Though she would never dare utter this out loud, Juno Freya hated the Zodiac's new base of operations. Unlike the beautiful silver tower of Mor-Armag, this hastily built copy of dark purple and gold was ugly as sin.
The new tower would have been a marvel if everything about it didn't make her stomach churn by how wrong it felt. It's corridors were twisted and bent in illogical ways that made her head hurt just from trying to understand the intent behind their design.
The dark purple walls seemed to drink up the heat in the area making the entire tower cold to the bone. Every moment spent in it felt like walking naked though the snow, and Junos fingers had began to grow numb over time.
But worst of all were the shadows that danced within the far side of ones vision, everyone saw them but the moment they turned to get a better look, the shadows had vanished though you could always hear the faint echoes of their laughter mocking you.
It put everyone on edge and Juno had needed to help subdue many soldiers who had just snapped from the shadows constant harassmen. These troubled soldiers in their fugue states lashed out at the tower itself.
"And the numbers are rising every day." she thought as she remembered how the dungeons cells were being filled by those who should not be there. "If they keep increasing at this rate, then we will be out of soliders before Apotheosis even begins."
She knew exactly what these shadows were and it put her on edge, she could only imagine what those of lower rank who didn't know what was happening were feeling. No one wanted to be alone in the towers corridors, least the shadows potentially fall upon them physically, though far more worse would be mental tricks from those sadists.
This fear almost trumped the one that haunted them all in their sleep, the consequences of their treason. An utter betrayal of the oaths that they had taken as members of the Zodiac and most importantly, a betrayal of all those who believed in them as an institution and people.
Juno bore a physical reminder of this treason etched upon her left eye. She subconsciously brought her hand to carress the jagged scar that ran vertically across her eye, leaving a line of ugly raw mutilated flesh. It was a miracle that the Avalonian prince's blade had not taken her eye.
She supposed that she should be thankful that this was all she got and not a place amongst the many who had dead, but she could not help herself but seeth when she thought about him.
The wound was still freshly stitched together, so as she softly pressed her fingers across it, bursts of pain rushed through her entire body like a lightning bolt. She wanted to hiss in pain from the burning sensation, but she could, not here and not now.
She stood behind their lady in the new meeting room of the Zodiac, at the room center was a circular table made from a white wood. The table was so intricate in its design that it would have been near perfect, were it not for the cracks that etched it's surface from the battle which claimed it.
Around the table sat all of the legendary warriors of Zodiac, each one with a grim fear drawn upon their faces. Only lady Nimue sat as a picture of calm confidence.
The silence in the room was palpable, waiting was even more horrific than what was to come. The only sound in the room was the melodic swaying of an orb of water that hoverboard over the centre of the table.
"I do suppose that we can't put this off forever." their lady said as she made a swiping gesture with her hand and across the orb of water began to expand into a mirror twice the size of a full grown man.
A silver ripple kept dancing across the waters surface, this was a sign that someone was trying to communicate with them from the other side and that person was obviously the Emperor.
Juno shuddered as she dreaded to imagine what the Emperor wanted to say, what accusations he would level against them or even worse what their punishments would be. But that fear was instantly cast aside when she wondered if her parents knew what she and Ulfihild had done.
" We did it to bring peace, when he hears he will understand," she thought nervously, repeating the mantra over and over in her head, but she could not convince herself otherwise.
The waters surface began to morph as an image of their sovereign Emperor materialised upon it. Though he did appear in his usual regal splendour, as his armour was cracked and smeared in places with dried blood.
She could even see some slight bruising around his eyes and upon his cheeks. She fought of the urge to wince and look away as the Emperor's eyes fell over everyone in the room, even the Zodiac's did not look pleased to be here.
His breathing was heavy like a bull that was enraged though he quickly schooled his features into a smile that would have been warm if it had any mirth, but as it was it just looked predatory.
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"Lady Nimue, how good it is to see you after so long. Tell me, how goes your mission to..." he paused as if thinking of something before continuing. "...How unfortunate, I can't appear to remember where my greatest and best legion currently is, can you help me with that?"
"I am doing what you're illustrious ancestors always wanted my Emperor, a permanent end to this war."
"Of course..." the Emperor playfully face palmed before he continued. "... Forgive me, I should have known that provoking Avalon into entering the war and then pissing off to heavens know nowhere is supposed to bring the peace that we have all sought for over two thousand years."
The Emperor's face and tone now morphed into a snarl of pure rage, but the Lady did not back down from his burning gaze.
"Over five thousand and rising young men and women have lost their damn lives when I was finally despatching the Ocean Lord navel power in the south, your screw up showed up and rained down fire on us. You were explicitly ordered to leave Avalon alone!" saliva flew out of the Emperor's mouth as he ranted ."... Do any of you have any idea just what you have done?. And rather than aiding your fellow countryme..."
"Enough!" the Emperor's tirade was halted by the Lady's voice. Unlike the Emperor she did not exude a burning anger as she spoke with more authority and command.
"I serve because I feel like it, not because I owe the Empire anything, everything that you have, I delivered to you and your forefathers willingly. This little chat of ours exists only for me to let you know that we are breaking off from the Empire and bringing peace to the whole world, not just for your glory. So do not dare interfere with us, or else I will end the house of Umgothan."
The Emperor looked dumbfounded by what he had just witnessed and after a full two minutes he spoke with more control than before. "So this is it, treason of the highest level, all for some mad woman who wouldn't give two pissses about your family's who will meet Avalons missiles and artillery. Is this what you want your legacies to be known for, the treasonous Zodiac's who made an already bad situation much worse all so Nimue could live her saviour complex!"
No one dared say anything, they didn't even dare raise their eyes to meet the Emperor's piercing gaze.
"So be it, but know that you are hereby striped of your citizenships to the Empire and should any of you slither your way back here, the excecutioners axe is waiting for you." the Emperor declared before cutting the conversation and severing his image from the water mirror.
Juno let out a deep breath that she had not realized she was holding in. Every other Zodiac felt the same and they all slumped their shoulders in relief as the tension in the room was lifted.
"We are screwed," Gemini whispered.
No one dared argue with him, not even Virgo, the most spiteful amongst them. Infact the Zodiac of beautiful held an equally haunted look plastered upon her face.
"I understand how you all feel, but what we doooo..." Lady Nimue stopped speaking as a rough coughing fit took her.
Juno flinched as she watched the strongest person that she knew coughing like some sick patient who was slipping into deaths grip, but she knew better than to get close enough to help. The last aid who had dared to step in to help on their Lady's moment of weakness had lost his head.
Nimues skin became pale as snow and ugly pulsating purple veins became visible across her skin like a spiders web. Worst of all was the dark purple substance which splattered out of her mouth and nose with every rattling cough. Nimue let out a final cough that almost sent her tumbling off her seat.
"My lady, do you need some water?" one of the other aids asked from a distance as Nimue now took deep heavy breaths.
"No... no, I am fine. I just need to see him," she whispered as she tried to stand up but she stopped and winced in pain as she clutched onto her chest in pain before she sat back down.
"My Lady?!" Juno almost rushed towards her but Nimue raised her hand stopping the young Fae.
"I am fine, just bring Malath," Nimue forced out each pain word with beads of sweat rolling down her face.
Libra and her sister Ulfihild instantly leaped to their feet and they rushed out of the room for the next five minutes before the door of the room was knocked open as a Dullahan came crashing to the cold black floor.
The headless creature groaned in pain as it staggered to its feet but it was knocked down by the scarlet stinger of Scorpio. The scorpion Zodiac brought the poisonous tip of his tail close enough to the Night Terrors servered head as a silent warning for the Dullahan to stay down.
"You people do realise how rude it is to treat your ally like this," the Dullahan muttered in annoyance as Libra and Ulfihild stood behind him.
"If we are allies, then tell me what the hell is happening to me!" Nimue snapped with a painted groan.
"You are just feeling a little bit ill, I don't understand why you humans are so melodramatic," the Dullahan responded with a mocking bite to his voice.
Juno felt her blood boil in rage as she looked at the foul creature. Her hand subconsciously moved to the bone axe at her hip as she fantasied about striking the Night Terror with it. And judging from the cold glares everyone sent its way, none of them got act as Nimue rose up and grabbed ahold of the table.
She launched the one ton table barely an inch over the Dullahans head and Juno leaped in shock as she watched the table plough through multiple walls and out of the tower.
"Do I look to be in the mood, Malath!" Nimue roared and some invisible force yanked the Dullahan off the ground and into the air.
"Stop, let me go," the Night Terror shouted in a panic as it fruitlessly thrashed against the invisible forces that kept it suspended in the air.
Cracks and dents began appearing around the Dullahans midsection, almost as if some invisible force was slowly crushing it like a tin can. The creature in question tried to keep a strong front but the pressure become too much and Juno watched as it's dismembered head lost all vestiges of stoic indifference.
"Damn you, let me go!"
"Then talk," Nimue responded with a beastial growl.
"It's the Phantom King's shard, you overused it's power to defeat the Avalonian royals, it is now trying to interface with your body, but it is anathema to every part of your being."
"Is that why you implanted this within me, some foolish attempt to resurrect your master," Nimue snapped incensed as she rested her right hand on her chest, directly where the shard should be.
The Dullahan grimiced in pain as the invisible force increased its pressure even more and Juno could see trickles of the Night Terrors purple blood leaking through the cracks in its armour.
"No, no, no... I would never do that. This is just a shard of his power, the Phantom King can't be brought back." the Dullahan forced out in-between pained breaths. "Even if I could, I would sooner die than bring him back of all people....but I know a way to help you."
Nimues glared softened a bit and in response the Dullahan plumated to the ground, his invisible tortures having freed him and he took a moment to whimper pathetically on the floor.
"Talk, unless you want me to relieve you of more body parts other than your head."
"This has happened before... all you need to do is continue on your path to apotheosis. That amount of power rushing through your system will wash out the shard from your system."
Nimue sighed in relief and collapsed on her chair with all the tension in her body instantly washing away. "Then it looks like we need to push up our timetable before this thing eats me from the inside out."
"My lady," the red Zodiac known as Scorpio called as he leaped off his chair and to his knees in sycophantic praise. "Let me do it, I can bring even more of these Camelot's to heel in half the time. My methods and results speak for themselves above all others."
Juno winced as she remembered the fields of butchery that Scorpio always left in his wake. The man was genuinely an insane monster who no one wanted around them, even his fellow Zodiac.
"Go ahead Scorpio, you have the right to
act at your discretion." Nimue sounded tired when she spoke and that is the only that Juno could rationalize this big mistake.