The Zodiacs

78. Their Unearthing

"Damnit!" Seth cursed, not bothering to censor himself in front of the young girl when they met another wall. He spun around, his eyes searching for an exit past the surrounding wall of the palace that left them standing within a green garden in the dark night. But his gaze caught on the Aries that had already cornered them. "Stay behind me, Asarte," he pulled the girl protectively behind his back.

She retaliated, not liking the idea of placing the entire burden of facing the Aries on the single Sagittarius. "I can fight with you."

"Stay behind me," he demanded quietly, his expression growing serious when he met the eyes of the murderous Aries. Seth promised Tau --he wouldn't let anything happen to the youngest Zodiac. And, even though the Princess was no longer here to offer aid, he would do just that. The girl looked down at the way his knuckles whitened from the strength of his hold, Seth's hand beginning to quiver.

The Sagittarius pulled his two swords into either hand, releasing Asarte just as an envelope of crackling electricity began to circle the girl. She watched the air particles visibly condense all around her, revolving with more and more strength until a wall of bright current protected her on all sides.

"It all began this way too, did it not?" The Basha smirked, looking between the young Virgo and the boy as he slowly approached the two.

Asarte flinched when the man lifted a weapon she had failed to notice at all, bringing it toward Seth's head. The blazing cane illuminated the albino's pale complexion with a dangerous proximity when Seth raised his own weapons, crossing them above his head and holding off the attack. But the boy grunted when the older man pressed a burning hand into his chest, making him stumble back.

"Seth!" Asarte called out in worry when she caught sight of the small flame that her ally struggled to put out on his shirt. She could fight, she could help him, if only he'd let her out. But the boy knew the danger that came with their unexpected confrontation and he would not.

He raced forward, lifting the sword in his right hand to clash with the Basha's sizzling weapon. Glowing embers dropped onto the skin of his arm and Seth struggled to fight off the urge that coursed through his body to pull away. "Take that," he mumbled proudly as he slid his other weapon's cutting edge over the older man's stomach.

Stumbling back, the Basha's hand flew to his abdomen at the shot of pain that no doubt flooded his senses. His angry eyes slid down to land on the red stain the pouring blood had left on his arm.

"Blood!" Seth exclaimed in surprise, his humor still remaining regardless of the treacherous battle he found himself in. Asarte watched the way his eyes sparkled lightly in surprise --the seriousness had melted away so quickly to be replaced by the signature smirk the Sagittarius always wore before making a humorous remark. "Who would have thought," he chuckled.

But the light-heartedness fell from his eyes as Seth watched the Aries's arm turn to a gleaming red color that seemed all too inhumane to be a simple flush of blood. Slowly, the man held the younger Zodiac's gaze while he lifted his arm to his abdomen, pressing the limb with all its emitting heat into his fresh cut.

It sizzled, and the Aries flinched while Seth grimaced. He was sealing his wound in the same way that soldiers applied a hot iron to a deep cut, melting the skin until it closed over the gash. "Fascinating," the Basha admitted. "Now tell me, which one of you is the fire sign?"

Seth dodged to the side when the man raced toward him, partially surprised at the speed that the old rat seemed to have. He still had the upper advantage, right? I mean, the oldest Zodiac didn't know who he was truly fighting.

The Sagittarius spun around, lifting his sword to offer another attack that would cut through the man's back. But the shock of a sudden burning made him halt, dropping the weapon in his right hand onto the floor as he stumbled back in pain. Just beneath the right side of his ribs, the material of Seth's shirt was engulfed in bright sparks.