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College of Celestials - The Zodiac

Chapter 4 - Virgo

Origns of Virgo

It is hard to discern fact from fiction when it comes to the true history of the Celestials especially ones as old as the Zodiacs. However, pieces can be extracted from the tales handed down from Godhunters amongst the Order, the archives of the Circle and even from local legends.

Like the other Zodiacs, Virgo existed before the Greeks drew them in the sky and tied constellations to their stories. They are an ancient, primordial Celestial from before civilization truly took hold. Having obtained the Celestial Cradle, the thirteen brothers and sisters lived amongst mortals for an extended period of time before realizing what a true danger the Cradle posed to their ways of life. They decided to depart the world and abandon their followers.

Atlantis sunk that day.

Before its rise to godhood, however, Virgo was a simple farmer. Born a female, Virgo was expected to be wed and bear children for the glory of her family. However, her husband was a cruel and selfish man who cared little for Virgo. She found friendship amongst the other men and women who would become the Zodiacs.

It was Ophiuchus, the mysterious thirteenth member of the Zodiacs that brought the Celestial Cradle to the people who would one day become the Zodiacs. It is unclear why he chose Virgo or how he came to possess the Cradle in the first place it what is clear is that Ophiuchus was the one that made them all Celestials...

... and he was cast down for it.

_ _

*******

November 26th, 2:00 PM, Castello della Vergine

The loss of one Astral in a war for the Celestial Cradle was acceptable. The loss of two especially one as valuable as Alfonso was a devastating blow. It was akin to losing the queen in a game of chess. Virgo would have considered the loss of Frank a minor stain in an otherwise flawless campaign but losing Alfonso to that wizard...?

It produced a sickening pit in Virgo's stomach, a sensation that he hadn't felt in eons. It went beyond failure, disappointment or betrayal. There was a bitter, sour taste to it added with an aftertaste of salt rubbed into fresh wounds. He had to actually search his long and ancient memory to find the last time he had brushed against such a foul taste.

History had buried such an emotion under countless centuries of success and victories. But now that it had sparked his memory, it only took a few moments to recall the touch of that brutish man, of something lost that could never be repaired and a scar that would never heal. Just the memory of such an event tore that wound wide open and left the Celestial falling to his knees in the middle of his personal quarters.

Eyes wide and clutching his heart, Virgo panted heavily and looked away from that terrible memory and turned to the other Celestial in the room.

"Come to mock me for my hastiness?" he snarled, rising to his feet and indignantly flicking his robe to cover himself.

"Of course not," answered Logan Lester, otherwise known as Leo the Celestial of the Brave. "I've come to chastise you, not mock you." The red-haired man spoke with an impeccable British accent. Little wonder as he made his home in London. "If you had simply agreed to my terms and followed my lead, you would not have lost two of your Astrals and we would all be divine once more."

Virgo regarded his brother with an exasperated smile. "Divine under you? What 'paradise' will you bring to this world, Leo? One where we are all heedlessly and recklessly brave? A paradise of chivalry and manufactured dangers so that we will all get that feeling of superiority when we conquer something we're afraid of?" His features turned into a sneer with his patience was running thin. "A world where the gods are creating toys and adventures for mortals instead of ruling over them?"

Leo lifted his thick, bushy eyebrows. "And what would you do with your divinity, Virgo?"

He gave the de facto leader of the Zodiacs an arrogant smirk. "I wish to bring about nothing but to rid this world of what makes it corrupt. We cannot cleanse sin from the world." He snapped a finger. "But if the consequences of sin were nonexistent, then all sin loses power over us. True purity."

The Lion let out an exaggerated sigh and regarded Virgo like a father looking upon a child who was setting their sights too high. That look alone irked Virgo. Leo was the youngest of the Zodiacs, the last to have joined the pantheon.

"A world without consequence or accountability is a stagnant and pointless world."

"So what if it is?" Virgo replied hotly. "As with many tales of the apocalypse or day of judgment, there is no further point in existence when the One True God is triumphant. All will be happy. All will be in paradise." He made a slicing motion through the air with every point he made. "There is no need for advancement. No need for competition. No need for strife or struggle! Everything will be provided in my paradise."

"In your apocalypse, you mean."

"And you don't intend to bring about some form of end to the world?" he spat back.

"Of course I do. We all do." Leo waved a hairy hand in the direction of the balcony, gesturing at the vast vineyards beyond. "This world we inherited is a flawed one. The system of the leylines is broken. We all, every Celestial, has been tasked with the great opportunity to reforge the world. To fix what is broken. That is our mission. If that means bringing about an 'apocalypse', so be it. It just so happens that some apocalypses are far more sensible than others."

Virgo turned his back to Leo, flicking his robe in the process. "I do not need to make sense when I hold the Cradle."

"You and I both know that's never going to happen. Not now."

Virgo stopped his retreat and whirled around to face his brother. "And what makes you so sure?" he spat with intense venom.

The look on Leo's face, didn't change; it was that condescending look of someone who thought themselves superior watching a subordinate rant and rave. "You have already lost two Astrals. You've got your remaining ones hurrying to shore up your defenses. You're scared. Your Astrals weren't killed either. They were converted. They have Frank's brute strength and now Alfonso's intimate knowledge of you and your forces. They know you. Any tactic you may attempt will be quashed. You've lost your chance at the Cradle."

Virgo lifted his nose to his brother. "Please. Frank was new and green. It was his opportunity to prove himself to me which he clearly didn't achieve. Alfonso was aging and I'm sure even you could agree he was a coward; relying too much on staying behind enemy lines and playing the puppeteer. All I have achieved is trimming the excess and unnecessary from my ranks. My power is now far more focused and organized."

Leo pressed a hand against his temple and shook his head. "No matter how you spin it, these were loses."

"I fully anticipated that they would fall. While I prayed that they would succeed, their defection is still acceptable."

"Deny all you want," sighed Leo. "Regardless of what you may think, if this wizard and his forces were to come for you, none of the other Zodiacs will come to your aid."

That stunned Virgo and he turned back around to face his so-called leader. "What? Why not?"

Leo's gaze narrowed at him. "Afraid? Is that a crack in your perfection?"

Blood boiling, Virgo sneered and clenched his fists. "The only imperfection I see right now is you in my villa! Rest assured when I become the supreme deity, you and the others will be purified and made perfect! You can take solace that I am merciful!"

"So you say," sighed the Lion. "I'm sure Libra has already divulged this previously but you are our spearhead. You are testing the waters and seeing what we are up against." He held up one hand, palm facing upwards. "The world is now at a precipice. While you huddle in your little farm -"

"Vineyard."

"Whatever. While you find comfort here and throw up whatever defenses you think will protect you, the wizard has two options." He lifted his other hand. "Either he can come here and attack you or he consolidates his power. With both Frank and Alfonso, he has only grown in strength. The dawn of a new Godhunter Order could be on the horizon and we could firmly place the blame on _your_failures."

"I did not fail!" snapped Virgo. He forcibly straightened himself, tugging at his robe to pull away at all the creases. "Throw your slander all you want, Leo. I am merely protecting my assets. Once I have ensured that I am protected from incursions from my own brothers and sisters, I will send my next Astral to finally conquer that wizard and bring the Celestial Cradle to me!"

Leo let out a short laugh. "And what? Lose them again to the extremely charismatic wizard? I don't think so." He regarded Virgo with a pleading look. "Don't you see that these attempts are only making him stronger? You are making things harder for the rest of us."

Virgo threw his brother a confident smirk. "Perhaps that is my plan. The wizard may play his mind tricks on my Astrals but they are still my Astrals. Perhaps I will let you and the others throw your forces against him only to be defeated and then I can swoop in and claim the Cradle as I reclaim my Astrals."

He got a plain, exasperated stare from Leo. "Don't try to play the strategist, Virgo. It was never your strong suit." The Celestial inclined his head to the side. "No. I highly doubt the wizard will simply take this opportunity to stay still and consolidate his power. If I were him, I would come and attack you before Alfonso's knowledge becomes stale."

Virgo narrowed his gaze at his brother. "And why are you telling me this?"

Leo pointed a hand downwards towards his feet."To give you the opportunity to beg."

If his blood was boiling at that point, it was now completely on fire. "You dare!? I am your senior! I am the God of Purity! The Silver Celestial! You do _not_speak to me that way!"

"When it comes to the crown of the supreme deity and the Celestial Cradle, anything goes," answered Leo arrogantly. "You have a choice before you, Virgo. You know that fighting the wizard on his home turf is a bad idea. Both of your Astrals attempted to do it and both fell to the traps and tricks that mortal had set up over what I can only assume was decades. Any resources you throw his way will only strengthen him. He will recognize this and he will know you are too weak to send anything else against him. He will come for you. You will fall to him."

Virgo shook with fury. "What makes you so sure? If my Astrals fell because they fought him on his home turf, then he will fall when he enters my domain."

Leo turned away, closing his eyes as if he was growing weary of the conversation. "Arrogant fool." He gave Virgo a sidelong glance, his eyes burning with a laser-like intensity. "If you had bothered to keep tabs on this wizard or your own Astrals, you would have realized that it isn't only him that you should be worried about."

The God of Purity's brow furrowed. "What are you talking about?"

"He has three Celestials already with him," snapped Leo, his voice oozing with frustration. "They were the ones that brought down Alfonso. Likely those that opened the Cradle. Through sheer numbers alone, they would have you outnumbered. Further, the wizard has been mostly fighting with small, prepared spells. He unleashed a high-tier spell to break through Alfonso's Domain proving that he is capable of such! Worse, he clearly has Godhunter knowledge because _Frank_used that foul Soul Manifestation!"

That was news to the Celestial of Virginity. His trust and faith in Alfonso was so absolute that he had decided not to monitor most of his Astral's actions. He had instead focused on his defenses fully anticipating any of this brother and sisters or even other Celestials from making an attempt to snatch the Cradle from him once he had it. Perhaps had he looked into the events closely, he would have detected the odds that had turned against him.

"Three Celestials...?" he breathed softly. "A high-tier spell and Soul Manifestation?" Then he gave his brother a cruel smirk and once again lifted his head arrogantly. "And what evidence do you have to back up such fantastical claims? After all, doesn't it seem too convenient that the wizard has all of these powers behind him?"

Leo tapped his temples with both his hands. "Think about it, Virgo. We all felt the Cradle being opened. You were there when it happened. The wizard clearly didn't have it so it was clearly someone else. Even if I'm lying about the numbers, that's at least one Celestial that you have to contend with. A Celestial connected to the leylines that outstrips your powers. What reason do I have to embellish events?"

Virgo kept his smirk. "To intimidate me into bowing to you so that I may become an example to our siblings."

Leo's features softened and became unreadable. Virgo knew he had struck a nerve.

"You mentioned it before. Our siblings are watching me and I am their spearhead. Their vanguard." Virgo lifted a hand and allowed the crystalline runes bearing his mark drift between his fingers. Matteo's power-gathering was proceeding very well. "So I am their test. Your test. If I fail, you will have been proved right and everyone will fall right behind you like little soldiers, obedient and waiting for the great lion to lead them. But if I succeed, I will usurp your position as leader of the Zodiacs and that threatens you. So here you are, trying to get me to prematurely submit, trying to instill fear into me so that I will bend to your will. Seeing me submit will cause all the others submit as well. Won't it?"

Leo was silent.

"I thought so," huffed the God of Virginity. "Nice try, Leo. But I am wise to your machinations." He waved a hand in the other Celestial's direction. "Leave me. If the wizard is foolish enough to attack me it will be his death sentence. Otherwise, I can only get stronger."

"You will lose."

Virgo rolled his eyes and turned back to Leo but hesitated when he saw the piercing glower. "Why?" he demanded at length. "Will you try to sabotage me?"

"No. You will lose on your own. The wizard will come for you and so will his Celestials. You will be destroyed. Your empire will crumble. Then the others will rally behind me and they will know it was because you refused my help."

"Help?" laughed Virgo. "Why could you simply not offer your 'help' to me, brother, instead of demanding my servitude? You think our brothers and sisters are so naive to believe your lies?" He waved at Leo again, dismissing him. "Go. Spout your lies and know that I will remember these attempts at manipulation when I reign supreme."

Leo paused for a long moment.

"Do you even know the identities of the men who are coming after you?"

Virgo sighed. "Why should I care?"

"Because one of the Celestials is none other than the legendary Cerberus. One of the Celestials that proceeded us. He has two other hounds beside him to complete the symbolism of the three-headed guardian of the underworld and defender of the dead." Leo paused again. "And the other... the wizard. His name is 'Reaper'."

Another pause and this time Virgo couldn't bear to look into Leo's piercing stare.

"Let that sink in, Virgo. A guardian of the dead and the Grim Reaper himself is coming for you. I know we spin stories about destiny and fate when really it is our machinations that led to such an event but even you cannot deny that the symbolism here is clear."

When Virgo turned, Leo was already gone, the Lion's voice whispering in his ears.

"Death is coming for you."

The War of the Olives

Perhaps the greatest engagement in modern times against Virgo and its brood is known as the'War of the Olives'. The name may be silly but it actually represents the relationship of two brothers of the Circle who belonged to House Fontana whose emblem is two crossed olive branches in the clutches of an eagle

House Fontana was a well-known presence in Northern Italy at the time and their ties with the Circle was well known amongst the occult, Celestials and Godhunters. Their stranglehold on Northern Italy allowed them to funnel resources into agricultural research and development of magical techniques to enhance their crops.

You may not know this, but Virgo has a great affinity with the element of Earth and having set up its own base of operations in roughly the same region, the Celestial was wary of the Fontana family. This escalated, however, when the younger brother - Ettore Fontana - approached the Godhunters with the potential of an alliance. His father, Silverio Fontana, had sent Ettore as an emissary to broker a truce at least until the threat of Virgo was dealt with.

However, Virgo caught wind of this and understood that facing off against the combined might of both the Godhunters and the Circle would be disastrous. So it manipulated the elder brother Battista Fontana. Through some clever manipulations, it convinced Battista that he was unfit to inherit the role of the next head of the family and that his father was positioning Ettore to take his place as evidenced by sending him to the Godhunters. It was actually the opposite; Silverio wanted Ettore there to prove his worth and if he was captured, he would still have his prized heir.

In a fit of rage and driven mad by Virgo's words, Battista killed his father and forcibly seized the House Fontana Throne. Ettore was horrified at this development and subsequently rallied those allied to him to fight Battista's forces with the Godhunters backing him. The Circle refused to get involved even when the Order backed Ettore. Virgo provided aid from the shadows as it benefited from a protracted war. The more the Fontana brothers fought, the more it could subtly expand his territory.

You won't find the War of the Olives on any history book as most battles were fought in secret and under magical spells to erase evidence from their surroundings. Eventually, the casualties were so great that a duel was forced between Ettore and Battista to finally settle the battle.

I wish I could tell you that good triumphed over evil but that is not the case. Battista, empowered by Virgo and promised the rank of Astral should he win, triumphed over Ettore and House Fontana was absorbed into the Valentino Family, cementing Virgo's control over the region.

_ _

*******

November 26th, 8:00 AM, Brunch with Angels

Dante scratched at the thick, woolen shirt through the heavy, woolen gloves he wore. The extra layers kept getting caught in his fur whenever he moved, making it incredibly uncomfortable. That scratching triggered another itch a little further down his chest and then another along the loose yoga track pants before finally ending in discomfort as the claws at the ends of his toes got caught in the interior of his massive shoes. How Jacob had managed to find him clothing big enough to fit his new frame and have a hole for his tail, he would never know.

"Stop scratching," chastised the lawyer/wizard as he drove them in his black SUV Angelton proper. "My glamor charm will only make people see you as a slightly modified human version of your original self. It can't protect you from acting weird."

"I'm sorry, okay!" Flash growled in frustration, similarly tugging at the letterman jacket he wore. "I've been running around in just my fur for so long, it feels kind of weird to be wearing clothing."

Russ peered around the headrest of the front passenger seat. "It's just been a few days. Get over it."

Unlike either of the young wolves, Russ was fully capable and skilled at transforming back into a human. It was odd seeing the hellhound as anything but the big Rottweiller-like beast that they had been accustomed to. Now, Russ was still a towering 6'11'' tall man with a thick, curly black beard cropped short to highlight his strong, lantern-like jawline and similarly curly black hair. His olive skin was akin to Frank's, lightly tanned and with an exotic look of someone who lived close to the Mediterranean. Much like his canine form, however, he still had a strong, muscled torso accompanied with a muscle-gut and powerful legs to carry that immense weight - a true powerlifter.

Like Dante or Flash, he was dressed in civilian clothing which consisted of the same protective, red scarf that was wrapped around his neck, a red and black plaid overshirt that hung open with a thicker, white shirt right beneath to provide insulation and highlight his impressive musculature. Denim cut-off shorts ended just beneath his knees to show off the powerful calves while tan hiking boots covered his enormous feet.

"Don't know why we couldn't just do this over the phone," Frank commented, waving at them from the farthest seat in the back. The enormous man had reverted back to his human form and been provided some clothing by Jacob. As it turns out, the lawyer had a vast closet in in his home for this occasion. Frank wore a thick, brown, leather jacket with a black tank-top right beneath. Tight, black pants wrapped around his legs and this was accompanied by black, steel-capped boots. He had tied his long hair back into a sensible ponytail. "Just call your dad and boyfriend. That's it."

"I've already lied to them over the phone once," Dante said, green eyes cast down. He looked at his immense figure barely contained within the clothes. "If I'm going to be lying to them, I should at least do it in person."

Flash patted his shoulder comfortingly. "It'll be okay. We're doing this to protect them."

Those words rang hollowly not because he didn't appreciate them but because Dante partially hoped both his dad and Zeke would discover something wrong and he would be forced to reveal his secret if only so that it would delay their inevitable trip to Italy. Assaulting Virgo's stronghold still felt like a daunting task even if he had voted for it. He knew he had to do it. He didn't want Virgo to hold his loved ones hostage and if they could subdue the God of Virginity, it would send a message to the other Celestials.

A message to stay away from Angelton.

Somehow, he doubted that all of the Celestials would heed this warning but, at the very least, they could get rid of Virgo. In a way, this was a defining moment for him; the point of no return. The moment he took the offensive, he was openly declaring war on the Celestials. No longer playing defensive and claiming everything he did was in self-defense.

No.

He was joining the war in full. Just like his grandpa wanted.

The SUV came to a halt right in front the little cafe where he had arranged to meet. It was one of his dad's favorite brunch stops and he had taken Dante there every Sunday for their 'unplugged' hour; a moment in time where they just talked, no digital devices and no internet. It really helped him connect with his dad. Eventually, he extended that to Zeke as well and the three of them would just sit down, eat some good food and talk.

Dante felt both awkward and nervous as he approached the cafe where his father and boyfriend were already waiting by a table. They both saw him and while there was a moment of joy upon seeing him, it quickly turned to confusion as Dante was flanked with the others.

"Hey dad," he greeted, holding up a gloved hand. "Hey babe."

Zeke tilted his head in confusion. The tall 6'5'' athletic man with the gorgeous, unblemished chocolate-brown skin tried to force a smile through his broad, full lips but he couldn't hide the worry in his deep, expressive brown eyes. He got up, hesitating a moment as he realized that Dante was standing a little taller than him. Before he could dwell on it too much, Dante quickly grabbed a seat and sat down, seated between his father and boyfriend.

"Hey," Zeke said, leaning down for a kiss but, very conscious that the glamor spell wouldn't hide his features from being touched, he quickly pulled away and held up a hand. Seeing the hurt in his boyfriend's face, he rubbed his cheek which had been disguised to look like his human features but with a rather thick scruff.

"Sorry, I haven't shaved in the past few days," he apologized. "Don't think I'm kiss-worthy yet."

"Aww," Zeke cooed, sitting back down. "Babe, you know I'd love you no matter what. Speaking of which, are you wearing heels or something? I thought I was taller than you."

Running through the speech his had practiced, Dante said, "Yeah... Just trying something new. Russ over there has got me trying out this new workout regimen. Apparently your spine loses a whole foot of height over your life because of gravity. I didn't think it was working but if it is, that's great!"

Shaun regarded Jacob and the men around him."And Russ is...?"

"Me," answered the disguised hellhound, holding up a hand. "I just moved into town." Then a devilish glint entered his eyes and Dante immediately froze up. Russ draped a arm around Jacob's shoulder with the lawyer looking like he was going to be sick. "I'm this one's husband."

Zeke visibly blanched and Shaun's jaw dropped open in shock.

"Jacob!" exclaimed Zeke, throwing his hands up into the air. "You're married!?"

Voice flat but oozing with bitterness, the lawyer and No One said, "Apparently."

"Why didn't you tell us?" Shaun said, rising up and holding his hand out to Russ. "You've basically been part of our family for years! I was going to ask if you'd be Dante's godfather!"

Jacob's eyebrows shot up and he looked stunned. Even Dante had to whirl around and stare at his father. "Shaun, you've just lost your father. Don't go making rash decisions like this off the back of a tragedy."

"No," answered the man. "I've given it a lot of thought. You were there for my father through the latter part of his life. You've served this community and you gave my son a job. I can think of no one better to be his godfather."

Jacob dragged over a chair and sat down next to Shaun. "Let's talk about this another time. You might feel differently after what I'm going to ask."

Shaun inclined his head. "And what might that be?"

With practiced words, Jacob spun a lie they had spent the better part of the previous night concocting. "Let me introduce Frank. A client of mine."

Frank stepped up, waving a hand to the gathered two. Speaking in flawless English but with that alluring Italian accent, he explained that he had come to Jacob upon getting a recommendation from the late Virgil. It left a bitter note in Dante's soul that they were using his dead grandfather's name to weave a lie but only a _partial_lie.

"Virgil told me that if I ever needed any help with family matters, Jacob could help me," Frank continued. "Unfortunately, I've got a bit of a problem with my adopted father."

"Oh no," Shaun replied, showing genuine concern. "What kind of trouble?"

"And where did you get that accent and how can I train Dante to mimic it?" Zeke added, causing Dante to throw him a startled look. "What?" answered his boyfriend with a shrug. "Dude is sexy as fuck. On an unrelated note..." Zeke leaned over with a knowing smirk at Frank. "How big is your dick?"

Both Frank and Flash looked utterly horrified at the question but this was pretty on par with Zeke's mannerism that Dante just waved them back down. He had warned them that after escaping from the yolk of his super-religious and ultra-conservative family, Zeke was unashamed of his identity as a gay man. Though it wasn't everything he was, he had this uncanny ability to know what would make people squelch and took every opportunity to pounce. He didn't wear anything 'loud and proud' save for the small rainbow pin on the collar of his yellow shirt. Somehow, even in the perpetual cold of Angelton, Zeke always wore short-sleeved shirts and shorts. Years of track, he said.

"I don't think that's any of your business," Frank said. "And for what it's worth, I do have my lawyer present."

"Please don't drag me into this," Jacob sighed. He turned back to Shaun. "Basically, after some therapy, Frank has come to realize that his dad has been incredibly abusive to him. On the level of grooming him, basically."

There, Zeke's expression turned from one of a coy predator to one of shocked horror and disgust. "What? Seriously? That's terrible!" He regarded Frank with an apologetic look. "I'm sorry if anything I said made you uncomfortable. I won't make any excuses." He pressed a hand against his chest. "I came from a sort of abusive family too. Ultra Christian. Basically raised me to be the good little baby factory from an early age, going through the same rituals constantly and hitting me if I ever deviated from 'God's Plan'."

Frank snorted softly and for a second, Dante forgot that his friend wasn't in his equine form. "How'd that turn out for you?"

"Considering I'm proud and out as a gay man with a gorgeous boyfriend..." Before Dante could react, Zeke grabbed his hand and gave it a little squeeze, a bright smile on his face. "... I couldn't be happier. They're not happy but I've got two brothers and a sister who can be their ideal children and give them the grandchildren they want."

One of the things that he truly admired about Zeke. His positive outlook and his ability to look past the dark times and stay strong even in adversity was an inspiration. To be kicked out of his home right after high school and put himself through college while owning his own bike shop... it was simply amazing. Zeke even had ambitions of expanding his market from just selling other people's bikes to making custom bikes that he could sell online.

"That brings me to my next point," Jacob said, steering them back on track. "I'm going to be going to northern Italy for a few days. I'd like Dante to come with me."

Shaun recoiled a little in surprise. "What? Why?"

"I think it'd be good work experience for him. Upholding the law and doing the right thing isn't just about standing behind and spouting platitudes and rules. It's about meeting the people, seeing the situation first hand and understanding that the world is neither black nor white but an infinite spectrum in between."

"Like all the colors of the rainbow!" Zeke exclaimed, shining his rainbow pin.

"Not now, babe," Dante whispered softly, patting his hand.

Shaun looked hesitant. "I'm not really sure... Dante has classes..."

Now it was his turn to step in. "Dad," Dante pressed. "Grandpa did a lot of traveling. He learned a lot from the world. I think I'd like to do the same. And this is a great opportunity to see how it's done." He hated having to use his grandfather's name to emotionally manipulate his dad but what he said rang with truth. This is exactly what Virgil would have wanted for him.

Shaun reached over to Dante but hesitated and fell back. "Court cases take a long time. Months. Maybe even years. Will you be gone for that entire time?"

"We're not going to court," Jacob responded. "Not entirely. We're just going to be meeting up with Frank's adoptive father and exchange some words. With luck, he will sign a few papers that will legally cut ties with Frank and transfer over some assets. Hopefully we don't have to bring this to the courts. Regardless, we should be back within a few days. You know how timezones are."

That seemed to ease Shaun's mind a little and he smiled a little. "Well, I guess it's nice to see Dante picking a path." He regarded his son with a fierce look but a gentle smile. "You remember to take notes, okay? This is a huge opportunity for you and Jacob is..." He trailed off and regarded Jacob. "... will you be...?"

"All expenses paid," Jacob answered, holding up a hand. "You don't have to worry about paying for airfare and accommodations. I've got this."

"We've got this," Russ corrected, reaching down and grabbing Jacob's paw. "It is a shared bank account, after all. Right hon?"

Jacob's left eye twitched. Somehow, he managed to say his next words with a straight face. "Of course."

"Well damn!" Zeke exclaimed. "How about I close the shop for the week and we all go? I'd love to see Italy."

Dante's heart seized up. If he had to juggle making excuses to avoid Zeke while in Italy or even putting his boyfriend at risk right in the middle of Virgo's stronghold, he would have a heart attack on their way there!

"As tempting as that is," Shaun sighed. "I'd rather not put any strain on your wallet, Jacob. You're already doing so much for my family and my son. I'll have to pass."

Zeke laughed softly and patted Dante's hand again. "Yeah. I suppose it's kind of crazy." He winked at Dante. "Just bring me back something nice, okay babe?"

Once again, he was just grateful at how understanding his boyfriend was.

"Yeah, of course," he replied with a bright smile.

"How about we order?" Russ exclaimed. "I'm hungry."

The entire group sat down and began ordering, enforcing the rule of no digital devices during the meal. This gave both Zeke and Shaun ample opportunity to interrogate both Russ and Frank with the focus being on the former. How Jacob had gone all this time without anyone finding out he was married was a mystery that they were determined to crack. Dante couldn't help but smirk as Russ' story about their romance grew more and more extravagant.

At first, it started out as a Vegas wedding. Russ was a stripper. Jacob was drunk. They got hitched in a drunken haze and Jacob, being the good guy that he was, wanted to make sure that Russ was as comfortable as possible instead of getting the wedding annulled. Russ, however, had insisted that he not just mooch off Jacob so, for the past few years, he continued to strip while getting his degree in business. He had only recently graduated and could now work alongside his husband, hoping to expand Jacob's profile beyond just Angelton.

"You should've seen what he did for our last anniversary!" Russ laughed.

"You won't believe it," Jacob mumbled as he ate his eggs benedict.

So came a story about a trip out into uncharted waters on a private yacht where the lovers did unspeakable things that would otherwise be considered taboo or illegal on the mainland. Sexual things.

"Needless to say, we didn't get our deposit back on that yacht," Russ finished.

"Holy shit..." Zeke breathed. "Tell me you recorded it all."

The hellhound shook his head with a grin. "All evidence had to be burned."

"This is a new side I've never seen in you, Jacob," Shaun said, beaming brightly. "Honestly, I always thought you were kind of cold and all-business. Hearing that you're kind of human beneath all that lawyer is actually comforting."

Jacob lifted his blue eyes a little at Shaun before dropping them almost instantly back to his food. "Huh," was all he said.

Frank, who had just finished his 'big breakfast' leaned back and rubbed the back of his neck. "I guess a lot of people could be reminded how it is to be human these days."

"What do you mean by that?" Zeke asked.

In the short time they had been in each other's company, Frank knew that he could use one simple phrase to cut all curiosity before it delved too close to the truth. "Just something about my father again..."

This time, however, it didn't work.

"Tell me about it," Shaun asked.

This stunned Frank for a second and everyone else on the table. There was a silent agreement not to dig too deep on what could potentially be a court case and family matter. Frank never explicitly said he didn't want to talk about it but it was just silently understood.

Seeing the hunky, hairy Italian hesitate, Shaun pressed. "For the longest time, I looked at my dad as this perfect guy. My idol and the perfect example of humanity. He was what everyone should aspire to be and that anyone else that didn't perfectly emulate him was flawed. At least that's what I told myself."

Dante leaned a little closer. This was the first time he had ever heard his own father talk about Virgil like this. Everyone processed grief differently and Shaun had been grieving for a long while ever since Virgil's passing. It too these words to make him realize that he had overcome that grief thanks to this mission thrust upon him by his grandfather. But his dad...

... his dad had to deal with these more human emotions.

Now he was truly tempted to tell his father about the Celestials and what had happened to him just so that he could find comfort in Virgil's legacy.

"But as I grew up, I realized that my dad wasn't perfect," Shaun concluded. "He was just good at making it look like his mistakes were planned. If he ever made a mistake, he'd own up to it and already have a plan to move on and learn from it. He would call them 'opportunities' or 'learning experiences'." Shaun let out a short laugh. "It's funny. When I was so much younger, my dad was perfect. He could do no wrong. But now... I guess he was just as human as the rest of us."

A soft smile touched Frank's lips, barely visible beneath his beard. "If my father could only have learned from yours. He always blames others for mistakes and always avoid accountability. It's always someone else's fault. In that way, he remains 'perfect'."

Shaun let out a soft chuckle. "I guess in that way, your dad and mine were similar. They couldn't live with their mistakes. They can't just let it scar and sit there as a reminder. They have to do something about it. My dad was kind of obsessive about these 'opportunities' to the point where he'd sometimes go seeking out ways to challenge his knowledge just so that he can put what he learned to the test."

Letting out a soft laugh, Shaun said, "God... I remember this one time that he accidentally dropped a cleaver while he was butchering his own deer. Gave himself a nasty gash across his forearm. You want to know what he did?"

Dante shook his head.

"He took up juggling!" Shaun exclaimed, letting out a short laugh. "The moment that he was all fixed up, he started learning how to juggle. His justification was that if he ever dropped a knife again, he'd at least be able to juggle it so that he wouldn't drop the damn thing on his arm. Or at least have the common sense to let it drop instead of trying to catch it."

Frank returned the smile. "See, my dad would have blamed the knife for being so sharp or some weird tectonic movement for making him lose his balance. Probably would've blamed the deer even if it was dead. He'd never take the blame himself."

"Still two men who approached problems to the extreme," Shaun concluded. "One tries to protect himself from blame while the other does everything he can from ever making the same mistake again." His eyes grew distant. "Sometimes I think it's because my dad was always trying to shield himself from something. Like he was always trying to protect himself from some unseen danger. I can't help but wonder what that could have been."

More than ever, Dante wanted to tell his dad everything. To tell him that Virgil was constantly vigilant against the Celestials. That all these opportunities were him trying to protect them and become as strong as he could should a Celestial ever attack and endanger his family.

But he kept his mouth shut.

And just chose to enjoy the fact that his dad was remembering Virgil so fondly.

Loss of the Valentinos

In all of its centuries of existence, Virgo had done nothing but poison humanity's opinion of virginity to the point that we now put a ridiculous amount of importance on it. Hundreds of years cultivating this poison within itself has turned this venom into something that would truly be toxic if ever fully unleashed into the leyline network as it is.

Just imagine it, my dearest Dante. Everyone in the world will treat their virginity much like currency. Entire markets could eventually be based entirely on bids for one's first time. It could extend further to other 'new experiences' and even drive those constantly seeking to find joy in taking the 'virginity' of others to new and more extreme pleasures.

Perhaps I am exaggerating but the leylines run through each and everyone one of us. City centers built around leyline hubs could easily be influenced by whatever essence is polluting them the most at the time.

Virgo's departure could mean a town like Angelton could become a Northeastern Las Vegas; filled with debauchery, drugs and death. Again, I could be exaggerating but this is what I fear and I would not be a very good grandfather if I left the world in such a state for you to endure.

That is why I implore you to enact my Plan.

_ _

*******

November 27th, 2:00 PM, Giannivos

Giannivos, a mini-Las-Vegas in Northern Italy.

After over eight hours of flights and layovers, the small party of Celestials, Astrals and wizards checked in at Hotel Valentino. Alfonso's connections still existed and it seemed that Virgo had yet inform the wider network of the priest's betrayal. There could have been a myriad of reasons though the one that Jacob suspected was the most likely was that Virgo wanted to maintain this appearance of perfection. Having any flaw in that facade was an affront to the God of Virginity and if he let the mortals who made Giannivos their home know that both Frank and Alfonso had turned away from the rest of the family, doubt would take root.

There was no doubt in Jacob's mind that spies all over the vibrant town had already informed Vincent Valentino of their arrival. There was a local airport after all. No direct flights from Maine but Alfonso's use of the private plane certainly did not go unnoticed. As they checked in at the hotel, Frank pulled aside a bellboy and gave him a note.

The challenge had been issued.

They stayed in the hotel for about an hour and a half, resting from the long flight and taking in the sights of the city. Three rooms had been booked, all adjacent to one another. Flash and Frank took one room then Dante and Alfonso had a second. Jacob and Russ had their own room. Their reasoning was that if anyone tried to attack the two wolves, Frank and Alfonso's presence would deter them. Any attacks upon Jacob and Russ would meet the far more experienced fighters.

It was around four in the afternoon when a knock came to Jacob's door.

Russ was in the bathtub, soaking in a pool of water scented with rosewater and some other oils. At the door was Frank who held up an opened letter decorated with what appeared to be silver ink.

"He's accepted," was all the Astral said. "Tomorrow night."

Jacob nodded grimly. "And what about the time in between?"

"We have immunity. No one can touch us. Anyone that does will suffer his wrath."

Jacob took the letter and immediately entered his room, leaving the door open for Frank to enter and close the door behind him. Reading the letter was both a relief and a confirmation of his suspicions.

Virgo had accepted their conditions for surrender.

"You sure this will work?" asked Frank. "Virgo is an arrogant son-of-a-bitch but he isn't stupid. He'll know you're up to something."

Jacob set the letter with letters delicately written in silver-edged script on the sole desk in the room. Taking one of the complimentary pens, he began drawing runes all over the page. "The greatest weapon against deception and distrust is the truth delivered at the right time and in just the right way to dispel the darkness of misinformation and break through the wall of denial. Which gets harder and harder with each passing day."

He held up the page after a short moment, shook his head and then began drawing more runes.

"We'll be going into the lion's den," warned Frank. "Or in this case, the unicorn's stable. We'll be surrounded. Alfonso isn't going to fight. Even with him, we would be seriously outnumbered."

Still shaken by the revelations he had learned and having a crisis of faith, Alfonso had helped them this far but outright refused to engage in a battle against Virgo. That was worthy of respect. Few could remain standing after the vision they had been pursuing for over half their life had been revealed to be flawed let alone assist those trying to bring it down.

Even if Alfonso were to help them, there were other Astrals under Virgo's command with Matteo potentially being the most powerful of them all. Coupled with the horde of Thralls and whatever else Virgo had stored, getting to and defeating the Celestial would be extremely difficult.

"Numbers aren't everything," Jacob responded, lifting the page again and holding it up to the light. Still not satisfied, he set it back down and began drawing more runes. "The battle with Alfonso proved that."

"He was_one_ Astral against me and you," Frank countered gruffly. "We're going to be one Astral, three limited Celestials and a wizard against six Astrals, an army of Thralls and Virgo."

"Honestly don't see why you're bringing this up now," Jacob said, throwing Frank a smirk over his shoulder. "I voted to stay behind and develop our skills, remember? You voted to attack."

"I would've preferred to gather supporters," replied Frank. "Maybe see if we can weaken Virgo by getting some of his other Astrals to join us. Not... this..."

Jacob held up the paper one last time and nodded. He leveled the pen in his hand at the paper directly at the center of one of the runes. With a flick of his wrist, he jabbed the pen right through the page. Silvery-blue flames exploded from the impact, rapidly spreading to consume the page. His fingers closed around the small tongue of flame, extinguishing it.

"That's why we need to make as many preparations as possible," he said at length. "I still have hope that Virgo will see reason. I'll do my best to recruit Matteo and the others." With a soft sigh, he stepped over to the nearby window and pushed it open. He opened the fist that he had closed around the letter and lifted it out into the open sky. A flock of silvery-blue birds fluttered out from his palm and drifted into the sky.

"Was that one such preparation?" asked Frank.

"Sort of," he answered, shutting the windows. "Before I entered this world, there is another No One that was interested in this rewrite. H2 the Harbinger of Havoc. Represents Chaos. In the original, he was the key influence on Dante, Flash and Russ. He was a little peeved that I got asked for instead of him but he let me step in instead of him. I basically just sent him a status update."

"I thought you couldn't access your powers."

Jacob turned and smiled at Frank. "I can't. But Virgil managed to contact me right? I figured out a long time ago how he did it." He pointed in the direction of the bathroom where Russ was loudly singing some ancient, Greek song. "He used some of Russ' power. Divine power. Only something like that can break through dimensional barriers to reach the worlds in between. I just did the same."

"He can't help us?"

Jacob gave him a smile as he shut the window behind him. "He already is. Someone else is pulling some strings here and my buddy is trying to figure out who it is. My status updates should hopefully help him figure it out."

A soft tearing sound suddenly erupted from just above room's sole desk, an angry red and black wound about the size of an average hand. Frank was instantly on edge until a little USB drive fell from the wound. The moment the drive clattered on the wood, the tear sealed up.

"Speak of the devil," Jacob chuckled, heading over and plucking the drive from the table. He sat down at the desk, pulling out his laptop and slipped it in. The drive itself was nearly full with videos, each one in folders and dated and all prefixed with 'Virgo'. Jacob opened one up with Frank hovering over his shoulder.

It showed some sort of saccharine-white fertility clinic with what appeared to be an adult woman signing some forms. A moment later, a pair of doctors approached her escorting a rather handsome-looking man. Chiseled jaw, blonde hair and extremely fit. If Jacob didn't know any better, he could've sworn he was looking at Virgo. A moment later, the woman agreed to something and the two went off into a nearby room. A light above the doors to the room suddenly sprang to life announcing that the room was 'occupied'.

"What am I seeing?" began Frank, his eyes widening.

"No idea..." Jacob responded. "Looks like Havoc was busy..." He opened the sole text file in the folder and read it aloud. "'Still no closer to figuring out the truth here. Whoever they are, they hid their tracks well. But you were right. Outright killing Virgo will have serious consequences down the line. I've provided videos of these possibilities. You might get a kick out of Possibility 2458193.'"

Frank gagged in surprise. "Possibility...?"

Jacob rolled his eyes and regarded Frank with a smile. "I may not be able to see into all possibilities right now," he said. "But I've at least got a friend who can help out and confirm my suspicions." He pointed at the videos in front of him. "I wondered why Virgil wanted us to drain the divinity out of Virgo and send it back to the leylines instead of just killing him. I suspected it was because if we just kill him, Virgo's corrupted essence that has been stockpiled for centuries would twist the leylines further. I just wanted confirmation. That and a bid of morbid curiosity. Havoc is a specialist in Chaos so if there's anything that'll cause mayhem, he's go-to-guy."

Frank nodded slowly and leaned forward, reading the next part of the letter.

"'I've gathered everything I could see that'll lead to any sort of chaos if Virgo were outright killed. Tried to do a little bit of research as well. Confirmed a few things. Virgo was indeed born a simple farmer girl and was basically sold to another farmer that abused her. She miscarried and became a goddess when she was approached by..." Frank paused and turned towards Jacob. "'...Ophiuchus...'"

Jacob regarded him with a puzzled look. "Who?"

The towering, black-haired Astral shrugged. "The Thirteenth the Zodiac. Wasn't the first of the Zodiacs. That's Aries. According to what Virgo told me, Aries recruited Ophiuchus next and then got him to go around recruiting the others. But somewhere down the line, the Zodiacs decided that Ophiuchus wasn't with them for some reason and killed him." Frank rubbed his chin. "I haven't thought about that in a long time..."

Jacob frowned and turned back towards the text. "That's the first I've heard of him... Well, at least in relation to the Zodiacs. I know it's a constellation but never an actual Celestial. Interesting." He continued to read.

"'Virgo became a goddess, learned how to make Astrals from the other Zodiacs and ruled for a while before being disgusted by the world around her. She was the first one to propose leaving the world when the Celestial Cradle was stolen from the Zodiacs. She left, lived in her Domain for centuries, before having to return when Leo gathered them all, making them aware that their Domains were fading because they didn _'t have enough power to supply their Astrals with immortality, preserve their own Domains and Rules_ and keep themselves healthy. So they returned to Earth, found it drastically changed and were forced to adapt. Over the next few centuries, she became the Celestial you know today."

"Pretty much what I remember hearing," Frank agreed.

The singing in the bathroom had stopped and Russ came padding out as the bathtub began draining. He stopped a moment, surprised at Frank's presence.

"If you wanted a threesome," grinned the hellhound in human-guise, "should've told me before I took a bath. Unless you like it dirty."

"Not now, mutt," growled Frank. "Reaper got some intel on Virgo."

Now curious, Russ padded over and regarded the screen. Jacob quickly explained where he had received the intelligence, scrolling up to the start of the note so that it was the hellhound could give it a quick read. Russ took up the next part of the reading.

"'Virgo has harbored this bitterness with her for centuries. Can't say that's healthy especially since she has never confided in anyone - not even her own brothers and sisters of the Zodiac - about her issues. None of them have. I guess when you're a 'god', you can't show weakness. Anyway, she's got some really_bad shit cooped up inside of her. If you kill her without dealing with that stuff, it_'ll be like nuking the leyline network with a bad-vibe bomb. I'm talking wide-spread implications. Seriously, Sam, if you just kill her, the next generation is going to start this '#MyFirst' movement. It's where people outwardly and publicly...'"

Jacob winced and even Russ and Frank recoiled in horror.

"Shame and out their very first sexual encounter..." Russ finished. "Fuck... That's messed up."

"Everyone knows your first time isn't the best," Frank added. "To go out of your way to point out who your first is and rate them...? That's a whole different level..."

"Oh it gets worse..." Russ said, leaning down towards the page. "Says here that they don't just out them and rate them. They go into brutal detail on their performance. Then the older generations get in on it. Celebrities start calling out who their firsts were. Careers are ruined because of this. Pornstars_do the same. Shit... it leads to a whole generation of super-selective prudes who are shallow as fuck and try to be _extra selective of who they fuck."

"It's like Eugenics all over again," Jacob mumbled, looking at the screen with disgust. "Except instead of people picking who they have sex with on the basis of their genes, its how they perform in the sack." He paled as he read further down the screen. "Oh hell no... About one more generation down the line, people start selling themselves out as 'Poppers'. Experienced people who make a living out of giving people the best 'first time' of their lives. Entire industries pop up from this. They even go online and start giving people star-based ratings. It becomes a multi-million dollar industry where Poppers would learn all they want about their clients, give them the best date of their life and then take their virginity in the best way possible based on their client's tastes."

"So really fancy whores..." Russ concluded. "Not that I'm complaining but shit..."

Frank leaned down and scrolled down the screen. "That's not all... Says here depending on a number of factors, society will eventually degrade to a point where birthrates plummet because everyone is so obsessed with the best first experiences that they could possibly have for their first time. Kids fantasize about being fucked by movies stars who eventually lose their charm through a scandal or just age that it becomes impossible to meet their standards. They just never have sex and never have children. Those that do have children, end up either in courts, have to pay child support or a whole lot of other legal bullshit. What's worse is that the human race starts genetically declining."

Jacob crossed his arms and shook his head in sorrow. "With only a few people having sex and either being able to afford sex with those that they want, the genetic diversity of mankind would fall. Entire families get picked out for their appearance with children being groomed to perform well in the sack from a young age. Their first time experiences are even sold to the highest bidder. People will literally scalp kid's virginities!"

According to H2's report, within ten generations, just about when Virgo's influence would have sufficiently been diffused and filtered out throughout the leylines, mankind's genetic diversity would have been so limited that a massive plague just a millennium later wiped out nearly everyone and those that were left couldn't maintain a sustainable population. Mankind eventually created a virtual world where they could live out the rest of their lives in their fantasies before the last of them died out.

"This cannot be real," Frank said. "Tell me it isn't real."

"It isn't," Jacob answered grimly, rising to his feet. "But that is a possibility if we kill Virgo without killing any of the other remaining Celestials. One of countless. There are an infinite number of variables that could affect how it turns out and I'm sure Havoc is just picking certain possibilities but the point comes across clearly." He turned towards the two, his gaze grave and serious. "No matter how irritating, how antagonistic and how threatening he is, we _cannot_kill Virgo."

"Then how do we finish him?" Frank asked.

"We follow Virgil's plan," grunted Russ. "We bring him to Devil's Peak where Dante sucks out his divinity, Flash purifies it and then I send it back to the leyline network. That way, whatever bad, corrupt shit that Virgo has in him doesn't infect the leylines further."

Jacob nodded in agreement. "Better tell the boys. We need to make sure they're prepared for the fight tomorrow night."

Frank hiked a thumb over his shoulder. "I'll go get us some food as well. This is going to take some preparation."

With a nod of agreement, the three of them parted, leaving Jacob to sit back down and regard the drive's contents. As he scrolled through the videos, he right-clicked on the page and selected the option to unhide hidden files. As he suspected, there was a text file sitting there from his colleague and friend.

'All alone? Good. You were right about another thing, Sam. Virgil didn't die of old age."

Jacob sighed, heart heavy with the confirmation. He leaned back and closed his eyes.

"He was murdered..."

Vincent Valentino

Virgo had donned many faces in the centuries of its existence. The human guise often changes but his true form never changes. Perhaps it is the true reflection of it soul and being but Virgo has long adopted the form of a figure cocooned within three pairs of white, featureless hands, protecting it from harm while only leaving the lower half of its face exposed. This is but the first of its many forms; the form that it shows to its Astrals and mortals that it seeks to influence.

When angered or sufficiently threatened, Virgo will unfurl the lower two hands wrapped around its legs. These hands are actually the largest of the six it possesses and acts as enormous wings that grant it increased mobility, range and physical prowess. I have only ever seen this form once before from the archives of the Circle but even in the sketches, it looked both beautiful and terrifying.

I have heard tell that Virgo possesses a third form where all its hands are finally unwrapped from around its body. I cannot tell you more than this as Virgo has never shown this form to anyone or at least any record of this form has been erased from time. But it is only logical that it exists.

If one pair of hands can be unfurled, why not the remaining two?

_ _

*******

November 28th, 10:00 PM, Castello della Vergine

Flash wasn't sure why he expected that they would just walk the many miles between their hotel and Castello della Vergine. When Russ and Jacob had briefed them all on the plan, he had pumped himself up and were bouncing on the balls of his clawed feet, ready for the inevitable fight. He was surprised when the phone in the bedroom rang and it was announced that the 'car had arrived'.

Virgo had sent a long, white limo for them. Everyone in the hotel-slash-casino seemed to recognize it for what it was. They murmured and stared as the five big men strode out in a myriad of clothing to step into the vehicle held open by a white-clad chauffeur wearing a porcelain mask. Flash managed to squeeze his bulk into the car and had to admit that it was incredibly luxurious. The velvety seats felt good on his fur and he could stretch out his legs.

The trip still took a good thirty minutes to weave through the traffic of Giannivos before they hit the open farmland that lead to the villa. Refreshments were offered but summarily rejected. Everyone was fidgeting or doing something to occupy the time, never speaking to one another. It was almost like everyone had their own little pre-game ritual.

Jacob sat farthest from the rest of them and was flicking his wrists, using whatever hidden mechanism was within his cloak to flick between Popsicle sticks, cards and stickers. The two wooden batons that combined to form his staff hung on his hips. There was a bandoleer of different packs filled with other magical consumables he had packed and prepared beforehand.

Closest to Jacob, Frank was dressed in a big, black biker's outfit consisting of a leather jacket, white shirt, heavy leather pants and similarly designed boots. All of it was magically enhanced to change shape when he inevitably transformed while still offering the same protections as Jacob's blue cloak. Apparently it didn't have as much protective power because of its shape shifting abilities but the former Astral wasn't too worried. He was nursing a single beer he had brought with him, eying the approaching villa with a mix of revulsion and apprehension.

Dante sat closest to Flash and was poring over Virgil's book. A protective leather jacket was wrapped around his shoulders and beneath, he wore a simple, white shirt. Denim pants protected his legs that hung over his red and white sneakers. All of these fit over his lupine form and were imbued with extra protective magic. According to Jacob, the ensemble was the second strongest defensive attire, second only to Flash's.

Being the team's 'storage', Flash needed to be the most protected. The singlet he wore sat beneath a black shirt and a letterman jacket, both of which had the same level of defenses as the singlet itself. The shorts he wore had extra enhancements that would prevent Flash from having his movement impaired. Unlike Russ or Dante, he also wore a jockstrap underneath his shorts, another extra level of protection both physically and magically. He wore colorful hightop shoes that had a red base and black swirling patterns that matched his tattoos.

Not too far away, Russ sat back against the cushions, arms crossed and face partially buried into the long, red scarf around his neck. Like Frank, he was dressed in magical clothing but it had far less protection upon his request. An olive green utility vest hung around his chest over a black shirt. Thick, cargo shorts hung over his weighty thighs leaving his broad, hairy calves exposed. Steel-toed boots covered his human feet. This was all on purpose. With Russ' ability to Hellforge, he needed more matter than magical protection. The scarf offering a full-body shield but the clothes were there to be transformed into his Hellforged matter in a pinch. The hellhound had a rosary wrapped around his right wrist and was actually whispering to it.

"You're praying?" Flash asked.

Russ lifted a finger a she finished a verse. When he was done, he turned to Flash with a soft nod. "Christianity was a concoction of the Godhunters to hold back the Celestials, remember? All their prayers stemmed from protective charms and mantras to focus on battle."

"So the 'Hail Mary'?"

"Basically a thinly veiled hope for our female warriors to protect them from the gods as they march to their death."

Thinking about the prayer in that new context gave Flash shudders. Russ explained the rosary used to actually be imbued with magic by female Godhunters. Each bead was meant to offer protection just like their clothes and they would each burn away with each hit from the divine forces. Though the one he held was not one such artifact, Russ still observed the practice out of habit.

As he finished the explanation, the limo slowed and Flash peered out of the window.

Vast vineyards looking like a sea of green across rolling hills all the way off into the horizon. Even in the dark, there was a romantic aura to the scene. Big spotlights erupted ahead of them angled directly at the sandy-colored walls of the villa. Immense, white gates of the villa yawned in front of them, flanked by two, huge statues depicting strangely androgynous figures guarded the gates. They all appeared to be inspired by ancient Greek architecture, appearing in flowing togas, wearing laurel wreathes and with soft, gentle features. Both statues faced outwards but had an arm stretched out towards one another to form an arch.

The courtyard of the villa was dominated by an enormous fountain that depicted men and women curled and twisted in erotic orgasm. The water bubbled up from hidden mechanisms within the fountain itself and oozed out of the base of the sculpture making it look like the orgy's fluids were seeping out between their bodies and feeding the fountain.

The limo drove around the enormous fountain and parked right in front of the large, white staircase leading up to the villa itself. There had to at least be thirty steps until the door which positioned the Astral waiting at the top to gaze down upon them while light from the villa itself streamed out from behind him, making it look like he was guarding the gates to heaven.

"Matteo," huffed Frank. "Of course it had to be Matteo."

Flash had heard all about Virgo's 'chosen son'. Apparently, the guy was one of the most powerful Astrals because he had both a keen mind, strong body and a decent understanding of Virgo's Mantle and Sphere. His ability to completely rejuvenate his entire body at the crack of dawn made him especially dangerous. He had never deployed his Domain before though it was well-known that he could generate it.

"Stay on guard," Jacob cautioned as the chauffeur opened the door. "And remember what we talked about."

Flash nodded alongside the others and they stepped out of the limo one by one, going up the steps cautiously. Flanked by an array of other masked Thralls, Matteo struck this figure of an opulent, exotic model. He regarded them with deep, chestnut brown eyes and exaggerated eyelashes that really did make his eyes pop. The beach-blonde hair was swept up in a neat curl and his coppery skin looked natural while highlighting his cheekbones and chiseled jawline.

Once they were about three steps down, Matteo opened his arms, the white suit he wore never creasing with the movement.

"Welcome to Castello della Vergine, Americans," greeted the Astral.

"I'm not American," growled Frank.

"Neither am I," Jacob said. "Technically speaking, I'm Rillotian. But I guess that's not completely true. Maybe my nationality would be best described as 'Naughtian'. Naughtese?" The lawyer clucked his tongue and twisted his head to the side slightly. "No. That sounds dirty." He snapped a finger. "Ah! Naught-born!" Then he glanced off to the other side. "Then I again, I wasn't born there..."

"Whatever you are!" Matteo exclaimed, interrupting him. "Welcome. My father Virgo has prepared a feast for you. May we take your coats?"

"No," was Russ' flat response and he shoved past Matteo, shouldering the smaller man and causing him to stumble. Matteo was a little shocked as one of the Thralls helped him keep his footing. "We're not here to deal with Virgo's rape victims. Where's the Zodiac whore?"

Flash had to keep himself from apologizing to Matteo Valentino and had to remind himself that this probably wasn't the first time Russ had stood up against a Celestial or plotted their downfall. He watched Matteo's expression carefully; watching it twist from surprise, disgust, anger and then finally turning into a welcoming mask.

"Please," said their host with sultry, velvety tones. "It is so very warm inside. You will be too warm with all of this clothing. Most of our patrons find themselves more comfortable with far less on."

Russ shoved him away and marched towards the door which still stood firmly closed. "Don't try that bullshit on me. I can smell the smut from here. Just let me in so we can talk to Virgo."

The Thralls were suddenly moving, forming a sort of human barricade in front of the doors. Matteo calmly slipped past Russ' reach and stood in front of the line. "Let us not start off on the wrong foot. I am simply being welcoming. Your surrender, after all, means you will be part of our family. I simply want to be as accommodating to our new brothers. Especially the brothers who guarantee us paradise."

Russ' hairy hands curled into fists but Jacob quickly moved past him and positioned himself between the two.

"We're not taking off any of our clothes," said the lawyer firmly. Then, in a lighter tone, he winked at Matteo. "At least without some wine in us."

Relaxing a little, Matteo smiled. The Thralls moved on some silent order, taking a step back in unison and then turning to push the enormous, white doors open. "Then come, my father awaits."

The tension was so thick that Flash could actually feel it getting caught in his fur and weighing him down like mud. The venomous stare Russ threw at Matteo was countered only by the Astral's arrogant smirk. Jacob, who was stuck between them, was coiled like a spring, ready to act if either of the two men decided to break the momentary truce. An eternity passed before someone acted.

Frank stomped over and brushed by both men.

"You can measure each other's dicks later when this is all over with. No matter what happens, one side is going to be prostrating themselves to the other."

Matteo batted his eyes at Russ one more time before turning around with a flourish towards his 'brother'. "Considering your current allegiances, you've had practice in that regard, haven't you Frank?"

Frank had enough of a cool head to ignore the statement and approach the doors the Thralls were blocking.

"Let me in," he growled.

There was a moment of hesitation amongst them before Matteo gave a simple wave of his hand. The Thralls moved quietly to pull open the doors to the mansion.

Flash wasn't sure what he expected. From everything Frank had told them, the entrance foyer was like a circus of sexual delights with silken harnesses hanging from the ceiling and the ground floor populated with people exploring their bodies most nights. Some other part of him expected a long, dramatic hallway leading to the final boss battle against Virgo.

Beyond those doors was a mix of both. Those silken harnesses were present but they had all been pulled back and pressed against the walls to look like flowing banners tumbling all over the foyer. Men and women were intertwined between the ribbons, no sounds of pleasure beyond their bodies gently dancing against one another in sultry gyrations. Each of the participants wore the same white masks as the Thralls leading Flash to guess that each of them were under Virgo's spell. A grand staircase led to the upper floors but at the midway point where it leveled out to split into two wings sat a large, white throne where their host currently sat, the only one fully dressed apart from Matteo.

Virgo's blazing, starry eyes regarded the group as they entered the villa. None of the celebrants stopped their delicate dance but they somehow knew to slowly peel away from the group. Even the harnesses were being pulled back to give an unobstructed view of the 'god'.

There was no denying that Virgo's current form demanded awe and respect. The man was gorgeous in an exotic-European-meets-shallow-Californian-socialite sort of way. Beautifully bronzed skin was completely unblemished and looked like it had been carved from the most perfect copper. Striking, white hair was styled in a gentle, central spike without any roots showing. Enthralling blue eyes regarded them through a calm, half-lidded stare while full, supple lips curled upwards lightly at their approach. A strong male body was casually contained in a white suit with the jacket being embroidered with white, overlaying patterns that could only be seen when the light hit the suit at just the right angle. Otherwise, it seemed like a perfect powder white suit. A chiffon white shirt hung with the two top buttons open to reveal the chiseled chest with a light dusting of the same, white hairs on his head, perfectly straight like someone had been sure to grow each strand with a ruler. No gaudy jewelry sat anywhere on his body save for a single gold earring which was marked with the symbol of Virgo - that stylized 'M' with a loop at the end.

Virgo did not stand to greet them.

"Welcome to Castello Della Vergine."

The voice that came from between those kissable lips was sultry, a little gravelly but every bit as alluring as Frank and Alfonso had warned.

"Cut the theatrics, Virgo," spat Frank. "You know why we're here."

"Yes," chuckled the Celestial. "To discuss the terms of your surrender."

"We never said anything about a surrender," Jacob said, stepping forward. "We officially put forward a Divine Challenge under the terms that you do not harm anyone in Angelton, Devil's Peak_or _Starkwalk Valley during the challenge itself. This includes but is limited to turning them into Thralls, using them as fuel for your divinity and holding them -"

Virgo rolled his eyes and regarded Jacob with a bored expression. "Must you sully this momentous occasion with your drab legal jargon?"

Jacob stared down the Celestial, unwavering."Just making it obvious that this is not a surrender."

"It might as well be," cooed the deity. "You must know that when it comes to divine challenges, the record is mostly in favor of the god."

"That's not true," Dante exclaimed suddenly. "There are stories from all over history of mortals beating gods and defying their so-called 'destiny'!"

Virgo waved a hand absently at Dante while a naked Thrall brought him a glass of wine. Similar Thralls emerged from the network of harnesses to bring wine glasses to Flash and the others. "All just tales from your Hollywood and fantasies. Concoctions by the Godhunters in an attempt to empower humans to stand up to those who rule them. If you ask me, they are the corruption. You are the poor soul who has fallen prey to their smoke and mirrors." Virgo took a sip from the wine, his eyes never leaving Dante. "This 'Challenge' is nothing more than an attempt to comfort yourself in your defeat. You knew you would lose but you wanted it to go on record that you fought as best as you could. So be it."

The deity stood up, lifting his glass into the air. "As per the terms of the agreement, I have decided on the challenge!"

"Before we start," Jacob interrupted. "Reiterate for all those gathered here, to bear witness, what exactly the terms of the agreement are."

The Celestial regarded Reaper with disdain but did not sit back down. "Very well." He waved a hand around him. "All those who pledge allegiance to me, no matter how small or distant, are hereby banned from doing anything to tamper with the minds, hearts and souls of the mortals in Angelton, Devil's Peak_or _Starwalk Valley, the homes of my guests, for the duration of the challenge. In exchange, I get to pick what shape the challenge takes."

"And the winner of the challenge gets what?" Jacob pressed.

Lips curling in a cruel smile, Virgo said, "The complete and utter surrender of the losing party."

Flash took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Two days ago, they had discussed at length how best to attack Virgo. There were talks of a frontal assault as Virgo would never expect them to just come charging through the front door. Alfonso warned against this as Castello della Vergine had a myriad of defenses that Virgo had crafted himself that would make a frontal assault - while surprising - a war of attrition that Virgo would win. Another sneak attack was suggested as well but with Virgo on high alert, that would be extremely difficult.

So Alfonso suggested they play on Virgo's greatest weakness; his desire for perfection. Nothing short of an absolute victory and humiliating defeat for his opponents would satisfy him. What better way to achieve than that to snatch victory from the jaws of your opponents through a divine challenge?

"And the terms of the surrender are absolute," Jacob announced. "All Astrals, Thralls and cohorts of yours submit to our judgment. If we decide that every Thrall be freed, you have no choice but to obey. Similarly, if we decide for you to finally give up your divinity, you have no choice but to do so."

Virgo appeared confident and unmoved. "And if I win and decide that you must serve me in all your capacity, you will have to bend a knee and suck my cock. Agreed?"

"Agreed," Jacob responded with a nod. "But before we begin, we need to disclose our true intentions as per the agreement."

The Celestial shrugged dramatically, taking a sip of his wine. "Fine. You first."

Flash watched Jacob closely, exchanging glances with the wizard for a long moment before turning back to face Virgo. From the corner of his eye, he watched the expressions of the Thralls and Matteo. The Thralls were fairly unreadable but Matteo was absently checking his nails, seemingly disinterested in the conversation.

"Alright, so here it is," Jacob said, giving a little shrug. "The Celestial Cradle was destroyed."

Flash could almost hear the record scratch that brought an abrupt silence to the entire foyer.

"What did you say?" Virgo demanded.

"The Last Godhunter, Virgil Demont, understood the risk that the Celestial Cradle posed," Jacob explained. "So he modified it. Just like all the times in history that the Cradle was modified, he changed it so that it would impart its power one last time into the three hounds that you see before you."

On cue, Flash picked up the piece of paper that he had drawn a rune on, a sharp-eye-shape with a triangle inside the pupil. He crushed the note in between his fingers. The illusion of his human disguise crumbled away like glass. Both he and Dante were revealed. Russ rolled his shoulders, black and brown fur sprouting all over his body as he shed his human form and revealed his true shape.

"In essence, they are the Cradle now," Jacob concluded.

There was a moment of silence.

Then laughter.

Virgo sat back in his throne, wrapping his free hand over his eyes while keeping his other hand up and holding the wine glass. "That's hilarious," he giggled. "Turning the Cradle into humans. Not quite Celestials themselves but still with powers that are mandatory to our ascension." He peeked between his fingers. "So tell me, what was the purpose of this? Why turn children into the Cradle?"

"Hey!" Russ barked but Jacob held up a hand and kept him back.

"Because you now have a limiter," said the lawyer. "You only get the power of the Cradle for as long as Dante, Flash and Russ live. They're not bound to the leyline network, constantly siphoning its strength to keep themselves immortal or all powerful. They can die and when they die, they take their powers with them. You also need all three of them to enact the powers similar to the Cradle."

"And what if I become Supreme God and grant them immortality?" countered Virgo. "What if I change the very rules of this universe so that I become immortal forever? All I need is one instant when I am connected to the leylines."

"That's entirely possible," Jacob conceded.

"Then what was the purpose!?" laughed the Celestial. "You have done nothing more than make it slightly more difficult to obtain true godhood! And you've come here to challenge me, basically forfeiting any opportunity to fight for your freedom! Don't you see what you've done?" Virgo leaned forward, grinning madly. "You've just handed me true divinity!"

None of them backed down.

"Do you think the other Zodiacs or Celestials currently watching would want that?" countered Dante.

There, Virgo's smile wavered and Matteo was instantly on edge. The Celestial cast his gaze around the foyer. For a long moment, he didn't say anything. Then his lips peeled back into a snarl as he regarded the group again.

"So that's your plan," he snarled. "Even if you fail this challenge, you've made my brothers and sisters aware of your own existence. I'm sure they thought that they could simply learn the location of the Cradle from this exchange and then steal it before I could get to it but now, if you are the Cradle, it means that they have a target. They can try and take you away. You've ensured your own survival." His snarl turned into a begrudging smirk. "Well done."

Virgo leaned back into his chair, straightening his back and lifting his head. "No matter. A moment of divinity is all I will need. Even if all my brothers and sisters recruited the remaining Celestials to assault me, they will never get you. I will take care of you." His smile turned sickly sweet. "So while we are exchanging disclosures... I will make it clear. Once I obtain true and absolute divinity, I will enact my Pure World upon this existence."

All around them, the Thralls fell to their knees and began quietly singing prayers to Virgo. Matteo remained standing, a spark of pride and... _something else_shining in his eyes. It was the same glint that Flint, Flash's brother, got whenever he saw an opportunity to cause mischief for their dad; a cross between ambition and malice. Flash wondered what that could mean.

"It will be a world where all will be as pure as the day they were born! No matter what happens, no matter who you fuck, how you fuck, you will never lose your virginity! You will always remain pure, untainted and clean!" He leaned back in his chain, beaming down at them. "Now tell me, why would you not want such a world? A paradise where you live forever and your bodies will never fail you."

Flash opened his muzzle to answer but Jacob cut him off.

"Don't answer. It's a rhetorical question." The lawyer crossed his arms. "Now that we've got that out of the way, what's the challenge?"

"Yes," Virgo responded, a pang of disappointment in his voice. "Then I suppose you'll want to know what challenge you must win to earn my surrender." Virgo took another delicate sip from his wine glass, prolonging the moment of tension for a few, agonizing seconds. As he set the glass down, he gave them a coy expression. "You must give me an experience that I have not had before. Take my virginity, so to speak." He lifted a finger. "But you only get one try each. Once each of you have had your chance and you fail to find something in this world that I have not tasted, then you are mine."

Jacob puffed out his chest. "If we find something that you've never experienced before, you will honestly tell us?"

"How can we trust you?" barked Russ. "This is divinity on the line. I'm sure you've faked your orgasms before."

Virgo threw his head back and let out a loud, mirthful laugh. "I have sampled everything this world has to offer. Even in my own Domain, I have tasted everything the mortal mind can comprehend. Even coupling with other Celestials in a myriad of ways has touched my soul. Not that I don't enjoy it but it will never be the same as that first time." He held up a hand. "If you somehow find that thing, then I will honestly be surprised and proclaim it to be true for even I do not know what else there is to experience in this world."

"Death?" snarled Frank.

There, the Celestial scoffed. "Oh my foolish, young Astral. I have died before. Every time a part of me is embedded into a Thrall or Astral to bring them to ascension, a part of me dies with them when they pass on to the leylines. I have died billions of times before. I have died more than you will ever die. I die every time one of you die." He cast a pitying look at Frank. "I died when you betrayed me."

"Bullshit."

"It's true," said Virgo, lifting his legs and sitting sideways on his throne. "That part of you that called out to me to liberate it that first time we met? That was me. A seed that I had planted long ago that grew into a tree, spread its own seeds and then perished. As a god, I feel such things."

He tipped his head back and took a big gulp from his drink. "And that is your attempt."

Frank went rigid. "What? No! Fuck no! That was just a joke!" He marched forward, letting out a thunderous roar. His entire body shifted, his clothes bulging as his full equine form burst out of his human guise. Multiple Thralls stepped in front of the surprisingly-clothed unicorn, blocking his path. "I get another turn, you fucker!"

"Go ahead!" laughed Virgo. "Take as many turns as you want! You know it in your soul. There is nothing in this world that I have not experienced!"

The mighty black-furred unicorn stood by, shaking in fury. He managed to hold that gaze for all of a minute before he turned away, snorting derisively. Flash moved towards him, gently gripping his arm and pulling him back to the line of challengers. Frank's hand wrapped around his waist, holding him tightly. Defeat radiated from the unicorn. It seemed that even if he was purged of Virgo's essence, the memories still remained.

A little lightbulb sprang up in Flash's mind.

"Memories..." he whispered.

Frank didn't notice as Russ stormed forward.

"Alright, you Divine Cherry Popper!" bellowed the hellhound. "Let's get down to it. I'll show you what it's like to fuck the Guardian of the Underworld!"

Virgo rolled his eyes and and regarded Russ with a smirk. "How about we save that for last? I'd rather celebrate your defeat with a mighty load. In fact, why don't you all try to fuck me in your attempt? That way, we can all be one big, happy family."

Russ grimaced. "That's fucking disgusting..."

"Getting cold feet?" taunted Virgo. "Can't get it up?"

Muzzle wrinkled in fury, Russ took a step forward. "You -"

Dante caught up with him, holding him back. "Russ, he's right," whispered the black wolf. "Let's save sex for the end. If there's anything that Virgo is an expert at, it'll be sex."

The big hellhound grunted but never let his gaze drift from Virgo's smarmy expression. "You're lucky," he snarled. "I would've split you open."

"Would've be the first time!" bellowed Virgo with a laugh, even kicking his legs childishly through the air. "Have you seen the forms my Astrals and Thralls take? They're literately horses! I'm used to being penetrated by enormous dicks!" He swiveled in his chair, now laying on the cushion belly first with his legs curled behind him around the headrest of the throne. "Unless you intend to fuck me with a tiny little pecker in which case you surprise me... but it wouldn't be the first time." He winked at Russ. "When you join me, I can make it as big as you want, you know."

"Fuck you!" Russ roared.

Dante pushed him back, positioning himself in front of Russ with a determined look at Virgo.

"My turn," announced the brave college student. The way he stood there, confident, eyes sparkling with determination and chest out reminded Flash a lot of Virgil. Though their time was short, Virgil had really left an immense impression on the youngest Goldman and he could see a lot of him in Dante.

"Virgo," declared Dante boldly, "the one thing you have never experienced is surrender."

Everyone held their breath. Matteo stopped being so distant and lowered his head, throwing a foul stare at Dante before turning his eyes towards Virgo. Like a wave of uncertainty crashing through the otherwise calm sea of the Thralls, the porcelain masks turned one by one towards their master. Virgo's features became still, unreadable. His starry eyes seemed to gaze off into the distance, searching for something. Perhaps a way to weasel out of the truth?

For a second, there was a twinge of agitation in the Celestial's eyes. The wine glass in his hand cracked. He regarded the delicate finery for a short moment before scowling and shattering it completely between his fingers. Flash flinched at the sound that reverberated through the air, disturbing the silken harnesses around them like a wave through a forest. Thralls immediately rushed to wipe the wine and glass shards from the god's hands.

"Well?" Jacob demanded. "Was he right? Have you never surrendered?"

Virgo regarded them all with clear disdain. "Far from it."

Flash's heart immediately plummeted.

"Do you honestly think that I have never surrendered in my long career?" scowled the Zodiac. "Fool. Why would I even submit myself to Leo's 'leadership' if I never surrendered? Why would I allow myself to hide in the shadows and deprive the world of my magnificence?" Virgo slammed a palm against his armrest, the one that currently wasn't being cleaned. "Why would I have to feed myself off the scraps from you fragile mortals? I have done nothing but surrender constantly ever since I left my own Domain and returned!"

This was _not_the reaction any of them had been expecting. Instead of revealing Virgo's true weakness, all Dante had done was aggravate the Celestial. Dante backed away, lifting at arm instinctively to try and protect himself from the raging god.

"Surrender," spat Virgo, a cruel smile on his face. "In many ways, the loss of virginity is a form of surrender. Frank should know this more than anyone else except perhaps Matteo."

"He's right," Matteo chuckled, arms folded and a smug smile on his face. "When you offer yourself to someone, it is a form of surrender. Even if it willing."

Dante took several steps back, falling in line with the others, bowing his head apologetically.

"All you have done is remind me of all the times that I have been forced to surrender myself to compromise," snarled Virgo. "In my Pure World, no one will ever have to surrender. It is a world where everyone will remain pure and clean! It will no longer be considered a loss of virginity but a gift but even then, it will be one without consequence!" Virgo spread his arms wide, lifting his head towards the sky, shouting to the very heavens. "My world will be one were 'virginity' in itself will no longer be a concept! It will be without pain, without suffering, without consequence! Do whatever you want because it will never matter!"

He turned an accusing finger down towards the group, looking down his nose. "You two make your final attempts," he declared, turning that finger from Flash to Jacob. "Then kneel."

Jacob took a deep breath but Flash stood forward, surprising everyone.

"I think I know the one experience you've never had," said the young, crimson wolf, ears folded back. "And I honestly think it's pretty damn sad."

Virgo scoffed. "Mortals. Always thinking themselves to be superior to those that clearly their betters. If you honestly think that you can claim to know me better than I know myself, then be my guest! Your arrogance will be your undoing."

Flash closed his blue eyes momentarily. It was just like when he was playing football all over again. All the pressure was on him except instead of just his reputation and the reputation of the school being on the line, this was his life and the whole world. Funny how, back in high school, those two scenarios would have been so similar. With a soft smile to himself, he lifted his gaze towards Virgo, staring at the Celestial fiercely.

"You're never going to be clean again. Never pure."

Again, there was a moment of silence. The sounds of heads turning as the Thralls shifted their gaze from Flash to Virgo echoed in the foyer. Again, Virgo's features went still.

Then Matteo broke the silence with a laugh.

"You must be joking," exclaimed the Astral, pointing at Flash mockingly. "You're accusing Virgo, the Virgin, the Silver Celestial, the Purest of the Pure of _not_being pure? Of not being clean?"

"I am," Flash said fiercely, never letting his gaze waver from Virgo. "Because everything he's done up to this point has been an attempt to make up for that one instance when he was still mortal, when he was still a weak girl in ancient times and a brute of a man took advantage of her, forced her to miscarry and was violated over and over again."

"Trying to play the history card?" laughed Matteo. "Please. Virgo cleaned his first husband. Made him his first Astral."

"Right but he never cleansed himself."

There, Matteo's mockery abruptly ceased and that scathing smile froze on his pretty face.

"Creating your Pure World isn't about bringing paradise to everyone or even making everyone free of consequence and the shackles of virginity, is it?" Flash pressed. "It's all about trying to erase the fact that you will always have that stain in your soul. That you will never be a virgin again. No matter how many times you renew your body, no matter how you shape your soul, that moment in time will _always_be part of your history."

Emboldened, Flash lifted his chin and raised his voice so that everyone could hear.

"It's part of your origin story. That tragedy that made you what you are. You can't undo that. You don't want to. But at the same time, it still hurts like hell and you're trying to do everything you can to patch up all those wounds." He regarded his friends, getting a solid nod from Jacob while the others were staring at him in shock. With a smile, he turned back towards Virgo. Along the way, he caught a glimpse of Matteo's face twisted in mix of fury and confusion.

"Your Pure World isn't a place of no-consequences and endless exploration, where virginity is not a concept and everyone is free to experience whatever they want without worrying about who it'll hurt or what it'll cost. It's just you trying to redefine the rules of the world so that you can retroactively claim that when you lost your virginity the first time, it didn't matter."

Flash shook his head, smiling softly. "Well... thing is, Virgo... You can't. You just can't."

The Celestial remained standing, staring defiantly at Flash. His eyes had a laser-like focus in them. Unlike the searching gaze he took with Dante's attempt. To add further insult to injury, Flash turned his back to the Celestial and walked back towards his friends.

"Damn..." whispered Russ. "Where'd you pick that shit up?"

Flash shrugged a little as the big hellhound slapped his back. "I'm trying to be a teacher, remember? You kind of learn to look past the outward problems of kids and dig deep into the issues. We all had to take some sort of psychology class." He turned towards Jacob. "What were you going to say?"

The lawyer shrugged. "Offered him a trip outside of this reality."

He couldn't help but grin at that. That really wouldn't have been anything Virgo would've experienced before. "I like my answer better."

Jacob nodded in response. "I do too."

Laughter suddenly started coming from behind him. Flash hardened his stance and turned back around. Virgo had slumped into his seat, covering his face with one hand just enough so that it was possible to see his mad grin. The chuckling that came from him bordered on the insane.

"Who would have guessed?" snickered the Celestial. "A mortal. Not even middle-aged. After all these years. These centuries and millennia. A mortal trying to be a teacher of all things understood me more than anyone else. No Astral. No Celestial. No one..." Virgo's fingers dug into his skin, drawing a little bit of blood from his temples.

"My Lord -" Matteo began.

"Don't patronize me, boy!" barked Virgo, glaring at his Astral from between his fingers. "You are just like me. Except perhaps even more ambitious. You were always searching for ways to usurp my power. Looking to fill that void in your heart, that sense of control that you never had over your own fate and destiny." Virgo shook his head, scowling at his Astral. "There is so much of me in you. It's like looking into a filthy mirror."

His eyes turned back towards Flash.

"Does that mean we win?" Dante asked. "You promised to tell us honestly."

Virgo offered a flat smile. "Yes. Your friend has successfully determined the one thing I have never experienced... nor will I ever experience. The sense of returning to a state of purity from my current state."

Dante's features brightened and he turned to Flash, practically leaping into the bigger wolf's arms. "You did it, Flash! You really did it!"

Frank laughed heartily and slapped Flash's back. "Honestly, little man, I thought you were going to do some boneheaded thing like throw a magic show or fuse with him! But that's fucking awesome!"

Russ said no words but just grabbed Flash in a headlock and rubbed his knuckles into the wolf's skull. Jacob stepped forward, holding out his hand towards the red wolf.

"I'm proud of you," said the lawyer.

Flash beamed and fought through Russ' grip to shape Jacob's hand.

WHAM!

Only for the lawyer to be hurled several feet away, replaced by the fuming features of Virgo.

"What the -" Frank began but Virgo suddenly slammed a palm against his chest and sent the big, black unicorn flying back into the crowd of Thralls.

"What are you doing!?" Dante demanded. "We won the challenge! You have to surrender to us!"

Virgo glared at them both. "That agreement was drawn up in bad faith by your lawyer. Why should I adhere to the rules of such a contract?" He suddenly seized Dante by the throat, lifting the sable wolf easily into the air. "Now, let me show you three my vision for a Pure World."

Flash lunged for Dante but the ground seemed to topple out from underneath his feet and a sensation of falling engulfed him. His vision blurred and he felt weightless, floating in an endless void of nothingness...