To Rule the World | A Zodiac Story

The End of the Line

Capricorn screamed. At the top of his lungs. He woke up in a cold sweat. Ursa was dead. Ursa was dead. Ursa was dead. That's what was real. But he kept having nightmares. Ursa dancing in his head, dancing with Leo. Until they both got stabbed. Leo was alive. Leo was alive. Leo was alive.

And I'm the cot next to him. Shit. Leo sat up in bed. They were still stuck in the infirmary. And after that, they'd be sharing the generals room.

Leo looked at him with hollow eyes. Her hair was tangled and her hospital dress was crinkled. She glared at her friend.

"Tell me what's wrong or I'll smack you so hard your nightmares will disa-fucking-pear," Leo growled. Also, she was not a morning person.

"It was you and Ursa. You were dancing," Capricorn mumbled out.

"That is terrifying," Leo muttered, but let him continue.

"And then you both got stabbed," Capricorn told her. Leo quieted down. She didn't exactly know how to respond.

Leo hauled herself out of bed. She dragged herself over to Capricorn's cot and sat down. She swung her legs on to the bed and sat next to him as he laid down. She gave him a weak smile.

"It's okay," Leo said soothingly. "I'm still here. What happened to Ursa was not your fault. We will make sure he has an awesome funeral, just like he asked.

"I just didn't think the end of the line would be so soon," Capricorn choked. He grabbed Leo's hand with both of his and cried. Leo pulled him in so that he was leaning against his waist. And he cried. Capricorn cried so long and so hard, he didn't know if he'd ever smile again.

Leo didn't look at Capricorn as he cried. She stared directly at the wall. She hadn't known Ursa well, but Capricorn was so distraught even she was upset. But she, too, had lost a dear friend. Nebula should not have gone into battle that day. If Leo hadn't gotten hurt, the Nebula would not have gone out. If Nebula has not gone out, she wouldn't have been killed.

This was obviously not Capricorn's fault. This was not Ursa's fault. And it was certainly not Nebula's fault. In her mind, every death of every soldier that day was her fault.

"The funeral is today," Leo added, stroking his hair. "You can make the best speech known to man."

Capricorn sobbed some more and hugged Leo around her waist. "He was my best friend. He deserved better than this. He deserved better than me."

"I know, sweetie," Leo murmured to him. "It's hard. It doesn't get easier."

"I'm a general. I watched my friends die around me. You would think that's the worst part? It isn't," Capricorn cried into her.

"The worst part is that you didn't," Leo agreed. "I know. I feel it everyday. I feel it for so long. And it doesn't go away."

"I want to change it," Capricorn wailed. "I wanna go back in time and fix it."

"There are three things I wish I'd known," Leo told him, "when I was younger and dreamed of glory: you have no control who lives, who dies, who tells your story."

Capricorn just clutched her waist tighter and cried harder. There was nothing more Leo could do for him.

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Pisces was happily preparing to leave Flammae. It was perfect. He could go home, see his parents, his sister, Aries, and Gemini. Nebula was going to have so much fun when she hears his stories. He missed her teasing him so much. But he'll see her soon, right?