I have just been informed that I am not explaining things clear enough. I'm sorry about that, as it's just my habit of rambling on in a story, struggling to connect the facts and remember everything. Thanks to GoldenRat for bringing this to my attention.
In Chapter 7, when Duo stops the flow of power from Quatre to the collar, it's only barely mentioned that breaking the connection between the two is beyond Duo's powers, thus leaving the danger of Quatre being caught again if he uses his magic. I'm sorry, I should have elaborated on this a bit more. *bows* gomen nasai. If you peeps see anything else, be sure to leave me a message so I can get it fixed.
(See? Reader's response does count ^^)
Ja matta
Eclipse of Dusk
By: Hseru
Warnings: Shounen ai later on 1x2 3x4 5x? (poor Wuffers)
Disclaimer: I own not Gundam Wing, but I do own the world the G-boys traverse. Fear my god power
Chapter 12
Heero had not noticed the youth's sudden absence until he was too far away to reach with words. He immediately tugged hard on the reigns, pulling his Illian's noble head about and causing it to take a sharp turn it almost lost its footing on. He ignored the rain that lashed into his face as he headed into the wind, and the calls of both Wufei and Quatre behind him as they faded into the downpour, bending low over his steed's back to reduce resistance.
He was having a hard time closing in the distance on the dark form riding ahead of him when the steed Duo rode changed direction again. About to turn to intercept, Heero saw the bright flash of light milliseconds before it struck, and an unknown fear gripped his heart.
Both Duo and the Illian were thrown into the air by the explosive strike, and Heero's cobalt eyes tracked the flight of both.
The Illian landed first, taking the brutal impact on its side. It didn't seem too hurt though, as it regained its feet momentarily.
Duo, however, hit the ground hard some distance from the steed, and didn't move.
Giving his Illian another kick, Heero pressed himself close to the creature beneath him. A sudden sharp pain lashed across his back, followed by another. Then a battering of hail was to follow. The storm threw everything it had at him, but he locked the pain away to handle later.
The thunder rumbled ominously above him, but he ignored it as well. Unfortunately, he couldn't ignore it for long as a bolt of lightning arced down from the sky with the malignant intent of taking his life.
The only thing that saved him was the hole that seemed to open up before his Illian's feet, too deep to see the bottom, and too wide to jump at such close quarters.
Pitching forward with a yell, both Heero and his mount tumbled into the pit and down into a murky oblivion that seemed to go on forever.
...
It was dark.
That's the first thing he noticed. As the darkness dissipated and was replaced by a bright light, the second thing he noticed was that he was surrounded by fire.
Turning his head, cobalt blue eyes took in the fact that the fire was the same hue as his own. The gold with the scarlet center. There was no sky, no ground, just the flames and their endless dance to the drumming of a great heartbeat. Then, out of the flames in the distance rose a great black beast.
Long head wreathed in horns, and a thick mane of spiked, jet black hair running down its back, it rose on wings that dwarfed everything Heero could put up against its size. Ebony claws slid from their sheaths, glinting wickedly in the firelight; as the whole beast glinted like some huge diamond cut jewel. Scales both large and small ran down its dark sides, managing to look immensely strong, yet fragile at the same time. Its entire frame seemed to be nothing but bone, scale, and wire strung muscle, yet the creature moved with such silken grace that it shimmered like water over velvet.
With each vast wing beat, it moved closer, slitted eyes glimmering with an inner light.
And suddenly, the flames roared high, high over Heero's head.
Above him, a form took shape within the flaming inferno that swirled feverishly.
A clarion call rose from the shape, and long, wide, flame feathered wings unfolded out from the center, cupping around to each side of the perfect soldier. A silver beak, the only different color readily apparent, then golden head rose up above him, eyes flashing golden crimson with their own light. Each feather was wreathed in flames that burned alternately gold, then blood red, the colors swirling with life and brilliancy. With another call that resembled the musical clangor of steeple bells at midnight, the great bird creature swept up and away, advancing upon the black beast.
Before they met however, each striving for the other, an earth shattering blast of lightning struck the air between the two. Letting loose a cry, the flaming creature's inferno circled about it, and it launched a fireball upwards towards the unknown and unseen source of the bolt, followed only a second behind by the roaring gout of dark flame the black beast let loose.
Both blasts of flame twined and combined, the dark mixing with the light in such a way that an almost beautiful combination of power was produced that could rival the gods themselves.
The flame struck, hitting that which had caused the lightning and showering down a light show of red gold and dark sparks of liquid flame, but the thing let loose with one last bolt of energy, squarely striking the black beast with its last deadly powerful attack.
With a cry that seemed like a mix of falcon and lion but multiplied a thousand fold, the black beast began to sink, feebly beating its wings in an effort to stay up. As if in slow motion, it sank down, down into the flames, which rose up to welcome it into the fire's warm embrace.
The flaming bird let loose with a startling, clarion cry that shook the very heavens, filled with such deafening anger and loss that it overwhelmed the senses and sent one's mind to the edge of sanity.
...
Jerking awake, Heero's eyes were unfocused, his heart fluttered against his ribcage, and his breathing fast. There was a sheen of sweat on his brow, and the bird's cry echoed through his mind and soul.
It took him a moment to gather his thoughts, and even longer to finally realize that he was warm, dry, and inside. That, accompanied with the fact that he seemed to ache in every muscle, some that he didn't remember even having, took him aback, and the soldier part of him snapped into place, eyes narrowing as he looked about.
From what he could see of the ceiling, it looked to be made of stone. It also looked like it was naturally hollowed out, so he deduced that he was inside a cave, probably pretty deep into one at that. The wall to his left that bordered where he lay; upon a bed, with a mattress and thick blanket no less; was smooth, but by the faint light, he could see the different layers of rock it passed through. His eyes moved further to the right, and what looked to be a naturally hollowed fire place hosted the faint light of a fire. He was subconsciously glad to note that the flame was the normal color of a simple hearth fire.
"What did you dream?" Suddenly came a soft, deeply soothing voice from somewhere to his right and upwards. He jerked up, almost scrabbling to his feet so he could meet his next opponent, regardless of the pain the movement brought.
His next opponent turned out to be an older woman, with graying brown hair, and a plump, but not thick figure that had mother written all over it. She was smiling slightly, most likely at his reaction, but there was something disturbing about her that Heero immediately didn't like.
"Who are you? Where am I?" Heero asked coldly in succession.
The woman looked slightly offended, but in a good natured way.
"Is that hardly any way to act towards the person whom took you in and kept you safe?" She asked a bit reproachfully. Heero's eyes narrowed perceptively.
"That's why I'm asking you who you are." He said in response. She gave him a smile.
"Very well. I am Phenris [1]. You-" She nodded towards him. "-are Heero Yuy, and your companion-" Here, she tiled her head towards the other side of the rather large cave, closer to the fire, where the still, but familiar figure of Duo lay. "-is Duo Maxwell." She looked amused at the brief look of surprise that crossed Heero's features.
"I must say, the both of you are quite the fascinating pair." She continued after a moment of quiet in which Heero stubbornly remained silent.
"...What do you mean?" He finally asked, deciding to gather as much information as possible before making a plan of action.
"Why, the both of you are much more than you appear." She said, effectively dodging the question with a smile.
"As are you it seems..." Heero suddenly said. She only nodded.
"Very astute of you my dear. I am not really the creature you see before you, but I seem to remember that most...humans...look to this image as one of comfort. Would you rather I take my true shape?" She asked, quite politely it will be noted.
Heero nodded, not quite sure what he was agreeing to.
With a small smile, the woman simply vanished.
Heero blinked, immediately looking around to find where the woman had disappeared to, but he saw nothing of her.
"Do not be alarmed when you see me." Came her voice again from all around him. Then she walked through the stone wall opposite him, the solid rock rippling like water as she did so, and continuing for a brief moment after her passage.
Though she was not alarming to see, if one were not expecting the changes, it could be somewhat disturbing.
Before the messy haired soldier stood a child.
Looking to be no older then ten or eleven summers, her skin was gray, and swirled like marble with dark and lighter patches, appearing to be cracked in places. Her hair, so earlier a pleasant mousy brown, was now granite colored, yet it still had streaks of the brown running through it, along with streaks of a deeper green that ran all the way to where it bounced and flowed about her bare ankles. Her clothes consisted of a long robe with a sash tied about her middle, the flowing cloth made from earthy tones, mostly grays and browns, with the accompanied sash a deep forest green.
Probably the most surprising feature was her eyes. They were solid black, no iris, no white, just solid black with what looked to be flames dancing in their depths.
Heero didn't twitch a muscle.
"What are you?" He asked instead. With a flourish and a smile, the girl swept her arms wide.
"I, young Heero, am Phenris, one of the four physical embodiments of our world."
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1. pronounced Fenris, with an emphasis and bit of a roll on the R. In Norse mythology, Fenris (also known as Fenrir) was a wolf born of Loki that would oppose the gods at Ragnarok, the ending of the world. It was bound beneath the earth until that time. It's often depicted in games (FF games mostly) as an earth spirit. (Don't ya just love that old mythology? I know I do *grin*)
Ah, the engaging plot twist. Everyone with me now, Ohhhhhhh.
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