Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Of Spirit and Servitude ❯ Chapter 3 ( Chapter 3 )

 

Duo dodged the attack hissing as a dagger slide by almost clipping his side. He followed into the dodge and brought his right dagger around for a swipe. His opponent skipped back to avoid the blade with a smirk on his face.

 

“Good dodge demon, but your attack was obvious. You need to learn to use your body to hide the movement not announce it.”

 

“Oh give me a brake! I just started this.”

 

Duo eyed the mythical in front of him with uncertainty. The last time he had met the silver haired shifter he had been challenging Duo's right to be a bonded. Now it seemed he was challenging Duo's very right to exist. Right after Duo had excepted Zechs challenge Mari had run off threatening that she was going to “tell tosan no you” as she'd put it.

 

Duo was seriously beginning to regret excepting Zech's challenge. He had no experience once so ever with knives while the mythical seemed to be an expert. The creature's taunts were not helping either. He sure didn't need the advice of his enemy. Duo spread his wings, allowing himself to be lifted off the ground and out of the mythical's reach. So far, Zechs had not used any of his powers. Now he did, turning into a falcon and taking flight in pursuit of the hovering demon. Duo cursed and served to the side as sharp talons flew by, slicing through the air where Duo's face had just been. This fight was quickly turning serious and with no where to run Duo found himslef quite outmatched. `Man I wish I was a little older, than I could attack this guys mind.' Duo had no such skill yet, so he continued to dodge. The demon was quite surprised to find that not only did Zechs seem incapable of hitting him, but he was also quite clumsy in flight.

 

Zechs may have been able to turn into a bird, but that didn't make him a natural born flyer. Duo was born with wings, and felt at home in the air. Zechs seemed to realize this as well because he floated down to the earth and shifted into a giant orange and black animal. Duo hovered above. He had never seen an animal like this one, but he sure as hell didn't like the looks of it. It stood on for legs and had stripes that covered a muscular body. It had triangular shaped ears and sharp predatory eyes. The animal was flightless, however, so as long as he stayed in the air he would be safe. This theory was quickly disproved as the creature bunched it's hind leg mussels and sprang into the air. Duo yelped as he skirted to the side. He had been flying low but not that low but aparently that didn't matter. The creature managed to hook a claw in one of Duo's wings. It wasn't a grave injury, but Zechs' weight did drag the demon back to the ground. Duo growled, he had been doing nothing but running, he would have to take the offensive if he was going to have any kind of chance at victory. As Duo's feet hit the ground, he sprang back up and maneuvered so that he was right over the beast. Duo wasted no time in digging his claws into Zechs' thick hide and seating himself on the creatures back. He then started to ride Zechs around hanging on for dear life and desperately trying to avoid swiping claws and dagger-like teeth.

 

After rolling, running in circles and throwing himself against trees, Zechs finally realized that he could not dislodge the desperate demon. Duo yelped as the creature below him began to change again. Zechs' size decreased many fold and his fur became black and white, and very smooth. Duo gasped as he found himself gripping a very pissed off skunk. The demon was familiar with this animal. They were native to this area and known for their putrid smell, and their ability to spread that smell to others. The demon gasped throwing the foul fur ball away from his and jumping back. It didn't take a genius to guess what Zechs had in mind. Duo was too slow though, and he found himself hit head on by a spray of liquid so powerful it almost made him feint.

 

The smell of a skunk was nothing compared to the sent of its spray. The demon wrinkled his nose, his eyes watering from the horrid stench. He considered giving up then and there. Then he could go get rid of this damn sent. He could not bring himself to do this however, the price of losing was just too great. Duo had to prove his worth, not only as a demon, but as the prince's bonded. One day he would be called upon to protect Heero. Duo had to know that he could succeed in this task and what better way to find out the to battle the king's own bonded? If he could defeat Zechs than he was worthy of his title, and qualified to protect the one he loved. Duo had no intention of running this time, but he could not rush into this blindly. The demon opened his wings a maneuvered so that he was positioned high above the little hairball. He knew for a fact that skunks could not fly, nor could they jump higher than their own size. That meant that if Zechs was going to attack him he would have to shift. That was when Duo would strike. Duo had noticed something during the fight. Something he prayed was Zechs' weakness. If he was right then there was still a chance he could win. It was true that Zechs could transform very quickly, but every time he did he grew completely still. Duo prayed this meant that he couldn't move while he transformed, not that he choose not to. `Well, I guess I'll find out soon enough.'

 

Duo hovered over the little skunk waiting for it to shift. He didn't have to wait. Before he knew it, the little creature was growing. Its black and white fur was turning tan and shirking away. The demon wasted no time, he folded his wings and dive boomed the little creature, hitting it hard. Zechs seemed frozen where he stood, unable to do anything but stand there. Duo pressed the knife against the mythical's throat and waited from him to finish shifting. Zechs emerged as a humanoid, defeat in his eyes.

 

“It's over Zechs, surrender.”

 

Zechs didn't get a chance to answer because at that moment a branch came up out of nowhere and wrapped itself around Duo hosting him up into the air. The demon blinked in disbelief. He might not know much about shape shifters but he did know that Zechs shouldn't have been able to do that. Duo soon realized that the attack hadn't come from Zechs. The mythical was being wrapped in the same vine like restraints, and he seemed equally confused. Duo blinked trying to twist around. He could sense that there was someone else there, some one that was setting off an instinctual fear within him.

 

“So you're the traitor than. You'll make fine bait for that vile human.” The words seemed to be directed at Zechs.

 

Duo twisted in his bonds, finally catching a look at their captor. What he saw made his blood run cold. It was a mythical. A young girl with olive green skin and endless yellow eyes. She had long brown hair the color of bark, and a small mischievous smile.

 

“What do you want tree spirit?” The question came from Zechs.

 

“From you? I don't want anything. What I want only your king can give me.”

 

“Zechs!” Just then Treize came running up, Heero and Mari close behind him. Duo had never been so happy to see the three humans.

 

“Ah, speaking of the king, here he is now. Come to see your slave off ah? Well, you should say your good byes now because he'll be gone soon enough.”

 

Treize turned facing the female mythical. A rare rage played across his face. “I don't know who you are, but if you value your life you will release my love.”

 

The girl laughed, “Your `love' is it? Is that what you are calling your slaves now? No matter, you return our prince to us and we will return your `love' to you. When you're ready to give him to us, come to the Heshan Mountains, we will make the trade there.”

 

“Wait, you can't take him! I don't know of this prince of yours. Please wait, we can talk about this.”

 

The mythical's eyes narrowed, “oh you know the prince, you know him well. I will not stand around and listen to this nonsense. If you care anything about this creature then you will meet us in the Heshan Mountains and bring the prince. If you wait even a day longer I will kill this traitor.”

 

With that last promise the creature melted, literally melted into the surrounding foliage, dragging Zechs along with her and leaving Duo, Heero, Mari and a baffled Treize behind her.