The Lantern Holder

Chapter 14

By Aryn

Nari drew her sword and waited for the blond woman to climb down from her Aries. This was to be her final stand, or the beginning of her new free life. This battle was the deciding factor. Inazuma sauntered over to Nari with a cocky grin and a swagger. Slowly she drew her sword and took up a ready stance. Nari saw the blade of Obsidious, and all the memories of what happened on the beach came back to her mind. Nari raised her sword and held it up dull gray blade that absorbed the sunlight. Aluma's blade shone almost clear against Obsidious.

"I've waited a long time for this." Inazuma growled.

"Me too."

Inazuma took the first swing. Nari easily blocked it and tried to counterattack, but Inazuma put her right back on defensive. The blonde’s hits were backed by strength that caused ever blow to vibrate up Nari's arm. It was everything she had in her to keep hold of the sword. This was going to be a long fight.

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The Deathscythe jumped into the air, making a long arch that took out a line of mobile dolls.

"That's the last on the east side." Duo announced cheerfully.

"We have the ones from the west taken care of." Wufei reported.

"North side is under control." Quatre added.

"I'm not getting any more readings." Arys said. "Looks like the day ends in our favor."

"Zechs is still fighting with that Aries." Noin remarked.

"Are you going out there to help him?" Heero asked.

Noin looked at the visual on her screen of her husband's mobile suit and the enemy. She wanted to go out there and help him, but she knew him. He wanted this fight for himself. He had spent the last few months holding his battle lust in check. This was the perfect outlet.

"No, he can handle one Aries on his own."

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Zechs ignited his plasma saber and dove at the Aries. Whoever was piloting the old OZ mobile suit had souped it up quite a bit. It moved with agility that the original design did not allow for.

"This pilot is good." Zechs remarked to himself as he blocked a blow from the Aries. But this fight was lasting far too long judging from the sweat on his brow. He wiped his forehead with the sleeve of his jacket and dove again at the Aries, locking the plasma saber with the beam one. As the Epyon stared down the Aries, Zechs used his heat whip to wrap around the waist of the Aries. Zechs held the position for a heartbeat before hitting his reverse thrusters, pushing them to the max. He watched with grim satisfaction as the Aries split in half and fell into the ocean. He saw the ocean water bubble up as the suit exploded under the water.

"Noin, how are you faring inland?" he called over the comm, pointing the Epyon towards the Palace.

"All mobile dolls have been dealt with. How did the fight with the Aries go?" Noin replied.

Zechs smirked. "Smashing."

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Quatre landed the Sandrock on the beach and enhanced the visual of the sword fight that was going on between Nari and Inazuma. Nari was fairing well in the fight, but Quatre could see her motions getting loose. She wasn't fit enough to fight someone like this. The Arabian looked over at his screen to see the Heavyarms and the Nataku take up a position on the beach next to him. The Deathsycthe and Noin's Tarsus stood on his other side, followed by the Zero and the Archangel. From the sounds of it, Zechs was on his way as well. Trowa spoke over the comm.

"What do you want to do about Inazuma?"

"If we get a shot at her, fire." Noin replied.

"No." Quatre said. "This is her fight. She has to finish this herself."

"What if she can't?" Duo asked.

"She will." Wufei answered.

The pilots were surprised by Wufei's remark. Usually the Chinese pilot never said anything that edified another person.

"She's weak," Wufei expounded, "But she's determined."

Quatre barely heard Wufei's words. He was too enthralled in the deadly dance that was going on at the feet of the eight mobile suits.

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"You won't defeat me." Inzauma said with a crooked grin.

"We'll see." Nari grunted. Aluma grew heavy in her hands and her muscles screamed for her to stop. She couldn't keep going like this for long. She caught slight movement out of the corner of her eye. It was the Sandrock. Inazuma stepped back from the fight looked around that the Gundams and mobile suits that now surrounded their battlefield.

"Your friends have arrived." the blond stated.

Nari remained silent, expecting an attack. But Inazuma lowered her sword and walked around the circle of mech feet, spreading her arms wide open.

"What are you going to do?" she shouted up to the pilots. "Go ahead and shoot me. I know you want to. What's stopping you?"

She stopped in front of each mech giving them a chance to open fire on her. But the machines remained still.

"It seems your friends are just as cowardly and weak as you." Inazuma shouted, turned and bringing her sword down with all the strength she had in her Gundanium body. Nari knew the blow would be the most forceful that Inazuma had dealt. The red head raised her sword and blocked the blow, feeling the vibration travel from her hands to her feet. But both swords were locked at the hilt. Inazuma stared into Nari's green eyes with her bone chilling blue ones.

"You will never have what it takes to survive." Inazuma threatened.

Nari kept her silence.

"You're too weak, too frail. Even your friends abandoned you in your time of need."

"They're here. They know this is my fight. They have not abandoned me."

"Do they realize this is your last fight? Will they watch as I strike you down?"

Nari reached behind her back and pulled out a gun that Quatre had given her before she climbed into her mobile suit. She leveled it over the crossed swords, aiming at Inazuma's eye. The other woman didn't even blink.

"If I fail to kill you," Nari promised, "They will avenge my death and finish my fight."

"I would much rather be killed by them than by a dying, pathetic child."

Nari's eyes narrowed. "I'm sorry to disappoint you."

She went to squeeze the trigger and paused. Inazuma let out a short laugh.

"I knew you wouldn't have it in you to pull that trigger. You're too sentimental."

Nari squeezed her eyes shut, unable to stare into the psychotic face of Inazuma. Suddenly she couldn't feel the steel in her hand. She couldn't feel the trigger. It was as if she was in her Gundanium body again, unfeeling and emotionless. All she heard was the fall of a body on the sand.

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Quatre placed the brilliant sword on the sword rack and locked the bulletproof case that contained Aluma and Obisidious. He took a step back and regarded the two swords. Trophies and reminders of a day's end and a life's beginning. He turned and walked past the doorway that led into the bedroom of the quarters. Nari slept soundly, exhausted by the events of the day. He quietly crept into the room and stood by her bedside. Her face was completely peaceful, devoid of any worry or strain. Quatre brushed a few locks of red hair off her forehead and across the freckles on her cheek. Nari stirred slightly in her sleep, murmuring Quatre's name in her sleep. Smiling to himself, he brushed his lips across her forehead.

"Good night my love." he whispered before leaving the room. Stifling a yawn himself, he quietly shut the door to the room and left, heading to his own quarters.

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The waves on the shore by the Peacecraft Palace lazily lapped up on the creme sand. The moon shone bright and full, making the water look like mercury. The occupants of the palace were asleep, resting from the day's battle and oblivious to the outside world. A seagull swooped in from the ocean and landed on the rocks that jutted out into the sea. Just as he was settling down for a night's rest as well, a hand reached up out of the water and clamped down on the rock. Relying on instinct, the bird took to immediate flight as a figure pulled itself out of the silver water and onto the rock.

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Quatre stepped into the conference room and was surprised to see everyone else already there, including Zechs and Noin. He tried to quietly find his place at the table, but was thwarted by Duo.

"Hey, Q-Man, where's your girlfriend?"

"She's coming." Quatre answered, sitting down.

"Why the formality, Noin?" Heero asked, motioning to his Preventer's uniform.

"Because, I wanted to introduce our new agent, as long as no one else has any objections." Noin looked at each and every one of the pilots. No one disagreed with her.

"Come in." Noin called.

The double oak doors opened and Nari walked in. Her red-gold hair had been braided and stood out in contrast to the navy blue uniform of the Preventors.

"This is your new Taurus pilot that will be taking my place." Noin announced, nodding to Nari.

Nari took her place between Quatre and Trowa and looked around the table. Everyone gave her a smile or a nod, except for Wufei and Heero who remained their stoic selves.

"Just what we need." Wufei remarked, arms crossed, "Another-"

"Shut up Wufei." everyone said in unison.