion rages, erupting from the ground. The armor fits his lean form immaculately. He is not as built as his former master but still bigger than both Pisces and the Hunter combined. He lunges at the Hunter who rolls out of the way before the ground splits apart from the figure¡¯s impact.


    The Hunter brings around his bow. Orion turns around in time to catch him mid swing. The bow is knocked out of his hand and clatters over the asphalt. Orion lifts him by the neck, bearing his red eyes at him before slamming his back against the ground. His spine rattles, sending vibrations through his skin.


    Frantically jabbing, the Hunter tries to break free from his attacker¡¯s grip. Orion¡¯s shield morphs into a double-edged sword, its silvery blade glinting. He thrusts it down. The Hunter braces himself. But the sword never touches him. Orion lets out a low grunt and is thrown off of him. He is being pulled back against his will. Beyond him is Pisces, intricately maneuvering her hands in the air.


    Picking up his bow, the Hunter readies himself for another attack. He is about to fire an arrow but then something strange happens¡ªwell, stranger¡ªOrion¡¯s cosmic form phases, shifting in and out of view at odd angles until he simply. . . vanishes.


    Pisces breaks out of her telekinetic hold, gasping and out of breath.


    ¡°Huh. . .¡± the Hunter frowns, ¡°that was it? You¡¯d think he¡¯d put up a better fight than¡ª¡±


    The air changes suddenly, splitting open and Orion reappears, phasing back into existence. He groans, checking himself in confused fashion.


    ¡°And. . .he¡¯s back. . .¡± the Hunter frowns in dismay.


    ¡°He¡¯s. . .he¡¯s unstable!¡± Pisces gathers, coming to the Hunter¡¯s side with a dawning expression on her face. ¡°It¡¯s his essence.¡±


    ¡°His what now?¡± the Hunter readies his bow.


    ¡°You know, like I was,¡± Pisces maintains her glowing eyes on Orion. ¡°He hasn¡¯t adapted to this world like I have.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s gotta be a good thing for us, right?¡±


    Pisces remains silent and by the look of things, the Hunter can tell whatever is happening to their weapon-shifting enemy does not appear to deter him. If anything it only makes him madder.


    Orion charges, leaping into the air. Pisces tries to bring him down again but he breaks through her telekinesis, shattering her energy like glass with his crossbow. She falls and the Hunter returns the assault. They meet midair, their weapons clanging against each other and, as it has happened several times before, the Hunter crashes with his back to the ground. He coughs, splattering the asphalt with tiny scarlet beads.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who took down Aries?¡± Orion finally speaks, pinning down the Hunter with his foot. He is already reloading his crossbow. ¡°I guess he should have summoned me sooner.¡±


    If only the Hunter had a nickel for all the times weapons had been pointed at him as his eyes meet the tip of the arrowhead quivering before him. But, as the crossbow is about to be fired, Orion¡¯s form quivers. He misfires and the arrow plunges into the ground right next to the Hunter¡¯s head.


    Pisces rushes over, taking advantage of the situation and blasting back Orion. The glitching intensifies until he loses control over it. He vanishes right before the arrow explodes beside the Hunter, causing his brain to rattle against his skull. His vision shifts as if a brand new lens has been passed over his eyes, transitioning him into an entirely new environment.


    There were flashes of green lightning everywhere. Someone was screaming. He followed the sound and it led him to a person suspended in the air, levitating. It looked like. . .He looked a lot like. . .The Hunter squinted, getting an eerie sense of familiarity alongside a foreboding sense of doom while trying to make out the face but the lightning intensified. Waves of red and green energy swirled around this person. The energy then let up, engulfing the person in a terrible explosion. . .


    Someone was calling out his name. He could feel the level of alarm but could not make out where it was coming from. Darkness had befallen him. He could not see, until someone touched his shoulder and the darkness was sucked away by an incredible shower of sapphire light.


    The light waned and in its place she appeared. She knelt by his side.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Pisces scrutinized him, her dark brown eyes no longer ethereal blue.


    The Hunter tried sitting up, gradually regaining awareness of his surroundings, alongside his own body. ¡°I think I¡¯ve got a concussion,¡± he winced the moment he felt his head. ¡°Scratch that. I think I¡¯ve got serious brain damage.¡±


    ¡°Stay still!¡± Pisces cautioned, ¡°You¡¯re only making it worse.¡±


    ¡°But Orion. . .he¡ª¡± the Hunter tried sitting up again, ignoring the pain.


    ¡°Is gone,¡± Pisces forced him back down before looking out into the road. ¡°For now. . .¡±


    She placed a hand on the Hunter¡¯s forehead, her pale brown skin contrasting with his ebony complexion. He watched her do what she had done countless times before.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think I¡¯m ever getting used to¡ª¡±


    ¡°Quiet!¡± Pisces whispered, shutting her eyes. A tiny crease formed between her eyebrows which came in and out of view from beneath the bangs of her straight black shoulder-length hair. She felt the Hunter¡¯s pain, which thankfully had nothing to do with brain damage but it was still pain all the same. His pain became hers until the Hunter could no longer feel it anymore.


    Opening her eyes, Pisces withdrew her hand from the Hunter¡¯s forehead. There was a tear streaming down her cheek but before the Hunter could ask if she was okay, he noticed something else even more alarming.


    ¡°You¡¯re bleeding!¡±


    Pisces felt her lower lip, quickly wiping away the tear before casting a worried look at her partner. ¡°So are you.¡±


    ¡°My healing. . .¡± she muttered, her voice breaking.


    ¡°My healing,¡± the Hunter was quick to catch on the sharp edginess in Pisces¡¯ voice. ¡°it wasn¡¯t like this before. . .before I. . .¡± She curled her right fingers into a fist.


    ¡°Hey,¡± the Hunter smiled, gently placing a hand on her shoulder, ¡°thanks to you I¡¯m not brain dead.¡±


    Pisces smiled back, especially after she noticed his blood-stained teeth. They both got off the ground.


    The Hunter tried to avoid looking at the Mustang, wondering how he would explain to his mother once she found out: Hey mom, some alien dude with a grudge and a crossbow wrecked the car you just gifted me. No hard feelings!


    He shuddered at the mere thought and, instead, decided to focus on the present just as a new sound was coming from beyond the wreckage. Sirens.


    ¡°Is it so hard, for once, to ask for a normal birthday?¡± the Hunter gritted his teeth, a weary look on his face as Pisces joined him. He glanced at his mangled birthday present again. Smoke was snaking out of the Mustang¡¯s hood.


    ¡°And here I thought nothing could top fighting off some psycho Zodiac in an ancient island yet here we are again!¡± The Hunter rented out his woes with clenched fists. ¡°Already dealing with another psycho who¡¯s out to get me.¡±


    ¡°Well, you did kill his master,¡± Pisces shrugged nervously.


    ¡°Umm, I¡¯m not sure kill¡¯s the word I¡¯d use,¡± the Hunter countered. ¡°Aries destroyed himself. He was the one doing the killing.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Pisces shook her head, almost a little too vigorously, ¡°you¡¯re the reason he¡¯s dead and now his most loyal acolyte is¡ª¡±


    ¡°Coming to kill me and everyone I love,¡± the Hunter spat, ¡°nothing I haven¡¯t dealt with before!¡±


    He looked past his ruined car after striking at something with his foot. He paid little attention to the object which skittered across the asphalt.


    ¡°I mean,¡± the Hunter hoisted the bow in his hand, ¡°what am I even doing?¡±


    The bow disappeared from his hand which distracted him for a second before he resumed his lamenting.


    ¡°Some teenager running around with a magical bow,¡± he let out a dry laugh. ¡°I¡¯m basically Robin Hood if he had superpowers. . .! Which somehow still sounds way better!¡±


    The Hunter noticed his partner¡¯s puzzled expression but even then he was still too angry to start elaborating on a self-glorified fictional character who stole from the rich and gave to the poor using a bow and arrow.


    Pisces¡¯ eyes steered the Hunter away, almost literally, like they had done many times before, except they used to be the color of the ocean and the more he looked into them the more he saw himself, or at least a reflection of what he was becoming.


    ¡°Desmond,¡± Pisces whispered using only her mind. ¡°You¡¯re Desmond Turner. . .Soon to be more. But you will always be Desmond Turner.¡± The softness of her words cut through his mind like a delicate cloth, wiping away and clearing his thoughts.


    Her entrancing effect wore off faster than she had intended and Pisces could not decide whether it was because of her waning powers or that she realized she had been holding Desmond¡¯s hand that entire time.


    Casting another weary but more relaxed look at the Mustang, the Hunter exhaled, ¡°We better get out of here.¡±


    He was regaining his composure and becoming himself again. Becoming Desmond Turner.


    His back to the car, Desmond led the way as he and Pisces hurried off and out of the avenue, distancing themselves from the wreckage and the oncoming Sacramento PD.