How far we are from morning....How far we are.
And the stars shining through the darkness... Falling in the air
Once, as the night was leaving into us our dreams were weaving.
Once, all dreams were worth keeping.... I was with you
Once, when our hearts were singing,... I was with you
-Lyrics to 'Fallen Embers' performed by Enya
Elements of Great Design Part 74
Coming over the last hill before reaching the long stretch of flat courtyard that sat at the foot of the Paramecia Empire's castle, the Alliance had their first look at the barbaric hoard running down the palace steps for them. Greater in number and grotesque creation than any they had seen leading up to that, the White Fang soldiers almost paused from the horrific sight...
...almost.
But having endured so much, the rebels only charged on while letting out their chorus of screams to match the snarls and snaps befalling them. And when the two sides met at the start of the square, they collided violently enough that many of the first soldiers in line were taken out by their opponents upon impact.
Sending off their own attacks, the Keepers were too overrun to coordinate another team effort. And before long, the red demon that had countered their attacks soared back into the skies from the highest balcony to once again prove himself a nuisance.
"Damn it would someone please take that bastard out?" Anna gritted through her teeth after another of her arrows had been deflected by the monster. The failed shot was immediately followed by her shielding Heero with her body to absorb the recoiled flames that had been aimed at the Fighter in response.
When she pulled away from her brother, the Fire Keeper threw the Monk robe over the back of the wolf that had rushed to her side. Shaking his head, the animal cleaned his bloodied jaws and peered up at his soul mate in anticipation to have his shot at the demon as Duo finished a black spell and called back, "Ready when you are, Anna!"
The Fire Keeper had a new vial in hand and tossed it back in the next second, Heero catching her as Wufei returned to his true body and fired a spray of rock shards up at Chaos. Opening his mouth and blowing at the incoming projectiles, the Commander stirred up a strong tornado that used the debris to pummel the rebels. Chang muttered a curse under his breath and threw up a shield over the White Fang before any real damage was done.
"Let's try something he's not used to!" Maxwell called to Winner. Well aware of where his brother was going in his suggestion, Quatre smirked. Combining their light and dark magic, the Mages poured on a beam so entwined with their gifts that it was impossible to tell where the white and black spells began or ended.
Caught by surprise by the unexpected surge, Chaos was hit square in the chest to be pushed higher into the sky. Growling in pain as well as frustration, the demon encased himself in a skintight armor of ice and rock to take on the last of the beam without enduring further injury.
"Dear Creator," the Water Keeper managed as he fought for air, shaking his head at the creature that continued to defy any assault from their powers. "What is it going to take to get rid of him?"
Bringing his hands together into a large, tight fist, Wufei fell to a knee and slammed it against the ground. A shockwave physically rippled the earth at the charging monsters' feet to knock them onto their backs for a couple of seconds of reprieve for the White Fang. Meeting Duo's violet eyes, he gestured to his wife's body at his side, he called, "Time for me to tag out again. We have to get to wherever Abaddon's gates are. Now."
The son of Shinigami nodded, "Got it!"
By the time Heero finished stabbing a gremlin through and turned around, Anna was on her feet and ripping another arrow pushed by the Phoenix to create a narrow opening that coursed the whole remaining length of the courtyard and straight up the castle steps.
It was just wide enough, just blockaded enough by columns of flames on either side, to support a handful of souls to take passage. Hundreds of thousands were going to have to remain outside to deal with the never ending sea of monsters. In the few seconds that they had to seize on the opportunity, the Keepers froze out of deep concern for those men and women.
Wide-eyed, the members of the Alliance looked to one another for some kind of solace in the grim decision that they had to make. Their sweat-and-blood-wet faces were pale in color. No one was ready to budge, even as their window was quickly closing on them... no one willing to leave their brave army behind.
Firion, cut here and there as everyone still standing was, hurried close to the team after seeing their hesitation. "GO!" he cried desperately. "We will do what we must here, but you need to see to your end while you can! Now go!"
Catching their breath collectively, the Keepers nodded firmly along with their brothers Life and Death.
The Fighter of the assembly stared down the road that would carry them to their destiny... to whichever end that might be as he shouted, "Let's move!" At that, he took the first brave steps through the thinning stretch with his teammates close on his heels. Behind them yet, a handful of rebels mixed with Fighters, gifted and children of Shinigami following.
Along their headlong charge, Anna raised a hand to cause their flanking walls of flame to grow just enough to keep their path clear while Trowa and Quatre sent out sheets of slicing ice lifted on the picked up wind to tear the demons scaling the barriers limb from limb. What few beasts were able to pass through all of those challenges were sliced down by Heero and Duo.
"Nonono," Trent whispered to himself, watching the gateway to his primary target slipping away. Regardless of his own desires, his most devout duty still outweighed his own wishes. Spinning to face the warrior behind him, he yelled, "Alex!"
Panting, the blonde soldier stepped back to see what his friend wanted when Quinze pointed to King Zechs and Queen Noin, shouting, "You are the only person I trust! Keep them safe!"
With a deep frown, the Peacemillion asked, "Where are you going in the middle of all of this?!"
Over the noise that continued to build, Trent bellowed in response, "Inside! Someone has to look after the Keepers! But I am not leaving until I know you have my Sovereigns' backs! Tell me that you'll do this for me?!"
There were few who Alex would ever leave to what seemed a certain death, but he had faith in his 'brother.' And whether they were his own Royals or not, as a Fighter, he was still bound to his code in defending Gaia's leaders wherever they came from.
"With my life!" he vowed loudly. "You better hurry!" Sprinting forward, he joined Zechs and Noin in the thick of their struggle.
Her eyes widening at the closing gap once she reached its start, Lady Une hollered back to her husband, "Treize!" Grunting in the effort that it took to remove his blade from the armored chest that he had stabbed, the King followed her line of sight and gasped. Quickly grasping his Queen's hand, he laid down a vicious battery of offensive moves against anything that tried to stop them,
Little did either of them notice that a certain Cornerian Fighter had already advanced ahead of them to become a shadow to the Alliance.
* * * * * *
This was not happening. It was not possible.
Gripping the sides of her head, Mariemaia fell to her knees with a sharp cry at the deep chuckle that filled her thoughts.
Demonic in nature, the otherworldly sound was the most horrific thing that she had ever heard...the voice of Abaddon himself. He was taunting her, tempting her to try once again to close the gates that he'd been biding the time and strength to hold open from his realm.
Looming over her, Dekim smirked at the trembling heap the Sorceress had been rendered to. "What is it, dear child?" he asked in a pleased singsong. "Bitten off more than you could chew with your deceitful ways? You should have remembered that like the Creator, the Dark Lord sees all. Perhaps your intentions would have remained hidden had you not tried to kill me. Now you will have to suffer the consequences at his hand and not mine... for the time being."
The old man was right. In her tortured state, Khushrenada knew it. Her power was still needed... tapped into by the Lord of the Damned. And now he had harnessed it... using it to his whim. Then when it was all over and he had claimed Gaia, he would kill her so that he could torment her soul for eternity. He showed her every terrible promise of what awaited her.
If she'd had any control over her own body, she would have taken her own life in the hope that those wide doors might close if only for a moment.
* * * * * *
Trowa vanished into thin air to reappear in the center of the next wave of demons. Flipping an shifting constantly, he brought down every challenger around him with both his staff and his gift. Quatre laced long lines of water that he shot with his White Magic to manipulate the shafts into hands that ripped apart the demons caught up by them.
From every other room that the Alliance searched for the gates, Anna would emerge to unleash a hailstorm of fire. And two more rooms further along, there would be a flash of light before Wufei would step out into the corridor to bring the stone walls to life to crush their enemies.
And so the Alliance progressed on in this fashion, looking through every open space for the gates, Mariemaia, Dekim and the red beast that continued to be trouble at the most inopportune times to become a problem once again... or at the very best of hopes, all of those marks at once.
Doing what they could, the mortals and gifted remaining close covered the Alliance's rear while admiring their talents. Panting when she had a break at last, Gloria smiled to one of her violet-eyed sisters, "No wonder father regards this team so highly." The redhead at her side giggled and nodded.
Before long, the search made its way to the stairs. Floor by floor, inch by inch the Keepers pressed on. Their strength fading and bodies taking injury after injury, they never paused. They never allowed the real fatigue or wish to stop to set in... not when they were so very close to their goal now.
Advance was very slow... achingly as best and downright infuriating at the worst points. What should have only taken minutes was lasting well over an hour thanks to everything standing in opposition.
Where the Keepers needed to watch for themselves on one hand, Heero remained Chaos's objective and therefore the concern of the elements. Selflessly, they risked themselves to shield the Fighter on more than a few dozen occasions.
Yet they were not about to stop when the conclusion of the war was within their grasps.
The attacks and hellish stampede of demons had taken its toll on the palace. In come cases, the hallways and quarters were in complete ruin. But the team knew that wherever the gates of hell were the space was intact enough to see through either their victory or their demise.
And finally, after a vexing climb to the top level of the castle the Keepers had broken away from their back line reinforcements to reach the last possible location of their target. And what a weathered sight it was when they set foot upon it.
But they set eyes on their destination in the form of the room at the furthest end of the hallway from which an eerie glow resonated. From that room the dark creatures came out by the tens upon twenties.
Reaching into her satchel, Anna's eyes blinked widely as she pulled out the vial inside. "Damn," she muttered under her breath. "Last one."
She took the seconds that were afforded to pat the top of her lover's head, her fingers running through his dampened and matted fur there. "Going to have to make it count, husband-mine." A low grunt and a wagging tail from the wolf was offered as a means of reassurance as he raised his head to lean into her touch.
"Pillars!" Trowa screamed beyond the roar of the army that went on pouring themselves over the Alliance. At his order, the Keepers removed the pillars to the Elemental Stones to have them lengthen to their full size matching that of any warrior's sword. And they soon proved to be every bit as effective.
Using those perches as weapons in and of themselves, the four elements cried out and led the final charge for the furthest room. They cast the full force of their gifts to set off great explosions that wiped out the beasts that were little more than snapping fangs and ripping claws to tear apart their greatest foes.
Even Chaos was nowhere to be found, left little choice but to sit back due to the tightly confined area. That was the only real good to come from Abaddon's forces for the Alliance. Every meter they gained was on their own power otherwise.
Painfully scratching and scraping their way along, the team at last reached the spell room when their gifts had literally obliterated the hallway and all standing against them. Those blasts had knocked back the reinforcements for them to have a long wait before the next wave could enter the world.
Half falling into the glowing room together, the Keepers and their brothers fought for breath and the ability to stay upright when they were face-to-face with the massive gate doors that opened into the floor in front of them. Overhead, there was no ceiling, just that of the dark sky. The walls around were tattered with holes that exposed the world outside... the only full beam in full form being that which contained a balcony overlooking the whole scene.
Dekim Barton peered over the ledge of that riser with fiery eyes. Raising his hands, the old man rained down a series of beams from his own magic. Happy to have someone to fight off directly, Heero deflected the attacks with Duo at his side.
In answer to each failed shot that the Sorcerer created, Maxwell had a counter spell to fire back. Throwing himself in the line of sight, Yuy was able to defend his family the way they had him throughout the fight.
Breaking through the shock of their arrival first, Quatre could hear the growing screeches and roars of the monsters rushing to pass the gates. "Set the Stones!" he shrieked, running with his pillar around the opened doors to stab its base into the floor at the other end of the room.
How they knew what to do was beyond the Keepers, but they acted instinctively... following Winner's example by placing their pillars at equal distance at the four corners of the opening to create a perfect ring around the gates.
Securing both her own and Earth's perches in their places, Anna removed their Elemental Stones to have them return to their true shapes and carefully placed them as Air and Water did the same.
With Life and Death engaged in the struggle against Dekim, the thief brought her hands up and closed her eyes as she gripped the sides of her Fire Stone, sending a touch of herself into the weapon. When she stepped back to take in its bright glow, she peered over her shoulder to see that the Air and Water Stones were alight and waiting to unleash their power.
Beaming to the wolf who was practically dancing on his paws in readiness, Chang held up her last vial. "Let's finish this, Wufei!" she cheered. Turning to remove the stopper and call for Duo, she stopped dead in her tracks when she just happened to look up at the balcony.
Nearly dropping the glass in her raised hand, Anna stared into the wide eyes of none other than Mariemaia... and there was nothing else for her to see. After years of misery brought on by the child, the world turned red with a fire more intense than any that the Keeper could conjure.
Returning the vial into her satchel, the redhead glared heatedly up at the face that she had visited in her nightmares for decades. She reached back, removed an arrow from her quiver and nooked it tightly to her bowstring. Bringing the projectile to burn, she closed her eye and took aim for the Sorceress's heart.
Only then having a moment in his struggle against Dekim to spot his sister, Heero gasped and followed the line pointing from the arrow tip... paralyzed in fear when he saw who would be at the end of it. "Anna, no!" he shouted, spinning back to the Keeper as he waved his arms in the air to catch her attention.
The corner of the thief's mouth curled up. She had seen the girl first. And so as their agreement stated, so was she to decide Mariemaia's fate. And it would be a glorious death at the hands of the one who wanted it more than any other.
But something was very off. It came to the Fire Keeper in the next instant... the realization that the child was not so much as lifting a hand to cast a spell in her own defense. Instead there was pain... true pain and what could only be described as relief...
...Relief? That did not make any sense. Why would there be anything akin to relief in seeing her death coming?
There was a slight tremble that wracked the Sorceress's small frame. Biting her lip, she gave a small nod to her assassin and closed her shimmering eyes so that her tears could run freely down her face.
And that sent everything that Chang had known up to that moment into a complete tailspin.
Feeling the arm pulling back on her arrow shake in her sudden doubt, Anna's eyes remained narrowed on the girl as she cried at the top of her lungs, "Don't just stand there! Do something, damn it!!"
Still Mariemaia never so much as opened her eyes.
The events that came on after happened so quickly and slowly at once...
Dekim hesitated in his skirmish with Duo to notice the placement of the Elemental Stones... then how the Fire Keeper had singled out his niece for what was sure to be a death blow. He not only kept from protecting the child, but moved to be the one to rid himself off the Sorceress as he had wanted all along.
Focusing his anger at the back of the girl, he raised his hands and cast them to glow with his building power that he would deliver as her messenger out of the world.
Chaos appeared from nowhere, nose-diving from high in the heavens to descend upon the Fighter who remained the thorn that he would see removed even if it was to be his last act.
In seeing how the old man was about to turn on the girl, Anna's mind had been made up how she would perform. Leaping forward, she shot up as a massive fireball to reach the balcony in the same blink that Barton released his energy in a confined beam.
A loud crash followed by the screams from Duo and the Keepers rose up with Heero's name in warning. Every sort of elemental, white and black magic strike was taken against the rapidly descending Commander... nothing touching him due to how chaotic his fall was. Shaky as he was, Chaos was still right on point for the Fighter.
From the doorway, a single arrow pierced the air...
There was a snarl followed by a tearing sound, a howl...
A whoosh became a loud clamor along the floor...
Silence...
Mariemaia opened her eyes in the stillness and she quickly realized that not only was she alive and momentarily freed of Abaddon's hold on her... but she was safe and secure in a cradling embrace from the very last creature she would have ever expected it from.
Panting heavily as she stayed down on her knees and curled around the little one to be a human shield to her, Anna gazed down at the shocked Sorceress with her own measure of surprise. Her eyes closing again, Khushrenada came undone in a fit of sobs as she clung onto the arms wrapped around her.
It was the first time that the Fire Keeper ever saw her for who she really was... a frightened... lost little girl. Moved down to her soul over the drastic shift in her perception of the Sorceress, Chang felt her eyes sting with tears as she pulled her charge closer to her chest. "I've got you," she whispered, moving a hand to gently run it over the shaking youth's hair. "It's going to be okay."
Mariemaia whimpered, burrowing her face against a shoulder and soaking in the first real kindness shown to her since her mother and father had been ripped from her.
The words that she had spoken setting in, that it was going to be okay, Anna stilled as her eyes widened. She was alright... even with Dekim upon her and ready to release his gift... how was she not even so much as nicked by the blow?
Very slowly, a chill running down her spine as she moved, the Fire Keeper turned herself enough to see the horrific reason why...
Dekim Barton lay in a heap on the balcony behind her with his neck torn out...
...while a back wolf lay across his body with a gaping hole in the center of his chest.
TBC...
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