Breaking Free: A Zodiac Story

Chapter 21: Returning Home

Author's Note: Sorry for the short chapter, but I needed a bit of space in between the action. Hopefully, the next few chapters will be longer and more action packed!

Leo stared blankly at the spot where Ophiuchus disappeared. So called... Saviours of Zodiax. So called. But... If the glowing figure was him, then... Who guided us on our journey?

Aries gently patted Leo on the back with his wrist. "Hey, Leo...?"

"What?" Leo said dully, turning back to Aries. He already knew the answer to his own question, but... It couldn't be. He refused to let it be... But...

"Ophiuchus." Aries muttered, trying the name. "So... What you saw... It was him?"

"And what did he mean by ether elemental? What even is ether?" Sagittarius asked, quietly walking up behind them.

Aries shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe he's bluffing and there isn't a... So called 'ether' element."

"Maybe? There's always been four elements and that's just fire, water, air and earth! There is no fifth element." Sagittarius muttered.

"Just a few days ago, we were convinced our own element was the only one." Virgo said, placing a hand on Sagittarius's shoulder. "Seeing as he's able to... Send versions of himself, or create visions, probably means he has some sort of magic."

"It didn't seem like any particular element, though." Capricorn offered. "If he... isn't a so called 'ether' elemental, he might just be a normal elemental with an enchanted object."

"Enchanted object?" Taurus asked.

Capricorn shrugged. "There has to be something to explain his... power."

They all fell silent for a few moments.

"Well... what do we do now? We don't even know if anyone else's alive." Gemini pointed out. "He said we were 'stuck' here... but..."

 No... it can't be. This can't be the end... there must be a way...!

"I won't let it." Leo said, narrowing his eyes. "I don't care whether we have our powers or not, I'm going back and stopping this 'Ophiuchus' guy from conquering Zodiax."

"You know... without our powers, we're practically just... nothing." Cancer said quietly. "There's no way we'll be able to counter his... powers."

"But I'm not letting him just go and... do whatever he's going to do!" Leo spun around to face her. "It's our - no, my fault for causing this. At least... I need at least try to fix it!"

They all fell silent again.

"It could kill us, Leo, if he wasn't lying about his powers." Libra said softly. "Are you sure... this risk is worth it?"

"You don't have come. I'm not going to codemn you to a death for a mistake I made." Leo replied, turning away.

The silence was deafening. Leo gritted his death and gazed out into the smoky sky. "If I don't come back and he conquers Zodiax... I wish the best for you all." He turned back around and smiled weakly. "Thank you for sticking with me all this way..."

Everyone else shared a look.

"Who said we aren't going to come with you?" Sagittarius announced.

"Leo... if you thought we were going to leave you to march off to a magifiecent death alone, well... you were wrong." Aries added, giving him a smile.

"It might be life threatening... but I know we'll make it." Pisces agreed.

"If we don't, well... at least we'll be together until the very end." Cancer mumbled.

Scorpio glanced over at Cancer. "At least we die honourably instead of living, knowing that we could've done something, but not doing it."

"We won't give up! This 'Ophiuchus' guy can't just take away our home!" Gemini exclaimed.

"No matter what he thinks, Zodiax will always be our home. It can't be conquered just because he said so." Libra added.

"We came all this way and made all of this happen. Might as well finish it off." Aquarius stated.

"I know we were the last... elementals you came to," Taurus said, "but... I consider you all my friends and I don't let my friends die alone."

"The possibility of us dying is rather high, but... it's our fault, not just Leo's, and we should try to fix it. This would've have happened if we hadn't broken the rules." Virgo pointed out.

"We're with you, Leo, all the way." Capricorn gave Leo a small smile. "No matter what."

"Guys..." Leo trailed off, speechless. "Thank you." He finally said. "For... everything."

"No need to thank us yet, Leo," Aries announced, pointing out at the horizon. "Let's beat this Ophiuchus guy and restore peace to Zodiax!"

A resounding cheer echoed through the barren wasteland.

"For Zodiax!"

---

There was no day or night - just smoke and dust filling the sky. The twelve elementals trekked on silently, deep in their own thoughts.

"We should get to one of the places if we continue walking in one direction." Leo said, glancing up at the sky. "Hopefully we can get some help... if there's anyone still there."

"From how long we've walked... we should only be around an hour away from the closest place." Capricorn said, squinting out into the distance. "All I can see is a mountain..."

"A volcano." Sagittarius breathed.

"Firea... our home." Aries whispered.

Leo gritted his teeth. "We can think about the past later. Now... let's stop Ophiuchus from conquering Zodiax."