I had a bad feeling, something in the pit of my stomach that something wasn’t right, that something was going to happen. And soon. Even as I thought, something shot out of the sky; like a blade of smoke, only it looked more solid. I knew what it was immediately, and my instincts kicked in and I dodged, but not soon enough, for it snatched my leg, making me cry out in pain as the very touch froze it.

I heard shouts of startlement, soon echoed by a second cry of pain as the freezing ice spread up my leg. This thing that was freezing me, was a collector, from the parallel universes under world. Recently there had been a boom in demon/human children in the parallel, how that happened, I didn’t know… but I was one of them, and what was a collector without something to collect... Well, this one in particular collected half bloods, ordered to do this by the demon ruler… Diablo.

Part 1

Suddenly, out of the gloom that was the today, four more collector’s shot from the sky, although these were different. The one holding me was an ice collector; the new four were just plain collectors. A voice boomed out the word, "RUN!" and only then did I realize that it was my own voice.

With that said, the other’s scattered. I whimpered at the pain that was slowly starting to spread through my other leg. The collector was starting to coil itself around my body, slowly freezing everything it touched. I looked around, hoping to see something that I could kill it with and realized that the other four collectors were all returning each with a burden of their own encased in their rubbery bodies.

“No…” I murmured at seeing the pale face of Quatre in a space left open so the blonde pilot could breath, He wasn’t dead I could see, and I was greatly relieved about that.

“Duo...” he murmured as he opened his eyes, watching me as the collector wrapped itself tightly around my chest freezing it.

I finally let myself fade away to the darkness. The last thing I heard was, “NO!!! Duo!!” probably Quatre… thinking I was dead.

~~~~

When I woke up, I was curled up in the most uncomfortable position... in an extremely warm place, in a puddle of water, most likely from the ice, as it had melted off in this heat.

I groaned and heard the familiar, “Duo?! Guy’s he’s alive! Duo’s alive,” Quatre no doubt, I rolled onto my back and slowly sat up, wincing every inch of the way.

I was immediately confronted by Heero with a, “Duo! Where the hell are we?” He asked in an ALMOST emotionless voice.

I swallowed, “What makes you think…” I trailed off as a group of five winged creatures walked in and started talking to me in a language that I pretended I didn’t know. I stood up as they talked and stared at them as if confused. They asked a question and when I failed to answer, one, the biggest and most likely strongest backhanded me across the face. I cried out because the hit scalded, and burned as if the fist had been covered by white hot metal.

It smiled devilishly at me, and then said something that I didn’t quite understand, except for the word ‘Diablo’ and I guessed immediately what that probably meant. Two of the creatures grabbed me under the armpits and started dragging me from the room. The guy’s must have been pretty shocked because they didn’t help me!

I struggled with everything I had, without much luck, we were in the under world, a world of terrible demons, and it showed just how terrible they were, mostly the fact that there were tortured and dead bodies all over the place. I was dragged into a large cavern dressed richly in gems and glittering gold.

I was unexpectedly thrown forward at the very feet of a huge demon... Diablo. I scrambled away, not wanting to be close to the deadly creature and heard cackles from demons all around.

I was grabbed again by the two who had dragged me in here, and dragged closer to Diablo. Instead of trying to get away again when I was thrown at his feet, I bowed; knowing full well what kind of death awaited me if I didn’t.

“You!” it said in a very human voice, startling me into looking up. The large creature made a sound that sounded like a laugh, “You are a half blood, are you not.”

I gulped and nodded, “Y- Yes I am,” I stuttered, “What are you going to do to me?”

“I’m going to make an offer you won’t be able to refuse!” he says, “I’ve heard about you, four years ago you fought to protect humans from demons, and you fought well… I need someone with skill!”

I gulped, “What are you asking me to do?” I asked stupidly.

Another sound that sounded like a laugh, “I want you to join me. Help me destroy the humans.”

I frowned, “Never! You’d have to kill me first,” I said angrily.

Diablo nodded, and made a gesture to two of the other demons, I looked around cautiously, expecting demons to pounce me. Nothing.

A few minutes later the two demons Diablo had gestured at, returned dragging Wufei who looked mesmerized. Somehow. I looked at Diablo quickly, “No! Leave my friends out of this!” I pleaded. No sooner had I said that, then two demons converged on Wufei and started attacking, knocking the Chinese boy out of his trance and forcing him to fight back.

Diablo watched, “He won’t last much longer,” he said, I watched too and sure enough it did look like Wufei was slowing down. I looked at Diablo and noticed that there weren’t many demons around me, most of them had gone to attack Wufei themselves.

I concentrated and suddenly, two large black webbed wings billowed from my back, tearing my shirt to pieces, I took flight before anyone could catch me and dove suddenly, toward Wufei, grabbed him and flew off with him in the direction of the others.

Wufei stared blankly up at me, I ignored him.

When we got to the place where the others were being held, I carefully put him down and opened the door, as it could only be opened on this side. When it swung open Wufei suddenly ran in.

I walked in and watched as every jaw dropped.

“C’mon guy’s.. we have to get out of here..” I said, pulling out my thermal scythe and pushing the button that made the long deadly green blade appear.

The others followed, but I could feel their stare on me, especially when I took flight and killed a few of the many demons.

We finally made it to the entrance that would take us to the town when suddenly I was hit with a burning fireball.

Everything seemed to go in slow motion as I fell from the air. When I hit, there was a long pause before Heero leapt forward and wrapped his arm around me, holding me up, muttering, “You’re the only one that knows how to work this stupid thing..”

When everyone was on the platform I muttered a word and a portal suddenly opened, I started to walk toward it then thought, “You guys go first.. HURRY!” I said, noticing Diablo following quickly. Finally they had all gone through and I jumped.

Before I opened my eyes there was a loud shriek, making me wince. I opened my eyes and I saw that I, in particular was surrounded by at least a dozen rogues with spears pointed at me.

“You’ve got a lot of nerve coming here demon!” Said a rogue that I imagined was the head.

I slowly stood up, brushing dust away and pulling what was left of my shirt off, before saying, “I’m not a demon.. I’m a half blood,” half bloods were well respected because it was rare that one would fight with Diablo.

The rogue glared, “Prove it then!” she said.

I nodded and my wings started to disappear.

Everyone stared, the rogue nodded and called the others off, before saying, “I want you to leave this encampment immediately, because Diablo will come for you, and we can’t have that.”

I stared, horrified by the thought, “But-” I started but she held up her hand to stop me.

“Or you will sacrifice yourself for our safety.”

That though scared me more then leaving the encampment, I was about to say that I would leave when a burning lava hot, ball of fire hit me and threw me against the log wall with so much force that it nearly knocked me unconscious.

“I want the half blood! Return him to me and I will spare this pathetic encampment.. for now,” said an extremely angry sounding voice.

Hands grabbed my clothing and began pulling me in the direction of the voice. I slowly opened my eyes, and they widened at the sight of Diablo, above ground with a huge army of monsters.

I fought the hands and eventually got one of my hands out of their grasp, and swung at the people who were holding me, knocking all of them away, and before they could make a mad grab at me, my wings billowed and I had leapt into the air.

“Hey Diablo! you want me? come and get me!” I yelled, trying to lead him and the army of monsters away from the rogues, it worked. Diablo was so angry that he followed me and ordered /all/ the monsters to follow. I flew away as fast as I could. Not panicked but worried that at any minute he’d throw a fireball at me, knocking me from the sky.

My fears came true but the fireball didn’t knock me from the air, as I managed to dodge and it missed me by a couple inches. The heat of it, did however seer the webbed part of my wing slightly.

I wondered where I was going to go.. I couldn’t keep this up forever; in fact, I couldn’t keep it up for much longer.

I heard and enraged roar from below but I didn’t turn. My way forward however was blocked suddenly; by two demons, forcing me to stop moving, and as I did, lightning struck me. I shrieked as I was momentarily held in the air by the electric shock, before I started falling. I hit the ground with a hard thump… blackness.

When I woke up, I was back in the damned chambers, but this time, they seemed different somehow. I realized that this time I was actually in what looked to be some sort of room, and this time I was strapped down tight, on my back.

“Do you want to know why I want you on my side so much?” I had to fight back a groan of despair. Diablo.

“Enlighten me…” I muttered.

“You… are by far the most powerful half blood in both realms…” he said, “You see, I want you to be an ally… but I will NOT let you live as my enemy.”

I swallowed, “So, what are you going to do then? Kill me? Torture me?” I asked, not really wanting to know the answer.

The demon chuckled, “Did you know that at one time, I was much like yourself, fighting demons, killing them… I even managed to kill my former self. The human who I had possessed was weak, not like me, I am strong…” Did I ever mention how angry it makes me when people… in this case demons stall their answers?

“Just tell me will you, I hate being left in the dark…” I muttered.

Diablo chuckled again, “I have forged what I call a spirit stone,” he explained, “It’s much like the stone that imprisons my host. It will reveal your demon tendencies, make you look more like you the demon you are half of and trap your self inside it, without taking your personality.

“Unfortunately, I have not been able to make this a permanent addition to you. I’ve tried it, and I’ve noticed that the newborn Demons have too much sense of their own self; they defy me at every turn. In the end I have come up with what this stone has become. It gives them enough of their own self so that they can control entire elites of demons, but still follow my orders as I give them.”

I stared, “That won’t work…” I said, “I’ve got too much of a sense of self as it is, it would be next to impossible to trap… it” I said.

Diablo chuckled, “That’s what you think, this little stone,” he showed me the bright red stone, “has the uncanny ability to break a person down, until they have no choice but do what it tells them to.”

I stared at him for a moment, before closing my eyes in hard thought, “Get it over with then…” I snarled.

He chuckled again, “As you wish…” he said.

*****

A shriek of mortal pain rose on the wind, but all who heard it, ignored it believing it to be the wind itself.

Part 2

Diablo stared down at his handy work. The half blood had shrieked until his voice went raw. And after that he had writhed in pain for nearly an hour, until he finally passed out, since then the demon had waited for about an hour to be sure.

He had fought it for a long time; he would be a strong fighter when he was healthy again. Right now he would be unable to move for quite some time.

*****

“We shouldn’t have let Duo go…” Wufei muttered to Heero quietly as the two of them stood in the shadows of the small log building where Quatre lay, resting.

The blond had collapsed about two hours ago, seeming to be in a great deal of pain after something strange happened to him. The boy had yelled Duo’s name followed by yells of pain until his voice went nearly raw.

Now the blonde slept soundly.

Heero grunted softly in agreement, watching as one of the many rogues approached.

“Is he always like this?” she asked looking at Quatre.

“Quatre has a sixth sense… he can sense the pain of any one who he calls ‘friend’,” Wufei jumped, he hadn’t expected Trowa to be there, right behind them.

Wufei glared at Trowa for a moment before absolutely glowering at the rogue, “Like our friend Duo…”

She looked down at the ground, “I’m sorry for anything that happened to him, but you must understand, we-“

She was cut off by Wufei bellowing, “Where I come from you don’t sacrifice one for any number of others, it’s all or none!” before storming away.

~~~~~

**Two Days Later**

Wufei glowered at anyone who came near him, and had been doing so for the whole two days since Quatre collapsed. The small fair-haired pilot was up and about again, but he had obtained an expression much like Heero’s and had snapped at anyone (aside from the pilots) who tried to comfort him. Wufei could hear the blonde bellowing at someone at this moment, in fact.

Wufei had adopted the same idea, but he much preferred the idea that his glowering just kept them all away.

*****

Duo was becoming a fine fighter. He had adapted a scythe for his personal usage. Diablo stared in wonderment at the graceful movement of the half blood. He looked like someone to be reckoned with, and he truly was such.

“Duo!” Diablo called.

Duo halted his practise and shuffled over to the demon king, “Yes sire?” he asked calmly.

Diablo would have grinned had he been able to, “I want you to organize a strike upon the rouge encampment, let them be the first to see your wrath, however! I warn you to kill few, bring the rest as prisoners, do you understand?”

Duo bowed, “Yes, Sire,” and he walked off to gather the demons that he would take with him.

When that had been accomplished he freed his wings, grabbed his scythe and cast a spell that would transport him to the skies above the encampment.

*****

Wufei looked up as the sky was engulfed in complete darkness, with such suddenness that it was frightening, even to him.

There were a couple shocked cries from surrounding rogues as a figure began to show himself and the darkness seemed to fade away, back to normal.

“Duo!” was Wufei’s shocked cry.

*****

Duo stared down at the camp, grinning evilly as he called, “Surrender or die!”

The people down in the camp stared up in bemusement and alarm. Duo raised his eyebrows at his lack if response.

“Alright then, you can die!” Duo yelled and bellow him appeared monsters from the very depths of hell.

Duo held an arm out to halt the beasts from their attack as a small looking blonde boy ran out of the crowd, “Duo!” he yelled, “How can you do this?”

Perplexed but also curious the half demon started to float towards the ground, “How do you know me?” he asked, not remembering anyone from his time before the enslavement from the crystal.

Quatre’s eyes welled with tears, “Don’t you remember?” he asked.

Duo sneered, “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” and before anyone could react, a scythe had appeared in the half demons hands and he stuck out at the unfortunate blonde. The tip of the blade sunk deep into the boys shoulder; Duo stopped there.

Quatre screamed in pain. Trowa stepped forward in hopes of helping the small boy. But Duo held out a hand and called, “Come any closer and I’ll kill him!” before looking back towards Quatre, “Tell me what you are talking about, before I have those demons out there attack this place.”

Quatre gasped in pain, “What… did Diablo do… to you…” he managed to gasp out, “I… used to be… one of your best… friends.”

Duo’s eyes narrowed, “I would never be friends with a lowly being such as a human…” he snarled as he brushed bangs away from his face, showing the crystal embedded into his forehead.

Quatre whimpered softly, “But you have been… Diablo did something-“ Quatre screamed in pain again as Duo twisted the scythe blade cruelly.

“LIAR!” Duo yelled, fury plain in his eyes.

“Duo please let him go,” Duo looked up at the Chinese boy.

“Who are you?” asked the braided half demon.

Wufei shook his head, “That’s not important…” he muttered, “We’ll come quietly, just let him go… show mercy.”

Duo sneered, before a smile suddenly curled his lips, “Alright, but you will receive no mercy when Diablo gets at you,” he said, then called out an order in a demon language then pulled the blade from Quatre’s shoulder.

The small blonde gasped and fell to his knee’s flinching back as Duo reached out… only to notice that Duo was healing him.

Demons started to appear through the entrance to the encampment and began to surround all the rogues and the four human pilots and began to herd them all out of the camp to where demonic magic was possible to use.

The four human pilots stared at each other in worry, Wufei had almost been beaten senseless the first time… they imagined that this time would be no better… for any of them.

Part 3

The rouges were dead… all of them. The pilots were the only ones left. Their chamber door swung open to reveal Duo flanked by four demons.

“Diablo wishes to see them,” he whispered, a sadistic grin curving his mouth, “Grab them then follow me…” The demons did as they were told, obedient to the last.

All four pilots squirmed trying to get away, all though without much luck.

They were dragged in front of the large vicious looking demon.

“Duo, please leave us,” Diablo ordered.

Duo stared at the demon, mouth open in surprise, “But… don’t you want me to help y-“

He was cut off by the loud, growled, “NOW!” he scurried away, looking hurt.

Diablo gave a long-suffering sigh, “So, humans… what do you think of what I did to your friend?” he asked in a half amused voice at the furious looks that that question evicted.

Wufei snarled, “What DID you do to him, you monster!”

Diablo continued to stare in bored amusement, “Don’t call me a monster if you want to live long,” he stated before moving into the topic in question, “Did you notice the stone placed on his forehead?” he asked, at several nods he continues, “Well, I call that a spirit stone, it traps the half-bloods true spirit, and makes them more the demon that half of their self belongs to.”

Wufei growled in his throat, but said nothing.

Quatre was the one who spoke up, “We demand that you release him!” he cried, “He’s not a demon, he’s not a monster!”

Diablo –had he been human- would have raised an eyebrow. A slight widening of one eye indicated this. He called an order in the demonic language to one of the demons present. The thing converged on Quatre and the blonde boy barely had time to cry out before the monster was on him, doing it’s best to shred him to pieces.

“QUATRE!!!!” cried three startled voices. Another swift order to the demon on Quatre sent it off, leaving Quatre bloodied and shuddering in fear.

“I warned you didn’t I, not to call me a monster.” Diablo said.

*****

Duo listened at the door, he had been angry, and what better way for revenge was there then to listen in on the forbidden conversation. But what he heard, he didn’t like. The conversation was about him. He listened as Diablo said something else.

“Duo doesn’t need your friendship anymore, he’s a slave, slaves rebel if they have friendship… in fact, all demons are slaves, but they still have their own personality. Duo has the one I gave him. He has a strong spirit, and I was worried I would not be able to control him, with or without the stone after he re-met you, but he herded you here with no problem for me, maybe I should have a human feast to celebrate, you look like you might be delectable.

Duo burst into the room; furious, “Is that all you think of me as? A SLAVE!” He yelled. The four pilots and the demon stared up at him with a startled air.

Diablo snarled, “How dare you! You’ll die for this!” He cried and barked the order.

The scythe appeared in Duo’s hands almost immediately and he warded off the confused demons. Before yelling something at them in the demon language, “Paruk! Ma toral soonta cors mal!” (NOTE: Duo just said, “Stop! He thinks you are slaves!) The demons looked at Diablo with visible disgust before looking back at Duo, as if for orders, “Molat shoon sammat…” (NOTE: “Spread the word”) The demons started leaving just as Duo added, “Ettal moheda walasi atortas calas isanato calas suntal yarak si baras.” (NOTE: “Tell them that if they refuse, they will become my enemy”)

Diablo glowered in absolute, total, consuming (paralysing) fury.

Duo called to the pilots, “Come,” They walked cautiously towards him, leaving Diablo behind, Heero carrying the very wounded Quatre.

When they got away from the furious demon Heero laid Quatre down on the ground, “If he doesn’t get medical attention soon then he may not make it…”

Duo, looking bored reached over and began to heal the blonde, “He’ll be fine…” he muttered quietly. Demons began to appear from thin air and Duo smiled, “this is good… if we get enough demons we may be able to destroy Diablo… of course… I leave the choice in my… original’s hands…” He reached up and wrapped his fingers around the stone and with a gut-wrenching jerk, pulled it free.

The half-blooded boy fell to the ground, unconscious from the very sudden and consuming pain.

Part 4

I woke up with a groan; my head felt like it was splitting in two.

“D- Duo?” asked a slightly intimidated sounding voice.

I looked up, “Quatre?” I asked, “What did I do?!” I asked suddenly, not remembering -yet- what had been done.

Quatre stared down at me sadly, “A lot of things that you are never going to forget, and are always going to regret…”

I stared in horror and for the first time, since I had been a very small child, my eyes started to fill with tears as some of the memories began cascading back to me.

Demons started to appear, and assumed that it was the humans’ fault for their leaders apparent distress and moved in to attack.

“Nac tau!” (NOTE: “Back off!”) I yelled at them, “Alat Diablo doka chatre Quesat!” (NOTE: “It’s Diablo’s fault that I am anguished!”)

One of the demons backed off and the other walked over to me and held out her hand, “Cors soonta oran soonta veratan?” (NOTE: “Are you sure you’re alright?”)

I couldn’t help but to smile before I nodded, “Talas,” (NOTE: “Yes”)

She nodded, before looking darkly at the humans in the group as she walked away.

“What was that look for?” Wufei asked staring after the demoness.

I chuckled softly, “She’s a demon… demons don’t have much reason to like humans to much…” I muttered, “Look what humans did to me… I’m lucky they didn’t spear me the minute we appeared, not to mention the fact that there are people who actually go out and kill demons for no reason…”

Quatre looked disgusted, “Are you serious?” he asked.

I nodded, “Yeah…”

Trowa spoke up, “It’s obvious that demons are extremely intelligent. Possibly more so then humans.”

I nodded, “I have no doubt…” I stated.

@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@^@

Heero stared at Duo, “Now that you have an army of demons on your side, what are you going to do?” he asked monotonously.

Duo thought for a second, “Well… I suppose I’ll have to stay here and finish this…” he said, slightly sad and the prospect of his friends leaving, “I- I’ll visit you guys some times… but I can’t just leave them after this is over… they… need me.”

Quatre stared sadly at the braided boy, “Are you sure?” he asked.

Duo nodded, “I have no choice…”

The four stared at Duo; each had a slightly sad expression on their face, even the usually stoic Heero Yuy and Trowa Barton.

@@@@

The four watched Duo fly away towards the open portal. They somehow had the feeling that they would never see their braided friend again… but they prayed for him.

@@@@

The final battle between Diablo and Duo’s hoard was a fierce one. Every demon fought with all they had and more, exhausting themselves to no end.

When the battle finally ended, Duo’s hoard came out victorious. Duo however never lived to see the end of his enemy. The hoard wisely smashed the bloodstone that they had taken from the very head of Diablo. Then they searched through the many bodies on the bloody battlefield until they found their, once powerful and strong-hearted leader, a great gaping hold through his chest. They took the silver cross from his neck and buried him in the very ground his army had ruled in battle.

They stationed a messenger to go to Duo’s friends in the other world and take them the cross that their leader had so loved.

@@@@

Quatre was watching the sky. The clouds were dark, promising an angry storm. A small pop sounded behind him and he turned. Surprise registered at the sight of the demon. It stared at him before presenting the cross. Quatre stared at the small cross in the demons hands and his eyes filled with tears. He looked up at the demon, “Thank you…” he whispered taking the cross.

The demon looked at him with sad eyes before disappearing with another pop.

@@@@

Duo’s funeral was more then anyone would have ever thought. Everyone they had met during the war arrived to say their goodbyes. Quatre had overdone himself with making this as special to Duo’s memory as was humanly possible.

An open coffin stood at the front of the church, most people had placed things into it as a silent tribute. The last person to do so was Quatre. As the small blonde walked up to the coffin, his eyes filled with yet more tears. He laid the silver cross on the soft pillow and leaned over and placed his forehead on the rim as he prayed for his lost friend and cried.

@@@@

The next year Heero went back to school, for reasons that he refused to tell. When the teacher asked him to stand up and introduce himself he did so with words that nearly choked him, “My name is Heero, Heero Yuy… I may run, I may hide, but I… never tell a lie…………”

~OWARI~

Authors Note: I’m sorry for that ending… I personally didn’t like writing it but it seemed to fit with the story, ne? Q&C PLEEEEEZE… flames will be used to keep me warm and make me laugh…