By the Red Moon Part 43

In the middle of the fields of Pisces, Duo sat on the ground across from Quatre and Sand Rock.

His legs crossed and his arms resting over them, the prince's violet eyes were closed as the empath quietly directed him through his meditation. Lost to the task of trying to feel his gift, the world around him was completely forgotten to the point that he could not even feel the warm sun shining down on him.

"Continue to go deeper into your subconscious, through the fog that has been clouding it," Winner urged gently with his steed curled up behind him to provide his calming influence. Using his own ability to have an idea of where his friend was in his progress, he continued, "This is further than you have ever been able to go before, so you are doing well."

Sweat from his effort beaded on Duo's brow as his closed eyes pinched from the challenge of pushing himself as he was. He was further in his subconscious than he ever had been. That much was more than clear.

Just how much further he would be able to travel before he drained himself as he had in his previous attempts remained to be seen. Exhaustion was already burning the edges of his consciousness. Before long, it would take as much work to ignore how tired he was as it would be to progress.

But the prince could not think about that now. All that mattered was getting as far through the thick fog before him as he could. He had to keep pressing on.

~ ~ ~ ~

From their place atop another hill several feet away, Deathscythe and Wing begrudgingly shared the space so that they had a clear visual of their braided charge. Neither happy that they couldn't be closer to him should he need protection, the dragons focused on that frustration besides the one they normally had towards each other as they lay in tight, curled balls side-by-side.

Standing back a bit, Heero turned to Relena and Catherine beside him. "He has been at this for almost three days," he frowned in concern. "I do not recall another gifted having this much trouble simply feeling their gift."

The seer smiled reassuringly to the knight, "Duo is a very unique case. Remember that he has gone for sixteen years not even aware that he is gifted. He will have a much more challenging time reaching the veil around his ability."

Catherine peered from the corner of her eye to add, "And do not forget how much more complicated his gift is in the first place. Having both sides of magic within him, they would have had to been secured deeper within him for his own protection. His simply accepting the fact that he had to reach them will not make the journey there any easier on him."

Heero did understand that logic. Still, he could not help his concern for his partner after having seen how completely taxed Duo had been after these sessions with Quatre. Having had to carry the prince with him back to their room with his body completely limp in his arms from the strain was... extremely hard for the Commander.

The fact that the braided teenager never complained only twisted Yuy's heart all the more, knowing that he was tolerating the constant fatigue and pain for all of their sakes.

But this was the most difficult hurdle to pass. Once it was overcome, the next levels of Duo's training would be much less demanding on him. Until then, everyone would have to remain patient until he could identify and feel his gift.

Learning one's ability came in a series of steps that could not be skipped as they were all connected. There were no shortcuts and there were no easy passes through the complex maze surrounding this rare case.

To put his mind at ease, Heero looked to the two hills on the opposite end of the low field where Duo and Quatre were sitting. On the hill pointing to the north, Anna stood beside Ingier as they stared out to the vast stretch of land and skies. At the southern rise, Wufei and Nataku were standing watch as well.

While their presence for an added measure of protection may have seemed a bit of an overkill with Deathscythe and Wing also around, it was always best to err on the side of caution. 'Prepare for the unexpected at all times,' was one of Odin Lowe's most expressed lessons.

After all, not a one of them had thought that they would wake one morning to a grinning army of ogres and demons during their stay in Pisces. The thought of that horrific day would haunt all of them for many days to come. Never again would any measure of protection be considered excessive.

Even if he tried to tell Wufei and Anna that their services were not needed, the Commander knew that there would be no convincing them of that. As Duo's 'Sword and shield,' no command would keep them away from him. Though much of that was because of their duty to protect their prince, the fact that he was also a dear friend to them made it an even greater responsibility as far as they were concerned.

Stepping up to his white steed, Heero ran a comforting hand over Wing's muzzle. With a sigh, the dragon smiled and leaned into the touch. To both of their surprise, Deathscythe stretched her own head out to him and blinked her large eyes in a silent plea. Never before had she expressed any real interest in anyone besides her rider. However, she clearly understood the connection between her human and the knight-in-training.

Only caught off guard for a wide-eyed moment, Yuy smiled to her and patted the end of her nose with his free hand. Silently, the trio took in what support they could from each other to distract themselves from their worry over Duo as he continued to visually struggle with his training.

Just when he thought that he was making headway, the prince found himself surrounded by an even thicker and darker fog than what he had been 'walking' through up to that point. His vision was so clouded that if he were to wave his hand in front of him, he would not see it. Frustrated and tired as he was, he pressed on while sweat dripped down his face.

He's come this far. He was not about to stop now.

Further and further Duo went until the dense cover around him muted Quatre's voice completely. Scared as he was to be alone in the unknown, he continued on the path that he could no longer see. 'Forward,' he told himself. Moving forward was all that he was concerned with. The path was still there even if he could not make it out.

~ ~ ~ ~

In the field, the empath broke from his own spell with a start. Blinking his wide eyes, he called, "Duo?" There was no response other than the braided teenager's closed eyes pinching all the tighter in pain. Panicked, Quatre rushed to squeeze his apprentice's shoulders with a cried, "Duo?!"

Before he could even blink, the gifted was surrounded by his concerned friends, human and dragon alike. Looking from his partner to Quatre, Heero fought to keep his control as he asked in a rush, "What's going on?"

His mouth opening and closing at a couple attempts to speak, the blonde shook his head, "I... I lost him."

Anna's blue eyes grew as she yelled before the Commander could, "What the hell do you mean you 'lost him'?!" Both Catherine and Relena shared a startled look, making it all too clear that such a thing had never happened before. That only added to the gripping panic running through the knights.

Swallowing roughly, Quatre peered up to the others and stammered, "J-just what I said. I lost him! Somehow our bond was severed along the path!"

"Can't you get him back?" Wufei questioned, his own voice close to a shout. "You can't go back the same way to find him?"

The empath swallowed again at the rigid tension in Heero's whole body as he clenched and unclenched his fists at his sides to contain himself. "It is not that simple," he managed, focusing on the swordsman instead to keep from picking up on the rage that was slowly boiling in the Commander. "Never before has a path to a gifted's ability been so clouded. Duo will simply have to find his own way now."

At that, the whole group turned to watch the motionless prince.

~ ~ ~ ~

Everything ached. He would have given anything to just fall asleep.

Still, Duo pressed on along a path he could no longer see. The dull aching was slowly but surely becoming a burning sensation that flooded him... and that was certainly different from anything he had ever experienced before.

That change, though it scared him, encouraged him to keep going.

And then... suddenly, Maxwell heard a low growl that vibrated through his whole body. Freezing in his 'footsteps,' his violet eyes widened with a sharp gasp as two massive eyes began to glow a deep, blood red through the fog only a few feet ahead of him.

"Oh my God," the prince breathed just before he had to cover his ears to shield them from the deafening roar that erupted from whatever the creature was. Teeth larger than he was appeared in an open, ghastly mouth that lunged for him.

Screaming, Duo ran the way that he had come only to open his eyes and find himself clinging tightly onto something. And the world was so bright that he had to squint against the pain that it caused. Frantic to get away from that monster, he let out a wail and attempted to claw at whatever was holding him.

That was when he recognized the shouting voices around him. "Duo, it's me! I've got you!" the closest of those cries broke through.

Heero.

Going almost completely limp, the sweat-soaked prince blinked in shock as his vision cleared and adjusted to the sunlight.

Sure enough, he was locked securely in the Commander's strong arms with a pair of very worried cobalt eyes watching him. And for some reason, his right cheek was bleeding.

Only then did Duo also realize how heavily he was breathing. "H-Heero?" he whispered, wincing at how raw his throat felt from his very real screams. Turning his head around slowly, Duo scanned the equally concerned faces of his friends gathered around. Finally, his racing heart came down to not pound so violently in his chest.

Gently pressing Wing and Scythe's heads back, Quatre stepped up to his braided student and asked softly, "Duo? What was it? What did you see?"

"Eyes, glowing eyes," the other teenager replied, his tone thick. "And teeth that were about to snap on me." Swallowing roughly, a weak smile tugged his lips as he shrugged, "So, I take it that's my dark magic. I wasn't about to stick around to be sure."

All of those gathered around let out deep sighs of relief at the confirmation that he was certainly back to himself again.

Squeezing his shoulder, Relena grinned, "I commend you for going on even without your guide. Some day, you will be strong enough and familiar enough to return to that place and confront that demon." She giggled when a flash of panic filled the violet eyes on her. "We will not be pushing you into that, of course."

Catherine's face split in a wide smile as she commented, "This was a huge step today. You should be incredibly proud of yourself." Beside her, Quatre nodded with a wink to his friend.

Proud was not exactly the first wprd Duo was about to use to describe himself at that moment. Exhausted. Scared senseless. Those were the first things to come to mind. However, the sentiment was most appreciated. After putting himself in harm's way like that, he was happy the effort was appreciated.

Turning his head back to Heero, their arms still linked tightly around each other, the prince's eyes widened as he took in the long scratch that ran across his right cheek. In the midst of his struggle, he knew he was responsible. Frowning deeply, he reached up to gently touch the bleeding lines as he whispered, "I'm sorry."

A smile tugging his lips, the Commander chuckled softly, "No need to apologize. it was my fault for grabbing you when you were lost in a panic like that." Not caring about the others being around, he leaned in to kiss his partner soundly. Only momentarily shocked from reaction, Duo closed his eyes and returned the gesture.

Pulling back, Heero rested their foreheads together and smirked to the blinking violet eyes, "I am just relieved that you are alright." His smirk spread further at the sight of the blush warming the prince's cheeks.

No longer willing to sit back without their own confirmation that all was sound, Wing and Scythe pushed their heads up to Duo for some reassuring pats. Snickering, the braided rider happily obliged with a quiet, "Hey, guys." It did not take long for the fatigue to run its course through him and his arms fell heavily at his sides.

On that cue, Heero easily scooped the prince into his arms and nodded to his steed, "Let's get back to the castle."

Smirking wickedly at the black dragon, Wing wrapped his tail around the pair and set them in his saddle. Their temporary truce officially ended, Scythe glared at her nemesis and snorted out a puff of black smoke. "Oh, knock it off, you two," Duo warned, his eyes rolling.

Content when the rivals turned their heated gazes away from each other, the braided teenager looked up to the Commander and sighed, "Kids." Humming in agreement, Yuy nodded his head and finished securing the harness around them.

Moments later, the whole of their group was soaring back to the castle of Pisces for what would be their last night there.

*  *  *  *  *  *

King Septum and Queen Maralee hosted a feast in their main banquet hall for their honored guests' final meal in their home. From the leaders of the army to the royals, everyone was treated with the same amount of respect and sincere appreciation for all that they had done during their stay.

Here and there, holes and cracks in the walls and floor left from the frenzied soldiers that had broken in remained. All of the hanging art and banners had been destroyed and had been completely removed to make the space a bit more drab from the colorful space it had been.

For Duo and his friends, the realization that they were going to be leaving the kingdom at early light the following morning came with a mix of emotions.

The army simply could not sit there forever, waiting for the next strike. However, there was also the sadness of parting with those whom they had become close to during their stay. Even in light of everything, forgiveness was passed onto King Septum.

Once he had explained the difficult position that he had been put in with the message from Dekim, and in light of how he had put himself in danger during the battle, any animosity towards the king was slowly washed away. However, the heavy guilt was something that he would place on himself for a very long time. That was punishment enough.

"It truly is going to be a sad day to see you all off tomorrow," the queen frowned at the end of their meal. Scanning the other half of the long table, she questioned, "Do you have any idea where you will be heading?"

Heero was the one to answer, "We have no exact destination. However, we know to avoid all of the cities now that those messages have been sent out." Reaching for his chalice, he glanced at the king and said, "We would not have an idea as to who we could trust." Septum swallowed his mouthful of wine bitterly. With a shallow nod, he cast his eyes down.

Yes, the king's own guilt would be punishment enough for his actions the group present decided.

Marilee squeezed her husband's arm in silent support as she focused on the new Commander to inquire, "And what are the official numbers of your army now? I know that you had started with over a hundred thousand."

Slowly meeting her gaze, the knight replied, "We lost over a quarter of our strength and are down to just over seventy thousand now."

Clearing his throat, the king informed, "Actually, you will also have the full force of what remains of our army to add. After their experience with fighting Dekim's force, they all have willingly volunteered to join your cause. That will give you an additional twenty thousand."

Taken aback, Heero's cobalt eyes blinked widely. While that still did not bring back the total number that they had lost, that was a significant help. Bowing his head, he smiled sincerely, "It is most appreciated that you would offer. I humbly welcome your army."

Near the end of the table, Mueller picked at his empty plate and grumbled under his breath, "It would be much nicer if their men were more prepared for battle than they are now." He bit back a sharp cry of pain when he was kicked in the shin. Looking to Lady Une as she leveled him with a side glance glare, he smiled sheepishly and lowered his head.

As the only one to catch the exchange, Duo grinned widely and told their hosts, "I am sure that you would be concerned for your soldiers, seeing as your people have never had to defend themselves the way that they would need to against the dark army."

Turning his head, his violet eyes fell on the knight at the end and announced, "I think it would be best suited to them all if Commander Mueller was placed in charge of their training. He is one of the most experienced knights and a strong leader who would be a great person for them to follow."

Several jaws dropped and eyes widened around the table. However, no one was more surprised than Mueller. His mouth opening and closing, several nonverbal sounds escaped him before he composed himself.

Then, like a bird puffing out its feathers in pride, so did his chest rise. Smiling, he nodded firmly, "Well, I am honored and privileged with that responsibility." He focused on the king and queen of Pisces to boast, "Your men will be in the best of care under my lead, your majesties. They will be better soldiers than they could have ever hoped to be."

When he received another grateful smirk from the Commander, Duo snickered to himself along with his friends. It was just as he had expected... all he had to do was play up to Mueller's pride and they would be able to get along just fine.

The reasons behind Duo's 'promotion' was not lost to the Sanq knights. Wufei and Anna had the hardest time containing their laughter.

Peering over to her lover, the archer snickered softly, "Well, Duo certainly has come quite a long way from being that teenager with the strange crown that he was when we first found him. He is going to make a fine king one day." A proud smile on his face, the swordsman responded with a firm nod.

TBC...

 

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