In the dim glass the demons hold, The glass of outer weariness,
Made when God slept in times of old. There, through the broken branches, go
The ravens of unresting thought;
Flying, crying, to and fro, Cruel claw and hungry throat,
Or else they stand and sniff the wind, And shake their ragged wings: alas!
Thy tender eyes grow all unkind: Gaze no more in the bitter glass.
-Lyrics to The Two Trees ( 'Ce He Meis Le Ulaingt) performed by Loreena McKennitt
Elements of Great Design Part 59
"Well, this is pretty damned impressive," Anna giggles as she appraised the new underground 'cave' carved out for the Alliance, the camp fire she ignited was free of any smoke with Trowa's assistance to keep the air he provided clean.
Nearly a whole two days of traveling in, Wufei took a much needed rest and decided it was best for his wife to be brought back to the world and filled in on what was happening.
Once the thief was informed that what seemed like a cozy nook was actually deep under the earth, she had a brief state of panicked shock. Now calmed and feeling more secure than she would have ever been above ground given what was waiting there, Chang enjoyed a light dinner with her family while her husband slept soundly in a tight ball of black fur.
Peering over her shoulder to watch her husband snore softly, the thief commented, "Wufei never ceases to amaze me with the things that he can do. What a remarkable thing it will be when he is united with his Earth Stone."
At that, her blue eyes blinked as she turned to look back on her brothers to ask, "Has he said at all how much further we must travel before we reach it?"
Quatre lowered his empty plate and answered, "From the sensations that it is sending off to him, he believes that it is another couple of days off yet. That was why he opted to take time to recuperate. We have no idea what we will be heading into down here, so he wants to preserve as much of his strength as he can."
His head shaking, Trowa stated, "Not even Chang would be able to keep up at the rate that he has been pushing without feeling some strain. We just have to hope that when we do reach our destination that he will not be too sapped of power to be able to hold back any challenges we will encounter."
'Will encounter,' everyone around the ring had mentally noted. Thanks to what they had seen of the army that they were tunneling under, it was no longer a question of whether or not they *might* encounter trouble. Worn as they were after coming as far as they had in their quest, they could not allow it to take them when they were so close to their goal of having the ultimate weapons for their cause now.
Shaking his head, Duo muttered under his breath, "Too bad there were no other options for us. It would have been nice to not have to deal with this scenario at all."
Heero frowned and shifted to stare at his braided counterpart. "That is the most that you have had to say in over a day now. I was beginning to worry that something was wrong."
The Back Mage ducked his head and offered his lover an apologetic smile, responding, "Sorry. I guess I have just begun to realize that I am not exactly comfortable in confined places like this. Caves are one thing, but knowing that we are miles underground is starting to wear on my nerves a bit." His grin fading, he focused back on the fire.
Shrugging, he said quietly, "Guess it might be thanks to all of the snares and cells that I have had to free myself from all my life."
Instantly thinking to the horrific experiences that Maxwell had shared with him of his tales of narrow escapes for survival, Yuy's mouth fell open as his eyes blinked in surprise. "I... I never thought about that," he all but whispered.
Slipping a hand into the one beside him, he gave it a firm squeeze, stating softly, "Duo, you should have told me." Deep frowns of concern washed over the faces of the rest of the team as they nodded their heads.
"I just don't want to be a weak link in the chain on this one," the son of Shinigami snorted. Waving a hand in the air, he reassured the lot, "I'm dealing with it better every day, so I'm fine... really."
Since the point had been made to let the topic drop, Trowa smirked, "Alright. We better get some sleep, then." No one missed the soft sigh nor the relieved look that fell over the Black Mage at that suggestion.
The 'cave' was cleaned up quickly, the horses were seen to and the bed rolls were unraveled. Once everyone was secured in their blankets, Duo burrowed deeply into Heero's opening arms. Closing his eyes tight in preparation for the dark that was to come, the braided young man felt another pair of arms wrap around him from behind. Their heads shooting up, the couple's wide eyes fell on a grinning redhead.
"We're all in this together, right?" Anna winked as she finished curling up behind her brother, Death. His half-lidded eyes opening fully, Wufei unraveled himself and shifted so that he could pillow the thief's head when he laid back down with a snort that was no doubt a seconding of the sentiment.
Quatre and Trowa were not far behind in leaning close to Fire as they replied simultaneously, "Right."
Biting his lip, Duo smiled and rested his head back down onto his chuckling lover's shoulder. Content when their tight knit of a huddle was established, Chang freed a hand to douse the flames in the small pit at the center of the cave to plunge the room into darkness.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Mariemaia opened her eyes to the world after a long and necessary sleep. Until she had lain down in her bed and felt the pillow cushioning her head, the young Sorceress had not realized just how exhausted her body actually was when she found herself drift off right away.
Not aware as to the actual time of day thanks to the absence of light beyond her window, she pushed herself up and freed herself of the blankets that were tangled around her while being careful to not stir Sid as he remained asleep on the other half of her large mattress.
Dry-washing her face as she rose to her feet, Khushrenada noted the slight ache in her bones and quickly remedied them with her magic. Apparently the consistent opening of the Gates into Abaddon's world really had taken a toll. There would need to be more time for a full recovery, just as she had originally suggested to Chaos after all.
The Tonberry curled up on the bed continued to snore quietly as his friend made her way to her window balcony. Wrapping one of the smaller blankets that she kept in her grasp around her body, she stepped out into the open air to get some idea to the hour by peering out to where the skies were still free of the dark clouds boasting her reign.
Off in the very distant northeast, the now reluctant Queen could make out the golden hues of the clear heavens that announced the start of a new day.
Releasing a deep sigh, she watched the trailing vapor of her breath on the cold air as she turned to head back inside... only to freeze short of the window archway when she caught a glimpse of Gaia's southern reaches from the corner of her eye.
The dark clouds had spread more than half the distance that it had stayed at for weeks.
Her eyes growing with a sharp gasp, the Queen's skin paled. The White Fang must have been cut down dramatically... if there were any of them remaining at all after the push that had stormed down in the night.
Panicked and stricken with grief one instant, Mariemaia's face reddened in a flash of burning rage. Throwing off her blanket, she all but ran from the balcony and through her room, pulling the door open with a violent thrust. As she came to a halt in the middle of the hallway beyond, she reeled her head back and screamed, "CHAOS!"
Appearing so quickly that must have been waiting to be called, the breast's hoofed feet clicked against the stone floor when he came into view. A hand crossing over his chest, he bowed while he approached and greeted, "Yes, Mistress? Is something wrong?" He did not bother to conceal the smug grin that pulled at the corner of his mouth.
Khushrenada was already angered, but the fact that the Commander put up such acts for her sake nearly drove her insane with fury.
Only just managing to keep herself in check, she quickly pulled together a scheme to excuse her state. Panting heavily, she gritted through her teeth, "I thought that I told you I was not ready to bring enough soldiers into the world for a charge into the south. You could have easily put our forces there in danger by facing the gifted that stood in their way."
There was a hesitance in Chaos that was noticed as quickly as it disappeared. Straightening himself, he furled his massive wings as he said, "A judgment call on my part, my Lady. Forgive my acting without informing you, but I admit that I was a bit restless for something to happen regarding those rebels. Though we had lost many, the reward of the land that we gained was well worth it."
Going by the tone that the beast used, there was nothing showing anything but remorse and calmness in the explanation. That was a good thing for Mariemaia, she realized. He had been looking for a sign of shakiness in her resolve and did not find it. Now he was the one treading carefully as to not anger her further.
Determined to keep that ill-founded trust in tact, the child took a deep breath as she pulled her shoulders back. "Are any reports coming in from the scouts?"
"Yes," Chaos began. "My men managed to capture a prisoner who was kept alive only to be tortured for answers. According to him, our enemies call themselves the White Fang. And your parents were amongst them to help in any way that they could. Whether or not they survived the strike is unknown at this time."
The girl's eyes widened and her heart raced in hearing of her mother and father for the first time in months. Up until that moment, she had purposely done everything possible to not think of them, lest her growing worry over their well-being be caught on.
Now having a clear idea of their last whereabouts, she could not help but hope that their standing with the rebellion might mean that maybe they still believed in her... perhaps they may have wanted to protect her instead of flee from her abilities as her Uncle had made her believe.
Still, the Commander went on, "I was also informed that eleven kingdoms were claimed in a matter of hours, the stubborn civilians that refused to leave crushed along the way. Our army was cut down by the thousands, but it has been successful in claiming the lives of over two hundred gifted and thousands of Fighters of the resistance and there will be more found once the final numbers come in."
Before she could even register the fear of that last sentiment, Khushrenada forced out, "Very wise call on your part to act, then." Raising a finger, her glare returned as she added, "However, I am going to be drained of power once again in replacing the soldiers that were lost and more than that to guarantee that the ground gained is not threatened. The next time you have an itch to do anything like this again, I would appreciate advanced notice."
Actually looking chagrined, the red monster bowed deeply once more with a sincere, "I am very sorry to put you in such a situation. You have my word that it will not happen again now that the White Fang will think twice before showing their faces anywhere near our troops. I would not be surprised that the lucky ones to escape will continue to run until there is nowhere left for them to hide."
Sighing, Mariemaia smiled, "Good to hear. In that case, I will continue to rest and regain my strength before opening the gates since there is not a rush for more reinforcements for a while."
"Would you like to be informed if it is discovered that the your parents are amongst the deceased?" Chaos asked, dark eyes keenly fixed on a key into his Mistress's thoughts.
There was nothing to be found in the blank mask that the redhead set into place. "No," she responded flatly. "They are already as dead to me as I was to them when my dark gifts were discovered. It makes no difference to me what may or may not have become of them." Every word came out with a bite of pain that she concealed. "I have more important things here to concern myself over."
Her heart breaking, it took every bit of the Queen's willpower she had to say, "Thank you." Turning when she was convinced that the Commander was appeased with her demeanor, she stepped back into her room and leaned her back against the door as she closed it behind her.
A sharp gasp leaving her lungs, the Queen covered her mouth with her hands and sobbed through her fingers while large tears filled her eyes. More lives lost... more souls that she was responsible for sending to the Creator. And her parents may very well have been amongst them had they stayed with the White Fang.
Finally allowing herself to think of her dear parents, the child collapsed to the ground and reached up to hide her face. In little more than a breath, she whispered brokenly, "Mother... Father... Please forgive me..."
Rounding the corner at the end of the long stretch that led to the Queen's chambers, Chaos was not at all surprised to find Dekim waiting for him as soon as he faced the next corridor. Slowly righting himself from the wall that he had been leaning against, the Sorcereer unfolded his arms and demanded, "Well? Are you finally having the same doubts in the child as I am?"
Growling deeply, the monster hunched forward to bring their faces close so that the fire in his glaring eyes was not missed. "No. And the very last thing that any of us need is for her to suspect that she was being watched when she could rightfully refuse to use her gift to finish what we have started."
Dekim's eyes grew as he fell back when the Commander began to stalk towards him. "So, the next time that you make any such accusations against my Mistress, I will personally remove your tongue so that you will never speak again," Chaos snapped when the old man's back pressed back against the wall. "Understood?" he asked in a low rumble.
"Ye-yes," Barton stammered with a firm nod. Swallowing roughly, he stated more clearly, "Understood."
Still snarling under his breath, the beast spun on his hooves and stalked past the gifted. Only watching him walk to make certain that he was no longer in harm's way, Dekim reached up with both hands to dry-wash his face as he gave a shuddering sigh.
Over the last few days, the Sorcerer had successfully captured Chaos's consideration to mind Mariemaia through discussions that they had shared behind her back. Leading up to this turn of events, it seemed as though the Commander was nearly convinced that there was a cause for concern.
Much to his disappointment, it was more than clear to Dekim that he was on his own. Never again would he speak out of turn.
He would play the grateful, supportive Uncle to Mariemaia. And all the while, he would silently plot her demise by his own hand.
* * * * * *
"It is hopeless now," Une frowned deeply as she sat beside her husband's bedside the moment Sally stepped out of their private tent after her looking over the King's injuries. Keeping her voice low in case there were ears around beyond their shelter listening in, the Lady shook her head, "If there was any possibility of asking for Mariemaia to be spared, this last assault has crushed it."
Propped to sit up on his cot, Treize's tunic had been cut away to reveal the bandage strips that wrapped around his upper torso in the wake of blade swipes across his chest.
His ashen face taking on warmth from the flicker of the candles around them, he squeezed the hand in his own and reassured, "I know that it looks bleak for out little girl. But, I refuse to give up hope that there will be others like Howard who will wish to help her."
The grief that had overtaken the Queen was forever replaced with a growing hate as her eyes narrowed. "That bastard of a brother of ours will suffer for this," she gritted through her teeth. "He will answer for all of the innocence lost in this world. Our daughter would not have gone along with the war for this long. She is trapped with that mad man, I am convinced of it."
Nodding, Treize patted the back of her hand with his free one, replying, "As am I. But we must be careful as to not allow anyone besides the Elder to hear any of it until the time comes when anything can be done to help her... if we ever see that day."
Little did either of them realize that it was far too late for such caution.
At the other edge of the encampment, a certain Fighter was working late into the night, using the brilliance from torches around to burn out his anger by continually firing arrow after arrow into the hides of trees.
Narrowing his bruised right eye as best he could, Alex once again imagined his mark to be Mariemaia's heart before he sent another shot off.
* * * * * *
Biting her lip, Hilde carefully lowered the small, hollow rod of a flower stem down towards the tiny creature that lay unconscious on a wide leaf.
"Come on," she whispered, voice strained after long hours of caring for the wounded that could be spared following the latest attack brought down onto the resistance. A long, dark green drop of the Alchemist's medicine ran to the end of the stem to reach the patient's lips enough that they parted to drink the offering.
As she straightened herself, Schbeiker wiped her damp brow with the back of her free hand, sighing, "There. That should do the trick on those injuries until you wake up."
The flap of the treatment tent was tossed open to Howard. His white robe nearly completely black from dirt and red from the blood of the soldiers he was able to tend to, the old man scanned the lot of Healers and Chemists seeing to the many lying on stretchers that filled the space.
Once his gaze settled on his niece near the back of the 'room', he released the breath that he had been holding in a loud puff as his body's tension sagged away.
With a sharp gasp, Hilde carefully avoided the groaning men and women being seen to while she closed the distance between herself and the Elder to meet him in the middle. Clinging fiercely onto each other, the gifted blinked back relieved tears and took solace in their reunion. "Thank the Creator you are alright," Howard breathed.
"Me?" the Alchemist giggled as she pulled back to dry her face. Shaking her head, she smiled, "You were the one who was in the thick of the fight. I was only close enough to help bring back as many of the wounded as myself and the Healers could get to. I have been worried to death about you."
Batting the air with a hand, the white-haired man scoffed, "Bah! I am more than capable of handling a few of Abaddon's damned. I am an Elder, after all." The corner of his mouth curling up, he snickered along with his niece since there was clearly no fooling her of just how much danger he had been in. But it was his way to make light of such serious things.
Finally looking up to take in the winged being that Hilde had been treating, a sharp cry escaped Howard.
Rushing to the side of the table that held the bed of a leaf, he lowered himself to his knees to have a better look at the fairy. Her white dress tattered to reveal a series of cuts that were fresh with blood that had clotted the wounds closed, the lovely fey remained unconscious as she lay on her side facing the old man. "Iria," he managed softly.
Hilde reached her Uncle's side, reassuring, "She has taken my medicine, so I expect that she will make a full recovery. Considering the extent of what she had suffered, and the fact that she was nearly missed and left behind, she is very fortunate to be alive at all. There are many others who are in the same position."
Nodding, the Elder rose to his feet and stepped away from his dear friend. On his way past his niece, he patted her shoulder and walked numbly down the columns of dying and survivors. At first glance, due to the extent of the inflictions, it was difficult to tell which rebels were able to be saved.
Such was the scene everywhere through the encampment.
Not even noticing the chill of the night air when he stepped outside, Howard looked to the countless people spread out throughout the open planes around. Running about, those able bodied that could be of any assistance made their rounds to see to the people still clinging to life with water, bandages and just the offer their hands where they could be of use.
For miles, the snow was red with deep and wide puddles of blood that seeped across the ground.
Raising his head to the clear, star-filled skies, the Elder whispered, "Keepers... wherever you are, please hurry or there may not be any of us left when you come to make your stand."
TBC...
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