Born in Chaos Part 25
Growling in frustration, Milliardo fought to continue his task as he felt Essylt's support of power drain from his exhausted body. Firm, insistent hands tried to pull him away from his charge. "No!" He snarled tightening his grip on Wufei's battered body and refocusing the remaining reserves of his power. "He'll die,"
"Open your eyes," Duo voice finally broke through the fog of his desperation. "We're here; all of us. Now, let Quatre do what he was born to."
"Quatre..." He opened his icy blue eyes to meet the deeper blue of his student's. Former student, he thought disjointedly. He doesn't even realize that he surpasses anything that I could have taught him.
The healer offered a slight smile and nodded his hands already in Wufei, the soft glow of his power beginning to envelop them. "It's alright, Master, I have him now," he murmured as his eyes slid shut.
Exhaustion flooded through the blonde mage and he released his hold on the black haired youth, breaking his spell and entrusting him to the healer. He stood and staggered blindly to where Trill sat with Essylt cradled in his arms. Dropping to the ground beside the elven male, he took a shaky breath. "Is she alright?"
"She will be once she rests and lets the earth replenish her energies," The man replied carefully brushing her silver hair from her face. "Do not worry, regardless of whom he is, I would not have allowed her to destroy herself." He turned his dark eyes to Milliardo. "What of you, mage?"
"I've never pushed my spells to such an extent before, but..." He paused. "I'll be alright; maybe a bit useless for awhile. I haven't the resources that she and the others do."
The elven guide eyed him as if trying to decide whether to reply with his own thoughts. Finally he just nodded silently and turned back to his mate.
Milliardo looked back to where Quatre knelt beside Wufei. The soft light of his healing power now completely enveloped them both, making them appear to shimmer in the dimness. The healer's body was tense; his brow drawn together in concentration as he slowly worked his way through the worst of the boy's injuries. At his gentle command, wounds stopped bleeding and torn flesh began to knit itself back together. Delving deeper, the blonde shuddered and let out a pained gasp. The glow around them flickered and started to fade.
Milliardo, seeing this, knew that Quatre had truly found the very worst of the wounds and was losing the struggle to repair the damage. He moved to get to his feet, somehow he had to try and help. He couldn't bear the thought that they might fail. As he rocked to his knees, a hand on his wrist stopped him and he looked down into Essylt's tired blue eyes.
"Wait," She spoke quietly. "He can help the healer more than you ever could."
Looking back to Quatre and Wufei, Milliardo saw that Trowa had moved to kneel beside the blonde. Without a word the brunette placed a hand over Quatre's and his glow immediately strengthened.
"They are each other's strength," The elven woman spoke. "The bond between them allows it without endangering one another."
Within the healing light Quatre struggled to help the fire child without letting down his own defenses. If he slipped, he knew he'd drown in the other boy's agony. He felt Trowa's strength supporting him. The brunette's mind touched his gently as he took a portion of the blonde's increasing tiredness upon himself, pouring his own energy forth to mingle with Quatre's.
It was just too much though. Quatre could mend broken bones, seal torn flesh, even drive disease away, but this... this was too much. How did one rebuild what was destroyed? "I can't," He gasped.
"You can," Trowa's voice sounded near his ear.
Quatre called desperately for more power and got none. "I'm not strong enough! He's bleeding to death inside and I can't stop it!"
"You have too," Trowa insisted. "There's no one else. I know you have the power. Catharine showed me. You have to break through to the energy you have not yet tapped."
Believing in the brunette's faith, the healer tried once more to call within himself for more energy. As he did, his defenses slipped and something battered relentlessly through. Searing agony ripped through him, blinding his senses, threatening to engulf him and destroy both him and the boy he was trying to save.
Duo leapt to his feet as Quatre's body went taut and he screamed in pain. His violet eyes flashed as he started for the healer, needing to somehow help him. Heero stepped in his path, his face expressionless as he blocked the chestnut haired boy's way.
"Let me by," Duo growled, light leaping to his fingertips.
"No,"
"I'll kill you if I have to," Duo's voice took on a menacing edge. No one was going to keep him from the blonde. He had been the only person in this ragtag group that had made him feel that he truly belonged here... that he was wanted.
"Try it," Heero's eyes narrowed and his hand went to the hilt of his sword.
"If you do, I'll kill the pair of you myself," Milliardo's voice, tight with worry, broke between them.
The pair back down and settled with glaring at each other. Duo flinched as Quatre uttered another cry, his power lashing out and throwing Trowa backwards. "Why won't you let me help?"
"He doesn't need it," Heero said simply before stalking off.
Meanwhile, the blonde fought to keep Wufei alive and to control his power at the same time. He felt battered inside and out, as if the opposing sides of his abilities were using him for a battleground as they fought each other. He knew that he had struck out at Trowa in the process and he wept inwardly for his actions.
"Quatre, you have to concentrate!"
His head snapped up at the soft, firm voice. "Mo-... I'm trying!"
Duo's eyes widened as he heard Quatre call out. The glow of his power sparkled and snapped as it clashed with the darker side of his energies.
"You must try harder! You have to strength to master both sides of your power. The talisman gives you the strength you need."
"But I don't have the talisman!" His body jerked as another wave of pain assaulted him. "I haven't found it yet!"
"You have it already. It's always been with you. Call on it and it will respond to you," The voice this time was accompanied by a touch and comforting warmth started to creep through him.
"Mother!!!!" He faltered and his eyes flew open.
"Use the power I gave you, Quatre."
He stared down at his hands, still pressed firmly against Wufei's chest. Blue, all he could really see was blue. Blue the shade of his eyes, the same blue he inherited from his mother. It was the color of the stone in the armband given to him by Trowa. Suddenly he gasped as his vision focused; and blue like the stone in the ring left to him by his mother. A tiny, glittering star sapphire, that even now shimmered on his finger.
He'd had the talisman all his life.
Carefully he started to pour his energies back into Wufei, rebuilding his walls of defense at the same time. When he reached the point that he felt his power was running out, the he could do no more, he expanded his focus and shifted it to center on the small stone on his finger. Energy surged through him. He could see more clearly, he could feel the strength he needed rush into his body.
Trowa's hands covered his once again and with renewed determination he set about repairing the destruction inside Wufei's body.
During the exchange, Duo had moved closer to Milliardo and the elves and was now on his hands and knees beside them, his eyes wide. He wasn't sure what had just happened, but one moment the healer seemed to be in great agony, losing his battle to save the black haired boy's life. Then he had suddenly gone still and shouted something in a speech that the thief didn't understand.
Now he was once again concentrating on healing Wufei, Trowa kneeling by his side.
And his energies had gone from gold to a glittering misty blue.
What the hell just happened? He looked to Milliardo who seemed just as astounded as he was. Trill was leaning over Essylt, apparently unsurprised at what had just happened. And Heero, he looked up to where the cobalt eyed warrior stood on the other side of the group.
Heero was watching him with what he could almost swear was a smug expression.
He jumped to his feet and crossed to where the other boy stood and stopped in front of him crossing his arms over his chest. "You knew!" He accused.
Heero raised an eyebrow. "I suspected,"
"How..."
"That is none of your concern," Heero replied curtly.
Duo opened his mouth to throw a retort at him and then changed his mind. He'd drag it out of him later... after he knew that Wufei was safe. Turning away he returned to his spot on the other side of the platinum haired man and watched Quatre intently. When he risked another sideways glance at Heero, he was startled to find the boy watching him; something unrecognizable glittering in the dark pools of his eyes.
After what seemed an eternity to the small group, the glow around Quatre, Trowa, and Wufei started to fade and Quatre sat wearily back. "He's still going to be unconscious for a while," He said quietly. "But he'll live."
~*~
Milliardo sat beside where Wufei rested. During the rest of the day, the boy had moved from deep unconsciousness to a deep sleep, something that the man took as a good indication. It meant that the boy was fighting his way back. Picking up a branch, he poked idly at the fire burning in front of him.
"You should talk to him when he awakes," Quatre said softly, stirring from his makeshift bed, and the warm circle of his lover's arms. Trowa started to wake and the blonde turned to him. Pressing his fingertips to the boy's forehead, Milliardo could see a muted glow as the boy urged his love to sleep on. Removing his hand, the healer got up and moved to sit beside the mage and gazed at him intently.
"It seems you have aged a lifetime since we started this journey," Milliardo told him as he poked at the hot coals.
The blonde laughed quietly. "Not really, master,"
"You shouldn't call me that any longer," Milliardo set the branch and looked over at the healer. "There's nothing I can teach you that can even compare to what you were born with."
"Habits can be hard to break," Quatre replied pointedly.
"Why do I feel like that was directed at me?"
"It was both," The blonde picked up a stick of wood and set it on the fire, fanning it to make it catch. "You've bottled up your feelings for so long, you're not even sure of them yourself anymore."
"I think I let you know too much about me," The older man commented wryly.
"Regardless," Quatre stood. "You should try to open up to yourself and to him. I think you would be surprised," He smiled at Milliardo and returned back to his bed.
The man watched him as he slipped back under the blankets, almost chuckling as even in deep sleep Trowa opened his arms to pull the boy close to him. Almost like instinct. His gaze wandered back to Wufei and he found himself wondering what it might be like to hold the black haired youth.
He had to admit that Wufei was the first person to raise his interest in many years.
TBC...
That's it...after 11 hours of work and being awake for almost 19 hours....I can't write another word!!!!
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