It all happened so fast. He saw the blast coming toward him, braced himself for the impact, when a flash of white feathers flew into his vision and he was knocked to the ground. It took him mere seconds o realize what happened. Relena had taken the hit for him! He went to her, picking her up softly as though she would break.
"Relena…?" He lifted her head gently; there was no response. Her swan form was so small, so fragile. Was she breathing? He couldn't feel it.
"Well, that was unexpected. Not entirely unwelcomed, but I definitely hadn't seen it coming." Heero barely heard the sorcerer's taunts. His focused zoned in on the tiny bady in his arms.
Look what you did. You failed her. She's dead. You could have saved her. She'd be alive now if you'd just walked away. It's your fault. It's your fault. She's gone just like your family. You failed her. You promised to protect her and you failed. It's your fault.
He could hear the voice in his head. The voice was right. He had failed her. He had failed. He swore he'd protect her and he failed. She was dead. She had sacrificed herself for him. He held her closer; an agonized, guttural yell tearing from his throat. He didn't even notice his friends attacking his enemy; at that point, he was beyond caring. She was dead because of him.
It was all his fault.
Duo heard Heero's pained cry as he rounded the corner with the others behind him, ready to fight alongside their friend when he saw something that froze him in his steps. Heero knelt on the ground, a swan cradled motionless in his arms. He saw the sorcerer chanting, looking directly at Heero as he made his way closer.
"Shit!" Quatre, Wufei and Trowa ran forward and attacked to keep the sorcerer busy and halting his progress, while Duo ran to Heero. The expression on Heero's face; the empty, brokenness in his eyes struck Duo. He'd never seen his friend like that. "He's got Heero under some sort of spell!" Duo yelled to his comrades. "Buy me some time!"
"Heero!" Heero looked up at him, a silent question in his eyes. "Heero, buddy, you have to get up and fight. You can't let him win. Get up and fight. Fight for Relena!" Duo studied the swan for a moment and saw the slow rise and fall of her chest. "She's still alive, Heero! Now fight for her!" As if stirred by his words, Relena opened her eyes, just barely, enough that she could look into Heero's. In that moment, Duo saw the flame return to his old friend.
"Take care of her." Heero gently passed her to Duo. He stood, picked up his sword and charged his enemy.
"Man I'm gonna have nightmares after this one!" Duo stated, cradling Relena close.
Relena was alive.
That thought alone broke through the fog that had been encompassing his mind. By the time Heero stood up, the sorcerer had enchanted rocks, pillars and trees to fight as golems on his side against Trowa, Quatre while Wufei attempting to draw his fire. Heero strode forward, fire in his veins and anger in his heart. The sorcerer would pay for every year of Relena's imprisonment, every ounce of pain he'd inflicted, and for nearly killing her.
"Dermail!" Heero shouted; he needed to get the sorcerer's attention. Wufei dodge a bolt of magic while a golem made its way toward him. Quatre was holding his own, trimming the tress down branch by branch. Trowa had taken the high ground and was using his skills as a master acrobat to confuse and misdirect the creature into destroying its fellow constructs.
"You broke out of my spell, little prince? I'm impressed. The soul-breaker is an easy spell to cast but if done at moments of intense pain or distress, it can have an optimal effect." He sneered and Heero squared off his stance. "You know, none of this would have happened if you had just stayed away. This is your fault. Just let me take her broken body back with me to my castle at the lake and I'll leave you and yours alone."
"Shut up!" Heero growled. "Even if I could walk away now, I wouldn't. I would never abandon Relena! I love her!"
"NO!" Dermail yelled.
Thunder cracked and lightning split the sky. The wind gusted into a roar. A bright light began to glow from a place behind him. He turned around briefly to see Relena being lifted up out of Duo's arms and into the air.
"Relene?!" Heero called out and began to run to her.
"NO! I will NOT have it!" Dermail made to move toward Relena, but Heero jumped in his way and slashed at him. When Heero turned around, he saw Relena emerge from the fading light, fully human and fully healed. She seemed dazed and confused. His eyes locked with hers.
"Heero." She looked at him in equal confusion and astonishment. She ran to his side, and he fought the urge to hold her; to reassure himself that she was truly alright. So many questions ran through his mind but none seemed important enough. She was alive. He hadn't failed her. He wanted to tell her to get back. He wanted to tell her to run to safety, but he knew better. This was her fight too. One look into her aqua orbs and he knew.
"Relena…" He looked down at her. She was so close.
"Let's do this together, Heero." He nodded and she took up a place at his side, handing her his dagger. It was all he had, but together, it would be more than enough.
"So, the little princess is deciding to join this fight? How amusing."
"You're wrong, Dermail." Relena stepped forward. "This has always been my fight. And now, we will finish it."
"You? Don't make me laugh! How will the two of you ever stop me? I will destroy you both and walk over your corpses as I make my way to the throne!"
"Hey, blow-hard!" Duo shouted to distract him as he made his way to a place behind the sorcerer. "Ya gotta get past us, first!" In the commotion, Heero hadn't seen his friends destroy the golems. Each one now stood with their weapons drawn and poised to attack.
"You're surrounded, Dermail." Heero called out. "Surrender." The sorcerer looked around for a moment and Heero could tell the man's nerve was beginning to crumble. Finally, the sorcerer extended his arms as lightning seemed to surround and emit out from him.
"You insignificant pests!" With a wave of his arm, a gust of wind blasted the four men against the walls and hedges, locking them there with his magic. "You will NOT interfere!"
Heero felt the sorcerer's eyes lock onto them once again and stepped slightly in front of Relena. They would do this together, but he would still protect her.
"Die!" Dermail raised his hand and another blast, larger than ever before, sailed toward them. Heero made to push Relena away, but she, to his horror, stepped in front of him, throwing her arms up in front of them. Upon meeting her, however, the blast seemed to hit an invisible wall and fizzle out around them.
"What?!" Dermail's eyes widened. Heero reached for Relena, unsure exactly what she had done, but relieved to find her completely unharmed.
"Relena?" Heero looked at Relena who was looking at her own arms seemingly as shocked as he was.
Growling in frustration, Dermail fired one blast after another, each one weaker than the first. Heero and Relena used this as an opportunity to gain ground, Relena staying in front.
"You killed my parents, cursed and imprisoned my friends and my people. Separated me from the man I love, and tried to kill him using my image!" Heero had never seen her like this, with every step she took, she seemed to gain strength. A low, blue glow began to emanate from her.
"You will NOT STOP ME!" Dermail cried out. "I will not be derailed from my true purpose in this life and be undone because of some little girl!" Relena was mere steps from him. the blasts had turned into a constant blast of power, but it wasn't touching her. It was in that moment, Heero saw the outline of a woman overlapping Relena's form. She was ethereal, and beautiful and seemed to be shielding Relena.
"Heero, lift your sword." The voice that came from his beloved sounded strange, it echoed with a hollow harmony. It was only then that he realized they were floating through the air.
"You!" Dermail had paled, sheer panic in his eyes. "I killed you! I killed you!"
Heero, confused, assumed he was speaking to the spectral figure. The sword in Heero's hand grew hot and rose of its own accord, glowing with that same light. Heero knew what he had to do. He handed Relena the sword and, hand over hand, together, the two of the dealt the fatal blow to their enemy.
"For the lies you have told, for the crimes you have committed and for the lives you have ruined, We vanquish you in the name of light by the power of true love." The rest happened so fast that it all seemed a blur. The sorcerer howled, blinding flashes of light surrounded them. There was a loud sound, almost like an explosion and then, he found that they were slowly lowering to the ground. As their feet touched the earth, Relena's knees seemed to collapse from under her and Heero caught her, holding her to him as they fell to the ground. The spectral lady he had seen now hovered over them, smiling peacefully.
So many questions lingered that he could not put to words.
"What happened?" Relena asked, truly puzzled. She had felt the power leave her as te sorcerer died, but had no idea where I came from or how it happened.
"Dear princess, at last justice has been done." The woman smiled. "You released the pure power within and destroyed Dermail's darkness."
"But you were there as well. Wasn't it your power?" The figure shook her head.
"The power was yours and yours alone, strengthened and awakened by your love for the Prince. I merely guided your hand and helped you channel the power."
"I see." Relena looked at Heero and felt him holding her tighter. "What happens now? Is he gone?" The figure nodded.
"You and your prince will be free to live happily together. All of your kingdom will be as it once was and all who dwell in it returned to their true forms. This is both a gift and a reward for the end of his evil curse." She smiled.
"Who are you?" Relena asked.
"I am all that remains of she who once told Dermail the fate his evil had earned him. I embedded what was left of my soul into yours using those fateful words so that one day you would fulfill your destiny and end his reign of cruelty." The woman began to slowly fade. "I leave you with one last prophesy: You shall live long and well, and be blessed in every way." She paused and seemed to look directly at Relena. "And now, I finally rest." With those words, the lady faded away completely, leaving the lovers with more questions than before. As his friends gathered around them, Relena made out the figures of her friends from the lake and the pale-haired young sorceress who helped free her and just behind them: her brother.
"Oh, Grandfather." Dorothy stood over the place where once her Grandfather had been. She picked up his staff and seemed lost in thought. Relena could not tell by her tone if the blonde sorceress was mournful or not, but it could not be easy for her either way.
Barely managing to scramble to her feet, she ran to her brother who embraced her. Their friends corralled around them, asking questions she was far too tired to answer. The spell was broken.
"Finally, it's over." Heero made a soft hum in response as he pulled her close, nuzzling his face into her hair. She let herself get lost in the euphoria of knowing that they were safe and finally together. They could now all begin to return their lives to how they once were.
