Safety net don't hold me now
In this hole I've fallen down
Secret home I've made and found...
A new way to breathe
-Lyrics to 'Skin' performed by Zola Jesus
Elements of Great Design Part 64
A hideous, brown slug of a creature with a gaping mouth of sharp teeth poured into the room, screeching in seeing its prey through beady black eyes at the top of its head.
While his team mates froze from their shock, Quatre acted instinctively at that heartbeat of time he had to react.
Stepping forward, he latched onto the power of his Elemental Stone, raised his hand and just before he could be swallowed whole caused the monster to explode in a surge of water that was quickly filling the cave high enough that the warriors and their horses' heads were pushed up against the ceiling.
"Hang on!" Trowa called as he pressed his hands against the top of the cave and brought on a large air bubble that wrapped around the whole of the team right when they were about to be completely submerged. Once they were completely under water, safe inside of their transparent cocoon, the flood rushed them forth through the twisting, turning tunnels at incredible speed.
Trying to follow the direction and miles that they were passing was impossible for the churning travelers.
Guided by the rush of the underground river that proceeded to crush the worms that had tried to close in on them, the Alliance continued to pummel through the opened nooks and crannies that the beasts had created. For every monster killed, the stream carrying on only grew.
Finally, daylight could be spotted just ahead of the rush of water and the bubble shot through the opening ahead.
Upon the impact of reaching the open air, the bubble melted away and the Keepers spun along the cold ground waiting to greet them. Sputtering and coughing to dry out their lungs, the lot remained collapsed on their sides or backs to catch their breaths.
Engulfed by full on daylight for the first time in over a week, their eyes winced until arms reached up to shield off some of the brilliance and enable their sight to adjust.
Dazed and shaking their bodies of the droplets in their coats, the horses gazed around in confusion but soon went about grazing at the spread out patches of grass peering through the snow.
Coming to their senses, the warriors began to push themselves to sit and stand up to fully take in their open surroundings. The skies overhead were indeed clear, and were for many miles around to help them estimate their southern position in Gaia.
It was several days worth of traveling before the heavens were blacked up with the clouds marking Abaddon's territory. Other than a frozen over lake several feet away, the field that the group found themselves in was free of any real landmarks amid the hills of white-and-green.
"Well... that was one way back to the surface," Duo grinned to end the long silence that had settled. Heero snorted and shook his head with an exasperated expression as the fright from their close call ebbed.
Biting her lip, Anna slowly walked to the edge of the lake. Kneeling down, she touched the frozen surface with the tip of her finger to melt the top layer of ice in a wide enough ring that she was able to dip her bloodied hands into the water to clean them. A shuddering sigh escaping her, she bit her shaking lip still as her eyes stung with tears.
Focused on her task and lost in her thoughts, she nearly leapt out of her skin when another pair of hands appeared and tenderly wrapped around hers.
Her head snapping up, the thief found Winner watching her, a sad smile on his lips as he lifted their linked fingers. The deep cuts and gashes up to her wrists were sealed neatly as the last of the dried blood dripped off to clean skin.
Never breaking the hold of their gazes and only finding worry in her brother's face, Chang's defenses collapsed as she threw her arms tightly around his neck and sobbed. "I am so sorry I snapped at you and Trowa last night, Quatre," she murmured against the shoulder she buried her head against.
Taken by surprise by the sincere apology the White Mage held her back just as tightly, fighting his own tears as he reassured, "Aw, Anna, you did nothing wrong. Don't be sorry for that."
Having closed the distance to them in a blur, Trowa materialized on his knees and held onto the redhead from behind in his own silent way of seconding the sentiment.
Wufei ran over to rest his muzzle on his wife's shoulder, only for his presence to further deepen the distraught Keeper's misery. "We just lost the war because of me," Anna whimpered as she lifted her head, resting a hand on the wolf's head. "I should have secured those vials somehow... I should had shielded them... or kept them closer to me, or-"
Spinning her so that he could hold her flush against his own chest, Barton whispered fiercely, "You did not cost us the war. And you did everything that you possibly could have in that moment. If you had hesitated even a second, you would have been trampled too."
He turned his head, paced and held a kiss against the top of her head of wet curls and begged, "Please do not ever blame yourself for that again, sister. You are far more important than a few vials."
Unable to trust his own voice at the moment, Quatre was the one to hold the thief from behind while Wufei continued to rest his head against his soul mate's arm.
"What are we going to do?" Anna all but whispered in the middle of the firm huddle. "We are not going to be able to win this war without Wufei in his true form. How in the Creator's name are we going to be able to have him change now?"
Lightly rubbing her back, Winner never hesitated in answering, "Don't you worry about that. We will find a way. Somehow, we have managed to make it this far."
His heart heavy, Duo watched in agony how the Keepers clung to each other.
Remembering his father's visit to him, his heart twisted at the thought of any one of them being taken away from the family that only months before he never would have dared to dream of having. There would not be a single life that would devastate the rest in its being claimed by Shinigami.
Then the greatest fear of all... the possible death of the Fighter who came up to wrap his arms around him. Now that threat pierced Duo to his core enough that even his skin burned so hotly that he wished he could just scratch it all off.
Clutching onto Heero just as fiercely, Maxwell nestled his chin against Yuy's chest and closed his violet eyes. "Are you alright?" the soldier asked in worry when he felt his lover tremble.
"Just... thinking about that damned vision of Howard's again," the son of Shinigami managed. It was not a lie... but it was not a complete volunteering of what was really tearing him apart in the form of his father's confirmation that someone was going to die.
And his little omission went over as expected. Heero gave him a kiss to the top of his head without another word.
The sound of a rustle in one of the thicker patches of grass brought the skittish team into instant alert, their weapons drawn and narrowed eyes fixed on the tall stalks that swayed when no breeze was present. There was a brief pause in the movement before the head of a rabbit poked out into the open.
Lowering their arms, the warriors sighed and snickered at their jumpiness. Upon a closer examination off the beady, black-eyed animal, Yuy tilted his head in confusion. Never before had he known of a rabbit to wear a hat like this one did... with a large, red pompom attached to the top by a thin cord.
Instantly, Trowa's visible emerald eye widened in recognition. "A moogle," he announced as he rose to his feet and carefully approached the creature. "I have not seen one since early on in my days of guiding travelers."
"A moogle?" the Fighter frowned. "What is a moogle?" As though to answer him, the rabbit stepped out of its hiding place. Walking like any human would on its large back feet and dressed just as plainly from head-to-toe, it moved bravely towards the Dragoon.
Most striking for Heero, however, were the tiny bat wings at the beast's back.
Taking a knee before their visitor, Barton smiled kindly as he answered without looking back, "They are messengers, primarily to the gifted." He slowly reached an open hand out in patient anticipation.
Its nose twitching, the moogle reached into the pocket of its trousers to remove a rolled up scroll. Handing the note over to the Air Keeper, it bowed its head and darted off into the south as far away from the darkness as its feet and wings could carry it.
Once again righting himself, Trowa removed the tie that sealed the letter closed while the others neared. "Who in the world would have known that we would be in this very spot at this moment to have sent a message like that?" Duo questioned.
Skimming over the contents, the Dragoon peered over his shoulder and smirked, "An Elder with foresight." He held the paper up, informing, "This is from Howard."
Just the mention of the kind Elder's name changed the whole mood that had fallen upon the team, their eyes growing and smiles tugging lips.
With a sheepish look, Maxwell rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, I guess that makes sense," he chuckled, a slight blush to his cheeks. Clearing his throat, he pressed, "What did the old man have to write?"
Trowa gestured to the south west, replying, "He's given the location of the White fang, the rebellion army that has been growing. If we leave now, by the time we catch up with them they should be at their new encampment in the Macalania Woods." He revealed a second pamphlet of dots and strange lettering, sharing, "He included this coded map that I can follow."
Her hands coming up to her mouth, Anna breathed, "If Howard is there, maybe his niece is as well... hell, any Alchemist will be able to create that poison so that Wufei can return to his body." An elated cheer erupting from her, she dropped down to throw her arms around the black wolf's neck.
Wufei leaned into the touch with the hint of a smile and closed his onyx eyes, tail wagging happily over his lover's returned good state of mind. He pulled back just enough to lick her cheek. Giggling, she rested their foreheads together.
Try as he might to understand the map in his lover's hand, Quatre simply could not make heads or tails of it. A very smart thing of Howard to encrypt it in case it should fall into the wrong hands. Thankfully, it had reached the experienced Dragoon. "How does the way look from here?" the Mage asked.
Still reading over the content, Barton answered, "Not bad at all. There is nothing to work around by means of terrain obstacles and we are far from the danger of Abaddon's influence. Of course, we should still move with caution just to be sure..."
Chewing on the inside of his cheek in consideration, he stated, "But we should reach our destination in a matter of days from here."
Duo whistled through his teeth. "Lucky thing, that," he snorted, "even if Wufei was able to tunnel a path for us, I think I've had more than enough of those tight quarters underground." Shuddering, he mumbled, "And I think we've all had enough run ins with those ugly worms."
"Let's not waste any time, then. The sooner we can regroup with the rebels the better," Heero advised, the relieved anticipation peering through the small smile spreading across his mouth as he led the way back to the horses.
No one was about to linger behind and soon it became a race to see who would reach their steed first.
* * * * * *
For three straight days, Mariemaia had pushed herself to the limits of not only her magic but of her physical endurance...
...or maybe it was four.
The time was blurring together so that keeping up with it was more than a challenge. She had completely collapsed after the last long stretch of opening the gates into the realm of the damned. And this was the first she was waking from it.
Groaning, the Sorceress blinked her eyes opened to find the canopy of her bed high overhead. Aching everywhere, she sighed and threw an arm over her eyes to block out the dim light of the candles glowing throughout her room.
Very slowly and only after she was able to keep the world from spinning, she forced herself up to fight off the slight wave of nausea that came on from her movement.
Sid uncurled himself from the tight ball that he slept in at the foot of her long mattress with a bright chirp. Waddling as quickly as he could to his Mistress, he hopped into her lap and threw his stubby arms around her neck.
A tired smile on her face, Khushrenada returned the hug, greeting in a croak, "Hello, my friend." Carefully pulling back, she held a hand against her pale face when she felt lightheaded once again.
"Would you be a dear, Sid, and have some food brought in for me?" Mariemaia all but begged, her stomach churning in its emptiness. Nodding vehemently, the Tonberry crawled down the side of the bed and hurried through the chamber doors that had been cracked open. It was the first time that the child had noticed them.
Even in her sleep she was being watched. A very unsettling realization, indeed.
But seeing how Chaos was certain he was close to the soon collapse of Gaia, the child knew better than to be completely taken aback that he and Dekim wanted to guarantee everything was up to snuff with their plans.
Perhaps she should have been more careful in her wording to keep up her front. By the numbers of soldiers that she was bringing in now, Gaia would be consumed within a matter of a couple of months. Problem was... she had to be especially careful in how she slowed her efforts down from that day on.
She did have a pretty convincing case, however, given her collapse.
A knock on the cracked doors had the child nearly jumping out of her skin. Noting a hint of red between the opening, she swallowed roughly and retained her calm before calling, "Come in." Already, her heart was hammering away in her chest, fearful that she was being summoned to conjure that horrid spell to widen the gates once again.
But at the sight of a very concerned Chaos entering her room, Mariemaia mentally clung to the hope that it brought on.
"Mistress," the beast sighed, falling to a knee beside her bed and reaching out a claw to gently hold onto her much smaller hand. "You had given us quite the scare," he frowned deeply. "These last two days that you have been unconscious, I had begun fearing the worst."
It came as a surprise to Khushrenada that she had been out for so long. That meant that it had been five days since she had begun to extend herself... or maybe it was six...
Peering up at the movement of another guest slinking through the opened doors, the redhead found her Uncle Dekim. Leaning back against the closest wall, the old man folded his arms without the least bit of worry on his face.
There was not so much as a question for how she felt or mention of how proud he was of her work. No... instead, there was a masked message in his eyes... one that made it all too clear that he was not happy for the delay.
Mariemaia put on a small, tired smile for the monster remaining on his knees at her side. "I am alright, Commander," she reassured, "I am still very weak, but I am fine. Some food and more rest will see me to a speedy recovery."
"You shall have everything that you need," Chaos replied with a firm nod of his head as he rose to his hoofed feet. "Do not even consider having to open Abaddon's gates again for the foreseeable future. There are more than enough forces in this realm now to swallow what lands we have not overrun as of yet. Already, we have reached as far to the east as Epyon and Romefeller."
Shaking his head, he declared, "We just cannot afford to lose you when we are so close to finishing Gaia off now."
Ah, there it was... just as the Queen had expected. The concern was not nearly as much for her as it was for what she could do. For what she meant to the cause of the Dark Lord and his brethren.
Whatever their motivation, it did not matter to Mariemaia in the slightest. She was relieved of her expected services for now. That only meant more time for the Alliance to hurry and put an end to not only the war but to deliver her away with the damned souls that she had unleashed.
For as happy as Chaos was, the Sorcerer standing a few feet behind him was anything but. Glaring heatedly, Dekim made his message clear through his eyes when his niece peered into them...
...that she had won this round. But he was not giving up on the war that he was raging against her.
An interesting place to be for these two individuals who needed the other to keep up their appearances for their own protection. Once the moment presented itself in the right, they were both well aware that their little standoff would finally come to an end where only one walked away.
* * * * * *
Meanwhile, in the deep reaches in the Macalania Woods...
"Teach me how to fight like you," Relena snapped, tears in her eyes as she reached for a spare sword amidst a small pile waiting for owners.
Spinning to face her lover, she growled, "I will not sit idle any longer. Those... those monsters have destroyed everything that I have ever known and loved by taking Romefeller."
Carefully approaching her, Trent pressed the blade between the flats of his palms and urged, "You are far more important here as a Sovereign that the civilians can turn to."
He shook his head, "More than that, you can forget ever asking me to prepare you to risk your life in battle. Zechs and Noin are a different story given the Queen's military background in her family. You have no experience and this is not the way or the time to try to catch up so that you can stand against those demons."
Staying nearby, their close band off friends was watching the tense moment on pins and needles. At the first sign that the couple needed help, they were ready to spring in to offer whatever support they could. But for now, they appreciated that this discussion was for the pair to work out between themselves... if they could.
After all, many of them had already lost their own homelands from early on in the war. News of Romefeller's fall was fresh for the natives. By all right, they needed to cope with all of the emotions that came with it on their own terms.
Unable to control the shimmer that continued to grow in her reddening eyes, Peacecraft shrieked, "I want them to suffer! And if I cannot be the one to deliver vengeance to them-"
Another voice interrupted from the trees behind her, "Then you will just have to trust those who can to carry the deed for you."
The Queen and the Fighter froze for a heartbeat before slowly turning their heads around to the direction that the sentiment came from.
A shadowy figure stepped out from the shadows to be bathed in the sunlight peering through the barren branches overhead. At the first clear picture of the intruder, the couple gasped sharply.
In little more than a whisper, Relena stammered, "H-Heero..."
TBC...
[1] Moogle
[2] Macalania Woods
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