Asbestos Gelos Part 9
And so it began. Solo led Duo to the chamber where the clan kept the Deathscythe, but teaching Duo to wield it was another matter.
"Duo, I have never even seen it, let alone touched it. I have no idea how it should be used." Solo sadly shook his head. "I'm afraid that it must be something you'll have to figure out for yourself."
Nodding, Duo accepted Solo's admission, and excused him from the room. ~If I am to become a smear on the stone floor, better that no one is here to see it.~
Duo extended his hand and ran his fingers over the intricately carved box that held the weapon. The wood was soft and old, even felt warm to the touch in a comforting way. After taking a deep breath, Duo opened the lock and lifted the lid of the box.
His breath whooshed out as if he had been hit.
The weapon that lay inside the box was completely unimposing. It was nothing but a wooden staff. It was a delicately carved staff, but only a staff.
Shoulders drooping in disappointment, Duo ran his hand along the carvings.
~Hello young master. What is your name?~ A soothing female voice rang clearly inside his head.
Gasping, Duo almost dropped the staff. ~Duo... who are you?~
~Young Duo, I am Deathscythe. I am the last resort of your clan, why have you called upon me?~
Grasping the staff tightly, Duo firmed his resolve. ~To avenge my parents' deaths, to rescue my love, and to destroy the demon calling itself Relena.~
~Stand young Duo, and hold the staff far away from your body.~
Duo jumped to his feet and quickly followed the directions. The moment he did, a bright green energy flowed from one end of the staff, forming a curved blade. He looked down at himself and saw that his pristine white burial clothes had been dyed black as night.
~You are the accepted bearer of the Deathscythe. Your heart and mind are pure as well as your intentions. Let nothing stray you from your path. Let no one but kin touch this weapon. Let no one stand in your way until your task is complete.~
Memories of battles centuries past ran through Duo's mind. The knowledge of how to use the weapon seemed to flow into this mind in an unending stream. Just when it became too much it stopped, leaving his ears ringing and the room spinning.
Falling to his knees Duo gasped for air. The Deathscythe was indeed powerful, and powerful enough to destroy Relena.
The prospect of fighting Relena, while pleasant in concept, made him nervous. He couldn't help but remember that she had been the one to kill his father... and now Heero was very nearly in her grasp.
Slowly rising to his feet, Duo adjusted his grip on the weapon's handle and a warm sense of approval washed over him. There could be no doubt in his mind, or he would be finished.
He would fight. And he would win.
Duo strode out of the room ready to face his destiny.
~*~
Quatre frowned as Heero finished another goblet of wine. It was only the beginning of dinner, and the king had emptied his glass three times already. He subtly pointed this out to Trowa, who was sitting on his right, and to Wufei who sat on his left. Both men took in their friend's flushed face with displeasure.
Another source of worry was the woman who was currently hanging off Heero's arm as if she belonged there. Quatre was well aware that not only a few months ago he had encourages Heero's friendship with the little shrew... but now that her true colors were revealed... he regretted it terribly.
Not that it mattered to Heero. Every day he seemed to drift farther and farther away from them all. And the "lady" had certainly been using Heero's distraction to her advantage... secretly and not-so-secretly undermining his position until the king's advisors were informing her of the state of the kingdom.
And Quatre squirmed in anger at the knowledge that there wasn't a thing he could do about it until Heero snapped out of his bout of ennui. The blonde man just hoped that when Heero finally did decide to return that he would still have a kingdom to rule.
~*~
Heero finished his third goblet of wine. The warm feeling was just beginning to take over his senses. Gods he loved that feeling, like a blanket was protecting him from everything else. Kind of like the way he felt when he was with- no. Heero shook his head. He was not going to go there right now. Not in front of everyone. They all thought that he'd forgotten Duo. They all thought he should get a new lover. They all thought that it would be so damn easy to get on with his life. Even though they had a perfectly happy life with just the three of them.
They couldn't understand. They could never understand how he felt when he held Duo's cold body in his arms. They could never understand going to bed alone every night and wishing that they could wake up the next day and find that the past months had all been a dream.
Heero raised his fourth full glass of wine and gave his old comrades a mock salute. "Here is to happiness."
~*~
After extracting a promise from the village that they would help in the fight as much as they could, Duo knew it was time to leave. They had taught him so much about himself, his powers, and his family in the past months that he felt he would forever be in their debt.
Duo looked around at the faces that had quickly become familiar. He would miss them all, but hoped to visit again someday... with Heero. He carefully secured the Deathscythe to his back and began down the mountain to where he knew the young stag would be waiting to take him back to the palace.
The way down the mountain was much quicker, and in almost no time at all he was at the clearing where he agreed to meet the stag. He turned around in his place and surveyed the area... nothing out of the ordinary.
Then off to the right a small rustle came from the bushes. Duo casually placed his hand on Deathscythe.
~Peace friend.~ The stag stepped into the clearing.
Duo relaxed and let his hand fall from the Deathscythe. ~Hello friend.~ He climbed onto the stag's back and prepared himself for the long ride back to the palace. "Oh Heero... the things I do for you..."
~*~
A small brown mouse stealthily slipped into the King's bedchamber. Even at the best of times a mouse would not be welcome... and in times like these he would surely be in trouble if someone saw him.
Luckily, there was no one within... except the one he'd wanted to see.
Before the fireplace a large shaggy dog lie in sleep. Maxwell's whiskers twitched nervously. This could be very bad.
He'd only taken three small steps into the room before the massive beast stirred and blinked its dark eyes at him. The dog curled its lips and began to growl before Maxwell sat on his hind legs and held up his front paws.
~Peace! I have been sent by Duo Maxwell!~ The small mouse hoped that this would stall the dog long enough for him to explain his presence.
Just as he'd hoped, the dog's ears perked and he almost looked like he was smiling. ~Duo?!~
~Yes!~ Maxwell scampered a bit closer. ~He is not dead. He is coming back to the castle, and he needs our help.~
The dog rested his hands on his front paws and eyed the small mouse gravely. ~What do we need to do?~
~*~
Relena slowly walked through the abandoned throne room. There had not been a public forum in this room for the past few weeks. Half the time the king was too in his cups to realize what day it was, and she certainly didn't give a damn for the local peons and their petty complaints.
Her steps echoed on the stone floor as she mounted the steps that led to the throne. Running a finger over the scarlet velvet cushion, the demon smiled and turned to face the room.
A knock on the door alerted her to the presence of one of the "king's" advisors... who was now thoroughly under her control. "Enter." Giving in to a bit of fancy, she sat on the throne and looked down at the small man who entered.
If he was shocked at her choice of seats, he did not show it. "My Lady, nearly all of the small fiefdoms and large villages are in your control."
"Excellent." She steepled her fingers in front of her face. "There will be a ball to celebrate the King's upcoming birthday."
"My lady?"
Relena smiled. "I grow tired of ruling from behind the scenes. At the King's birthday ball I will offer him a grand ultimatum- marriage or uprising. Either way..." She paused for a moment. "I get control."
The man bowed low and backed away slowly.
Alone again, Relena gazed at the consort's throne and imagined Heero sitting there silently. "I will have control."
~*~
Duo slid off the buck's back, again glad to be on the ground. ~thank you friend.~
With a single grave bow and a flip of his white tail, the young buck dashed off into the forest.
Carefully retracing his steps to the entrance to the crypt, Duo called to the small mouse that he hoped remembered him. ~Maxwell?~
~Right here, boss!~ The small grey mouse scampered onto an outcropping of stone. ~I have good news! I was able to get the king's hounds on our side, and they were able to spread word to the stables. So, as far as I know, every mouse, dog, cat, horse, donkey, and goat is on our side.~
Duo gaped at the tiny creature. ~That is wonderful!~ He held out his hand for the mouse to climb onto. ~Now please lead me into the palace... I brought cheese.~
~Cheese??!~ The mouse's whiskers twitched frantically for a moment before he jumped off Duo's hand and hurried into the dark opening of the catacomb. ~Come on! Hurry up.~
Duo snickered before following his guide back into the dark maze that would lead him home.
TBC...
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