Breaking Free: A Zodiac Story

Chapter 26: Evenly Matched... or Not?

Author's Note: A bit of a filler before the main action - sorry about that. Hopefully I haven't left out anyone in this chapter... anyways, we're nearing the end! (And wow, two chapters in a day. I guess this is my apology to you guys for not writing for this long?)

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Leo didn't even turn back to see if the others had started drinking it. With newfound strength, he leaped out of his hiding spot and sprinted towards the dark, scaly hide, hands alight with fire.

His brain was whirling as he threw himself against it, hand grappling along the smooth scales.

There!

He gritted his teeth and dug his fingers into the jutting scales, feet scrabbling against the scales in search of a foothold. The snake seemed confused on what to do - it thrashed and twisted its head around, trying to snap at Leo, then tried to bite at where his friends were.

"Look at me, you scaly fiend!" Leo shouted, relishing the fiery heat that rushed through his fingers as he set his hands on fire.

The snake hissed as its scales began to smoke. Leo quickly grabbed for another handhold and swung himself out of the way as the snake snapped at where his left arm used to be.

"Yeah, come on, you... ugly snake!" He pulled himself upwards. He could vaguely see a human-like figure silhouetted against the glowing portal in the sky, arm raised -

Leo gritted his teeth and swung out of the way again as a rush of dark energy fizzled past his ear. He quickly pulled himself to the top, squinting up at the figure perched on the snake's head.

"Ophiuchus!" He yelled, hoping it would buy time for his friends. "Why don't you come down and face me like a real -!"

The figure was gone. Leo blinked, wondering if he had imagined it -

And Ophiuchus was directly next to him, hands encased in light, fist drawn back. Leo barely had time to react as Ophiuchus lashed out at him -

A shape that vaguely resembled a bull shot past - directly in front of Leo's face - and sent the ether elemental flying. The creature immediately dissipated into a mixture of sand and rock.

"Seems like you needed some help!" A voice shouted from below the snake. There was a rumble and Taurus came flying up on a pillar of rock to land next to Leo.

The two elementals quickly scanned the area, searching for where Ophiuchus had gone.

"I don't want to kill you." The taller man had reappeared on top of the snake's head, unharmed albeit the dust that covered the side of his face. "Really, I should be thanking you for helping me get here."

This time, Leo watched as the man suddenly disappeared in a flash. Leo immediately spun around and countered the punch Ophiuchus threw at him with a blast of fire.

Ophiuchus drew back with a growl and disappeared once again. His voice floated out from... well, somewhere: "Serpens! Crush them to dust!"

"Can't face us yourself, can you?" Gemini soared up past Leo and Taurus on a gust of wind, her lavender wings wide; then angled her wings and dived down at the snake's head. "Hey, watch this!"

There was a rush of wind, and the snake's head recoiled, as if it had been physically hit. Gemini landed on its head and coated her fists in what appeared to be a cocoon of wind. "Take that!" She punched the snake twice in the nose and jumped off as the snake snapped at her.

Leo cheered. "Go, Gemini -!"

The snake snapped at him and Taurus. The two boys jumped out of the way.