Title: Between Darkness and Light – Prophecy
Pairings: 2+1+2, 5+1, 3+4, H+2, R+1, M+5, 13+6, past 6+9
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the GW characters but the story and all additional
characters are mine though.
Betaed: Yes…sankyou so much for doing it Yume-chan *huggles* you're the best!
Warnings: Shounen Ai, OOC, violence
A/N: All the boys are different ages in this story, they are as followed: Heero's 15, Duo's
18, Trowa's 19, Quatre's 18 and Wufei's 16.
~Hiya minna, Long time no see ne? Does anyone still remember this fic? Sorry to have kept you
guys waiting for so long but I'm back now… I hope you enjoy it~
~#~#~#~ = Change of scene
~……..~ = Nataku's speech
'………' = Thoughts
The soft sounds of birds singing of in the distance slowly penetrated the Chinese boy's mind
as the dark cloud of unconsciousness began to lift. His head throbbed painfully as the raven
haired boy found he couldn't focus his mind on any single thought. With a slight groan escaping
his parched lips, Wufei felt something soft and damp run gently down his face. Unable to figure
out where he was, the raven haired boy attempted to open his eyes but quickly shut them again
as pain shot through out his head. In a hoarse voice, the Chinese boy managed to croak "What
happened?"
Hearing the softly spoken question, Trowa removed the blood stained cloth and quietly answered
"You took a pretty nasty blow to the head and have been unconscious for approximately ten minutes"
Two delicate brows furrowed together as the Chinese boy realised he didn't recognise the voice
that was speaking to him. The sudden image of a pair of stormy blue orbs and the faint tugging
in his mind instantly lifted the remaining fog surrounding Wufei's mind as he was reminded of
whom he was searching for and what transpired only moments ago.
Ignoring the pain, onyx eyes snapped open as Wufei blindly kicked out at the unknown intruder.
A satisfied smirk crossed the Chinese boys face when he felt his boot connect with a strong
chest, before landing a safe distance away.
To say that Trowa was surprised at the others violent reaction would have been an understatement
as he rubbed his abused chest from where he lay sprawled out on the ground. He let none of his
surprise however show on his face though as he silently berated himself for his lowering his
guard.
Narrowing his eyes, Wufei quickly scanned the immediate area for the Jurei's location. When his
search turned up with nothing, his dark onyx gaze locked firmly with emerald as the Chinese boy
dangerously asked "What have you done with Yuy?"
Calmly patting himself off as he stood, Trowa's neutral expression never wavered as he answered
"We haven't done anything to him if it's Heero you're talking about"
The sunlight that filtered through the bare branches above slowly began to fade as dark clouds
rolled over the once clear sky. The faint sound of thunder could be heard in the distance as the
wind all around began to increase in speed. Lifting his arms up before him, Wufei took on an
aggressive stance as he prepared to attack the other boy.
Sensing the threat, Trowa took a few slow steps back and began edging towards his weapon when a
loud hissing noise broke through the silence startling the pair. The archer paused in his movements
as he carefully regarded the others reaction to the unusual noise.
~Yamero Wufei! There's no time for this, Heero's not far from here~ Hissed the green dragon from
her hidden position within the trees branches.
The words spoken from above immediately got the Chinese boy's attention as Wufei lowered his arms.
No sooner had he done that, the raven haired boy silently leapt up into the trees above and quickly
headed in the direction he knew the Jurei was.
Confused and worried by the sudden departure, Trowa quickly picked up his weapon then darted off in
the same direction the Chinese boy took, knowing it would take him to the same location that both
Duo and Heero were in.
~#~#~#~#~#~#~
The unnatural darkening of the sky and the distant claps of thunder went unnoticed by the two
silent figures deep within the thick forest.
Glancing quickly over each of the five bodies that lay dead upon the earth, Duo's violet gaze
eventually found its way back to the only other breathing occupant in the area. Taking in a deep
breath, the braided boy took a step forward and gently asked "Heero, What just happened here? Who
was that guy?"
His questions though only fell on deaf ears as the said boys attention was focused inwardly towards
his own thoughts 'Shinigami, bringer of death….reaper of souls. I can no longer delay, I must make it
back to the temple before any more of the prophecy is for filled'
Worried about Heero's lack of response, Duo quickly closed the gap between them and gently shook the
younger boys shoulder "Hee-chan? What's wrong" A gentle smile spread across the braided boys face
when Heero slowly turned around to face him.
"Duo" Heero softly spoke as he looked up at the braided boy, his own gaze turning sad at the worry he
clearly saw within the violet depths 'You almost died because of my carelessness…' Coming to a decision,
Heero raised his arm and removed Duo's hold on his shoulder. Prussian eyes turned cold and serious as
Heero said in a monotone "What happened is no concern of yours. I thank you, but I am in no longer need
of your services. Its been a pleasure meeting you Duo"
Before the younger boy could move away, Duo's hand darted out and took hold of Heero's thin wrist while
his right hand went to cup the boy's cheek. Softly running his thumb over the smooth tanned flesh
beneath, Duo's eyes softened as he looked down into emotionless blue "Please, don't run away from me
anymore Hee-chan"
Releasing a breath he was unaware he held, Heero softly responded "Your life would be better off if I'm
not around"
Releasing his hold on the younger boy's wrist, Duo's left arm snaked its way around Heero's waist bringing
the unresisting body closer. Moving his hand lower down Heero's cheek, Duo gently ran his thumb over the
blue eyed boy's bottom lip "I know that we've only known each other for a few days, but I care for you
too much Heero and I can't bring myself to let you go"
Turning his head away, Heero bitterly counted "Even if I told you that death follows my every wake and that
if you stay with me, death will consume you also?"
Too lost in the uncontrollable emotions bursting out from every fibre within him, Duo gently took hold of
the younger boy's chin forcing Heero to face him again as he absentmindedly replied "Death can not consume
Shinigami" As he closed his eyes and leaned forward, brushing his lips softly over Heero's.
Heero's eyes widened as he felt Duo's lips brush against his own before releasing a muffled gasp of surprise
as the braided boy pressed their bodies closer together.
Feeling the soft lips beneath his own part slightly, Duo's tongue quickly darted in to explore and claim
every inch of the moist cavern within.
Squeezing his eyes shut tight at the unexpected intrusion, panic quickly spread throughout Heero as his
whole body tensed.
Feeling the body within his grasp suddenly tense up was more than enough to bring Duo's lust filled mind
back to its senses before he hastily pulled away from the Prussian eyed boy. "Oh my god I'm so sorry Heero,
I have no idea what came over me" Then quickly released Heero as if he was just burnt and staggered backwards
a few steps.
Before anything else could be said, pain suddenly exploded in Duo's jaw causing the braided boy to stumble and
fall to the ground. Hitting the earth with a hard thud, Duo's violet eyes closed in pain at the impact. The
sudden weight settling on his midsection and the cool metal of a blade pressed up against his throat had the
braided boy instantly on alert as his eyes snapped back open to stare directly into blazing onyx.
Holding the hilt of his katana in a white knuckle grip, Wufei pressed the blade closer to Duo's throat as he
angrily hissed "How dare you show such disrespect to the Jurei! I will have your life for your dishonourable
actions!" Then proceeded to raise his weapon into the air, readying himself to strike.
"Release him Wufei" Heero calmly said as he walked over to where the two lay on the ground, avoiding making
any eye contact with Duo. Pushing down all the new and unknown emotions swirling within him, Heero eventually
gained control over them as he looked down coldly at Duo and emotionlessly said "Duo's actions are irrelevant,
our time is short and we must be on our way" Breaking eye contact, Heero wordlessly walked off ignoring the
hurt and betrayed look in the braided boy's violet eyes at his words.
Slowly lowering his katana, Wufei leant down and whispered into Duo's ear "If you attempt to pull such a stunt
on Yuy again, not even his word will save you from my blade" Then stood up, sheathing his weapon. Narrowing his
eyes as he looked down at the stunned braided boy, Wufei bowed stiffly as he said "Pray that we do not meet
again" Before straightening himself up and making his way over to where Heero waited patiently.
Seeing his Chinese friend approaching him, Heero nodded his head in greeting "Chang, its good to see you again"
At hearing the familiar nasial voice greeting him, all of Wufei's anger melted away. In an uncharacteristic
display of affection, the Chinese boy pulled Heero into a tight hug and whispered into his ear "Its good to
see you well Yuy, you had us all worried" Before releasing his hold on the other boy and taking a step back
"We must retrieve my bag and be on our way, we have a long journey ahead of us if we are to find a way to
get you back to the temple"
Nodding his head in approval, Heero sent one last glance towards Duo before walking off in the opposite
direction.
Turning back around to find blazing violet orbs glaring murderously at him, Wufei's own eyes narrowed as he
spoke quietly enough so then the braided boy couldn't hear "Make sure that we're not followed Nataku" Then
turned to catch up to Heero, walking protectively close to his friend as they left.
After watching the pair leave, Trowa silently emerged from the shadows and made his over to help his friend
"What was that about?"
Taking the offered hand, Duo pulled himself up and proceeded to dust himself off "No idea, but whoever that
guy is has some major issues. I mean seriously, it was only a kiss for crying out loud...and what the hell
is a Jurei anyway?!" You got any idea Tro?"
Violet locked with emerald as the archer answered "No, but it would pay for you to be careful around those
two should we ever meet again"
"Yeah, yeah I know. That guy packs a pretty mean punch" Duo said as he rubbed his throbbing jaw "There's
something just not quite right about them, I'm sure their hiding something"
"I would have to agree, but it's not our concern anymore. We should be thinking about what our next move is?"
The archer stated as he silently scanned his friend for any more injuries.
Sighing loudly, Duo threw his hands behind his head "I don't know, I guess since we're this close anyway we
may as well see what's happening in Sanq. It will give me time to catch up with Howard and the guys, plus
we might be able to find some more info about what OZ is planning"
Agreeing with his friend, Trowa replied "We must leave now then if we want to reach Sanq before night fall"
~#~#~#~#~#~#~
The pair walked in silence after leaving Duo and Trowa's company. They had been travelling for a little over
half an hour when Wufei suddenly came to a complete stop. Dropping his bag down carefully to the ground, the
Chinese boy stated "We should wait here until Nataku arrives…besides, I think we need to talk"
Turning around to face his friend, Heero nodded his head as he sat down on the cool earth. Focusing his intense
gaze at Wufei, the blue eyed boy asked "What do you want to know?"
Following Heero's example, the Chinese boy sat down on the ground next to his pack. A thoughtful expression came
across Wufei's face before he spoke "I suppose you should start from the beginning, with the first thing you
remember after your kidnapping"
Closing his eyes for a moment to collect his thoughts, Heero reopened them and began reciting all of what had
happened to him. He told Wufei about waking up in Duo's camp, meeting Trowa and how the three of them travelled
to a village. He spoke about the assassins that attacked them after they left the village, Duo getting injured,
how Shinigami appeared to save their lives and him healing the braided boy. He then spoke of his decision to
leave Duo and Trowa and the chase through the forest by the bandits. Heero then finished by speaking about his
conversation with Shinigami not long before his Chinese friend's arrival. He told Wufei everything, excluding
of course the pig tails incident. The blue eyed boy thought it best not to inform Wufei about that part, he
didn't want any type of information held over him as bribery once he returned to the temple.
Narrowing his eyes, Wufei asked "Are you sure this Shinigami is who he says he is? For all we know he could
have been one of the people who kidnapped you"
Shaking his head in a negative, his chocolate bangs gently swayed in front of intense Prussian eyes as Heero
answered "He is Shinigami, there is no doubt about that"
Still not convinced with Heero's answer, Wufei challenged "And what proof do you have that he is the real
Shinigami?"
"Besides the fact that only I and the people he is about to kill can see him?" Heero asked as a single brow
rose.
Nodding, Wufei looked straight into Prussian eyes as he stated "Yes, if you want me to believe that he is the
so called 'God of Death'"
Looking away from his Chinese friend, Heero contemplated whether or not he should say anything. He quickly
decided that the knowledge of what was at stake, wasn't worth the risk of his silence. And if he was going to
prevent any more of the prophecy from being for filled, he will need his friends help to do so. Prussian
locked with onyx as Heero seriously said "What I am about to tell you is only known by J and myself. Under
no circumstances are you to repeat what I am about to say"
The seriousness in his friends tone was enough to tell the Chinese boy that whatever it was that Heero had
to say was pretty significant. Nodding his head, Wufei never once broke eye contact as he replied "On my
honour as the Shenlong child, what you tell me will never part from my lips"
Accepting the Chinese boy's oath, the pair sat in silence as Heero sorted out his thoughts then begun "The
night of my kidnapping, when I was summoned to the High Priest's study chamber. J handed me an ancient scroll
to decipher. I did what J asked of me and found out that written in that scroll was the prophecy of humanities
Armageddon"
Eyes going impossible large, Wufei could only manage to ask in a whisper "What did the scroll read?"
Taking in a deep breath to calm himself, Heero then continued
"The rivers will run red as Shinigami follows the journey of Life.
From the shadows the Lord of the Dead will emerge,
Burning everything in its wake to Engulf Life within its darkness.
Out of the ashes a great evil will be reborn to reclaim all which was lost.
The cursed ones will walk the earth once more,
If the darkness consumes the light"
There was nothing but silence for some time as the Chinese boy digested what Heero had just told him "My god
Yuy...are you certain this is true?" Wufei eventually asked, hoping that he had some how he had heard wrong. The
sadness he saw in the others Prussian eyes though was enough to confirm his answer even before Heero began to
speak.
"The first part of the prophecy has already come to pass, Shinigami follows my every wake. I don't believe he
is this 'Lord of the Dead' the prophecy spoke about, but I can not say for sure. The only thing I can suggest
is getting back to the temple before any more of the prophecy comes to be"
Rubbing the bridge of his nose in annoyance, Wufei sighed quietly "That will be harder than you think Yuy, the
King has put an embargo on all in and out going traffic to Enlizer. So unless we can somehow convince a captain
in Sanq to take us back to the palace 'without' telling them exactly who we are, we will need to think of
another way to get back"
"Damn it" Heero growled as he punched the earth beneath him in frustration, sending thin clouds of dirt into
the air.
"That is not our only problem either, it seems that whoever kidnapped you is still out there searching. Nataku
and I past quite a number of search parties walking around between here and Sanq. I think it would be best for
us to keep as low a profile as possible to avoid any unnecessary attention"
Pushing down his frustrations Heero nodded his approval. A flash of gold brought the blue eyed boy's attention
to the head piece upon Wufei's brow, cocking his head to the side as he asked "By the way, what is that around
your head?"
Having forgotten about the circlet being there, Wufei raised up a hand to touch the dark green jewel embedded
within it "It was given to me by Winner, and it is how I found you all the way out here"
That got Heero's attention as he confusedly asked "Nani? How?"
"This circlet lead me to you. I do not know how it works, but when I put it on I could feel where you
were...speaking of which" Taking his eyes off the boy before him, Wufei opened the bag sitting next to him
and began to search through it.
The only outward sign to Heero's curiosity was the raising of an eyebrow as he watched his friend carefully.
Another circlet almost identical to the one Wufei was wearing was pulled out of the bag and held up in front
of the Chinese boy. Looking down at the piece of gold jewellery in his hands, Wufei said "Winner wanted me to
bring this one for you"
Heero reached out a hand slowly to take the circlet, but the Chinese boy unexpectedly moved it out of reach.
Confused by the others reaction, Heero withdrew his hand and gave the raven haired boy a confused look as he
waited patiently for Wufei to explain.
A slight pink tinge spread across the Chinese boy's face a he looked into Heero's eyes and almost timidly
asked "May I?"
A little surprised by the request, Heero could only sit there and nod his approval.
Moving to sit up onto his knees, Wufei twisted the circlet around until the jewel was facing him. Taking a
deep breath to calm his racing heat, he slowly leant forward and placed the circlet upon Heero's head. The
Chinese boy was not in the least bit surprise to find that the circlet easily covered the blue flame mark
upon Heero's brow. As he removed his hands though, Wufei's eyes widened in surprise as the light green stones
surrounding the larger blue one began to illuminate with a soft green light before going dull once again.
Noticing Wufei's reaction, Heero began to inwardly panic as he attempted to calmly ask "What's wrong?"
Turning his attention away from the dark blue jewel down to worried Prussian eyes, Wufei shook his head smiled
slightly "Nothing is wrong, do you feel any difference?"
Doing as Wufei asked, Heero closed his eyes and began to concentrate. He could feel a slight tugging sensation
in the back of his mind but apart from that the blue eyed boy couldn't feel any difference in him at all.
Heero was about to report his findings when a sudden green blur fell from the sky and rammed straight into the
blue eyed boy's chest sending him toppling backwards from the impact.
"What on earth do you think you're doing Nataku?! You could have injured Yuy!" The Chinese boy growled angrily
as he sighted his leathery companion plastered to the Jurei's chest.
Ignoring her master's angry questions, the little green dragon hissed in happiness as Nataku continually licked
Heero's face.
A slight chuckle escaped Heero's lips as the dragons slender tongue tickled his face. With laughter in his
voice, Heero barely managed to pull Nataku away long enough to say "And I missed you too" Before the dragon
overpowered him and plastered herself back onto Heero once again.
Snorting loudly enough for the other two to hear, Wufei bitterly said "Anyone would think you were bonded to
Yuy instead of me"
Craning her neck around to face the Chinese boy, Nataku narrowed her gleaming red eyes as she angrily hissed
~Some could say the same thing about you Chang!~ Before turning her attentions back to the Jurei.
Seeing the slight crimson colour staining his friend's cheeks, Heero raised an eyebrow as he asked "What did
she say?"
Attempting to regain some of his composure back, Wufei glared down at Nataku as he answered "Nothing of
importance" Looking for an excuse to change the topic, the Chinese boy cleared his throat "We should really be
on our way, it won't be long until nightfall and I would like to get you to the safety of Sanq long before then"
Prying the dragon away from his chest Heero held Nataku within his arms as he stood then proceeded to follow
his Chinese friend through the forest.
~#~#~#~#~#~#~
The silence in the study was broken as a young acolyte came running into the room after throwing open the
large wooden door. Raising a white fluffy eyebrow at the intrusion, the High Priest J asked in annoyance "What
is it? I'm extremely busy at the moment"
Bending down to one knee in respect, the out of breath acolyte answered "One of the priestess' just gave birth
Holy One"
Placing his quill onto the oak desk before him, the High Priest asked "And this concerns me because?..."
Looking J right in the eye, the young acolyte stood "The child she bore wears the white mark of the Jurei on his
chest, just like the one on yours Holy One"
That answer caught the old priest by surprise as he stood up and bellowed "What?!"
Visually shaking, the blonde acolyte shrunk back sightly before repeating "The child bears the mark of the Jurei,
he is your replacement once the child is of age"
Calming himself, J straightened out his long white robes as he spoke "Take me to the child, I would like to see
for myself"
Not wanting to upset the High Priest any further, the young acolyte almost tripped over himself in his haste to
obey as he lead the old priest out of the room.
It didn't take too long for the pair to reach the room they sought. Upon entering, J stalked over to where the
other higher priests were huddled and instantly knew the babies location. He looked down into the crib and found
that sure enough, upon the child's tiny chest was the same white flame symbol that was on his own.
"What about the future of the Jurei when he is returned to us?" One of the higher priests questioned.
Shaking his head, J continued to stare at the baby as he replied "We only assumed that he would take over my
role once I pass onto the next realm. This is the obvious truth that the Jurei's destiny lies else where" Looking
up into the worried faces around him, J then ordered "We must now prepare for the inauguration ceremony"
~#~#~#~#~#~#~
Branches creaked and fallen leaves rustled as a soft wind made its way through the area where five bodies lay
face down on the ground, each of their lives taken away in an instant. From all directions at once an almost
musical voice began to chant softly on the wind in a language unknown by all save for a very select few of
human kind.
Rain as black as the night sky, began to fall from the heavens as a sudden gust of wind sent the leaves
littering the ground up into the air. The atmosphere in the forest began to thicken as a thin grey fog entered
past the bare trees from each direction.
Moving slowly over the entire area, the grey mist began to swirl around the lifeless bodies. As it touched
each of the corpses, the unnatural mist seemed to fade away as if it was being absorbed into the five remains
itself.
Moments passed in absolute silence as not even the wind dared to move, it was as if the wind was holding its
breath in anticipation of what could happen next. The sudden twitching of the assassin's finger was the only
warning given before the blondes chest violently jerked and lifted up into the air. A loud gasp for breath
escaped the assassin's mouth as Odin's eyelids flew open, revealing pure white orbs beneath them.
The blonde mans chest dropped back down to the ground lifeless once again just as a blood red light began to
radiate from his body. The slight smell of burning flesh drifted through the area as upon Odin's forehead, a
dark brown almost black symbol was burnt into his skin.
As suddenly as it appeared, the dark red light faded from Odin as his body relaxed once more. The dark rain
began to soften its downpour before coming to a complete stop as Odin's chest began to rise and fall with
breath once again. Sweat and water plastered the shaggy blonde bangs to the exhausted assassin's forehead as
the green of his eyes slowly began to return.
Taking in a deep breath an odd feeling within his chest caught the assassin's attention. Looking down, green
eyes widened in surprise as Odin quietly muttered to himself "So that's what happened" Reaching up his hand,
the blonde man tightly gripped the wooden bolt sticking out of his chest as he effortlessly removed it from
his body.
Dropping the bloody bolt to the ground, Odin turned his attention back down to his wound to find a large
perfectly circular hole where the wooden object use to be. A slight sigh of annoyance made it passed the
assassin's lips as he angrily muttered "Now how the hell am I suppose to hide this?"
The sudden glinting of gold caught Odin's attention as he stretched out his hand and picked it up. A wicked
smile spread across the blonde mans face as he saw the little gold pendant with a rose etched into it. Placing
the gold pendant over his wound a faint red light began to emanate from the carved piece of jewellery. Ever
so slowly the skin and muscle tissue within the gaping wound began to shudder and move, fusing the gold pendant
to his skin as his body healed itself.
Getting to his feet, Odin dusted himself off before straightening up his clothes. As the assassin reached down
to retrieve his weapons the symbol upon his forehead started to pulsate as the pendant within his chest began
to glow softly. With a look of confusion on his face, Odin retracted his hand and stood back up.
"There is no need for such mortal weapons my child, you have been selected as one of my chosen few" The unknown
seductive voice drifted past his hearing was enough to send shivers of fear and pleasure down the assassin's
spine
Spinning around on his heels in an attempt to find the speaker, Odin's eyes narrowed as he demanded "Who are
you?"
A light chuckle was heard as the same alluring voice spoke once more "Hone your powers my child, for you will
be in need of them soon"
The black skies slowly turned blue once again as the dark presence within the forest vanished as quickly as it
came. Leaving behind one very curious assassin to figure out what exactly the voice meant.
~#~#~#~#~#~#~
On the edge of the forest, two figures sat silently, hidden high up on the branches of a tree. One figure, a
lithe boy with tightly pulled back raven hair and onyx eyes quietly shifted weight from one foot to the other
as he watched his silent companion.
Casting a quick glance over to his friend, Heero coldly asked "What?"
Silently studying the blue eyed boy a little while longer, Wufei eventually asked "Why did you allow him to
kiss you?"
Heero sent the Chinese boy a glare, but its effects were some what ruined by the slight pink hue that spread
across his cheeks "It is something I would rather forget about" When it looked like the Chinese boy was about
to speak again, Heero quickly cut him off "Why do you care anyway?"
"My duty is to protect you with my life Yuy, if he so much as touches you again he will not live long enough
to regret it. Plus….there's something about him that I do not trust, it would be wise for you to be cautious
if we should ever meet again" The Chinese boy warned.
The sudden return of Nataku effectively ended that conversation as Wufei turned his attentions towards the
green dragon and asked "What did you find?"
Settling herself within Heero's lap, Nataku yawned slightly before she answered ~There aren't any search parties
in the area at the moment so it is safe to cross the plains at the moment~
"Thankyou Nataku, keep yourself hidden while Yuy and I are within the city walls. If we are in need of your help,
I will summon you"
The green dragon nodded her head, before stretching out her large wings and taking off into the sky once more
as the pair dropped down silently from the trees.
Making a quick dash across the plains between the outer walls of Sanq and the forest, Wufei never once took his
eyes off of Heero as he ran behind the blue eyed boy. The pair eventually made it to the stone wall without
any incidents, much to the Chinese boy's relief.
Looking up to the wall towering above him, Heero raised an eyebrow in disbelief as he asked "How are we going
to climb it?"
A smug smirk appeared across the Chinese boys face as he replied "Yuy, I would have thought that you of all
people would have more faith in my abilities" Stretching out his left hand, the raven haired boy simply said
"Take my hand" Before kneeling down and placing his free hand on the ground below. Without another word said,
the Chinese boy stood back up just as the earth below them began to tremble slightly.
Heero blinked his eyes in astonishment as he sighted the ground around them began to sink in on itself while
the earth beneath them slowly started to rise higher and higher.
The dirt only stopped moving once it reached a height where Heero and Wufei could safely reach the top of the
stone wall. Helping the blue eyed boy up onto the wall, Wufei made sure he was safely on before climbing onto
it himself. As soon as the Chinese boy left the raised earth it started to shrink back down as the area all
around began to flatten once more as if it had never been moved in the first place.
Without waiting for the others approval, Heero quickly scanned the area for any possible witnesses. Finding
none around, he leapt down from the stone wall to the deserted area below.
"Yuy!" Wufei harshly barked as he saw his friend take the leap of faith off the wall before he jumped down
himself. Standing up from his crouched position, Wufei glared at the younger boy as he muttered "I swear
you're going to put me in an early grave Yuy"
Shrugging his shoulders, the blue eyed boy casually looked around the deserted area as he asked "What now?"
Checking the vicinity to make sure no one had seen their unauthorized entry into the city, Wufei glanced back
at his friend "There was a temple I saw when I passed through the first time, I think that's where we should
head. Be on your guard though Yuy, this city is full of thieves" Wufei finished off with a dangerous gleam
in his eyes.
Walking up behind the Chinese boy, Heero nodded his head as he said "Lead the way"
~#~#~#~#~#~#~
"Man its good to be back" Said the grinning braided boy bouncing from side to side as the pair made their
way through the busy main street, their mounts walking closely behind. "It's been way too long since our
last visit, don't you think Tro?"
Sending a quick glance over towards his overly cheery friend, Trowa ignored the slight dullness in the others
eyes as he quietly replied "It has"
Handing the reins over to the banged boy, Duo's cheery nature faded to be replaced by a serious one as he
said "I've got to go and check in with the guys, why don't you find us an inn for the night and I'll meet
you for a drink in the Barge later?" Seeing his friend's nod, his long braided hair swirled around him as
Duo spun around and disappeared into the crowd around them.
Trowa watched the braided boys retreat for a moment before tugging on the reins and continuing on his way.
~#~#~#~#~#~#~
Light poured into the large hall area, bouncing off of the white marbled walls as two figures
silently entered one before the other.
Closing the large wooden door quietly behind him, Heero couldn't help but stare at the room all
around him. The temple was an exact replica of the temple Amara back at the palace, right down to
the large statue of the Goddess of Life except this version was made out of white stone instead of
crystal. Walking up to the stone statue, Heero reached out his hand and gently touched the cold
statue. A small smile graced his lips at the feeling of rightness he felt as realised that he was
back in an environment that he knew well. An emerald light reflected off the white statue as the
tiny green stones within the circlet began to glow softly causing the stone beneath his fingers to
warm at his touch. Looking up, his Prussian eyes watched knowingly as the statue before him changed
from stone to crystal in a matter of a few seconds.
Turning around, Heero saw the astonished look upon Wufei's face. A smirk appeared on his face as the
blue eyed boy casually said "Looks like you need more faith in my abilities also Chang"
The sound of footsteps approaching instantly had the pair on alert as Wufei took up a protective stance
in front of Heero.
"I'm sorry but this temple isn't open to the public, I'm going to have to ask you to leave" A voice
called out as a short elderly man with a large nose and a mushroom style hair cut stepped out from within
the shadows.
Eyeing the old man suspiciously, Wufei took a step back attempting to hide Heero from the intruder's line of
sight before asking "We need a safe place for the night and thought this temple would be the safest place
for us"
"That may be true young man but only the priests are allowed within the Dasha temple" The old priest replied
as he carefully studied the teen before him. The dragon insignia upon the tight blue tunic the raven haired
boy wore caught the priest by surprise as he asked "You are of the Dragon Clan?" At seeing the boy's hesitant
nod, the priest took a step to the side and got his first glimpse of the boy standing behind the other. His
eyes widened in shock when he found a pair of familiar Prussian blue eyes framed by a mop of messy chocolate
hair looking straight back at him. With disbelief in his voice, the old priest said "What in the Jurei's name
are you doing here Heero?"
Surprise was written all over the blue eyed boys face as Heero quietly asked "Excuse me?"
Just as shocked as Heero was at the unexpected turn, Wufei quickly withdrew his katana and held it up before
him as the Chinese boy demanded "Who are you? And how do you know of Yuy?"
Raising his hands in a gesture of peace, the priest seriously said "Put your weapon away, I will not permit
any acts of violence within this temple"
Placing a hand on the Chinese boy's shoulder, Heero said "Do as he says Wufei" Before stepping out from behind
Wufei's protection. Cold blue eyes carefully regarded the elderly man in front of him "How do you know who I
am?"
"Forgive my rudeness Jurei, my name is G and I am the High Priest of this temple. Though I have not seen you
in over ten years, I could never forget what the chosen child of our goddess looks like. Please follow me
through to my study and we will discuss all of this in private" The High Priest G then gestured for them
both to follow.
Light suddenly poured in though the main doors as they burst open blinding the three as they heard the sound
of many pairs of feet entering the temple.
Walking past Heero and Wufei, G made his way over to the large group of people as he loudly said "This temple
is not open to the public, I'm sorry but you are all going to have to leave at once"
A young child with blonde hair and hazel coloured eyes broke apart from the group and ran straight over to
where Heero stood. Heero's eyes widened in surprise as the small child cried out "Onii-chan" Before
plastering herself to the blue eyed boy's leg, quietly sobbing.
Going down to one knee, Heero's cold eyes softened as he asked "Elly, What happened?"
Red rimmed hazel eyes looked up into warm Prussian as the young girl sniffed "It got my mommy and daddy and
took them away" Then buried her tear stained into Heero's chest.
Rubbing her back in small circles, the blue eyed boy gently asked "Who did Elly?"
Looking up once again into Heero's face, Elly quietly whispered "The red demon"
TBC
Once again I would like to give a big thankyou to Pink Cherry Blossom, GoldenRat, CinC, Ashly, Nekocin,
Kyra2, Usagi_1313, kt, shinchansgirl, Konpeitou, Natea, Star Dragonsong, Siobhan, His Infernal Majesty,
japanese blader girl and Ruby Love for their great feedback…I hope I didn't miss anyone, if I have I'm
sorry.
I know I didn't get around to telling you anything about Duo's past in this chapter, but don't worry
then next chapters going to reveal parts of it ^_~ So until next update Ja!
Pairings: 2+1+2, 5+1, 3+4, H+2, R+1, M+5, 13+6, past 6+9
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the GW characters but the story and all additional
characters are mine though.
Betaed: Yes…sankyou so much for doing it Yume-chan *huggles* you're the best!
Warnings: Shounen Ai, OOC, violence
A/N: All the boys are different ages in this story, they are as followed: Heero's 15, Duo's
18, Trowa's 19, Quatre's 18 and Wufei's 16.
~Hiya minna, Long time no see ne? Does anyone still remember this fic? Sorry to have kept you
guys waiting for so long but I'm back now… I hope you enjoy it~
~#~#~#~ = Change of scene
~……..~ = Nataku's speech
'………' = Thoughts
The soft sounds of birds singing of in the distance slowly penetrated the Chinese boy's mind
as the dark cloud of unconsciousness began to lift. His head throbbed painfully as the raven
haired boy found he couldn't focus his mind on any single thought. With a slight groan escaping
his parched lips, Wufei felt something soft and damp run gently down his face. Unable to figure
out where he was, the raven haired boy attempted to open his eyes but quickly shut them again
as pain shot through out his head. In a hoarse voice, the Chinese boy managed to croak "What
happened?"
Hearing the softly spoken question, Trowa removed the blood stained cloth and quietly answered
"You took a pretty nasty blow to the head and have been unconscious for approximately ten minutes"
Two delicate brows furrowed together as the Chinese boy realised he didn't recognise the voice
that was speaking to him. The sudden image of a pair of stormy blue orbs and the faint tugging
in his mind instantly lifted the remaining fog surrounding Wufei's mind as he was reminded of
whom he was searching for and what transpired only moments ago.
Ignoring the pain, onyx eyes snapped open as Wufei blindly kicked out at the unknown intruder.
A satisfied smirk crossed the Chinese boys face when he felt his boot connect with a strong
chest, before landing a safe distance away.
To say that Trowa was surprised at the others violent reaction would have been an understatement
as he rubbed his abused chest from where he lay sprawled out on the ground. He let none of his
surprise however show on his face though as he silently berated himself for his lowering his
guard.
Narrowing his eyes, Wufei quickly scanned the immediate area for the Jurei's location. When his
search turned up with nothing, his dark onyx gaze locked firmly with emerald as the Chinese boy
dangerously asked "What have you done with Yuy?"
Calmly patting himself off as he stood, Trowa's neutral expression never wavered as he answered
"We haven't done anything to him if it's Heero you're talking about"
The sunlight that filtered through the bare branches above slowly began to fade as dark clouds
rolled over the once clear sky. The faint sound of thunder could be heard in the distance as the
wind all around began to increase in speed. Lifting his arms up before him, Wufei took on an
aggressive stance as he prepared to attack the other boy.
Sensing the threat, Trowa took a few slow steps back and began edging towards his weapon when a
loud hissing noise broke through the silence startling the pair. The archer paused in his movements
as he carefully regarded the others reaction to the unusual noise.
~Yamero Wufei! There's no time for this, Heero's not far from here~ Hissed the green dragon from
her hidden position within the trees branches.
The words spoken from above immediately got the Chinese boy's attention as Wufei lowered his arms.
No sooner had he done that, the raven haired boy silently leapt up into the trees above and quickly
headed in the direction he knew the Jurei was.
Confused and worried by the sudden departure, Trowa quickly picked up his weapon then darted off in
the same direction the Chinese boy took, knowing it would take him to the same location that both
Duo and Heero were in.
~#~#~#~#~#~#~
The unnatural darkening of the sky and the distant claps of thunder went unnoticed by the two
silent figures deep within the thick forest.
Glancing quickly over each of the five bodies that lay dead upon the earth, Duo's violet gaze
eventually found its way back to the only other breathing occupant in the area. Taking in a deep
breath, the braided boy took a step forward and gently asked "Heero, What just happened here? Who
was that guy?"
His questions though only fell on deaf ears as the said boys attention was focused inwardly towards
his own thoughts 'Shinigami, bringer of death….reaper of souls. I can no longer delay, I must make it
back to the temple before any more of the prophecy is for filled'
Worried about Heero's lack of response, Duo quickly closed the gap between them and gently shook the
younger boys shoulder "Hee-chan? What's wrong" A gentle smile spread across the braided boys face
when Heero slowly turned around to face him.
"Duo" Heero softly spoke as he looked up at the braided boy, his own gaze turning sad at the worry he
clearly saw within the violet depths 'You almost died because of my carelessness…' Coming to a decision,
Heero raised his arm and removed Duo's hold on his shoulder. Prussian eyes turned cold and serious as
Heero said in a monotone "What happened is no concern of yours. I thank you, but I am in no longer need
of your services. Its been a pleasure meeting you Duo"
Before the younger boy could move away, Duo's hand darted out and took hold of Heero's thin wrist while
his right hand went to cup the boy's cheek. Softly running his thumb over the smooth tanned flesh
beneath, Duo's eyes softened as he looked down into emotionless blue "Please, don't run away from me
anymore Hee-chan"
Releasing a breath he was unaware he held, Heero softly responded "Your life would be better off if I'm
not around"
Releasing his hold on the younger boy's wrist, Duo's left arm snaked its way around Heero's waist bringing
the unresisting body closer. Moving his hand lower down Heero's cheek, Duo gently ran his thumb over the
blue eyed boy's bottom lip "I know that we've only known each other for a few days, but I care for you
too much Heero and I can't bring myself to let you go"
Turning his head away, Heero bitterly counted "Even if I told you that death follows my every wake and that
if you stay with me, death will consume you also?"
Too lost in the uncontrollable emotions bursting out from every fibre within him, Duo gently took hold of
the younger boy's chin forcing Heero to face him again as he absentmindedly replied "Death can not consume
Shinigami" As he closed his eyes and leaned forward, brushing his lips softly over Heero's.
Heero's eyes widened as he felt Duo's lips brush against his own before releasing a muffled gasp of surprise
as the braided boy pressed their bodies closer together.
Feeling the soft lips beneath his own part slightly, Duo's tongue quickly darted in to explore and claim
every inch of the moist cavern within.
Squeezing his eyes shut tight at the unexpected intrusion, panic quickly spread throughout Heero as his
whole body tensed.
Feeling the body within his grasp suddenly tense up was more than enough to bring Duo's lust filled mind
back to its senses before he hastily pulled away from the Prussian eyed boy. "Oh my god I'm so sorry Heero,
I have no idea what came over me" Then quickly released Heero as if he was just burnt and staggered backwards
a few steps.
Before anything else could be said, pain suddenly exploded in Duo's jaw causing the braided boy to stumble and
fall to the ground. Hitting the earth with a hard thud, Duo's violet eyes closed in pain at the impact. The
sudden weight settling on his midsection and the cool metal of a blade pressed up against his throat had the
braided boy instantly on alert as his eyes snapped back open to stare directly into blazing onyx.
Holding the hilt of his katana in a white knuckle grip, Wufei pressed the blade closer to Duo's throat as he
angrily hissed "How dare you show such disrespect to the Jurei! I will have your life for your dishonourable
actions!" Then proceeded to raise his weapon into the air, readying himself to strike.
"Release him Wufei" Heero calmly said as he walked over to where the two lay on the ground, avoiding making
any eye contact with Duo. Pushing down all the new and unknown emotions swirling within him, Heero eventually
gained control over them as he looked down coldly at Duo and emotionlessly said "Duo's actions are irrelevant,
our time is short and we must be on our way" Breaking eye contact, Heero wordlessly walked off ignoring the
hurt and betrayed look in the braided boy's violet eyes at his words.
Slowly lowering his katana, Wufei leant down and whispered into Duo's ear "If you attempt to pull such a stunt
on Yuy again, not even his word will save you from my blade" Then stood up, sheathing his weapon. Narrowing his
eyes as he looked down at the stunned braided boy, Wufei bowed stiffly as he said "Pray that we do not meet
again" Before straightening himself up and making his way over to where Heero waited patiently.
Seeing his Chinese friend approaching him, Heero nodded his head in greeting "Chang, its good to see you again"
At hearing the familiar nasial voice greeting him, all of Wufei's anger melted away. In an uncharacteristic
display of affection, the Chinese boy pulled Heero into a tight hug and whispered into his ear "Its good to
see you well Yuy, you had us all worried" Before releasing his hold on the other boy and taking a step back
"We must retrieve my bag and be on our way, we have a long journey ahead of us if we are to find a way to
get you back to the temple"
Nodding his head in approval, Heero sent one last glance towards Duo before walking off in the opposite
direction.
Turning back around to find blazing violet orbs glaring murderously at him, Wufei's own eyes narrowed as he
spoke quietly enough so then the braided boy couldn't hear "Make sure that we're not followed Nataku" Then
turned to catch up to Heero, walking protectively close to his friend as they left.
After watching the pair leave, Trowa silently emerged from the shadows and made his over to help his friend
"What was that about?"
Taking the offered hand, Duo pulled himself up and proceeded to dust himself off "No idea, but whoever that
guy is has some major issues. I mean seriously, it was only a kiss for crying out loud...and what the hell
is a Jurei anyway?!" You got any idea Tro?"
Violet locked with emerald as the archer answered "No, but it would pay for you to be careful around those
two should we ever meet again"
"Yeah, yeah I know. That guy packs a pretty mean punch" Duo said as he rubbed his throbbing jaw "There's
something just not quite right about them, I'm sure their hiding something"
"I would have to agree, but it's not our concern anymore. We should be thinking about what our next move is?"
The archer stated as he silently scanned his friend for any more injuries.
Sighing loudly, Duo threw his hands behind his head "I don't know, I guess since we're this close anyway we
may as well see what's happening in Sanq. It will give me time to catch up with Howard and the guys, plus
we might be able to find some more info about what OZ is planning"
Agreeing with his friend, Trowa replied "We must leave now then if we want to reach Sanq before night fall"
~#~#~#~#~#~#~
The pair walked in silence after leaving Duo and Trowa's company. They had been travelling for a little over
half an hour when Wufei suddenly came to a complete stop. Dropping his bag down carefully to the ground, the
Chinese boy stated "We should wait here until Nataku arrives…besides, I think we need to talk"
Turning around to face his friend, Heero nodded his head as he sat down on the cool earth. Focusing his intense
gaze at Wufei, the blue eyed boy asked "What do you want to know?"
Following Heero's example, the Chinese boy sat down on the ground next to his pack. A thoughtful expression came
across Wufei's face before he spoke "I suppose you should start from the beginning, with the first thing you
remember after your kidnapping"
Closing his eyes for a moment to collect his thoughts, Heero reopened them and began reciting all of what had
happened to him. He told Wufei about waking up in Duo's camp, meeting Trowa and how the three of them travelled
to a village. He spoke about the assassins that attacked them after they left the village, Duo getting injured,
how Shinigami appeared to save their lives and him healing the braided boy. He then spoke of his decision to
leave Duo and Trowa and the chase through the forest by the bandits. Heero then finished by speaking about his
conversation with Shinigami not long before his Chinese friend's arrival. He told Wufei everything, excluding
of course the pig tails incident. The blue eyed boy thought it best not to inform Wufei about that part, he
didn't want any type of information held over him as bribery once he returned to the temple.
Narrowing his eyes, Wufei asked "Are you sure this Shinigami is who he says he is? For all we know he could
have been one of the people who kidnapped you"
Shaking his head in a negative, his chocolate bangs gently swayed in front of intense Prussian eyes as Heero
answered "He is Shinigami, there is no doubt about that"
Still not convinced with Heero's answer, Wufei challenged "And what proof do you have that he is the real
Shinigami?"
"Besides the fact that only I and the people he is about to kill can see him?" Heero asked as a single brow
rose.
Nodding, Wufei looked straight into Prussian eyes as he stated "Yes, if you want me to believe that he is the
so called 'God of Death'"
Looking away from his Chinese friend, Heero contemplated whether or not he should say anything. He quickly
decided that the knowledge of what was at stake, wasn't worth the risk of his silence. And if he was going to
prevent any more of the prophecy from being for filled, he will need his friends help to do so. Prussian
locked with onyx as Heero seriously said "What I am about to tell you is only known by J and myself. Under
no circumstances are you to repeat what I am about to say"
The seriousness in his friends tone was enough to tell the Chinese boy that whatever it was that Heero had
to say was pretty significant. Nodding his head, Wufei never once broke eye contact as he replied "On my
honour as the Shenlong child, what you tell me will never part from my lips"
Accepting the Chinese boy's oath, the pair sat in silence as Heero sorted out his thoughts then begun "The
night of my kidnapping, when I was summoned to the High Priest's study chamber. J handed me an ancient scroll
to decipher. I did what J asked of me and found out that written in that scroll was the prophecy of humanities
Armageddon"
Eyes going impossible large, Wufei could only manage to ask in a whisper "What did the scroll read?"
Taking in a deep breath to calm himself, Heero then continued
"The rivers will run red as Shinigami follows the journey of Life.
From the shadows the Lord of the Dead will emerge,
Burning everything in its wake to Engulf Life within its darkness.
Out of the ashes a great evil will be reborn to reclaim all which was lost.
The cursed ones will walk the earth once more,
If the darkness consumes the light"
There was nothing but silence for some time as the Chinese boy digested what Heero had just told him "My god
Yuy...are you certain this is true?" Wufei eventually asked, hoping that he had some how he had heard wrong. The
sadness he saw in the others Prussian eyes though was enough to confirm his answer even before Heero began to
speak.
"The first part of the prophecy has already come to pass, Shinigami follows my every wake. I don't believe he
is this 'Lord of the Dead' the prophecy spoke about, but I can not say for sure. The only thing I can suggest
is getting back to the temple before any more of the prophecy comes to be"
Rubbing the bridge of his nose in annoyance, Wufei sighed quietly "That will be harder than you think Yuy, the
King has put an embargo on all in and out going traffic to Enlizer. So unless we can somehow convince a captain
in Sanq to take us back to the palace 'without' telling them exactly who we are, we will need to think of
another way to get back"
"Damn it" Heero growled as he punched the earth beneath him in frustration, sending thin clouds of dirt into
the air.
"That is not our only problem either, it seems that whoever kidnapped you is still out there searching. Nataku
and I past quite a number of search parties walking around between here and Sanq. I think it would be best for
us to keep as low a profile as possible to avoid any unnecessary attention"
Pushing down his frustrations Heero nodded his approval. A flash of gold brought the blue eyed boy's attention
to the head piece upon Wufei's brow, cocking his head to the side as he asked "By the way, what is that around
your head?"
Having forgotten about the circlet being there, Wufei raised up a hand to touch the dark green jewel embedded
within it "It was given to me by Winner, and it is how I found you all the way out here"
That got Heero's attention as he confusedly asked "Nani? How?"
"This circlet lead me to you. I do not know how it works, but when I put it on I could feel where you
were...speaking of which" Taking his eyes off the boy before him, Wufei opened the bag sitting next to him
and began to search through it.
The only outward sign to Heero's curiosity was the raising of an eyebrow as he watched his friend carefully.
Another circlet almost identical to the one Wufei was wearing was pulled out of the bag and held up in front
of the Chinese boy. Looking down at the piece of gold jewellery in his hands, Wufei said "Winner wanted me to
bring this one for you"
Heero reached out a hand slowly to take the circlet, but the Chinese boy unexpectedly moved it out of reach.
Confused by the others reaction, Heero withdrew his hand and gave the raven haired boy a confused look as he
waited patiently for Wufei to explain.
A slight pink tinge spread across the Chinese boy's face a he looked into Heero's eyes and almost timidly
asked "May I?"
A little surprised by the request, Heero could only sit there and nod his approval.
Moving to sit up onto his knees, Wufei twisted the circlet around until the jewel was facing him. Taking a
deep breath to calm his racing heat, he slowly leant forward and placed the circlet upon Heero's head. The
Chinese boy was not in the least bit surprise to find that the circlet easily covered the blue flame mark
upon Heero's brow. As he removed his hands though, Wufei's eyes widened in surprise as the light green stones
surrounding the larger blue one began to illuminate with a soft green light before going dull once again.
Noticing Wufei's reaction, Heero began to inwardly panic as he attempted to calmly ask "What's wrong?"
Turning his attention away from the dark blue jewel down to worried Prussian eyes, Wufei shook his head smiled
slightly "Nothing is wrong, do you feel any difference?"
Doing as Wufei asked, Heero closed his eyes and began to concentrate. He could feel a slight tugging sensation
in the back of his mind but apart from that the blue eyed boy couldn't feel any difference in him at all.
Heero was about to report his findings when a sudden green blur fell from the sky and rammed straight into the
blue eyed boy's chest sending him toppling backwards from the impact.
"What on earth do you think you're doing Nataku?! You could have injured Yuy!" The Chinese boy growled angrily
as he sighted his leathery companion plastered to the Jurei's chest.
Ignoring her master's angry questions, the little green dragon hissed in happiness as Nataku continually licked
Heero's face.
A slight chuckle escaped Heero's lips as the dragons slender tongue tickled his face. With laughter in his
voice, Heero barely managed to pull Nataku away long enough to say "And I missed you too" Before the dragon
overpowered him and plastered herself back onto Heero once again.
Snorting loudly enough for the other two to hear, Wufei bitterly said "Anyone would think you were bonded to
Yuy instead of me"
Craning her neck around to face the Chinese boy, Nataku narrowed her gleaming red eyes as she angrily hissed
~Some could say the same thing about you Chang!~ Before turning her attentions back to the Jurei.
Seeing the slight crimson colour staining his friend's cheeks, Heero raised an eyebrow as he asked "What did
she say?"
Attempting to regain some of his composure back, Wufei glared down at Nataku as he answered "Nothing of
importance" Looking for an excuse to change the topic, the Chinese boy cleared his throat "We should really be
on our way, it won't be long until nightfall and I would like to get you to the safety of Sanq long before then"
Prying the dragon away from his chest Heero held Nataku within his arms as he stood then proceeded to follow
his Chinese friend through the forest.
~#~#~#~#~#~#~
The silence in the study was broken as a young acolyte came running into the room after throwing open the
large wooden door. Raising a white fluffy eyebrow at the intrusion, the High Priest J asked in annoyance "What
is it? I'm extremely busy at the moment"
Bending down to one knee in respect, the out of breath acolyte answered "One of the priestess' just gave birth
Holy One"
Placing his quill onto the oak desk before him, the High Priest asked "And this concerns me because?..."
Looking J right in the eye, the young acolyte stood "The child she bore wears the white mark of the Jurei on his
chest, just like the one on yours Holy One"
That answer caught the old priest by surprise as he stood up and bellowed "What?!"
Visually shaking, the blonde acolyte shrunk back sightly before repeating "The child bears the mark of the Jurei,
he is your replacement once the child is of age"
Calming himself, J straightened out his long white robes as he spoke "Take me to the child, I would like to see
for myself"
Not wanting to upset the High Priest any further, the young acolyte almost tripped over himself in his haste to
obey as he lead the old priest out of the room.
It didn't take too long for the pair to reach the room they sought. Upon entering, J stalked over to where the
other higher priests were huddled and instantly knew the babies location. He looked down into the crib and found
that sure enough, upon the child's tiny chest was the same white flame symbol that was on his own.
"What about the future of the Jurei when he is returned to us?" One of the higher priests questioned.
Shaking his head, J continued to stare at the baby as he replied "We only assumed that he would take over my
role once I pass onto the next realm. This is the obvious truth that the Jurei's destiny lies else where" Looking
up into the worried faces around him, J then ordered "We must now prepare for the inauguration ceremony"
~#~#~#~#~#~#~
Branches creaked and fallen leaves rustled as a soft wind made its way through the area where five bodies lay
face down on the ground, each of their lives taken away in an instant. From all directions at once an almost
musical voice began to chant softly on the wind in a language unknown by all save for a very select few of
human kind.
Rain as black as the night sky, began to fall from the heavens as a sudden gust of wind sent the leaves
littering the ground up into the air. The atmosphere in the forest began to thicken as a thin grey fog entered
past the bare trees from each direction.
Moving slowly over the entire area, the grey mist began to swirl around the lifeless bodies. As it touched
each of the corpses, the unnatural mist seemed to fade away as if it was being absorbed into the five remains
itself.
Moments passed in absolute silence as not even the wind dared to move, it was as if the wind was holding its
breath in anticipation of what could happen next. The sudden twitching of the assassin's finger was the only
warning given before the blondes chest violently jerked and lifted up into the air. A loud gasp for breath
escaped the assassin's mouth as Odin's eyelids flew open, revealing pure white orbs beneath them.
The blonde mans chest dropped back down to the ground lifeless once again just as a blood red light began to
radiate from his body. The slight smell of burning flesh drifted through the area as upon Odin's forehead, a
dark brown almost black symbol was burnt into his skin.
As suddenly as it appeared, the dark red light faded from Odin as his body relaxed once more. The dark rain
began to soften its downpour before coming to a complete stop as Odin's chest began to rise and fall with
breath once again. Sweat and water plastered the shaggy blonde bangs to the exhausted assassin's forehead as
the green of his eyes slowly began to return.
Taking in a deep breath an odd feeling within his chest caught the assassin's attention. Looking down, green
eyes widened in surprise as Odin quietly muttered to himself "So that's what happened" Reaching up his hand,
the blonde man tightly gripped the wooden bolt sticking out of his chest as he effortlessly removed it from
his body.
Dropping the bloody bolt to the ground, Odin turned his attention back down to his wound to find a large
perfectly circular hole where the wooden object use to be. A slight sigh of annoyance made it passed the
assassin's lips as he angrily muttered "Now how the hell am I suppose to hide this?"
The sudden glinting of gold caught Odin's attention as he stretched out his hand and picked it up. A wicked
smile spread across the blonde mans face as he saw the little gold pendant with a rose etched into it. Placing
the gold pendant over his wound a faint red light began to emanate from the carved piece of jewellery. Ever
so slowly the skin and muscle tissue within the gaping wound began to shudder and move, fusing the gold pendant
to his skin as his body healed itself.
Getting to his feet, Odin dusted himself off before straightening up his clothes. As the assassin reached down
to retrieve his weapons the symbol upon his forehead started to pulsate as the pendant within his chest began
to glow softly. With a look of confusion on his face, Odin retracted his hand and stood back up.
"There is no need for such mortal weapons my child, you have been selected as one of my chosen few" The unknown
seductive voice drifted past his hearing was enough to send shivers of fear and pleasure down the assassin's
spine
Spinning around on his heels in an attempt to find the speaker, Odin's eyes narrowed as he demanded "Who are
you?"
A light chuckle was heard as the same alluring voice spoke once more "Hone your powers my child, for you will
be in need of them soon"
The black skies slowly turned blue once again as the dark presence within the forest vanished as quickly as it
came. Leaving behind one very curious assassin to figure out what exactly the voice meant.
~#~#~#~#~#~#~
On the edge of the forest, two figures sat silently, hidden high up on the branches of a tree. One figure, a
lithe boy with tightly pulled back raven hair and onyx eyes quietly shifted weight from one foot to the other
as he watched his silent companion.
Casting a quick glance over to his friend, Heero coldly asked "What?"
Silently studying the blue eyed boy a little while longer, Wufei eventually asked "Why did you allow him to
kiss you?"
Heero sent the Chinese boy a glare, but its effects were some what ruined by the slight pink hue that spread
across his cheeks "It is something I would rather forget about" When it looked like the Chinese boy was about
to speak again, Heero quickly cut him off "Why do you care anyway?"
"My duty is to protect you with my life Yuy, if he so much as touches you again he will not live long enough
to regret it. Plus….there's something about him that I do not trust, it would be wise for you to be cautious
if we should ever meet again" The Chinese boy warned.
The sudden return of Nataku effectively ended that conversation as Wufei turned his attentions towards the
green dragon and asked "What did you find?"
Settling herself within Heero's lap, Nataku yawned slightly before she answered ~There aren't any search parties
in the area at the moment so it is safe to cross the plains at the moment~
"Thankyou Nataku, keep yourself hidden while Yuy and I are within the city walls. If we are in need of your help,
I will summon you"
The green dragon nodded her head, before stretching out her large wings and taking off into the sky once more
as the pair dropped down silently from the trees.
Making a quick dash across the plains between the outer walls of Sanq and the forest, Wufei never once took his
eyes off of Heero as he ran behind the blue eyed boy. The pair eventually made it to the stone wall without
any incidents, much to the Chinese boy's relief.
Looking up to the wall towering above him, Heero raised an eyebrow in disbelief as he asked "How are we going
to climb it?"
A smug smirk appeared across the Chinese boys face as he replied "Yuy, I would have thought that you of all
people would have more faith in my abilities" Stretching out his left hand, the raven haired boy simply said
"Take my hand" Before kneeling down and placing his free hand on the ground below. Without another word said,
the Chinese boy stood back up just as the earth below them began to tremble slightly.
Heero blinked his eyes in astonishment as he sighted the ground around them began to sink in on itself while
the earth beneath them slowly started to rise higher and higher.
The dirt only stopped moving once it reached a height where Heero and Wufei could safely reach the top of the
stone wall. Helping the blue eyed boy up onto the wall, Wufei made sure he was safely on before climbing onto
it himself. As soon as the Chinese boy left the raised earth it started to shrink back down as the area all
around began to flatten once more as if it had never been moved in the first place.
Without waiting for the others approval, Heero quickly scanned the area for any possible witnesses. Finding
none around, he leapt down from the stone wall to the deserted area below.
"Yuy!" Wufei harshly barked as he saw his friend take the leap of faith off the wall before he jumped down
himself. Standing up from his crouched position, Wufei glared at the younger boy as he muttered "I swear
you're going to put me in an early grave Yuy"
Shrugging his shoulders, the blue eyed boy casually looked around the deserted area as he asked "What now?"
Checking the vicinity to make sure no one had seen their unauthorized entry into the city, Wufei glanced back
at his friend "There was a temple I saw when I passed through the first time, I think that's where we should
head. Be on your guard though Yuy, this city is full of thieves" Wufei finished off with a dangerous gleam
in his eyes.
Walking up behind the Chinese boy, Heero nodded his head as he said "Lead the way"
~#~#~#~#~#~#~
"Man its good to be back" Said the grinning braided boy bouncing from side to side as the pair made their
way through the busy main street, their mounts walking closely behind. "It's been way too long since our
last visit, don't you think Tro?"
Sending a quick glance over towards his overly cheery friend, Trowa ignored the slight dullness in the others
eyes as he quietly replied "It has"
Handing the reins over to the banged boy, Duo's cheery nature faded to be replaced by a serious one as he
said "I've got to go and check in with the guys, why don't you find us an inn for the night and I'll meet
you for a drink in the Barge later?" Seeing his friend's nod, his long braided hair swirled around him as
Duo spun around and disappeared into the crowd around them.
Trowa watched the braided boys retreat for a moment before tugging on the reins and continuing on his way.
~#~#~#~#~#~#~
Light poured into the large hall area, bouncing off of the white marbled walls as two figures
silently entered one before the other.
Closing the large wooden door quietly behind him, Heero couldn't help but stare at the room all
around him. The temple was an exact replica of the temple Amara back at the palace, right down to
the large statue of the Goddess of Life except this version was made out of white stone instead of
crystal. Walking up to the stone statue, Heero reached out his hand and gently touched the cold
statue. A small smile graced his lips at the feeling of rightness he felt as realised that he was
back in an environment that he knew well. An emerald light reflected off the white statue as the
tiny green stones within the circlet began to glow softly causing the stone beneath his fingers to
warm at his touch. Looking up, his Prussian eyes watched knowingly as the statue before him changed
from stone to crystal in a matter of a few seconds.
Turning around, Heero saw the astonished look upon Wufei's face. A smirk appeared on his face as the
blue eyed boy casually said "Looks like you need more faith in my abilities also Chang"
The sound of footsteps approaching instantly had the pair on alert as Wufei took up a protective stance
in front of Heero.
"I'm sorry but this temple isn't open to the public, I'm going to have to ask you to leave" A voice
called out as a short elderly man with a large nose and a mushroom style hair cut stepped out from within
the shadows.
Eyeing the old man suspiciously, Wufei took a step back attempting to hide Heero from the intruder's line of
sight before asking "We need a safe place for the night and thought this temple would be the safest place
for us"
"That may be true young man but only the priests are allowed within the Dasha temple" The old priest replied
as he carefully studied the teen before him. The dragon insignia upon the tight blue tunic the raven haired
boy wore caught the priest by surprise as he asked "You are of the Dragon Clan?" At seeing the boy's hesitant
nod, the priest took a step to the side and got his first glimpse of the boy standing behind the other. His
eyes widened in shock when he found a pair of familiar Prussian blue eyes framed by a mop of messy chocolate
hair looking straight back at him. With disbelief in his voice, the old priest said "What in the Jurei's name
are you doing here Heero?"
Surprise was written all over the blue eyed boys face as Heero quietly asked "Excuse me?"
Just as shocked as Heero was at the unexpected turn, Wufei quickly withdrew his katana and held it up before
him as the Chinese boy demanded "Who are you? And how do you know of Yuy?"
Raising his hands in a gesture of peace, the priest seriously said "Put your weapon away, I will not permit
any acts of violence within this temple"
Placing a hand on the Chinese boy's shoulder, Heero said "Do as he says Wufei" Before stepping out from behind
Wufei's protection. Cold blue eyes carefully regarded the elderly man in front of him "How do you know who I
am?"
"Forgive my rudeness Jurei, my name is G and I am the High Priest of this temple. Though I have not seen you
in over ten years, I could never forget what the chosen child of our goddess looks like. Please follow me
through to my study and we will discuss all of this in private" The High Priest G then gestured for them
both to follow.
Light suddenly poured in though the main doors as they burst open blinding the three as they heard the sound
of many pairs of feet entering the temple.
Walking past Heero and Wufei, G made his way over to the large group of people as he loudly said "This temple
is not open to the public, I'm sorry but you are all going to have to leave at once"
A young child with blonde hair and hazel coloured eyes broke apart from the group and ran straight over to
where Heero stood. Heero's eyes widened in surprise as the small child cried out "Onii-chan" Before
plastering herself to the blue eyed boy's leg, quietly sobbing.
Going down to one knee, Heero's cold eyes softened as he asked "Elly, What happened?"
Red rimmed hazel eyes looked up into warm Prussian as the young girl sniffed "It got my mommy and daddy and
took them away" Then buried her tear stained into Heero's chest.
Rubbing her back in small circles, the blue eyed boy gently asked "Who did Elly?"
Looking up once again into Heero's face, Elly quietly whispered "The red demon"
TBC
Once again I would like to give a big thankyou to Pink Cherry Blossom, GoldenRat, CinC, Ashly, Nekocin,
Kyra2, Usagi_1313, kt, shinchansgirl, Konpeitou, Natea, Star Dragonsong, Siobhan, His Infernal Majesty,
japanese blader girl and Ruby Love for their great feedback…I hope I didn't miss anyone, if I have I'm
sorry.
I know I didn't get around to telling you anything about Duo's past in this chapter, but don't worry
then next chapters going to reveal parts of it ^_~ So until next update Ja!