Of Mystical Gates Chapter 6
Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2004 6:45 pm
Of Mystical Gates
Chapter 6
Melville?s Best Friend
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. Dag, yo, if this wasn't a long wait for those who remember this fic. I have not abandoned it. ^_^ Thanks for reading!
(Annnd...we left our party having just been told by a dragon they met, that the female warrior they'd been traveling with was, in fact, the Queen of the Dorna; Relena.)
They watched her in a subdued awe, never removing their eyes from what she had revealed. Without thinking of her safety, without acknowledging the fact that she had lied and put their mission in even more jeopardy, and without pausing to ask why she did all she did, they beheld the illusive Queen of the Dorna.
The wind picked at bits of her golden hair, catching fragments in the light of the sun, making it shine as if it were the gentle waves of the sea. Her face showed an array of emotions that none could place, and an illusive air of defiance hung about her arched brow as she continued to gaze at the dragon. Her posture was sagacious and stern. She held her head like a unicorn; chin held high and firm, neck swift and graceful. Her body language said more to them without saying a word, and suddenly speech seemed almost evil to them. After all, in the presence of such a creature, words were not necessary.
Her lips were red as roses, and looked as soft and supple. More than one pair of eyes rested on her ripe lips, imagining what it would be like if, for just an instant, she were not the most revered creature on the planet, and they could lock their mouths together in a passionate dance that would be the envy of the entire planet. Her ears moved with the wind, catching distant animal cries and the hard beating of each individual?s heart.
They could have sworn she could hear them thinking.
?You?re not staying.?
She averted her eyes from the dragon, and watched Heero?s stoic expression as he confronted her.
?King Yuy, I have no reason to obey any of your orders. You have not been ordained to carry out this mission, but have merely titled yourself its leader. I shant listen to your warnings,? she said casually, yet, the air hung thickly with an innocuous tint of arrogance, which suffocated the minds of the travelers.
She was not what they had expected: bold and beautiful, causual, yet arrogant, fiery yet ladylike.
Quatre?s eyes dulled as their battle of words ensued. Heero was not one to back down, and he knew Relena would not give up without a fight.
?This is not a warning.?
His eyes put ice?s coldness to shame, and for a second, she feared the creature of which she had grown so fond. He easily read her fear, and acted upon it swiftly, moving closer to her. With the beat of her fluttering heart, he was beside her. Those malicious eyes of his forced themselves onto her?crushing her. They beat her down with invisible hands, and she suffocated under their intense lock. The air became thick with her lust to lose herself in those eyes.
?You are to return home at once.?
Pride slashed through her fear and animalistic feelings, and her female stubbornness worked its way into her mind, permeating all that would hold some shred of terror that ran through her heart each time he focused his eyes on hers. She dropped the arrogant cool she had once adopted, and acted, completely unaware of herself. She raised her eyebrow in defiance, and a hand flew to her hip swiftly, adopting what the other males knew as ?the look?. He knew before she opened her mouth that she was not so easily frightened.
?Oh? And I shall carry out the treck alone, or shall you accompany me, my Lord Yuy??
She knew as well as he that he couldn?t afford to accompany her. However, both thought in the deepest reaches of their minds what would ensue were the two left alone?
?The newcomer will escort you back to your land, milady.?
It rolled off his tongue harshly, startling her, and she puckered her lips with an intake of breath that could only signify that she refused to let the fight end so easily.
His eyes never wavered but sparked when hers didn?t either.
She?s stronger than she looks. Any normal female would have cowered in a second.
The two had locked themselves in a battle, and only one would come out the victor. The rest of the crew watched silently, each rooting for their favorite, placing small wagers between themselves.
?I was under the impression that Wufie was not akin to missions such as these.?
Duo smiled. A point had been given to Relena. Trowa and Wufie scowled as they started to hand a gem to the Elf. Quatre blushed at the obvious dishonor his comrades were showing.
?Like you, he has no choice.?
Duo frowned as he gave the gems back.
Her eyes visibly narrowed, and the calm sea that he had once seen in them turned to a storm in which all would perish.
?You are disobeying an order from a higher ranking creature than yourself.?
?I will deal with that problem when it arrives,? he said, turning away from her. She met him suddenly, appearing out of thin air. Her eyes were narrowed in determination and her voice was eerily calm when she spoke. The leaves around them stopped swaying at the sound of her voice.
?The problem,? she said, drawing her sword, ?has arisen.?
The betting stopped at once when she drew her sword. If she wanted, Heero would be killed, and they could do nothing to stop her. A numb void was filled within each of their hearts as they waited for an action between the two.
Quatre, who knew she hated to draw a sword, watched in awe. Of course, she would never hurt him, but she was acting out of fear. Fear she would go home and be unable to help them. Fear that she would be responsible for their deaths if she were to leave them.
Apparently, Heero saw it, too.
?Queen Peacecraft-? his voice wasn?t pleading or annoyed. It was her name on that beautiful tongue of his that stopped her from irrational behavior. Her name on his lips.
Demanding.
She whispered to him so none but Heero could hear.
?You are not willing to have me killed while you?re on watch, I know. For you and I both know you ARE the leader of this group, whether you?ve been titled or not,? her eyes glowed with more than a hint of remorse, ?Your hands are already covered in blood, Heero,? she lowered her sword, placing it swiftly in its holster. Her eyes never broke from his, ?What is one more life??
?Yours is not a life I am willing to lose.?
?Because of my position, King Yuy? You hold as much prestige as I. Our lives are meaningless until we place them where they are needed,? she looked at their team and nodded to Heero, ?I am needed here.?
For a moment, he measured her words, and she could see him weighing her ideas within that narrow mind of his. For a moment, she almost thought he would agree. As soon as that spark touched his eyes, he blinked it away, and the air around her chilled when he spoke.
?You will reside in your home three days from now. You will lead your people in the manner and memory of your father, teaching them of peace, and alleviating any hatred they may feel.?
Her eyes flared in defiance. About to start a fight that he would surely lose, she let her amulet glow as she began to morph. She had plans to turn into some terrible creature and frighten him into making her stay. The thought made her eyes light for a second, slightly amused at the thought of Heero frightened.
?Relena-dorna. There is no need to be so irrational. You do your people injustice. Keep your temper in check,? Azure said, lifting his head to watch her. His great eyes caught hers, delving deeply into her mind. She would have fought the dragon had he not continued talking.
?And by Zenethia, you came for a reason, aye. Tell an old dragon why you came out to see him, eh? I might give your quest a quench from your thirst, perhaps??
?We are on a quest to end this war,? Wufie spoke, aware that Heero and Relena were still in battle; neither one would look away from carefully narrowed eyes.
She dared him to think the same way, and he defied all she was.
Without swords or words, they fought.
?And what warrior isn?t? Eh? What makes you think that you will succeed, I say? Because of the Dorna?? he laughed, and it billowed throughout the wood, echoing off cliff after cliff. The party could feel his booming voice resonate through their bodies. Quatre smiled at the ticklish feeling, and Duo fell over with the force.
?She?ll help, though, I assure thee. Meh,? he moved a bit, allowing them to see a shimmering golden plate underneath him. It was big enough to hold a feast for their entire party. They watched in anticipation as he picked it up where it looked the size of a pebble in his claws. He set it down in front of Heero and winked. Only Heero caught the gesture, and stopped, assessing Azure?s meaning.
?One of the keys to Zenethia,? he said. ?You enter Zenethia, and you will find the power to illuminate the obstacle you face.?
?What IS the obstacle? Is it the humans? Or is another power at work?? Duo questioned, eyes hardened at the mention of humans. Wufie snorted; obviously Duo should know the characteristics of humans if he were an Elf. He muttered a slur about humans as evil as Elves, and Duo caught the meaning. The Elf King glared.
?That has yet to wander to my old ears, little Elf,? he said, watching Hero examine the plate, and Relena glare at Heero, and a part of him saw the small feud between the other two, where Quatre had, by now, intervened.
?It?s a shield,? Heero breathed.
?Aye. And the shield of Zenethia, at that. One of the pieces of armor you must collect to gain access to the mystical gates of Zenethia.?
?It has an inscription,? he noted, unable to make out the words.
Quatre flew to the armor, entranced by its golden tint where the light did not even hit. He slowly caressed it with his hand trying to clean it, and it suddenly brightened, burning his hand. The sensation lit his fingertips, and flew like lightning to his core, and his eyes shot open with a light from inside him. As soon as it had happened, it was over. Relena touched Quatre?s shoulder, shaking her head.
?Weenaway eemgampo sta taran,? she said. ?If you aren?t he, you cannot touch.?
?Heero-Wildoor? Maysah??
She scolded Quatre for his questioning, and turned towards the warrior and the shield, where she watched Heero with narrow slits of eyes.
?What does it say, Heero?? Duo questioned.
?It is gibberish,? Wufie stated, ?I?ve never seen such a language.?
?Dampay stu anya, Relena?? Quatre questioned. ?Can you read it, Relena??
She said nothing, but continued to watch Heero. A familiarity arose in his eyes that she found bewildering. If he knew this language?If he could read Zenethian?
His eyes hazed as he read it, the words flowing off his tongue in an act all its own. A voice that sounded of an elder Heero seeped through slightly parted teeth, where it resounded off the shield and made it glow an abnormal hue. His voice was as calm as the lapping waves on the sand.
?Beneath the imprisoning walls of time,
A soul brought, haughtily, to the light.
To realize where his loyalties lie.
Where heroes conquer
Not by might.?
Duo stammered as the light from his eyes left with the dimming of the shield, as he was finished, and Heero returned to normal.
?Poetic, I?m sure, Heero. However?It?s symbol??
Heero didn?t respond, but looked at the dragon, who smiled a toothy grin that almost frightened him. Smoke seeped out of the corners of his mouth, and Heero could smell the heavy odor of the sheep the dragon must have eaten shortly before they arrived.
Relena had abandoned the reading, and had been looking at the dragon intently. He merely winked at her, confirming the secret she knew.
He is. Heero is who we need to end the war of Aria.
She turned to Heero, eyes questioning. Her hand moved to touch him, letting her fingers roam across his soft face. Her eyes buried into his, questioning all he was. He never flinched, but caught her hand with his gaze. She seemed frightened.
?Shlithintai. Heero Yuy? Compos in tumammentai??
His eyes widened when he understood what she said, and stared blankly into her eyes.
He repeated her.
?Illusions, Heero Yuy? Are you real??What does that mean??
Quatre was frantic trying to understand what on Aria she had said. This wasn?t Dorna language. For all he knew, she had made it up, as he surely had never heard it.
A rumble awoke them all from their repose, and they stared at the sky.
?What is it?? Quatre asked, searching for the object that made the sound.
Duo glared at the sky. He could smell it. He could hear its wings gliding none-too-gently in the wind. He could feel its heated breath around him. ?It?s a dragon,? he seethed. ?Hide, for we cannot defeat it.?
?Aye,? the elder said, ?It?s a dragon I fought when he and I were both quite young. Anar, prince of dragons. Eh. He?s come to challenge me, young ones. I have given you all I know. Complete your quest, eh? Save Aria from the hate that spreads through every creature?s heart.?
Relena looked at her friend blankly, ?You don?t know that. It could be something else; thunder?a tree that fell, anything. You cannot tie a sound to a dragon,? she screamed. Her pitch grew steadily higher with her racing heart. ?And even if it were he, how do you know that he has come for you??
?All dragons share a heart, Relena. I know who and what it is.?
?I can kill him,? she whispered, almost crying. ?Let me kill him. I won?t let you sacrifice yourself like this. You don?t have to.?
Azure laughed again. ?No need. This day has been a long time coming, my dear.?
?You are my uncle, Azure, and I will not let you die without a fight,? by now the tears were falling, and the baffled team stared at her. Heero acted on impulse, and grabbed her before she did anything drastic. The scent of her hair filled his nostrils, and he fought to gain control of his senses as he held her.
?I think you all had best get inside my cave,? Azure said, and nodded towards an entrance. His eyes were glazed, but fiery. Hard and soft with a determination and grandiose intensity she hadn?t seen in him since she was a child. He continued to lay there, awaiting his death. ?I chose my death long ago, Relena. This is my fate.?
?No! You can?t! This is not the fate you want!?
Heero held her waist firmly, tugging her inside the safety of the cave. He had no other course of action to take other than to heed the obvious warning, and get the Queen to safety.
She refused to be denied her wish to stay with her friend, as she jerked and twisted away from the grasp of the warrior. Her eyes never left her friend, even as he stood up to prepare for battle. Orbs glazed as crystal tears fell down her celestial cheeks. The dragon smiled at her; one filled with age and understanding, and breathed upon her frantic figure. A soft gray cloud sifted its way to her, entering her body and permeating her lungs.
She felt it creep into her body, where it nestled inside her senses, dulling them with a numbness she couldn?t place. Her eyes hazed as her body almost immediately shut down, and she was soon asleep in Heero's arms. A single tear was the only sign of pain on her now peaceful face. He nodded to the dragon as he took her inside.
?Heero Yuy,? he called before allowing the Wildoor to enter the sanctity of his cave, ?You will seek out the Mystic Unicorn for more of the treasure. Zenethia is your goal, my boy. Find the one who can enter the gates, and seek the power that can end the war.?
Heero had no time to reply as the dragon roared with fury, causing the warrior to stumble back into the cave. Rocks fell upon the entrance, nearly crushing the two as they slipped in. The rest of the party had rushed in moments before, and were now immersed in darkness.
She slept on, unaware of all that was going on around her. Duo called upon his firm friend, and the room lit up with the dance of fire along the cave walls.
?Why must we constantly wander into a cave??
They heard the battle as soon as Duo spoke. This dragon?s voice held them all in fear. Quatre crawled against the side of the cave, huddling in a corner and shaking. Duo readied his sword, as did Wufie. Heero merely brought Relena closer into his warmth. He felt strangely at peace with her so close. A fire all her own calmed his trembling nerves as he felt her heated breath upon his shoulder.
?Can we see the fight, Quatre?? Trowa said suddenly, gazing down at Relena?s sleeping form.
?We can, but if she should wake?? Quatre asked permission of his leader.
Heero had never steered his eyes away from her, and let the question go unanswered. Wufie spoke for him, unafraid to say what he felt.
?There is no hiding from war, Quatre. The best thing for her is to see how bloody and tainted battles really are. She needs to see for herself how foul they can be.?
Heero moved a hair from her face as she continued her slumber. Quatre stood with shaking limbs, each threatening to fall apart with the searing fear he felt tearing him up inside. His hands formed a small bubble, and with a few muttered words, within the space he had created, the picture of the battle was formed. Their timing proved perfect, as the other dragon landed that second.
Quatre enlarged the screen so that they could see the dragon in his entirety, but almost closed it as he saw.
Blood.
He was the color of blood.
His scales were thick and steaming from the fire within him; a sign he was still very young, and very able to kill their friend. His claws were sharpened to perfection, and dug into the dirt, poisoning it with lava that seeped from a wound on his leg. He most likely injured himself on the entry, which meant that, though he was strong, he was careless.
His eyes were the color of a silver moon, shimmering in the heavy sunlight of the mid-day. His mouth moved to and fro with a smile that refused to diminish, and the brown tuff of beard on his chin swayed with his breathing.
They could hear him through the walls.
?Old timer. I?ve come to settle scores,? Anar cackled.
His voice sounded of a goat?s bleat, and the deep billow of thunder mixed into one, and Quatre found himself seeking shelter in Duo?s arms. Duo was no solace, as he felt himself shaking just as badly.
?A rugged life you?ve lived, wispy scoundrel of Zenethia. Maybe once I kill you, you can see that king of yours?? his laugh ran deep into the forest, chasing away any who heard.
?Arise and greet your fate. Or will you lay there and wait for me to kill you??
?Tell me. Has your master let you off the leash yet??
The younger dragon snarled.
?I suppose not. Nasty wound you have, eh? Master of yours hurt you? You cannot trust a warlock.?
Within a heartbeat, a claw was wrapped around the neck of the old dragon, and the blood smiled. ?Your fate was sealed in the prophecy. I knew all along I would be responsible for your death.?
With a simple squeeze, his talons entered the old dragon?s flesh, and without a fight, he let his blood spill on the forest floor.
It seeped from his body as though he were a waterfall, and when another claw dug into the folds of his chest to claw at his heart, the blood stopped, and light bombarded out of him.
Cackling, the younger dragon let the elder body fall limply to the ground, and he bent over to lick at the flesh of what was once his brother.
His skin went immediately cold when the light emitted from him, and the younger knew that his soul had left and he was truly dead.
He threw his head back and laughed as what remained of the elder?s blood fell from his lips and onto the floor.
Flowers grew in its wake, but the younger took no notice. The cold laughter continued, and froze the bodies of those hidden in the cave. They could feel their bones turn to a stony ice; their muscles tensing with an ache that had never been felt before.
With his laughter, the spell of the elder wore off.
She awoke with a start; eyes wider than fear could open them, and screamed. Blood boiled again with her cry, and the warriors were reminded of all that had occurred.
Heero clasped a hand over her mouth, trying desperately to silence her.
But it was too late.
He had heard.
Lord Rameen?s forces arrived at that moment, ready to carry out the orders of killing the would-be heroes. The Dwarf the led them cowered before the dragon, and attempted to speak.
?Lord Anar, we?ve come to-?
?You aren?t needed here. I will see to it that they are destroyed,? Anar snarled.
Surely this would lead to freedom from his master. He would prove himself in the eyes of darkness, and be free to pillage as he did when he was young. Freedom, he knew, was seconds away.
He licked at his one wound and roared, forcing the rocks to part.
Chapter 6
Melville?s Best Friend
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters. Dag, yo, if this wasn't a long wait for those who remember this fic. I have not abandoned it. ^_^ Thanks for reading!
(Annnd...we left our party having just been told by a dragon they met, that the female warrior they'd been traveling with was, in fact, the Queen of the Dorna; Relena.)
They watched her in a subdued awe, never removing their eyes from what she had revealed. Without thinking of her safety, without acknowledging the fact that she had lied and put their mission in even more jeopardy, and without pausing to ask why she did all she did, they beheld the illusive Queen of the Dorna.
The wind picked at bits of her golden hair, catching fragments in the light of the sun, making it shine as if it were the gentle waves of the sea. Her face showed an array of emotions that none could place, and an illusive air of defiance hung about her arched brow as she continued to gaze at the dragon. Her posture was sagacious and stern. She held her head like a unicorn; chin held high and firm, neck swift and graceful. Her body language said more to them without saying a word, and suddenly speech seemed almost evil to them. After all, in the presence of such a creature, words were not necessary.
Her lips were red as roses, and looked as soft and supple. More than one pair of eyes rested on her ripe lips, imagining what it would be like if, for just an instant, she were not the most revered creature on the planet, and they could lock their mouths together in a passionate dance that would be the envy of the entire planet. Her ears moved with the wind, catching distant animal cries and the hard beating of each individual?s heart.
They could have sworn she could hear them thinking.
?You?re not staying.?
She averted her eyes from the dragon, and watched Heero?s stoic expression as he confronted her.
?King Yuy, I have no reason to obey any of your orders. You have not been ordained to carry out this mission, but have merely titled yourself its leader. I shant listen to your warnings,? she said casually, yet, the air hung thickly with an innocuous tint of arrogance, which suffocated the minds of the travelers.
She was not what they had expected: bold and beautiful, causual, yet arrogant, fiery yet ladylike.
Quatre?s eyes dulled as their battle of words ensued. Heero was not one to back down, and he knew Relena would not give up without a fight.
?This is not a warning.?
His eyes put ice?s coldness to shame, and for a second, she feared the creature of which she had grown so fond. He easily read her fear, and acted upon it swiftly, moving closer to her. With the beat of her fluttering heart, he was beside her. Those malicious eyes of his forced themselves onto her?crushing her. They beat her down with invisible hands, and she suffocated under their intense lock. The air became thick with her lust to lose herself in those eyes.
?You are to return home at once.?
Pride slashed through her fear and animalistic feelings, and her female stubbornness worked its way into her mind, permeating all that would hold some shred of terror that ran through her heart each time he focused his eyes on hers. She dropped the arrogant cool she had once adopted, and acted, completely unaware of herself. She raised her eyebrow in defiance, and a hand flew to her hip swiftly, adopting what the other males knew as ?the look?. He knew before she opened her mouth that she was not so easily frightened.
?Oh? And I shall carry out the treck alone, or shall you accompany me, my Lord Yuy??
She knew as well as he that he couldn?t afford to accompany her. However, both thought in the deepest reaches of their minds what would ensue were the two left alone?
?The newcomer will escort you back to your land, milady.?
It rolled off his tongue harshly, startling her, and she puckered her lips with an intake of breath that could only signify that she refused to let the fight end so easily.
His eyes never wavered but sparked when hers didn?t either.
She?s stronger than she looks. Any normal female would have cowered in a second.
The two had locked themselves in a battle, and only one would come out the victor. The rest of the crew watched silently, each rooting for their favorite, placing small wagers between themselves.
?I was under the impression that Wufie was not akin to missions such as these.?
Duo smiled. A point had been given to Relena. Trowa and Wufie scowled as they started to hand a gem to the Elf. Quatre blushed at the obvious dishonor his comrades were showing.
?Like you, he has no choice.?
Duo frowned as he gave the gems back.
Her eyes visibly narrowed, and the calm sea that he had once seen in them turned to a storm in which all would perish.
?You are disobeying an order from a higher ranking creature than yourself.?
?I will deal with that problem when it arrives,? he said, turning away from her. She met him suddenly, appearing out of thin air. Her eyes were narrowed in determination and her voice was eerily calm when she spoke. The leaves around them stopped swaying at the sound of her voice.
?The problem,? she said, drawing her sword, ?has arisen.?
The betting stopped at once when she drew her sword. If she wanted, Heero would be killed, and they could do nothing to stop her. A numb void was filled within each of their hearts as they waited for an action between the two.
Quatre, who knew she hated to draw a sword, watched in awe. Of course, she would never hurt him, but she was acting out of fear. Fear she would go home and be unable to help them. Fear that she would be responsible for their deaths if she were to leave them.
Apparently, Heero saw it, too.
?Queen Peacecraft-? his voice wasn?t pleading or annoyed. It was her name on that beautiful tongue of his that stopped her from irrational behavior. Her name on his lips.
Demanding.
She whispered to him so none but Heero could hear.
?You are not willing to have me killed while you?re on watch, I know. For you and I both know you ARE the leader of this group, whether you?ve been titled or not,? her eyes glowed with more than a hint of remorse, ?Your hands are already covered in blood, Heero,? she lowered her sword, placing it swiftly in its holster. Her eyes never broke from his, ?What is one more life??
?Yours is not a life I am willing to lose.?
?Because of my position, King Yuy? You hold as much prestige as I. Our lives are meaningless until we place them where they are needed,? she looked at their team and nodded to Heero, ?I am needed here.?
For a moment, he measured her words, and she could see him weighing her ideas within that narrow mind of his. For a moment, she almost thought he would agree. As soon as that spark touched his eyes, he blinked it away, and the air around her chilled when he spoke.
?You will reside in your home three days from now. You will lead your people in the manner and memory of your father, teaching them of peace, and alleviating any hatred they may feel.?
Her eyes flared in defiance. About to start a fight that he would surely lose, she let her amulet glow as she began to morph. She had plans to turn into some terrible creature and frighten him into making her stay. The thought made her eyes light for a second, slightly amused at the thought of Heero frightened.
?Relena-dorna. There is no need to be so irrational. You do your people injustice. Keep your temper in check,? Azure said, lifting his head to watch her. His great eyes caught hers, delving deeply into her mind. She would have fought the dragon had he not continued talking.
?And by Zenethia, you came for a reason, aye. Tell an old dragon why you came out to see him, eh? I might give your quest a quench from your thirst, perhaps??
?We are on a quest to end this war,? Wufie spoke, aware that Heero and Relena were still in battle; neither one would look away from carefully narrowed eyes.
She dared him to think the same way, and he defied all she was.
Without swords or words, they fought.
?And what warrior isn?t? Eh? What makes you think that you will succeed, I say? Because of the Dorna?? he laughed, and it billowed throughout the wood, echoing off cliff after cliff. The party could feel his booming voice resonate through their bodies. Quatre smiled at the ticklish feeling, and Duo fell over with the force.
?She?ll help, though, I assure thee. Meh,? he moved a bit, allowing them to see a shimmering golden plate underneath him. It was big enough to hold a feast for their entire party. They watched in anticipation as he picked it up where it looked the size of a pebble in his claws. He set it down in front of Heero and winked. Only Heero caught the gesture, and stopped, assessing Azure?s meaning.
?One of the keys to Zenethia,? he said. ?You enter Zenethia, and you will find the power to illuminate the obstacle you face.?
?What IS the obstacle? Is it the humans? Or is another power at work?? Duo questioned, eyes hardened at the mention of humans. Wufie snorted; obviously Duo should know the characteristics of humans if he were an Elf. He muttered a slur about humans as evil as Elves, and Duo caught the meaning. The Elf King glared.
?That has yet to wander to my old ears, little Elf,? he said, watching Hero examine the plate, and Relena glare at Heero, and a part of him saw the small feud between the other two, where Quatre had, by now, intervened.
?It?s a shield,? Heero breathed.
?Aye. And the shield of Zenethia, at that. One of the pieces of armor you must collect to gain access to the mystical gates of Zenethia.?
?It has an inscription,? he noted, unable to make out the words.
Quatre flew to the armor, entranced by its golden tint where the light did not even hit. He slowly caressed it with his hand trying to clean it, and it suddenly brightened, burning his hand. The sensation lit his fingertips, and flew like lightning to his core, and his eyes shot open with a light from inside him. As soon as it had happened, it was over. Relena touched Quatre?s shoulder, shaking her head.
?Weenaway eemgampo sta taran,? she said. ?If you aren?t he, you cannot touch.?
?Heero-Wildoor? Maysah??
She scolded Quatre for his questioning, and turned towards the warrior and the shield, where she watched Heero with narrow slits of eyes.
?What does it say, Heero?? Duo questioned.
?It is gibberish,? Wufie stated, ?I?ve never seen such a language.?
?Dampay stu anya, Relena?? Quatre questioned. ?Can you read it, Relena??
She said nothing, but continued to watch Heero. A familiarity arose in his eyes that she found bewildering. If he knew this language?If he could read Zenethian?
His eyes hazed as he read it, the words flowing off his tongue in an act all its own. A voice that sounded of an elder Heero seeped through slightly parted teeth, where it resounded off the shield and made it glow an abnormal hue. His voice was as calm as the lapping waves on the sand.
?Beneath the imprisoning walls of time,
A soul brought, haughtily, to the light.
To realize where his loyalties lie.
Where heroes conquer
Not by might.?
Duo stammered as the light from his eyes left with the dimming of the shield, as he was finished, and Heero returned to normal.
?Poetic, I?m sure, Heero. However?It?s symbol??
Heero didn?t respond, but looked at the dragon, who smiled a toothy grin that almost frightened him. Smoke seeped out of the corners of his mouth, and Heero could smell the heavy odor of the sheep the dragon must have eaten shortly before they arrived.
Relena had abandoned the reading, and had been looking at the dragon intently. He merely winked at her, confirming the secret she knew.
He is. Heero is who we need to end the war of Aria.
She turned to Heero, eyes questioning. Her hand moved to touch him, letting her fingers roam across his soft face. Her eyes buried into his, questioning all he was. He never flinched, but caught her hand with his gaze. She seemed frightened.
?Shlithintai. Heero Yuy? Compos in tumammentai??
His eyes widened when he understood what she said, and stared blankly into her eyes.
He repeated her.
?Illusions, Heero Yuy? Are you real??What does that mean??
Quatre was frantic trying to understand what on Aria she had said. This wasn?t Dorna language. For all he knew, she had made it up, as he surely had never heard it.
A rumble awoke them all from their repose, and they stared at the sky.
?What is it?? Quatre asked, searching for the object that made the sound.
Duo glared at the sky. He could smell it. He could hear its wings gliding none-too-gently in the wind. He could feel its heated breath around him. ?It?s a dragon,? he seethed. ?Hide, for we cannot defeat it.?
?Aye,? the elder said, ?It?s a dragon I fought when he and I were both quite young. Anar, prince of dragons. Eh. He?s come to challenge me, young ones. I have given you all I know. Complete your quest, eh? Save Aria from the hate that spreads through every creature?s heart.?
Relena looked at her friend blankly, ?You don?t know that. It could be something else; thunder?a tree that fell, anything. You cannot tie a sound to a dragon,? she screamed. Her pitch grew steadily higher with her racing heart. ?And even if it were he, how do you know that he has come for you??
?All dragons share a heart, Relena. I know who and what it is.?
?I can kill him,? she whispered, almost crying. ?Let me kill him. I won?t let you sacrifice yourself like this. You don?t have to.?
Azure laughed again. ?No need. This day has been a long time coming, my dear.?
?You are my uncle, Azure, and I will not let you die without a fight,? by now the tears were falling, and the baffled team stared at her. Heero acted on impulse, and grabbed her before she did anything drastic. The scent of her hair filled his nostrils, and he fought to gain control of his senses as he held her.
?I think you all had best get inside my cave,? Azure said, and nodded towards an entrance. His eyes were glazed, but fiery. Hard and soft with a determination and grandiose intensity she hadn?t seen in him since she was a child. He continued to lay there, awaiting his death. ?I chose my death long ago, Relena. This is my fate.?
?No! You can?t! This is not the fate you want!?
Heero held her waist firmly, tugging her inside the safety of the cave. He had no other course of action to take other than to heed the obvious warning, and get the Queen to safety.
She refused to be denied her wish to stay with her friend, as she jerked and twisted away from the grasp of the warrior. Her eyes never left her friend, even as he stood up to prepare for battle. Orbs glazed as crystal tears fell down her celestial cheeks. The dragon smiled at her; one filled with age and understanding, and breathed upon her frantic figure. A soft gray cloud sifted its way to her, entering her body and permeating her lungs.
She felt it creep into her body, where it nestled inside her senses, dulling them with a numbness she couldn?t place. Her eyes hazed as her body almost immediately shut down, and she was soon asleep in Heero's arms. A single tear was the only sign of pain on her now peaceful face. He nodded to the dragon as he took her inside.
?Heero Yuy,? he called before allowing the Wildoor to enter the sanctity of his cave, ?You will seek out the Mystic Unicorn for more of the treasure. Zenethia is your goal, my boy. Find the one who can enter the gates, and seek the power that can end the war.?
Heero had no time to reply as the dragon roared with fury, causing the warrior to stumble back into the cave. Rocks fell upon the entrance, nearly crushing the two as they slipped in. The rest of the party had rushed in moments before, and were now immersed in darkness.
She slept on, unaware of all that was going on around her. Duo called upon his firm friend, and the room lit up with the dance of fire along the cave walls.
?Why must we constantly wander into a cave??
They heard the battle as soon as Duo spoke. This dragon?s voice held them all in fear. Quatre crawled against the side of the cave, huddling in a corner and shaking. Duo readied his sword, as did Wufie. Heero merely brought Relena closer into his warmth. He felt strangely at peace with her so close. A fire all her own calmed his trembling nerves as he felt her heated breath upon his shoulder.
?Can we see the fight, Quatre?? Trowa said suddenly, gazing down at Relena?s sleeping form.
?We can, but if she should wake?? Quatre asked permission of his leader.
Heero had never steered his eyes away from her, and let the question go unanswered. Wufie spoke for him, unafraid to say what he felt.
?There is no hiding from war, Quatre. The best thing for her is to see how bloody and tainted battles really are. She needs to see for herself how foul they can be.?
Heero moved a hair from her face as she continued her slumber. Quatre stood with shaking limbs, each threatening to fall apart with the searing fear he felt tearing him up inside. His hands formed a small bubble, and with a few muttered words, within the space he had created, the picture of the battle was formed. Their timing proved perfect, as the other dragon landed that second.
Quatre enlarged the screen so that they could see the dragon in his entirety, but almost closed it as he saw.
Blood.
He was the color of blood.
His scales were thick and steaming from the fire within him; a sign he was still very young, and very able to kill their friend. His claws were sharpened to perfection, and dug into the dirt, poisoning it with lava that seeped from a wound on his leg. He most likely injured himself on the entry, which meant that, though he was strong, he was careless.
His eyes were the color of a silver moon, shimmering in the heavy sunlight of the mid-day. His mouth moved to and fro with a smile that refused to diminish, and the brown tuff of beard on his chin swayed with his breathing.
They could hear him through the walls.
?Old timer. I?ve come to settle scores,? Anar cackled.
His voice sounded of a goat?s bleat, and the deep billow of thunder mixed into one, and Quatre found himself seeking shelter in Duo?s arms. Duo was no solace, as he felt himself shaking just as badly.
?A rugged life you?ve lived, wispy scoundrel of Zenethia. Maybe once I kill you, you can see that king of yours?? his laugh ran deep into the forest, chasing away any who heard.
?Arise and greet your fate. Or will you lay there and wait for me to kill you??
?Tell me. Has your master let you off the leash yet??
The younger dragon snarled.
?I suppose not. Nasty wound you have, eh? Master of yours hurt you? You cannot trust a warlock.?
Within a heartbeat, a claw was wrapped around the neck of the old dragon, and the blood smiled. ?Your fate was sealed in the prophecy. I knew all along I would be responsible for your death.?
With a simple squeeze, his talons entered the old dragon?s flesh, and without a fight, he let his blood spill on the forest floor.
It seeped from his body as though he were a waterfall, and when another claw dug into the folds of his chest to claw at his heart, the blood stopped, and light bombarded out of him.
Cackling, the younger dragon let the elder body fall limply to the ground, and he bent over to lick at the flesh of what was once his brother.
His skin went immediately cold when the light emitted from him, and the younger knew that his soul had left and he was truly dead.
He threw his head back and laughed as what remained of the elder?s blood fell from his lips and onto the floor.
Flowers grew in its wake, but the younger took no notice. The cold laughter continued, and froze the bodies of those hidden in the cave. They could feel their bones turn to a stony ice; their muscles tensing with an ache that had never been felt before.
With his laughter, the spell of the elder wore off.
She awoke with a start; eyes wider than fear could open them, and screamed. Blood boiled again with her cry, and the warriors were reminded of all that had occurred.
Heero clasped a hand over her mouth, trying desperately to silence her.
But it was too late.
He had heard.
Lord Rameen?s forces arrived at that moment, ready to carry out the orders of killing the would-be heroes. The Dwarf the led them cowered before the dragon, and attempted to speak.
?Lord Anar, we?ve come to-?
?You aren?t needed here. I will see to it that they are destroyed,? Anar snarled.
Surely this would lead to freedom from his master. He would prove himself in the eyes of darkness, and be free to pillage as he did when he was young. Freedom, he knew, was seconds away.
He licked at his one wound and roared, forcing the rocks to part.
And I didn't work behind your back. This chapter was finished 4 months ago. *blush* I just forgot to put it up. ^__^;;; 