I don't own Gundam Wing or Escaflowne. These are my interpretations of their characters. I don't want to make any money. Etc........
"Are you sure he was a Draconian?" Emperor Duo asked for the third time since Trowa had recounted his tale.
Lord Trowa, disliking having to be the center of attention nodded, "I am positive," he assured his comrade, "His wings were unmistakable. Also," he added after a moments reflection, "he had the airs of one of our people."
"Well that changes things quite a bit, doesn't it," Quatre said quietly.
"He's too much of a threat," Emperor Wufei stated boldly, "Trowa told him too much. We should destroy him before all of Gaea knows about us."
Master Quatre shook his head, "I disagree. We should at least give him a chance to join our cause. He sounds like a fair and just man."
"If he is one of our people, he deserves a chance," Duo decided, "Our race must stick together. What do you think, High Lord Heero?"
Heero's face betrayed no sign of emotion. There was a long pause as he considered their options. Finally, he gave his orders, "Emperor Wufei, I want you and Duo to proceed with our original operation. Send our forces to the kingdom of Daedalus. Once in place, attack and conquer the nation in the name of the Dragon Clan. Lord Trowa, you will escort Lord Quatre to Fanelia where you will present our cause before the king. If he attacks you, kill him. We will eliminate any obstacles in our way. If not, stay with him for at least a week. Be insistent. Find out everything you can about him using whatever methods you deem appropriate."
"What about you, High Lord Heero?" Duo asked.
"I will remain in my private chambers. I will be watching you, so do your absolute best because I require nothing less. If I feel it necessary I may join one party or another. Am I understood?"
The inner circle saluted and began to dissipate, each member going off to make his preparations before launch. As Trowa was leaving, Heero stopped him. "Trowa." The other young man turned.
"Sir?" Trowa asked respectfully.
"You left this when you departed," Heero told him, holding out Trowa's precious pendant.
"Be more careful in the future," Heero warned him, "Oh and Trowa," he added as the lesser ranking officer turned to leave, "Your recent work has been sloppy. There was no need to let Van know that others of his kind still existed. Don't fail me again." The unspoken threat was evident despite Heero's lack of emotion.
Trowa saluted again and replied crisply, "It won't happen again, sir."
Hitomi stood in the middle of a battlefield. All around her, thousands of men and Guymelefs were in the middle of an all out war. The ground was so covered in blood, it ran in torrents. Death was everywhere as men dropped to the ground, brutally cut down by their fellow man. The sky was dark, as if Gaea herself condemned the bloodshed taking place.
Hitomi gagged and found herself gasping for air. "No!" she murmured forcefully, her eyes wide, "why is this happening? Why does this always have to happen?!"
Hitomi watched helplessly as a soldier near her charged towards a Guymelef, screaming in meaningless rage. The Guymelef turned and launched several liquid metal spikes, impaling the man. The warrior flew backwards and landed at Hitomi's feet. To her horror, his helmet rolled off and she saw that he was just a young man, almost a boy. Though his eyes were empty and wide and blood was on his lips, the girl from the Mystic Moon saw his face still round with youth.
"Why did he have to die?" Hitomi asked, staring in increased terror at the massacre that was unfolding around her. The yells of rage and the screams of terror and pain seemed to meld together into one cry which filled her senses. Hitomi dropped to her knees, and covered her ears.
"Hitomi?" Van grabbed onto the shoulders of the terror stricken girl, trying desperately to wake her from her nightmare. "You're dreaming. Wake up!"
Hitomi's eyes finally shot open and she found herself lying on her bed, safe at Van's palace. The sheets were covered in sweat and she was trembling uncontrollably. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she remembered the vivid nightmare. "Van," she cried, grasping him in her arms and hugging him close.
"It's all right, Hitomi," Van comforted, allowing her to rest her head against his shoulder. It had been several days since Trowa's disappearance. He had managed to save Merle, Hitomi as well as himself but despite this, there was a growing sense of apprehension about the castle. Van himself was full of questions. What had Trowa meant by his response? Had he meant that there were other Fanelians, brave warriors, or Draconians? Or was it none of the above? Why had he attacked Hitomi? Whose orders was he carrying out? To add to the confusion, there were stories of several strange disappearances somewhere beyond the border of Daedalus. Rumors told of a grand army ready to plunge Gaea into another war. To top it all off, Hitomi had been having intense nightmares every night since she was attacked, leaving both her and Van deprived of sleep as he insisted on being there if she woke up in a frightened state.
Behind Hitomi's back, Van clenched and unclenched his fists in frustration. He hated the waiting, the uncertain future. A battle was fine, he could handle a battle. At least in fight one could face an advisory. In a fight, skill and wits were put to the test. Though he hated killing and needless death, Van could admit to himself that he did love a good skirmish. That was why duels existed, to test ones ability and bravery. But this fear, this unknown. It was hell. Van forced himself to breathe steadily, as not to upset Hitomi. Soon the answers would make themselves known. He had responsibilities and as much as he wished it could be different, he had to stay in Fanelia and wait for the answers to come to him. "It's going to be all right," Van said again and wished he was as certain as he sounded.
Emperor Chang Wufei was in his personal Guymelef, Nataku. Nataku was a great legendary Warrior. She never faltered when it mattered. Neither, Wufei noted with some of pride, did he. Nataku was armed with a deadly staff, made of a powerful alloy that could cut through anything the fighter had ever encountered. It also was equipped with a flame-thrower, liquid metal launcher in its left hand, and a dragon head that could launch forward, crushing man or Guymelef. To his right, Duo was in his pride and joy, the suit Deathscythe.
Deathscythe was black and hand a pair of bat-like wings that allowed it to fly without shifting forms like Nataku or Heavy Arms. It was also armed with the standard liquid metal launcher but the weapon Duo always used with a gigantic scythe. The blade was huge, long enough to cut through the middle of a Guymelef with plenty of room to spare. It did so, frequently. Duo called himself the Shinigami, or lord of death. The name was well earned and Duo had no qualms with proving it at every given opportunity.
The pair hovered, overlooking the huge army waiting below them. Heero's father and his own had been efficient. They had over ten thousand well trained soldiers ready to die for the glory of the Dragon Clan. Almost half their men had Guymelefs as well, adding to the deadliness of their force. Wufei frowned, this battle would be far too easy. The enemy was assuredly weak. There was no glory in the slaughter of those less powerful than you. That was why weak people should not fight.
Wufei hovered closer to Deathscythe to give his orders, "Duo, I want you to fly over this ridge and demand the surrender of Daedalus. I will move our forces forward so that they can be seen from the city. If they refuse our demands, fly straight up in the air so that we can see you. If they do surrender, come back on foot."
Lord Duo responded by shooting forward and flying quickly out of sight. Wufei readied his state of mind for that of a battle. The weak were often foolish and so he suspected that a skirmish would begin in a matter of minutes. It would be a short conflict.
Duo shot over the hill behind which the massive army was positioned. From his position, he could see the city below him. The urban area was surrounded by a large wall with a gate at all four entrances. In the center was a large stone building he assumed was the castle. The young Draconian shot forward, clearing the slope in a matter of seconds. Duo prided Deathscythe on its speed and agility, almost equal to that of High Lord Heero's.
As he got closer, Duo could see the guards on the wall running around in a panic. So they were afraid of him, good. If they were scared enough they might surrender and spare needless bloodshed. Duo felt a feeling of regret at the thought. Though he would like to spare lives, High Lord Heero had said he would be watching. If that were true than this would be a good opportunity to show his prowess.
Like a falcon diving at its prey, Duo dove downwards and with a heavy thud, landed on the roof of the castle. All around him, he could see men running around, gathering weapons. Guymelefs began to stir as the soldiers began to group themselves. Duo noticed one fighter who was dressed slightly differently than the others shouting orders. "That must be an officer," he thought. Deathscythe moved swiftly forward and jumped from the roof to land next to the man of authority.
"I am Emperor Duo Maxwell of the Dragon Clan!" he yelled at the man, "As you can see our army is prepared to take this city. I demand your immediate surrender."
The man looked surprised, as if the very notion of surrendering to this strange Guymelef was ludicrous. Duo frowned. All around him the soldiers of Daedalus were starting to move forward, forming a loose circle about him. Though he was far from afraid, Duo knew this was a bad sign. It looked as though he was in for a fight after all.
Before the officer could answer, a Guymelef larger than the others stepped forward. "I am King of Daedalus."
Duo turned, facing Deathscythe towards this new leader, "I am Emperor Duo Maxwell of the Dragon Clan. We have an army positioned at the top of that ridge," Duo moved Deathscythe's arm to point at the Dragon Clan's forces which could be clearly seen covering the hill, "and am prepared to take this city. However, needless bloodshed can be prevented if you surrender now. If you do so, you have my word that we will spare any bloodshed. You will serve the Dragon Clan and your forces will join our army. Your people will be allowed to continue their current way of life with only a few minor changes. You yourself will be allowed to remain as governor of your province in the Dragon Clan's land. Do you accept these terms?"
The mask of the Guymelef opened and Duo could see the face of the king. His expression was that of fury and contempt. "I will never surrender to you," the king snarled, "Daedalus is an independent kingdom. My family has ruled it justly for many generations. I would never allow it to be controlled by the likes of you, no matter how much you threaten me or my people."
Duo smiled, so he was in for a fight after all. Out loud he said, "I was hoping you'd say that."
Before the opposing infantry could attack, Duo launched Deathscythe straight up into the air. Soon he has high above the castle and well within view of the Wufei and the Dragon Clan's forces.
Wufei caught sight of Deathscythe several minutes after Duo had made his advance. It was flying high in the air, signaling that they should attack. It was time. The first battle of a war that would decide the future of Gaea forever. It was this moment he had been looking forward to ever since his father had sat him on his big knee and told him stories of the glory that the future would bring their clan. The lessons about discipline, hard work, of honor and pride, these would stay with him forever. Now it was finally time for his skills to be put to the test.
The Draconian could feel the blood of his people flowing fiery through his veins. He took a deep breath, "Charge!" It was a yell which turned into a roar as the hundreds of soldiers echoed his sentiment with their own cheers. Nataku soared forward, flying above the heads of the loyal men who would fight for her. The ground itself shook violently as the hill was alive with movement.
Wufei could see Deathscythe, already at work, slicing through anything that got close to it. Nataku sailed over the gate and Wufei was in the courtyard surrounded by enemies. A Melef charged forward from Wufei's right. It raised its sword high... and was promptly crushed by Nataku's Dragon Fist. The young Emperor watched as the armor protecting the pilot crumpled easily under the strength of Nataku. A stream of red poured out of the many cracks.
In front of him, another Guymelef rushed at him, holding a spear forward to impale Wufei. With a cry of meaningless rage, Wufei swung his own staff and easily battered the other's weapon aside. Then, continuing his movement, Wufei brought his own bladed pole up so that the tip was facing the Guymelef. Unable to stop, the charging suit was impaled directly through the center until Wufei's blade was sticking out the other end, coated in blood.
"Nobody ever said war was pretty," Wufei muttered, tossing aside the empty vessel now transfixed on his weapon.
Around him, destruction rained as the Dragon Clan's forces burst through the wall from all sides. Wufei brought his flame thrower forward and began to burn the surrounding buildings, adding to the chaos. "You people are weak!" he screamed, "You should have never have defied those stronger than you!"
As the battle progressed, Wufei was pleased at how easily it was to cut through the enemy forces, and a little disappointed. Finally, the Dragon Clan forces had made it to the castle where the last struggle was taking place.
"Come on!" Wufei yelled to his men, "You are weak! Defeat the enemies!"
"You!" one of the enemy Guymelefs stepped forward and Wufei noted the design was different than the others, "Are you their leader?"
"That's right," Wufei acknowledge, "Who are you?"
"I am King of Daedalus and I challenge you to a duel," the once proud monarch yelled gripping the handle of his large broadsword tightly.
"I accept your challenge," Wufei replied eagerly. Maybe at last he would have a worthy opponent.
The two Guymelefs moved forward, positioning themselves so that they were between the two armies. Deathscythe flew downward and landed on the Dragon Clan's side. Its scythe was coated in blood. "Wufei!" Duo called.
"Stay out of this, Duo!" Wufei yelled fiercely, "This is an honorable duel. You will not interfere!"
"Understood," Duo acknowledged. "One of these days, he's going to get himself killed," Duo thought to himself as he prepared to watch the fight.
With a cry of outrage and loss the former king rushed forward. Wufei met his charge and parried his sideways slash with his staff. The king regained his balance and stabbed forward, his blade once again knocked aside by Nataku's staff. This time it was the emperor's turn to attack and Wufei stabbed viciously with his weapon. The king prevented himself from being transfixed only by falling backward.
With renewed strength that only came from desperation, the king swung his sword fiercely, battering at Wufei with all his might. Each time, the Draconian skillfully managed to parry. Finally, the king backed Wufei into the wall of the castle and lifted the sword over his head. With a last cry of anguish the once magnificent leader swung down with all his might. Wufei managed to bring his staff upwards and held it horizontally, blocking the downward chop. With every muscle in his body straining, Wufei held the position with the staff in between the fangs of his Dragon Fist's mouth and the other side in his good hand. Sweat stung at his eyes as he tried desperately not to falter. Finally, with a cry, he succeeded in holding the position with only one hand and positioned his left hand so that the mouth faced the enemy Guymelef. With a last cry of exertion Wufei brought his left hand to bear and shot the Dragon Fist forward, crashing into the breast of the enemy Guymelef.
The suit went flying backwards, and crashed heavily to the ground in front of Nataku. There was a silence as Wufei lay backwards, panting heavily and waiting for the king to get up and come at him again. But the suit lay still, unmoving. Wufei slowly moved Nataku to her feet, resting heavily against the staff. Seeing this as a signal that the duel was over, Duo yelled a rousing cry to the many soldiers waiting to attack. Inspired by the victory of their leader, the loyal men charged forward at the pitifully outnumbered enemy forces. Wufei watched proudly, blood and sweat trickling down his brow, as his army tore the last remaining opposition to ribbons.
"So this is what the front line is like," Duo thought to himself as a heavy rain began to stream down, mixing with the blood of the dead, "How horrible..."
"Are you sure he was a Draconian?" Emperor Duo asked for the third time since Trowa had recounted his tale.
Lord Trowa, disliking having to be the center of attention nodded, "I am positive," he assured his comrade, "His wings were unmistakable. Also," he added after a moments reflection, "he had the airs of one of our people."
"Well that changes things quite a bit, doesn't it," Quatre said quietly.
"He's too much of a threat," Emperor Wufei stated boldly, "Trowa told him too much. We should destroy him before all of Gaea knows about us."
Master Quatre shook his head, "I disagree. We should at least give him a chance to join our cause. He sounds like a fair and just man."
"If he is one of our people, he deserves a chance," Duo decided, "Our race must stick together. What do you think, High Lord Heero?"
Heero's face betrayed no sign of emotion. There was a long pause as he considered their options. Finally, he gave his orders, "Emperor Wufei, I want you and Duo to proceed with our original operation. Send our forces to the kingdom of Daedalus. Once in place, attack and conquer the nation in the name of the Dragon Clan. Lord Trowa, you will escort Lord Quatre to Fanelia where you will present our cause before the king. If he attacks you, kill him. We will eliminate any obstacles in our way. If not, stay with him for at least a week. Be insistent. Find out everything you can about him using whatever methods you deem appropriate."
"What about you, High Lord Heero?" Duo asked.
"I will remain in my private chambers. I will be watching you, so do your absolute best because I require nothing less. If I feel it necessary I may join one party or another. Am I understood?"
The inner circle saluted and began to dissipate, each member going off to make his preparations before launch. As Trowa was leaving, Heero stopped him. "Trowa." The other young man turned.
"Sir?" Trowa asked respectfully.
"You left this when you departed," Heero told him, holding out Trowa's precious pendant.
"Be more careful in the future," Heero warned him, "Oh and Trowa," he added as the lesser ranking officer turned to leave, "Your recent work has been sloppy. There was no need to let Van know that others of his kind still existed. Don't fail me again." The unspoken threat was evident despite Heero's lack of emotion.
Trowa saluted again and replied crisply, "It won't happen again, sir."
Hitomi stood in the middle of a battlefield. All around her, thousands of men and Guymelefs were in the middle of an all out war. The ground was so covered in blood, it ran in torrents. Death was everywhere as men dropped to the ground, brutally cut down by their fellow man. The sky was dark, as if Gaea herself condemned the bloodshed taking place.
Hitomi gagged and found herself gasping for air. "No!" she murmured forcefully, her eyes wide, "why is this happening? Why does this always have to happen?!"
Hitomi watched helplessly as a soldier near her charged towards a Guymelef, screaming in meaningless rage. The Guymelef turned and launched several liquid metal spikes, impaling the man. The warrior flew backwards and landed at Hitomi's feet. To her horror, his helmet rolled off and she saw that he was just a young man, almost a boy. Though his eyes were empty and wide and blood was on his lips, the girl from the Mystic Moon saw his face still round with youth.
"Why did he have to die?" Hitomi asked, staring in increased terror at the massacre that was unfolding around her. The yells of rage and the screams of terror and pain seemed to meld together into one cry which filled her senses. Hitomi dropped to her knees, and covered her ears.
"Hitomi?" Van grabbed onto the shoulders of the terror stricken girl, trying desperately to wake her from her nightmare. "You're dreaming. Wake up!"
Hitomi's eyes finally shot open and she found herself lying on her bed, safe at Van's palace. The sheets were covered in sweat and she was trembling uncontrollably. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she remembered the vivid nightmare. "Van," she cried, grasping him in her arms and hugging him close.
"It's all right, Hitomi," Van comforted, allowing her to rest her head against his shoulder. It had been several days since Trowa's disappearance. He had managed to save Merle, Hitomi as well as himself but despite this, there was a growing sense of apprehension about the castle. Van himself was full of questions. What had Trowa meant by his response? Had he meant that there were other Fanelians, brave warriors, or Draconians? Or was it none of the above? Why had he attacked Hitomi? Whose orders was he carrying out? To add to the confusion, there were stories of several strange disappearances somewhere beyond the border of Daedalus. Rumors told of a grand army ready to plunge Gaea into another war. To top it all off, Hitomi had been having intense nightmares every night since she was attacked, leaving both her and Van deprived of sleep as he insisted on being there if she woke up in a frightened state.
Behind Hitomi's back, Van clenched and unclenched his fists in frustration. He hated the waiting, the uncertain future. A battle was fine, he could handle a battle. At least in fight one could face an advisory. In a fight, skill and wits were put to the test. Though he hated killing and needless death, Van could admit to himself that he did love a good skirmish. That was why duels existed, to test ones ability and bravery. But this fear, this unknown. It was hell. Van forced himself to breathe steadily, as not to upset Hitomi. Soon the answers would make themselves known. He had responsibilities and as much as he wished it could be different, he had to stay in Fanelia and wait for the answers to come to him. "It's going to be all right," Van said again and wished he was as certain as he sounded.
Emperor Chang Wufei was in his personal Guymelef, Nataku. Nataku was a great legendary Warrior. She never faltered when it mattered. Neither, Wufei noted with some of pride, did he. Nataku was armed with a deadly staff, made of a powerful alloy that could cut through anything the fighter had ever encountered. It also was equipped with a flame-thrower, liquid metal launcher in its left hand, and a dragon head that could launch forward, crushing man or Guymelef. To his right, Duo was in his pride and joy, the suit Deathscythe.
Deathscythe was black and hand a pair of bat-like wings that allowed it to fly without shifting forms like Nataku or Heavy Arms. It was also armed with the standard liquid metal launcher but the weapon Duo always used with a gigantic scythe. The blade was huge, long enough to cut through the middle of a Guymelef with plenty of room to spare. It did so, frequently. Duo called himself the Shinigami, or lord of death. The name was well earned and Duo had no qualms with proving it at every given opportunity.
The pair hovered, overlooking the huge army waiting below them. Heero's father and his own had been efficient. They had over ten thousand well trained soldiers ready to die for the glory of the Dragon Clan. Almost half their men had Guymelefs as well, adding to the deadliness of their force. Wufei frowned, this battle would be far too easy. The enemy was assuredly weak. There was no glory in the slaughter of those less powerful than you. That was why weak people should not fight.
Wufei hovered closer to Deathscythe to give his orders, "Duo, I want you to fly over this ridge and demand the surrender of Daedalus. I will move our forces forward so that they can be seen from the city. If they refuse our demands, fly straight up in the air so that we can see you. If they do surrender, come back on foot."
Lord Duo responded by shooting forward and flying quickly out of sight. Wufei readied his state of mind for that of a battle. The weak were often foolish and so he suspected that a skirmish would begin in a matter of minutes. It would be a short conflict.
Duo shot over the hill behind which the massive army was positioned. From his position, he could see the city below him. The urban area was surrounded by a large wall with a gate at all four entrances. In the center was a large stone building he assumed was the castle. The young Draconian shot forward, clearing the slope in a matter of seconds. Duo prided Deathscythe on its speed and agility, almost equal to that of High Lord Heero's.
As he got closer, Duo could see the guards on the wall running around in a panic. So they were afraid of him, good. If they were scared enough they might surrender and spare needless bloodshed. Duo felt a feeling of regret at the thought. Though he would like to spare lives, High Lord Heero had said he would be watching. If that were true than this would be a good opportunity to show his prowess.
Like a falcon diving at its prey, Duo dove downwards and with a heavy thud, landed on the roof of the castle. All around him, he could see men running around, gathering weapons. Guymelefs began to stir as the soldiers began to group themselves. Duo noticed one fighter who was dressed slightly differently than the others shouting orders. "That must be an officer," he thought. Deathscythe moved swiftly forward and jumped from the roof to land next to the man of authority.
"I am Emperor Duo Maxwell of the Dragon Clan!" he yelled at the man, "As you can see our army is prepared to take this city. I demand your immediate surrender."
The man looked surprised, as if the very notion of surrendering to this strange Guymelef was ludicrous. Duo frowned. All around him the soldiers of Daedalus were starting to move forward, forming a loose circle about him. Though he was far from afraid, Duo knew this was a bad sign. It looked as though he was in for a fight after all.
Before the officer could answer, a Guymelef larger than the others stepped forward. "I am King of Daedalus."
Duo turned, facing Deathscythe towards this new leader, "I am Emperor Duo Maxwell of the Dragon Clan. We have an army positioned at the top of that ridge," Duo moved Deathscythe's arm to point at the Dragon Clan's forces which could be clearly seen covering the hill, "and am prepared to take this city. However, needless bloodshed can be prevented if you surrender now. If you do so, you have my word that we will spare any bloodshed. You will serve the Dragon Clan and your forces will join our army. Your people will be allowed to continue their current way of life with only a few minor changes. You yourself will be allowed to remain as governor of your province in the Dragon Clan's land. Do you accept these terms?"
The mask of the Guymelef opened and Duo could see the face of the king. His expression was that of fury and contempt. "I will never surrender to you," the king snarled, "Daedalus is an independent kingdom. My family has ruled it justly for many generations. I would never allow it to be controlled by the likes of you, no matter how much you threaten me or my people."
Duo smiled, so he was in for a fight after all. Out loud he said, "I was hoping you'd say that."
Before the opposing infantry could attack, Duo launched Deathscythe straight up into the air. Soon he has high above the castle and well within view of the Wufei and the Dragon Clan's forces.
Wufei caught sight of Deathscythe several minutes after Duo had made his advance. It was flying high in the air, signaling that they should attack. It was time. The first battle of a war that would decide the future of Gaea forever. It was this moment he had been looking forward to ever since his father had sat him on his big knee and told him stories of the glory that the future would bring their clan. The lessons about discipline, hard work, of honor and pride, these would stay with him forever. Now it was finally time for his skills to be put to the test.
The Draconian could feel the blood of his people flowing fiery through his veins. He took a deep breath, "Charge!" It was a yell which turned into a roar as the hundreds of soldiers echoed his sentiment with their own cheers. Nataku soared forward, flying above the heads of the loyal men who would fight for her. The ground itself shook violently as the hill was alive with movement.
Wufei could see Deathscythe, already at work, slicing through anything that got close to it. Nataku sailed over the gate and Wufei was in the courtyard surrounded by enemies. A Melef charged forward from Wufei's right. It raised its sword high... and was promptly crushed by Nataku's Dragon Fist. The young Emperor watched as the armor protecting the pilot crumpled easily under the strength of Nataku. A stream of red poured out of the many cracks.
In front of him, another Guymelef rushed at him, holding a spear forward to impale Wufei. With a cry of meaningless rage, Wufei swung his own staff and easily battered the other's weapon aside. Then, continuing his movement, Wufei brought his own bladed pole up so that the tip was facing the Guymelef. Unable to stop, the charging suit was impaled directly through the center until Wufei's blade was sticking out the other end, coated in blood.
"Nobody ever said war was pretty," Wufei muttered, tossing aside the empty vessel now transfixed on his weapon.
Around him, destruction rained as the Dragon Clan's forces burst through the wall from all sides. Wufei brought his flame thrower forward and began to burn the surrounding buildings, adding to the chaos. "You people are weak!" he screamed, "You should have never have defied those stronger than you!"
As the battle progressed, Wufei was pleased at how easily it was to cut through the enemy forces, and a little disappointed. Finally, the Dragon Clan forces had made it to the castle where the last struggle was taking place.
"Come on!" Wufei yelled to his men, "You are weak! Defeat the enemies!"
"You!" one of the enemy Guymelefs stepped forward and Wufei noted the design was different than the others, "Are you their leader?"
"That's right," Wufei acknowledge, "Who are you?"
"I am King of Daedalus and I challenge you to a duel," the once proud monarch yelled gripping the handle of his large broadsword tightly.
"I accept your challenge," Wufei replied eagerly. Maybe at last he would have a worthy opponent.
The two Guymelefs moved forward, positioning themselves so that they were between the two armies. Deathscythe flew downward and landed on the Dragon Clan's side. Its scythe was coated in blood. "Wufei!" Duo called.
"Stay out of this, Duo!" Wufei yelled fiercely, "This is an honorable duel. You will not interfere!"
"Understood," Duo acknowledged. "One of these days, he's going to get himself killed," Duo thought to himself as he prepared to watch the fight.
With a cry of outrage and loss the former king rushed forward. Wufei met his charge and parried his sideways slash with his staff. The king regained his balance and stabbed forward, his blade once again knocked aside by Nataku's staff. This time it was the emperor's turn to attack and Wufei stabbed viciously with his weapon. The king prevented himself from being transfixed only by falling backward.
With renewed strength that only came from desperation, the king swung his sword fiercely, battering at Wufei with all his might. Each time, the Draconian skillfully managed to parry. Finally, the king backed Wufei into the wall of the castle and lifted the sword over his head. With a last cry of anguish the once magnificent leader swung down with all his might. Wufei managed to bring his staff upwards and held it horizontally, blocking the downward chop. With every muscle in his body straining, Wufei held the position with the staff in between the fangs of his Dragon Fist's mouth and the other side in his good hand. Sweat stung at his eyes as he tried desperately not to falter. Finally, with a cry, he succeeded in holding the position with only one hand and positioned his left hand so that the mouth faced the enemy Guymelef. With a last cry of exertion Wufei brought his left hand to bear and shot the Dragon Fist forward, crashing into the breast of the enemy Guymelef.
The suit went flying backwards, and crashed heavily to the ground in front of Nataku. There was a silence as Wufei lay backwards, panting heavily and waiting for the king to get up and come at him again. But the suit lay still, unmoving. Wufei slowly moved Nataku to her feet, resting heavily against the staff. Seeing this as a signal that the duel was over, Duo yelled a rousing cry to the many soldiers waiting to attack. Inspired by the victory of their leader, the loyal men charged forward at the pitifully outnumbered enemy forces. Wufei watched proudly, blood and sweat trickling down his brow, as his army tore the last remaining opposition to ribbons.
"So this is what the front line is like," Duo thought to himself as a heavy rain began to stream down, mixing with the blood of the dead, "How horrible..."