Chapter Twelve: ...On Feathered Wings...
Heero came awake slowly, a blinding headache making his thoughts hazy and
indistinct. Faint were the memories of pain and the almost deafening sound of
the huge explosion that had destroyed a whole world. He just felt strangely
heavy now, a comfortable warmth on his chest and something soft brushing his
jaw. Gathering the remnants of his weary strength, he opened his eyes to a slit,
before immediately closing them again. Colors, too many colors. Where had they
all come from? All he could remember was white.
Bracing himself, he opened his dark blue eyes again, blinking rapidly to dispel
the brightened fuzziness. Above him sparkled a broken chandelier, twisting on
its slanted axis and he realized he was lying on his back in the Room of Keys.
Relena.
He tried to sit up, anxiety for her safety rushing through him, before he
realized that the weight on his chest was Relena's slender frame. She was
unconscious, her angelic face pale and her ever-changing eyes closed. Her dark
gold hair lay spread across him like a fan and she breathed shallowly, halfway
wrapped in his dark cloak. He straightened slightly, cradling her against him.
She looked like a war-torn pixie who had been through everything to save the
world she loved. Her back bore the whip lashes of Takuya's blood thirst and her
body and mind suffered from the exhaustion of calling upon the powers of all the
Keys who had been imprisoned in the space between galaxies. He still couldn't
believe that she was the Key of Earth, the only one who could command the powers
of the planet and save it from the empress's greedy ambition. And she had. She
had invoked the power of the Keys and released all the others from their pale
prison, the very act destroying it and severing the ties to the empress. Heero
glanced over at the crumbled shape of the imperial princess, the once proud
Holder of the Keys. The evil woman had taken the Keys from each world she had
conquered, taking their power for herself so that she could rule without
question. That had been why the rebels had so angered her. No world had dared to
deny her before, until now.
He tightened his arms around Relena as the palace shook with impact tremors,
paint chips were falling from the ceiling and the walls creaking with stress.
The war still must have been raging outside and if he knew anything about his
friends of so long ago, they would not rest until the entire palace was in
rubble.
A subtle shifting in the earth's energy around him alerted him to the sudden
presence. He looked up sharply, a protective gleam in his eyes as the God of
Death entered the destroyed room. The braided general stopped at the doorway,
his violet eyes wide as he took in Heero, Relena, and the fallen empress.
"Heero," He said, with almost a final tone in his voice, as if he had just
learned something he hadn't quite believed in. "Are you all right?" He made no
move to get closer, something about Heero's posture telling him his long lost
friend was in a dangerous mood.
"I'm fine." He said, flatly, "But I need to get Relena out of here." Heero
struggled to his feet, holding Relena in his arms. She groaned softly, her small
hand clenching around the fabric of his shirt. He gritted his teeth and looked
to Duo with a curt nod. Understanding, Duo turned and led him out of the
crumbling palace.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Hilde stood rigidly, watching the palace. Beside her, two rebels worked to
stabilize the large laser cannon she and Duo had constructed over the last year.
It would be the last part to the end of the Imperial Order. She really wanted to
talk to Rena. This was the Sank palace, homeland of Relena Peacecraft, it would
kill her to destroy it and for some reason, she really wanted to have Rena's
permission before ordering the strike.
"Hilde?"
She tapped her communicator. "Duo?"
"Yeah, I found Heero and Rena. We are just exiting the palace."
"Duo, is Rena all right? Can I ask her something?"
"She's out of it, babe. I don't know what's happened but both of them look like
they've been to hell and back. I'm bringing them to Sally, they're going to need
medical attention. "
Hilde's shoulders slumped. "All right. Are you a safe distance away?"
"Go for it, babe."
She steeled herself and brought the controller up to her field of vision,
staring at the switch. Just once...just once...
"Initiating countdown.
10...
9...
* * * * * * * * * *
Trowa pulled Catherine behind him as they raced away from the palace as fast as
they could. For some reason his communicator had started working only one-way,
allowing him to hear transmissions but not send them. He knew that the palace
was going to blow, he had to make sure they were far away when that happened. He
would not let anything happen to Catherine. He refused to lose her again.
Behind him, Catherine squeezed his hand, feeling his thoughts. As he looked back
she smiled gently, her eyes flashing silver.
They ran on.
* * * * * * * * * *
8...
7...
* * * * * * * * * *
Noin called her armies away from the palace in what looked like a retreat to the
A'rateken soldiers. Her rebels moved back as one, hefting shields in place,
preparing for the explosion. The A'rateken cheered, thinking the rebels had
given up. Noin looked to Zechs, her eyes meeting his from a few feet away. Her
heart ached as she saw the crystal shimmer in them as he drew his gaze away from
the only home he had ever known. True, it wasn't the same now, but oh, how he
had wanted to raise a family in the palace.
She continued to back away, making sure her men followed. This would be the end
of everything.
* * * * * * * * * * *
6...
5...
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Heero stood on the hilltop, Relena cradled in his arms, depending on him to
protect her when she could do nothing. He looked down at her, emotions running
across his face. How strong she had become. The brave and fearless Rena
Bladeheart, the sweet and innocent Relena Peacecraft. It didn't matter what name
she wore, as long as he could be by her side. He loved everything about her, and
now, they would end what had begun three years ago.
Once and for all.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
4...
3...
* * * * * * * * * * * *
flashback
Heero danced with Relena under the full moon, listening to the soft music from
the festival players. He twirled her under his arm before pulling her back,
never wanted her far from him. She smiled at him and leaned into his embrace,
the scent of lilacs drifting from her hair.
"Will you stay with me, Heero?" She asked, softly, her eyes glowing with the
moonlight. "I know it's wrong to ask you, but.."
He placed a finger against her lips, silencing her.
"Aishiteru, Relena."
She blinked at him, not understanding and he leaned down to brush his lips
against hers.
Now that was something she understood.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
2...
* * * * * * * * * * * *
"I remember you, Relena, I remember."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
1...
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Finally, it would be the end of this nightmare.
The end of shadows.
The end of pain.
The end of this life and the beginning of the next..
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
0...
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Heero came awake slowly, a blinding headache making his thoughts hazy and
indistinct. Faint were the memories of pain and the almost deafening sound of
the huge explosion that had destroyed a whole world. He just felt strangely
heavy now, a comfortable warmth on his chest and something soft brushing his
jaw. Gathering the remnants of his weary strength, he opened his eyes to a slit,
before immediately closing them again. Colors, too many colors. Where had they
all come from? All he could remember was white.
Bracing himself, he opened his dark blue eyes again, blinking rapidly to dispel
the brightened fuzziness. Above him sparkled a broken chandelier, twisting on
its slanted axis and he realized he was lying on his back in the Room of Keys.
Relena.
He tried to sit up, anxiety for her safety rushing through him, before he
realized that the weight on his chest was Relena's slender frame. She was
unconscious, her angelic face pale and her ever-changing eyes closed. Her dark
gold hair lay spread across him like a fan and she breathed shallowly, halfway
wrapped in his dark cloak. He straightened slightly, cradling her against him.
She looked like a war-torn pixie who had been through everything to save the
world she loved. Her back bore the whip lashes of Takuya's blood thirst and her
body and mind suffered from the exhaustion of calling upon the powers of all the
Keys who had been imprisoned in the space between galaxies. He still couldn't
believe that she was the Key of Earth, the only one who could command the powers
of the planet and save it from the empress's greedy ambition. And she had. She
had invoked the power of the Keys and released all the others from their pale
prison, the very act destroying it and severing the ties to the empress. Heero
glanced over at the crumbled shape of the imperial princess, the once proud
Holder of the Keys. The evil woman had taken the Keys from each world she had
conquered, taking their power for herself so that she could rule without
question. That had been why the rebels had so angered her. No world had dared to
deny her before, until now.
He tightened his arms around Relena as the palace shook with impact tremors,
paint chips were falling from the ceiling and the walls creaking with stress.
The war still must have been raging outside and if he knew anything about his
friends of so long ago, they would not rest until the entire palace was in
rubble.
A subtle shifting in the earth's energy around him alerted him to the sudden
presence. He looked up sharply, a protective gleam in his eyes as the God of
Death entered the destroyed room. The braided general stopped at the doorway,
his violet eyes wide as he took in Heero, Relena, and the fallen empress.
"Heero," He said, with almost a final tone in his voice, as if he had just
learned something he hadn't quite believed in. "Are you all right?" He made no
move to get closer, something about Heero's posture telling him his long lost
friend was in a dangerous mood.
"I'm fine." He said, flatly, "But I need to get Relena out of here." Heero
struggled to his feet, holding Relena in his arms. She groaned softly, her small
hand clenching around the fabric of his shirt. He gritted his teeth and looked
to Duo with a curt nod. Understanding, Duo turned and led him out of the
crumbling palace.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Hilde stood rigidly, watching the palace. Beside her, two rebels worked to
stabilize the large laser cannon she and Duo had constructed over the last year.
It would be the last part to the end of the Imperial Order. She really wanted to
talk to Rena. This was the Sank palace, homeland of Relena Peacecraft, it would
kill her to destroy it and for some reason, she really wanted to have Rena's
permission before ordering the strike.
"Hilde?"
She tapped her communicator. "Duo?"
"Yeah, I found Heero and Rena. We are just exiting the palace."
"Duo, is Rena all right? Can I ask her something?"
"She's out of it, babe. I don't know what's happened but both of them look like
they've been to hell and back. I'm bringing them to Sally, they're going to need
medical attention. "
Hilde's shoulders slumped. "All right. Are you a safe distance away?"
"Go for it, babe."
She steeled herself and brought the controller up to her field of vision,
staring at the switch. Just once...just once...
"Initiating countdown.
10...
9...
* * * * * * * * * *
Trowa pulled Catherine behind him as they raced away from the palace as fast as
they could. For some reason his communicator had started working only one-way,
allowing him to hear transmissions but not send them. He knew that the palace
was going to blow, he had to make sure they were far away when that happened. He
would not let anything happen to Catherine. He refused to lose her again.
Behind him, Catherine squeezed his hand, feeling his thoughts. As he looked back
she smiled gently, her eyes flashing silver.
They ran on.
* * * * * * * * * *
8...
7...
* * * * * * * * * *
Noin called her armies away from the palace in what looked like a retreat to the
A'rateken soldiers. Her rebels moved back as one, hefting shields in place,
preparing for the explosion. The A'rateken cheered, thinking the rebels had
given up. Noin looked to Zechs, her eyes meeting his from a few feet away. Her
heart ached as she saw the crystal shimmer in them as he drew his gaze away from
the only home he had ever known. True, it wasn't the same now, but oh, how he
had wanted to raise a family in the palace.
She continued to back away, making sure her men followed. This would be the end
of everything.
* * * * * * * * * * *
6...
5...
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Heero stood on the hilltop, Relena cradled in his arms, depending on him to
protect her when she could do nothing. He looked down at her, emotions running
across his face. How strong she had become. The brave and fearless Rena
Bladeheart, the sweet and innocent Relena Peacecraft. It didn't matter what name
she wore, as long as he could be by her side. He loved everything about her, and
now, they would end what had begun three years ago.
Once and for all.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
4...
3...
* * * * * * * * * * * *
flashback
Heero danced with Relena under the full moon, listening to the soft music from
the festival players. He twirled her under his arm before pulling her back,
never wanted her far from him. She smiled at him and leaned into his embrace,
the scent of lilacs drifting from her hair.
"Will you stay with me, Heero?" She asked, softly, her eyes glowing with the
moonlight. "I know it's wrong to ask you, but.."
He placed a finger against her lips, silencing her.
"Aishiteru, Relena."
She blinked at him, not understanding and he leaned down to brush his lips
against hers.
Now that was something she understood.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
2...
* * * * * * * * * * * *
"I remember you, Relena, I remember."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
1...
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Finally, it would be the end of this nightmare.
The end of shadows.
The end of pain.
The end of this life and the beginning of the next..
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
0...
* * * * * * * * * * * * *