Darkness at Dawn Part 23

The pace was punishingly fast, but no one dared say a word to the long-haired creature who was now on point, flitting through the trees ahead of them like less than a shadow. If it was bad enough to get Duo Maxwell this agitated, they were probably better off not knowing what was following them.

For his part, Duo paid no attention to the roiling emotions of his companions. He had been much younger and completely unaware of the danger the last time he'd attempted to cross these mountains. He and his men had learned the hard way that trolls were not to be messed with.

Even worse- any sort of skirmish would force them to use their abilities, and doing so would give away their position to anyone who knew how to read the signs.

His sense of being watched was blaring in his mind, and Duo's hands tightened around the sturdy longbow he'd carried thus far unused. It wouldn't help him to protect his compatriots from the poisoned darts trolls seemed to find so useful, but he'd take down a few before they could get close enough to do any damage...

~*~

Zechs struggled to keep up with the lighter, fleet-footed forms of the Dawnchildren, but the speed of their flight was not all that bothered him. It had begun as soon as the horns sounded- there was a voice, a strangely-familiar voice, that had begun to sing in his mind, like a Siren that would not be either blocked or ignored.

~The power that is now yours... why not use it? Stop fleeing before your enemy and defeat him with honour and grace? Never give an inch of space to any other enemy...~ He shivered as he cut the voice off with a shake of his head. It was that damned sword! He was certain of it- he had heard Deathscythe's song as well, after all...

As tempting as it was, his common sense refused to let him stop. It would be folly to try and take on what had to be many with such a small, unprotected force! Power is a wonderful thing, but I have to be alive to use it, damn it all. He should have warned me about this... Zechs glared ahead towards where Duo Maxwell ran, oblivious to the battle he was fighting within the confines of his own mind. He should have warned me about this part of it!

~I did, friend-Zechs. Don't fear it! Think of it as an extension of your own mind- you cannot be beaten by yourself, after all, can you?~ He gulped as he heard that voice in his mind, pushing the whispers further away. Duo was throwing him a straw. Granted, not a great one, but a straw, nonetheless.

~Damn it all! Another cliff! We have to turn back...~ Duo's thoughts radiated into all their minds, but Zechs could have sworn he heard something rustling off to his right-

"Look out!" Something slammed into him and knocked him out of the way only shaved seconds before several darts flew through the space he'd just occupied. He grunted as they hit the ground.

Horns were sounding all around them in an ear shattering cacaphony of chaos, and he quickly rolled to his feet as an insistent tug on his arm rushed him. "Faster! Don't let the darts touch you!" Lucas.

Zechs grimaced but followed without question as arrows flew past him into the trees with frightening accuracy. The drumming stopped abruptly.

"Treize!" Trowa's anguished cry brought everyone's head around, and they all crowded close as the younger brother bent over the older-

Cornflower blue eyes opened confusedly. "What..."

Trowa reached down and pulled a single dart from the other man's chain-armoured chest, sighing in relief. "I don't think it broke the skin."

Treize shook his head and accepted a hand up. "No- but one of their axes knocked the wind out of me. I did not mean to frighten you, brother..."

"Then don't get hit next time," Trowa quipped back, his eyes still glinting in relief.

Dorothy pulled another arrow and held it at ready, mimicking the other Dawnchildren present, and was pleased to see Trowa reaching for a bow, as well. "Come on- we have to catch up with Lord Duo."

Wufei materialised at Zechs' side and gave him a reassuring nod before he moved off. Drawing his blade from its sheath, Zechs followed.

~*~

Duo gazed at the cliff in growing consternation. If the trolls were already behind them so closely... There would be no going back to find another path unless they went straight through the enemy ranks.

And they would not accomplish that without losing a member or two of their party. There were too few of them to risk it!

"How does it look, my Lord?" He turned as Walker ran up to his side and bent double for a few moments, simply trying to breathe normally.

He spared the young human a smile as he touched his back, only a fleeting contact- The young man straightened, able to breathe normally again. "My thanks, Lord Duo."

Violet eyes turned back to the cliff, turbulent and stormy. "We have to get across, Walker. We cannot go back without taking too much of a risk. This is my fault."

"You could not have known, not without giving us all away," Walker tried, watching the violet-eyed creature warily.

Duo shook his head in shame. "Even more the irony- protecting us all by getting us killed."

Walker felt a flash of anger as he watched the Dawnchild folding in on himself, though, and he stood taller as he advanced on him. "If that's really how you're going to act, than hand me your bow so I can put you out of your misery right now! You're not helping anyone!"

Duo's eyes flashed, and Walker felt a moment of heart-stopping fear as the Dawnchild clenched his fists in anger-

And laughed. The fear evapourated on the wind as Wufei and Heero jogged up to them. Duo leaned in close and whispered, "Right you are, friend-Walker. Do us all a favour and just hit me next time I start acting stupid." He straightened again and walked back to the cliff edge, leaving a stunned human staring after him.

Heero ran right up to the edge as well, putting a supportive hand on the Dawnchild's shoulder. "We need to get across."

"I know." Duo's eyes narrowed in concentration. Frowning, he turned back to the two humans, conversing behind them in hushed whispers. "Tell me something, my friends, how would you do it?"

Wufei looked up in surprise. "How would... we do it?"

Duo rolled his eyes. "Yes. How would two perfectly sane individuals who hadn't been trained all their lives to use magic to solve problems fix this situation?"

The two humans looked at each other for a long moment before both moved to the edge of the cliff and looked out and down. "A zipwire."

Duo stared hard at the unassuming young soldier. "Come again?"

Walker looked up, feeling slightly more confident in himself. "A zipwire. If we could somehow shoot a cable or rope across securely enough, we could use our belts as loops and glide over."

Duo's face was blank for a moment before he shared a look with Wufei and Heero and smiled. "You know what, it just might work, too."

~*~

The entire group was gathered at the cliff's edge, looking down at the side they had to reach, nearly fifty feet distant over a drop that none had the stomach to gauge. "What if the line breaks or comes loose?" Otto asked, voicing a question that several of them wanted the answer to.

Duo shrugged, an easy smile playing over his features. "We'll send over someone small and light first to make sure it's secure, then we won't have to worry about it, okay?"

His eyes swung around to Dorothy, and he pinned her with a keen glance. "Can we entrust that to you, Dorothy?"

Her eyes went wide at the trust she was being given, but she managed to nod. "I won't fail."

"Good."

Heero sniffed the air and frowned sharply. "Is my nose deceiving me?"

Trowa shook his head as he, too, sniffed. "No- we have to hurry."

No one disagreed with that statement, but Trowa remained watching the trees for several minutes longer, long enough to see smoke rising in the distance. The trolls had set fire to the woods behind them, driving them to this cliff edge.

Now more than ever, there was only one way to go.

~*~

Heero sighted on the distant oak, squinting and coughing as smoke swirled into his vision. "Damn!" He tried again-

"Hurry, Angel-love," Duo urged him.

TWANG! The bow sang as an arrow flew free, a piece of cord tied to it securely. All eyes watched as it flew, and Heero felt a sense of accomplishment as he watched it meet its mark and bury itself in the ancient tree by the cliffside. "We're set."

Duo clapped him on the shoulder. "Nice shot, Angel."

"Hn," he grunted, smiling.

Dorothy had already looped a leather thong onto the rope and secured herself to it, and she gave the angel a deep look. "It will hold me, you are sure?"

"Strange question for someone who can fly to ask of me," he deadpanned, but then gave a slight smile. "I am sure, though."

"Very reassuring." Flames were coursing closer to them as Dorothy took a deep breath and ran for the cliff's edge.

Zechs' heart was in his throat as she leapt-

And sailed along the line, flying through the air with a shout that was half fear and half sheer delight.

She was across.

THUNK! Zechs spun and ducked as an arrow embedded itself on the wood near his head and cursed, reaching for his sword.

"Trowa, Wufei, Lucas, Niles, you stay with me!" Duo yelled, eyes glinting flames as trolls poured out from the burning forest. "The rest of you, get the hell out of here!"

He drew Deathscythe from its sheath with a flash in the dim light and did not wait to see if his orders had been followed. With a scream of outrage, he charged forward.

~*~

Darts were flying in all directions, but they sizzled on the air as three auras blazed to life in the faces of the attacking trolls, rocking them back with the sheer force of presence.

"Zechs, come on!" Treize yelled, making a grab for the tall blond's arm, but he missed him and cursed as he dashed forward after the young Lord.

Securely cocooned in the Air Lord's golden aura, Zechs could no longer resist the power of the sword's call. The blade itself was glowing faintly in his hands, the golden tooling glowing violet in a reflection of Duo's own explosive power. He screamed madly as grey-skinned creatures rushed at him, eyes glinting reflected flames and anger-

The blade's song intensified as he swung, the keen edge whistling through the air- crackling white energy seemed to dance down the cold metal as he clove through his attackers as though their weapons were made of paper. He was spinning and attacking with an unheard-of speed, and it seemed as though nothing could touch him- he was invincible...

~*~

Wufei growled as he was rushed yet again- the trolls were not stupid- they knew they would not beat him like this. They also knew that he would tire of it eventually, and then they would have him, no matter how many of them it took to do it. He could see many things in their cunning little faces, anger, rage, hatred... But he was also seeing fear, and it disgusted him utterly.

"The weak don't belong on the battlefield, curse you all! You should not have come here if you are too frightened to see it through!" He stabbed his blade into the ground and clenched his fists as he felt his power building in his mind, deadly and yet holding mercy for those who were fearful of what it meant to die...

His arms came up in a wide arch, snatching the sword from its place as he moved and pulling the long dagger on his belt-

Both gave off blinding golden sparks as he catapulted himself into the mass of trolls. He could feel their axes and clubs beating uselessly against his armour, sharp teeth trying in vain to bite him, but he paid it no heed as he struck out at his enemies, golden power ripping through the small beings three at a time, rather than just the one he was hitting. Lucas and Niles, both behind him, were firing arrow after arrow into the fray with the speed only Dawnchildren possessed, each arrow exploding on impact and sending blue-hot flames and rock particles flying into the attacking enemies.

~*~

Heero watched angrily as Otto finally made it across the chasm after having taken so long- he didn't want to go without Duo...

~Go, Angel! I promise you, I'll be fine. I'll start sending the others back to you...~ He knew Duo was alright, it was just...

"Damn."

He watched as Deathscythe swung around, its razor sharp edge seeming to cut the very air as streams of flame shot outwards from the stroke, beating back the attacking trolls and setting several on fire. Duo took advantage of the sudden lull in the attack to turn to his companions. "Time to get out of here, people!"

Heero called over to them, "Trowa, you and Zechs first! Get over here! Lucas- you and Niles are to follow us, and Wufei and Duo will be our rearguard. Is that clear?"

Trowa had to drag the human Lord back and forcibly resheath the sword in his hand before reason returned to his face. Zechs shook as though coming out of a trance. "Oh my Lord..."

The green-eyed youth at his side shot him a wry look. "You said it. Let's go. Now." The tall blond didn't want to test that look- he simply nodded and pulled a spare belt to attach to the line.

He forced himself not to look back as he heard Wufei's war cry again, but leapt from the cliff edge.

~*~

"Wufei! Come on!" he heard Treize's voice yelling at him from the far side of a far-too-close ravine.

The Air Lord shot a glance at his companion, but Duo was too busy to meet his eyes. "Go- I will be right behind you. Go!" Another flash of flame drove back their attackers.

Wufei didn't stop to think twice. Not even, as he jumped, when he felt the power of the person behind him building to insane levels-

As it had back in Sanc.

~*~

Duo fell back to blocking and feinting until he could be certain that Wufei was across. Heero is going to kill me for this...

He gripped the sword tightly in his left hand as power gathered in his right, and he drew back and threw, a smile glancing over his lips as intense violet fire tore through the attacking trolls. And yet they were still coming...

Deathscythe swung up into a two handed grasp, pointing straight into the smoke filled sky. The tip poised against the sky, violet glittered up and down the blade as it swung down and just the tip touched the earth at his feet-

Everyone looked up with wide eyes as the ground began to shake and Duo turned and leapt from his perch, the flat of his blade catching on the rope as he gripped either end and almost literally flew across-

Fire exploded from the ground, angry spouts of flame that even rock was not strong enough to contain.

Duo yelled, "Faster, dammit!"

The opposite cliff face exploded.

Heero ran to the edge, oblivious to the shards of stone whipping past him as the line swung downwards, broken and burning. "DUO!"

Dorothy and Zechs shared a look from where they had ducked, arms over their heads and faces-

Heero sank to his knees and closed his eyes.

No one said a word.

"Who died? Why so glum?" Gleaming blue eyes popped open in shock as the taunting words reached Heero's ears, and he looked up.

"Funny that you mentioned that Dorothy can fly, Angel. So can I, if you remember. So can you." There stood Duo on the very air itself, walking towards him as though on solid ground, armour flashing brightly, along with his heart-stopping smile.

He threw his arms around the Dawnchild Lord and hugged him tight, drew back-

And promptly punched him in the stomach so hard that the Dawnchild's eyes bugged out, and he collapsed into the Angel's arms, senseless.

Everyone stared as Heero gently lowered his lover to the ground, cushioning the braided head in his lap, and murmured softly, "Never scare me like that again."

TBC...

 

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