Zodiac Awakening Read online

  Drew Smith

  1st Edition

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without prior permission of the publisher and author.

  Copyright © Drew Smith 2017

  Cover illustrations by Jon Merchant © 2017

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  ISBN: 9781973161042

  Chapter One: A Hero in Darkness

  The darkness seemed to take over the sky, and the night seemed still. Wind whistled gently as it passed through the dark forests that surrounded Ruben. A fire blazed under the red moonlit night in front of him, and roared like a hundred raging boars. He was a young man dressed in brown clothes like rags, and brown hair to match. He had a strong build. He was a farmer like his father after all.

  Ruben stared into the night sky at the moon that never seemed to move, and smiled as he daydreamed. Ruben thought that it was the most beautiful thing in the world. He often dreamed that a brighter moon would appear to make his world seem more alive, one that would light the darkness around him to show him the way to a better place, and he didn’t mean the blue moon of the day, but something brighter. Ruben sat quietly by the fire, and only snapped out of his daydream when the charred logs began to collapse. Ruben waited for his father to return with the firewood from the farm cellar. The farm was quite the walk north from the cliffs and it would still be sometime before he returned. His father was a strong man with pale blue skin, and dark blue hair. He did most of the footwork at night, to stay alert while wild demons plagued the area near their home.

  They had a new neighbour that settled in the woods to the east. An old demon by the name of Hector. There were many stories of him from his youth that Ruben had heard. They say he was a great demon swordsman. A hunter of humans, and killer of the wild demons. Ruben’s father told him to never go off their farm, or even past the tree line of the farm for that matter. His father also told Ruben to never approach Hector under any circumstances. Ruben was a human boy after all, and the demon Hector would surely kill him on sight. Ruben thought it would be crazy to go that far from the farm for any reason anyway. Shortly after Hector had settled into the land beside their farm, a human girl began showing up when Rubens father wasn’t around. Her name was Scarlette, and she was a beautiful young woman with long pink hair and bright blue eyes. She was a year older than Ruben, but seemed so wise for her age. Scarlette was very mysterious in her ways, and she always came when the red moon was covered by the clouds. Ruben often thought she was brave for moving through the night alone, for a human anyway.

  Ruben turned back to the red moon and continued to stare. His mind fluttering from thought to thought, and had caused him to forget to watch his surroundings.

  “Ruben.” whispered Scarlette quietly from the bushes. Scarlette was the only one that called him Ruben, but then again he had no one else other than his father who called him by Ben.

  “Scarlette you nearly gave me a heart attack!” Ruben blurted out quickly.

  “At your age? Ruben, that’s impossible.” Scarlette whispered with a laugh. She stood close to Ruben with a small grin as if happy to see him, but almost upset with him too.

  “Are you sure Scarlette? Father says it can happen to anybody.” Ruben smiled as if he was sure.

  “Sure Ruben, and only if you don’t watch what you eat, but you’re a fit looking lad are you not?” Scarlette laughed once again.

  “Wow you really sound like my father there Scarlette. I’m sure of it. He says that on the fields almost every day when I get tired, and he says those exact words.” Scarlette turned her eyes to the fire.

  “Is your father coming back anytime soon?” She muttered.

  A breeze came through the forest brushing trees against each other fiercely for a moment. Ruben looked up from the fire, and toward the farm in the north.

  “He went back to the farm for more fire wood. We haven’t had time to restock. It is harvest season after all.”

  “I see. Ruben… What is it that you want?” Scarlette asked as she glared at him.

  “What do I want? What do you mean?”

  “I mean what do you want out of life? Are you happy working on a farm you can never leave? Do you not feel like you are meant for something else? Something more?” She looked up to the sky with her eyes locked on the moon.

  “I suppose… I have always wanted to help people. Sometimes I feel… Incomplete…” He replied.

  “Incomplete? What do you mean?” Scarlette asked. “I don’t know. To be honest I read a lot of books about hero’s saving the world, and the heroes always seem like they know who they are, but I don’t think it is that simple. I don’t think a hero really intends to really be a hero. I feel like they all just want to help others, and through their actions earn the title as a hero from those they help.” Ruben smiled. Scarlette stared at Ruben with a small grin.

  “So, a hero is not a hero at all? A hero can be anyone who truly fights for what they believe in? Then what do you believe in Ruben?”

  “That’s a good question. If I had to think about it, I would say I believe this place is a prison. I am not behind bars, and my father doesn’t force me to stay here, but I know I have no choice but to stay. I wish the world wasn’t bound by the rules that are in place. I want to free this world, but at the same time… To this world, it is free. This seems to be the way things are, because this is what is wanted. Can I really be a hero of a world that is not in need of one?” Ruben stared to the sky. He thought about the far reaches of the skies above and the possibilities of what could lie beyond the stars. His eyes wandered the skies, until they followed an odd red hue coming from the farm.

  “Scarlette, look at the sky!” shouted Ruben.

  Scarlette paused, then looked away from Ruben to the sky above them.

  “Something is wrong,” Scarlette announced.

  Ruben shot up as fast as lightning, and bolted toward the farm, fearing something terrible had gone wrong. He nearly knocked Scarlette to the ground as he raced by her. The forested area in which the fire pit was laid had been blocked on all sides, and the only way in was the small path cut into the trees. Rubens father cut the path, and blocked it all off, so they could make a clearing for the fire pit at the cliffs. They used it as a getaway from the farm mostly to relax after a long day’s work. A long path stretched from the forested area, and all the way back to the farm. A walk that would normally take an hour. It was an organized arrangement of trees that was also created by Ruben’s father, and it laid along the cliffs that was very dangerous, but worth the long hike.

  Ruben ran as fast as he could, leaving Scarlette behind without a second thought. The dark sky turned a dim red as he ran closer and closer toward the farm. Flames became visible, and dread filled his heart. The flames grew larger and larger with every step. Ruben’s breath was steaming in the cold, and his body was beginning to tire. He could not stop though. He used every single breath in his body to get to his father. The large wooden gate at the West entrance finally came into sight. Memories of him and his father building it last season filled his mind.

  Scarlette came up to the west gate just behind Ruben, but he didn’t even notice her following him. Her thoughts clouded her judgement. She threw her black cloak over her head, and brushed her long pink hair off to the side over her shoulder. She reached into her side pouch, and pulled out a small hourglass. She looked toward the farm, but Ruben was but a spec in the distance. She slowly walked toward the farm after Ruben.

  He stood in the center of the farm, and he looked at the burning blaze that was shredding his life away little by little. His fa
ther nowhere in sight, and the flames were spreading quickly from roof to roof. He didn’t even blink as he scurried into the blaze of the closest building without concern for himself.

  Rain slowly built up in the charred heavens above. Each drop like a tease to the dry field below, until it became a fierce storm that gave in to the field’s greedy thirst. Ruben ran from building to building calling for his father. The rain fell harder, and harder as he searched. The red moon was dim with cloud cover, and the darkness soaked in a cheerless storm covering the whole land. Ruben dropped to his knees.

  “Father!” screamed Ruben at the top of his lungs. His rage began to build, as his fists clenched in a firm grip. The farm slowly fell to pieces around him as he kneeled before the flames victory.

  “Ruben!” a voice shrieked.

  “Father?” He looked up in disbelief, but saw no one. He couldn’t be sure if he had heard anything, or if his mind was playing tricks on him, but didn’t want to take the chance of it being nothing. He rose to his feet, and called for his father once again. The crackling of burning wood and crashing lumber falling to the ground made it difficult to hear anything. He looked with his eyes wide open and shouted over the flames, but his father didn’t respond. The only place he had not yet checked was his father’s bedroom inside the main cabin, though he felt it unlikely he would be there since he had come back for lumber. He quickly bolted over the fencing, and into the flames of his father’s cabin with little hope left.

  Scarlette came walking calmly out from the path, and watched as Ruben ran inside the engulfed cabin. She smiled lightly, and shut her eyes. The roof caved in over Ruben shortly after he went in, and he yelled out in pain. Scarlette’s eyes opened wide, and her mouth dropped.

  “Lumus!” Scarlette yelled out. She began to run forward, but as she did the ground began to shake. Scarlette looked back to the cabin, and she was amazed to see a blue light that began to shine through the collapsed cabin. Suddenly a yell from under the debris could be heard throughout the land once again. Scarlette took a step back, and shielded her eyes from the light. Scarlette heard movement from the farm’s north entrance.

  “It seems the locals are coming.” Scarlette turned back to the bushes, but she looked back to see Ruben collapse with his father in his arms just outside the cabin.

  Day had come, signaled by the newly risen blue moon that dimly lit the sky, replacing the red moon of night. The air still smelt of smoke. Ruben woke up in a strange room. It was well kept, and had a single window. He raced from his bed to look down upon a small village. He noticed a sign that read Aster Inn. He had never been to town before, and had only heard stories of the Aster Inn from his father. He already got up, and pulled the sheet off of quietly while staring at the door. Ruben was hoping that he could sneak out the window. He gazed outside just to find himself on the second floor with nothing below to break his fall. Realizing the door was the only option he grabbed his boots and reached for the handle.

  It was silent outside, not a single sound filled the village. Still he was uneasy, and concerned. He had a million questions; what happened to the farm, and his father? Was it an accident? What happened to Scarlette? How was he still alive?

  The door opened with a creak, and a large green-skinned demon with a black cloak looked back into Ruben’s eyes. His heart skipped a beat, and he felt like he had to defend himself. He raised his fists to the demon.

  “I am Alistro. You will come with me now human. Do not make me drag you,” The demon laughed deeply as he turned, and walked back into the hall. The laugh did not comfort Ruben at all.

  (“Why would they keep me alive? What do they want with me?”) He wondered as he collected the rest of his things.

  “Come human!” Yelled Alistro over his shoulder. Ruben decided it would be best to follow Alistro until he could find an opportunity to escape. Alistro followed the long hallway to the stairs. The hallway alone seemed bigger than the farm he thought. The wood was a nice clean cedar, built to last years, like the builder took pride in their work. Ruben found it odd that demons cared for craftsmanship at all. The stories he was told gave him the idea that they were all savage monsters that killed others for sport.

  Ruben came to a landing above a stairway, which spiraled down to the floor below. Alistro was still walking the same speed, not once looking back to see if Ruben was following behind. Alistro stopped at the large double doors to the streets.

  “Go.” Alistro demanded. Ruben looked at him with confusion as he caught up with him.

  “Go where?” Ruben replied.

  Alistro picked Ruben up by his belt from behind, and tossed him into the street. A cloud of dust rose from the ground causing him to cough.

  “Get up boy!” Alistro demanded. Ruben got up quickly, and immediately ran down the road away from Alistro. He looked back for a moment to see if he had been chasing him, but Alistro was gone.

  “Boy? You test me?” Ruben turned around, and stared Alistro in the eyes.

  Alistro raised his fist. The punch forced Ruben off of his feet, and he flew a great distance back.

  “Ah…Wow. Oh man that hurt.” Ruben coughed once again, and wiped the blood from his lip.

  “How did he get in front of me? What do you want?” Ruben cried out.

  “Tell me what you know of Twilight. Tell me your purpose here. Tell me who sent you!” Alistro demanded. His eyes glaring at Ruben as he walked toward him.

  “My purpose? What do you mean?” Ruben questioned. Alistro’s cloak hid his face, his knees bent, and his fist clenched tight.

  “Don’t toy with me human! I’ll rip you limb from limb until you tell me what I want to know! Don’t waste my time!” Alistro’s cloak blew back in the wind revealing his face. It was a terrifying face, tinged green and marked with a scar across his face.

  “I don’t know anything about this Twilight thing!” Ruben yelled out. He shifted left and right, looking for any way to escape. Smaller demons, almost little versions of Alistro came out from the shadow, and there were dozens of them.

  “Meet my family, boy”. Announced Alistro in that deep sinister voice. They surrounded Ruben, and clearly out-matched and out-numbered him. Ruben raised his fist to guard himself.

  “Stupid human! You have no chance. Tell me what I want to know, so I can hurry up and kill you. Or you can be stubborn, in which case I’ll toy with you until you squeal!” Alistro’s voice became louder with every word as he walked closer and closer to him. The other demons formed a circle around them. The Inn was behind Alistro now, and Ruben was in the middle of the dirt road. He got to his feet with his head down.

  “What happened last night was your fault, wasn’t it?” His voice starting to get lower as his rage grew.

  “You know what boy? You’re not even half the man your so-called father was, so what makes you think you can beat me?” Alistro laughed hysterically, “If you must know, he was killed for sheltering a human child.”

  Ruben’s brown hair fell to cover his eyes, a single tear rolled down his cheek.

  “I will never forgive you, you monster!” Ruben shouted. He began to yell out in rage. His arms began throbbing, and his chest extended. His body started to emit a bright white light.

  “Ruben, up here, catch! Scarlette yelled as she threw a silver crested sword down from the Inn rooftop.

  Its beauty was unmatched, with gems in the hilt glowing even in the daylight. He didn’t even look up, but raised his arm, catching the blade’s sheath, then raised his other arm to pull out the sword.

  “Alistro!” He yelled out as he ran toward the demon. He raised his head to reveal the anger in his eyes. As he charged forward the light emitting around his body flashed like an explosion, engulfing him completely. For a moment all that could be seen was a large white glow passing through Alistro. The light around Ruben had changed him. His pupils became a constant glow of white, and his hair shined like a star. The pure white glow changed him from the simple farm boy into a man. His ragged clothes mat
erialized into a baggy white cloth; his old muddy boots now a silver gilded pair of boots laced with a silver lining down the centre, and gold trim around his ankle.

  In an instant Alistro had been defeated, his body sliced horizontally by Ruben’s blade. The other demons that lined the street had scattered into the bushes.

  “Scarlette? Scarlette where did you go?” He looked up at the rooftop over his shoulder, but she was already gone. He was alone once again. A white knight in the darkness of a world full of demons.

  Ruben looked at himself with marvel. His new clothes, and the change of his body. His lean figure had almost doubled in size, he felt taller too.

  “What now…?” He said with hesitation.

  “Well maybe I can humour you with an old knight’s story.” A voice from the shadows said calmly.

  “Who’s there?” Ruben demanded.

  “I am friend, not foe,” announced the voice.

  A man in a dark green cloak came from the shadows just behind the inn. Ruben noticed the glint of golden armour hidden under the figure’s cloak as the man walked forward. “My name is Orson,” He announced. Orson turned his attention to Alistro on the ground.

  (“I have seen that demon before…Alistro. Incredible that Lumus could defeat him so easily after his first transformation. I struggled when I fought Alistro twenty years ago, and I was in my prime back then.”) Orson shook his head with delight, then turned his attention to Ruben.

  “I have been looking for you, my prince.” Orson bowed.

  “Prince? You must have the wrong guy.” Ruben announced with confusion.

  “No. I’m sure of it.... You are the one that I’m here to find. I was the one that brought you here twenty years ago. I left you with the demon farmer Rozell. You must have a lot of questions I’d imagine. Let me explain what I can.” Orson took a deep breath.

  “Firstly, the demon you call father is not your father, but I’m sure you knew that since you are human. He is simply one of the very few that I was able to put my trust in twenty years ago.” Orson smiled.