Chapter 33 / 37
Written by Jessi Maxwell - send C&C to Megami_no_Remon@hotmail.com
Duo looked back at the portal in something approaching awe before grinning hugely at Rook. "That was AWESOME! You have GOT to teach me how to do that...do you have any idea how convenient that would be?"
Rook merely smiled indulgently. "Indeed. Well, I could teach you, but it would not work from where you hail, and I do not suspect you wish to stay in my world solely for the sake of a spell of teleportation."
Duo considered it for a moment before sighing. "Yeah...you're right." He looked dejected for a moment before grinning hugely, snatching the torch - which seemed unaffected by the chill wind that was blowing - and bounced into the cave entrance. "Quatre! Hey, Q! We're back already!"
Inside the cave there was a small eep. The first thing Duo noticed was Quatre was sitting up in a pile of furs, gun trained right at him. Quatre lowered the gun quickly. Duo then noticed several other things all at once.
Quatre had nothing on that he could see - although admittedly he could only see to his waist. The next thing he noticed was that Quatre was not in his makeshift bed alone. Next to him, Ayrchad had slid below the blankets until all that was visible was a pair of very large blue eyes and the top of his head. Duo could almost feel the heat of their combined blush.
"D...Duo..." Quatre managed. "You...you're back early..."
Duo grinned slyly. "Well, I hope I wasn't interrupting anything. My, my..."
"Oh, shut up..." Quatre mumbled, blushing even more fiercely. "I didn't tease you about Zechs..."
"Why would you tease him about m--...ah." Zechs had apparently entered. Duo snickered, terribly amused at Quatre's misfortune.
Rook strode in a moment later, eyes locking on Chad - or what little he could see of him, at least. His usual calm was broken into an expression of surprise. "Well, well...you're alive after all."
"Um...hello..." Chad mumbled shyly, not releasing his death grip on his blanket. "Do...I know you?"
"No, you don't," Rook responded smoothly. "But I know who YOU are. After all, only one shadowdragon has ever had children."
"Oh," Chad responded with a blink.
Rook smiled widely. "I suppose that makes you my cousin. Allow me to introduce myself. You may call me Rook. I've come to help out these fine gentlemen in returning to their home."
Duo and Zechs blinked at each other. "Cousin?"
Rook gave them a faint grin. "Ah...my life history in short. It must be brief, we are being hunted and I do not wish to lead them here. At the beginning of things, the Creator made an elemental of magic to rule alongside the other elemental gods. However, the force of all magic combined into one creature was far too powerful. He tried to take it back but failed. He merely ripped out SOME of her power. Think of it like grabbing a great many strings that are bound together and yanking. Some may come free, some will snap, some are left behind. It was rather like that.
"When he tried to pull her magic, he succeeded in pulling out most of her neutrality, and ended up getting a bit more good than evil. The elemental was bound to the netherworld. She was...very unstable, with her dual natures clashing. One of the terms of her confinement was that, to be free of her realm and her binding, she needed an Heir. So she set off to...er...make one.
"Lycavilana...that is her name...had no true form, no true race. She had originally been merely a collection of magical energy. So the children she bore had forms...and those forms were random. Her firstborn was an angel. The second was twins...both gods in their own right. The elder was a shadowdragon, the god of evil. Don't...let that fool you; his powers do not necessarily dictate his personality. That...is your father." Here Rook nodded to Ayrchad, who was staring at him wide-eyed.
"Her sixth child was a shadow vampire by the name of Reoryx. My father. My mother was the archangel that directly thwarted one of Lycavilana's last attempts to escape her captivity." Rook was silent for a moment. "Be that as it may. She found a way to free herself sixteen years ago, and all the gods were bound. When Ar'Chion was bound...your father...you were taken to Hell."
Chad squeaked a bit at that and Duo stared at Rook incredulously. "Er...why would the poor kid be taken to hell?"
Rook grinned slightly. "Well...his other parent is the direct descendant of the Archdemon. Nice kid, really. But when you and your siblings were brought there, you were lost. Chaos was the order of the day with Lycavi running free, and one of her major targets has always been the Archdemon whom had escaped her servitude long ago and been a thorn in her side ever since. In the attacks that ensued, you and your siblings found your way through a portal. You were lost and no one could find you due to your nature."
"M...my nature?" Chad managed.
"Yes. Shadowdragons are immune to magic, positive or negative, save their own. This includes spells of detection. The search for you was long but you were given up for dead after several years. And now, here you are..."
"My brother and sister are both missing, but my friends think they know where Shaiyra is!"
Rook nodded gravely. "Yes. I shall go and retrieve him." He frowned and was silent a moment. "I cannot promise anything. It may be that something has happened to him in the mean time, you must be prepared for that. Either way, I shall care for you both." Standing straighter he turned to Duo. "We must be gone from here. Gather whatever you've left here and meet me outside."
Duo and Zechs glanced at each other, then Quatre, before grinning and slipping out behind him.
Quatre eyed the doorway warily before he sighed and started getting dressed.
Chad looked at him for a long time before speaking. "I will miss you. Your friends, too, but..."
Quatre smiled and leaned over to give him a brief but deep kiss before sighing heavily. "I'll miss you too. If I ... didn't have so many important things I had to do back home, I would stay with you. But there is a war going on back home...and I'm the only heir to my family's business. And so many bad things would happen to so many people if anything happened to it."
"And I can't go with you...Still. I regret nothing. If ever you find a way to come back here...I will be waiting for you."
"If ever I can, I will come back." Quatre bit back tears and hugged Chad tightly.
A few moments later the Arabian exited the cave and stood next to his friends. Duo eyed him for a long moment before slinging his arm around Quatre's shoulders in a hug, not bothering to say anything. Quatre gave him a grateful smile and leaned his head on Duo's shoulder.
"I think we're ready."
Rook nodded and then began murmuring in a complex, spidery tongue. He drew symbols in the air. They glowed faintly for a few moments before vanishing. "Alright. Use the amulet, young master Maxwell. Hold it in your hand and will the lot of us to your home."
"That's it?" Duo asked doubtfully, peering at the amulet.
Rook smiled and inclined his head briefly. "Yes. That is all."
"Huh." Duo eyed the pendant skeptically before closing his eyes. // Well, here goes nothin'...//
Duo felt the air around him shift. There was a brief, frigid rush which warmed significantly and abruptly. He opened his eyes and blinked - the four of them were standing in the middle of the ruins of Quatre's manor.
Duo opened his eyes and whirled around with a grin. "Hey, it wor--"
A moment later, several gunshots rang out. Duo felt a tremendous impact in his chest and the world fell away as he hit the ground.