Step Inside the Circle Part 6

Wufei sighed with relief as he was shown to a seat right next to Duo. The long-haired man looked up with a smile as he approached. "Hey! You and I are apparently the guests of honour."

At second glance, Duo's smile was beginning to look a bit forced. Wufei squeezed his friend's shoulder as he sat and pulled his chair closer so they could speak privately. "You holding up okay?"

Duo sighed, though he still managed to keep a smile on his face as people walked by, pointing and staring at him. "I feel like some sort of exotic animal on display. These people are just so..."

"Frustrating?" Wufei volunteered with a wry smile of his own.

"Exactly," Duo said, nodding. "They all think I'm something... great, someone special, and I don't have a clue about any of it."

Wufei shook his head sympathetically. "You and me both. But this Relena promised us answers. Tonight."

Duo looked down at his hands, frowning. "I've been doing things - saying things - and I didn't know I could do them. I didn't know that I knew what to say, but somehow I did."

Wufei nodded. "It's a bit scary for me, too."

Duo looked up and gave his friend a small - true - smile. "I'm glad you're here."

"Me, too."

"My Lord."

Duo and Wufei both looked up and gulped.

The Three Aspects stood in front of them with their hoods thrown back and, while Hilde gave them a smile, the one in the centre looked about as happy to see them as she would have been to blow a hole in her head, and the third was carefully expressionless.

Duo stood politely, but also not liking the feeling that the three were hovering over him. "Yes? Can I help you?"

The third - a taller woman with honey coloured hair pulled back in twists away from her face - gave him a short bow. "We meant to greet you earlier, but we were called away. I am Badba, but you may also call me Sally."

He returned her bow carefully, hoping he would not offend anyone. "Pleased to meet you. This is my good friend, Chang Wufei."

She favoured Wufei with a long, dispassionate look before bowing to him, as well. Then she turned back to Duo. "You have already met Maeve-" Hilde waved cheerfully, "But you have not yet met our sister..."

"Morrigan," Duo said, steeling himself to meet the gaze of the third Aspect. Her eyes swung up to meet his.

Had she not been wearing a perpetual frown, she might have been pretty. The Morrigan had short, purplish-black hair similar to Hilde's but, whereas the slighter, younger woman's eyes sparkled and quite nearly glowed with eager happiness, this woman bore an expression of dark anger and annoyance in her dark blue eyes. Duo forced himself to match her stare, drawing himself up to his full height and crossing his arms over his chest.

She finally broke off their stare and bowed gravely. "My Lord. I was... overly hasty earlier. You meant our Lady no harm."

Duo uncrossed his arms and nodded back to her, but with troubled eyes. He was sensing something about this woman... something painful and dark, some reason why she had been hostile to him from the very moment they met. It was there, just beyond his grasp, and that bothered him. "I don't mean any harm to anyone here; neither does Wufei."

She barely blinked to acknowledge the mild rebuke.

Seeing the tension level rising, Hilde stepped up between the other two and looped an arm around each of them. "Just wanted to say hi - we've got to go get her Ladyship now. See you later!" She grinned and, with some help from Sally, managed to drag Morrigan away, though the woman never took her suspicious gaze off of Duo.

As soon as the door closed, the braided young man collapsed back into his seat. He met Wufei's amazed gaze. "What the hell just happened there?"

The Chinese man shook his head. "I think that was her version of an apology."

Duo groaned. "Wonderful - just great. Here we are - I don't even know where the hell we are - surrounded by all these people who ALL seem to know something we don't, and one of them is already ready to rip my head off, and I didn't do a damned thing!"

"Duo, you have to calm down..."

"Right this moment, this is me being calm," Duo replied, planting his elbows on the table and dropping his face into his hands.

"At least the other one didn't seem quite so... psychotic," Wufei said, reaching over to give the braid a slight tug.

"Didn't seem overly friendly, either."

Wufei quirked a small grin. "Something tells me that Hilde is plenty perky enough for the three of them. Didn't she say, before... they shared a soul?"

"That's why they are called the Three Aspects," Trowa remarked as he strolled up behind them. He pulled up an empty chair at Duo's other side and sat comfortably. "The Goddess of War wears three faces - Maeve is the heart and will of the three, Badba is the calm one, the thinker, and the Morrigan... The Morrigan was by legend the Dark Face of the Goddess, her vengeful, angry, destructive side. Noin wasn't always this bad, she just..."

"Noin?" Duo repeated, looking up.

Trowa nodded. "That is her given name, though very few people have either the rank or the balls to use it to her face. She has been getting worse - it can be very hard for Hilde and Sally to balance her out."

Duo snorted. "I haven't even been here a day and she hates me."

Trowa shook his head, a small smile gracing his lips. "Don't take it personally - she hates everyone sometimes." He clapped them both on the shoulder as he stood and walked a short distance away.

Wufei and Duo shared a hopelessly confused look. It seemed that every question only led to more questions in this place.

~*~

Lady Relena frowned at her reflection as she finished arranging her hair. She'd spent a large portion of the day speaking with Gwydion who had, after all, spent the most time in Duo's presence. And now she - like Trowa, Quatre and Heero - had to admit she was stumped. Her frown darkened. Duo had to be both confused and scared, and no one could blame him for it. He needed answers, and they were the one thing she could not give him!

Then again, if neither a druid of Trowa's rank and power, a Banshee, nor a half-blooded Tuatha De warrior Prince had been able to figure it out, she didn't stand much chance on her own! What very few people seemed to understand was that she was merely a vessel - the power was that of the Goddess, to bestow where She would and when She would.

A ritual it would have to be, then. Relena sighed and hung her head. She could only hope that the courageous young man would be willing to cooperate a little while longer.

KNOCK! KNOCK!

She looked up and hurried back out into her sitting room. "Come in!"

The door opened and a cheerful-looking blond head stuck itself inside. "My Lady? I'm sorry to bother, but I was passing by, and I sensed you felt worried..."

She smiled. Dropping in like this was a distinctly Quatre-like thing to do. "You aren't a bother, Quatre. I was about to leave, anyway - I'm just waiting for the Aspects."

She watched as he carefully didn't roll his eyes, secretly relieved to have someone else there with her. She appreciated how much the Aspects cared for her and protected her, and the Goddess only knew that she would gladly give her life for one of theirs, if she could. But their incessant hovering since Zechs'... demise was giving her a headache.

Quatre grinned. Everyone knew he was one of the few people the Morrigan hesitated to attack, verbally or otherwise. "I doubt they would mind much if I escorted you, Relena. In fact, I thought I saw Badba and Maeve dragging Morrie over to finally apologise to our newcomers."

Relena laughed. "You know, you shouldn't bait Morrigan so much. She has every right to feel bitter, angry and alone right now, as you know much better than any of the rest of us."

His smile dimmed. "I... know. But... Noin used to be much... saner. If she doesn't correct herself, she will unbalance her sisters, as well. It is not easy for them."

"Give her time, Bean Sidhe. The Goddess will look after her," Relena intoned gently.

Quatre nodded formally. "Of course, my Lady." He offered her his arm and smiled again. "Shall we?"

Laughing, Relena hooked her arm with his and allowed him to pull her away from her chambers. "What would Gwydion say if he knew you were propositioning young ladies in their quarters and escorting them all over the Manor?!"

"He'd say it was wishful thinking on the ladies' part."

They both laughed.

~*~

Heero watched them from across the table silently.

Duo had been quiet throughout the meal, only speaking with Wufei in low, hushed tones, or anyone else around them if that person spoke first. Heero frowned. From what he'd seen of the man so far, he was not one to be quiet, nor was he the type of person to be passive.

His heart went out to the Tuatha de Danaan. He had watched as the man struggled to accept this new side to his personality, trying so hard to simply roll with the punches. But it was a lot to ask of anyone, and he'd done it all so far without truly complaining.

Feeling eyes on him, he shifted his gaze to lock with that of Wufei. He simply nodded his head to the Chinese man, getting a nod in return. He, too, had been extremely cooperative so far, despite what he knew were extraordinary circumstances. Heero doubted, in fact, that the loss of their homes had truly hit either man as yet. It would not be pretty when it happened.

Heero had been lucky to be born into this life, much as Relena was.

His gaze wandered back to the long-haired man sitting across from him, but this time Duo was looking at him, as well. He managed a small smile, and got one in return.

Duo seemed to hesitate for a moment before he asked, "Um..., I know this is going to sound a little stupid, but where exactly are we?"

Heero snorted, amused. He'd been wondering when that question would surface. "In Scotland, about an hour and a half north of Inverness."

Duo's eyes bugged. "Scotland... Shoot, and I'd never been out of New England, before..."

Wufei quirked an eyebrow. "We're in the Scottish Highlands, huh? Neat."

Heero glanced out a window. "It's a beautiful place - I'm sure you'll like staying here."

"And just how long will we be here?" Wufei asked, his tone low and controlled.

Conversation stopped around them as Relena rose from her seat. "Gentlemen, I know you have questions, and I apologise for not having answered them so far. But it is not yet the time for that discussion, not until moonrise, at least. Until then... Gwydion, didn't you promise us your new story?"

The green-eyed man rose from his place in one fluid motion, seeming even taller as he moved in the light of several candles, not to mention the firelight coming from a brightly-lit fireplace. "Yes, I did, my Lady. And with Lord Duo's approval?" He turned and looked straight into Duo's eyes.

Once again, Duo felt himself drawn in, unable to look away as Trowa's voice sounded in his head. ~Can you trust us just a little while longer, Duo? Please?~

Duo trembled ever so slightly - the druid had thrown his life into upheaval, but he'd also saved him, protected him, protected Wufei... He deserved their trust. "Of course, Trowa." He managed a small smile.

Trowa's eyes gleamed with approval. "In that case, please draw your seats near, and I will tell you how Duo Maxwell was Awakened, and the tale of the Fire Serpent."

Trowa's lilting voice was suddenly flowing over and through the gathered people, weaving his story so well that it seemed as though they were watching the events transpire, breathing in the magic of his voice and allowing it to transport them far away. Caught up in the magic, both Duo and Wufei forgot their questions.

For a little while, at least.

~*~

The Moon was bright overhead when they stepped back outside.

Duo and Wufei had been instructed in the manner of the ritual they were to participate in - as soon as they set foot outside, not a word was to be spoken until it was prompted. Bathed in moon and starlight, even the Aspects threw back their hoods and observed the solemn silence that was to become an Invocation.

They walked to a hilltop that was crowned with the crumbled remnants of an ancient building; broken stone formed a rough circle, and the Aspects stopped, in order to maintain a respectful distance. Relena gestured for Wufei to remain a few steps away as well as she continued to climb and circle the broken stones with measured paces, followed by Trowa, Quatre, Heero and Duo. They circled three times before Relena and Trowa took up positions at the north and south sides of the structure.

Wordlessly, Quatre and Heero turned to Duo and removed his jacket and shirt, handing the garments back to Wufei. Shivering, Duo looked back and forth between the two, not understanding.

Heero spared a moment to give the other man a small smile before he placed his hand on Duo's forehead - power rushed through him, and he felt his tattoos burning to the surface of their own volition, watching in shock as Heero's markings made themselves known as well.

The Banshee and Tuatha De led Duo up to stand at Relena's side before they took their places to the east and western sides of the circle. In unison, the four lifted their hands and began to chant a prayer to the Mother Goddess.

Duo didn't understand the words, but still felt them resonating in his very bones, chasing away the bitter cold of the evening on his exposed skin. He wanted to turn and see how Wufei was taking this whole... no, since he'd found Trowa in his lane, he'd stopped trying to explain all the strange, unbelievable things that were happening to him.

He wanted to turn, but he found that he couldn't. Not when the circle was beginning to glow faintly.

Surprised, he looked up to find all four other participants had finished their chant and were watching him expectantly. Relena's voice thrummed with power as she instructed, "Step inside the circle, Duo, and we will all find your answers."

Hesitating, he looked to the others. Quatre, his eyes gone that total, deep blue again, gave him a nod of encouragement, and Trowa tossed him a wink, his tattoos also faintly glowing under the moonlight. And Heero - half his face seemed to be obscured by intricate, weaving patterns in blue, matching the light of his eyes - the half-blood smiled.

Duo nodded and took a deep breath before he stepped forward.

~*~

Wufei nearly reached forward to pull his friend back as Duo was invited to enter the circle. Nearly.

He could tell simply by the tightness of the muscles in Duo's back - he was both intrigued and curious, and scared. He needed to hear the truth, no matter what it was.

That didn't make Wufei any less nervous to see his best friend walking forward into some kind of strange, mystical circle, brought to being by a druid, a priestess, a banshee and demi-God. Especially here and now - Duo was the last connection he had to his life, his old, normal existence that, while it wasn't nearly as exciting as this, was something he found himself wishing for.

If Duo stepped forward and learned that truth, there would be no going back.

It took everything in him not to stop Duo, but he let him go.

~*~

He couldn't breathe.

It was as though there was no air in the Circle, and yet he knew there had to be. In fact, it was... nothing. There was absolutely nothing there, but night and starlight as far as his eyes could see. Duo gulped. What the hell had just happened?

He was on the hilltop, but this time standing at the top of the tower, staring out over the pristine lands below. He turned to look up - the moon shone overhead, but somehow it was full, where it had been just a waxing crescent back in Scotland.

"You've come a long way to find me, Tuatha de Danaan," a woman's voice spoke to his right.

He turned. A woman stood there with long, flowing dark hair and eyes the colour of midnight. She gave him a small smile. "It's beautiful, isn't it?" she asked, gesturing at the world around them.

Duo looked, and couldn't help agreeing. "More beautiful than anything I've ever seen."

She took his hand, and he felt vaguely grateful for the warmth of her touch. "This is my world, Duo Maxwell. Our world. And it is our duty to watch over it, be it in my way, through the heart of the brave woman who sent you to me, or in yours. Though I must say, I am surprised to see you here. I would never have thought..."

Duo's jaw dropped open. "Then you are..."

"I am." She turned her gaze back out again over the trees and hills. "And I know who you are."

He backed away until his back met with stone. "Please - can you tell me?"

Danu laughed. "You have known all along, Duo! Something in you has known from the moment Quatre Bean Sidhe awakened you. Do you not remember the vision you had?"

He shook his head, confused. "No, it's all too blurry."

She was at his side faster than he could process. "Then allow me to clarify." She kissed his forehead.

The kiss burned, and Duo stood, transfixed, as the heat spread over his whole body, almost burning him in its intensity. He burned - and he remembered.

Begin Flashback

A battle was raging all around him, and the King laughed as he marched straight through it, head held high and long braid of hair swinging behind him, a massive sword clasped in his hand as he bellowed a war cry.

The Fir Bolgs had refused to leave. Now, they had to die. That was all there was to it.

A group of warriors rushed him, and he met them head on, bowling two of them over with his sheer speed, and cleaving the armour of two more with one sweep of his charmed sword, Fragarach. The others fled as he turned on them.

He laughed again, wiping his brow on his arm. The enemy could not win - they had both suffered losses, but his losses were nothing compared to the numbers of the Fir Bolg dead. His voice sang out again, but this time in a call of victory.

Yet even as he sang, he saw a group of enemies pulling together and preparing to attack some of his men. Holding tightly to Fragarach, he ran towards them. "Behind you! They are coming from behind..."

Coming at him from his blind side, several Fir Bolg warriors knocked him from his feet, and Fragarach flew from his grasp. Four of the enemy attacked him immediately, and he struggled like a madman to throw them off, to protect himself, but they held on. A fifth enemy loomed over him, an axe clutched in his hands, and the King of the Tuatha de Danaan took a deep breath. He was not meant to die like this! Not in his people's moment of victory!

As the Fir Bolg warrior swung the axe, the King gave a massive heave and managed to throw off his assailants on his left arm, desperately gripping at Fragarach-

The axe landed with a dull thud as his fingers closed over the sword's hilt, and he screamed-

End Flashback

~*~

Screaming, Duo came back to himself. He was on his back in the middle of the circle, and he looked down at his right hand.

It was too real - he'd been there, and some gigantic, ugly guy with an axe had actually cut off his hand...

The swirling fire of his tattoos was still there, but denser now and covering the whole hand and forearm, almost to the elbow. Before his very eyes, the colour changed from blue to a shimmery silver that looked almost like mercury as the flames continued to dance.

He sat up and looked around. Relena, Trowa, Quatre and Heero were all watching him with wide eyes, their jaws dropped open, and Relena gasped out, "Nuada? By the Goddess!"

Duo stood, trembling now as the wind around them seemed to pick up and chill him to the very bone. He reached around to his back, though, and ran his fingers over the spot in his lower back and extending upwards, just where he knew it would be.

The tattoo of a huge, ancient weapon, a sword, adorned with etching of a moonflower vine twisting around the blade and over the hilts and runes running the length of the blade.

Danu's Flower.

The King's sword.

"Fragarach," he whispered. His eyes rolled back.

"Duo!" He didn't recognise the voice calling his name as he slowly crumbled to the ground.

~*~

Wufei shouldered past Quatre, growling, "Screw your stupid rituals!"

He lifted Duo to his lap, grimacing. "Shit, he's frozen..." Wufei looked up and caught Trowa's eye. "Well? Make yourself useful, for heaven's sake!"

His lips twitching, the druid helped Wufei get Duo back into his jacket, but when the two made to lift their unconscious friend, Heero stepped up. "No, I'll take him."

"The hell you will!" Wufei pushed him back, lifting Duo in his own arms as gently as he could. "I've had enough! Of all of you! He was turning fucking blue!"

Trowa shook his head. "Wufei, you don't understand. We had to do this..."

"Yeah, sure, of course you did," Wufei snapped, sarcasm dripping from his words. He held Duo tighter to his chest as he stood. "Now show me the way back."

"In a moment," Relena said, walking closer, staring all the while at Duo's white face. She reached out and gently ran her hand over his forehead. "Your worry does you both credit, Wufei, but he will be fine, I promise you. None of us would ever try to harm him." She stepped back to look him in the eye. "Follow me."

Not sparing a glance for any of the others, Wufei walked after her.

~*~

When Duo finally opened his eyes again, Quatre was sitting at his bedside and smiling one thousand volts at him. "Welcome, back, Duo."

The long-haired man groaned and pulled a pillow over his face. "I'm still in Scotland, aren't I?"

"Last time I checked."

"So I wasn't hallucinating back there," Duo said, muffled by the pillow.

Quatre's grin faded to something a little more sympathetic. "I'm afraid not, my Lord. I'm only sorry I could not make the vision clearer from the beginning."

Duo tossed the pillow aside. "Not your fault. Oh, man..." He sat up quite suddenly. "Wufei... is he okay?! Is he..."

"Relax, my Lord," Quatre soothed him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "He was... displeased with us, after what happened, but I finally managed to convince him to get some sleep about an hour ago."

Duo stared the blond in the eyes. "An hour... how long was I out?"

"For about five hours, now." Quatre gently helped the Tuatha De to lie back down. "You've had quite a shock, Duo."

"He stayed with me all that time?" Duo asked, surprised.

Quatre laughed. "More like he wouldn't let anyone else NEAR you. If I had a brother, I'd want him to be just like Wufei."

Duo shot the blond a look. "He let you near me."

The blond simply shrugged. "Must be my irresistible charm."

The long-haired man snorted, but then lifted his right hand and stared at it critically. "It felt so real - I felt that guy taking my hand off..."

"Have you ever heard the story of Nuada Silver-Hand?" Quatre asked, pulling his chair closer.

Duo shook his head.

The banshee grinned. "Well, we'll have to get Trowa to tell it in full then, since he's a much better storyteller than I am. But the basics - Nuada was the King of the Tuatha de Danaan when they reached the shores of Ireland, a very good, much-beloved king. He was the God of healing, youth, beauty, the ocean, dogs, poetry and writing, sorcery, weapons and warfare - one of Danu's favourites, according to legend. But the arrival of the Tuatha de Danaan sparked quite a fury - the Fir Bolgs were the current rulers of the land and naturally didn't want to give it up, though they knew they were no match for these newer, seemingly-perfect Gods. It naturally came down to a battle. Though the Tuatha de Danaan won, King Nuada has been grievously injured on the battlefield. Now, it was a tradition among your kind that only those who had attainted physical perfection could rule, and Nuada was now handless... So he gave up his crown.

"The new king was a man called Bres, a half Formore who had made quite a name for himself on the battlefield. Great warrior that he was, he was no King, more like a tyrant. He lacked the generosity and kindness that were much prized among the Tuatha De, and in the end, he lost the love of his people, and they began to call for the return of their beloved Nuada. A great physician of the time by the name of Dian Cecht came up with a way of solving the one issue that would keep the man from his throne - he made him a hand out of silver," Quatre said, gesturing at the strangely-altered tattoos on Duo's right hand, "and Nuada was once again perfect. He re-took the throne of the Tuatha De, and was called Nuada Silver-Hand."

Duo flexed his right hand unconsciously, as though making sure it was still there. "And Bres?"

Quatre's expression clouded with anger. "Bres... He did not take losing the kingship well at all, and he turned back to the Formorii for help and protection. Their King, Balor, who was himself a God of death, was especially keen to discredit and destroy the Tuatha De since his only offspring, a daughter by the name of Eithne, had fallen in love with a Tuatha De prince. When he'd discovered the romance, he'd killed the girl in a fit, and he was heirless. He supported Bres, but in battle after battle, they were unsuccessful.

"It wasn't until the Fir Bolgs rose up again that Balor got his chance - by then, Bres was long dead and buried, but Balor's hatred could not die. He challenged Nuada Silver-Hand to single combat and bested him. Nuada's successor, Lugh of the Long Arm, eventually killed Balor in another battle."

Duo stared up at the ceiling. "Shit." He held his right arm close to his chest, frowning. "I saw... I've been dreaming, and everything you just said, I saw it happen. It really was... me."

Quatre shook his head. "I know this must feel like you woke up in someone else's life, but... My Lord, we needed someone like you. If anyone can stop Balor... can kill Treize, it will be you, I'm sure of it."

Duo shuddered. "I don't want to kill anyone. All I ever wanted... was to live my own life."

"I'm sorry," Quatre whispered, Duo's pain and turmoil hitting him like a hammer in his chest.

Heaving a deep sigh, Duo sat up again and looked the blond in the eye. "What happens now?"

Quatre's eyes began to glow slightly as he shook his head. "Lady Relena will know. For now, you sleep and recover." He smiled at Duo, wishing that Trowa were there to do this - he was much better at it. "Go to sleep, my Lord, and be at peace until the morning."

"You've... gotta teach me how you guys... how you do that..." Duo mumbled as his eyes slid closed of their own volition.

His last conscious thought was that he should have known better than to let the banshee pull that stupid eye contact trick on him again.

Quatre settled the Tuatha de Danaan back into his bed again and hunkered back into his chair. Watching the other man's peaceful breathing, he eventually nodded off, himself.

TBC...

 

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