Lahat ng Kabanata ng Aries Ascendant: Kabanata 11 - Kabanata 20

   "You're joking, right?" Orion asked nervously.  I didn't answer, instead looking at the large house we had stopped in front of.  Heru stood, despite his pain, his hand on my shoulder, and waited, seeing how Orion would take the news."Can we talk about it inside?" Heru asked.  "It's not light dinnertime conversation. Though dinner sounds amazing, thank you.""Oh, oh,  yes, of course. Uhm, do pardon the mess, please, I've been alone all this time and intent on my studies," Orion looked flushed again, although I couldn't tell if he was worried I would slaughter him or his house was truly a wreck."Oh don't worry, I've seen A's bathroom in the morning after a night of drinking," quipped Heru, jumping down off the cart.  He raised one leg, and then the other.  His flowing hair and graceful movements caught the eye of two women down the street, who pointed and began whispering to each other. 

   "Well, that's convenient," said Heru, his mouth still full of food.  "That's actually pretty good luck.  You're our ticket in, Orion.""But you can't enter," protested Orion.  "Many family members have tried to enter with their own to protest the choice of the god - they are rejected at the door and found wandering through the woods, sometimes days later.  They have no memory of what happened from the time they saw the temple.""That's fine, there's plenty I want to forget," I yawned, feeling the heaviness of my body increase the longer I stayed still.  "I am joking, obviously.  Whatever is going on there's a good chance it won't work on us.  If it does work on one, it almost certainly won't affect the other.  Win-win-win situation," I heard Heru echo my yawn behind me.  Orion looked unsure."Look at it this way," Heru piped up. "Do you know of anyone that has escaped a Hellga

  I almost fell forward when someone spoke right behind me.  I couldn't make out the words, but I whirled around quickly. I saw nothing, and heard no one.  On a hunch, I slowly turned back towards the fountain, and cocked my head to the side.  I heard the footsteps again, and cleared my throat."Hello," I said.  A cold wind stirred around my feet, blowing my hair upward.  I could barely hear words on the voice of the wind, but could make no sense of them."Hello," I tried again.  Still the wind stirred the bottom of my cloak, more gently now.  I began to hear lightly whispered words, but still too unclear.  I turned again, sitting down on the edge of the fountain.  I could barely see greenish, white light circling in front of me, almost forming the outline of a person-"ARIES!" Orion called across the plaza.  "Aries! Is that you?" As if startled, the gentle swirls of magic ceased and dis

  "Much better," I whispered back.  "Thank you."  A few seconds later, I can feel the fight leave my body.  "I'm sorry I was an ass, Heru.""Gods, she's dying," chuckled Heru quietly.  "It will be all right.  Next time, I really will pluck out your pinion, though."  He stopped patting my head and held me more tightly.  I could hear his breathing become even and deep soon after.  It had been a few months since I'd let down my guard around Heru... I forgot how comforting it was in his arms.  Ever since I lost control in Phantasma...I shook my head rapidly to clear it, and stifled back the memories.  Taking a deep breath, I focused on Heru's own breathing.  I slept.Birdsong and snoring woke me the next morning, and I opened my eyes to see Heru almost nose to nose with me. I've been shoved to the very edge of the bed by his wild sleeping.  "At least he didn't transform," I murmur

  I listened to the birds singing wordlessly, and watched as children played with homemade toys and stones down the street I sat on.  I thought for a while about how to simply explain to Orion what I needed, and debated on how much information he truly needed himself.  It would be a shame if a careless word here changed the entire future of this realm.  I began to feel irritated.  How long would a simple Arcana stop be?  He'd probably found a couple of girls to talk to...Eventually, Heru came striding up, his boots clacking on the stones.  He paid no mind to his surroundings, his hood pulled over his forehead, head bent between his shoulders almost to his chest.  The only thing I could spy was a few hairs and his long pointed ears poking out of his mantle."Bad trip?" I asked, hopping off the bench.  My legs were too short to touch the ground while i was sitting, and it felt good to stretch after being