The Celestial Space felt more real than it had before. Instead of being made of star dust, Vincent was himself completely. He had his clothes, his phone, and his calendar all made up of the usual materials.
Luckily for Vincent, there weren't massive amounts of Aspected covering the horizon. He let out a sigh of relief and believed that the light was the proper moment that the celestial being had talked about before.
"Hello?" Vincent called out. There was no answer. He decided to trek in a straight path from where he entered from. The land looked the same all around him, just in much greater detail than before. The sand beneath his feet was still made up of glittering particles, but still matched the blackness that surrounded the entire area.
Vincent walked swiftly. His mind still raced with the thoughts of Will and Theresa. He hoped they weren't in too much danger, and he hoped they could get the sextant back from Cole to get home safely.
After becoming anxious from the worrying thoughts, Vincent had covered more ground faster. He tried to walk quickly over the black sand dunes. He didn't want to lose too much energy in case he was approached by one of the massive Aspected.
It wasn't long after when Vincent saw a large platform after he reached the crest of the next dune. There on the large marble platform were 14 thrones. Shimmering beings sat upon each one. This time, Vincent could see more than just beings made up of stars, like walking constellations. This time they looked like he did, all the colors filled in.
The 14 sat quietly as Vincent approached the platform. He could already tell who they were. He couldn't believe it, but he was sure that they were the 14 Zodiacs, sitting on thrones as if they were gods.
"Hello?" Vincent asked, his throat feeling dry as he stood before them.
"You made it back," a familiar voice boomed. It was the same voice from the large being when he first made it to the Celestial Space. This time, the voice came from what appeared to be Taurus. Vincent could tell based on the ♉︎ symbol near the base of the throne. Taurus was a bit larger than the surrounding Zodiacs. Their body was similar to that of a bodybuilder or weightlifter. Strength and power emitted off of their being.
"Before Taurus gets into their speech," another Zodiac spoke up as they stepped off a throne and proceeded to stand in front of Vincent. They were tall, slender, and wore glistening white robes. A crown of sorts was on top of their head, with the symbol of Celestic coming off of it. Celestic's voice was different from the others. As Vincent had learned that each Sign has a masculine or feminine affiliation, Celestic didn't have either. Along with that, Vincent was sure that the Zodiacs didn't fit into what he knew as men or women. They didn't appear to be either, but sometimes as if they could be both.
"It's quite an honor to see you in person Vincent. You were born as I came to be," Celestic chuckled. They looked back over their shoulder to the other Zodiacs, who weren't completely amused. "This group were as much surprised as all the Signed were when that happened."
"You're really Celestic then?" Vincent asked. He couldn't believe that the Celestial Space was an actual place that he could even be in. He wondered how many Signed knew that it existed or even theorized it.
Celestic smiled wider. "Yes! I am! The newbie Zodiac, and you are the one and only Celestic Signed."
Vincent felt a bit crushed by that. He was hoping there was other Celestic Signed out there somewhere, but it turned out, he was wrong. "So how am I here and how is this not in the textbooks of Apsis?"
The Zodiacs collectively laughed. Their voices echoed over the platform in a wave of energy. Vincent braced himself as the booming noise passed around him.
Virgo was the first to speak after they calmed down. They moved their long hair out of their face. "Well, it would be if they didn't use non-Signed astrology as a basis." The rest nodded in agreement.
"There are scholars that are on the right track, but they get shut down by the majority," Celestic added with a shrug.
Vincent nodded. He was still at a loss for words.
"If it helps, we didn't want to be in the picture more than we are," Ophiuchus said. Their voice sounded eerie, with a subtle hiss. "We aren't some gods to be worshiped. We are merely beings of this place that grant some people down there powers of the stars."
The cold voice sent a shiver up Vincent's spine. Ophiuchus looked like Cole but older and far more powerful. A black beard cover their face, and went down to their core.
"What about the Aspected?" Vincent decided to ask. All of the information was clear to him, but he still wasn't sure why he was granted this knowledge.
The Zodiacs became quiet. They all looked stern. Celestic let out a sigh. "That's because of the Signed."
Vincent tilted his head. "The Signed caused the Aspected?"
The celestial beings nodded. Ophiuchus leaned forward in their throne. "My own Signed to more precise."
Celestic moved out of the way so Vincent could get a better look at Ophiuchus. The others all looked towards their fellow Zodiac. "You see, Vincent, I have granted my powers to merely two people. You know them as Cole Python and Lloyd Argo. The former was to hopefully right the wrongs that my powers have brought among the world."
Vincent stared at the wizard-looking being. Ophiuchus frowned. "I suppose there is no reason to beat around the bush. Lloyd Argo is the reason that Aspected exist how they do."
Celestic sat back on their throne and said, "Aspected were always there, among the stars, similar to the Zodiacs."
Leo and Taurus both made agreeing grunts. "You saw me dealing with some the first time you were here," Taurus added. Vincent recalled the starry celestial animals that were on the horizon.
"So how did Lloyd cause them? Weren't hunter Signed always a thing?"
Ophiuchus nodded. "It might seem confusing to a Signed, but the things that Hunters sought out before were not the Aspected as they are known today. Hunters found strange astrological occurrences that disturbed the peace between non-Signed and Signed. Most of these were similar to the way you got here; pillars of light that Hunters could close from the outside. Rarely there were celestial creatures that live in the Celestial Space that would come out of these pillars and access points. They never attached to animals or people until the last few decades. Lloyd's being caused something to stir among the Aspected. We are not sure if it was fear of the dark, or if they simply were tampered by darkness, but Lloyd knew it and caused it to become worse.
The weapons that Signed now can call upon are simply fragments of his Signed powers imprinted onto every other Sign. Signed were never meant to be so barbaric. Swords, shields, and many other kinds of tools were not what Hunters were to use. Killing Aspected in this manner has caused the chaos to continue. There was no separation from the earthly beings and the celestial ones. The Aspected remain on Earth and merely seek another shell to hide in."
The information the Zodiac revealed to Vincent was everything that Apsis needed to know. Or perhaps they already knew, and continued under a charade. Vincent wasn't sure what they may or may not have been hiding, but he knew he could believe the Zodiacs.
"So why are the Aspected attracted to my powers?" Vincent asked. He wanted all the information he could get before he was sent back. He needed to be prepared to face the Heads.
Celestic smiled before they replied. "You're the only one who can separate the celestial powers from the earthly beings without causing the being to be killed in the process. It also sends the Aspected back to the Celestial Space. You have the ability to teach and show people that it doesn't have to end badly for any creature or human."
Vincent looked to his hands. The starry energy appeared around his hands and fingers. "So how do I show them the true way of the Signed?"
"Teach the others that it isn't about dangerous weapons. It's about what their own Sign gives them. Those powers can stop any Aspected. The Aspected can finally have a chance to return to their home here among the stars!" Celestic explained with excitement.
"But what will their powers do if they cannot separate the Aspected from the creature?" Vincent questioned.
The Zodiacs looked back and forth at each other. Capricorn finally spoke. "We aren't actually sure. No Signed had tried since the weapons came about."
Vincent was surprised. They all seemed wise in their knowledges of their own abilities and strengths. Capricorn especially. They looked like an old librarian. Their eyes seemed tired from having read every book in existence.
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"Well, I know of 3 other people who are more than willing to try," Vincent said with a smirk.
"We are pleased to hear. If you can try, it is a start. But first and foremost, Lloyd must be confronted," Ophiuchus demanded.
The other 13 Zodiacs agreed. Vincent was glad he had some answers. It was a start. It could pave the way for Evans to be credited properly for his discoveries and also stop innocent people and animals from being used by Aspected.
"So please go and help your friends and deal with the problem. We can only give the strength of the stars to those Signed willing to try. It's up to the Signed to stop the spread of these monstrosities," Cancer spoke out.
Vincent nodded to the relaxed-looking Zodiac. They sat with their legs up in their throne, seemingly more comfortable than the others.
"I'll do just that. But I do want to ask one more thing," Vincent said, finding the courage to face his Zodiac directly. "Why am I the only Signed under you?"
Vincent could feel all the other Zodiacs shift their gaze to Celestic, as if they were curious too. The one one sitting beside Celestic was Ophiuchus. They were the only one who didn't look towards Celestic.
The 14th Zodiac's face darkened. "That's a hard one to answer. It's about being born under the Sign. It's hard to do when it was a single moment in time."
With a sigh, Vincent figured that was the case. He didn't get his hopes up too high.
"Someday, I'm sure. Hopefully soon. Just stand patient and represent the Signed with the celestial light that we bring," the Zodiac added.
Vincent nodded. "I will. Thanks for granting me your powers as a Signed."
Celestic smiled, their face lighting up. Vincent was sure that no Zodiac had ever been thanked in person before. It was the last thing Vincent saw before the 14 Zodiacs all moved their hands and the Celestial Space seemed to fade into the stars. The thrones, platform, and Zodiacs seemed to burst into stardust and form their constellations.
Vincent blinked and found himself back in the forest. The pillar of light collapsed in around him as if it was now closed. The forest felt darker than before. Instinctively, Vincent brought a globe of his celestial energy to his hand to cast light.
Just as he left, the clearing was surrounded in Aspected humans. Vincent took a deep breath and burst into a sprint. He couldn't deal with them just yet. Soon, but not yet. He had to focus on getting to Will and Theresa.
The Aspected attempted to subdue Vincent, to no avail. They were too slow to catch him as he squeezed between them. "I promise to come help you all as soon as I can!" he managed to shout between his breathing.
The Aspected didn't reply beyond their grunts and moans from probably not being able to talk anymore. After a few minutes to make sure he was a safe distance away, he began to use his powers to get any trace of the other three. Cole had taken the bag back towards the academy. Vincent hoped they remained heading that way. He wasn't sure how much time had passed and if they had made it back yet.
The forest was quiet as he looked towards the academy. He imagined if the treetops weren't so thick, he would be able to see the observatory peaking over the trees. Vincent frowned when he remembered how long it took them to get out to the pillar of light. It could be too late before he could reach Apsis. He imagined the Heads expelling Will and Theresa and it would be his fault for encouraging them to help him out.
He shook his head to get his mind off those thoughts. His train of thought quickly changed when he heard someone shout out Will's name. Vincent stood straight and readied his powers. It was Theresa. Her shouting wasn't too far away.
Vincent made his way through the trees towards where the shout came from. The further he went, the more noise echoed through the forest. Trees crashed and shook. Vincent took caution as he approached a much smaller clearing. He peered around a standing tree to see Theresa and Will battling a massive snake. It stood as tall as the trees that surrounded them. It was as thick as several of the tree trunks. Cole seemed to be controlling it. Vincent assumed that something with the Ophiuchus powers allowed them to control these abnormal Aspected.
"Do you really have to hide behind your creatures?" Will demanded. He was bleeding a bit from his mouth. He wiped it on his arm.
"You're just jealous that I can control them. You're all just jealous!" Cole shouted.
"We're not jealous, Cole," Theresa scoffed. "We're just trying to do the right thing for the knowledge and advancement of Apsis and all Signed."
Cole frowned. He motioned and the giant snake shot towards Theresa. She jumped out of the way, floating gently. The snake crashed into the ground but recovered without hesitation.
Vincent knew he had to do something to get their bag back. The sextant would help them get back with the information they needed to give to Evans. He stepped out from behind the tree.
"Vincent!" Theresa and Will shouted happily.
Vincent smiled back to them. Cole and his snake moved to face all three of them. "You made it out of that mess then," he spat out at them.
"I'm pretty lucky I suppose," Vincent replied. He wasn't sure if mentioning the Zodiacs would be good or bad. He decided to keep it to himself.
Cole frowned more. "I'm going to be in the spotlight once I take care of you three out here."
"Do you really need to fight us?" Theresa asked. "You have the sextant. You could go back to the academy and report to the Heads and your mentor Argo."
Cole shook his head. "I am not going to get in trouble again. I was the star! Everyone looked up to me. Lloyd said we deserved that attention with the power our Sign brings to the world. I can't have you guys causing more trouble for me anymore!"
Vincent couldn't believe what he was hearing. Cole was willing to kill them to keep himself the top student in the academy's eyes. He knew Cole was full of himself, but not to this degree.
The snake darted at the three of them. Vincent reacted with his celestial powers to keep the snake from landing its hit. The large creature hissed loudly as it was stuck in place.
"No you don't!" Cole shouted as he summoned his sword and jumped down towards Vincent.
Vincent remembered his power would attract the other Aspected so he let go, causing the snake to fall where it was. He backed away as Cole landed between him and the snake.
"I will *not* have any of your shenanigans tonight. This beast is mine, and not yours to get rid of." Cole pointed his sword at Vincent. The snake stood back up and turned to Will and Theresa. "Get them, and I'll focus on this Celestic boy."
The snake darted after the other two. Vincent watched both of them summon their weapons. "Will! Theresa! Don't use your weapons on the snake! They are products of Ophiuchus' power given to Lloyd and Cole!"
"What?" Will demanded as he dismissed the watery energy that came around his hands as wrapping. He rolled away from the oncoming creature, letting it continue after Theresa.
"Killing Aspected that way doesn't solve anything. I'm pretty sure it has some sort of beneficial gain for Lloyd!"
Will hesitated but nodded. "I don't know if that's a smart way to approach this, but I'll believe you."
"Let's just say the stars align in that path," Vincent replied.
"Shut up!" Cole yelled as he swung his sword towards Vincent. Vincent was able to jump back away from him. Vincent continued to glance at his friends. They both had put their weapons away, but looked as if they weren't sure what to do now. Will continued to try and attack the snake with his brute strength, but it didn't have the same impact.
"I hope you know what you're talking about Vincent. This seems like a one sided battle now," Will called out.
"I hope so too," Vincent replied as he kited Cole more. In Cole's rage, he was a lot worse with his blade. His swings were sloppy and easy to avoid, causing Cole to become more and more angry as he attacked Vincent.
The Celestic Signed couldn't play defensive any longer. Vincent gathered celestial energy and tossed it at Cole. He had to take a chance to trick Cole. Cole dodged the attack and began to laugh. A quick reaction thrust from Cole caused Vincent fell back onto the ground to avoid getting stabbed. Cole pointed the sword to Vincent's chest.
"You should aim better next time, if you even get one," Cole taunted.
"I wasn't aiming for you actually."
Cole tilted his head. Through the loud sound of the massive snake tearing up the forest ground as it chased the other two, shuffling became more and more apparent. Cole looked around to the trees.
"You're not the only one who can control them," Vincent lied. It caused Cole to back away from him and ready his blade for the Aspected that began to work their way through the trees. It was a mix of both the Aspected humans and the animals.
"That's not possible! Lloyd said it was only Ophiuchus Signed!"
Vincent shook his head as he pushed himself back to his feet. He watched the snake stop chasing the other two. It began to defend Cole from the other Aspected. Will and Theresa moved around the Ophiuchus Signed and the snake.
"I'm glad you did that," Theresa said between breaths.
"We still need that bag," Will added, less out of breath. He managed to point at the enraged Cole.
Vincent knew they had to get the bag, as well as prevent Cole from killing any of those animals and people. He acted quick and cast his energy onto the large snake. With a swift pull, he pulled the Aspected out of the snake. The snake quickly slithered away in the opposite direction from the oncoming Aspected.
Cole charged the Aspected. Vincent charged towards them as well. "Get the sextant if you can!" Will called out as he started to move behind Cole.
Vincent pushed some Aspected out of the way of Cole's blade. The celestial wave kept them out of the weapon's reach.
"You summoned them here and you don't let me fight them?" Cole asked.
"They aren't for you to fight. They can't be touched. Not anymore," Vincent replied.
Cole frowned. "They are a Hunter's property to destroy. I'm going to be the best Hunter in all of Apsis history!" He began to run towards the trapped Aspected. Vincent struggled to keep them at bay. He knew if he tried to stop Cole, they would swarm all of them.
Will grabbed the bag, halting Cole's assault towards the Aspected. Will reached into the bag and grabbed the sextant. Cole gripped his sword and smacked Will with the pummel. Will fell back with the sextant in hand, but lay still.
"Will!" Vincent called out, letting his energy go. He ran passed Cole to check on Will. Blood was running off of his head. Theresa also knelt down to Will and ripped part of her shirt to press against the wound.
"You and your friends are weak. I'll take care of these Aspected and make my way back to Apsis as a hero that cleared the forest."
Vincent clenched his teeth. He looked to Theresa. She grabbed the sextant with the other hand and handed to Vincent. He looked at it carefully and then looked back to Cole watching the shambling Aspected closing in.
One of the Aspected that was under the powers of Cancer moved in, swinging a giant pincer at Cole. Cole didn't seem prepared. He took the pincer directly, but continued to fight as two other Aspected flanked him. The trees and ground rumbled and erupted as more and more Aspected appeared.
"We need to go now, Vincent. He wanted to stay, let him stay!" Theresa yelled.
Vincent looked at the sextant and began to point it towards Apsis. An Aspected dog burst from the forest and went directly for Vincent. A sharp pain shot through his shoulder as the dog bit down on him.
Theresa moved one hand and caused the dog to be blown off of Vincent. The teeth ripped more at him as the dog was pushed. Adrenaline shot through Vincent. He knew he had to take Cole with them. He reached for Cole and pulled him to the others. An Aspected barely missed him with a swing, still catching Cole across the chest.
Once Cole was connected to them, Vincent activated the sextant. The world folded and bent around them, just as it did the first time Evans used it. In seconds, the four were in the Heads office. It was empty, but Vincent knew they needed help. He dropped the sextant and pressed his free hand onto the calendar to call any Heads or Hunters to help them.
All energy seemed to suddenly escape Vincent. It was only seconds before he passed out as the pain came surging back.