NOTES:  Ok!  Ok!  Here it is!  Here's the other part!  Thanks for your patience, and don't worry, I'll finish this…someday…::sweats::  hehe.  Hey!  I've finally got some good idea's for this fic to help it go along smoothly, cause it hasn't been cooperating with me since maybe the second chapter.  The Targets was smoother.

Wufei is pissed at me cause I've left him on that boat for months.  And Lina wants to bash me over the head cause I left her fighting off a sleeping Gouarry…::cackles::  Poor Quatre is about to have a mental breakdown cause I left him on the spot! 

WARNINGS:  Violence.  Finally, a bad guy for the fic (no not Xellos), and Bane.

Ok…shutting up.

READ!

THE WAY HOME

PART VIII

Xellas the Beastmaster was hardly ever shocked. 

In a way she was almost all-knowing, thanks to her network of Monsters scattered all over the realm who always kept her updated on what was happening with the humans, demons, dragons, and all the other little races out there.  So it was hardly ever that she found herself shocked at an occurrence or the appearance of something that could pose a problem for the Monster Race.

Yet this time, somehow her informants had been sloppy and had missed something very important.

Xellas hissed, "Get me Xellos immediately!"

This was defiantly going to pose a problem.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

That person…who was it…who was that person holding her shoulders, supporting her?  The dark thing in the sky looming over the cliff was shuddering, and Lina shrank back into the person behind  her.  She felt a sense of safety…a sense of wanting to protect this person.  Lina turned her head, looking to the person.  She could tell that it was a boy, about her size, yet his face was obscured in darkness.  She squinted, reaching her hand to touch that hidden face.

Who are you…?

Suddenly the boy pulled back, or actually was jerked back.  Lina grabbed his hand holding him desperately.  He too held on to her, and she felt his fear as his grip tightened painfully.  Lina's eyes widened in horror as a malevolent darkness appeared behind the boy, clawed hands reaching for him.

No! No, you can't take him!

Gouarry!  Gouarry, where are you?!

The hands grabbed the boy and pulled at him, and she thought she could hear his frantic calls, 'help me!   She looked around, her arms burning from the strain of holding the boy.  She saw Gouarry then, running toward her, yet seeming unable to reach her, his hand reaching for her…and for the boy.

The boy was yanked again, and Lina's feet slid.

No!  You can't have him!  I won't let you!

She looked at Gouarry who was still unable to reach her, and to her horror felt her grip slipping.  She heard the boy's voice again, calling her, 'don't let go.'

Then she saw Xellos, standing watching her struggle, trying to save the boy from the darkness.  Lina wanted to call to the Monster, wanting him to help her save the boy.  Yet Xellos stood unmoving, his eyes watching the struggle with almost confusion on his face.  He wasn't enjoying it, he was torn, unable to decide what to do.

'Xellos!'

Lina looked to the boy again, shocked that the boy had called for the Monster's aid.  But to her shock found herself able to see something…she could see the colors of his eyes…

And Lina found herself staring into the amethyst eyes of Xellos.

'help me.'

Lina cracked her eyes open, the lids feeling heavy as if weighed down by some force that she could not feel.  Slowly, her sensed began to kick in, and she realized that she was being carried on someone's back.  Long hair tickled her cheek that rested on a strong shoulder, and firm arms holding her upright so she could not fall. The person smelled good too, and Lina found her arms wrapping around the neck of her carrier and smiling comfortably.  She felt safe and warm and did not want to move for the world.

Then, someone snickered.

Someone annoyingly familiar snickered.

Lina cried out, pushing herself away from the warmth of the strong back.  Her carrier yelped and released her, dropping her to the hard ground.  She landed harshly on her bottom, and forced her eyes to open, wanting revenge on the stupid oath who dared to dropped her and wanting to kill the one who had disturbed her warm slumbering. 

Gouarry was kneeling over her, looking a little put off.  "Why the heck did you do that, Lina?"  He asked.

Lina realized, blood rushing to her cheeks, that it was Gouarry who had been carrying her.  Still, she managed to snarl, "What were you doing carrying me while I was sleeping?!"

"Don't you remember, Ms. Lina?"

Lina looked to her left and found Amelia there, behind her were Heero, Trowa, and an angry Wufei looking at her.  The boys were together, in a way distancing themselves from Lina and her friends.  She then looked to her right and saw a tired looking Zelgadis, and a smirking Xellos.

Xellos…the one who had snickered.

The impetuous Monster smiled cheekily at her and said, "Glad to see you're awake, Lina.  You had a very…long sleep.  We were beginning to worry about you."

Lina glared, "Since when does a Monster worry about me, Xellos?"  She sighed, "Nevermind."  It was no use asking such a question to a Monster…especially to a Monster like Xellos.  Suddenly, something occurred to her.  She looked around at her surroundings, recognizing the road that would eventually lead to Philia's town.

"Hey…guys…where's the ship?"

Zelgadis groaned, "Typical!  Don't tell me you don't remember!"

She looked at everyone, Amelia looking a bit nervous, Xellos was Xellos, Zelgadis was tired, Gouarry put out, Heero had and amused smirk, Trowa the same, and Wufei looked even more pissed.

"What?"  She asked.

It was Wufei who stalked over to her and snapped, "You destroyed the ship, nearly killed us all, and we had to swim to shore!"

"I…what?" 

Amelia said, "We were attacked by a sea monster, Ms. Lina, and you used the Dragon Slave on it to kill it."

Zelgadis glared, "And what happened the last time you used the Dragon Slave on the open sea?"

Lina found herself smiling nervously, remembering quite vividly the last time she had done a stunt like that.  "Um…a tsunami?"

Gouarry nodded, "Right, Lina.  You have got to be more careful!"

Wufei seemed to not be finished with her, "What were you thinking using such a weapon so rashly!  If used on land you could have wiped out a whole city with it!"

"She's already done that."  Muttered Gouarry.

Lina waved her hand, trying to calm the raging Chinese boy who looked about to go for her throat.  "Now, now, Wufei.  We're alive aren't we?  And I did kill the monster right?"

Heero spoke, "You did."  He then chuckled.

Wufei whirled toward his friend, his fists clenched, "This is no laughing matter, Yuy!  We were nearly killed by this girl!"

Trowa spoke, "If memory serves me, I do believe you were about to be eaten by that creature when Lina used her weapon."

That stopped Wufei's triad, and Lina got to her feet, looking at the three boys as they talked amongst themselves.  She then looked at Xellos and glared, "Where were you when we were attacked?"

"Oh, I was there, Lina.  But I didn't interfere cause it was very interesting."  Said the deceptively cheerful Monster.

"What was interesting?"  Grated out Lina.

"The way those three boy's fought together in a single unit against the monster, of course.  They were doing very well until the monster used his tentacle and caught Wufei off guard, considering that they only had measly weapons instead of magic."

Lina looked at the purple haired man hard.  The dream was fresh in her mind, and she was baffled by it.  Xellos had told them already that he was sent to make sure Heero and his friends went back to wherever they had come from.  That they were not supposed to die at any cost.  It was nearly unbelievable, yet Xellos had not done anything out of the ordinary other than trying to pit the three against each other vainly.  Though when he was trying to make the three understand the long hatred (especially Heero) of the races it was more out of curiosity to see how they would react.  There was nothing malicious about it…except when the two missing members of Heero's group were mentioned.

A Golden Dragon and a Monster. 

For some reason Xellos took this as a personal affront.

It was Trowa who had talked more specifically about the two missing friends.  There was Quatre, the one who had the strange powers (the Golden Dragon was what Xellos had said). And then there was Duo (the Monster).  The two were best friends, almost like brothers.

She could still remember Xellos's look of contempt when that was brought up.  Xellos did not like it, did not approve of it, and wished it did not exist.  If Xellos's behavior hadn't been so weird Lina would have laughed…

But then her dream came back to her…of Xellos standing watching her indecisively. 

Suddenly, Xellos stiffened slightly, his face becoming serious.  This did not go unnoticed by anyone…other than Amelia and Gouarry.  Lina noticed Heero, Trowa, and Wufei watching the Monster like a hawk.  They didn't trust him and Lina couldn't blame them at all.

Xellos then put on his trickster grin and turned to Lina.  "Its seems I'm being called back for the moment, Lina.  Please do try to reach Philia's town before dark.  I'll join you as soon as I can.  Bye!"

And he was gone.

"That…was weird."  Said Lina blinking at the empty space where Xellos had just a second ago stood.

She saw the three boy's looking distrustfully at the disappearance.  Wufei had asked her while still on the ship why not kill Xellos and get him out of their hair if he was such a deceptive man that could not be trusted.

The thing was, until Xellos truly went out and tried to kill her or her friends, only then would Lina kill him.  Sure had had offered her away, used her, and done all sorts of other things, but he had never attacked her to kill her.  He was using her, and in a way, Lina was using him.  Personally, she hoped she would die before the day came she had to truly fight Xellos to the death.  It was not a comforting feeling.

Sighing, and shaking a strange feeling of foreboding, Lina said, "Lets go…I want to sleep in a bed tonight."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Why us?  Why do we have stay here and dust and polish while Mr. I-Am-Above-You goes with Philia on an all nighter errand?!  We aren't even getting paid to do this!  Think about Quatre, us, two of the dreaded Gundam Pilots, the most notorious of terrorist stuck cleaning shop like janitors!  I mean, even Janitors get paid!"

Quatre could only give Duo a long look as he stared at the boy's flushed face.  "Ms. Philia had been kind enough to let us stay here without pay, Duo.  The least we can do is help her a little."

His American friend gave him a nasty look.  "What right did you have to offer her MY services?!"

Quatre sighed, "You seemed to have nothing else to do other than lounge at the window and flirt with the lady customers.  I swear Duo, when we get back I'm going to have a long talk with Hilde."

"I wasn't flirting!  I was being nice and sociable!"  He glared at the blonde.  "Why are you being so pissy?  I did do what I was supposed to and I got it done, but unlike you I had fun while doing it."

Quatre sighed again and went back to polishing an urn that was larger than him.  He could feel Duo's concerned eyes on him, but chose to ignore his friend.  Quatre had to admit that he had been quite snappy toward the American boy.  Duo had gotten his job done, and it wasn't that Duo had been lazing around.  It wasn't even what he called being 'sociable'.  Actually, Duo had done nothing wrong to deserve Quatre's ire.

Since arriving at Philia's home/shop over a week ago, Quatre could not shake a sense of foreboding danger.  He barely slept, and when he did succumb, he was plagued by nightmares that he could not remember, yet left him shivering in a cold sweat.  Because of this his nerves had been taunt, and he was jumping at his own shadow at least 13 times a day.  The appearance of Gravos the lizard demon, and Jilis the fox man had done nothing to assuage his nerves.

It had been quite a scene when the two creatures had come over to help manage Philia's shop.  Consequently, neither Philia nor Valgaav had been present, having stepped out to make a delivery, leaving Quatre and Duo alone to manage things for a quarter of an hour.  The two creatures had believed that him and Duo were thieves, and they had thought that they were finally screwed.  The Fish Demon seemed harmless compared to the wrath of Gravos and Jilis.  A small fight erupted that had brought Philia and Valgaav back within minutes.  Pottery and weapons had been strewn around, merchandise had been shattered, and the whole shop needed to be closed till things were fixed.

That had been a week ago.  The four of them (including Gravos and Jilis) offered to fix things as an apology to Philia for wrecking her store.  Quatre and Duo had in a way befriended the two, and Duo seemed to have found two new friends.  Now that the store had reopened for the first time since the incident, Quatre realized what hard work Philia was doing, so at the end of the day after helping around here and there with the customers, Quatre had offered to clean up and close shop for the three (Valgaav never raised a finger to help).

He had also offered Duo's help without consulting him.

Now all he could feel was shame at his actions.  He could not deny the fact that he had done it out of spite.  Duo had drifted through the day quite happily, gaining more energy with every person that he met.  As long as Xellos never was mentioned, and as long as he kept some distance between him and Valgaav, Duo Maxwell was happy.  Quatre had the opposite.  He was plagued by worries; the nightmares and sleepless nights were taking their toll on his mind and body.  Even the food was starting to be inedible.  That very morning, Philia had sat on the table an hour making sure Quatre had finished his plate for she had noticed his changes.  She didn't know that right after that, Quatre had become sick and lost the healthy breakfast he had just eaten.

Bane had been very close lately as well, waiting for a chance to surface again.  Yet even Bane seemed nervous and on edge (at least more than usual).  His other self was constantly talking to him, warning him to stay alert.  Bane was worried, which did not comfort Quatre one bit.  Bane had changed from the other times he had surfaced.  He seemed more gentle and considerate.  Maybe he was still thankful for getting a name.

"Hey…Quatre…um, you look like Hell, man."

Quatre stopped polishing the urn, noticing that the thing was abnormally shiny.  He could see Duo's reflection on it, could see the concerned look clearly, those violet eyes questioning. 

"I've noticed it for the last couple of days.  Just today you're worse than ever.  I've never seen you like this, Quatre."  Duo paused as if wondering if he should go on.  "Since coming here to this time, you've changed."

Quatre blinked tiredly, looking at his haggard reflection staring back at him from the urn.  Was it just him or was there a slight smirk on his lips?  "Why do you say that, Duo?"

"Don't play dumb with me, Quatre.  You know exactly what I'm talking about.  You've changed, Hell you're still changing.  Today I almost didn't recognize you!  You don't look like Quatre anymore, you look like…" He stopped short.

Quatre turned to face him, his voice colder than he intended it to be as he asked, "I look like what, Duo?"

Duo looked away and muttered, "Forget it."

Quatre stood up, glaring, feeling a wave of anger aimed toward Duo.  He had no idea why he was getting mad, but he was, and he was too tired to rein it.  "No, Duo.  Tell me who I look like now?"

Duo glared back, obviously not liking where this was going.  "I said forget it, Quatre.  We don't need to go there."

Quatre threw the rag he had been holding to the floor.  "I don't want to forget it, Duo!"

Duo let out a frustrated sigh and muttered, "Look, I don't know how you looked when you were under Wing Zero's influence…"

"Just spit it."  Said Quatre nastily.

Duo's eyes flashed, and when he spoke, his words dripped with contempt.  "You look like Bane."

Quatre was silent for a moment, and then he said quietly, "We're the same person Duo, at least in body."

Duo shook his head furiously, "Na ah!  The eyes are different and cold, Quatre.  Bane's eyes have none of your gentleness or compassion.  He hold's himself differently, and he is a complete remorseless bastard.   You two look and act and THINK completely different.  Yet today I didn't see you, I saw Bane."

"Bane didn't surface, Duo."  Quatre felt numb, he was getting dizzy, and only wanted to lie down.  Why was it getting so dark, like a mist?

Duo smiled, but it was mirthless and cold.  "That's the freaky thing, right?  Care to explain to me what's going on with you?"

Quatre went over and slumped on a stool, running his hand that had started to tremble through his hair.  "If I knew, I would have already talked to you, Duo."

Duo snorted, "I wonder with the way you're acting.  I know you're having trouble sleeping and all, and the food ain't agreeing with you too much, but we've been through worse shit than this!  So why are you loosing it?"

"I don't know."

"Quatre…"

"I said I don't know!"

Quatre stared at Duo, shocked at the way he had yelled at his friend, shocked at the way his anger had risen so that he felt like he was choking.  Quatre shrank back against the stool, wrapping his arms around himself and shivering.  Why was it that he felt he was drowning?  Why was it that he felt that he was surrounded by darkness?

Quatre opened his mouth then shut it, working his jaw, which felt stiff and strained.  "Wh…when do you think Ms. Philia will return?"  He looked away from Duo.  He wanted to apologize but he wanted to get some control of himself at least.  Philia always seemed to be able to calm him with her words or with a light touch of her hand on his cheek, hair, or hand.  He wished she were here now.

Duo looked sad as he answered, "I dunno, buddy.  She did say that this errand would take her a long time.  It's evening now so maybe she's running a little late.  Hell, I wouldn't mind seeing that bastard Valgaav."

Quatre's shuddering worsened as he said, "I wish she were here."

Duo replied softly, "She'll be here soon.  Don't sweat it."

"I…I wish Heero, Trowa and Wufei were here too."

"Hey, you heard Philia.  She said that she sensed them coming right toward us.  And Valgaav said that Xellos psychopath was watching them and bringing them here.  Though I don't trust Valgaav or Xellos, I trust Philia."

"I wish…we were back home."

There was a short span of silence, then Duo said, "We'll get back."

The darkness seemed to get darker. 

"How can you say that when we have clue what to do or where to go?!"  Cried Quatre.

Quatre?

He could hear Bane's worried call; he could see Duo's concerned eyes.

Then…Something is coming…watch yourself.

Quatre's head snapped up, his eyes wide as he stared at the locked door of the shop.   Why did it seem that the darkness that was engulfing him was getting worse now that he stared at the door.  It was a malevolent feeling that shook Quatre to the core as he gazed at the wooden door.  Something was defiantly coming, and it meant him and Duo harm.  Why hadn't he sensed it?  He had been staring at the darkness for some time now, yet his senses hadn't picked up the danger.

"Quatre?"

"Duo…grab something to fight with.  We're about to have some company."

Before Duo even had a chance to question Quatre's strange order, there was a slight scratching at the door, causing both youths to jump.  Quatre reached and picked up a slim sword that hung on a hook on the wall.  Duo slowly bent and grabbed an old mace that looked extremely heavy.  It was smaller than the one Philia carried strapped to her leg, but still it was as lethal.

The door started to shake, and there was a shriek from the other side.  Quatre glanced at Duo and both leapt, grabbing a cabinet and upturning it against the door, forming a crude barricade.   For an insane millisecond, Quatre thought of poor Philia's reaction when she beheld the mess that was about to happen.  

There was the sound of scuffling feet from the other side, and then it drifted away.  Both boys' knew not to relax yet, their hands ready, their focus on the thing outside…whatever it was.  For a good minute there was deadly silence, only the sounds of the Gundam Pilot's shaky breaths could be heard.  It was odd how not even a cricket was chirping to the night sky, nor was there the sound of the wind blowing.  It was unnerving and unnatural.

Then a black claw burst through the door, sending a shower of splintered wood at the boys.  A second claw followed, and both Duo and Quatre got a good look at a red eye staring at them.  Both attacked at the same time, Quatre's sword shattering when he swung it at the clawed hand, and Duo's mace swatted easily out of his hands.  

The door and the makeshift barricade flew open, the cabinet knocking Duo to the ground and pinning his legs underneath it.  Quatre stared in horror at the monstrosity that lumbered in.   The thing was a beast, covered in black fur, two slim horns protruded from it's head, its hands and feet were scaly and had sharp claws that glittered menacingly.  Quatre could make out no nose or ears. The thing's mouth was impossibly large, an engorged tongue hung out between long sharp fangs.  It walked on all fours like a monkey or a giant ape, and it looked at Quatre with a pair of blood red eyes.

Those red eyes paralyzed Quatre so that he could only stand there trembling in terror as the thing lumbered closer to him, it's clawed hand rising and reaching for him.  When Quatre had faced the madman, Farefello, he had been bombarded by the man's madness.  He had been overwhelmed, and his empathic abilities could do nothing to shield him from the terror.  Now, staring at the beast, Quatre could sense nothing from it, only a complete pitch black that was pulling at Quatre's mind, wanting to consume him.

Then the thing spoke, its voice sounding like nails scratching against metal.

"Come."

Inside his mind, both he and Bane were screaming.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

It was Zelgadis that heard the beast coming, and it was Zelgadis who rammed himself into Trowa, just as a giant black thing with teeth came crashing at the banged pilot.  The beast whirled around, letting out a piecing shriek to the night sky.

Trowa could only gape in horror as he met the creature's ruby eyes.  The claws looked like they could have shred him in half with one blow.  Getting to his feet Trowa whispered, "What it that?"

Wufei had his sword out, as did Gouarry.  Amelia had ducked behind Wufei, though the Chinese boy seemed oblivious to her using him as a shield.  Trowa noticed that Zelgadis had glanced in her direction, as if making sure that she was all right.  Yet Zelgadis was shielding him.

Heero stood in between Lina and Gouarry, his eye's narrowed dangerously at the black beast.  Trowa had not missed the fact that it had attacked him, yet had he been randomly chosen as a target, or was the thing after him specifically…or to be exact, the Gundam Pilots?

"I've never seen anything like it."  Zelgadis said, also drawing his sword.  Trowa followed suite and reached into his long cloak, grasping the small knives in his hands, prepared to throw them into those red eyes that completely freaked him out.  Not even the sea monster that attacked their ship had freaked him out as this one did.  There was something different about this beast…something more ominous…evil.

The thing then struck, charging at Wufei and the frightened Amelia.  One minute it was couching, next it had Wufei's sword in its mouth, its powerful jaws ripping the sword from Wufei's hands and crushing the blade to a worthless piece of twisted metal. 

Amelia cried out and struck her hands out screaming, "Elmikia Lance!"

Wufei ducked out of the way as Amelia's magical attack struck the beast, causing it to stagger back, but left it unharmed.  Once again it shrieked, it's voice causing a stinging ringing in everyone's ears.  All of them stumbled and clutched at their ears, trying to block out the painful noise.

The creature took this opportunity to once again go after Wufei.  It leapt at him, knocking a blocking Amelia out of the way with it's arm, sending the young princess flying though the air to land and skid harshly on the ground.  Then it leapt at a disoriented Wufei who attempted to dodge it's clawed hand.  The thing managed to snag his cloak, yanking him backwards to the ground.

"Flare Arrow!"  Lina sent her arrow of flames at the creature, once again only managing to make it stumble back, it's claws still tangled into Wufei's cloak.  But then Gouarry leapt, his sword swinging at the thing's head, but the beast saw the swordsman coming and swung it's arm, blocking the blow and sending the blond man head over heels to the ground. 

Trowa then threw his knives, aiming straight for the thing's face, but the beast turned away, and the knives bounced harmlessly off its hide.  Heero charged at it, just as Gouarry once again came back for more, swinging his blade at the thing.  Heero, instead of attacking, withdrew a slim dagger and ducked under the fray to Wufei who was desperately trying to untie the ties of the cloak.  With a swift swipe that could have slit the other pilot's throat, Heero cute the small ties freeing Wufei.

The beast, seeing that he was about to loose his hostage roared and swung a vicious blow at Gouarry, striking the young man on the ribs and toppling him.  Then it leapt at Heero and Wufei, a vicious snarl on its face.

"Ra Tilt!"

The thing stopped short as it was engulfed in a blue flame.  But in a second it ripped through the flames and charged once again at Heero and Wufei. 

"Its not a monster!"  shouted Lina.  "Zel!  Get them out of the way!"

Zelgadis yelled "Rie Wing!"  And flew past them, grabbing both boy's out of harms way.  The thing howled again and then whirled to Trowa, starting toward him. Trowa saw Lina begin casting a familiar spell.  Feeling an odd prickle of fear, he ran to the fallen Amelia and lifter her up, running out of the way as he listened to Lina's incantation:

"Darkness beyond twilight,

Crimson beyond blood that flows,

Buried in the stream of time is where your powers go

I pledge myself to conquer all the foes who stand

Within this mighty gift bestowed in my unworthy hands

Let the fools who stand before us be destroyed by the power you and I possess:

DRAGON SLAVE!"

Trowa turned away, not wanting to be blinded by Lina's attack.  He also did not like how that attack brought back memories of the war.  Lina's Dragon Slave was like a nuclear weapon, but without the worries of radiation or poisonous fumes. 

As he protected Amelia from the heat of the explosion, Trowa felt a wave of dread and horror.  That thing had been after them. It had swatted Amelia and Gouarry, not carrying for them, but it had targeted him, Heero and Wufei.  From where he crouched he could see the buildings of Philia's town, just a couple minutes away from finding Duo and Quatre.  Yet, if that beast had come after them, the three Gundam Pilots…wouldn't another one go after the other two?

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

With a snarl, Duo managed to kick the cabinet off of him, his legs scraped and heavily bruised, but nothing broken.  Still snarling he lifted his head to find Quatre standing with his hands raised, a form of a shield in front of him, as the beast swung at him.  The boy stumbled back as again the beast hit at him, the shield loosing strength fast.  The beast seemed to realize this and with a final hit, Quatre's shield broke and his heat snapped back savagely, collapsing to the floor in heap.

Without even thinking, Duo lunged, grabbing a ceramic pot and lugging it at the thing.  The pot shattered on the beast's back, and it turned away from Quatre, eyes of blood staring right at him.   The beast got up on its hind legs and roared, towering over Duo.

 Duo stumbled back, looking for something to use as a weapon, and found nothing.

The thing lunged at him, and Duo ducked and rolled, coming right next to Quatre who grabbed his arm and yanked him back.  Duo looked at him in shock wondering when how he had been able to recover so fast after being knocked out, but he was met with the cold eyes of Bane.  Duo was found himself shocked for a moment, for when the thing had attacked Quatre; he was Quatre, not Bane.  He wasn't sure whether to be horrified or relieved.

Bane pulled at his arm, heading towards the narrow stairway that let to Philia's rooms.  It was narrow that could fit only one person at a time, too small for the beast to go after them.  The thing shrieked, and Duo cried out as his ears started to ring.  Bane too stumbled, grabbing at his ears and giving the creature a look that would have killed it where it stood.

Still shrieking, the beast lunged at them again, catching them both off guard.  It landed over them, pinning them both to the floor.  It's clawed hand had Bane/Quatre by the chest, and the other had Duo's leg.  Duo twisted and struggled desperately, feeling with slight panic how the thing crushed his leg, threatening to snap it with a mere twitch.  Then Duo saw a long stake of wood; probably it came from the door or the cabinet.  Using the skills he had acquired as a thief on the streets of L2 and the skills of a trained Gundam Pilot, Duo stretched his whole body, and grabbed the stake, twisting around and shoving it horizontally into the thing's mouth, jamming it open.

The beast shrieked again, and let them go, its hands reaching for its mouth, trying to pry the stake out.  Duo grinned at Bane, and found that other half of Quatre grinning back at him.  Again, Duo was shocked.  He had seen Bane smirk, and smile nastily, but this one was one of Quatre's smiles.  Yet, it was Bane, not Quatre who was with him right now.  Wait, he remembered only once that Bane had given him a true smile…it was when Duo gave him a name.

"C'mon!"  Said Duo, starting to run to the stairway, Bane right behind him. 

As they started up the beast shrieked again and charged at the stairs, ramming into the entrance so hard that the whole house shook, and causing both boy's to stumble on the stairs.  It did the same thing again, and the walls started to crack from the force.

"Shit."  Cursed Duo as the reached Philia's bedroom.  "The whole place is going to come down if that thing keeps on doing that."

The house shook again, and dust from the ceiling started to fall down.  Bane ran to the window, opened the shutters, and looked down.  Duo got the idea immediately, and he ran to Philia's bed, yanking at the sheets and tying the ends together.  The foundation shook and the floorboards groaned and cracked.

Duo couldn't help but cackle darkly, "I wonder which will give in first, the ceiling or the floor."

Bane smirked and helped Duo with the sheets, "We're not going to stick around to find out."

Duo looked at Bane again.  Why was Bane helping him?  Bane only cared about himself and Quatre, to Hell with everyone else.  He almost seemed friendly.  Bane looked at him and smiled, the coldness still in his eyes, but the smile was defiantly Quatre.  Duo was baffled.  What was going on with his friend?

Duo stopped his musing short as he tied one end of the sheets to the leg of the bed, while Bane threw the tied sheets out the window.  Bane had swung only one leg over the windowsill when a clawed hand burst from beneath them, latching on to Duo's leg.  Duo fell hard, the breath knocked out of him. 

Bane swung back in and grabbed onto Duo's hand, trying to pull him away from the creature's clawed grip.  Duo kicked at the hand with his other foot, cursing, "Let go of me you son of a bitch!" 

Another hand broke through the floorboards, grabbing Bane and tripping him hard.  Then a foul head broke up, red eyes gleaming with triumph.  It pulled them down into the hole and back on to the first floor, and lifted both boy's into the air, dangling them by their feet while the struggled and cursed like mice.

"Come."

Suddenly, the beast was gone and Duo and Bane fell hard to the floor.  Duo groaned painfully and lifted his head, seeing Bane sitting up, eyes wide with shock.  Duo looked to where he was looking, and gasped at the sight before him.  Xellos stood facing away from them, his staff ebbed deep into the black creature's chest.  Then with a loud piercing shriek that made all the glass in the room shatter, the beast disintegrated into t a pile of dust.

"Whoa."  Was all Duo could say.  Bane remained silent staring at Xellos.

The purple haired man turned to them, his trademark trickster grin on his face.  "Well, I came just in time."

Bane stood up, his eyes never leaving Xellos.  "What was that thing, and why did it come after us?"

Xellos raised a finger and said mockingly, "Well now, that's a secret!" 

Duo groaned and Bane glared. 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Lina gaped at what used to be Philia's cute and clean antique and weapon shop and home.  The door was missing, all the windows were shattered, there were cracks on the wall, and the place looked about to collapse.  Zelgadis had taken the three boys and Amelia to walk scour the area, to make sure there were no beasts lurking around the dilapidated building.

Gouarry had already gone inside, but Lina had hesitated, wondering what she would find when she entered.  She hoped that no one was home when whatever happened to building happened.

It was then Lina heard Gouarry say, "Hey Xellos, where did you come from…Hey Lina, when did you braid you're hair?"

Lina ran into the house just in time to see the blond swordsman pull lightly at the brown braid of a person facing away from him.  The owner of the braid yelled and turned around, clutching the hair and swinging a well aimed kick into Gouarry's stomach, winding the much taller man and dropping him.

"No one ever touches the braid!"  Snarled the boy angrily waving his braid threatening at Gouarry who gaped up in shock at the fuming boy.  Beside the braid, Lina saw a cross-shaped scar on the boy's neck.

Beside the braided boy was another one, a little slighter in height, but with short blonde hair that seemed to be trying to cover burn marks on his forehead.  His had a pair of the coldest eyes she had ever seen…almost matching Heero's.  Xellos stood behind them, looking amused at the braided boy's anger and Gouarry's misfortune.

"Ah, Lina, you've finally arrived.  The other's must be outside then." Chirped Xellos.

Lina noticed how both boys's seemed to cringe away from Xellos, not liking his company one bit.  Lina pointed at the two and asked, "Hey…you two don't happen to be Duo and Quatre…are you?"

The braided boy took a breath, then smiled at her, coming to stand before her.  He reached for her hand in greeting, and Lina took it.  "You must be Philia's friends.  She said that you'd be coming here with Heero, Trowa, and Wufei.  Where are they anyway?"  He looked over her shoulder looking for his companions.

Lina said, "They're outside, they'll be here in a minute."

Lina then shivered suddenly as the boy looked directly at her.  Her body felt like it was washed in cold water as the boy said, "My name is Duo Maxwell, I may run and hide but I never tell a lie."  He gestured with his head to the blond who was staring at her with those cold eyes.  "That's Quatre…but he's not himself right now, so lets leave him alone."

The boy then stopped talking, seeming to notice how Lina was staring at him.  He let her hand drop and he took a step back self-consciously.  But Lina could not take her eyes off his.  Those amethyst eyes that could only be found on Xellos yet were on Duo.  She remembered Xellos saying that Duo was part of the Monster Race.  There was no doubt about it that Duo has a Monster's blood in him…Xellos's blood to be exact.  But there was something else that nagged at her thoughts, there was something about the boy that was familiar, and it had nothing to do with Xellos.

"Guys!  You made it alive in this crazy world!"

The three outland boys had finally entered with Zelgadis and a battered Amelia.  Duo had run to them, greeting them with excited relief.  Lina watched how the tension that had surrounded the boys seemed to lift as they were finally reunited.  It made her think about the times she met up with Zel and Amelia after not seeing each other for months.  It was a feeling of being whole, like there was nothing missing and nothing to worry about.

Gouarry stood up, rubbing his stomach pitifully muttering, "Well, from the back he looked like Lina."

It was the blond, Quatre, who had made no move to join his friends that said quietly, "You're right, they do look alike."  He then smirked sardonically, "Except for the fact that Duo's a boy."

Duo had left his friends to bombard Zelgadis with his enthusiasm.

"Quatre?"  It was Trowa who had approached the smaller blond boy.  Then to Lina's surprise Trowa stiffened and said, "Its you."

Seeming alerted to Trowa's tension, Heero and Wufei joined him, staring at their friend.  Heero looked dead serious, and Wufei looked infuriated as he said, "I thought we had seen the last of you!"

The blonde's angelic looking face twisted in distaste as he said in a low cold voice that matched his eyes, "You thought wrong."

"Where's Quatre?"  Demanded Heero in a voice she had only heard him use on Xellos.

The small blond sighed and said, "The darkness of the beast that attacked us nearly consumed Quatre.  He is resting and will return when he is ready."

Suddenly Duo jumped between them, wrapping a friendly arm around the blonde's shoulders.  The boy seemed to relax slightly at the presence of the braided boy.  The ice seemed to melt, so that Lina could see a slight gentle aqua color to his eyes.

"Hey guys," Said Duo. "Meet my new friend, Bane!"

And silence reigned.

TBC…

Whew…finally…now I'm gonna go work on The Kingdoms' Masks…bye!