Born in Chaos Part 22

"Wufei," Duo started as Milliardo rolled the figure over. "But... how... where..."

"I don't think that's important right now," The mage replied softly as his eyes traveled over the boy's form, noting the many injuries and burns that he bore. "Right now... we need to find Quatre." He gently pulled the boy's head into his lap, a spell designed to soothe pain leaping from his fingertips. "Quickly, Duo."

The violet eyed thief nodded and took off running into the woods in the direction that he had seen the healer and Trowa go in. Milliardo looked back down at the young fighter, his spell could help ease pain... but that's as far into healing that he was able to go.

"What happened to you?" He murmured, concern flooding into his icy eyes.

~*~

Heero moved silently through the woods, taking a different path back to the camp than the elves. They had decided to spilt up and approach the camp from different directions, the feeling of uneasiness still touching at the edges of their consciousness. He reached for his sword as a loud snapping in the trees ahead of him drew his attention, but before he could draw it Duo's form burst from the darkness, crashing into him.

"What the hell!" He snapped, grabbing the thief by the shoulders.

"Let go!" Duo cried, "I need to find Quatre!"

"Why? What happened?" The cobalt eyed warrior demanded without letting go. "Calm down!"

Duo stopped struggling and took a deep breath. "Wufei... he came into the camp, but he's hurt bad. I don't even know how he managed to stay on his feet, but he did... I need to find Quatre... to help him... I think he may die if I don't."

"Alright," Heero looked around them. "There's something that's not right here, we couldn't figure out what it was. Trill and Essylt are headed back to the camp... I'll go with you. I saw their path a little further back."

The pair back-tracked Heero's path until they picked up traces of where the healer and Trowa had gone through.

Then, Heero knelt, checking the ground out... No, Duo decided. He's talking to the ground... to the earth. After what seemed like an eternity to the young thief, Heero stood and settled his cobalt gaze on him.

"They were traveling east," He frowned. "I'm getting mixed images though."

"What do you mean?" Duo asked as he followed Heero through the dark.

"I'm not sure.... something's wrong...." He stopped and thought about what he saw. "I think we better hurry."

"What did you see?" Duo demanded as the darkness pressed in around them. Holding out one hand, he set a globe of soft light hovering above them.

"The earth is confused; she tells me they are in two places at once... separated yet together,"

"Maybe you are seeing it wrong. Maybe their paths just crossed back."

Heero remained silent as he thought about what Duo said. No... that's not it... that's not right... "No... they are in trouble." He finally said.

~*~

"Why don't we stop here for a while?" The young healer asked his lover as they came upon the banks of a small river.

Funny, I don't remember there being another river in this area, Trowa thought to himself as he glanced over at the blonde. "I guess we can, maybe I can catch some fish."

"I had intended to do some fishing of my own," Quatre murmured seductively as he moved around in front of the brunette and slid his arms around his neck. "Love me, Trowa... here... by the water... just like the first time." He breathed as he pressed his body against the taller boy.

"But," Trowa sucked in a deep breath as Quatre pulled his tunic free and slid his hands under, caressing his chest. "The others..." He protested weakly.

"They're fine on their own, they don't need us right now," Slim fingers slid downward to run along the growing length of Trowa's erection inside his trousers.

"Qua..." His words were cut off as Quatre's hand slipped under the fabric and his fingers came in contact with the warm skin of his shaft.

Thoughts fled as his mouth came crashing down on the healer's, his hands desperately pulling at the blonde's clothes. As he lowered Quatre to the ground, a feeling of doubt clawed at the back of his mind. Growling in need he pushed it back, his only concern at the moment being the blonde moaning underneath him. The healer's eyes glittered as they slid shut, his body arching upwards to meet Trowa's mouth and hands as they explored his skin.

"Trowa!!!"

The brunette started and raised his head, his eyes scanning the area around them. Was it him or did it seem darker?

"What is it?" Quatre gasped, wrapping his arms around his neck. "Why did you stop?"

"I heard something,"

"It's nothing, love," The blonde bit at the side of his neck. "there's nothing here but you and I."

A feeling of wrongness stuck at the brunette and he made to move from his lover.

"Trowa," Quatre whimpered. "Please!" He clutched frantically at Trowa's shoulders. "I need you... now!"

Trowa stopped and looked back down at the slim form in his arms. Something was not right, Quatre, although passionate, wasn't usually this... desperate. Looking closer he was struck by several things that were off about his lover. The golden hair was not quite golden enough, it was too dark... his eyes, which usually were soft and loving, glittered with a hardness that Trowa had never seen.

"Quatre..." He started and stopped as the healer whimpered and moved against him, his hands desperately trying to remove the remainder of his clothing. "Quatre!" Trowa grabbed his wrists, pinning them to the ground above his head.

"Trowaaa!!"

Suddenly it struck him. With a flash he threw himself away from the blonde, his hands grabbing for his sword only to find it out of reach. Lunging to his feet, his hands started to glow with the power that ran through him.

"Who are you!?" He demanded icily as the blonde slowly rose to his feet.

"It's too bad," The blonde replied flatly. "I would have though that you would have preferred to die in your lover's arms." He raised his gaze to Trowa's and the brunette gasped as he saw the dark shadows swirling in the depths of soft blue. "I certainly would have liked a taste of you before killing you!!"

With that the blonde's hand swept out and an invisible force threw the brunette backwards, agony shooting through him as his shoulder struck the solid trunk of a tree.

"Trowaaaaaa!!!"

~*~

Trill and Essylt reached the camp to find Milliardo leaning over the boy whose head rested in his lap, his face showing the strain of the continued use of his magic.

"What happened?" Essylt cried rushing to the mage's side.

"He must have escaped," Milliardo raised exhausted eyes to her. "He found us here. Duo... Duo has gone after Quatre."

"You can't keep this up," Trill said kneeling by them.

"I have to. The only thing that's keeping his heart beating is keeping the pain at bay. If it comes back, he'll give up."

Essylt looked at her mate and he nodded slowly, his brown eyes grave. "Just don't take it too far... I won't lose you."

She nodded and then leaned in, wrapping one arm around Milliardo's waist. "I don't have the power to heal or to even cast the spell that you do, but I do have the power to channel the land's strength to you. Will you let me help you?"

The mage nodded wearily and Essylt closed her eyes laying her head on his shoulder, her silver hair falling around her face. Within moments Milliardo felt a surge of new strength flow into his body and he turned his eyes to the young woman. With her help, he could continue for a while yet. But at what sacrifice to her? He wondered as his eyes met those of her mate's.

"A little longer, Wufei," He murmured, closing his eyes and letting the strength of the land flow through the elven woman into him.

Trill stood and drew his sword. He wasn't convinced that they weren't in danger... and he'd not let anyone or anything touch the trio on the ground.

~*~

"Trowaaaaa!!!!"

Duo and Heero stopped in their tracks and looked at each other.

"Did you hear?"

"Yeah," Heero replied. "Up ahead."

The pair broke into a run in the direction of the sound of Quatre's voice. Heero readied his blade and Duo pulled his magic to the surface as they burst into the clearing up ahead and skidded to a halt.

Duo's eyes widened in shock, "Wha-what... what is that!" He stammered as Heero sheathed his sword and took a cautious step forward.

Just inside the clearing, everything faded into nothingness... no, that wasn't quite right either, it was as if the clearing had been enveloped in shadows. His cobalt eyes narrowed as he studied the swirling dark before them. Finally he reached out a hand, attempting to touch the shadows, or pass through them. To find something that would allow them to proceed. As his fingertips came in contact with the dark, it swirled and shifted before them and with a loud snapping sound hurled the dark haired warrior backwards against Duo.

"A barrier," Heero hissed as Duo and he picked them selves off the ground. "Trowa and Quatre are in there, I'm positive of it."

With a flick of his wrist Duo sent a stream of light hurtling towards the dark wall and watched with anger as the shadows seemed to swallow the brightness, leaving no trace of his spell.

"My light can't even get in."

As if in agreement the shadowed barrier shifted and undulated, its surface gleaming darkly before them.

"What are you going to do," Heero asked as the thief turned anguished eyes towards him.

Without a word, Duo closed his eyes, his brow creasing in concentration as he called on the power within him and allowed it to mesh with the talisman he wore. What started as a soft glow, barely discernable around the thief suddenly burst forth in a blaze of light. In its center Heero could see the vague shape of Duo's body and the jewels of his torc sparkling brightly.

So, that's what the talisman does... it focuses and strengthens the power, Heero thought. "Duo..." He started as the glowing boy moved towards the barrier; before he could act further Duo surged into the darkness, the glow of his body all but disappearing.

Silence... for a moment Duo was enveloped in dead silence and then the world around him exploded with a shrill keening sound. Screaming in pain as the shadows stripped him of his light and with a great wrenching flung him backwards, his bones jarring in his body as he slammed against the ground.

"Duo!" Heero ran to where the chestnut haired boy had landed. Kneeling he lifted the boy's head as violet pools of agony opened to stare up at him hazily.

"S-sorry... He-er-o...." He murmured weakly. He felt like his entire being had been stripped of all it's energy. "I.... t-tried..."

"Duo," Heero's eyes widened as the boy sagged limply in his arms. Something deep within him tore at him, something unrecognizable and terrifying, and something he never remembered ever truly experiencing before.

Picking his sword up from the ground, something flashed in his eyes before he stood and letting out a great roar of rage and swung the blade, trying to hack his way into the shadows. Time and time again he struck at the barrier and time and time again the shadows shifted and flung him away.

His legs trembled with exhaustion as he stopped and glared at the barrier, at the same time wiping a trickle of blood from the corner of his mouth. He would not give up. Somehow... he would get inside... he would get to the pair that he knew were trapped inside.

The five that made up his group, even the thief that enraged him so, were the first people he'd ever been able to call friends... he would not loose them.

Taking a deep breath, his cobalt eyes narrowed as he set his feet against the earth and steadied his sword, preparing to attack again. He tensed his muscles to spring forward when solid warmth wrapped around him and slender hands grasped his wrists, steadying his shaking arms.

"Let me help," Warm breath caressed his cheek and out of the corner of his eye he saw Duo's determined face as the thief pressed his cheek to his. "Neither one of us can do it alone; maybe together... we can break through,"

Heero nodded silently as Duo shifted his grasp and the blade in his hands started to glow. At the same time, Heero felt the pull of the earth beneath him and opening himself up he felt the power of the earth itself surge into the blade, mingling with the light that Duo gave to it. With a shift of concentration the combined powers of the two warriors burst forth from the tip of the blade and smashed into the shadows, exploding in a flash of light as it struck.

TBC...

*crawls even further under her desk... taking a box of Pocky with her for survival*
Ceri points at the desk: "I think she's afraid to come out..."
*reaches out and grabs her Goku cat for company and disappears back in the darkness*

 

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