#fantasy text

In the Tower of Heaven, what was supposed to be a winning battle turned into a losing one. Goons surround the 12 Zodiacs who are weak on the ground, their strength sapped from them. Reonix (Leo Sign) is being dragged away as Virgo (Luke's kid) desperately reaches out a hand and lets out a silent scream. The remaining members try fighting back like Aries who inevitably gets taken down and restricted. Reonix at this moment was unconscious, his necklace having completely broke in this last round. His hair slowly turned red while being dragged upwards, just like his right eye when it broke in the previous round of fighting. Was there even a coming back for him?

They were told little about his situation when it first happened. How Reonix's life was somehow tied to that pendant. How that red was counting how many more hits it would take until he would be gone forever. Just three, and he just took a hit now. Two more and he's gone. Right then and there, the Zodiacs made a promised. To not let their friend die, as he would with them. TO keep fighting to keep him safe.

"Such annoying brats," a goon says. They kick down on Taurus, who just tried grappling on to them.

From the darkness, a figure appears. Wearing a clock with a fire symbol, he holds out a hand. Everyone stops to stare as the room suddenly fills with tension and pressure. Through his mask, his voice can be heard albeit muffled.

"Enough," he commanded. "Cease this fighting, we have now the sacrifice, the vessel to bring back and house our God." The figure gestures to the man carrying Reonix to place him on the altar behind him.

"And now, you 'Zodiacs,' will watch our God be reborn!"

The Zodiacs freeze in shock and fear. If everything they heard was true, then they'd be in trouble. Reonix would be in trouble. This God they speak of has the potential of harming many- has the potential to harness corruption. Not to mention that he can never die, can never be hurt for he regenerates right after. And just for some reason Reonix had his "Energy," the vital component in resurrecting this God.

"REONIX WAKE UP! WAKE UP YOU IDIOT, PLEASE!" Libra shouts, a desperate call- a plea. But not after their yell, a goon struck them down.

The others, despite knowing what may happen do the same. Still fighting back against the pressure in the air. And like Libra, Aries and Taurus before them, they all fell harder than before. Meanwhile the goons retorted back, telling them to shut their mouths, that they were annoying and persistent brats.

Virgo was the last to go down, and she saw the figure do something. She saw the figure reach out their hand and gave an order: "Honestly, I was expecting retaliation but never this much. I was going to let you all live, to see the grace of our God before ending your pitiful lives. However at this point, you might just not see him. Kill them all, leave no Zodiac alive. Truly believe though that you'd live long enough to see his beauty."

Everyone else was unconscious, so only she heard them. And if only they weren't tied up and beat down would they have fought back even more. And if only she had a voice would be able to call for everyone. But it was no use. No one would hear here. No one would listen to her cries.

Tears prickled and fell down Virgo's face. The goons who surrounded them got closer, holding their weapons tightly. On their face was pure bloodlust and sadism.

"Hey, I think our God would love to eat this beauty," one remarked, looking at Virgo's weeping face straight in her eyes. Because of this, she quickly shut her them to avoid looking at the man's face, to avoid looking at death.

In her mind she pleaded, please, please wake up Reo.... I'm scared... didn't you promise to save me when we're in danger? When I'm in danger? Please Reo... Mark... open your eyes.... Save me-

The sound of air whooshing down entered her ears. She tensed up for the blow, the blow that never came. Instead all she heard was clanking of metal. Opening her brown eyes she saw... Reonix. Reonix was somehow standing, somehow moving to block the goons attack. Her eyes widened in surprise out of this. And it looked like it wasn't only her.

The figure, the goon carrying him, and the ones surrounding them now were all shocked. How could a man, unconscious before, suddenly get up and move? Hell, how was he even fast enough to get there?

"Y-you," the goon stuttered. Clearly he was mad, but there was a hint of nervousness, or was it fear?

"STOP HIM!" the figure yelled from behind, "RECLAIM THE SACRIFICE! THE VESSEL!"

Suddenly all of the goons came before Reonix who just clicked his tongue in annoyance. Now something about Reonix felt off, that Virgo could tell. It sounds a bit weird but the body language was different- right now he felt stiff and all. Usually his body would be excited, or not stiff. Anyone who was around him long enough, as well as having the skill to read body languages could tell as her.

"Damnit, activating in a time like this? You've got to be kidding me..," Reonix said, annoyed. "In a time I learned some idiots were trying to revive me... a time where I have to save this sorry of a fighting group. This seriously has to be a joke."

"But that's fine. I get to move one last time, make up for my disappearance to them. Don't you agree?"

Then a goon yelled, "What are you blabbering about!? Huh!? Answer!" They swung their axe down, but Reonix dodged it. And while that, he caught a glimpse of Virgo with his two red eyes.

Once on stable ground, he said: "Hey you, you can hear me right? Can you move? If you can, run. Take the rest of your pathetic friends while you're at it. You would not want to be in this crossfire. Not while I'm active at least."

Virgo nodded, shakily standing up. She went towards the others and brought them back from unconsciousness, urging them to quickly get up and move. Despite their questions on what the hell Reonix was doing in the background handling all those goons alone when he was that bad of a state, Virgo just continued. She too wanted to know what was going on with Reonix, but the way he was acting now.. it was scaring her a bit. But even then she still felt safe, and had the obligation to act out his orders. Because one thing was clear, Reonix was, no, is incredibly powerful as of now. She can feel his Energy, and she wouldn't want to get in the way of that.

In the background, Reonix yelled out: "Now you suckers, ready to see HELL!?"

* (<-battle here, battle there, I'm not qualified to write a battle scene. Go watch Fairy Tail fighting scenes, they're close enough)

The entire tower was destroyed. The Tower of Heaven is gone, leaving nothing but rubble and bodies. And a very obviously-not-Reonix-but-somehow-Reonix standing over it. Looking at the entire thing, the Zodiacs were in shock.

"H-hey... isn't this... a little too much?" Scorpio said. "Even I wouldn't go that far with such power..."

Reonix turned around, "Whether or not if it was 'a little too much,' you all should be thanking me for saving your sorry a-"

"But who are you?" Gemini asked, stumbling forward to Reonix. "You don't seem like Reonix."

"...," Reonix stayed quiet. "Well now that's going to be difficult to explain. But it'll make sense once we all get back to Empire while I still have time..."

"What? What does that eve-"

"But first-" Reonix turned around to face the rubble, and went over to a body.

"Hey! Don't cut-"

"-maybe I should replenish my Energy," he unsheathed his sword and cut a finger from the body. Slowly he crouched down, picked it up and put it in his mouth.

"Wha... WHAT!?" everyone screamed.

And just as suddenly as Reonix put the finger in his mouth, he spat it out. "Damn, I forgot it no longer works like that. I'm not undead... I can't take the Energy out of it.... More or less, the code..."

"WHY DID YOU DO THAT?" they yelled as Reonix turned to face them. "AND WHAT CODE AND UNDEAD?!"

"None of your concern, now let's go," he said, nonchalantly walking past them.