Sign of the Zodiac: Cancer
Zodiac Stone

“You tease a small child, Castor.” Suddenly, Kutzo's voice emerged from behind Damian's back.

The young man turned his head and saw that Kutzo was standing not far from the door of his room.

“In a few days, the girl is old enough to conceive my son,” Damian lightly said.

Kutzo just shook his head while opening the door of the room next to Damian's room. “You are indeed in line with your reputation,” his comments later.

Damian laughed short. “I consider it a compliment,” respond as I walk following Kutzo to a simple restroom.

“Actually it is not a compliment at all,” says Kutzo coldly.

“You are really sarcastic. By the way why did you get the room next to mine?” ask Damian later.

Kutzo sighed softly. “Either why they thought I was your personal bodyguard and placed the room next to you,” he said as if complaining.

Damian laughed again. “It's good. You can get special treatment.”

“You are very proud of your status. Looks like it's the only thing you can be proud of.”

“Truly sarcastic you are. Well, it's up to you to judge me what it looks like. Everyone has their own weaknesses. Just enjoy your time here, and see you at the party tomorrow,” Damian said later. The young man left Kutzo and went back to his own room to rest.

***

The day after Damian's arrival, a welcoming party was held. The event took place during the day considering the night event was very dangerous because of Deimheim. Not many guests came. Only close relatives and some residents had good relations with the Baron. This was the first time Damian had attended a party attended by ordinary people, and not just among nobles.

The young man was automatically present as the couple of the main star of the day, Luceila Brutus. He escorted the Baron princess elegantly, like a noble youth. The two opened the party with a first dance and some small welcome. The show ended up going well.

After a brief meeting with some Baron acquaintances and Luceila's friends, Damian finally has time to himself. The hall where the ball was held was located on the second floor with a small balcony overlooking the front garden. Damian stepped aside for a moment at the place while enjoying a glass of wine that seemed to have just been made. The alcohol is not as strong as wine in general.

While heading out to the balcony, the young man found Kutzo sitting alone observing the bustle of the city seen from there. His silver hair was brilliantly overwritten by the sunlight. Her slender body adds a feminine impression to Kutzo. At first glance, people may mistake Giyatsa's young man for a woman.

“Kutebak you can not dance,” said Damian then sat in front of Kutzo. A pair of antique chairs with round tables are provided on the balcony.

Kutzo seemed to ignore Damian and was still busy staring into the distance. His one hand was playing around with a small green stone.

Damian's question eventually provoked Kutzo's attention. He glanced at the small stone in his hand and seemed to think for a moment.

“This zodiac stone. A clue to finding the person I'm looking for. Lately he has reacted. But I can't be sure the person who made this thing reacted,” Kutzo explained.

“React?” Damian asked because he didn't understand. How a stone reacts.

“Warm. The stone gets warm. Usually he is cold like a rock in general.”

Damian frowned in confusion. “Didn't it get warm because of your body heat. You touched him just like that of course he became warm,” the young man commented logically.

Kutzo just took a deep breath, looking concerned about the ignorance of the person before him. “You'll understand that you've been carrying it with you for days. I can clearly distinguish how this stone warms because of my body heat or because it reacts with the energy of its owner,”.

Damian of course still did not believe and felt Kutzo was just making it up. Even so, for some reason Damian's curiosity continued to be fixed on the stone. Damian wanted to touch her.

“Can I borrow?” the young man asked unconsciously.

Kutzo snorts small. “When it looks like you don't believe in these kinds of things, but apparently you're quite interested as well.”. Even so Kutzo still held out the stone to touch Damian.

Warm. It was Damian's first impression as he held the small stone. Damian slightly understood what Kutzo meant about the different warmness. There was some kind of energy tickling Damian's fingers as he touched it. Obviously it is not the warmth that comes from just touching the heat of the human body. Damian could not explain it in words, but there was indeed a fleeting impression that made Damian think that the stone was alive.

Damian's haste removed that unusual thought. How could a stone live. Maybe it was all just his imagination. Damian returned the stone to Kutzo.

“Why should you bother looking for people with those weird hints?” ask Damian later.

“This is the only way to drive away the darkness in this continent. Opportunity for us to live free without the shadow of death. If it missed this opportunity, Luteria might be doomed. The zodiac warriors live from generation to generation. The time for them to return to the world was already determined. And if we don't succeed now, it will take time for the next generation until those fighters are reborn. Maybe decades, or even hundreds. Before that happens, we may already be extinct,” Kutzo explained at length.

Damian chuckles. “Why pessimists are so. All this time we can survive even under the threat of Deimheim. Well, of course I am also grateful that these evil spirits can be driven back into the underworld. But that does not mean that humanity will become extinct because of them,” he said.

Kutzo stared intently at Damian. “Do not underestimate this problem. Have you seen a massive massacre by choruses? I've been. Not all the Giyatsas are as strong as we are, the Tymirites. Of the hundreds of children who were trained to fight chogoru, not all survived. Only a small percentage of us get through those tough times. The rest died in vain.

“What about ordinary people who live without the ability like Temir? They also fall prey to evil spirits. Lately the power of the evil spirit has also increased. The number of choruses that roam is getting bigger and more urgent in human life. You may be able to live comfortably because of your family's wealth. But what about ordinary people? They even have trouble foraging because the dark forces of rotten evil spirits pollute the land and water. We die slowly. And gradually the human population will decrease,” said Kutzo sharply.

Damian could only get caught up in hearing it. Is it really that bad?