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"Ash Tree Cruel "Written By: Asymphototropic
Disclaimer: I don't own Gundam wing. Author: Asymphototropic (attracted toward the
light, but never quite arrives there) Rating: NC 17 Warnings: yaoi, violence, AU Summary: Duo is a wanderer, drawn to an ancient
barrow in the hopes of speaking to his master's death soul. Heero
is a guardian servant in this dangerous place. Will the death soul
seeker become a sacrifice on the bloody altar of a cruel cult? Pairings 1x2
"Ash Tree Cruel " Part Two: Birch Tree Noble The path was a puzzle. Barriers all formed by towering trees. A maze, planted purposely, long ago, the boy concluded. No forest would grow naturally in such stupefying variety and dense patterns. As if guessing his thoughts, the servant spoke. "It is meant to make escape difficult. And it is dangerously guarded." Snow began to fall. Lazily, as if the sky were toying with mankind. I could bury you all with a blizzard. But not, I think. At least not this day. Mayhap tomorrow. The snow began to gather in little white heaps, shrouding the dead grass of winter delicately. The boy coughed, then choked. He found himself softly set upon the cold earth, upon his knees. The woods spun around him, as he retched violently onto the twirling landscape. The motion never ceased, but at last resolved into forward strides. He opened his eyes, finding himself again carried in the servant's warm strength. "Tell me," his voice rasped and piped like an ancient's. "When you look into my eyes, do they appear the same? Compared each to the other, I mean." The servant's deep blue eyes studied his. Stormsea depths met the firmament's luster in lunar drawn waves. "Yes. The same, yes." "That is good," the boy stated, grasping the cloth on the other's chest, burying his face there to still the clamor of his head. The servant's voice sounded sturdy from inside, echoing along with a slow, solid heart beat. "I must ask you, demand from you, something I have not yet earned. Your allegiance." "My things. Brought you my haversack?" the boy whispered. When he became next aware, he saw the servant sorting amongst his medicaments. He felt the snow under his head cooling the feverish feel. "There is aught useful here?" the other asked, bringing the items within reach. The boy stretched a trembling hand, teasing the vials and jars aside. "That one. A few drops upon my tongue." When he had swallowed, he lay back again. "I thank you, friend. Let the kindly forces of the world bless you and yours. What may I call you?" "I am Heero Yuy. And what is your name?" "I have no name that I have ever heard. Or yet recollect. In days gone, I was called Duo. An obligation, see you? Not a name. I was the other's second, my master's shadow. Naught else. Now not even that." "Then shall I be servant unto the servant," Heero Yuy smiled with golden light. He retrieved the portables. Again gathered the boy to his chest, and strode forth with unending energy. "Heero Yuy. Could you not leave me in the woods to make my own way again?" Duo looked up into the countenance, now darkly scowling, momentary sunlight vanished. "No." The storm roused, tore at his hair and clothes, echoing the violence of his face. "Look you. I perceive the maze would not keep you. Such things do not puzzle the wise. Others, yes. But you, no. The trees would yield to you their secrets. The Tanist already fears you. From first view. Sees in you true power. He cannot allow you to best him. His force is numerous. They would hunt you. Endlessly. They would find." He stopped abruptly in his revelation. "They would find what must not be found." "This Tanist. You serve him?" "For a while." Spoken with open hatred. "For some stretch of time, as I must." The visage gradually calmed. "We are nearly there. Then you may rest more comfortably." "What you said before." Duo mumbled. "I cannot be allowed to best him. Your master. The death souls tried to caution me. Warned of being placed upon a stone, pierced with cruel blades. Is this to be my fate?" "Do not say so. Do not even think of it," the other replied sternly. Then shifting to curiosity. "The dead spoke to you, with accuracy? How can such things be? Hast happened before?" "Oh, yes. They are not shy, the death souls. Although generally they speak only of their own deaths. Or yearnings that do not rest. Such things are not useful to the living, see you?" "How strange. I have never before met such an one as you," Yuy smiled, the brightest thing upon the winterscape. "And here is a place for you to rest." They had come to a low hut, fast becoming obscured with the snowfall. Inside was dark. Yuy set his human burden upon a pallet, the baggage upon the bare floor in a gloomy corner. Then turned to the rock ring to stir the reluctant peat coals to life. The smoke rose through the sky circle, to join its kin mist beyond. As light and warmth commenced permeation toward the walls, he hung a pot of water to heat. Before he had finished tending these domestic comforts, a disturbance sounded. The hide bound door was flung aside. "Disobedience. You lingered upon the path. Then stopped," the angry voice thundered accusation. Yuy rose to confront the evil. An angry hand descended to crack across his face, dropping him to his knees, unresisting. Then the Tanist felt the force of a storm never before encountered. Back over the threshold onto the damp ground was he beaten. "Strike not thy servant that serves thee faithfully. Know you not the nature of mastery? For shame sir, for dirty shame." The slight form of the boy, the seeker of death souls stood over him. Wrath towering to the storm clouds above, sunstruck flames off his hair like a beacon backlighting him. "Art unarmed, sir? Come, stand up. I'll fight you fair." Duo cast aside his quarterstaff, and gestured a sturdy come-on. The Tanist opened his lips cruelly upon a snarl. "Seize him." From the trees they came. Large creatures all, enshrouded in penumbral cloth. Inhuman faces painted with skeletonic semblance. The blood they had drunk stained their slobbering jaws. By the time Yuy could struggle to a stand, stagger to the doorway, Duo was stripped and thong bound, hand and foot. Encircled by the Tanist's minions. They stood in a ring, striking stinging blows upon bare flesh with supple birch wands. "Continue," commanded the Tanist, smiling a snarl that revealed his long, yellowed eyeteeth. "The magic of the birch drives out all devils, any poisonous falsity. Leaves behind the mere truth, naked to our eyes. Miscreants and lunatics, those possessed by demons. All must yield before the birch's life force." Yuy hastily dropped to his knees. "Master, please. The boy knows not how to lie. This I sincerely believe. Ask him what you will. He will surely answer, an' it please you. Only try him, sir, with your questions. He knows no deception, I vow." The Tanist reached down to the silky rough mahogany mane of Yuy's hair. Entangled all his fingers in the luxury. "Now, suddenly, is my servant tractable? Obedient? Supplicant?" he laughed aloud, caressing the boy's face with his thumbs. "How much will his pride allow? I wonder." The Tanist stood in a widened stance, pelvis thrust forward. With large hands gripping viselike, he forced his servant's face toward the tumescence there. Heero Yuy tried to humble himself, cast all pride away from him. Tried to allow himself to go beyond meekness, to blankness, join the fog in soft yielding. Tried for another's sake to allow what was demanded of him. Tried and failed. At the last moment, he shouted angrily, shuddered out of the Tanist's grasp. Leapt back, cursing. His master seemed utterly delighted with this show. "Ha. My servant that serves me faithfully, indeed," he sneered. "You had better watch then. The other boy receives a portion of the flogging in your stead. You will at least dwell upon your guilt." Heero stood then, and leaned sickly upon the doorpost, the lintel shade stealing the pallor from his face. The Tanist took his time entering the circle, then hearkened awhile to the wicked bite of the blows. At last his voice sounded. "Cease now." He reached down, grasped the boy's braid, and dragged at it. With the first fall of strikes, Duo had tucked tightly upon himself, shielding his eyes from possible harm. At the pull upon his hair now, he reluctantly uncrouched, glared banefully into the Tanist's eyes. The master spoke. "I am the Tanist of Su. View me and tremble. Su, most glorious of all the grand universe's force. He being the greatest in strength of the immortals. I am designated living heir to His earthly powers, and therefore, of all the lesser gods, whom mighty Su commands. I am Tanist, being in receipt of the great god Su's dictum as carven upon cedar most revered. I wield this power as is my right. You will speak in answer to my questions. All demonic falsity having been driven from your flesh by the birch. What is your name, boy?" "I am called Duo." "That is no true name." "Agreed. But it is the only handle I have ever carried." "Your hair." A tug thereon. "Your hair glows red as do the worst poisons of the woodlands. Your hair bears the color of death upon it." "Well, so it does. But I have no more command of my hair color than any other being that casts shadow upon the ground." "You are marked by devils. Have been possessed by demons. They drove you to this center where the departed ones gather. Urged you to address the dead in this place." "Nay, there are no demons, no devils in my history. It is my own quest that brought me so urgently here." "You confess total guilt, solely, for your trespass?" "Oh, aye, I suppose so, to say truth. But I meant no harm thereby." "You have greatly disturbed the departed ones. To what end, for what purpose? Speak truth." "The truth? Well, why not? My master that had been. He died during the last full moon save two a-gone. Died suddenly. Therefore sought I conversation with my master's death soul. The death souls do speak so wondrously clear in this place. That I hoped greatly to hear his voice." "What mysterious information did you desire?" "Only two things. The first. You see. I had sworn fealty to my master and fealty to his quest. A great and solemn oath upon my personal honor. But that was long since and before, when I was very young. I must have been, for I remember not the swearing, no matter how I seek with my mind's eye. Neither that nor the details of my obligation. I do not know. Cannot recall. And he never said. Whether my dedication to his quest extends beyond my master's death." "And the second point?" "My natal place. The location of our origins. That place where I truly belong. All the days of my memory, and beyond that, likely enough. The two of us had wandered. Seeking upon my master's quest. I have forgotten. Or perhaps I never knew. And none else can tell me. Where lies the locale of my birth." "And what is the name of that place, if you know it? What is its designation?" "Oh, my master spoke of it. Often enough, and with great delight. Heart's desire. I am told that I hearken from that place named Traeszkavelon." At this sound, the minions cried aloud in alarm, stepping hastily back from the kneeling form. "Blasphemy! That name is the birthplace of First Man, First Woman. The one place at the top of the world. Only the gods may know of it, speak of it. You are possessed by demons indeed, to speak such lies, even in the birch's grasp." The Tanist of Su cast the boy's gleaming braid away from him, as if it were the vilest serpent. From the dark folds of his garment, he drew an object, and held it high for all to see. Then he intoned darkly, "I am Tanist, being in receipt of the great god Su's dictum as carved in cedar most revered of every natural force. I wield this power as is my right. View the great Su's dictum, here carved upon the very cedar plaque. View it, from the very hand of Su, and tremble in fear." They all watched, even Heero Yuy, wondering what magical effect the great god Su's carven commands would have upon the demon-possessed boy who shivered abjectly upon the winter's earth. Duo looked up at the carving there. His eyes widened, his lips moved. The boy muttered softly. "Ash tree cruel. Birch tree noble. Cedar much revered." There came a pause of great portent. A pause upon which the winter winds whispered. A pause broken at last by sound. The boy burst out laughing. "Silence! Wicked demons enmassed in multitude, be still!" roared the Tanist of Su, heir designate of the collected gods' power upon the earth. He spurned the boy with his foot. Duo tumbled into the mud, all the while chuckling helplessly. "A case of intractable lunacy that none may cure." Upon declaring this judgment, the Tanist turned furiously toward his servant, grasped him and shook him. "You will keep the lunatic here. Guard him for the fast approaching Solstice of renewal. Mark you. If he is not produced at the designated time. You shall take his place upon the stone. So beware." The furious Tanist departed, surrounded by his hideous minions. Heero Yuy hurried onto the snowy ground, grabbed the boy's quaking form in one hand, and gathered the cast aside garments with his other. "Make haste inside, ere you freeze solid," he snapped. Duo was a piteous sight, huddled upon the pallet, clad in nothing more than his breechclout. His pale skin blue with cold. His shuddering back striped with weeping welts. His face grinning wildly. Shaking his head, Yuy pulled the boy's shivering arms into the shirt sleeves. Then his nether limbs into the leggings. Buried the boy under every woolen throw and fur hide that the hovel claimed. Then he turned to place more fuel upon the fire. "It is not wise to taunt him. Abhorrent though he is. And the temptation admittedly vast." The formless mound of blankets quivered, then avalanched aside, as the boy's rosy nose poked out from under, his perse eyes glittering with the firmament's brightest stars. "Can the knowledge have been lost to them in some time of miserable darkness?" Duo wondered to himself, gingerly fingering his wounded head where the blood had dried. "A bit of a mystery. It is, that." But then the somber fit left him, and he laughed again aloud. "What in all the names of nature is so damnably funny?" Duo grinned and nodded. "Oh, Heero Yuy. Kind friend.
If I survive beyond the Winter Solstice Eve. Perhaps I shall tell
you." ~ * ~ tbc....
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