Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam Wing or its characters and concepts.
Warnings: AU, languages, homosexuality, 1x2, 3x4, 13x5x6 (thank you imaduck ), gores, OOC although I'll try to keep them in character as best I can when I mean to, and bad grammar. Err……Unprompted bits of anything else.
UNEDITTED, SHITLOAD OF GRAMMAR AND OTHERS. I DON'T HAVE TIME TO EDIT THIS. SO CONFUSION MIGHT OCCUR WHILE READING MY FIC. DON'T READ IF IT BOTHER YOU. IF ANYONE WILLING TO EDIT THIS BY ALL MEAN CONTACT ME.
War of the Dead
Chapter 2
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Duo… His name was whispered. He shuddered.
"Duo!" Quatre called his name sharply.
"Hm?"
"I've been calling several times."
"Sorry Quatre, I was spacing out." Duo gave a smile to placate Quatre. He glances about and saw that Wufei was engrossed in a thick volume of hexes and was oblivious to the world; his apprentice, Hilde, practicing meditation on horse-back.
After he done packing for the journey, Quatre announced that Wufei would be traveling with them along with his apprentice. He explained that between the Eastern Magician and himself, they had devised a spell for Duo that would mask any trace of necromancy power on him. The down side is that they have to re-cast the spell every ninth day. However the benefits are no one would able to detect Duo as a Necromancer and that with a power magi like Wufei, going into Necrobane is definitely a plus.
Necrobane is a dark city. It was a city that belongs to the vampire. Not the type of vampire among many that one cares to tangle with. The vampires occupying the city are consisted of rogues, and vampires that strive to dominate the earth. For a Necromancer to be there is the same thing as being suicidal, being there alone is a death sentence. As for any other races entering the city equal to accepting that the vampires there are in power. No being of other race would be fool enough to enter the city without a vampire companion acts as a master. The city only recognizes two kinds of relationships, master and thralls, vampire and foods.
Once a being is converted, the transition from living to living-dead obliterate every instinctual drives except the blood lusting that never go away. They thirst and thirst for blood. They still longing for that life-liqueur even if their hunger is sate. Blood to them is like food to the gluttons, water to the thirst that denied quenches in a prolong period of time. With a weak mind, it is a known fact that the absent of emotions and the constant blood-craving would drive them mad. Necrobane is the home to those. It a city where vampire dies as often as their 'food', because once their mind is gone, one wrong move against a powerful one is death.
That is one among many dangers and intricacies that can get you kill in Necrobane. Once in you die there… you stay dead.
They're traveling to Necrobane without any vampire companion so they need to guard themselves above and beyond well. As foolish as they are they know better than to go into Necrobane, the plan was to get as close as possible to Necrobane, then Quatre would use the iris mirror again to find the root of the presence in Duo's mind. Wufei seemed unhappy with the whole thing but anything else, like not going to Necrobane, wasn't in the options.
Duo let his eyes rested on the magi again and observed. He looked to be about Duo's age but Duo couldn't be sure because magic users are able to alter their appearance to their liking. He is quite attractive and impressive with his constant prim expression and black with green trimming velvet robe. 'Or what appeared to be velvet because no velvet fabrics ever look so soft with constant shifting runes.' Duo thought
"Is there something you wish to ask me?" Wufei asked without taking his eyes off the book and his absorbed expression unchanged.
Startled, Duo grinned cheekily, "I was just wondering what you did to make your hair look so good."
"Nothing you that you can ever do, I'm sure."
"Of course." Duo said already used to the magi sharp tongue shifted his attention to Wufei second eye-catching feature. Wufei long inky black hair pulled back tightly from his face bind at the nap of the neck, it flowed down his back, spilled over his shoulder and always in impeccable condition. "However great it looks I'm sorry but I must add this, I advise you to stop pulling it back so tight. You'll go bald faster and it causes head-ache which lead to bad temperament."
"And?" Wufei shot back "Don't worry too much because unlike me, once you lose your hair you'll have no way to grow it back. As for bad temperament, I assure you that I've been told by many that I possess the sweetest." At this he turned and pulled his lips back at Duo in a caricature of a smile that's closer to a fang baring movement.
"Ah, must be those kinds of sweet that you choke on." Duo smiled pleasantly back.
"Choking isn't the only way one can die of." At this Duo just grinned at him.
Quatre decided he should step in before bloods get a chance to flow. "As I was saying damn it, we should came here tonight. The sun is about to set. I don't you about two but I'm as tired as my horse."
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They quickly set camp and get ready for the setting sun. Quatre and Wufei set about warding the campsite; Hilde was in charge of getting woods and fish for dinner in the near by stream; Duo was left with setting up camp site. True to his word, the sun quickly sunk, it was dark before they knew it. After dinning on the fishes Hilde got they all sat huddled in their respective cloaks around the fire.
After a bit, Duo pulled out his harp and started to plays a simple tune that convey a heavy sense of molten longing. Once he done with the first verse he starts to speak, "There was an elfin tribe deep in a mountain. The tribe set up their court and went about their own business, untouched by the outside world. With thousands of years behind them, their cultural has developed richly, fills with traditions and honors." At this he began to play the second verse of the strange melody softly and continue with his story.
"The crown prince of this court however detested these values as he viewed them as antiquated. He spent his day in indulgence and shirked his duties and responsibilities. Once day on a hunt he came upon a man. Captivated by his beauty he proceeds to claim his body. He then spent days and nights with him but he still couldn't get enough of him. He doesn't understand how this can be even though he was a flower of a pleasure house, skillful in his art of pleasing a man in role of a woman. But he wasn't a green young man; he couldn't possibly be infatuate with him. He let him go so many times, thinking when he out of sight he would be out of mind but he always seek him out time and time again. He just can't forget about him.
At last, the king can't handle his heir irresponsibility anymore, he charged into the place where the prince spent his day in revelry with his beauty, and threw down a sword.
'I want the creature's heart tomorrow on a platter my prince, either that or he would face a faith worst than death. I'll leave that decision to you.' Then he left.
The prince coldly told all his attendants to get out. He picked up a sword and brought it down." At this Duo let the tune weeps. For a bit he continued, "But to the prince amazement he found tears well up and spilled. He furrowed his brow in confusion; it was then that he finally realized his true feelings.
He threw the sword and it sunk right next to his beloved face. In rage he tore all the silken draperies. He drank bottles of wine and buried his head in his hands in hopelessness and misery. He would be to put his love to death or else his beloved would face a faith worst than death at his father hand.
The prince's lover glided to him sword in hand. He removed his prince's hands, caressed his face with gentleness and love, and in a swift move ended his own life." Duo let the tune rose to crescendo, let it ring and echoed in the dark.
Silence descended like a heavy blanket after the melody ended. "Oh, Duo that was so sad. And that tune, what does it called."
Duo gave a sad smile, "Bai Shokain, translated roughly in our tongue means 'Heart'."
"What happened to the prince afterward?" Hilde asked.
"Who knows." Duo shrugged helplessly.
"Thank you Duo for the story and music. I believe we should turn in for the night." Wufei spoke gathered his robe and cloak and stood up, headed for his tent. "I bid you all sweet dreams."
"Thank you for the story." Hilde gave him a long searching look and moved to her tent also.
Quatre saw the look and turned to Duo, "I know, there's nothing going on between us. I believe that she know it was just a one time thing."
Quatre looked at him meaningfully, "I hope so Duo. For your sake I hope so."
"How did you learn that melody? I've never heard of it before." Quatre queried.
Duo gave him a strange look, "I learned it a while back. You right, it's not a very common tune. A lost tune rather… Sometime before, I know an old man who had a wide range of ballads as he was a famous and well loved bard in his prime… I taught me how to play the harp and tunes." Duo's face became a picture of melancholy. "Wufei is right, we should turn in and start the day early."
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When the fire died down to amber, the mist swept in brought along a freezing cold. Everywhere the cold tentacles touched, a thin layer of ice was left behind. Quatre breathed evenly in his sleep, deep within dream.
He was bathing in a stream, hands gliding and bathing his skin, soothing him. Those hands took on a sensuous over-tone and disappeared left only a pair left that boldly explored his body. His soft flesh pressed against firm muscles as his grasped and writhed in pleasure.
His mage gift ripped through the dream scenting magic. Quatre bolted awake and his mind as sharp as a knife expanded his gift outward probing for the source tracing that dissipating trail of magic. To his frustration he lost the trail.
'Must have been a wandering incubus.' He thought to himself. He cup a hand upward, chanted a shielding spell; a glowing golden orb appeared, hovering above his palm. His palm undulated and the orb spinned upward, expanded until all physical traces of it were out of sight. A sweat rolled of his forehead and hit the blanket. He stared at it and smile, "That was some dream, must have been a very powerful and creative incubus." His chuckled at his own lewd mind and fell back to sleep.
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Morning come and Quatre woke up still mused over the event last night. When dressed and ready for travel he stepped out, his gift let him see faint traces of magic everywhere. They broke their fast with bread and cold fish from last night dinner. When they were done they immediately pulled camp and saddled up.
With sunshine brightly overhead in a blue sky, Quatre smiled, "So did you all have an interesting dream last night?"
"No." Wufei answered, looked back at Quatre with a puzzled expression. "Why, did you?"
The other two's attention now fixed on Quatre also. "Yes, there were in incubus at the camp last night. I guess it went to me first and got chased off." Quatre grinned.
"Ah, an incubus huh?" Duo grinned at Quatre, Wufei merely lifted his eyebrows and Hilde looked interested.
"Care to share your dream Quatre?"
"Actually no," Quatre smiled, "I prefer to keep my wet dream to myself."
"An incubus, heh, I didn't know Quatre." Duo smiled knowingly at Quatre.
The blond sorcerer just
sighed, "You know incubus don't necessarily enter and feed off
dream of people who attracted to male body. They can enter dream of
anyone. And if they're good, they can feed off the lust of
practically anything."
"What do you mean?"
"What I meant is they feed on lust period. They can weave any type of dream you wish to see."
Wufei's expression turned stonily, "Its presence is not welcome by me at all. Lucky for it that it didn't entered my dream. I would have destroyed it, not just chase it away."
"They just trying to survive you know. Lust is the only thing that can sustain their existent." Quatre defended.
Wufei didn't reply and just look stoically ahead.
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Through out the day Quatre pay no heed to anything except working on a spell internally. It was no wonder that by the time he looked up, the sun already rolled across the sky ready to end its shift.
"We should find a place for camp for tonight soon everyone; daylight almost gone." He cautioned.
The other turned and looked at each other, "Did I miss something?"
"Master Quatre, you missed the entire day." Hilde smiled.
"We daylight wane, we noticed that you still haven't snapped out of your trance yet so Wufei already went ahead a picked a campsite. We're on our way to it right now. In fact, it's just right ahead." Duo elaborated, and pointed out to Quatre the campsite.
Just ahead of them is a small clearing under the dense foliage of naga trees. Quatre loved nagas. They are type of tree that grows impossibly fast; they're rumored to be created by a wizard long ago. The trunk is large and gnarly but very brittle, forest dwellers forever settle in naga forest to hollow out the body to use as shelter. Even though the body is as large as four grown men with their arm encircle it, the branches are very small and flexible. The leaf is pale in color however during its lifetime, the color deviate to all the color in existent. Except in the spring, the club shaped leaf turn to white and stays like so for the rest of the season. Quatre simply adore the odd fauna. He doesn't know why from ever since he was small he always loved to be around them.
There is just something about them that bring a giddiness and contentment to him. It was like being near a beloved one; nothing can go wrong, and if something did, just being with them closed the wound and ease the pain.
Quatre's expression lighted up. "I love naga trees! Wufei let set up the ward now so we can have more freetime!" In the dying light, Quatre's joy seems to made him glow, a beckoning light calling. Although light is fading away, it only made the forest more alluring. The forest is like a giant multi-color tent shielding them. Wufei couldn't deny him and went along setting the ward up as soon as their feet touched the ground. After camp was set and the fire was up and ready, Quatre just can't resisted the urge to cast a spell and made all the leaves within the casting light radius of the fire glow softly.
"That's a waste of magic." Wufei comment sternly but didn't reprimand Quatre any further. "We should rest for a bit before dinner. While you were in a different plane during the day, we managed to gather enough ingredients along the way for some stew."
Quatre smiled in agreement, he pulled out his bedroll at the grove of one naga tree and was fast asleep. Wufei drew a meditating circle and sat within it with closed eyes.
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His hair was long gold tresses not short like now. Having someone brushes it is one of his favorite thing in the world. The brushes move slowly and gently through his hair caressing his scrape as if the hand guiding it can spend eternity doing this. He must have made some noise as the owner of the hands chuckled deeply put his arms around him and pull him close to his body. He leaned backward against that firm chest, as their heat mingled his body gave a shudder.
"I know you hate your hair but I don't want you to cut it… But if it gets too bad, I give you permission to." He couldn't place the voice, but the word itself warped around his mind like a loving caress. Even though he never told him, through his actions and words, he felt loved.
Somewhere deep inside of him answered, "I won't cut it… But if I ever have to put it in a braid again…part of me will break into a million pieces." Even though arms tighten themselves around him, the images those words summoned was something he wish he didn't.
He was on his hand and knees. He broke out in cold sweat, his naked body shook so violently that he felt like he's going to break any moments now. He desperately wished that if that's going to happen, let it happen soon. Tears streamed down his face and he bit so hard on his bottom lip that it bleeds to keep himself from screaming as his body being violated. A tongue licked his back; he felt so disgusted and wished that he have a knife so that he can flay his own skin himself. A hand grabbed his braid and slowly wrapped it around the forearm, with a sharp jerk on the braid, his body was penetrated.
"Whore, make some noises. I know you like it, bitch." Something cracked.
"Say it! Say you like it!" Accompany with the words was a painful tug on his braid. His head ring as pain lanced through, he sure that the scrape is going bleed, from deep within a scream rolled like thunder and cracked through his lips, "Aaarghh!"
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"Aaaaaaaaahhhhhhh" Quatre bolted awake. He shuddered violently in his bedroll. The others rushed to him and were thrown backward with his gift. Wufei reacted quickly and soften their landing while shielding himself and the other two tightly as Quatre gift raged. Wufei screamed telepathically, their voice was lost in the howling wind-Quatre-
Decided that if he don't act quickly, he would regret it, Wufei summoned a deafening thunder and drenched them all in icy water, hoping the shock would bring Quatre back. The wind slowly subsided and they heaved a relieved sigh while their hearts still thundered.
"Y.you ca ca can ssstop watering uh us now Long." Duo said through clattering teeth.
They made their way back to now dark and damp campsite with Hilde globe of light to illuminate the way. When they made it back, their things were gone and Quatre prone on the ground where he was.
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tbc.
