Perfect Element
Part 1 - Window to the World
The young man looked through the long dried out scrolls, searching the flaking ink for what he needed.
The sounds of war were imminent from the closed stained glass windows of the old church library. He didn't want to see it again, the blood, the
bodies strewn in inhuman fashion, the stench of the air and the flies-
Oh God the flies! They were the carriers of the last plagues that killed even more innocent people and the last of his family and friends.
Being a survivor, he was in constant battle to keeping the peace between the lands, and that included saving the Queen who during the suffering walked knees deep in the blood to save the crying babies and to tend the wounds of fallen victims.
Her heart was like no other and deserved to live on... but that was what was killing her. The dear Queen's heart began to pain her small pale body
and it beat irregularly.
Duo swore he would protect her no matter what the cost, even his own life.
Looking through the last pages he found the answer in a map of four powers to access the Life stone. "Fire, Wind, Earth, and Water to access the keeper of Death. One must purify the demon Onyx to create the living Pearl to bring life to those who are loosing." A smile opened on the soft pale pink lips as he rolled up the last page and walked out to the Monk standing by the door.
"I take this my good Monk to save thy grace from her death." Bowing slightly, his tunic creaked about him.
The old man dressed in a long brown garb clapped his hands and shook the leather-clad hand with glee. "Then go child into the mouth of hell, may God watch over ye."
As Duo walked away, he sighed slightly, "May God protect you, poor helpless fool." His heels clicked on the hard stone floors while the long indigo clock billowed around him showing his rank as he walked through the halls and towards the young Queen as she tried to keep delegating and proving that she was very much alive- but barely.
Fingering the paper scroll in his finger-less gloves, he was near fear to what he saw.
Sitting by a long desk, the tiny Relena still child-like over twenty winters was a sullen version of her other self. Breathing hard as she read over
documents, her eyes sunken in from lack of restful sleep. She heard the young guard enter and slowly lifted her head and gave a soft smile.
"Dear friend Maxwell, how are you on this eve'?"
"I'm well, I have found the map to the cure so you can rest."
"No, I am far to gone. Save it for someone more important then me. War will happen again but naught know when. Must get the plan-" a coughing fit took the still breath from her lungs and tore raw at her soft throat. The longhaired man helped carry the small mass of bones to an open chair and sat her down.
"Relena... Your highness, you must rest and let us tend to things. The country is safe and will stay that way. I will fight so other's won't have too, please trust me." His eyes were a soft violet and the soft crisp features reassured her mind. "Please, as your advisor and friend."
"I trust you will save us." She took the rough hand into hers and kissed it softly. "You are the closest thing to a brother to me since the others died. I wish I was strong enough to take Millardo's place."
"You are strong in mind and spirit. Never fear, I shall find the cure and keep this nation from bloodshed." Standing, Duo bowed and took a step back and did an about face out of the room.
The soft blue eyes of the Queen blinked and smiled for her, "Take care my friend." Then she drifted off to a sleep in the old chair.
~
The violet-eyed man sat in the Tavern as he awaited the ship to be loaded and readied for the trip to the Spanish mainland.
"I'm going to need some indigestion roots." He looked into the mug of cider and sighed.
The old man looked over and laughed, "So the great Maxwell Demon cannot handle the sea eh?" The patch over his right eye was wearing a small rash over his cheek as he laughed at all the sea tales and gave the 'real' story. The large glass in his hand squeaked beneath the old worn cloth as he shined the mug.
"No, Spanish food gets to me. Me thinks it is the paprika." Duo gave a small chuckle.
The bartender laughed again while cleaning a mug to where he could see though his left eye. "Old woman Sally has something for what ails ya."
"Old? She is only twenty-two springs, how is that old?"
"Anything that is a witch, is old."
Duo just looked back into his glass and snorted, "They aren't all bad. Any woman with intelligence is a witch. Soon you would claim the Queen as one."
"Aw, you know I was teasin'. But those with that much wisdom has to be up in years in the mind."
Shaking his head Duo gave up on the conversation. He still forgot that no matter how hard you try, a lot of people were still too thick headed to
reason with. Laying down the silver piece, he headed out of the Tavern and down to the out of the corner shop with drying herbs in the doorway.
"Hail, might you have anything for stomach problems?"
A thick head of blonde hair peered out from under the table and went back down. "If you help me catch my pet the I will give you what you need
sir."
Looking over the table he saw a little brown rat in the corner of his eye, "Ay, I think I see it."
Staking the small creature, he grabbed it up in a single swoop careful of the teeth and claws. "Here you be malady." Holding out the prize, Duo
gave a goofy grin. He didn't like rats too much, better then some other things.
Dusting off the long black smock, she pulled a twisted curl of hair from her face and looked over. "Hate to tell you good sir but that is Joshua's
breakfast." Pointing up the large bookcase to a large snake, its large black tongue flickered out at Duo as he dropped the rat with a squeak- not
knowing if it was his or the brown animal's.
Walking swiftly out of the store, he didn't even bother for the roots and took run to the loading ship when he heard a loud call behind him.
"You forgot the herbs!"
Stopping in mid stride, Duo's head drooped, "Why must I be punished?" He sighed and gave his normal serious face to the herbalist.
"And Joshua said to tell you to have a good trip and good luck finding the Stones!" She ran back off in the wrong direction only to make a beeline back to her store.
He merely sweat dropped as he held the small bag in his hands and then gave an astonished look, "How did she know I was gong after the
Stones... not even the crew knows." Shaking his head, the longhaired man put the roots in his pouchet and ran up the long timber steps towards
the ship, ready for the beginning of an adventure for a lifetime.
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