“What could be inside?” asked Aurin, shaking the egg he had won from being the ultimate victor at the Tamer Day skirmish.

“Whatever it is, it’s going to be scrambled by the time you hatch it,” giggled Luna as the two walked towards her house at sunset with only Shamtile still accompanying them. The rest of their friends had headed to their own homes and the rest of Aurin and Luna’s Minakai were already back at the ranch with Kyle.

“Maybe I can use this on it?” Aurin pondered, holding up a Solar Shard he won from the water race.

“Are you showing me your prizes just to brag that you won first place twice and a second place?”

“Of course not,” said Aurin, “but Lord Kensington did call me the Prince of Hazelton.”

“Are you sure that he wasn’t mocking you?”

“Why would he be mocking me? The man clearly recognises talent.”

“If you keep talking, your head is going to grow too big to fit through the door later.”

At this, Shamtile leapt onto Aurin’s shoulder and started feeling his tamer’s head, worried that it was indeed starting to swell.

“Get off,” grunted Aurin, picking Shamtile up by the scruff of the neck and putting him back onto the pavement. “She was joking.”

By the time the trio arrived at Luna’s house, the sun was almost out of view and the sky was turning purple. It had been a long day, but the two tamers had enjoyed themselves. Although Aurin wasn’t overly keen on the chaos of a large skirmish battle and much preferred the tactics of one-on-one fights instead.

“I’ll see you tomorrow?” asked Aurin as they stopped in front of Luna’s front gate.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” said Luna with a smile and she stood on her tiptoes to kiss Aurin on the cheek.

Aurin leaned in too and kissed her on the lips while Shamtile looked on in confusion at this bizarre human ritual. Were they about to about to attack each other? Neither of them had any magic to speak of and Aurin had the size advantage, so there was no doubt in the little Minakai’s mind that his own tamer would emerge victorious.

Luna sank back onto her heels, her face glowing. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” she repeated as she headed inside.

“Come on, mate,” said Aurin, tapping Shamtile his head spikes and pricking his finger.

Aurin walked down the street and Shamtile paused in confusion for a moment before scurrying along after his tamer. The two made for the ranch and Aurin’s grin remained on his face with each step that he took.

As the two neared the edge of town, Shamtile stopped dead and grew tense. “What is it, Shamtile?” Aurin asked the reptile. Shamtile placed his palms on the ground and focused. “Is someone following us?

“He’s very astute,” came a cold, deep voice from the shadows of the street.

“So which one are you?” asked Aurin, readying his tamer glove to call for backup.

“There will be no need for that, at least not right away,” came the voice as the dark figure emerged. He was clad in black and white with a mask that Aurin had seen before.

“Taurus,” said Aurin, his heart pounding at being face to face with the leader of the Zodiac Squad. “What do you want?”

“I’ve been wanting to speak to you for some time, Aurin, but I have always had other pressing matters. I believe that I can delay it no longer on account of you getting stronger and more intent on interfering with our mission.”

“If you’ve figured me out at all, you’ll know that I’m not going to stop.”

“Come,” said Taurus, walking past Aurin and beckoning him to follow.

Aurin did not move, refusing to take his eyes off Taurus. Shamtile, likewise was ready to launch an attack at the Zodiac leader. It was rare for the magical lizard to have any willingness to hurt a human, but for this he would make an exception.

“Do you see any Minakai?” asked Taurus as he stopped. The man refused to look back, continuing to stare at the path ahead. “Ask your little friend to check if he can sense anything.”

“Shamtile?” asked Aurin.

Shamtile shook his heard and let out a low warbling squeal.

“You’re sure?” Aurin asked his Minakai, who grunted as confirmation.

Knowing that it was foolish, Aurin walked up to Taurus and the pair walked along the path out of Hazelton. Aurin suspected he was being taken to Harmony Tower, but this was also bringing them closer to Kyle’s ranch where the rest of his team were resting. If things took a bad turn, he would summon them in for backup then make one of them fetch Kyle himself.

“Where are we going?” asked Aurin, trying to get confirmation from Taurus.

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“To witness true power,” said the Zodiac elite with zero hesitation.

“Ethruki?”

Taurus did not answer and simply continued walking. As Aurin suspected, they changed direction at the fork in the road that separated the path to Kyle’s ranch and the monster tower. Once the two stood before the tower, Taurus stared up at it. He carefully drew his eyes from the door all the way to the top where the familiar shadowy aura swirled in the night sky.

“Magnificent, isn’t it?” asked Taurus, his cold voice now filled with wonder.

“It is,” agreed Aurin.

“We could reach all the way to the stars and we would still never see anything as wondrous as these structures. Structures entirely of human design, imbued with the magic of our forebears. Truly the greatest mystery in the world.”

Aurin’s curiosity was piqued, remembering what Virgo had said to him. “Do you believe the story about Doran the Reclusive and how Minakai first arrived on Earth?”

“I do,” said Taurus, his eyes still fixated on the tower.

“Why?”

“That is a question I do not have an answer to, Aurin,” said Taurus. “Perhaps one day soon, I will understand, but I feel that it is true deep down in my soul. All it takes is one great man to change the world, for good or for bad.”

“And which one are you?” asked Aurin.

“I am a man who does everything for a greater purpose. I will commit an act of mercy if it will further my goals. Similarly, I will steal for the same reasons. Nothing can distract me from my mission, but that does not mean that I take pleasure in everything I do.”

“At least you’re open about it,” said Aurin with a small laugh. “There are others in your organisation who perceive themselves as the good guys.”

“We are not good guys or bad guys,” said Taurus, finally turning away from the tower. “We are believers in a single goal. The restoration of the world to the way it should be. One way or another, we will make it happen or we will die doing so.”

“And if I were to stop you right now?”

“Then another would take my place, for I am not the only true believer. The Zodiac Squad is the hydra that, when a head is removed, will spawn another. All of your interference is only hardening the resolve of our members, so you’ve been useful in that regard. It’s why you’ve been left unpunished. There is nothing like having a common enemy to unify a people.”

“Didn’t you say that I was becoming true strong for my own good?” asked Aurin.

“In a sense, yes,” said Taurus, walking into the forest and signalling for Aurin and Shamtile to follow. “I do not like you, Aurin, why would I? I do, however, respect your drive, for it is the same drive that I have but directed towards a different goal.”

“I’m not exactly a fan of you either.”

“You are an ignorant child, Aurin. Capable as you may be, you understand nothing of the how and why my organisation does what it does. Nor do I think you would care if I were to explain it all down to the most minute detail. I believe, however, that you’re someone who recognises power when you see it.”

“And you’re here in person to warn me off?”

“Yes,” said Taurus, stopping in a clearing and holding up his own summoning glove where a single turquoise crystal was slotted in place.

“Ah, so it’s a battle then?” asked Aurin.

“It is.”

“I’ll agree to it on one condition,” said Aurin. “If I defeat you, then you dissolve the Zodiac Squad.”

Taurus let out a loud laugh. “I’m impressed with your boldness, Aurin. So confident am I that you do not stand a chance, I will agree to those terms. Three Minakai of your choosing against a single one of mine. Summon them all to fight together if that’s what you would prefer.”

Aurin held up his tamer glove and called Spikruption and Leonite to join Shamtile. With a deep breath, Taurus focused his energy on his summoning stone and it began to glow a bright turquoise, bringing forth the large teal bull to the forest. It stood tall with its tail swinging and segmented yellow stomach illuminated by its shimmering aura.

“Let’s finish this quick,” Aurin said to his Minakai as they charged at their target.

Shamtile, Leonite and Spikruption were inches from Ethruki when it vanished in a burst of light, reappearing behind Spikruption a second later and headbutting him to the ground. Leonite swiped at the cosmic bull, but it spun around at lightning speed and smacked the lion in the face with its tail, flinging him across the clearing.

Shamtile leapt backwards and conjured a dozen rocks then unleashing them at his target. Ethurki’s eyes glowed and the rocks froze in place. Shamtile tried to will them to move again, but Ethruki flipped them around and hurled them at Shamtile who brought forth a rock wall just in time. A moment later, Ethruki smashed through the wall and trampled the masked lizard.

Spikruption spat a wave of flame at the mighty Minakai and in the distraction, Leonite pounced from the side. He sank his claws deep into Ethruki who took the on the intense heat of the Spikruption’s fire without even flinching. The bull jumped up and rolled over, slamming Leonite into the ground.

Shamtile punched the bull in the head with a rocky fist while Spikruption whipped it with his tail. It barely acknowledged the attacks, throwing Leonite aside and stomping viciously on the Minakai. There was nothing Leonite could do other than curl up until his allies could rescue him from the relentless assault.

A lucky punch from Shamtile struck Ethruki in the eyes, where it roared an echoing roar and suddenly started to move faster than before. It moved as though someone had hit the fast forward button on a video, quickly moving between each of Aurin’s Minakai and attacking them. It attacked until all Shamtile, Spikruption and Leonite were all unconscious and unable to continue the fight.

“That’s enough,” said Taurus, but Ethruki was too angered by Shamtile’s attack. It started ramming into the trees and tearing up the bushes, destroying the area around the clearing. “Stop!” demanded its master, who was failing to keep it under control.

Taurus held up his tamer glove and banished Ethruki to parts unknown, then sighing. Aurin could see that Conrad’s source was correct, the Zodiac Squad leader was struggling to truly harness the cosmic Minakai’s power.

“Do you see the power of this Minakai now?” asked Taurus.

“Do you?” asked Aurin. “If you hadn’t sent it away, what could it have done? Would it have turned on us?”

“Ethruki is a work in progress,” said Taurus calmly, “which is why I cannot tolerate your transgressions any longer. You are to stop interfering or the playing nice ends. Minakai are resilient, but they are not immortal. You would do well to keep that in mind, Aurin.”

Aurin summoned Dolissile to his side. “Give me the summoning stone, Taurus,” he said to the Zodiac leader.

Taurus started to laugh. “You are indeed bold,” he said, “but you are outnumbered.”

“I am, am I?”

Taurus clicked his fingers and suddenly a dozen Minakai appeared at the edge of the clearing. He recognised two of the Doripper as being those belonging to Pisces. While Shamtile was distracted by the fight, he had failed to notice Taurus’s backup approaching.

“Heed my warning, Aurin,” said Taurus as he disappeared into the trees.

Aurin was left standing in the clearing with his Dolissile. He was shaking, seeing just how easily Ethruki had outmatched three of Aurin’s strongest Minakai at once. There was no tactic he could think of that would have changed the outcome. He truly had seen the power of Ethruki and he suspected that he had only scratched the surface.