Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Legend Saga ❯ Hosshin (Awakening) ( Chapter 1 )

Legends Saga

1/?

By Shin Yuy

Notes: This is a Gundam Wing Yaoi fic (or will be at some point). This is draft #2 since I feel I need to revamp many things. It's partially dedicated to Kara, one of the readers on my GW_Just_Love mailing list who eats this stuff up. Inspired by Princess Mononoke, Gundam Wing, D&D, Dragon riders of Pern, DayQuil, (since the original was written during several days of medium grade fevers), and a bunch of other things. No parings just yet, violence warnings, not entirely historically accurate but I will try as much as I can. It's a fantasy fic and hopefully some day a sci-fi /fantasy fic. Anyway enough from me… here it goes…

"Speech"

"*Foreign Language*"

// Thoughts//

~Spirit Speech~[1]

[Refer to end for notes]

*~*~*~*~* Brakes and scene changes

----- Change of POV

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*

Chapter One: Hosshin

Awakening

The crunch of snow beneath sandals seemed the only sound that morning. No birds sang, no trees creaked not even the wind dared mutter a single sound in the late December air. The small village on the side of the sea lay in silence, many of the people hiding in their homes. They were all hidden, though all eyes through holes in the walls and window shades stared out into the sea, where the monks of the local monastery stood on the beach praying out to the black waters.

One boy, not heading the elder's warnings, not heading the tiny voice in his head telling him this was dangerous, stood off to the side, hidden behind a beached boat, watching. He had seen this ritual before; it was done once a year, though to appease the beast that supposedly lived beneath bay or to keep it trapped he didn't know. It supposedly lay beneath the fertile waters that supplied the staple of the village, beneath the waves that despite there begin no wind were churning. Cobalt blue eyes, innocent to such things as Gods and Monsters, stared at the waves waiting.

The monk's chants and music seemed to have for once no effect on the waters. The head priest called out to the waves.

"Black demon still your struggles! You shall not rain terror on Mankind again!"

//What is he speaking to? Does he actually expect a reply?// the youth thought, snorting at the priest's prayers. //What a moron…//

Beneath the sea amongst the now white-capping waves, fish jumped into the air, as if believing the air was a safe haven from what lay beneath the murk. The boy's bones ached suddenly, as if stuck by resounding thunder. The pebbles of the beach shock and jumped as a sound, a voice arose from the deep.

"Silence puny human! What makes you believe you can contain me here any longer? The call has awoken me. You shall die if you wish to keep me here in this prison!"

"You shall not pass…" the Priest began, however stopped by yet another earth shaking sound.

The boy, watching intently could scarcely believe his eyes. Completely forgetting to stay hidden he ventured closer to the shore, drawn towards the sound.

Beneath the sea two glowing spots appeared, coming closer to the surface. The shrine stones, set up all over the outer parts of the bay began to glow, lines of pure light casting between them, making a net. The prayers of the monks behind the Head Priest were weaving a web to contain whatever was trying to escape. That whatever, the Demon what the boy had heard about since his early child hood and thought was nothing more then a tale, began his resurrection.

The water bulged as a gigantic form worked its way to the surface. First spines, great spikes the size of grown men interlinked by thin webbing appeared in the waves, lining a huge whip-like tail that thrashed about, at the end of the tail a great fluke, like a fan, smacked the water. Great wings rose from the sea, straining against the silver and white webbing, their ebony blackness reminding the boy of the night's sky, devoid of stars. The body began to arise and towards the shore, breaking the ice nearer to land like a sword cutting through cloth, the neck arose until fully exposed in the air. It was truly the Demon the boy had heard of, right there before him. A God hidden beneath the place just meters from the ground where he had been found by the priests.

"Shinigami…" he whispered and as if hearing him the beast turned towards him.

Seaweed dangled from its powerful maw, great webbed crests fanned and folded on the beast's crown. Bright piercing eyes glowed in the early dawn hours, ice slid down its scales like paper confetti. The glow dimmed and bright, ruby red eyes stared down at the youth, hot breath causing his hair to flutter about his head.

The Beast stared long at him, the only boy in the village with Brown hair and Blue eyes.

~You are not the one who calls me.~ it seemed to say to the boy's mind, causing him to shiver.

"Back you Demon! Back beneath the waves!" The priest shouted, beginning a chant causing the net of magic to lower back upon the beast.

With a defiant bellow, enough to shake the ground and nearly shatter bones it reared its head, a pouch beneath its jaw expanded, glowing feral green before great plumes of devilish flame shot out of its maw, destroying two of the stones, weakening the net. With a great flapping of its bat-like wings it arose from the sea, stressing the net until it snapped its moorings, dangling off of him like spider's silk. The backbeat caused the waves to rush the shore, drenching all those on the beach. The behemoth that had been trapped for centuries was yet again free, letting out one last defiant bellow before flying after the last vestiges of the night, to the west.

And all eyes turned to the boy.

"You did this!" Shouted the priest, pointing an accusing finger towards the boy. "You are the one who has brought bad fortune to our lands and set the Demon free!"

"I did no such thing!" he shouted back.

"You brought about still waters! Ever since the day you came two years ago things have only gotten worse! Ainu[2] Witch! You've cursed us and set the Demon free now we will all die!."

The monks all rose up shouting obscenities at him, all advancing on him.

"It's not my fault you haven't been able to catch enough to eat? It's not my doing causing most of the people to become sick! It's your own fault!"

"Silence outsider! For this great crime against this village and for allying yourself with darkness we will send you to join your beast!"

It only took the sight of the priest yelling at the boy to call the villagers from their homes, only rather then a towel and food like when he had arrived bused and battered on the shore, it was with swords and torches.// It was always easy to blame the stranger for misfortunes, but this is out of hand! // the boy thought.

"We will deal with you Heero Yuy, and send back into the darkness from whence you came!"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*

The scent of pine incense filled his nose, a calming soothing scent he had grown up with. The feel of his meditation mat beneath his body brought him into his place, and would slowly bring him out of it into the land of dreams. He had been meditating long had hard these last few days, trying to gain a glimpse at the voice that called to his mind every night. The voice that caused him to wake with a start drenched in a cold sweat and causes his betrothed to call him a coward.

Pushing such errant thoughts aside, the last of the Dragon clan focused on his breathing, and delved into the land of dreams.

Pom Pom…

//What is that sound?//

Pom Pom…

//I feel it, in my chest but it isn't mine…//

Pom Pom…

// A heart beat?//

The vision began to clear, from the darkness came a reddish glow, coalescing into fire. Great rivers of fire flowing from the broken summit of a mountain, billowing out brimstone and soot. The sky was black, the smell of sulfur and hiss of steam bombarded the young monk even in his dream-like state.

Pom Pom…

A lake of liquid rock swirled inside the mountain's cauldron, spitting and hissing in the wavery air. In the center of the lake, solid ground, like a raft of solid stone resting on the surface of the fire. Upon it rested a great …thing. It glittered in the light, flesh burning with golden yellow embers; a thick fire red mane ran from the tip of the tuffed tail to the back of the massive skull, adorned with a halo of bony spines and regal horns. Great claws dug into the raft, letting molten rock through for a moment before it cooled. Leathery wings shown shadows along themselves, seeming to have spirits dancing behind gauze like curtains. Breath hissed between partially open jaws, lined with teeth as big as a man, maw large enough to swallow two oxen in one gulp. Its eyes remained closed however, even in the midst of the constant roaring of fire.

Pom Pom…

//Who are you?//

Pom Pom…

// What are you?//

Pom Pom…

// Why do you…//

~So many questions little kittling. Why do you not open your heart to the answers?~

Great black eyes opened staring right into the young monk's soul, piercing it yet healing it all at once. As if stitching together a rift that had been with him all his life. In those eyes reflected was a boat, on an ocean carrying a broken form of a boy, his own age, drifting closer and closer to towards a shore, a town not far from his monastery.

//What… are you showing me?//

~ Find him, last of my children. Find this wayward breeze and follow the Day Star to where it rests. Follow it to your destiny.~

// How do I know I can trust you?//

~ Do you not trust justice itself?~

"Wufei…"

//Wait… Justice… that means… You're…//

"Wufei…."

~ Find him. Quickly for time is short little kittling.~

//Wait!// his mind shouted as the visions began to fade.

"Chang Wufei wake up!" shouted a very annoyed woman, kicking her foot at the side of her soon to be husband's head. It never connected, for his hand had leapt from its place in his lap to grasp tightly around her ankle, twisting it just so to send her toppling to the ground. Calming his breathing and stamping down the urge to throttle the woman onyx eyes opened not hiding an ounce of his annoyance.

"What do you want woman?"

"To tell you its time to eat. Or rather past it you've been in here all day." She grumbled getting back to her feet, regaining some of her warrior dignity.

He sighed and stood, straightening his robes.

"Thank you Marian."

"If someone wasn't here to remind you to eat you'd waste away where you sat." she shook an accusing finger at him. "Besides you'll need your strength. It's time for a supply run and you're it."

//This might give me the opportunity I need… if that vision was true…// "Very well." He said and headed for the dining hall.

"Wait a minute!" Marian barked; turning and jogging to catch up.

"What now?"

"You never agree so easily to such things. You usually argue with everyone you can for a good day before caving in finally or I threaten to go. Why are you being so agreeable?"

She was rewarded with a simple shrug.

"Ugh! Man you are so annoying."

"Only half as much as you Woman."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*

It was quiet. Not a natural quiet, or even an uncomfortable silence but a total unearthly silence. It had arisen from its grave only moments before. Shaking the ground where bandits had made their camp, sharing the goods of their last raid. Deep in the forests where light rarely touched the ground fires burned what remained of tents, several trees were scorched. Stones were overturned, crushed beneath talons and flame. Smoke rose into the sky and the beasts who occupied the forest remained silent, paying homage to their lord who had reawakened.

On the ground lay the human corpses; trampled, burned, flailed and beaten into the earth, making the ground sticky with blood. They had attacked a caravan of merchants and their slaves. Heading west towards a city, their carts field with silks, gold and harem girls. Even they lay dead in a trampled tent. They had been passing the women and wine around, until they uncovered an even better prize.

A teenage boy

"You thought women were tight." One of the bandits had said, only moments before the sound of ripping clothing, then ripping ground. It had been quick, no one had suspected anything. None had headed one of the magicians with the merchants warnings about the stones they had chosen to camp in. None of them had chosen to pay homage to the beast he had said was sealed beneath their very feet. They all had paid for the desecration and `breaking' of the seal.

All but one.

The teen, a spindly slave boy, emerald eyes hidden behind a curtain of hair, the last vestiges of his clothing clutched tightly in his fingers kneeled in the center of the carnage staring up at his savior with pure terror in his gaze. He looked as if he had been trampled by the camp's horses, but the goliath that looked down at him knew better. Hands, fists, whips, stones and lord knows what else had marred his skin and possibly crushed his spirit. A thick metallic collar still encircled his throat, cumbersome shackles, magical in nature, bound themselves around warn ankle sand wrists. Had their creator been alive he could have bound the youth up in many ways, but with his body lying in several places about the camp, they were nothing more then heavy iron weights. //An atrocity. Have humans truly learned nothing this whole time?// it wondered, regarding the teen.

The beast, standing as tall as the tallest tree in the forest looked down upon the boy, emerald eyes reflecting the firelight, the flames had practically jumped from its own maw; far to enthusiastic to protect the man-child before him. Jaws clamped shut, as if trying to set its lips in a thin line, long tapering neck craning down to regard the boy further, its thick mane swaying slowly in the breeze. Two long curved horns jutted from the back of its skull, the bone still encased in its flesh ran half the length of his muzzle. Deep bronze red scales reflected the night light, gigantic claws dug into the softened ground. Its tail thumped a few times in contemplation, the whip-like thing laced with destructive spines, all the size and just as sharp as swords. Its wings were hidden, but at first they had nearly surrounded the camp with their span. Swords had done nothing. Arrows had done nothing. Not even magic had touched the beast. The beast, in all its terrifying glory, had saved the slave who looked about to pass out from exhaustion and terror.

It leaned down and sniffed at the boy, almost pulling him forward with the gale it created.

~ Are you all right?~

The boy only nodded.

~ What do they call you?~

"… hey you…"

~ Not a proper name. Trowa~

He nodded again.

Sighing, the beast leaned back and began to shrink; dust swirling about its gargantuan form until nothing more then a great cat stood where it once was. A lion, though twice the size of any other lion the boy now called Trowa had ever seen. It shook its rust brown fur, getting the dirt off of it and trotted over to Trowa.

~ Better?~

Yet again… another nod.

~ Find some clothing. We need to leave.~

"Who…"

~ Don't have a name yet.~

There was a moment of thoughtful silence then…

"Rune."

~ Sounds good to me. Lets go.~

Rune as he was now called padded behind the newborn Trowa, watching him pick out clothing to fit, take a bow and those arrows not yet broken, putting them into a quiver. It then walked beside the human, warm fur brushing against bruised skin.

~ Get on your going to fall over if you don't.~

Trowa obeyed, sitting on the back of the beast as it looped off into the forest. Trowa hung on for dear life, afraid to fall off into the undergrowth. A few hours worth of travel brought them to a large den, once home to bears in winter it would now be their home, for a while at least. Rune nudged Trowa inside, following him into the womb of earth trampled solid by past lodgers. Settling down behind and around the human, like a living bed complete with blankets, Rune urged Trowa into sleep.

//Such a silent one this human. Hardly a stray thought in his head, only just a whisper creeps past his lips. Ah but would you blame such an individual to be so quiet. Only the Gods know what might have happened to this boy. It's been so long since I last saw the sky, since I could feel the wind and the earth under my feet rather then all around me. But to awaken to such riffraff disturbing my prison, damn them if only I could kill them a second… maybe even third time! Only just without Trowa's watching. Trowa is a good name… Yes I like it. I know he does. Rune isn't a bad one either. I like it a lot.// A soft exhale made Trowa's bangs dance across his pale cheeks. //Come dawn I will get those off of you, then some food in you and work on getting you strong. Much work to be done before they get here. Yes much to do in deed.//

The world outside the den began slowly to come back to life. Birds sang, bugs buzzed and life went on as if nothing had happened previously. In the warm darkness of the den the Dragon-lion slept with his human carefully protected from anyone else's view. Patience was on this beast's side. However time itself was waning.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*

"Oh for the love of Allah where has that boy gotten to now?" Worried a very large and burly looking man. He rubbed his oddly square shaped hair and looked about the seaside port, where his ship had just put in for supplies. "Abdul? Auda? Have you seen the young master?!"

Two sailors looked at their captain, then at each other, and then back at him.

"I thought he was in the Galley sir?" Auda said glancing back towards mid-ship.

"No, you banana brained buffoon! He was with Mayia[3] in his cabin." Abdul jabbed, knocking on Auda's head. "Still not ripe yet is it?"

"Why you…"

"Quiet the two of you!"

"Sorry Rashid."

"Amar," Rashid turned toward one of his other men, apparently one more level headed then the two he was addressing earlier. "Please see if the young master is still aboard. If he isn't get a small search party together to find him."

Amar saluted and headed off, giving the other two a satisfied `you're going to get it' look at his friends.

Rashid sighed and looked about his ship. It had already been three months at sea, going ever further east following their young lord's dream-vision. Had it been anyone else that had asked him to take care of the blond youth he would have laughed right in their face. But it was a job from the King of Kings, Lord of the deserts and all the riches Rashid could ever want. Raja Winner was indeed a powerful man, one with they said a blessing of the Gods. And a curse as well. He had 29 princesses, most all from the same woman, who died when the Raja's wife gave birth to the only heir. Said heir was blessed with spirit sight and a heart as big as his kingdom. Unfortunately he also had boundless energy and curiosity. Which thus far had gotten him into many misadventures and Rashid many near heart attacks.

//Where can you be young master?//

"Mayia! Look at this!" chirped a very hyper and glad to be off the boat boy, picking up yet another richly colored piece of fabric, a scarf this time. Golden threads were woven in amongst dozens of other colors. The bird perched on his shoulder, a very large hunting falcon regarded the scarf, clacking her beak shut in approval.

~Its very pretty little one.~

"I knew you'd think so!"

~Must you have so much energy in the morning?~ the bird asked her charge / master.

"Morning is the best time of the day. And besides I'm off the boat, finally."

Many of the merchants humored the blond boy, it wasn't every day a beautiful stranger came walking in to town, buying whatever he felt like and talking to a bird that could probably fly off with a cat. The boy had such a kind demeanor, so full of life and energy just like the morning itself. Fair skin, ocean blue eyes and a sun gold hair easily did not pin him as one of the Arab people that had come off the boat The SandRock, earlier that day.

"Master Quatre!" came a shout from the crowd behind him.

"Oh no… I've been found." Quatre grumbled, handing the scarf back to the merchant and turning to face Amar who was shoving his way through the sea of people in the market.

"There you are young master. We've been so worried! What have we told you about wandering off like that?!"

"I'm sorry Amar but… I couldn't stand being on that boat a moment longer. I wanted to take a look around. I would have been back long before we left port and Mayia is with me." Quatre bowed his head slightly, not liking to worry his men at all and feeling terrible about potentially loosing their trust.

Amar sighed and looked at the `bird'. He had seen it in its other form, a beast thrice the size of the ship they sailed almost. Blue scales reflecting the light like the sea, stream line body perfect for dancing amongst the waves. Mayia had been with Quatre for nearly four months, since before they had set off on this mad quest.

"I know that young lord but we would feel better if a person was with you. No offence to you Lady Mayia but…"

"She says she understands. I guess we'll head back now." Quatre said with a bit of disappointment in his voice. He just wanted to take a walk around on solid ground for a while. And he was just in the way on the ship. At least that was his reasoning, Amar could see the sorrow in his young master's face and sighed.

"Was there anything you needed? Absolutely needed still?" Amar questioned, not wanting to disappoint the young lad any further. // Such a sweet boy but Great merciful Allah what a hand full!//

Quatre thought for a moment before pointing towards a weapon's stall.

"I need a sword. Two actually."

"Young one you already have your weapons…"

"They aren't for me. They are for the missing ones."

Amar sighed and went over, buying two swords of superior make. According to the young master they were sailing to intercept two who had also been `chosen' like he had been. Amar did not want to think about the beasts that had bonded with whoever they might be searching for. All he knew was that it was of the utmost importance they be found.

Amar turned only to see his young lord bounding off to look at more things. Sighing and carrying the weapons he followed Quatre, steering him back towards the ship.

~Quatre, as much as I hate to dampen your mood, time isn't on our side. We must hurry I fear something bad is going to get to them before we do.~

"Hurry up Amar! If we don't hurry something terrible might happen!"

"Like Rashid chewing you out little master."

"Umm… in that case we can take our time…"

~ Hn. Children…~

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*

It was becoming quite clear that the little chase he found himself engaged into was running to its end. They had been this way before, four times in the last few hours and it was obvious their target was slowing. That the boy who had challenged two of General-Dictator Treize Khushrenada's strongest fighters was just barely hanging on, by every last shred of defiance and in the blond Griffon rider's opinion, sanity.

Zechs had to admit the little scrap of a street urchin he was watching was determined to stay alive. He had to give the boy at least that much credit. Not many believed they could face the Sorceress Lady Une and come out alive.

He had been watching the battle last for nearly three days and nights. The little scamp using their very own city against them to hide in its shadows; tiny intimate corners only known to the inhabitance of the streets, to cover his tracks and regain strength to fight back. He had stamina, determination, and a lot of guts. It seemed to the former prince turned minion of darkness, that like the blood flowing freely from the boy's right side, he was running out of resources.

"Its time to give it up boy!" Lady Une barked to the shadow draped figure bracing him self in the back of a dead-end alleyway. "I admire your tenacity and your idiocy but it's time to die."

"Big words Lady… I'm not dead yet." He rasped, glaring his iris-violet eyes at the two officers for all he was worth. One hand was clamped tightly to the make shift bandage around his side, to where the wound from a sword had been ripped open again.

"That, Garbage, will soon be rectified." Une growled, pushing her glasses back up her nose. Words in a strange tongue flowed from her lips, energy forming around her, crackling and hissing in the air. Her last spell had nearly blown one of the walls out of the ally and their target with it. However he was lucky again in he dodged, not enough to save his body from the force of impact but from being blown to dust like the wall. Une's lips curved into a slightly sinister smile, preparing to let loose the spell in her hands when shouts rose from the men behind them. Zechs turned and was in shock with what he saw.

Ten men had been behind them, to back up the sorceress and the rider but now only three still stood, the rest fallen to some beast cloaked in shadow. One of the remaining guards charged the beast, sword drawn and at the ready. It impacted flesh but it did nothing. Bright white dagger-like fangs buried themselves into his arm, the beast's maw ripping strong enough to sever the man's arm from his body, sending his sword, still in hand, skittering across the bloody cobblestones.

"My Lord get out of here!" shouted one, watching his companion be eviscerated on claws before he too attacked and found a swift death in the Black Beast's jaws. It swaggered in the alleyway, an animal the size of a small pony but it was obvious it wasn't one. Black fur stood on end, bristling down the ridge of its back. Thick black tail wavered slowly as if it were happy to be causing such carnage. Paws the size of Zechs' hand stepped over the men who had fallen, bloodstained fangs glistened in the spell-light. Bright ruby red eyes seems to glow dangerously at the remaining humans.

"Garu![5] Lady Hurry up with that spell…" Zechs said reaching for his sword when it spoke, not aloud but into their minds, drawing all of them to look. Well almost all, if the boy had the energy to look up he would have.

~ Garu?! Don't make me laugh Blondie. And My ladyship I suggest you dispel that quickly before my fangs find you [5].~ Without much more then that it leaped, almost over Zechs straight for Une.

Zechs swung his sword at the beast, hitting it in the hind quarters, sinking into fur and flesh. It landed awkwardly but continued its rush of Une. Une turned, releasing her spell towards the animal, and in a bright flash of crimson light they were blinded.

When his sight cleared, the beast, the boy and half of the wall beside where the spell had gone off was gone. Nothing but a blooded massacre and a huge paw print on his back remained.

"His Excellency will not be pleased." Zechs commented dryly.

"Let us return then and deal with it quickly." Une clipped, turning on her heal and walking out of the alley, around the dead bodies, ignoring the stench building. Zechs followed close behind.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*

To Be Continued…

Notes:

[1] Spirit Speech: the ability of one creature of substantial magic ability (such as that of a dragon or high mage) to speak into a person/ animal's spirit or mind. Conveying words, images, memories, and emotions. This gift takes time to get used to and may create a bond between those who use it constantly.

[2] Ainu: original people from Japan related to the Neanderthal Japanese now mostly inhabiting (at this point in time anyway) Honshu.

[3] Mayia: Arabic word for Water

[4] Garu: Werewolf in one of its forms. Though in this case it's just a case of mistaken identity.

[5] "…quickly before my fangs find you…" chunk of a quote taken from one of Moru's cubs in Mononoke en regards to speaking to the Ape Tribe.

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