When the road gets dark And you can no longer see
Just let my love throw a spark And have a little faith in me
And when the tears you cry Are all you can believe
Just give these loving arms a try And have a little faith in me
-Lyrics to Have A Little faith In Me' performed by John Hiatt
Elements of Great Design Part 41
Pulling her fox cloak tightly around her, Anna shivered as she muttered under her breath, "I might not feel the full effect of the cold, but just the looks of this place is enough to chill me to the bone."
She leaned over ShenLong's side to peer down at her lover, smiling, "Thank you for the thoughtfulness of picking this fur out for me again, Wufei." The wolf walking beside the archer's mount raised his head to give her a grunt and the best of a smile as his muzzle could allow.
Indeed, the Ice Lands were certainly living up to their name. Once the Alliance broke through the initial 'veil' of whirling snow and ice, it seemed as though all that the world beyond consisted of was the same gray and white surroundings.
Between the combined efforts of Fraise and Barton adjusting the temperature through their abilities to manipulate heat and the bite in the air, the four travelers that would have been most uncomfortable were able to get by with their new coats quite easily.
Barren as the stretch was, Heero was unable to hide his marvel over the sights.
Rises of ice that shimmered in the dimmed sunlight stood taller than the tallest castle that the Fighter had ever seen over the course of his journey. All around, there were signs of life in the form of the animals and even some plants that were built to handle the below freezing conditions. Dragons and other birds coated with thick feathers occasionally made appearances in the sky patched with dark clouds miles above the winding road etched in the snow.
"As cold as it is out here, it really is beautiful," Yuy breathed so quietly that his voice was nearly lost to the wind that had picked up to howl by overhead. "To think that I might have missed this if I had stayed in Romefeller..."
Riding at the Fighter's right, Duo smirked, "Oh, that would never have happened. I would have found you and brought you out into the world somehow."
With a raised eyebrow, Heero met his lover's violet eyes and smirked back, "Really? If I recall our first meeting, you were the one who needed me to save you from a city of people who were looking to kill you. Had I not been there, you would never have survived."
An indignant hrumpf broke from the Black Mage and he shot a half-hearted glare at his soul mate. "I was working on a way out of that mess," he huffed, eyes closing as he turned away and tilted his nose up to the sky. Shrugging, he insisted, "You just happened to rush in before I was about to make my own escape."
"Unconscious as you were?" Yuy snickered. "That would have been quite the feat." No longer able to hold up his little act at that comment, Duo sputtered into chuckles and gazed back at Life to give a light smack to his side.
Snickering, the Fighter reached inside the confines of his coat to remove a certain gem from the pouch at his hip. "Let's just see if we can get an idea of how much further we have to go for the Air Stone," he muttered while opening his palm to reveal the clear rock perched there.
Immediately catching the sunlight, the compass illuminated its three colorful beams that were still linked to the remains of the Elders that had sacrificed themselves.
The purple ray of the trio shot straight and true ahead of the Alliance to pierce the swirling mist and snow that stretched for as far as their eyes could see. However, there was a definite shadow in the distance that rose up tall enough that it seemed to go on forever into the skies. Trowa's eyes were instantly fixated on the shape.
"I would bet on whatever that formation is, it's to be our destination," Quatre smiled. "It is nice to have a clear goal in sight."
Heero placed the gem back into its rightful place as he murmured, "Now here's hoping that we can get in and out of there without a challenge."
* * * * * *
Giggling as she lay on her side atop the window seat of her bedroom, Mariemaia patted the top of her purring friend's scaly head.
"I need to give you a name," she smiled, sitting up to fold her legs together. Chirping, the Tonberry blinked his large, gold eyes in anticipation. A finger tapping against her chin, the young sorceress hummed and asked, "How would you like to be called... Toby?" Its face scrunching in distaste, the green creature shook its head vehemently.
Her hands raising in surrender, Khushrenada laughed, "Okay, okay. I'll try again. Hmm. What about Cloud?"
Grunting, her companion shook his head again while sticking his thin, red tongue out. Already enjoying their little game to find the best fit, the child went on down the list of options to strike her. "Let's see, there's also Ashe. Sazh. Rikku. Tidus." Everything was met with either a growl, snarl or some sign of opposition from the Tonberry. [1]
Another name quickly coming to her, Mariemaia grinned, "Cid?" Pausing, the little, brown-cloaked monster brightened at that. Its webbed hands coming together in a quiet round of claps, he nodded enthusiastically with a chirp. "Cid!" the redhead cheered. "That is a wonderful pick!" Her friend opened his arms and launched himself in for a tight hug.
When they pulled back, Khushrenada's shoulders sagged heavily with a sigh. "It's been a... very long time since I have been able to talk to someone like this besides my uncle." Gold eyes narrowing, Cid let out a low hiss at the mention of the old man.
Gently patting the top of his smooth head, the girl nodded, "I know. More often than not, even I have a hard time liking him." Shuddering, she admitted in a whisper, "He scares me, too, but I'm really stuck with him now."
His head tilting deeply, the Tonberry made a series of sounds that sounded like a low muttering that an infant human would make. "Well, of course ruling over all of Gaia had interested me in the beginning," the sorceress answered. "I had all kinds of ideas and dreams of what such a thing might be like.... but..."
She paused a moment, a deep frown marring her face as tears formed in her eyes. "I was not ready for what I had to do to reach that. I swear that I am not a bad person and yet I am responsible for so much death and destruction now that I cannot turn back from what I helped start."
A low, sad moan escaped Cid as he reached up to wipe a stray drop away from her cheek. "Thank you," Mariemaia told him softly with a small smile. "Well, the past is behind me now. All that I can do is bide my time and try to keep myself safe... somehow."
With a bitter laugh, she shrugged, "Maybe by the time all of this is done I'll really be pulling for the Alliance to claim my life so that I can be banished into Hell where I belong."
That soft chuckling slowed and turned into soft sobs as a new wave of tears flowed freely down her face. The Tonberry whimpered and held onto her in a tight cling as she held him just as close.
* * * * * *
Sally all but collapsed when she moved to sit on the edge of the stream that ran through the forest where what remained of the White Fang had taken their refuge. It was her first real break from tending to the dying and wounded for a full day. Other than catching brief moments to sleep for a few minutes when she simply could not do anything more, having the chance to clean herself and her now off-white robes was a Creator-sent reprieve.
Of course, that also meant that the healer was alone now to her thoughts and the emotions that she had managed to keep in check so that she could perform her duty of caring for the soldiers and civilians alike that needed her.
All of the sights, sounds and smells of her arduous work came rushing in and she found herself taking in a sharp breath as the world shifted beyond the swirl of water filling her gaze. Covering her face with her hands, Po allowed herself to wail and sob as she had so badly wished she could have sooner.
For a long, blissful moment Sally had the little clearing to herself for that much needed breakdown. And just when she was on the verge of feeling as though she would not be able to carry on any longer, a familiar pair of strong arms appeared to hold her close against a strong chest.
Instantly recognizing her lover's scent and presence, the braided young woman leaned against him and collected herself enough to raise her wet face.
A sad smile tugging his lips, Firion closed the distance between their mouths for a sound and sweet kiss. "Better?" he asked softly when he pulled back, his grin shifting into one born of concern.
Sighing as the Commander gently brushed a thumb across her cheeks to dry them, the Healer replied honestly, "Yes, thank you." Her body was wracked with a shudder and she frowned deeply, "Of course, I will be much happier when I can put those crying voices and the smell of blood from my mind but that is going to take quite some time."
Firion swallowed roughly and nodded in complete understanding on account of his own demons that he knew he would be battling most likely for the rest of his days. Forcing another smile, he raised, "You, Lady Une and your team did remarkably in overseeing our injured. Our losses would have been far graver than they are thanks to all of your efforts. I have already seen every Healer to thank them personally for preserving as many souls as they could."
At that, Sally's spirits picked up considerably and she grinned, "I am sure that they appreciate your taking the time to do so. Many of them were struggling to cope with everything that had happened."
She bit her lip for a brief hesitance before she inquired, "Have you received the numbers of casualties from the other officers? There was no way I was able to keep track with so many..." Unable to finish her sentence, she simply let it go since the Fighter knew what she was trying to say.
Releasing a deep breath in a puff, the Commander's arms around her loosened so that he could run a hand through his silver hair. "Of the twenty thousand and eighteen that we had started the day off before the attack, eleven thousand five hundred and seventy-one are dead or unaccounted for. More than five thousand others had been wounded, but most of them will be making full recoveries in time thanks to the treatment that they have received."
It was bound to be bad. Sally was more than aware of that. But to actually hear that more than half of their soldiers were gone and even more were hurt... they may as well have been decimated knowing what kind of toll would be taken on the survivors' morale. How they were going to be able to recover from such a-
"Commander!" a voice cried from the tree line, breaking the gifted from her thoughts as she and her lover spun to watch as a young scout in his pre-teens hurried into the open. Panting, the mussed child came to a staggered stop just before Firion. "Sir... you... gotta... come see this," he managed while struggling to catch his breath.
Quickly rising to his feet atop the stony bank of the stream, the silver-haired man requested politely, "Lead the way, Tony." Sally rushed pushed herself upright in a blink and had to all but run to keep up with the two as they reentered the woods.
Once they broke though the cover of trees, the Paramecian natives could not help but notice how those Fighters that were still able to stand on their own were huddled close together in groups that whispered anxiously amongst themselves while heading the the same direction as their leader.
When he came to a thick huddle of soldiers blocking his view of what it was that had so captured the attention of his men, Firion gently pushed himself towards the front as he demanded over their murmurs, "What is going on here?"
No sooner had the question filled the air did he reach the end of the gathered masses. Gasping sharply, the Commander's blue eyes grew as wide as they could at taking in the remarkable sight before him.
Held tightly in both King Zechs and Queen Noin's arms, a tearful and brilliantly smiling young woman held them back. And only a few feet behind the new arrival stood a sea of soldiers wearing armors in a magnitude of different colors.
The air in his lungs pushing out in a rush as though he had been hit square in the gut, Firion staggered a couple of steps forward in his shock. "Q-Queen Relena?' he stammered to the young woman as his friends pulled away from her.
Giggling, the White Fang's guest lifted the hem of her dusty pink one-piece outfit to curtsy. "That would be I," she greeted. Gesturing to the smirking Fighters behind her, she stated, "I do hope that you do not mind our arriving sooner than expected. Whatever supplies you may need we have more than enough of to go around and our Healers are ready to assist wherever they may be needed."
"Oh, thank the Creator," the Commander breathed, ignoring the warm drops running from his eyes. Completely forgetting his place and the formalities that came with it, he closed the distance between himself and the young Queen to lift her in his arms and spin her in a tight hug. Her head falling back, Peacecraft and the hundreds of onlookers laughed...
...something that many of them had thought would never happen again.
* * * * * *
"I cannot tell you how wonderful it is that we finally get to meet, Relena," Lady Une smiled sincerely to the Queen sitting across from her. "Your brother and sister-in-law have told us so much about you since they had been a part of the attack on Mariemaia's forces that freed Treize and I." Frowning, she sighed, "I only wish that we could have made each other's acquaintance under better circumstances."
At her right, her husband squeezed her shoulder as he smirked, "Let us not fool ourselves, love. In the way of our world, these circumstances are the only ones that would have brought us together. We were Strangers to each other with no interest in extending our familiarity with one another only months ago."
Ducking her head with a sheepish grin, the lovely Lady of Paramecia nodded shallowly. "However," Khushrenada chuckled while focusing on his new friends, "it does remain a pleasure to finally get to know the two of you, Highness and Oracle." Their heads bowing, Relena and Dorothy gave the couple brilliant smiles of gratitude.
His own grin never having faded since their reunion, King Zechs draped an arm around his kin's shoulder and kissed her temple. "I have been quite boastful about how my little sister has been spreading the word of unity and courage in light of our great duress to the lands of Gaia safely beyond the spreading darkness," he informed, voice filled with pride. "It is a very brave thing to wander into the Unknown with such a message to those who are not all willing to hear it."
Leaning against her brother, Relena bowed her head to the young woman at her other side, praising, "Well, I cannot take full credit for that. Had it not been for Dorothy, I never would have found the courage to do such a thing on my own." The Oracle's cheeks colored a faint red and when she opened her mouth, her Queen giggled, "No point in arguing or denying that you deserve the recognition, dear."
"Oh, if you insist, then," Catalonia laughed, "perhaps I might have played a bit of a part." Around the new table at the center of what was now the Commander's tent, the Sovereigns chuckled along with them as Firion remained quiet in deep contemplation.
Lowering his hand from his stubbled chin that he had been rubbing, the Fighter commented softly, "If you were less than two days out from connecting with us, you must have seen the devastating blow that we had suffered at the hands of Abaddon's monsters. You have walked amongst our wounded and the mass graves that are being unearthed for our thousands of dead. Do you really believe that there is any hope for us against such an incredible force?"
Dorothy was the one to answer, her lips curling up in a reassuring smirk. "Our journey here was not merely made to bring tents, beds and other supplies," she stated. "We also have information that should prove invaluable for the morale of anyone standing against Mariemaia."
Blinking their wide eyes the Commander and rulers alike leaned towards her. Smiling, she announced, "The Keepers have been gathered and are on a quest for the Elemental Stones." Gasps and sharp cries of surprise filled the air as her audience reeled back in their chairs, the young women with their hands covering their mouths.
"The Keepers?" Firion breathed when he was finally able to close his hanging jaw. "They are really coming to our aid?"
Her head bending in a deep nod, Catalonia grinned, "One of our own Fighters had set out to bring them together, uniting them to ending the threat that has been thrust upon our world. Though I cannot always receive a clear vision of them, I can tell you with certainty through what has been revealed to me that they have indeed been collected and are working to rush into the fight as soon as they are armed with their timeless weapons. There will be little that the little sorceress will be able to do to protect herself when that happens."
All had been lost up to that moment. There was nothing to cling onto by means of hope after everything that the Commander had witnessed. But now that the Keepers were involved, all of that drastically changed in an instant.
Covering his mouth, he murmured behind his hand, "Thank the Creator." And like his friends seated around him, his eyes watered over.
In a rush, he pushed himself up to his feet and practically ran from the tent. Once he was out in the open, he spotted Sally and many other familiar faces standing around along with the thousands that had joined the White Fang. Arms thrusting upward into the air, Firion shouted in elation, "The Oracle has proclaimed that the Keepers are to join our fight! Gaia may yet be spared! Pass the word on to everyone in the encampment!"
A deafening roar of cheers and applause rose up from the Fighters, Healers and civilians alike as embraces and handshakes were exchanged between former Strangers while the younger scouts and messengers hurried off to be sure and carry the word to every ear.
Suddenly, it felt like a whole new war for the rebels.
* * * * * *
The following day...
"Wow," Anna whispered, her warm breath coming out in a long plume of vapor on the cold air as she stared ahead to the great formation that was now in plain view to the Alliance. "So that's where we're going to find the Air Stone, huh?"
The outline of the icy rise glistened in the fading sunlight just before nightfall to reveal a structure similar to a massive bee hive right down to the perfectly circular groves that wrapped it all the way to its top for as far as the eye could see. And the violet beam leading the way shot straight upward beyond the clouds that concealed the zenith.
Closing his hand around the compass, Heero let go of a long sigh and replied, "That's it, alright. Creator knows how high we actually have to go... or what might be waiting for us at the top."
"We still have about a half-day of travel on foot to go," Trowa figured aloud. He finally tore his eyes away from the looming structure to face his teammates and shook his head, "I wouldn't dare get much closer than this so that we can have at least a full night of sleep in case we might be walking into trouble. Better to be safe and conserve our energy with as much sleep as we can get now."
To the low plateaus off to their right, the Dragoon gestured with his chin and said, "I spotted a few large caverns in the sides of those ridges where we can camp safely for the evening."
Rubbing his arms against the bite of the cold in his unsettled state, Duo shifted in his saddle and grumbled, "To be honest, I still think this is a little too close for comfort for me to be able to sleep soundly tonight. Even if we shifted watches, we could easily be overtaken if enough soldiers sneak up on us while we're resting."
Barton smirked, "I have already worked on a solution to not only that but an alternative means of transportation for us to climb past the clouds pretty easily." That said, he pointed up to the skies directly overhead. Raising their heads, the rest of the Alliance's eyes grew in shock at the sight of a half dozen dark shapes circling them beyond the layer of haze.
"Dragons," Quatre whispered, a wide smile spreading across his face the moment he was able to make out the distinct outlines. Meeting his lover's emerald eyes, he laughed, "You were able to use Wufei's trick of manipulating the creatures of your element to do do your bidding." Tail wagging excitedly, the black wolf in their midst let out a low bark of praise to the nodding Dragoon.
Relief washed over the warriors as they returned their focus to their intended destination. "Looks like the odds may have just evened out for a change, boys," Anna grinned smugly to her 'brothers' over her shoulder.
Come the morning, she would come to regret making such a comment so soon.
TBC...
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