User blog:Elhana 4stars/Chapter 5 - War in the Heavens

Chapter 5 - War in the Heavens

Virgo, one of the twelve zodiacs looked around the hall. All of the twelve Zodiacs were there in this huge celestial hall which was suspended in the heavens. Directly above them, the sun could be seen clearly, except that this hall was far closer to the sun than Earth was. At this distance, the sun hung like a massive blazing ball of fire in the black universe above the celestial hall.

Virgo looked over to Libra. She was one of the zodiacs who was considered her closest friend. Libra was a studious looking girl in glasses with bluish white hair.

“Libra … why must we fight here, so close to the sun, and will this really decide anything?”

Libra looked back at Virgo, sighed a bit and said.

“Virgo, this will decide absolutely nothing. The powers of the twelve zodiacs are equal, and no matter how close to the sun we move to, it won’t change anything. This whole battle is futile!”

Virgo turned back, sighing along as well. She agreed with Libra, but they were a minority unfortunately. Already, she could sense the build up in power as the rest harnessed the energies of the sun nearby. She raised her hands towards the sun and allowed the sun’s powerful rays to suffuse her, turning herself into a conduct for its power…

Time passed. Was it an eternity? Or had it only been a moment? But as Virgo clutched her head, she knew that it didn’t matter any more. All she knew was that this had been a colossal mistake. Things were spiralling out of control. The sun’s power kept on pouring into her, and she couldn’t stop it. It had been invigorating at first, then it had become like a drug, heightening all of her senses and powers to an ectasy beyond whatever she had ever dreamed of. But then it had continued. Power kept on powering through her like that of an ever flowing river. Virgo tried to scream, to call out, to try and shut it off. But it was too late, nothing but a whimper crept from her throat. She tried to hang on desperately, hoping that somehow, sometimes, it would stop.

Through blurry eyes, she could see all the other zodiacs experiencing the same agony that she was. Power was coursing through all of them, but it was going out of control. None of them could control it. Libra, who was nearest to her, was trying to scream a wordless cry. Virgo, tried to reach out her hand towards her, hoping for and seeking comfort. But her eyes widened in horror as Libra form wavered, and finally split apart. Her arms lengthened, a huge golden angel like wing sprouted from one shoulder while another similar but darkened wing sprouted from the other side. Libra expanded in size even as her skin split apart and reformed.

Virgo could not even offer any comfort to her closest friend for similar changes were happening to her as well. Pain ripped through her entire body, but no sound emerged other than a strangled little cry. Her body was expanding as well and splitting apart. Virgo’s vision was fading, her eyes were closed now. Soon, there was nothing left but that everlasting and excruciating pain…

The twelve Zodiacs, corrupted by the sun’s overwhelming power had now lost all reason and they mindlessly tore at each other and themselves, trying to find some escape. They had forgotten even why they were originally there, or who they were. The sun’s power, infused into them had turned them into something totally different now. Massive energies were unleashed as the galaxy war erupted. Then amidst the turmoil, one massive metallic form blazing with energies, encasing the limp pathetic body of a girl once known as Virgo, was launched out of the celestial hall and plunged like a meteor towards earth. The now monstrous Virgo Fallen screamed out its anguish and horror into the heavens, promising death and destruction. Far below, the interstellar Tanabata festival, held in the stars stood directly in its path of descent…

She was the organiser of the interstellar Tanabata Festival. Pink hair was tied up in a fashionable bow atop her head and she was dressed in a purple puffed up ball gown. Orihime looked across at her sweetheart Hikoboshi and smiled fondly. Even though he looked rather exhausted, he still looked totally handsome to her.

“Orihime, why are we spending so much effort with the previous time we have this year organising such a massive event? I am so tired! I much rather we just cherish this once in a year opportunity we have with each other quietly like we have always done…”

Hikoboshi gave a big stretch and a yawn. Orihime walked over to where he was sitting and gently placed her hands on his shoulders and started to massage it gently. Hikoboshi’s complaints trailed away as he was silenced by Orihime’s gentle ministrations.

“Poor dear! Sorry to make you work so hard this year! We have celebrated our once a year union with just the two of us for thousands of years now, this year you know I wanted to try something different. Besides … wouldn’t it be sweet if through our efforts, more lovers could come together. I never want anyone else to have to suffer the kind of separation that we are forced to endure even till today.”

At this, Orihime’s gentle soft voice trembled just a little and her hands slowed. Hikoboshi reached up and grasped her hands firmly. He turned and rose to face her, cupping her delicate face with one hand.

“Orihime, you are right. I am sorry if I was complaining. You know I would do anything for you... Let’s make sure this festival is a big success and a memorable one for all that have joined this year!”

Orihime smiled and blushed a little under Hikoboshi’s tender look. She clasped her hands around Hikoboshi and hugged him tightly. For a moment, the two said nothing and just lost themselves in each other’s arms. Their love had endured for thousands of years and even now, it was still as strong as it once was.

Suddenly, a loud knocking on the door shattered the quiet intimate moment, startling both of them.

“This is Captain Devine of the Inquisition arm of the ghost guild! Open the door!”

Outside, a stern faced man dressed in a captains outfit with a chiselled face stood at the door, pounding on it impatiently. A whole contingent of the ghost guild’s inquisition’s guard stood behind him. One of the sergeants on the guard asked

“Captain Devine, what if they won’t open the door?”

The captain turned to the Sergeant and said

“Then we will break it down by force!”

He turned back and pounded on the door again.

“Open the door! We know you are in there Orihime and Hikoboshi! This is my last warning, we will enter by force after this!”

Finally, the Captain heard the click of the lock and slowly the door opened. Orihime and Hikoboshi peeked out hesitantly from the doorway.

“What may we do for you, Captain?”

Hikoboshi asked, his voice held a tremor in it as he and Orihime beheld the large number of guards behind the Captain.

“We will talk inside… Sergeant! You stay outside here with half of the men!”

Captain Devine ordered his sergeant and he then strode through the doorway with half of the inquisition following closely behind.

“Hmmm, I don’t like this. Why is the Ghost Guild’s Inquisition here in such force at the festival and what do they want with Orihime and Hikoboshi?”

The voice came from a woman who was sitting on the roof of a nearby house. She had clear emerald eyes and long red lustrous hair. Her face had a pale exotic beauty with a hint of coldness. Her angular features stood in sharp contrast to her long red tresses. Those emerald eyes currently bore a hint of worry as she took in the scene.

“Darling, its really not our business, but I am guessing you still want to stick your pretty nose into this, and ruin our lovely date …”

Sitting beside her on the roof was a man with stylish short hair and a youthful face. He was dressed in comfortable but trendy clothes and he had a relaxed unperturbed air about him. He smiled and gave a languid stretch even as he threw that backhanded comment at the woman sitting beside him. She shifted just a little in irritation at his cavalier tone, but as she pondered the situation further, she let it drop. He had always been like that. She made up her mind and stood up.

“I am going to go and take a look, stay here and wait for me, Crobat. This won’t take long!”

And without waiting for an answer, she leapt lightly off the roof and landed on the adjacent roof of the building from which Captain Devine had just entered. But she turned to see Crobat landing silently right next to her as well.

“Batty… “

Her warning tone spoke volumes even as her emerald green eyes looked straight at Crobat, challenging him.

“I just don’t want to miss the fun darling! Don’t worry, I promise I won’t interfere at all. If you want, I won’t lift a single finger to help you if you run into trouble!”

His smooth unhurried reply belied the ease in which he had kept pace with her. He answered her stern look with raised eyebrows and a slight wry grin. She sighed a little and assented silently. He could be just as stubborn as she was about certain things, though he was the perfect gentlemen… most of the time.

“Fine, let’s go, Crobat!”

“Of course, my dear. Lead the way!”

Crobat smiled. His date with Elhana had taken a very interesting turn …