Chapter 1 – The Celestial Kingdom
In the Celestial Kingdom of Borealis, the Twelve Zodiacs gathered at the Supreme Palace for a meeting that occurred only when the seasons changed. Seated around a golden round table were Leo, Aries, Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, Pisces, Cancer, Libra, Gemini, Taurus, Scorpio, and Virgo.
At the center of the table stood a massive crystal, rising upward like a frozen pillar of light. Within it swirled a radiant spectrum of colors, a living rainbow that pulsed with quiet authority.
Without warning, the glow intensified.
The crystal erupted into brilliance, a towering column of prismatic light piercing the chamber's ceiling. Waves of celestial energy rippled outward, washing over the council hall.
From the light, a figure emerged.
A woman stepped forward, her skin white as freshly fallen snow, glistening like the brightest star in the night sky. Her presence carried a weight that bent the very atmosphere. A gown of woven starlight draped her form, flowing like liquid constellations.
Aurora, Queen of the Celestials, stood before her council.
The Twelve Zodiacs rose instantly and bowed.
"It is good to see you all again," Aurora said, her voice calm yet resonant, echoing softly across the chamber. "I trust all is well."
Leo, leader of the Zodiacs, was the first to lift his head.
"We are well, my queen. Your concern honors us."
Aurora smiled gently.
"Nonsense. You are all precious to me. You are my children, and pillars of this kingdom. Now… let us begin."
The Zodiacs resumed their seats in unison. Aurora's gaze swept across the table.
"Any word from the Spring Constellation?"
Virgo rose, placing a hand over her heart.
"My queen… we have not heard from Pegasus. Worse still, we have lost contact with the remaining Seasonal Constellations."
Aurora's expression darkened slightly.
"That is troubling. Have we attempted to locate them?"
Taurus stood next.
"Aquila and Canis Major were dispatched to their last known position. They have not returned."
A quiet tension filled the hall. Aurora lowered her eyes.
"…None of this feels right."
A faint sound broke the silence.
Laughter. Soft. Mocking.
The Zodiacs turned sharply toward the chamber entrance. From the shadows, a cloaked figure stepped forward. Darkness clung to him unnaturally, peeling away like smoke as he entered the light. The Zodiacs immediately moved, forming a protective barrier before their queen.
The cloak receded.
Revealing the face of the former king. Aurora's breath caught.
"…Qurora?" Her voice carried disbelief.
"How is this possible? You were banished to the Shadow Realm!"
Qurora's smile was thin and humorless. "Yes. Banished. Condemned to an eternity of darkness." His eyes gleamed with something unfamiliar. "But the shadows were not my end. They were my awakening."
A subtle distortion radiated from him.
"In that forsaken realm, I discovered power beyond anything Borealis ever offered."
Libra scoffed.
"The Shadow Realm has twisted your mind. Even you cannot stand against the Twelve Zodiacs alone."
Qurora chuckled.
"You are correct, Libra." His shadow convulsed. "And I am not alone." From the darkness behind him, two figures emerged.
Aquila. Canis Major.
Their once-radiant forms now tainted by an abyssal corruption.
Shock rippled through the council. But the horror had only begun.
Four more shapes rose from the shadows.
Pegasus. Draco. Monocerus. Perseus.
The Seasonal Constellations stood before them — their celestial auras warped, their presence dripping with malevolent energy.
Leo stepped forward, fury burning in his eyes.
"You fiend… what have you done?"
"I have freed them," Qurora replied calmly. "Freed them from illusion. From limitation." Before anyone could react — He moved. In a single instant, Qurora lunged. Shadow tendrils erupted from his back, striking outward with impossible speed.
Libra. Gemini. Virgo.
Darkness consumed them before resistance could even form.
Their bodies convulsed briefly — then fell still. Silence. Three of the most powerful Zodiacs now stood corrupted. Qurora turned slowly, satisfaction evident.
"This… is but a fraction of my new dominion." The corrupted spirits gathered behind him. "Who among you will receive my blessing next?"
Borealis became a battlefield.
Light and shadow tore through the celestial streets. Towers of radiant energy shattered. Waves of cosmic force collided violently. The Zodiacs fought desperately against their fallen kin. But shadow power warped the balance. Aquila and Canis Major now rivaled Zodiac strength. The Seasonal Constellations, already equals, overwhelmed their opponents with terrifying efficiency. Aries and Capricorn fell heavily wounded. Across the kingdom, lesser Celestials fled in terror. Within the palace, Aurora clashed with Qurora amidst the ruins of the royal hall.
"Brother, stop this madness!" Aurora cried. "Our people suffer!" Qurora's eyes burned with bitterness.
"They ceased to be my people the day you banished me!"
"You brought that fate upon yourself."
"An outcome forced upon me!"
"YOU LEFT FATHER NO OTHER CHOICE!"
The hall fell silent. Aurora's voice trembled.
"To meddle directly in the human realm is forbidden. You threatened the balance of existence itself."
Qurora sneered. "Balance is stagnation. We are superior beings. Why should we not rule?"
Aurora raised her hand, prismatic energy forming in her palm. "Because it is not our place."
Qurora smiled darkly. "You cannot win. Even now, your precious Zodiacs fall."
Aurora's eyes glistened. "…Perhaps." She lifted both hands skyward.
Rainbow waves erupted from her form, cascading through Borealis. "I may fall here today…" Across the battlefield, the remaining uncorrupted Zodiacs began to glow. "…but my kin will not!" Columns of light shot into the heavens as the Zodiacs were forcibly drawn from the realm.
Qurora stared in disbelief. "What have you done?!"
"Placed them beyond your reach." The light faded. Aurora collapsed to one knee, utterly drained.
Aquila appeared beside Qurora. "My king… the Zodiacs have vanished."
Qurora's expression hardened. "…Then this merely delays the inevitable." He turned toward his fallen sister. "I will obtain the Twelve Keys." His voice carried cold certainty. "And open the gate to the Shadow Realm." Aurora could not lift her head. "Take the remaining spirits," Qurora commanded.
Aquila bowed.
"And the queen?"
Qurora's gaze lingered briefly. "…Throw her in the dungeon."