Astarte Ch. Two

The wheels start turning

Ch. 2

Bear gently took Brooklyn’s hand. She was wearing a green dress with an emerald brooch. Bear wore a red tunic with white leggings. Brooklyn smiled at Bear blushing all the while. Amberle met Bear and Brooklyn at the guild’s doors. Amberle kissed Bear on the cheek and hugged Brooklyn. A tear fell from her eyes as all the years of raising Bear from a young boy came rushing back to her. Bear wiped the tear away and gave her a look as if to say, ‘I’m not leaving you Mom.’

Amberle looked out the door as the two left for the festival. She jumped when she turned around to find Sara right behind her. Sara smiled and apologized. Amberle and Sara left for the main hall to drink the peppermint cider Aries had imported from Hardinay. Amberle stared out the window pondering on when Bear had grown up without her knowing. She might not have carried him, but she knew him inside and out.

“Amberle, He had to grow up eventually. He is an upper ranking member of Astarte. We are in the guild of all guilds. He has done assassinations since age fifteen,” Sara said as if reading Amberle’s thoughts.

“I never asked about those missions for a reason. I would rather pretend he was off on some delivery mission than think of him delivering people to their graves,” Amberle replied.

“If it makes you feel better he is still young and you do still live in the same apartment,” Sara offered in an attempt to consol Amberle.

“If he is as serious with Brooke as I think he is, he won’t be for much longer,” Amberle said.

“Well he’ll have to put off any weddings. When he makes his way back here; I have a job for him,” A voice said from behind.

“Yes, sir,” Amberle said to Aries.

Aries had himself some of the cider and Aquarius was hanging on his arm. They were examining the tree that Virgo and Capricorn brought in. Each of the guild members make an ornament to put on the tree each year so that every year is unique from the last. Aries didn’t seem as cold and vicious as when Amberle first met him all those years ago. She had even gotten used to those golden eyes of his. All the Zodiac Mages were special in magic and in body. Pisces had wings so why not have gold eyes for Aries. If fact he was more of a teddy bear. Well, a teddy bear with the capabilities to cleanly remove a head with the flick of his wrist.

Lately he had taken to wearing a sword though. When asked about Aries would just say that sometimes one needed a second option to magic. When Amberle asked, she got a different story. He had trained as a boy to be a swordsmen. He had loved the art, but gave it up when he discovered his unique abilities as a mage. Recently his old master passed away. Aries wore it as a sign of respect to his late master. The blade was rather fitting of him.

Aquarius was wearing a red pair of earrings with little bells attached. She loved the holidays more than anyone it seemed. She always had a smile when you saw her. She had the whole guild decorated in reds and greens. She had even had mages working on constructing toys to give the children of the city. The children took up the habit of calling her Mother Aquarius.

“Aries. When I first met you, I thought of you as a cold, distant man who had no regard for the thoughts or feelings of others. If I had only known,” Amberle began.

“Amberle, when you first met me, I wasn’t married,” Aries confided.

Aquarius’s cheeks hinted at a little blush. She pulled Aries away and proceeded to the upper levels of the guild. Amberle pondered the tidbit of information and shrugged. She could see where marriage settled some men. Maybe that was what Bear needed as well. Then again, it was a little early for those two to exchange vows. Amberle looked over at Sara and noticed that she had fallen asleep. It seemed like a good enough idea to Amberle so she headed to her quarters to bed down.

~

“Oh! Bear! Look at that,” Brooklyn said pointing to a small doll. Bear started laughing when he saw the thing. Just above the label “Reaping Bear” was a small plush doll of Bear himself. The doll looked very much like him with medium length blonde hair, hazel eyes, and his scythe strapped to his back. He had left that in his room for a reason. It tended to attract attention. He only brought it on mission where he intended to kill someone.

“I would like to buy three of me please,” he said to the shop keeper. He smiled as a faint memory came back to him. He remembered saying something similar to Amberle when he saw a stuffed bear when he was young.

“That will be 6000 runes sir,” the shopkeeper laughed.

Bear paid the shopkeeper and gave one to Brooklyn. He put the others away. He intended to keep one and give one to his mother. Brooklyn hugged the doll close to her. She tucked the mini-Bear in her bag as they walked to the city square where three wielder-mages from Astarte were going to do a light show. Terra, Hera, and Sarah were three promising triplets specializing in light magic.

The three girls gathered into the circle they had marked off. Brooklyn rested her back against Bear’s chest and he wrapped his arms around her. The sisters rolled up the sleeves of their robes. Like many mages in Astarte they choose to use their bodies as the medium in which to cast their magic. It was more powerful than wands, orb, and staffs. The danger was in a spell-backfire though. A wand could explode and splinter the hand, but to have your hand do the same is a completely different scenario. Magic aura surrounded the three as lights began to stream from their hands and burst in the sky. Reds, blues, greens, purples, oranges, yellows, and all other manner of colors swirled in a complicated dance before lighting the sky with their explosions. Terra named it the Kaleidoscope Bomb. The colors began to swirled and spin in and around each other, the Color Wheel. Bear’s favorite was the rainbow fish. The sister’s would make multicolored light-fish which swam through the crowd. They were safe to the touch as they flew through you. Bear liked it also because he had seen the combat version. With that version the fish didn‘t just pass through you and out again. No they passed through you tearing away at your insides. As if reading his mind a whole school of fish began to spring forth swimming around the crowd. The children began to chase the fish, but as the wrapped their tiny hands around the vibrant rainbow fish, they just swam through their hands darting this way and that way.

The trio moved on to Spiral of Stars. Sarah who knew a little dark magic as well; blanketed the air just above the square in shadow. Terra and Hera began to form little stars in the shadow. As hundreds of stars begun to form the whole lot of them began to spin and spiral from the darkness. The spiral dropped around the statue of Willow’s founder Sir Jeremiah “Chimera-bane” Willow who stood atop a dead chimera. As the spiral continued Brooklyn turn her head to look up at Bear.

“Bear, I was thinking about the trees. I wanted to know if they ever told you about the Sacred Grove. I have always wanted to make a pilgrimage there, but how can I with the knowledge of it location lost centuries ago. Have you ever wanted to go,” Brooklyn asked out of no where.

“I have asked once a while back,” Bear replied.

“Did they ever tell you where it was,” Brooklyn inquired further as she snuggled against his broad chest.

“As they often do when I ask about specific things relating to past century I was faced with a riddle of sorts. I was told to seek the Night Guardian where the ice flows and the moon never sleeps. Then you will be directed to the door of Gaia. Funny thing is, they thought they were being straight forward with me. Trees do not have the same concept of time as we do. The Images suggest the Night Guardian is actually a mountain. The Door of Gaia is nothing more than a cave. Sounds like an old riddle to dazzle young mages to me,” Bear said. He had not thought about the grove since that day. The day after he asked that; he was promoted to Wielder Mage. No longer an apprentice, he had duties outside the guild grounds to attend to. Just months after that he had even more piled on him with the rank of Mage. He had to teach the new and mid apprentices. One of which had been Brooklyn herself.

“I say we find it,” Brooklyn announced.

“Your joking. I hate the cold, especially cold that flows with insomniac moons,” Bear quipped. The look on her face drained all wit and sarcasm from Bear.

“Well, think about it there are three moons and one of them can always been seen,” Brooklyn said in a serious tone.

“Yes, but a moon rests above a world, a large mass of land that houses whole countries, which contain several cities, towns, and villages. That is not to mention the oceans, deserts, forests, bog, and prairies. The whole world rests below that moon,” Bear said in a low tone to soften Brooklyn to the idea that this was a useless endeavor.

“I will make it my goal as a mage of Astarte to reopen the route to the Sacred Grove. I will find it and I will tell the world about it. I would like you with me; I can’t do it alone,” Brooklyn said.

“Brooklyn, where you go, I will follow,” Bear whispered. What in the world has gotten into this girl! Bear felt like he was caught up in a whirlwind. Why did she want to go searching for a lost grove of trees. Granted the sights, and voices of those ancient monoliths would be a sight indeed. Bear never thought about anything other than the guild and what he had to do for its glory. With all the new mages, he was beginning to have more time on his hands than he would have liked.

The two had been so wrapped up in their discussion that they had not realized that the finale had started. The last remnants of light magic fell around them. Bear leaned down to kiss Brooklyn before taking her had and beginning the trek back to the guild. He had much to discuss with the Zodiac Mages. Could they even seek out the grove and would the guild provide provisions? Would they go alone or would there be other mages with them? Would they even have time to go?

Soon the guild came into view. Bear nodded to the saluting guards who were posted to keep tourist away. Brooklyn stood on her toes to kiss Bear on his cheek before heading to the Wielder Mage quarters. All the mages lived with other mages their rank. Each had a floor spread between the two wings that came off of the main building. The Apprentices were housed in one wing with a Master Mage stationed on each floor and the Wielder Mages and Mages had the opposite wing. The Master Mages stayed on the fourth floor of the main building just below the Zodiac Mages themselves.

As Bear walked into his suite Amberle met him at the door. As soon as he heard that Aries wanted him, he turned right around and left. He was slightly weary, but he never left Ares waiting. You just didn’t prod a dragon with a spear; it only made him angry.

Bear made his way up the spiral staircase with its marble steps. All the steps were stone except for the stares between the fourth and fifth floors. His Guild Seal started to resonate with magic. Aries was calling him. The last door at the end of the hall housed Ares and Aquarius. He made three quick raps on the door. Aquarius opened the door. As soon as she saw Bear she gave him the back breaking hug she was known for.

“Hello Bear. Aries is just finishing up a soak in the tub. Can I get you some warm cider little one,” Aquarius asked with a smile. Aquarius was always like an aunt for Bear. She had always greeted him with a smile and a hug. She turned from Bear and walked to grab some cider. She warmed the mugs with fire magic. All the zodiacs knew a fair amount of magic in all the schools, but were strongest in the one they specialized in. the exception of course was plasma.

Aquarius started to play a tune on her flute when Aries walked in. He had on a fresh robe and proceeded to latch his collar firmly in place around his neck. It was rumored that the tome gave him the collar not to enhance his magic, but to cap it off. Aquarius put the flute down. Her flute always made Bear wary. Her tunes were laden with magic that could do some wicked things. Then again she had tunes that were quite helpful in a pinch as well.

“Ah, Bear. You had an enjoyable evening I presume,” Aries inquired.

“More or less, it does contain a detail I would like to speak to you about when you have the time,” Bear responded.

“It will have to wait. I have a job that came to Aquarius that requested your particular services,” Aries said was he poured himself some cider. He was addicted to the stuff.

“Who needs to die,” Bear asked.

“Not quite those services. You are to take a team of Earth mages to the Aurora Valley to inspect some disturbances. The locals complain that the natural order of things in unbalanced. They requested you. I want you to take your new found love Brooklyn, Horo the Mage, and Markus the Master Mage. Should you come across a large red oval shaped stone, bring it back. I left one such stone by a stream with rather warm sand. I think it is time to have it returned. You leave tomorrow with a time frame of one week set for completion,” Aries explained. That last part peeked Bear’s interest. It wasn’t often Aries gave a time limit. Things must really be unsettling.

“Afterward, I’d like to seek the Sacred Grove,” Bear said. The words hung heavy in the air. Aries looked him dead in the eyes, cocked his head to the side, and stared. It would seem that there was going to be little discussion on the subject. Aquarius looked as if she had seen a ghost. Bear held Aries’s gaze. Aries nodded to Bear, catching Bear off guard. He had been expecting a sharp “no“. Aquarius looked like she was going to be sick.

“It would pain me to lose a mage such as you, but you seem intent on going. Travel to Eleron after your mission. Seek the ice caps,” was all that Aries said. Bear felt a sick feeling in his stomach as he thought on those words. Aries gave him leave and so he wondered out to the garden to speak to the willows. I have committed myself to this Endeavour and I will finish the pilgrimage. But why the Eleron Icecaps. I might as well just throw myself off the roof of the guild hall. It would be an easier way to die. As Bear thought about all this, Brooklyn met him in the garden, startling him as she materialized from the shadows.

“Bear, I have a confession,” Brooklyn said with down cast eyes. The moonlight gleamed off her pale skin. It gave her a ghostly appearance. She had her hands clasped in front of her. Bear looked up at her expectantly.

“What do you mean,” he asked.

“I have a map that has been passed down in my family of the route to the Sacred Grove. I am also not who you think I am bear. I am only half human. I didn‘t want you to think of me in a bad light. I love you and I am not a bad person. Please don‘t leave me,” Brooklyn said.

She pulled her robes over her head. Her under shirt followed suit. Bear gasped in shock at what he saw. A beautiful girl stood half nude before him and his eyes were focused on one thing only, her wings! Worse than that was that there were no feathers like Pisces. These were beautiful, colorful wings like a butterfly. Greens, reds, blues, and yellows made intricate designs on the membrane-like wings. This girl was half-fairy! Fairies were the worse enemies of Lakel. The lands of the kingdom rest on the ancient remains of the fairy kingdom before it. Fairies were powerful in nature magic, more so than any nature mage. Since she was half, that still put her as having some serious amount of power, almost as much a Bear and Taurus themselves.

Bear looked her over. By goddess she was beautiful. Bear liked to think things over before making judgment. Having a fairy in the guild would destroy Astarte. Harboring her would imprison most all of them who knew or had the ability to find out. Of course he had already made his decision hadn’t he. He grabbed his scythe and strode forward. Brooklyn’s eyes filled with fear and tears, but she stood her ground. As bear reached her, she closed her eyes. Soon she could feel warm blood flowing down her chest and over her left breast, but felt no pain. She opened her eyes and looked down at her chest. Bear’s bloody hand rested over her heart. He looked her dead in the eyes with a furious passion.

“I love you Brook. I bleed for you and I will protect you and your secret,” Bear told her.

Brooklyn threw her arms around Bear. Already his hand was healing. He must have used earth healing on it. He leaned down to kiss her. She greedily kissed him back. Above them looking through a window was Virgo. Resting in her bed, recuperating from the transfusion. She alone in the Zodiac Mages knew of Brooklyn as she was her physician. She had held her secret, but felt relief that Bear also was willing to keep it. He was a good boy. As his shirt came off, Virgo closed the curtains. She would have to research hybrids and their pregnancies.. From the sound of Aries and Aquarius, she might make that two deliveries. No doubt there was going to be a wedding soon. She sighed at the research she’d have to do and picked up her favorite book, Dragon’s Gem. It was the story of the bond between a young mage and his red. Red dragon’s were tamable by mages who knew the magics to bond them.

~

Ophiuchus walked into the guild hall of Iron Basilisk. He had many guild outposts, but the true hall resided in Bluebonnet, not in Daisy as he had led his brother to believe. We walked through a door in the main hall and down a torch lit staircase leading into the deeper levels of the hall. The smell of dragon blood was thick in the air. The three blues had given him and his guild plenty of trouble. They were the weakest of dragons. The Black though had lost him sixteen good mages, a small price to pay for the most deadly of dragons. Well its blood anyways. He still had yet to procure any of the items from the unicorns. He knew only the strongest of mages could kill them, but the problem lied in even finding the things.

At the base of the stairs was a room with a large pool. It was full of the dark, almost black blood of the dragons. All he needed was the unicorn ingredients, the phoenix fire, and fairy blood. He had the basilisk scales, blue turtle shell shards, dragon blood, and Aloe Vera. With the ingredients added to the blood in the pool he could put the shards in and use the phoenix fire to fuse his stone.

The stone of all stones. An ingenious creation of epic proportions in that half the ingredients gave him access to powerful magic, and the other half gave him a constant recharge of the stone. What he would have was a stone that augmented power endlessly. Just the thing to bring down the Mage Council and all the guilds who opposed him. He would bring the first mage war to Lakel. Winner takes all. The sound of footsteps approaching brought Ophiuchus around. Farn Kodei wore a shear green dress to accent her cleavage. She was a dark mage who had a taste for pain. She liked to give it and receive it. She was little more than a bed partner to Ophiuchus though.

“Well,” Farn said, “We seem to have some good luck in completing the stone, wouldn’t you say?”

“I do not count forty-three dead mages, good luck,” Ophiuchus spat. Farn was taken aback by the harness in his voice. He had been on edge and even she could not seem to loosen him up no matter what she did to him. She was like a cold stone these days. Farn walked to the edge of the pool to stare into the blood. Ophiuchus took out a pouch pouring black scales into the blood. The scales made a hissing sound when they came in contact with the blood. The basilisk had been one of the easier creatures to take down. When you surrounded one and pelted it long enough the thing will become confused not knowing who to casts its petrifying gaze at.

“My brother has long cared for unicorns. He will know where to find them. I want you to follow him until he leads you to the beasts. Then I want you to kill them all, one by one. Only bring me one horn and one mane. I want to make a statement. Should he discover you, kill him, or do not return here. Do you understand,” Ophiuchus asked Farn.

“I do sir,” Farn said as she saluted. She turned then to leave, but Ophiuchus grabbed her arm.

“Do not go in our robes. Ryvius has long had tension with the guild Axis. Acquire one of their robes to use,” Ophiuchus said. Farn knodded and left. Ophiuchus waited for her to leave before heading back to the hall. Several of the Iron Basilisk mages were lounging around the common area. Three of the vampiric members were sharing a villager who screamed as each one raped her. Ophiuchus smiled as he thought of what he was going to bring to the world. He had gathered every blacklisted guild or mage and brought them under one name. He would bring Astarte to its knees, then if the war he started between Axis and Ryvius did not go as planed he would destroy them too.

Then after he had finished with them the council was next. He dreamed of the day when he could execute each senator before the public establishing a new form of guild law, self governing. Each guild would take care of itself o be swallowed by another guild.

The screams of the villager resided. They had finally decided to drain her. The vampires always had an odd sense of sport. The non-vampire mages would take bets on how long they would play with their food before they dined. Ophiuchus turned leaving the guild to tend to themselves. He smiled his wicked grin all the wall to his chamber.