Balam: Virgo the Pure (Trials of the Zodiac Book 2)

BATTLE ON THE HIGH SEAS

I was meant to be pure and motherly, while Aries was the opposite. He embodied the essence of a warrior. I daydreamed of our fights and how skillfully Aries moved through the chaos of combat, cutting down demons or whatever we had to face. I felt a sense of envy. I wanted to be like Aries.

In my early life, I did everything possible to mold myself into someone resembling him. I had fought chiefs, kings, and conquistadors throughout South America. I won many fights but was always left with an empty feeling. It took me quite a bit to admit to myself why that was.

I looked to my side and saw that one of the Atlantean crew members was growing anxious, seeing me pace back and forth, so I walked over to a railing and observed the water parting as our ship cut through it at a speed no human vessel could. The captain had taken us through a circumnavigation of Africa to reach the Gulf. The last report we received in the morning was that we were just past Madagascar.

The last time I had been on a boat this long was when I left Europe for Brazil. I had found a man to marry me who wanted to travel. Halfway through the journey, he had taken to drinking. Things went wrong, and I ended up tossing him into the Atlantic. I wish he had waited to turn on me because I barely survived a sudden storm without his help.

As I thought about my fear, I raked my fingers through my hair, which had grown longer than I typically allowed. The zodiacs didn't die like humans; only demon blood could protect us from mortality, but we still could suffer. I feared drowning, being stuck under the water, constantly expelling seawater, and then suffocating again for however long I remained under.

The salty tang of the saltwater permeated the air, filling my lungs and soothing my bones. I wondered what it must be like for Jalen to wield the power of the oceans. The night before, he had commanded the sea to sway and ripple through the air like a ribbon. He had always been great with mysticism; even after years without practice, he wielded magic better than I could ever hope. However, I could have practiced controlling magic delicately. I had studied under witches and shamans, employing their techniques as best as possible.

Deep in the forest, immersed in my studies alongside the shamans, I crossed paths with Xochiquetzal, the Aztec goddess of nature. She was a beautiful woman but dangerous. She had always told me I had already eclipsed her capability. Sadly, I had no memory of my past abilities, so her words were brushed aside. She was the one who told me that my body didn't fit who I thought I was, and one day I would change it. She was right.

After finishing the rest of the drink, I placed my glass on the ground and then squeezed tight on the railing, feeling the metal crunch against the force of my palms and fingers. Thoughts were swirling around my head like a storm. Anger raged as I recollected the harm Ophiuchus caused. I wanted to run my scythe blade through him. I knew we had several more journeys to go through before I could confront him, but he would pay for everything he had put me through when I did.

Admittedly, I didn't have too many memories of him. I could only reminisce about us fighting together in a single battle—the war between the Zodiacs and the Seven Sins. Leading the Seven Sins were the four original horsemen of the apocalypse. I didn't need my memory to know who they were. It was a part of most cultures' tales. Lucifer, Lilith, Beelzebub, and Namtar were united, wanting to shatter the world into pieces and refashion it in their twisted image.

I remembered that war as if it was yesterday. Most of my fellow Zodiacs had split off to fight a sin or horsemen alone, except for me and another Zodiac. He had a kind face and long black hair. His petite figure made him agile even in his brilliant white armor. In both hands was a shimmering battle axe. I knew him to be the Zodiac of Cancer. Like me, he stood in a supportive role in our clashes against evil forces. Therefore, we had been paired together to fight the sin of lust.