Chapter Seven: Magic
*Standard Disclaimer: Neither the characters of Gundam Wing or Dragonlance are mine, I cannot lay claim to Krynn or any of it’s lands nor can I claim the Gundams and their colonies. Gundam Wing is the property of Sunrise and Dragonlance is owned by TSR.*
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........ Hot air blew in from outside. The hollow sound of water dripped somewhere deep within the labyrinth. Darkness clung to every corner of the cavernous hollow, nothing moved, no one spoke, the air held an electric tension that kept the mortal creatures away but in the shadows dark things crawled watching the tall boy walk slowly from the cavern’s depths. Emerald eyes surveyed the room with a new sight, powers once forgotten now awakened unto him. He smiled finding that which he had been sent for. Gently and with a gloved hand he lifted the orb, carried it back into the dark. Golden eyes watched him from the shadows.
........ “I assure you Maelstrom, I have not forgotten.” A deep growling voice purred.
........ “It is not your memory I question, Skie, but your judgment that I find lacking.” Scarlet lips curled at the caged general beside her.
........ “Not all can be as wise as you, My Lady.” The Blue smiled coolly smoothly putting himself between her and his captive.
........ “Don’t patronize me Khelandros, I know you too well for it.” the red maw scowled as emerald eyes locked on the boy at the cavern mouth, “What’s this, another one? You keep too many of these... humans about.” Maelstrom spat, growling at the tall boy, who glared back.
........ “You have one of your own pawns.” Sapphire tail whipped the air at the feet of the young Shade.
........ “Yes, but not human... not anymore.” Maelstrom smiled. Emerald eyes on porcelain skin glared through the shadows, deep into cobalt seas. The Shade scowled back as their two masters talked civilly. Khelandros took the orb from his young prodigy and lifted the cage high in the air then turned slowly back to the great Red before him.
........ “Come my lady, let us take our leave.” the blue smiled, rising to his full height, ivory horns grazing the roof of the cavern, 400 feet high. The red smiled. “I have something you should see” Khelendros finished and they left, red and blue behemoths lumbering deeper into the cavern. A sharp red tail whipped the electric air and they were gone.
........ “Traitor.” Cobalt eyes firmed on the taller boy when they’d left.
........ “Shade.” the mage replied.
........ “I had no choice.” Heero gritted through clenched teeth.
........ “We always have a choice.” The boy that once was Trowa replied.
........ “I don’t regret this one.” Heero glared “Whatever damage I may do like this... Relena can fix.”
........Nanashi smiled, “You sold your soul, for her?” he laughed. “You truly are an idiot, or a liar.”
........ “Bastard!” Heero leapt at the mage, once a dear friend, now more a shadow than he had become. Nanashi held out his hand and Heero was knocked to the ground.
........ “Not here, not now Heero. Your demons talk just beyond that wall, golden eyes watch all we do.” Nanashi whispered.
........ “I died for her,” Heero growled, standing up. “I gave my life, my immortal soul for hers! What excuse do you have?”
........ The mage’s eyes narrowed as he took a step closer. “Blood,” Nanashi smiled a hollow, evil smile, “Vengeance and Power.” he stepped back, raised his hands in defiant challenge, “So much we did not see before, so much we were deprived. This power... don’t you feel it, Heero, the power. In the air, the water, earth and sky. In every breath, every movement, every thought the power, our right, denied.” Heero stared at his old friend. Of all the pilots this was the last he ever thought would say- do such a thing. And yet here they were. But no matter how he hated it, Trowa was right. There was a certain power he’d only just noticed and it felt right. But that was wrong. So terribly wrong. Heero didn’t quite know what to make of all this so he just glared.
* * *

........ Gentle fingers lightly stroked the tattered parchment, traced the inked lines carefully, slowly down. Quatre studied the ancient map, given to him by the lady Amryl, so long ago now it seemed- just after the fall of the Istar’s headquarters, and Preventers’. He really didn’t know what to make of it all… There were things- places and names he didn’t recognize, a few he did. Istar for one. The Blood Sea of Istar… not a comforting thought… The rest of the map was unrecognizable… Quatre couldn’t imagine the place this must show… nowhere on earth, he thought to himself… but maybe somewhere beyond…
........ Duo leaned over Quatre’s shoulder and looked at the map. “Oh, wow- Pangea…” he sighed sarcastically. “Not a lotta good that map’s gonna do us.”
........ “Pangea?” Quatre asked quietly. He recognized the term but couldn’t quite place it.
........ “Yeah- earth way back when- dinosaur days and such.” Duo filled in the blanks. “So what’chya looking at it for?”
........ “Amryl gave it to us.” Quate answered softly, thinking.
........ “Oh, so that’s what was in the box… how helpful.” Duo was being even more sarcastic than usual.
........ “Why would she give you a map of Pangea?” Wufie asked looking up from the wreckage of the two remaining Gundams. He turned a bolt and the panel he’d been working on fell off.
........ “Told ya to give it up Wu- you’ll never get em to fly again.” Duo looked back at the Chinese now staring at the panel on his foot. He’d been trying to fix the massive damage wrought by their last encounter with the Green for several hours now. Sally paced back and forth between the trees. She still held the radio that had confirmed the safety of her men, and her Queen. Relena had made it out of harm’s way… made it to the safety of a sympathizer village only a few miles away. She would be safe there… so long as Deava didn’t find her. But now… now what to do?
........ “But if this is earth… wouldn’t these places still be here?” Quatre asked quietly.
........ “Some of em, but millions of years old…” Duo looked back to the sullen Arab. “most of em are probably destroyed by now.”
........ “But they might still be there? Right?” Aqua eyes gazed hopefully up.
........ “Well, I guess… but it’s not very likely.” Duo sighed “Even then you’d have to track em down, find where that particular piece of land ended up at.”
........ “But it Is Possible.” Quatre asked in a trembling tone.
........ “In theory, yeah… why?” Duo looked at the hope on the blonde Arab’s face- nearly dreading it.
........ “There’s a mark.” Quatre answered simply turning the map to Duo and pointing at the arrow, dark red and newer than the other ink, pointing to a certain mountain pass, labeled simply “Huma.” By this time Wufie had dropped his tools and made his way over to look at the map.
........ “Do you think we should go there?” he asked the blonde boy.
........ “Yes.” Quatre answered simply, with conviction.
........ “Come on guys! This is a waste of time,” Duo shouted, throwing up his hands as he took a step away. “We can’t just go wandering off on some wild goose chase to God knows where to find some place that doesn’t exist anymore- assuming it ever did- when we have Dragons to kill!” Duo was angry, Quatre could feel it, painfully.
........ “Dragons we can’t kill.” ebon eyes fixed on indigo pools. Dou growled.
........ “I did the green bitch some damage.” The Deathscythe pilot spat. They hadn’t really registered that before. Duo did indeed hurt the green last time… but how? None of their weapons had hurt the dragons before- only Shen Long’s fire, which was rapidly iced by the White. Perhaps… maybe only certain weapons could hurt certain of them… But Deathscythe was destroyed, and Duo was right they wouldn’t be able to fix it.
........ “How did you hurt it?” Wufei asked suddenly.
........ “I cut it, that’s how.” Duo hissed. This whole thing made him angry. From not being able to kill those bastards that took his Hilde’s life to being hunted like dogs and haunted by the flaming visage of Shinigami… and then this talk of Magic and Dragons and old, dead Gods, chasing down a place on a map of a world before humans even existed! It was insane…
........ “Was there, anything different this time Duo? Anything not there before?” Quatre asked softly, cutting into his thoughts.
........ “No…” he barked then remembered, “Well…” Duo slowly clutched the bracer under his sleeve. “There is… this” he pulled the black cloth up and showed them the silver metal. “But I don’t see how…”
........ “Magic.” Quatre breathed, brushing his fingers on the silver. “Kiri-Jolith…” the young Arab sighed, closing his eyes as he touched the metal. Duo watched, worried- that name… but how? Suddenly Quatre collapsed and the anger was replaced with fear. Wufei and Duo both caught him. Sally watched in awe as the shaded light from the trees played on the Arab’s hair, turning it shades of gold and silver. Quatre’s eyes slowly opened, deep aquamarine tinged in streaks of silver. There was a distance to them that scared Sally but that Duo and Wufei recognized. This time they would let him dream.
........
........ ~ Quatre marveled at the thick silver band on Duo’s arm. Somehow he recognized it, he wanted to touch it. He felt his hand reach out and stroke the cool metal band. Around him the forest chirped and leaves rustled in the wind, his friends stood around him and behind them were the ruins of the two Gundams. Quatre saw a strange look in Duo’s eyes as he looked up at him then it all fell away in a strange blue light. He felt a soft breeze blow through his hair carrying the sweet smell of flowers and a distant tune. Rolling plains spread out before him, springtime grass and blossoms bathed in the silver light of a giant moon. Quatre looked up to that moon, to Solinari. The old Gods seemed to smile down on him in that place, that magical field he should not know but did, somewhere on Ansalon. Time seemed to float slowly by, motion and sound were slowed, languid, peaceful, calm. Even the gentle breeze drifted but limpidly by. Everything was caught in some soft haze, like a far off dream. There Quatre felt right, felt safe and warn- felt cleansed. He spread his arms and smiled wide taking it all in. There was so much he didn’t understand but here it didn’t seem to matter. Everything was bathed in a bright blue light and contentment. Quatre closed his eyes smiling, slowly opened them. When he did, before him stood, blue in the north, a mountain. Slowly the wind blew harder now, a slight chill as the fields turned to mountains underneath him. He was standing at the mountain range- at the feet of the Gods- at Huma’s Tomb. He looked back, out over the plain through the large expanse of mountain. Far in the east he could see the lights of some small town. But what caught his eye were the strange banners on a distant, forested, peak- tall flags of myriad colors, written with prayers. Quatre watched them in the wind then turned to the white-faced cliff before him. The giant figure of a standing dragon carved into the very face of the mountain glared down at him in stark repose. And there at it’s feet, between massive claws was a door. Slowly Quatre walked to the door. Pushed on its oaken panel. Heavily they swung open to a brilliant light and inside was their salvation. He knew they could find it, he knew it would save the world. ~
........
........ Quatre woke slowly to the silver moon behind emerald trees. For a moment he thought it had all been just a dream. He thought he would roll over and Trowa would be there, smiling at him under the trees. But it was real, it was all too real and when he rolled over all he saw was the charred ruins of his Sandrock. Quatre stood up slowly, rubbing his eyes. Duo and Wufei had fallen asleep to his left, Sally leaned against a tree beside them, she turned to him and smiled softly.
........ “I was so worried… are you all right?” she asked quietly so not to wake the others.
........ “I’m fine. How long?” Quatre asked, noticing the night around him.
........ “Nearly all day, and all night. It should be dawn soon.” Sally answered. “They just fell asleep, I had to convince them.” She smiled softly. They had wanted to stay up until Quatre woke, to make sure he was safe.
........ “I’m sorry… I know we don’t have time…” The Arab apologized- cursed himself quietly for wasting their precious time he knew they couldn’t wait for his weakness, they had to fight these demons and every second would count.
........ “It’s all right. They understand.” Sally cut through his musing. “I wanted to try and wake you up but they said something about a… a second sight they didn’t want to disturb.” Quatre smiled… how thoughtful.
........ “I only wish I had more to show for it…” he sighed. “I can’t make much sense of what I saw. But I feel better for it.”
........ “Well, that’s good…” Sally smiled, she couldn’t make much sense of what she was seeing either- what she had seen the past few weeks. “If you don’t mind… I could use some sleep.”
........ “Oh, I’m sorry.” Quatre breathed, hoping he hadn’t woken her.
........ “No problem… I was on watch. But now.” Sally yawned.
........ “I’ll take your watch, you said it would be dawn soon and I know Wufie can’t sleep in the light, we’ll be off soon.” Quatre looked to the horizon, he could see the paler shade of blue.
........ “Where are you going?” Sally asked as she laid down.
........ “The mountain. To stand at the feet of the Gods.”
........
........ Dawn crept slowly over the forest, spreading red light like fire over the emerald grove. Just as Quatre had said Wufei woke with the sun, Duo opened his eyes to the sound of their packing. They took all they could salvage from the Gundams, all they could carry, and just as the sun crept up the sky they left to chase the Arab’s dream, walking north on some old Quest.
........ Sally watched them go. The last of the Gundam Pilots, the last hope… off to chase their magic. She was having a hard time making sense of all of this but really she didn’t have time to. She had to get back to Relena, to make sure she was kept safe as the three of them saved the world. She had no idea how but she knew they could do it if anyone, they could slay these Dragons.
* * *

........ “Damn you Maelstrom!” Deava cursed as the he hit the screen of his comlink. The fugitives had gotten away.
........ “Well, at least they didn’t kill her… That would have looked very bad.” A soft voice laughed from the shadows. Deava spun on amber eyes, sable hair long curved ears. The tall youth smiled wickedly at the old elf.
........ “You…” Deava hissed, “I though you were dead.”
........ “And I, you.” The young elf smiled, walking to the broken glass. “Quite a mess you’ve made.” He sighed looking down over the still smoking ruins.
........ “Those Gundams have proven to be more a challenge than I’d thought.” Deava growled.
........ “You’ve always been one to underestimate your enemies.” The youth turned to Deava, “Amryl gave them the map.”
........ “What?” Deava spun on him, shouted.
........ “They are the next heroes of the Lance.” The youth smiled wide, malevolently. “They quest for it as we speak. Without the lance they can’t harm your dragons, but with it- you know what that would mean.” He breathed. Indeed Deava knew… it would mean the death of the dragons, it would mean the fall of his new empire. The continued sleep of the old Gods.
........ “How do you know this?” Deava asked, though he knew the answer.
........ “I know many things, old mage. Many, many things.” Amber eyes smiled viciously.
........ “Damn your cryptic nonsense! What have you done?!” Deava screamed at the boy, who smiled in return.
........ “Me? I’ve done nothing, Father. Nothing at all.” The boy smiled, turned and faded into the deep folds of shadow just beyond Deava’s reach.
........ “Curse that boy… I should have killed him when I had the chance.” Deava growled at the shadows. Then turned, slowly to look back at the smoldering ruins of his tower. Deava hit the com again, this time it snapped on- at attention.
........ “Bring me the Hunters.” He spat at the young officer on the other end.
* * *

........ “Are you sure about this Quat?” Duo asked, shifting the heavy bag on his shoulder.
........ “Very.” Quatre answered simply.
........ “Well, we need a better way a getting’ there- we can’t just walk to the Himalayas.” Duo put in the obvious bit of reason.
........ “I agree.” Wufei stated flatly… something about that just felt odd.
........ “I know… but the Gundams won’t fly and we don’t have any other options- all our things have been confiscated and there’s not a town, city or village with decent transportation around for miles.” Quatre hit back with the other obvious facts.
........ “Well, there’s that base.” Duo tilted his head in the direction of the rising smoke. “Think I left at least one decent cargo ship or small plane or helicopter or car- Anything, Quatre, is better than walking!”
........ “Duo.” Wufei sighed “That’s the base you just attacked- the base We were facing a firing squad at… the base We just ran away from!” the sigh slowly grew to a shout.
........ “Yeah, they’ won’t ever expect us to go back!” Duo grinned manically.
........ “Criminals always return to the scene of the crime…” Wufei muttered, a little rule he’d learned from his experiences with the Preventers and in one form or fashion it was true.
........ “Come on Wu- they won’t Ever see That coming.” Duo grinned, “Ya gotta admit it, whether you wanna go there or not ya gotta admit they wouldn’t be expecting it.” Wufei growled…
........ “All right Duo, how do you propose we get a transport from them- steal one?” Quatre sighed, not liking the direction this conversation was taking.
........ “Well, sorta…” Duo’s smile widened, “more like we just go in and take one.” Quatre really didn’t like the sound of that. “Look- they’re flyin’ em all off base anyway. We just knock out a couple of guards take their uniforms and walk up to the guy handing out the keys and fly one away.” It was so completely insane it just might work. The others just stared- made sense to Duo… “Come on guys if we’re gonna do this we need to do it before they cart off all the good ones… I wanna fighter” Duo smiled going over the list of suits, planes and transports he’d seen while waiting for the right moment to step in and save his friends.
........ “Nothing good can come of this…” Wufei sighed as they lifted their packs and set out for the rising cloud of smoke.
........
........ “Hey, you!” a gruff voice barked at three wandering figures through the heavy smoke. “Hey, get your lazy asses over here right now you bums! You know we’re on red alert and short-handed so Everyone! I mean everyone has to help get these planes out!” the old guard shouted at the three youths who had stopped suddenly- fearfully at the first shout. When they finally walked up to the guard one was smiling wider than he should, the one with the long braid. The guard thought for a moment- he knew he recognized these three from somewhere but shook it off as he’d seen most of the new trainees at least once in his time here.
........ “Wipe that silly grin off your face, boy!” he barked at the braided one and shoved a stack of papers at them. “No need in wasting perfectly good lackies- go see the Sergeant, he’ll show you the planes.”
........
........ “PlaneS!” Duo laughed as they walked out of earshot from the old guard. “You hear that, PlaneS!”
........ “Yes, Duo, we heard it.” Wufie growled, praying silently no one would recognize them.
........ “Um… guys. Where is this Sergeant we’re supposed to go to?” Quatre asked nervously realizing they had no idea. And as if on cue…
........ “Hey- Dumbasses! The Sergeant’s over there!- lazy bums…” the old guard cursed at them from the smoking cloud. He was tired of dealing with young lackies like them.
........ “Well, he’s helpful- we should put him in for promotion.” Duo joked as he nearly skipped off to see the Sergeant. His plan was working all too well. This worried Wufie- things just ever so rarely go as Duo had planned. Still it did seem to be working…
........ “Here ya go.” Duo chirped at the Sergeant… he was being a bit too chipper but he just couldn’t help it- he wasn’t used to his plans going so well.
........ “Wha?” the Sergeant glared down at him, “Damn new recruits…” he grumbled as he scanned the papers Duo had handed him. “Wipe that grin off yer face, boy!” he shouted then pointed to three old junkers on the runway, “Have fun.” He handed Duo the keys and walked off cursing the new recruits.
........ “Well, there would be the flaw in you little plan.” Wufei sighed, looking over the three… I guess you could call them planes, they’d just been issued.
........ “Yeah.” Duo shook his head, “But it is kinda funny though- they just handed them to us!”
........ “Not a lot of good they’ll do… I’m not sure these’ll make it out of this forest let alone all the way to Asia.” Wufie stated the obvious.
........ “Yeah, well… hmm.” Duo raised an eyebrow and smiled. His eyes were focusing on something just behind the three junkers… something big. “Oh, wow…” his eyes widened as he breathed “a B-17 bomber!”
........ “Huh?” Duo ran round to just touch the old relic.
........ “Wonder if it flies…” he breathed, stroking the ancient metal, the near naked lady painted on the nose… “This one was in the war… Look- kill marks!” Duo grinned pointing to the painted flags under the smiling girl.
........ “Those are old Japanese flags… what’s the red one?” Quatre asked counting them… nearly twenty in all.
........ “Nazi… this plane actually flew in World War II…” Duo’s eye widened in awe, “Man. That was before the colonies! This must be the Only one left in existence!”
........ “That’s really nice Duo, we should be going now.” Wufie growled.
........ “Lets take this…” Duo smiled, still drooling over the old bomber.
........ “Yes, let’s just fly off in what must the most singularly distinct plane in all existence.” Wufei was getting irritated by all this… he just wanted to get out of there, he knew this was a bad idea.
........ “Wha… she’ll get us there! These were known for that.” Duo smiled, climbing up on the wing.
........ “Yeah that’s assuming she even flies.” Wufei was impatient, he began to turn and get in one of the old junkers when Duo suddenly declared,
........ “Only one way to find out.” Duo smiled and jumped in the old cockpit. It really was in mint condition… Duo was a bit euphoric and not really thinking when he hotwired the old plane. Sure enough it worked. As he cranked up the old engines, ran a system check- it was even loaded… the rest of the base was suddenly realizing those three weren’t new recruits- either that or they really were supreme dumbasses.
........ “Hey! You, get outta there! That’ ain’t the plane you were assigned!” the old guard yelled at them from the smoke.
........ “You two had better get in.” Duo leaned into the cockpit window and shouted to his friends. They stood there a moment- not really sure this was actually happening- Wufei just figured out why Duo’s plans so rarely come through. Then the base opened fire. The other two Gundam pilots jumped in the old plane and Duo cranked up the starting gear. As the bomber began to slowly pull out of the hangar Duo shouted to Wufei and Quatre-
........ “Get on the Guns man! We’re gonna need some cover!” Wufie scanned the cockpit and caught the lower front turret. He gracefully slipped into the seat and gripped the guns. It really was a practical design considering how old it was…
........ “Ok Wu-man, you ready?” duo had to shout over the sound of the engine. Wufei let off a short burst in answer, and to fend off some advancing guys with guns. Quatre shook his head at the whole debacle- he knew somehow this wasn’t going to work. But they had little choice in the matter now. Quatre sighed as Duo pushed the old plane onto the runway. Shots fired out over them from every direction but luckily most of the big guns- the suits, the fighter planes, tanks and heavy munitions- had already been taken off base. All they were left with was hand guns and old junkers like the ones they had been assigned to. It was for that fact- and that fact alone that they made it into the air, and sheer dumb luck that they made it out of sight and off radar before the real guns came back. So they were off, flying an ancient relic to an unknown peak in the middle of nowhere, no idea where they were going or what they were looking for- all they knew for certain was they were going to save the world.