Zodiac Crusaders Vol.1: Witches Saga

The school bell rang to announce the end of the school day. The halls are flooded by numerous students as they hurry to go home. Everyone is talking about the new idol contest for the next boy band. Many of the boys are excited about auditioning, especially Daiki and his best friend Toma.

"So what song could we do?" asked Toma.

"I can't decide between these two." Daiki answered as he showed Toma two songs on his playlist. "I can go with 'Perfect' to show off my vocal skills, and 'Sweet' for vocals and dancing. I was going to pick 'You Got My Back' but I can't rap well."

"Yeah," Toma replied, "You really suck at rapping. Leave that to me."

Daiki mimed that he was struck in the heart by Toma's comment. "Ow, you're ruthless Toma."

"What are best friends for?"

The two boys head for the marketplace to find outfits to wear for their auditions later. They decided to go with a basketball theme for their auditions in hopes that they both get chosen. Daiki picked out a blue jersey, a black long sleeve sweatshirt and gray baggy jeans for his ensemble while Toma picked out a green jersey, a black hoodie, and green and orange shorts.

Once finished, Daiki and Toma headed to Royal Square Plaza and registered for the audition. There were over two hundred boys of different ages and from different towns. Everyone was assigned a number and asked to wait until they were called.

"I got 1024." said Daiki, showing his number to Toma.

"I got 1103. They're calling us in groups."

"I hope we get grouped together." Daiki said, "I'd feel less nervous about it."

The groups were being called in and Daiki grew more and more anxious. He began breathing very fast and started to feel dizzy. Toma saw his friend was having a panic attack and put his arm around him to comfort his friend.

"Relax, Daiki," Toma said, "You are an amazing singer, you can do this."

"I think I need some air," Daiki said, "I'll be right back."

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the building, a beautiful woman with black hair and a blue dress materialized out of thin air. She is holding an ornate chalice in her hands and begins pouring a blue liquid from it. The liquid however begins forming a sigil inside a circle.

A sinister smile danced across her face as she began muttering, "Sasare." The liquid seal began to glow and a towering monster began to form. "Come forth, my Dark Spell, Troll"

Troll began to form and a flash of red maliciously filled its eyes. Once completed, it bowed to its mistress.

"Go now," she said, "And find the key." Troll nodded in agreement.

************

Outside in the alley, Daiki steps out to calm himself down.

"You can do this," He said, "You can do this."

"Help me!" A voice shouted, "Please someone help me."

Daiki looked over to see a group of thugs attacking an old man. The old man looked very old, like over a century old if that was even possible. But, regardless of the victim's age, Daiki knew that this wasn't right.

"Hey!" Daiki shouted to the thugs, "Leave that old man alone!" Daiki jumped over the rail and stood before the thugs.

"Look, pretty boy." One of the thugs said(More than likely the leader), "Mind your own damn business. This here, doesn't concern you." He motioned to the old man.

Daiki was pretty scared but he couldn't let the old man be bullied by them. "Troublemakers like you, bullying a helpless old man like this, is not right. It's unforgivable."

"So you want to play hero huh?" said the Thug Leader. "We'll show you."

The thugs approached Daiki who was becoming more and more afraid. Daiki lifted his hands and balled them into fists, preparing to fight.

Just then, the thugs stopped in their tracks. A look of fear about them. "L-l-let's get out of here." The thugs then ran away in fear.

Daiki was amazed, he didn't think he was very intimidating. If anything, he was an easier target than the old man. He looked down at his fists, and it was then he saw it. A shadow of someone behind him. Daiki turned around and saw him. He saw someone his age, Blonde hair, and blue eyes, a fierce look about him. At first glance, he appears to be someone that you should be afraid of. But for Daiki, he felt no fear from this boy. He couldn't describe it. It felt like this boy was someone he has known his whole life.

"Uh um" was all that Diki could say.

"Are you okay?" the boy asked.

Daiki couldn't speak for some reason. He just nodded. The boy smiled, Daiki couldn't help but smile back. For some reason, Daiki felt real comfortable with this boy, dare he say, confidently safe with him.

"Are you part of the audition there?" he asked. "Number 1024?"

"Oh," Daiki forgot he had the Identity card on him. "Yeah, that's my number. Surprisingly, it matches my birthday."

"Mine too," he said.

The old man observed the two but paid more attention to Daiki. "I've found him." said the old man.

"Well good luck in there, 1024." said the boy as he walked past Daiki.

"My name is Daiki, nice to meet you."

The boy smiled and chuckled, "Even our names are similar. Mine's Daisuke. Nice to meet you."

Daiki smiled and quickly changed his expression when he noticed the old man was gone. "I wonder where the old man left."

"Daiki," shouted Toma, "They're calling us in."

Daiki turns to Daisuke and extends his hand to him. "I have to go, I guess I'll see you again?"

Daisuke smiled and replied, "I have a feeling we will meet again. Good luck again, 1024."

Daiki couldn't help but chuckle silently and return to the audition. Toma had a suspicious look about him.

"What was that about?" a devious smile crept upon his face.

"Just some thugs harassing an old man." said Daiki.

Toma looked over at Daisuke, "He didn't look THAT old."

"Not him," Daiki answered. "I wonder where the old man went." Daiki went back inside with Toma to begin their audition.

************

Daiki and Toma were part of the same group. First, they had each boy sing their audition song to show of their vocal skills

As Daiki was going to begin singing his song, a loud crash shook the room. Troll had broken through the wall and began searching. As everyone tried to escape in a panic, Troll roared and a black mist emanated from the creature's body which knocked everyone out. Everyone except Daiki. The creature set his sights on the one person who was not affected.

"Wha-what is that thing?" Daiki asked as he tried to escape from the creature. Daiki had nowhere to go. Troll got closer and closer. But Daiki saw who was in his way, Toma. Troll was about to crush him under its foot.

Daiki mustered up his courage and ran towards the creature, grabbing a microphone stand and tossed it like a javelin. "Stay away from my friend!"

Suddenly, a bright blinding light burst from Daiki's right wrist. A glyph formed on that spot where the light was originating from.

"I knew it." shouted a voice.

Daiki looked in the direction of the voice. It was the old man he rescued in the alley. "You?"

The old man threw something at Daiki. Daiki caught it and saw it was a necklace of space. The stars then were connected and formed a constellation. A sense of familiarity came over Daiki, as if he had seen this somewhere before.

"Put it on and use it to transform." Shouted the old man.

Troll turned his sights on the old man and started attacking him. Daiki put on the necklace and suddenly the words came to his mind.

"Scorpio Constellation Power" The necklace began to shine, and shimmering energy began to spread from the necklace and into Daiki's body. "Armor On" The energy transformed Daiki into a knight in silvery armor, a bronze scorpion emblazoned on his breastplate, and royal blue under armor.

After his transformation, Daiki began to address himself. "How dare you interrupt the dreams of these talented young men. All the hardwork and dedication they put into this moment ruined by someone like you is simply disgraceful. I'm the eighth warrior of the Zodiac, ruled by the planetary guardian deity Pluto. I am the passionate boy clad in heavenly light, Crusader Scorpio. On behalf of the stars, your fate is sealed."

Troll growled angrily at Scorpio and tried to swat him like a fly. Scorpio gracefully avoided the blow and led Troll away from the unconscious judges and boys. Troll chased Scorpio outside in an open area away from people. Troll grabbed a marble statue from the plaza and threw it in Scorpio's direction. Scorpio avoided the statue and leaped forward towards Troll, kicking him in the chest with both feet. Troll only stumbled back a few steps, evident that Scorpio did not hit hard enough.

"I can't keep this up much longer," Scorpio said. "How do I stop this thing."

"Use your weapon." said the old man.

Scorpio then placed his right hand over his heart and a silvery cord attached to a arrow like bolt coiled itself over his right arm. Armed with his new weapon, he charged it with energy and aimed at Troll who had uprooted a tree and was about to throw it towards Scorpio.

"Scorpio Harpoon Stinger!" Scorpio called out his attack and the harpoon bolt skewered Troll. The bolt ran clean through Troll, who had begun bleeding a black viscous liquid. Scorpio pulled the bolt back and turned his back on Troll, who started to crumble as if it were made of stone. Troll tried to grab Scorpio, but its arm collapsed and became dust as with the rest of its body. Troll was no more.

"Well done, Crusader Scorpio," said the old man. "I knew I found you."

"Who are you, old man?" asked Scorpio.

As the old man responds, the woman in blue looks on. "Who the hell are you?" she asked herself.

"I am Cosmo," said the old man. "Sage and advisor to the royal family. And you are Crusader Scorpio, one of the twelve warriors of the Zodiac."

"What is going on here?" Daiki asked.

"The Zodiac Crusaders are holy warriors," Cosmo replied, "They are protectors against the forces of Darkness. Since you are the only one who has awakened, you and you alone can protect this world from this threat."

"And that is?"

Cosmo was about to answer but the words could not come. "To be honest, I don't know. But whatever this threat is, it must be desperately grave for the world if you had awakened."

Daiki then remembered Toma and the others. "Toma!" He ran back into the audition room which was completely destroyed. Toma and the others began to wake up and started wondering what happened.

Cosmo stopped Daiki from going to his friend. "Let me take care of this first." Cosmo raised his hands which began emanating a silvery, sparkling energy and in a bright flash, all the damage caused by Troll was undone and the boys and judges had no memory of the beast.

Daiki rushed towards Toma who was still in a daze. "Toma, are you ok?"

Toma nodded and said, "Never better." He sounded as if he was drowsy.

"Thank you all for your time and hard work," said Cosmo, "You will be contacted about the results. You are dismissed." Cosmo waved the group away as he stayed behind with the judges.

************

Daiki dropped Toma off at home. It was already dark when Daiki came home. "Hello, I'm home."

"We're here in the dining room." answered his mother.

Daiki made his way to the dining room and was extremely shocked with who he saw there. Sitting at the table was his father, mother, little brother, and baby sister, which was perfectly normal. The only one who didn't belong there was Cosmo.

"Eeeeeeh!" Daiki exclaimed, "Why are you here?"

"Daiki!" his mother shouted, "Don't talk to your grandfather like that. I didn't raise a disrespectful child."

"Gr-grandfather?!" If Daiki remembered correctly, both his grandfathers had passed away. How did Cosmo suddenly become Grandpa?

"Well, well," said Cosmo, "How is my favorite grandson?"