Disclaimer: I in no way own Gundam W or AD&D. Don't sue; I'm simply an E5 in the USN, therefore I have no money. Ha.
A/N; /magic spell/
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The green dragon roared, its voice deep and resonating as it echoed across the land. Dark emerald scales glistened in the pure white light of the moon, sparkling like gems in the night. Dark ivory claws and fangs veritably glowed against the dark curtain of star-pierced shadow that crafted the eve; dark red eyes glimmered viciously as they stared at the ground below, at the party of adventurers huddled and waiting. Stretching its claws, opening its massive jaws to fully bare its giant fangs, the mighty beast wrenched its huge body towards its target beating its huge leathery wings one final time then slapping those long devices to its sides. Inhaling, letting its breath swirl with the juices its body produced within its mouth and throat as it plummeted, the dragon prepared to unleash its might upon its intended prey.
"Holy fuck, it's a Great Wyrm!" Duo screeched as he hit the ground, arms hurriedly burying his head. "We're all gonna die!"
"Everyone run! It's going to breathe!" Heero shouted, gripping his sword tightly in his right hand as he ran toward the mage.
"No time," Trowa groaned, watching with wide eyes as the dragon craned its neck back. He quickly threw himself onto the ground and threw his arms over his head to shield himself even as Heero buried Duo protectively under his body.
The area was quickly bathed in noxious green gas, its billowing fumes swirling around the small gathering of adventurers.
Heero gritted his teeth as the dragon's wretched breath bathed him, the gassy tendrils caressing his flesh, its acidic touch seeping into his pores and burning his flesh. Blinking, hissing as the gas stroked his eyes and flooded his nostrils Heero coughed. Shortly he regretted that action as he drew a breath and immediately started choking on the horrible cloud.
Duo, face buried in the soil and Heero's body shielding him, still felt the effects of the dragon's attack. Choking as he writhed under the warrior, the mage sank his fingers into the grass.
Trowa laid perfectly still, his eyes closed and his breathing slow and clam to allow his lungs to acclimate to the poisonous air. His fingers slowly slid down his sides to his daggers, blindly yet skillfully gripping them and drawing them forth from their sheaths. Focusing on his hearing, he listened carefully for the sounds of his companions and of their gargantuan attacker. And with the echo of another roar coupled with the distinct crackle and explosion of /Magic Missiles/ accompanied by two coughing voices, he was able to quickly construct a mental image of his surroundings; Heero and Duo were about ten yards behind him, coughing and gasping for air in the remnants of the dragon's breath attack; Wufei was twenty yards before him, as determined by the sounds of his always explicit and creative cursing when the /Magic Missiles/ spell apparently found him as their target; and the dragon was flying swiftly towards them once again as judged by the increasing volume of its distinctive wing- flapping.
'Chang's holding it on his own!' the acrobat mentally squeaked as he gritted his teeth. Trowa burst to his feet and snapped his eyes open even as his hands flew forward, daggers drawn and released into flight within the merest blink of an eye.
Three of the four blades struck true, sinking hilt-deep into the dragon's armored hide, their magically imbued metal slicing easily through thick hide and flesh to jamb themselves directly into the joint where right wing met body, locking that limb solidly into place.
Screaming in murderous rage, the monster dropped from the sky and managed to land firmly on its feet.
Trowa shook as the beast turned towards him, eyes gleaming viciously.
The dragon's head jerked up and turned away as the clang of metal striking its formidable hide rang through the night. Snarling, the beast bared its fangs. With blinding speed, it struck.
By sheer luck, Wufei staggered back, barely dodging the monster's thrusting jaws. Trowa drew his last dagger and charged from the rear, even as Heero sprang into a flat run, flaming sword in hand and a battle cry upon his lips.
Duo lifted his head. Eyes glazed, he slowly blinked in a vain attempt to clear his vision. His skin still burned viciously as did his eyes, and breathing caused him more pain than he had ever thought possible to feel and remain alive. 'It... it almost killed me. Just one breath.'
'Over two hundred feet long from snout to tail's tip. A Great Wyrm. A dragon who's seen over a millennia of life and is only now at its most powerful. A green, who's lust for evil is reflective of that of all Chromatic dragons, who's breath weapon is a corrosive gas that poisons all who are caught within it, causing just as much damage as a red dragon's fire, a blue dragon's lightning, a black dragon's acid or a white dragon's ice.'
'They've grounded it...'
'But we're still not going to win.'
Duo bit his lip, whimpering as the burning of the fumes that had caressed him continued, staring as his friends valiantly fought for their lives.
'Maybe I can sit this one out. With Wufei and Heero there, -'
Heero screamed as he was sent flying by a sweep of the humongous dragon's broad tail.
'Gkkk! Maybe not.' Bracing himself with his quarterstaff, Duo dragged himself to his feet. Reaching into his pouch, he gripped an amber rod and a strip of cloth. "/Lightning Bolt/ should do the trick!" he snarled with a smile.
Wufei, meanwhile, swung his katana once more. The great beast roared, snapping its jaws shut on the weapon. Snarling, it wrenched its head away - and screamed.
"What, dragon? Don't like the flavor of enchanted Blades of Sharpness, do we?" the Eastern man said, a sneer marking his words.
The dragon replied by rearing and bringing its huge, clawed feet slamming into the ground, nearly crushing the warrior while simultaneously sweeping its left wing out violently, clipping the charging acrobat with it and sending him crashing onto the ground.
Turning its head, spitting the blood that the mystical katana had drawn when it had tried to disarm the raven-haired man, it growled as it heard Duo chant. With deathly calm it opened its bloody jaws.
"NO!"
The green dragon's head turned sharply to its right as it spat its noxious breath weapon once more directly into the face of the blue- eyed warrior who's Flamebrand sword still jutted out of its flank.
Heero fell screaming and twitching as the dragon lifted one clawed forelimb to pluck the longsword from its side.
"/LIGHTNING BOLT!"
"/Blink/."
The gigantic dragon vanished but moments before the magically crafted spear of electricity reached it.
"No!" Duo shrieked. "It cast /Blink! Lousy cheating basta-"
"Duo, look out!" Trowa yelled.
"What?"
Turning, the mage gulped.
The giant dragon's wide-open jaws were racing towards him.
Duo shut his eyes. 'Heero... I'm sorry. I wish I could have been with you longer. But judging by how you fell to that gas, you and I may be joining one another shortly, neh? Neh... What the hell? I have yet to die?'
Cracking open one eye, the mage stared.
Trowa's last dagger was jutting out of the beast's left eye.
Thoroughly enraged, the monster turned its attention away from Duo and charged the acrobat who immediately ran for all he was worth.
Duo took the opportunity to stagger towards where he'd last seen Heero. Upon reaching his fallen lover, he immediately checked for a pulse.
'Good! Still alive. Beat to utter shit, but still alive. And Wu-'
He stared.
"Oh no..."
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Trowa ran as quickly as he could, coughing and gagging as he barreled through the beast's magically summoned /Stinking Cloud/ combined with its final burst of breathed gas. The only thing that was saving the acrobat any longer at this time was the heavy amount of damage Wufei and Heero had managed to deal the creature before they'd fallen to its attacks.
That damage, however, could do nothing to save him from the dragon's magic.
With a scream, Trowa was thrown to the ground as a burst of electricity from yet another swiftly cast /Magic Missiles/ spell struck him. As soon as he hit the grass, he instinctively rolled.
The dragon's crashing forefoot didn't entirely miss.
Trowa cried out in pain as the dragon's massive talon tore completely through his side. Closing his eyes, he prepared for death.
"Back away if you wish to live."
Emerald eyes snapping open, Trowa turned his head sharply to the left even as the dragon swiveled its massive skull to peer at the new perpetrator.
Aquamarine eyes narrowed, blond hair tussled by some unfelt wind, the boy glowered coldly at the beast.
Baring its fangs, the dragon growled, its deep throated grumbling forming into words. "Why do you interfere?" it hissed softly.
The boy arched a brow. "Because I don't want that man killed."
Its singular ruby eye narrowing, it snorted. "They have trespassed in my territory during the time of my hunt. Therefore their lives are under my jurisdiction, not yours! I care not what your mandates proclaim!"
"If you continue this, I will fight you. And I will destroy you. Mandates have nothing to do with this - this is MY decision. Therefore there will be no mercy."
The monster responded by applying more pressure to its foot, slowly crushing the acrobat.
"Quatre! Run!" Trowa cried as he vainly struggled against the dragon's god-like strength.
"No."
Turning hate-laced eyes to the sinister reptile, Quatre snarled.
"You're dead."
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Duo nearly sobbed with relief as Wufei's onyx eyes slowly opened. His head and shoulders drooping, he smiled. "Thank the Gods that potion worked!"
Sitting upright, the Eastern warrior rubbed his forehead. "That one hurt," he muttered.
"No fucking kidding. You were damned near dead," Duo proclaimed. "Potions of Extra Healing sure are handy, neh?"
"You could use one yourself."
With a lop-sided grin, the mage shrugged. "Later. We've got an acrobat to rescue, neh?"
"Maybe not."
Duo glanced back at Heero, a brow arched. "What do ya mean, Hee- chan?"
Snorting at the indignation of being called 'Hee-chan', Heero shook his head before getting to his feet and pointing. "That's what I mean. Trowa already has assistance."
The mage stared.
"Quatre..."
Then Duo gasped as the dragon leaped, snapping its incredible jaws at the blond boy.
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Quatre watched with unearthly calm as the giant dragon's fang-filled open mouth raced towards him.
"Stop."
Trowa stared, his mouth wide open, his eyes large with shock.
The mighty dragon stood as still as a statue, hissing and sputtering, its eye glowing in absolute hatred as the blond simply walked out of the way. Roaring angrily the beast burst into motion, its jaws snapping on empty air. Spreading its lone functioning wing in a desperate attempt to steady itself, it snarled, spitting, "/FIREBALL!"
Quatre stood completely unperturbed before Trowa as the huge ball of Hells-hot flame raced towards them. Trowa sweated visibly, his eyes huge. 'No!' his mind screeched even as his heart told him to prepare to die.
The fireball vanished.
Both acrobat and dragon gasped as the fireball struck the boy and dissipated into nothing, licks of flame dancing over his cloak. They both stared as Quatre calmly gripped his cloak with a thin, pale hand and shook it lightly, putting out the sparkling flickers of fire that so desperately tired to exist upon that fabric field.
And the dragon backpedaled while Trowa stared dumbfounded as the blond charged the reptile and smacked it soundly on its snout.
The great beast blinked a few times before snarling at Quatre. "What the Hells was that supposed to be, bastard?"
It was answered with a smirk.
Narrowing its eye, the dragon roared.
Quatre calmly pulled a dagger from the waistband of his breeches.
And Trowa stared, unable to scream past the lump that instantaneously appeared in his throat as the blond turned the dagger in his hand and plunged it into his own chest.
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Heero, Wufei and Duo stared in silence as the dragon threw its head back, wailing in agony as it clawed at its unmarred chest before collapsing and writing. Screaming piteously, the dragon's head snapped forward, jaws closing on the blond boy.
The dragon roared in pain once again as it quickly released Quatre's body, head falling to the grass as the VonWinner boy collapsed.
"What the hells!" Duo whimpered, staring with tear-filled eyes. "What's going on?"
"Fate Link."
Heero frowned as he looked at Wufei. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Bowing his head, the raven-haired man sighed. "It's a power that an accomplished psionisist can utilize to tie his fate directly with that of another creature. Apparently, our little Lord VonWinner can use it, and did so to tie himself with the dragon."
"So when he stabbed himself, it was the same effect as stabbing the dragon?" Heero asked.
Nodding, Wufei smirked. "And the dragon clamped its jaws upon itself. The battle is over."
"Because if it kills the boy..."
"It kills itself."
"NO!" Duo screamed, rounding on his friends. "We aren't gonna let that happen, dammit! Don't you get it? He came back to help us! He came back to save us! We aren't just gonna let him lay there and die for us to get rid of our enemy, no matter how much you hate him!"
"Duo..." Heero murmured, staring at his longhaired lover in shock.
"We aren't!"
With that, Duo ran towards the fallen blond and the huge dragon as quickly as he could.
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Trowa crawled to the blond's still body as the dragon's breathing came to a halt.
"Quatre...?" he whispered, gently touching the boy's forehead, brushing platinum bangs away from the sweat-dampened skin, tears coming to his eyes as he felt the chilled condition of the small man's body.
With a groan, Quatre opened one pale blue eye.
The dragon failed to stir with him.
"Didn't I tell you to ask before you touch me?" he whispered, a wry smirk coming to his lips.
Trowa nearly sobbed as he cradled the boy's limp, bloodied body in his arms.
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Wufei calmly stared into the campfire's dancing flames as he sat on watch, listening to the breathing of his sleeping companions. A smile coming to his lips, he sighed quietly in relief as he had not had the opportunity to do for the entirety of the night.
'We all survived. Certainly we are injured and far from aid, but we survived. All thanks to that boy.'
'Maybe he isn't as terrible as we all labeled him to be. After all, he nearly sacrificed himself for us. Or, if not for us, for Trowa.'
'He can't be a completely heartless beast as we thought him to be. Not if he is so willing to give his life for the thief.'
He turned sharply as he heard the sound of running footsteps behind him.
Leaping to his feet, Wufei hurriedly ran after the fleeing figure until it vanished into the woods at the bottom of the hill, back into the elven forest he and his friends had so very recently escaped from.
"Why are you running!" he shouted into the woods, staring for any glimpse of the fleeing form he could find, frowning as he found his search to be fruitless.
"You don't need to run."
"Not any more."
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"He ran?" Trowa said with a sigh, letting his head bow as he listened to the crackle of the simmering breakfast shish kabobs broiling over the campfire.
"Aa. I tried to chase him down, but he was too quick for me."
"But he's heavily injured, right?" Heero questioned, arching a brow.
"No. He must be able to use Molecular Rearrangement. He could very easily heal himself, provided he has enough psychic strength."
"Oh."
"But why did he run?" Duo grumbled, grabbing his breakfast from the fire and sinking his teeth into it after blowing on it to cool it down.
Trowa sighed. "Because he doesn't feel welcome. I think it upsets him to know that we all don't approve of his presence."
Heero and Wufei visibly shrank under Trowa shaded glare, even as Duo bowed his head. "You're probably right. But... do you think he'll come back? I know I want him back. Maybe we can explain that it was a misunderstanding, ya know? Last time we were together, he wasn't all that bad. I just think that maybe there's something wrong with him that he doesn't want to share. Something so terrible and serious that it makes him bitter against everything and everyone..."
"You're probably right. But who's to know if he'll come back?"
Heero sighed. "We've effectively banished him."
And, sitting silently, Wufei glowered at his breakfast. 'Damn.'
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Staring at the light blue sky above, wind swirling around his thin form and tussling his platinum blond hair, Quatre sighed.
'I never thought that the world outside of Waterdeep would be more isolated than that horrible prison.'
'If this loneliness and hatred is all this world has to offer...'
'Why is it so loved?'
Bowing his head, he gripped his knees. And, as hot tears splashed onto his hands, he closed his eyes.
'There is no kindness here. No sympathy. No love.'
'Not even from them. And here I thought I'd find something in them...'
'I hate it.'
'I hate it!'
tbc...
