By the Red Moon Part 63
Seated at a table in one of the few buildings in Cygnus that remained unscathed, the Commanders and Captains of the Alliance sat together along with Duo and Queen Sylvia to examine the map of their land and plot their next move. On the morning following their successful capture of the city, there was no time to waste while the men had a day to rest in real beds and were anxious to press deeper into the north.
Attending without her dress and crown, the young royal wore a deep blue tunic and tan trousers borrowed from Anna that needed to be tied against her smaller frame with a rope belt. The attire helped not only Sylvia feel more like a part of the group, but it also put the men at more ease over being in her presence. Instead of seeing her as a queen, she was more the little sister to them all and was already being treated as such.
Chewing on the inside of her cheek, the girl stared at the map and shook her head of blonde hair. "I know that I had advised everyone against going for the obvious and closest target back in Aries, but we really do not have much of a choice in this case," she began.
The tip of her finger pointing to the image of the nearest city in the northeast surrounded by hand-drawn rocks, she explained, "As close as we are, if we move quickly, there would be no time for Dekim to change the direction of his reinforcements to Taurus before we reached it."
His human ears twitching from across the table, Alex informed, "We have heard from our scouts in that area this morning. And you are correct, whatever soldiers they have in the city now are all that we will have to deal with since we were not expected to come out this way."
"Our biggest challenge is that the terrain is not the most favorable, since we have the Fang Ravine to cross," Wufei stated as he ran his own finger along the connecting image of a jagged stretch of rocks that fell at either side to take on the image of a massive fang.
It was the only land approach that they could take with two great lakes surrounding the 'bridge.' "But if we have to find a way around the water, we would lose days to traveling as well as our edge of surprise."
Sitting back in her chair at the Commander's right, Anna frowned, "And if we sit here too long, we run the risk of them charging us before we advance anywhere further. If we want to be able to move around the rest of the north, their army in Taurus has to be taken care of first. Otherwise, they will be chasing out heels and our own numbers will be cut down."
Duo chuckled, "Gives a whole new meaning of being caught between a rock and a hard place."
Never one to like feeling as though their back was against the wall, Wufei had to resign himself to the fact that there really was only one option for them to take. With a firm nod, he announced, "Have our army ready to move by this afternoon. If we get going quickly enough, we will reach the Fang Ravine by tomorrow morning and will storm into Taurus. We cannot spare any more time than what we already have." Around the table, heads nodded in agreement and the soldiers rose to their feet to quickly leave the room.
Several of the officers, including Scott Lewis took the time to smile on their 'little sister' and pat her on the head for her good work. Giggling, Sylvia shook her head in amusement and winked to the officers in appreciation for their acceptance.
When only a small handful of the soldiers were still filtering out, Sally Po managed to sneak into the meeting hall. Her eyes filled with anxiety, she moved for the braided prince seated along alongside Wufei and Anna.
At the sight of the healer, the First Captain of the Leo army straightened himself and pulled back his shoulders as he watched her move past him. Her hands folded together, the young woman asked her friend, "I just... need to know where we will be heading next and could not wait another moment to find out."
His violet eyes warming, Duo smiled and stood as he replied, "Taurus... your homeland."
Sally's brilliant eyes filled with tears as she choked a sob back. Unable to trust her voice, she wrapped her arms around the braided prince in a fierce hug. Chuckling, Maxwell returned the gesture. Of course the healer knew the decision was made as a tactical one, but that did not change her relief at having the place where she spent nearly the whole of her life freed of the Keeper's hold.
For Duo, there was a sentimental value behind Taurus as well. That was where he had first met the braided woman when he was a sick baby being carried to the portal. Heero had told him of how he had paced anxiously in the waiting room of the infirmary with Wing staying as close as he possibly could. Had the city and Sally not been close, there was a chance that as a baby he would have been beyond help.
And it was that visit that had made Po aware that the prophecy around the arrival of Dekim and his dark army was coming to light. She had left Taurus along with her fellow gifted to find the beginnings of the Alliance and offer their services. And so for all of those involved that fateful evening, life was never the same.
Pulling back, the healer wiped at her cheeks and smiled sadly, "I know that I will not like whatever it is we have to find that remains, but I still cannot help but want to see it again."
"I can completely understand that," Duo grinned as he rubbed her arm. "And if there are any clues that you could give me to what sort of spells I might be able to use that would be the most effective, that would always be a help. Looking at the map, it doesn't look like we'll be able to sit back when we reach Taurus so that I can plan my end of the fight."
More than pleased by the request, the healer nodded, "I will share everything that I know as we travel along. I can still see the city as I remembered it before I left. Not a day has gone by since I left when I have not dreamt of it."
At that, Wufei suggested, "I am sure that Wing would be happy to have another rider for the trip. You both would be able to converse while in flight."
Blinking in surprise, Sally laughed, "That would be wonderful. I have always wondered what it would be like to ride atop a dragon." Duo grumbled in frustration to himself over how fearless even the healer seemed over the thought of flying a 'giant lizard.' Yet again, he remembered his days of screaming at the top of his lungs during his first... few dozen takeoffs.
Zechs read his nephew's mind and lightly nudged him in reassurance. Meeting the king's eyes, Maxwell flashed him an appreciative smile.
"There is much that I need to oversee to make my team ready for the move," the healer announced. Bowing at the waist to her friends, she whispered, "Thank you."
On her way for the door, Sally froze before Scott and smirked, "Hopefully I will not have to make good on my promise should you ever be in my care after this next attack, Captain Lewis. Should that happen, I will make good on my promise to bind you down if you give me as much grief as you did when I needed to look after your shoulder gash not long ago."
Beaming, the tall man's green eyes sparked with mischief. With a wink, Po lifted the hem of her light green skirt and stepped out of the room.
A shudder running through him, Lewis snickered once she left, "Oh, I do like a lass with spunk." Catching the silence around him, his eyes widened as he looked back to the amused group watching him.
"Right, um," he sputtered, clearing his throat. "I, uh better get to my men and see that they're ready to move."
As if he were being chased by a wild animal, he all but ran from the meeting hall to the chorus of laughter that followed after him.
* * * * * *
Late that same evening, Treize peered down from his saddle to find the glowing fires and lights within the city surrounded by massive cliffs. Noventa had made better timing in reaching Taurus than he had imagined. Chuckling, he reached down to run his hand over the smooth, purple scales and smiled, "Excellent work making up ground, friend. Take us down."
His webbed wings tilting, the dragon brought them into a steady and wide spiral towards the ground. Within minutes, Noventa's giant claws touched the cooled ground within the center of the encampment.
And it did not take long for shouts to fill the air as armed soldiers ran for their unexpected visitors. Unlatching his harness, the knight jumped to the ground to stand tall and unmoving. Eyes narrowed, the rest of his face remained expressionless in spite of being charged.
The moment those troops got a good look at the rider in the glow of the nearby fires when they neared, their red eyes widened and jaws fell while their raised arms lowered.
One of the more gruesome of the ogres stepped forward and placed his fist against his armored chest. "Commander Khushrenada," he greeted in a gurgling voice through his holed throat. "This is certainly a surprise. We did not know to expect you."
Smirking, Treize nodded firmly, "Just making sure that all is running smoothly, soldier."
In the very far reaching of his mind he could feel Dorothy snort through the spell that she had placed on him. Just another... friendly reminder that she was always with him before he left the castle. Swallowing roughly, he felt a chill run up his spine at the thought of having her grasp around him.
"Well, it is very good to see you, sir," the soldier smiled, breaking Treize from his thoughts. "After everything that has happened these last few days, it is certainly is reassuring to have you here for guidance."
Quick to collect himself, the Commander replied, "Yes, well first things first. I want to know everything that your scouts have reported back to you regarding the Alliance. With their proximity to Cygnus, they should have gotten some word back to you by now as to whether or not they are on the move again."
Grunting, the ogre informed, "Our scouts had been compromised, sir." The corner of his mouth curled up as he added, "However, I believe that we have something that will be of even greater value to us."
Intrigued, Treize tilted his head and asked, "Really? Show me." When the soldier turned, he follow the troops deeper into the encampment spread throughout the nearly demolished city.
As they moved past the hoard of demons, heads lowered and fists raised to chests for the Commander. Nodding in acknowledgement, Khushrenada returned his focus to his guide. Finally, when they reached the grayed castle that had literally been split with only half of it still standing, the ogre chuckled darkly back to his superior officer, "We thought this was the most fitting place to house our most honored guests."
Frowning at what that could mean, Treize remained silent while he climbed the stairs to the palace. When he stepped through the gaping hole that replaced a once grand entrance, he was taken into what would have been the throne room. The tattered flags hanging about the tall ceiling were the giveaway to what the only fully intact space had been.
And in the light of the glowing candelabras hanging about, the knight saw the two crude cages made of bent metal bars and low tops of stone. In each of those cages sat a prisoner, one man and one woman, with their heads down low and hands folded in their laps. It only took one glance at the leather-like clothes that fit them like a second skin to make it known what made these 'guests' so special.
"Werewolves," Treize breathed. "The Alliance has werewolves working along with them." Suddenly, it made perfect sense to how the army watching Cygnus was not warned by the lookouts of the attack to come. The addition of these normally secluded creatures only made Prince Duo's army that much more formidable.
The ogre gestured to the wall to display the bloodied, brown fur than hung for display as he explained, "We came upon them as they were eating the carcass of one of our men. And so, we returned the favor."
Within her cage, the dark-skinned girl dressed in midnight blue attire had a large tear rolling down her heart-shaped face. Meanwhile, the fists of the red-headed man clenched, his long nails scratching along the gray leather covering his legs as he continued to glare at the floor.
Treize watched their reactions closely. One of the few things that was known of werewolves was their devout loyalty to each other. What they shared as far as community and family far surpassed what any humans ever held for each other. There was a profound sense of togetherness and sincere caring amongst the packs. For wild creatures, they were far more civilized than any other class for that.
It was quite moving. As well as a wonderful tool that could be used against them.
"Well, it is good to see that there is at least one army that has done something right," the Commander praised as he looked back up to the ogre. Motioning to the prisoners, he smirked, "They will be the ones to bring the Alliance right to us."
At hearing that, the pair shifted into their wolf forms to snarl and snap at them within their prisons in a challenge. Turning his back to them, Treize ordered his soldier, "I do not want to be here to see whatever you use to... convince them to work with us, but see that it is done. It will only take one of them to break and do what we tell them." Strangely enough, his stomach churned at the thought of what the monsters around him would do, but he needed to pass on the command with Dorothy watching and listening.
The ogre's mouth curled up in a vicious smile and he nodded, "Very well, sir. We will have one of them begging to do as we wish." Those soldiers standing around snickered and nudged each other with an anxious look in their red eyes to get to the task. Still, the wolves continued to bark and growl at their captors without pause.
Keeping his back to them, the Commander nodded to his men and headed from the room alone. His pace picked up when he stepped out of the room and the round of two metal doors swinging open reached his ears. At the next sound of the snarls being cut off by two pained, high-pitched yelps quickly followed by a screaming silence, he froze with wide eyes.
In all of the time that he had worked with Dekim as the Keeper's follower, Treize had never been present to actually witness what his demons were capable of. And he was not about to stay around at that moment to bear witness. Before the wolves' cries and howls could sound, he all but ran from the damaged castle.
* * * * * *
The sun rose unseen the following morning just as the Fang Ravine came into sight for the Alliance. Looming in the distance across the wide field where they gathered, the yellow colored boulders rose up to thousands of feet high in a treacherous arch upward to the skies. Creating two walls with a great lake at either of their backs, the narrow opening between the stone barriers opened wider as the stretch continued on.
What once had been a serene sight of protection for the city beyond was now an ominous beacon in the distance for the soldiers looking on it. If they wanted to turn back and try another route, there was not going to be enough time if they proceeded. And so, they sat and waited for the word from their friends that had been looking out ahead of them.
Trent was not happy.
It had been a whole day since his pack had reported back to him during the course of the Alliance's journey to the ravine. That was far too long for his liking. And his tension was quickly picked up on by his friends. Picking up on Alex's scent before the silver werewolf could reach his side, the tall scout continued to stare at the entrance of the ravine and frowned, "I do not like this. Jacob, Angela and Phox should have reached us by now with an update."
"I would make one more attempt to call them before we determine that something is wrong," the blonde young man beside him replied. "We really have no idea how busy they have been taking care of the lookouts, or how far from their way they had to go to catch them. Just be sure to not take too long. We cannot afford to have the army out here in the open any more than we need to."
With a grunt, Trent nodded, "Alright." Smirking to his friend, he said, "I will be back before you even know I am away." Melting down into his red-brown wolf state, he ran through the fields of tall grass to quickly disappear along the short hills.
Looking back to Duo, Wufei and Anna as they approached, Alex informed, "We will know shortly whether or not to proceed. Trent always was one who liked to act on the side of extra caution."
The swordsman snorted, "I am not about to complain about that." Looking out to the ravine that loomed ahead of them, he shook his head, "We cannot afford to be careless here. That is a long walk with little to no room to go between those walls before we reach our target."
Grinning, the archer asked her braided friend, "Was Sally able to give you enough on the city to help your gifts be the most effective in there?"
Duo cracked his knuckles and smirked, "Yep. I'm ready to go at any time now." All that they could do now was hear the official word to move.
* * * * * *
A bright howl filled the air as Angela was half-dragged out of the castle. Her bruised and bloodied head of short, dark hair drooped forward, she whimpered when she recognized Trent's voice echoing through the ravine and into Taurus. A crusted finger lifted her head from beneath her chin none too kindly as her carrier hissed, "Answer them. And remember that your partner's life depends on it."
Her transparent, brown eyes widening, the werewolf swallowed roughly. The image of Jacob left behind crushed and dying on the floor of the throne room gave her all of the motivation that she needed. Tears rolling down her face as she closed her eyes, she stretched her head back and let out a series of howls to communicate back to her pack leader.
At the end of her call, Angela lowered her head again as her body shook with sobs. "It is finished," she managed between her gulps of air.
The ogre standing over her snickered, "And so are you." With a gasp, the girl's eyes bulged as she looked up to the raised axe over her captor's head. Ducking down as far as she could while bound by a soldier on either arm, she let out a horrified cry in anticipation of the downward blow.
Just as the axe was beginning to lower, Treize hurried up the stairs as he shouted, "Stop!" Stunned, the guard looked back at him in disbelief. Glaring at the red eyes on him, the Commander growled deeply, "You fool! We need to know for certain that she did not send the wrong message!"
Dumbfounded, the ogre blinked and brought his weapon to fall against his side. Waving to the soldiers holding the surprised prisoner, the knight bellowed, "Release her and get to your positions along the ravine while there is still time." Not about to question their superior, the demons all but dropped the girl to have the Commander catch her.
Sighing deeply, Treize draped a cut arm over his shoulders and took the prisoner back within the castle. In a heavy lean against him as she stumbled in a walk, Angela peered up to her rescuer in awe.
"T-thank you," she stammered, completely taken aback that she would actually feel gratitude towards the man. Even if his reasons were to be certain she had kept her end of the bargain, there was something in his eyes... in the air that she picked up from him that there was more to it than that.
Khushrenada did not answer with his words. However, his eyes filled with a hint of concern were all of the confirmation that the werewolf needed in her theory.
Freeing himself of her arm when they returned to the throne room, the Commander watched as the young woman hurried to her lover's side as he remained sprawled out on the floor. Gently lifting the upper torso of Jacob's unconscious and bleeding body, Angela gently brushed back the short, dark bangs from his closed eyes.
"Be sure to not take this time for granted," Treize suggested. Resting his hand on the door, he warned, "You very likely do not have much longer to live."
Keeping her partner close against her, Angela watched as the knight pulled the door closed behind him. Again, there was something very... off with him. But whatever it was, she was grateful to have her life. Even if it truly was for only a brief moment more.
* * * * * *
"All clear!" Trent called with a brilliant smile filled with relief as he ran back to the encampment. The wind had picked up a bit to make the tall grass stalks around sway back and forth around them.
Panting when he reached Wufei, the werewolf said, "Angela just got back to me that Jacob and Phox are keeping an eye on the back half of Taurus and there is not a soldier to be found. If we are going to move, it will have to be soon." That relief spread through the group and reflected the most on the faces of Alex, Adodera and Gloria.
With a firm nod, Chang replied, "Then let's not waste the chance." Looking back to the soldiers standing in wait behind him, he shouted, "Forward march, men!"
TBC...
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