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; :psionic power /magical spell/
A/N 2: Gaw, I want to kill QuickEdit right now. (scowls at the previous note)
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Otto shivered as he hid behind his boulder, feeling the heat of the raging forest fire burning around him. Clutching his knees, he stared wildly to his side with fright as the woods around him burned, started to flame by no act of magic nor any spark of flint but rather by the very will of the person who was now screaming, standing in the middle of it, fists balled and eyes filled with rage as he stared into the heavens above.
"WHY? WHY, GODS! WHY CAN'T I JUST DESTROY IT ALL?"
Otto ducked his head as the tree next to him exploded, covering him in sharp wooden shrapnel. Biting down on his tongue, he attempted to keep from crying out lest he draw the vicious creature's attention down on himself.
"I HATE IT! I HATE IT ALL!"
Covering his head as more of the forest exploded, Otto eyed his escape route, wondering if he should run at that very moment or not.
'This is all I need.'
'He truly IS a threat to the Realms!'
The boulder behind him began to warm with the heat of fire. As Otto felt his clothing begin to smolder upon his back, he burst into a flat run from his hiding place, heading for the trail as swiftly as his feet could carry him.
'Gods, please oh please let me make it before he spots me!'
He could only have been so lucky.
Azure eyes narrowed coldly, watching as he fled. "And now you're going to report to another to destroy me? I think not. You've confirmed it - none of your kind deserve to live. NONE OF YOU!"
Otto flew through the air with a wild scream as the psionically projected force of a flung brick fist smashed into his back, launching him from the ground with the ease that a child flings its favorite Lincoln Logs.
The man groaned as he hit the ground, it feeling much cooler and stable than what he had expected it to. The gentle touch of the thick dark marble cooled his singed flesh, comforting him even as his body crumbled upon it.
He found himself staring at a boot.
"So, he truly is a danger. Very well. You have convinced me to help your Lord and Master in the task of prolonging the release of the poor creature's full power."
Otto glanced up, his bruised face finally filled with hope. "Elminster...?"
With a nod, the white-bearded archmage smiled. "You get some sleep. I'll have my healers attend to you, while I begin to ponder as to what exactly I should do about that irritable little child."
Otto heard no more.
He'd passed out quite thoroughly on the welcomingly cool floor.
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"Gods damn it all," Duo grunted as he slowly lifted himself out of his saddle by standing in his stirrups, "how far do you think he could have gotten by now?"
Closing his eyes, Wufei sighed. "If his mind was stable enough for him to utilize any power such as :Dimension Door: he could be thousands of miles from this place."
"Crap."
"If it isn't," the Easterner continued, "he's very likely within just a few miles of here."
"We could resume our hunt in the morning," Heero said with a nod.
"Aa," Wufei affirmed.
Trowa remained silent as they slowly pulled their horses off the road and began to unload the contents of their laden saddlebags, setting up a makeshift campsite quickly and effectively. The acrobat was finally sliding out of his saddle after Heero had a small pile of wood gathered and was fishing about in his pack for the flint and steel he always carried to start what was to be their campfire.
"Trowa, just get your tent set up. We'll take care of preparations for dinner," the brown-haired warrior called, glancing up from his tedious task of starting the blazing fire that was to be their source of warmth and cooking facility.
Nodding, the thief grabbed his tightly rolled tent and walked to an empty patch of grass to set it up.
After struggling with the unusually stubborn device for a few moments, he walked over to Heero. "Need any help?"
"Not at the moment. Thank you."
Duo bounded over and plopped down beside Heero, cuddling against him. "We'll be having dinner soon, Tro. Might as well sit down and relax; get the sting of sitting on a damned horse off your ass, you know? 'Fei's gone out hunting."
"Alright."
They all sat by the newly started fire, Heero fanning the flames gently to ensure that they take, Duo leaning against him, Trowa staring blankly at the wooden logs as they begin to support the small flicker of orange that would soon erupt into warming red fire.
Glancing over at his silent friend, Duo frowned. "Don't worry, Tro. He can't be all that far - we're probably right on his tail."
All the mage got in response was a tired nod.
Bowing his head, he glanced off into the woods. "Wufei better get back here soon; this depressing atmosphere is doing me no good without food to ward it off."
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Wufei returned in short time, baring the spoils of his short hunt - a squirrel, two rabbits and a large fat quail hen. Duo jumped up and down cheering before rushing over to grab the animals and clean them. Heero greeted the returning party member with a nod. Trowa remained at his station, staring into the flames.
"Good hunting, I see," Heero called out, gesturing for Wufei to join them at the fire as Duo absconded with his kills, cheerfully humming something about needing a knife and yummy yum yums.
"Aa," the raven-haired warrior said with a smile as he walked to the campfire and sat down beside his friend. "By the way, I've seen evidence that the boy is still in the area."
Trowa's eyes brightened a little by the proclamation as he lifted his head, dull green orbs focusing on Wufei. "Really? Where?"
"Due west. Direction we're heading. The forest is completely gutted."
"Gutted?" Trowa muttered, arching a brow.
"Aa, gutted. As in nothing remaining. Burned woods, exploded rock, overturned earth."
Heero frowned even as Trowa scratched his chin. "How are you certain it's him?" the acrobat asked after a short time.
"Because, his aura floods the destruction. An aura of rage and hatred and sadness and bitterness." Nodding, Wufei lifted his waterskin to his lips and took a small sip. "I've been experiencing the touch of that aura long enough to recognize it the moment I strike it."
"Then we should continue on! We can catch him tonight," Trowa blurted.
"No. We need to rest. As will he, judging by the amount of destruction he's caused - all that took a lot of strength out of him, and he will need sleep to revitalize himself. He cannot recover his psionic strength pool while running from us. Have no worries - wherever he is, he's not getting much further before we begin our hunt once more."
All three nearly jumped out of their skins as Duo popped back into their little circle and shoved sticks into the earth around the campfire, letting the flesh pierced by them dangle over the warm flames to bask in their heat and cook. "Dinner's on!" the mage cheerfully proclaimed, plopping onto the ground beside Heero once more and snuggling up against him.
"Hn. So we noticed," Heero replied, looping an arm around his lover.
Wufei and Trowa simply nodded to one another before the onyx-eyed man turned a wry smirk their way. "Want us to leave you be before you start humping like ravenous rabbits?"
"Oh, shut the fuck up! We aren't that bad!"
"Alright, alright. Like ravenous squirrels?"
Snort. "You're going to pay for that one, Chang."
"I'd like to see you dish out that threat, Maxwell."
Smirk met glower.
Smirk held glower for the better part of an hour.
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All lounged around the campfire, content and happy with hot foot in their bellies, slowly drifting off to sleep. Duo had agreed to take first watch, and was sitting with his back propped against a tree, yawning and stretching.
He leapt to his feet as he heard the crunch of a footstep from near his position.
"Alright, then, come out here you bastard. Don't make me hunt you down; that'll just piss me off."
Duo's violet eyes narrowed into deadly slits as he watched the elf emerge from the woods, his thin hands held at shoulder level and palm out in a sign of peaceful approach.
"What the fuck do you want?" the mage hissed, tightening his grip on his staff.
"Please, I come in peace. I come to warn you of the enemy who you are destined to face if you continue this quest for the being you seek."
"GUYS! GET UP."
The elf tried to clear the ringing from his ears as Duo's shout resonated through the woods.
The other three men at the site stirred. Immediately, two swords were drawn and one acrobat was slinking backwards towards the shadows, already letting their tendrils absorb him into their all-encompassing darkness.
"No, no no. He's here to talk to us about Quatre. 'Fei, need you to verify everything he's saying if you can."
"Don't you have a spell for that?" the warrior grunted as he sheathed his sword.
"Fuck no! That's a priest thing."
"Fine. I'll berate you on being worthless later."
With a grunt, Duo turned his attention back to the elf. "Now if you try anything stupid, Tro's already in the shadows waiting for you. He don't have any problem hunting down even your kind and taking them by surprise, got it?"
The elf simply nodded. "Might I put my hands down?"
As Heero lifted the last of his weapons away and deposited them well out of the elf's reach, Duo nodded.
Lowering his head, the elf sighed. "You're still seeking the being known by the name of VonWinner, aren't you?"
"Of course we are," the mage said with a nod.
"I would halt your search now. It has powerful foes after its hide, and associating with it will only bring disaster down upon you."
"Why are you warning us of this?" Heero demanded. "If he's such enemies against him, shouldn't you be urging us to find him and protect him?"
Wufei nodded. "After all, your people took us into custody over him I do believe."
Glancing over, the young elf sighed. "I know. And for that I am exceedingly sorry. But it can handle its foes on its own, provided there are none around it to interfere with the way it would accomplish such a feat. Its power is broad and well defined, well controlled and managed, but it can have problems isolating those it would care not to injure from those it would long to destroy. It is in your best interest to remain away."
With a snort, Heero narrowed his Prussian blue eyes. "All this does is solidify our longing to find him. Now, why don't you tell us what's going on concerning this boy, and how you know such?"
Sweeping his blond hair behind pointed ears, the elf shrugged. "I was brought in to Lord Vincent Marcus Alexius VonWinner's court just but a short time before this and asked to assist in his quest to retrieve the 'boy' you seek."
"Pah! Why doesn't he use /Locate Object/ and find him himself, if he's so concerned about his son?" Duo grunted.
"He already has. That is how we have been able to find it ourselves. However, as you are well aware/Locate Object/ cannot retrieve the creature. This is why he is utilizing henchmen. We are needed to bring the creature down to its knees and bring it back to Lord VonWinner, hopefully intact."
Wufei scratched his chin. "Why do you refer to him as 'creature' and 'it' rather than 'boy' and 'him'?"
"Because that is what it is."
Duo simply waved the comment off. "Tell us more about what this VonWinner's planning. I mean, if he'd just wanted his son back, why are there no warrants for him? No job offers to track him down? Why does he seem to be keeping this so hush-hush to involve only his cronies?"
"Because. He doesn't want more discovering the truth behind the creature he claims as his son than is necessary. Rather it be those who already know the truth and those who already serve his house that discover the truth than any who have no ties to the VonWinner name and could thus use the dark little secret behind his supposed son to muddy their reputation."
"Oh reeeeeeeally," Duo sittled.
"Yes. He truly wishes to reclaim it at all costs."
"He's that concerned about a disobedient son? Why does he not behave like most other fathers and simply let his child explore the world for himself to cure himself of his impetuous behavior?" Heero asked, arching a brow casually as he crossed his arms after sheathing his blade. "That's what my father did with me, and what my grandfather before him did with him."
"Because he's not concerned about it as a son."
"Oh?"
The elf nodded. "He's concerned about it as a run-away weapon. A weapon of mass destruction, that could easily and would without thought destroy all he cared for for naught but revenge and sheer pleasure. He's concerned about someone other than himself gaining control of that weapon and using it for their devices. He's concerned about the fall of his reputation in the communities of Magic and Science when word that his experiment has escaped reaches those venerable associations. And most of all..."
"Most of all?"
"He's concerned about what will happen when that weapon finds him of its own accord."
Wufei arched a brow. "So he is sending others to find him, to capture him and bring him before him in shackles and under restraint?"
"Of course. Do you think that frail old man would put himself into harm's way to reclaim it himself?"
"Of course not."
"Exactly. Such is why he's enlisted aid."
Heero blurted, "What sort of aid?"
"His house guard, a mercenary party, our tribe or so he thinks, and the venerable Elminster himself."
Duo gagged on his own breath of air. "El... Elminster!"
"Aa. And this is why I say that it would be in your best interest to abandon your search for the creature. Being associated with it when those powers find it will not be conducive to your continued existences within this realm of the living."
Trowa snorted coldly from right behind the elf, watching as the pale man's skin suddenly crawled with goose-bumps of fear. "You say all of this and expect us to abandon him? I think not."
Wufei nodded. "Indeed. Let's break camp and continue our search for him."
"Agreed," Heero acknowledged before marching towards the tents.
Duo smirked eerily at the elf. "And you're not going to relay a bit of this to anyone, riiiight? We're going after our buddy, whether you like it or not. And we'll stand against you should you decide to work for VonWinner. And whether by our blades, our magic, our skills or his power, you will die should you cross our paths again in opposition of his continued freedom. Got it?"
The elf nodded, completely unperturbed by the mage's words, being more disturbed by the fact that the acrobat had successfully snuck around him without his knowledge and had a dirk's sharp point poking into his back through the thick fabric of his cloak.
"Get the hell outta here," Duo said cheerfully as he trotted back towards the campfire to help put it out and break down their small establishment.
The dirk at the elf's back vanished, letting the pointed-eared man slink into the shadows.
"I've given you fair warning of what you will face. Do not let my efforts be entirely in vain. Protect it, yes. But first and foremost, protect yourselves - even if it need be against that being."
And with that final warning, the elf was gone.
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The horses plodded on tiredly in the early morning, their staggering steps echoing the awareness and awakened state of their riders.
Trowa sighed, his eyes closed as he held onto the reins of his animal. He was holding the devices loosely, letting the animal have its head and trusting it to simply follow its companions who should be lead by one of the party who was actually awaken enough to see the road. His ears were accosted by the bright singing of songbirds, his eyes by flickers of the leave-dappled light even through his eyelids.
It was then that he heard the soft whimpering to his left.
Eyes snapping open, stinging immediately as light struck their pupils for the first time in nearly an hour, he leapt from his horse. "Guys, hold!"
Wufei drew back the reins on his horse, bringing it to an immediate stop. Heero and Duo quickly echoed the move.
"What is it, Barton?" the Eastern man called out.
"I hear something," Trowa replied, "and I'm going to investigate."
Without another word to anyone, he jogged into the woods. Wufei, Heero and Duo remained hot on his trail.
Soon, Trowa found himself in a gutted clearing, staring at the remains of a vicious but strangely isolated forest fire. Glancing around, he frowned. 'Is THIS the destructive capability the elf was speaking of?' he thought to himself as he wandered over the ash-carpeted forest floor.
That soft whimper caught his ear again.
Turning, he sighed quietly in relief and walked to the small form huddled against a large stone, its legs clutched to its chest and its hood-covered head resting atop its knees. And, letting his hand hover but inches above that head, he sighed. "Do I have permission to touch you, Lord VonWinner?"
Soft, tear-filled blue eyes found emerald ones, before a faint smile touched his lips. "Yes."
Trowa found himself gathering the small, shaking boy into his arms, lovingly caressing his back and sighing in quiet contentment.
"I love you."
Quatre breathed softly against his ear, "You entertain me."
Stiffening slightly, Trowa mouthed, "That's all...?"
Nod went the blonde head. "I can't do anything more than feel appreciation for what you do. Sorry."
And, standing barely within earshot of the couple, Wufei scratched his chin, pondering.
tbc...
