Dragon Lady

Time's Wheel

Ch.18 Part B

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Relecos: Inside the Hall of Mirrors, top floor

Alaois stands against the wall of a mirrored room at the top floor of the spire, well aware of what is transpiring beneath his feet at the floor below, which is probably why he has not stopped pacing yet. Each mirror in the room has the magic to reflect whatever is happening in the outside world or in the tower itself, a spell cast by their master who is not able to leave these walls.

The top floor of the tower has mirrors on three of its four walls, ceiling and floor, the reason it was named the Hall of Mirrors hundreds of years ago. With the exception of the many mirrors, the room is bare except for the glittering sword with its gold hilt, white blade plunged into the only none mirrored stone wall behind him. Above the blade of the sword is the key of trust, the side with an owl in mid flight facing upward.

"Alaois, if you don't stop pacing you are going to ruin my mirrors, can you not sit still!" The voice seems to come from nowhere and everywhere at once, its soft gentle, alto whisper filling the room. Alaois smiles, knowing the voice from anywhere.

"I am sorry Danann, I did not mean to bother you, but it is more than their fate that rests in these trials. We can not afford to lose them now, there is no one else."

The air in front of him shimmers, small flecks of light whirling around on another in a gentle dance, circling until they took form. Her face appears first, tiny, pouting lips and a small nose, high cheekbones, and dead eyes, once a turbulent blue, beneath thin eyebrows. Her hair is down, able to flow freely to her knees. The rest of her body appears after, small and frail, clothed in long robes that have not been worn in the world of Relecos for centuries. She stands only four feet five inches tall, the size of a child, her actual age betrayed only by the haunted look in her tranquil eyes.

Danann reaches out a small hand to try and touch him in an effort to reassure him, but her pale hand slides right through in a flash of white light. She removes her hand quickly and stares at it for a moment as if her limbs have somehow betrayed her. "I'm sorry, sometimes I still forget."

"It is alright; understandable."

"Hm." Danann walks to a mirror on the right wall, her feet never touching the floor. The mirror flickers to for a moment and then shows a picture of the walls outside of Cecil. A black fog creeps along the ground, the sleeping people of the city completely oblivious to their dangerous trespasser.

"It's here," Danann mutters under her breath.

Alaois comes to stand behind her, his fingers struggling to ignore the impulse to grab his katars that are resting in their holders at his side. "We have to stop it, it must not reach this tower. If it does, there is no telling what it may do to them."

"There is nothing we can do my friend," Danann whispers, "but do not fear, he can not physically enter these walls. As long as his targets are strong enough to overcome his influence, we have nothing to worry about."

Danann closes her eyes, trying to block out the rush of memories that accompany that statement. "Can they overcome him Alaois?"

Alaois says nothing, continuing to stare at the approaching darkness with worry.

Hall of Mirrors: Inside the tower

Hotaru stares down the corridor in relief. She and Duo had been traveling down the same hallway for what seemed like hours with no end in sight, but now a set of silver double doors loom before them.

"Finally!" Duo exclaims with relief. "I was beginning to think that that hallway was endless!"

Hotaru laughs. He is so childish sometimes, how does he do it? I wonder if he is somehow distantly related to Serena or Mina, I don't think I've ever seen someone so cheerful.

"Yes Duo, we're out, but it strange."

"Huh?"

"We have only experienced one trial, I find it so hard to believe that there isn't something else. It seems far too easy." Or maybe I've just been fighting the negaverse for far too long.

Duo moves forward, stopping just short of the door. "You have a point, but I don't think there is anything else here, or at least nothing that I can sense."

"Maybe it's just me, but something here seems odd."

/Really, princess?/

Hotaru whirls around at the sound of the voice, looking around the room for the source. When she finds nothing, she drops into a defensive stance, her glaive held in front of her, ready to confront the owner of the voice.

Duo turns back to her surprised. "Hotaru?"

"Did you hear that?" she says under her breath, still searching frantically.

"Hear what?"

/Are you hearing voices princess?/ The voice chuckles, finding the whole incident amusing. /It's just you and me now. Just us and the darkness./

Darkness rushes up from her feet, consuming her body and grasping her soul in its clutches. Her body strains with the effort to keep it a bay before collapsing to her knees, her glaive falling from her limp hand. Hotaru feels her eyes slide shut and chokes back a sob at the intrusion into her body her stomach clenching at the touch of the purest evil she has ever known.

/Give in girl! You are no longer in control!/

"No! I will not be controlled like that again!"

Somewhere in the distance, she can still hear Duo shouting her name, but she can not answer, no matter how much she wishes to, attempting to stay in control of her own body. Power laces through her soul like wildfire, searing every fiber of her being.

"I will not be someone's puppet again, I will not be controlled like that ever again!"

/You don't stand a chance…/

Hotaru tries to reach consciousness, wanting nothing more than to get away from whatever it is that is getting into her mind. Mistress 9 had been bad, but this was something more. Mistress 9 had crept up on her, slowly taking control, trying to convince Hotaru to let her in. This force is something else entirely, forcing its way into her mind all at once, dominating it.

What is this?

"Hotaru!"

Duo?

/No, he has nothing to do with this!/

Shut up! Hotaru's mind is screaming, the effort to keep the intruder at bay taxing her already weakened strength.

/You can't win, he can't help you!/

"Hotaru, please snap out of it!"

You have no power over me…

/What?/

Leave me alone! Hotaru pushes at that last mental cry, driving away the evil threat that is trying to take control. The entity howls, sending a shutter through her body as she feels its grip slacken, her body hers once again. Feeling begins to return, the cold floor, cool air against her face, and the feeling of pain in her knees where she had fallen.

Warm arms wrapped tightly around her, supporting her trembling body…

Hotaru risks opening her eyes, allowing them to flicker open slowly. She smiles at the cobalt orbs that greet her, filled with warmth and concern. Duo's arms tighten as she opens them, relief flooding his features.

"What the hell just happened? You scared me half to death!"

"Sorry," she mumbles, raising a hand to rub her temples, the beginnings of a major headache throbbing. "I feel like someone just hit me on the head with a sledge hammer."

Duo lets go of her so that she can sit up. "And I ask again, what the hell happened?"

Hotaru shakes her head. "To be completely honest, I don't really know. One moment I was fine, and the next it feels like something is trying to rip me apart from the inside."

"Huh?"

"I'm sorry, I don't know how to explain it. It was trying to take over my body, to control me; I've never felt anything so utterly evil."

Duo stares at her for a moment, waiting for her elaborate, but doesn't push her, the sadness showing in her eyes making her get that far away look; a look that makes her seem decades older than her years.

What was that? I hope this is just something about this tower and not something that is following me specifically. If it is following me, I could be a danger to the others…

Duo loudly clears his throat, trying to get her attention. "Listen Hotaru, whatever it is, don't worry about, we're at the next set of doors and we can keep going now. We have to keep going, Luc and Eileen are waiting for us and we shouldn't let them down."

Hotaru looks up, staring at him blankly. Everyone is waiting for us, Luc, Eileen, the scouts…

"Yes, we have to keep going." Hotaru moves toward the door, the exit to the chamber a silver archway with elegantly carved blue runes covering it. Reaching out a hand, she pushes the door open and steps through, Duo at her heals.

The next room is plain and very much like the room they had come to when they had first entered the tower in the fact that there are two portals, each glowing a faint green, in the middle of the room.

"More portals," Duo mutters under his breath.

"So it appears. I wonder if this means we will be split up again."

Eileen's eyes fly open as the sound of metal on stone echoes through the room and Luc's gaze shifts form nothingness toward the previously locked metal door.

"It looks like Duo and Hotaru made it through," Eileen says with relief.

"So it appears." Luc moves away from the wall he had been leaning against and moves through the door, entering a room that is identical to the one that they had first encountered at the entrance. "We split up again from here."

Eileen nods, moving in front of the first portal. "I'll take this one. See you at the exit." Without looking back, she steps through the portal, disappearing in a flash of green light.

Luc stands for a moment, staring at the spot where Eileen has vanished and then shrugs, following her example and taking the remaining portal out.

Hotaru blinks, trying to clear away the green haze that has settled over her vision. The trips through the portals, though painless, tended to leave one slightly dazed. Slowly, the world around her clears and she gasps in shock. Above her are several large glowing spheres, the largest of which is half light and half dark, the lighter half tinted blue and green. The air around her us utterly still and is neither hot nor cold. The ground beneath her is nothing more than rocky pebbles, almost sand. A sea of stars blanket everything, awakening memories of a distant past in the Moon Kingdom that Hotaru barely remembers. Further away, a bright yellow sun shines brightly, like a lighthouse in the center of the galaxy. A moon, but…

"Where am I?" she whispers softly, her voice filled with awe.

"We're on one of Relecos' moons, or perhaps, I should say, an illusion of one of Relecos' moons," Eileen remarks while stepping from the portal. "The Hall of Mirrors has the power if illusion and it has chosen to bring us here."

Hotaru stares at the woman, startled. "But why?"

"I think we have reached one of the last gates in the tower. The last gate is supposed to be an ultimate challenge of some sort."

"Ultimate challenge?"

Eileen frowns slightly, her brows creasing in worry. "I don't know. Few have ever left the tower after entering, but all who escaped have claimed to have faced a challenge in the end, each different, none exactly the same as the last, but…"

A loud roar tears through the heavens, shattering the tranquil silence. Hotaru's body automatically whirls around to stare in the direction where the deafening noise originated. She watches tensely as a tiny point of light out in the cosmos comes closer, growing larger as it covers the distance between them at an astonishing speed. She watches as its form goes from a ball of white light to that of a graceful creature, lizard-like in appearance with crystalline scales, translucent white wings, and frozen blue eyes. It lands lightly in front of the two women, stretching its graceful white neck and roaring out another challenge to the universe itself.

Hotaru places her glaive in front of her, taking a defensive stance. "I think we've just met our challenge."

"So it appears," Eileen replies, taking out her own weapon. "Lucky us. I don't know how we're going to defeat it."

Hotaru's lips curve upward in the beginnings of a smile. "Are you giving up so easily?"

"Of course not, this thing won't know what hit him!"

"Good, I'm glad we agree, don't get yourself killed."

"Same to you," Eileen says, before dashing backwards as far out of the range of the dragon's fire as she can get, a spell already on her lips.

Hotaru turns to face the menace, trying to give Eileen enough time to get off a spell or two. Before she can blink, the dragon launches a quick attack with its jaws, Hotaru barely having time to escape the creature before it catches her leg. She brings her glaive down, aiming for its head, but misses, and suddenly finds herself overbalanced. She crashes to the ground, landing on her ankle with a sickening crack. Pain courses up her leg, waves of agony filling her body.

"Hotaru, look out!" Eileen shrieks from somewhere behind her.

Hotaru looks up just in time to see the dragon's tail descending upon her and with no time to move out of the way, braces herself for impact. The tail connects with her chest, sending her flying several feet into the air before hitting the ground hard, losing her glaive in the process.

She tries to get up, put the pain sears through her like a raging fire starting in her chest and spreading through her body, her breath choked off the red liquid in her throat. This is isn't good, and I don't have the time or the strength to try and heal myself. Perhaps…

Hotaru struggles to raise her head slightly, finding Eileen just in time to see the other woman barely dodge a spear of fire. Eileen's brown hair has come loose from its bindings, spilling over her shoulders and her face is glowing with perspiration, her frail frame shaking from the exertion. A large splotch of blood stains the white robes near her left arm and she is leaning heavily on her staff with her right.

Eileen moves closer to Hotaru, trying to shield her despite the wounds on her own body, her staff crossed in front of her kneeling for. "Hang on Hotaru!"

Eileen. I can't let her do this.

Hotaru takes a deep breath, any doubts that had been in her mind previously dying away. "Eileen, move out of the way?" Hotaru says weakly.

"No Hotaru, you're too weak and you can't defend yourself."

"Move out of the way," her voice harder this time, putting what little strength she has left into her voice in what she hopes is a commanding tone.

Eileen turns to her and looks as if she is about to object again, but stops upon looking into the eyes of her companion, seeing a power that hadn't been there previously. Still looking a little skeptical, Eileen moves away.

All right, here it goes.

Taking a deep breath, Hotaru climbs to her feet in one swift motion, bracing herself for the agony she knows such an action will cause. Once she is steady, she looks several yards away at he dragon, which is has not moved an inch since Eileen had moved over to her, waiting.

Strange, it's almost as if he knows. Is this supposed to happen? Is this just some strange twist of fate?

It didn't matter, she wouldn't go down this easily. "Saturn Crystal Power!"

Darkness covers her, her normal clothing disappearing, her scout clothing forming from the ribbons that are wrapping themselves tightly around her body. The wounds that had been inflicted by the dragon disappear, fading away into new, healed skin. Within seconds (AN: Really within seconds. Have you seen her transformation, it's really short), Hotaru Tomoe has disappeared entirely, leaving behind the Sailor Scout of Death, Destruction, and Rebirth. Saturn reaches into subspace and grasps her glaive, her fingers curving gratefully around the cool surface.

"Hotaru?" Eileen asks hesitantly from behind her, her face twisted into a form of outright shock.

Saturn grins reassuringly back at her. "Sort of. I'll explain later, just let me take care of the dragon okay?"

Eileen nods, dumbfounded, and steps back.

Saturn moves toward the dragon, never allowing her eyes to slip from the dragon's. When she is no more than a few feet away from the large bird-shaped head, she stops, setting her glaive upon the ground. "This is what you wanted isn't it?"

"Yes Saturn, it is. I knew it was you and I have been waiting for you."

Saturn looks at him, many questions flying through her head. "I don't understand, how could you be waiting for me?"

"You would be wanting an explanation, wouldn't you? Well, to begin, I am Alpha, one of the first beings created when this universe was born from the darkness, later sent to guard this gate. I have been watching you a long time Saturn, you and your human form. I noticed you the moment you first came to this planet, you're power is very strong. I have but one purpose Saturn, and I have been waiting to fulfill it for a very long time now. My soul purpose is to die so that this world may be saved, and I can do this through you. I have one gift for you Saturn, but it will not make too much of a difference until you yourself realize the true depth of your own power. Will you accept my gift Saturn?"

Sailor Saturn stares at the dragon with pity in her eyes, knowing full well what Alpha is asking of her. Kneeling down, Saturn picks up her glaive and grips it tightly, pointing it at the dragon. "Yes, I will accept Alpha, if this is truly what you wish."

Alpha nods.

"Okay," Saturn says softly, her voice threatening to break.

"Saturn Silencing Glaive Surprise!"

Black ribbons rib through Alpha's body, but he doesn't cry out in pain, allowing the darkness to role over him. His wings stretch out and he rears, almost as if he is about to take flight. The dragon's body shimmers, fading away in a dazzling white light.

"Thank you Saturn," he whispers, his voice nothing more than a fading sigh. Then, a blinding white light flares up and Saturn is forced to shield her eyes. When she opens them, she lets out a small gasp of surprise. The glaive that had been in her hand has disappeared, but that what was wedged into the ground where Alpha had once stood made that a matter of little consequence. The weapon that lies half-buried in the ground is by far one of the most exquisite she has ever seen, its handle a pale ivory, engraved with several foreign runes and inscriptions. The blade itself has a hard edge, reflecting the pale light of the sun in the distance, sharp and deadly, a pair of dragon wings right beneath it.

Saturn approaches the glaive slowly, removing it from the ground with reverence. "Thank you Alpha, this is a truly magnificent gift."

The sound of footsteps behind her causes her to look up and she is almost shocked to see Eileen appearing behind her. She had completely forgotten she was there. "I suppose you want an explanation."

"That would be nice," Eileen agrees, "but it can wait if you wish."

Saturn nods. "Yes, I think that would be best. I have much to mule over for at least a few hours, but then again, we shouldn't be in here much longer."

Eileen frowns and begins to bite her lower lip. "Actually, I think I'm going to stay with you guys for a while longer, even once we're through here."

Saturn's eyes widen before her face splits into a grin. "Really? Are you sure you want to do that?"

"Yes, there is a lot here that I don't understand, but I feel that I should go with you guys. I want to stop the darkness, and I think that you and your friends can do it."

"Sounds good to me, but before we rush into anything else, lets try to find a way out of here."

Duo stares uneasily around the deserted streets of a broken city, pieces of crumbled building lying in pile at his feet. He and Luc had been wandering around the city since they had first exited the portal, trying to find a way out or a reason explaining why they had been brought here.

The architecture of these ruins reminded Duo of pictures he had seen in books on ancient Rome, with crumbling columns, open courtyards, and triangular roofs. It looked like the area had once had many pools as well, judging by the empty holes in the ground and pathways where flowing water might have once run. The crumbling forms of several fountains dot the city, magnificent stone sculptures now nothing more than dust. The city is empty, nothing more than a ghost town.

Duo looks around in disbelief. "Are you sure this is an illusion?"

"Positive," Luc replies.

"Damn good illusion," Duo mutters.

"Dannan likes to keep her illusions lifelike. It is her view of the outside world."

Duo frowns at the strange name, not having heard it before. "Dannan? Who is that?"

"Dannan is the guardian of this tower. She is said to be a shadow of what was, trapped here forever. It is said that near the end of the battle between the human and demon realms, she was killed while trying to defend the tower.

The people of the village had feared her because of her odd powers and they called her a witch. She saw things before they ever happened and was never ill, never injured. When the war broke out however, she defended the village with her life. She fought bravely and managed to keep the city safe, defending it from the tower, but a demon managed to reflect one of her own spells back at her, killing her instantly." Luc pauses taking a deep breath, his face drawn tightly, almost as if in pain. "She died young, she was only thirteen, but even then, she wasn't allowed to leave. Her own power caught and enslaved her, allowing her body to die, buried in the walls of the tower by the villagers, but keeping her soul alive."

Luc trails off, allowing the explanation to hang in the air. It sounded like something that he really didn't want to elaborate on, but Duo still had one question. "Why did she defend the village if the people hated her?"

Luc glares at him. "Who said she was defending the villagers?" he snaps. "Think boy, what else is in this tower that the demons would have wanted. What is in this tower worth dying for?"

He didn't need to say more, Duo got the idea. The only thing in this tower that the demons would want would be the key to the gate. That was what Dannan had died defending.

The two of them wandered into the large circular structure located near the outskirts of the city. It looked like a coliseum, with high stands stretching several stories into the air and gates leading into the center of a large circular area at the bottom covered in dirt. Many of the rafters are missing toward the top, covered in stones from the crumbling walls. Several slabs of stone rest in the center as well, some of them three time's Duo's height.

Leaning against the side of one of the oversized boulders, Duo decides to take a load off, mulling over the thoughts of the guardian of this tower. He couldn't help making comparisons between himself and the young girl. She had been so young, and yet willing to fight and die. People, even those who should have been friends, had disliked her and kept her at a safe distance. Yeah, it definitely sounded familiar all right. It sounded like a group of Gundam pilots he knew who had tried to defend their homes, only to be betrayed by them. When push comes to shove, I guess the only thing really worth fighting for is one's self and ones beliefs because in the end, those are really all you can trust to still be there in the end.

Duo stops his train of thought for a moment, pondering. I suppose friendship is worth fighting for too. I know I wouldn't have made it through the war without the help of the guys and I don't think I could have made it through Relecos without Hotaru. Even Luc…Oh no, stop right there, Luc has got to be the biggest bastard I have ever met, but still. Duo stops and risks a glance over in Luc's direction, who is sitting on top of one of the arenas broken risers, inspecting his now unsheathed sword. Well, I guess he's not that bad, he admits to himself grudgingly.

Suddenly, Luc' s posture shifts and the grip on his sword tightens, his muscles becoming taunt, his eyes searching the shadows of the coliseum. Duo removes his sword from its own sheath, shifting slowly into a better position. He couldn't see anything, but after a few weeks with Luc, he had learned and acknowledged that the man's demon senses were far superior to his weak, human ones.

He moved slowly toward the center of the circle, coming back to back with Luc so that the two of them could see every angle. The air had a definite stillness to it, like the calm before the storm, and the smell of blood has suddenly spread through the air.

"Where?" Duo asks calmly, trying to keep his voice just above a murmur.

"East," Luc answers.

A rush of wind rises over the coliseum walls and Duo and Luc are forced to shield their eyes from flying debris that fall from the stone walls as a creature rises over the large edifice. The creature lands heavily, bat-like wings struggling to carry and overlarge body that is nothing more than bones. The creature had had the head of a bull, judging by the overly large horns protruding from the skull. The frame looks almost like that of a human skeleton, except larger and more powerful, its shoulders and hips too wide to be human with claws on hands and feet as well as two more sets of horns on elbows and knees.

"Abadon," Luc hisses through his breath.

"A what?"

"An Abadon. They're a demon that supposedly went extinct about two hundred years ago."

Duo stares up at the creature, afraid that if he moves even an inch that the creature will attack. "Well, he doesn't look like he's extinct to me." Slowly, he begins to back away, not embarrassed in the slightest to show his fear, though it was some comfort to know that Luc was also trying to keep his distance.

"Try to keep your distance," Luc whispers. "Abadon is not a living creatures, it is the living dead of the demon world and can not be defeated with physical attacks, it is going to take magic to get rid of it and because my magic is black, it's still going to be nearly impossible."

Duo glares at his companion, trying to determine whether or not Luc is serious, but then again, when wasn't he. "Are you sure you can take this thing on alone?"

"Why, you care?"

"Not really, but if he manages to fry your ass, it's a sure bet that I'm dessert."

Luc nods, grinning slightly. "Well, it's not like I have a choice really. Just stay back and let me handle it."

The Abadon screams, its shrill cry sending chills down Duo's spine. Without uttering another word, he does as he is told and backs away, getting as close as he can to the stone risers, but keeping his sword unsheathed, just in case a fight was necessary, though it would be one he would most certainly lose.

Luc sheaths his sword and begins chanting, which could only mean that he was calling on a particularly powerful spell to defeat the creature, since chanting was not something that was usually required for his type of magic, at least not that Duo could see. The Abadon wastes no time and seeing that his prey is occupied, decides to take a swipe at it with its right claw.

Duo is about to call out a warning but his voice is frozen in his throat as the Abadon's attack hits a solid wall of pure dark magic. A deep violet glyph has appeared on the ground at Luc's feet, illuminating the area in purple light. The glyph shows a compass rose, the only direction showing being that of east. Beneath the large E is the image of a dragon in mid-flight, wings outstretched. The outside of the circle is outlined with a star pattern.

Luc chanting becomes faster and begins to crescendo in volume. Suddenly, the glyph blinks and changes color, going from the dark violet to a rich blue, Luc's magic lifting from the symbol. Luc himself collapses the powerful demon on his knees, his own power spent, but that of the glyph glowing with a blinding intensity.

Duo stares wide eyed at the spectacle, his head pounding and his eyes squinting due to the luminosity of the symbol on the ground. What in Shinigami's name did he do!

The glyph lets off one final flash and then a roar breaks through the heavens. Duo's head jerks up, the sound of beating wings reaching his ears. At first, it appears to be a bird, the creature a dark blue and coming from the sky, but as the creature closes the distance between itself and the gathering on the ground, Duo finds that his first impression is way off the mark.

Within moments , there is a dark blue dragon hovering above the Abadon, its black eyes as sharp as daggers and focused on the demon angel. The skin of its wings catch the light and reveal a purple hue as they are unfurled to their maximum length, sending the dragon into a deadly dive, fangs barred.

The Abadon jumps backward, roaring in fury, the dragon missing its target by mere inches and is forced to circle back. For a moment the dragon hovers in the air, its black eyes beginning to mix with purple, slowly at first and then faster. The ancient reptile appears to be inhaling slowly, waiting until the right time to exhale.

Shit.

Duo barely has time to dive behind a fallen beam before realizing what the dragon intends, shielding his body as best he can. The dragon releases the blast he had been holding upon his victim, raw, blue energy searing the sky and tearing through the Abadon before the unfortunate creature ever notices his danger.

For a moment, Duo is completely blind, blue spots swimming before his eyes. When his vision clears, neither Abadon nor dragon are anywhere to be seen, both appearing to have vanished into thin air. Duo makes his way out from behind his boulder, staring dumbfounded at the destruction the blue dragon's blast has caused. One fourth of the coliseum wall is gone, completely blown away, a deep crevice marring the earth where the blast had hit and smelling faintly of scorched earth.

Duo begins to take slow, causes steps toward the crumpled figure in the middle of the destruction. Luc is on his knees, his head bowed, sweat soaked silver hair hanging down in tangles. His breathing is harsh and irregular, coming in short, swift gasps instead of even breaths. Luc sinks down, no longer able to stay on his knees, and roles onto his back. Holy shit, what did he do?

"Luc!" Duo runs over to his fallen companion, fear beginning to creep up and threatening to take over. He tried to think 'calm' saying the word over and over in his head like a mantra. If Luc falls, there is no telling what may happen to him here. As much as Duo hates to admit it, he and Hotaru would not have gotten this far I the world had it not been for Luc guiding them.

"Are you okay?" Duo asks, hoping that his voice sounds a lot steadier than he believes it to be. Baka, of course he's not okay! What are you, blind?

"I used too much energy," Luc chokes out, his voice hoarse.

"Well, what can I do?"

"There isn't anything you can do fool! I've spent far more energy than I posses and it looks like now I get to pay for it!" Luc takes a breath, pausing in his rant to try and calm himself down. Duo shakes his head. This doesn't look good.

"Luc, I'm serious! What can I do to help you?" Duo asks.

Luc stares up at him, searching for something in his face. Duo looks at him curiously, but whatever it is Luc is searching for, he finds because he suddenly nods. "Okay, but first I must ask Duo, how badly to you want help me? How important is it that I make it back?"

"Why?"

Gray eyes meet blue and lock together, Luc making sure that Duo understands what is about to be said down to the very last word. "I can draw on your energy, but to do so I would have to establish a bond."

"A bond? Why is it that I have this feeling that I'm not going to like this?"

"The bond would be permanent until one of us dies or until we are too far away to notice each other's presence. It would have several side effects, far too many for me to mention, some of which we will probably never encounter. So I ask again, how badly to you want me alive? I'm not the easiest person in the world to get along with."

Duo hesitates for a moment, considering what Luc has told him, but in reality he knows that his decision is already made. "Okay, so I'm going to be stuck with you for awhile, but it's not like it's forever. I'm going home in a few days anyway, so we're talking like what, a week, two max? I'll deal with it. Besides, there is no way I'm letting you die here when you just saved my neck."

Luc stares up at him in surprise, the shock clearly showing on his normal stoic features.

Duo grins idiotically. "What, did you think I was just going to abandon you? Don't think so, I still need you to get out of here. And I am going home, even if I have to go through you to get there."

Luc nods, a faint grin appearing. "You, know, I believe that you're just insane enough that you might make it too. Alright." Reaching into his boot, he pulls out a long, elegantly carved and jeweled dagger. Raising his right hand, he cuts a small gash in his palm with the weapon, blood welling up. He tosses the dagger to Duo, who deftly catches it is left hand and repeats the process to his own hand.

The demon reaches for Duo's hand, pressing it against his own, palm to palm so that the blood mingles. Luc begins to mutter something under his breath, the last of his energy being put into this last incantation.

Suddenly, pain rips through Duo's body, searing through his head and taking away his breath. He falls onto his side beside Luc, his eyes closed and in a tremendous amount of pain. Everything that is dark about him rises up inside and his stomach twists, bile rising in his throat. It feels almost as if someone is trying to get into his mind, searching though his most private thoughts and feelings. Suddenly, energy leaves him and he is left to sink to the floor, gasping for air.

-Duo! -

The voice brings Duo back to the real world, the pain becoming a dull ache. Slowly he opens his eyes and draws in a quick intake of breath, clearly surprised. What in the world…?

He can see more clearly than he has ever seen before, things that would normally be too far away for him to see coming in with distinct clarity. It wasn't just objects he saw now however. Around everything there was a dark presence, glittering at the corner of his vision, black and purple in color. Magic?

A shadow looms over him and he looks up to see Luc grinning down at him, Duo seeing for the first time a true smile on his face. "Well, you look better," Duo mutters.

-Yes, and thank you-

There is, that voice in his head again. Duo stares up at Luc thunderstruck, finally placing the voice in his head.

Luc's grin broadens and he offers his hand, which Duo accepts gratefully, allowing himself to be pulled to his feet. Luc's hand remains, the other grasping his shoulder, waiting for Duo's body to steady, only leaving when he is sure his companion can stand on his own two feet without tipping over.

"You may feel a little dizzy for a moment, but it will pass," Luc says, his words echoing through Duo's mind.

Echoing? Why would they be…? Oh Kami, I'm hearing him hear me! I can feel what he feels! This wasn't really what I was expecting when he said side effects!

"You'll get used to it," Luc replies, knowing full well what is causing Duo's distress. "Let's get out of here, I'm sure Eileen and Hotaru are getting sick of waiting for us."

Hotaru and Eileen had found the glyph easily after the battle and did not hesitate to step into it after Saturn once again became Hotaru. After stepping through the wall of magic, the two find themselves at the top of the tower, Alaois waiting for them in the mirrored room.

"Welcome back, " Alaois says cheerfully. "It looks like you two made it through okay. Luc and Duo aren't here yet, but they should be making an entrance any second now."

Hotaru nods at Alaois' words, but her eyes are fixed on the form of a young girl in the corner, standing next to a sword stuck in the wall and the unmistakable shape of the pendant of trust.

The girl steps forward to welcome her guests. "Welcome Hotaru and Eileen, I'm Dannan, the guardian of this tower." She reaches for the pendant and pulls it out, then walks over to stand before Hotaru, placing the pendant in her hand. "I believe this belongs to you."

Hotaru nods, and accepts the pendant, one side marked with an owl in mid-flight, the other with a crescent moon. "Thank you."

Another glyph appears on the ground and Duo and Luc step through, both looking a little worse for wear. Luc just walks forward to stand by Alaois, but it is Duo that catches Hotaru's eye. Something is different about him, I can't place it, but it is definitely there.

Duo catches Hotaru's eye and shrugs, mouthing the words 'I'll explain later.'

Dannan moves forward, coming to stand before Duo. "You are Duo Maxwell, or Shinigami, am I correct?"

Duo nods, a little shocked at the second title. How she had known that was beyond him.

Dannan smiles reassuringly. "In that case, that sword on the wall, the Ragnarok, belongs to you."

Eileen gasps, a little surprised. "Belongs to him? But how?"

"The Ragnarok picks in own wielder, and it has chosen Duo. The sword is his. Use it well Duo Maxwell, for with it you will wield great power, but with power comes temptation and that you must not give into. Remember your goals and be steadfast."

The sword on the wall begins to glow faintly in a silver light and Duo places his hand on the hilt, drawing it easily from its prison on the wall.

"Now I recommend you all prepare for battle," Dannan says quietly.

"Battle?" Duo asks.

Author: And I'm going to end it with that. Please review and on a side note, I've also updated the index. Please excuse the spelling errors, I didn't check this over (too tired of typing and spell check never gets everything).