By the Red Moon Part 52
Pressing her forehead against the floor of her blackened spell room, Dorothy closed her eyes and began the mantra of her spell.
All around, the painted designs of the crude images she had drawn to enhance her magic began to glow a multitude of colors on the walls and ceiling. Though the room bore no windows or openings of any sort, a breeze blew through the space.
'Seeing' her masterpiece with her gift the dark sorceress could gauge the strength of the magic that she was weaving. Over the last few days, it was growing nicely.
Very nicely.
Those cobalt eyes filled Dorothy's vision, linking them to every tiny strand of the web that she was weaving. When her spell was finally completed and sent, it would know its target and hunt it to its fullest extent. Then, there would be nothing to keep Commander Yuy safe once it homed onto him.
Putting all of her energy and concentration to her task, the hours slipped by and she did not stop until she could physically not carry on further that day. Slowly sitting back up, the sorceress wiped the sweat from her brow and smiled as the glowing around her faded away to plunge her into complete darkness.
It was not going to be much longer. Soon, it would be ready.
* * * * * *
The werewolf trio was making quite the impression as they followed their hosts through the encampment to the large tent where the Commanders of the army had been called to meet.
Keeping in their V-formation with Alex leading the team of his wife Adodera in white and her sister Gloria in black.
All bearing the same shades that belonged to the primary colors of their coats when they took on their wolf forms, their clothes fit them like a second skin, hiding nothing of their muscular and lean frames.
In the patches of sunlight that they walked through, the material shone like smooth fur. From their necks up was the only bit of flesh showing on any one of them, along with their bare feet that padded gracefully and without pain over the changing terrain of the woods.
Duo had to force himself to not stare back at their guests. Still amazed that he was in the presence of actual werewolves, he wanted to take everything in and compare it to his younger visions of what such creatures would look like. Somehow, he was sure that nothing he had dreamt up as a boy would have ever held a candle to the actual thing.
There was nothing foreboding about the pack, in fact they were all very alluring to behold. And yet they carried themselves in such a way that everyone around knew that they were not the kind of people one would want to give any trouble to.
As much as he tried to stop himself, the prince turned his braided head back for another look. To his surprise, he was caught by the clear blue eyes of Alex. The corner of his mouth curling up, the blonde chuckled deeply as Duo's cheeks reddened. The girls behind their pack leader giggled quietly in their own amusement.
Clearing his throat, Duo ducked and stammered, "S-sorry. I don't mean to be rude by staring, I'm still just getting used to being around actual werewolves."
"It is quite alright," Alex reassured, his smile warming. "Our kind have come to hear all the stories of your travel through the portal. We understand that creatures such as ourselves do not exist in the world where you had grown." Tilting his head, he added, "We have been just as guilty watching you, seeing as how you are a first to everyone in this realm as well- a human who wields both light and dark magic."
Gloria, the shorter of the two girls, raised her head of blonde hair that that fell to her waist. Tilting her head, she grinned, "What you had accomplished in that field back there was spectacular. I cannot wait for night fall to pass on the word to the others of what we have seen." Her sister nodded firmly, the movement shifting the spikes of her short, black hair.
About the only similar trait the girls had in common were their haunting green eyes and lithe shapes. Nearly everything else about their physical traits were exact opposites. Despite that, their connection was evident in how they seemed to be able to communicate simply by glancing at each other the way that only came with a long familiarity.
Once again fighting off his embarrassment, Duo snorted, "Well, it's still just me... no reason for anyone to get too excited about."
Smirking at that, Adodera spoke up in a lower-pitched voice than her sister's, "We also have heard of your humility. You are the hope of us all as the prophecies declared and therefore there is no one more exciting in this world. It is a great honor to us all to be in your presence." Alex and Gloria both nodded firmly in agreement.
Duo sighed and finally looked forward again as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Man, I really have to get used to all of this attention. I'm not used to it after being a nobody for so long," he muttered under his breath. Snickering beside him, Heero gently leaned over so that he could nudge his lover as they approached the tent of the Alliance leaders.
Leaving the rest of their friends and their steeds behind, Heero, Wufei, Anna and Duo led the wolf pack inside.
Gathered at the long table sat the Commanders of every land represented in the army including Mueller of Virgo and Scott Lewis of Leo. Also present were the newest Commander arrivals from Gemini and Aquarius who had joined up with their armies not long before. That rounded the total number of men gathered around thirty.
And every one of them froze in shock when they saw the werewolves enter. Taking up the empty seats at the middle of the table, Heero and his officers waited for their guests to sit before beginning the meeting.
Taking a deep breath, Yuy gestured to the trio at his right and addressed the assembly, "Our friends, here, have come with news from the north that they thought would be most valuable to us and so explains my calling of this gathering." Nodding to the pack leader, he told him, "The floor is yours."
Alex bowed his head respectfully to the Commander and rose to his feet. "My kind and I have been following the progress of Dekim's men," he began, his faint blue eyes scanning the enraptured listeners around. "Normally, we were-folk do not involve ourselves in the struggles of man, however, we have finally come to see how this assault from the dark sorcerer involves all creatures living."
Biting his lip, he paused and frowned deeply, "Word travels much more quickly amongst us than what you experience with your scouts. I am deeply saddened to inform you all that both Cancer and Aries have fallen to the Keeper's army." Gasps and cries filled the air as the men around reacted to the distressing news.
"That means that they nearly have all of the north!" the red-headed leader from Aquarius hissed as he slammed his fist onto the table in frustration. "It will not be long before they have all of us cornered with nowhere left to turn! We really are nothing but sitting ducks!"
Heero propped his elbows on the table and folded his hands together before his face as he listened to the soldiers around grumble and voice their concerns amongst themselves.
Swallowing roughly, Anna reached under the table for her husband's hand. When they found each other, they squeezed tightly. His stomach sinking in his chest, Duo remained still as he gazed around the room aimlessly.
Over the commotion, one voice finally suggested, "Then we take the fight to them." Instantly, every discussion around came to a stop and a heavy silence fell.
Very slowly, every eye in the room turned to the head Commander.
Blinking his wide eyes, Duo leaned towards his lover and asked quietly, "What did you just say?"
Heero met the violet eyes on him and repeated, "We take the fight to them." Looking to the gazes filled with disbelief through the room, he stated, "For years now, we have laid low to strengthen our numbers. In the meantime, we have been the ones constantly under the attack of Dekim's men while more and more of our world is destroyed by them."
The knight-in-training's cobalt eyes narrowed as he growled, "I do not know about the rest of you, but I am tired of sitting and waiting for the next strike against us. If we are truly going to face our eventual end in this war, I do not want it to come when there is nothing left of our world that we allowed to be taken without a fight."
Slamming his fist on the table, Scott was the first to respond with a sharp laugh. "I knew that I was going to like you, lad!" he explained, pointing to Yuy with a wink.
As he looked around to the other stunned faces that had shifted their attention to him, he smirked, "Let us deliver them all to the Keeper. I came here to make a difference in the war, just as all of you and every man in this army has. And I will be damned if I am just going to run and sit on my ass."
His large hand reaching back for the hilt of his blade against his back, the blonde man freed it from its sheath with a metallic ring and raised it high. Eyes narrowing, he said, "As knights, we live by the sword and die by the sword. That has always been our credence, no matter what land we come from."
All around, the surprise and disbelief over the suggestion began to fade into acceptance and determination as heads began to nod throughout the room.
Chewing on the inside of his cheek, Wufei admitted, "Their men would never expect an assault from us. They would be caught completely off-guard... maybe enough so that we might actually be able to take them on."
Her blue eyes widening again, Anna gazed on her braided friend. Straightening in his seat, Duo could read the archer's intent before she even commented, "And we have the perfect weapon on our side to fight them now." Realization spread throughout the space and all focus shifted to the prince.
Swallowing roughly, Maxwell searched the gazes on him. Finally, he settled onto his lover when Heero reached over to rest a hand over his own and squeezed it.
"Duo," he urged gently, "that suggestion is something that I would not want to see carried through unless you are comfortable with it. You do not need to feel pressured into anything that you are not ready for." Both Wufei and Anna nodded their heads in reassurance.
Of course, there was the initial concern with Duo as to whether or not he would be able to live up to his potential in battle. However, there was also the understanding of what the knights were after. And truth be told, he wanted a chance to strike back at Dekim and his army every bit as badly as they did.
With a deep breath, the braided youth rolled his shoulders back and smirked, "I like the idea. We should go through with it. Even if I don't know how good I'll be out there, I'll do everything I can with my gift to help." The very few men gathered who seemed to have had their doubts to the plan regained their nerve at that.
Back in his seat, Alex faced his wife and her sister while he informed, "As representatives of our kind, we have also come to announce our pact to work with the Alliance and any human standing against Dekim Barton."
Looking back to the soldiers around, he made a dark, open-mouth grin as his teeth shifted into sharp fangs. "We all thirst for the blood of those monsters that have burned our forests and destroyed our lives. The call of a fight like this would be a great start to appeasing our appetites," he hissed. The end of their own sharp teeth poking back their curling lips, the girls giggled wickedly.
Duo's eyes widened and he swallowed roughly. Throughout the room, the display of the true ire of the threesome and their malicious makings had taken aback quite a few of the Commanders as well... even some as burly as Scott.
"Your aid is more than welcome and most appreciated," Heero smiled to their new comrades. Pleased with his sincere words, the pack met his grin and nodded firmly. Turning back to his men, the Commander declared, "A vote, then. All those in favor of a strike..."
There was not even a moment of hesitation amongst the group as every hand rose in the air. Blinking in surprise as he searched to find not one person against the motion, Yuy lowered his own hand and smirked, "Then we attack. And we begin by reclaiming Aries."
A loud roar of cheers from the soldiers filled the air along with their raised fists.
Once the noise died down, Wufei informed his long-time friend, "We can be mobile by sunrise. If we leave right away and take brief rests, it should only take us until the third morning to reach the kingdom..." He paused before mumbling, "or at least... whatever is left of it."
"We really should not just be sitting here if we want to have word spread quickly enough," Anna stated as she rose to her feet. "I will tell Trowa and his scouts to ride through the encampment to get the men ready on your word, Commander Yuy."
Heero nodded, "Let's not waste any time. Send them out." On that order, the archer hurried through the door and disappeared through it. Climbing to his own feet, the head of the Alliance told everyone around, "Do whatever it is you need to do to prepare your men. I want us to be on our way by first light."
Rousing applause rose up as the Commanders stood up and made long strides to step back outside. One of the last to linger, Mueller walked up to the braided prince and nudged him in the arm on his way past.
Peering back over his shoulder to the widened violet eyes, he smirked, "For all of our sakes, I certainly hope that you can stand up to the challenge ahead. We are going to need a miracle to win this, and sadly that role has fallen on your shoulders, may the Creator protect us all."
The corner of his mouth pulling back in a lop-sided grin, Duo snorted, "You just worry about your own damned self, Mueller. I'll be the one to worry about myself and what I have to do, thanks." Snickering in amusement, his challenger shook his head as he walked through the doorway.
However dysfunctional it was, the prince had to appreciate his friendship with Mueller. They certainly had come a long way in how to deal each other. That understanding was quite the large step from how they had started out.
Behind the prince, he could hear Gloria giggle, ""I like the smug one. I would have fun breaking a man like that to my will."
Nearly choking over the sentiment, Duo looked back to the werewolves. Indeed, the smallest of the pack who looked as though she was about to lick her chops in anticipation as she rubbed her hands together and stared hungrily after where the Virgonian Commander disappeared.
Adodera snickered, "Business before pleasure, sister. We have much that we need to do ourselves to prepare our kind for the move."
Huffing, the blonde placed her hands on her hips and sighed to her sibling, "You always manage to take the fun out of things for me."
Completely ignoring the girls' exchange, Alex approached Heero and Wufei. A warm smile on his face, he said, "We will be off now, but shall meet again soon, at the outskirts of Aries." Offering his hand, he commented, "Just remember that though you may not see us during your travel, we will always be close and watching as we gather up more of our own. Safe journey to you all."
Gratefully taking the offered hand into a firm shake, the Commander grinned, "Thank you, again, for your help. And a safe journey to all of you as well."
Looking onto the braided teenager, he bowed deeply at the waist and told him, "It was very refreshing to meet you, Prince Duo. Already, I can tell that mankind could use more leaders like you."
Truly taken aback by the compliment, Duo felt his cheeks redden once again. Adodera whispered to her sister, "And he is adorable when he blushes, too." Even Heero had to laugh at that as his lover's shade deepened even more. Having come to the same conclusion, himself, he could not fault the girls their observation.
His transparent blue eyes shining, the pack leader turned on his heels and led his team from the tent. Following after them, Heero, Wufei and Duo watched the threesome walk ahead of them through the wood.
Once they were cleared of the people milling about, the trio broke into a run, hunching forward deeply to sprint on all fours as their bodies shimmered. When the light faded to reveal their wolven states, they charged through the thickening darkness until not a hint of their existence remained.
Mesmerized by the sight, Duo breathed, "Wow." Pointing in the direction where their new friends vanished, he chuckled to the knights, "Okay, now that's way cooler than that stone stunt I pulled earlier.
* * * * * *
The following morning, just as the first rays of sunlight were about to peer over the horizon, the Alliance army was on the march for Aries. One-by-one, the forces of every land joined up to then moved out of the wood on foot and by air.
Raising his arm when it came time for the Pisces men to move in their formation, Mueller called to his charges, "Right! Forward march!" As he stepped back and watched the unit proudly walk on past him, the Commander gave an occasional nod to the men grinning widely to him.
"You know, I have to give that bastard credit," Anna remarked from her perch atop a tall mound with her friends. "He did a damned fine job with those soldiers. Many of them had never seen a day of action before the hit on their homeland. Now they look ready for anything."
Heero smirked, "Agreed." Focusing on his lover beside him, he asked, "Ready to go?"
Duo took a deep breath and nodded, "Ready as I'll ever be." On that note, the knights and their prince climbed into the saddles and took to the skies to lead the charge...
...right for the looming darkness that blanketed the north.
TBC...
Back to SkyLark's Fanfictions Page