The Zodiac Cycle

1.12 Dhara City

Axton was one of the most beautiful of the 8 territories, and the most diverse. It was home to just about every earth-bound species that existed.

Dhara City was no exception.

The city had buildings in all shapes and sizes, colored in bright oranges, greens, and browns. Where there wasnt a road or building, there was casually messy foliage, climbing trees, and other gorgeous greenery. In the center of the city, towering over everything like a canopy, was a massive tree. The tree was decked with houses hanging from the branches, small businesses scattered on the bark, and massive vines connected to a trolley system that got people all throughout the city below, and the leaves above.

The entire group was awestruck. They moved through the busy streets, following the Tracker to find the hot pink dot, the Taurus. That would give them two of each sign, and only 4 left.

They reached where the dot was, a large tavern inside the trunk of the tree, which was hollow with paths that went all the way to the top branches. Stringed lanterns hung throughout, as well as criss-crossed bridges that connected paths across the massive pass of the tree.

The tavern (called the Stem Gem) was also huge, built against a root that was about the size of a normal tree itself. The circular tables were placed on one side, with a live band led by a parrot fey on the other side, and a large space where some were dancing in front of the stage.

The group gathered around a six person table and the other two, Amber and Ash, sat at the bar.

The bartender made their way over. They were a 7 foot tall troll. They had dark skin with rocky scale-like things coating the back of their arms and neck, and two angle marks under each eye. There were also rocks on the top of their short, pointed ears. Their eyes were hot pink and nearly covered by the black hair that fell onto their face, out of the low ponytail that went down to their shoulder blades on their back. They wore a white shirt and a black apron as well.

"Whiskey on the rocks." Ash ordered from them. Keith was very confused about the trolls gender. They seemed Male-presenting, but had a bit of a more feminine figure. Keith hadn't studied trolls all that much, so he didnt know how to tell either. Maybe they were a fem male?

The troll slid the drink to Ash and checked with Amber, who asked for a strawberry rum.

Keith was a bit captured by the trolls eyes, the hot pink matched the dot on the Tracker, and all the signs had eyes according to their sign color.

The troll went through the rest of the group, sure to check IDs with all of them before handing them alcohol and he was hesitant with Amber considering she was barely 21. They were actually convinced that Iris had a fake ID.

They got around to Keith and handed him his glass of water (Keith didnt really like drinking) and in doing so, revealed their right hand. At the edge of where the rocks ended was a circle with lines that looked like horns. It was on the back of their hand, but hard to see on their skin.

Keith pointed at it quickly "Taurus!"

The others stopped chatting and looked straight at the troll, who covered their hand.

"I'm so sorry, Ma'am, he's a bit..." Amber didnt finish that, unsure of the word for Keith.

The troll dropped their shoulders and groaned a bit. Then, in a deep voice, smooth as butter, replied "I'm a guy."

Amber panicked a bit. "I'm sorry, it's just..." she poked her own cheek "I though the males have cheek-rocks, and the females dont."

"Doesent make me a girl." He turned and walked back behind the bar.

"Wait!" Amber tried to stop him, but failed as he went into the kitchens.

"Great job, o' great one." Ash said sarcastically.

"You think you can do better?" Amber challenged.

"Easy enough, all I have to do is not offend him and I'll be ahead of you." Ash scoffed.

Those two are only going to be trouble. Keith thought solemnly.

When the troll came out of the kitchen, Ash waved him over, requesting a refill. After he was topped off, he leaned on the counter toward the guy.

"So, what's your name?" Ash took a metal straw and swirled the ice cubes around.

The troll glanced at him, raising his eyebrows a bit, but didnt answer.

"I'm Ash. Imma be straight with you here."

"Doesent seem to be anything straight about you." The troll dried off a glass and bent down to put it away.

"You are half right." Ash chuckled.

"I can bi that." The troll smirked.

"I'll bite." Ash crossed his arms on the counter.

"I dont doubt it." The troll raised one eyebrow.

"You wanna put that into a Queer-ey?"

Brianna buried her face in her hands "I cant believe our way of talking to this guy is going to be through lame Queer Puns."

"Quns." Iris giggled. We all looked at her a moment "no? Okay, just me I guess." She huffed a bit.

"The names George." The troll stuck his hand out to Ash, who shook it. Amber seemed pretty annoyed at this.

"Hiya George, want to know what's with the mark?" Ash twisted their hands together, making George's mark go faceup, and placed his left hand palm up beside it. "We all have one."

"Oh-" George looked at the sign, then glanced around as each of the group revealed theirs.

"In short, we are the zodiac signs, 8 of the chosen 12 that are destined to save the world." Ash tilted his head a bit.

"Seems like too much work." George shrugged.

"You're at work right now." Avery pointed out.

"Paid work, to live off of." George stated plainly.

"My rich mom basically is sponsoring us. You will be housed, fed, and get the best medical care possible." Rebecca was messing with her nails and didnt even look away to tell him. "Plus you will get to travel the world.

"I'm in." George agreed.

"He can be swayed." Brianna mumbled.

"What about him?" George pointed to Keith, who sat with his hands in his lap. "He doesent have a sign."

"Hahaha, harpies cant get the signs." Keith laughed in reply.

"He's the owner of the Tracker we used to find you." Nolan finally spoke.

"That's creepy." George grimaced.

"We know." Everyone else but Keith said in unison.