"Shadows of The Past" Pg 15

Disclaimer/Notes: I do not own Gundam Wing or any of it's wonderful character, they are owned by some rich guy.
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A large dark opening loomed over them as the day began falling bringing more darkness. Trowa pulled out a torch he had picked up earlier on their way up. Striking it against the large rocks he ignited the small rag on top.

"I'm actually surprised it still lights," he mentioned looking at the bright bouncing flames.

"Why did you just use magic?" Heero wondered.

"Actually I was curious if it still lit. It probably won't last to long and that's where magic comes in handy." Just as Trowa finished his sentence the bright flames died plunging them into darkness. Quatre softly called out a few words, creating a small ball of light that lit a circle around them.

Duo tried not to laugh at Heero's current thoughts of why they didn't just do that first.

"What's so funny, oh divine one?" Trowa asked his voice mocking.

"Just something Heero said," Duo replied ignoring the implied tone. Heero looked at him for a moment then realized Duo meant what he thought. He remembered Duo reading his emotions earlier. He chuckled softly finding it funny that Duo thought he was funny. 'Wow he sure leans quickly.' Duo thought hearing the chuckles.

"Why don't we head inside?" Milliardo suggested ending the discussion.

"Wait..." Wufei suddenly spoke up.

"What?" Milliardo asked startled.

Duo felt a great energy flow through him. 'So, since 'It' can't use Heero to speak, 'It' will use me until 'It' can.' As the energy spoke to him he felt another presence. 'Heero... are you here?'

Suddenly both were gone, leaving the message behind. Duo looked over at Heero who stumbled back a bit. Quickly he reached out grabbing Heero's arm and pulled him close. "Wufei is right... only certain people may enter that cave. Trowa, Quatre..."

"So, we are first." Trowa nodded taking hold of his lover's hand.

"You may enter together but you will be tested separately," Duo explained.

"We understand," Quatre replied stepping forward. Trowa followed to stand beside him. They both stepped into the black void disappearing in the darkness the area was plundered into as the ball of light disappeared.

Milliardo silently created another light spell, to have himself and Wufei be the only ones in the cavern.

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"Duo what's happening?" a slightly sleepy voice asked.

"Heero after Wufei had said wait did you feel anything?" Duo asked absolutely serious.

"Actually I did feel something, like lightening but it wasn't that strong, I'm not really sure how to describe it," Heero answered rubbing his eyes.

"Like a shock?"

"Yes, exactly. Afterwards I felt really drained of energy."

"That's because 'It' sent some of your energy through me when 'It' communicated with me."

"I thought I had heard you call out to me, but I wasn't sure, still not."

"Well no matter, I should have expected it. Why don't you get some sleep to get some of that lost energy back?"

"What about Kieandra, Milliardo, and Wufei?"

"Well Kieandra is lying right beside you and Milliardo and Wufei will be fine. I'll wake you and take us back as soon as Quatre and Trowa reappear in our realm."

"Okay," Heero yawned before settling against Duo's chest and arm, falling asleep quickly.


Milliardo sat on one of the large rocks cut into the mountain wall. Wufei sat with his legs crossed over each other on the floor.

"I hope Heero is alright," Milliardo spoke his mind thinking the unthinkable.

"Duo is with him, he should be fine. All we can do is wait," Wufei answered.

"Duo seems quite different from all of us, I wonder what his role in all this really is."

"Only the Gods know that. They sent him therefore his purpose is Divine."

"How can you be so sure that they did send him?"

"How do you question it?"

"Oh never mind, it really wasn't a question anyway." Milliardo shifted pulling on of his legs up to his chest and resting his chin on it.

Wufei looked up at the older mage, "I didn't mean to upset you, I apologize."

"You didn't I was thinking about someone else."

"Oh... Milliardo could you ever love two people?"

"No," Milliardo replied without even thinking as he pulled his loose hair from his face.

Wufei turned to look back at the floor; he concentrated solely on his task and where they were to go next. A vision flashed before his eyes, a spring of the purest blue water, the Spring of Eternity.

~*~*~*~*~

"Shit where did they go... damn, he ain't gonna like that I lost them again. His idea didn't seem to work out so well. Yes they were upset but then they just left," a voice spoke to the trees. "I guess I better go back and report. Hope he don't kill me. Maybe I should find them, then report in."

"What are you doing?" a stern female voice asked. The shadowed figure spun around, dark brown eyes staring at a nightmare.

"Just about to leave actually," he said before vanishing.

"Damn you... you better find them... I don't want anything to happen to you," the female voice spoke softly before she to disappeared from the darkness.

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As his eyes adjusted to the darkness Quatre realized he was alone. Squeezing his fingers shut he thought he felt another pulse other then his own heart beating. Looking around a light ahead of him caught his attention. Steeping toward the light he began to feel warmer inside. As the light surrounded him he noticed that his surroundings were familiar. Looking around his eyes feel on the home and village he grew up in. The place loved so alive, not like it had a few days ago. People came out of their homes, while children played in the streets.

"You can change this," a soft voice to his left spoke. He turned to see a young dear standing beside him, looking into the village. "By being there, never have going on your quest, but instead to stay home."

Quatre look at the deep a moment longer, his brain thinking of all the doubts he had been carrying since leaving to go to the capital. Looking out at the village caused something inside of him to speak up and it told him that he had made the correct choice in leaving, to venture off, knowing he was the world's one last hope.

"No I don't think I could have."

"Your soul is strong, you must push aside all your doubts or you will fail. You are correct if you had stayed your village would have been destroyed long before now. The clouds you see in the horizon would have covered everything, clouds of evil. Go now, continue your journey."

Suddenly the light was gone, as was the scene that had been before him. His body felt ten but he could feel another hand in his own. 'Trowa's hand... did we ever let go? How could that be? Well I'm glad to know I still have you, my love.'


Trowa felt his body adjust to the darkness, using his senses to check his surroundings. His hand felt almost empty where Quatre's was, but he thought he felt a pulse unlike his own.

Turning he noticed a dim light, walking toward it his senses picked up a shift. Suddenly he was standing inside his home, only his father was much younger and a woman he never knew lay on the bed breathing hard.

"She died bringing you life, your mother. She had great potential. You could die to let her live the life she was supposed to," a small voice to his right told him. Looking down a young child stood beside him watching the scene.

"No, don't trick him into thinking that!" an older female voice suddenly yelled. The child looked up in surprised. Trowa looked around trying to identify the voice's owner.

"Your... soul... is connected to hers. How... how can this be?"

"Just know it is," the female voice countered. "He is strong but with his lover, Quatre, he is twice as strong. If my soul had such potential then his carries the same weight if not more."

"Yes that seems reasonable, he has passed the test. With you watching over him I dare say he will be very strong."

Trowa stared at the child in surprise them everything disappeared and he felt a hand squeeze his. 'Quatre... but how?' He returned the squeeze and held the hand firmly.

Suddenly a pulsing ball of light appeared before the two young mages. "Your connection to each other is strong, you felt one another even though your souls were separated by our barrier. Use that strength to complete this task."

As suddenly as it appeared the ball disappeared and before them was a glowing light. Steeping into the light they reentered the cavern where Milliardo, Wufei, Heero, Duo, and Kieandra sat waiting.

"We have passed," Quatre reported with a small smile.

~*~*~*~*~

Sixteen feet hit the ground as they head down the path away from the Mountains of Kandra. Heero lay against Duo sleeping quietly in the darkness of early night. Milliardo pulled up beside them, Wufei sitting in front of him.

"Maybe we should stop for the night," he suggested quietly.

"Yes I think you're right, it looks like both our young mages are about to fall asleep in the saddle," Duo replied looking back at Quatre and Trowa.

Stopping in a small clearing they decided to set up camp for the night. Wufei dismounted and helped Quatre and Trowa to dismount and set out their blankets. Then getting his own after Milliardo slid off their horse. Duo laid Heero against the horse's neck as he jumped down, the reaching up he slid Heero off some before scooping him up into his arms. Kieandra stretched out before curling p beside where Duo had laid Heero on a blanket Milliardo had placed out for the prince.

Before laying down Milliardo looked at Duo, "I wanted to thank you for everything you've done for him. He has grown very close to you."

Duo looked at the older mage unsure of how to respond. Milliardo lay down near Heero's head. Duo set down beside the sleeping prince placing his blanket over Heero's body. Wufei laid out his blankets between the three mages. Everyone fell asleep quickly except Duo, who sat staring at Heero then the bright night sky.

'So strong...' he thought his eyes drifting over the small body. 'Except when you're around', echoed in his head. 'Was he being serious or making a joke? I guess only time will tell, won't it.'

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