Gundam Fantasy Chapter Eleven

Gundam Fantasy

Chapter Eleven


“So Empress, why do you have to go all the way to the Spire again with us?”  Duo asked in his usual bored manner while they rode on.

“Duo, I told you already. Lady Une said that we have to go there to find Heero’s God Protector…”  Relena said wearily, as patient as she was even she was growing tired of all of Duo’s unnecessary questions.

“Yeah, I got that… So why are you going with us?  I mean, wouldn’t it be better if you waited for us to return?”  The querulous Mage asked trying to pry into the real reason she was so insistent upon going with them.

If there was a point and time that the Empress was reaching her last nerve, it would have been at this moment. Turning her calm gaze upon the Fire Mage she tried to bite back the bitterness in her own voice as she replied, “… I am going with you because this is an important moment in history that I cannot just simply sit back and await for your return.  I want to… no I need to see this happen for myself!” Relena spoke her words in determination as she continued to look ahead. The Mages around her knew that she spoke honestly from her heart, though she kept her real reasons to herself for going.

“Empress Relena, this mission could prove to be very dangerous.  There has already been one assassination attempt on your life.  This is why your leaving with us was not a wise choice.”  Heero stated matter-of-factly, reining in his horse close to hers. Inwardly he hoped he could convince the young woman to turn back before anything went wrong.

“Did you say the same thing to Great Grandmama Relena when she went with you to the ancient Spire to fight off the Demon Dolls?”  Relena snapped back simply wishing they would all stop trying to force her to change her mind.  Realizing what she had said the young woman quickly covered her mouth with her hand.  “Oh, I’m sorry Heero.  I didn’t mean to bring up that subject.”

“That was… another time,” Heero said solemnly, looking straight ahead.  “Anyway, I took her there in order to protect her.  I was never away from her for more than a few seconds.  I can’t guarantee that for you right now.”  His tone of voice told her that he wished to drop the subject. The Empress simply looked away from him knowing that deep down her words had brought him a worse pain than any sword wound.

* * *

The battle had been as long as it was fierce.  In the end, Heero had trapped the demon, Treize, deep within the rocky earth. The spell could only bind him there beneath the cold ground for all eternity. But such a spell came at a high price.  The Mage who had to cast it had used the last of his strength and Magic to bind the demon leaving him with nothing left to heal himself.  With the battle over and the Demon Dolls destroyed, the Five Kingdoms were safe once again.  That only mattered a small fraction to him, for what was more important in his eyes, was the safety of his Princess.

Princess Relena broke free from her Royal Guards and ran out to where Heero lay alone.  His God Protector, Wing Gundam, had long since vanished soon after the battle ended.  

Gently she gathered Heero into her loving arms and called to her champion, “Heero…”

“My Princess…” he said weakly looking upon her face, his eyes barely able to focus upon her, “You’re safe.”

“Thanks to you,” she smiled bravely, fighting back the tears that threatened to fall.  Relena brushed the hair from Heero’s face trying to be brave for him.  

But they both knew the awful truth, the Earth Mage, Heero Yuy was dying.  The battle with Treize had taken its toll on the young man.  Tearing a sleeve from her dress, Relena wiped away the sweat and blood from Heero’s face if only to bring him comfort in his final hour.  In return he reached up with a shaky hand and gently cupped her face.  She closed her eyes and leaned her cheek into his hand.  The tears she fought so hard to hide streamed down her face.

“Don’t cry Princess…” Heero whispered to her trying to stop the flow of tears.  “Everything will be fine…” He closed his eyes and grimaced as his body was wracked in pain.  Relena nodded her head in agreement and yet continued to cry.  “I’m so tired...” he finally murmured.

She held him tight, resting his head against her bosom, his wings draping forward and around the pair. “Rest then… my love, rest and when you wake...” Relena couldn’t bring herself to say the words but she knew she had too, “…things will look brighter.”  

Heero raised his head and brought his lips to Relena’s.  The two shared a kiss, knowing it would be their last.  After a minute, Relena pulled her lips from his and quietly whispered.   

“I love you Heero.”

“…Relena...”

She felt his body go limp against hers and the Princess knew he was gone.  Heero’s white wings slowly began to dematerialize around her. A breeze blew in from the North catching the feathers in its currents, scattering them far on the horizon. It was if the very World itself was mourning the loss of its Protector.

* * *

Relena said nothing and watched the Mages quietly as they rode. She knew inwardly they all wanted her back home for her safety. She felt happy at their genuine concern but also annoyance. This was something she needed to see and no words could detour her from doing this. Giving more effort to push them forward she spurred her horse on ahead into a light canter to put a small distance between her and the Mages.

“Ahhh… Relena wait!”  Quatre started to say with an exasperated sigh watching her ride ahead.

The five Mages passed quick looks at each other and just shook their heads. They knew it wasn’t going to be easy to change her mind on the subject. Each one of them admired her determination to travel with them without her Royal Guard, even if it was not of wise council to do so. Even the Goddess Lady Une had tried to sway the young monarch from traveling because of so many uncertainties that lay between Sanq and the location of the God Protector, the risk was far too great.

“It was unwise to allow her to talk her way into joining us on this journey,” Wufei spoke up saying what was on all their minds.  Heero was about to agree with the statement when they heard Relena scream a short distance ahead.

“KYA!!”  The young men kicked their heels into the sides of their mounts, as Relena’s shriek continued to sound through a copse of trees.

“Relena!  Empress!  What happened?  Where are you?!”  Quatre and Duo called out. Behind them anger raged within Heero and Wufei from their concern for the leader of Sanq’s safety. Trowa kept calm and scanned around the area for possible attackers and the location of their missing charge.

“How could I have been so foolish?”  Relena cried out in frustration. Her annoyance at what happened had been the final straw. She knew now that she could not continue onward without becoming a greater burden to them.  Carefully she held onto her left ankle, which had been painfully twisted under her. Tears lightly rolled down her cheeks as she winced in pain. It wasn’t very dignified or proper as they were use to gazing upon her but they were equally relieved that she wasn’t in any greater danger. Trowa took it upon himself to ride on ahead to catch her horse, which was further off in the woods.

Duo tried very hard not to laugh at the tearful Empress finding it amusing that somehow the dignified woman had fallen from her horse. Wufei frowned at Duo for his lack of respect to Relena.  While Heero and Quatre climbed off their horses to help her up and take care of her injuries.  

“Empress this just proves my point,” Heero started to say gently, as he handed she a handkerchief.  “You’re just slowing us down and if a dangerous situation should arise, you would surely be one of the first targets.”

“There is no need to be mean, Heero!”  Quatre responded trying not to make the Empress feel any worse about her situation. Looking up from examining the swollen ankle, the blond Wind Mage frowned a bit at the Blood Mage beside him.

“It may be, but it’s the truth.”  Heero stated, inwardly he hated to say such words to her but if it meant that she would agree to go back to the Sanq Kingdom then it was for the best.

Relena looked at him with tearful eyes then looked away realizing that her fears became true.  “I’m sorry, Heero.  I didn’t realize I would cause this much trouble.”  

“It’s all right Empress… I understand why you wanted to come with us,” he pointed out, making sure that she knew he understood her feelings on the matter.  “However, you can’t continue on with us.”

Quatre inwardly smiled seeing what Heero was trying to do before allowing his voice to chime in.  “I agree with Heero.  Your injury is beyond my capabilities.  The best I can offer you is to remove some of the pain.”  In truth, the Wind Mage had already started healing the injured ankle, but having the Empress continue on with them to the Spire was unwise. He hoped she would forgive his small white lie, once she learned the truth.  

“I see,” she said, looking down at her ankle and frowned softly at the one thing that kept her from her goal.

* * *

“You lied to her about her ankle, didn’t you?”  Wufei questioned Quatre with a slight raise of his eyebrow. He was surprised that the ever honest young man would do such a thing.

Quatre turned a lighter shade of red having been caught in his little lie so soon.  “Yes.  It wasn’t as serious as it appeared to be.”  The blond Mage admitted after a brief moment of silence, “But to have her continue with us would not have been wise.”

Trowa returned with Relena’s horse as Heero took flight with the Empress in his arms.  “What’s going on?”  The slender Mage asked of the other three.

Wufei waited then finally spoke, “He took Empress Relena back to the Palace the fastest way possible.  Considering her laughter with all the dips and wheels Heero was taking, I think it makes up for her missing an adventure.”  Pulling the supply packs off his horse’s back, he continued speaking.  “You should probably tell the horses to go home.  We have no use for them now.”

“Then what are we to do?”  Trowa asked while he started to unhook the first pack from Heero’s horse, “We’ll just be wasting time if we stay here.”

“Heero said we should go on ahead and he would meet us at the Spire in a few hours.”

Pulling the last of their gear from their horses’ backs, Trowa talked to the horses in quiet tones when he was finished the animals took off running back toward the Sanq Kingdom.  With no horses at their sides, the young men agreed that it was easier to reach the Spire by flight.  Calling forth their wings, the four remaining Mages took to the air. After what felt like an hour of flight, they arrived at the Spire where Heero’s former partner currently rested.

“So now what?  Shall we break out the rations?  I’m hungry!”  The black winged Mage piped out in rapid succession. As the moment passed from one question he was already onto the next question, asking the same thing.

“Is there any time when you aren’t hungry… or lusting after women, Duo?”  Wufei crabbed, as he became increasingly annoyed by Duo’s endless talk.

“Hey hey, I’m a normal healthy guy,” Duo snapped in defense.  “At least I’m not dating an imaginary girlfriend.”  Duo brought both of his hands to his cheek and tilting his head to one side, speaking in a higher, feminine sounding voice, “Oh, Wu Wu-Chan!  How do I love thee?”  Before Wufei could stop him, Duo quickly stepped to one side and took a mocking stance of Wufei himself.  “I know.  I love me too.  That’s some imagination you’ve got there, man!”  Duo said as he burst out laughing.

Wufei was dumbfounded by Duo’s verbal assault.  But Duo didn’t stop there as he turned his attention toward Quatre and Trowa.

“And of course, there’s dating another guy like some people I know!”  Quatre turned red as Trowa brought his hand to his mouth to suppress a cough.  There was no true to the fact that the two men were more than just friends.  Duo replied, than realized what he had said.  “Wow Madame Melysia was right.  Most Mages really don’t get along well with normal girls.”  Duo snickered and pointedly stared at Wufei, who had turned a darker shade of red as his temper began to boil over and then at Quatre and Trowa.  The wooden cooking spoon that Wufei held in his hands snapped in two as he tightened his grip on the defenseless utensil, as he scowled at Duo.

“Such insolence!” Wufei shouted with a growl in his voice, as he glared at the braided hair Mage before him, “This will not go unpunished!”

“Duo, I thought you were a friend! How could you say things like that?” Quatre shouted, feeling hurt that the other man would take his feelings for Trowa and mock them as he did.

Duo took off into the air at top speeds dodging a cast iron frying skillet and a several large hailstones aimed at his head.  Laughing he yelled back at the three pissed off Mages that he would find his own dinner.

* * *

“Zechs, you go after the Fire Mage and deal with him.  I’ll take care of these three boys.”  Treize calmly told the masked man beside him.  “The trap is set for Heero, when you call upon your God Protector, he will know.”

Zechs touched the snow-white stone in the center of the circlet he wore, “I’ll take care of the Fire Mage without fail.”

The demon watched as Zechs left his side in order to dispatch the Fire Mage. Slowly Treize moved around the edge of the campsite where the young men were resting, touching various and specific places and objects around them.  When he was finished, a glowing pentagram 1000 feet across surrounded the oblivious Mages.

* * *

“Fire Mage!  Why don’t you come down and play with me!”  Called the ivory haired masked man from below the cliff where Duo had made his own personal camp.

Duo looked up from the fish he was cooking and looked around, “Eh?  Someone… calling me?”

“Down here little wizard,” the voice laughed coldly as his stance mocked the very Mage he challenged, “Come and play if you dare!”

Duo hastily stuffed the fish into his mouth, miffed that someone would interrupt his meal and ran to the cliff edge he was sitting on.  Far below at its base, stood a tall gentleman in dark pants and a red tunic, his hair was long and almost white in color, and lastly most of his face was hidden by the white mask he wore.

“Who the Hell are you supposed to be?”  Duo yelled, the fish tail waving crazily out of the corner of his mouth.

“The one who has been sent here to destroy you,” he casually replied.

Duo cocked his head to the side and raised one eyebrow. He swallowed the rest of his meal in one gulp and shouted back down, “Are you nuts?  Do you know who I am?”

“You’re the black winged Fire Mage, one of the false Protectors of the Five Kingdoms.”  Zechs made it sound like it was a bad thing.  “I am Zechs Marquise.”  His hand went up to his forehead and brushed at the glowing white stone set in a circlet resting above his mask.  Duo noticed the strange stone that Zechs wore and recognized its significance.

This is the guy who’s been attacking the Kingdoms, Duo thought.  “Zechs, huh?  HEY!!!  Wait a minute!  What do you mean false!?  There’s nothin’ but the real deal here.”  Duo scoffed, jabbing his thumb into his bare chest, “Well Zechs… I won’t be that easy to take down.”

“I’m hoping you’ll put up a good fight,” Zechs smiled coldly as he watched the boastful Mage above him.

“I’ll try not to disappoint you!”  Duo shouted as he took to the air, spreading his wings wide.  He launched a series of fireballs at his opponent using the attack as a diversion so he could call forth his God Protector.  As the fireballs were released, Duo touched the cross at his crest.  There was a brief flash of light as the God Protector Deathscythe materialized itself.  Doing a somersault in the air, Duo tumbled into the waiting cockpit of his Gundam.

Quatre gasped suddenly no longer able to feel the emotional connection to Duo.  He looked around the area to see if he could spy anything.  He did not wish to alarm the others.

“Wing come forth and protect this land!”  Zechs cried out.  The gem on his forehead glowed brilliantly and all around the two Mages the earth rumbled and shook.

Trowa and Wufei jumped up as the Earth trembled with Wing’s long awaited wakening.  Quatre looked up worriedly by this sudden shift in the atmosphere and wonderful if Duo had something to do with this,  “Is it an earthquake?”

“No! This is something different.  The currents from this incident don’t follow the spirits of the Earth.  They are of a Magical nature,” said Wufei as his dark eyes narrowed by the ill feeling at the pit of his stomach.

“The animals are upset.  Look at the birds!”  Trowa called back to his companions as he stared at a flock of birds that were startled and took flight.  They flew into the air.  Less than ten yards out, they suddenly smacked into something invisible and fell to the ground, “There’s a barrier up around us!”

“We’re trapped?”  Quatre asked horrified that they hadn’t noticed such a thing being erected around them.

“If you look closely you can see it, but why?”

“It’s Deathscythe…” Wufei whispered, the word escaping from his lips.  “Duo has called upon Deathscythe!”  He said again now knowing what he saw was no illusion. “See!”  Moving closer the three Mages watched as Deathscythe stood its ground before another Protector.

Agreeing that they should go and assist their fellow Mage, despite how reckless he was the trio ran toward the cliff so they could summon their God Protectors. Eventually the three Mages found themselves in the location where Duo had been cooking based on the crude campsite. As they continued forward, they soon realize it was pointless trying to go any further.  There was another part of the invisible barrier that trapped them from behind cutting them off from retreating.  Surrounded the other Mages where now helpless and could only watch as their friend was now locked into combat with another.

* * *

“It... can't be!”  Duo gasped out in shock, as the white and blue God Protector freed itself from its confines of the Earth.  “Wing is supposed to be Heero’s God Protector!”  He shifted uneasy in Deathscythe’s cockpit, uncertain of what to do.  “Help me Deathscythe, this isn’t right.”  

Less than two miles away, Heero stopped short in mid-flight as if he had run into an invisible wall.  The presence he knew to be Wing suddenly appeared and then disappeared,  “Oh no…” he said through gritted teeth.  

Duo watched in anger as Zechs hunched over and witnessed the pair of luminous white wings erupted from his back.  Once the Ascension was complete, the masked man stood tall once again, unfurling his wings to their fullest with accomplished pride.  He gave them a good stretch before he took flight for the first time heading for Wing’s entry hatch.  Pausing before he entered, the newly winged Mage gave one last smirk in Deathscythe’s direction.

“How can you do that?”  The enraged Duo screamed as he swung the giant scythe at his opponent.  “Wing belongs to Heero!”  What troubled him was the ease of this stranger’s Ascension.

Wing brought its shield forward to parry the blow as Zechs laughed mockingly at the Fire Mage’s words.  “Fool, only the current Mages of the Five Kingdoms can pilot the Gundams.  Or did those ‘teachers’ of yours forget to tell you that?”

“What?” Stunned Duo was taken aback by Zechs’ words and then realized the awful truth.  “You’re the missing Earth Mage!  The one who had disappeared all those years ago and who the Empress has been looking for!  You’re supposed to be with us!”

“Surprise!”  He jeered as he deflected the Fire Mage’s attack, “Because I wasn’t there, you were forced to bring back some old creepy mummy who lived two hundred years ago.”  Zechs laughed as he brought one of two twin sabers down toward Deathscythe’s head while the other quickly followed with a strike to the black Gundam’s side.

Duo blocked the headshot, but wasn’t quick enough to dodge the saber that bit deep into his God Protector’s side.  Deathscythe stumbled as the blade struck him.  Duo screamed as he felt the Gundam’s pain.  “How dare you hurt Deathscythe?”  Duo’s voice echoed out over the lands around the battling pair.  Duo felt his side go numb and realized that whatever damage Deathscythe took, he would feel as well.    

* * *

Heero sped toward the two battling Gundams in vain hope that something could be done to stop them. The wind he pushed through caused his eyes to tear nearly blinding him. But he couldn’t afford to slow his pace and only pushed himself faster. He could make out the dark form of Deathscythe battling with Wing and it troubled him greatly. The other Mages couldn’t have been too far behind them.  Why had they not summoned their Protectors to the battlefield? Those thoughts became his drive to push himself faster; he was needed to aid his companions and fellow Mages.

Wing, what are you doing?  He thought as if trying to reach out to the white and blue Gundam for an answer. But Heero received no answer and it was clear that somehow the connection between him and the God Protector had been severed.

He had been so focused on reaching the other Mages that he had almost missed hearing the voice that was carried by the wind.  Heero soon heard chanting all around him.  This voice was somehow familiar to him but he couldn’t pinpoint it.  He stopped short and quickly wiped his eyes free of tears trying to clear his vision so as to see where this spell caster was. As he remained distracted by his tears, before him a man materialized and swiftly attacked with sharp claws.  Heero noticed too late as he dodged backward to escape.  His attacker raked three long scratches down Heero’s chest, ripping cloth and tearing flesh.  Automatically his bandages began to unwind from his arms in order to heal the wounds.

By the time Heero heard a second spell being cast it was too late.  Crackling electrical arcs flickered and jumped all around him, disorienting the Mage.  Five pieces of wood flew up from below him forming into a variant shape of a cross at his back.  The wood slammed up against his back and arms and it felt as if they were trying to merge with his flesh.  Heero’s bandages reached back and with incredible speed began to wrap themselves around the wood, binding the helpless Mage in place.  Heero struggled against his bindings fruitlessly but not even his own Magics would listen to him.      

Why are they binding me to this cross?

The man appeared once more in front of Heero smiling cruelly at his trapped prey.

“Treize!”  Heero shouted in rage for he recognized the man almost immediately. No this was no man at all, in truth he was a Demon.  A demon he thought was long gone from the pages of Sanq’s history.  

“It’s been a long time.  You look better than the last time I saw you,” the demon smiled, flashing his sharp canines at Heero.  “When I heard that you had been raised from the dead, I had the messenger killed for lying to me.”  Treize laughed the sound of his voice cruel and cold as ice.  “I guess he was telling the truth after all!”

Heero could only glare at the figure in front of him as he struggled to free his arms.  An eerie wind blew passed the pair, catching Treize’s cloak on its currents, giving off the appearance of bat-like wings.

“How do you like my trap Heero?”  He smiled again inwardly reveling in the helplessness of the Mage that once attempted to take his life. “I’ve designed that cross to resonate with the same energy that you used to imprison me 150 years ago.  Those bandages of yours see the cross as a part of you.” The demon's smile was twisted and cruel, like a cat that knew its prey was caught with nowhere else to go. All that was left was the inhumane way he would play with his catch before striking with the final blow.

Heero growled as he beat his wings futilely against the boards at his back, trying with great effort to pull himself free of the cross.  “Treize, I destroyed you once, I can do it again!”  He snarled furiously knowing this demon’s cruelty from before.

“Ah ah ahh,” Treize purred, shaking a finger in the air while eyeing the helpless Mage.  “You only bound me for a time.  Now I will return the favor.”  Pulling a single long silver spike from beneath his cloak, Treize grabbed one of Heero’s wings, pressing it against the wood behind the young man and drove the spike in cruelly. Satisfied with the first one he reached in swiftly and pulled out a second spike repeating the process, pinning both wings to the two extra arms of the cross.  Heero bit back the urge to scream and looked skyward to avoid looking at the demon.  He would not give Treize the satisfaction of hearing him cry out.

Below on the cliff’s edge, Trowa, Quatre and Wufei watched as the God Protectors fought for supremacy.  Quatre turned away as Deathscythe brought its weapon down upon Wing’s left arm, nearly severing it at the shoulder. He could not bear witness to this fight between the two Protectors any longer. Suddenly his back felt a sudden pain as if something new was drawing Quatre’s attention away from the scene before him.  From the corner of his eye, he spied something at a further distance from the battling Gods.   He looked on as two figures floated nearby and above the fight.  Quatre gasped aloud out as he recognized one to be Heero.  

As he continued to look on in horror, the Wind Mage realized that Heero was being detained. His eyes wide to the fact, he could only watch as Heero struggled to free himself from what looked to be a wooden cross.  The wind shifted and pulled at the cape the other man was wearing.  The stranger had something tucked within his belt, the objects glinting off the setting sun’s light.  Quatre watched as the man pulled each of the two items from his belt.  Knowing fully that he should look away the Southern Kingdom's Prince continued to watch, as the stranger drove the objects through Heero’s white wings.  Quatre fell to his knees crying out as greater bursts of pain ripped through his form.

Trowa and Wufei turned in unison as Quatre screamed in agony, his wings now pulled out from his body, spread wide and rigid as if they too were pinned to something.

“What is it Quatre?” Trowa shouted, as he carefully attempted to reach out and place his hands on the other Mage’s shoulder. He hesitated not wanting to bring him anymore pain then he was already in.  Quatre covered his eyes as if to stop the painful flow of tears, with one hand he pointed to a spot in the air above where Duo and Zechs were doing battle.

“I… I saw…!  He pinned Heero… like an insect… I saw it!”

Trowa and Wufei looked up and after a moment of carefully searching the sky they saw the small form of a chestnut blond man with what appeared to be black batwings circling around a strange looking cross upon which Heero was pinned and tied.  Trowa wrapped his arms around Quatre and pulled him close.  

He spoke in soothing tones much in the way he would try to calm a frightened or injured animal, “Shhh Quatre.  It’ll be all right.”  Trowa continued to repeat his words while trying to keep his own anger down from what he had seen, “We’ll get out of this and help them both.”

Quatre hid his face against Trowa’s chest and continued shaking from the pain that continued to wash over him, “I felt it… felt it,” he whimpered.

* * *

Furious with himself for letting Deathscythe get hurt, Duo leapt at Wing.  His scythe poised high above him.  As he brought the weapon down, its silver metallic blade suddenly burst into flames.  Zechs put up one of the sabers to counter the attack, but hadn’t counted on it bursting into flames at the last possible moment.  As the flaming edge clashed against Wing’s sword it melted through it, destroying the sword which barely slowed Duo’s attack.  The scythe continued on, slicing into Wing’s shoulder, almost completely severing the Gundam’s left arm.

Quatre let out a scream and grabbed his left shoulder.  His body jerked as if the attack was being done directly to his person.

Zechs winced and bit back the urge to cry out in pain but, Duo pressed the attack raining blow after blow down on the white and blue Gundam.  Zechs barely managed to get his defenses up, when he turned his remaining sword into an ice saber, but by that time Wing’s left arm was gone.  Its head had been gashed severely and its right leg was badly damaged.  Wing leapt shakily into the air to escape Deathscythe’s relentless assault, but the black God Protector gave pursuit.

Deathscythe latched onto Wing’s foot and pulled it sharply downward toward the Earth.  Zechs turned in order to strike the occupied Gundam.  Instead he played right into Duo’s strategy.  Swinging Wing down, he released the damaged God Protector sending it flying wildly toward the ground at an accelerated rate.  Zechs quickly escaped from Wing’s cockpit realizing his sudden peril.  

Duo snarled in satisfaction as Wing slammed into the ground and disappeared.  Zechs howled in pain as he watched his God Protector vanish.  The rapport he briefly shared with Wing was gone.  The Demon Doll, which he used to attack the villages with, hadn’t felt like this when it was defeated.  Then again, he had never gone against someone like Duo.

“Are you ready to give up?”  Duo crowed confidently in his victory, his amethyst colored eyes staring hard at the man that had challenged and attacked him.

Zechs hovered above the spot where his Gundam had been.  Horrified by how quickly he had been defeated he felt a slight panic in his heart.  But it was Treize’s voice that floated down from above which quickly calmed him.

Do not worry Zechs… I am here for you.  He spoke to him gently with a tone of confidence.

Looking up, Zechs realized what Treize had done then grinned darkly. He had trapped the Blood Mage and the others.  The Fire Mage would have no help in this battle.  The platinum blonde’s anger grew and his resolve was strengthened with this new found knowledge.  The little Fire Mage would pay dearly for Wing’s defeat and the pain that it had caused him.

Duo followed the masked pilot’s gaze and saw the three Mages looking on in shock, trapped on the cliff off to his side.  He looked closer and saw the barrier that kept them from joining the fight.  He gazed even higher and saw Heero tacked to a wooden cross that was suspended in mid-air.  A tall brown-haired man with batwings floated beside Heero. Touching the gem on his gold cross, the God Protector Deathscythe dematerialized.  Clutching his weapon tightly in his hands, Duo flew toward the man who had trapped the Blood Mage.

“You bastard!”  Duo cried in rage, turning all of his attention to Treize, “How dare you!”

“Duo!  No!”  Heero yelled out to get the hot-headed Fire Mage to focus, “Look out behind you!”

Zechs! Treize’s voice commanded from within the masked man’s head.  Have at him!

Without warning a leather whip snaked out and caught Duo by the throat pulling taunt and jerking the Mage to a sudden stop.  Duo gasped out painfully and tugged at the cord in vain with one hand.  With a sharp tug from the other end, Zechs jerked the black winged Mage back toward himself.  

Quatre’s body jerked again painfully in Trowa’s arms.

“You destroyed Wing,” the taller man hissed through clinched teeth as he came closer to the Fire Mage, “Now you will taste my wrath!”  Zechs kicked him hard in the midsection sending him sailing back in a different direction.

Quatre doubled over in pain.

Duo could have sworn he heard a rib or two snap upon contact. At least that’s what the sharp pain was trying to tell him.  In his hands, the Fire Mage felt the whip slip away from his throat. With his hand he could feel where the leather cord of the weapon bit deep into his skin rubbing it raw. The young man gently rubbed it to help bring some relief from the pain in some way.

Remembering the other Mage was still out there he composed himself as quickly as he could. Looking to see where the whip was going to come from this time, the Fire Mage watched as it formed into a pair of twin sabers that crackled with electricity. Duo readied himself for Zechs’ attack not sure what to expect from this changing weapon.  As the Fire Mage looked on he realized he was in trouble.  The other man had now demonstrated two different elemental Magics with extreme ease.  Swiftly he glanced up and saw the three other Mages high above on the cliff.  He watched as Wufei beat relentlessly against the invisible barrier and his heart turned cold.  

“You should always keep your eyes on your opponent!”  Zechs shouted as he swung the two swords at Duo’s sides.  Duo clumsily blocked the first and barely managed to slip away from the second, as it whistled past his face, singeing his bangs.  Determined to take the offensive, Duo leapt into the air spreading his wings and taking flight.  Zechs just watched and waited.  Once Duo felt he was high enough, he raised his scythe above his head and folded his wings flat across his back and dove at him.  

Not one to solely remain on the defense, Zechs leapt into the air to meet the plummeting Mage.  As their paths crossed, he felt a sting across his upper left arm. Fiercely he growled realizing he might have under estimated his opponent for a second time. There will not be a third time… The blonde told himself as he watched where the Fire Mage landed.

Duo cringed as his right side was laid open and blood soaked into his tunic.  There was also a gash to his leg.  The other four Mages looked on in horror.  

Quatre doubled over feeling the attack against Duo.  But it wasn’t just Duo he felt.  His opponent was injured too.  So why did he feel his as well? Who was this man?

Electricity crackled over the black winged Mage’s body as he struggled to push himself up off the ground where he had landed ungracefully.  Duo had landed hard on his feet, skidding to a stop when his legs gave out from beneath him, tumbling him over and over.  Panting hard for a moment the Fire Mage used his scythe to push himself to his feet. Duo’s side stung as he stood up and readied his weapon once again.  He refused to give up not when his friends needed him.

Zechs laughed coldly to mock the other mans determination, “You still want more?”

Duo grimaced in pain and the anger he felt for allowing Zechs to get the better of him.  “I’m not going to lose to a second rate guy like you!”  He snarled fiercely to prove his determination.  Once again he launched himself at the white-haired Mage.

As Zechs and Duo met on the battlefield once again, they clashed in a series of lightening fast movements, flying high into the air, then back down on the ground and covering an immense exposure of space.  Duo landed once more on the ground running at full speed, he ignored the pain his body felt.  Discarding his scythe, he turned and allowed his body to fall back into the ground as an immeasurable column of fire poured out from Duo’s hands and engulfed Zechs in flames.  A second later and Zechs would have been killed, if he hadn’t thrown up a shield to protect himself.

Zechs snarled and curled his hand into a fist from behind his shield.  

Two can play this game.  

All around Duo the ground rose up and wrapped itself around him, clutching him in an unbreakable grip.  The towering column of rock shot up from the Earth carrying the trapped man up to where Zechs hovered.  The taller of the two combatants smirked slightly knowing this battle would be drawing close to an end.

With a fiery explosion Duo freed himself from the earth and rock that confined him.  He breathed hard from the exertion of the breaking free, “You...  is there no limit to your power?”  He panted as fatigue continued to be felt within his body; oh how he had grown to miss the Wind Mage’s healing abilities.

Zechs laughed seeing the other weakening then grabbed Duo by the throat, drawing him close again,  “You haven’t seen half my power little Mage!”  He laughed holding the defenseless Mage once more, digging his fingers deep into Duo’s skin closing his hand around his windpipe.  

Duo coughed, bringing up both hands as he tried to but was unable to dislodge the taller Mage’s fingers from his throat.  He hurriedly looked down and spied his scythe in the dirt far below where he had let it fall.  His eyes flashed as he called to the weapon.  His last chance shot at freedom.  At first the scythe rose shakily off the ground, then it suddenly shot into the sky directly at Duo and Zechs.  The weapon spiraled through the air like a boomerang.

Zechs tightened his grip even more on Duo’s throat and laughed.  He was going to enjoy the Fire Mage’s absolute defeat and disgrace in front of his friends.    “Are you ready to die?”  Zechs asked, smiling with the look of victory upon his face.  Duo looked Zechs straight in the eyes and by surprising him, he smiled right back.

“Not just yet,” he was able to choke out as he reached for the scythe with one hand.  Swinging it around, Duo used the weapon to break free, driving the end of the staff into Zechs’ midsection.

* * *

“Stop it Treize!”  Heero howled in rage at his entrapment.  “Leave him be!  I’m the one you want!”

Treize only laughed harder as he watched Heero struggle against his bindings.  He drew his face close to Heero’s.  “I know,” he smiled with a vindictive twisted smile.  “And in the end, I will have you in every possible way.  I will have my revenge on you before I let you die.”  He brought up his hand to caress Heero’s cheek with the back of his hand.  “You defeated me the last time at a very high price.  And, I still won.  Are you willing to risk it all again?”  Heero felt Treize breath on his neck as he leaned in even closer. Viciously Heero bit at the cocky demon, his teeth clicking together sharply just short of Treize’s cheekbone.

The demon jerked away from Heero keeping a calm collective face in front of the trapped Mage, “Tsk tsk Heero, if you don’t play nice, I may have to hurt your little fire friend.” He held out his hands and a light radiated from them and slowly formed itself into a glowing three-piece staff. Tossing the weapon to Zechs, Treize then moved around behind Heero and wrapped his arms around the wounded Mage’s shoulders, caressing Heero’s face delicately with one hand, while the other rested gently on his bare and bloody chest.

“Now watch and learn sweet enemy of mine, for if you cross me again it will only get worse.” He purred with a deadly truth in his voice, “There are still three others for my son to play with.”

“Your son?”  

But Treize said no more.

Zechs welcomed the new weapon from his father and continued his assault on his opponent.  Duo’s scythe was of little or no match for the three-piece sectional staff, as with each strike Duo countered, an end piece of the staff would simply wrap around past his scythe, striking Duo’s injured side and back.  Duo grunted biting back his cries as he was struck each time.

In one final last-ditch effort, Duo rushed his opponent.  It would prove to be a serious mistake.  Letting a wild battle cry escape his lips, Duo swung his scythe at Zechs, the tip of his weapon catching the top of Zechs’ shoulder again.  The blow would have been fatal if Zechs hadn’t blocked and pushed away at the last second.  The blow of the scythe scattered the three-piece staff, ripping it from Zechs’ hands.  

Duo smiled.

He continued his assault as he swung the scythe back around.  But this time Zechs was ready for him and instead of backing away, rushed forward meeting the Fire Mage head on to defeat him at his own game.  Grasping the scythe as well, Zechs covered Duo’s hands with his own and began to recite a spell.  Before Duo could create a counter spell, Zechs finished his and Duo found himself plummeting to the earth below.  The last thing he recalled was a brilliant flash of light blinding him temporarily.  As his sight returned, he saw Zechs above him following him down.  

In Zechs’ hands was his own scythe raised to strike him down.  Zechs let loose with another attack, swinging the Fire Mage’s weapon.  Duo twisted his body in midair opening his wings to their fullest and tried to pull out of the uncontrolled dive.  But as he twisted around, the scythe caught the middle of his right wing, tearing into the pinfeathers, cutting tendons and snapping bones.  The blow of the attack sent Duo crashing into the Earth. Red stained ebony feathers floated down gracefully, settling on and around Duo’s battered form.

Heero screamed as Duo hit the ground and looked away only to have Treize force him to look at the events unfolding before him.  His eyes darker than normal, glared in the direction of the demon that captured him.

“What’s the matter Heero?”  Treize cooed still loving the anguish and pain that came from the reincarnated young man.

“I will kill you,” was all Heero could bark at his tormentor.  Red tears welled in his eyes and overflowed onto his cheeks.

“Such words from a Protector of the Sanq Kingdom,” laughed Treize as if the very thought that one which stood beside the Sanq Kingdom could actually kill another. Coming around to face Heero once again he gently brushed at the bloody tears, wiping them from Heero’s eyes. Bringing them to his lips, he tasted the sweet vital fluid of life from the struggling Mage.  “I don’t think you or your little friend has suffered enough yet.”  And Treize vanished suddenly reappearing next to Zechs as he floated some ten feet above Duo’s still form.  Treize held out his hand and it began to glow once again revealing a new weapon of torture for Zechs to use.

It was a second whip.   More so, a cat-of-nine tails. With a cold perverted rage, the taller Mage brutally brought the whips sting across the already battered body of Duo.  With each strike to his body, Quatre cried out as well as if the attack was being done directly to him.  

When it was over, Zechs and Treize stood over the fallen Fire Mage.  They laughed and smiled, admiring the job Zechs had done.  Heero, still trapped in the Magical field created by Treize, continued to strain against his bonds and free himself.

Quatre gasped for air as he tried to force himself to stand with Trowa and Wufei’s help now.  The smaller Mage was quite pale and his breathing erratic from the emotional attack that he received even though the physical attack had befallen Duo.  

Duo struggled weakly to stand.  He would not let himself be defeated like this.  He lifted himself up onto his hands and knees wheezing and coughing as he forced air back into his lungs.  The Fire Mage coughed and spit up blood.  It hurt all over.  His back stung and burned from where Zechs had beaten him with the whip.  Scattered around him were many ebony feathers.  Duo had hit the ground hard enough that he was surprised the fall hadn’t killed him.  He looked down at the ground beneath him and found it red with blood.  He felt something warm running down the side of his temple and face.  His side felt as if it were on fire.  He touched it tenderly and when he drew back his hand, it too was covered in blood.  He tried opening his wings and found that his right wing hung limply at his side, useless and broken.

“This battle is over,” Zechs said, his hands glowing to commit the final blow.  Duo looked back at his opponent one last time and found that he no longer wore the mask that concealed his face in battle.  Treize hovered behind Zechs grinning demonically, his arms reaching around the white haired Mage’s shoulders.  The mask dangled from the demon’s fingertips.  But it wasn’t Zechs.  It was…

“Milliardo?”  Duo choked out in shock, shaking his head as if to cast away any illusions. He continued to look on as his friend said nothing when addressed.  “It can’t be…” Duo let out a small laugh, which strangled in his throat, thinking about the irony of the situation.  “Why are you doing this?  You were my friend…” All fight left him as he succumbed to hot tears of betrayal.  He looked up at his one time friend and smiled in absolute agony.

There was a quick incantation spoken and an explosion of light, “Die…”

Duo closed his eyes and took one last deep breath.  His listened as Milliardo recited his incantation.  Suddenly Duo felt his whole body scream, as the spell was cast and released upon him.  He felt the energy shoot threw him, pressing him into the earth beneath his body as if to crush the very life from him.

Then nothing…