And so it's there my homage's due... Clutched by the still of the night
And now I feel, feel you move... Every breath is full
So it's there my homage's due... Clutched by the still of the night
Even the distance feels so near... All for the love of you
-Lyrics to 'Mystic's Dream' performed by Loreena McKennitt

Elements of Great Design Part 50

"Up in arms, men!" Firion screamed over the growing clamor of wagons, hooves and booted feet surging down from the edges of the White Fang's otherwise abandoned encampment. Those Fighters that had hunkered down in the trenches they had created leapt up to the higher ground with their weapons out and at the ready.

Of course there was fear washing through the forces, but there was also a profound relief that the long wait up to this moment was finally over. Sharpness would not be on their side thanks to so many restless nights in a row, but adrenaline had everyone alert to the point of knowing that they needed to hold their lines for as long as they could.

Several yards off, Trent, Mueller and Alex were seeing that their own ranks were up and prepared for the assault that would soon be upon them.

"Give them your all and even more when you have nothing left!" Quinze bellowed, his new blade in hand and raised so that it would catch the flicker of the occasional burning torch that he passed in his pacing back and forth before his soldiers. "Only when there is a clear break in our formation are you to fall back!"

As he scanned the faces before him, the officer did his best not to become too focused on his brothers in arms that he had come to know so well and so personally over the weeks. He knew so many of their fears, their hopes for the end of the war, their favorite items that kept them comfortable and sound... and many of those brave souls would be gone along with those things before long.

Clearing his throat, Trent came to a stop at the center of his group and shouted, "It is an honor to stand with all of you tonight! May the Creator protect us and see us through!"

It was such a speech that was given throughout the whole of the unit, from every division and line to the very last recruits in the back wings of the defensive. While the words were all the same, they were welcomed and resolving for the rebels.

In position and set for whatever was about to come, the armored lot stood facing the north to take in the crunching of trees and bushes being trampled down under the massive weight of their enemies.

Then, the oncoming noise came to an abrupt halt only a few yards beyond what any mortal eye could see through the darkness and the thick of the wood. Wide-eyed, the soldiers swallowed roughly while most shook at the unexpected stall in their fate.

Off in the distance, there was only the chirping of night bugs that flourished in the trees the whole year round. Only matching that soft timbre was the quiet, ragged breathing of the men standing by.

then came the shrill, animalistic howl of laughter from a banshee that was quickly followed by other unholy and horrifying rumblings of cruel amusement from the ghouls. From that moment on, the silence was shattered for the remainder of the evening.

With the beckon of another deep battle horn that had the whole of the White Fang resistance jumping, that hooting and snickering instantly turned into wails of war cries just seconds before the slow march became a head-long charge through the remaining stretch of land.

Their long horned noses breaking through the base of the trees that they stampeded through, a line of Behemoths led the way into the open.

One of the first young men, a new recruit who had never seen the monsters up close before, dropped his spear as he shrieked, "Dear Creator! NO!" He was run clean through by one of the blue beasts, practically cut in half by the massive horn that penetrated his chest.

Others were trampled with every bit as much brutality, the speed and ferocity of the initial wave of monsters too much for the unfortunate ones to be standing in their direct path.

missing two cleaves that would have easily killed him, Firion hollered to the ones still standing, "Hold as long as you can! This is only the start of it, boys!" Collecting himself, he growled deeply and spun himself around to meet the steel of an ogre's sword that he came up against with his own.

Further back, the resistance soldiers watched in horror as their comrades' bodies were either crushed beneath hooves or thrown into the air as though they were limp dolls. Fear and panic very quickly gave way to the unrelenting desire for vengeance and the shot at meeting the beasts with everything that they had. Crying out, the Fighters ran for the danger without another second of hesitation.

Amongst the first to reinforce their faltering lines were Zechs, Trent, Alex and Mueller. Ever the leaders through their example, they stumbled over the fallen bodies to get to their attackers who soon met them with gnashing fangs, claws and every form of horrific weapon at their disposal.

It was in seeing a handful of his own charges being cut down that Quinze found himself a moment away from joining them.

When he was distracted while fending off a banshee, a skeletal horse that had reared up onto its back hooves so that its front could strike him back square in the chest. Flailing, he collapsed onto his back atop a bloodied ground and stared up in terror as the steed's rider delivered the blow that sent his world away just as a flash of light filled his vision before the blackness.

And there was nothing but the silent emptiness left.

*   *   *   *   *   *

"Ooohhh... Dear Creator I needed this," Anna breathed as she kept her head pillowed on her arms. Half-submerged in the warm spring of a round gazebo that had been closed off by fine, velvet curtains of pale lilac hue, she sighed deeply as the familiar hands that had been massaging her shoulders slipped down her spine.

With a deep hum Wufei pressed himself flush against his wife's back and purred by her ear, "You and I both, Firefly."

Pushing her upper body up from the edge of the bath, the Fire Keeper gave her grinning husband a mischievous smirk and closed the distance between them to partake in a hungry kiss. The couple's naked and wet bodies linked together tightly as they sighed and moaned into each other's mouths.

Lightly splashing, they chuckled breathlessly between another series of kisses while finding a way to stay afloat and bound at the same time when Chang found his footing at the bottom of the bubbling pool.

Once they finally reemerged for air, Anna hooked her legs around the Earth Keeper's lithe waist. Nuzzling her face in the nape of his neck as she looped her arms in a loose hold on him, she closed her eyes once more and breathed in his scent with a deep breath.

Releasing the air in a sigh, she commented softly, "We have been very fortunate to have had these opportunities together. Even if this reprieve is temporary, I feel so much more ready to go after the Fire Stone now that I can spend any bit of time with you like this."

Gently kissing her shoulder, Wufei told her just as quietly, "I have every faith that even without this, you would have been more than prepared for that day. You do not necessarily need me to do whatever it is you must to acquire your weapon when you are so strong on your own."

He pulled back enough to have their gazes lock and cut off the protest that was about to come from his soul mate by smirking, "Of course, I am not complaining in the slightest. This has been a most welcomed experience."

Relaxing, the thief giggled when that certain ticklish spot at the side of her neck was attacked by light nibbles from the Monk. "You saved your hide there," she smiled, "Regardless of my own abilities, I cannot imagine being without you."

Tracing the edge of her husband's strong jaw line with her fingertips, Anna grinned, "This time around, I am going to see how many times I can tell you I love you before we have to leave this land. The more I have those words from you to recall, it will make the absence of them a little more tolerable."

Without pause, Wufei locked their eyes and rested their foreheads together as he breathed, "I love you, Anna Chang... Fire. There is no other that would ever burn the mark that you have made in my existence."

A new stray tear rolled down the redhead's cheek that trembled in the wake of her whimper. Smiling through the emotional wave that wracked her, she responded in kind, "I love you, Wufei Chang... Earth... my rock, my home and the sole reason I survive in this life and whatever others we may share together."

Those endearing words were rewarded with a heated kiss that she returned in kind as she felt the beginnings of something brewing between her legs. "Already up for another round?" she panted thickly, their heavy-lidded eyes sparking with wanton desires.

"You know how insatiable I am when it comes to you," the Monk's half-growled as he brushed a hand over her submerged buttocks. "And that is only worsened by the long days that we cannot be joined like this."

A thought coming to him, he peered out of the corner of his eye to take in the hushed quiet of the night beyond the veil of the gazebo. The glow of night wisps passing by shone through like violet sparks hovering on the air as tree crickets chirped. "But perhaps we should consider the late hour and get some rest before we meet with Queen Iria in the morning."

Biting her lip, Anna wiggled her hips as she requested huskily, "One more time tonight... and I promise that I will make it worth your while. We will have more than enough time to sleep it off by the time I am finished with you."

Every other thought left Wufei's mind, other than the knowledge that he would not have been able to rest in his current condition. Unwilling to deny either of them the opportunity to be one again, he shot forth with a deep moan and claimed his bride's lips to see them both satisfied... more than worth both their whiles as the thief had promised.

*   *   *   *   *   *

He hurt...

....He hurt everywhere.

But there was pain, something that he was more than certain would not have been present had he died.

It was in that realization where the fallen soldier had found the strength to force his heavy eyelids to open.

At first, he only managed to gain a flicker of light through the narrow cracks that he was able to manage. That was when he heard a soft gasp at his side and a sweet voice that he had feared he would never hear again whispered, "Trent? Can you hear me?"

The throbbing in his hand pulsed from a squeeze around it that almost caused the Fighter to whimper, but he bit back the urge out of fear that his company might pull away.

Finally, he was able to blink away the sleep that his body longed to hold onto and found himself staring up at the tear-streaked face of his former Queen. "R-Relena?" he croaked out, wincing at the harsh tone of gravel that matched the scratching agony in his throat.

Coming out of her surprise, the young woman reached over to the table where a glass filled with water was waiting. Carefully resting her free hand on Quinze's chest when he attempted to sit up, she urged, "Wait. You are still healing and could aggravate the process."

She worked to better prop up the pillows under her best friend's head so that the shift would not cause him any more unnecessary discomfort and handed him the cup.

His hand shaking a bit as he accepted the offering, Trent greedily drank the water down in a couple of gulps that instantly cooled his burning larynx.

Panting as he handed the tall glass back over, he gave his counterpart a warm smile and said sincerely, "Thank you." Frowning, he shook his head, "But how...? Where...?" Rather than answer with words, Peacecraft suddenly shot forward to sit on the edge of his bed so that she could lean down and pressed her lips against his.

Taken aback by the 'assault,' the Fighter's mouth opened with a sharp gasp and found his footing to turn the kiss into one that was deep and filled with need. Their eyes closing, the pair clung onto each other with some measure of caution, but with enough of a grip that their fears and doubts over actually being together once more were silenced.

Lightly running his fingers through the Queen's hair when they pulled back, Quinze breathed, "Well, I am convinced now that I am not dead."

Biting her swollen bottom lip, Relena whimpered. "You were very close to that not being the case. If Zechs and the others had not intervened to keep you from being trampled to death-" A sharp sob cut her words off and fresh tears filled her gaze as her whole body shook. "You were so broken as it was when you were carried into our new camp that I was so scared you would not survive your wounds."

Hesitantly, the soldier finally gazed down at his body at the same time that he recalled being knocked down onto his back in the wake of a stampede of monsters.

Roaming over himself, he could clearly see the bruises and gashes that overlapped and nearly covered his exposed arms. Bandages that revealed dried splotches of blood were wrapped around his entire torso clued into the location of his more nasty injuries. His brown pants had been sliced at the knees to be converted into a pair of shorts so that his shins that had been cut up badly could find their repair in open air.

What was most startling was the fact that many of those markings were days into healing. Shuddering, Trent could only imagine what a horrid sight he would have made when he had been rescued.

And that only brought on the questions that had swirled through his first waking thoughts back to the forefront of his mind. "Zechs? Alex? Mueller? Firion?" he managed, voice so soft that it was nearly lost to the sounds of on goings beyond the drape of the tent around them.

Quick to ease his fear, Peacecraft insisted, "They are all fine." Smiling, she added, "There is not so much as a scratch on any of them. In fact, only a couple dozen soldiers were lost in the struggle."

That revelation was reeling for Trent. Such a thing could not have been possible, given the terrible situation of the attack that Mariemaia's army should have easily won, either completely decimating the Fighters that had stayed behind or sparing only a small handful of survivors to share the horrific experience with the rest of the White Fang when they were reunited.

Only as he tried to process the survival of not only himself, but the near whole of the unit that had faced the monsters, did the Fighter notice the amusement in the Queen's face. Raising an eyebrow, he asked, "What are you not telling me? I should not have survived... we should have been all but wiped out against those odds." Not that I am not thrilled that we lived, but how were we spared?"

Giggling, Relena bowed her head in surrender. Meeting Quinze's eyes again, she replied, "The Creator sent a miracle... one that might very well turn the tides in this war if even for a little while." To the silent pressing from her mate, she took his hand and kissed the back of it before leaning close to whisper, "The Elders and their gifted descendants have gathered to fight alongside us."

The light. That flash of light that he had seen. It all came back to Trent in a rush that knocked the wind from his lungs. Initially, he had been sure that it was the light to lead him into the great beyond of the Creator. And here it was a flash of hope.

Right then, all that mattered to Quinze was getting out of bed to see the new arrivals with his own eyes. Ignoring the screaming pains in his body as he did so, he pushed himself up in a rush as he grunted with effort, "Help me up. I need to check on my men and thank our rescuers."

Up on her own feet in a blink, the Sovereign frowned deeply in concern. "But you are still healing," she all but whimpered, her hands resting on the young man's shoulders to keep him upright when he swayed back as the world spun before him. Taking advantage of his weakened state, she had an easy time of guiding him back down onto his back and lifted his legs to lay them against the cot.

While Peacecraft worked on securing and making him comfortable, Trent focused on keeping his surroundings from swirling around. And when they did, he gaped at having a real look around to recognize where he actually was.

Unable to hold back his surprise, he voiced aloud, "This is your private tent." Slowly turning his head to gaze on his royal caregiver, he muttered, "You had me stay here... even though there might be talk from the others in camp?"

Her cheeks flushing, Relena shrugged, "Of course. Dorothy has taken a new position amongst the gifted staying with us and I really do not care what kind of gossip may or may not spread amongst the ranks about the arrangements between us. I wanted you close until I knew that you were alright."

The blush deepened as she went on, "And you are more than welcome to stay beyond that as well."

Blinking widely, Quinze repeated, "You... want me to stay here...with you?"

The Queen chewed nervously on the inside of her cheek before she took a deep breath and nodded, "Yes. But that is only if you would like to-" The Fighter reached up to take hold of her arm before she could finish and pulled her down as a startled cry escaped her.

Feeling her partner's other hand cup the side of her face in the same instant that their lips met, Peacecraft eased and sighed into the kiss that was engaged. Words of appreciation, devotion and sheer love were passed through that scorching glimmer of intimacy.

Shakily pulling back, Relena giggled softly, "I take that as meaning you accept my invitation, then?" Chuckling, Quinze nodded rather than voice his response as he gently wrapped the end of her loose hair around his fingers that had been buried in those strands.

"Good," she sighed in relief, rising up once again. "I'll bring Sally in to check on you," Relena promised. "Maybe she can help to relieve the pain enough to help you move around more. I need to find her anyway, since she will want to know that you woke up."

Happy to know that there might be a chance for him to get out and about to oversee his charges, the soldier grinned, "Thank you, Relena." Winking, the Queen placed a quick kiss against his cheek and hurried from the tent.

Lying back to rest his head against the pillows behind him, Trent released a deep breath and silently thought over the wonders of the news that continued to set it.

The Elders and their descendants. United with the White Fang, mere humans, when such a thing had never happened in all of Gaia's history.

"I suppose this war will take all kinds," he smirked to himself, eyes drifting closed as he drifted off in a light sleep beyond the pain.

*   *   *   *   *   *

Back at the original line of the attack, Chaos slowly walked the upturned stretch of miles that had once been thick forest. His hooves scraping along the deep trenches carved out by magic and fire born only from mystics, the demon scanned the barrenness that should have been covered with his men.

Only now those thousands... hundreds of thousands that had been sent to crush the rebels were gone. They had been reduced to the same dirt and dust that the right hand of Abaddon now treaded.

The blood red flags of the new Paramecian Empire should have been waving in the air to boast the dark force's occupation. But now there were only empty fields left in the aftermath of the great light that ended the ambush before it had truly begun.

Chaos should have been angry... livid over what had transpired.

Instead, his long fangs were shown in a vicious smirk that curled his black lips as he chuckled deeply to himself. "Well, well, well," he said to himself, "And here I was beginning to grow bored. It seems as though we may actually have a challenge on our hands. It's about time this war became a little more interesting."

TBC...

 

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