Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam Wing...Do I look rich to you?! Of course
not
Not rich + Writes disclaimers = I don't own Gundam Wing!
I leave the hard jobs like that to people with money! ///^.^!
Oh! And as always, if you want to use my work, ask me first and give me
some credit! Please!?!?!?!
AN: Okay, here goes. I have been on vacation for a couple of weeks visiting my relatives in Canada. Yes *Dramatic Gasp* I am Canadian. So is Tom Green...coincidence? I think not! Muahahahahahaha-eh! Anyhoo, Enjoy! Reflections Chapter eight: Not As It Seems
They found the castle about an hour later. Floating in the sky it was made of black obsidian and the gates held the dull gleam of onyx. No guards walked the walls, in a show of power. You see, trusting in his magical guards, the Demon Wyrm kept no physical guards. If one could get through his magical barriers, a live guard would be of no use. As the team of would-be demon slayers got into sight of the castle, the wails of the dead screamed their way into existence. Their yowling shrieks, not truly physical in nature, pierced the heart instead of the ear. Bravely, they marched on, knowing that they could not turn back. Nor would they for any cost. The closer they were to the castle the louder and more agonized the screams became. Finally Iris got fed up with it and cast a ward to soften the keening of the lost souls. Quatre looked at her after she finished the strange words and hand gestures (AN: The G-Boys don't have to use the words and stuff cuz their the chosen ones but everybody else has to...poor them.) and asked, "If you don't mind be asking, Iris, what did you do?" Iris panted and gave a weary smile, "I cast a ward to hold the ghosts or whatever the hell those things are off but I don't know how long I can hold it." Duo looked puzzled, "Why doesn't Rose help you? You can both use magic right?" Rose nodded and said, "Yes we both can use magic but we have our differences in the area of spirit magic." She made a helpless gesture, "Iris has power over the dead and I can control life...to an extent. I think it has to do with our birthmarks. I have the light one and Iris has the dark one. Life and death." "Whatever," Iris was getting impatient, "Lets just hurry and get on with it. I don't know how long I'm gonna last." And so they continued on until they reached their destination, just below the castle. Suddenly, the wailing stopped, not just softer, but all together. It was just silent. Sighing, Iris dropped her shield and breathlessly sat down under the 'shade' of an old dead tree. Not that shade mattered much here anyway; both above and below the branches of the dead oaks there was nothing but an eerie "Grayness" that was both light and not light at the same time. No plants grew here. The soil was cold, dry, and, most of all, barren. The remnants of an old bird's nest sat high in one of the dead tree's branches in a cruel mockery of the once thriving forest. "Phew!" She exclaimed, "Boy am I glad that's over! Right guys? Guys?!" Looking around she found her comrades just standing there staring into space, "Ok guys, nice joke! Ha, ha I'm laughing...You're not joking are you? Crap." Iris walked around looking into the faces of her comrades. Their eyes were still open and had a dreamlike quality, as if each one had fallen asleep with their eyes open, one under each tree. Not to say, though, that their faces were emotionless, oh no. All of them had some distinct emotion playing on their travel worn features. Quatre had a happy grin on his face, like a kid in a candy store, while Heero had a look of astounding and utter peace on his face, sheer joy contrasting with his empty eyes. Shuddering Iris turned to Duo, hoping for a less tormenting expression. He had on this sheepish grin, like a little boy who got caught snatching a cookie just before dinner. Like all the others', his violet-blue orbs were as detached and cool as the eye of a storm; a calm that only promised trouble to come. Wufei had this big happy smile on his face. You know, the kind of look a guy gets when he pictures himself and his hubby sitting on a park bench growing old together; the same look to which all men caught with it have the same rule: deny, deny, deny. Add that to the blank eyes and the Chinese pilot looked like some grisly doll, its face etched by some poor jaded soul. Rose had on a happy grin that Iris had only caught her wearing a handful of times in her lifetime. But Trowa...he was different...Trowa was just blank, like some poor soul that time forgot. On top of it all was this ghastly veneer of bitter omission that made Iris, despite the utter stupidity of the action, want to give him a hug and a stuffed animal. ^Okay, this is bad,^ she thought to herself, ^What would Rose do in this situation...^ "I got it!" Iris exclaimed and promptly walked over to Wufei, "Snap out of it!" *Slap* Wufei didn't even react to being smacked across the face and all that Iris got for her efforts was a sore hand and yet another glimpse of that silly, love struck grin. ^Owie. Okay scrap that idea...Wait! How come this doesn't affect me? Oh I know! It has to do with the dead souls. They aren't really gone they just don't affect me!! All right! Who's a genius? I'm a genius! Oh yeah! But I will have to save the victory dance for later...I still don't know what's wrong with them.^ ^"Hey Iris, I got some news for ya."^ Nightshade popped into her thoughts with an irritated snarl, ^"According to what Starcircle tells me, your comrades are being ensorcelled. The spirits are trying to lure them into death with their own hopes and memories, like Sirens do to sailors, without the singing of course. All save Trowa...I guess he never had someone he loved die on him...at least, not one he knew. I think they're just toying with him and are gonna kill him last. Cruel bastards. "^ ^Shit. If I don't get to them soon I'm gonna lose them!^ Iris thought, ^Okay...don't panic...there has got to be something that I can do...^ she scanned her memory for a ward to fend off the lost souls before they trapped her friends. ^I suppose that will work...it'll be difficult and I might run out of energy and pass out...this is one place that I don't want to be unconscious in but I don't have much of a choice. Man, I hope this works.^ Iris sat in the Locust position on the cold earth and brought her hands, palms out to shoulder level. Closing her eyes, she concentrated and then began to speak in the language of the Elves. "Spirit of Magic, heart of the Ancients, grant me Voice." She raised her hands above her head, palms up, "Soul of Knowledge, Ears of the Ancients, hear my Plea." As a cool mist began to form around her, Iris opened her eyes and brought her hands in front of her again, but this time entwined together. She began to chant the ancient words of magic, swaying from side to side, as if to some unheard melody. Nightshade padded over to her right and sat near his Companion. Iris continued chanting and swaying until, several minutes later she stopped, leaving a chill silence hanging in the air. She just sat there, unblinking, when she suddenly cocked her head up to the sky. The moon that had started out as a half moon was now new, the only trace of its existence was a blank spot in the stars. Eyes fixed with almost ravenous attention to the moon she shrieked. At her right, Nightshade added his own bone-chilling scream. The Lost Souls whirled around the sorceress, making the tall girl seem small and insignificant. The Souls closed in on what they thought was easy prey. Iris' face split into a frigid grin that the North winds would have envied and her moss colored eyes turned a cool blood red. Pricking her thumb Iris held her hand out to the creatures of the night. Swarming to the fresh blood, twisted maws wide in anticipation of a bloody meal, the Souls were drawn close and Iris struck. A viscous fog filled the clearing, pulling at the Souls corporeal plane and tugging at what remained of their being. The Lost Souls shrieked in otherworldly anguish as their physical substance melted away. The new moon slowly turned red and then back to a normal ivory crescent. The girl's eyes changed back to normal and flickered shut. Iris managed a faint smile and then passed out under the chill sky, Nightshade at her side. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Trowa awoke to the sounds of sobbing. Rubbing unusually dry eyes he focused on the wretched tableau that reared its ugly head before him. His comrades lay on the ground, all in various stages of waking, all save Rose. She sat sobbing next to the still form of Nightshade. The great panther's stomach had been torn wide open, causing blood and other darker fluids to make a macabre mud of the chill clearing. Trowa could make out no movement of the beast's chest and no more blood flowed, indicating no pulse as well. Nightshade, mystical beast of the forest and guardian of all therein, was dead. To make matters worse, there seemed to be not a trace of his Chosen, save a lock of soft brown hair matted with blood and tears. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ^"Iris"^ A voice broke through waters dark and warm as blood, ^"Iris, wake up."^ Iris stirred weakly, "Go 'way..." She muttered thickly, "Lemme sleep..." ^"Iris"^ Whoever owned the voice was persistent, ^"Iris, you have to get up now. There is work to be done."^ Iris, groggy with despair and pain, was beginning to become just a wee bit peeved at this mysterious voice, "mmm...Dammit...lemme 'lone" she tried to roll over and found that she was unable to move her wrists. ^Oh well...^ She thought vacantly, ^Not like I'm going anywhere anyway...^ Iris was just drifting off again when, ^"Iris, will you at least listen?"^ "right...fine...whacha want..." Iris gave up trying to sleep for the moment and listened to the strange voice. ^"Iris, you must wake up! You are in the chambers of the Demon Wyrm!"^ "So?" Iris snapped bitterly, "Let him kill me! What do I have left? My Companion is dead, my sister and my friends are lost to me! Why go on?!" ^"Iris, you mustn't panic,"^ the voice remained calm, ^"If you sink into that darkness or panic you will be lost. Your friends are not dead-"^ ^"And my companion is dead. Therefore my magic is weak and useless to anyone." Iris shook her head. ^"Not quite Iris. A Companion does enhance your power but not in the way most think. You see your Companion helps you progress like a teacher and mentor, nothing more."^ The voice held a smile, ^" I must go now. If I stay longer I will be caught and all is lost."^ "Wait, who are you? You sound familiar." Iris asked. The voice chuckled in a fatherly way, "As long as the stars shine in the night sky there will be hope."^ (An: answer to my little reading comprehension puzzle is at my author's notes at the end. ///^.^!) Iris allowed herself a small smile and waited in silence, nursing the aches and pains that accompanied consciousness. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ They now not-so-merry band of would-be demon slayers stood, minus two, before a new grave. At its top stood a headstone of polished dark marble, compliments of a now winded Trowa. The epitaph was simple; "Nightshade" was surrounded by a carving of the plant what was his namesake. Rose turned toward the castle, wiping a stray tear from one blue eye. "We must leave soon. Iris is still alive and in there, as well as those we have come this far to defeat." The little woman gave the boys a stern look, "If any of you wish to turn back do so now." Duo grinned, "What, and miss out on the lovely scenery? Not on your life babe!" he turned to the other boys, "Right guys?" "I would never leave a woman in danger or a powerful demon left unvanquished." Wufei loosened Kizoku in its sheath, a cool gleam running in both sword and eye from the moonlight, and perhaps something more. Quatre allowed a small wan smile, "We haven't traveled this far for nothing, right Trowa?" "Yeah, I'll go too," Trowa turned toward Heero, "How about you Heero?" "It's the only way to get back home so I have no choice." Though his words seemed cold and detached, Rose knew that even if she could have brought him back without slaying the Demon Wyrm he still would have helped out. Not that Heero would ever admit to it. There was a long silence between the comrades. Finally, uncomfortable in the sudden tense silence Duo wondered aloud, "What now?" Rose looked at the braided boy for a second, and then responded, "We go inside the castle, duh." Duo continued undaunted, "Yeah, I can see that but how do we get up there? Isn't that kind of important?" "I have an idea." Quatre looked up at the castle in thought, "I suppose I could give everyone a boost up there." Rose nodded, her eyes still raw from crying, "Sounds like a plan. What do you need us to do Quatre?" Quatre turned to face the group and said, "All right, get in a circle around me and hold hands." The group got into a circle with Quatre and Starcircle in the middle. "What now Quatre?" Wufei asked. "Simple," Quatre closed his eyes and concentrated, "Hold on tight." With that the group levitated about an inch off the ground and then began to spin, a small tornado forming around them. Quatre and Starcircle floated on a bit of thickened air in the center as they flew up into the sky, spinning like a top. *~*~*~*~*~ Wufei waved to the others to move forward. The group had been playing this deadly game of cat and mouse for hours. One of them would go ahead of the rest, disarm what traps he could find and then signal to his or her companions to move up. Each member of the band of would-be demon slayers was bleeding in one place or another, and their clothing was in dire need of patching due to the wear and tear of crawling and dodging. Finally they came to a large room, a drastic change to the twisting, cloying, and claustrophobic labyrinth of tunnels that lay behind them. Not to say that the chamber that loomed before them was very welcoming or for that matter, welcome at all. It, for lack of a better term, was a bleeding hall of death. And by bleeding I mean literally bleeding. There was a pool of blood in the center that fed to the walls so blood constantly flowed, making the room seem to bleed. As if it wasn't gory enough all of the furniture in the room was made of human bones. Chandeliers made of skulls and arm bones hung above a dining table complete with macabre chairs, plates, glasses, bowls, and 'silverware' (though bone-ware would be a more fitting term). As grisly as the room was, the attendants were much more terrifying. Each of the Five Demonesses sat at a bony chair drinking what Wufei fervently hoped was wine. Amber greeted them all with a chilling gaze and a toothy grin that seemed more like a grimace. Stalking forward the demon spoke "You seem disappointed. Do you not like our feast?" Amber's pupils spiraled like those of a bird as they homed in on Trowa, "Perhaps that is because you have not seem the main course." Soulblaze stood, crimson snakeskin dress slithering and hissing as she stood and spoke, "We went through a lot of trouble to prepare this for you all, you know." she slinked around the table, red hair glittering in the firelight from the one lone bone-framed fireplace, "After all it is soooo hard to find such a flower in the middle of a wasteland." Starbreeze waved a hand causing her long blond hair to shift as a large covered platter floated down to the center of the table. She laughed cruelly but said nothing as Skyjolt strode over to the center of the large table, one clawed hand caressing the platter's skull handle. "Are you curious, little ones?" The Demoness of Energy hissed, "Do you want to know what is under here? We might just make you earn it-" "IT'S YOUR PRETTY LITTLE FLOWER GIRL!!!!!" Shellscream interrupted her elder sister, unable to take the suspense any longer, "Oops...um...hehe...I mean...even IF it was your pretty little flower girl friend...which it might or might not be...um...you'd have to earn it! Yeah that's it! You-" *Smack* "OOOOOOWWW! Sky! Why'd you have to go and do that? *Sniffle* owie...*WAAAAAAH*" "So," Starbreeze finally spoke, interrupting her little sister's lament, "The cat is out of the bag, so to speak." She lifted the lid on the platter to reveal Iris bound and gagged on the large tray. Her eyes were surprisingly calm and clear for someone who was covered in the blood of her Companion, tied up on a platter surrounded by demons in a bloody hall of death. "IRIS!" Rose darted forward only to be caught by Wufei. The Chinese boy shook his head and signaled for her to wait. At her side, Starcircle growled low in his chest but remained rooted in place. "Does this mean you don't like our feast?" Amber's eyes flashed red, a bloody tear slipping down her cheek in cruel mockery of heartache, "Then perhaps you'll like dessert!" On 'dessert' the Demonesses raised their hands opening trap doors plummeting the would-be demon slayers into darkness once again. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Rose floated on the edge of waking and slowly opened her eyes. She was being carried down a hallway by not-so-gentle hands toward two large oak, bloodstained doors with large ivory doorknockers each with a human skull inside each ring. The hallway was lit by the occasional torch and incense burners were placed randomly along the hall sending off smoke that smelled of death and gore. The doors opened with the rasping creak of gnashing teeth revealing a room with a large stone fountain in the center. The fountain consisted of a small pool filled with blood, a gargoyle in its center. The blood came out of the stone creature's eyes, making it cry blood. The walls were hung with torches and there was a throne made of onyx and adorned with black pearls. Sitting in the throne was none other than the Demon Wyrm himself and chained by his side was Rose's dear sister Iris, looking calm and unruffled. "Do come in dear one." The vile creature purred, "I have been waiting so long for you to come home." The Spirit hands that held Rose let her go. ^What do I do? I have waited so very long for this moment, to see this demon face to face but without the boys, the Chosen ones, how can we win?^ Hoping for reassurance Rose looked to her dear sister. A look of understanding crossed between Iris and Rose and suddenly Rose knew what to do. No. She didn't 'know'. Know was to weak of a word. It was more like she sensed what to do in her heart. She knew what she and Iris had been born to do. She walked over to the Demon Wyrm calmly and said, "Yes father, we're all together. As it should be." Rose held the Demon Wyrm's right hand in one of her own just as Iris grabbed his left. A high keening moan split the air as the spirits of all the Demon had killed filled the room. Rose's eyes became all ice blue as she said in a calm voice that carried, like magic, above the wail of the Demon's former servants, "We are all. We are the Earth, Sky and Water." Iris stood, the whites of her eyes fading away, and spoke in a voice that could be heard for miles but did not hold a tone of strain, "We are nothing. We are the Fire, Lightning, and Spirit." The Demon Wyrm, sensing his plight, struggled against the grips of the two girls who had to be less than half his size but to no avail. The hands of the pair held the strength of every warrior that had ever lived and endured with the steadfastness of the ancients. "You do not know what you are doing!" he roared, "Stop this at once! Would you go as far as to kill your own father?" The girls did not seem to be impressed. "We give life." Rose's eyes rolled back into her head but still she stood grasp not faltering in the least. "And we take it away." Iris finished the incantation and the word shattered before her now sightless eyes. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ An: The answer to my puzzle is revealed in chapter six. Iris remembers the words of her mentor and father figure Father Mike "As long as the stars shine in the night sky there will be hope." So naturally the mysterious voice is the spirit of Father Mike. Okay, this chapter took me !FOREVER! to finish cuz I got a MAJOR writer's block. BUT I DID IT! WOOOOOOHOOOOOOO! I finished my first fic! Don't worry I won't leave ya hangin'! I am writing an epilogue! Wow! I am sooo happy! *Grabs Chibi- Trowa and does the happy dance* Any Questions and comments at hyeperbubchick@hotmail.com. All right! This is your authoress saying live, love, and don't drink cough syrup!
"The little creatures of nature...they don't know they're ugly! That's very funny! A fly marrying a bumblebee...I told ya I'd shoot! But you didn't believe me! Why didn't you believe me?!" -'Ren and Stimpy's' very own 'Happy Happy Joy Joy' song-
AN: Okay, here goes. I have been on vacation for a couple of weeks visiting my relatives in Canada. Yes *Dramatic Gasp* I am Canadian. So is Tom Green...coincidence? I think not! Muahahahahahaha-eh! Anyhoo, Enjoy! Reflections Chapter eight: Not As It Seems
They found the castle about an hour later. Floating in the sky it was made of black obsidian and the gates held the dull gleam of onyx. No guards walked the walls, in a show of power. You see, trusting in his magical guards, the Demon Wyrm kept no physical guards. If one could get through his magical barriers, a live guard would be of no use. As the team of would-be demon slayers got into sight of the castle, the wails of the dead screamed their way into existence. Their yowling shrieks, not truly physical in nature, pierced the heart instead of the ear. Bravely, they marched on, knowing that they could not turn back. Nor would they for any cost. The closer they were to the castle the louder and more agonized the screams became. Finally Iris got fed up with it and cast a ward to soften the keening of the lost souls. Quatre looked at her after she finished the strange words and hand gestures (AN: The G-Boys don't have to use the words and stuff cuz their the chosen ones but everybody else has to...poor them.) and asked, "If you don't mind be asking, Iris, what did you do?" Iris panted and gave a weary smile, "I cast a ward to hold the ghosts or whatever the hell those things are off but I don't know how long I can hold it." Duo looked puzzled, "Why doesn't Rose help you? You can both use magic right?" Rose nodded and said, "Yes we both can use magic but we have our differences in the area of spirit magic." She made a helpless gesture, "Iris has power over the dead and I can control life...to an extent. I think it has to do with our birthmarks. I have the light one and Iris has the dark one. Life and death." "Whatever," Iris was getting impatient, "Lets just hurry and get on with it. I don't know how long I'm gonna last." And so they continued on until they reached their destination, just below the castle. Suddenly, the wailing stopped, not just softer, but all together. It was just silent. Sighing, Iris dropped her shield and breathlessly sat down under the 'shade' of an old dead tree. Not that shade mattered much here anyway; both above and below the branches of the dead oaks there was nothing but an eerie "Grayness" that was both light and not light at the same time. No plants grew here. The soil was cold, dry, and, most of all, barren. The remnants of an old bird's nest sat high in one of the dead tree's branches in a cruel mockery of the once thriving forest. "Phew!" She exclaimed, "Boy am I glad that's over! Right guys? Guys?!" Looking around she found her comrades just standing there staring into space, "Ok guys, nice joke! Ha, ha I'm laughing...You're not joking are you? Crap." Iris walked around looking into the faces of her comrades. Their eyes were still open and had a dreamlike quality, as if each one had fallen asleep with their eyes open, one under each tree. Not to say, though, that their faces were emotionless, oh no. All of them had some distinct emotion playing on their travel worn features. Quatre had a happy grin on his face, like a kid in a candy store, while Heero had a look of astounding and utter peace on his face, sheer joy contrasting with his empty eyes. Shuddering Iris turned to Duo, hoping for a less tormenting expression. He had on this sheepish grin, like a little boy who got caught snatching a cookie just before dinner. Like all the others', his violet-blue orbs were as detached and cool as the eye of a storm; a calm that only promised trouble to come. Wufei had this big happy smile on his face. You know, the kind of look a guy gets when he pictures himself and his hubby sitting on a park bench growing old together; the same look to which all men caught with it have the same rule: deny, deny, deny. Add that to the blank eyes and the Chinese pilot looked like some grisly doll, its face etched by some poor jaded soul. Rose had on a happy grin that Iris had only caught her wearing a handful of times in her lifetime. But Trowa...he was different...Trowa was just blank, like some poor soul that time forgot. On top of it all was this ghastly veneer of bitter omission that made Iris, despite the utter stupidity of the action, want to give him a hug and a stuffed animal. ^Okay, this is bad,^ she thought to herself, ^What would Rose do in this situation...^ "I got it!" Iris exclaimed and promptly walked over to Wufei, "Snap out of it!" *Slap* Wufei didn't even react to being smacked across the face and all that Iris got for her efforts was a sore hand and yet another glimpse of that silly, love struck grin. ^Owie. Okay scrap that idea...Wait! How come this doesn't affect me? Oh I know! It has to do with the dead souls. They aren't really gone they just don't affect me!! All right! Who's a genius? I'm a genius! Oh yeah! But I will have to save the victory dance for later...I still don't know what's wrong with them.^ ^"Hey Iris, I got some news for ya."^ Nightshade popped into her thoughts with an irritated snarl, ^"According to what Starcircle tells me, your comrades are being ensorcelled. The spirits are trying to lure them into death with their own hopes and memories, like Sirens do to sailors, without the singing of course. All save Trowa...I guess he never had someone he loved die on him...at least, not one he knew. I think they're just toying with him and are gonna kill him last. Cruel bastards. "^ ^Shit. If I don't get to them soon I'm gonna lose them!^ Iris thought, ^Okay...don't panic...there has got to be something that I can do...^ she scanned her memory for a ward to fend off the lost souls before they trapped her friends. ^I suppose that will work...it'll be difficult and I might run out of energy and pass out...this is one place that I don't want to be unconscious in but I don't have much of a choice. Man, I hope this works.^ Iris sat in the Locust position on the cold earth and brought her hands, palms out to shoulder level. Closing her eyes, she concentrated and then began to speak in the language of the Elves. "Spirit of Magic, heart of the Ancients, grant me Voice." She raised her hands above her head, palms up, "Soul of Knowledge, Ears of the Ancients, hear my Plea." As a cool mist began to form around her, Iris opened her eyes and brought her hands in front of her again, but this time entwined together. She began to chant the ancient words of magic, swaying from side to side, as if to some unheard melody. Nightshade padded over to her right and sat near his Companion. Iris continued chanting and swaying until, several minutes later she stopped, leaving a chill silence hanging in the air. She just sat there, unblinking, when she suddenly cocked her head up to the sky. The moon that had started out as a half moon was now new, the only trace of its existence was a blank spot in the stars. Eyes fixed with almost ravenous attention to the moon she shrieked. At her right, Nightshade added his own bone-chilling scream. The Lost Souls whirled around the sorceress, making the tall girl seem small and insignificant. The Souls closed in on what they thought was easy prey. Iris' face split into a frigid grin that the North winds would have envied and her moss colored eyes turned a cool blood red. Pricking her thumb Iris held her hand out to the creatures of the night. Swarming to the fresh blood, twisted maws wide in anticipation of a bloody meal, the Souls were drawn close and Iris struck. A viscous fog filled the clearing, pulling at the Souls corporeal plane and tugging at what remained of their being. The Lost Souls shrieked in otherworldly anguish as their physical substance melted away. The new moon slowly turned red and then back to a normal ivory crescent. The girl's eyes changed back to normal and flickered shut. Iris managed a faint smile and then passed out under the chill sky, Nightshade at her side. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Trowa awoke to the sounds of sobbing. Rubbing unusually dry eyes he focused on the wretched tableau that reared its ugly head before him. His comrades lay on the ground, all in various stages of waking, all save Rose. She sat sobbing next to the still form of Nightshade. The great panther's stomach had been torn wide open, causing blood and other darker fluids to make a macabre mud of the chill clearing. Trowa could make out no movement of the beast's chest and no more blood flowed, indicating no pulse as well. Nightshade, mystical beast of the forest and guardian of all therein, was dead. To make matters worse, there seemed to be not a trace of his Chosen, save a lock of soft brown hair matted with blood and tears. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* ^"Iris"^ A voice broke through waters dark and warm as blood, ^"Iris, wake up."^ Iris stirred weakly, "Go 'way..." She muttered thickly, "Lemme sleep..." ^"Iris"^ Whoever owned the voice was persistent, ^"Iris, you have to get up now. There is work to be done."^ Iris, groggy with despair and pain, was beginning to become just a wee bit peeved at this mysterious voice, "mmm...Dammit...lemme 'lone" she tried to roll over and found that she was unable to move her wrists. ^Oh well...^ She thought vacantly, ^Not like I'm going anywhere anyway...^ Iris was just drifting off again when, ^"Iris, will you at least listen?"^ "right...fine...whacha want..." Iris gave up trying to sleep for the moment and listened to the strange voice. ^"Iris, you must wake up! You are in the chambers of the Demon Wyrm!"^ "So?" Iris snapped bitterly, "Let him kill me! What do I have left? My Companion is dead, my sister and my friends are lost to me! Why go on?!" ^"Iris, you mustn't panic,"^ the voice remained calm, ^"If you sink into that darkness or panic you will be lost. Your friends are not dead-"^ ^"And my companion is dead. Therefore my magic is weak and useless to anyone." Iris shook her head. ^"Not quite Iris. A Companion does enhance your power but not in the way most think. You see your Companion helps you progress like a teacher and mentor, nothing more."^ The voice held a smile, ^" I must go now. If I stay longer I will be caught and all is lost."^ "Wait, who are you? You sound familiar." Iris asked. The voice chuckled in a fatherly way, "As long as the stars shine in the night sky there will be hope."^ (An: answer to my little reading comprehension puzzle is at my author's notes at the end. ///^.^!) Iris allowed herself a small smile and waited in silence, nursing the aches and pains that accompanied consciousness. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ They now not-so-merry band of would-be demon slayers stood, minus two, before a new grave. At its top stood a headstone of polished dark marble, compliments of a now winded Trowa. The epitaph was simple; "Nightshade" was surrounded by a carving of the plant what was his namesake. Rose turned toward the castle, wiping a stray tear from one blue eye. "We must leave soon. Iris is still alive and in there, as well as those we have come this far to defeat." The little woman gave the boys a stern look, "If any of you wish to turn back do so now." Duo grinned, "What, and miss out on the lovely scenery? Not on your life babe!" he turned to the other boys, "Right guys?" "I would never leave a woman in danger or a powerful demon left unvanquished." Wufei loosened Kizoku in its sheath, a cool gleam running in both sword and eye from the moonlight, and perhaps something more. Quatre allowed a small wan smile, "We haven't traveled this far for nothing, right Trowa?" "Yeah, I'll go too," Trowa turned toward Heero, "How about you Heero?" "It's the only way to get back home so I have no choice." Though his words seemed cold and detached, Rose knew that even if she could have brought him back without slaying the Demon Wyrm he still would have helped out. Not that Heero would ever admit to it. There was a long silence between the comrades. Finally, uncomfortable in the sudden tense silence Duo wondered aloud, "What now?" Rose looked at the braided boy for a second, and then responded, "We go inside the castle, duh." Duo continued undaunted, "Yeah, I can see that but how do we get up there? Isn't that kind of important?" "I have an idea." Quatre looked up at the castle in thought, "I suppose I could give everyone a boost up there." Rose nodded, her eyes still raw from crying, "Sounds like a plan. What do you need us to do Quatre?" Quatre turned to face the group and said, "All right, get in a circle around me and hold hands." The group got into a circle with Quatre and Starcircle in the middle. "What now Quatre?" Wufei asked. "Simple," Quatre closed his eyes and concentrated, "Hold on tight." With that the group levitated about an inch off the ground and then began to spin, a small tornado forming around them. Quatre and Starcircle floated on a bit of thickened air in the center as they flew up into the sky, spinning like a top. *~*~*~*~*~ Wufei waved to the others to move forward. The group had been playing this deadly game of cat and mouse for hours. One of them would go ahead of the rest, disarm what traps he could find and then signal to his or her companions to move up. Each member of the band of would-be demon slayers was bleeding in one place or another, and their clothing was in dire need of patching due to the wear and tear of crawling and dodging. Finally they came to a large room, a drastic change to the twisting, cloying, and claustrophobic labyrinth of tunnels that lay behind them. Not to say that the chamber that loomed before them was very welcoming or for that matter, welcome at all. It, for lack of a better term, was a bleeding hall of death. And by bleeding I mean literally bleeding. There was a pool of blood in the center that fed to the walls so blood constantly flowed, making the room seem to bleed. As if it wasn't gory enough all of the furniture in the room was made of human bones. Chandeliers made of skulls and arm bones hung above a dining table complete with macabre chairs, plates, glasses, bowls, and 'silverware' (though bone-ware would be a more fitting term). As grisly as the room was, the attendants were much more terrifying. Each of the Five Demonesses sat at a bony chair drinking what Wufei fervently hoped was wine. Amber greeted them all with a chilling gaze and a toothy grin that seemed more like a grimace. Stalking forward the demon spoke "You seem disappointed. Do you not like our feast?" Amber's pupils spiraled like those of a bird as they homed in on Trowa, "Perhaps that is because you have not seem the main course." Soulblaze stood, crimson snakeskin dress slithering and hissing as she stood and spoke, "We went through a lot of trouble to prepare this for you all, you know." she slinked around the table, red hair glittering in the firelight from the one lone bone-framed fireplace, "After all it is soooo hard to find such a flower in the middle of a wasteland." Starbreeze waved a hand causing her long blond hair to shift as a large covered platter floated down to the center of the table. She laughed cruelly but said nothing as Skyjolt strode over to the center of the large table, one clawed hand caressing the platter's skull handle. "Are you curious, little ones?" The Demoness of Energy hissed, "Do you want to know what is under here? We might just make you earn it-" "IT'S YOUR PRETTY LITTLE FLOWER GIRL!!!!!" Shellscream interrupted her elder sister, unable to take the suspense any longer, "Oops...um...hehe...I mean...even IF it was your pretty little flower girl friend...which it might or might not be...um...you'd have to earn it! Yeah that's it! You-" *Smack* "OOOOOOWWW! Sky! Why'd you have to go and do that? *Sniffle* owie...*WAAAAAAH*" "So," Starbreeze finally spoke, interrupting her little sister's lament, "The cat is out of the bag, so to speak." She lifted the lid on the platter to reveal Iris bound and gagged on the large tray. Her eyes were surprisingly calm and clear for someone who was covered in the blood of her Companion, tied up on a platter surrounded by demons in a bloody hall of death. "IRIS!" Rose darted forward only to be caught by Wufei. The Chinese boy shook his head and signaled for her to wait. At her side, Starcircle growled low in his chest but remained rooted in place. "Does this mean you don't like our feast?" Amber's eyes flashed red, a bloody tear slipping down her cheek in cruel mockery of heartache, "Then perhaps you'll like dessert!" On 'dessert' the Demonesses raised their hands opening trap doors plummeting the would-be demon slayers into darkness once again. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Rose floated on the edge of waking and slowly opened her eyes. She was being carried down a hallway by not-so-gentle hands toward two large oak, bloodstained doors with large ivory doorknockers each with a human skull inside each ring. The hallway was lit by the occasional torch and incense burners were placed randomly along the hall sending off smoke that smelled of death and gore. The doors opened with the rasping creak of gnashing teeth revealing a room with a large stone fountain in the center. The fountain consisted of a small pool filled with blood, a gargoyle in its center. The blood came out of the stone creature's eyes, making it cry blood. The walls were hung with torches and there was a throne made of onyx and adorned with black pearls. Sitting in the throne was none other than the Demon Wyrm himself and chained by his side was Rose's dear sister Iris, looking calm and unruffled. "Do come in dear one." The vile creature purred, "I have been waiting so long for you to come home." The Spirit hands that held Rose let her go. ^What do I do? I have waited so very long for this moment, to see this demon face to face but without the boys, the Chosen ones, how can we win?^ Hoping for reassurance Rose looked to her dear sister. A look of understanding crossed between Iris and Rose and suddenly Rose knew what to do. No. She didn't 'know'. Know was to weak of a word. It was more like she sensed what to do in her heart. She knew what she and Iris had been born to do. She walked over to the Demon Wyrm calmly and said, "Yes father, we're all together. As it should be." Rose held the Demon Wyrm's right hand in one of her own just as Iris grabbed his left. A high keening moan split the air as the spirits of all the Demon had killed filled the room. Rose's eyes became all ice blue as she said in a calm voice that carried, like magic, above the wail of the Demon's former servants, "We are all. We are the Earth, Sky and Water." Iris stood, the whites of her eyes fading away, and spoke in a voice that could be heard for miles but did not hold a tone of strain, "We are nothing. We are the Fire, Lightning, and Spirit." The Demon Wyrm, sensing his plight, struggled against the grips of the two girls who had to be less than half his size but to no avail. The hands of the pair held the strength of every warrior that had ever lived and endured with the steadfastness of the ancients. "You do not know what you are doing!" he roared, "Stop this at once! Would you go as far as to kill your own father?" The girls did not seem to be impressed. "We give life." Rose's eyes rolled back into her head but still she stood grasp not faltering in the least. "And we take it away." Iris finished the incantation and the word shattered before her now sightless eyes. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ An: The answer to my puzzle is revealed in chapter six. Iris remembers the words of her mentor and father figure Father Mike "As long as the stars shine in the night sky there will be hope." So naturally the mysterious voice is the spirit of Father Mike. Okay, this chapter took me !FOREVER! to finish cuz I got a MAJOR writer's block. BUT I DID IT! WOOOOOOHOOOOOOO! I finished my first fic! Don't worry I won't leave ya hangin'! I am writing an epilogue! Wow! I am sooo happy! *Grabs Chibi- Trowa and does the happy dance* Any Questions and comments at hyeperbubchick@hotmail.com. All right! This is your authoress saying live, love, and don't drink cough syrup!
"The little creatures of nature...they don't know they're ugly! That's very funny! A fly marrying a bumblebee...I told ya I'd shoot! But you didn't believe me! Why didn't you believe me?!" -'Ren and Stimpy's' very own 'Happy Happy Joy Joy' song-