Nathaniel:

One day.

One day left till my life would change completely.

One day to master the rest of the powers.

I didn't know how one day could go by so fast. I spent all day trying to figure out the gifts, yet I found nothing new.

I tried over and over till the moon had come up and my body was exhausted with effort.

I groaned and rolled over to my side, spitting out the dirt in my mouth. I was so tired that my wings could barely move. Somehow, I made it back to the house.

Azun was still missing from action. I wished he was here to have someone to talk to about all this craziness. I wished I could at least see him one last time, before I went to my death.

I pulled out my stethoscope and listened to my heart. It sounded weak, I needed to sleep.

"Heal, Seal, Maintain." I muttered, waving my hand over my heart.

I placed stethoscope back onto my chest, it sounded better now. At least I could put up some effort in a fight if I were to get mugged or something...

Azun had told me stories from his time at war, they sounded horrible, I could barely think about them. He was a general with Mike and Luke. They all fought under Dad's command. Azun told me of a time when Mike and Luke didn't act like brats and were decent people, it was hard to imagine them so, knowing my brothers as who they are now. They won the war but at a cost that shrunk our empire to basically nothing. We ruled ninety percent of the universe before, now we only rule over Malison.

My room was dark, dusty and silent as I lie here, pondering in my mind over the things I didn't succeed at today. I close my eyes, prescribing myself the sleep I desperately needed.

I thought of everything I wouldn't get to do.

My first kiss, getting married, having children of my own, becoming a doctor.

I would miss out on so many things.

"Nathaniel, open up." I heard a voice yell from my door, followed by a fist banging on the hard wood. "Open up!"

"It's open." I yelled, expecting our butler or a maid.

A small man made his way into my bedroom. His many awards indicated that he was from the army, his rank very high.

"You're coming now." The man commanded.

"Now?" I gasped.

"Plans have changed, you're leaving tonight."

"But my brother still isn't back."

"Come with me now."

"I'm not packed." I grabbed my sheets, clenching them with my hands.

"Now."

"But Azun is-"

"Now you listen to me, boy," The man threatened, "You either come with me willingly or I will drag you out of here piece by piece, do you understand?"

"Yes sir." I looked at the ground. "But, my brother, I haven't gotten to say goodbye."

The man clicked his tongue, threw my unpacked suitcase over his shoulder and walked out the door.

"Take him, boys!" I heard him yell.

I grabbed onto whatever I could find, the nearest thing was the bedpost. I gripped it like it was the only thing keeping me alive, which it was.

Two bigger men came in and grabbed me by my legs and shoulder, pulling me, forcing me to join them.

"Azun! Help me!" I cried, tears pouring down my face, my voice tired from screaming. I knew he couldn't hear me, our telekinesis only went one way. "Azun!"

My arms gave way as I fell to the ground, banging my nose against the floor. I felt it break. I screamed out in pain as warm blood flooded my mouth from my stupid nose.

Those men picked me up by each of my arms and dragged me out, my legs scraped the cold floor. They took me down the hallway and into the elevator. I stared ahead, looking at the other side of the hallway at the other elevator, as the light clicked.

The door opened and Azun walked out, the expression on his face looked as if he had just killed a man. He gasped as he saw me, being held against my will and covered in my own blood. I don't know what went through his head, but he burst into action.

"Thaniel!" He yelled, running to me. "Hold on!"

"Azun!" I screamed. "Help me!"

Azun ran, faster then I have ever seen him run before. I saw the doors to our elevator closing, I kicked and screamed, trying to prevent them from separating us. But nothing worked, the short man just held down the close door button with his giant thumb.

"Azun! Don't let them take me!" I yelled.

"Thaniel! Hold on, stay alive!"

Azun was almost there, the doors were closing, he could make it. The doors were two inches from being shut, he was two feet away. The doors closed right as Azun's hands hit the elevator. Just like that, he was gone.

And I didn't even get to say goodbye.

The door opened and we were on the bottom floor. The man clicked his key into the elevator, locking it from moving. He then went to the stairs and other elevator, doing the same thing.

Azun was trapped up there, he couldn't save me. The men dragged me out to their van, throwing me in the back seat. I looked at the window up at Azun's balcony. It was empty and dark.

I felt hopeless, and helpless. The man started the car and drove away from my house. Little did I know that this would be the last time I would see it when I was still myself.

They drove past Vestry's shop. That little bricked place with the garbage bins full of damaged chunks of metal and oil stains on the sidewalk. It was this place where I was given a chance, where all my deepest secrets were held, where nobody would ever think to look for a rebel.

When Vestry was first demanded to go to war, he fought back against Dad, he even fought against Luke. Nobody had ever done that before. He was a rebel, trained for years once there were rumors of another war. He knew he would be forced to fight and he denied it, stepping out of his comfort zone, almost killing Luke as they went back to back in a duel.

They say he changed that day, that he wasn't fully human, and that's how he survived. But Vestry never told me what happened after the duel or how he lived to tell the tale.

Duels were tricky. They were the main reason people actually died here. You go out of town, back to back with a single bullet in each gun, ready to fire at each other in ten counts, ten paces, ten seconds.

The body would lie there, dead as ever, with no doctor to help save him. We have the best doctors, but if you get so far out of town or shoot in just the right place, you never know what will happen. Who will live or die? That's the risk of a duel.

They drove me downtown all the way to the spaceport, where a rocket stood, ready for take off. My father was waiting with Luke by his side. Man, did I hate them both! Dad I could stand, but Luke... I just wanted to ring his neck from all the stories my brothers told me about that pig.

"Sagittarius." My father greeted me. "Chosen a new name yet?"

"Three days." I snapped. "You promised me three days."

"All is well, my son."

"You promised."

"Nathaniel." Luke interrupted. "Three days, two days, a day, does it matter?"

It was freaky how Luke looked so much like Azun, same hair, clothing and face. The only difference was their eyes, the only thing that I wanted to see as I destroyed him.

"Yes!" I cried. The blood on my nose had dried. I wiped it off, muttering a healing from Vestry's power. "If I had three days I could have said goodbye to Azun."

"Goodbye." My father held my shoulder. "Farewell, what else would you like to say?"

"Try saying that at my funeral!" I snapped. "Because that is where you will see me next."

"Nathaniel!" Luke snapped. "Do not talk to Dad that way!"

"You're deaf to me!" I yelled. "You are all deaf to my cries."

I ran to the rocket ship, up the stairs, my shoes echoing as I ran through the empty halls. I was not the only one going to war, around fifty men and women, all way older then me, sat in the passenger area, buckled up and ready to go.

Tears stained my face. I tried to hide them as I walked down each isle, trying to find an empty seat. There was one left, by another boy, around eighteen. I sat next to him and pulled the straps across my shoulder.

"Hard to say goodbye." The boy talked to me. "Isn't it? You don't look very old, you must be the youngest one here. You look familiar."

"Sure." I concealed myself from tears. "You could say I'm popular."

"What's your name?"

"I don't have one yet."

"Why, you must have a name, a family name, a nickname or something."

"Sagittarius." I whispered. "Of the Zodiac family."

"Holy smokies!" The boy gasped. "I didn't know you were royalty."

"Shush!" I whispered. "I'm fourteen and always on the newspapers on half the planets. I don't need any more attention drawn to me."

"Fourteen?"

"Shush!"

"Attention, passengers." The inner-cone announced. "Please fasten your seat belts we will be taking off shortly."

"Nathaniel Sagittarius Zodiac!" I heard my name, Luke ran into the passenger seating area. He looked around for me, spotted me, then raced to my side.

"What do you want, traitor?" I snapped.

"Nathaniel I know you are scared and maybe even a bit worried." Luke took a knee beside me.

"Scared is not how I would put it."

"But Nathaniel, you mustn't be angry with Dad. He knows this is good for you."

"But do you know?"

"No, but I trust Dad. His decision is always right."

"I find your blind faith in him disturbing."

"Nathaniel."

"Sir, we are taking off." A guard came over to Luke. "Say your goodbyes."

"Natha-"

"Just make sure my funeral has cake." I cut him off. "And that I am not dressed in something stupid when you burn me and give my ashes to Azun. Also, I want you dead."

"Because of that comment, I hope I never see you again." Luke sighed and stood up, took one last look at me, then followed the guard off the rocket.

I watched as the clock counted down, then we took off. The force alone kicked me back into my seat.

"Here we go!" The boy next to me yelled.

"Goodbye Azun." I whispered, even though I know he couldn't hear me from this distance, but I felt him in my heart.

The rocket blasted off into space, I could feel myself in the zero gravity, floating. The boy next to me tried to unbuckle his seat.

"I wouldn't try that," a girl across from us snapped, "With space being a battlefield, a force from a torpedo could kick you into the wall."

"Ha-ha." The boy sassed.

"Seriously. You could die, or worst, get us captured."

I felt my blood floating inside my body, raising me up. I also felt the food in my stomach, raising up. I clenched my jaw as my lunch came up.

"Passengers, prepare for sonic speed to Malison bunker." The intercom turned on. "Stay seated."

"Told you." The girl snapped.

"So Nathaniel, how did someone like you end up here?" The boy asked.

"Force." I replied. "How did you end up here?"

"I'm broke and military offers good cash." The boy smiled. "Name's James."

"Padilla." The girl smiled. "Pleasure to meet you."

"You're the seventh eldest, right?" James asked.

I nodded.

"You got flight just a few days ago, right?"

"Yeah."

"So you going to help us win?"

"I will die trying."

"What do you mean?" Padilla asked. "Don't you have crazy Voo-Doo power?"

"I have wings." I shrugged. "I have only had them for three days, I'm not as powerful as everyone else and Azun told me not to use my power. My other brothers would be way more successful on the battlefield."

"What can they do?" James asked.

"Move back time." I replied. "Teleport, move water, earth, and light. My brother Vestry can heal any wound."

"That's the most useless power I have ever heard of." Padilla laughed. "Heal people? We have things that can heal broken bones back to perfection."

"Why did he get that useless power?" James teased.

"I think it's all for a reason, he never uses it." I pulled my legs up to my chest. "He mostly spends time with tools, not people, I never see him at dinner anymore since he joined up with the rebels. It's just me, Mike, Luke, Azun, and my little sisters."

"Fun family time." Padilla commented. "What's it like having a civil war with your sibling?"

"Not very pleasing." I laugh. "But we don't know who is on what side, it keeps things interesting."

"What side are you on?" James asked. "Don't worry, we won't tell."

"Rebels." I smiled.

There were no windows in our compartment. I could only imagine what it must look like, black, empty, filled with war debris.

"Passengers, we are preparing to land." The intercom spoke.

I breathed in and out. This was it, I was going to die. This would be the last place I would see before I died.

"This is it!" Padilla sat on the edge of her seat, obviously anxious to get her hands dirty. "Let's go to battle!"

"Goodbye, world!" James sang. "Farewell and so long!"

"Yay." I huffed under my breath. "Live or die, always succeed."

The rocket landed, jerking us all to the side. We unbuckled out seats, they filed us in a long line that lead to the check in station.

A women with purple highlights in her hair pulled me out of the back, taking me straight to the front. The man operating the booth gave me a key and a duffle bag. Another person showed me to my room.

"Enjoy your stay." The women smiled, as if she had done this a million times, which she had.

My room was only twelve square feet wide. The small space held my bed, a tiny chair, and a drawer under the bed to put my stuff. I had only just realized that I didn't bring anything from home. Nothing to remind me of Azun or anything. It was like my old life didn't even exist here and I was just a brainless droid here to do my father's bidding.

The duffle held some clothes, sweats that someone had cut holes in, shoes, underwear and socks. There was also medication, sunscreen, a sealable tattoo and a card game.

I pulled out the tattoo. On it was a ID number, 7. I placed it on my wrist, pressed down till it came off the page and stuck on my skin. These tattoos only last a week. Luckily for me, I would be dead in the next few days.

I laid on the bed, hoping something interesting would happen. The next week wasn't that much of an excitement. I figured out that there were four things we would do everyday.

Step 1: Do not ask for soda. Water was my friend, it kept me hydrated. Besides, they wouldn't spend money on soda for dead people.

Step 2: Eat half of my potions. They gave us the meal at the beginning of each day, that being all the food we would get. I decided to always leave half of it for dinner, take it back to my room and put in under my bed. Food was worth gold here.

Step 3: Have my heart broken before I came. Already did that. The men in the rooms next to me had all gotten letters from their wives and girlfriends from home, telling them they were breaking up or getting a divorce. Better to just come to war with my heart already broken than to get a letter like that. Good thing I had never found love in my life.

Next, I try and get my crap together and work out at the gym. They are too lazy to actually train us to be military since everyone is dropping like flies. So I work out as much as I can, become the best I can be, so I die stronger. But I don't know that much about exercise and I am way too weak to do pretty much anything but lift five pound weights with the old people.

I do that till my sweat makes a little puddle on the floor. Then I go back to my room and go to bed.

The next day I do it all again and again and again. I stand at the beginning of the day in a line and hope that my name doesn't get called to go to battle that day. I go back to the gym making more puddles of sweat, save up my week of meals under my bed, try to forget everything, try to forget Azun's soft eyes as he told me stories from his horrible times at war that I can't even begin to comprehend.

I don't want my own gruesome war stories.

One day after the gym, I went up to the top of the bunker, climbing up each flight of stairs. I looked out of the only window at the stars, imagining that each one of the stars was a person back home. I try to imagine what they were doing, how they felt, then I realize that most of those stars are just empty planets with nobody on them. I realized that I was alone on this base, staring at nothing. I felt sadness, then left to go back to my room.

After that it was the same thing.

Go to the gym, sweat, hide my meal and listen to my hall mates slowly go insane.

Repeat.

Work, gym, food, sleep. Over and over.

I received new clothes, including access to a washing machine that could wash my coat so I could hide my wings. I was thankful that I didn't have to drag them all around the base, having everyone stare at me more then they already do. It's like they haven't seen a Zodiac their whole lives.

It's hard to sleep with wings, they go everywhere. Azun mentioned to me that he and Vestry were going to make me a special bed so I could sleep with my wings and be comfortable on he first day I got them. Too bad I was dying and would never revive that bed.

That night I went to the gym, I ran further and lifted more then I thought my body was capable of. I ate some popcorn from my collection, then slept, dreaming of being being with Azun again, then have a nightmare about the bottomless sweat puddle.

I notice a girl at the gym, who always chose the bench next to me. I tried not to look at her and concentrate on making myself stronger. I recognized the girl from my first day, it's Padilla, she looked beautiful in the tight workout clothes they give all the women.

The next day I lifted 20 pounds. I sneaked a look at myself in the one bathroom with a mirror. I was more disgusted with myself than I had ever been. I work, sleep, eat, over and over again. But then something weird happened one day.

My name got called. Along with James and Padilla. They ushered me out the door. My days of puddle making and food hoarding were over.

Step 4: Leave.