The dawn of a new day broke over Downtown Zodiac, the first rays of sunlight painting the marble spires in shades of gold and rose. Seventeen stood at the window of her modest yet strategically located apartment, looking out over the city. Her reflection, distorted in the glass, showed the serene smile of Serena D'Angelo, the healer from Loveliar. But behind her eyes, Seventeen Whitlock's thoughts churned like a tempest.
Her plan was progressing. Claus was already infatuated, Light was intrigued, and the others had begun to lower their guard around her. It had taken months of careful infiltration, maneuvering her way into the prestigious hospital, making herself indispensable. But now, she was exactly where she needed to be—inside their world, poised to pull the strings of the prophecy's key players.
The mission was simple: earn their trust, guide them toward the rebellion, and ultimately lead them to destroy the system that had caused so much pain and suffering. The six heirs of the Zodiac districts were her targets, the six who were linked together by the prophecy, her tools. But they were also human. Each one had their own weaknesses, and Seventeen's task was to exploit them without ever letting her true self show.
She turned from the window, her gaze sharpening as her mind shifted to today's task. There was a council meeting at the Imperial Hall of the Palace the Villarreal had in Downtown Zodiac, one that would bring all twelve leaders of the Zodiac Archipelago together—along with their heirs, again. The perfect opportunity to observe them all in one place, to push the boundaries of her manipulation further.
Her preparations were methodical. The soft, silk pale blue gown she chose was professional but unassuming, paired with delicate silver jewelry that added just the right touch of elegance, never leaving the colors of the district of Cancer, even if she hated it. Her appearance, like everything else, was a carefully crafted lie. Nothing too bold, nothing that would draw suspicion. Serena was a woman of warmth and grace, not someone who stirred chaos from the shadows. But Seventeen—Seventeen was always ready to ignite the fire.
Long golden blonde hair, bright blue eyes, white skin slightly tanned, soft features, made to look a bit older and more experienced than she actually was. That was Serena. Seventeen was none of that. And none of them were who she had been born to be, but who she became to survive, since she had apparently been born to die, according to the rulers' philosophy.
She arrived at the Imperial Hall ahead of schedule, as expected of a woman of her station. The hall itself was a testament to the Archipelago's wealth, with its high ceilings and gilded walls. Massive tapestries depicting the symbols of the twelve districts hung from every corner, their colors vibrant, their stories etched into the history of this land.
A regal gold background with a roaring lion's head in dark orange at the center, surrounded by twelve stars, makes Imperious' crest. Symbolizing leadership, strength, creativity, and individuality. Claus' and district 1.
A balanced blue and gold design, featuring a gold scale at the center with a white dove perched on one side, makes Whiteland's. Symbolizing justice, balance, peace, and harmony. Draco's and district 2.
A crimson background with a golden ram's head in profile, framed by silver flames, makes Traeh's. Symbolizing courage, determination, fierce energy, and passion. Light's and district 6.
A vibrant orange field with a golden archer's bow and arrow, shooting toward a bright star, makes Seekerland's. Symbolizing adventure, exploration, goals, and aspirations. Hunter's a and district 12.
A black field with a white mountain silhouette, with a golden star above it, makes Gothlyn's. Symbolizing strength, stability, ambition, and aspiration. Amelia's and district 3.
A muted green field with a stylized golden sheaf of wheat and a silver quill crossed at the center, makes Virgo's. Symbolizing nurturing, fertility, intellect, and knowledge. Sablina's and district 10.
Then there's Gemini's. A light yellow background divided diagonally by a dark blue line, with two golden figures facing each other at the center, for Twinscott. Symbolizing duality, communication, connection, and interaction for district 8.
Scorpio's. A dark red background with a black scorpion silhouette and silver daggers crossing behind it, for Scorpion. Symbolizing transformation, intensity, strength, and resilience for district 11.
Aquarius'. A deep blue background with silver waves flowing horizontally, intersected by a golden lightning bolt, for Liberty Hills. Symbolizing innovation, flow of ideas, sudden insights, and change for district 4.
Pisces'. A sea-green field with two intertwined gold fish forming a circle, surrounded by five small silver stars, for Starsh. Symbolizing intuition, emotional depth, dreams, and imagination for district 5.
Taurus'. A lush green field with a golden bull's silhouette, surrounded by blooming flowers in various colors, for Horn. Symbolizing strength, fertility, growth, abundance, and nature for district 7.
And Cancer's. A soft white field featuring a red crab at the center, encircled by a blue crescent moon, for Loveliar. Symbolizing protection, nurturing, emotional depth, and intuition. Serena's and district 9.
But there was one more, one they had wiped out from history, one they did everything to keep dead, the crest of Ophiuchus, the 13th district, Serpentpire, which obviously wasn't there, pompously displayed for all to see like the pretentious twelve others were. It was made of a deep purple background with a black serpent coiling around a silver staff, flanked by white thorns. It symbolizes healing, transformation, knowledge, wisdom, and the darker aspects of life embraced by them.
By her. It was Seventeen's home's crest. And she'll do everything to make it famous and known again. To make sure one day being born between November 30th and December 17th won't be a life sentence, something to be forsaken for, to be hunted and murdered, painted as a rebel, as a cursed demon born to destroy the world.
Standing in front of the twelve crests that adorned the Hall, she understood what that place was. It was a place of power, and it made her skin crawl. The desire of burning it all down trying to take hold in her heart.
["Unity won't exist for as long as you separate society in constellations, stupid zodiac signs, districts, factions, birth date, or the primitive divisions of skin color. They are fools. But not the harmless kind."]
She stepped inside with a kind smile, greeting staff and dignitaries with polite nods, her eyes scanning the crowd as she moved with practiced ease. A few of the heirs were already here—Claus, predictably, at the center of a small group of nobles, his charming laugh echoing through the hall. He caught sight of her and grinned, his gaze lingering a little too long on her figure.
["Good. Let him look. Let him believe I'm something I'm not."]
Light arrived soon after, a commanding presence in her crimson and gold uniform. Her posture was impeccable, the confidence she exuded matched only by the intense fire in her eyes. Seventeen watched as Light exchanged a brief, but meaningful, glance with her father, General Thorne Valiant. They were close, more so than many of the heirs with their parents. But that bond also made Light vulnerable to her father's expectations. If Seventeen could twist that against her, it could be powerful.
The rest of the six filtered in gradually, each one taking their place in the grand meeting. Hunter was relaxed, as usual, a lazy smile on his face as he took a seat. Sablina and Amelia entered together, their tension palpable, but they kept their distance as the room filled up.
Then there was Draco. He arrived with his parents, Jove and Astraea de Lavissaye, the rulers of Libra. As always, Draco maintained an air of calm authority, his gaze sweeping the room with a calculated sharpness that reminded Seventeen of her true self. He was still the most difficult to read, his mask almost as impenetrable as her own. But she could feel the weight of his attention on her, even when his eyes didn't linger.
The council meeting began with all the usual pomp and ceremony. The leaders spoke of peace, prosperity, and unity, all while knowing full well that their lands were on the brink of collapse. Seventeen listened, her smile serene, her mind far away from their empty words.
Her focus was on the six, as it always was.
Throughout the meeting, she observed them closely. Amelia, with her sharp tongue and quick mind, was clearly bored with the proceedings, her fingers tapping against the table as she barely concealed her irritation. Sablina was quieter, but her eyes never stopped moving, taking in every detail, every word. She was always watching, always processing.
Hunter was the only one who seemed truly at ease, leaning back in his chair with an air of indifference. But Seventeen knew better. He wasn't as careless as he appeared. He was loyal to his friends, protective even. That would be his downfall. If she could show him that the prophecy was the only way to keep them safe, he would follow her without question.
As the hours dragged on, Seventeen maintained her role as the attentive, mild-mannered healer, offering smiles and quiet nods to those around her. She had built her reputation on kindness, and today was no different. But beneath her mask, her mind worked tirelessly, piecing together the puzzle of these six individuals and how best to manipulate them.
When the meeting finally adjourned, she found herself standing next to Draco, purely by coincidence—at least, that's what she allowed everyone to believe. He acknowledged her presence with a slight nod, his expression as unreadable as ever.
"Serena," he greeted, his tone polite but distant.
"Draco," she replied warmly, her smile perfectly in place. "I didn't expect to see you here. I thought you might have slipped away early, like your usual habit."
He raised an eyebrow at her, the faintest hint of amusement in his ice blue eyes. "I didn't realize my habits were of such interest to you."
Seventeen shrugged lightly, her expression playful. "I'm a healer. I take note of people's routines. It's part of the job."
Draco's lips quirked, but he didn't respond. Instead, his gaze shifted toward the exit, where his parents were already making their way out of the hall.
"I'd better go," he said finally, though there was a slight hesitation in his voice. "We'll talk again soon, I'm sure."
"Of course," she replied, her voice soft, her smile still warm. "I look forward to it."
As he walked away, Seventeen let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. Draco was becoming a complication, not because she couldn't manipulate him, but because his guarded nature mirrored her own. Every interaction with him felt like a battle of wits, a game of subtlety that left her both exhilarated and frustrated. And she still had no idea how he had learned her name was Seven, well, nickname, but still, the only way was him going through the trash of her office after invading it when she wasn't there, but that wasn't something he would lower himself to do.
["Draco de Lavissaye going through my officer's trash,"] just the thought amused her in a ridiculous way. ["He's too proud for that. Even if he's suspicious of me, there's no way.] She could only hope he hadn't disclosed that to any of the other five, or that would be annoying to her plans, profoundly so.
But no matter. In time, even Draco would fall in line, she just needed a better hook for him.
The six of them were slowly coming together, drawn into her orbit, whether they realized it or not. The prophecy was unfolding, and Seventeen was at the center of it all, guiding them toward their destiny.
They would trust her, rely on her, believe in her.
And when the time came, she would lead them to the rebellion, to the destruction of the very system that had created them.
Seventeen's smile faltered for a brief moment, her thoughts returning to the faces of her siblings, their laughter echoing in her mind.
Her and her adoptive family had once believed the six of them were the six who would join her in the prophecy to lead the world through a new age, without the tyranny of the rulers. It had only become clear to Lilith Duke, her adoptive mother and the oracle who had the vision of the prophecy many years ago, that it wasn't them but these six heirs, after her siblings had been murdered. It made her want to die instead of doing this, but here she was.
This was all for them.
No matter the cost.