The Zodiac World (On Hold)

Chapter 3 - The Legend

JANUARY 1, 2026
THE ZODIAC WORLD
ABSENCE OF TIME

"Welcome home, Gemini," Capricorn greets.

"Y-you're r-real?" I stutter questionly.

She laughs the most beautiful laugh I've ever heard. "Of course I'm real," she responds.

"I-I though y-you w-were just a figment of m-my imagination," I can barely speak.

"I was trying to connect to you through your dreams. It was the only way to keep you aware of your true identity."

"T-the watching over Earth thing?"

"Yes, but there's so much more. Come inside. You can meet the others, and I'll tell you the Legend of the Zodiacs." She turns swiftly and heads back to the door.

"Okay," I reply weakly and follow her. Halfway there, I notice Irene isn't following. I look at her and ask, "Are you coming?"

"No," she answers sweetly. "I have other places to be. You go. Get acquainted with your fellow Zodiacs. Learn about them. Learn about you, and who you are."

I nod and lock eyes with Capricorn. "Okay, Ire..." I turn back to her, but she's already gone.

"Come on, Gemini," she calls to me. Watching Capricorn enter into the house, I jog to catch up. As I Step through, I'm awestruck. Everything is antique, but polished like new. The door swings shut behind me, and I slightly jump before walking forward. "In here," I hear her voice echo from a different room. My feet lead me towards her voice. I come to an opening that exposes a grand living room. Six love seats are placed in a circle around a raised platform. A small space rests between each couch wide enough for a person to fit through.

Capricorn has her back to me. Ten others surround her. Couches sat with boys on some and girls on others. Two couches had a single person, one boy and one girl. I know from instinct that those empty spaces are for Capricorn and I. The boy's eyes caught mine, and they glisten a light brown. His smile is intense, and as he turns towards Capricorn, his eyes flicker to a dark brown. They remind me of the fur of a bull running in the sun.

"Come join us, Gemini," her voice rings out strongly. "You can sit next to Taurus."

Nodding, I gulp. All of their eyes are focused on me. Nervously, I take a deep breath and muster up the energy I need to make my way across the room. I look at Taurus, his eyes watch my every move intently. He flips his chin length black hair to the side after if falls into his eyes. "Welcome, boy," Taurus smirks.

"Umm... thanks," I murmur at a loss for words.

"Attention everybody," Capricorn's voice entices me to look, but I look around at the others. Their eyes are all focused on Capricorn. The temptation wins over me, and my gaze goes to her. She's glowing like she always does. "Our lost Zodiac has rejoined with us." An applause erupts through the room. "What an honor it is for him to return to us on our sixteenth birthday. He has much to learn like we all do. Our greatest challenge has been set before us. The elder Zodiacs are no longer here to help us and train us. They went to hide and save us. When they were found, they fought for their lives. It is terrible to say, but they have lost. My fellow Zodiacs, we don't have long before the Darkness discovers us and arrives here. I'm not sure what it is, but we have to stop it to save our kind. We are that are left since it destroyed the elders a short six months ago." The whole room is silent with grief and terror.

"How will we stop it?" a girl sitting across from me asks. Her piercing brown eyes are locked with Capricorn's, and her bright red hair falls just below her shoulders with a slight curl.