ALL ARTWORK IS BY ME, UNLESS THERE IS A LINK.
LINKS LEAD TO ORIGINAL ARTISTS.
CHAPTER #1
Long ago, a powerful GODDESS made this realm. Inspired by a story, overwhelmed with feelings, she sought to retell the masterpiece that broke her out of apathy.She followed the recipe carefully, crafting a narrative she could barely call her own - and yet it felt so close to her heart. Just a little more hers, a little experiment made on a whim. It was surprisingly simple, to the point it didn’t feel all too real. it was a playground for her newfound powers.The world that she breathed to life then bore its name, reminiscent of its source and herself alike: ZODIACTALE....the separated underground quickly became a secluded and safe space for divine experiments.The SORCERESS, the original ruler of monsters, was a great leader - the only one to recall the ancient surface. With her powerful magic she created the Core and granted her folk safety. She sowed bluebottles across the underground, mirroring the flowers seen above the surface. She was all-knowing, kind and dreamy, yet secluded.Fascinated by creation, deep in the True Lab that became her nest, she made a mortal being in her own image: the monster king, CAPRICORN, whom she raised. She taught the basics of creation to the king, and allowed him to create a younger clone of himself: the monster prince, CRONOS. Though she gave him free range to create more clones, CAPRICORN believed that CRONOS was special. He didn't attempt any more creation magic, and with time refused to return to the grim True Lab at all, leaving the SORCERESS alone and confused. She soon returned to her devices and experiments, allowing CAPRICORN to truly become a sovereign king of the Underground.CAPRICORN and CRONOS led a happy life. The monsters fared well. Soon both clones moved to a home at the outskirts of the city, to gaze up towards the sunlight they've never touched before - leaving the castle empty.The SORCERESS was lonely... and yet she refused to put her experiments on hold. She slowly lost interest in the daily life of mortal beings, and became engulfed in her work. Likewise, her land soon forgot of her existence…...A human child fell to the Underground. Chased away by his village, thought to be cursed, he leapt into the deep cavern without hesitation. He survived.His name was ORION. He was a troubled chilled, scarred and dismissed. He wasn't useful to his village, because he couldn't see well, and his skin baked bloody raw only after a few hours of exposure to sunlight. He couldn’t work in the fields, so he spent his time hiding in the woods, where others assumed he was performing a form of dark magic. At first, he was shocked that down below, in the shadows, he could actually see better. Another shock came in the form of a family that adopted him - the royal monster family.The SORCERESS meanwhile found the story of the world to be steady on its rails. She watched with fascination and growing confusion from afar: her creations were happy in ways she didn't understand. She promptly realized they didn't need her, not at all in fact. At the same time, the daunting weight of what she'd done, having created this world as a GODDESS from beyond, crushed her into shame, guilt, fear. She didn't want to be like the other gods. She didn't want to repeat their lousy mistakes... She just didn't think - was creation always this instinctual? So hard to control? She made a world full of breathing beings on a whim - and what has she given them, really? The monsters had no drive to struggle to break the Barrier. She built them a paradise they didn't have to leave. ORION's fall only convinced her of the unbreakable peace.Ashamed of her rush and blatant, childish replication, the GODDESS eventually disappeared - gently fading from everyone's memory, like a dream.Only the flowers, untouched by mortal reason, remembered.
CHAPTER #2
After its maker departed, the world continued onward. Slowly, things became more vibrant, separate, shifting to reveal their mortal nature.ORION always despised humans - but since the GODDESS left, his desire began running free. He began wanting to get out of the Underground - not for its benefit to monsterkind, but so humans could pay for what they'd done.He and his brother CRONOS devised a plan to bring ORION to death by poisonous bluebottles, known to be harmful to anyone but the royal clones. CRONOS would then absorb the human soul, pass the Barrier, and together they would slay humans from a nearby village to gather enough souls and free all monsters.CRONOS was uncertain, but ORION demanded to the point of tears. At last, they reached an agreement.One night, they snuck out in secret. ORION died quietly, in his brother’s arms, in the old castle garden near the Barrier. They then fused and climbed to the surface. They easily found the village ORION came from.It quickly became apparent ORION was after bloody revenge. In a powerful body seeping with magic, it was so difficult to hold him back, and yet CRONOS managed to do just that. ORION begged for them to strike together, but his brother didn't budge - instead, the prince began dragging them back to the Underground, understanding how little he truly knew of ORION's feelings.The humans were also influenced by the CREATOR'S departure. Far more violent than ORION remembered, after the initial shock of seeing a monster, they chased after the boys with THE intent to kill.Now it wasn't just about ORION and his revenge - it was about CRONOS's life. The human begged for them to strike in self defense, but the monster refused to. Both souls fought within the body, until their form was so beaten and weak that ORION could no longer fight.CRONOS dragged them back to the royal garden, in the castle below the Barrier, where they left ORION's lifeless body. CRONOS soon turned into dust. Before he did, he granted ORION one last kindness - separating their souls, so only one of them had to die. ORION's lone soul remained, weeping, unable to re-enter his human body out of guilt. When he heard CAPRICORN approaching, the human soul fled AND HID.The king was thrown into despair....ORION remained in hiding, unable to face his father, unable to explain how they died. His determination was depleted, and his soul was flickering in and out of existence. At the same time, CAPRICORN re-entered the True Lab.He tried everything, for both of his sons. He remembered the SORCERESS mentioning extracted determination, though he didn't understand what it was, and barely recalled his maker. He found the mysterious substance, and injected it into ORION's dead body. Nothing happened. He injected it into CRONOS's dust - nothing happened. In despair, he turned to creation magic that he was taught so long ago - but instead of bringing CRONOS back to life, it would only ever make a new clone, no matter how hard the king tried.He got rid of the newborn clones with his bare hands. ORION, who had been secretly watching his first attempts, couldn't stomach it anymore. The king looked insane. ORIONonce again couldn’t face him. Shaken, he ran away.CAPRICORN indeed lost his mind. During those days, he was on the verge of insanity, not letting anyone in either the castle, the ruins, the garden or the True Lab, instead continuously attempting to bring either of the boys back. With his mind clouded, he decided to sacrifice one of them, if it meant that he could save the other one. He didn’t foresee a different outcome - that by sacrificing them both, he could create something unwanted, new. third.He loaded an experimental machine as per SORCERESS’s blueprints: bluebottles. So many of them. And raw determination. He added the last of CRONOS's ash, and tossed in ORION’s human body. Then, he prayed to the maker whose face he no longer recalled, and used the strongest creation spell he could conjure.Something lived inside of the machine. But it wasn't a monster, a clone, a human, or anything else. It was neither of his sons.Inside, the human body was gone. The monster dust was gone. A flower grew in their place - and that bluebottle was different from the others.CAPRICORN knew, because it cried.
CHAPTER #3
The new being could not choose affection, no matter how hard CAPRICORN tried to make it feel loved. The flower was confused all the same. In the end, the king named his creation: GLOWEY. It was a freakish bond of human meat and plant flesh, of monster ash and determination. Combined, they made a being unable to love - unable to feel attachment, unable to cry for anyone but itself. A being without a soul.GLOWEY possessed the memories of CRONOS - but that didn’t save the king from despair. His son really seemed out of reach, especially now that he wasted all of the remaining ashes for this abomination. He let GLOWEY go in pursuit of new meaning, and succumbed to pain and hatred for the humans. If ORION never fell down, neither of the children would have died. If the humans didn’t seal the monsters, none of this would have happened.Why was there ever a war between humans and monsters anyway? CAPRICORN couldn’t remember at all, and he knew that as a leader he couldn’t ask anyone of something seemingly so obvious, even if he never lived to see it. He sunk into fruitless pursuit of history and flavor text, but he found nothing of substance. The longer he thought about it, his simple world was just that: simple. Deceptively so, almost.Separate from CAPRICORN, GLOWEY was arriving at the same conclusion. He was powerful, but his power held no meaning in a world this empty, this… hollow. He tried being loved. He tried loving. But it didn’t work. The vast Underground began feeling unreal, like an echo of a story retold by someone without much thought, with plotholes and uncertain haze remaining. Being sentient in a world of pretend like this one became too pointless to bear.ORION's soul remained undiscovered by either of them. Eaten away by shame and guilt, he became so weak, he could barely move - and yet, with his last strength, he followed GLOWEY and witnessed him take his own life.Kind of.It seemed the determination barren deep within didn’t allow GLOWEY to really die - instead, he rewound the timeline. Everyone was back at his savepoint. Back at the True Lab.with his scarce natural determination typical of monsters, CAPRICORN was left with an intense sense of deja vu. he believed it all to be a mirage. He believed he’d gone insane, that it was a joke of fate, a dream. He did not consider the anomaly’s skill. A flower built atop human flesh and monster ash, with enough determination to force everyone and everything back to its moment of birth.But ORION saw it. And he continued seeing everything else.Too weak to be detected by GLOWEY, he followed the creature. Through every act of kindness, every sin, every gift and every backstab, he saw through every attempt, every timeline, every rewind. Every single one made CAPRICORN's tender mind tumble further into illness, to which GLOWEY paid no attention. His gratification and game itself became the goal of everyone’s lives. nobody except for the king was even slightly worthy of his attention.At some point he even advised CAPRICORN to inject himself with the last remaining vial of determination, so the ill man could be forced into full awareness of resets - simply for the sake of convenience, as GLOWEY was becoming bored with constant confused demands that came up with every fresh start. The determination made CAPRICORN spiral further.ORION grew to despise GLOWEY. He couldn’t stand what had been done to CAPRICORN, but without a body he was hopeless and felt useless. He almost gave up.Almost.
CHAPTER #4
Everyone felt it. Another HUMAN has fallen underground.ORION was there first: he saw her, at the bed of blue flowers. ARIES.His soul ached, sensing a familiar vessel. He unwittingly tried to possess her - but was repelled, the living body already occupied. Her soul shone with abundant determination, enough to put anyone ORION knew to shame. She called him out at once, which he ignored in shock.Hearing GLOWEY approaching, ORION advised the newcomer not to trust the flower.The bluebottle emerged soon after.* Howdy! I’m GLOWEY, and you must be new to the Underground?* …Yeah, um… How did you know?The flower shifted uncomfortably. The innocent, natural power in her voice was undeniable. He already knew this child would be a problem.* Ah, it’s very simple. Nothing interesting happens down below anymore! we can all hear when some new... creature falls our way. you know. into the monster kingdom?ARIES truly didn’t find it hard to distrust him either.* the monster kingdom... peachy. Okay… How do I… go back? I just tumbled, and I…* leave? hmm...* the border at the edge of the underground is the only way. and there awaits the monster king that despises humans for what they’d done to us… If you want to stand a chance against him, you’ll have to train hard, and learn how to fight!aries was already wary something was off. his voice was too eager, almost hungry. still, her curiosity took over...* …And how do I fight?* Quite simply! Let me show you…GLOWEY ambushed her with all his might, starved of new challenges - but compelled with a sudden urge to act, ORION 's determination shone - revealing a face of his desperation in the form of fire magic. It surrounded aries, shielding her from the massive thorns that rushed to tear and crush her.Humans shouldn’t know magic so easily - let alone souls. It felt like ORION's sorry amount of determination took on this new form. The human soul seemed to comprehend at once: the world has become malleable. But just how malleable? Malleable enough to allow humans to alter their bodies’ expression?... Or……* …I can smell you. ORION froze, and ARIES felt his fear crawling onto her own back.the flower's voice was moist with shock, like he was about to suffocate, sniffling prey.* You. Yes, you!... I thought you died. I thought I didn’t make it, that I wasn’t able to…! * Who are you talking to?* Shut up, you pest! He is here with you, isn’t he?! * Where is he?!* Stuff it, weedface! Don’t forget you’re fighting me!ARIES concentrated on her want, and also conjured - but not magic, an item. A sleek knife, with which she stabbed one of the countless thorny stalks surrounding her.GLOWEY shrieked and bled human blood, shocking ARIES. He pounced back.* Don’t even think that this is it… you will never make it past the King! I’ll make sure of that! NEITHER of you will survive if I have anything to say about it! This is MY world, get it?! MINE!He stared intently, scanning for ORION. But ARIES didn’t budge. Her soul power covered the faint presence of ORION.* Do your worst, then! Stupid weed!She attempted to stab again, threatening GLOWEY enough to retreat into the darkness, slithering into the earth.ARIES turned to the lone soul, one that burned the thorns that would have pierced her.* Who… are you?ORION didn’t want much. But a new desperate wish grew within him: ARIES had to get out of here, through the barrier. At all costs. he would not wish this purgatory upon anyone, let alone an innocent bystander - and a kid...but also...The girl was strong enough to override GLOWEY in terms of determination. ORION felt that, so surely everyone that mattered did. that meant... GLOWEY couldn't... was that why the flower was so desperate?maybe with her help, they could...?ORION quickly buried his own selfish need. No, no. He would no longer force someone to fight for him. He would rather the newcomer fought for herself.* …Does it matter?The magenta soul muttered dryly, so worn and tired despite its determination. It still lacked faith.But the girl wearing red smiled.* You saved me, so it matters to me! And, is it okay if we talk in the open? Won’t that flower sniff you out again, or... hear us?ORION considered it. no, he would hear and feel the flower slither about, if he were close.* …It’s fine. As long as we’re together, the smell of my soul will blend into yours. And yours is far stronger than mine.* …Are they similar then? Our souls?She was catching up quickly. At least there was that.* I’m human, too. At least… was. At one point. And deep inside your vessel, you look the way I do, too.ARIES peered at her body, like she could scan through the ribcage and reach the pulsing, crimson heart. She thought for a moment, then lifted her head up, calm.* Alright. Sounds plausible. Just, don’t try possessing me again, would you? that was freaky.ORION would shrug if he had shoulders.* Can’t make any promises. But I won’t let you die. And I’ll show you the way out.* until the border and the king?* ...until the border and the king.* alright! will you teach me how to fight?the note of excitement in her voice was near acidic. ORION had the urge to bear a sour frown. she was asking one question after the other for sure. hopefully he wouldn't regret this...and then there was his father...ORION nearly shivered. he's seen the king die so many times already, it shouldn't bother him at all. but it did. every single time.at least just this once, it would be for a good cause.she read his hesitation as concern, and waved her hands.* Just to make sure i can keep myself safe, of course! I won't need this very often, I hope...She hid the knife in her pocket. ORION saw her realize she didn't have it before in real time.* ...for now it's whatever floats your boat, i guess.The two shortly set out for the ruins.
CHAPTER #5
TO BE UPDATED