By the Red Moon Part 70
"So the word going around is that Prince Duo just fell right into the master's clutches yesterday," one of three ogres stated, standing at a lookout post a day beyond Sanq's parameters deep within a rocky ravine. "A carrier pigeon came in with the word from one of the officers back in the city. Apparently, our Excellency is taking every measure to see that he does not escape."
The smallest of the three soldiers looked up from staring into their campfire with wide eyes. "He has been captured?" he questioned in disbelief. When his superior nodded his slimy head, he snorted, "I guess that he finally had some sense to surrender, then." His comrades laughed along with him, only to stop abruptly when they all caught a whiff of something foreign on the wind a little too late.
Just as their hands reached for their weapons, they watched in shock as three massive wolves leapt down from the tall boulders on the other side of the flames. Hunched down low and snarling, the beasts did not give the ogres long enough that even the color of their fur could be picked up before they sprang and pounced forward to tear out the ogres' thick necks.
Screaming in agony, the scouts were quickly silenced in near instant deaths as they were slashed to shreds from the top of their heads to their broad shoulders. Once their enemies' bodies collapsed in haphazard heaps, the werewolves shared glances before they transformed into their human forms.
Trent stretched his long neck from side-to-side and licked away a stray dribble of blood from the corner of his mouth. Facing Angela and Jacob, he nodded firmly, "We need to get back to the others to give them the news."
* * * * * *
It had taken them nearly a week through some of the worst traveling conditions that an army as large as the Alliance could manage... but they had finally reached the outer regions of Sanq. Less than a day out, they could make out the stretch of the kingdom from the start of the tall mountain ranges of the south.
Gathered atop one of the tallest peaks of those mountains, the knights-in-training that made up the now Elite Eight stood along with their steeds to stare out to their darkened homeland. At the front of their small band, Wufei and Anna stayed side-by-side as Peacemillion soared up into the scene with Alex and Adodera on her back whilst Sand Rock carried Gloria in his saddle.
While the young couple seemed to have faired the flight well, if their petite blonde sister were in her wolven form, her hair would have been standing on end.
Hastily unfastening her harness to lower herself onto shaking legs, Gloria shuddered and patted down her long hair in a frazzled gesture. "If we were meant to fly, the Creator would have given us wings," she muttered to her family as they approached the knights. Peering over her shoulder, she smiled sheepishly, "Not that you both are anything short of wonderful escorts, of course." Their tails wagging, the pair of dragons smirked in amusement.
"Come along," Adodera chuckled as she gently patted her sister's back to softly push her on so that they could approach their knight friends.
Reaching the Commander and his bride, Alex followed their gazes out to Sanq and smiled sadly, "I imagine that this is quite the emotional and bittersweet reunion of sorts, this being back to your home where it all began."
Wufei peered from his wife, who continued to look out to their city, and over to the tall blonde. "Very," he nodded firmly. Clearing his throat, he changed the topic to the reason for the werewolf's visit and asked, "Have you heard back from Trent and his team?"
"They returned moments ago," Gloria replied, her bearings solidified when she joined the group. "They took out a lookout squad a few miles ahead." Pausing, he informed, "And they overheard the ogres saying that Prince Duo managed to be taken by Dekim yesterday just as planned."
Her hand pausing where it ran over Ingier's muzzle, Anna's head shot over to her silver-clad friend. Biting her lip, she took a deep breath and whispered, "Let's just hope that the rest of our plan goes just as smoothly. If Duo has managed to survive in that castle this long, we have a chance of getting to him in time when we attack the city by tomorrow morning."
A sure grin tugged Adodera's lips as she stated, "I have all the faith in the world that he will be fine. That one is capable of amazing things, just as the prophecy foresaw."
"I completely agree with you that he is quite amazing, my love," Alex told her. Still looking out to the dark clouds circling Sanq, he frowned, "But he is going to need more than a prophecy to get out of this situation. Not only will he need to forge his own destiny, but we will have to be certain that we do not let him down with our end in this attack."
Nodding, Wufei declared, "Which is why we need to get moving again. We do not stop until we get as close to the city as we can before their soldiers know that we're near." Cheers from his fellow knights-in-training rose up as the emotions swirling in their eyes turned into determination and vengeance.
Quickly mounting their steeds, the elite soldiers took to the skies and descended down into the valley far below. "Oh, good!" Gloria cheered. "Solid ground again!" Hurrying back into Sand Rock's saddle, she harnessed herself in.
"Revenge is a wonderful thing, my friends. You helped us have the opportunity to get our own back for our killed brothers and sisters. And I know that I speak for all of our kind when I say that we are honored to be assisting you in this," Alex commented with a wink to the Commander and his First Captain. "Let us get your homeland back, as well as our world while sending Dekim and his minion back to the Keeper where they belong."
Adodera nodded, "The war began in Sanq. It will end in Sanq. Whatever the outcome, at least we can have the peace of mind in knowing that we will not go down quietly."
More than in complete agreement with that sentiment, the newlyweds smirked and nodded back while Nataku and Ingier let out low growls of anticipation. That said, the werewolves went back to Peacemillion's saddle to soar back down the mountainside.
Taking a private moment to squeeze his wife's hand, the swordsman said quietly, "We have been waiting for this opportunity for a long time."
With a hum, the archer nodded and turned back to their home and replied, "Let's be sure to make it count."
* * * * * *
She ran until her feet were on the verge of blistering.
Even though she was able to be around Dekim's men without their even knowing that she existed, Middi could not get far away enough from them quickly enough. It has taken her a whole day of traveling on foot, but she reached the southern mountain ranges at long last. Still overwhelmed at actually being free, she turned back to stare at the city that she had left behind.
Wrapping her arms around her too-thin waist, the queen shuddered as a warm breeze blew past her. The experiences of her captivity were still fresh in her mind... the sights, the smells, the sounds... all of it. And she was sure that it would all stay with her for a long time.
But she had her life. And soon, she would have her family back to help her heal from her ordeal.
Now well beyond the border of Sanq, Middi knew that the spell Duo had passed onto her had passed. Being aware of that, her guard was up and her nerves were on edge as she navigated herself through the mountain's rocky valleys as carefully as she could in the darkness.
The sounds of running water had her dry throat aching in her thirst. Letting her ears guide her, she hurried through the terrain until she found a rolling brook amidst the cliffs. Almost sobbing with relief, she rushed to kneel by the water to scoop it up in her hands several times for many hasty gulps.
Just as she finally came up for air when her need was satisfied, the queen looked up and froze with wide eyes at the sight of two massive shadows flying down right for her. Scurrying to her feet, she let out a sharp cry and stumbled backwards. As quickly as the strange shapes were approaching, she knew that she could not outrun them. Still, she tried.
Perhaps she would have had a chance if she moved a little quicker, but in the end, she was blocked in when one beast landed behind her and the other in front. Her heart hammering in her chest, the panting young woman stared up with wide eyes as a large white and one black scaly head craned down towards her.
Blinking in realization, Middi gasped once again and stayed herself. She swallowed roughly and whispered hopefully, "Y-you must be Wing and Scythe?" At the sound of their names, the dragons smiled brilliantly as their tails flapped. Laughing in relief, the queen was amazed when in the next moment she was actually patting a black dragon with one hand and a white one with the other. "Oh, thank the Creator," she breathed.
Once they'd had their fill of attention, Scythe lowered a stack of sticks that she had bundled in her tail and blew a stream of flames to make a campfire. Curving his long neck back to the pack strapped to his saddle, Wing removed a satchel that he gently lowered beside their new charge. Inside, Middi found a mix of dried meats, herb bread and filled canteens that had her mouth watering instantly.
Every social lesson that she had ever learned in how a queen needed to conduct herself when eating in the presence of others was completely lost to her in light of her starvation. Greedily eating at the foods and gulping the water from the canisters, she filled her aching stomach as the dragons lay themselves down to make a protective ring around her.
Filling herself, Middi wiped at her mouth and sighed deeply in the contentment of actually having her hunger subside. With that need taken care of, her greatest desire was the center of her attention as she looked up to her new scaly friends. "Will you be able to take me to the Alliance...?" she asked in a broken voice, "...to my family?"
Like any steed eager to please, the beasts smiled and rose back onto their clawed feet. Wing lowered his head to gently scoop the queen up and settle her into his saddle. From the experience of harnessing herself when riding Noventa, she secured herself and secured the satchel of food and water to be enjoyed when her hunger returned during her trip.
With one reluctant look back to Sanq, Scythe spread her wings and led the way up to the heavens. Gripping the handhold of Wing's saddle, Middi let out an excited cheer as the wind whipped past her in their ascent.
Racing through the skies, her head pounded for a whole new reason as she anticipated being reunited with her husband and their daughter.
At long, long last, she was going to be home again.
* * * * * *
After watching Dorothy continue in her work of preparing the bleeding room for a few hours, Dekim was anxious to see how his prized captive was faring. The sorceress would not be ready to carry out their task of draining the prince for some time yet and so it was time to move on and leave her alone to the readying task.
In addition, it was about time that his honored guest was able to see his lover again. Smirking as he looked back to the Commander following him down the stairs into the dungeon, Barton chuckled. No doubt Prince Duo was anxious to be reunited with Heero following what was surely an agonizingly long time apart from him.
When they reached the lowest level of the castle, the dark sorcerer nodded firmly to the armed ogres that flanked the corridor and bowed to him as he passed. And it was with a lightness in his step that he approached the closed cell of the braided prince. Quickly stepping up, the nearest guard removed the ring of keys from his belt and unlocked the door.
Pushing his way inside as he created a glowing sphere in his hand, Dekim grinned, "I do hope that you have enjoyed my hospitality, your-"
His words came to an abrupt halt, he froze with wide eyes that scanned the empty space. Disbelief was soon replaced with seething anger as he slowly turned himself to confirm that indeed there was no sign of his captive.
"Guards!" the old man bellowed, face reddening with rage and frustration. Charging into the room, three tall ogres made their way to their master, only to stop as instantly as he had when they gazed around with their wide, red eyes. "How in the name of the Keeper did your charge manage to escape?!" Barton demanded in a shriek.
If the sorcerer looked shocked to find the cell empty, the guards were absolutely dumbfounded... as well as terrified of what their master would do to them for somehow allowing the braided teenager to slip past them.
Growling deeply, Dekim pushed his way past the sputtering lot and stormed back into the hallway for Middi's holding room. Not bothering for a scrambling demon to assist him with the lock, he raised his hands and shot a bolt that knocked the barred door back. A thin smoke from the blast filled the room as he all but ran inside, lifting the glowing orb in his hand.
With a gasp, the old man's jaw fell when he found none other than Prince Duo sitting on the tiny bench with a smug grin on his face and hands folded on his lap. Pushing himself to stand up, the boy greeted, "Ah, my hospitable host. Hope you don't mind, but I thought that Middi could use some fresh air."
Barton began to pant through his boiling fury. How in the world had such a boy managed to not only leave his cell but free the queen without raising one alarm from a room filled with guards? His fists tightening at his sides, he thought that his face would melt from the heat that his raised blood pressure brought on.
Gifted with both sides of the gift or not, the prince still appeared nothing more than a child compared to the experienced and aged sorcerer. There was no reason that Duo should ever be able to catch him by such surprise... in his own castle no less.
Closing the distance between them, Dekim gritted through his clenched teeth, "Where is she?"
"Too far for any of your men to catch her now," Maxwell smiled. "By the time she can be seen or traced in any way, she will be too far for the soldiers to know where she even went." Gazing around the room, he shrugged, "This really didn't seem like a very fitting place for her."
A wave of power with that same heat that he had felt before he was rendered unconscious began to flood the prince. Only this time, both sides of his gift were more than ready and fended the attack off to launch it back at the sorcerer. With a cry, Dekim took a few paces back from the blow. Waving his arm to push the spell aside, he sneered, "So, you have been taught the ways of deflection from magic that you recognize."
Slowly, the redness of the old man's face cooled as he chuckled, "Very good. That will all come in use when I drain your gift to claim it as my own."
Tilting his head, Duo smirked, "I hope that you don't think that I'm going to make it easy on you to actually accomplish that." He raised an eyebrow as his grin tugged deeper. "I would really hate to see you disappointed," he commented softly.
"Oh, but I believe that it will be much easier than you have anticipated," Dekim smiled. Pacing around his captive, he folded his arms behind his back and stated, "Do not think for a moment that I have overlooked why you came here and why you have not unleashed an assault against me yet." When he was face-to-face with the prince again, he grinned darkly, "We both know that you wish to see your lover. So, I best not keep you waiting any longer."
Maxwell stiffened, his violet eyes widening with shock at the words.
Why his enemy would willingly allow him to be near Heero was the furthest thing from his mind when his heart was pounding in his chest at the thought of laying eyes on his partner for the first time in many worried weeks without him. A lump forming in his throat that he had to swallow away, he watched as the old man turned towards the door and called, "Enter."
And suddenly, there he was.
Dressed in his staple blue tunic, brown pants and boots, the Commander appeared in the doorway and entered to reveal his white, glowing eyes. His jaw falling slack with a sharp gasp, Duo breathed, "H-Heero." Neither the sight of him nor the sound of his voice brought forth even a hint of recognition from the knight as he stepped beside his master.
Quickly pulling himself together, the prince's eyes narrowed with a driven focus as he sent his gift into his lover, searching and feeling every inch of the spell that had taken him. Unlike anything that he had ever felt before, the mere act of sorting out the magic was a strenuous one. There were layers on top of other layers that needed to be peeled away in a tangled web of one complicated cast of magic.
What should have only taken seconds was going far longer than anticipated and was taking a toll on Duo as he worked to unravel each level as quickly he could. Every turn he made only led to another dead end that he would have to pull away from and start down another path.
By the time he was finished, the braided teenager's face was drenched with sweat and he was gulping air into his lungs. Legs shaking and nearly falling forward, he reached nearly collapsed into the wall that he pressed a hand against to keep himself upright. A whimper breaking through his throat, he looked up at Heero with shimmering eyes. "It can't be," he breathed.
Laughing, Dekim rested a hand on the Commander's shoulder and replied, "Oh, but it is. My dear Dorothy has concocted the absolutely perfect spell for Yuy. As I am certain that you have already discovered, there are prices to be paid if you should try to free him in any way."
He raised a finger of his free hand and smirked, "Yes, you may manage to break his tie to serving me; however his memories and who he was would forever be lost. And any attempt to save who he is would kill him instantly. Either way, the young man that you had fallen in love with is forever lost to you... dead, however you look at it."
The tears continued to pour down Duo's face as he shuddered, looking away from the old man and his partner. Dekim was correct in his sentiments. Dorothy had created the perfect combination of spells to be linked together that would make it impossible for even his two sides of the gift to undo the damage done.
No doubt the piece of work had taking the sorceress a long time to create it. And it had paid off to their advantage. It was a stroke of genius. Heero would never be who he had once been.
Rendered helpless by the loss, Maxwell sank to his knees and his head fell forward as his hands rose to cover his face. What was he supposed to do now? He was not about to risk killing his lover by attempting to spare his memories and individual thoughts. But how could he willingly destroy what made the knight who he was?
"I shall leave you to those pleasant thoughts," Dekim smiled as he turned on his heels. "But know that any attempt on my life, or Dorothy's from you will also assure Heero will die as well. I have little doubt that you missed the spell that connects us as well."
His stomach wrenching at that thought, another muffled sob broke from Duo. Wrapping his arms tightly around his abdomen, he slowly rocked himself as the tears only flowed all the more. There was nothing more that he could do for the Commander now.
All that was left for him was sparing as much time for the Alliance that he could whilst finding the most pleasant way of ending Heero's torment either by killing him or by making him a blank slate.
If the sorcerer had anything more to say, it was lost to the prince by the loud sounds of the rush of blood and the ringing in his ears. What he had come to know and love in this world was being destroyed without a way that he could save it.
Life as Duo knew it had lost its own personal meaning knowing that it would be without Heero.
TBC...
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