Sword of the Stars Part 1
Losses
Duo took a deep breath and prepared himself. He unsheathed his katana blade and patiently waited, ignoring the heat penetrating the black leather he was wearing. Slowly, his opponent walked onto the field, dressed in a loose outfit of green cloth with a leather chest-plate and armbands. His opponent reached behind him and unhooked a long staff. It was a dangerous weapon known as a two-bladed pole-arm, or twin-bladed staff--with a metal place in the middle to hold it and two blades coming from either end. However, Duo's opponent twirled the twin-blade almost unconsciously and stared at Duo with what seemed to be a blank expression.
Duo twirled his own katana before slowly advancing toward his opponent. Step by step, Duo approached, keeping his own violet-tinted eyes locked on the other's blue. When Duo was a mere five feet away, his opponent suddenly stopped twirling the staff and thrust it at Duo. Anticipating the maneuver, Duo sidestepped and slashed at his opponent with his katana. The other boy brought the other end of his staff up and parried Duo's move, and swung the other end up again. Duo ducked and broke away, circling quickly around his enemy and slashing from behind. His opponent spun just in time to parry the blow and kick Duo's katana out of his hands. Without delay, Duo dove to the ground and somersaulted up, picking up the katana as he did so. When he was on his feet, his opponent rushed at him with the staff poised for a thrust.
Duo did not back down. Instead, he circled his katana around his head and then clashed it against the staff.
Soon, the other boy raised his staff to perform a downward thrust, and Duo took the initiative. He quickly swerved around his opponent and put the katana against his neck. For several moments, his opponent did nothing. Then, unexpectedly, the other boy hooked his foot around Duo's leg and took him to the ground. While Duo fell with a thud, his opponent put his staff against Duo's throat. Duo swallowed deeply and remained perfectly still.
"It seems I win," his opponent said, his blue eyes like ice.
"Well done, my boys. That's enough for today."
Immediately, Duo's opponent moved his weapon and pulled him up. "What is wrong with you lately, Duo?" he asked. "That's the fourth time in a row I've beaten you."
"I'm not sure," Duo replied, running a hand through his bangs. "I suppose I have been neglecting my training a bit."
"I suggest you begin again, Duo," a middle-aged man said, limping toward them. He was well built, with dark hair.
"Yes, Father," Duo conceded. "I will." He turned to his opponent, who was actually his closest friend. "Well done, Heero. You've been training hard."
"Enough of that," Heero said, raising a hand. "I was just lucky. You almost had me this time."
"He did," Duo's father agreed. "You shouldn't have paused when Duo's sword was at your throat, Heero. In a real battle, your enemy will not wait to slit it."
"Yes, Master Zendrick," Heero said, bowing his head.
"And you, Duo, always expect the unexpected. Heero was wise to change his attack pattern. Doing so turned the tables on you."
"Yes, Father," Duo said.
Duo's father smiled. "Good. You two are free now. Duo, be home for dinner." With a bow of his head, Master Zendrick left the training room.
Duo sheathed his katana and stretched. "Well, that was an interesting session, wasn't it?"
Heero smiled. He turned and pulled the metal part of his twin-bladed staff. It came apart, making two swords. He sheathed both of them on his back in an X pattern. "I wonder if your father trained this hard when he was a warrior?"
Duo shook his head. "No. He told me once that he didn't want me to be as careless as he was in battle. Maybe if he'd been more careful, he wouldn't have gotten that hip injury. Then he'd still be able to fight."
Heero shrugged. "Actually, I like him this way. At least I won't have to fight him. I'd settle for you any day. Besides, I appreciate him training me, too."
"He enjoys it. You're like his second son." Duo started to make his way out of the training room. "I feel like a walk. You?"
"Why not? I don't have to be home for awhile." Heero joined him and they left the room. Soon, they were off of Duo's father's property, and walking down the beautiful forest roads of Redwood. The villagers they saw waved at them, smiling. The capital city of Redwood was busy as always. It was more like a village than a city, though, with its country-like environment. The roads were lined with country houses, and children ran through the town, playing war games.
Duo and Heero stopped short when a group of youngsters raced by them shouting "Die, Imperial scum!" and "Rebel vermin!" Heero ran a hand through his brown hair and glanced at Duo.
"War games are popular with the children now, huh?"
"Small wonder," Duo replied, "given the Great War that's going on now."
Heero frowned. "You know, sometimes I worry that the Imperials will come here."
"In Redwood?" Duo asked incredulously. "Come on, Heero, think logically. Even if they could manage to get here, what would the Triantian Empire want with Redwood?"
"I don't know," his friend replied. "Just for the sake of knowing he's conquered every land on earth?"
Duo shook his head. "I don't think so." He paused. "You know what I want to know? Why Emperor Grantis started the war in the first place. As far as I can tell, it's been a three month struggle for nothing."
"He just wants power," Heero said. "Only power." Heero fell silent for a moment. "It... it just feels like something terrible is going to happen."
Duo stopped walking. Heero walked on a few steps before realizing Duo had halted. He turned to face him. Duo stared deep into his friend's eyes. "You have that weird feeling again, don't you?" Heero nodded. Duo folded his arms in thought. As long as Duo had known him, Heero had possessed a keen sixth sense. Somehow, his friend always knew when something wasn't right. "Well, maybe it has nothing to do with the war. Maybe your mother found out you didn't chop the firewood and you'll be getting a scolding or something."
Heero shook his head. "I don't think that's it, Duo..."
"Take it easy," Duo said. "Look, Redwood is bordered by mountains, a great lake, and the land of Norana. The Empire will never get here." When Heero didn't answer, Duo continued. "Well, anyway, it's getting late. I'm going to head home for dinner. I'll see you later on, all right?" Heero nodded absently. With a slight wave, he turned down another road and headed toward his house.
With a frown, Duo turned around and walked back home. He had to chop some firewood before dinner.
~*~
It was well after midnight when Duo's father shook him roughly awake. "Get up, boy! Hurry up!"
Duo groaned and sat up, staring blankly in the light of the candle. "Father? What's happening?"
"Imperials have entered the town," Master Zendrick replied.
"What?!" Duo cried. "But how? How did they manage to get past Norana? Why are they here?"
"Your guess is as good as mine, my son. Come, we must flee. The soldiers are torching the houses and taking prisoners. Any who oppose them are killed. We must leave now!"
Duo leapt out of bed and put a shirt of black cloth on. His father tossed him his leather breastplate, grieves, and armbands. He belted his katana to his waist and followed his father out the door. Duo stared, horrified, at the sight of the town. Almost all of the houses were aflame. People and Imperial soldiers were running around, and the bodies of townsfolk were scattered across the roads.
"W-why?" Duo stammered. "Why?"
"Come, Duo!" his father ordered. "We must flee!"
Duo started to follow his father, but stopped when a thought came to him. "Heero! I have to find Heero and his family!"
"No time!" Master Zendrick barked. "Come!" He reached for Duo's arm, but he pulled back.
"I can't go without Heero, Father!"
His father moved quickly and seized Duo by the arms. "No, Duo! Listen, I care for Heero as a son, but at times like this you must worry only about yourself."
Duo was silent for a moment. "I can't do that, Father." With a sharp tug, he pulled free of his father's grip and raced down the road toward Heero's house, ignoring his father's cries.
He raced by dozens of people, all of them screaming and shouting. He did his best to ignore the atrocities happening around him, but he was conscious of men, women, and even children dying by an Imperial's sword. He ran in a zigzagged pattern to avoid becoming a target for the flaming arrows sailing through the air.
When he reached Heero's house, he gasped in horror. The two-storied cottage was completely ablaze. "No! Heero!" His eyes fell on a small body lying on the ground. He knelt down and tears filled his eyes. The child was burned almost beyond recognition, but he still knew who it was. Heero's little sister, Lilly. She was only eight...only nine years younger than he and Heero.
While he knelt over Lilly, something in the near distance caught his eye. Heero was twirling his twin-bladed staff at incalculable speed, duelling with two Imperial soldiers. Duo picked himself up from the ground and raced to help his friend, unsheathing his katana as he went.
"Heero, hold on!" Duo prepared for battle, but by the time he reached Heero, his friend had already dispatched both men. Heero dropped his weapon and fell to his knees. Duo knelt down next to him. "Heero? Are you all right?"
His friend shook his head. "No! Don't you see what they've done? Everyone's gone!" Tears glistened in Heero's eyes. "They took everyone! Mother, Father, even Lilly! Everyone I cared about...they're all gone!"
"Heero..." Duo began, but didn't continue. What did you say at a time like this? Suddenly, Duo noticed a woman with dark green hair wearing black robes walking toward them. Duo felt fear creep up his spine. He shook his friend's shoulder. "Heero...I think we should get out of here."
Heero looked at the woman. For a moment, Heero's gaze locked on hers. Then, his eyes widened. "Duo, I don't like the way she's looking at us."
The woman smiled, and gestured to five of the nearby soldiers. They came to her immediately. She pointed at Duo and Heero. The soldiers nodded and began to walk toward the two boys.
"We have to get out of here," Duo said, grabbing Heero and pulling him to his feet. Heero detached his weapon and sheathed it, but Duo kept his katana out. The soldiers began to run toward them, and the two friends turned and fled.
"Where do we go?" Duo shouted.
Heero glanced over his shoulder. "If they're here, it can only mean they've managed to take Norana. We can't go north, then."
"The mountains and large lake to the east," Duo continued, "we can't go there!"
"And the mountains to the west...that leaves south! To Garrania!"
The two boys ran with all their might, past the burning houses, past the fleeing townspeople, past the bodies on the ground, and past the exit of the town. At that moment, Duo stopped and turned around. Heero seized his shoulder.
"What are you doing?"
Duo gazed sadly at the town of Redwood's Clearing. Now it was just a great ball of flames. "Father! My father's still in there!"
Heero squeezed Duo's shoulder tightly. "Master Zendrick?! No, not him, too!"
The soldiers appeared then, out of the flames. One of them pointed to the boys and they advanced.
Heero backed up a little, placing his hands on his sheathed weapons. "Do we go back in to save your father? Or do we flee? I...I'll do whatever you decide, Duo."
Duo shook his head. What would his father say if he left him for the dead? Then, again, would his father want him to risk death to save him? Somehow, Duo knew the answer.
He sheathed his katana. "Come on, Heero! Father wouldn't want me to give my life for himnot like this. We're going south!"
With a sudden burst of energy, Duo and Heero raced into the dense woodland of Redwood. Duo ignored the branches and leaves slapping him as he pushed through the brush. Knowing the soldiers were just meters behind him, he pushed himself onward.
~*~
"I-I b-bear u-unfortunate n-news, M-mistress Ling."
Ling stopped twirling a lock of her green hair and turned to face the stammering, fearful soldier. "What is it?" she demanded coolly.
The soldier knelt nervously before her. "The t-two boys have escaped, my Lady."
Ling exhaled slowly. "I see... Have any men followed them?"
"Y-yes, my Lady. Several are chasing them now."
"Good. Make sure they are tracked. I don't want them to get away. When you have them, send word to me."
"Y-yes, Mistress Ling, as you command," the soldier stammered, but Ling was already striding away. She approached the large commander of the Imperial troops.
"Your men have failed, General Talpa."
Talpa turned around. She stared straight at that expressionless skull mask he wore. "They are only mere humans, Sorceress Ling."
"At the very least they could handle a small village and get two boys! The Dark Lord will not like this, Talpa. His time is running out."
"I'm aware of that, Ling," Talpa growled. "Come, let us return to our camp. Unless you would rather watch this little hamlet burn some more?"
"Hardly, Talpa. We must continue our advance soon, and I must speak with the Emperor."
TBC...
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