Darkness at Dawn Part 25

Such a gathering of Dawnchildren hadn't been seen in well over one hundred years. Howard and Barton shared a smile- the excitement on the air was so palpable that you could practically reach out and touch it. It was as a War Council should have been.

Seated at the older Dawnchild's right side, Barton lifted a silver horn to his lips and blew once, calling the Council to order.

Howard stood tall as all eyes swivelled to rest on him. "Greetings to all of you, and I thank you for coming to this Council." His narrowed gaze swept over the assembled crowd of warleaders and soldiers. "You have all felt it. The Darkness has returned, and it has grown strong. It has already destroyed two human kingdoms, and is now marching on the East, heading for Raberba's heir."

Rising from his seat, Weyridge felt all eyes swivelling to his face as the waves of whispers that had set through the crowd fell silent in a show of respect. "They are not the only ones to return to us. For those of you who don't already know, I have seen him with my own eyes. General Shinigami has survived, as well, my friends."

It was one thing to sense a long-unfelt energy burning in the back of one's mind- it was a completely different story to hear those words from the lips of one so respected as Weyridge of Catalonia. Whispers erupted into all-out shouts. The old Dawnchild waved for silence, though, and once again respectful calm settled over the crowd. "Not only that, but he has been revealed as one of the four Elementals of legend, my people. The others are a half-breed descendant of Major Barton, who you see at Howard's side, and two humans."

A smaller Dawnchild lady rose from her seat with a respectful bow to both Weyridge and Howard. Howard smiled at her. "You may speak, Sylvia-Healer."

She bowed again, gleaming brown hair catching the light that filtered down between the trees. "I, too read the signs, Elders. Am I not right in guessing that it was they who I felt in the cursed mountains of Mikar?"

Howard nodded. "Right you are, young one. They somehow made it over the haunted pass and are safely one the other side, making for Sandrock and Iria's family."

Sylvia clasped her hands together. "Would it not, then, be safe to say, Elder, that... that the time of the Prophecy is upon us?"

Howard set his jaw and drew himself up tall before speaking to an utterly silent, attentive audience. "More than safe, my dear. Shinigami is no more, and Duo Maxwell has awakened in his place. The Great Guardian Himself has sent the boy a guide, an angelic warrior who never leaves his side. It will not be long until he discovers who and what he truly is."

Shouts erupted from the crowd, most in shock, but quite a few in fear. "It is madness! You know as well as I do that he is not sane, after that War..."

"Shinigami could come back..."

"Kill us all in a fit of anger..."

"SILENCE, ALL OF YOU!" Howard bellowed, his voice floating over the assembled masses and bringing the shouting melee to silence again. "Didn't you hear what I said? He has changed! Do you not think that I would stop my own kinsman before I set someone with that sort of power loose on a quest? Do you not think the Great Guardian has put his Emissary there in part to stop Duo, should the madness come upon him again!"

Silence reigned.

Howard let his voice fall back into a more normal tone. "But I don't think we need worry about that, my friends. Barton, here, has fought at his side since his return, as I have. Tell them, Barton!"

He felt awkward with so many eyes upon him, but Barton rose from his seat. "It is true. I fought at his side, and he is no longer what he once was. And to be honest... I don't think he could ever become that person again. Not with his Angel at his side. In truth, I would have ridden with them, if not for my injury in battle."

Weyridge clutched one fist in front of him. "I have seen his mind, my people. We all know that his rage will never be completely gone, but it has left more marks upon him than you can imagine. I think it is safe to trust him."

Another Dawnchild stood, though. "And why should we fear Shinigami, anyway? He was a great leader and warrior- we should embrace his return among us, and the power that will banish the Dark Ones forever!"

Sylvia shook her head. "No- you don't understand. The power of the Prophecy is too great a burden for one who cannot use it consciously and with the greatest restraint. It is not a light token or a boon- it is a curse in the wrong hands." She turned to address Howard. "Sir, I know we speak of one who was once like a son to you, but I must ask this question. What will happen if the madness comes back?"

Howard took a deep breath, locking eyes with the young Dawnchild. "If Duo were to go mad again... There would be no other choice but to overwhelm him and destroy him completely, no matter the cost. Shinigami armed with the power of the Prophecy would be even more fearsome than the enemy he now faces."

Weyridge knocked on his seat, drawing everyone's attention back to him. "So we have a decision to make. Do we ride to Duo's aid, or not?"

The entire forum went silent.

Weyridge did not sit back down. "I, for one, have no doubts as to the right course of action. Young Duo has conquered his demons; he saved my daughter's daughter from the clutches of General Ramar and put her on the path to redemption. He has renounced the madness of his past. My place is at his side."

Howard, too, stood with Barton at his side. "My people also will ride to Sandrock. Lord Duo and his comrades risked their lives for us and proved their worth beyond any doubt."

Sylvia directed her bright gaze at Weyridge. "He was never a bad man, sir, merely a person in a great deal of pain, on whom his sorrows weighed to heavily to deal with. Do you swear it to us that he has changed? That he has learned to control that anger?"

Weyridge smiled. "There are stronger emotions than hate and anger, as you well know, child. An orphan who saw his home destroyed, all his family murdered, loses sight of those. But I believe his soul has healed, yes. I swear it to you, Sylvia-Healer, Duo is not who he used to be. He is even greater than that, and he will become even more. He deserves no less than the allegiance we owe to him, as the last living member of the Great Council."

She stared for a moment longer into Weyridge's eyes before she nodded, her face set and resolved. She stood as well, followed a moment later by the warriors of her clan behind her. "He has the allegiance of my clan, as well."

Howard smiled his thanks and took a deep breath. "Who else?"

~*~

Solo finally spotted them, thirty of them moving through the forest below him. He couldn't help thinking that the mountains beyond them looked like a fabulous place to settle in- so high and forbidding-looking. And, according to his Master, filled with trolls that no one would miss if he decided to do some house-cleaning...

But first, he had about forty Darkchildren to deal with. He gave a dragon's smile. He was more than willing to go hunting.

He could feel the fire in his soul burning higher than ever as he began to circle and slowly make his descent.

~*~

Lady Relena smiled to herself as she hurried up towards Hilde's chambers from the kitchens. The latest gossip had several noble lords heading into Sandrock with their armies, ready to fight. And she was going to be able to help them, with the memories the Mad Five had unlocked in her mind.

"Relena! Goodness, where are you in such a rush to get to?" She spun around as the Mother Healer's voice hailed her from the doorway she had just passed.

She bowed to the Lady as best as she could, with the tray in her hands. "I was just fetching a snack for Hilde, and I heard about the reinforcements coming in. I thought she'd want to know..."

The older woman hushed her with a small wave of her hand. "You've been a tremendous help to us all, my Lady."

Relena bowed her head. "It is the least I can do. I let them loose and helped the monster into this world again."

She stopped speaking, though, as she felt Sally's fingers gently pushing her chin up, and she met the woman's bright blue eyes. Sally searched the young woman's face across from hers. The work and the chance at aiding the effort against the Dark Ones had worked miracles on the former Princess. Though still scarred, she no longer flinched at any small sound, nor was she as shy about looking people in the eye. The spring was coming back into her step, the spark back into her deadened eyes.

The Mother Healer smiled. "You are doing the right thing, Relena. It took courage to come forward as you did."

"I pray my courage won't fail me, Lady," Relena replied. She gave a still slightly hesitant smile before she turned and vanished up the hallway.

Sally watched long after she had left. "It won't, girl. It won't. I won't allow it."

~*~

They could see something approaching from the direction of the pass, but they couldn't be certain what it was, as yet. Whatever it was, it was approaching them quickly, and event he weakest of them could feel its fury bent upon them. That alone made it an enemy.

It was surrounded by a cloud of fire, and several of them gulped in fear. They had heard the fearsome news- their old enemy had been granted even greater powers as the Lord of Fire. And if it was he who now approached...

As the cloud of fire came closer, though, it became clear that there was no Dawnchild in is midst. No, it was even worse...

"By the... RUN! A dragon is upon us! FLEE!" Shouts went up, and all eyes swung forward tot he approaching menace, its gleaming eyes now visible, reflecting the burning anger of the flames that surrounded it-

Solo knew there was no greater elation than the hunt, no better sport than chasing down one's prey, especially when said prey showed such an utter lack of courage as to just run in the face of an enemy. An enemy that was planning on making a meal out of them and would not be stopped by their little weapons, yes, but was that truly a reason to show such base fear? Hadn't he once heard that the true sign of valour was bravery in the face of approaching death?

Hadn't warriors who had such bravery ruined a perfectly good hunt hundreds of times, in the past by being brave enough to actually take a shot at him?

Fire belched forth from his jaws as he swooped over their heads, the air from his wings fanning the flames to an even greater intensity, and Solo wheeled in the sky to make one more overhead pass before he would land and claim his meal. A few were brave enough to shoot up at him, but it took stronger weapons and even greater magic than these creatures possessed to harm a dragon. His dark laughter beat down on the panicked Darkchildren like a death knell sounding.

As he landed, he felt the flames of his attack tickling at his sides, and he couldn't' help thinking that it was just too easy.

He would stay close by and hope that the Fire Lord could dig up some better prey for him to feast upon.

~*~

"By all the Guardians, Noin! I'm fine!" Quatre practically bellowed up at his older sister, fighting against her weakly as she pushed his back down into his bed.

She glared him into silence. "You're not, and you know it, brother," Noin growled down at him. "How often do your visions cause you to black out, eh? How often do you smack your head against the table so hard that we have to call the Mother Healer in to revive you?"

He sank back, but still glared up at her angrily. "I'm not a child any longer, sister..."

"But you have yet to learn the all-important lesson of bowing your stiff neck to your elders when they know better than you, it would seem," Sally Po's voice interrupted their argument, as she let herself in. She gave them both a small smile. "I come with news- they are out of the mountains, though a member of the group was lost in that damned pass. A Dawnchild."

Quatre looked relieved. "Thank the Guardians! And Ramar's troops?"

Sally shook her head. "I'm not certain, but they opted to take the long way around the mountains, so they will have lost time. I have to imagine that our Elementals are making the journey as difficult as possible for them, as well."

Quatre shut his eyes and smiled. "They are okay, then."

"Well, no, not exactly." His eyes flew open to focus on Sally's face as she continued, "Another person was injured, and Duo said that he did not have the skill to simply heal the man. It will slow them down."

"Who?"

"Lucas, of the Dail clan."

"Dail clan?" Noin asked.

Quatre nodded his head. "From the far North. He is a distant relation of Duo's and one of the only other survivors from that region. He, too, has great reason to hate the Darkchildren."

He turned his gaze on Sally. "Is there anything we can do?"

She shrugged. "They are still far away, my Lord. I would volunteer to go after them, but it is too dangerous. My power is in healing, not in either stealth or fighting..."

"But mine is," Noin whispered. She nearly flinched as her brother turned his intense gaze upon her. She met his eyes with a growing sense of purpose. "You have trained me yourself, Quatre. I could go to them- I could meet them and guide them back."

He shook his head resolutely. "No, I can't allow it, Noin! You could be caught or killed..."

She had turned to Sally, though, and was ignoring him completely. "What kind of wound is it, Lady? What happened?"

Sally's eyes burned. "Knife wound to the abdomen. Fairly serious, by Duo's account."

Noin's eyes widened. "Dear Guardians! And what has been done?"

Sally shook her head. "As much as could be done, but he must have lost much blood, for he is seriously weak. They are afraid to move him, but they have to, if they're going to escape detection."

Noin stood quickly, her eyes glinting with determination. "Someone has to get to them as soon as possible, Guardians..." She disappeared out the door.

Quatre cursed darkly and began to rise, but Sally pushed him back into the bed. "Don't even think about it, my Lord."

He glared at her darkly. "I appreciate your assistance and wisdom, Lady, but I will ask you not to order me in my own home..."

"She has Healer blood in her veins, Quatre." The words froze him in mid-struggle, and he turned wide eyes on the Mother Healer. "It's part of her, just as being a King is a part of you."

He clenched his fists in the blankets. "Damn you, Lady..."

She smiled sadly. "I know you're worried for her, as you should be! But can you really hold her back?"

He closed his eyes and grimaced. But when his eyes opened again, even Sally would not have dared to get in his way. He swung his legs from the bed and stood, resolutely refusing to falter as his head swam. "That will be all, Mother Healer." He walked out with his shoulders set and his head held high, one fist still tightly clenched.

Sally shook her head and followed him silently, without question.

~*~

Berani Huntress smiled a feline grin as she ran through the open grasslands like a wind through the tall grasses. Moonlight on her back, good, hard earth beneath her feet... It was Heaven to feel such freedom!

Few people knew the secret of the Hunter clan, but anyone who saw her would have understood why she always referred to her family as her 'pack.' Moonlight glinted off of her as she ran with a great, loping stride.

In truth, no one but a Hunter would have understood. For they would not have seen a woman, but a giant leopard.

Berani put on another burst of speed as grass tickled past her. She was nearly invisible to the untrained eye, her spotted coat blending in with her surroundings, moving so quickly and tirelessly that she knew she was unstoppable.

And she would finally have her revenge on Ramar for his treatment of her pack. He would learn why the Hunters were so respected and feared.

The sky ahead of her to the East was already lightening when she decided to stop for a rest. Panting in the cool early morning air, she shape-changed and leaned back stood tall, staring into the rising sun.

She would rest a few hours and then take up the route again. Reaching into her tunic, she checked once again, as she had at every stop, for the message that had been given her. It was still safe.

She would not fail either Roth or her pack.

She would die before that!

~*~

No one had wanted to light a fire, for fear of discovery, but everyone accepted the need for it. Lucas needed the warmth.

Wufei sighed tiredly as he tore his eyes from where Duo and Heero hovered over the sleeping patient, their faces drawn with worry. He scanned the trees around them mechanically, finding nothing alarming in the slightest. He had always hated sentry duty, but he had volunteered for it this time around.

Approaching footsteps behind him alerted him to another person's presence only moments before he heard Zechs' deep voice reaching to him through the darkness. "Just wanted to let you know- he is still sleeping peacefully. He looks like he's improving."

Wufei nodded his head and spared a smile for his Lord. "My thanks, milord. But we're still moving too slowly! Even with the traps we've sent for the enemy..."

Zechs shook his head. "It can't be helped, unless we wish to lose another loyal comrade."

"I know."

They stared into the darkness in companionable silence.

Zechs broke the silence, though, looking over at his long-time friend and companion. "Do you ever wonder how exactly Shadow found us again after we had to let him go?"

Wufei looked over at the blond and shrugged. "He belongs to Duo. I've learned not to ask."

Zechs let out a dark chuckle. "Very true. Shame it doesn't work with the rest of the horses."

"Hn," Wufei grunted in agreement, his eyes once again turned to the trees ahead of him.

As the Sun peeked over the horizon, they slowly made their way back to the centre of the camp and gratefully stood close to the fire. Wufei smiled as Treize passed him by and pulled the tie from his hair, so it fell in a swoop of ebony around his face.

Zechs' attention, though, was riveted on the other side of the fire, where Duo and Dorothy sat side by side, their lips moving as if holding a silent conversation with an invisible third party. He shook his head- seeing them talking to people through the fire would never cease amazing him.

A sprite leapt into Duo's lap and broke his concentration, and Zechs watched in amusement as the Dawnchild tickled the small creature mercilessly, Dorothy watching as well, with a gleam of a grin in her eyes. Duo eventually turned his attention on her. "My thanks, Dorothy, friend."

"No problem," She replied, standing with an easy grace.

Duo, too, stood and took a moment to stretch stiff muscles before he turned back to the camp and announced, "I have both good and bad news."

Trowa looked up from where he was heating their breakfast. "We haven't had breakfast yet. Start with the good."

Duo smiled down at the half-breed. "The good news is that a Healer is on the way from Sandrock to help us and guide us in."

Everyone felt relieved by the information. Heero, still seated next to the slumbering Lucas, looked up at the Dawnchild and smiled.

Duo held his eyes. "The bad news is that it is far and it will take them a while to reach us if they don't want to get caught."

Heero shrugged. "Only to be expected." He turned back to his patient.

Trowa gave Duo a look, though. "How long?"

The braided Dawnchild shrugged. "We don't know yet."

~*~

Ramar cursed as, yet again, high winds whipped freezing rain into his face, mud sluicing over his horse's hooves and making disgusting sucking sounds with each plodding step. These plains were never wet at this time of year! It had to be the work of the Elemental Lords- he was certain of it! "Roth!"

The other Darkchild rode up to his side, his hood dripping water into his eyes. "Sir?"

Ramar turned furious eyes on his second in command. "This hell-cursed weather is a damned spell! Tell the men to keep moving! I refuse to let them win!"

He half-expected the other Darkchild to protest, so he was quite surprised when the man simply bowed and rode back to the straggling line of soldiers behind him. Ramar's eyes narrowed. Why wasn't Roth fighting the order?

And why the hell was he questioning it if his second was finally behaving as a second should?

He growled and kicked his horse harder for more speed. The damned weather was bringing this all out- it was making him paranoid and irritable...

But Roth was behaving strangely, wasn't he?

TBC...

 

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