And so they linked their hands and danced
Round in circles and in rows
And so the journey of the night descends
When all the shades are gone
-Lyrics to 'Mummer's Dance' performed by Loreena McKennitt
Elements of Great Design Part 9
The Provaka Mountains loomed high for miles beyond the stretch of the Melmond Desert, their steep crests jutting up at sharp peaks that seemed to scraps the heavens around them. Their base was covered by the tall trees that also protected Lefein somewhere in their thick foliage.
Raising his head to appraise the tallest of the mist-kissed ascensions, Heero swallowed roughly. If there was an easy way through the imposing range of rock, he could not see it.
"I wonder what element the next Keeper will wield," Duo grinned widely in anticipation, completely ignoring the dark formations that they were heading for. "We still need earth, air and fire."
Shifting in his saddle as Scythe and the other horses plodded on through the last reaches of the sands beneath them, he looked over to the White Mage to his right and asked, "Are there any other tricks you can do with water that you know of, Quat?"
Winner smiled on his infectious friend, answering, "Well, the first thing that I realized when I was very young is that I can breath under it. It was a startling realization and as young as I was at only eight, I knew to not let anyone else find out."
He shrugged to the faces watching him in rapt interest. "As far as what I can really do, I was too afraid to try anything more than a couple of water manipulations that came in handy from time to time such as making it rain. So, I will need a lot of time and practice to understand my powers as a Keeper."
Staring at the ground, he grumbled under his breath in frustration, "I'm not that effective of a gifted when it comes to offensive attacks. It was pretty foolish of me to think that I could scare off a Black Mage on my own... especially one that I knew was a child of Shinigami."
As he brought his steed close to Sand Rock, Maxwell nudged the blonde in the arm as he reassured, "Hey, I have a lot of respect for the guts it took you to try. Not many others in your place would have made the attempt."
To the aquamarine eyes that locked onto him, he raised a finger and winked. "There's steel in you. That alone is going to be a great weapon to your advantage. Where actual fighting is concerned, I can give you a hand in mastering some of those weapons that you're carrying."
"Y-you would really do that for me?" Quatre stammered, blinking widely. "I have always been quietly disappointed over not being allowed to train in hand combat. My own pride themselves in only healing and not fighting while I have always understood that there comes a time when one must strike."
Riding at the White Mage's other side, Heero spoke up then. "Very wisely put. I would also be happy to train you." He leaned forward eye his braided friend and smirked, "You could use the guidance of a true Fighter as opposed to someone who relies more on magic to fight." Happy to have their taunting banter back, Duo snorted and rolled his violet eyes... but he gave the soldier a small smile of appreciation.
Beneath them, hooves came down on plush grass once more at their entering another long span of forest.
* * * * * *
When the travelers came upon a running river, they came to a stop so that their horses could have their fill of drink.
Leaving Duo and Quatre to discuss their experiences with their powers, Heero shed his pack and red tunic to enjoy a quick wash-up. The trudge through the desert had left him sticky from sweat and it had been days since he had been able to take a swim. Stripped down to his trunks, he wadded into the soothing waters. Once he he was in up to his waist, he dove in and came up sighing deeply in relief.
From his place of lazily back paddling, the Fighter was able to watch his comrades sitting in discussion. Shaking his head in amusement, he snickered to himself.
Duo seemed to be capable of making friends with anyone, even a mage that should have been an enemy simply out of the nature of their opposing gifts. All that Yuy could hope was that the braided teenager's charm had the same effect on the other Keepers since he was aware that his own social skills were lacking.
Content to stretch out on his back and allow the slow current to carry him for a bit, Heero closed his eyes and took in breaks between the leaves overhead that allowed the sun to shine down on him. It was a rare, peaceful moment and he intended to make the best of it before he and his friends had to move again.
Just when he could have dosed off, the sounds of something setting foot into the river filled the soldier's submerged ears and he blinked his cobalt eyes open. Raising his head to look at the shore, he gasped sharply as he blinked in shock.
Standing with its front legs halfway beneath the water, a pristine white unicorn had paused to watch him. Its long mane and tail of flowing silver hair drifted on the breeze as it tilted its head in curiosity at the swimmer that was now standing on his toes to keep in place, large liquid brown eyes blinking while its long horn shimmered in the light.
Larger than any horse that Heero had known, the gentle beast wuffled and flicked its tail. Calmly lowering its head for a long drink. Ears twitching when he straightened once more, it snorted at his company.
Then, in the blink of an eye, the creature spun and disappeared into the forest.
A huff of a soft laugh escaping him, Heero stared after the direction that the magnificent animal had darted. His laughter rising, he felt the stray tear that had gone neglected until it was rolling down his cheek.
Until that chance meeting, unicorns were heard of but were never to be seen by anyone in Romefeller. No one would have dared step into the Unknown to set their eyes on one, and yet the young soldier had always hoped by some miracle to see that wonder of Gaia...
...and he was not the least bit disappointed by the honor.
"Pretty amazing, huh?" a familiar voice asked behind the Fighter. Crying out at his start, Yuy snapped around to find his grinning travel mates floating a couple feet away. Duo smirked, "We dove in to make sure that you didn't float away when you fell asleep."
Only then did Heero stop and take in his surroundings. Sure enough, the small patch of rocks that they had used to make a brief resting spot was nowhere in sight. In fact, nothing on the bank was familiar. So he actually did manage to fall asleep for a bit.
Sheepishly clearing his throat when he looked back on his friends, he shrugged, "I would have figured that out on my own." He fought a blush from his cheeks at the snickers that defensive comment earned.
Gazing back at the shore where the unicorn had been standing, the Fighter changed the subject by answering his braided comrade's earlier inquiry. "That was... pretty incredible," he managed softly. "Do you suppose we might run into more of them as we continue north?"
Winner smiled, "Oh, I imagine. Along with unicorns, there are all kinds of mystical beasts that we'll likely encounter."
Raising his hands above the surface so that their palms were facing each other, he concentrated and filled the space between them with a large bubble that floated over their heads. Where concentrated beams penetrated the globe, they came through the water in colorful shards. Their eyes filled with awe, Heero and Duo raised their heads to follow it before the orb burst and came raining back down around them.
"Simple manipulations," the White Mage chuckled. "I'll have to gather as much water as I can to see what else I can do on my own." Gesturing back to the shore, he asked, "Shall we get back to our horses so that we can reach Lefein by nightfall?"
Duo sighed, "I suppose." Leading the light swim back to the rocky beach, he stepped out of the lapping waves and began to wring his braid out. The beads of water dripping from him ran along his dozens of scars along his exposed torso and appendages. But it was the way that his soaked black trunks clung to him that caught Yuy's full attention.
His breath hitching in his throat, the soldier's captivated cobalt eyes raked over the Black Mage's lean-muscled form. Leering was not something that he was used to in the slightest, but he was leering now as his throat constricted. Before either of his associates caught him staring in such a way, he quickly glanced away as he stepped onto the shore.
Lifting a hand, Quatre brought every droplet to run from them in thin trails to return to the river until their bodies were bone dry. Duo laughed as he flipped his hands back and forth to see that there was indeed no water left behind. "Nice trick," he complimented the other mage.
"It came in good use many times when I did not want to get caught sneaking off to the lake near Onrac," the blonde smirked. "I look forward to seeing how the other Keepers can influence their elements when we finally meet."
* * * * * *
It was nearly nightfall by the time the teenagers made their way beyond Lefein's walls of vine and twig that had the city virtually invisible to any unwanted visitors that were not paying attention. Upon their arrival, Heero admired that remarkable level of protection, a clever play of visual deception.
And if he thought that was stunning, he was completely taken aback by the beauty of the actual city within.
Those same vines and bedrock that created the walls also formed the estates and the castle to make the whole kingdom appear as though it had risen from the ground itself to house impish beings of the wood.
In the diminishing natural light, fireflies flowed to and fro to feed from giant globes of glass perched atop ornate posts to provide a reflected glow along the streets. Bluebells and other flowers were strung to hang down from lines that wove from window-to-window of the higher buildings.
Everything about Lefein was a natural wonder.
"This place is astounding," Quatre breathed as he scanned the surroundings while riding through the cobble-stoned streets. "Had I known that there were sights such as this, I would have ventured from Onrac long ago."
His hood pulled back over his head to shield his violet eyes, Duo was equally in awe as he peered around. Much to his luck, the addition of a White Mage's accompaniment along with the Fighter swayed away any interest away from him. The passersby never so much as looked his way.
Grinning wistfully, he told his friends, "I have been here on a few occasions. And I never grow tired of it. Most of the people here are tourists from the nearby lands and so they do not recognize a Stranger from a native. That certainly says a lot of this city that it would actually bring so many from the security of their home realms."
Finally finding his voice, Heero smiled, "I actually wouldn't mind staying out for a bit to sight-see once our horses are secured in a stable and we have a room for the night."
"Not a bad time to do it," his braided partner smiled. "I saw signs that there is a traveling show in town."
* * * * * *
And it was quite the show that was put on.
The round, stone arena was filled to capacity with wonder-struck onlookers. From fire-eaters to tight-rope walkers and jesters, there was no lack of entertainment for the audience.
Seated at one of the highest rows that made up the roofless ring of the stadium, the three road-weary voyagers were able to have the best view of every act. Applauding and cheering along with the rest of the crowd, the display was a welcomed break from the stress of their responsibility.
Making his way out into the center of the ring's floor, the Master of Ceremonies flipped back the long tails of his bright red coat to bring all of the attention onto him. He raised his arms overhead, announcing with a wide smile, "And now, ladies and gentlemen, please enjoy the dances inspired by the lands of Gaia as we prepare for our last and greatest act!"
As the curtains behind him opened, the young women that had entertained throughout the evening with other acts twirled and stepped gracefully to the light music that the band in the wings played for them.
Each young woman moved to a different beat, depicting a montage of dance the likes of which many of the visitors present would never have seen. A story was to be told by all, a sharing of the cultures experienced through the performers' travels.
One of those lovely girls was one that had captivated Heero's eye from her earlier knife-throwing act.
The dancer's spun and clapped in time with every exciting step, the skirt of her blue dress wrapped at her waist by a long green sash swaying with her.
Captivating as the wide smile on her face was, however, it was the striking color of her short curls that had captured the Fighter's interest. Cut short in bouncy curls with a large white flower by her an ear, her locks were a vibrant red that shone under the natural moon light and the glow of the fireflies floating on the air.
'Fire and spirit that burns,' Dorothy's voice whispered in Yuy's mind. There were not many redheads that he knew and so it was only natural that this performer stood out to him. But she was not the one that the Oracle had decreed.
Lovely and spirited as this young woman was, she was not one of the Keepers. That role belonged to another with such vibrant hair, Heero was certain of it.
Raising his hands to clap along with the rest of the audience, the soldier allowed his concern over the mission to slip and simply allowed himself to be entertained for the remainder of the evening for a change. At no surprise to him, Duo seemed to sense the slight tension in his shoulders that passed and smirked as he nudged his unruly-haired friend.
"Good boy," the Black Mage snickered softly enough that it was lost to the crowd around. "We're here to have fun. Let go for once." Snorting, the Fighter nudged him back and grinned in amusement when their eyes met.
Maxwell was right, after all. Heero had to admit that he was one to always allow his missions to get in the way of simply living life. While he was making a great improvement in that just by agreeing to attend the traveling show, he still had a lot of work to do in the letting go as his braided counterpart had suggested.
The loud cheers that rose from the hundreds around brought Yuy's gaze back down to the center ring as the dancers curtsied to the rousing ovation they received. Once more, the curtain at the northern edge of the round stage pulled back to the Master of Ceremonies.
As if waking from a dream, the members of the audience continued their applause as the girls headed back out of the scene. Like the rest of the crowd, Quatre blinked rapidly and shook his head. A worried from marring his face, he looked over to his comrades asking, "What just happened?"
Snickering, Duo reassured, "You're fine, pal. I recognized those mystics as soon as they came out. They have a bit of magic to them that captivates most when they dance. Being born of the Red Moon, they have no effect on me while normal people fall under a peaceful trance." He waved a hand before the veiled gifted's face as he smirked, "You're back with us now, I see."
Relieved, Winner smiled, "It was spectacular, I actually saw the color and light of the music that they were moving to." Waving his hands around excitedly, he all but shouted over the accolade that continued around them, "There were fields and streams along with the other lands that they were representing through their dance! What a wonderful power!"
The Black Mage chuckled and nodded while Heero frowned to himself in wondering how he was not pulled in by the spell.
Feeling another nudge from his partner, he looked over as Maxwell grinned, "Mister Perfect Soldier over here was too distracted by our search to be enchanted. Just goes to show how stressed he is." The Fighter snorted and rolled his cobalt eyes in good humor.
Plausible as the theory was, Yuy had to believe that child of Shinigami was right in it.
"And now, ladies and gentlemen," the bearded man in the ring opened as he raised his arms again, "what you are about to witness is truly astounding! From the Provaka Mountains comes our last entertainer. Able to take the wildest of creatures that Gaia has to offer, few have the courage and talent of the young man about to take the stage. And so without further ado, please welcome our own Trowa Barton- silent killer of beasts!"
Their backs straightening and eyes widening at the introduction, the Fighter and mages froze in disbelief as the audience broke out into a new round of applause as a tall and handsome figure stepped out into the center of the arena floor.
A thick fall of long, brunette bangs half-covered the entertainer that was wrapped in a green cape that brought out the emerald of his visible eye. Slowly turning to take in the crowd, he smirked with his back to the multi-colored curtain that began to move.
'One silent killer of beasts,' Dorothy had called one of the Keepers in those exact words.
Suddenly, a massive head of scales shot out to show a long snot that was pulled back in a vicious snarl as black eyes glared on the uninterested teenager in its line of sight. "Dragon!" a woman in the stands screamed as she shot to her feet. Quick to stand along with her, the rest of the audience cried and hollered to deafening levels as in a panic, they sought a way out.
Not the least bit concerned by the reactions, the performer remained calm and kept his back to the gold-horned monster that was now slowly creeping out to stalk towards him. Heero, Duo and Quatre stood atop their stretch of bench to be able to see over the heads before them as they took in the enormous, winged beast.
Thick talons of steel buried themselves in the sand that they were set upon with every step, the wide reach of the wings on the long body made known at their opening as the powerful tail at the end of the dragon whipped back and forth.
In light of the disinterest of the boy in immediate danger, those that had begun to storm out stopped to watch whatever was about to unfold.
And when the monster was within reach of the performer that it could lick his back with a flick of its tongue that was running along its top, scaly jaw, the whole crowd collectively held its breath. Throwing its neck back, the dragon released a bellowing howl that chilled all who heard it to their core.
The, the teenager spun to face his threat and removed his floor-length cape to reveal his bare chest and plain tan trouser pants as his only attire beneath.
Smirking at the monster that opened its mouth and took a deep gulp of air, he stared into the deep recesses of the dark cavern within that quickly glowed with the fire that was shot out at him.
To the chorus of screams, the boy held his right hand out to the stream of brilliant flames. Just before the onslaught engulfed him, the burning river bounced off his raised palm and shot skyward to illuminate the open air.
Gasping, the stunned crowd looked on in disbelief as the performer stood unharmed while the brilliant fire that rose over their heads rained down like the sparks of fireworks. The dragon called off its attack, a confused chirp rising from it as its black eyes blinked widely.
Quickly shrinking back in fear, the great beast whimpered and lowered its head. Cowering back when her prey took a couple of slow paces towards it, the tide had certainly turned on which being was the one in danger. With a frustrated screech, the scaly creature flapped its wings and took to the heavens in a hasty retreat to disappear amidst the starry skies.
For a stunned moment, there was complete silence before the onlookers erupted in applause and shouts for the brave entertainer. Raising an arm, the tall young man smirked and turned to give a deep bow for his supporters.
Captivated as they were, a certain trio in the audience could only stare wide-eyed at the beast master. Leaning close to Heero so that he could hear, Duo muttered under his breath, "Were you also able to catch what he used to deflect that dragon fire?"
Nodding firmly, the Fighter replied just as softly, "Wind."
They had found the Keeper of Air.
TBC...
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