Chapter 2: Freedom

He walked with no direction in mind and nowhere to go. Zodiac looked around and felt alone. He rushed into an ally and raised his right hand and whispered,

"Keeper of the moon, Cancer Release." A small dim blue light lifted from his hand and formed a girl. She had long red hair and blue streaks. She wore a dress that reached to her ankles and a small emerald necklace. She frowned and surveyed the ally.

"Where are we?" she asked in disgust.

"I really don't know. I haven't been out of the cell for three years and you know it's always moving." Zodiac smiled and looked behind him. "I believe this is Joliet, Illinois."

They both walked out of the ally and looked around. The two walked around for a while before giving up in looking for something, neither even knew they were looking for.

"So how did you escape? Leo told us you were out but that was all he said." Cancer sat down on a bench in Bicentennial Park.

"Well there isn't much to tell. Mayze sent a weak punisher and I broke my no kill law. I will see to my own punishment as soon as I get us all a place to stay and release you all. I only released you so far, but I am gonna release you all and hope we all can live together without a problem."

"Thirteen people in one house? Are you out of your mind? Besides we don't want to be released we are your magi guardians so don't release us ok?" she looked down at the space between her feet.

"Fine… I'll only release you then. I need someone to be with otherwise this is all gonna be a waste of time." Rubbing her back, he watched the night sky. "We will sleep in here tonight he said pointing to the empty space behind him.

He waved his hands around in a pattern and chanted in some other language before he walked over and opened a door that was in the middle of nothingness. "this is my traveling home that I used on mission. Its invisible because it keeps us hidden." He grinned and grabbed her hand dragging her into the invisible house for the night.

The next day he went and bought an apartment to stay in and paid the first three years rent with money he created with magic, (an illegal act if caught). He was satisfied with the tiny two bedroom apartment that he and Cancer would now be sharing. After settling in, (making furniture with magic and remodeling the place) they sat down to discuss what they planned to do.

"We can't be known around as Zodiac and Cancer; people might think you'd kill them if they get close." He chuckled at his inappropriate joke. "I named us as the Wallace's, ok? I'm your dad Joshua and you're my Daughter Kyoko, ok?"

Cancer looked at him confused. "Where did you get the names?"

"I don't know I made 'em up."

"I don't like mine. Change it." She demanded.

"No. that's what I put on the lease that's what your name shall be. Now I also thought of names for the rest of the zodiac too just in case." He smiled feeling accomplished.

"I hope you know what you are doing here. So what are we gonna do?" she looked around the kitchen for something to eat.

"Well as I know magic is still a well hidden secret in the human world here so we must keep a lid on the magic side of things. And-" he broke off and thought for a moment then raised his hand. "Bearer of the sun, Leo, Release." Leo appeared before them with an confused look.

"Why did you release me, master of the zodiac?"

"I Forgot I put you as my son Leo Wallace." Zodiac smirked "I can't always be alone with her. She is a little short tempered at times you know. Leo smiled and bowed his head in response.

"Thank you master."

Cancer came out of the kitchen in a huff. "where is all the food?"

"I can't make it so we need to buy it." Zodiac beamed with joy for no reason.

"Then go buy some." She huffed.

"Well we have no more money and seeing as how I can't use the money creation spell anymore unless dire emergency." Holding up his hand to show the black band on his wrist. "Using a money creation spell, or even any illegal spell, will cause a black band to show on your wrist. The first is a warning, second will show on the other wrist as a final warning, then the final act is your wrists slamming together and being transported via magic circle to the magic council to be judged and punished." He frowned and looked away. "We need to do missions to earn money now."

"You're not going back to Mayze are you?" Cancer implored.

"No, we are gonna find the Citadel in this city." After seeing the two confused children he sighed. "A Magi Citadel is where Mages gather together and talk and share tales. But it is also where the Magic Council meet and also post magic missions." The three sat down in the living room. "That is the only place that we can find legit magic missions, not like the murders Mayze sent us on. There is at least one Magic Citadel in every city around the world. The ones that don't have one have been that way for a good reason. "

"So where is this Magic Citadel?" Leo asked.

"It is in the down town area. I have never been in a Citadel but once and that was when I almost died on the mission to prove I was compatible with the zodiac DNA." He winced at the thought and pushed it to the back of his mind. "Well we won't find it sitting around here so let's lock up and go." He waved his hand and all lights, electronics and such shut off. Then he waved it again and all the windows closed and locked.

They left the building and went to a un-seeable area and he performed a transportation spell. The three were engulfed in a bright light and the next thing they saw was the Court house in down town Joliet. Lifting a small device out of his pocket, he looked around for any sign of a Magic Citadel. Pushing the screen turned on what looked like radar in the device. He turned around slowly till a blip finally popped up on the screen. They followed the radar till they were standing in front of a large building. After reading the sign Cancer asked.

"What are we doing at the Library?"

"This is Joliet's Magic Citadel." Zodiac stated proudly. "The magic concentrated here is enormous. I've never felt so much in one spot before. This is amazing."

"You know it is still nothing compared to the magic you control." Said Leo.

"Of course but this is not even the full extent of the magic here. Some of the people here are hiding their magic." He said with an eager expression.