Akbar –by Qt~chan
Chapter 1 Akbar was consumed by flames; it would never be raised up from its ashes again. Greasy smoke and even greasier people poured from out of the smoldering rubble to escape the dead citadel. Column by column of smoke chugged up and covered the waxy night sky. One of the last citadels in the desert had been destroyed. Victory was almost theirs. It made Usagi's eyes fill with tears.
"My people..." She murmured. Tears slipped down her cheeks and she trembled with the agony of the injustice that had been done.
"You'll be alright Usagi."
Usagi gave a stifled sob before she threw herself onto Cat. "Oh Cat! What're we going to do? I'm so scared and we're all alone!"
Cat smiled distantly as he stared out into the burning wreckage before him. "You know, it's a shame that OZ had to find this city...it was the last good hideout for me and the others."
Usagi stared mournfully into Cat's face, "I don't know what you're talking about." She burst into tears and buried her face in his neck. Quatre, Cat to Usagi, hugged her tightly; giving her what little comfort he could. Quatre's filmed eyes jumped into focus when he heard the clink of his chains. Even as he held Usagi he could feel them, the cold metal links. Letting loose the breath that he had been holding he nudged Usagi's chin up. "We've been friends since we were little, haven't we Usagi?" He asked her softly.
Usagi mournfully nodded her head up and down, causing her tears to fly everywhere. Quatre gently took Usagi's chained hands in his, "And friends forgive don't they?" He asked even softer. Usagi stared at Quatre in growing apprehension but answered, "Yes, they do."
"Then forgive me for this." He whispered into her ear. Reaching into his finely tailored pants pocket he produced a thin metal file. Jamming it into the lock on his cuffs he freed himself from the massive cuffs in a matter of seconds and slipped away. Usagi stared at the space where Cat had disappeared. Disbelief drained her face of color. Only minutes later the chain that ran through her cuffs, jerked abruptly and became taut. Usagi's chilled hands immediately grabbed up Quatre's empty cuffs to feel their fading warmth. Her abrupt movement caught the wary eye of a soldier near her.
"Hey! What're you doing?" There was a sharp chinking sound as the OZ soldier snapped the collected chains out of Usagi's hand. "One of the captives escaped Corporal!" He yelled out.
Usagi stared into the growing gloom, he had left her all alone, for good maybe. Her tears were refreshed with this new injury. Holding herself tightly she hoped that she could squeeze the pain out of herself. "Oh shut up!" The soldier snapped as he yanked her chains roughly.
"Would you stop that?" The corporal snapped out coldly. The soldier grimaced but did as he was told. The elder man stared at Usagi, "Well little girl. Do you know where this man went?" He pierced Usagi with his stony gaze.
Usagi stared at the corporal for only a moment before shaking her head violently. Her heart was pounding fiercely ing her chest. Usagi knew she was strong enough to defeat the feeling of anger at Cat for being left behind. She was too strong for the black fury that would have encompassed her otherwise. Clenching her cuffs she glared with tearing eyes at the two OZ soldiers. The corporal snorted in derision, "Have it your way then. One slave doesn't matter. Move 'em on out!" The corporal shouted. With a sharp tug the slave chain was yanked forwards. Usagi stumbled along with the rest of the children and adults.
The light of the moon was veiled in clouds and the stars gave little light on the sad procession. The villagers, all slaves now, stumbled forwards in their grief. Businesses, families, lives, everything, had been lost to the ruthless OZ. The weariness that only the desert people's experienced, from living too many days in heat that entered your mouth and parched it, descended on them like a vulture. The weariness came from one too many days of blistering heat and tyrannical rule. And now their gift of freedom had been stolen from them. The cold sand was kicked contemptuously by the slaves as they were marched to their doom. The desert had never been kind to them.
But as they marched they could feel a familiar pulse in the sand. Usagi, and everyone else on that chain, knew what the drumming vibrations in the sand meant. Tingling emotions nearly froze the slaves in their places when they felt the four-beat drumming of paws against the sand. Thank all the gods that the damn OZ soldiers were wearing hard-bottomed boots. The whirring sound of a blade flying through the air made Usagi turn her head. A familiar looking curved blade hurtled through the air and gave a soft thunk as it struck a soldier in the back of the head. The slaves kept trudging steadily forwards, this was their chance to escape. Arrows hissed through the air, nearly silent as they struck their targets. There were only a few soldiers left and the slaves trembled in anticipation.
Usagi turned her head just slightly to see a man, who she knew was Cat, fling back his black cloak to quickly wrench free his crossbow. The trudging peoples murmured praises and prayers to the Hurda as he flew by them on his Dewolf. But then, his arrow missed its mark by a mere few inches and the soldier fell with a cry. The remaining militia swerved around and grabbed for their weapons. At a surprisingly fast speed, the soldiers had formed ranks. They shot their crossbows at the oncoming menace with deft precision.
Cat leapt from his wolf's back and felt the tug of his cloak being ripped away by the flying arrows. He had only just touched the ground in landing before he was on the move again. In a single smooth movement, he pulled his saber from its sash and relieved an OZ soldier of his upper body. He was lightning fast. Rolling and running he slashed another soldier in the face. The corporal saw the oncoming danger and realized that the slaves had mutely cooperated with the approaching Hurda. The corporal spat on the slave nearest him and lifted his sword into the air. Muttering incantations he swiped his sword in the air and a blue arc of magic was whipped from the blade and soared forwards. The Hurda's sea-blue eyes glinted in the dark. With a single, muffled word he bent to one knee and lifted his sword into a guarding position. The blue arc of magic broke on the Hurda's blade and he didn't waste a second in hurling his blade forwards. It plunged into the Corporal's forehead. A spurt of blood flew through the air and hit the sand.
The slave at the lead of the chain darted forwards and grabbed the keys that hung dangling from the Corporal's belt. The slaves pushed and pulled themselves so that they could grab the keys and free themselves. 'We're saved', they thought. But a few of the slaves pulled away from the keys and cried "Fools, Fools!" At the top of their lungs. The Hurda r was near one of the men who was crying these words and struck him dead.
The slaves stopped in astonishment, gasping and screaming at the slaughter of one of their own. "Cat!" Usagi gasped in astonishment. Cat ignored Usagi, "Those who are ungrateful for being saved from the harsh whip and torment of the OZ overlords should walk no other path then the one I gave this man..." His eyes darted around, challenging all the Akbarians, "I released you from OZ temporarily but they will try to find you. You should all try to find some safe place away from Akbar."
"Why can't we stay in our home?" A man asked indignantly.
"You don't know how strong we are, we could hold out at Akbar if we wanted to!" Another rejoined.
Cat sheathed his blade and whistled, ignoring the cries of his former townspeople. The hot drumming of paws on the sand made everyone fall silent. The large, hulking form of the Dewolf flew through the shadows like a bird and came to a halt next to its master. The wolf was lean and blotched brown, a desert wolf. The Dewolf had massive leathery wings that were held together over its back by hooked claws on the shoulder of his wing. The Dewolf had unusually large ears and feet, the only organs that allowed the Dewolf to defeat the sizzling desert year after year. Cat had to stretch just to scratch the underside of the creature's jaw it was so massive. Looking harshly at the villagers Cat spoke, "You must run to the neighboring village Hatsu and find quick friends there. OZ will be looking for all of you."
The panic spread through the villagers in a flash.
"Give me the keys you wench!"
"Give me them!"
"I have children here, let them go first!"
"Hurry! The OZ soldiers will come any moment!"
Cat strode down the line of fighting, clawing slaves and found Usagi. With a single word from his lips he moved his hand over her cuffs and they fell from her wrists. She rushed into his waiting arms, "I thought you had left me."
"I'm going to..." Cat whispered, as he drew down the black cloth that covered his mouth. Usagi chewed on her lips, "Why do you have to leave me all alone? I can fight."
"You can't go where I'm going. It would be safer for you to go with the villagers." A shock of Cat's bleached-blonde hair peaked from under the black hood. Usagi brushed it aside, the sting of his words made her insides ache. Usagi clutched Cat's arms, "Please let me go!" She pleaded.
Cat's eyebrows furrowed together, "I must leave...just remember me by Quatre, not Cat." He said firmly.
"Quatre?" Usagi murmured the strange foreign name without relish, "But what does it mea," Quatre tipped her chin upwards and kissed her, not letting her finish. He poured years of love into the single embrace before he hurriedly lifted the black cloth up again to hide his burning lips. Grabbing his Dewolf by the scruff of the neck, he pulled himself upwards and they shot forwards like an arrow; leaving her, and everything, behind.
"Quatre..." She called softly, "I will remember."
~~~~~~Review please!!~~~~~~~
Chapter 1 Akbar was consumed by flames; it would never be raised up from its ashes again. Greasy smoke and even greasier people poured from out of the smoldering rubble to escape the dead citadel. Column by column of smoke chugged up and covered the waxy night sky. One of the last citadels in the desert had been destroyed. Victory was almost theirs. It made Usagi's eyes fill with tears.
"My people..." She murmured. Tears slipped down her cheeks and she trembled with the agony of the injustice that had been done.
"You'll be alright Usagi."
Usagi gave a stifled sob before she threw herself onto Cat. "Oh Cat! What're we going to do? I'm so scared and we're all alone!"
Cat smiled distantly as he stared out into the burning wreckage before him. "You know, it's a shame that OZ had to find this city...it was the last good hideout for me and the others."
Usagi stared mournfully into Cat's face, "I don't know what you're talking about." She burst into tears and buried her face in his neck. Quatre, Cat to Usagi, hugged her tightly; giving her what little comfort he could. Quatre's filmed eyes jumped into focus when he heard the clink of his chains. Even as he held Usagi he could feel them, the cold metal links. Letting loose the breath that he had been holding he nudged Usagi's chin up. "We've been friends since we were little, haven't we Usagi?" He asked her softly.
Usagi mournfully nodded her head up and down, causing her tears to fly everywhere. Quatre gently took Usagi's chained hands in his, "And friends forgive don't they?" He asked even softer. Usagi stared at Quatre in growing apprehension but answered, "Yes, they do."
"Then forgive me for this." He whispered into her ear. Reaching into his finely tailored pants pocket he produced a thin metal file. Jamming it into the lock on his cuffs he freed himself from the massive cuffs in a matter of seconds and slipped away. Usagi stared at the space where Cat had disappeared. Disbelief drained her face of color. Only minutes later the chain that ran through her cuffs, jerked abruptly and became taut. Usagi's chilled hands immediately grabbed up Quatre's empty cuffs to feel their fading warmth. Her abrupt movement caught the wary eye of a soldier near her.
"Hey! What're you doing?" There was a sharp chinking sound as the OZ soldier snapped the collected chains out of Usagi's hand. "One of the captives escaped Corporal!" He yelled out.
Usagi stared into the growing gloom, he had left her all alone, for good maybe. Her tears were refreshed with this new injury. Holding herself tightly she hoped that she could squeeze the pain out of herself. "Oh shut up!" The soldier snapped as he yanked her chains roughly.
"Would you stop that?" The corporal snapped out coldly. The soldier grimaced but did as he was told. The elder man stared at Usagi, "Well little girl. Do you know where this man went?" He pierced Usagi with his stony gaze.
Usagi stared at the corporal for only a moment before shaking her head violently. Her heart was pounding fiercely ing her chest. Usagi knew she was strong enough to defeat the feeling of anger at Cat for being left behind. She was too strong for the black fury that would have encompassed her otherwise. Clenching her cuffs she glared with tearing eyes at the two OZ soldiers. The corporal snorted in derision, "Have it your way then. One slave doesn't matter. Move 'em on out!" The corporal shouted. With a sharp tug the slave chain was yanked forwards. Usagi stumbled along with the rest of the children and adults.
The light of the moon was veiled in clouds and the stars gave little light on the sad procession. The villagers, all slaves now, stumbled forwards in their grief. Businesses, families, lives, everything, had been lost to the ruthless OZ. The weariness that only the desert people's experienced, from living too many days in heat that entered your mouth and parched it, descended on them like a vulture. The weariness came from one too many days of blistering heat and tyrannical rule. And now their gift of freedom had been stolen from them. The cold sand was kicked contemptuously by the slaves as they were marched to their doom. The desert had never been kind to them.
But as they marched they could feel a familiar pulse in the sand. Usagi, and everyone else on that chain, knew what the drumming vibrations in the sand meant. Tingling emotions nearly froze the slaves in their places when they felt the four-beat drumming of paws against the sand. Thank all the gods that the damn OZ soldiers were wearing hard-bottomed boots. The whirring sound of a blade flying through the air made Usagi turn her head. A familiar looking curved blade hurtled through the air and gave a soft thunk as it struck a soldier in the back of the head. The slaves kept trudging steadily forwards, this was their chance to escape. Arrows hissed through the air, nearly silent as they struck their targets. There were only a few soldiers left and the slaves trembled in anticipation.
Usagi turned her head just slightly to see a man, who she knew was Cat, fling back his black cloak to quickly wrench free his crossbow. The trudging peoples murmured praises and prayers to the Hurda as he flew by them on his Dewolf. But then, his arrow missed its mark by a mere few inches and the soldier fell with a cry. The remaining militia swerved around and grabbed for their weapons. At a surprisingly fast speed, the soldiers had formed ranks. They shot their crossbows at the oncoming menace with deft precision.
Cat leapt from his wolf's back and felt the tug of his cloak being ripped away by the flying arrows. He had only just touched the ground in landing before he was on the move again. In a single smooth movement, he pulled his saber from its sash and relieved an OZ soldier of his upper body. He was lightning fast. Rolling and running he slashed another soldier in the face. The corporal saw the oncoming danger and realized that the slaves had mutely cooperated with the approaching Hurda. The corporal spat on the slave nearest him and lifted his sword into the air. Muttering incantations he swiped his sword in the air and a blue arc of magic was whipped from the blade and soared forwards. The Hurda's sea-blue eyes glinted in the dark. With a single, muffled word he bent to one knee and lifted his sword into a guarding position. The blue arc of magic broke on the Hurda's blade and he didn't waste a second in hurling his blade forwards. It plunged into the Corporal's forehead. A spurt of blood flew through the air and hit the sand.
The slave at the lead of the chain darted forwards and grabbed the keys that hung dangling from the Corporal's belt. The slaves pushed and pulled themselves so that they could grab the keys and free themselves. 'We're saved', they thought. But a few of the slaves pulled away from the keys and cried "Fools, Fools!" At the top of their lungs. The Hurda r was near one of the men who was crying these words and struck him dead.
The slaves stopped in astonishment, gasping and screaming at the slaughter of one of their own. "Cat!" Usagi gasped in astonishment. Cat ignored Usagi, "Those who are ungrateful for being saved from the harsh whip and torment of the OZ overlords should walk no other path then the one I gave this man..." His eyes darted around, challenging all the Akbarians, "I released you from OZ temporarily but they will try to find you. You should all try to find some safe place away from Akbar."
"Why can't we stay in our home?" A man asked indignantly.
"You don't know how strong we are, we could hold out at Akbar if we wanted to!" Another rejoined.
Cat sheathed his blade and whistled, ignoring the cries of his former townspeople. The hot drumming of paws on the sand made everyone fall silent. The large, hulking form of the Dewolf flew through the shadows like a bird and came to a halt next to its master. The wolf was lean and blotched brown, a desert wolf. The Dewolf had massive leathery wings that were held together over its back by hooked claws on the shoulder of his wing. The Dewolf had unusually large ears and feet, the only organs that allowed the Dewolf to defeat the sizzling desert year after year. Cat had to stretch just to scratch the underside of the creature's jaw it was so massive. Looking harshly at the villagers Cat spoke, "You must run to the neighboring village Hatsu and find quick friends there. OZ will be looking for all of you."
The panic spread through the villagers in a flash.
"Give me the keys you wench!"
"Give me them!"
"I have children here, let them go first!"
"Hurry! The OZ soldiers will come any moment!"
Cat strode down the line of fighting, clawing slaves and found Usagi. With a single word from his lips he moved his hand over her cuffs and they fell from her wrists. She rushed into his waiting arms, "I thought you had left me."
"I'm going to..." Cat whispered, as he drew down the black cloth that covered his mouth. Usagi chewed on her lips, "Why do you have to leave me all alone? I can fight."
"You can't go where I'm going. It would be safer for you to go with the villagers." A shock of Cat's bleached-blonde hair peaked from under the black hood. Usagi brushed it aside, the sting of his words made her insides ache. Usagi clutched Cat's arms, "Please let me go!" She pleaded.
Cat's eyebrows furrowed together, "I must leave...just remember me by Quatre, not Cat." He said firmly.
"Quatre?" Usagi murmured the strange foreign name without relish, "But what does it mea," Quatre tipped her chin upwards and kissed her, not letting her finish. He poured years of love into the single embrace before he hurriedly lifted the black cloth up again to hide his burning lips. Grabbing his Dewolf by the scruff of the neck, he pulled himself upwards and they shot forwards like an arrow; leaving her, and everything, behind.
"Quatre..." She called softly, "I will remember."
~~~~~~Review please!!~~~~~~~