Duo entered the cavern cautiously, looking around for some sign of Heero or Zechs. Through the dimness he could see a figure, sitting crouched by the water. As he approached, he saw that it was Heero.

"Heero?" he said. He came up beside him, and looked at him warily. "Heero, are you okay?"

Heero was staring straight ahead, his mouth set firmly. His entire body was soaking wet. "Zechs is dead," he said.

"Oh," said Duo. "Guess you didn’t need my help after all!" He held out a hand, and said in a gentler tone, "C’mon. The others will probably be waiting for us."

Heero let his friend help him to his feet. Before they left the cavern, though, he stopped and looked at the two swords, the Zero and the Epyon of Ironblood, lying together on the rock floor. He walked over and picked them up, one in each hand. Then he followed Duo out of the cave to meet the others.

Treize suddenly stopped in his attack and turned to the book lying on the table. Its old pages and leather binding seemed to be shuddering, almost shaking, as if in a breeze. Wufei gasped. The markings on the open pages were fading, disappearing and leaving blank, yellowing sheets.

Treize rushed over to the Book and stared as the words finally vanished completely.

"The Book," he muttered, flipping through more of the page. Most of them had not lost their writing; it was only those few that had faded.

"What does it mean?" asked Wufei, coming up beside him.

"It means," said Treize, his voice low, "that I have lost Zechs."

"What?" said Wufei. "How do you know?"

"That was the spell he translated." He shook his head. "I told him not to go…."

Treize backed away from the Book to face Wufei again, his sword raised. "So it is all over," he said quietly. "The people will know soon enough, and then–" He grimaced.

Suddenly, he leaped forward, charging straight at Wufei, his sword raised, a wild cry echoing from his lips. Wufei had no time to react otherwise; he raised his own sword, sweeping it upwards against the attack, and the blade sunk into Treize’s chest.

Wufei gaped at him and pulled the sword back. Treize landed on his knees. "That… was beautiful, Wufei," he gasped, and slid to the floor.

"Treize!" Wufei fell to his knees beside the fallen man.

"The suffering of the people has been avenged," said Treize. His eyes looked away, at something distant and imagined. "Zechs," he sighed. "I’ll meet you on the other side…."

Wufei placed his hand over Treize’s heart, but the blow had been swift and deep. Treize was dead.

Wufei stood and looked down at him for a minute, strangely remorseful over the death of such an honest man, a man so willing to sacrifice for his dreams. Then Wufei’s eyes fell on the Book of Meteors, still lying open on the table to the blank pages. He sheathed his sword, closed the book, and put it under his arm. As he clutched the pink transporting stone and prepared to leave, though, the door to the room opened, and a woman entered. Her hair was pulled back in a tight bun, and she wore a military coat with a ruffle at the neck. She held the little girl Marimeia in her arms, pressing the girl’s face against her shoulder.

Wufei stopped and looked at her. "Who are you?" he asked her.

"My name is Lady Une," she said. "I beg you, please take the child with you."

Wufei stared at the little girl, trembling and clinging to Lady Une’s coat. "Take her with me? You mean… to care for her?"

"The spell on the people will be broken soon," said Lady Une, stepping forward. "They will storm the fortress, and they will surely kill her if they find her. She will be safe with you."

Wufei looked again at the little girl. "Do you expect me to raise her?" he asked.

"One of your companions can care for her. Please," she said, and her eyes looked straight through him, as Sally’s had done. "Don’t let her die."

Wufei hesitated just a moment longer before reaching out his arms to take the girl, still balancing the Book of Meteors clumsily under one arm. Marimeia’s face was stained with tears, her little mouth trembling, as her eyes swept over her father’s body lying on the ground, and then plaintively back at Lady Une.

"Be a good girl," Lady Une said softly. "Wufei and his friends are going to take care of you now."

"What about you?" asked Wufei.

"My place is with Treize," she replied, kneeling beside his body. She looked up at him with tired eyes. "Go now."

Wufei clutched the pink stone in one hand. Marimeia clung to his neck as they vanished from the room.

Lady Une looked down at the dead man. "Mr. Treize… you were splendid."

The dead weight of Quatre’s limp body hung heavily in Trowa’s arms as he hurried along the passageway. The shoulderpiece of Dorothy’s dress was wrapped around Quatre’s middle, containing most of the blood. Dorothy herself was leading Trowa through the passages, silent, with her eyes lowered to the ground in front of her.

They finally arrived at the opaque doorway, and Trowa followed her into the chamber of the Dragons. She bowed quickly to them and began shakily, "My Lords–"

"We know what has come to pass," said Wing. " We will do what we can for him."

The dragon Sandrock spread its legs and, moving in ripples, came forward and climbed down to the floor of the great chamber. It moved its limbs and arranged itself into a crouch, still towering high above Trowa and Dorothy’s heads. It moved one arm. "Lay him on the ground."

Trowa did so. As he moved his arms away, Quatre groaned softly. "Remove the dressing," said Sandrock, and Trowa carefully unwrapped Dorothy’s shoulderpiece from around the wound, and stood back.

Sandrock reached up and lifted its stone medallion away from its forehead between two great claws. It then placed the medallion on Quatre’s chest; it was about three feet in diameter and covered his entire torso, making him struggle to breathe. As soon as Sandrock’s claw left it, the engraving of the sun began to glow. Quatre didn’t move; he seemed to be holding his breath.

After a minute, Sandrock lifted away the medallion and replaced it on its forehead. Trowa stared at the place where the wound had been. All the blood was gone, and the wound was completely healed.

"Thank you, my Lords," said Trowa, bowing before them, but Dorothy went straight to Quatre’s side, and held his hand.

Quatre’s eyes opened; he saw Dorothy, and smiled. He sat up slowly, with some difficulty, and Dorothy had to help him to his feet, where he continued to lean on her.

"He is still weak," said Sandrock. "It will take time for all of his strength to return."

Quatre was looking at Dorothy, but she didn’t look back at him. "Quatre," she said quietly, "I’m so sorry–"

"Don’t be," said Quatre reassuringly. "It wasn’t in your control. The same thing happened to me, and I nearly killed my friends. I know how helpless it makes you feel."

She looked up at him, still unsure but with a small smile. "Thank you," she said, and her voice made it clear that she was about to cry.

"Dorothy," said Wing. "Would you like to return with him?"

"Dorothy looked up at it, and there were tears in her eyes. "Really?" she said.

"You have served us for most of your life," it said. "And it is time that you went out into the world – if you feel that you are ready."

"Oh, yes!" she said, and her face lit up. It faded momentarily, though, and she turned to Quatre. "That is, of course, if you…."

Quatre smiled warmly at her. "Nothing would make me happier."

Dorothy’s smile returned, even brighter than before, and she threw her arms around him in a grateful embrace. After a moment he leaned back and put a hand on her cheek, carefully wiping away the tears. Then he leaned in and kissed her. At first she seemed startled, but after a moment her eyes closed and she returned the kiss, resting a hand on the back of his neck. Behind them, Trowa smiled.

"Sorry, are we interrupting something?" Duo said from the doorway. Trowa turned to look at him, as Heero stepped into the room behind him.

Dorothy and Quatre separated and turned to them as well. "Zechs…?" Quatre asked.

Duo turned to Heero. Heero looked down at the swords in his hands.

Duo looked back at the others. "We took out his apprentices, too. All that’s left is to speak with Queen Relena, and get her to break the spell on the people." He looked around. "Wait a sec, where’s Wufei?"

"I thought he was with you," said Trowa.

"He used Hilde’s transporting stone," said Duo. "He was going to see Treize–"

He stopped; Wufei had materialized in the middle of the room.

"Hey!" said Duo. "There you are!" He looked at Marimeia, startled. "Who’s that?"

Wufei glanced down at the redhead in his arms. "She’s Treize’s daughter."

"Treize’s daughter!" said Quatre. "Well, what about Treize."

Wufei shook his head.

Heero approached Wufei. "Is that the Book of Meteors?" he said. Wufei nodded and held it out to him. Heero sheathed the Ironblood, held the Zero in one hand, and took the Book of Meteors under his other arm.

"It is time to open the gates," said Wing. "Assemble yourselves by the door, and we will open the portal to the spirit world."

Everyone backed up and stood in a line by the door. Quatre, leaning on Dorothy, stood next to Duo and Trowa, and beside them, Wufei stood, still with Marimeia in his arms, clinging to his shirt. Heero stood in the middle of the group, slightly forward of the rest of them.

Wing lowered its head, and the others did so as well. The stone medallions on their foreheads glowed, and each symbol was etched in white light: the scales, the scythe, the feather, the sun, and Wing’s perfect circle, ringed in an ethereal glow. Suddenly a loud crack resounded through the room, and a swirling light appeared in the middle of the wall beneath Wing. It swirled and churned, and then the wall seemed to disappear, and a great space opened beyond, filled with a slowly burning white fire. Its light spread across the wall, almost blocking the dragons from sight. No heat entered the room from it; it seemed to be suspended for a moment, and then a woman appeared at its front, beautiful, calm, and dressed in a flowing white robe.

Heero’s eyes widened as he recognized the figure, and stepped forward in awe, watching her face. Her eyes turned on him, and she spoke.

"Heero, descendant of Heero Yuy, keeper of the Epyon of Ironblood, of the Zero, and of the Book of Meteors. I have watched you come, and have waited for you."

Heero replied, "Queen Relena, mistress of all the spirits of this world and the spirit realm, wise and good. We come to ask your help."

The spirit moved her arms and looked deeper into his eyes. "I have been watching you. I know of the spell that binds the people’s minds."

Heero’s mouth opened. "You knew of this?"

Her head moved. "Yes."

"Then why didn’t you do anything? Why didn’t you help us?" Heero took another step forward.

"The spell was strong," she said. "I did not help you, because I did not have the power to."

Heero stared at her. Her eyes gently told him.

And then he knew.

The reason for her nightly visits, offering her presence in each of his times of need, to help and guide him, calm him and assure him in his quest. She had been with him throughout the entire journey, waiting for him, until now. She was asking the one last service he could do for the people, the last sacrifice – his destiny. His strength was needed, one last time.

He gripped the Zero in his hand, passed his arm over the Epyon of Ironblood in its sheath, feeling its horned hilt, and pressed the Book of Meteors against his chest. As he strode forward, and his intentions dawned on the others, he heard their voices behind him.

"Heero!" Duo called.

That was the last thing he heard as he stepped into the fire, into the spirit’s waiting arms. She embraced him, pressing his face to her, and the white light disappeared, the fire receded back into the spirit realm, and the gateway closed, swallowing the two spirits in light.