Sunday is gloomy
My hours are slumberless
Dearest the shadows
I live with are numberless
-Lyrics to 'Gloomy Sunday' performed by Sarah McLachlan
Elements of Great Design Part 39
A cup filled with water shook off the edge of the table that it sat on just before the real shaking could be felt in the White Fang's main camp. The bright shattering of the glass against the rocks below seemed to echo through the silence when it was joined by a second... then a third.
Sitting at that table were Firion, Sally, King Treize, Lady Une, King Zechs and Queen Noin who had all just settled down to enjoy dinner together. Their eyes wide and skin losing several shades of color, the lot sat stiff as stone for a heartbeat when they gathered their nerve enough to shoot to their feet and run for the opening of their tent.
Panic was already setting into the civilian and Fighter rebels alike as the whole forest that was protecting them quaked. Struggling to rush for their things, shouts and screams rose up from the fray.
Gripping the flap of the door that he had pushed aside, Firion observed the desperate surge for a horrifying breath when his eyes narrowed. "Ambush!" he bellowed at the top of his lungs so that those who still had enough wits about them knew for certain what was happening. "Fighters, assemble as quickly as you can! We need to bring up the rear of our retreat!"
There was no hesitation or argument made from the armored soldiers. Aiding the civilians as best they could with what little time they had, they urged those nowhere near as ready for such an attack to move on ahead.
"You need to go before us, love!" Treize cried over the deafening sounds of the flight. Pulling her into a tight embrace, he reassured, "I will not be far behind, but I need to be of every assistance I can be. Sally will need help with arranging her Healers to bring in any wounded that we may suffer."
Biting her lip, the young Queen knew better than to argue... knew better than to beg her husband to stay with her. Instead, tears filled her eyes as she cupped the sides of his face in her hands and breathed, "Please come back to me safely." A bright, loving smile spread across the King's face and he leaned in to press their lips together in a sound kiss.
Already well aware that his wife was not about to leave his side, Zechs met Noin's steady gaze and nodded firmly, "Weapons." At that, Lucrezia spun on her heels and led the way to their tent waiting close by.
Reluctant as she was to leave her lover's side, Sally kissed Firion and whispered 'I love you' in his ear.
A brave grin appeared in response and the Commander winked as he could not trust his voice right then. He simply pulled the healer into a fierce embrace that she fully returned. In a struggle all her own with her emotions, Po took their Queen by the arm. "Hurry, my Lady," she pressed. "We need to go before it is too late."
Off in the distance, torches were being lit to guide the way through the darkening thick of the woods that stretch ahead. Under his breath, Firion hissed, "I hope that they think to douse those if the enemy gets on their trail."
As much as he wished he could personally make sure that those leaving first were not announcing their locations to any present threat, the Commander knew that there was no time for anything but to ready the soldiers remaining for the approaching onslaught.
Meanwhile, just on the outskirts of the base...
Running back to the heart of the encampment as fast as his legs could carry him, Alex did his best not to drag Meiran behind him as he gripped her slender wrist.
Never complaining about the occasional tug when she began to fall behind, the lovely rebel was only worried about getting back to the others to arm herself and to see as many of her friends off to safety before it was too late. Panting for breath during their charge, the two spoke not a word to each other while their feet carried them over the rugged forest floor of roots and thick patches of grass.
Still that rumbling grew on the air and vibrated through the ground while darkness quickly began to set in with the last rays of sunlight that early evening. "Damn days... getting shorter," the Fighter managed to grit out between gulps of air. "Having longer hours of night is going to work to their advantage." Finally, there was a view of campfires ahead and soon the sound of voices shouting over the oncoming storm could be made out.
It came as no surprise to either one of the returned soldiers when they stumbled into the thick of a scramble for weapons as well as belongings. Loud as Mariemaia's approaching force was, it seemed as though all of Gaia should have been quaking in its wake.
Like every Fighter within view, Alex was already in his full armor with his sword drawn in his free hand as he scanned the crazed rush taking place around him.
Quickly spinning towards the young woman just behind him, he carefully gripped her shoulders and forced her wide eyes on him. "Get everything dear to you and run, Meiran," he ordered sternly even as he continued to pant for breath. "I know that you want to fight with the rest of us, but this is going to be bad. We need as many survivors away as possible so that we can regroup when this is over."
Biting her lip, the beautiful rebel choked back a sharp whimper and nodded through the tears rolling down her face.
Meiran took hold of the soldier's face quick enough that she caught him off guard. Leaning in, she pressed their lips together in a quick and bruising kiss. To the wide, stunned eyes that blinked on her when she pulled back, she breathed, "Take as many as you can, but get out if it becomes too dangerous, regardless of whatever orders are given."
Frightened as he was, Alex could not help the wide smile that spread across his face. "You have my word," he vowed quietly.
At that, the raven-haired Paramecian kept their eyes locked as she walked around him. To her regret, she had to eventually turn away and broke into a run deeper into the encampment. Watching her off until he could no longer see her amongst the chaos, the Fighter quickly recognized two of his armored friends rushing towards him.
"We thought we were going to have to head out and search for you," Trent sighed deeply in relief when he and Mueller came to a stop. Swords drawn and at their sides, the two young men calmed their panting breaths as he asked, "Are you alright?"
Nodding firmly, Alex replied, "I'm fine... for now." When those words passed his mouth, there came a piercing howl from some other worldly monster beyond their sight that made the three soldiers jump before their enlarged eyes met.
The beast that caused that bellow was close... too close for them to do more that listen to the moans and cracks of the trees that were being shattered in the approaching army's wake. There was no time to create a formation. No time for a single order to be shouted. No time for a single prayer for a swift end...
...in as much time as it took to blink in the next moment, it was as if Gaia itself was being taken apart in a mass of scales, sharp horns, fangs and flame.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Whistling through his teeth, Duo stared out past the hood shrouding his face as he muttered, "So much for the thriving metropolis of Icicle."
At either side of him, the rest of the Alliance nodded with the same shocked expressions while they peered out to the city hidden by a wall of mist that would have made any Stranger who did not already know that there was a city beyond to walk away completely unawares of the realm they were missing.
Icicle was a sight itself to behold... what with its buildings forged of glass and silver that sparkled under the brilliant sunlight.
As the only kingdom on the outskirts of what were considered the ice lands, it would be the last place of any natural warmth for travelers moving further to the southeast. From how Trowa had described the land based on his communications with the few travelers he had met, it should have been filled with residents...
...only there was not a single soul to be found in the empty streets. The only sound to be heard was that of the wind blowing through the hallowed alleys to add to the chilling atmosphere.
Shivering, Quatre rubbed his arms and said quietly, "At least it looks like some people are getting the idea to move out and as far away from the darkness as possible. Unsettling as it is to see any city abandoned like this, it is something of a relief."
"Hopefully everyone else in Gaia is getting the same idea," Wufei commented as he rounded the cart carrying Anna's body to reassure herself that she was fine. He shrugged, "I would feel a lot better if every town we came through from here out was as empty as this." No one raised an argument there as the team mounted their horses once more to ride towards the heart of Icicle for its marketplace.
As reassuring as it was to know that the people living there dared to enter the Unknown to spare themselves of the growing gloom, it was still hard for the five young men to not jump in their saddles at every opened door creaking or a glimpse of movement in the shadows brought on by blowing curtains.
Plastered on the posts that they passed, opened scrolls spelled out the royal decree of the local King and Queen for all residents to gather what belongings they could to flee... a stark glimpse into the last days for the people there. One could only imagine the fear and desperation that had run rampant.
Under his breath, Trowa sighed, "I wonder how far Mariemaia's reach had to spread before they decided not to chance going into the Unknown? How long before stubborn pride and foolish fears over Strangers finally gave way to reason?"
Peering over his shoulder from the front of their pack, Heero shrugged, "If they were fortunate enough to have a talented Oracle like Dorothy Catalonia with them, it would not have taken long for the Sovereigns to realize this was the only way."
Difficult as it was for him to admit, he sighed, "We were as stubborn as they come in Romefeller, but she made sure that Relena was completely aware of what was coming. It was not at all difficult to convince anyone in the city to leave the comfort of what they had always known after that."
When he straightened himself in his saddle, the Fighter's shoulders drooped along with his head at the thought of his present life's long friends.
Beside him, Maxwell reached over to squeeze his shoulder and he offered a sad but understanding grin when their eyes met. "I am sure that Relena, Dorothy and your father are fine. They had escaped long before your home kingdom was anywhere near in danger."
Smiling back in kind, Yuy reached up to hold onto the hand gripping him with a sincere, "Thank you. You're right. They are far from any threat for the time being and should stay that way until we take care of Mariemaia and Dekim."
Pleased to see his brave, sure partner returning, the son of Shinigami's grin warmed and he nodded firmly before gently lowering his hand to his side again.
* * * * * *
"Dear Creator," Relena breathed as she all but stumbled onto the top of the ridge where she and her growing army had stopped for the evening.
In the last rays of sunlight to the north just before the rays faded behind the growing dark clouds, there was another series of black formations rising into the heavens... only they were coming from the forests below.
From her perch, the young Queen could make out the tongues of yellow and orange that occasionally jutted up from the tall treetops that were only a couple more days of traveling ahead. Even from her distance, her nose burned with the stench of burning flesh and smoke that continued to climb as the wind carried it.
Slowly walking up to her friend's side, Dorothy stared out to the same horrifying sight while scores of Fighters neared the edge of the long ridge to take it in for themselves. In the glow of the campfires at their backs, the Oracle's face was nearly so white that it shone in the gathering dimness around them. "A message was being sent with this attack," she whispered.
"Mariemaia is looking to rid herself of any revolt," Relena said just as softly. With tears filling her eyes, she turned towards Catalonia to breathe, "Zechs and Noin...?" Her voice cracking, she could not finish what she had begun to ask out of fear of the answer.
The Oracle bit her lip and shook her head, "There is so much confusion out there that I cannot get a strong enough read on them. We just need to have faith that they managed to get away before any harm could come to them."
Her Queen swallowed roughly, her whole body shaking so badly that Dorothy took hold of her wracking shoulders lest Peacecraft collapse. "They have made it this long out there," the gifted reminded firmly. "Crushing our spirits is exactly what our enemies want. We cannot allow them to have it."
Opening her mouth to respond, Relena paused when several voices amongst the growing crowd rose. "What are we doing here? We are to willingly walk into that?" one of the young men asked, the growing panic dripping from his words.
From a few feet further down the line, another soldier of more advanced years shook his head, "We will all be wiped out for certain. We need to get as far away from here as possible while we still can." And soon to follow, more murmurs of the like went through the army as wide, frightened eyes remained on the site of destruction.
Blue eyes narrowing, Peacecraft descended her perch of rocks and stormed towards the audience standing by. "And where would we go?" she bit out through her clenched teeth.
Fists tight and at her sides, she glared up and down the stunned faces that had settled upon her as she hissed, "What you are now witnessing is coming for every one of our homelands. If we fall apart now, we are only guaranteeing that there will be nowhere to hide where we will be strong enough to stand again Mariemaia."
Drawing a deep breath, Relena went on, "I am every bit as afraid as you, if not more so as I have never had the training or experiences that you Fighters have when it comes to defending what is right."
Several throats shifted in rough swallows and even more heads lowered in humility. Pointing a finger back to the growing fire in the distance, the young woman snapped, "Everything that you know and love in this world will fall, wiped away from the face of Gaia with no mercy unless we make our stand together now."
Catalonia fought the shimmer that had begun to fill her eyes as she watched her 'sister' pace before the men that had completely been taken in by her words.
"I cannot force any of you to stay," Relena stated, "If you truly are so scared that you wish to run, I will not stop you because we need only those who grasp that this is our one and only chance to protect our lives as well as our ways of living. We cannot afford to have weakened spirits as you will only hold the rest of us back. Those brave souls who are dying out there are no Strangers to anyone in this world, but friends and guardians. And they need us."
Once again fighting the sting in her own eyes, the Queen lowered her hand once more and half-sobbed, "I will not allow my brother, sister or one single soul that has already sacrificed all that they have to offer go without *my* help for another minute."
With a gesture towards Paramecia, she shouted, "Whether I remain standing or if I should fall with the rebels before this war is over, I will be making sure that every fiber within me rises against that witch and her demons! I will not go quietly with my head in the sand like so many who either already have or will do just that!" Dozens of soldiers nodded and verbalized their backing of the sentiment.
Shaking her head, Peacecraft frowned deeply, "No one here wanted to bear this responsibility, but we have been challenged with that duty and so we must rise to the occasion. These are the times that our history, should we be fortunate enough to have a future, will show the generations after us that great odds can be overcome if a few brave souls work together."
"In the end, the choice is in each of our hands," she shrugged. "I just hope that you take more into consideration than yourselves for Gaia is a pretty large world. I have learned that the hard way over these last few weeks."
By the time she had said all that she had to say, the Sovereign was only able to speak in little more than a whisper. However, there was little doubt that what she had said reached the ears it needed to reach.
"That is all," she concluded softly. "If anyone still wishes to leave, you are free to do so now. I promise that you will not be shown a difficult time in running." The Fighters turned their heads to gaze around their masses for anyone who might budge.
Not a single soul moved so much as a hair.
Her breath hitching in her throat and shoulders drooping after a long pause that confirmed her army would remain in tact, the Queen finally allowed a stray tear to roll down her right cheek as she breathed, "Thank you... all of you." Clearing her throat once more, Relena brushed her face dry and straightened herself.
With a firm nod, she focused on a proudly smiling Odin and requested, "Please see that the Healers in our ranks are notified that they are to be in the forefront of our march in case we should come upon any survivors who need medical attention. Tomorrow, we press hard to reach whatever edge of the forest is still standing."
The officer saluted sharply and replied, "Yes, Majesty." When he turned away, the sea of soldiers before him parted so that he could make his way just before the whole crowd shifted back to their campfires and bedrolls. Many of those brave men bowed their heads out of reverent respect and appreciation to their wise leader.
Dorothy smiled as she slowly approached the Sovereign, complimenting quietly, "You handled that brilliantly, Relena. I could not be more proud of you."
Nearly falling apart with how her whole body trembled, Peacecraft faced her long-time friend and whispered, "Thank you."
That sentiment was both for the sincere praise as well as the arms that opened up to pull her into a tight embrace when her emotions became too difficult to contain on her own. What she had told the Fighters was true... she was scared...
...she was terrified.
* * * * * *
"I do not know how good I feel about taking what we can from the marketplace tomorrow morning," Quatre sighed as he leaned back against the wall of the abandoned Icicle hotel where he and the rest of the Alliance had taken shelter for the night.
Peering around to their plush surroundings glowing in the hanging candles that his gift would keep burning all evening, the White Mage grinned, "Though I do appreciate the necessity of being able to sleep in an actual bed for a change. We are going to need a good night's rest for the remainder of our journey ahead."
Duo shook his braided head, snickering, "Something like that would bother you, Quat. If it makes you feel better, some gold coins could always be left behind for the shop keepers to make up for their missing wares."
Brightening at the suggestion, Winner nodded, "Yes, that would make me feel a lot better." Trowa leaned in to kiss his lover's head as he chuckled deeply in amusement along with their 'brothers.'
Heero pushed himself off the door frame that he had propped himself against as he smirked, "About that good night's rest, we should work on that since we need to make an early start." Not about to argue on that note, the rest of the team offered their 'good night's' and retired into their respective rooms.
Closing the door to his space behind him, Wufei slipped silently across to the bed where Anna was already tucked securely under the covers. Carefully slipping under the blanket to join his lover, the Monk wrapped her in his arms so that she easily settled against him as she would were she still with the world.
"Good night, Firefly," Chang whispered and placed a soft kiss against a cool temple before he settled deep into the soft mattress and billowy pillows to fall into a deep sleep.
Were the Earth Keeper in his wolf form, he would have been able to smell the danger lurking beyond the window that was slowly opening a few feet from his head.
TBC...
Back to SkyLark's Fanfictions Page