The Last Celestial

The Wrath of the 8th House

Jacqueline's voice grabbed Andrew and Hyacinth's attention. Timothy, who's standing right next to her chimed and chorused along with her, asking the two inheritor's of the Celestial being's powers to make a move so that they may begin their journey towards the Fortress of Scorpio.

"Andrew, Hyacinth." Timothy called this time around. "Let's go, now. If we slow our pace, the cold winds will be unbearable and we'll be taking too much precious time... I just---" The tall Keeper paused, then shivered when the cold winds brushed against his uncovered skin.

'Why didn't I bring a jacket or a hoodie?!' Timothy closed his eyes as he felt goosebumps trail from his neck down to his back. He was so cold that he was gritting his teeth and his body was shivering all over.

Andrew noticed this and was forced to hold on his laughter. Timothy was shaking so hard, he looked like a shaking tree from afar.

Andrew looked behind his shoulder and called for Hyacinth. "Hey, Hiyas... Let's go?"

Hyacinth blinked a few times, but nodded in agreement anyway. She can feel the Celestial residing inside her forcing her to stop moving. And it made her legs tremble after hearing the words from the Taurean Celestial.

'The Fortress is no more... find the man who absorbed the bane... a descendant of Orion.'

Hyacinth gasped and her breath hitched. She shivered a sigh and her eyes diverted back to the sand.

What she saw minutes ago was not an illusion, and something is definitely wrong. What the Taurus Celestial was saying is a warning for their journey to the Fortress to be put on hold. And when she listened to the guiding voice even more intently, the voice of the Taurus and her message became more clear and concise.

As she listens to the voice, Andrew and the others begin to take one step forward after another. Hyacinth on the other hand remained still and listened to the Taurus instructions.

'Monsters attacked the fortress. A beast of eight feet tall and another who is powerful beyond belief. The Bane is scattered, and the Fortress is no more for it is destroyed. A portion of Scorpio's Bane escaped the Relic and a part of his anger merged with the blood of the dead. But another portion of the Bane managed to latch onto a dying man and the Bane is now trapped inside the Orion descendant's body.'

Hyacinth managed to gather enough courage to speak up and call for the others. Something that she wasn't able to do, up until now.

'Be careful... for there are listening ears beneath the sand. A creature of hate and wrath. And it listens well.'

She took a deep breath, then screamed. "Wait!"

Her voice was so loud that it echoed on the empty desert and it shocked Andrew and the others who were almost a few meters away from where she was standing.

They all looked back at her with a questioning look on their faces, waiting for an explanation.

"What is it?" Timothy replied, his voice trembling as he hugged himself. Even the small fire created by Andrew wasn't enough to subdue the cruel cold night. "Speak up, Hyacinth!"

Again, Hyacinth parted her lips. "The Taurus, she told me something! But first you need to come back here! For she told me there's something beneath the sand." This time she spoke softly, as she felt and heard something move.

Andrew who was beside Timothy noticed this too, and his sleeping senses were triggered by this. It's more like a bad feeling, and something inside him tells him to listen to whatever Hyacinth was trying to say.

"I think... we should follow her." The young man whispered to Jacqueline and Timothy.

Timothy, who was unhappy with the situation frowned and looked at Andrew who was now taller than him. "Why?" Was the Keeper's snarky reply.

Jacqueline who was reading Hyacinth's and the other's body language only chose to listen. She looked at the helicopter and the Keeper inside who was sleeping.

"I just think that we have to." Was Andrew's firm reply. "Hyacinth is not the type of person to give out instructions like this. I think we should trust her this time. Like you did when she told you about her dream."

Timothy sighed but then realized what Andrew was saying was true. "Alright then..."

The three of them then began to walk back towards Hyacinth who was firmly standing alone. She was still a few steps away from the Helicopter.

The lights of the vehicle were still on --- as Jacqueline instructed the pilot not to leave the site until the four of them were out of the pilot's line of sight. Only a few more meters until they were near enough to see the details on Hyacinth's face, but then the sand underneath their feet began to tremble.

Andrew and the other's eyes widened in shock and Jacqueline gasped as she saw the sand move from a distance.

"What the ---" Timothy was visibly shaken as they heard an eerie sound.

A high pitched sound that sounded more like nails on a chalkboard filled their ears and the four of them couldn't think straight for a moment. In a blink of an eye, a creature as big as a bear exploded its way from beneath the sand.

A terrifying creature emerged from the sand. And as it did, it screamed and yelled and screeched.

"What the hell is that?!" Jacqueline screamed, the usually composed middle aged woman began to panic.

Timothy, who was shaking from the cold, was now standing still. His face was still pale, but it's no longer from the cold  but from fear. "I don't know." He whispered and his voice had a different ring to it.

Andrew noticed it, and it was obvious how terrified they were.

He may not be wearing any armor but he was ready to attack and so was Hyacinth who was already ready to pounce.

The creature was standing in the middle and was snarling --- and its red eyes looking at both of the inheritors of the Celestial beings power. It was standing tall between Hyacinth who was standing alone. And was only a few feet away from Andrew, Timothy and Jacqueline. The pilot who was sleeping in the Helicopter jolted up and woke from his slumber after he felt the sand shake from beneath him.

They have never seen a creature like this before.  A body of a man, head of a terrifying beast with the claws and telson of the scorpion.

Andrew lowered his gaze and soon the color of his eyes changed as he summoned fire, creating it on the palm of his hands. "Hyacinth..." He called for the woman who was standing behind the said beast. "...prepare to attack."

"I am." Was Hyacinth's dignified answer. Her eyes that were a mixture of green, brown and gold sparkled and soon the sand from underneath her feet began to move as she called for the powers of the Earth.

The two of them were ready to attack. But then... the terrifying beast spoke.

"Emir..."

====================

He remembered a tale told many times by his mother --- the tale of what death is like. It's a fleeting feeling. The breathing stops, the heart stops pumping blood and the eyes closed permanently.

Some deaths are sudden, others have time to say their farewells to their loved ones.

But for some... it's a moment laced with regret.

As strong as a person can be but when faced with the god of death, the strongest warriors collapse and land on their knees. Most plead for mercy. At times, they plead for a second chance --- even a day or a month just to fix something before they truly let themselves succumb to death.

However, for this Keeper. All he wants before he lets go and be at peace is to tell someone about valuable information that means more than his life.

A name.

A name that only the four of them ever got to hear. The name of the man who started it all. The name of the man who tainted and killed the Celestial beings for his own personal gain. The man who created the creature of Tar and Coal. And the man who controls most of the evil in this world.

"Emir..."

And as the last humanity in the creature left the body of the chimera, Andrew and Hyacinth used their power to decapitate the creature --- removing its head from its body.

Blood sprinkled from the terrifying beast's neck. Not only blood oozed out from the veins, but the Bane of the Celestial being as well.

Zayebi, the man who used to be a Keeper will be able to rest in peace. His soul hoped that the Keepers and Andrew would understand the message his heart and spirit tried to convey. And as his soul leaves the body of the despicable creature created by hate and fear of the Scorpio for humans, the Celestial being resting on the sky looks at his spirit graciously.

His dismantled soul was awakened. His spirit was lifted up to the sky, and his beautiful soul turned to a star.

=======================

Golind was still a little disoriented. Being eaten then spitted out by Atlas was never his ideal way of being punished by his creator. He had been shamed. Chewed and mocked by the greatest creation of Emir. The giant monster definitely made sure that he and Sphinox suffered from the failure that they've made.

And this time, Golind will make sure to never make the same mistake again.

He needs the creator to trust him again.

The pain in his leg had diminished a little, so he figured that maybe he had begun to heal already, and he began to move slightly in a sitting position, gritting his teeth against the pain that traveled throughout his entire body from his wound sites.

Atlas made sure all of his bones were split or crushed. But from the looks of it, Sphinox's condition is much worse. She's almost inconsolable because of her destroyed Kabuki mask. A part of the skin on her face was revealed. And her confidence was shattered because of it.

They were given the last chance to prove themselves worthy of being called the creation of Emir. And as the creator waits and prepares to leave the island, the two of them are trapped and weakened by wounds, shielded from the light, and seemingly underground.

Chills ran down his spine when he heard the familiar sound of footsteps approaching.

"Creator?" He questioned timidly, fearing that he'll receive rows of punishment from his disappointed master.

For a long time he heard nothing, then Emir appeared in front of him in a blink of an eye. "The creatures I sent to the world are ready. They're heading to the desert you've mentioned, we leave as well. Now stand up." Emir's strict command resounded through the silent hall.

"Ye---yes, Creator!" Golind voiced out loud and clear like a soldier.

This time, the Undying man looked beside Golind, the pathetic figure who was sitting, practically hugging herself like a child. "Sphinox, pull yourself together. Or else, you will never see the light of day again."

The strong smell of burning flesh surrounded the quiet room when Sphinox looked up to the creator.

Her voice cracked when she spoke. "I will never disappoint you again, creator."

Emir huffed a chuckle then looked down at the two pathetic beings in front of him. "Enough talk, prove it to me." He said with a grim expression on his face. "Now stand up, you fools. We leave now."