Haunted Memories

Chapter 7

A/N: Yeah, the whole necromancy thing from here to the end is mostly from the figment of my so-called imagination. I just used bits and pieces of what I knew and threw in a bunch of things to fit what I wanted. So, yes I know that it doesn't exactly fit what "Necromancy" is. So sue me…

Anyways, thank you to my faithfuls. Updates are coming few and far between because I'm going to be moving to TN (I'm in OH right now), getting a new job, and I am working on my own website. Yeah, go me the achiever…

-The night has patterns that can be read, less by the living than by the dead.- Dean Koontz

The sun had set by the time they reached the front gate of the cemetery. A scattering of stars flickered like tiny lights against the black sky. It was clear of any clouds allowing the sliver of a moon light their way along the path. The wind was low and rustled the few leaves left above their heads. The only other sounds that could be heard was the crunching of the gravel beneath their feet.

"Shouldn't you be doing this during a full moon or something?" Wufei asked trying to lighten the mood. Duo rolled his eyes at the comment.

"Not necessarily," Duo said with a half smile. "They know me well enough by now that I can call on their power at anytime."

"They?" Wufei asked eyebrow arched. Duo nodded and offered nothing more. Wufei left it at that. They were near their friends' graves when Duo stopped and grabbed his friend by the arm.

"When we get up there, no matter what you see or hear, you must stay silent. Do not draw attention to yourself. I will not be able to help you if They come for you." He didn't even notice Wufei's nod. His mind was elsewhere. He had become totally focused on what he must do and prepared his body for what was to come.

Wufei stayed back a couple of paces to give Duo plenty of room ahead of him. They walked on past stones of all shapes and sizes. Some of angels and others statues with the deceased person's name carved into the stone. Some were so old you could not even make out the engravings anymore and looked as if they were about to crumble into dust.

Duo came upon the graves of his friends slowly. He prayed that he had come prepared. He glanced around him and noticed just how alone they really were. The flowers he had put out had already been cleared away leaving the space before him almost unbearably bare.

"Okay, here goes," he muttered as he knelt down between the two graves.

"Death look away from the life inside

as I call upon you for your power

Lady Luck roll your weighted dice

For the price I pay is for you to say."

As he spoke the wind picked up tremendously as it tore viciously through the graveyard bringing with it rotting leaves and debris. It made a horrible screeching howling noise as it did so. Wufei could barely hear anything that Duo said, but didn't dare move remembering his friend's warning of not drawing attention to himself.

His blood seemed to turn to ice as he heard a sound. It started out low and grew in volume until he could hear it more clearly. It was a woman's laugh. It was sweet, but had a haunting quality to it and Wufei did not quite understand his body's reaction to it. He knew the graveyard was empty, but somehow he knew that the voice was not human. Deep down he knew that was the reason why he was terrified, but he just wanted to listen to it just a bit longer…

Just as Wufei figured he would gladly be lost within that voice as long as he could hear that voice, it turned into this malicious terrifying sound. It had a cutting edge to it that made Wufei glad that he had not moved and thanked his own God for whatever saved him from that thing.

He was worried about Duo though. But judging by how little Duo seemed to be reacting to the whole thing Wufei assumed that this must be normal. Normal for Duo at least.

After he finished speaking Duo waited. He did not have to wait long. Actually before he had even finished speaking he could feel Death's presence. They were waiting for the Lady. She had seen Wufei standing there unguarded and unaware of her power. Taking her time she had let him hear her laugh as she rolled her dice for him. Seeing the results, she was enraged and wanted to kill him right then and there. It turned out that he was protected more than she had first thought. It did not make her any happier seeing Duo's smug smile.

"You dare protect him, a mere mortal, and test my patience as I cast his fate?" she hissed at Duo. He just shrugged his shoulders. He'll have to pay for that little stunt later.

"He's not yours," Duo said. "Not right now anyways."

"That is not for you to decide," the other presence said tersely. Duo bowed his head. This was not going well so far. It seemed that he had pissed off both of them before he had even spoken his request.

"You should not have brought him," she said. Duo nodded obediently.

"I have come to ask for your help and your power," he told the other that was present.

"You have waited too long," It said.

"No. Actually I have not. Too long for the normal price you demand for any of us to pay." Duo said defiantly. "Prices can always be negotiated. That is why I have called upon you both." The Lady clapped her hands in glee.

"Oh! This could be fun."

"What is all that you ask my power for servant?" Taking a deep breath Duo continued, choosing his words carefully and keeping his head bowed.

"I call upon your power as Death itself so that I would be able to avenge the murders of my fellow pilots Trowa Barton and Quatre Winner. Also for the life of Zechs Marquis who was taken away from my fellow pilot Wufei Chang. I also seek to avenge the death of Heero Yuy. The man responsible for this, his name is Treize Kushrenada."

It was quiet for a moment as if they had to think this over.

"Why does Zechs Marquis matter to the point that you are willing to risk your life for the price that you must know that I will demand?" Duo was asked.

"Treize used the love of Zechs and Wufei against them both," Duo answered.

"Death or disappearance of Heero Yuy?"

"Both," Duo said not daring to show the slightest amount of confusion that question had raised.

"Are you sure?" the presence asked.

"Yes."

"And you are willing to pay the price if you are wrong?"

"Yes," Duo answered again trying to calm his racing thoughts. He caught Lady Luck grinning evilly by glancing up through his bangs.

"The only other thing that I ask for," Duo started to say as he raised his head. The beings in front of him weren't really there physically, but he could feel them and sort of see through them. Still, it was dangerous to look at Death's presence head on. "I ask that I live to finish my revenge."

"Done," It said. Lady Luck threw her dice. The combination meant only what she could know. She gave Duo a nasty smile and faded away, her laughter dancing around him.

"Double the price of blood from here on out," the presence told Duo. "And do not die from that alone, my servant." And with that, it faded away to nothing.

Duo sighed. This was not good at all, but he knew not obeying led to thing far worse. He only hoped that Wufei would let him finish what he had to do here. He fished around in his pockets and removed a small dagger. He rolled up the sleeve of his right arm and gritted his teeth as he made the first cut horizontally across his wrist. He heard Wufei gasp behind him and hoped that he would stay put.

The dark ruby liquid looked almost black in the moonlight as it threatened to spill over the sides of his wrist. He laid his hand upon the ground over the grave of Trowa's. He kept his face blank and barely felt any pain even though he knew he should. He didn't realize that he was losing more blood than he should have.

Duo could feel the cool air caress his face and pull at his hair in a playful manner. The sky was so black and seemed so close. And the stars, the stars seemed to be winking at him alone. The moon's light was almost too bright for his eyes. He felt as if he could almost float away, maybe float towards the stars. They were so beautiful.

Duo didn't realize what was happening until he was falling over and landed on his back. He was breathing quickly as he righted himself, his right hand never leaving the ground. He forced himself to breathe normally, trying to calm down. He was surprised that he had gotten that carried away. Death's presence got a little too close for comfort that time.

Determined to finish what he had started, Duo quickly did the same to his left wrist that he had done to the right and place it on the ground of Quatre's grave. He was beginning to feel light-headed from the loss of blood, but refused to be taken as he almost was just a few moments ago. He had to finish. He had to go on.

The words he wanted-had to say had to be forced out. His body did not want to respond, but he had to push on. His voice was hoarse as if he had been screaming and his throat felt raw. The sound of the words at first was choppy then became louder and smoother. It seemed like his voice had to get used to his body all over again.

"Now that my blood has run

I need a breath to make me live

And soil from the ground of which you are

Can only help me so far

I call upon you my spirit friends

To avenge the blood of yours that was shed

Rise within me, taste my blood

Join with me, combine my strength and

We shall take our revenge."

Once again, as Duo spoke, the wind howled and screamed as it made its way throughout the graveyard. Duo's voice grew in power and volume as it rode along the wind. As his chant came to an end, so did the sudden windstorm.

As everything around him calmed and returned to what was normal, Duo sat there on the ground trying to gather enough energy to move. He knew that he could not accept help from Wufei just yet, if his friend was even willing to give it. He had to stand and walk away on his own.

Duo brought his hands in front of him and clasped them together almost in the form of a prayer. Eyes closed and head tilted back, Duo let out a sorrowful scream. When the echoes faded away he started to hum the same haunting tune that he had hummed the day he had brought the bouquets of flowers. It was a song drawing on the elements around him asking for calming peace and strength to make it through the current situation and those that were to come.

After he had finished, he tried to stand. Either the elements refused their strength because of his current bargain with Death or Death's presence was still very strong wanting to claim him earlier than Duo had asked. Or, he realized that it could be a combination of both. Either, or, but he still stumbled and found it a very difficult struggle to pull himself to his feet. He heard Wufei rush towards him and he quickly shook his head, which almost sent him tumbling to the ground.

"No, not yet," Duo croaked out. Wufei reluctantly stayed back. Duo slowly shuffled out of the circle of power that had surrounded him. Suddenly the air seemed a lot thinner and he was able to move easier. He stumbled again, but Wufei was there to catch him before he fell.

"If you had come any closer it could have killed us both," Duo told Wufei as they made their way to a stone bench beside the path away from Trowa's and Quatre's graves. He gave a small chuckle at the way Wufei's eyes widened quite a bit.

"There's some gauze in my coat pocket. You mind helping me out a bit?" Duo asked wryly. Wufei silently complied. He carefully wrapped Duo's wrists, which were still bleeding readily.

"I see that you came prepared," he said.

"Eh," Duo shrugged. "I really don't have the energy to heal them." Wufei's eyebrows tried to meet his hairline again.

"Excuse me?" Wufei asked almost unbelievably. "Just whom do you belong to?"

"Belong to?" It was Duo's turn to not understand.

"Yes, belong to. I am a spiritual person who prays to the God I believe in, but you seem t o know or pray to several beings I did not even really know that existed to even held any kind of power.

"I belong to nobody, Wufei. I am the God of Death. That is all there is to it."

"Then what the heck happened tonight? I hear a woman laughing when I know that nobody else is here. I felt as if my very life could be at its end as you stood there, just as calm as ever. Then you hummed, sang, whatever you want to call it, the same song I heard you doing the other day and I felt as if everything will be all right when I know damn well that it isn't." Wufei was out of breath when he finished that little spiel. All Duo could do was sigh as his mind raced to find an answer that would not get Wufei into this mess too deep that he could not get away. Heck, it might be too late for that anyways.

"I called upon Death itself for the power and ability to carry out my revenge. Lady Luck to tell me of the price I must pay for this power. The song was to the elements to give me peace and strength. They are the same that would help me heal my wounds if I had the energy to do so. All of them and more do my bidding, but I pay the price."

"And what is the price this time?" Wufei asked Duo, helping his friend to his feet. He put an arm carefully around his shoulders, supporting most of Duo's weight.

"That," Duo said in a weak voice. "Is something I do not want to talk about." Wufei nodded and urged his friend to walk slowly.

"Please just take me home, Wufei," Duo said softly, all of his energy gone as he sagged against his friend.

"I'll get you there," Wufei said back. Wufei was left lost in his thoughts for the rest of the way to Duo's tiny apartment.