88 GATES-Return of the Fallen

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“Open. . . .”

     No golden lights anymore nor the usual magic circles. For now, the magic portals were already dark as well as the lights it emitted. Ariesa and the others were aghast. Not only had Cetus devoured them, but summoned them as well.

     In a few seconds, the Celestials he had called were already in front, on his favor.

     Sagittarius’ waist-length hair were no longer wavy; his lower part of his body was still of a horse but its fur’s color were already dark; and his sign was already inverted on a silver ring around his thigh.

     Aquarius’ still had her transparent watery hair but its tip were no longer of turquoise blue but black; her bra and skirt were already dark with white ornaments; her sign was still on the center of, the now silver, ring on her forehead; she wore black make-up; and her jar were already dark as well.

     Capricorn’s face wasn’t already full of furs; his ears were still of a goat but his lengthy horns had come to be five inches each; now, he was no longer in a mermaid tail―he was human, wearing a suit, but resembled like a goat.

     They were back, but not for the good side. They were not the previous them. Cetus must have used his dark power to poison and control them. Now, the Celestials stood, unmoving, not giving any word, just waited for their master’s command.

     “Capricorn,” Racchina unknowingly mumbled. She had seen her Celestial again but in a new form. She wondered if he could recognize her. Either way, she’d do everything to get Capricorn back to the good side.

     “Aquarius, Sagittarius, Capricorn,” Aries tried to call. He had never expected this to happen. All he wanted to do was to wake them up from the darkness. But the co-Celestials wouldn’t speak up, only stared at Aries, waiting for Cetus’ command. “What did you do?!” Aries needed an answer.

     Cetus half-smiled. “I summoned them.”

     Aries wasn’t satisfied. “Answer me!”

     “I took their life energy and converted into dark particles. Now, they are mine. Satisfied?”

     Aries clenched his fists, ready his whip and then, aimed it on Cetus. Before it could land, Cetus had already used Libra’s gravity to pull him down on the ground. Now, he had summoned the dark Celestials to knock the others off. Sagittarius went against Zyke, Aquarius against Hiro and Capricorn against Racchina.

     “Racchina,” Capricorn uttered, unfaced. He had remembered her, and it was a relief for her.

     Even if it’s Capricorn, Racchina could not let her guard down. Hindi pa rin niya maikakaling nag-iba na ang anyo at nimbus nito. Seguradong hindi ito panig sa kaniya.

     “Surrender yourself and I promise to beg your life from Cetus,” Capricorn set a condition.

     “No! Hindi, kailanman, ako papanig sa kasamaan.” Racchina was certain.

     “He’ll show you mercy.”

     “He won’t show us mercy. Ginagamit ka lang niya upang labanan ang kabutihan. You have to get away from the dark particles, Capricorn. Kailangan mong maging ikaw ulit.”

     He didn’t reply, stared at her. In a blink of an eye a vine had already choked her from behind. Agad siyang iniangat nito nang bahagya habang nagpupumiglas. The vine was tight on her. Hindi na siya makahinga. And she thought Capricorn wasn’t planning to release her.