Something went wrong with account, so i had to start a new one for this story. FINALLY UPDATED. SOOO sorry it took that long. it's a long lame ass story as to why I couldn't write so I won't even bother in making up excuses. I just hope you'll take this for now and I'll be working on getting in another one as soon as possible. IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE FIRST HALF OF THE THIRD KIND, YOU SHOULD GO BACK AND READ IT BEFORE CONTINUING.

Here we go continued from chapter 10! Enjoy ;)

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Chapter 11: Red Dawn

Shards of July poured down from sky in the form of small wet droplets beating down with a soft plunk plunk plunk soaking the Earth in a sheet of mildew and pearly mist. The labyrinth of exotic trees seemed endless, the bright green color shrouding in upon its guests with overwhelming power. Duo stumbled over a log carelessly but with his arms outstretched to catch him he righted himself before falling face first into the wet muddy ground. He caught his breath relieved, staring at the imprint Trowa had left ahead of him. Footprints…the perfect attraction for anyone who should want to follow them.. He glared at the shoeprint in the muddy ground as it filled with water, remembering their faces. All of their dark savage faces..

He thought to himself his eyes burning holes through the mud. He glanced up his eyes following the wet silhouettes of his commrads, knowing the one with a wider shadow was Wufei carrying Raja in his arms. They had agreed to take turns with carrying her…but Wufei seemed to have disregarded that agreement. He was satisfied with carrying the small girl keeping her all to himself. Duo couldn't blame him. In a way she was indescribable ..there was an aura around her..a glow he couldn't understand. Something about her hypnotized him…and he knew Quatre felt it too. Maybe even the others. There was something special about her.. If it were in any other situation Duo would have acknowledged the small surge of jealousy he felt as he watched his friend holding the small fragile girl in a gentle embrace… But his mind remained stubbornly on the savages…as did his anger. Duo rose from the ground calmly and followed the others further into the night.

Taliben will search for her. His pride won't allow her to be taken away so easily..and with us no less. I know how minds like his work… They're prideful and dangerous…No..He won't give up that easily..

Duos eyes landed on the small dangling limbs in Wufeis arms, the small hands that he knew were soft…he cringed at her ankles. They would have to see to them immediately when they made a rest stop. But Heero was awake now. Rest could be days away. Duo hadn't missed the look of complete rage and determination as he trudged off after Trowa when he regained consciousness… Something had happened to him. What however,….Duo wasn't quite sure. It was yet another moment in the perfect soldiers life that would remain a mystery. Duo was no good with secrets, all he knew was that with Heero and Trowa leading them through the night like the devil himself couldn't stop them…rest was obviously the last of their priorities. He felt sympathy for the poor girl. She would be miserably in pain when she awoke again…and her legs..her strong slender bronze legs. Would she ever use them again? He wondered.

Rain poured down his face, his chin dripping, clinging to the aroma of the fresh tropical trees, the soil under his feet meshing deeper into the earth as he trudged through it in pursuit of the footprints. His fingers found his neck and pushed aside the worn tattered hem of his shirt. His favorite one that Hilde had bought him for his birthday. Finding his crucifix he looked to Rajas shadow once more, her hair swinging back and forth nearly grazing the ground. He closed his eyes and began to pray for her and for their safety.

Only God knew how the villages new King would react to this escape…

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"GRRRAAAAAAAGH!!"

All of Kashka was silent at the deafening roar. The sound of a deep bellowing scream of rage echoing into the valleys for miles…

Taliben was utterly furious. Crazed in his maddening loss. How could she just slip…right through his fingers…he was so close..

And now he had nothing. He was the King of this squaler. His prisoners were gone and had taken the liberty of stealing his wife as they left. He had been spat on. Trampled on. Humiliated.

His wrath began with Ajule who lied face down in the dirt, blood gushing from a slit to his throat for his carelessness.

Taliben picked up the royal blade and walked silently out of the palace and into the early morning sun. It was red. Red like the beating rage that coursed through his veins. Red like the blood he had shed only moments ago…and red like all of the blood that was yet to come…

"KASHKA." He shouted. A crowd had already appeared below him, bowing at his feet as he spoke.

"I am your new king. IT IS I who am Mansa!."

"Taliben." They answered faces pressed close to the ground. Taliben lifted his arms into the air one with the tablets of stone, the other with his blade. His eyes landed on his warriors. He found Akil staring at him red eyed from a late night of tears, his son next to him with eyes full of hate. This pleased him to notice.. but nonetheless his desperate need for revenge would not cease until something was done. He composed himself and spoke loud and firmly.

"My first command as your king warriors is tell me which one of you released the Prisoners." Talibens bloodshot eyes scorched into the faces of each of his men like the sun itself and he was not finished speaking.

"To he who is the culprit…to he who is the traitor…If you do not speak now.. by the powers of Gizzam let your family be cursed. " There was a murmur of hushed gasps of horror in the crowd of onlookers as the warriors remained still and silent. Most were in shock of the threat made by their new leader. Gizzam was the all-seeing…the all-knowing Father. To have him smite you and curse your family…would be the worst burden a man could ever carry. Taliben relished in delight at the sight of his fearful listeners.

I will write it in stone and so shall it be. Your children." He looked at all of the mothers in the crowd his eyes unwavering.

"Your childrens children. "

He could smell their fear.

"Let them burn in hell for all eternity if you should not speak out now."

Movement caught his eye. A warrior came forth. It was Khama. Taliben was surprised. There had never been any trace of respect for the prisoners in him…why would he have been the one to betray him…well it did not matter. Death was his consequence now. Khama laid a fist across his chest and kneeled as if he was already one step ahead.

Taliben disregarded the fact that his entire village was now watching.

Let them see. He thought with a sinister smile.

As the hilt of his blade rose up towards the sky turned, a second from striking flesh someone called out.

"Wait! He is still useful!" Taliben was angered that his hand hesitated the blade inches away from the soft glistening skin on the back of Khamas neck. His wife and children were weeping. The crowd recoiled away from them..uncertain if the curse had already taken place.

Taliben met the gaze of the one who spoke so distinctly without fear and he had the urge to bare his teeth and growl. It was Mikal. The foolish hard-headed son of Akil. Taliben wondered if his hesitation might appear as a weakness to the people…he considered continuing where he left off with Khama and then killing Mikal next but thought better of it. He could be lenient enough today if it was required of him.. The thought of possibly getting his wife back and the prisoners, so that he could kill all six of them appealed to him greatly.

"Speak your part Mikal." Taliben ordered impatiently. Mikal eyed the blade in his hand as it lay still across his friends neck.

"Khama has been a warrior along side my father for the past thirty summers…if not more. If anyone knows this land like the back of their hand..it would surely be him." Taliben yawned casually.

"Yes and your meaning is?" Mikal shifted on the spot anxiously, buying as much time as possible.

" He..he would be an asset to you if you were to follow the prisoners. If you were to seek Rajas return to her home." Acknowledging the sound of her name made Talibens head spin with fury and desire. He wanted her back. The little whore had run off with the five males…the one with the disgusting brown hair plated back…she was probably in his arms right now…. Yes he wanted her back- wanted her back so he could kill her with his own two hands. To snap her fragile neck in half.

Talibens painful need for vengeance surpassed all other urges, even the one of killing the very man who had set them free. He supposed it could be done later, as long as he had Raja returned to him.

With a hint of distain Taliben lowered his weapon and released Khama so that his wife and children huddled around him in a circle of weeping. He then turned to his warriors.

"Jarreb, Kissule," his eyes landed lastly on Rajas brother, "Mikal. You will follow me along with Khama. We move out in one hour."

Mikals face settled into a deep frown but he did not speak openly again.

Taliben turned and headed back towards his new palace but not without one last glance behind him, towards the red dawn. A sinister smile formed on his lips.

'A red sunrise for blood, Raja…it is not over… yet.'

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Rajas dreams were a whirl of torment and twisted faces. First her families…their sad tearful eyes…ten she was running down the gorge running as fast as she could after Mikal. But he was so far away…she just couldn't reach him. He kept telling her to go back, his mouth moving with words but her ears were silent. She could hear nothing. Then she was no longer running in the hot dire sun but being thrown to the ground by a monster…and the meaning of sound came back with a sickening hiss.

"I caught you."

Talibens face loomed over her own, she could feel her eyes behind the shut lids go wide with terror.

The next thing she saw was Duo. The sun light creating a beaming orange aura around his face. He peered down at her as she lay on the ground, and at the feeling of his soft breath blowing in her face she realized that her nightmare was over.

"Babe…arr yooo oowekaay?" She only understood the hint of worry in his voice and the questioning look in his violet eyes so she nodded. Duos face was bumped out of the way and in his place stood Wufei looking grumpier then ever.

"Onna." Raja smirked noticing the irritation in his tone.

"Arrr yoooo uhhwaaykyet?" He was bumped out of the sunlight and Duos face appeared once again.

"Don't doo that, yooo waan eer tooo think shees haaveeng uh niiightmeer agen!"

"Duo, Wufei, sedledown pleese." Quatres golden head beamed before her and with a kind smile he lifted her to sit up. Rajas eyes stung slightly as they adapted to their new surroundings.

she thought with relief. It was real..they had come for her. They had escaped. She was with them.

A string in her heart let out a painful twang at the thought of being away from her home. She saw Trowa standing against a nearby tree observing her silently. And in his gaze she could see it for herself. There was no going back.

The ground was loose and wet. Heero was sitting on a rock in front of her but his eyes remained on the ground at her feet. Quatre and Wufei stood by her side and Duo was waiting on her to say something or move but she did nothing.

Something seemed so wrong. So many thoughts were pouring through her head, it made her feel dizzy to even think of sorting them out. One thing was for certain though. They would be followed.

Taliben was an excellent hunter, one of the best. She would be no different in his eyes then a wild boar he planned on spearing and eating for dinner. She imagined his fury right now was hell-sent. He would not yield in his pursuit until he was sure they were dead. And what of her…?

What torture lay in store for her if she were ever to be found by him again?

Raja clutched her head and with a groan sent her thoughts away. With a sigh she moved to stand up. She screamed.

Duo leaped out and grabbed her before she reached the dirt again, his face caught between alarm and pain at seeing her crying and he set her gently back on the ground. Raja closed her eyes and when she opened them she saw what had brought her such a shocking amount of pain.

There in the soft brown dirt that Heero had been staring so discreetly at were her ankles. They were a pitiful site. Raja immediately looked away before she saw too much of the battered bloody mess that had become of her feet. She turned onto her stomach and wept.

Quatre watched her his face crestfallen, Wufei and Trowa just stared at her torn between flickering emotions.. while Heero remained silent and blank. Duo dropped to his knees and meant to comfort her but she jerked away from his touch. He wished he could give her some kind of comfort but she seemed lost in misery. Hearing her cry stirred a sadness in him he never knew existed. He bowed his head, hair dangling down to hide his watery eyes as he listened to her pain.

Raja balled her fists against the wet dirt and wondered what she had done wrong in her life. Why was Gizzam treating her with such cruelty? Why was everything in her life just falling apart piece by piece?

Oh how she wished she go back to when it all started…when she had run away from her future husband and her family and friends. When she had hidden away in the forest and Mikal went looking for her. How she wished none of that would have ever happened. If she hadn't seen those compelling violet eyes above the forest floor…if she hadn't let her curiosity of them urge her to do things she shouldn't have…then maybe something would have turned out right…

But a small voice said no. It would have been worse. Duo…Wufei..all of them would have been killed without mercy. They're bodies thrown to the wolves. Raja would have been a bride by now. Among other things… she couldn't bear to think of anything further.

Her ankles throbbed in pain, so close to lifelessness.

And all the while she could hear Talibens voice in the back of her head. He was laughing.

"There there…little girl. Don't cry. It'll all be over soon."

She opened her eyes and glared daggers into wet rain soaked earth. A reflection of his face smiled cruelly back her in a puddle of mud.

"I'll take what is mine from you. Then kill you…and I will make all of them watch."

"No." She growled. The puddle rippled back and forth from her breath.

"No…? What will you do then…run from me?"

Raja closed her eyes to the face envisioned before her, closed her mind to the sound of his voice that she remembered so well.

"I will walk again." She whispered. Every fiber in her body was pulsing, she concentrated with all her heart and mind. Grasping a hand full of dirt in her hand she squeezed, tears of determination leaking down her face.

She clenched her teeth and lifted herself onto her elbows.

"I will walk again." Everyone watched her in surprise. Her voice was above the softness of a whisper, but she kept repeating something as if it was worth her life. Trowa pulled away from the tree and stepped forward cautiously. He and Quatre met eyes and Quatre turned back towards the girl with worry. Wufei folded his arms in understanding as she began to drag herself against the ground. His onyx eyes followed her every move. Duo was confused by her actions and made to pull her back but Wufei stepped on the bottom of his shirt and stopped him. When Duo glanced at him questioningly he merely shook his head.

Even Heero was watching. But he was seeing something much different from the others. Something that made him feel things he didn't quite understand. As he watched her though something caught his eye. He could've just imagined it…but her ankles were nearly clean again…slightly mared with scratches..But hadn't they been much worse only hours before?? He blinked and dared to second-guess himself. It could've just been the rain. But…they looked better. Maybe she was a fast healer. Inwardly he grew even more suspicious. Healing like that was an alarming rate and it was inhumanly possible. Even for him with his new type abilities. His eyes found the back of her head, the way her small toned shoulders flexed up and down as she dragged herself slowly but surely. Something suddenly stirred in him. With difficulty he removed his eyes from her and turned away. He couldn't allow himself to be overcome with feelings. Not again. Not after that night…

Raja hauled herself up grinding her teeth together hard to keep from succumbing to the pain. She wouldn't let this defeat her. She couldn't. Not after they had come this far. If she didn't walk again she would slow them down in their escape. Duos feelings for her wouldn't allow the others to leave her behind..she knew him well enough to know that. But she wouldn't be the one to blame, she wouldn't be the mistake.

With all the strength vested In her she pulled her self up off the ground and squatted. Her ankles were swollen and throbbing furiously in protest but she wouldn't stop. She had to be strong.

She chanted her wish over and over in her head.

'I will walk again.'

She saw all of the faces again. All of the faces that told her she would never belong. She could never make it. But that only drove her further.

With only last push she straightened her legs and stood. A new hope unlike any other coursed through her, her adrenaline rushing to compete.

She didn't realize there was a smile on her face and when she carefully turned around they were smiling too. Duo came to her and held her carefully in a hug. Quatre nodded at her appraisingly along with Trowa. Wufei was smirking looking somewhat impressed but he collected himself nonetheless. Heero however did nothing. Raja was momentarily stumpe but the thought of his dark handsome passed her by as Duo grabbed her hand and slowly guided her forward.

He stopped near Trowa looking at him and smiling.

"We're ready now." He said. Trowa nodded and set off ahead of them, Heero following close behind.

Pain engulfed her body with every movement she took but somehow with Duo holding her hand entwining his rough fingers with her own…and a new strength inside of her telling her she could do it….everything seemed much better.

The journey ahead however…was about to take a sharp turn…

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ATTENTION:

THIS IS IMPORTANT, I NEED EVERYONE TO READ IT. I'm taking Advanced Placement classes this year…things are going to be very busy for me…and its going to be extremely hard to find time to write, though if I had it my way I would write as often as possible. Sorry to those who have been waiting a long time you might be doing this a lot. I'll try!!! And night that I have free even if its only for an hour I'll work on this story. But until then this is the next update. Next Chap I think will be longer and a lot of crazy stuff is about to happen. Romance, action, suspense. You got it all coming to ya peoples. :P REVIEW please!! Try not to be too angry at me! -- Song Hai