Sword of the Stars Part 13
A Bath and a Meal
After bathing and soaking in a tub full of hot water for nearly an hour, Duo dried and put on some fresh cloth breeches of black cloth and a matching clean long-sleeved shirt. He decided to leave his leather breastplate and armbands on the bed in the room he'd been given. He left his katana there, too. He didn't think he'd need it in this house.
He descended the stairs and entered the dining room, and discovered he was the last one there. Quatre and Wufei were seated at the table enjoying a meal of soup and bread. Yohan had finished his and was sipping a goblet of wine.
Quatre saw Duo and smiled, motioning to the seat next to him. He took it gratefully, and soon the old woman handed him a bowl of soup. He downed a couple of spoonfuls as she took the seat in front of him.
"How did you know how to stop that creature?" Wufei asked.
The old woman smiled. "First, let us start with introductions. I am called Sophia. And you are?"
"Wufei Chanter, Cleric of the Healing Circle."
Quatre nodded once. "I am..." He paused for a moment. "Well, I *was* a Lord... but now... I suppose I am the Prince Quatre Fangshaw of Garrania, nephew of the fallen King Mudas."
Duo gave Sophia a slight smile. "I am Duo Zendrick of Redwood's Clearing."
"And also the one the Star Sword has chosen," Sophia added.
"I am Yohan," the mage said. "Master Stardragon Mage."
"Master?" Sophia mused. "Perhaps, but you do not read much, do you?"
Yohan's back stiffened. "What are you implying by that?"
"Nothing to offend you, brother, but had you spent more time reading the books left to us by other Stardragon Mages, you would have known how to stop the Shadow."
"Shadow?" Duo asked, his curiosity piquing. "Is that what that thing was?"
Sophia nodded, but didn't take her eyes off of Yohan. "Shadows are a magical manifestation of Netherworld Magic, much like the Celestial Dragon our ancestors created. They are not nearly as strong, however, but they have rather unusual skills. They cannot be touched by weaponry or most types of magic, and they can take any shape or form they choose. In the great battle centuries ago, Sorceress Ling apparently conjured many of them. They can be frightened away by intense light, such as the white lightning I used. They never prowl during the day. They are very dangerous."
"Evidently," Wufei said in a low voice.
"You did not know of this?" Sophia asked Yohan.
Yohan smiled. "Unfortunately, my schedule left me little time to study all of the books, sister. Can you tell us how to defeat the Shadows?"
It was Sophia's turn to smile. "There is no known way. My advice is to just stay clear of themif you can manage that." The old woman thought for a moment before opening her mouth again. "So you are the guide for the next Warrior?"
Yohan nodded. "I am." He gestured proudly to Duo. "He has successfully recovered the Orb of Earth. In Shakra lies the Orb of Water, and then we go on to the Temple of the Skies." Yohan paused. "I need you to do something for me, sister."
"Name it, brother," Sophia said.
"When we leave, I need you to call upon the other Stardragon Mages and tell them I have found the Warrior. Tell them to prepare the nations for a counterattack on the Empire. We must all hurry...the Dark Lord's new host has also been found."
Sophia gasped. "No! Do you know who the poor soul is?"
Yohan hesitated, then pointed to Duo. "His closest friend." Sophia stared at Duo for a few moments with unblinking eyes. The reached across the table and took his hand in both of hers. "I hope you are prepared for what will come...it is inevitable."
Duo frowned. "What is?"
The old woman patted his hand gently. "The battle. The Warrior against the Dark Lord. You are the Warrior, and your friend is the Dark Lord's heir. The two of you will fight."
Duo felt his heart sink to his feet. He hadn't thought of that before. He always thought he'd be able to save Heero before he became the host. Now, as Sophia patted his hand soothingly, he realized that might not be possible. "I...I have to fight...Heero?"
Quatre and Wufei looked away and continued eating their soup and bread. Yohan sat back and folded his arms, staring at Duo with a serious expression. "Duo, surely you understand the situation. The Dark Lord is evil, pure evil."
"Heero is *not* evil," Duo interrupted.
"No, he's not," Yohan agreed. "But the Dark Lord is. Duo, understand this. When the Dark Lord discards his host and takes Heero, he won't be Heero anymore. He will just be a shell, something to balance the Dark Lord's power. He will look like Heero, and maybe sound like Heero, but he won't be Heero. And if he sees you, he won't hesitate to kill you. You must destroy him first."
Duo winced. "But... Heero and I... we're..."
"Duo," Sophia said. "If there were another way, we would gladly offer it... but there isn't. I'm sorry."
Duo said nothing. His head was spinning. He stood up and started out of the room. Quatre's voice halted him.
"Duo."
He half-turned toward the blond. "Yes?"
Garrania's heir swallowed before answering. "...Try to get a good night's sleep, if you plan to leave for the Orb early."
Duo smiled slightly. "I will." As he left the room, he heard little sighs of relief coming from the others. Quatre had been testing to see if he'd continue his quest.
He entered his room and flopped down on the bed, trying to forget his predicament. Instead of thinking of killing Heero, he thought of their happier times together. Training, playing practical jokes on his father, accidentally setting Heero's stable on fire. Well, okay, the last one wasn't exactly fun, but it was fantastic compared to what was happening to them now. How was he ever to fight Heero with the intention of actually killing him?
He thought until he gave himself a headache. Soon after, he fell asleep.
TBC...
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