Sides of a Mirror

30- Visions Of the Past

Warning! This chapter is a bit graphic (as in blood and ish like that, it's not dirty!) If you are sensitive in any way to this (or just don't want to read it) I'll have notifications for when it starts and ends. I really do suggest reading it though, as it plays a major role in the plot. Not saying what though!

Celeste was sitting on her throne, mind wandering. Her fingers drummed along the velvet armrests, and she let out a heavy sigh. Celeste's thoughts traveled to one long, painful memory. It was one she'd never forget, and the one that'd made her queen...

Celeste had been 13 years old at the time. Back then, she lived in the same castle with her parents, the king and queen, her older sister Stellae, the heir, her younger sister Ophiucus, a promising alchemist, and her best friend Noctis, the son of the royal army's general. Celeste herself was an excellent mage and politician. The royal family had a special court called the Zodiacs. They were respected advisers and generals within the kingdom, mages and scholars and warriors. Each was named after their respective constellation, possessing incredible abilities and powers.
Celeste also had another friend, Umbra. He was her personal guard, about 8 years older than her at 21. She'd thought he would never even think to hurt her or her family. It turns out... She was wrong...

Celeste was just minding her own business, reading another book Virgo had given her. It was an interesting story, no doubt, but she couldn't focus on it due to the unusual absence of her siblings, or parents at the least. Celeste was slowly growing suspicious, and finally decided to go find them. She noticed that Umbra had been gone for some time too, though he was usually very avid about watching her.
Celeste got up and entered the castle. To her surprise and terror, terrified screams echoed from the throne room. She sprinted as fast as she could to the room, freezing from horror at the sight before her.

(This is where it starts, by the way)

Her family was laying on the floor in pools of scarlet blood. The stench of it, sharp and metallic, filled the air. Celeste choked at the smell, recoiling back only to slip and fall into a crimson pool. She heard a small croak from behind her.
"Ce...leste... Get...out!" It was her sister Ophi. Her silver hair was drenched in blood and her lacy black dress was torn and bloody. Small cuts shown from tears in the sleeve's fabric, and a large gash was on her collarbone, just below her neck. Noctis lay next to her, his eyes pleading furiously with the same message as Ophi had communicated to her.
Celeste stood from where she'd fallen, knees shaking. She scanned the scene to find gruesome images of her other family members. Stellae, her golden hair matted and her scarlet gown torn and bloodied, a gaping wound in her stomach. Her father, his throat slashed open and blood still pouring from the severed artery. And her lovely mother, her rich brown hair speckled with crimson and a long slice down from her throat to her waist. And, perhaps most horrifying of all, was Umbra, a sword in his hand that gleamed with fresh blood. He turned to her, shocked.
"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?" Celeste screamed in anger and horror. How? How could her friend, dedicated soldier to the royal family, murder them in cold blood?
"Celeste I-!" He stuttered, a gleam of madness still in his eyes. She stepped aggressively towards him, silver eyes burning with rage. He dropped the sword with a harsh clatter, and looked at the ground. A dark expression came over his face, "You're queen now, Celeste. Like you always wanted, right?" His voice grew increasingly insane with each word, "I gave you what you wanted! Now give me what I want!" Celeste stepped toward him again, her face cold.
"You killed my family, you hurt my best friend, and now you say it's what I wanted?" Her voice shook with rage, her hands curled into fists, "What I wanted was to rule after they'd finished their time, not before. They never deserved to die! I never wanted this! Ever!" She pointed a shaking finger at Umbra, "You are a monster! Leave! Leave and don't come back! Get out of my sight!" Umbra reeled back, shock and desperation crossing his face before it became mad again. A dark, cruel smile danced on his lips.
"If you won't give me what I want..." He stalked closer to her, blade waving, "I'll take it from you!" Umbra lunged, but was cut off by a man in blood red armor slamming into him.
"NO!" Aries collided forcefully with Umbra, his axe raised in the air. He wrestled the other man to the ground, turning back his head to scream at Celeste.
"Get out of here! Take your sister and hide!" Aries turned back to Umbra, barely catching the blade aiming for his skull. Celeste grabbed Ophiucus, Noctis struggling but eventually getting up to follow them. They his behind the door, to shocked to leave without seeing the end.
Umbra had gone completely insane. He now had Aries pinned, and was trying to stick his blade in the Zodiac's skull. Aries twisted, managing to narrowly avoid his inevitable death, but that wouldn't last long. Umbra slammed the hilt into his head, giving Aries no time to recover before the already bloodied blade plunged into his forehead. The red haired man let out an almost silent scream, only a whisper exiting his throat, before the light began to fade from his eyes.
Celeste almost cried out, but Noctis put a hand over her mouth to stifle it. The other Zodiacs rushed in, Taurus screaming at the sight of Aries crumpled on the ground. She crouched over him, weeping. Virgo cried out a warning-
She didn't hear it in time. A deep slash,  like a bloody, cruel smile, opened across her throat. Taurus collapsed on the ground, blood gushing from the open wound. Celeste was wracked with silent sobs, her body shaking from the shock and horror at the sight of her family and friends dying in front of her. A male with silver hair and eyes leaped at Umbra along with a black haired, blue eyed girl, Gemini and Cancer. Both received untreatable wounds; Gemini's several blackened scars across his arms, Cancer a stab to her chest, between her ribs and straight into her heart. Gemini lived a bit longer, thrashing and shrieking in agony before the toxins on the blade finally silenced him.
A golden haired and eyed male, Leo, and a brown haired, bright green eyed female, Virgo, attacked him next. Leo was stabbed brutally in the back while Virgo received a deep gash in her stomach.
One by one, the Zodiacs were felled by Umbra. A white haired male and black haired female, Libra and Scorpio, died next. Libra had a stab in his lower back, and Scorpio just below her waist. Sagittarius, as a red haired male with amber eyes, and Capricorn, as an auburn haired girl with dark sea green eyes, were next. They were both mauled in the legs, their blood leaking past thorns that dug into their skin. They were still breathing when Aquarius and Pisces' turn came. Aquarius had blue hair and pale blue eyes, whereas Pisces' hair was light blonde and her eyes a dark blue. Aquarius had poisons injected into his ankles, and he passed out, not breathing. Pisces, on the other hand, received a much crueler, slower punishment. Her feet were stabbed through and stuck to the floor while Umbra cut long slices down her legs and arms. The stench of blood was even stronger in the air, and Celeste fainted with the gory images burned into her mind.

(End of gruesome moment)

The next day, Celeste was preparing to become queen when a small pouch caught her eye. It was black velvet embroidered with silver thread. She opened it to find 12 stones, each with the symbol of one of the Zodiacs. Celeste smiled weakly, knowing her dear friends had given their lives for her, and had left her the remnants of their life and power to her. She put the bag down gently, stepping out to greet the crowds.

A few years after she'd been crowned, Celeste gave one of the stones to the families of the Zodiacs, telling them to keep the stones with them until they were needed. Ophiucus had also told her they would be passed to another generation of Zodiacs later on, and that they would have similar powers to those that came before them.

Celeste gave a bittersweet smile. What she didn't tell me was the fact each sign was split in two. She smiled out at the teens frolicking in the courtyard, laughing and smiling. She wished that she'd had that childhood, and hadn't have had to grow up so quickly. Alas... It was for the better, I guess.
She bit her lip nervously. But I can sense he's back...

Oh dear god... That doesn't sound good. Hey guys! Sorry for the really graphic scene, but it was very relevant to the plot and I couldn't write anything else at this time. Anyway, hope you enjoyed and peace out, darlings!