No, this time not even the idea is mine�It is taken from an incredible Chinese movie called � you guessed it � �Hero� (original title: Ying Xiong), by Zhang Yimou. I changed the ending, as well as various other details to fit it into the GW universe � which isn�t mine either. But, damn it, it�s so much fun putting two incredible tales together.
Let me advertise the movie a little:
Rating: R (for violence)
Genres: Angst, AU
Status: (1/1) � oneshot (longest oneshot I ever wrote�)
Thank you for the picture, mic! It is incredible!
AC 195 � For the span of one hundred and ninety three years Earth and the Space Colonies have existed as separate entities, denying each other�s policies acceptance. Misunderstandings, the strife for personal identity, power and influence have lead to countless fights among them.
But the most ruthless fight is reserved for one man, Earth�s colonel Treize Kushrenada. In AC 193 he begins to invade the Colonies with his space fleet of mobile suits called the Organisation of the Zodiac (OZ), seeking to gain total power over them all.
Naturally, the Colonies do not go down without a fight. Defeated rebel groups continue to work in secrecy to bring about the fall of the new emperor. Many an assassination is planned only to fail in the face of the emperor�s tight and well trained security. But never does resistance die down.
And the emperor is aware that within the subdued Colonies his doom awaits him�
�
A lonely red point of reference appears on the screens of the control panels on the Lunar Base, remaining unseen for a few seconds before it catches the eye of one of the officers on duty. He gives a shout of surprise and instantly alarms the base. Security, already doubled ever since the Emperor Kushrenada took up permanent residence here, is tripled in these few minutes of doubt, but the approaching threat does not make an effort to conceal itself.
Then the order comes in. �Approaching object identified as carrying the Hero. Open space dock Ganymed 6. Assure safe docking.�
Every occupant of the base, from the workers slaving away their lives in construction and reconstruction up to the high officers, knows that the order has been put forth by the Lightning Count, and is therefore coming from the Emperor himself.
It is also the Lightning Count who, in company of his guards Noin and Dorothy, is striding towards space dock Ganymed 6 to receive the Hero. His favoured weapon, a medieval epee called the Tallgeese by frightened enemies, lies firmly in his hand, always ready for attack, for within the Lunar Base all firearms are banned. The Lightning Count receives the Hero with greatest honour but he is never going to be careless.
The monitors now present a clear picture of the intruder. The Hero is approaching in a mobile suit. �A Gundam�, the Lightning Count states darkly, surprise evident in his voice even though his masked face does not show any emotion. �A colony suit. A rebel suit. And yet he supposedly killed the rebels.�
Screens all over the Lunar Base show the docking, and many a marvelling eye falls onto the Gundam. There are few who have seen a Gundam but lived to tell the tale. The magnificent robot fighter stops a small distance away from the open space dock. One of its arms extends with the speed of an arrow, pushing through the entrance and slithering along on the metal floor before coming to a halt. While thousands of awestruck eyes are focussed on the metal head of a dragon lying now within the hangar of space dock Ganymed 6, the Gundam outside completes the docking process. The silhouette of a slender warrior follows the extension of the Gundam�s arm and jumps off the dragonhead just as the Lightning Count and his security entourage arrive.
The Hero is delicately built, merely a boy of age, but his black eyes are showing the experience of a battle tested soldier. His black hair is pulled into a tight plait at the back of his head, his Asian descent is obvious to the spectator. Behind him a young woman emerges from the Gundam, her brown hair in two small plaits, carrying five objects enclosed by large cases of leather and wood. �Sally Po�, she introduces herself with a small bow.
The Lightning Count grants himself a nod of approval and taps the palm of his white-gloved hand with his epee. �Follow me�, he orders quietly and turns, leaving it to his guards to keep an eye on the boy and the woman. They do not walk far. Behind a hidden door, in a small chamber, the Lightning Count issues the next order to the two females guarding him. �Search him.�
The warrior�s glare is directed at the wall as he waits for the guards� finishing their task. There is no place on his body omitted in their careful inspection. At last the Lightning Count is satisfied. With graceful steps he positions himself before the Hero, inclining his head once in a gesture of respect. �Your sword�, he then requests, referring to the only weapon the boy carries, as of yet untouched.
Slowly, the Hero nods and pulls the sword out of his belt. It is a Chinese saber, a Dao, ornamented with filigree carvings above the hilt. The young warrior performs a single slash with it as if testing its strength, and for a moment the Lightning Count�s hand tightens around the hilt of his epee. Then the Hero brings the Dao to his lips and kisses the blade before bowing to it and murmuring a few words in Chinese indicating an old ritual to the honour of the weapon. �Nataku. Give me strength�, he concludes finally and hands the sword over.
�Very well�, the Lightning Count decides. �You will be lead before the Emperor Kushrenada. Notice that, at all costs, you must at first keep a distance of a hundred paces. Those are the security measures of the Lunar Base.�
The Hero�s gaze remains impassive as he acknowledges the Lightning Count�s words, but he turns and directs a nod of silent understanding at Sally Po. A flight of stairs leads him towards the Emperor�s quarters. Hundreds of guards with masked faces are surreptitiously watching him as he takes those steps alone, the Lightning Count left behind.
The hall the Emperor Kushrenada resides in is huge and resounding, stretched wide by the bareness of its walls and high pillars.
A hundred paces before the Emperor the Hero moves his hands formally in front of his body and dutifully bows to him.
�Do you know why my hall is empty?�, are the Emperor�s first words to him. He is sitting on a lonely throne, his sword is in his belt. Epyon, they call it. The Emperor�s eyes follow the Hero�s gaze. �Do you know why I am carrying a faithful sword night and day? It is because I am wary of assassins.�
The Hero makes no sound and his eyes do not betray his thoughts as he stands in silence. �Yes, my hall is empty so that no assassin might hide in here. Experience has taught me. My life has been in constant danger. But today, my people may rejoice. And you are the cause.�
�Zechs�, the Emperor addresses the Lightning Count, now coming up slowly to stand behind the Hero. He is holding the items formerly carried by Sally Po. With long graceful strides he walks up to the Emperor, bows slowly and spreads out the cases in front of the throne. When his task is completed, he turns around and leaves the hall silently to guard it from the outside.
Nodding, the Emperor stands and takes the first item, opening the leather cover and revealing a large battle spear glinting dangerously in the soft lights of the room.
�Heavyarms�, he murmurs softly, eyes sliding up and down the metal object in his hand, �the weapon of the assassin known as �the Clown� who operated under the code name 03. How many of my faithful men might have fallen victim to this spear, or to the Gundam carrying its name?�
He looks up and his eyes harden as he watches the Hero. �And yet you killed him. Tell me, how could you accomplish the task impossible to hundreds of my best men? You shall be rewarded, I am keeping my promises. The bounty is waiting for you, and you may approach me to a distance of fifty paces. Come closer and tell me who you are and how you managed to kill one of the most dangerous assassins in my kingdom.�
The Hero takes his time as he walks up towards the Emperor and remains standing when he reaches the required distance. �They call me Shenlong, the Dragon. I was trained a fighter by a Chinese family on Earth, I was trained to fight rebels, and one day the rebel 03 came to Earth. I challenged him to a duel�, he said without hesitation.
�I had learned that 03 frequented a dojo close to my home to practise his skills with his weapon. By a secret informant I was told that his real name was Trowa Barton. It was easy for me to find him�
All movement in the quiet dojo comes to a halt when he steps through the door, Heavyarms in his hand, still hidden from prying eyes by the leather cover that stretches like a glove over the tip of the swift and dangerous weapon. Sparring partners stop in their tracks to watch him walk towards an unused mat in the corner, where he begins to warm up with simple katas but soon moves into a fast, long perfected rhythm, eyes closed as if performing a secret ceremony.
A single person moves. It is an OZ spy seeking to bring the news to his master as fast as possible. 03�s eyes are still shut, but his lips curl into a bitter smile as he holds a defensive stance for a moment, his very silence resembling that of a tiger preparing for the lethal jump.
Long minutes pass before the Emperor�s men, ten expert swordsmen, are quietly slipping into the dojo. The leader walks up towards 03 and raises his sword, waiting. Gracefully, 03 finishes the kata and then faces his opponents, still perfectly calm. He allows them to attack, in pairs at first, retreats only a few paces before he starts fighting back.
There is not a single misplaced step, not a single movement performed in haste, nothing that indicates the exertion of a fight, nothing that holds the heaviness of exhaustion. Effortlessly the spear is whirling here and there, meeting swords in the air wherever they attempt to hit, and the mere force of the blows is bending the iron blades so that they are going out of battle entirely distorted.
Eventually, the ten brave swordsmen realise that their fight is pointless and they retreat with bows and stony faces. 03 turns around to walk out of the door unchallenged when he is stopped by a sharp commanding voice.
�In the name of the Emperor Kushrenada, stay where you are! Trowa Barton, you are a rebel and a threat to peace. I am going to put an end to your assassinations.�
Slowly, 03 turns his head to spare a glance at his new opponent. It is the Dragon, standing quietly at the opposite end of the dojo. The silence between them is almost electric. Suddenly 03 averts his eyes and walks out of the door. As if a wordless deal has been settled between them, the Dragon follows.
In the forecourt 03 awaits him. A light drizzle is falling around them, rivulets of water dripping off the roofs of thin wood and bamboo. From the windows of the dojo, curious eyes are trying to follow their every movement. An old blind man is sitting in a sheltered corner, playing to himself on an ancient Chinese instrument, the seven-stringed guqin.
The Dragon unsheathes the Chinese Dao dangling from his belt and bows gracefully to his opponent. 03 places his spear in front of him. The tip of Heavyarms is still covered with the cloth of coarse, weatherworn leather, has remained covered all through the previous fight against the OZ soldiers.
Then the Dragon leaps towards his opponent, sword poised and aimed right at his heart. The other�s eyes, one hidden behind the curtain of brown hair, are sizing him up, are narrowing and then suddenly widening in surprise. At the last second 03 raises Heavyarms to block the Dragon�s blow.
Both rise into the air now, blades meeting repeatedly, a rare display of almost impossible strength and speed unfolding to the spectators. The opponents, though, are entirely focussed on each other, on the fight, and their skills seem to match perfectly. All of a sudden, they stop.
Finally 03 opens the leather pouch shielding his spear and reveals Heavyarms in its deadly glory. Despite the open declaration of a fight that can only end by the death of one of the opponents, both remain calm as they face each other. The soft music from the corner is invading their senses, flowing and dripping with the rain. The Dragon closes his eyes and after a second 03 follows his example.
For long minutes they are standing in the rain, bodies tense and poised for fight but faces relaxed, meditative. They are fighting a duel of endurance, a duel centred on strength of mind, a duel that reaches into their very souls where the true power of a warrior lies.
The music rises to a crescendo, the blind man�s fingers all but floating on the chords, attacking them with ferocious precision, until at last, with a large strumming motion, his fingers rip the chords and the cut off ends spring up to curl around his old wrinkled hands.
With that last chord still ringing in the air, the two opponents turn and walk away in opposite directions. The audience begins to mumble in surprise and confusion but no one dares run out into the forecourt. The rain is dripping silently from the roof, the old man in the corner feels the ripped chords with his fingers and nods to himself every time they find another broken end. From his pocket he then takes a bag filled with new strings and begins the task of uncurling them and stringing the instrument anew.
Suddenly a collective shout of fear rings out among the spectators in the dojo. The rain, stronger now, is no longer pounding on wood alone. With a heavy clanging sound it is meeting the most precious alloy known to Earth and the Colonies. A Gundam is walking out of the nearby forest, coming to a stop on the wide empty grounds before the dojo. And from the sky, as if falling down from the clouds itself, a second Gundam is nearing, landing heavily on the water-soaked earth and taking an aggressive stance while its opponent is still standing proudly and calmly, indifferently regarding a dragon�s head threateningly pointing towards him.
Then Shenlong attacks. The two giants meet, too fast for eyes to follow, their rattling blows sizzling in the air, so different from the swordfight witnessed before, and yet, without doubt, the same fighting style, the same grace and skill. But before any of the witnesses has recovered from the shock of seeing two Gundams fight each other, one of them is falling. The tall Heavyarms is staggering backwards, electricity from cut wires surrounding his form in small bolts of lightning. Shenlong takes a few steps away from its opponent.
A flash of light, fire and heat fills the air all of a sudden and makes the bystanders shield their eyes. The explosion hits hard and shakes the ground beneath the dojo, there are screams of fear within the wake of the inferno, but two Gundams are still watching each other, even as one of them is dying and falling, even as the other withstands the explosion wave surging past it.
When the ground stops shaking and the frightened audience dare lift their eyes again, one of the Gundams is in shreds. A fallen giant is now buried by dust. But Shenlong turns around and walks away, into the forest from where Heavyarms emerged.
�The body of the assassin was never found, I was told�, the Emperor breaks that silence that lies between them when the Hero has finished his story. �A thorough death blow then. And yet, my sleepless nights would have continued for there are more assassins�.�
Slowly, never taking his eyes off the Hero, the Emperor rises from his throne and opens two wooden cases and a leather bag presented to him before by the Lightning Count. Out of the wooden boxes he takes a battle scythe and a Japanese katana.
�Deathscythe�, he addresses one, and, �Zero�, the other. �The weapons of the two most dangerous assassins in my entire kingdom, the two people who managed to get past my guard consisting of the strength of one thousand well-trained men in open combat, only one year ago. Shinigami, the God of Death, and Wing, the Perfect Soldier�.�
He looks up sharply, studying the Hero�s face, then speaks again. �I promised to reward the one who managed to bring down one of these two by allowing him to approach me to a distance of ten paces. You have killed them both and more than earned the reward. Come forth now. And tell me how on Earth and the Colonies you managed to defeat them.�
Slowly, the Hero walks towards him and looks at him with flashing eyes. �I defeated them separately. Is it known to your Majesty that the assassins Shinigami and Wing were lovers?�
�It is known to me�, the Emperor confirms.
�But did you also know that they have not been speaking to each other for an entire year?�, the Hero continues, almost a little smugly.
The Emperor�s eyes widen. �No, that is new to me. Why would they refuse to speak to each other?�
A bitter smile tugs at the corners of the Hero�s mouth. �Sometimes love is the deadliest weakness of all.�
�It was during the time your army besieged the fortress of assassins in the Sahara desert called the Maguanac stronghold, after the rebel army defending it. When I found my skills matching those of the assassin 03, I sought out the remaining rebels and, assisted by your army, found them residing in the fortress. There were the Maguanac, who were of no interest to me, weak as they are, but there were also the assassins 02 and 01, Shinigami and Wing, and Wing�s young apprentice, 04, a highly promising, young and talented assassin, called the Arabian, also Lord of the Maguanac corps. I knew there would be no peace as long as these three lived on��
�No one is allowed to enter the fortress, except the rebels residing in it. I therefore approached in my Gundam and joined them in the fight against your army. All three of them were fighting the siege in their Gundams when I arrived � Deathscythe, Zero and Sandrock they are called. I impressed them in fight and thus roused their curiosity. They needed to find out more about me, so they took me with them, into their stronghold, and at night we met in the library to talk undisturbed��
The Dragon is walking towards one of the large wooden doors ornamented beautifully in ancient Arabic artwork. He is accompanied by a young blond man who steps forward and opens the door for him. �You must know, stranger�, he murmurs, eyes cast down as if shameful of his words, �that my master refuses to speak to Shinigami, because of his betrayal. Don�t be surprised.� Then the little blond Arabian gives him a hard look. �I hope you are going to be an ally to us, not an enemy.�
There is no answer from the Dragon but for a long careful look at the Arabian before he walks through the door held open for him. Inside, 01 and 02 are waiting, having chosen their seats on opposite ends of a small table. The Dragon bows to them, removes a leather bag he has been carrying from his shoulder and opens it before their eyes. Out he takes Heavyarms, the spear of 03, the Clown.
01�s face remains impassive, eyes partially hidden by dark strands of hair glitter briefly as he regards the spear, but there is a brief widening of 02�s eyes betraying his feelings. The Dragon nods as he gazes at him. �I killed him�, he confirms the other�s suspicion. �This is none of our business�, 01 answers darkly. �You should not have come here if you are not on our side. We do not care for the death of those who fought alone, even if they fought for the same purpose as we do.�
The Dragon briefly glances at him before his eyes return to 02�s face. The other assassin is now glaring openly at 01, lips pressed together to resemble a thin line. Satisfied, the Dragon looks back at 01 who is obviously aware of the other�s glare but does not return it. �He asked me to seek out those fighting for his cause. He told me the God of Death would surely be willing to avenge him.�
Now, finally, 01 looks at 02. His eyes are flashing with rage. It is now 02 who averts his head, his long chestnut braid falling over his shoulder, but his voice is firm as he answers. �Very well. I am looking forward to fighting you, stranger.�
The Dragon inclines his head. �Meet me tomorrow in the Space Camp of the Emperor�s army.� Then he takes the spear and walks out of the room. Immediately, 01 rises and leaves the room through a door at the opposite end. The Arabian gives 02 a look of unconcealed hatred and anger before following his master. 02, now left alone in the room, slumps in his seat as he buries his head in his hands.
The night is silent within the Maguanac stronghold. 01 is sitting in his room, typing furiously on his laptop. 04 is standing in the door, watching him as he carries a cup of tea in his hand. Slowly, the blond boy walks over and puts the cup next to his master. He then puts his hand onto his shoulder and squeezes it reassuringly. 01 whirls around and gives him a sharp look. The other blushes and lowers his head. Slowly, 01 stands from his seat, puts his hands onto the other�s face and lifts it up to meet the Arabian�s eyes. Then, all of a sudden, he leans forward and kisses him.
There is a small movement from the door.
The night is no longer silent within the Maguanac stronghold. From 01�s room small muffled moans emerge. In a room at the opposite end of the corridor, 02 is smashing porcelain, throwing empty teacups at one of the walls and piercing them in the air with his knives before they reach it.
Suddenly, 01 is standing in the door, staring at him. 02 whirls around. The other boy�s hair is a tangled mess, there is sweat on softly flushed skin, and his eyes are hard, full of anger. �Now you know what it feels like�, he whispers. �Now you know betrayal. Go and avenge 03, and mourn him, and love him all you want. I never want to see you again.�
01 turns around, meaning to walk away. A knife embeds itself in his back.
With a gasp the dark haired boy falls to his knees. Instantly, 02 is by his side, sinking down in front of him and grasping his shoulders. They are staring at each other for a long moment, then 01 gives his partner a rare smile. His trembling hand reaches up, attempting to touch 02�s face, but it does not come further than his shoulder when his eyes begin to fog over and at last become unseeing. 02 gasps softly and shakes him, shakes him again, a limp body with his head lolling from one side to the other. Slowly the tears begin to flow out of 02�s eyes and he is pulling 01 to him, pillowing the other�s head on his chest and burying his own head in the dark bangs of the fallen warrior.
�So the greatest assassins in my entire kingdom fell victim to their own jealousy and rashness in the end?�, the Emperor wonders aloud, watching the Hero who does not answer but is sitting in silence.
The Emperor heaves a sigh. �You brought one more weapon. Do I assume right that it belongs to 04, the Arabian?�
�There are two of them and they both belong to him�, the Hero answers. �Two Arabic Saifs they are, called Sand and Rock, for one is as swift as the other is strong. They would have made him an excellent fighter.�
Surprised, the Emperor raises one eyebrow even as he uncovers the two Saifs. �Would, you say? He is dead then, too?�
The Hero looks up and meets his eye, intensely. �He challenged 02 to avenge his master.�
�They fought the very next morning, even as the sun was rising. They fought in the garden of the fortress, among trees red and yellow as saffron, upon earth brown as coffee and bare as the desert sands themselves��
04�s blond hair is almost golden in the sunlight as he stands between the trees, swords raised in invitation, one before and one behind his body. 02 is facing away from him, wistfully staring at the colourful trees. �I don�t want to fight you�, he announces softly.
The Arabian�s lower lip trembles slightly and his eyes narrow as if the words have induced physical pain. �I have come to avenge my master and friend�, he hisses and, without further preamble, attacks the other. 02 does not even turn around. He evades both swords with the grace of a bird in the air as he jumps up and all but flows out of reach with a single spin and a somersault. His face is calm and his eyes seem to see things far away. His braid is fluttering wildly behind him as the dance continues.
The fruitless chase is tiring 04 but he continues to attack ferociously until, finally, one of his swords catches the tip of 02�s braid and cuts off a few strands of hair which are sailing towards the ground before 02�s feet. He watches them impassively then his eyes harden. �If it is death you are looking for�, he states quietly, �I can help you.� And finally he turns around and reaches behind his head where the scythe is sheathed in a quiver, folded to hide its deadliness. It springs forth as he unsheathes it, unfolds to the eyes of the former apprentice and before the other can even react, 02 is whirling the scythe in a maddening circle above his head. The newly created wind picks up the sand and dust on the dark ground until the God of Death is standing within a small twister, his braid flaunting like a flag on the gusts.
Bravely 04 attacks again but his swords cannot fight the wind and the sand is getting into his eyes, hindering him. And finally the scythe is coming down, meeting the Saifs and all but ripping them out of the Arabian�s hands. 04 is stumbling backwards, helplessly. A single knife cuts through the air. A small sound of pain is wrenched from the Arabian�s lips. He slumps against the nearest tree, staring at the blood that is flowing out of the lethal knife wound. With a scream of rage he pulls the weapon out of his chest and hurls it towards the God of Death. 02 merely ducks away, regarding the other with pity in his eyes.
The sands are whirling up again, and with them they are carrying the soul of the blond apprentice.
�When 02 arrived at the Space Camp in his Gundam, he was weary with grief and fought but half-heartedly, lacking concentration and focus. It was easy to beat him. I destroyed the Gundam Deathscythe. Then I asked the Maguanacs to give to me the weapons of the rebels I had defeated, as a proof. They resisted but they new they could not fight me without losing their lives. I took what I needed.�
The Emperor�s hall is completely silent. Treize Kushrenada nods his head slowly, a few times, as if mentally weighing the story, judging, coming to an understanding. His eyes never leave the Hero.
�So you used your knowledge of the enemy�s personality against them, and defeated them. Very well. You judged each of their reactions right. But there is one man you underestimated.�
�Who?�, the Hero demands, black eyes narrowing.
�Me�, the Emperor states flatly, smugness and certainty playing around his half-smile. �You probably know that, one year ago, the assassins Shinigami and Wing attacked my palace together. I met them face to face. And I was under the impression that they are honourable young men, neither of the two driven by lowly emotions, such as jealousy or rage. All they did was calculated and precise, carried out with extreme determination and strength, but never in fury or rashness. My judgement seldom errs. Therefore I do not believe your story. I am going to tell you what really happened��
��Only one person in this story was known to Trowa Barton � a man called Shenlong, one of the best fighters he had ever seen. Shenlong had a plan, and with a display of his power in combat, he could convince the assassin to go along with it. For this plan, this idea, and his belief in the power of the unknown warrior, Trowa Barton, called the Clown, sacrificed his life.
But Shenlong required more assistance, and he thought to find it with the assassins Shinigami and Wing��
Within the Maguanac fortress, Shenlong, Shinigami and Wing are gathered around a small table, sitting upon cushions arranged in a circle on the floor of dark wood. The blond Arabian is pouring tea for each of them in small tulip-shaped glasses then takes his seat next to his master.
Wing looks up and nods at his partner. Shinigami answers with a look of his own before he directs his attention back at the Dragon warrior.
�We know now why you need our help, but how can we trust you? The Clown is an honourable man but even the great may misjudge a man�s strength. How can we trust you to carry out what you are planning?�
�My sword is fast and my aim precise�, Shenlong answers. �I will give you proof of this. May I ask for the arrows?�
A basket filled with fifty arrows is standing in the corner, forty-nine of them black, a single one white as a dove�s feather. The Arabian stands up respectfully to retrieve the arrows. There is a quiet fear in his eyes when he puts the basket down in front of the Dragon, who only nods his thanks before closing his eyes and drawing his Dao. �Nataku, give me strength�, he whispers, and suddenly dives low to slip the blade beneath the basket.
With one powerful motion the basket is sailing high into the air, arrows raining out in twirling, deadly chaos. Only now Shenlong�s eyes open and calmly perceive the arrows above him, about to meet his head. Then his feet are pushing his agile body off the ground and he is all but swimming through the waves of arrows. And suddenly, with a flash of silver, his Dao meets the target.
Around the Dragon warrior, forty-nine arrows are lying in a heap on the ornamented Arabian cushions. Two proud and strong arms hold the Dao, raised in front of him, and on the weapon�s tip there rest the innocent leftovers of the white arrow, cut in the middle not breadthways but lengthwise.
The Arabian gasps softly, while his master and his partner remain eerily silent. Finally Wing inclines his head. �You spoke true in everything you said. You have our aid, we will gladly give our lives to assist your plan and ensure its success.�
�Thank you.� Shenlong bows gracefully and speaks to them without raising his eyes. �One of you has to meet me at the Space Camp tomorrow. You may yourself decide who.�
With long, secure steps, Shenlong leaves the room. One look at his master is enough for the Arabian to follow his example, knowing there are words between the other two that have to be exchanged in solitude.
�A marvellous fighter��, Shinigami breaks the silence, staring at the door.
�And probably the only one who can carry out this deed�, Wing answers, �since our own chance passed us by.�
Shinigami stands slowly then offers a hand to his partner and pulls him to his feet as well. �We are going into death together�, he whispers. Wing nods quietly and pulls him close.
Upon Arabian cushions the two young men are sleeping in each other�s arms. Now and then one of them opens their eyes, allows their hand a gentle caress on the other�s cheek before drifting off to sleep again.
When the sun rises in the morning the two young warriors are walking next to each other towards the secret location of a shuttle port between the dunes and desert rocks. Just before the Maguanac stronghold is out of sight, Wing surreptitiously reaches for his sword. Before he can draw it, though, a small dagger cuts the tender flesh of his stomach.
Cobalt blue eyes meet violet ones, both pairs cold and hardened with determination. Then Wing releases a soft gasping breath. Shinigami lets go of the dagger and rips a strip of fabric from his clothing to bind the wound with it.
�I was too slow�, Wing is murmuring, eyes refusing to meet those of his partner. �You should not die.�
Shinigami shakes his head, is trying to form words but his voice won�t comply with his desires. �Just�promise me you�ll live on�, he finally whispers.
�I can�t.� There is despair in Wing�s voice. �I can�t, without you.�
�Yes you can,� Shinigami replies. Then he lowers his partner onto a small rock and leans down to kiss him. �Goodbye�, he whispers in a strangled voice. Then he is gone and Wing is left lying on the ground, fighting the dizziness of blood loss. As a dark coloured Gundam leaves the secret port, the Arabian arrives next to him, panting harshly, out of breath from a long run. With the blond boy�s help, Wing staggers up and on towards the secret hiding place of their Gundams.
Within the eternal darkness of space, two Gundams are fighting over life and death before the wondering eyes of the OZ army. They have opened a communication link between the two of them. �Do it�, Shinigami encourages Shenlong over it. �End this. I�ve been fighting long enough.� The other pilot remains silent and another round of furious slashes is exchanged as the scythe fends off the dragonhead. �Do it�, Shinigami cries again. And finally Shenlong complies and fires.
Another Gundam, transformed into bird mode, arrives at the battlefield at this very moment, and behind its controls a young man helplessly watches Deathscythe explode.
When Shenlong returns to the OZ Space Camp, the Arabian is waiting for him. He is carrying Wing�s sword, Zero, and there are tear tracks on his cheeks. �My master wants me to give this to you�, he whispers. �He said that he and Shinigami would never be parted, neither in life nor in death, and that their weapons, as well, are always going to be together�� He wipes his eyes and continues in a choked voice, �And take also these two Saifs of mine, for there is not going to be another fight for them.�
�Thank you�, Shenlong answers softly, and takes Zero, Sand and Rock from the Arabian�s hands.
��The Clown, the God of Death, the Perfect Soldier�.They all gave their lives for the Dragon, for you. In exchange for each of these lives you were allowed to approach me a little further. Why, Shenlong, did you need them all, until you could approach me to a distance of ten paces? There is only one explanation.�
The Emperor stands and stares hard into Shenlong�s dark eyes. �You came to the assassins with a plan to murder me. You proved to them your skill � a special skill, I may add, an art of fighting that allows you to kill with deadly certainty within a distance of ten paces. You needed their help to approach me to this distance, and they gave it readily. You, Shenlong, are therefore the most dangerous assassin!�
For a moment all is silent. Two pairs of eyes are focussed solely on each other, waging a war of wills. Then Shenlong smirks quietly to himself, ending the duel in a draw.
�How did you guess?�, he wants to know, still the fierce, dedicated warrior but with a softer quality now slipping into his persona.
�I can see the sword in your eyes�, Treize Kushrenada replies. �But there are no assassins on Earth. Who are you really?�
�My name is Chang Wufei�, the dark-haired boy answers. �I grew up on Colony L5, as a member of the renowned Long Clan. I was taught the art of fighting and received the Gundam Shenlong in honour of my skills. When you came into power the Long Clan refused to surrender to your army. They chose to self-destruct the Colony rather than submit to your reign. I was off-colony fighting in my Gundam. When I returned my home was gone in a blast of fire and light. I sought revenge, trained harder than I ever had before until I learned to place a lethal strike within the distance of ten metres with deadly certainty.�
The Emperor nods. �I can understand your motives. You planned this well. I would not have allowed you to stand this close, had I suspected anything. I would have kept the Lightning Count by my side. But now my faithful friend Zechs Marquise is at least a hundred paces away, watching us without hearing our exchange. It takes you only a second to kill me, far too little a span for Zechs to be here in time.�
Treize sighs softly and gives Wufei a challenging smile. �So this is indeed the day I am going to die. Carry out your revenge now, young warrior.�
For long moments Wufei is holding his gaze, unwavering, but also unmoving. �You hesitate�, Treize states finally, surprised. �What makes you stop now you have finally reached your goal?�
Wufei smirks. �There is also someone you underestimated.� And upon Treize�s inquiring stare he declares, �Wing.�
�His real name is Heero Yuy, just as Shinigami�s real name is Duo Maxwell. I studied them for a long time before I first visited them, trying to learn as much as possible about them. I knew about their attack on the palace and knew that they failed, but did not know the reason��
�Nonetheless I went to see them after my fight with Trowa Barton, to prove to them my skills and ask them for their aid. They resided in the Maguanac stronghold with Heero�s apprentice, Quatre Rabera Winner. I supported them with my Gundam in a fight and thus managed to gain their curiosity. They summoned me into the desert fortress and there I showed them the perfect aim of my sword��
�Nataku give me strength�� The soft whisper is lost in the clashing of arrows as they rise into the air. Only a second later forty-nine of them meet the ground, while the single white arrow is cleanly cut in two.
Wufei looks from one to the other calculatingly then speaks up with confidence, �Within a distance of ten paces, my sword�s aim is perfect. The same applies for my Gundam. There is a method to destroy a mobile suit of Gundanium completely but spare the cockpit. If the battle takes place in Space, the pilot can easily be saved among the leftovers without anyone noticing, with each and every bystander believing him dead.�
Heero gives him a sharp look. �If Trowa Barton knew this, why did he fight you on Earth instead of in Space?�
�He insisted,� Wufei replies respectfully. �He told me he wanted a real fight, not a pre-calculated one. He was a little more sorely wounded than I would have liked, but he will survive. Currently he is being treated by my faithful friend, Sally Po, a very skilled physician. Within a few weeks� time he should be fully recovered. His Gundam is being rebuilt by the group of scientists who originally designed them.�
In one smooth motion, Wufei sheathes the Dao. �We all could finally reach our goal if one of you allows me to destroy their Gundam before the eyes of the OZ army at the Space Camp. There is no other way to get this close to Kushrenada, he is tightly guarded.�
Duo snorts softly. �The guards can easily be taken care of. One year ago we got past one thousand of them, and reached Kushrenada�s hall.�
It is clear that a delicate topic has been brought up. Quatre tries to fill the silence by pouring more tea.
�He has tightened security ever since�, Heero responds impassively, and Duo gives him a small glare, replying, �Because the chance was not taken one year ago.�
�What hindered you?�, Wufei wants to know, eyes blazing. Duo lowers his head. Heero regards him for a little moment, then he answers, �I abandoned the plan. The Emperor Treize Kushrenada should not die.�
Abruptly, Wufei�s eyes narrow in confusion. He does not question the other�s answer, out of respect, but by his look it is obvious that much of that respect is gone now. Duo�s voice is confident as it interrupts his thought.
�I am going to help you, though. Tomorrow when the sun rises in this part of the Earth, I will battle you in Space. I will give you an honest fight and I expect only the best from you. For now, do me a favour. Fight at my side against him.�
And with those words he jumps up, his hand already on the weapon resting against his back and drawing forth the scythe. Like lightning it cuts through the air and only a quick somersault backwards from a half-standing position saves Heero from being seriously wounded. Half a second later Zero meets Deathscythe in the air.
Back and forth their fight takes them through the room, faster than the winds they move, the scythe in large, eloquent sweeps, guided by a skilled, forceful hand, the katana swift like a snake aiming for the deadly strike. They are dancing around each other, neither giving the other a moment to breathe. �What are you waiting for?�, Duo calls out towards Wufei.
The Dragon warrior is fighting his conscience about the unfair teaming up, but at Shinigami�s shout, he reacts and draws the Dao. He is still whispering his plea to Nataku as he runs towards the fighters. Suddenly Quatre is standing in his way, his Saifs raised defensively in front of him. �Please, don�t�, he begs, �I won�t let you hurt him.�
And then the blond boy attacks. The Saifs hit the Dao like a desert storm,, in a whirling motion, spinning and sizzling like hot air, but this storm merely ripples the waters, and the strikes only hit the Dao superficially, none of them hard enough to damage or deter. The blond Arabian is sweating and panting but he refuses to give up and allow for Heero to be hurt.
Meanwhile the fight between Shinigami and Wing continues. �I knew you were going to do this�, Heero whispers as he blocks another vicious blow that would have cleanly sliced off his head.
�The Emperor has to fall�, Duo hisses back and jumps as he raises the scythe over his head. Two blades and two feet meet in the air and remain in a timeless draw before gravitation pulls the fighters back to Earth.
�Not if I can prevent it�, Heero answers, jumping backwards to avoid the next strike.
Wufei notices that he is slowly running out of time, even Duo is showing signs of exhaustion now. With a merciless blow he knocks Sand out of Quatre�s left hand, leaving him to fight with only the remaining Saif. Suddenly Wufei jumps and before Quatre has realised it, he is behind him. A hard kick to his head makes Quatre sink to his knees, dizzy with pain.
All but driven into a corner, Duo is now twirling the scythe in defence more so than attack. He is panting harshly as he stares hard into Heero�s eyes. Suddenly, there is a flash of black and white behind him and Heero is distracted for a split second. It is enough for Duo, enough for Deathscythe�s tip to cut a deep crimson slash over Heero�s bicep and stomach.
With a pained gasp Heero takes a single step back then raises his eyes to stare into Duo�s wide ones. Slowly, hissing through his teeth, he is sinking onto the ground, and finally his hand lets go of the katana. Immediately Duo is on his knees in front of him, steadying him, his own weapon forgotten somewhere on the floor.
Quatre, too, is fighting to stand and stumbles over towards his fallen master. He begins to rip stripes of cloth from his shirt to bind the wound, while Duo�s gaze remains ever locked with Heero�s. They are both fighting for breath, shaking from exertion or pain. Finally, Heero looks down at the wound, observes the blood flowing out of his body as he slowly looses consciousness, head sinking limply against Duo�s shoulder.
�Quatre, get Irida,� Duo demands in a choked voice as he lifts the wounded warrior into his arms with considerable effort. �Shenlong�Wufei�whatever is your name, open the door for me, I need to take him to my room. He needs treatment. He will recover fast.�
With secure steps despite the heavy burden and his still shaking hands, Duo is carrying Heero towards the small bedroom, where with Wufei�s aid he places the unconscious body on soft cushions. A moment later the nurse Irida enters the room together with her brother Quatre. She does not waste any time with questions, instead begins to examine Heero�s wound. Duo bites his lip, fists clenched hard at his sides. �I hope I didn�t hurt him too badly�, he whispers. Then he turns towards the others. �I will stay with him. Wufei, expect me tomorrow at the Space Camp. Quatre�I�m sorry everything had to happen this way.� Then he returns his attention to the wounded man on the bed.
The sunrise is a marvellous spectacle, even at the OZ Space Camp, where the light is glinting like gold on the precious alloy by the name of Gundanium. Two Gundams are facing each other, bathing in the sunbeams, each waiting for an impossible command to begin their deadly dance. Finally, the Deathscythe blazes to life, a light momentarily brighter than the sun. �Shinigami is here for you�, a deep voice announces over the communication unit, the grim smile almost audible. �Let the games begin.�
The first blows are fast, rough, a testing of strength. Then the pilot of Gundam Deathscythe puts his everything into the fight. In the robot arms of the Gundam, the scythe moves the same way it does in the skilled hands of the braided boy. �Today, Deathscythe�, the link carries the soft whisper intended for the mobile suit from one Gundam to the other, �we will go down with sparks and glory. But we are like the sun, my friend, we will rise again. And then we will meet him again and there will be peace.� There is a moment of silence during which Wufei forgets to fight, listening with bated breath. �Do it�, Duo finally cries. �I�m ready.�
And without hesitation, Wufei complies.
From the window of a tiny bedroom, Heero, supported by Quatre, is watching the sky, watching as for a moment a second sun appears above them, a blast of heat freed in a huge explosion, only to fade again when Heero�s hand comes up as if to reach through the window, towards it.
To the newly-praised Hero, Space is an empty void full of meaningless faces. He is heading towards a goal far more important than any of them can imagine. He is also, most likely, heading towards his death. Suddenly his eyes perceive a shuttle before him and a communication link is opened. Only now does he realise that it is not a shuttle but a Gundam in bird mode he is facing.
�I cannot let you go like this�, Heero tells him, his face appearing on the small screen, as he fights to sit upright behind the controls. �I did not forget�, Wufei replies, waiting. �Are you going to fight me?�
Heero sighs. �I�m weary of fighting. I gave my sword to your friend, Sally Po, it is stored right next to Duo�s. We will always be together, and I wanted it to be the same for our swords.�
Wufei inclines his head in a gesture of respect. �How is Duo?�
�He is recovering�, Heero replies. �If Quatre and Irida were not there to watch over his recovery, he would most likely try to walk around the house already. He is strong.�
Taking a deep breath, Heero pauses. �How can I make you reconsider your plan?�, he wants to know.
His dark eyes hardening ever so slightly, Wufei answers with a question of his own. �You are a man from the Colonies, aren�t you?�
�Yes, I grew up on L1�, Heero confirms.
�The Emperor is the enemy of the Colonies. Do you deny that?�
�I don�t�, Heero answers calmly.
Slamming his fist into the controls of his Gundam, Wufei shouts, �Aren�t you ashamed of yourself? Isn�t it betrayal of the Colonies� every interest?�
To his surprise, Heero only smiles. �That�s the same Duo asked me when we first met�
��He was a streetkid on L2. One day a boy very important to him died and left him his knives. He then lived with a priest and a nun, but they were killed when OZ attacked the Colony. The only thing he could save from the burnt-down church was the scythe, originally part of an old, precious statue. He modified it into a weapon and became a fighter. He swore to avenge the people he loved, and I agreed to help him. We each had undergone training before, especially when the scientists gave us the Gundams with the intent to see OZ go down, but from the day we met, we trained together to improve our skills. Then, one year ago, we attacked the Emperor within a base on Earth, stormed through the lines of armed men in our Gundams. Right before his hall, we left the Gundams and went in with only our weapons. Duo held the door against the guards, and I went to find the Emperor��
The giant hall was filled with endless green carpets, the soft fabric rippling with each gust of wind, the loose ends blowing up into rich tents. The battle cries from outside were distant and muffled. All of a sudden, Treize Kushrenada appeared in between two curtains, smirking at Heero before drawing his sword, Epyon. Simultaneously, the two of them attacked.
They spoke no words as their swords clashed repeatedly, both holding the other�s eyes in an intense stare, a battle of its own, an attempt to figure out the enemy. Both fighters showed calculated precision and highly developed skill, but they remained entirely calm.
Suddenly, Heero jumped back from a blow and was gone, vanished amidst the sea of green curtains. Treize�s eyes widened and he raised the sword in front of himself, turning in a slow circle, eyes searching to detect any small movement in the room. There was a low rustle behind him and he spun around only to find that there was no one there. With a fierce battle cry, he allowed his long sharp sword to cut through the green fabric. Long green stripes fell down to the floor like waterfalls. Then Heero�s silhouette appeared behind one of them. He was standing there unmoving, quietly. Treize smirked and attacked swiftly. Again, their blades met and for a moment, the Emperor�s sword seemed to push Zero out of Heero�s hand. Fast as lightning, though, Heero let Treize�s sword cut through empty air as he caught Zero with his other hand, and before his opponent had realised the change and prepared for another attack, he jumped forward. His katana kissed the Emperor�s throat.
Gracefully, Heero landed in a kneeling stance then turned around. At the door Duo turned as well, having heard a surprised gasp coming from the Emperor. What he saw caused his eyes to widen and his hands to shake. Treize Kushrenada was staring at Heero, somehow alienated. On his throat there was a small cut, barely bleeding.
Then Heero turned on his heels and left the room, grabbing a perplex Duo by the arm and hauling him off towards their Gundams before the soldiers could open fire at them.
��Ever since Duo refuses to speak to me�, Heero finishes sadly, eyes seeing something far away. �He never would hear me out, he was too deeply disappointed.�
�Why�?�, Wufei whispers. �Tell me why you did not kill him!�
�Because Treize Kushrenada is only a symbolic figure�, Heero explains softly. �Because after his death, someone is simply going to replace him, and that someone is going to be of lesser mind, most likely. A powerful leader is so exchangeable. But the next one is not going to have Kushrenada�s sense of honour. The next leader will cause even more death and destruction and, having a less impressive personality, is also going to have less control over his minions. Duo Maxwell cannot see past his revenge, he cannot see these facts. But I will not have Treize Kushrenada replaced by a mindless power-hungry subordinate.�
His eyes are now hard and cold. �Therefore I cannot accept your plan.�
�The Lightning Count is going to replace him�, Wufei hisses, �and he will easily be persuaded to our side. He is looking for something else than power.�
Heero shakes his head. �The Lightning Count is going down with his master, fighting for him, loyal to his death. Our foolishness will forever cause more and more deaths.� All of a sudden, he moves his Gundam out of the way. �My wound has not healed, I could not beat you in this shape. Go, Wufei, and make your own decisions. But remember my words when you face him.�
��.So this is what my worst enemy, the man who wanted to kill me, thinks about me��, Treize Kushrenada murmurs, �So this man whom I deem wiser than my entire court�is indeed the assassin I have had persecuted�the man, no, the boy I would have killed without a second thought��
He closes his eyes and shakes his head, softly. �I wish I had his faith in myself. I am lonely, every day. Everyone here thinks me a cold tyrant. But I do have a mission, a dream. We can only find peace if we unite, all of us, Earth and the Colonies. There can be no outsiders, we all have to be the same.�
Wufei�s black eyes narrow a little. �You do not really believe that all people could be the same, do you? That is no more than a dream, Treize, a ridiculous dream. People will never be equals, no matter how hard you try. You cannot try to make them become the same by force.�
�Then how would you have them unite?!�, Treize shouts. �There will always be those who think they get by on their own, who refuse to be part of a union! Just think of your people, the Long Clan! They would never have submitted!�
Now, Wufei is shouting as well. �The Long Clan would have supported a person reflecting its ideals of peace, the ideals it had studied through the practice of martial arts! The Long Clan would never have become violent, had there been a true and rightful attempt to attain peace, instead of your foolish dreams! The Long Clan would have followed an ideal leader!�
�There is no ideal leader!�, Treize retorts darkly.
Soft footsteps ring out in the large hall as the Lightning Count appears in the entrance, worried by the loud voices. His guards are following. The entire Lunar Base is suddenly alert.
�It is too late now, Wufei�, Treize mumbles, �I will struggle on, but I am losing my grasp. I will lose this battle, eventually. Make your decision now�.� And with that he smiles a weary ghost of a challenging grin at the assassin standing before him and pulls his sword out of its sheath. �Epyon�, he whispers, �This sword served me well. May it aid you in your decision.� And with a last glance at the weapon, Treize hurls it at Wufei, hilt first. Then he turns around, facing away from the young assassin.
Wufei Chang catches the sword and studies it for a long moment. Then he raises it and bows slowly. His muscles flex in preparation but his face is utterly relaxed, as if a large weight has been taken off him. He smiles at the Emperor�s back. Then, swift as a snake or a scorpion, he attacks. Jumping forward in an enormous leap, turning in the air right above the Emperor to face him, he finally comes to stand in front of him.
There is a huge gasp from the door, drowning Treize Kushrenada�s small chuckle. Wufei�s hand grips the front of his jacket, pulls his head closer, while his other hand holds Epyon steady against the Emperor�s neck. Hidden from the audience at the door, mere breaths away from Treize�s face, Wufei allows himself another smile, but it is a sad one.
�Treize�, he whispers. �Do not doubt yourself. I see that Heero was right. You are an honourable man. Find a better dream now. I will give you a new symbol for peace. It is true, there is no ideal leader�.among the living. People always loved to worship the dead, and the dead make no mistakes. This is what I can give you � you will execute me now, after my failed assassination. Duo Maxwell and Heero Yuy, and even Trowa Barton and Quatre Rabera Winner may have survived the duels fought between us. Their purpose is gone now, though. We all have dedicated our lives to this mission, the mission failing even now, and there is nothing beyond. We all know it and, sooner or later, we all will die. We are your heroes, Treize. The Colonies will come to you if we are your pennants. There will be no more battles. You need another pennant for Earth then, someone pure and perfect, not a leader but a charming personality. This is my advice, Treize, and all I can do for you before I die. Now have me executed and bring to mankind the peace it has been longing for. Real peace, not peace at all costs. The kind of peace where everyone can keep their identity.�
The room reverberates with the ringing of metal as the Lightning Count orders his men to draw swords. Even as Wufei is speaking, they advance towards them, towards the Emperor and the assassin, regarding each other now silently, Eypon still against Treize�s neck.
�My soul will rejoice for you if you succeed�, Wufei promises.
�I will remember your words until I die�, Treize swears in return.
Then Wufei wrenches Epyon away, at the very last moment, for the Lightning Count�s epee is already aiming for his heart. He easily blocks the blow and evades the following. Then he takes a step back and shakes his head, throwing the weapon back into Treize�s hands.
�This is not my sword�, he declares, �albeit a good one. I will resist you no further.�
The Lightning Count gives him a suspicious look but at last he nods and orders the guards to encircle the assassin. Treize is standing behind them, silent as a marble statue, eyes closed as if listening desperately for a voice to advise him. �My Emperor�, Zechs demands, impatiently. �With your leave, I will have this man executed.�
Treize refuses to open his eyes. A little louder, Zechs repeats, �My Emperor, we have to execute the assassin, even if his attempt at killing you was not successful.�
�Alright�, Treize answers slowly, �Make it fast and painless. Allow him to die as a warrior, in honour.�
Panting hard from running, Sally Po reaches one of the deserted communication posts and opens a link to a secret rebel base in the Sahara desert. On the screen appears the face of Quatre Rabera Winner.
�Quatre�, she gasps, �There are news for Heero and Duo, and also for Trowa Barton. The plan has failed. Wufei is to be executed in an hour.� There are tears in her eyes as she speaks harshly, raggedly. Quatre�s face mirrors her expression. �Oh no, Sally��, he whispers. Shaking her head furiously, Sally interrupts the link then leaves the room, trembling with repressed sobs.
Heero and Duo are working on their Gundams at the secret space port in the desert, not far from the Maguanac fortress. Duo is pretending to repair Deathscythe, Heero is pretending to improve Zero�s fuel tank. What they are really occupying themselves with is a nerve-wracking painful wait.
They both look up when the vid screen flickers to life. Quatre�s pale, shocked face is enough for them. �He failed��, Duo whispers, and Quatre nods softly. Duo�s violet eyes harden to dark amethyst crystals and he turns on his heels to run from the hangar. Heero does not hesitate to follow him.
On a large rocky slope in the middle of the desert he finally catches up with him. Here, Duo is screaming his anger out to the rocks and the sand and towards Heero. �How?! How could he fail!?! Everything was perfect!!! What the hell did you tell him, Heero?!!�
Before the other can answer, he pulls two long blades from the quiver on his back that formerly carried the scythe. He throws one at Heero�s feet, then points his own at Heero�s chest. �Fight with me. You killed Shenlong. You sold us all to death. You are a traitor to the Colonies.�
�Listen to me, Duo�, Heero requests calmly, but the other boy furiously shakes his head. �Duo, if he had killed Treize, another would have taken his place. His death would have been meaningless and he��
�Shut up, Heero!�, the braided boy screams, �Just shut up and fight!�
Heero takes a deep breath and gazes deeply into Duo�s eyes. �If this is the only way to make you see�.so be it.� He raises the sword. Immediately, Duo attacks, raining a series of hard blows onto the other�s blade. With considerable effort Heero manages to block them all, even countering with some stabs of his own. None of them seems to feel their wounds anymore. They are like forces of nature, circling each other within the sandy gusts of wind, meeting in the air to exchange three blows in quick succession, then falling back to their original position.
With a cry of rage and frustration, Duo leaps towards his opponent, sword aimed right for his heart. Heero smirks and raises his own sword in defence. And then, only a heartbeat before their swords meet, Heero lets go of his. The blade pierces his flesh. A low, breathless sound of pain falls from his lips before he sinks to the ground, the sword still embedded in his chest.
�Heero!�, Duo cries, shocked, falling to his knees in front of him. �Wh�Why?! Why didn�t you�.defend yourself?�
�Do you �.see now�Duo�, Heero replies, forcing the words out of his throat. �Revenge�becomes�.meaningless�.in the face of�.death. Perhaps�.now�.you are free of�your hatred�.free to �think��.I�I have always�.lo...�
His voice breaks and he coughs up blood. �Heero! No!�, Duo screams, but the hacking coughs subside and the limp body falls forward into his arms. The desert winds surge up and carry his soul away with them.
Hundreds of masked guards surround Wufei as he walks towards his execution, right into a circular room with windows facing outward into the endless universe. �I will give you a choice�, Zechs murmurs softly. �How do you want to die?�
�By my own sword�, Wufei replies confidently.
Zechs sighs. �That is not going to be as painless as the Emperor wanted it to be.�
Wufei answers with a cold look, �You gave me a choice, he allowed me to die in honour.�
Zechs nods and waves Dorothy towards him. �I knew you would want to see your sword again�, he explains as the girl presents the Dao to Wufei. Carefully, the young assassin picks up his weapon, examines it, then kisses the blade. �Nataku, give me strength�, he whispers one last time then places it in the Lightning Count�s hands. With a last glance at the blond man�s masked face, he turns around to look out into space.
On a rocky slope amidst the dunes, Duo has bedded Heero�s back against his chest and is lovingly cradling the dead boy�s body. �Today, Heero��, he whispers to the winds, ��we are going home. To a land where there is always going to be peace. Wait for me, just a little moment.�
Then he grabs the sword�s hilt from behind and drives it entirely through Heero�s body right into his own.
Four guards are carrying an oval space capsule, hidden from the eyes of the men working in the base by a dark silk cover. They all avert their heads in shame, knowing that beneath the silk the Hero rests in his eternal sleep, knowing that he is going to receive a space burial, reserved only for the greatest of men. Within their hearts they already know that this man has changed all their lives, that a new future awaits them.
�
AC 195 � The Emperor Kushrenada has declared the former assassins martyrs of peace. Duo Maxwell, Heero Yuy and Wufei Chang have received space burials, whereas Quatre Rabera Winner and Trowa Barton seem to have vanished entirely, probably together. No one is looking for them - a symbolic figure is complete in its perfection only when it is no longer attainable to mere mortals.
AC 196 � Treize Kushrenada has resigned from his position as the Emperor of World and Space. He has instead appointed a council formed by men and women from Earth and the Colonies to decide about the future of the newly founded Earth Sphere United Nation. Symbolic head figure is now a young pacifist, Relena Peacecraft, sister of the man formerly known as the Lightning Count, now Milliardo Peacecraft. Both he and the former emperor Kushrenada are members of the council.
AC 197 � Every child within the Earth Sphere United Nation now knows the story of the Hero and the Assassins who fought for peace and sacrificed their lives. Every child is supposed to know this story, to understand how dear peace has been bought and how important it is to maintain it. They are also taught that it is wrong to seek peace through violence and that only in the end the assassins and the Emperor truly understood the error of their ways.
For three years now there has been peace, and mankind is hoping for it to remain for a long time.
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