"Shadows of The Past" Pg 24
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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Daybreak
found the six travelers packed and moving along the road, everyone
more aware of just what Duo was doing. As the suns moved across the
sky they seemed to cover more ground then they had the day before.
Suddenly Duo stopped reining his horse in.
"This
stone wall marks the border, right?" Duo said dismounting them
moving to sit on the wall.
"Yes,"
Milliardo answered.
"Are
you sure they are coming this way?" Quatre asked as he jumped
from the horse he and Trowa shared.
"Positive,
if I'm correct, he has to come this way because this is the only
place to cross the border," Duo answered looking back the way
they had come. "So all we can do is sit and wait for them."
Everyone
settled in for the long wait they knew was coming. If they had been
a week ahead before who knew how far ahead they were now. As the suns
began to set Duo decided he didn't want to wait. If only he could
pinpoint their location. 'Of course his magic, if he's using it to
keep Heero hidden I should be able to find it.' Sending his mind out
he searched all the magic signatures. After several tries he landed
on the one Kieandra had felt. "Gotcha!"
Everyone
looked up at him surprised. He smiled almost sheepishly then it
changed to something else. "I hate waiting, let's go get him."
"What?
I don't understand... you said..." Quatre asked shocked.
"Hold
on, I'm going to get us close, hide your powers," Duo said
before jumping down to join them. Closing his eyes he phased out then
suddenly the whole group disappeared including the three horses that
were eating.
Several
miles away deep in the dark forest the six chosen appeared quite
suddenly. Duo moved quickly through the trees everyone following him
quietly. A figure soon came into view carrying something. Duo stopped
his eyes focusing on the figure as everyone else spread out to
surround it.
"Stop!"
Duo called from the shadows causing the figure to freeze in
mid-step. Duo stepped out from the shadows facing the young man. The
young man smiled at seeing who stood before him, he now knew his
feelings about the great energy were wrong. Duo returned the smile
with a wicked glint in his eyes. With a nod of his head the bundle in
the young man's arms disappeared. "Where'd he go? What did you
do with him?" He asked his voice curious.
The
young man glanced around, "I... I... hid him."
"Well
I'm not sure his friends will like that." As Duo spoke Quatre
and Trowa stepped out from the trees. The young man looked at the two
mages feeling no level of magic from either of them. "Of course
if you bring him back I think they will be nice to you in the end."
Milliardo,
Wufei and Kieandra stepped out, now fully surrounding the young man.
He looked at each of them detecting nothing but almost jumped when
the guard cat growled at him.
"What
does his pet scare you? Beware she is very anger with you," Duo
said his smile widening. "For you are a great liar."
"What?"
the young man asked his anger rising.
"You
have not hid him, you couldn't have, cause I did," Duo answered
letting his power free from his controlled barrier. The young man
stepped back feeling the great power that rivaled his Lord's own.
"Who are you working for?"
"...
I will not answer you!"
"Fine
I will just pick you to pieces..." Duo answered taking a step
forward. The young man cried out then suddenly disappeared.
"Damn! Well at least we have what we came for!"
Everyone
looked around before Quatre spoke up, "So where is he?"
"Oh
right," Duo said his smile again somewhat sheepish. Snapping
his fingers Heero appeared cradled in his arms sound asleep.
Milliardo let out a soft sigh a smile finally returning to his face.
Kieandra rushed over to Duo moving to stand on her hind legs. Duo
knelt down allowing her to see her master's sleeping face.
"Where
was he?" Quatre asked calmer then before.
"A
secret place no one can reach but me," Duo answered. "Guess
we should wake him up."
Duo
laid the young prince on the ground them moving his hands over
Heero's body he lifted the spell that had been placed on him.
Stepping away Kieandra immediately moved closer licking his face.
Heero's
hands came up to push the animal away as he tried to open his eyes.
Suddenly he stopped moving, his voice was low, "Kieandra?"
Opening
one eye he spotted his faithful pet and friend, his arms swiftly
went around her neck pulling her close. He snuggled his face into her
fur. He sat up his face still buried in her soft fur. Finally he
pulled away looking up to see everyone staring at him with huge grins
on their faces.
"So
it wasn't a dream?" He asked in general.
"Afraid
not," Milliardo answered kneeling beside him, "but it's
over now."
Heero
reached out wrapping his arms around Milliardo's neck, "I'm
glad you found me."
"Actually..."
Quatre started to say but was interrupted by Duo's hand on his arm.
Duo simply shook his head at Quatre's surprise.
"What?"
Heero asked looking up at the young blonde.
"Uh
nothing," Quatre replied shrugging his shoulders. "I was
just thinking out loud."
"Come
on lets get moving we need to head back toward the south our next
task awaits up there," Trowa said trying to get the group back
under way.
"Wait!"
Duo said moving over to a large tree. "We're here, the Forest
of Languard."
Milliardo
looked around as Heero finally release him. "Yep he's correct
we are in the Forest of Languard." He confirmed Duo's statement.
"So
what now?" Wufei asked his eyes glancing around.
"Well
I guess we are forced to wait and see," Trowa answered.
"But
I hate waiting!" Duo complained leaning back against the tree
he was standing in front of.
"Duo..."
a soft voice called out.
"What?"
"We
didn't say anything," Quatre said startled by Duo's question.
"None
of you called my name?"
They
all shook their heads, giving him a strange look.
"Duo..."
the voice called again.
Duo
stared at the six working to get the camp set up. It didn't look
like anyone of them had spoken. 'So who said my name?' He wondered
his eyes darting around.
"Duo
over here," the voice called out. Walking around the large tree
trunk he didn't spot anyone. Suddenly everything around him
disappeared leaving his surrounded by a bright white light. A few
feet ahead of him stood a slender woman, her long brown hair falling
over her shoulders while bright violet eyes watched him.
"I
see you have grown into your destiny," she said though her lips
never moved. "My beautiful Duo... how you have changed?"
"Who
are you?" he asked his own violet eyes wide.
"Of
course you don't remember me; I left you before you could even cry.
Duo I'm your mother. I have been waiting for you," she answered
her eyes never wavering.
Duo
felt his chest constrict as all his air came out in a gasp. "Why
did you... waiting..."
"I
had to for both our sakes; yes I knew the time would come. Duo I
have a story to tell you. Just listen." She answered. "The
year of your birth the Prophecies said another was born with the
destruction power. One would be raised to stop the power, raised on
the land. Your father was a messenger, a being far greater then
humans. That is where you power comes from. They are stronger; you
will become stronger in time.
It
was learned that in that same year the Queen had given birth to her
first and only child. That was the child Prophecy had spoken of just
as it had spoken of you. I had to leave you to be raised by someone
who was not of blood. Now you have stepped into your role, as I have.
My role is to guide you from this time on. The road ahead will not be
easy. The others have all passed their tests. You being a Child of
Divinity are not going to be tested just as the bearer of destruction
is not."
"Why
not? Why am I not to be tester?" Duo asked.
"You
were sent by God's own hand, your soul is already proven by that
fact alone. Now I will guide you, while you guide the others."
"What
about Wufei?"
"He
is your land guide, I am you spirit," she replied. "Now
you must prepare, the journey is going to grow harder now."
Suddenly
the bright light faded as the woman claiming to be his blood mother
disappeared. Looking around he realize he was at the camp.
"Duo
are you listening?" Quatre asked looking at him almost in impatient.
"Um...
no... what?" He asked confused. 'Was it real? Is she my mother?'
"Well
I was saying that we should head south after this," Quatre said
interrupting his thoughts.
"Is
that where Wufei said to go?"
"He
told up we needed to go to a shrine, only he's not sure what shrine.
The only one we can think of is in the southern plains."
"Well
then I guess we are heading south," Duo said sitting down on
the soft ground.
"Um
not to sound stupid but just what are we doing?" Heero's voice
timidly asked. Everyone else looked at him then at each other. Duo
knew he was going to have to speak with the young prince. It was
almost time for him to know the truth, but could he bring himself to
put the weight on the young man. Standing up he offered his hand out
to Heero as everyone else watched curiously.
"Wanna
go for a walk?" He asked the unsure prince. Heero nodded taking
Duo's hand and allowed himself to be pulled to his feet. Walking away
from the camp Kieandra followed close to his heels. Duo stopped a few
yards away from the others, turning he looked at Heero before the
three disappeared from the moonlit night.
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