Power Of Twelve - A Zodiac Story

Chapter 22: Virgo

We got word of our mission about a week later. It came by post and Scorpio discovered it.

"Guys," he shouted as he made his way into the dining room. "I found the mission debriefing!" When he said that, my normally scrumptious tea and biscuits didn't look so scrumptious anymore. Even the book I was reading didn't seem interesting.

"No way! Pass it here!" Leo shouted. He tried making his way to the front, but Aries stopped him.

"No need Leo! I got this. Give it here Scorpio!" He was pushed out of the way by Rose, who now stood right in front of Scorpio. "He's giving it me!" She proclaimed.

"I'm giving it no one!" He replied. Rose looked astonished. She knew Scorpio thought she was fit. I did too, but Scorpio was a player - it was natural. "I'm gonna read it, myself! I'll read it out loud for you lot after! So, calm your tits and finish eating."

We all eventually finished and Scorpio started to read.

'Congratulations, new recruits. You have been selected for a mission to prove your worth. This will be a test of your strength and resolve. As you must prove yourself, only one of your three guardians may come along with you.

Your mission: You must protect the Everstone, a sacred obelisk of ours, from rebel Sorcerers. They are like those you faced before, not following the Paths and making their own, using various powers from their strongest who broke away eons ago.

You will be helped by the 31st Domos, which is in Serbai. The threat of the rebel Sorcerers is small and so you shall have a very good chance at succeeding. However, some Intel suggests they maybe planning a full-scale attack, so proceed with caution. You will get to Serbai, with a few escorts from the 31st Domos. They will take you to your destination. Once in Serbai, you will be given extra information and weapons to help you succeed.

Do not let the Everstone break, no matter what. Failure in this one objective shall result in excommunication.

For the Starry Heavens!
We aim for the Stars, not for the Sky.'

"That's it," Scorpio finished. "Information about rebel Sorcerers and us getting provided with weapons really shouldn't appear in the post, should they?" Scorpio asked. Unfortunately, his humour didn't work as we were all thinking of what we had just been told.

There was a unnerving silence. I was thinking about the baby. What happens if get shot in the abdomen? What happens if I die? What happens if I end up having a miscarriage? Questions were just swimming round in my head and I was so confused. What most dawned in my head was the excommunication part. What was so special about it breaking?

"Serbai's about 7 hours in plane, I reckon. These escorts are probably gonna take us in carriages," I said, breaking the silence, closing my book.

"Yeah, but the letter told us we were to go with them," Cap replied. He pointed at the letter in Scorpios hand, the letter that gave us our mission. The mission didn't seem all too bad. It was the Everstone part. If that thing broke, we would be excommunicated.

"What's excommunication?" Aries asked. He did have that face of confusion that he normally had when stuck with something.

"It's when you get excluded from the Starry Heavens. Forever," Rose finished making most of our relief smiles, disappear. "But I don't understand why they would send you to the Everstone. Such a important artefact."