The Shrine Maiden 5/?
Posted: Wed Jul 14, 2004 9:10 am
Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing. Bandai and a host of people do. Don't sue, please.
Free talk: Yes, your eyes did not deceive you. I updated. Forgive me in my lapse. ^_^
I give this to all Heero x Relena fans out there!!! Stand tall, people! Straight, but not narrow!
Chapter V: A Simple Spell
The village was strangely quiet when Heero and Relena arrived. Sitting atop of his silver horse, Heero surveyed the scene before him. Behind him, he felt Relena slide down her black stallion. As soon as they stepped into the village, the horses began to move uneasily, their hooves pawing the earth.
Heero had expected that the moment he arrived here, he would be greeted by confusion–of houses burning, people running and screaming, of overturned carts and furniture.
Instead, they were faced with silence so oppressive and so tension-filled one could walk on it. Not a hint of human or animal noise to indicate any signs of life, just the faint howling of a soft breeze that stirred up the dust, creating a small, brown cloud of dirt.
The windows and doors of the brick and straw houses that served as the home of the villagers were tightly shut, probably barred from the inside. There was overturned furniture and carts in the streets, but there was not a person on sight. There were no running, shouting children, no shuffling villagers or barking dogs that would indicate that someone lived there.
Relena stepped closer, going ahead of Heero. She scanned the village. Then she whirled to face him, a look of consternation on her pretty face. "Are you sure this is the right village? No one seems to live here."
Heero slid down from his horse. "This is the village." There was a steely hiss as he drew out his sword out of its scabbard. He crouched low, and with eyes narrowed, he surveyed the village again, feeling the hair at the nape of his neck stand up on its ends.
"How much do you know about magic?" he suddenly asked her. He realized with growing concern that he did not know if his new Maiden had any tangible magical abilities at all. They were going to fight a wizard, after all. It would be most helpful that at least one of them should know magic. Heero himself knew but the basics of it. Fighting skills was the General's forte. Magic was the Maiden's specialty, and so far, he did not sense anything magical about this girl.
"Enough," she replied coldly, her back still turned to him.
"Can you sense anything?" Heero found it disconcerting to talk and act this way. With Alina, he didn't have to ask–all he had to do was feel. The bond allowed them–without need for words and gestures–to know what the other was thinking and doing, what the other had wanted or desired. With this new Maiden, Heero didn't even know how to communicate with her.
This new Maiden, Heero thought, bitterness welling up inside him. How quickly I had replaced Alina.
Lightning sizzled forth, striking a few feet away from Heero. A cloud of dust and chunks of dirt exploded in front of him, causing him to put up his arm to shield his face. Stifling a curse, Heero jumped back, all his senses alert. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Relena take a few steps back. Behind him, he could hear their horses' shrieks of fear.
"The Dragon General. I wasn't expecting you," a cold voice said from behind the screen of dust and dirt. As it subsided, a thin, gaunt man wearing a black robe stood not far from him, a sneer on his face. "I thought you'd have killed yourself after what happened to your maiden." His gaze shifted to Relena, black eyes alight with interest. "But it seems they found you a replacement. A pretty one. Much prettier than the last."
Relena regarded the man stonily. "What have you done with the villagers?" she asked him in a quiet voice, stepping forward, eyes intent on the wizard.
The wizard smiled, sharp, pointed white teeth gleaming in the harsh noon sun. He had white hair, and he looked like a corpse, with his sunken eyes and pale, leathery skin. "The villagers?" he replied. "Oh…they're somewhere…"
"Where?"
"Everywhere." The smile widened into a full grin. "In the dirt you tread upon, the dust that sticks to your hair, they are there…or whatever was left of them…." As he spoke, the sky began to darken as huge, black clouds gradually covered the sun.
Face pale as a sheet, Relena's blue eyes went wide with horror at what the wizard had done, but she quickly regained her composure. "Why?"
"Why not?" he mocked. Then he made a sweeping gesture.
Crack!
Lightning struck a few feet from Relena, making her jump back again, but she never removed her gaze on the wizard. The blast created a crater the size of a wheel. The wizard laughed insanely as he began to gather his power again. Tiny threads of lightning appeared on his fingers, glowing.
Heero regarded the wizard warily. He couldn't attack the man directly. The wizard would fry him in a second. Why did the Emperor send them, of all the people? Water and lightning were not a good combination.
He glanced at Relena, trying to catch her eye to tell her not to use any water spells. A water spell was weak against lightning. They would die if she used a water spell.
The wizard then rushed at Heero, one arm raised, a ball of lightning hovering on his palm. He hurled it at him. "Die," the wizard shrieked.
Heero dodged the blast easily. Maybe he should tire the wizard and let him drain his energy. Then he would attack. Satisfied with his strategy, Heero braced himself and faced the wizard–
–who suddenly collapsed in front of him, gasping loudly. He was on his knees, his hands clutching his throat as he gasped and wheeze, like a man without air.
"What the–" Heero began. Then he caught sight of Relena. She stood not far from the wizard, a grim look on her face.
The wizard's gasping grew louder as the seconds passed, filling the air as it did. Above them, the clouds cleared, and it was light again. He was on the ground now, rolling and thrashing, trying to claw out his throat, gouging his skin in the process. Heero continued to watch in morbid fascination.
"Are we going to take him alive?" Relena's quiet, calm voice broke through Heero's astonishment.
"The Emperor said nothing of taking him alive," Heero replied. This wizard had killed a whole village. Even if they were to bring the man alive, he would die for his crimes anyway.
"I see." Then, with a thin, high-pitched wail, the wizard shuddered and died.
Heero stared at the inert body for a moment, then turned to Relena. "What did you do?"
Relena gazed at him, sky-blue eyes cool and calm. "I drew out the breath from his body. Did you know that most of our bodies are made out of water?"
Heero did not reply. He was unnerved by Relena's show of power. He never sensed anything from her. His new Maiden was not what she seemed. "Let's go back," he said shortly. "Leave the body here."
T.B.C.
Free talk, part 2: Yes, I'm still alive. I'm sorry this took so damn long. I was busy. I'm sorry this is so short. Forgive me! And yes, <i>Soulless</i> will be up soon!
Relena's powers: How did you like that? She has some good skills, huh? And yeah, she's not quite like the Relena in the real Gundam Wing.
Coordination: Yes, they lack it for now. What do you expect? After all, they haven't 'bonded' yet.
Free talk: Yes, your eyes did not deceive you. I updated. Forgive me in my lapse. ^_^
I give this to all Heero x Relena fans out there!!! Stand tall, people! Straight, but not narrow!
Chapter V: A Simple Spell
The village was strangely quiet when Heero and Relena arrived. Sitting atop of his silver horse, Heero surveyed the scene before him. Behind him, he felt Relena slide down her black stallion. As soon as they stepped into the village, the horses began to move uneasily, their hooves pawing the earth.
Heero had expected that the moment he arrived here, he would be greeted by confusion–of houses burning, people running and screaming, of overturned carts and furniture.
Instead, they were faced with silence so oppressive and so tension-filled one could walk on it. Not a hint of human or animal noise to indicate any signs of life, just the faint howling of a soft breeze that stirred up the dust, creating a small, brown cloud of dirt.
The windows and doors of the brick and straw houses that served as the home of the villagers were tightly shut, probably barred from the inside. There was overturned furniture and carts in the streets, but there was not a person on sight. There were no running, shouting children, no shuffling villagers or barking dogs that would indicate that someone lived there.
Relena stepped closer, going ahead of Heero. She scanned the village. Then she whirled to face him, a look of consternation on her pretty face. "Are you sure this is the right village? No one seems to live here."
Heero slid down from his horse. "This is the village." There was a steely hiss as he drew out his sword out of its scabbard. He crouched low, and with eyes narrowed, he surveyed the village again, feeling the hair at the nape of his neck stand up on its ends.
"How much do you know about magic?" he suddenly asked her. He realized with growing concern that he did not know if his new Maiden had any tangible magical abilities at all. They were going to fight a wizard, after all. It would be most helpful that at least one of them should know magic. Heero himself knew but the basics of it. Fighting skills was the General's forte. Magic was the Maiden's specialty, and so far, he did not sense anything magical about this girl.
"Enough," she replied coldly, her back still turned to him.
"Can you sense anything?" Heero found it disconcerting to talk and act this way. With Alina, he didn't have to ask–all he had to do was feel. The bond allowed them–without need for words and gestures–to know what the other was thinking and doing, what the other had wanted or desired. With this new Maiden, Heero didn't even know how to communicate with her.
This new Maiden, Heero thought, bitterness welling up inside him. How quickly I had replaced Alina.
Lightning sizzled forth, striking a few feet away from Heero. A cloud of dust and chunks of dirt exploded in front of him, causing him to put up his arm to shield his face. Stifling a curse, Heero jumped back, all his senses alert. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Relena take a few steps back. Behind him, he could hear their horses' shrieks of fear.
"The Dragon General. I wasn't expecting you," a cold voice said from behind the screen of dust and dirt. As it subsided, a thin, gaunt man wearing a black robe stood not far from him, a sneer on his face. "I thought you'd have killed yourself after what happened to your maiden." His gaze shifted to Relena, black eyes alight with interest. "But it seems they found you a replacement. A pretty one. Much prettier than the last."
Relena regarded the man stonily. "What have you done with the villagers?" she asked him in a quiet voice, stepping forward, eyes intent on the wizard.
The wizard smiled, sharp, pointed white teeth gleaming in the harsh noon sun. He had white hair, and he looked like a corpse, with his sunken eyes and pale, leathery skin. "The villagers?" he replied. "Oh…they're somewhere…"
"Where?"
"Everywhere." The smile widened into a full grin. "In the dirt you tread upon, the dust that sticks to your hair, they are there…or whatever was left of them…." As he spoke, the sky began to darken as huge, black clouds gradually covered the sun.
Face pale as a sheet, Relena's blue eyes went wide with horror at what the wizard had done, but she quickly regained her composure. "Why?"
"Why not?" he mocked. Then he made a sweeping gesture.
Crack!
Lightning struck a few feet from Relena, making her jump back again, but she never removed her gaze on the wizard. The blast created a crater the size of a wheel. The wizard laughed insanely as he began to gather his power again. Tiny threads of lightning appeared on his fingers, glowing.
Heero regarded the wizard warily. He couldn't attack the man directly. The wizard would fry him in a second. Why did the Emperor send them, of all the people? Water and lightning were not a good combination.
He glanced at Relena, trying to catch her eye to tell her not to use any water spells. A water spell was weak against lightning. They would die if she used a water spell.
The wizard then rushed at Heero, one arm raised, a ball of lightning hovering on his palm. He hurled it at him. "Die," the wizard shrieked.
Heero dodged the blast easily. Maybe he should tire the wizard and let him drain his energy. Then he would attack. Satisfied with his strategy, Heero braced himself and faced the wizard–
–who suddenly collapsed in front of him, gasping loudly. He was on his knees, his hands clutching his throat as he gasped and wheeze, like a man without air.
"What the–" Heero began. Then he caught sight of Relena. She stood not far from the wizard, a grim look on her face.
The wizard's gasping grew louder as the seconds passed, filling the air as it did. Above them, the clouds cleared, and it was light again. He was on the ground now, rolling and thrashing, trying to claw out his throat, gouging his skin in the process. Heero continued to watch in morbid fascination.
"Are we going to take him alive?" Relena's quiet, calm voice broke through Heero's astonishment.
"The Emperor said nothing of taking him alive," Heero replied. This wizard had killed a whole village. Even if they were to bring the man alive, he would die for his crimes anyway.
"I see." Then, with a thin, high-pitched wail, the wizard shuddered and died.
Heero stared at the inert body for a moment, then turned to Relena. "What did you do?"
Relena gazed at him, sky-blue eyes cool and calm. "I drew out the breath from his body. Did you know that most of our bodies are made out of water?"
Heero did not reply. He was unnerved by Relena's show of power. He never sensed anything from her. His new Maiden was not what she seemed. "Let's go back," he said shortly. "Leave the body here."
T.B.C.
Free talk, part 2: Yes, I'm still alive. I'm sorry this took so damn long. I was busy. I'm sorry this is so short. Forgive me! And yes, <i>Soulless</i> will be up soon!
Relena's powers: How did you like that? She has some good skills, huh? And yeah, she's not quite like the Relena in the real Gundam Wing.
Coordination: Yes, they lack it for now. What do you expect? After all, they haven't 'bonded' yet.
