The Story of Abraham
Begun June 12, 2001
Completed September 7, 2001
Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing. I hope this is rather obvious. I do not own the Bible or God. I hope this is likewise obvious. I am using both without permission. I am making no profit of any form.
Warnings and notes: This piece is based of the story of Abraham in the Bible. There are many changes to the story that may be found offensive. This piece does not take place in the Gundam Wing universe or timeline. It contains angst, yaoi pairings, het pairings, incest, reference to sexual acts, the act and description of violence and death, and generally dark subjects. You have been warned.This piece was written partially for the Terror Unknown contest run by Vegeta'slovergirl. I appreciate reviews (left here or at swiftskyes@hotmail.com), be they critiques or a general good/bad word. Enjoy.
As they walked along together, Isaac said, "Father!"
He answered, "Yes, my son?"
Isaac asked, "I see that you have the coals and the wood, but where is the lamb for the sacrifice?"
Abraham answered, "God himself will provide one." And the two of them walked on together.
Genesis 22:6-8
--1--
When Duo Maxwell was sixteen years old, the Lord appeared to him. Duo Maxwell was a young boy, slim and short with long chestnut hair that he wore in a braid. He was married to a girl who loved him. Her name was Hilde. He loved her with the love of a brother. Duo had a very sorrowful past: he was parentless and ran the streets before being adopted by the Maxwell Church. When very young he became part of a rebellion against tyranny and he learned to be an expert assassin. God chose him because he was a talented killer, one who had murdered as many as his braid was long, and his specialty was stealth.
God came in human form, in the body of a man who wore a military uniform and had his hair slicked back. His man's name was Treize Khushrenada. The man who's body He had taken was a military leader, one so intelligent, cunning, and resourceful that he was nearly as powerful as a god. God said, in a soft, intelligent voice, "I am the Almighty God. I know all and I control all. Obey me and always do as I command. I will make a covenant with you and give you the power to affect all life."
Duo bowed down respectfully and when Treize could not see his eyes twinkled. Duo was very sly and careful although it did not often appear to be so - he was playful and loud despite his past. Many people loved him because of his attitude; some were irritated by it.
Treize continued, "I will make this covenant with you: I promise that you will affect all human life. From now on you will have two names: you will be called Duo Maxwell, as you are now, but also Shinigami, because I am making you the God of Death. I will give you the power to affect the lives of all of mankind. You will be the God of Death and you will touch each human in turn when his or her time comes. I will also give you a son."
Duo asked, "But why do I need a son if I'm gonna be Shinigami?"
Treize ignored Duo's vocal challenge of His authority. He said, "Your wife Hilde will bear you a son and you will name him Heero Yuy."
"Why should I give him a surname different from mine?" Duo asked.
Treize ignored Duo's comment and continued, "I will keep my covenant with you forever. I will also keep my promise to Heero, who will be born to Hilde this time next year." When the Lord God finished speaking to Duo, he left him. In many ways Duo felt abandoned and used by God, but he was consoled by the fact that he was now a god as well. He accepted his new position as Shinigami.
In this way Duo Maxwell became the God of Death. He carried in his duties another gift from God, a weapon named Deathscythe. It was a scythe with a blade that glowed green. He used this scythe to sever the life bonds, the lines that connect soul and body, of the humans he killed. This ended life, leaving the body to rot on Earth and sending the soul to be judged by God. Duo followed the Lord God and ended lives as God commanded, although he was not pleased with his forced obedience. God kept his covenant with Duo.
--2--
Something very important happened when Duo had been Shinigami for only a short time. The Lord, again as Treize Khushrenada, said to him, "There are many unjust people who fight by unjust means in this world. It angers me and I will not allow it. I will teach mankind a hard lesson by punishing the innocent for the sins of the guilty. As the God of Death you will implement this by destroying a group of good people so that humanity will then recognize that they are disobeying my laws, the Laws of Humanity. The good people you are to kill will be those living in a place called Maxwell Church."
Duo knew and loved the Maxwell Church for it had been his home as a child. He approached the Lord and said, "Come /on/, Lord. Are you really going to destroy the innocent to teach the guilty? What if the guilty don't learn from your lesson? You would kill the innocent for no reason. That's impossible, you can't do that. If you did, the innocent would suffer unjustly and the judge of all the earth has to act justly. Look: if I can prove none of the guilty will learn from this, would you spare Maxwell Church?"
The Lord answered, "If you can prove none of the guilty will learn from this, I will spare Maxwell Church."
Duo spoke again: "Forgive my boldness in continuing to speak to you, Lord, 'kay?" And then he laughed and finally continued, "I've got no right to say anything. But perhaps there will be one person who learns from your lesson. Will you destroy the whole church because just one learns?"
The Lord answered, "I will not destroy Maxwell Church if you can prove there is only one who learns."
Duo spoke again: "Perhaps there'll be two who learn."
He replied, "I will not destroy it if you can prove only two will learn."
Duo said, "Don't be angry, Lord, but I gotta speak again. What if there're three?"
He said, "I will not do it if there are three."
Duo said, " 'Scuse my boldness, Lord. Suppose four are found?"
Treize sighed and pushed back his loose bangs with a hand. He said, "I will not destroy the church if four are found."
Duo said, because he saw God was becoming exasperated, "Please don't be angry, Lord, and I'll speak just one more time. What if five are found?"
He said, "I will not destroy it if there are five." After He had finished speaking with Duo the Lord went away and Duo returned home believing he had cheated God. Duo Maxwell was a very swift thinker.
That evening Duo left to prove to God no one would learn from the destruction of Maxwell Church. Only minutes into his journey, while still near his home on the colony L2, he met a man who called himself Professor G. This man was very intelligent but also very mad.
He said to Duo, "Please, let me aid you. I will help you search for those who will learn from God's lesson and it will be faster. In the morning, if we find less that six, you may leave early and be done with it."
But Duo answered, "No, I'll search on my own." He said this because he did not trust the scientist's nature. Professor G was an inventor of stealth technology and understood Duo and his craft although they had never met. The scientist was also a fanatic, and this was evident to Duo in his eyes.
Professor G continued to urge Duo to accept his help and finally Duo relented and allowed him to come.
Together Duo and the scientist searched the souls of all the evil people in the Earth Sphere Alliance, OZ, the Romefeller Syndicate, and even the Specials.
Within the Earth Sphere Alliance they found many people who would learn from God's lesson. It was written in their hearts that these people were good men who believed in peace and would be horrified by the suffering and death of the innocent. However, most of these men were soon to be visited by Shinigami when their own colleagues would turn on them. Duo did not count these. In all, they found two in the Earth Sphere Alliance.
Within OZ they found only one, a man named Zechs Merquise. He was a talented pilot and accomplished soldier. His heart was divided, and part of him did love the innocents weaker than him and wished to protect them and allow them to live so that they may learn to become strong.
Within Romefeller they found only one. She was a woman, a Colonel who contained true goodness concealed so well even she did not know it existed and when it appeared it came in the form of a second personality as a Lady. Her name was Une.
Within the Specials they found only one, a good soldier and teacher who followed what she believed was right and had been deceived into following Romefeller and OZ as well as teaching the Specials. Her name was Lucrezia Noin.
At this point there were five who would learn from God's lesson and Duo smiled, believing Maxwell Church would not be destroyed. He set out for home, still with Professor G, thankful that those of the church would continue to live. God, he believed, had been proved wrong. However, while returning home he encountered a girl. She reminded him of his wife Hilde and how she had been when they had first met. In her heart she had love and goodness but she wore the uniform of an OZ solider. This was how Duo found the sixth person who would learn from God's lesson.
Professor G then turned to Duo and said, "You must now destroy Maxwell Church. The Lord has decided to teach the guilty a lesson and you have been chosen to carry it out." He took Duo to the church and promised to provide aid in the destruction, although Duo did not want it.
Duo stepped onto the grounds of Maxwell Church. There he saw Father Maxwell and Sister Helen, people who he loved very much because they had been the ones to raise him. He took them by their hands and led them out of the church. Then he said, "I'm going to destroy this place so I can teach the guilty a lesson as the Lord has told me to do. I don't want to, but He commanded me and I'm forced to obey God just like you two are. You gotta get out of here! Run for your lives. Don't look back and don't stop. Run away so that you won't be killed."
The Father and Nun looked at Duo and tears welled up in his eyes. He whispered to himself, "Boys don't cry." He then said to the people that had once been his guardians, "Hurry! Run! I can't do anything until you get away from here and I need to do what God's told me to."
Father Maxwell and Sister Helen nodded, realizing that Duo was trying to save them from the dark fate that the Lord God had decreed. They ran from the church, heavy-hearted because they were leaving behind the other nuns and the orphans and they could not save or warn them.
It was midday when Duo began the destruction of Maxwell Church. Bullets rained from the sky and explosions were detonated. Soldiers appeared, slaughtering many with their weapons of war. Shinigami acted through it all, dressed in long black robes made darker with bloodstains. Deathscythe glowed in the cloudy dun created by flame and fired artillery. The orphans and nuns were killed when Shinigami severed their life bonds with his scythe. The church was destroyed, along with all statues and stained glass and beautiful carvings.
When they heard the sounds of destruction Father Maxwell and Sister Helen paused in their escape. They looked back and where horrified by what they saw. Disregarding what Duo had said they tried to come back and help the Sisters and orphans. When they reentered the church grounds they were attacked. Both were killed by bullets. Shinigami was forced to sever their life bonds because their time had come and it was his responsibility to take life.
When it ended that evening Duo hurried up high to stand in the presence of the Lord. He looked down at the ruins of Maxwell Church. He saw the smoke rising from the land, like smoke from the filthy flames of hell. He saw the bodies of Father Maxwell and Sister Helen. He saw the dead children. He saw the rubble that had once been the church. He saw the burning wooden pews surrounded by shards of glass.
God had destroyed Maxwell Church for two reasons. As He had told Duo, He did it to teach the guilty a lesson. He also kept His servant Duo's cunning and temper in mind. He proved to Duo His power by proving that He could not be evaded or deceived and that to Him life was a brief trifle. To assure that Duo learned He had Duo carry out the deed with his own hands.
Looking down on what his power had created, Duo Maxwell began to cry.
--3--
The Lord blessed Hilde, as He had promised, and she became pregnant and bore a son to Duo. The boy was born at the time God had said he would be born and Duo named him Heero Yuy. Heero was a quiet, scowling baby. He never cried and he made very little noise. When Heero was young, Duo baptized him in blood.
The child grew. His parents recognized the talent he held within and gave him teachers. As a young child, the teacher was Odin Lowe. As a teenager, the teacher was Doctor J. Heero was taught a great deal by the two men. Heero became very skilled in the arts of sabotage, theft, and hacking. He learned to use machines, weaponry, and explosives. He was taught to shoot and to pilot military vehicles. He was trained to resist pain and to kill. He became very fast and very strong. On the day he murdered his first victim, Duo held a great party. Heero Yuy was known as the Perfect Soldier because of his skill in murder and his perfection in terrorism. Heero traveled often, carrying out assassinations and tracking those who opposed his father. When it was possible he lived with his family on the Space Colony L2.
As time passed the relationship between Duo Maxwell and his son Heero Yuy grew and evolved. Duo loved his son and was impressed by him. Although Duo was the God of Death, Heero was the greater expert in murder, politics, and technology even without the aid of God's blessing. When Heero turned sixteen his father made him a lover as well as a son, barring his wife from his bed for the night and taking Heero with him instead. Duo first marked Heero as forever his: using Deathscythe, he cut an image of a scythe across Heero's chest, and then healed the wound using his powers. A scar formed, permanently tying Heero's body to his father. He then bedded Heero, giving their love physical expression. From then on Duo took Heero to his bed often and a new relationship formed alongside their familial one. Heero and Duo loved each other very much. The family lived on together - Shinigami, his son, and his wife.
There came a time when Duo called his servant, Howard, to him. He said to this man, his oldest servant who was in charge of all that he had, "I want you to promise me something, in the name of death and life. You'll find a wife for my son so that he can have a stable family like mine and my blood will be passed on. But don't choose a wife for my son from the people here. Go to Earth and get a wife for my son Heero from the people there."
Howard asked, "What if the young woman won't leave home to come with me back here? Should I send your son to Earth?"
Duo answered, "No way are you sending my son there! He's gone too often already. You know that God assured me power, right? He'll make sure that the girl comes back with you. Under /no/ circumstances are you taking my son away from me."
The servant Howard did as his master had asked. He left space and went to the earth, to a city that had been devastated by war. This place was a kingdom called Sank. When he arrived he prayed, "Lord, God of my master Shinigami, give me success today and keep your promise to my master. I'm here in a place destroyed by battle where the inhabitants are scarred and angry. If one comes to me who's still kind and strong, she'll be the one that you've chosen for your servant Heero. If this happens, I'll know that you've kept your promise to my master."
When he finished praying, a girl approached. Her name was Relena Peacecraft and she was the heir to the Peacecraft name, the royalty of the Sank kingdom, and the adopted daughter of the deceased Vice Foreign Minister Dorlin. She was a very beautiful young woman with long blond hair and clear blue eyes. Although she had seen war she was still strong and still kind. After talking with her for some time, Howard gave her beautiful dresses fit for the Queen of the Earth. He said, "Please come back with me to marry the son of my master, Shinigami. His name is Heero Yuy. Do you want to come with me?"
"Yes," she answered. Recently, due to events that occurred at the time of her adopted father's death, she had learned of the God of Death and his family. She believed Heero to be very strong and pure in spirit. Relena was a very basic person with a very simple mind. She fell in love with Heero at the first mention of his name. She agreed to leave with Howard.
When Howard and Relena returned to Duo's home of L2, Howard told Heero everything that had occurred. Heero looked at Relena. In her he saw a proud, good person with faults that were only human. He also saw her simple mind and knew she would never be able to protect herself. He knew that she loved him.
Heero chose to protect her and make her happy. She comforted him for all that he was missing in his life. Relena became his wife.
Duo was pleased. He could still have his son, because Heero was not truly in love with Relena, but Heero's future was also provided for. He welcomed Relena into his home with a smile.
--4--
Some time later, when Heero was eighteen years old, God tested Duo. He summoned him, "Duo."
Duo answered, "Yeah, I'm here."
"Take your son," God directed, "your only son, whom you love so much. Go to a barren battlefield. There, offer him as a sacrifice to me."
This made Duo very angry. Duo knew he had no choice but to obey God, but he was disgruntled and reluctant. He loved his son a great deal. Duo did, however, sense an opportunity to prove his will to God and, for once, to win against Him.
The next morning Duo took Heero out with him on a motorcycle. They left for a barren battlefield as God had ordered, driving very fast. They traveled all day and slept at safe houses each night. They moved as fast as only an expert on speed and stealth and his son can move. On the third day of driving Duo saw their destination in the distance. They stopped the motorcycle and got off to begin walking to the place Duo had seen.
Duo made Heero carry heavy chains made of a rare metal alloy called Gundanium, and he himself carried his scythe. As they walked along together, Heero said, "Father."
Duo answered, "Yes, my son?"
Heero asked, "You have chains and your scythe - where is the life for you to sacrifice?"
Duo answered, "God himself will provide it." And the two of them walked on together.
They came to the middle of the barren field where they were surrounded by bullet shells and forgotten corpses. Duo took his son by surprise and tied him up. He wrapped the chains around Heero's arms twice because Heero was so strong he could bend steel. He then picked up his scythe and held it by his son's neck. Duo prepared to sever Heero's life bond. The blade glowed and the scythe-shaped scar on Heero's chest began to blaze through his clothing.
But an angel of the Lord called down from heaven, "Duo! Duo!"
He answered, "Yeah?"
An angel with flaxen hair and aqua eyes came down from the heavens. "Don't hurt the boy or do anything to him," he said. "God now knows you honor and obey Him, because you have not kept your only son from him."
A second angel descended from the heavens. He was slim and had long pale hair that fluttered in the dry breezes. He said, "Do not sacrifice your own son. Kill someone more brute than human - its life has no value and no consequence."
Duo looked around and saw no men or beasts. He then looked to his son and on Heero's face he saw his opportunity to gain a victory over God. He said to the angels, "My son Heero is more brute than man and should be sacrificed to God." He then gave his reasoning with a grin. "My son is as mindless as any animal: he obeys the orders he is given without questioning them; he does not think like a human. My son speaks like an animal: he rarely uses full sentences; he is more likely to respond with a grunt than a phrase. My son dresses like an animal: he has no pride in his appearance; his hair is unbrushed and unruly. My son has the mind of an animal: he known only simple moral debts; he kills without a second thought; he relies on instinct."
Duo lifted his scythe from where he had rested it on his shoulder. Again the scythe and scar shined green light. He held the blade near Heero's neck. "My son Heero Yuy is more brute than man, more an animal than you, Quatre, you, Milliardo, or me, Duo." He quickly sliced across Heero's throat, severing his life bond and slashing the esophagus and trachea. Heero died as his father and the two angels watched. Never once did he make any noise. Heero's blood dripped from his corpse and stained the ground. The body began to fall and Duo caught it and laid it on the ground.
The Lord God then appeared, again in the form of Treize Khushrenada. He was not pleased by Duo's clear defiance but could find no way to fault him. Duo had done exactly as He had been ordered - he had not held back his only son, he had provided a sacrifice to the Lord. Although the Lord knew these actions were done with malicious intent, there was nothing He could do about it. He was forced to bless Duo. He said, "I make a vow by my own name that I will richly bless you. Because you did his and did not keep back your only son from me, I promise you your power will never be limited. I also give you a blade called Deathscythe Hell." Duo's scythe began to glow again, brighter and brighter still, and the blade split to become a double blade. "It is faster, sharper, and more powerful. You will also be a god to man - they will pray to you and some will worship you. All this is because you obeyed my command."
Duo then went back to his motorcycle and he rode home, leaving his son's body on the field with the horrified angels and the incarnated Lord. He regretted murdering his son but he knew he had finally won against God by doing what He did not want, did not expect, and could not punish. Duo Maxwell - Shinigami - had battled God and had emerged the victor: Death prevailed. Through his tears, he was happy. Duo smiled as he cried.
Begun June 12, 2001
Completed September 7, 2001
Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing. I hope this is rather obvious. I do not own the Bible or God. I hope this is likewise obvious. I am using both without permission. I am making no profit of any form.
Warnings and notes: This piece is based of the story of Abraham in the Bible. There are many changes to the story that may be found offensive. This piece does not take place in the Gundam Wing universe or timeline. It contains angst, yaoi pairings, het pairings, incest, reference to sexual acts, the act and description of violence and death, and generally dark subjects. You have been warned.This piece was written partially for the Terror Unknown contest run by Vegeta'slovergirl. I appreciate reviews (left here or at swiftskyes@hotmail.com), be they critiques or a general good/bad word. Enjoy.
As they walked along together, Isaac said, "Father!"
He answered, "Yes, my son?"
Isaac asked, "I see that you have the coals and the wood, but where is the lamb for the sacrifice?"
Abraham answered, "God himself will provide one." And the two of them walked on together.
Genesis 22:6-8
--1--
When Duo Maxwell was sixteen years old, the Lord appeared to him. Duo Maxwell was a young boy, slim and short with long chestnut hair that he wore in a braid. He was married to a girl who loved him. Her name was Hilde. He loved her with the love of a brother. Duo had a very sorrowful past: he was parentless and ran the streets before being adopted by the Maxwell Church. When very young he became part of a rebellion against tyranny and he learned to be an expert assassin. God chose him because he was a talented killer, one who had murdered as many as his braid was long, and his specialty was stealth.
God came in human form, in the body of a man who wore a military uniform and had his hair slicked back. His man's name was Treize Khushrenada. The man who's body He had taken was a military leader, one so intelligent, cunning, and resourceful that he was nearly as powerful as a god. God said, in a soft, intelligent voice, "I am the Almighty God. I know all and I control all. Obey me and always do as I command. I will make a covenant with you and give you the power to affect all life."
Duo bowed down respectfully and when Treize could not see his eyes twinkled. Duo was very sly and careful although it did not often appear to be so - he was playful and loud despite his past. Many people loved him because of his attitude; some were irritated by it.
Treize continued, "I will make this covenant with you: I promise that you will affect all human life. From now on you will have two names: you will be called Duo Maxwell, as you are now, but also Shinigami, because I am making you the God of Death. I will give you the power to affect the lives of all of mankind. You will be the God of Death and you will touch each human in turn when his or her time comes. I will also give you a son."
Duo asked, "But why do I need a son if I'm gonna be Shinigami?"
Treize ignored Duo's vocal challenge of His authority. He said, "Your wife Hilde will bear you a son and you will name him Heero Yuy."
"Why should I give him a surname different from mine?" Duo asked.
Treize ignored Duo's comment and continued, "I will keep my covenant with you forever. I will also keep my promise to Heero, who will be born to Hilde this time next year." When the Lord God finished speaking to Duo, he left him. In many ways Duo felt abandoned and used by God, but he was consoled by the fact that he was now a god as well. He accepted his new position as Shinigami.
In this way Duo Maxwell became the God of Death. He carried in his duties another gift from God, a weapon named Deathscythe. It was a scythe with a blade that glowed green. He used this scythe to sever the life bonds, the lines that connect soul and body, of the humans he killed. This ended life, leaving the body to rot on Earth and sending the soul to be judged by God. Duo followed the Lord God and ended lives as God commanded, although he was not pleased with his forced obedience. God kept his covenant with Duo.
--2--
Something very important happened when Duo had been Shinigami for only a short time. The Lord, again as Treize Khushrenada, said to him, "There are many unjust people who fight by unjust means in this world. It angers me and I will not allow it. I will teach mankind a hard lesson by punishing the innocent for the sins of the guilty. As the God of Death you will implement this by destroying a group of good people so that humanity will then recognize that they are disobeying my laws, the Laws of Humanity. The good people you are to kill will be those living in a place called Maxwell Church."
Duo knew and loved the Maxwell Church for it had been his home as a child. He approached the Lord and said, "Come /on/, Lord. Are you really going to destroy the innocent to teach the guilty? What if the guilty don't learn from your lesson? You would kill the innocent for no reason. That's impossible, you can't do that. If you did, the innocent would suffer unjustly and the judge of all the earth has to act justly. Look: if I can prove none of the guilty will learn from this, would you spare Maxwell Church?"
The Lord answered, "If you can prove none of the guilty will learn from this, I will spare Maxwell Church."
Duo spoke again: "Forgive my boldness in continuing to speak to you, Lord, 'kay?" And then he laughed and finally continued, "I've got no right to say anything. But perhaps there will be one person who learns from your lesson. Will you destroy the whole church because just one learns?"
The Lord answered, "I will not destroy Maxwell Church if you can prove there is only one who learns."
Duo spoke again: "Perhaps there'll be two who learn."
He replied, "I will not destroy it if you can prove only two will learn."
Duo said, "Don't be angry, Lord, but I gotta speak again. What if there're three?"
He said, "I will not do it if there are three."
Duo said, " 'Scuse my boldness, Lord. Suppose four are found?"
Treize sighed and pushed back his loose bangs with a hand. He said, "I will not destroy the church if four are found."
Duo said, because he saw God was becoming exasperated, "Please don't be angry, Lord, and I'll speak just one more time. What if five are found?"
He said, "I will not destroy it if there are five." After He had finished speaking with Duo the Lord went away and Duo returned home believing he had cheated God. Duo Maxwell was a very swift thinker.
That evening Duo left to prove to God no one would learn from the destruction of Maxwell Church. Only minutes into his journey, while still near his home on the colony L2, he met a man who called himself Professor G. This man was very intelligent but also very mad.
He said to Duo, "Please, let me aid you. I will help you search for those who will learn from God's lesson and it will be faster. In the morning, if we find less that six, you may leave early and be done with it."
But Duo answered, "No, I'll search on my own." He said this because he did not trust the scientist's nature. Professor G was an inventor of stealth technology and understood Duo and his craft although they had never met. The scientist was also a fanatic, and this was evident to Duo in his eyes.
Professor G continued to urge Duo to accept his help and finally Duo relented and allowed him to come.
Together Duo and the scientist searched the souls of all the evil people in the Earth Sphere Alliance, OZ, the Romefeller Syndicate, and even the Specials.
Within the Earth Sphere Alliance they found many people who would learn from God's lesson. It was written in their hearts that these people were good men who believed in peace and would be horrified by the suffering and death of the innocent. However, most of these men were soon to be visited by Shinigami when their own colleagues would turn on them. Duo did not count these. In all, they found two in the Earth Sphere Alliance.
Within OZ they found only one, a man named Zechs Merquise. He was a talented pilot and accomplished soldier. His heart was divided, and part of him did love the innocents weaker than him and wished to protect them and allow them to live so that they may learn to become strong.
Within Romefeller they found only one. She was a woman, a Colonel who contained true goodness concealed so well even she did not know it existed and when it appeared it came in the form of a second personality as a Lady. Her name was Une.
Within the Specials they found only one, a good soldier and teacher who followed what she believed was right and had been deceived into following Romefeller and OZ as well as teaching the Specials. Her name was Lucrezia Noin.
At this point there were five who would learn from God's lesson and Duo smiled, believing Maxwell Church would not be destroyed. He set out for home, still with Professor G, thankful that those of the church would continue to live. God, he believed, had been proved wrong. However, while returning home he encountered a girl. She reminded him of his wife Hilde and how she had been when they had first met. In her heart she had love and goodness but she wore the uniform of an OZ solider. This was how Duo found the sixth person who would learn from God's lesson.
Professor G then turned to Duo and said, "You must now destroy Maxwell Church. The Lord has decided to teach the guilty a lesson and you have been chosen to carry it out." He took Duo to the church and promised to provide aid in the destruction, although Duo did not want it.
Duo stepped onto the grounds of Maxwell Church. There he saw Father Maxwell and Sister Helen, people who he loved very much because they had been the ones to raise him. He took them by their hands and led them out of the church. Then he said, "I'm going to destroy this place so I can teach the guilty a lesson as the Lord has told me to do. I don't want to, but He commanded me and I'm forced to obey God just like you two are. You gotta get out of here! Run for your lives. Don't look back and don't stop. Run away so that you won't be killed."
The Father and Nun looked at Duo and tears welled up in his eyes. He whispered to himself, "Boys don't cry." He then said to the people that had once been his guardians, "Hurry! Run! I can't do anything until you get away from here and I need to do what God's told me to."
Father Maxwell and Sister Helen nodded, realizing that Duo was trying to save them from the dark fate that the Lord God had decreed. They ran from the church, heavy-hearted because they were leaving behind the other nuns and the orphans and they could not save or warn them.
It was midday when Duo began the destruction of Maxwell Church. Bullets rained from the sky and explosions were detonated. Soldiers appeared, slaughtering many with their weapons of war. Shinigami acted through it all, dressed in long black robes made darker with bloodstains. Deathscythe glowed in the cloudy dun created by flame and fired artillery. The orphans and nuns were killed when Shinigami severed their life bonds with his scythe. The church was destroyed, along with all statues and stained glass and beautiful carvings.
When they heard the sounds of destruction Father Maxwell and Sister Helen paused in their escape. They looked back and where horrified by what they saw. Disregarding what Duo had said they tried to come back and help the Sisters and orphans. When they reentered the church grounds they were attacked. Both were killed by bullets. Shinigami was forced to sever their life bonds because their time had come and it was his responsibility to take life.
When it ended that evening Duo hurried up high to stand in the presence of the Lord. He looked down at the ruins of Maxwell Church. He saw the smoke rising from the land, like smoke from the filthy flames of hell. He saw the bodies of Father Maxwell and Sister Helen. He saw the dead children. He saw the rubble that had once been the church. He saw the burning wooden pews surrounded by shards of glass.
God had destroyed Maxwell Church for two reasons. As He had told Duo, He did it to teach the guilty a lesson. He also kept His servant Duo's cunning and temper in mind. He proved to Duo His power by proving that He could not be evaded or deceived and that to Him life was a brief trifle. To assure that Duo learned He had Duo carry out the deed with his own hands.
Looking down on what his power had created, Duo Maxwell began to cry.
--3--
The Lord blessed Hilde, as He had promised, and she became pregnant and bore a son to Duo. The boy was born at the time God had said he would be born and Duo named him Heero Yuy. Heero was a quiet, scowling baby. He never cried and he made very little noise. When Heero was young, Duo baptized him in blood.
The child grew. His parents recognized the talent he held within and gave him teachers. As a young child, the teacher was Odin Lowe. As a teenager, the teacher was Doctor J. Heero was taught a great deal by the two men. Heero became very skilled in the arts of sabotage, theft, and hacking. He learned to use machines, weaponry, and explosives. He was taught to shoot and to pilot military vehicles. He was trained to resist pain and to kill. He became very fast and very strong. On the day he murdered his first victim, Duo held a great party. Heero Yuy was known as the Perfect Soldier because of his skill in murder and his perfection in terrorism. Heero traveled often, carrying out assassinations and tracking those who opposed his father. When it was possible he lived with his family on the Space Colony L2.
As time passed the relationship between Duo Maxwell and his son Heero Yuy grew and evolved. Duo loved his son and was impressed by him. Although Duo was the God of Death, Heero was the greater expert in murder, politics, and technology even without the aid of God's blessing. When Heero turned sixteen his father made him a lover as well as a son, barring his wife from his bed for the night and taking Heero with him instead. Duo first marked Heero as forever his: using Deathscythe, he cut an image of a scythe across Heero's chest, and then healed the wound using his powers. A scar formed, permanently tying Heero's body to his father. He then bedded Heero, giving their love physical expression. From then on Duo took Heero to his bed often and a new relationship formed alongside their familial one. Heero and Duo loved each other very much. The family lived on together - Shinigami, his son, and his wife.
There came a time when Duo called his servant, Howard, to him. He said to this man, his oldest servant who was in charge of all that he had, "I want you to promise me something, in the name of death and life. You'll find a wife for my son so that he can have a stable family like mine and my blood will be passed on. But don't choose a wife for my son from the people here. Go to Earth and get a wife for my son Heero from the people there."
Howard asked, "What if the young woman won't leave home to come with me back here? Should I send your son to Earth?"
Duo answered, "No way are you sending my son there! He's gone too often already. You know that God assured me power, right? He'll make sure that the girl comes back with you. Under /no/ circumstances are you taking my son away from me."
The servant Howard did as his master had asked. He left space and went to the earth, to a city that had been devastated by war. This place was a kingdom called Sank. When he arrived he prayed, "Lord, God of my master Shinigami, give me success today and keep your promise to my master. I'm here in a place destroyed by battle where the inhabitants are scarred and angry. If one comes to me who's still kind and strong, she'll be the one that you've chosen for your servant Heero. If this happens, I'll know that you've kept your promise to my master."
When he finished praying, a girl approached. Her name was Relena Peacecraft and she was the heir to the Peacecraft name, the royalty of the Sank kingdom, and the adopted daughter of the deceased Vice Foreign Minister Dorlin. She was a very beautiful young woman with long blond hair and clear blue eyes. Although she had seen war she was still strong and still kind. After talking with her for some time, Howard gave her beautiful dresses fit for the Queen of the Earth. He said, "Please come back with me to marry the son of my master, Shinigami. His name is Heero Yuy. Do you want to come with me?"
"Yes," she answered. Recently, due to events that occurred at the time of her adopted father's death, she had learned of the God of Death and his family. She believed Heero to be very strong and pure in spirit. Relena was a very basic person with a very simple mind. She fell in love with Heero at the first mention of his name. She agreed to leave with Howard.
When Howard and Relena returned to Duo's home of L2, Howard told Heero everything that had occurred. Heero looked at Relena. In her he saw a proud, good person with faults that were only human. He also saw her simple mind and knew she would never be able to protect herself. He knew that she loved him.
Heero chose to protect her and make her happy. She comforted him for all that he was missing in his life. Relena became his wife.
Duo was pleased. He could still have his son, because Heero was not truly in love with Relena, but Heero's future was also provided for. He welcomed Relena into his home with a smile.
--4--
Some time later, when Heero was eighteen years old, God tested Duo. He summoned him, "Duo."
Duo answered, "Yeah, I'm here."
"Take your son," God directed, "your only son, whom you love so much. Go to a barren battlefield. There, offer him as a sacrifice to me."
This made Duo very angry. Duo knew he had no choice but to obey God, but he was disgruntled and reluctant. He loved his son a great deal. Duo did, however, sense an opportunity to prove his will to God and, for once, to win against Him.
The next morning Duo took Heero out with him on a motorcycle. They left for a barren battlefield as God had ordered, driving very fast. They traveled all day and slept at safe houses each night. They moved as fast as only an expert on speed and stealth and his son can move. On the third day of driving Duo saw their destination in the distance. They stopped the motorcycle and got off to begin walking to the place Duo had seen.
Duo made Heero carry heavy chains made of a rare metal alloy called Gundanium, and he himself carried his scythe. As they walked along together, Heero said, "Father."
Duo answered, "Yes, my son?"
Heero asked, "You have chains and your scythe - where is the life for you to sacrifice?"
Duo answered, "God himself will provide it." And the two of them walked on together.
They came to the middle of the barren field where they were surrounded by bullet shells and forgotten corpses. Duo took his son by surprise and tied him up. He wrapped the chains around Heero's arms twice because Heero was so strong he could bend steel. He then picked up his scythe and held it by his son's neck. Duo prepared to sever Heero's life bond. The blade glowed and the scythe-shaped scar on Heero's chest began to blaze through his clothing.
But an angel of the Lord called down from heaven, "Duo! Duo!"
He answered, "Yeah?"
An angel with flaxen hair and aqua eyes came down from the heavens. "Don't hurt the boy or do anything to him," he said. "God now knows you honor and obey Him, because you have not kept your only son from him."
A second angel descended from the heavens. He was slim and had long pale hair that fluttered in the dry breezes. He said, "Do not sacrifice your own son. Kill someone more brute than human - its life has no value and no consequence."
Duo looked around and saw no men or beasts. He then looked to his son and on Heero's face he saw his opportunity to gain a victory over God. He said to the angels, "My son Heero is more brute than man and should be sacrificed to God." He then gave his reasoning with a grin. "My son is as mindless as any animal: he obeys the orders he is given without questioning them; he does not think like a human. My son speaks like an animal: he rarely uses full sentences; he is more likely to respond with a grunt than a phrase. My son dresses like an animal: he has no pride in his appearance; his hair is unbrushed and unruly. My son has the mind of an animal: he known only simple moral debts; he kills without a second thought; he relies on instinct."
Duo lifted his scythe from where he had rested it on his shoulder. Again the scythe and scar shined green light. He held the blade near Heero's neck. "My son Heero Yuy is more brute than man, more an animal than you, Quatre, you, Milliardo, or me, Duo." He quickly sliced across Heero's throat, severing his life bond and slashing the esophagus and trachea. Heero died as his father and the two angels watched. Never once did he make any noise. Heero's blood dripped from his corpse and stained the ground. The body began to fall and Duo caught it and laid it on the ground.
The Lord God then appeared, again in the form of Treize Khushrenada. He was not pleased by Duo's clear defiance but could find no way to fault him. Duo had done exactly as He had been ordered - he had not held back his only son, he had provided a sacrifice to the Lord. Although the Lord knew these actions were done with malicious intent, there was nothing He could do about it. He was forced to bless Duo. He said, "I make a vow by my own name that I will richly bless you. Because you did his and did not keep back your only son from me, I promise you your power will never be limited. I also give you a blade called Deathscythe Hell." Duo's scythe began to glow again, brighter and brighter still, and the blade split to become a double blade. "It is faster, sharper, and more powerful. You will also be a god to man - they will pray to you and some will worship you. All this is because you obeyed my command."
Duo then went back to his motorcycle and he rode home, leaving his son's body on the field with the horrified angels and the incarnated Lord. He regretted murdering his son but he knew he had finally won against God by doing what He did not want, did not expect, and could not punish. Duo Maxwell - Shinigami - had battled God and had emerged the victor: Death prevailed. Through his tears, he was happy. Duo smiled as he cried.