The Zodiac: Chapter 3

“Listen up children. You’ve all come of age where it’s time for you to claim another piece of your inheritance.” King Riku said.

The king had been a tall man with golden hair tied into a braid around his head. He wore his crown above it. He had a gentle face, but old eyes. His face sported wrinkled brow skin, but he couldn’t have been older than thirty. He was wearing a dark green vest and pants. He had a royal purple cloak around his shoulders as he paced in front of the Zodiac. A surrogate father to them in many ways.

They were standing in front of the vault to the castle that held the riches and treasures of the royalty. They told stories about what could be in there, how much gold or precious stones were there. What kind of relics from the past was in there? Pisces once said that there was an entire golden statue dedicated to the king.

The Zodiac present were Cancer, Gemini, Capricorn, Aquarius, and Sagittarius. They had all finally turned sixteen. When they were born they were given their pendants. When they turned nine they started to understand their powers.. At sixteen they were allowed to claim their last piece of inheritance.

Capricorn was a little taller than Gemini and Cancer. He had messy dark hair that in the right light would almost seem to be green. He had large blue eyes and dark skin. He was wearing a sleeveless shirt and pants. He was like Gemini and Cancer. Thin but well toned chest arms and legs. However he couldn’t hide the excited grin that was plastered to his face. Around his neck was his necklace and pendent with a goat’s head.

Sagittarius was a tall girl, as tall as Capricorn but not on Leo’s level. She had bright blonde hair that was kept short, enough to tickle her forehead and shroud her ears. Her skin was a cool brown color. She was wearing a gown, dark pink with sleeves. Her body was thin and she held herself to her full height never shrinking from it. Her eyes were hazel and she smiled easily. Out of the Zodiac she was the most regal and most fitting to be a noble. Around her neck was a necklace and pendent with a centurion archer.

King Riku walked to the vault and put in one of three keys. With a heave he opened it. Inside was what they had imagined and more. Crates upon crates of riches that made their eyes go wide. There was no golden statue but there were shields and staves and gold and everything of the like. The king entered and he waved for them to follow.

They fell into step behind him, stumbling almost as they walked into the chamber. The king led them past the riches to another door. This door wasn’t a giant vault door like the first. It was a normal wooden door. Using a second key he unlocked it and pushed the door inward.  The room was dark but there was light streaming in from the ceiling.

The king went around the room, lighting the torches to illuminate the room. In the middle were twelve pedestals. Each of them was marked with the symbol of one of the twelve of them. Some of them were empty but the ones that applied held weapons, waiting patiently to be reclaimed.

“These are yours children.” King Riku stated as he ushered his hand forward. “I assume you know how to find which is yours.”

Gemini stepped forward and saw the one marked as belonging to the twin. It was a single sword. The grip was bound in black leather, the cross guard and pommel were both golden and the blade was single edged, black and at least as long as his arm. The edge of the blade seemed to glimmer as it caught the light.

Reaching forward hesitantly he grabbed the grip and slid it out of the pedestal it was embedded in. There was a soft hiss as it slid out and he took a step back. The sword hummed as he held it tightly. It was such a soft sound but when he swung it the sound became sharper. He looked around at everyone else but they didn’t seem to hear it. It was his sword, his weapon.

Closing his eyes he could feel the past Gemini’s who had wielded this sword. He couldn’t see them or hear them. It wasn’t as if they would offer him wisdom or help. But it was in the energy. The energy from the other world it felt so much bigger then his. It was like holding onto this sword let him face the sun without flinching.

Turning around he looked at the others and what they claimed.

He saw Cancer holding a pair of weapons. They were Katar’s having H shaped handles with long sharp blades. Almost like extensions of his hands. The handles were leather wrapped and the outsides were golden. The blades were black metal as well and the edges glittered in the same way that his did. Cancer spread his hands slowly and then pulled on the grip. The blade opened up like a claw and it surprised him. Reliving the pressure on the grip they closed.

Turning his gaze to Sagittarius she was holding a bow in one hand. The bow was made of black wood but it had golden thorn like designs in the wood. The tips of the bow were gold and the string was almost invisible to see. In her other hand was a quiver of brown leather. Inside were about two dozen arrows. They were black shafted and the fletching was red feathered and Gemini was willing to bet that the arrowheads were black with glittering edges.

“Guys check this out!” Capricorn shouted and they were surprised to hear his voice come from above them.

Everyone looked up and they saw the goat clinging to the ceiling. His hands and feet were covered in thin armor but it seemed to pulse with stars. On his hands were golden vambraces that went to the backs of his hands and covered his fingers to his knuckles. At the knuckle they were black and gleaming.

The vambraces covered up to his fore arms but left the undersides open. On his feet was a pair of boots, golden as well. When Gemini looked closely he could see glittering pieces of something in the vambraces and the boots, like the gold had been laid on top of it. Capricorn’s body was vibrating with energy but that could just have been his excitement.

“Cap, get down from there!” Aquarius shouted but she was smiling. She was wearing something new around her neck. It was something with a gold necklace but instead of a pendent disc it was a small bottle. The bottle was simple stone but in the center was a small blue gem. It was circular and it was pulsing with light.

Capricorn laughed from the ceiling and climbed forward a bit more before jumping down. He angled himself properly and landed between Gemini and Capricorn. The jump was so controlled that only dust was unsettled. Turning around he faced everyone with a wide grin and then looked at the king.

“Riku. These these are amazing!” Capricorn bounced up and down. “I can. I  can feel all of them, all of the past Capricorns. I can feel their constellations inside of these.”

With a chuckle King Riku nodded. “Yes, these weapons were used by the very first Zodiac. Since then, they have been handed down to every generation and now they’re being handed to you.”

“What’s on the edges here?” Sagittarius asked as she pulled one of the arrows out of its quiver. It was a steel head with a glittering edge like the others. “Is it the energy we use?”

King Riku shook his head. “Not so because I can see it too. No from what our best smiths can tell, the edges of your weapons have been reinforced with diamonds. These weapons can cut through anything except another of your weapons.

“Did you say this to Aries, Taurus and Leo too?” Cancer asked and King Riku nodded. “What were their weapons?”

“You’ll have to find that out for yourselves. Starting today you will be given trainers and spar with one another. In case you may need to use them in actual combat.” He explained and Gemini frowned.

“When would we ever need to use them?” Aquarius asked hesitantly.

“There have been a few wars fought where the Zodiac helped to turn the tide.” Riku said. “Without them, I can’t imagine how this kingdom may have survived.”

“Don’t worry. We’ll protect the kingdom till we die.” Cancer said and Gemini nodded his agreement. “it’s our home.”

Leo directed Speedy off the path for a moment and the trio went deep into the woods. Gemini glanced around them as the trees were starting to get thinner. They were losing their leaves and becoming darker in color and while increasingly bare. It had only been a couple of days since they left the village.

The sunlight wasn’t bright anymore. It was dulled into a grey by the cloud and there was a cold wind. They were going to have to switch to the warmer clothes that Leo bought. Leo nudged Speedy forward and she didn’t even make a sound of derision. Gemini stared at the horse and frowned. She had stamped and huffed at him when they first met but she was nothing but the perfect animal to her

As they went into the forest some of the trees had broken limbs but at odd angles. In fact, they weren’t broken they were cut. There were a few trees like this and even more with slash marks on the trunks.

“Leo these trees.”

She nodded. “I know.”

“What did this?”

She turned Speedy and deviated off the designed path and went into the wilderness. Gemini had to duck a few times to avoid branches. He couldn’t see where they were going from here.

“Leo where are you taking us? Or are you getting back at me with this?”

“If I wanted to get back at you I’d kick make you run with the horse,” Leo pulled the reins and Speedy reared back then stopped. “We’re here.”

Gemini looked around them and frowned. There was nothing around them but more of the sliced up trees. There were a half a dozen large boulders scattered about and the ground was brittle from the cold. There was a lot of light because the dying trees couldn’t block the sun. Winter was coming here sooner than near the capital.

Leo swung her legs out of the saddle and then slid onto the ground. The grass cracked under her feet and Gemini followed suit. She walked toward the boulders and didn’t speak any words to her partner. She tapped one lightly, put her ear to it and frowned.

Gemini watched her and gave a look of confusion. She went to another and repeated the action however he felt it this time. The slight ripple of energy every time she knocked. He watched her and this time he focused on what she was doing. She was going by each of the boulders repeating the motion and then stopped at one near the edge of the forest.

She knocked again and again in different spots. The pulses of stars she was letting out were different strengths. She got to the bottom and then she grinned.

She took a step back and waved her hand at Gemini. “Get back Gem. This is gonna get rocky.”

She brought her arm back fully and her face turned calm. The stars pulsated infinitely stronger than before.  It made Gemini flinch with each pulse and Speedy was getting antsy. Leo’s hair was beginning to stand on end and even the grass was starting to get blown back.

Leo took an even breath as she hit the level she wanted. “Roar Leo!”

She took a step forward, turning her body, and punched the boulder. When her fist connected the boulder didn’t just break, it shattered. Shards of rocks were sent skyward, into the trees, into the rocks, everywhere. Gemini warded off the worst of the rocks. Speedy panicked slightly as she was pelted but her hide was tough.

When the rocks subsided Gemini lowered his hands and glared. “Alpha and Omega Leo! What the hell was that?”

The lion’s power was like a fire and after that punch it was like it had been put out. She took another breath and then relaxed jerking her thumb at the remains that were left.

Gemini followed the line of sight and his mouth was left agape. Lying flat against the ground and marred by a little bit of dirt was his sword. It was exactly as he remembered. Golden cross guard and pommel, leather wrapped hilt, black blade and glittering edge. His scabbard was even there.

Right beside it was a much larger blade, at least twice or three times as long as his. It had a long leather wrapped hilt, square pommel and an upraised cross guard. But the blade was huge. If he had to guess the blade was at least five feet long and with the hilt added on it got closer to six feet in total length. That was Leo’s claymore. Seeing it again made him remember how much strength she had.

Gemini walked to the remains and crouched to touch the sword. He felt the hum of energy as his hand got near. He touched the sword he instantly he felt the connection to the past Gemini’s. He looked at Leo’s sword and hovered his hand over it. He didn’t feel anything from it. Not even a spark of energy. It wasn’t his sword, wasn’t his connection.

Picking up his scabbard and sword he took a slow breath as he enjoyed that connection. Putting on the sword belt he raised the sword and held it with both hands. A jolt of his power ran through it and he split the sword into two. Each one the same weight.

Turning them he swung both together in practice moves before fusing them. Sliding them home at his hip he sighed. It felt good, really good, to have this part of him again. Between that and his pendent he was whole.

Leo walked past him and crouched down, closing her hand around the grip of the sword. She could have held it with two hands but she often preferred one hand. She stood and with a growl she lifted the sword over her head. She picked up her scabbard and wrapped it around her shoulder and waist. She then slid the blade into the leather container at her back. It was a perfect fit.

“Leo, how’d you get these? I thought we lost them when the soldiers ambushed us last month.”

Leo smirked. “They took them. And I took them back.”

Gemini nodded. “Thanks Leo.”

Leo paced slowly as she reached back and touched the hilt of her sword. She felt the roar of dozens of Leo’s all at once and she was tempted to add her own to the orchestra. However, she had a different idea in her amber eyes.

“Runt!” she shouted startling the twin. “Block.”

He mouthed ‘block’ when she dashed toward him. She was so much faster than he had expected. Her claymore left its scabbard in seconds and she swung it down over his head. Gemini unsheathed his own in seconds and blocked it. The force from it almost buckled his knees.

“Leo! What are you doing?”

“Training Gem. You need to get back to fighting strength and this is part two.”

Leo pushed down adding more of her strength to the attack and Gemini held his sword with both hands trying to keep her back. It hit him then that she was only using one hand. Her fist came flying and slammed into his stomach. The strength from the blow sent him rolling back.

Gemini slammed into a tree causing branches to tumble onto his face. Leo didn’t let up and was running at him again, her sword lowered as she grabbed it with both hands. Though he was stunned he could feel her coming and knew he had to act fast.

“Split Gemini”

Her sword came down and hit the ground. The twin had separated, Umbra and Luce holding identical black blades. Leo’s eyes flickered between them both quickly before hefting the blade up and swinging it horizontally at Luce.

Luce raised his sword quickly as the blades met. There were sparks before he was sent through the air again. Umbra jumped up to attack when Leo turned around and slammed her fist into his cheek knocking him back into the ground.

Leo picked up her blade with both hands and brought it down over Umbra’s head. Umbra dazed from the punch rolled sloppily to the side. Leo’s sword cleaved the tree trunk in two vertically.

Luce was racing toward his twin as Leo jumped. She was poised to come crashing down on top of Umbra. Luce jumped again and shoved his shoulder into her back knocking her off her axis and into a tree.

Umbra got up slowly shaking his head clear of the fog. “She’s really trying to kill us isn’t she?”

Luce shook his head “I really can’t tell at this point,” The air rippled with her constellation and the pair shivered. “She’s pissed now.”

“Hella pissed.”

Umbra held out his hand to him and Luce took it but then stepped in front of him. Umbra was surprised and wanted to object but Leo’s word’s echoed in his mind. “Use my head before running my mouth or throwing my fist,” He repeated to himself. “Luce, what’s the plan?”

Luce glanced back at him and was surprised that he directly asked that question. “We need to trick her. We can’t beat her in strength but there’s two of us and only one of her. Let’s use that.”

“Roar Leo!” The ground shook as her constellation exploded outwards. Her amber eyes were deep pools of molten gold. Her body shimmered with a golden stars and even her sword pulsed with them. They saw them coalesce into a lion behind her and they both roared.

Umbra nodded but then let go of his brother’s hand. Luce glanced at him and Umbra held his sword with both hands. Luce favored using it one handed and swept it forward.

She leaped at them swinging her sword straight down. Umbra jumped forward to meet her and swung his blade into hers. The air rippled where their swords met and Umbra’s arms jolted from the impact. He wasn’t going to hold this.

Luce’s foot flew out and kicked Leo’s blade. Umbra lowered his sword slightly so that Leo’s blade slid deep into the ground. Before landing Luce swept his sword out and managed to cut Leo’s cheek.

Umbra rushed forward and shoved his shoulder into her chest knocking her off balance. Spinning on his heel Umbra slashed with his sword. Leo’s arm flashed through the air as she grabbed the blade. Umbra was shocked as his arms shook, trying to press down but Leo wasn’t budging.

Leo raised her head and looked into his eyes with a tooth filled smirk. Leo yanked on the sword, dragging Umbra forward. Raising her foot, she kicked him in the chest and sent him flying. Raising her free hand, she wiped the dripping blood off her cheek.

Leo scanned the area but she couldn’t find the other twin. She heard a branch snap behind her and she whirled around. Flipping Umbra’s sword in hand she grabbed the grip and swung it to meet Luce’s sword. Such a small blade wasn’t her style but she was making due.

Luce felt her strength beating his, the moment their blades clashed so he jumped back and swung again. His blade work was perfect as Leo attacked and he defended. Switching seamlessly from defensive forms to offensive ones. Leo was impressed.

“Heads up!”

Both fighters didn’t lose focus from their duel by Umbra’s warning. However, when the shadow passed overhead they both jumped backwards. Leo’s claymore came down from the sky nearly impaling both of them. Leo skidded across the bare ground still holding Umbra’s sword since it was her only weapon now.

Luce had jumped into a tree and using that as a base leaped at the lion. Pulling his arm back he threw his sword end over end at her. Leo turned and watched it pass in front of her before running at Luce.

“Never throw away your weapon runt!” she shouted as she lunged at him.

The sword continued its arc as Umbra ran after her. He snatched the blade out of the air and leaped at her. 

“Too obvious.” Leo turned on her heel and her lunge was now aimed at Umbra’s exposed stomach.

Before the sword touched Umbra’s chest he was gone. He just disappeared from sight but so did his sword. Leo’s face was perplexed when the realization hit her too late. Glancing over her shoulder she saw Gemini. He held the sword against her back and the lion raised her arms up.

“Clever little runts.” She said turning and handing the sword back to him.

“I knew that you’d keep my sword, Leo. But you don’t know all the tricks that I can with it.”

Leo rolled her eyes. “Don’t get cocky.”

Gemini relaxed and took his sword from her hand. Spinning them slowly he merged them again.

Leo walked toward the spot where her sword had dented the ground. She ripped it out of the ground, swung it before sliding it into its scabbard. She turned around to face him and then whistled. It took some time but Speedy came out of the forest and whinnied nervously. The fight had probably startled her. Leo stroked her fingers against her muzzle gently and the horse nickered at the touch. She was going to be good.

Gemini walked toward the two and ran her hand against Speedy’s neck. “So Leo, those trees. Were those you?”

Leo nodded. “I had to keep myself in shape, unlike you. What did you do to let yourself go?”

Gemini laughed softly. “I was running a lot. I didn’t have much to eat. And I didn’t have a sword to practice with.”

Leo scoffed, “Excuses. You could have stolen one if you really wanted to. You were slacking off.”

She motioned for him to get on Speedy. Gemini swung his leg over and got comfortable. Leo put one foot into a stirrup, swung her leg over and then put her other foot in. She grabbed the reins from around Gemini and spurred Speedy into movement. Tossing her head Speedy was off and walking before she broke into a slow canter. She was galloping by the time they hit the trees.

“Get some shut eye runt. It’s gonna be a long ride to Virgo’s village.” Leo said as she increased the pace.

Gemini nodded and then leaned back against her chest. He never said anything about it but he always felt safe with Leo. Closing his eyes he let himself slip into slumber.