TITLE: The Blood of Dragons 2 / ?
AUTHOR: Hana-chan gohana_chan@gundamwing.net
CATEGORY: AU, fantasy, angst, yaoi, occasional lemon
PAIRINGS: 5xM, 1x2, 3x4, 6+5
RATINGS: Varies. PG-13 for this chapter.
WARNINGS: Some violence.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Gundam Wing, or any of the characters from that show. This is for fun, not profit so don't sue me. Any characters that are not from Gundam Wing belong to me.
FEEDBACK: PLEASE! Any and all comments are welcome - I won't get tired of reading them, honest. It helps me to finish my fics if you tell me what you think.

~emphasis~ :: telepathy :: +++ scene change

The Blood of Dragons
Chapter 2


Something was wrong. His nose took in the scent of pine-sap and needles, as well as that of damp soil. These however, were familiar. Opening his eyes, he blinked at the rotting tree trunk that lay horizontally above him. That was unexpected, but there was nothing inherently wrong about it. Turning his head to the right he saw the sleeping form of a human male with a long chestnut braid clutched tightly in his fists.

That was very unexpected, but it wasn't the source of the wrongness he felt. :: Mei? :: he called out mentally.

He frowned when he didn't get a response, blinking to clear the muzziness from his mind. :: Meiran? Where are you, love? ::

The silence in his mind was almost deafening. There had always been voices for as long as he could remember.

Now there were none.

:: MEIRAN, :: he called out frantically as the fog lifted from his mind and he became aware of the echoing emptiness in his soul. It burned him like acid, eating away at everything that he was.

"MEIIIIIIRAAAAAAAAAAAAN." The anguished shout echoed through the forest causing the sleeping man to wake with a start. The human-shaped dragon barely registered the other presence however as he curled into a ball, high-pitched keen of sheer agony escaping his lips. The overwhelming sense of loneliness, of incompleteness filled him and his soul ached to rejoin his mate. He began focusing his will inward to achieve just that.

Then the images came. Vivid, horrifying visions of children burned to death as they'd huddled together. His clan members lying broken, bleeding everywhere in the village. The elder and hatchlings lifeless husks, stripped of scales and talons. The stripped and violated corpse of his mate.

Screaming in rage, pain, and frustrated confusion, the dragon found his death trance stopped. Conflicting impulses tore through his mind and soul as his duty to his clan battled with the soulbond to his mate. He wanted to die, yet his clan needed to be avenged. He couldn't live with only half his soul, but the members of his clan might be forever trapped on the Spirit Plane if he didn't avenge them.

A stinging slap to his face jarred him back to reality and he glared despairingly at the human who sat before him. He wanted to ignore the human, or kill him, but something in the man's hand caught his eye.

A Memory Crystal.

"What?" he asked, mind still sluggish.

"Your clan's Crystal," the human said holding it out to him. "I recorded my memories of what I found at the village and hatchery. I'd planned on taking them to the closest clan, but I'll abide by your decision."

The dragon stared dumbly at the Crystal, not truly comprehending what the man with the braid was saying. He wasn't even sure why he was still alive - nothing should have disrupted his death trance. Blinking owlishly thought for a moment then realized what had just been said.

"~You~ recorded the memories of my clan?" he said incredulously. "How could a ~human~ know what the Crystals are for, let alone have the ability to use one?"

The man winced and took a deep breath. "I was raised in a Dragon village," he said. "I am, was, a member of the Maxwellan Clan." He closed his eyes and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "I'm also a mage gifted with the ability to use Dragon Crystals."

The dragon blinked, astonished by the revelation. He admittedly knew little of humans other than what it took to disguise himself as one, but to his knowledge none had ~ever~ been able to use Dragon Crystals before. That this human not only possessed the ability, but that he'd also been adopted by a clan was almost beyond comprehension. It was as unthinkable as surviving the death of one's mate.

"Is that how you interrupted my death trance?" he asked caught between despondency, curiosity, and rage.

"I what?" the man exclaimed. "That's impossible! Nothing stops a death trance." A fleeting glimpse of pain then rage was seen in his eyes before his expression went neutral.

Not answering, the dragon simply stared at the mage. He himself didn't understand what had happened.

"You're mate. . . I'm sorry." The man with the chestnut braid truly did look upset. "I know it's no consolation, but I used Dragon Fire on the. . . remains. I did the same for my own clan, and for a couple of others as well."

The dragon closed his eyes in pain. That his clan's customs had been followed was indeed a small consolation. The loss of everyone - his mate, his friends and family, the children was more than he wanted to bear. The children.

His son.

"Yuming," he said breathlessly. "The hatchery - was. . . was my son there? He'd been in human form when the village was attacked. He. . . he looks like a small version of me except that his hair and eyes keep shifting colour."

The man looked devastated and shook his head. "There weren't any human shaped bodies in the hatchery - just an elder dragon and. . . and dragonets," his voice broke as he said the last. Pain and rage once again flashed across his features. "There weren't even any eggs."

Head snapping up, the dragon stared in shock. "But where are they? There were three eggs, and three of the younglings had achieved the change. Where are they?"

The pained expression on the human's face was replaced by cold rage and an almost draconic growl could be heard. "Shehrevar," he snarled leaping to his feet to pace. "That bastard! It has to be him - I should have realized that twisted freak was behind this." The man stopped abruptly. "Can you travel to the Spirit Plane?" he asked.

Confused by everything that had happened to him so far, the dragon nodded, not entirely certain where this was going. "I. . . yes I can," he said uncertainty tainting his voice. "If I go, I likely won't return," he continued quietly.

Braid clutched in his hands, the man nodded. "I figured as much. You might be able to confirm this though. If you don't return, I'll honour your remains and avenge your clan. If I can find your son alive I'll also make sure he's well cared for."

The dragon nodded. He was beginning to see where the human was going with this line of thought. The spirits of the dead were often privy to information unavailable to mortals. The Spirit Wolves were also sources of knowledge to those who knew where to find them.

"Is there someone you wish me to speak with?" he asked feeling more at ease knowing he would be with his mate shortly.

A vulnerable look crossed the man's face. "Helen," he said softly. "Helen of the Maxwellan clan. Tell her that her Duo is still trying to make her proud."

"I will. . . Duo," the dragon replied in an equally quiet voice. "I. . . I am Wufei. Thank you for what you've done."

Duo nodded. "No need for thanks. Go, go talk to your mate - see what else can be done. I'll guard your body in case you decide to return"

Wufei nodded and lay back trying to get comfortable. He hadn't gone to the Spirit Plane very often in the past simply because he had had very little reason to. Now he wanted to find out if his son lived, as well as finding out if this Shehrevar was responsible for the slaughter of everyone he held dear. He knew that he wouldn't return to living world except to inform Duo of his discoveries - the soul deep emptiness and the pull towards death were simply too powerful.

Closing his eyes, he found his center and focused on pooling his magic. He felt the power build and he redirected it. There was a sudden sensation of falling away from his body and when he opened his eyes the forest and Duo were gone. He stood instead on a featureless plain of grey with a swirling monochrome sky - or what passed for a sky for there was really no form to the Spirit Plane - it changed and conformed to the minds of those inside it.

Examining himself, Wufei was unsurprised to find himself in his dragon form, though instead of his usual vivid jade scales and rusty hair, his colouring was muted with grey so that almost matched the surroundings. That too was hardly surprising, as he knew that his soul had been rent in two.

Knowing that time and distance had little meaning here, he reached out with his mind and soul, trying to connect with his mate. It was difficult, for some unknown force was hindering him, but he managed to connect with her - after all, she was the other half of his soul so they ~couldn't~ really be separated. Once he'd located her spirit, Wufei let their soulbond pull him to her side.

What he found shocked him to the core.

Where the landscape had been featureless before there was a huge energy sink that swirled chaotically with every imaginable colour. The energy itself didn't surprise him - energy pools weren't unusual here in and of themselves. What shocked him was what the energy was made up of.

Souls.

Hundreds of souls from those of human mages to those of Dragons and Spirit Wolves were trapped inside the swirl of energy - were the source of the energy. Including the soul of his mate and clan.

Gasping in wide-eyed horror he backed away, fighting the pull as it tried to draw him in. He had no idea who or what could have the ability to trap souls in such a manner, nor why anyone would want to. When he was far enough back so that the pull wasn't as strong he sat down, tail tip flicking back and forth as he tried to figure out what to do.

:: Meiran? :: he called out mentally. :: Are you there, love? ::

:: Wufei? :: was the faint response. :: Have they taken you as well? ::

:: No, love, :: he assured her quickly. :: I still live, though I don't understand why. I'm on a Spirit Walk. ::

:: Thank the gods, :: she exclaimed. :: You must go back before he returns - you must stop his madness before he destroys us all. ::

:: Go back? How can I live without my soul? ::

:: I don't have an answer, but I know you have the strength. There's a reason you survived, I'm sure of it, :: Meiran said firmly. :: I know how you hate fighting, but you must stop Shehrevar. He is responsible for this, and he has some sort of plan to bring the energy from this plane to our own. . . ::

:: How is that possible? No Crystal is powerful enough to hold even the strength from one soul - how can he hope to manipulate this level of energy? :: questioned Wufei with growing dispair. :: And what of the Dark Spirits? ::

:: I don't know, love, but that is why he's trapping as many magic-touched souls here as he can. As for the Dark Spirits, I think he has made a pact with them. ::

Shaking his head in denial, he tried to think of another explanation - a reason that allowed him to stay behind with his mate as his soul longed for him to do.

:: He has our son, Wufei, :: Meiran said flatly. :: Shehrevar has our son. ::

Pain and frustration tore at Wufei's heart. He wanted to stay with his mate, yet he couldn't bear the thought of his son in the hands of the monster who could slaughter innocents and trap their souls for his own gains. There was also honour to consider.

:: You won't be alone love, :: she said quietly. :: I don't know why I know this, but you won't be alone. :: There was a pause then Meiran spoke again. :: He's coming back - you must go. Trust Duo - he'll help you. Tell him that Helen ~is~ proud of him and misses him greatly. I love you. ::

:: I . . . Meiran, I love you too. ::

Sensing the fear from his mate, Wufei sent himself back to the spot he'd started at. He wasn't sure how he was going to survive without Meiran, but simply touching her mind again had dulled some of the pain. He didn't think he'd ever feel whole again, but he might be able to force himself to live long enough to stop the threat of this Shehrevar and save both his son and mate.

Resigning himself to living without his soulmate, the dragon began preparing to send himself back to his body. A defiant shout however, startled him from his task. Focusing for a moment, he sent himself to the location, taking care to arrive in the air where he was less likely to be spotted.

What he found was surprising.

Below him was a human, hunched over on the ground and surrounded by Dark Spirits. Few humans were capable of journeying to the Spirit Plain, and those that did chose a form other than their own because the human form was simply too vulnerable for the forces that filled this realm. That meant that this human must be ignorant, foolhardy, or here by accident. This one wasn't in very good condition.

Wufei didn't want to interfere, but he also didn't want this human to die, if only because its soul would most likely be drawn into the energy sink with his mate and clan adding to the power held by this Shehrevar.

Folding his wings back, Wufei dove at the Dark Spirits and hitting several with his outstretched claws. They shrieked, forms wavering and vanishing as he took to the sky again. He couldn't actually kill them - they existed only on this Plane after all and therefore had nowhere else to go, but he could weaken them enough that they lost their physical form. He swooped down on them again, keeping the attention of most of the creatures on him, but some were still after the human. Wufei wondered why it didn't run away like any sensible being would. As more Dark Spirits appeared however, Wufei began to wonder if he wouldn't lose the human after all, for he doubted that he'd be able to keep attacking as he was for much longer.

He thought about leaving the human, he didn't want to, but he was getting tired and he'd promised his mate that he'd try and stop Shehrevar - a task he couldn't do if he was dead. He was saved from making a choice however, as the faint sound of howling filled the air.

Circling above the human, Wufei peered into the distance, or what passed for distance, trying to spot the source of the eerie sound. It didn't take him long to find the Spirit Wolves. They converged on the Spirits surrounding the crouched human and began tearing into their ranks. Like the Dark Sprits, the Spirit Wolves were native to this plane, but they hadn't been twisted by the evils that also dwelled here. Wufei renewed his attack, and it wasn't long before the Dark Spirits decided that retreat was better than fighting both a dragon and a Pack, and vanished.

Nodding in satisfaction, the dragon scanned the area for any more enemies and was preparing to leave when the low sound of growling caught his attention. Looking down in surprise he found that the pack had surrounded the injured human who hadn't changed position. Not sure what was going on, Wufei hesitated for a moment before dropping lightly to the ground with the human hidden carefully between his forelegs, wings mantled protectively.

:: I'm not certain what is happening here, :: he projected to all present. :: But I didn't go through the trouble to save this human soul from the energy sink just to have you destroy it yourselves. ::

:: This is not your concern, Dragon, :: the pack leader said quietly.

:: Anything connected to the slaughter of my clan ~is~ my concern, and if the death of this human will strengthen my enemy, then I will prevent it. ::

:: Your clan? :: asked the pack leader.

Wufei bowed his head, eyes closed tightly. :: This morning. Aside from the possibility of a handful of eggs, none of which will survive being outside the hatchery this early, there are none but my son and I who survived - and my son is in the hands of this Shehrevar. ::

There was a deep-throated growl to his left, and Wufei swivelled his head to look. The source was the mate of the pack leader, her hackles raised as she snarled again. :: Shehrevar. That one has been taking our people, our cubs. ::

The growl echoed by the pack was loud enough that the dragon barely heard the frightened whimper below him. Lowering his head he looked at the terrified human, a part of him slightly amused that his eye was almost as large as the curled up form of the blond. Wide blue-green eyes stared at him, flinching back slightly. The human didn't move however and a slightly defiant look crept into its expression as it turtled again exposing the bloodless rents in it back.

Blinking in curiosity, Wufei tilted his head a bit for a better look. :: Interesting, :: he said, almost to himself. :: The human is clearly terrified and in pain, yet it does nothing to protect itself. ::

:: This human has the scent of our cub, :: growled the pack leader.

The human jerked its head up, moving as if to see around the dragon's large head. Still curious, he lifted his head, still keeping an eye on the smaller being. The growling Spirit Wolves would now be visible. A soft gasp could be heard and the human pushed itself up from its crouch so that it was sitting back on its heels, hands still on the ground. A happy yip came from under the human and a puppy ran out from the hollow that had been created when the man had crouched down.

:: Mother, Father, :: called the cub, licking his parent's jaws and jumping up at them. :: Quatre saved me, :: he exclaimed. :: The Dark spirits tried to put me in the bad place and Quatre ran away with me and hid me. ::

Wufei blinked in surprise taking a better look at the human as the Spirit Wolves took turns examining the returned cub who appeared to be unharmed. The same could not be said for the human who was now slumped weakly against the ground.

:: Are you all right? :: asked the dragon.

:: Yes, ~are~ you going to be all right? :: asked the pack leader who had approached and was sniffing the injured human.

"I. . . I don't know. Where am I?"

Shaking his head in amazement, Wufei allowed the Spirit Wolf to answer.

:: You are in the Spirit Plane, young human, :: answered the leader as he sat before the weak human. :: Do you remember how you got here? ::

"Our group was attacked and I tried to defend us, but I've never been able to train my abilities so I was caught in a spell I think. ::

:: Ahh, that explains your form then, :: replied the Wolf.

"My form?"

:: Yes. The few humans who are able to come here don't tend to use their own form because it is too weak to last here. ::

:: You saved our son, :: interrupted the leader's mate. :: Why did you do that? ::

A look of shocked disbelief crossed the human's face. "What do you mean why? He was in trouble. I couldn't ~not~ help him - it would be wrong to ignore someone in need. How can you even ask me that?"

The Wolves heard the answer, and Wufei felt them talk silently amongst themselves. Seeming to reach an agreement, the female Wolf touched her mate's throat which began to glow intensely. After a moment the dragon gasped as a round amulet appeared, dropping to the ground.

:: A Spirit Wolf Amulet, :: he said in soft awe. He'd heard about these in his studies, but he had never expected to actually ~see~ one.

:: Take this, young Quatre, :: the female said, pushing it towards him.

"What is it?" asked the blond youth.

:: As the winged one said, it is a Spirit Wolf Amulet," explained the pack leader. :: It will mark you as one of us. ::

"One of you? How? I mean, I'm not a Spirit Wolf."

:: It will allow you to travel freely in the Spirit Plane using our form so that you will be more protected. ::

"I can travel here? I could learn more of my magic and talk to the dead... to my mother?"

:: Yes, it will give you abilities that you do not presently have. I do not know the full extent as it varies with the bearer. I do know that you must beware using it in the physical plane however - I do not know if a human mind can withstand full pack-bond when there. ::

Quatre looked at the amulet where it shone on the ground, hand hovering over it as he obviously debated with himself. "Is there anything else I should know about it?" he asked quietly.

:: The only thing I can think of is that once it is placed around your neck it cannot be removed - you will be a pack member for life. I will also say that there are few of these left in existence, and it is even more rare that we give them away, especially to humans. However, you have a pure heart and I believe you will use it with thought and respect. If you are ever on this plane again, remember that you are a member of Tyrall's pack. ::

"You do me a great honour," the blond said in awe, lifting the amulet on its silver chain. After a moment's hesitation, he slipped the chain around his neck.

Wufei peered over the mage's shoulder at the amulet and saw that the image on the face shifted as if alive. It first appeared to show Tyrall and his pack, then it began to glow in a faint gray-white light. The image suddenly shifted to a smooth surface and finally to that of an adolescent wolf. As the image of the single wolf settled onto the face, the human's form shimmered momentarily then shifted so that where he had knelt there now stood a wolf.

:: I. . . wow. :: the former human said looking down on his new paws.

The dragon snorted in amusement at the obvious sense of awe. He knew that it must be a surprising sensation for to suddenly have such a different form, but it was amusing watching Quatre stand and try to walk - he seemed to have difficulty coordinating his feet and tail.

The cub giggled and bounded over to give his new pack brother lessons while Wufei shook his head and grinned at the pack leader. :: I am sure that you are aware of this already, but my mate warned me to beware the mage Shehrevar - he means to do evil, and will likely be trying to incorporate your pack members into his energy stores. ::

::Thank you, winged one, for the information - we had not known the name of the mage that has been threatening our people. I hope that you are able to find your son as well as personal peace for being left alone - that is one fate I do not envy you for. ::

Wufei closed his eyes feeling an aching emptiness in his soul as he thought of his mate. Taking a deep breath he opened his eyes and regarded the pack leader. :: I must leave now. You will send the human back once he's accustomed to his new form? I have no love of humans now, but this one seems honourable. ::

:: Have no fear, Dragon. He is a member of my pack now - he will be protected, :: was the reply. :: If you are ever on this Plane again and are in need of help, ask for Tyrall, or Tyrall's Pack and we will help as we can. ::

:: Thank you, pack leader Tyrall, :: replied Wufei, dipping his head respectfully. :: Likewise, if you or your pack is in need of help that I can provide any assistance I can. I am called Wufei. ::

With that, Wufei nodded again and settled into a comfortable position, wings folded behind him, tail coiled around his feet. Relaxing, he pictured his living body and prepared to send his spirit back to it. Though he longed to join his mate, to feel whole again and be rid of the searing emptiness, he now had a mission to complete. When this Shehrevar was defeated, his son safe, then, and only then would he be able to join with her again; join her in death.

TBC