Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Secrets ❯ the end is the beginning ( Chapter 27 )

CHAPTER 23: the end is the beginning



Shadows danced below Duo hiding his lower body from ground view as he raised up just enough to see into the room. He knew that there had to be at least three techs inside but who knew how many of the Commander’s men had taken that room over. He would have to move carefully in order to scope out the room.

“Welcome, child.” Duo barely had time to register the words before a large hand reached out and grabbed him around the neck.

Grabbing the arm that held him, he pulled and squeezed hoping the release the tight grip but nothing he did forced the fingers to open. With his darkness closing in, he was drawn close enough to see the creature that held him, for no man could look as this one did. Solid black eyes met widened violet as the hand squeezed a little tighter forcing consciousness from him. His last thought was, ‘what an ugly sight to have as my last.’

. . .

It hurt to think. It hurt to breathe. It hurt to think. It just hurt and when Duo hurt, he was not happy.

‘Happiness is a lie; a mask you wear to keep the others out.’ The voice was gruff and laughing at him. ‘It’s time to face reality.’

Duo couldn’t stop the laugh that boiled up within him at those words. With each silent giggle the pain receded until he was able to open his eyes. Then he wished he hadn’t

“Come, come child of fire, we both know that you are now fully aware.” The Commander sat on his throne, his nymphs naked at his feet, while his warrior held Duo with only one hand. “It’s time for the final act to begin.”

Duo smirked, he couldn’t help it. “Ready to die so soon.” his quip while only a whisper was heard loudly by the Commander and the wide girth shook with laughter.

The Commander stood, the nymphs falling to the side to allow him to pass. Duo tracked his movements as the wide man stepped with surprising agility until he was right in front of him. Red rimmed eyes looked hard at Duo as the man stood before him. He bore a smirk on his lips but Duo could see the real darkness lurking. For the first time since he was a child, Duo felt a niggle of fear.

“You are a perfect one.” the Commander smiled as he cupped the youth’s face. “I can’t wait to have you.”

Duo renewed his struggles against the monster that held him so tightly as the Commander’s lips closed over his. The kiss sent him into the waiting darkness.

Cold. It was so cold and so dark. It felt like being thrown into space without a suit and little air. He was gasping with each shiver that wracked his body. He tried to draw himself in but he couldn’t move. He felt like he was made of ice but there was a fire that continued to lick his skin and eat into his mind. He fought both mentally and physically before he grew too tired to think any more.

‘Give in to me. Let me release your pain. Give in to me.’

‘NO!’ his mind shouted clearly only to whimper as his body quickly lost the struggle. ‘Please.’

‘Yes. Give in to me and I will make you whole.’

A scream tore from his throat as fire surrounded him, searing the flesh from his bones and seeping into his mind and soul until he retreated into himself.

Quatre gasped at the sight before them. Duo stood with his back to them, his hair braided only half way, streaks of red woven into the once clean chestnut mass. Two naked women kneeled at his sides lacing the leather around his wrists and hands while a dark haired man stood in front of him, mostly unseen.

“What the hell?” Trowa’s words were a mimic of what Duo would have said if he’d not been the focus of the group. Near by stood a large humanoid man, muscles bursting from his neck down in a grotesque mimic of strength. He was an ugly mutated version of man.

“Beautiful isn’t he?”


The voice, though deeper, was clearly Duo’s and offered his friends, brothers, and lovers a flicker of hope.

“Duo?” Quatre shivered as he took a small step forward in the hopes of reached his friend.

“Careful.” Heero murmured to his lover. He knew something was wrong but he wasn’t sure what.

“Oh so careful, the perfect soldier.” Duo’s voice taunted with another laugh before the women were given a loving pat on the head and their friend turned to face them.

All four remain ex-Gundam pilot’s couldn’t stop the gasp. They had known that Duo was pretty for a male but beautiful was what he was now. Dressed in leather, the vest laced across his chest; pants laced up the sides of his muscular legs; and boots that reached his knees, he looked like a walking advertisement for dark desires. Then he smiled and they all felt the cold shiver as their eyes met the features of Shinigami.

“Imagine my surprise at the darkness within such a lighted soul.” The voice that was Duo’s purred as he stepped away from the fawning women. “Such power in such a small form. It must have taken a lot of his power to subdue this creature.”

“Shinigami.” Wufei breathed the name the others feared to speak.

The leather clad Duo laughed as the name reached his ears. “The God of Death!?” The laughter continued as the Commander interpreted the meaning behind the spoken word. “This tiny creature of fire and flame, the God of Death!”

Heero’s eyes narrowed as he watched the giant begin to move toward them. With a quick flick of his fingers he had them all on alert and ready for the battle.

Quatre tried on last time to speak with his friend. “Duo, we’re here to help you. Please . . .”

Duo’s laugh turned evil as he watched his creation move toward his host’s friends. “My First. He is the way the future warrior will be. Mindless, controllable, and willing to die for me. Their God.”

“Duo you can fight this.” Wufei whispered, truly afraid for his young lover.

“I like the idea of being the God of Death. It suits me, I think.” Duo’s demeanor changed as he spoke those words. Gone was the laughing, smiling jester; this Duo was a smug, dark, sinister individual unrecognizable to his friends.
“I will be the ruler of the universe and the Death God they all worship in fear.”

“No one will bow to you in fear or otherwise.” Trowa’s voice was hard as he began bracing himself for the fight to come.

Duo laughed again and gave his large minion a nod. “They either worship me or they die. Like you’re about to.”

The roar was near deafening as the monster rushed toward them. The ex-pilots barely had time to brace themselves for the attack before a wave of angry pain washed over them. It made them all gasp but they remained standing as it overcame them and made those below scream and cry.

The monster took the first step in trying to hit Heero, but the young pilot easily dodged the fist to place a solid blow to the midriff. Trowa countered with a high kick to the creature’s chin while Wufei sought to bring it to the floor by sweeping it’s legs.

Duo sat back, his nymphs fawning over him, as he watched the ensuing battle with hooded eyes.

‘You see, little flame, even your friends cannot stand against me.’

A frown marred the elfin features as a pain echoed through his mind. With a quick shake the new Commander shook the pain away, dismissing it as an after effect of his new image. He smiled as he watched his First swipe the young Arabian Prince across the room and into the wall as the elf used his knives to cut at the giant. The Dragon and the Soldier continued to punch and kick at the monster he’d created.

‘You’re losing.’

The whispered words were so soft that the Commander barely acknowledged hearing them even as first blood was drawn from his first’s arms. The monster roared in pain and anger, backhanding the elf across the room nearly taking out a recovering Quatre. Wufei shouted in Chinese as he and Heero joined in their attack and opened the thin wounds wider, blood now flowed like water down the monsters arms as he lumbered to hit them as well.

‘You’re monster’s strength is fading.’

This time the Commander heard the words and stood quickly from his seat. “Who is saying that? Show yourself!”

There was nothing forth coming as First swung and connected with the battling Asians sending them both to the wall as Quatre and Trowa took over the fight.

‘Their light will blind you and send you to hell.’

The Commander growled as he pulled his power to him and released it with a shout. The wave of despair that followed nearly took out the pilots; the nymphs, who had been fawning to touch their master, screamed and fell unconscious as they were struck. First roared again as it lent him power but he could not make his body move fast enough to touch the smaller blonde pilot again.

“Screw this.” Quatre gasped as he dodged yet another hit. “This ends now!”

In a blink his power flared and he became the immortal warrior he’d been millennia ago. The lighted aura that surrounded him caused First to be blinded and began to swing wildly at the little blond. Quatre’s lighted sword met the flesh of First’s middle, opening the slice wider that Trowa’s smaller blade had made. Trowa had followed the ethereal immortal with his bow drawn, arrows flying to meet the arms and legs of the monster they now fought.

The Commander, now back in charge of himself, smirked as he watched. “Splendid, the elf and the immortal emerge. All we lack is the soldier and the dragon.”

‘You’re still losing. You’re all ready dead.’

The Commander sneered at the whispered voice deciding to ignore it in favor of watching the battle being fought. With narrowed eyes, he began slowly feeding off the fear that radiated from those trapped below to feed to his First warrior. The flesh that was torn began to mend and the monster that was once human became even less so as the dark power began to fill him again.

“Destroy them, my First!” The Commander shouted, absently petting the only woman able to kneel near him.

First made several more swipes at the immortal and elf before Heero and Wufei gathered themselves to join in. Heero’s transformation was awe inspiring as gold engulfed him, binding into armor that resembled that of an old samurai. His sword seemed to be drawn from his own body as he joined Quatre in the battle to take down the monster. Wufei kept his wings concealed but drew the fire to his hands to use as his weapon; his scales becoming his armor.

“Wufei aim for the head.” Quatre shouted as he dodged another swing from the monster. “Heero take out his legs! Trowa. . .”

“I’ve got his heart!” The elf shouted as he riddled the monster’s torso with arrows until he looked like a pin cushion.

The Commander growled as they weakened his creation. Flames licked the flesh as arrows and swords pierced and sliced the skin left behind. The fear created by those below wasn’t enough to repair the damage fast enough. The Commander began drawing more and more but it still wasn’t enough.

‘You’re weak. Death is coming for you.’

“I am Death!” The Commander shouted trying to override the taunts echoing inside his head. He ignored the warning he felt that said something was wrong with this new host and began drawing out the fear from further out in order to add to his monster. When that seemed to fail, he began building a new one from the man unconscious behind him.

Quatre shouted as he embedded his sword into the creature’s forearm and pulled. With a grunt the flesh and bone gave, the sword cutting through to the other side severing the appendage. The creature roared in pain and anger as it’s arm flopped to the floor of the control room and Quatre’s blade focused to follow the strike that Heero was now making on it’s legs.

Wufei yelled as he unleashed a flame to encompass the monster’s head and began to use the heat to take the oxygen away from it’s lungs. When the monster began weakening and came down on it’s knees, Heero and Quatre set themselves up to make the final strikes.

‘It’s time for Death to smile.’

“I am DEATH!” The Commander roared as his First fell and with twin swords it’s head was severed. “I am the God! You will worship me!”

His second creation roared as the man began to transform only to be engulfed in shadow. The Commander/Duo turned and watched as the shadows began tearing the new creature apart until there was nothing left.

“NO!” The Commander shouted in anger and turned to find himself facing the four pilots. “You will pay for this!”

Quatre felt something echo through the room and sneered at the leather clad form. “We want our friend back!”

Heero, Trowa, and Wufei lined up a step behind the little blond angel and waited for the next attack to come.

There was nothing. No sound, no light, no heat, no cold, absolute nothing. It wasn’t space, of that he was certain, but what it was he couldn’t tell. Slowly he came to himself and began to notice the little things. Voices, though far away, was beginning to whisper to him again. They all spoke the same words, though at the moment he couldn’t tell what those were, but he knew they were important.

Straining he made himself become aware. The pain had faded but was still there. It was dulled by the need for answers. He strained against the darkness and felt, more than saw, a small blink of light. Focusing on it, he felt himself become more and as his form became apparent he made his way to it.

“The God of Death!? This tiny creature of fire and flame, the God of Death!”

It was the laughter that followed those words that made him become more. He was Shinigami. No one else was the God of Death, only him, and no one made a joke of that name. EVER!

It was a struggle but he slowly began to feel himself again. The pain he’d been subjected to had been a surprise and that was the only reason it had taken him down, driven him back. Now he was back and he was mad, but he knew how to be subtle and wait for just the right moment. He was known for his cutting remarks and the ability to get under his enemy’s skin. It was his best weapon besides high explosives. It was time for the real Shinigami to come out to play.

Flames encased Wufei’s hands as he stepped forward to begin the battle for his lover and friend. He didn’t want to hurt the body he loved but in order to get the soul back he would do whatever he could- Duo would heal.

Quatre concentrated all his light energy into the blade he held. He would have to make all his marks count but insure that Duo’s body was not damaged beyond repair. His mind was all ready working on the points in which to hit.

Heero eyed his one time comrade making note of the strength and the weaknesses. He knew that Duo at full capacity in Shinigami mode was unstoppable, but this one couldn’t possibly know the full potential of this Shinigami.

Trowa balanced his weight and watched carefully the movements of his new enemy. While he looked like Duo and sounded like Shinigami, he knew that he was neither. He had watched as the shadows had torn the newest creation apart and knew that Duo-his Duo- had had something to do with that. It gave him hope that Duo was in there fighting.

“We want Duo back.” Quatre announced and took another step forward. “We will get him back if we have to beat you out of him!”

The Commander growled and fisted his hands, fingers digging into his palms as he gathered all his power to him. He would rid himself of these little fleas and begin rebuilding the universe in his own image.

“I AM . . .” his voice failed, the breath seeming to be pulled into his body. With a violent shake he rid the pressure and sought to aim his power in full force at his four nemesis.

‘This body is mine! Get out! Get out NOW!’

A scream tore from Duo’s throat as the body stiffened.

“Quatre?” Heero growled as they watched Duo’s body jerk and spasm as threats and curses erupted from his lips.

“That’s it, Duo, fight him.” Quatre’s whispered words passed all the way down to each of the other pilots, who in turn began to move forward.

“STOP!” The twisted voice shouted. “YOU WILL FALL AT MY FEET!”

Heero smirked as Wufei growled and tossed a small fire ball to bounce off the leather clad leg. Trowa noticed the shift in control as the dark force split it’s attention between the inner and soon-to-begin outer battle.

“NOW!” Quatre’s shout pushed the three forward and the battle began.

Swords clashed against scythes, flames bounced off both leather and scales while paper-thin cuts were forming exposed skin. There were screams and yells and Duo’s body jerked several times before shadows gathered around them.

“Move back!” The shout came from one of them.

Though none of them were certain who it was, but they heeded the words and moved back from the twisting form clad in leather. As they cleared the area around Duo, the shadows closed in and covered the twisting form. It was like watching a dark tornado build inside the room. Curses replaced the howls while flaying limbs became the torrent winds. Long hair lashed out of the darkness like a whip as the dark cloud chased the others around the room. It would have been comical if not for the fight going on inside.

“Watch out!” Quatre shouted as Wufei was jerked to one side and thrown against the wall. Furniture flew as the dark funnel continued it’s angry dance through the room before it exploded into flames.

The heat was intense, the darkness overwhelming, but it was the silence that made the whole universe stop.