The Keystone Quest
A Gundam Wing alternate universe story
by Nikholas "Katana" F. Toledo


�������������������������� Entr'acte : Ripples


����� Apple-green eyes shielded by spiky, red-brown bangs that were being
blown about by gale-force winds.� Open and honest purple eyes filled with
tears at the desecration of Mother Nature.� Deep black eyes burning with
the fires of scholarly ambition and righteous indignation.� Cobalt-blue
eyes glowing with a wisdom that sat strangely for their relative youth.
His own ocean-hued eyes that could peer weakly into the mists of time.

����� And narrowed, unfathomable royal-blue eyes filled with the blackest
rage, glaring down at them all in contempt...

����� The sheer hatred in the last pair of eyes was the white-hot frisson
that rocked Quatre Winner upright in his bed.

����� *That was no man,* he thought in a panic, his heart pounding away
madly.� *Great gods, that dream again!� I never even knew I'd fallen
asleep.� Mother, what's happening to me?� What do the gods have in store
for me?*

����� "Quatre?"� A tall shadow glided toward him, and the languid gait
easily identified her as Iria Winner, Quatre's eldest sister.� "I heard
you cry out in the night... what ails you, little one?"

����� "A dream, sister," the boy who paled even more in the silvery-white
moonlight managed to choke out after a moment.� "A strange and
frightening dream."

����� *Key of Water or not,* and his hands reached up to close around the
blue key-shaped talisman that hung from his neck, *whether I'm scrying or
not, the visions cannot leave me.� What is happening to me?*� He sought,
and found, an odd solace in the almost-life that throbbed within the blue
crystal.

����� "You're trembling, Quatre."� Iria carded long, slender fingers
through her younger brother's fine blonde hair, trying to draw her
brother's anxiety into herself.

����� He was remembering the ordeal that he had had to undergo in order
to acquire the ancient amulet.� For three days, he had been sent into the
forbidding forests beyond their family lands.� Being away from his
kinsmen was bad enough, but the loss of Father Winner's mental touch ---
the one bond that held the entire clan together --- had been almost
unbearable.� It had almost spelled Quatre's death the very first night.

����� "Gods."� The woman's quiet, melodious voice broke both of them out
of their reveries.� "I almost forgot why I came here... Father Winner has
sent for you, little one."

����� "Did he say why?"� Quatre bent over and kissed his sister's
forehead before clambering out of bed and shrugging into a baggy unlaced
shirt over the loose cotton trousers that he wore for sleeping.

����� Iria's tones were unmistakably sad.� "No, I'm afraid he didn't."

����� A chill worked its way through the young man's heart.� *He has
always trusted Iria in everything,* he thought uneasily, *short of
letting her take formal control of the family.� Something must be very
wrong if he bypassed her like this!*� "All right, I may as well see him
now.� He might not be so accommodating if I put this off till morning."

����� "Very good, little one.� Come along now."� Iria felt a small,
sturdy hand slip into her own and she gripped back gently, leading Quatre
out of his room and into the cool late-summer night.

��������������������������������� ~ * ~

����� "Do you still remember your teaching songs, boy?"

����� Still in his bowed stance, Quatre replied humbly, "Yes, Father
Winner, I remember them very well."

����� "Recite the *Song of the Dawning*, then."� Father Winner looked
gravely at the young man before him.� *Gods, he is so young, so raw...
and there is so much power locked within him!*

����� Though the slight build might have said otherwise, he himself had
encouraged a strong heart and spirit within his only son.� He had spent
fifteen summers training the boy to use his visionary powers and whipping
him into perfect physical shape.

����� *But I cannot keep him forever.� It is not my place to decide where
he must go, not for me to choose his destiny.*� Quatre's husky alto
distracted him as the youth began to sing:

�������������������� *Darkness falls, choking the sun
�������������������� A single star rises at eventide:
������������������ Water gushes forth from the blight,
������������������� Wind guides the nomad's footsteps.
����������� Earth sends its roots into the heart of the world,
���������������� Fire burns before each altar in praise.
������������������������ Life springs eternal...
��������������� Through the darkness hope shall prevail.*

����� "Stop there.� You need not go any further," and Father Winner
reached out to touch his shoulder, "my son."

����� Quatre looked up into his father's face, shock and surprise written
all over his handsome features.� *He has not called me "son" since Mother
died, six summers gone....*

����� "Son, listen to me... know you why you have the Key of Water?"

����� "It is not my place to question the medicine man's decisions."� He
returned his gaze to the floor, staring fixedly at a gap in the rushes.

����� "Look at me, Quatre.� And, know this... I speak to you as your
father."� Father Winner released him, bringing up the hand to pass over
his age-webbed face in a gesture of weariness.� "There is a reason why
you have the holy talisman.� I hoped that things would never come to
this, that we must now deal with a corruption that threatens the very
roots of our existence.

����� "Son, I have had many disturbing visions.� Someone, a very
corrupted and twisted spellcaster, has gotten hold of the Double Keys.
The Keys of Chaos and Darkness have been freed to threaten the world once
again."

����� *It cannot be!*� Another shiver crawled slowly down the young man's
spine.� *The Double Keys are loose?� Chaos and Darkness upon us once
more... gods forbid!*� His mind finally caught up with him and the
realization almost knocked him over: *The only things that can stop that
unholy pair are the five Cardinal Keys, working all together in unison...
and I have the Key of Water, the fourth talisman!*

����� "Go, Quatre, my son and heir," Father Winner said, a note of
resignation in the voice that still held all of its commanding power.
"The fate of this world rests in you and in the other chosen ones.� It is
your destiny to go out and find the other Cardinals, to join your powers
to theirs in order to bind the Twin Keys again.� As much as I wish for
you to stay here with me, I am compelled to let you go.� It is not ours
to question the gods... merely ours to do all that we are bid."

��������������������������� ~ end entr'acte ~


-------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Nikholas F. Toledo Zu @ WWW: The Entertainment Capital of UP Village
 Vector, Switch, Yebah, Rain Man, goo, Pervert, Scruples, Hollie, NomaD, 
 Blitz, Gee, Datzo, Jewel, elf, Radler, Pinball, Mayhem, Chaos, Father, 
 Attar, Llewe and Katana @ http://nikholas-f-toledo-zu.webjump.com/ NEW!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------