Chapter Six: Beyond the grave

After hours of merrily chasing the little globe of light, Duo finally caught up with it. He pounced on it and held it. Like a child holding a new toy he turned the ball over in his hands, watching the way the light spilled through his fingers. It was the size of a baseball. He threw it in the air and it actually came back. It seemed to like him. It felt warm in his hand. He smiled and carried it with him as walked on through the forest. He had no idea which direction he'd come from now, but it didn't seem to bother him. One direction was really as good as another now that he really put his mind to it. What are east and west anyway, or north and south for that matter? It really doesn't matter which way you go as long you go some way. Duo thought it strange that he was thinking so clearly and reasoning so soundly, but he didn't see anything wrong with it. He finally decided to continue going the way he ball had been leading him. He walked that way till sunset. Holding the ball in front of him for light, he found a small cave in which to spend the night.

/~\~/~\~/~\

Deep within the cave, the dark one grinned. sixteen years had come and gone, but now revenge would come on far swifter wings. The wind was sent out again to find news of other things, while its master rested for the time to come.
/~\~/~\~/~\

That night as the group settled in for the evening, Heero found himself pondering his dream of the night before. Surely it was due to the blond conjurer's story, but it had been so real. Like he'd actually been present when Duo and his father were attacked. He wondered at the sword with the dragon hilt, and the symbol on its breast. Now that he thought back he could recall more details of the sword, though he had not had time to examine it in his dream. The hilt had formed a dragon's torso and arms complete with tiny steel talons. The rest of the body and tail coiled around the blade as though holding it in place. The head served as the pommel and its blood ruby eyes glared out of the cold steel. Wire wings formed the cage. It was a beautiful weapon.

The oddest feature of this magnificent sword was a symbol carved across the dragon's chest. Heero didn't know why he could recall it. Surely it had rested against his palm out of sight, yet in his mind he could clearly see the faint outlines on the well-worn hilt: a heart, bearing a regal crown, resting in two slim hands. He tried to remember more, but some things were hidden in mental shadow. All that remained clear was the sword, the mad witch, and a braided boy with violet eyes screaming for his father . . .

/~\~/~\~/~\

Duo entered the cave to find a cool stream of underground water flowing through along the rear wall. As he drank of the icy waters a drowsiness overtook him and he curled up in a darkened corner. He soon fell into a deep sleep. The fairies covered him with a blanket of cobwebs and spanish moss, loosened his hair, and wove it with nightshade blossoms. This done they smiled at the childe and lifted their enchantments from his mind. They called to the will-o-the-wisp in his pocket, but she refused to leave his side. A little bewildered the Fae departed to report to Titania, glad to be done with the dark one's business, glad their queen owed her nothing more.

/~\~/~\~/~\

Trowa jerked and twisted against the web, but the thick tendrils held him fast. For the thousandth time he shouted his friend's name into the night. For the thousandth time none answered, and for the thousandth time he sighed into the darkness.

/~\~/~\~/~\

The child smiled out of the bundle of blankets he held. Violet eyes stared up at him blinking as they saw light for the first time. Pudgy fingers reached up to grab his own. Misca beamed at her sister, Laki stood at her friend's bedside, and in the corner Sentrie sneered in disgust before stomping out of the room.

"He's so tiny."

"What should we call him, my Love?"

"Duo." Heero smiled down at Qay and bent low to kiss her lightly.

Heero woke with a start. He could have sworn he'd heard someone calling Duo's name in the distance. 'Must have been the dream.' He returned to sleep almost immediately. Four feet away, Qahlen sat up and stared into the dark forest. She hadn't felt that presence in many years. It was times like this she wished she couldn't feel at all.

Meanwhile, Heero continued to dream of a life he hadn't lived, of a child not his own, of a sword he'd never seen, and of a woman he had met only two days before. Qay saw the smile on his face, sensed the memories flooding his dreams and wished she didn't have to stem the flow, but if he learned who he had been . . . She didn't know what would happen, but she knew she couldn't let it continue. It had destroyed men in the past. She remembered the stories of people who had had those memories surface; they had all been burned or institutionalized. She had loved who he had been too much to let that happen. As she corrected what she had inadvertently done, a single tear fell into his hair, never felt, leaving no trace of itself but the damp line on her cheek.

"Goodbye, Roan."

/~\~/~\~/~\

Late the next morning they found Trowa, dehydrated and half starved, still hanging from the web across their path. Heero and Wufei ran to cut him down. Dazedly, he looked up at his friends, a mix of fear and relief on his wearied face. Oddly he spoke directly to Qay, as though he knew who she was and had known her for years.

"Duo's in the forest."

"What?!" Four voices yelled together as Qay took in the pilot's statement. 'So I was right. She has returned to finish what she started sixteen years ago. Don't worry my son. I won't fail you this time.'

Misca saw the look on her sister's face. "Qay what is it? What do you sense?"

"We'll find him in the caves, but we must hurry."

"You two take your friend back to the castle. Laki, let's go."

"No."

"What now, Qay? I thought we needed to hurry." Qay looked the blond in the eyes and she backed down.

"We are, but we need these two with us. The other is weakened and will have to remain behind."

"Qay, we can't take these children into the forest."

"They survived the road to find us. And ill armed I might add. We need them. We can't get Duo back without them." Misca knew better than to argue with Qay when it came to her child.

"Alright. Everyone let's go." Laki performed a sustaining spell on the weakened pilot to make sure he could make it back to the castle alone.

"We'll have to find blades for them. Their guns are useless in there." Laki rarely spoke in times like these, but what she said was always invaluable. Wufei pulled a katana from his pack and presented it for her inspection. She could see as he pulled it that he knew how to handle a sword. She looked to Heero. He shook his head. He had nothing but his gun. He had rarely needed anything else. He only knew the basics of swordplay anyway, and couldn't possibly use one effectively in a fight. Laki looked worried. She turned to her sisters to see if they had anything he might use. When she looked to Qahlen the woman pulled a long roll of cloth from her bag. As she unwrapped the bundle, Laki gasped in shock as did the imperturbable Misca.

"I brought this to give to Duo. Something to remember his father by, but I guess it's fitting that it see one last battle before retirement." She had revealed a sword. As Heero looked at it over her shoulder, he realized it wasn't just any sword. It was the sword from his dreams, Roan's sword. Last night he had been battling an ogre with it when suddenly the forest surrounding him, the ogre itself and even the sword had melted away. He was suddenly in an Oz base fighting guards who held Duo prisoner. He lost that fight and awoke just before his would-be executioner pulled the trigger. The black haired woman had been grinning with pure evil in her eyes.

As Qay handed him the blade, he stared at it. It was exactly as he recalled it from his dreams, every detail of the dragon hilt, the sparkle of the two blood red spheres, the worn lines of the unknown symbol, even the scratch along the blade where he had pulled it from the ogre's grasp. When Qay saw his reaction to the sword, she was afraid he had remembered too much, but he didn't confront her. He merely met her gaze with determination and courage so much like the man she remembered, and the five warriors set out to save the braided boy from his ill fate.

/~\~/~\~/~\

Quatre had been searching the house for two days. He had seen flying chairs, mirrors that broke themselves as soon as he entered their reflections, books knocking each other down fighting for shelf space, and even a transparent young woman who screamed at him and chased him around the room till he finally broke down the door that had locked itself behind him. Now he had reached the top of the tower and he feared what he might find there, but if his friends were still in the castle this was the last place they could be. His hand shook violently as he twisted the doorknob. He took one step into the room and was pulled to the center by a force he couldn't name or even comprehend. The room was filled with oddities collected over many years: antique furniture, books, candleholders, old paintings of expressionless nobles, and many other things most of which defied description, but Quatre did not have time to look around. A feminine voice dripping with power filled the room, but he couldn't find its source.

"Oh, goody, someone's come to play!" Quatre screamed as a red haired woman in a flowing black gown materialized before him. "I'm so glad you came to visit." Quatre tensed as she came nearer, circling him like a predator inspecting easy prey. "The others told me to leave. Don't you think that was rude?" He only gulped as quietly as possible. She began to laugh maniacally at the frightened teen. "We're going to have so much fun." Somehow he knew he didn't want to know this woman's definition of 'fun.'

/~\~/~\~/~\

They covered ground far faster than Duo had in his frolicking and by the end of the day were only an hour from the caves. Exhausted, they unrolled their pallets and fell asleep without speaking to each other. Misca was awake for some time though. She knew Qay. The younger witch knew more than she was telling. She knew who they were up against. Why was she afraid to name their enemy? What put that much fear in a High Witch of Ireland? She knew of only one person Qahlen had ever feared or even hated, but that woman was thirteen years dead and scattered, there was no way for her to threaten Duo now, unless . . . no, her ashes had scattered. Sentrie was gone; nothing could have brought her back from that.

/~\~/~\~/~\

Duo woke up with flowers in his hair. He had kicked off the fairies' blanket in the night. 'Where am I?' He remembered trying to convince Trowa to come with him into the forest, and something about the Wizard of Oz, but none of that explained why he was waking up alone in a dark cave.

"Duo" A voice whispered in the darkened cave.

"Hello?"

"Duo"

"Heero? Where are you?"

"This way." He followed the voice deeper into the cave into a small tunnel that led deep underground. He could hear the stream flowing along the cave wall to his right.

"Heero, where are we goin'?"

"The others are down here. We've been waiting for you." Duo thought that sounded a little strange, but the guys had probably found this place on their walk. The tunnel leveled out and opened into a large cavern. Water dripped from the spiked ceiling and someone sat on a carved throne high upon a stone pillar, laughing scornfully.

"What did you do to my friends?" He was on the defensive looking everywhere for his comrades. The woman on the throne smiled, she was clothed in shadow and her eyes had an unearthly glow, her long dark hair flew wildly around her head riding a wind he couldn't feel. She opened her mouth and his partner's voice issued from her pale throat.
"This way. We've been waiting." The voice suddenly became deep and feminine, saturated with malice. "Did you really believe that? It's a pity I didn't get to kill you as a child. You've grown to be such a disappointment."

/~\~/~\~/~\

Trowa approached the castle slowly. It was half a day's walk at the best of times. Now he'd be lucky to make it in two. He just hoped Quatre wouldn't be too angry when he got there. The little Arab hated to be alone, and they had left him that way for going on three days. Remembering Quatre's stint with the Zero system, he slowed his pace. There really wasn't any need to hurry.

/~\~/~\~/~\

The warriors rose with the sun and entered the cave before it had finished its assent. The five entered the darkness cautiously, not knowing what to expect or whom. They followed the stream's current down a steep tunnel, winding their way toward the bowels of the earth.

/~\~/~\~/~\

Duo stared at the woman's familiar face as every hair rose on the back of his neck. She was talking about things he didn't understand, but her hatred for him was obvious and deadly.

"Don't look so surprised. You look too much like your father that way."

"You knew my father?"

"Knew him? Child I killed him, as I will kill you as soon as your mother arrives."

"My mother is dead."

"Oh, no little one. I am dead. Your slut mother is quite alive." Duo tried to attack the woman for her slander, but he couldn't move. Something was holding him in place. He struggled against invisible bonds.

"You're lying!"

"You don't know, do you? Oh how precious! It's so nice to see one's work last. I thought that spell would have worn off by now. Have you been this close to her for this long and not known? It's absolutely delicious. I can't wait to see Qay's face when her baby boy can't remember her name." The wicked laughter filled the cavern and Duo fumed.

"You're pathetic."

"Oh no child, far from it. Pathetic is falling into my trap a second time. Pathetic was your father trying to save you from me. Pathetic was him dying for a worthless creature like you. Although, I would have killed him anyway." Duo spat at her and cursed her with every profanity he'd heard in his short life. "Very good child, you've become a true human. I'll bet you've cheered at a witch burning and stoned prophets. The blood of your father and his fowl people runs true in you. They stopped me from killing you before, but they won't this time."

"Oh won't we?" Duo strained against the spells holding him, trying to turn and see the source of the familiar voice. Who was this woman? Something in him remembered comfort and protection when she spoke, but he couldn't remember why.

"Qay, and you brought guests. Now we're all here. The party's about to begin." Duo felt himself rise toward the stalactite-studded ceiling. The woman with the soothing voice began chanting words he couldn't understand and he began a slow descent in mid-air. "Sorry, Sis, but it won't be that easy." With a gesture from the shadowed woman, Qahlen and the others were thrown to the ground and Duo began to rise again. Misca looked into the face of evil and finally recognized her.

"Sentrie?"

/~\~/~\~/~\

Everyone froze in shocked horror, as the woman rose from her throne and glared down at them with sadistic glee. Her laughter filled the cave and shook loose several stone spikes, one landing in front of each of her would-be opponents. As the others sat in shock, Heero stood and approached her.

"Let him go." The soldier's mask was back in full force, the sword felt comfortable in his hand and for once he felt confident in using it.

"How marvelous! I get to kill you again. Poor little Qay, losing them both all over again, it must be so painful for you." Her smile grew. "Painful as the flames you lit beneath me." Her hands began to glow and a ball of orange flame grew between them. She threw it at Qahlen and the others, but Heero sliced at it with his sword. To his surprise it extinguished on contact. "NO!" She threw another, this time at Heero, but the others had revived from their initial shock and the three witches cast a shield over him. The fireball died a few inches from his nose.

Wufei drew his sword. The witches each prepared their spells and all approached the woman who dared return from the dead. She snapped her fingers and a dozen warriors of various races swarmed down on them from every corner of the cavern. As the five fought fiercely, Sentrie brought Duo to her side and bound him to her throne. She wanted her vendetta to have the full attention of her chosen audience.

Heero slashed through a reptilian creature with horns and long jagged fangs. It's black blood pooled around the ravaged body as he moved on to its fellow creature of the night. Duo was stunned to say the least. Heero didn't know how to use a sword. He'd even tried to teach him once or twice, but the perfect soldier was just useless with a blade, or so it had seemed. Heero was now cutting through his fourth opponent and had only a minor cut on his brow to show for the other three. The battle raged on. As the last demon fell, Duo sought his rescuers among the dead. All appeared alive at least, Wufei was unconscious, the witch with the short dark hair had drug herself over to him and trying her best to revive the pilot. The blond was leaning against the stone; she seemed confused and barely able to stand. Only two now stood between him and what he knew would be a painful death. The woman Sentrie had called Qay, who looked so familiar, but the thought made his head ache. The memory was buried deeper than he would ever be able to go. His other remaining savior was his best friend, his partner, Heero Yuy. He had trusted Heero with his life many times, and he knew that he shouldn't doubt him now, but something in the back of his mind screamed that he had failed to protect him before. Dammit, why couldn't he remember? He knew now that it was partly the fault of the witch, but she had said it shouldn't have lasted, part of him was keeping those memories closed off now, if only he could break through.

Sentrie was glaring down at the pair. Heero charged at her sword drawn. The witch waved a dismissively and he flew into the stone wall of the cavern. He hit the ground with an echoing crash, and all knew he would not rise soon. Qahlen turned to him, but she didn't have time to cushion his fall. The black beast before her was too fast. "Why, Sen? Why are doing this?"

"You had me killed."

"You murdered my husband, Sentrie. Why?"

"He was human. You're a witch. You're better than him."

"When did you become a purist? What happened to the friend I sat up with so many nights, fighting your nightmares? What happened to the friend who helped me bathe his wounds when he first came here? Why betray did you betray me? I trusted you. I called you my sister. Why?"

"He was stealing you from me!" Sentrie stopped as she heard herself speak words she hadn't even admitted to herself. She hadn't killed him for being human. She had killed him out of jealousy for her friend's time and attention. She had trusted few people in her many years, all had betrayed her, but one. That one had been taken from her by a human, a stranger. Her true reasons unraveled her anger slightly, but a dead woman's vengeance cannot be thwarted by words.

"Sentrie, he wasn't—"

"It doesn't matter. I'll kill you and your bastard son. It is you who have betrayed me." She swept down from her thrown, launching spells at her former sister. The witch in grey threw up a shield. The curses pounded at her defenses, but she didn't know how to fight her. She didn't even know if she could. Even with the death of her husband, it had killed her to light a flame under her old friend. It killed her now to see what her negligence had created. This dark husk of a person she had known and cared for. She couldn't stand the sight of the monster she had made.

When she looked away her eyes fell to Heero. His aura glowed bright and she knew when he woke he would know exactly why he was here, why he had become Duo's friend, and why he had fought so fiercely against these horrors. She saw a man she had known all those years ago once again struck down. She looked up at her son, bound and gagged, waiting to be executed. These were not the actions of the friend she had known. The thing before her was only her malice, so strong it survived the grave. Looking within herself, Qay suddenly knew how to end this. She pulled all of her power together, and focused it on the dead witches soul. Fighting the instinct to hold back she let her power realize its full potential as it ripped through what remained Sentrie Blade. A hellish scream filled the caves and echoed out into the forest.

The woman clothed in shadow was being torn apart from the inside. Her flesh boiled as smoke began to rise from her resurrected corpse. The smell of burning flesh and hair filled the cavern as the fires fed and quickly consumed her. When all was finished there were no ashes left to scatter. A wind blew through the cavern raging in despair, but to no avail. Sentrie was truly gone. With her death, so too did all of her remaining spells die. Duo found himself free and ran down the steep stone steps. He reached Qay just as she collapsed from exhaustion. He caught her gently and lowered her to the floor, cradling her head in his lap. He looked at the now calm face and a single word surfaced in his mind.

"Mother?"

/~\~/~\~/~\