Robert Geiger Anne Packrat Serge TsengTurk Nicholas Leifker Monica Ho ra-tilt Cain C. Hargrieves Gilbert Lin (via Robert Geiger ) This is a slight change to the submission guidelines that I've been meaning to do for awhile. Share and enjoy Welcome to the Escaflowne Continuing Story Founded by Robert Geiger and Anne Packrat I started this project in order to create something like The Sailor Moon Continuing Story. A place where you can add your own creation to others and create a epic saga across the world of Escaflowne. First off, big thanks to Anne Packrat. Without her help, this would of never of started up. (Start bowing now ^_^) What you do is simple. First read through the story, and then write up what you think happened from there. Although the story starts with Merle, it doesn't have to stay focused on her. Feel free to explore other characters and even bring in new one. A few rules though. 1.) Notify Anne and I beforehand that you want to write a part of the story. Someone might be working on the chapter you wish to write. 2.) Spelling: Be sure to run your story through a spellchecker before sending it to Anne. Also, make sure things fit together well. If your unsure about your story, ask someone who can help you (Like your english teacher ^_^) Checking things over beforehand means less work for Anne. 3.) No Lemons: I made the mistake of trying to make an R-rated scene in the beginning and got alot of flack from a person I tried to recruit for this project (And they still won't talk to me.) therefore, while 'mature' scenes (EX: Two characters kissing passionatly and tumbling into the bedroom, *SCENE BLACKOUT* Next morning they have breakfast together.) are allowed, sex isn't. If you want two characters to get under the covers with each other, just hint that it happened. 4.) Stay within the world of Escaflowne: Trips to Earth are ok. But no crossovers with Ranma or Tenchi please. 5.) Plausability: If you decide Merle doesn't want to become a trader but wants to become a swordswoman instead, fine. But give a good reason why a character has a change of heart from a chapter someone else has written. Thats it! Have fun and send your completed work to us! Good Luck! Oh! I almost forgot! The E-mail addresses! Myself: phpn65a@prodigy.com Anne Packrat: a_packrat@juno.com (or aerin@hotmail.com) Leavetakings An Escaflowne Continuing Story Fanficton by William Geiger Done in conjuction with(and edited by) Anne Packrat ************************************************************************** Dawn broke over the kingdom of Fanelia. As the light burned away the fog, people started to awaken and the sounds of daily life filled the air. At the castle of king Van, the day started as well. The new shift of guards took over the old, the smell of breakfast wafted out of the kitchen, and at the window of Van's bedroom. A lithe figure climbed down from the roof and slipped inside. "VANNN-SAMMMAA!" Merle shouted as she swung in and landed gracefully on the floor. Looking around, she noticed that the bed was unmade and Van was nowhere to be seen. *He must be taking a bath.* Merle thought and bounded into the spacious bathroom. It turned out to be empty as well, although the waterbasin was damp and there were wet towels in the basket nearby. *You've gotten up early again.* Merle sighed. She walked over to the bed and fell facefirst into the mattress. *Are you avoiding me?* Merle promptly squashed that thought. Van wasn't avoiding her, but he was extremly busy with rebuilding and running the Kingdom of Fanelia. It had been about a year and a half after the war had ended, and the damage had been immense. So many people had died and whole cities had been burned. Even now, the sounds of construction still sounded outside. Merle crawled up into bed and smelled Van's scent on his pillow. Her sense of smell was very sharp. The same as her race even though she had lived apart from them. A near constant companion to Van from childhood. *I see so little of you now* Merle thought. This wasn't really true. Since they lived in the same castle, they saw each other quite often. Van always had a smile for her. Merle's idea of 'seeing' however, was to be Van's second shadow. She was always following Van around or was nearby. Always ready to give him a hug and suggest they go play and leave all the work to others. Now Van was leaving in the early mornings to meet with ambassadors from other countries. To visit neighboring towns to oversee the reconstruction. And even to lead soldiers against the bandit groups that have formed. Van was now to busy to play. When he wasn't working, he was to tired to play. He wanted that small amount of time to himself to read or think of Hitomi. *Hitomi* Merle frowned slightly and felt a small surge of jealousy. She knew she shouldn't feel that way. But she couldn't help it, she had always loved Van in more then a sisterly way, and when Hitomi came along, all her hopes of herself and Van becoming mates had been swept away. Merle sat up in bed and hugged her legs. She never truly thought of Van like that until a few months ago. While she had always hoped that Van and her would marry someday. The serious thought of them being mates had never really come to mind. Until she had come into season a few months ago. Merle felt her cheeks burn at that thought. She had no idea what was happening to her, she had started feeling increasingly uncomfortable. Her skin felt prickly and she felt a burning sensation in her lower part. She began to smell also, even though noone else noticed it since they were human. She had hid herself away in an abandoned storeroom, only coming out to eat, it was a week of agony for her and she was scolded by Van for making him worry where she was. She didn't dare tell him what had happened, for she had figured out what had happened to her. A tear rolled down Merle's cheek *How could Van love someone like that?* She bit back a sob. *A rutting animal who can't control herself?* Not like sweet Hitomi. Hitomi who could see into the future and was everything Merle wasn't. Well schooled,talented and had TWO suiters if only briefly. *And what can I do?* Merle thought. *Nothing really.* She had been Van's playmate through most of his life. Now Van didn't need a playmate anymore, soon he would be taking a wife. *And thats not me.* Merle wiped her eyes on the bedsheet. And why should Van marry her? There was nothing special about her. She couldn't see into the future, wasn't a Guymelef pilot, or a sorceress, a swordswoman, a healer, or even a politician. If she was to marry Van, she would have to be someone special. But she wasn't. *Am I needed anymore?* Merle spent most of her time now sunning on the roof, coming down for a meal or hoping to catch Van when he was free. She had met some children of the castle's staff that she could play with, but once again, she was just a playmate. *Not here?* Merle questioned herself as she walked to the window. What could she do for Van? She knew nothing of politics, except that Van didn't want her to become involved when important guests were over. She had embaressed him when she had lept into his arms when an ambassador had been visiting. Van had scolded her aferwards, and had apoligised for hurting her feelings after she had run off. But Merle knew he had been right. She shouldn't get involved in things she doesn't know. Merle crept out the window and walked across the roof to her small room. It was modest and had lots of small items that she had collected displayed on shelves, and there were stuffed toys piled on the bed. *A playmate's room* she thought. *And Van doesn't need a playmate anymore, he needs a queen.* Merle stood in the center of the room for awhile before she took a sack out from her closet. She began to tuck clothes into it along with a few personal items. She took a small pouch out of her desk drawer which jingled, Van gave her a small allowance to buy whatever she wanted, but she rarely spent it, since she always thought she had everything already. After packing, Merle sat down and took a few sheets of paper out and began to write. Van had insisted that she learn how to read and write. She had loathed the long classes but had stayed since Van was there as well. She never bothered learning anything more then the common human tounge and now relized why the instructor had allowed her to be dismissed after finishing the basic class. Because only Van needed to learn anything more, becuase he was to be king. Merle's hand stopped writing. She had written down all her thoughts, all her dreams. It was sort of what Hitomi had called a diary, except that someone else besides her would read it. Merle had wished Van the best and hoped he would be happy, and to please not be angry. Merle slipped the letter into a envelope, sealed it and wrote 'To Van' on it, putting it on the cleared desk so that it would be easily found. Merle then left her door unlocked and left through the window, climbing down the vines and walking towards the village. She would buy some food for traveling from the market. Hopefully there would be a caravan she could travel with. *And maybe* Merle thought. *I can find a place where I can be special.* Leavetakings Part 2 An Escaflowne Continuing Story Fanfic written by Anne Packrat and William Geiger Warning: Contains spoilers for the end of the series. Recap: A year and a half after the Great Battle, Merle finds that her playmate, Van, King of Farnelia, no longer has as much time for her. Feeling confused by the changes of puberty, and dissappointed by the passing of her childhood with Van, the young catgirl sets off on her own. ------------ Farnelia's market had never ceased to amaze Merle. Even during the time of rebuilding and restoration, the market still remained a wonderous place, full of exotic sights, smells and sounds. Things from all over ended up in the market. Cloth and fish from Astoria (one of Merle's personal favorites), robes and weapons from Busa, and even metal tools and jewelry from the defeated country of Zaibach. If one looked hard enough, one could even find items purported to be from the Illusionary Moon itself! Merle, of course, knew most of the items to be fakes; after all, she'd *met* someone from the Moon. But this time something caught her eye. It was a ring, not a very rich one, but it caught the eye, nonetheless. Intricate bronze leaves, (-Or feathers,- as Merle thought with a hint of wistfulness) formed the band and setting for a most unusual stone. The stone was a golden brown, with every shade between red, gold and brown somewhere in it. She stared at it in wonder as the stone seemed to call to her with an almost hypnotic quality. "You like it?" asked the boy in front of her, startling her out of her contemplation of the ring. Vaguely, Merle remembered that the boy's name was Kisai, he was the son of a local merchant. Merle nodded wordlessly. Kisai grinned, showing a few gaps in his mouth where his adult teeth hadn't grown in yet. "Mom says the stone's called, uh, oh yeah, 'Tiger's eye'. It's been in our family for awhile. Grandpa claims it's from the Illusionary Moon, but I don't believe him, he told me that some people can see in the future! Imagine that, seeing into the future. Man, wouldn't that be great?" Merle was stung by this sudden reminder of her rival. But, even though Hitomi had been the winner of Van's emotions, she was still something of a friend. Merle well remembered the effects the visions had had on Hitomi, and then Hitomi had almost died... Merle shivered, ruffling her fur. "No, it's not right to know the future. It shouldn't be all planned out like that. It's just not right." Kisai shrugged. "Whatever. Mom can tell you more about the ring, if you're interested..." Merle nodded and Kisai ran in back to find his mother. Merle took a moment to resettle her fur, quickly grooming herself. Kisai returned with a middle-aged woman that Merle recognized as Eiko Kasuga, one of the key people who had helped evacuate Farnelia after it's fall. "Merle-chan," Mrs. Kasuga greeted the catgirl. Merle flinched at the honorific, but let it pass. After all, she was still the "playmate". "Going on a trip?" Mrs. Kasuga asked. Merle nodded. "I didn't hear that the king was going anywhere..." Mrs. Kasuga frowned. "Uh, no, he's not..." Merle replied quickly, "Uh, I'm kind of going alone..." She trailed off, hoping that the merchant woman wouldn't want to question her further. Mrs. Kasurga nodded in sudden understanding. "Well, then. Kisai said you were wondering about the ring?" Merle nodded suddenly more interested. "My father found this one day out in a forest near his home. No one in his village had seen anything like it. The elder suggested that it was from the Illusionary Moon, and was a very special thing indeed... Unfortunately, there was a bad harvest the next year and the villagers blamed it on the artifact from the Place of Ill Omen, and on the one who found it. My father was run out of town and eventually settled here. He passed the ring onto me, but I don't want anything to do with it, so I'm trying to sell it." Merle listened with a uncharacteristic attention to the tale. She looked at the ring in wonder and wondered if the story was true. Could it be related to Hitomi's pendant? "May, I... try it on?" Mrs. Kasuga nodded. The catgirl picked up the ring. It slid easily on her finger and fit as if it were moulded to her finger. She stared at the jewel lost in the richness of it's browns and golds. Suddenly the ring emitted a flash of light, momentarily blinding those present. "Mroww!" Merle cried in surprise. Similar, (but more human) sounds came from Kisai and his mother. "By Escaflowne itself! I've never seen it do that before!" Mrs. Kasuga exclaimed when their eyes had cleared. "You'd better give that back to me, girl, before you hurt yourself." Shaken by the light, Merle nodded mutely and tried to remove the ring. Unfortunately the ring didn't want to come off. Merle tugged and even tried getting leverage with a claw, but it wouldn't come off. Mrs. Kasuga frowned and then sighed. "I guess it's taking a liking to you. I don't know why, but I guess it's yours now." She saw Merle reach for her purse, but then shook her head. "You don't have to pay for it, Merle- chan. I didn't expect to get much for it anyway, and I think I'm better off without it." Merle bit her lip, looked down at the ring then up at Mrs. Kasuga and then nodded. "I guess you're right... It is pretty..." Mrs. Kasuga nodded. "Yes. And now, I have to be seeing to our other customers. Good journey to you, Merle-chan, I hope you find what you're looking for." She moved off to attend to a man looking at some pots on the other side of their stall. Merle turned to leave, but stopped when she felt Kisai's hand on her arm. "Mom said you were Merle..." The girl nodded. "So you were the one who traveled with the king and that girl from the Illusionary Moon? Hitomi, the one with the pendant?" Merle grimaced and wrenched her hand out of Kisai's grip. "Yes! I was the one with her. I have to be going now, so good day!" she said angrily. Kisai put his hand on her shoulder again. "I didn't mean to make you mad, I'm sorry. It's just, I mean, I heard the songs of White Dragon and the Great War, and I remember some of it too... It's just, well, that pendant seemed to be, uh, I dunno, special, I guess..." Merle didn't turn around, but she stopped trying to break the grip he had on her. "So?" she asked. The boy rubbed the back of his neck. "I dunno, I guess, well, the pendant was kinda meant for that girl from the Moon I guess, I mean, it kinda started her off on her whole adventure right?" This time Merle did turn around. Kisai gulped and continued. "I'm just kind of saying that maybe, just maybe, the ring was, uh, well, kinda meant for *you*..." Merle crossed her arms. "So I'm like Hitomi you're saying?" "No!" Kisai quickly said, "No, I'm just saying that maybe this means that you're just starting your grand adventure now." He grinned his gap-toothed smile again. "They may even tell stories or sing songs about you, Merle-sempai..." Merle half-smiled, somewhat pleased with that thought. "Well, maybe they will. Now I have to go start off on my 'adventure' if you don't mind..." Kisai grinned and saluted her. "Right! Good journey, sempai!" Merle grinned at the boy and waved to him. "Bye!" she called as she headed down to the port. -On with the adventure...- To be continued... Leavetakings Part 3 There is a discrepancy in the story; on page 1, Merle decides to look for a caravan, Page 2 mentions a port. Due to the fact that it is made quite clear in the "city of intrigue" episode that Merle had never seen the sea before coming to Astoria, I have ignored the mention of the port. __________________________________________________________________________ As Merle walked further away from the marketplace, the streets grew narrower, and quieter. The initial excitement of her decision to go away was beginning to wear off; doubt was settling in. "It's all very well deciding to go," - she thought - "but there must be somewhere to go to. Astoria, perhaps.... but what would I do there? No, I must find somewhere where I fit in; somewhere where I am needed." She spent several hours looking for a caravan; none would take her. A fighter might be useful, or a man who could work; but nobody had use for a girl, and while she had some money she did not want to use it all up before her journey had even started. It was beginning to get dark; finally she gave up, and went into a nearby tavern. The building looked shabby enough from the outside that the lodging might be expected to be cheap. She arranged for a room for the night - little more than a cupboard, but it would do. She settled in as best she could. Merle found that she couldn't go to sleep. Apart from being depressed, she suddenly realised how hungry she was. She had not eaten since the night before she decided to leave. After tossing and turning for a while, she got up, left her little cubbyhole and went back down the stairs to the main bar. The otter behind the bar was a nice enough chap. "I'm sorry," he said, "but all we have left is some soup. It's been a busy day." She took a bowl of soup and went to a corner to eat it. Gradually she became interested in the conversation of the burly palace guard sitting next to her. It seemed that the king was most distressed; a member of his court had ran off that morning. A cat-girl, cute but quite incapable of surviving on her own (Merle cringed at that, and huddled down over her bowl so that her face might not be seen). The guards had been given a description of the girl, and told merely that the king desired an audience (a lot of laughter at this point; Merle was starting to get quite annoyed) - but it seemed that this particular man knew one of the palace maids, the same maid, in fact, who had found the girl's note; and so the full story had got out. As the guard launched into the details of her note, Merle quickly finished the bowl and went back up to her room, taking care to keep her face hidden. In bed, she tried to sort out her feelings. So Van still cared! ...but no. He did not want anything to happen to her, of course. After all, they had been close, once. How long ago that now seemed! She realised she could not stay in Farnelia any longer. If she did, she would be found by the guard, and dragged back to the palace in shame. Van would be very apologetic, of course, and try to be nice to her; but the root of the problem would remain. He would still love Hitomi. She squeezed her eyes shut tight as the feeling of loss washed over her; she might never see him again! But perhaps it was for the best. "Tomorrow I will leave Farnelia," she decided. "If no caravan will take me, I shall go by foot." And, somewhat comforted by her resolve, she fell asleep. _________________________ -Serge E-mail: sl236@hermes.cam.ac.uk Website: http://sl236.robinson.cam.ac.uk Escaflowne:Leavetakings Chapter 4 By:TsengTurk1@aol.com Manus wandered through the woods. * I know Fanelia is around here somewhe....* Suddenly he was flat on his face. He swore, and picked himself up, looking down at the large, muddy, brown smear on his chest. His white fur seemed a magnet for dirt, and his clumsiness only added to the problem, so he gave up on trying to keep white. He was an albino cat-man, with sky blue eyes, and hair dyed to match. Most of the time he appeared brown or calico, though. He turned around to look at what tripped him. *Melef?* He peered up at the kneeling mecha. *No, Guymelef. And unused, curse my luck.* The 'melef was covered in Ivy, and looked as if it had sat in that position for a long time. He wandered around to the front and gaped up at the white 'melef. *Okay. So....what's this all about?* He looked around, and saw some sort of tomb nearby. *Huh? Was that the owner?* The cat-man shrugged. *Oh well, I'll figure it out eventually, I'm sure. Now. Where -is- Fanelia....* After a bit of a romp throught the woods, Fanelia finally came into site. He camped, and decided to rest up before going into the city. He wanted a bath, but it could wait.Better to disguise his color anyway, it always created a ruckus. He leaned back, and thought about his purpose. He had tracked his daughter across the country, and he wasn't about to give up now. The cat-man had only just learned that he had a daughter. He sighed, softly. He didn't know who she was, or what she looked like, but he was determined to find her. His ears and whiskers drooped, and he realized that he was tired. He yawned, ending it with a sound somewhat like "mrowr" and settled down to sleep. Leavetakings: Part 5 by Nicholas Leifker (nwl9354@unix.tamu.edu) Escaflowne: Leavetakings http://genesis.maison-otaku.net/escaflowne The woods surrounding Fanelia's capital were a warm sight to the catwoman as she made her way through them. How many times had she come through here with Vargas, or played in the treetops with Van? Beyond that, the forest surrounded her like a blanket, a primal comforting now that she was alone. She sniffed the air, and frowned. Was she alone? She could smell the musky scent of her own kind, a heady spicy-sweet aroma that tickled at the edge of her nostrils. Whoever he was had passed through less than an hour previous; within another hour, the winds would carry what was left of the scent beyond her senses. Sighing, she shook her head, and started down the path. She didn't want this. Despite her recent travels, Fanelia was - correction, had been - her home. She'd cried like never before when Zaibach had demolished the land, and took delight and pride in its rise from the ashes. This was a place she'd helped build with her own two hands, and it was a place she had to leave behind. Because... because she had to find a home of her own. She adjusted her pack, and headed deeper into the woods, a feral smile on her face as she started walking. She had a good idea as to her direction - after all, she'd traveled this way once before, as she fled the burning kingdom. If she went this way, she'd most likely end up in Astoria, with its merchant-kings and dashing knights. There was no better place to start over - assuming she could avoid Allen or Millerna. A smile appeared on her face as the sun disappeared behind the trees. She had been domesticated, but she was by no means tamed. Her kind had always loved the night - the darkness was a predator's paradise, and she took to it lovingly. A spring appeared in her step, and she fought the urge to go on all fours and run with the wind. With each step, she could *sense* the life around her, in a way she'd never experienced when with others. Perhaps she was not as domesticated as she believed... she shook herself from those thoughts. She couldn't go chasing after some mouse, not now. She had to step lively if she hoped to make Astoria's frontier by dawn. After a few hours, she frowned. She wasn't the only one around - she could smell it. Human by the stench, male, adult. If she was right... "Who's there?" She whirled around - and found a dark shape approaching her. She saw the swing of grey steel, then blackness. -- Nick Escaflowne Leavetakings [page 6] by ra-tilt (reywing@earthlink.net) Merle opened her eyes. Her vision was wildly blurry and her head ached as if she had been hit with some blunt metal object. Then she remembered that the last thing she had seen before blacking out was a sword coming out of nowhere. Thank goodness that she was still alive. Usually when people see a sword swinging towards them, that is the last thing they ever see. She wondered who the sword's owner was. After a while, Merle's vision gradually came into focus, but her head stayed in the same painful condition as before. She discovered that she was on her knees in a small metal cage in the corner of some person's office. The cage was too short to stand up in. The room was made of light brown wood and there were no windows. Straight ahead from her, a desk was situated against one of the walls where a man wrote on it. This fellow wore a long sleeved white shirt and baggy red pants with black stripes that went up the sides. He looked middle aged with long brown hair, a beard, and mustache. "Hey! Hey! You with the pen!" Merle shouted as she rubbed the right side of her head, where a large bump had accumulated. "Let me out of here!" The brown haired man stopped writing and turned his head to look at Merle. Now that he looked at her head on, Merle could see his entire face. In the corner of his cheek, near his neck, Merle noticed a tattoo. It wasn't just any ordinary tattoo. The black ink formed into the shape of a circle with a line going through it that was broken in the middle. The design's purpose was to be a link in a chain, the universal symbol of captivity. That brand was only worn by those associated with the slave trade. "You're a slave trader!" Merle screamed. She screamed louder and louder, hoping that someone might hear her and save her. "Slave trader! Slave trader!" The man stood up from his chair, walked over to the cage, and swiftly kicked the cage hard with his foot. Merle was shocked by the sudden rattle and fell onto her back, but being that the cage was too small for that, she ended up hitting her head against the metal bars at the back. "Are you going to shut up now?" the man asked. His voice was surprisingly pleasant for a man who beat up cat girls. Merle got back up to her kneeling position and rubbed the newly forming bump at the back of her head, ruffling her hair. "Yes. Oww!" Merle rubbed too hard. "Ha! You are a very vigorous girl. I like that," he told her. "Why? Because I'll sell at a higher price?" she said to herself in a low voice she thought he wouldn't hear. Merle's kidnapper sat down on the floor, facing Merle. Actually, up close, Merle decided that he wasn't too bad looking in the face either. Maybe, a bit too old, and that tattoo was definitely a low spot, but all in all, he was a pretty handsome guy. She still hated him though. "Let me introduce myself," the good looking guy began. "My name is Oak." "Oak?" Merle laughed. "Is that also your taste in building material?" she mockingly joked mentioning their wooden surroundings. Oak laughed along. "Yes, I can see why you'd say that. No, my mother and father said they named me after the strongest tree outside our house. See, we weren't rich, we lived out in the forest by ourselves. Maybe a two days walk from Fanelia. And what's your name?" "Merle." Then she had an idea. "And I'm King Van Fanel's best friend, and if you don't let me go, there will be who knows how many people looking for you. They know I'm missing, and they sent all kinds of people to look for me: trackers, bounty hunters, knights, even guymelefs. Word of my disappearance is probably in Asturia by now. And one of the first places they'll look is the slave auctions, I guarantee." Merle grinned. Oak grinned back at her. "Well then, Merle san. I suppose we'll have to have the slave auction tonight then." "Tonight? But, but..." Merle stammered. "Oh, I have more than enough product now. I need to let go of some inventory, tonight. In about one more hour we're going to have a big gathering right outside this cabin. And I mean to sell you too. So when those troops do come by, you'll already be off my hands and probably be in the care of some eccentric noble with a thing for young kittens." Oak smiled. "And I'll be back to business as usual." Then he stood up and went back to his desk to resume writing. Merle was silent. She was busy thinking of a way to get out of this mess. They were probably out in the middle of the forest somewhere, where only the select few who bought slaves knew about. Nobody would get to her in time. She had to figure something out herself. Merle only had an hour left. She fingered the ring from the Illusionary Moon. "It must be because of this ring!" she thought to herself. Mrs. Kasuga herself said that it had brought bad luck to the home village of her father. Now it had brought bad luck to her. Manus ordered a beer from the tavern waitress, a young blonde cat woman. "If only I were a little younger," Manus wished in his mind. He watched the lady walk away to get his order. Fanelia was a big place. Not as big as cities in Asturia or Freid or Basram or Daedalus or the many other places he had been in his travels. The white furred man sighed. He had been searching for his daughter for a long long time. "Excuse me sir." Manus looked up to see a Fanelian soldier holding out a sheet of paper for him to take. Manus took it. The first thing he noticed was the big word `Missing' at the top of the page. "She was spotted here a while ago, but now we believe she has left the city. If you see her, please inform the nearest soldier. Thanks." The man walked away. Manus looked at the picture for a long time. He did not even notice that the cat waitress had brought his beer and put it on the table already. The young person in the picture could have been his daughter, he wasn't sure. He did not know how she looked. But he had a strange feeling in his heart, he couldn't explain. Manus swore he had to find this young girl, this Merle. ___________________________________________________________ r a - t i l t "Kore ga Escaflowne?" http://home.earthlink.net/~reywing I'd have to describe myself as living in an ironic paradoxical state of hypocrisy !!!DVD!!! ___________________________________________________________ Escaflowne, Leavetakings... By M.H., ********** Disclaimer: Vision of Escaflowne and its original characters are property of Sunrise. Note: Special special thanks to Lorelei Bassi for her big help in editing! ********** Chapter Seven: Cobra *Legend has it, the bride adorned by the silk of the dragons will be the happiest bride in all of Gaea. . .* Van frowned, and silently trotted away from the noisy guestroom that held the view of Fanelia. Left behind him were the giggling of the servant girls, the nervous pouts of the seamstresses, and the careless taunts from Princess Sasha of Kanaphra. *What's the point of watching a woman trying on wedding dresses? They haven't even glanced at me for the past hour. . .* Perhaps a little bitter, Van was desperate to save himself from that weird feeling of suffocation. The fresh air of the courtyard instantly cleared his dizziness. Kanaphra, colonized by Zaibach years ago, had risen to great powers since the Great War. Despite her recent invasions into lands formerly controlled by Zaibach, the new pharaoh of Kanaphra has been friendly to Fanelia. *Reconstruction costs a lot of money. . .* was the first thing Van learned as Fanelia's new king. But Kanaphra has been unusually generous in her loans to Fanelia, and Van is grateful. Now Princess Sasha, the bride to be of the new pharaoh of Kanaphra, was in Fanelia to purchase the finest wedding gown in Gaea, a dress made from Fanelia's most prided production: Dragon Silk. Rumored to be the fabric of Atlantis, Dragon Silk has been the most profitable export of Fanelia. No where else can one find fabric more iridescent, pure, and gentle to the flesh. . . The secret of the Dragon Silk had been a present from Van's mother to the people of Fanelia. . . *It was bad manners to suddenly disappear like that, especially in front of a nobility. . .* Van caught himself thinking. . .* But with Merle gone. . .* Van clutched his fists. *Merle! Where are you!* Van didn't know whether to get mad at those empty handed soldiers whom he had sent out with the sketches, or to kick himself for not knowing what was wrong. *Was I rude to her? Not that I remember.* Van shook his head, hard. *With Merle gone, with my mind constantly worrying about her, how can I concentrate on politics and diplomacy?* ***** Night fell. Princess Sasha had excused herself from dinner, her lady-in-waiting elegantly apologized to King Van, informing him that the princess has a headache and will rest early. *And I wonder why. . .* Van thought sarcastically to himself as he respectively expressed his regards for the princess and dismissed the young girl with a wish for the princess to be well tomorrow. Now the dining hall was echoing emptiness around the new king of Fanelia. Van thought that he would enjoy a peaceful meal by himself. Finally! After all that fuss over silk and weddings and endless giggles and servants running everywhere and that extremely pretentious scene he just put out before Sasha's lady-in-waiting. . . But for the first time since Van returned to Fanelia, he felt lonely. ***** Sitting on top of a hill behind the castle, Van took a deep breath and felt the soft moon light purifying the darkness around him. *Hitomi . . .* Van looked up at the Illusionary Moon. Instead of the raven hair and bronze skinned beauty wearing that Dragon Silk dress, Van saw the soft feathers of the fabric ripple around a young Japanese schoolgirl decorated with the most innocent and sweet smile. *Oniisan, you were right. I am not fit to be a king.* Van took one look at his sword lying next to him, a symbol of his kingship, and buried his face in his hands, trying to push thoughts of exhaustion and discontent from his mind. Then another image appeared. He suddenly stood up erect, disregarding the startled silence, and smiled back at Hitomi reprimanding him with slightly knotted brow and soft scolding lips. Van's hand reached up and held her pendant tight against his heart, "Forgive me, Hitomi. I remember now: Responsibility, Faith, and Courage." ***** Van was on his way back to the castle when a soft tune made him turn toward the forest. A faint whistle, barely audible, but the melody so naturally played itself within Van's memories. A folk tune of Fanelia, one that Folken had taught Van more than ten years ago. Van walked toward its source, intuitively knowing that the tune was coming from the Fanel graves, where Escaflowne rested. *Folken, have you returned to mock me?* Although the moon was unusually bright over the valley, the woods were draped in darkness. Instead, Van's memories navigated his way easily through the woods. But when he reached the moonlit clearing of the slumbering Guymelef, the tune had stopped. Before him, the soft leaves unveiled not Folken, but a thin, dark figure with luscious raven hair standing before Escaflowne, facing the graves. Crowning her head, pinning her soft green mantilla in place, was a coiled cobra made of gold. *Did my ears deceive me?* "Princess Sasha!" Van didn't even try to conceal the look of surprise on his face. "What are you....." Van's eyes widened as Sasha silenced him with a quick draw of her sword. Van instinctively took a step back, right hand reached over to grip the shaft of his own sword. *I didn't know she carried a sword. . .* "Funny how life toys with us," Sasha seemed to be talking to herself, and never shifted her gaze away from the grave. Sword now pointed downward in a gesture of courtesy. "After all those attempts to capture the dragon, it now lies alone unguarded by nothing but ivy, yet its seekers are no longer anywhere in sight." Van felt a shiver when Sasha's green eyes suddenly penetrated his own, "Wouldn't you agree that Escaflowne won after all?" She chuckled, and Van relaxed as her gaze returned to the graves. "A-Hum...." Van lightly coughed as he searched for words. His eyes still fixed on the dark figure framed by the silver Escaflowne. Frantically, his mind tried to piece together the little information he knew about this princess of Kanaphra. Van now regretted his lack of interest in political gossip. He knew almost nothing of this dark princess. The only sibling of the new pharaoh, Sasha was what, probably in her late teens or early twenties? Kanaphra, the land of the winged- dragons, was rich with Energist beneath its soil -- probably the reason why the country was first to be conquered by Dornkirk years ago. Before the Great War, with the exception of the rebellion army led by the present pharaoh, all Kanaphrians served under Zaibach. . . . *Zaibach! Dornkirk! Why didn't I think of it earlier? She is here to steal Escaflowne!* Van felt a sudden fury at this "thief" who stood before the Fanel graves, and leveled his anger with the draw of his sword. Instantly Sasha turned toward Van, and raised her sword on guard. "Escaflowne belongs to Fanelia!" Van positioned himself to launch a quick attack. Sasha cocked her brow in annoyance and confusion, "So what?" and mirrored Van's stance. Van's sword was quick to strike, slicing down through the air, aiming at Sasha's right shoulder blades. "Hey!" Sasha frowned as she drew up her sword to block, and using the momentum of Van's thrust against her arm, jumped back to clear herself from another attack. A smile crept up her face as Van rushed toward her with another attack. "You are on, King Van." ***** Van felt a trickle of sweat down his forehead as he concentrated on blocking Sasha's swift sword movements. The power behind her strikes was not as strong as his, but her speed was much faster. Van's heartbeat raced his rapid breaths. Then in a surge of adrenaline he realized her strategy: to compensate strength and endurance, she took the offensive. By never letting Van strike back, she was going to finish him in a quick battle. *Damn!* Van retreated and realized that his back was almost against the woods. Sasha's sword meandered through the space around him, constantly in search for openings. . . *She aims at one side to distract me but actually strikes at the other. . . just like. . . like a cobra . . .* Van glanced at Sasha's headpiece, the head of the snake resting on the top of her forehead, and glanced at the vulnerable Escaflowne behind her. He panicked. A fraction of carelessness was all Sasha needed. She threw herself into the open space in front of Van. Using her left shoulder and her full body weight, Sasha crashed Van into the tree behind him, knocking the wind out of his lungs. Her back was now open to Van's right hand; but from experience she knew the risk was minimum. When that sacred space in front of the heart has been violated, any swordsman would be too intimidated to retaliate by turning the sword around. To kill her the swordsman would have to thrust his sword toward his own heart. A slight hesitation from Van, and Sasha had already shifted her sword to a backhand position down her arm, blade supported by her elbow, and sliced at an angle across Van's throat. *Hitomi* Van closed his eyes and braced himself for the pain of the icy blade entering his throat. But instead, Van only felt a chilled tingle on his neck. He unclosed his eyes and stared into a pair of green, teasing lights. Sasha smiled, and pushed herself away from Van, taking a large leap backwards. Van stood motionless against the tree, still staring at the now giggling figure in front of him, his eyes widened in blankness. But his mind focused in terror as he watched Sasha laughingly held up a pink stone in her left hand. His arm instinctively covered his chest, only to find a loose leather string sagging around his neck, Hitomi's pendant gone. "Give it back!" Van lunged toward Sasha, but quickly willed himself to a halt. In a flicker of the wrist, the tip of Sasha's sword had brushed against his heart. *This is a nightmare. . .* Van's blood froze when Sasha covered her mouth with her left palm, gulped something down her throat, and then happily raised her left hand to wave at him in an open-palmed fashion. Hitomi's pendant was gone again. Van wanted to wake up screaming. "Yummy!" Sasha enunciated, and Van was shot with the most brilliant smile of a spoilt child. End of Chapter Seven Escaflowne, Leavetakings... By M.H., mailto:monicaho@midway.uchicago.edu ****************************** Note: Due to some problems, I'll be chopping Chopping chapter 8 into smaller parts as I post it. They will be labeled Part 8a, Part 8b, etc.. ******************************* Disclaimer: Vision of Escaflowne and its original characters are property of Sunrise. Note: Special special thanks to Lorelei Bassi for her big help in editing! ********** Part 8, Chapter Two: Promise "aaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhggGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!" As if on cue, Allen Shezar bolted out of his light sleep and landed next to his bed. He shot out between the waiting doors of his chamber, a flash of gold down the candle-lit hall, and swung open the heavy doors that separated him and his precious sister. Serena wasn't in her bed, as usual. Instead, Allen ran into the shadows and scooped up a sobbing disintegration of bones from the hidden corner of the room. "It's okay, it's okay. I'm here now, no one will hurt you. . ." Between gentle kisses, Allen carefully returned the shivering girl to her bed. "Aa. . hh. . ." she choked against Allen's heart. Horrified pupils dilated and saw nothing but crimson terror, terror that she could not remember. More tears, as she tried to compact her body smaller and smaller, hoping to disappear into oblivion between Allen's strong arms. He folded the satin sheets around her, but nothing could stop the coldness. "Serena. . ." Allen tightened his grip around his silver angel and wished to God that he was the one feeling the pain, instead of her. Every one of Serena's sobs was a jab into Allen's heart, "Please, tell me what to do. Anything, anything, Serena. . . Come back to me. . . Don't be afraid. . ." Eventually Serena lost consciousness and resumed her peaceful sleep in midst of Allen's warm embrace and soft pleas. Allen returned the child back to the calm sheets and watched in grief as the feathered pillows molded against her frail form. Allen shifted his position on the bed, arms folded, and leaned back against the delicately carved headboard. He would stay with her like this, until the break of dawn. Allen couldn't sleep. He couldn't help but worry, worry that he was going to loose Serena, again. He closed his eyes tight. There had always been nightmares, after he brought Serena back to the Shezar Mansion; after the war. But they were rare at first. Serena was still incoherent and unresponsive, like a sleeping child trapped inside an awakened body, but at least she could recognize her brother once in a while. Allen had hoped that she would eventually get better. To his dismay, in time her condition only regressed. Nightmares occurred every night now, and Allen had to force feed her. Allen took Serena's cold fingers into his own, and held them against the pain inside his chest. Both her body and soul were deteriorating rapidly in front of Allen's own eyes, and there was nothing he could do but watch her die. ***** Eries loved the fresh sea breeze in the mornings. From where she stood, she could even see the pink coral reef encircling the shore of Asturia, glistening in the cool sunlight. Gracefully she walked around the circular grave marks and laid the light purple Forgive-Me-Nots on Encia's resting-place: a silent promise she had always kept. She comforted the soul with her smile, *You should be proud, not only is he now the most honored knight in Asturia, he has also brought Serena back to you.* After a few seconds of respect, she headed off to another corner of the cemetery, a few lilac pedals dancing behind her. A few yards away was an unmarked stone, neatly kept. Dried purple flowers from Eries's last visit shivered in the wind. Eries settled down in front of them, and replaced them with fresh Forgive-Me-Nots. After she removed the few strands of unwelcomed grass, she dusted the stone with her handkerchief. *My sanctuary. . .* Blurry swings of purple in the corner of her eye, and she reached out to crush the loose brittle flowers in her palm. She gathered a few more stems with her other hand, and released the bitter particles back to the wind, eyes still teary from the sea breeze. "Why must women always grieve?" But the flowers did not reply. "Folken. . ." She closed her eyes, and wondered if the feather buried under the stone was still as beautiful, as pure, as it was on the day he had given it to her. "Had it really brought me luck? Or just ten years of bitter heartache?" Delicate fingers grasped the cold circular stone, desperate against time, helpless against beauty fading. "Answer me . . ." Eries looked off to a distance, and remembered that unforgettable night. ***** *Fanelia,* young Eries thought, *Such a strange country: so quiet, so poor, but yet everyone seems to be so content." She carefully selected her silent stride around the garden, within the Fanelia's green roofed castle. A member of the royal family shouldn't be out here in this time at night, and she certainly didn't want to disgrace her country. But she felt a little rebellious today, *No one will find out anyway.* She sat down by a chrysanthemum bush and leaned to savor its wine-like aroma. She had accompanied her king and her mother in a diplomatic tour around Gaea, and tomorrow they will finally return to her beloved Asturia. She had missed the taste of salt in the sea breeze and also that smell of rusty books in her private study. She was longing for a sense of familiarity. On the whole trip, she had done her duty by displaying her manners and representing her country. *But what's the point when no one notices?* Her older sister, Princess Marlene, was the beautiful one who dazzled and charmed everyone's heart whenever she waltzed around the ballroom floors. And in the dining halls, her younger sister, cute little Princess Millerna, would bring everyone laughter simply by being her innocent self. But Eries, who tried so hard to be a good princess, was just Princess Eries. "You might catch a cold." Eries was startled to find a light wool cloak wrapped around her. She looked up from the damp wooden bench, and a gentle smile was waiting for her. "Oh!" Eries jumped to her feet, and folded her hands in front of her. "Pardon me, I must have forgotten the time." Her eyes darted around her feet, looking for an excuse. "I'm on my way to feed a needy family. Would the princess be kind enough to join me?" *What?* Eries looked into those soft eyes again, and smiled back. Tall, lean, and handsome, the fifteen-year-old prince of Fanelia also had hair the color of her beloved sea. His father, the king of Fanelia, had recently passed away, and he will soon become the new king. She blushed, "Where are we going, Prince Folken?" "Just come," Folken offered her his hand. "Don't you trust me?" She laughed at his tease, and allowed him to escort her out of the garden. The night was cool and clear, but when they made it to the top of the cliff, both were flushed. Pausing to catch her breath, Eries looked back toward Fanelia and was startled by the vast distance in between. She could see all of Fanelia from where she stood, plus the mountains beyond, and the bright stars above. *I must be crazy,* she thought. *If Father sees me like this. . .* But for some reason she felt so safe, so comfortable, around this gentle prince. She stole another glance at Prince Folken, who was now looking up at a deep-rooted tree few yards ahead of her. "We're here," he called to Eries, and gestured for her to come over. Next to his side, Eries followed his gaze to a dark nest of twigs and twines hidden in the core of extended branches. A few tiny shadows occasionally popped up from the mess, and she could hear their small hungry cries. She chuckled, "So this is your extended family, Prince Folken." "I found them a few days ago, by accident. One had fallen out of the nest, and the rest were starving to death," Folken explained as he pulled out a small bag of some sorts from his pocket. "I waited, but the mother never showed up. I moved the nest higher up on the tree to protect them from predators. Now I guess I'm their self-proclaimed guardian." He handed the open bag of walnuts to Eries, "Would you like to feed them?" She looked at the carefully crushed walnuts, and then apologized to Folken, "I'd love to, but I don't know how to climb trees. . ." "Do you trust me?" He gave her a mischievous smile. "Umn," Eries blushed, then nodded. Folken took a step back, pulled his tunic over his head, and folded it neatly on a nearby rock. *What's he doing?* Eries' face was on fire. But suddenly she forgot how to feel as she stared into two soft white wings that flashed behind Folken and wrapped themselves around his graceful figure. Her trembling knees threatened to give away, but she held herself in place. Years of strict court discipline finally proved their usefulness to her. She didn't cry out, nor did she run. Eries stood silently waiting for Folken to speak. Instead of the cries he had expected from a normal twelve-year-old girl, Folken was impressed by the calm and poised princess before him. He had brought her along with the slightest intention of breaking the grace that isolated her from others. He didn't believe that a girl so young, so fragile, could possess such dignity and purity, even though she was a princess. But now her strength effortlessly exposed his pettiness. "I.. I'm sorry. . ." Folken was at a lost for words. Explaining his heritage now would seem clumsy, and he was too self-conscious to just move on. . . He was naked, embarrassed, *and cold. . .* "They are pretty." "What?" Folken willed himself to stare at the smiling princess. "Your wings, I think they are very pretty," Eries's voice gently calmed his nervousness. She could sense that he was uneasy, and she assured him with her smile that no explanation was needed. He was beautiful, cloaked by white feathers; his sudden shyness only made him even more so. She held up the bag of walnuts to distract his discomfort, "Are we suppose to feed these to the babies?" His smile was sincere when he gathered Eries in his arms and flew toward the heart of the tree, unaware of her tensed muscles in nervous protest. "Ugh, there is something else I forgot to tell you," Folken looked down at the warmth next to his heart. "They are not birds." "Excuse me?" Folken carefully landed on the tree branch, and helped Eries settle next to the large nest. "They are baby terra-dragons." Sitting behind Eries, with his arm wrapped around her waist for support, he reached over to play with the little green dragons tumbling within their crowded nest. *Babies?* Eries was worried. *They are larger than full-grown cats!* "Don't worry, they won't bite." He tightened his hold around Eries, sensing her fear. "Dragons hunt humans because they fear us from experience," He paused to tickle the soft tummy of an attention-starved baby dragon. "But these ones only know that we are here to take care of them." Eries held out her hand, but was reluctant. . . She had heard and read too many stories about their viciousness. She looked at the walnut crumbs on her palm. She wanted to be back on the ground. "Here," Folken took her hand and offered it to the babies. Eries gasped and instinctively wanted to withdraw her hand, but it was too late. The three hungry babies had already gathered around her hand and were fighting for every little crumb of their meal. Eries laughed as their tongues tickled her palm, "Don't fight! There is more!" After the babies were satiated, Folken returned Eries to the ground. Still excited from the rush, Eries clasped Folken's hand in her palms and looked straight into his eyes, "Thank you! I will never forget that wonderful. . ." Suddenly realizing her lack of royal manners, Eries stepped back from Folken and lowered her gaze, "I.. I mean. . ." "Look! A shooting star!" Folken was pointing toward the northern sky. An orange comet was slowly sweeping through the purple clouds, trailed by stardusts. All other lights of the sky paled in comparison. "Quick! Make a wish!" The comet quickly disappeared behind the hills, leaving behind the break of dawn. To their east the rising sun was gradually spilling over the mountaintop, pouring iridescent light into the valley, onto Fanelia. Eries was so mesmerized that she had to remind herself how to breathe. "I wished that Fanelia will always be this beautiful," said the Prince of Fanelia. But there was sadness in his eyes, a sadness that only Eries could recognize. A sadness that accompanied responsibility and courage. "So what did you wish for?" "Me?" Eries blushed, *Should I tell him?* "I. . I was selfish," she couldn't believe she was going to say it. "I wished that someday I would see you again." An awkward period of silence followed. Eries wished it was still night so Folken couldn't see her burning cheeks. But when she finally looked up, she knew it was okay. His gentle smile had melted her heart. "Here," he reached behind him and brought forth a feather for her. She held it carefully in her hands, feeling its pearl-like softness. "For luck, and a promise. I'm sure someday we will meet again." ***** "A promise," Eries whispered to the silent grave. The cool sea air over the cemetery was gradually being replaced by the harsher sun. Eries squinted as the brutal rays bounced of the white stone and ached her eyes. "A promise, and ten long years of heartache." She still remembered the day she heard of Prince Folken's disappearance, shortly after her homecoming from Fanelia. *No. . . death,* she corrected herself. She was tending the newly planted chrysanthemums in her private garden, and had overheard a conversation between King Aston and the ambassador from Basram. There were also rumors, but she didn't believe them. Folken would never run away. Never. The kind and gentle prince who loved his country: he would never escape his duties and abandon his people. Then Eries recalled the sadness in his eyes, a sadness that only surfaced ever so briefly on that unforgettable night. The sadness that she thought bonded them together. *No! It was supposed to make you stronger! Stronger to perform your duties as a member of the royal family, stronger to hide all your emotions deep within your heart, like what I have done since I could remember. . .* She ran into her chamber and buried her tears into the pillows, both hands pressed against her quivering lips, muffling the sobs so the servants wouldn't hear. The night breeze through her chamber windows woke Eries from her exhausted sleep. Around her bed, the pale moon had painted white clouds on the marble floor. Slowly she untangled herself from the knotted sheets and walked toward her dresser, barefooted. Her shadow danced behind her, like black wings in the sky, but every chilling step bounded her to the castle floor. From deep within her dresser Eries unearthed a small golden box. She carefully took out her most precious possession, and held it against her heart, feeling its soft purity. "For luck, and a promise. I'm sure someday we will meet again." Her knees gave away to the floor. "You lied to me, Folken. You lied." Then ten years passed by. She never cried for him again, but she kept the golden box next to her bed. In ten years she had grown up to be the most respected princess in Asturia, loved by her people, and esteemed by the Court. She was praised and honored for her dedication to charity and her selfless devotion to her country. Many things changed in ten years. When her mother Terese passed away, Eries took on the responsibility of overseeing the House of Aston. She raised Millerna, helped her father the King, and even fell in love with a young man of the Heavenly Knights. She watched in silence as he fell in love with her beautiful sister, and comforted him when they both lost her. But she always kept the little gold box by her bed. Perhaps someday Folken will show up at her chamber window, with wings pure as snow, and take her away from her sorrow. Ten years. Ten years of self-control and frustration. Ten long years of heartache. Yet she never regretted any moment of it. She had sacrificed her youth and her beauty for Asturia, for her people, but she never regretted it. Never. Until that day Lord Folken showed up on a floating fortress of Zaibach. The burning of Fanelia, the exile of King Van. Possible invasion of Freid, and the ultimate destruction of Gaea. Eries couldn't believe her ears. But Allen's fort was attacked, and he was on his way back to Asturia to confirm her fears. The gentle Folken who helped little dragons? The kind prince who loved his people? He couldn't possibly be an agent of the infamous Zaibach Empire! She was lost. The feather that she had kept next to her for ten years, the white feather that held so much hope and fantasy, now belonged to a heartless murderer. She pondered, and silently paced in darkness between corridors near the guest wing. Should she? Would he still remember her? Tonight Lord Folken was the guest of honor at the Castle of Asturia. She had excused herself from the banquet, but now she regretted that uncourtly gesture. Folken, the sea green hair, those gentle eyes; had he forgotten his promise? Had he forgotten that little girl who fed walnuts to the terra-dragons? A poetic sequence of notes broke the night and distracted Eries from her suspended heart. *An Aeolian harp? Left outside to the wind?* The music was coming from the botanic garden next to the guest wing: delicate tones and uneven tempo, as if carelessly plucked by the willow. Eries wanted to rescue the poor instrument and reprimand the thoughtless musician who left it behind. *But I am too close to. . .* Hesitantly, Eries moved down the unlit corridor, where the garden should be visible just around the corner. But Eries stopped in her path when the random tones were rearranged into order and a low voice resonated with the chords. A clear and beautiful voice whispered over the rolled harmony and took its liberty with the strange melody. *Could it be one of the Understudies?* Eries wondered. It was the voice of a young woman, no doubt, but Eries could not recognize the tune. Curious, Eries walked softly to the end of the corridor, where it opened toward the botanic garden, and looked around the shadowed corner. In the center of the moonlit garden, on the edge of the blue lotus pond, sat a dark skinned girl with luscious raven hair. But she wasn't holding an Aeolian harp, Eries corrected herself. It was a Kanaphrian lute, a rare instrument even in cultured Asturia. *Strange song. . .* Eries found the music exotic, but unnatural to her ears. Instead, allowing herself to be hidden by the shadows, Eries carefully studied the young musician in solitude. She couldn't help but blush. Asturian fashion, despite influence from its neighboring countries, had always remained conservative. Even Millerna, with her casual riding outfits and capricious style, knew to dress properly for occasions. Neatly filed hair covered by a veil, and a ironed dress-coat laced to the collar, were a must for Asturian royalty. Eries frowned at the green-eyed girl in her vision. Not only did she let her hair fly loosely in the wind, but she was wearing, what seemed to Eries, a thin night gown carelessly tied to the waist with a silver belt. Arms exposed to the night, and the curves of her breasts clearly visible underneath the transparent fabric. This Kanaphrian girl sat cross-legged on the mosaic tiles and sang to her lute without a care in the world. Eries stared at the silver bracelet above her elbow, coiled like a cobra. Obviously this girl was related to Zaibach, given Eries's knowledge of Kanaphra and logic of deduction, but surely someone must have taught her how to dress properly during a diplomatic visit to a foreign country! Then the music stopped, and so did Eries's heart. Not far from the girl, with his back toward Eries, appeared a tall and elegant composure with sea-green hair. Only the wind dared to stir his dark blue cloak, but all other elements of the night trembled before his arrogant indifference. Two pair of eyes watched as he slowly moved toward the pond, and stood over the cross-legged girl. "I didn't know how much I missed your voice until I heard you from my chamber," Folken said gently. One hand emerged from the heavy cloak and reached to untangle the wind-blown hair, "You might catch a cold, Sasha." Eries winced as she felt a stab in her heart. She wanted to turn around and run back to her chamber. She wanted to pretend that she had not come near the botanic garden tonight, and she wanted to cut her most precious possession into a million pieces. But she stood unmoved, hidden in the shadows, fixated with her own annihilation. She stood and she watched. "Spare me the act," Sasha reached up to push Folken's hand away, and looked away from his warmth; lips pouting. Then she tossed her lute to the soft grass, "Save your energy for Naria and Eriya." Folken smiled, "So what did Naria and Eriya do this time?" "Nothing," Sasha snapped. "Dornkirk just cleared their liability, so they will be joining you soon." She brought up her legs, rested her chin on her knees, and rolled her eyes like a discontented child. "If it weren't for you, Folken, I would have killed them a long time ago. They really annoy me!" "They don't mean any harm, Sasha." "But they are too possessive of you." "And you're not?" Folken chuckled slightly. "It's different!" Sasha protested with a flirting frown. "I'm your assistant. I'm the one who should help you. But nooo, I have to stay in Zaibach to work on that stupid Fate Redirector while the catgirls get to chase the dragon with you." Sasha made a face, and one hand reached to splash the pond water. "Anyway, the only reason for me to come to this terrible place," Sasha continued, "Was to check out Escaflowne. But I guess now the whole operation is behind schedule. I tuned up the Guymelefs this afternoon and the Stealth Mantles seem to function properly, so I guess I'll be leaving for Zaibach tomorrow." Completely unconcerned with Folken's silence, Sasha went on as if talking to herself: "After you left for Fanelia, my life has just been pure hell. That old pervert Dornkirk is going completely senile!" Then Sasha changed her voice to a Dornkirk imitation, "My Destiny Predictor is broken, Sasha, fix it. My view of the future is obstructed, Sasha, fix it. The lens on my Destiny Scope are dirty, Sasha, clean it. I need to recalculate the probabilities of uncertainty, Sasha, get right on it." Sasha exclaimed, "He's driving me crazy!" Sasha's grumbles suddenly turned into girlish giggles, "But you should have been there when I put a spider on the objective lens of the Destiny Scope!" A sweat drop loomed over Folken's raised eyebrow. "Dornkirk almost had a heart-attack that morning! If the spider hadn't been fried by the photon beams, I bet we would be chasing after some evil fate-altering spider right now instead of the dragon!" "Ah-hum," Folken coughed in attempt to keep Sasha under control. "Sasha, did you bring the equipment that I asked for?" Sasha ceased the giggles and returned to her cross-legged position. "Yes, sir," she looked at Folken earnestly, "The Particle Accelerator and the Photon Emission Generator are both waiting for you in your lab on Vione." "Thank you, Sasha." "Folken," Sasha asked softly, sneaking a cautious look at him. "May I ask what you plan to do with them? The Metamorphs and the Sorcerers are displeased with your refusal to communicate your motive. I had to beg blackmail and cheat to get the stuff here." "Did you have a chance to read the field reports from the Ryuugekitai?" Folken's answer was indirect. "Yeah, I took a peek at it after I arrived. But then Dilandu charged after me with his sword in the air and he was yelling something about shish kebabs, so I had to run away and hide down here. . ." Sasha tilted her head from side to side and played with her hair. *How was I to know that he'd be so hypersensitive about the scar on his face? Usually he and his boys are always so desperate to confirm their masculinity, and I didn't want to lie and tell him that the scar wasn't ugly. . . Some people can never take a joke* But Folken was silent, and Sasha rolled her eyes again. *Being Folken's assistant really sucks.* So his plan had something to do with the field reports, and it was obviously related to photon and particles. . . In her mind she quickly backtracked to the pages, frantically searching for a probably keyword that would give her some advantage over their mind game. *Found it!* But the sudden revelation made Sasha shudder. She stood up and stared her emerald eyes wide at Folken, "Surely you don't intend to re-create the beam of light that teleported Escaflowne away from Fanelia!?" Folken replied with an undaunted look of confidence, but Sasha wasn't convinced. "Folken, this time, that God Complex of yours has gone way too far." She leaned toward Folken, arms reached out as if to grab him by the sides, "This is too dangerous. How will you centralize your target and minimize the spherical wavelets of light? Not only that, but matter disintegrates at the speed of light! You will be annihilated into pure energy before you even reach your destination! Folken, as your assistant I must advise.." "Sasha," Folken's left hand seized Sasha's frantic arm and silenced her. "My mind is already made up." But sensing her concern, he slowly added, "Don't worry, I have given thoughts to it already. The interfering properties can be controlled if we polarize the light beam linearly. And as for conversion of particles into photons, if I can align the electro-magnetic waves with that of the Fate Redirector, then. . ." Sasha wrenched her arm away from Folken, and turned her back to him. Calmly she said, "What a paradox, to mix particle physics with metaphysics." She walked toward the pond, and knelt down to play with a blue lotus bud. "It's like trying to be conscious of the unconscious, Folken. I just don't understand why you and Dornkirk are so obsessed with controlling Fate." "Sasha," Folken walked up behind her, and laid a warm hand on her left shoulder. "Even if the whole world stands against me, I would still expect you to understand my ideals. To manipulate time and space, that is just a mean to my end." "But will such control really bring happiness and peace to Gaea?" Sasha closed her eyes and caressed Folken's warm hand with her cool cheeks. "Of course I understand your ideals. If it weren't for you, I would still be living with the rats in Zaibach Dungeon; just another political hostage to keep a check on the Kanaphrian Resistance Front. You gave me freedom and power, and you taught me everything I know." A silver tear slowly slid down her cheek, "You taught me how to think, you taught me how to fight, and you even taught me how to forgive those who hurt me." Then Sasha stood up from the pond and turned to face Folken. "But why can't you teach me to believe?" She wrapped her arms around Folken, and nested her tear stained face under his chin. "Of course I understand. But why is it that I am still so afraid? I can't help but worry that we are recreating the tragedy of Atlantis. I can't help but wonder why with all the measures we took to control uncertainty, we only created more uncertainly." "And sometimes," Sasha looked into Folken's faraway eyes, "I wish I would just succumb to my Fate. Then I would no longer need to take responsibility for any of my actions." "You are the last person in this world who would ever surrender to anything," Folken smiled. "That's why you never escaped from Zaibach. You wanted to fulfill your duties as the princess of Kanaphra, and you stayed because you also wanted to create a utopia." Sasha pushed herself from Folken and looked away. "No, Folken, you are wrong. I don't give a damn about Kanaphra nor Zaibach. I don't give a damn about duties nor utopia. I stayed because I have nowhere else to go, because my brother wants me to spy on Zaibach for the Resistance, and I stayed because of you." She sobbed into her hands, shoulders trembling. "I'm selfish and I'm a coward. I don't have high ideals like you, I just want to please the people I love. I want to make my brother happy, make you happy. That's all I care about. . ." She raised her head, helpless eyes searched Folken's face. "Am I wrong? Why am I wrong?" Her voice was shaking, "Do you hate me, Folken?" "Sasha," Folken raised his left arm and smoothed Sasha's hair. "I'm sorry, you know that I cannot. . ." "No, don't," Sasha sealed Folken's lips with a light touch of the finger. "I know. I know that you will never love me as a man does a woman. Your first love belongs to the Macrocosmos, to peace, to utopia, and to your ideals. But that's okay." She gave Folken her happiest smile, and gently caressed his cheek with her fingertips. "Even if you love me as a teacher does a student. Even if I am just a means to your end. As long as you don't leave me, I'll be happy." Folken looked down at Sasha. He saw a single tear trickling down her face. Folken wanted to touch it, to comfort her with words, but he wouldn't. "Kiss me," Sasha pleaded, emerald eyes full of fear and desire. "Please. . ." Eries held her breath. Folken's hesitation seemed like eternity. Then Eries's heart shattered when their lips locked. Sasha pressed her body against Folken, and snaked her arms around his neck. Tears filled Eries's eyes, and she sobbed. Too late. A rapid friction of metal, and Eries found herself drawn into two green eyes. Sasha had drawn the sword by Folken's side, and was charging towards her like a mad predator. Eries turned to run back down the corridor, but it was too late. Her collar tightened around her neck, and she felt her body being flung back to the garden. A sharp pain immobilized her as the ground pounded against her back, knocking the air out of her lungs. Then she opened her eyes and saw a silver coil of cobra; eyes ruby red, scales glistening in the moonlight, waiting to lunge that fatal bite. Eries pushed herself up by the elbow and found the face of the sword cold against her cheek. A deadly smile under cold preying eyes. "Cease, Sasha." Folken's calm voice floated from behind. "She is a princess of Asturia." Sasha looked toward Folken, and folded the sword behind her right arm. Then on one leg she knelt down next to Eries, and roughly lifted Eries's chin so the frightened eyes could not look away. "Just like Aston, sending his own daughter to spy for him." Sasha smiled, "Ironic isn't it? When he betrayed my family 13 years ago, did he think that one day his own daughter would die at the hands of his betrayee?" Sasha slapped Eries with the back of her hand, and stood up holding the sword like a dagger over Eries's heart. Then she raised her arms and thrust down. A spark of colliding metal broke Eries from her trance. She blinked in disbelief, but the tip of the blade was stopped fractions before entering her heart. When her vision cleared, she saw an arm of dark metal before her, and a sword blade embedded within its grip. The shinning arm had emerged from a dark blue cloak around the shoulders of Folken, who now stood on the other side of her. *Folken?* "What is the meaning of this?" Sasha withdrew the sword and arrogantly demanded an answer from the man across from her. "Sasha, I will not have you jeopardize the relationship between Zaibach and Asturia." Folken's reply was equally as strong, ready to challenge all opposition. The clash of power towering over Eries made her tremble. The tenderness a few minutes ago had been replaced by the tension from a conflict of Fate. Folken and Sasha stood against each other, both determined to carry out their will. Her eyes darted from side to side, helpless against the warlike hostility above her. But then one side relaxed. "Hm." Sasha threw the sword on the ground and stamped her foot like a child denied of its toy. Then she took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. "Very well. I'm going to return to Vione now. I will await the news of your success in Zaibach." With that, she walked to the pond, picked up her lute, and disappeared from the botanic garden. They were alone now. Eries wasn't prepared for the situation. She didn't know what to do. So she did nothing, waiting for Folken to make the first move. Then Folken offered her his hand, a warm and gentle hand. Reluctantly Eries took it, and Folken helped her back on her feet. Her knees were still shaking as she watched Folken retrieve the sword and sheathe it against his side. When his cloak parted, she saw his right arm. It was a dark and metallic arm. "Folken?" Folken never looked at her. "I'm sorry, Eries." "Why? Why Zaibach?" Eries's brows knotted in anguish, hands clasped against her bosom, "What happened?" A slight twitch of the head, as if Folken wanted to turn around to see her, to tell her. But Fanelia's Folken was dead. Folken willed himself to keep on walking, despite Eries's pleas, and soon he also disappeared into the darkness. *I'm sorry? That's all you had to say?* Eries closed her eyes, and she was back at the cemetery, sitting under the afternoon sun. *Sorry.* That was the last word he ever said to her. Even after he defected from Zaibach to aid the allied army, they never exchanged words again; just glances of hidden sorrow. Eries could feel the pain, like a weight on her heart, but she no longer understood. It has been a year and an half after the Great Gaean War. She had forgiven him, for his promise and for his death, and life went on. No more tears, just an endless heartache. ***** *Eries?* Allen saw the fresh Forgive-Me-Nots on his mother's grave, and wondered if the princess was still around. Last night's ordeal was almost like a dream. This morning, Serena woke up as happy as the singing birds outside her window. If it weren't for last night, Allen could probably be convinced that Serena was even getting better. It was a lovely day, so Allen decided to take Serena to see their mother. Maybe some fresh air would help her. Serena was playing with the butterflies when Allen spotted a figure gracefully moving toward them. "Princess Eries," Allen smiled. "Sir Allen," Eries returned the curtsey as Allen gently brought her hand to his lips. "I'm glad to see that Serena is feeling better." Allen replied with a nod, but didn't want to answer. They stood behind Serena and watched her in silence, lost in their own thoughts. Allen turned to look at Eries. *Such sad eyes,* he thought as he watched Eries smile and offered her handkerchief to Serena. He never understood Eries. His charm, the charm that has enchanted every female in Asturia, never was able to take the sorrow from her eyes. He wasn't certain, but he could sense her feelings toward him, a feeling that he didn't understand. It was different from the love of Marlene and Millerna. He didn't know what it was, so he chose not to acknowledge it. He had too much respect for her anyway. He was grateful to Eries, for she had done so much to help Serena. She would frequently visit the Shezar Mansion to bring Serena gifts, and she sought the best in the medical field to cure Serena. She was like a mother to Serena, and Serena seemed to like Eries, a lot. Allen and Eries exchanged smiles as Serena clumsily tried to capture the butterfly in her hands. *But I have too much respect for her.* "Is the princess about to return to the castle?" "Actually," Eries replied. "I was hoping to go to the bazaar. Would you and Serena care to join me?" "I would be honored to escort the princess." Allen gently helped Serena up, and guided her to Eries. Eries took Serena's hands and smiled, "Hello Serena, would you like a take a walk with me?" Serena smiled at the princess. "To the bazaar, then." The magnificent knight extended his arm to let the ladies ahead, and then followed them down the hill, away from the cemetery. The bazaar near the port wasn't far, but it was a shocking contrast from the cemetery. The trio quickly found themselves engulfed by people; in midst of colorful shops and chaotic traffic. From side to side, they could hear bickering and greetings, all words jumbled up to a mixture of random cacophony. Allen and Eries, affected by the sudden excitement, carried on a conversation about the prosperity of Asturia and its various economic policies. But Serena wasn't paying attention to them. She found the noise and the people isolating, and she withdrew further into herself. Then something caught her eyes. A beastman, tall and elegant, was half hidden within a dark alley that branched from the main street. Hands folded in front of him, the beastman had his back leaned against the alley wall, and his eyes were closed in waiting. Serena wondered whom he was waiting for. Suddenly those eyes opened, and the beastman smiled at Serena. "Jajuka?" ***** The night wasn't different from any other nights in Fanelia, but Van had never felt such coldness in the wind. Wide eyed, Van stared at Sasha. The vicious predator that nearly took his life a few minutes ago was now a satiated child flashing her best smile at him. He couldn't acknowledge the fact that she just swallowed his pendant. "What did you do? Give it back to me!" "Oops!" Sasha covered her mouth like an absent-minded little girl. "Sorry! I guess now you'll have to cut me open to get it." She looked at the distressed Van, and giggled. Hell's fire could not compare with the fury that surged through Van. He charged toward Sasha like lightening; the tip of his sword trailing behind him. Before Sasha could strike, Van had already brought up his blade with both hands and sliced at Sasha's waist. He wanted to cut her in half. With only a second to respond to the sudden burst of speed, Sasha instinctively managed to bring up her sword against Van's blade. Metal clashed, and the sparks blinded Sasha as she found herself thrown sideways on to the ground. Van's force had knocked her off balance. But there was no time to think. Van struck again, this time the blade crashed down on top of Sasha's head. Despite the pain in her limbs, Sasha quickly held up her sword to stop its path. She could feel the warm fluid sliding down from her hand and staining her arm with streaks of red... Against the pressure, the shaft of her sword had ripped open the muscles in her palm. Standing over her, Van pressed his weight down on the sword, his mad eyes threatening to swallow her alive. In a miraculous burst of energy, Sasha pushed against Van. Just a fraction of a second, but the time allowed her to roll to the side as Van's sword stuck the ground beside her head. Sasha could hear the air being ripped apart right next to her ears. She sat up, and Van's sword was waiting for her. "Give it back to me," Van's blade moved forward slightly around Sasha's neck. Strings of blood slid down Van's sword. "Like I said," Sasha's eyes were cold and arrogant. "Kill me." Van frowned. *What should I do?* Sensing Van's hesitation, Sasha grew impatient. "What?" She glared at him stubbornly. "Don't tell me that the King of Fanelia, who led the allied army to victory in the Great War, is afraid to kill! Com'on Van, what happened to that thirst for blood and vengeance? What happened to that desire for war and destruction?" She smiled a cruel smile, "Don't forget, for you, millions died. Are you telling me now that you're a coward?" "Shut up!" Van deepened his sword into Sasha. "I fought in the Great War to protect the woman I loved. I fought to save Gaea from Zaibach. I. . ." "Lies!" Sasha cut him off. "You are all the same. Don't use love as an excuse for war! How dare you! Noble causes are just pretty facades for selfish desires, so don't blame a woman for your own doing!" She leaned toward Van, disregarding the widened gash on her neck. "You fought because you were selfish and afraid. You wanted power, power that you could not have if Zaibach remained. You had no right to say what's right and what's wrong, but you lied and took the words of justice to hide your fears. You were afraid, weren't you? Afraid that Zaibach was right, afraid that you were nothing but. . ." Van stood up, and sheathed his sword by his side. He looked down at Sasha with pitying eyes, and silently walked away. "Wait!" Sasha stood up and yelled, "Don't you want your pendant back?" "Keep it." Van never turned around. "I never considered myself the righteous one. I just wanted to protect the people I love. Perhaps it was selfish, but I believed in them, and they believed in me." He kept on walking. "Once I was afraid. So afraid that my hands would tremble at the sight of a sword. But my friends taught me the meaning of courage and faith. Now it no longer haunts me." Sasha lost. "I hate you!" She cried behind him. Van felt something small hit his back. He turned around. Glittering in the moonlight, he could see Hitomi's pendant between the blades of grass. Van picked up the pendant, and looked at Sasha, "Why?" "Why won't you kill me?" the dark princess stood alone, framed by the moonlit Escaflowne behind her. The wind brushed against her and lifted her green gown against her frail form. "Please kill me. ." She sobbed against her left hand. "What would I say to him on our wedding night? What if he finds out that I can no longer give him want he wants? What should I do?" Sasha trembled like a helpless child. "What?" Van was tempted to give her what she wanted. "All this for a case of cold feet?" Then Van took a step back when Sasha's sorrow suddenly turned into rage. "It's all Escaflowne's fault!" She turned behind her. "It's all your fault!" She raised her sword in front of her, and charged toward Escaflowne. "Sasha, stop!" Van ran after her, but Sasha leaped up on Escaflowne's knelt knee, and sprang herself in position before its crystal essence. With all her force she thrust her blade into its stone heart. "NO!" Van screamed. Suddenly, a beam of bright light shot out from the pink stone as Sasha's blade scratched its surface. Van watched in horror as the beam of light pushed through Sasha's body and came out like two black wings behind her back. An eruption of bloody mucus webbed his vision, and he cried out Sasha's name as the light ripped her apart inside-out. Then Van lost consciousness. "Promise me, Van." Mother? Van heard a familiar voice from his childhood. "Van, promise me that you'll never show your wings until the time comes." "But why mother?" "Please believe me, Van," tears trickled down Varie's face as she lowered her head in sadness. Van reached to smooth her beautiful raven hair. "Don't cry, Mother. I promise." Then Van jumped back in terror as Varie raised her head. Instead of the face of his mother, the tear stained face belonged to Sasha. The same dark hair, the same sad eyes. Van was falling. . . "Mother!" Van sat up on the ground, and felt the night air around him. He looked at Escaflowne, then at the graves. Was the whole thing a dream? Escaflowne was slumbering in peace, gently shielded by ivy. The graves were quiet and undisturbed. He raised his head, the Illusionary Moon still hung above him, just like it did a moment ago on the hill behind the castle. But then a moan caught his ears, and his eyes focused on a figure across from the open field. *Sasha!* He ran toward her, and found her unconscious on the ground. No marks of blood on her clothes, no black wings. Not even a scratch. Van knelt down and helped Sasha sit up with one arm on her back. "Wake up! Sasha!" Sasha slowly opened her green eyes, and stared up at Van helplessly. Then she bursted into tears and sobbed, "It wants our blood. It will not stop until it has all our blood. . ." "Shh," Van comforted the trembling girl in his embrace. Sasha was crying like a traumatized child, and Van couldn't help but hold her against him. Then he raised one hand to smooth her raven hair. It was the same hair of his mother. Van remembered when he used to hide in those silky strands as a child, and when he used to tug on it to get his mother's attention. "Take me home, Van" Sasha cried into his heart. "Please take me back to Kanaphra. Please, I want to go home. I beg you, please take me home." Van tightened his arms around her. "Don't cry, Sasha. I'll take you home. I promise." End of Chapter 8 (Ugh just one more to go!) Escaflowne, Leavetakings... By M.H., mailto:monicaho@midway.uchicago.edu ***** Disclaimer: Vision of Escaflowne and its original characters are property of Sunrise. Note: Special special thanks to Lorelei Bassi for her big help in editing! Another big story that I need to slice up a bit(RG) ***** Part 9, "Wings" "Ja.. Jajuka?" Serena took a step toward the hidden Beastman, but she felt Eries's hand tighten on her own as she was led-away down the bazaar street. Eries was still conversing with Allen on things Serena could not understand, and she blinked at them as if watching two strangers of a foreign tongue. When she looked back at the hidden alley, between busy bodies that crossed her vision, the elegant Beastman was no longer there. Like an obedient child, Serena continued to trail behind her elders. A passing Dolphin Man caught her curiosity, and the ever so brief tingling in her heart was quickly forgotten. Then without warning everything blurred to chaos as Serena heard them: an ear-shattering explosion followed by distant shouting and frantic footsteps. The land shook, and before Serena could comprehend what was going on, she felt Eries's body stumble against hers as they both fell to the ground. All Serena could see were blurry colors of motion rushing besides her, pushing her from side to side like a herd of frightened animals. Things were falling from the sky, people were screaming in pain, a foul stench was in the air, and the dust clouds brought tears to her eyes. "Serena! Where are you!" When the explosion went off, Allen was also knocked down by the impact. But when he jumped back to his feet, he had lost sight of Serena. With no time to spare, Allen threw himself over Eries and shielded her from the falling debris with his own body. While holding Eries against his chest, Allen could see the blazing fire spreading from the explosion to rooftops of nearby houses. "Stay down and seek shelter!" Allen yelled at the panic stricken crowd running all around him. But his voice was drowned out by the screams of people trampled underneath the mass. Serena tried to get up, and was knocked down again by the roaring chaos. She looked for Allen, looked for Eries, looked for anybody who would help her, but all around her were strangers with demonic faces. She was alone. Like the nightmares that had haunted her every night, she was once again, alone. She screamed. She held her hands to her eyes and screamed her terror, but no one ran into her room to wake her. There was no golden embrace to bring her out of that nameless horror, no warmth to hide within. The crimson inferno was real. So real that she could taste the blood in her mouth and feel the fire in her veins. She was frightened, so frightened. A pulsing ache was threatening to split her head, and she felt like throwing up her heart. "Dalet! Chesta! Where are you!" Serena braced herself so her body would not burst apart. "Migel! Don't leave me alone! Gatti!" She pleaded to the madness, begging for it to take the torment away from her. A sharp pain on her right cheek, and Serena felt an old scar being ripped open by the rapids of her blood. Warmth trickled down her neck, and her mind shattered as that mesmerizing smell of warm human blood, the smell that she had always craved for, brought back all her hatred, and all her desires. "Dilandau!" Two claws dug into her arms, and Dilandau looked up into two blue orbs of light. "Dilandau! I knew that it was you!" The Beastman shook the girl like a rag doll, "What are you doing in that dress? Wake up and fight! Join us and fight for the glory of Zaibach! "Ja..Jajuka?" Dilandau stared at the figure before her, but she couldn't focus her vision. The elegant curves of his face were beginning to smear. Jajuka was melting. "Ahhgh!" Dilandau screamed in horror as lines and colors smudged together and dripped off his body like liquid wax. "Impossible! You neutralized my power?" The monster dug its claws deeper into her flesh, and Dilandau screamed again as she was thrown into a dark alley that branched from the main street. Slamming her against the brick wall, the monster's hands tightened around her neck. "Take a good look at me, Dilandau. Have you forgotten who you are?" "Ugh!" Dilandau's hands tried to pry the grip away from her throat, but it only closed tighter. She gagged and twitched uselessly against the suffocation; the blood pulsing against her eyes dimmed her vision. She could feel the pain on her right cheek. Like a cancer, the pain slowly spread throughout her body. Dilandau tried to scream, but no sound came out from her constricted lungs. Suddenly, Dilandau wanted to kill. He wanted to destroy this thing that was choking the life out of him. He wanted to cut its heart out and drink its blood, to blame this thing for all his sufferings. He wanted to live, to survive at all costs, even if it means he must forever dwell in self-hatred. With a burst of energy, Dilandau kicked his assailant away from him and followed up by smashing its head against the alley wall. As he tried to catch the breaths he desperately needed, he added a few more kicks to the purple form curled up on the ground. "I hate Metamorphs!" Dilandau pound his foot against its throat. "How dare you touch me, you filthy, ugly, low-life.." "Dilandau. . . . stop. ." The Metamorph begged for mercy, but Dilandau only chuckled. "When we return to Zaibach, I'll have you skinned alive." Dilandau looked down at it with cold, disdained eyes. "Where is my Guymelef? And my men?" "Dilandau, listen to me," the Metamorph slowly stumbled to its feet. "We lost the war. Lord Dornkirk has disappeared, and Zaibach as we knew it no longer exists. ." "You lie!" Dilandau punched the Metamorph on the face. "Where did you hide my Alseides? Where is Migel?" Dilandau called out around him, "Chesta! Dalet! Gatti!" "Dilandau! Are you crazy!" The Metamorph wiped the blood from his mouth. "They died two years ago! There is nobody left in your legion but you!" Then he stood facing Dilandau, "Come and fight with us. The Zaibach Army still exists. They think they can wipe us all out, but our forces have only gotten stronger. Someday we will rebuilt Zaibach. . ." "Shut up!" Dilandau covered his ears with his hands. "Shut up! I don't believe you! I would never believe a deceiver!!" He pushed the Metamorph aside and ran toward the main street. Everybody was dead? Zaibach lost the war? Lord Dornkirk? "Ahhgh!" Dilandau fell to his knees in midst the rubbles. He was again alone. ******** Eventually the shower of wrecks ended, and Allen could hear the uniformed footsteps of the royal guards approaching the disaster site. "Are you alright?" Allen looked down at Eries, and checked her for injuries. "Allen! You're hurt!" Eries grabbed Allen's blood stained sleeve. A wood splinter has embedded itself partially in Allen's right bicep. "I'll be fine," Allen comforted the distressed princess as he helped her get up. He looked everywhere, "But where is Serena?" He looked back at Eries. As a knight, he is obligated to protect his princess, but as a brother. . . "Serena! Serena where are you?" Allen's heart was torn between staying by his princess and running into the smoke ridden disaster to search for Serena. 'What if Serena is. . .' Allen couldn't bear the thought of any harm coming to the helpless Serena. . . "Princess! Princess Eries! Allen!" Casey, another member of the Knights of Heaven, rushed toward them followed by the captain of the royal guards. "Please allow the guards to escort you back to the castle, Princess. It's too dangerous around here. The bomb might have been planted by the Zaibach terrorists." "But," Eries gave Allen a look of concern. "We must first find Serena. . ." "Casey! Take care of the Princess." Allen bowed to Eries, and before she could call out to him, disappeared into the smoke ridden mass. 'Serena!' Allen mentally called out to his beloved sister as he ran through the smoky maze of fire and debris. 'Don't be afraid! I'll be right there! I'll find you.' "Ahhhgh!" A chilling cry pierced through the filthy air. A cry of nameless terror, and it resonated from a hidden corner off to Allen's right. Allen turned, and his heart sank to his feet. It hurt him so much that he could allow such cry of pain from his beloved, and it made his heart bleed even more because that wasn't Serena. It was a sound he had dreaded, a sound he prayed he would never hear again. Allen ran toward its source, and found his love and fear arched over the ground in agony. "Serena!" Allen knelt next to the young boy and gathered him into an embrace between strong arms. "I'm so sorry, Serena, so sorry. . ." Overwhelmed with relief and emotions, Allen pressed his lips firmly to the boy's forehead, oblivious to the surfacing expression of horror and disgust underneath. He tightened the boy against his chest, "I will protect you, no one will hurt you, no one." "Let me go! You sick bastard!" Immediately after Dilandau got over the shock, he began to fight off his aggressor. With all his strength, Dilandau untangled himself from that suffocating lock of arms and pushed himself away, loosing his balance and landing with his back on the ground. A hand reached for him but he swatted it away and scrambled back further out of its reach. When he pushed himself up to a sitting position, his body tensed in guard as he recognized the face before him. "Allen? Allen Schezar of Asturia?" Dilandau prepared himself for a fight. Had Allen came to kill him? But the look on Allen's face puzzled Dilandau. Soft eyes and knotted brow, it was a look of hurt and compassion, like a lover rejected by love. 'Allen?' Taken by a feeling of nausea, Dilandau wanted to vomit. Gently, and slowly, Allen extended his arm to his beloved. Like a frightened little kitten, Dilandau was frozen before him; a look so weak and so fragile that it almost broke Allen's heart. "Serena. No, Dilandau," Allen began to move toward him. "Don't be afraid. . ." Allen's voice broke Dilandau's trance. "Get away from me!" Dilandau screamed, and he began to scramble backward on all fours, wide-eyed in terror. Sharp pebbled cut into his palm, making him wince in pain. Dilandau felt too weak to fight. So instead, he tried to get up and run. "Serena!" Allen was faster than he was, and before Dilandau could get to his feet, he found himself again pressed into Allen's body. "Let me go! Let me go!" Dilandau tried to push away, but the arms around him only closed tighter, preventing all movements. 'He wants to choke me to death,' Dilandau thought, and panicked. 'Oh Gods, he's going to kill me.' But the embrace was so warm, and so secure. Dilandau closed his eyes, not knowing whether he was awaiting for hell or heaven. Yet that sweet scent of Allen's hair, the gentle kisses on his forehead, and the way their bodies fit together- it was so familiar, so familiar. Despite Dilandau's struggles, Allen only held him closer. He won't fail to protect her again, never. He compacted the boy's body further into himself, hoping to shield it away from all harm. Then Allen felt the skirmish within his arms stop, and instead, replaced by light trembles. "Trust me," Allen whispered gently to his heart. "It doesn't matter whether you are Dilandau or Serena, I will take care of you." He looked down into Dilandau's confused eyes, and gave them a disarming smile. Dilandau finally relaxed, and rested his head against Allen's shoulder, something that Serena always loved to do. "Come," Allen helped Dilandau to his feet, the latter blinked at him in utter passivity. "We'll go home now." Allen smiled at the boy, and the boy returned in kind. If not for the change in appearance, the boy would be no different from the shy and timid Serena whom Allen took to the cemetery this morning. Allen ran his fingers through Dilandau's fine silver hair, and led the boy back on the path to home. Wide-eyed and dazed, Dilandau mimicked Allen's steps to avoid the debris on the ground. He couldn't think, couldn't act. He watched himself from a distance, letting habit and recent memories direct his body. He knew the body belonged to him, to Dilandau Albatou, leader of the Ryuugekitai, but someone else was inside it. A shy and lost little girl, who was so afraid of being left alone. Dilandau thought it was funny, how he was following Allen Schezar, his arch-nemesis, and how he could feel Allen's protective arm behind his back. Yet everything felt so calm, so right. He looked up at Allen, searching for another affirmation, and was given a beautiful smile. Allen looked toward the main street of the bazaar, and saw that the royal guards had extinguished the fire. The bomb seemed to have made quite some damage to the bazaar, but the royal guards have been trained to care of the crisis. Allen knew, because he trained them himself. Then he frowned, the Zaibach Terrorists have become much more active lately, and this was not the first bomb to go off in Palas. Once he returned Serena to the Schezar Mansion he must report to King Aston so they can devise a plan to eradicate the underground radicals before more civilians get hurt. Now, however, was probably not the best time to meet up the with royal guards. So instead of going through the bazaar, Allen led Dilandau toward a shortcut. "Allen! Hey, Allen!" Allen turned around and saw Sir Casey walking toward them. "Have you seen any more wounded people?" Casey looked around him. "I'm just doing a final round of surveillance before I report to King Aston." "Ugh, I think this area is clear." Unsure of the right thing to do, Allen stood before Dilandau, blocking Casey's line of sight. "It was definitely a Zaibach bomb," Casey was unaware of Allen's uneasiness. "Which makes this, what, the third bombing in the past six months? We really need to rethink our strategy to. . ." Casey's voice trailed off as he stared behind Allen's back. It was a dress. A torn, shredded dress, but definitely a dress. But somehow it didn't look quite right. Casey blushed. Allen has always had an interesting reputation in Asturia, but he never thought the mega-playboy would go after cross-dressers? Then something hit him. Casey squinted his eyes and studied the blank face half-hidden behind Allen. It wasn't so much that it was a boy in a dress, but the boy was. . . was. . . "Dilandau!" Casey jumped back to a fighting stance, and right hand reached to draw his sword. "No, Casey!" Allen moved forward and pushed his palm against the shaft of Casey's sword, forcing the blade to return into its sheath. "It's not him!" "Allen, are you crazy? That is a Zaibach fugitive!" Casey looked over at Dilandau, who stared expressionless toward them, as if watching two strangers. "Casey! Listen to me, Dilandau is my sister." "What?" Casey was puzzled. "There are plenty of other women around, Allen. But that one is a war criminal! He needs to be prosecuted. If you help him, you know the consequences!" Allen moved back and held Dilandau next to him. "Casey, let us go." He stared into Casey's confused eyes, determined to protect his loved one. Casey stared back at Allen, and sensed the seriousness in his voice. Then a smile crept up on the corner of his mouth as an idea came to mind. He couldn't have planned anything better. 'This is the perfect opportunity to get rid of Allen Schezar. Now I can repay him for the humiliation he gave me.' Casey could still recall that day vividly in his mind. Marlene, beautiful Princess Marlene, who rarely stepped outside the Castle gates, was inspecting the annual military arts competition at the Palas Coliseum. But she wasn't watching him. To her, he was just another guard. No matter how bravely he fought, she never once even glanced at him. No, because her vision never left that arrogant little blonde, that little snobby kid who beat him in the final battle. 'Don't blame me, Allen Schezar,' Casey mentally prepared himself. 'I'm just doing my job.' "Guards!" Casey called to the soldiers assigned to site clean up at the bazaar, and drew his sword. "Allen, I'm going to have bring both of you in." Behind him, the guards congregated loosely, dubious of what was going on. "Allen Schezar!" Casey raised his voice so all the guards could hear his call. "On behalf of Asturia, I order you to hand over Dilandau Albatou, war criminal and a fugitive of Zaibach, also the prime suspect of today's bombing incident. If you retaliate, then not only will I have to charge you with obstruction of justice, but also treason against Asturia!" Casey smiled as Allen drew his sword and placed himself before Dilandau. His eyes panned to the bloody gash on Allen's right arm. "Guards! Take them!" "Dilandau! Run!" Expanding his sword space with broad strokes, Allen tried to hold back the royal guards so Dilandau could escape. But Dilandau stood still, unsure of the chaos around him. Staring helplessly at Allen, Dilandau waited for Allen to take him home. But Allen was being backed to a corner by the guards. The throbbing pain on Allen's right arm was so intense that he had to switch his sword to his left hand, lessening his power considerably. "Let him go!" Allen yelled at Casey as the latter grabbed Dilandau's wrist and twisted the arm behind his back, making Dilandau abrade his teeth in pain. Just then a guard tackled Allen from the back, pushing him to the ground, as the other guards bound his arms together. Ignoring the strain in his arms and the rough handling of the guards, Allen was only concerned about his sister. "Casey! Don't hurt him!" "Ha," Casey laughed at the captured knight. "You dare to command me when you are at my mercy?" With a turn of the wrist he shoved the boy down before him and ground Dilandau's face on to the sharp pebbles with his boot. "I'm going to kill you!" Allen struggled free from the guards and charged toward Casey. But before he could succeed, the guards again tackled him down. Then as Allen looked up from the weight of all the guards upon him, he suddenly saw Casey being thrown to the ground. To Allen's horror, Dilandau now straddled over Casey, his blood covered face ecstatic with anticipation, and in his right hand, Casey's sword. "Dilandau! No!" Allen screamed as the blade ripped through Casey's throat. ******** Eries paced nervously behind the marble columns of the Grand Foyer, mindlessly counting the stone tiles beneath her steps. Frequently she would look toward the north end of the Foyer, where a 12 feet bronze double door remained shut. Two royal guards stood poised on each side of the heavy exclusion, hawk-eyed for any slight echo in the vast empty space red-carpeted between two rows of marble columns. Eries silently halted before an arched window, and stared at the breath-taking sunset over the glittering sea. But she wasn't captivated by its beauty. Eries knotted her brow, 'It's dusk already? They have been in there for eternity!' She resumed her anxious pace along the narrow walkway against the wall, eyes darting between the closed doors and the descending night. Deprived of the sun, the walkway behind the columns of the well-lit Foyer was now sliced into sections of darkness and light. Eries paid no attention to the playful shadows dancing beneath her steps. Should she approach him for help? Would he help her? Help Allen? Sure, he had been Allen's friend, ever since they fought side by side in the Gaean War. But would he agree to help a man court marshaled as a conspirator of Zaibach? Eries crushed her handkerchief against her bosom. Things were happening too fast, and she was running out of options. She believed Allen, and believed that Dilandau was Serena, sweet, innocent, Serena. . . But yesterday, after the bombing incident, the royal guards brought back a killer. Dilandau Albatou of Zaibach, the war criminal who disappeared after the Gaean War, had not only resisted arrest but also killed a member of the Heavenly Knights in cold blood. Worse, Sir Allen Schezar was now charged with the double crime of treason against Asturia and conspiracy with Zaibach. Eries looked over to the bronze doors. But even if he agrees to help her, would Allen accept her plan? Millerna had spent all last night arguing on Allen's behalf, but their father, King Aston, was determined to make an example out of Dilandau and Allen. Eries had expected his reaction. He had no choice. The underground Zaibach Remnants have chosen Asturia as a terrorism target, probably because her open policies made it easy to enter or leave the country, and they have certainly stirred fear into the population. If the Court doesn't take action, to show its people that it has the situation under control, widespread panic could lead to a national economic crisis. Persecution of Dilandau would buy the Court time, so it can devise a sound plan against the terrorists. Needless to say, Millerna stormed out of the room in tears. Now Eries had only one other option: seek diplomatic immunity for Allen, from that man behind those nerve-wrenchingly-closed doors, from the pharaoh of Kanaphra. King Seith, the pharaoh of Kanaphra, arrived at Palas early this afternoon for a summit with King Aston on strategies against the Basram Republic. After Basram used that dooms-day device, that hideous Energist bomb in the Gaean War, the allied forces have been head-over-heels on what to do with such deadly technology. Now Asturia was joining forces with Kanaphra to put a check on Basram. 'Asturia and Kanaphra?' Eries marveled at the power of politics. 14 years ago the two countries were archenemies. But now not only were they allies, but King Aston has personally accepted the invitation to King Seith's wedding. 'In the world of politics, there are neither friends nor enemies, just interests.' But Eries was worried. Would the pharaoh of Kanaphra be willing jeopardize his interests for Allen Schezar? Standing in the shadow of the marble columns, Eries looked outside the arched window. Blackness had completely masked the sky, and Eries was getting increasingly agitated with each passing moment of the night. She had been waiting in the Grand Foyer ever since King Seith's arrival, hoping to make a seemingly unintentional run-in with the pharaoh as he exits through the grand hall after the meeting concludes. This would be her only chance, for the pharaoh was leaving for Fanelia early tomorrow morning. But the meeting was going on forever, and a proper princess couldn't possibly approach a man this time at night. Eries shuddered at the idea. Not only would it disgrace her, but it would also disgrace the Asturian Court. A friction of dull metal and a creak of abruptly warped space echoed through the Grand Foyer, and Eries swung around to watch the guards slowly pulling open the two heavy bronze doors. The meeting was finally over. She has never met the pharaoh of Kanaphra, the famous Rebel King. Ever since Zaibach's colonization of Kanaphra so many years ago, the members of Kanaphra's royal family had either been held as political prisoners or wanted as political terrorists. King Seith belonged to the latter group. After the old pharaoh's execution by Zaibach, Prince Seith became the leader of the Kanaphran Resistance. Known for his tenacity and shrewdness, King Seith's allegiance to the allied forces was a turning point for the Gaean War. No other country had a lifetime experience of fighting against Zaibach, and intelligence provided by Kanaphra was invaluable to their victory. After the Gaean War, King Seith was reinstated as the new pharaoh of Kanaphra. As a king, he proved himself no less ambitious and capable as the leader of rebels. It has only been a year and a half since the war, but not only has Kanaphra reclaimed all her sovereign territory, she had also taken the land formerly known as Zaibach. A Rebel King who dwelled in war, Eries wondered what he was like. . . The doors now fully disclosed, and Eries stood in the shadows as she watched the king appear on one end of the red carpet, with his entourage following closely behind. Eries was suddenly uncertain of her intentions. The king before her eyes was unlike what she had expected, and she became weak with a feeling that she could not name. Dark skinned with waist-length raven hair, his deep-set brows and savage green eyes contradicted his elegant features. Loosely draped by a black cloak, the king was almost perfectly engraved in ebony, if it weren't for the silver bracelets of amethyst and garnet gracing his sides. Behind him were six guards, three on each side, whose steps echoed in unison as they marched down the grand hall. Threatening to swallow up the room all together, the pharaoh and his entourage proceeded arrogantly as if ready to annihilate any obstacles in their way. Eries was over powered by the suffocating ambience of their presence, and she heard herself sigh in relief that she was safely hidden in the shadows. But now as the king drew near and nearer to her, Eries could hear her own heart beating against her ears. Should she step out her refuge and tempt their deadly milieu? She suddenly realized why her knees were trembling: It was fear, the fear of a helpless prey in the presence of its merciless predator. Then she shuddered. As if lightening had struck her body, Eries jolted when King Seith suddenly locked vision with her eyes as he passed her. The contact was only a fraction of a section, but for that infinite second Eries's body was brutally subdued to bondage. The two emerald orbs thrust themselves into her core and filled her receptive field, rough and bestial. But before she could cry out, his eyes had already forsaken her, and she was left within a void of incredible emptiness. She stared behind him in disbelief, the after shock still rippling through her nerves. She had missed her chance. Eries looked around the empty Grand Foyer. She had missed her chance to save Allen. Yet to acknowledge the consequence of her inaction, Eries slowly paced back to her chamber in a state of senseless stupor. Millerna was waiting for her. "What did he say?" Millerna's eyes searched Eries's face for a hint of hope. While Eries was waiting in the Grand Foyer, Millerna had worked through the members of the Court soliciting support for Allen. But although there were many sympathetic ears, none were willing to wager their own position for some one alleged to conspire with Zaibach. Millerna was desperate, distraught, and on the verge of tears. Now all her hopes were fixed on Eries. "He has to care, right? Allen was so fond of him," Millerna took Eries's hand in her own. "Please help me, Oneesama." But Eries looked at her with eyes of sorrow, "Millerna, I. . I'm sorry." Eries took her hand from Millerna, and turned her back to hide her pain and remorse. "I didn't get a chance to speak to him." Millerna stared at Eries as if the latter spoke a foreign language. "What do you mean?" "The meeting went over-time, so I wasn't able to catch him before dusk," Eries didn't know how else to explain her brief encounter with King Seith. She gently took Millerna's arms, "Millerna, be strong. I'm sure the Court will give Allen a fair trial. It'll be alright. . ." "No it will NOT be alright!" Millerna cried as she pushed Eries's hands from her. "I can't believe you are just like the rest of them! Do you think I don't know what Father has in mind?" Tears were beginning to swell up in her anguished eyes. Millerna sobbed, "He's going to sacrifice Allen to make himself look good before the people. But that's not right! After all that Allen has done for Asturia. How could he? How could we?" She covered her face with her hands. "I love him!" Eries gently laid her hand of Millerna's trembling shoulder, "Perhaps it is his fate. . ." "How can you say that?!" Millerna stared furiously at Eries. She was fed up with the apathetic, self-centered responses she has been getting all day. She had suppressed her emotions all day, and now she felt like she was going to explode. "You WANT him to die!" Millerna yelled at his sister. She was so angry, angry at the Court, angry at herself, and angry that Eries did nothing to help her. "Allen doesn't love you, so you wanted him to die!" She didn't cared what she said, she just wanted to let out all her emotions before madness strips away her sanity. "All you ever cared about was your title, yourself! Those charities and missions, they are all fakes! You did them only to serve your selfish needs, so you can be the Good Princess Eries. But now when your own friend is in trouble, you immediately abandon him to protect yourself! You're probably happy that you can finally get your revenge on Marlene. . ." Eries slapped Millerna. "That is not true!" Eries wiped the tears from her face as Millerna stood in shock. "That is not true. . ." She was crying so hard that she couldn't continue with her words. Betrayed both by herself and her sister, Eries wanted to die. For all the years she took care of Millerna, she had never lifted a hand on her. But she never knew that words could hurt so much. Millerna still couldn't believe that Eries slapped her. She raised a hand against her burning cheek, and she suddenly felt extremely sorry for the devastated figure before her. But she can't forgive her, not yet, not when Allen's life was still in danger. She turned to walk out of the chamber. "Where are you going?" Eries grabbed her elbow. "To King Seith!" Millerna shook the hand off and continued walking. "Millerna! You are a member of the royal family! Think of the gossips the Court will. . ." But Millerna already left the room. ******** Seith was on the 17th draft of the poem that Sasha dared him to write when he noticed Anthony, the leader of his six Guardians, standing at his chamber door. He nodded his acknowledgement, and Anthony moved gracefully to stand before his desk. The Guardians of the pharaoh were the most honorable and revered position in the military, chosen from the best of the best; but Anthony was more than just his Guardian. For the 13 years he had served Seith in the Kanaphra Resistance Army, he was also his childhood friend and confidant. But now as Anthony looked at the pile of crumpled papers before him, he had to bite his lips to hold back a chuckle. A vein popped in Seith's forehead as he raised an eyebrow in annoyance, and Anthony quickly snapped out of his mischief. "Sir," Anthony stood poised before his king. "Princess Millerna of Asturia has arrived." A naughty smile was subtle on Seith's lips, "She's late." Then he looked around the room, looking for something. "It's on the windowsill, Sir," Anthony was eyeing a small wooden box. Seith gave him a dirty look, and snapped, "Bring her up." When Millerna stood alone at the door of King Seith's chamber, she wasn't sure if the man sitting with one leg on the windowsill could be the infamous Rebel King of Kanaphra. She knew about the Resistance, and she had heard both Dryden and Allen mention him several times, especially during the Gaean War; but for some reason she had always thought he would be. . . more terrorist looking. Against the moonlight, his silhouette was almost porcelain, marked by two cold emerald eyes that stabbed through the sky. "Ano. . ." Millerna tried to get his attention. Head abruptly turned around, and Seith moved from the window toward the Asturian princess. "Pleased to make your acquaintance, Princess Millerna," he kissed the back of her hand. "King Seith," Millerna curtsied. "Dryden has told me much about you," he watched Millerna blush as she entered the chamber. "Poor old chap, he's still out there proving himself while his fiance is alone with another man in the middle of the night." Seith shook his head. "I never asked him to prove anything to me!" Millerna defended herself. "I. . ." She was reminded of how much she had missed him since the war. She looked up at Seith, "How is he?" "Miserable, but still the same old restless idealist," Seith replied, inconspicuously watching Millerna's sudden shyness. "Making money, spending money, and driving his father crazy, that sort of thing." Seith held out a small wooden box before Millerna. "For you, from him. We had a chance meeting at Daedalus several days ago, and he asked me to give you this." Millerna received the small box, and carefully removed the cover. Inside was a simple silver ring, graced by an unfinished turquoise stone: honest, natural, yet exquisite and unique. "Protection from harm," Seith told her. "Pardon me?" "Turquoise are believed to have the property to protect their wearers from harm. Dryden is a damn Romantic, don't you know by now?" Every taunting syllable was a dagger to Millerna's heart. Millerna looked at the present in her hand, and she felt guilty. Despite her ambivalence, Dryden still loved and respected her. For her he had traveled throughout Gaea to help those suffering in the aftermath of war. But what has she done for him? "Now, I don't believe you came to see me this time at night just to talk about Dryden," Seith watched Millerna's cheek turn from blush to pale, then back to blush again. "So how may I be of service to the Princess?" Seith stood back and crossed his arms before him. He was going to enjoy watching her struggle with her words for one man while holding the ring of another. "I.. I've come to. . ." Millerna looked up at Seith, looked down at the ring, looked out the window, and looked up a Seith again. Surely he must have heard already! Allen's arrest has been the biggest news in recent Asturian history! But he was going to make her say it. Millerna took a deep breath and exhaled. "I've come to ask you to help Allen Schezar." Instantaneously Seith broke into a fit of laughter. Lips parted in shock and disgust, Millerna stared wide-eyed at Seith. Her face was flushed with anger. Never had she been subjected to such rudeness! "No wonder Dryden is crazy about you!" Seith exclaimed. "You are definitely that one thing he cannot have! Of course I'll help Allen!" Seith's laughter died down as he saw the confused look on Millerna's beautiful face. He gave her a playful smile. "We wouldn't want Dryden's arch-nemesis at love to exit the game too early, would we? Plus they are both best men at my wedding, that is something I wouldn't want to miss for the world!" "And you call them your friends?" Millerna felt a strong dislike for the King of Kanaphra. Catlike, Seith leaned to Millerna's ear and whispered, "The best way to get rid of your enemies, is to make them your friends." For a second he thought of running his tongue through the softness of her ear, and then perhaps sinking his teeth into her tender flesh. But he took her hand, and pulled her toward the door. "Come! Let us go and visit Allen." "But Allen is confined to seclusion, even I am not allowed to visit him!" Millerna was dragged along behind Seith down the hallway. Seith suddenly stopped and turned around to face her. Unable to halt her steps, Millerna crashed completely into him. "Who said we are going to ask for permission?" He took a step back, and pulled the hood of his black cloak over his head. Millerna blinked as the space before him suddenly warped into transparency. Then darkness parted and Seith was once again before her eyes. "A modification of old Zaibach technology," Seith told her. "Now are you coming or not?" ******** Millerna couldn't believe that he made her sneak into the dungeon of her own castle. Even more pathetic, she had to stand as a lookout for the warden's night patrol so she can alarm them. Allen was held in the last cell of an otherwise empty hall, one of the many maze-like hallways in the dungeon. It took some time for them to find him, but his seclusion was an advantage for their meeting. However, Millerna was surprised to find the only guard of the dungeon passed out on the steps of the entryway, reeking with the smell of alcohol. They didn't even need the Stealth Manteaux. Seith just picked his way through the locks, and eureka, there sat Allen Schezar. Now Millerna was standing by herself in the main entryway, cold, angry, and forced to listen to the loud snores of the drunken guard. Lips pouting, she wondered how she could let her father know of this corruption without giving herself away. She wondered what Allen and Seith were talking about, maybe Seith will talk some sense into Allen. "You mean to tell me," Seith was oblivious to Allen's look of vexation, "That Hitomi end up ditching you for the King of Fanelia, then screwed you both over and went back to the Illusionary Moon?" He threw his head back with a laugh. "Man, I need to meet this woman!" Allen considered asking his friend to leave his cell, but he was thankful for his visit. He had been worried sick about Dilandau's conditions, and Seith had just assured him, that judging from the loudness of Dilandau's curses in another hallway, the boy was alive and well. Now if Seith would just agree to help him by taking Dilandau back to Kanaphra, he would be able to face his charges with serenity. Allen had turned down Millerna's desperate plea for him to accept Seith's protection. Dilandau was his sister, and he would be responsible for Dilandau's crimes. "I want you to protect Dilandau for me after I'm gone, Seith." "No way." Sitting across from Allen, Seith folded his arms across his chest. "No deal. I cannot allow an innocent man to stand trial for crimes he did not commit. Furthermore, this blind love of yours is just as absurd. You cannot use your death to compensate Dilandau's crimes. That is not justice." "Then what is justice?" Allen returned Seith's glare with equal strength. "That two years ago what he did was right but two years later what he did was wrong? If I am innocent, then Dilandau is just as innocent as I am. You cannot hold him responsible for his Fate." "Fate cannot excuse you from your actions." Seith wanted to pound that deranged reasoning out of Allen's stubborn head. But Allen only stared at him in silent determination. "Alright, alright, have it your way." Seith threw his hands in the air. "I'll take him to Kanaphra. 'Sasha, here is your wedding present: Dilandau.' She's going to kill me." "I'm sorry I will not be able to make it to the wedding," Allen suddenly remembered his forgotten duty. "Please give Sasha my best regards." "Yeah, yeah," Seith grumbled. "I'm the one who needs to be regarded. I still can't figure out what's been bothering her. All of a sudden she loves me, all of a sudden she is afraid of me. Who would have believed that we were born of the same parents?" Allen gave him a sympathetic look, remembering that it was traditional for the Kanaphran pharaoh to marry his sister. Besides that, he didn't know what to say. "But this marriage is important to me," Seith continued. "It will reinstate the ordinance that I am the rightful ruler of Kanaphra." Then Seith stood up, followed by Allen. "Very well, Allen, tomorrow night at this time my men will be here to take Dilandau, while my ship waits in the border of Chezario. Once we rendezvous, I will keep my words." He held out his hand. "Good luck, Allen Schezar." The two friends bid farewell, and Seith left Allen's cell. Millerna was still waiting in the entryway. "What did he say?" "Which one do you prefer?" Seith casually glanced at her as they ascended the steps leading from the dungeon. "Having him rot to death beneath the ground you walk on, or have him live but never see him again?" A smile crept up a corner of his mouth. By this time tomorrow, he will have Allen Schezar. "Tomorrow night my men will disguise as Zaibach Remnants and attack the dungeon to take Allen to Kanaphra. The minute he leaves Asturia, he will become an international fugitive, and you will never see him again. But the choice is yours." Millerna walked on as if she didn't hear a word he said. ******** Before a semi-circle of polished bay windows, Seith sat alone inside the Captain's Cabin on his floating ship, Montu. Outside the room, soldiers tiptoed whenever they needed to pass by the door. No one had dared to disturb him for hours, ever since his messenger returned from Fanelia. Kanaphra's soldiers knew to never test the temper of their pharaoh. King Seith had sent a messenger to Fanelia, to inform Princess Sasha that he was being detained in Asturia, and that he would arrive in Fanelia early next morning to take her back to Kanaphra. But the messenger came back with the news that Princess Sasha had taken ill, and had left for Kanaphra two days ago under the escort of King Van. Enraging their king even more was the report that King Van was following Princess Sasha's advice to take a shortcut to Kanaphra: They have planned to follow the path of the River Mother Kayle that led directly into Exodus, the capital of Kanaphra. Such a route implied that they would cut straight through the Dragon Wastelands, the reason why no ship has ever dared to attempt that same shortcut. "Does she want to drive me insane!" The messenger had fled the cabin with his head tucked between his arms, praying the pharaoh wouldn't sent it flying to Osiris with his scimitar. Even Anthony knew better to leave the pharaoh alone to deal with his own fury. Now while King Seith waited in the cabin for the coming of the eventide, the rest of the ship was busy attending to battle preparations. When they enter the Dragon Wastelands to rescue their Princess, they would be ready. When he sees Sasha, he was going to break her neck. 'If she is still alive,' Seith thought angrily to himself. Beyond the windows he could see the sun slowly falling from the Chezarion sky. Everything had gone according to plan. He had made his leave this morning, and planted himself within the border of Chezario, waiting to execute his plan tonight. But Sasha just had to screw everything up for him. And what the hell was King Van thinking? Seith couldn't believe any king, in their right minds, would follow the capricious whims of a hysterical woman. Seith now regretted leaving Sasha alone with just a lady-in-waiting. Would Van be able to protect her? When Dryden had told him the tale of his rendezvous with the Ispano Clan, he had congratulated his friend on once again successfully breaking his father's heart by spending fifty million to save an exiled boy king. But when Allen finally introduced them to each other before the Gaean War, he had to agree with Dryden: King Van was certainly an interesting character. A king who doesn't consider himself king. Seith had to admit that he, too, liked the honest personality of the half-Ryujin. Seith shook his head. He himself knew how undeniable Sasha could be, and he wondered what trick Sasha used this time to manipulate the poor king into taking a trip with her. But by selecting that route, was she trying to kill him? Or herself? Seith thought back to the first time he met Sasha since their childhood separation in Asturia. After King Aston had turned the exiled royal family to Zaibach, only he and his father were able to escape during their transport back to Zaibach. He was ten, and she seven, but he still could remember the sad look on her face and the soft kiss on his cheek as she bid him to run. For years afterwards he had thought them dead from the torture of Zaibach sorcerers. But during a sabotage mission inside the Zaibach laboratories, the late-teened prince of Kanaphra was accidentally caught in the pre-detonated explosion he had planted himself. When he woke up on a hard bunked bed, he found himself starring into his own emerald eyes. The instant Seith saw her, he recognized her. The same hair, the same features, they were unmistakably of the same blood. "Sasha!" He tried to push himself up, but his entire body was screaming in pain. "Shh," Sasha pushed him back down. "Don't move, or else the wounds would re-open." She hid him in some laboratory storage closet in the heart of Zaibach, and for the next month, slowly nursed him back to health. He learned that she had become an assistant to the sorcerers, and that their mother had been beaten to death two years after their imprisonment. He also learned that the timid little girl who always hid behind his back in childhood had grown up to be a fighter capable of ensuring her own survival. When time came for him to return to the Resistance, Sasha led him down the underground ducts that would take him out to the border of Zaibach. They crawled through cold, soiled pipes as hungry rats tried to make them into a feast, and they plunged through muddy waters in search for the right exits. Then they finally reached the main tunnel that would lead to the outskirts of Zaibach, and that was as far as Sasha could take him. He never invited her to come with him, and she never asked. She handed him the waxed pouch with the remaining candles, and lightly kissed him on the cheek. Then she turned around and walked back into the darkness. That was when he knew he wanted her. With a leap he tackled her onto the moist and filthy ground, and wrestled her hands above her head to be pinned with one palm. The falling candle behind him hit the floor, and left them in complete darkness. She struggled and tested her strength against him, but she never cried out in defeat. He slid his hand down her burning flesh to separate the damp fabric that clung to her body. He wanted to carve his name on her skin, to mark her, to hurt her for shattering his self-control and rendering him so helpless. "Please, Sasha," he begged for her embrace. "I need you." Then he felt her relax underneath his pressure, breathing heavily in silent compliance. "Stay alive, Sasha," he whispered into her ear as she wrapped her arms around him. "One day I will make you Queen." A light series of knocks broke Seith from his concentration. He was suddenly back in the Captain's Cabin on Montu, looking over the bleeding Chezarion sky. The knocks resumed again, then Anthony silently slipped through the slightly parted door. "Sir," Anthony lit the Energist lamp on the table. "Kor is awaiting your instructions." "Sent him in," Seith nodded. Moments later, a Metamorph walked in the room and knelt behind him. "The operation is ready to begin, Your Majesty. I have chosen three men from my unit. We will infiltrate the Asturian dungeon and escort Dilandau and Allen here." "The bomb was an interesting touch, Kor." Never turned around, Seith's voice was cold and neutral. "But I had instructed you to revive Dilandau Albatou by using the appearance of a Beastman, not by killing innocent civilians." Kor bowed his head to the floor, "I beg for your forgiveness, Your Majesty. I have been monitoring the Schezar Mansion for months, but there was no way to get near Dilandau. The bomb was the only chance to separate Sir Allen from him." Seith continued to look out the window, making the Metamorph tremble in silent anticipation. "Very well. They will be waiting for you. Go and bring them to me." "Yes, Your Majesty." Kor backed himself to the door, and Anthony closed it behind him. With his back against the door, Anthony watched the figure sitting before the purple sky. He would never question his king. But as his Guardian and friend, Anthony felt obligated to caution him about the Metamorph. They had received intelligence alleging that Kor was actually a double spy working for Zaibach. And what is the purpose of undertaking the operation when Allen had already expressed his refusal to leave? The original plan was to recruit Allen for Kanaphra. Despite the changes, they had already succeeded at removing Allen Schezar from the Asturian Court. Without Allen, Austria wouldn't stand a chance against an invasion from Basram or Daedalus. They had planted their seeds of revenge against King Aston. But now why is King Seith wasting valuable time while Princess Sasha may be in grave danger? 'Sasha,' Anthony winced. Every thought of her sent a pain to his heart. "If you have something to say," Seith's voice floated above him. "Say it." "Sir, permission to scout the Dragon Wastelands for Princess Sasha." "Permission denied." Seith replied, and Anthony stared behind him in shock. "I want you to do something else for me." Anthony instantly stood erect awaiting orders. "What do you think about Kor?" Seith wasn't in a hurry to disclose his plan. "I don't think he can be trusted, Sir. Metamorphs have always sworn their loyalty to Zaibach, and our reports on Kor indicate suspicious behavior. It is possible that he and his men will return Dilandau to Zaibach terrorists." Seith swung his braid behind him, and stood up facing Anthony. "That is why you will follow them to the dungeon. Before they free Dilandau and Allen, kill them. Let Allen think that a Zaibach Metamorph had killed your men, then he will have no choice but to help you bring Dilandau here." For a few seconds, Anthony only stood and stared at Seith, then he bowed and marched out of the room. Seith walked to the glass window and watched the night lights flicker in the city below. Whether Kanaphra gets Allen or not, with a dead Zaibach Metamorph on the dungeon floor, it would require a miracle for Allen to restore his position in the Asturian Court. And without Allen Schezar, the Asturian army would be defenseless against foreign invasions. Now Seith was just plain curious. Would Millerna expose their plan to her father? Does Millerna love Allen enough to free him from death, or does she love him so much that she would rather see him imprisoned for life than to never see him again? Either way, Seith knew that Allen would let nothing stop him from bringing his sister to Chezario. Seith couldn't wait for Anthony to make his report tonight. How many of his own countrymen would Allen kill? ****** Van stood in the control chamber of Fanelia's one and only floating craft, and he couldn't remember how exactly he got sucked into taking Sasha to Kanaphra. Below his vision the Kayle River writhed through the barren land, slithering toward the horizon like a silver snake. Nauseated from the glare, Van was further irritated by the rising humidity. It was only morning, and the heat was already unbearable. The tiny aircraft had only two rooms, including the control chamber, so Van was basically confined to that small space for the whole trip. He frowned as girlish giggles between the Princess and her lady-in-waiting carried over from the backroom. How can people talk so much? Van's heart skipped a beat as he was suddenly reminded of Merle. He wondered where she was right now. Kanaphra was known for its abundance of Energists beneath its soil, and as Van looked to the two sides of the river, he understood why. He had never seen so many fossilized dragon skeletons in his life. The charred land underneath was layered with imprints of death. Van could almost make out the last struggles of a dying dragon as it breathed out its last breath of fire. The burial ground was extend as far as he could see, with white bones everywhere protruding from the cracked soil. Then he saw one, a flying dragon. It shot across his vision like a black jet of ink. His hand went for his sword. The dragon was nothing like Escaflowne. Covered with black, oily scales, it soared through the air not with grace and beauty, but malice and efficiency. Van sensed another's presence and turned to see Sasha standing next to him. "There's nothing to worry about," her gaze was fixed on the skyline. "As long as we stay on course above River Mother Kayle, they can't see us. We are hidden by the glare of the water." Then her eyes twinkled in mischief as she elbowed Van. "Unless, of course, you want to hunt one! In that case we can use Jase in the backroom as bait!" Before Van could consider using Sasha as bait, a sudden disturbance in the current knocked them to the ground. "Shut up and hang on, Jase!" Sasha yelled to the distraught girl screaming in the backroom. "What?" Van made a dive for the control wheel, and reestablished balance in the ship. "That's weird," Sasha exclaimed as she watched the number of flying dragons increased in the sky. "They usually wouldn't congregate like this unless they were threatened by an invasion of their space." Then she pointed toward a black ship barely visible to the right. "Look! That's what they are going after! "We have to go and help them!" Van steered the ship off course, making Sasha crash into the wall on her left. "Are you crazy! You'll kill us all!" Sasha climbed to her feet and tried to grab the controller. But a shrieking sound caught her ears, and she looked over to hear the sound resonating from the larger black ship. "Smart move! They are using the sound of an adult raptor to repel the winged-dragons." "What's going on?" Van glanced a puzzle look at Sasha as he tried to maintain the ship balance in chaotic currents. "Adult raptors are natural predators of the winged-dragons," Sasha pointed at the large ship, now fully visible. "Look, the dragons only dare to circle around them. They are too afraid to attack. . . Hey!" Sasha squinted at the familiar image. "That's Seith's Montu!" "Shit!" Sasha's nails dug into Van's arm, making him wince in pain. "Now we are the vulnerable ones. Quick! Turn back before the dragons sense our presence!" But it was too late. As if on cue, a black dragon swooped down before them, tearing a gash in the side of the ship before it disappeared, ready to lunge another attack. Sasha and Van were thrown in opposite directions as the ship spun through the air. "Van!" Sasha hung on to whatever solid she could grab as her vision turned into a radial blur of motion. "Land! Land the ship or else we will crash!" She wasn't even sure if Van was still in the control room or what direction was up. Then she heard a loud explosion as the space around her suddenly compressed into utter darkness. ******** "Sasha! Sasha!" All of a sudden Sasha was hearing her name, but her head hurt so much that she couldn't even open her eyes. She tried to go back to sleep, but the disturbing noise was calling her again. "Sasha!" She found herself looking into her own green eyes. She was lying in a soft bed, and Seith was looking over her with worried eyes. But the look quickly turned to anger, and she found his fingers digging into her shoulders as he started shaking the life out of her. "I'm going to kill you!" "Seith!" "Sir!" Allen and Anthony struggled to hold Seith back as he reached for her throat. The commotion was suddenly interrupted by a frantic soldier who rushed into the room. The soldier was stunned to see his pharaoh tangled between the arms of Anthony and Sir Allen in a most undignified manner. "Ahm," he knelt to the floor as Seith tried to regain his composure. "Your Majesty, the siren repeller seem to be loosing its effect on the dragons. They are getting closer and closer to the ship." "What is the estimated time of us exiting the Wastelands?" Seith walked toward the window as another black dragon tested the space around the ship. A shot was fired from the upper gun deck, and the dragon shrieked back in pain. "Two more hours, Your Majesty." Seith frowned. The dragons were intelligent animals, they would break the facade in less than two hours. He had hoped to avoid a frontal assault with the dragons, for there were just too many of them. But now that seemed inevitable. "Prepare the Guymelefs." As the soldier left to carry out his order, Seith turned to Allen. "Allen, this is not your fight. I have prepared another ship for you and Dilandau. While we distract the dragons, my men will take you to safety." "When I chose to join you on this ship, it became my fight." Allen calmly stated. Seith took a long hard look at Allen. Then he shifted his glance and started walking toward Sasha. As he brushed by Allen, he put his hand on the latter's shoulder. "You might want to go check out how King Van's doing. I'm sure he'll appreciate a familiar face." Allen nodded, and proceeded to exit the room. Now alone with Sasha, Seith sat on the bed next to his semi-conscious sister, and bent down to plant deep kisses along her neckline. "You were right about Serena Schezar," he whispered before chewing on her earlobe. "Who would have thought. . ." "Where is Dilandau?" Sasha shifted against the weight on top of her. The pain was still humming throughout her body, and the pressure above her was making her nauseated. But even so, she had missed the feeling of his skin. "Locked in the guestroom," Seith slid his hands behind her back. "He has already wounded five men. Even Allen couldn't control him." He started to tug at Sasha's clothes, but the latter stilled his hands. "And that was Allen Schezar?" Sasha pushed his hands away. Seith propped himself up on his arms, and arched over Sasha. "Don't get any ideas, Sasha. I'm a very jealous man." "Go to hell." Sasha stretched beneath the hungry eyes and smiled, "Bring out my armor. I will fight the dragons beside you." "No, sleep," Seith put his hand over her eyes. "I will take you home." Then he slowly rose and headed toward the chamber door. "Hey, Seith," Sasha's sleepy voice stopped him as he reached for the handle. "Do you love me because I am me, or do you love me because I will give you children identical to you?" She asked through closed lids. "Does it make any difference?" Seith shrugged as he left the room. ******** A loud explosion shook the ship as Sasha rolled out of bed. Head still ringing from the trauma, she stumbled toward the window as the grounds moved beneath her. On the deck below Seith stood in loosely draped in a black cloak as he addressed the assembled Guymelefs. The battle was about to begin. "Our objective is not to fight! But to stall." Seith instructed his soldiers. "In less than an hour we will exit the Dragon Wastelands. Stay close to the ship and do not pursue." Ominously waiting, black dragons zigzagged the space around them. Occasionally one would scoop down near the ship and leave behind it a trail of fire. "Allen," Seith turned toward the handsome man to his right. "You will lead the ground troops on the ship." Allen nodded. "King Van," Seith turned to the raven-haired boy to his left. "Please take charge of the flying Guymelefs." Van nodded. "Now all of you, move out!" As everybody took his or her positions, Sasha frowned as she watched Van walk toward the edge of the deck. Suddenly two pure white wings shot out behind his back, and he began to gracefully rise into the air. The symbol of his kingship in his hand, the Ryugjin led the flying Guymelefs into a battle formation. Without warning, the dragons dived toward them and the fight immediately began. Watching Van's iridescent wings dance between the black dragons brought a sharp pain to Sasha's chest. He was beautiful. Like the archangel of light, Van elegantly flew through the space around him, effortlessly dodging fire beams and driving the monsters into desperate retreat. The dragons were helpless against Van, for he was glorious as day while they must hide within the night. A flick of the sword and one dragon fell from the sky as blood spurted out from its eye. "To fly," Sasha whispered. The pain was beginning to spread to her shoulder blades. She would do anything to fly in those untainted wings. Turned with her back against the wall, Sasha slowly slid down to the floor. Hugging her knees to her chest, Sasha's raven hair cloaked her white linen gown. She was trembling. She had been a coward. A coward who was afraid to take her own life. 'I should have died with Folken,' Sash sank her face into her hands. 'What will Seith do when he finds out that I've lied to him. . .' "Sir! You're hurt!" Anthony's voice caught her attention, and she quickly looked out the window. Down on the dock, Seith's left arm was covered in blood. Sasha immediately ran out of the room. ******** They were almost there. Seith could see the change of land appearance underneath them. Less and less were there charred forests and bone debris. The number of dragons has also died down, too. With the exception of a few still viciously attaching the ship, most dragons have retreated from battle. The critical period was over, and Seith was ready to reformat his military arrangements. A hiss of air, and Seith immediately held up his shield against another beam of fire. Then again, maybe he should wait a while before calling in the troops. Seith looked to see Allen fighting skillfully against a dragon who had landed on the top deck. Carefully avoiding the metal scales while searching for weaknesses, Allen exhibited his awesome dexterity at both defensive and offensive fighting. 'No wonder King Aston was afraid of Allen Schezar. No army could stand against him.' He smiled. 'But now he will fight for me.' Then Seith looked up at dragons screaming above. They were almost fearful of Van, scattering into different direction as Van flew unchallenged through the air. Seith paused to study their swordplay. Van's technique was similar to Allen's: vicious yet disciplined, while Sasha's unconventional fighting style was ruthless to a point of anything-goes. But he couldn't see Sasha. "Sasha!" He looked around, but fire and smoke were everywhere, blocking his vision. He ran through the battle worn upper deck, dodging random fires and falling objects. Then he spotted her on the lower deck. Knocked to the ground by the dragon's wings, Sasha was barely avoiding the thumping claws of the dragon above her. Half of her side was soaked in blood, and she was being backed up near the edge of the dock. As Seith jumped over the railing to get to the lower deck, he caught a last glimpse of Sasha before she was knocked off the edge by the dragon's tail. Their eyes met right before she was thrown to the air, and Seith's heart stopped at the sadness in her eyes. Blood raging, Seith shot toward the edge, but Sasha has completely disappeared from sight. "Sasha!" Without hesitation he plunged into the air after her. >From a distance Van saw the dark princess suddenly air-born outside of the ship. "Sasha!" He dove toward her, but a shadow suddenly covered him as he was forced to block a sharp claw coming directly above him. Like a rag doll carelessly tossed out of the window, Sasha dropped head down at full gravity, the path of her fall trailed by wailing strings of blood. Then he saw Seith dove after her. He screamed as he sliced his sword through the cumbersome dragon above him, and charged to save the king and princess. Then he halted in mid-air as two white wings sprout out behind Seith. The pharaoh broke Sasha's fall and took her into his arms. Van stared at the shower of feathers in disbelieve. He was not the last of the Ryujinbito? Magnificent and white, Seith's wings were just as pure as the ones behind his back. With great strength they surged against the wind and carried the king and the princess upward into the blue sky. But Van's vision cleared to horror as he watched Seith call out to Sasha. The two angels quickly landed on the lower deck, and Van immediately ran toward the princess in Seith's embrace. "Let them out Sasha! What are you doing?" Seith was holding Sasha by the arms. Her long black hair clung to her face by the moisture of blood, and she was taking ragged gasps of air as if pain was hitting her in waves. Then she screamed as crimson showers sprayed from her back. She pushed Seith away, and fell to the floor twitching in pain. The scene before him froze Van in terror. Contorting in her own pool of blood, the muscles under the skin of Sasha's back was bulging and shifting like boiling bubbles. "No!" Sasha pounded her fists into the ground, as if trying to repress the bursting changes back into her body. Cuts opened on her back as her life poured itself through her skin, slowly bathing her completely in blood. The metallic smell filling the air made Van want to gag. Then with one last scream, Sasha threw her head back in agony as black wings purged themselves from her ripped body. Soiled with blood, the onyx feathers flexed and spread above the distorted figure with wills of their own. Mindless of the fixated horror from surrounding eyes, the raven wings showed off their span while pearls of blood silently rolled off the slick surface. With a look of disgust, Seith took a few step away from her. Instead, remembering painful memories of the long forgiven past, Van reached out for Sasha. "No!" Sasha flinched away from him as if burned by his touch. "Don't look at me! Please don't look at me!" She cried into her hands, trying to hide from her shame. "They wouldn't change back. They have been contaminated by the Fate Redirector, and now they won't change back." Her shoulder trembled in helplessness as tears bled from her eyes. Slowly the crying died down. Then on one hand Sasha pushed herself up to sit on her knees while the other cover her bosom with the remains of her blood stained clothes. She looked up to face Seith in despair. "I'm so sorry," Sasha closed her eyes, pained by Seith's cold expression. She knelt before Seith and his pure white wings. "I lied to you about my wings. I wanted to tell you the truth, I really did, but I had no where else to go," She bit her lips to stifle a sob. "I will taint the bloodline of the royal family, I cannot be your queen." A warm blanked suddenly draped over her body, and Sasha's bright eyes opened hoping to expect Seith's forgiveness. Instead, it was Anthony's gentle face before her. Suddenly very, very cold, Sasha looked toward Seith. Seith stood stoic and unmoved, looking down at her with unfathomable eyes. She chuckled, as her body begin to feel empty of life. It wasn't weakness, nor was it pain, but she just felt like she needed to sleep. She turned to give her most beautiful smile to Anthony. "You know, Folken once told me that there is this place called Heaven. Will you please hold me while I try to go find him there?" Anthony fought to smile back as he tightened his arms around her. Sasha could feel the numbness slowly taking her away to her purgatory. "Bury me in Zaibach," she whispered to Anthony and closed her eyes. End of Part 9 ********** I'm done! I'm done! I'm done! -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Escaflowne: Leavetakings Chapter 10. By Cain C. Hargrieves (Zeldai@aol.com) Warm. The light was so warm. It was as if it could embrace her. Smiling, she burried her face deeper into it, feeling her fur tingle as the warmth traveled throughout all her body. For a moment, she could almost make believe that the warm light was Van. *He's come looking for me,* she thought. *He does care... Van... Van sama...* Stretching out her arms, she took the warmth into her hands, hoping. She could almost see him now, his striking, dark hair, kind eyes. She could hear him whisper her name. *I'm here, Van sama. I'm here. I...* Sharp pain traveled up her arm, and she cried out. Lurging forward, she gasped, bright lights racing rapidly to the edges of her eyes. For a moment she remained as she was, dissoriented. A ratling was humming through her bones, and she shook her head to clear her thoughts. The motion made her dizzy. But the pain still coming from her arm made her bare her teeth at the darkness, searching for the cause. Her feline glare fell upon two bright, rose colored eyes. "You're hugging up the space," their owner said, left foot still held a few feet from the floor after he had prodded at her with the tip of his scruffed, dirty boots. Blinking, Merle edged back. A young man was sitting across from her, pale rose colored eyes glittering faintly in the lamplight. Lamplight coming from a canister tied crudely to the sides of a rattling cage. Looking around her, Merle saw that she had been lying on a few scattered bits of straw. Outside, the night crept on, the stars glimmering coldly from the silent heavens. A sense of dread began to take hold of Merle. *I was in Oak's office last night...* she repeated over and over to herself, her heart beginning to pound sharply, causing her fur to prickle as shivers ran though her. Raising one hand, she ran it over the back of her head. She could feel a dull pain coming from the nape of her neck, the spot sore and tender under her fingertips. Her eyes widened as realization washed through her. *He must have knocked me unconscious... dragged me here... I must have been sold...* "Move over," the voice came again. Merle turned her head to look at the man across from her again, eyes narrowing in suspicion, masking the fear she felt. He looked less shocking now. She could see that he had long, golden hair. For one moment, he reminded her of Allen, but she quickly chased the thought away. He was younger, his hair a bit paler than the Astorian knight. Growling softly under her breath, she did as she was told. The man murmured out a flat thank you and stretched out as best as he could in the cramped quarters of the cage. Merle watched him for a while, tail swishing uneasily as the silence grew heavier. She wanted him to say something, anything, that would explain the horrible mess she seemed to be in, maybe explain it away... His eyes were open, staring up at the ceiling of the cage as the wagon rumbled on. *He's not really going to just lie there in silence, is he...?* Shifting slightly, she decided to change the situation herself. "W-where is this wagon taking us...?" she asked. The man across from her didn't even blink. Annoyed, Merle propped herself up on one elbow. "Hey, are you deaf?" "I don't know," he said. Closing his eyes, he shifted his back a bit, grunting quietly through clenched teeth. Merle sighed and settled into a cross-legged position. To anyone watching her, she would have appeared as little more than a tall mound of fur. Her ears twitched, a shiver going through her body. *Great. I don't know if I'm sold or not... or sold to whom... and I haven't eaten yet, either...* she thought forlornly. *I'm trapped here...* Shutting her eyes tightly, she fought against the tears she could feel forming under her lashes. *Some adventure this's turned out to be.* Bitting down a sob, she drew her right hand quickly over her eyes, wiping away any trace of incoming tears. The motion, carried out mechanically and carelessly, drew her attention to the ring on her hand. It glittered coldly in the semi-darkness of the cage, looking out at her in mute mockery. She glared at it. *Stupid ring. You haven't been any good. You were supposed to give me an adventure.* Cursing beneath her breath, she slammed the hand with the ring into the sides of the cage, drawing a slim satisfaction from the sound of the ring's stone striking the thick metal bars of the cage. She had drawn back her hand to repeat the motion when a hand on her wrist stopped her. She glared at the rose eyed man, trying to pull her hand away. When she saw the look on his face, though, she stopped, curiousity replacing her annoyance. He stared at the ring in her hand as if he could no longer see anything else. His lips parted briefly, forming a word she could not catch. After what seemed like the longest time, he finally drew his gaze away. Raising his face, he looked straight into Merle's eyes. The look in his eyes made her a little nervous, but at the same time intensely curious. Maybe this would be the beginning of her adventure at last. The man closed his eyes, then released her arm. Leaning back against the far bars of the cage, he looked at her quietly, as if deciding whether he should speak or not. "Where did you get that ring?" he asked at length. Merle's tail swished from side to side, her uneasiness growing alongside her interest. She was all to answer readily where she had gotten the ring, but thenthought that maybe she should play it safer. Who knew what that strange man wanted with or knew about the ring? "I got it a market," she answered, watching the man's reaction's closely. Her nose twitched slightly, trying to pick up any scent from him, fear, interest, perhaps. She could discern nothing from his scent. He remained as he was, rose colored eyes glittering with an apparent inner fire. "My Father had a ring," he said quietly, "just like that one. He said once that it would allow him to see the future and the past. The ring killed him, cat-girl. I would advise that you get rid of that thing as soon as possible." Merle's eyes widened. Raising her hand, she looked at the ring again, a slight tremor running through her. She could feel her fur begin to prickle, cold fingers racing up and down her spine. It was not a pleasant feeling. She looked up at the man helplessly, a soft 'mreowr' escaping her lips. "B-but... I can't take it off... See?" To prove her point, she pulled as hard as she could at the ring, but just as before it refused to budge an inch. Leaning forward, the man took her hand between his own. Merle was surprised at the gentleness of his touch, but flinched when he too tried to pry the ring off her finger with no success. He sighed. "It's no use. It's chosen you. Just like Father..." Merle whimpered. She was really scared now. Her tail swished uneasilly, coiling itself around her left wrist. Looking at her, the man's expression softened, liquid pink eyes muting with compassion. Reaching out, he drew her close to him, stroking her head as he had seen his Mother do the stray cats which had passed their doorstep daily. The cat-girl sobbed a little, momentarily stiffening in his embrace before she gave way to her fear and burried her face into his chest. Lying there, Merle tried not to think about what he had said. She could hear the steady beat of his heart beneath his shirt, and she took some comfort from the sound. It was warm in his arms. They were relaxed around her, slim and long like Van's. Closing her eyes against the dark thoughts that lurked at the corners of her mind, she pressed deeper against the warmth of his body. She meowed softly in protest as she felt him pull her gently away. Turning, he took two bars into his hands. Merle watched, awed, as he parted them as easily as if they were warm wax. He stretched them out far enough for a person to squeeze through, then drew back, panting slightly. He smiled at her, the smile softening the urgency in his eyes. "Go," he said. "This wagon is headed for the Palas market where we'll be sold as slaves. You're too nice for that." His eyes clouded for a moment, and he looked at her quietly, the night wind, whipped into a frenzy by the speed of the wagon, played through his hair, a few tendrils caressing his cheeks. Merle thought she saw a spasm of pain pass through his eyes, but it was gone as quickly as it had appeared. He motioned for her to hurry. "You're a lithe enough thing, you'll have no problem landing on all fours if you jump from here," he said quietly, his voice colored by his half-joke. Crouching beside the bars, she looked down at the road rushing past them. The jump would hurt, no doubt about that, even if she would certainly land on all fours. Trying not to gulp, she looked back at the man. "But what about you...? You shouldn't be a slave, either..." He smiled faintly, bitterly. "The ring killed my Father, and my Mother suicided shortly after. I have no brothers or sisters, and no other family I would like to go to. I'll be better off wherever this wagon takes me. Don't worry about me. Go." "But..." Placing a hand behind her back, he edged her closer to the bent bars. "I said go. I'll be fine." Meowing softly, Merle gave one last look to the rushing road. Then, before he could react, leapt to hug the rose eyed man, arms wrapping tightly around his back. She felt the surprise travel through his body before he returned the hug tightly. She leaped back from the embrace nimbly,landing close to the cage's opening. She swung herself down the bars, using her tail as a make-shift rope. She flashed a milky-white smile up at the man and crouched to leap. She almost leaped before she shrank back, looking towards the man again. "Almost forgot," she said. "I'm Merle. Pleased to meet you." The man smiled, reaching up to comb back his long hair. "Borealis. Allen Borealis." Merle blinked once. Then twice. Finally, she began to laugh, the sound chasing away all of her earlier fears. With one decisive push, she leapt off from the cage, the ground rushing up to meet her almost instantly. In the brief expanse between making contact with the ground and hanging suspended in mid-air, she looked back at Allen as the wagon took him away. He looked at her with a mixture of worry and amusement. She saw him smile, raise one hand in farewell, and then she made contact with the hard ground. She rolled away with a grunt, quickly springing uno all fours. She almost lost her balance, but managed to steady herself quickly. Raising her head, she saw the wagon rumble on, its driver apparently unaware that she had escaped. Rising, she waved one last time to Allen. As she lowered her hand, the ring on her finger flashed again. *I have to get rid of this thing. It killed Allen's father... I could be going the same way.* Sighing, Merle lowered her hand. She looked around her at the unfamiliar surroundings. She sniffed the air, hoping to find some scent she could guide herself by. It was a few moments before she picked up the heady scent of cooking meat. Licking her teeth, she jogged towards the direction it came from. She was too hungry at the moment to allow her fears to take over. She knew full well, though, that once satiated she had to find a way to get rid of the ring. Maybe even find a way to track down Allen in Palas and save him from becoming a slave. But for now... *For now, I eat.* End of Part 10 Chapter 11-Fate By Gilbert (Oso) Lin Hitomi was tired, and scared. Never before has she run so fast. Beads of sweat poured down her face from her face from not only exhaustion, but from fear. Hitomi looked back. Her shadowy assailant was behind her, but he was not pursuing her. Instead, he pointed a small, metal item towards her. It was a gun. She tried to pour more speed, to urge her legs to move faster, but in the back of her mind, she knew that she couldn't out-race a bullet. *Van!* Hitomi thought to herself. Hitomi heard a very loud CRACK, followed by a sharp pain in her leg. She began to fall in slow motion. Then there was a flash of the purest white emanating from a source she couldn't see, engulfing her sight. But the ground continued to rush to Hitomi. Quickly she closed her eyes, just before the she hit the cold, brown soil. She felt herself tumbling down a moderately steep hill. Down, and down she went, and every role and tumble that she took welcomed her with rough pokes and cuts to her body. Her body ached for relief from the pain, and then she felt herself stop moving. Around her was the rich smell of roast meat. Hitomi opened her eyes, and immediately wished she didn't. Three men were standing before her, and using a blue moon's soft light, she could make out two of them in detail. Both were in their late 20's and wore light brown garments, which matched their tanned skin. One man was tall and had hair that was black and unkempt, while the other was short and had brown hair that was neatly combed. Both men were surprised at her appearance. The two visible men quickly recovered from their initial shock, and Hitomi witnessed the smaller man handing a red bracelet to the third person. Both men then drew swords. The third man between the two others was secluded in shadows, and Hitomi had trouble noticing his features. He wore solid black. He wore a midnight hat, cloak, pants, and cape. In his left hand, he carried an iron-shod staff. The only noticeable feature about the third person was a small mark, which looked like a tattoo of some sort, on his neck. Hitomi could not make out the tattoo, but it was there, and it almost seemed to pulsate with its own light. Beyond the men were a small campfire, some blankets, and two moderate sized sacks filled with silver coins. The man with the staff put the bracelet on, and it quickly became hidden from Hitomi's view. He then pointed to her, and then motioned with his finger toward his neck. He brought his index finger from one side of his neck to the other, as if his finger was a knife cutting his throat. The men with the swords, grinned in agreement, began to move towards the fallen Hitomi. Immediately realizing the danger that she was in, Hitomi tried to stand and run again but the pain in her wounded leg prevented her from even getting up. "NO!" Hitomi bolted back into consciousness suddenly, drips of sweat pouring down her face from fright. Clad only in her nightgown, she was very cold. The blankets that kept her warm were thrown away from her bed. The electric clock beside her bed read 5:16 AM. "The dream." ************ The bright lights welcomed Terra Stinchfield as she walked out of the bathroom. Wearing a moderate skirt and blouse, she was ideally dressed for her friend's birthday party. Cake has already been served, and several of the invited guests were already leaving. She was about to reenter the social group in front of the TV, when she noticed another girl, about the same age as her, sitting quietly outside in the balcony of the two story house. She was clad in a short skirt and blouse that is common as the uniform for Japanese schoolgirls. Terra Stinchfield quickly went through what she knew about Hitomi Kanzaki. Hitomi was an exchange student from Japan, who was visiting the San Diego for one school semester. Hitomi was staying at Terra's home, where she became a virtual member of her family. She only spoke halting English, but there was rarely a communication barrier between Terra and Hitomi. Terra was 1/4 Japanese, although she looked like a full Caucasian. Her half-Japanese mother taught her the Japanese language when she was very young. Consequently, Terra spoke Japanese as well as she spoke English. But even with her halting English, she still managed to make many friends in her neighborhood, and was usually the center of attention. Hitomi was also a great athlete. When they first met, Terra asked Hitomi about what sports she liked. Hitomi said she had a place on the track team in Japan. Terra was proud of her own athletic skills, as she was a track star in her high school, but Terra had to admit that Hitomi was fast. They did an informal race between each other, and the two females tied. But what Terra especially found interesting was Hitomi's set of Tarot cards. Fortune telling always intrigued Terra, although when she tried to read a fortune, she found out that she was not very good using the Tarot herself. Naturally, on the day that she found out that she had Tarot cards, she asked for a reading, but Hitomi's face turned white and refused to give one. Terra's thoughts were interrupted by the sudden realization that Hitomi was not only outside, but also alone, with only the stars to give her company. This was strange, as Hitomi was usually surrounded by her friends, and was many times the center of attention. Terra immediately decided to go outside and talk to Terra. Terra opened the screen door that separated the house and the patio, stepped through it, and closed it. Still gazing at the stars, Hitomi spoke in her native tongue. "Hello Terra." Clearly surprised, Terra replied, "How did you know it was me?" "Just luck I guess." A long, vast silence occurred, in which neither person was willing to speak. After a few seconds, Hitomi broke the silence. "Terra, do you believe that our lives are predetermined by fate?" "Huh?" "If you could accurately predict a negative future, is it possible to change it?" After a pause to collect her thoughts, Terra answered "I believe that fate only has a small part in the future. Each person's dreams, thoughts, and actions are the things that determine the future. Why do you ask?" "That day that you asked me to do you a reading. I never told you why I stopped, did I?" Terra, with a perplexed look on her face replied "No. You just said that they are serve to remind you of past memories." Hiromi sighed. "I don't do any readings anymore because I am scared of the readings I do." "Huh?" Hitomi brought a light smile to her own face, and turned to face Terra. "I don't even know why I am telling you this. I have not talked about this subject even with my best friend in Japan." Just then, Hitomi noticed Terra's earrings. "Eh?" Hitomi pointed at the earrings. "Those are beautiful. Can I hold them?" "What, these?" Terra's hand went and removed the earrings from her ear, and handed them to Hitomi. "My mother gave them to me when I was 12, as a graduation present from grade school. I only wear them for special occasions." Hitomi gazed at the earrings, suddenly bliss about the environment around her. Terra's earrings were stunning. The rings themselves was made of silver, and seemed to sparkle in the night. What caught Hitomi's attention, however, was the small stone that hung from each ring. They were a translucent blue color, and each shaped like miniaturized versions of a pendent stone that Hitomi wore so long ago. Terra, not noticing Hitomi's loss of attention, continued. "In fact, they are supposed to be very valuable. My mom told me a few stories about them. They are reputably very old, given from mother to daughter for a very long time. There was supposed to be other pieces of jewelry that were in this set, but over the years... Hey, are you listening to me?" "Eh?" Hitomi spoke as she suddenly came back into consciousness. "Sorry Terra. I guess I was too fascinated by your earrings. Here." Terra accepted her earrings from Hitomi, put them on, and smiled. "Never mind. Come on. Everyone is gathered around the TV. Hitomi responded with a nod, accompanied by a large smile. "Un!" ************ Hitomi watched Terra go inside the house, but stopped at the screen door, and looked back at the stars. She wondered why she told Terra that she feared her "ability," even if she didn't tell everything. She felt glad that she finally told someone, and it was true that Terra was a good friend. Terra... Hitomi recalled the first time she entered Terra's house. The large garage from which she entered from did not only hold the standard cars and laundry machines, but also a small chemistry lab off in one corner, complete with numerous beakers, test tubes, and boxed chemicals. Terra's mother, who picked up Hitomi on her way home from the hospital where she works, was quick to introduce her to Terra, who was waiting for them just beyond the door leading into the Garage. Terra brought out a cheerful smile, and offered to show her around the house. Their first stop was the living room. It looked normal, with two couches surrounding a TV in a corner. Another corner of the room was a large punching bag, which hung from the ceiling, and near the fireplace were numerous trophies, several of them over six feet tall. Hitomi walked over towards the trophies. Reading the inscription of the largest one, it said: 1st place: National Champion, 1993 USKF Tournament, Las Vegas, Nevada Hitomi was inquired about the medal. Terra with a smile on her face, said that she was a black belt in two martial arts, and winning that tournament was one of the proudest days of her life. Hitomi then saw a lone picture on the fireplace mantle. It was simple picture of a younger Terra, about 12 years old, along with another girl about the same age. Both were joyfully poising for the camera, and dressed in colorful T-shirts. The other Caucasian girl had a bubbly expression on her face, and featured 2 small ponytails. It was clear from her expression that she was enjoying herself. Hitomi asked about the significance of the picture, and was greeted with a frown. Terra replied, "That is a picture of a friend from a long time ago." Hitomi decided it was better not to pursue the issue. After all, she didn't want to hurt anyone for the next several months, especially not her new friend and host. She was a good friend indeed. In fact, without her help, she would probably have been lost in this New World called America. Terra helped Hitomi immeasurably during her transition into San Diego. Although she has been here only for a few weeks, Terra's warm and welcoming guidance allowed her to make many friends, and perhaps best of all, she was not forced to speak her underdeveloped English to her hosts. Terra did have her problems however. Hitomi noticed that Terra had an unusually short temper. She would go from a very cheerful, content person, to a dangerous fighter in the span of a few moments. Several times she would see Terra come home from her job at a restaurant with a stern look on her face. She would go straight toward the punching bag in the living room, and would punch and kick it as if she wanted to kill and mangle it for over an hour before she even took off her work uniform. Hitomi suspected that her parents bought it for her after she spotted a hole in Terra's room the size of a fist. Just then, Terra yelled, "Hey Hitomi! Are you coming inside? Or do I have to drag you in here? The Late Show is almost on!" Hitomi replied in her flawed English. "Coming!" Hitomi quickly entered the screen door to join her friend. ************** Terra was very angry. The one TV show that she absolutely loved to watch was the Late Show at 11:00 PM. In fact, she has watched every single show since she first saw it, three years ago. *But no. There just happened to be a blackout tonight, just before the anniversary show special. Damn!* Terra picked up a palm-sized rock and threw it as hard as she could. It eventually returned to earth with a loud crack. Terra and Hitomi were walking home. They lived on a well-lit street, only three blocks from the party. Normally, the streetlights gave plenty of light along the residential neighborhood, but with the blackout, only the stars above the clear sky gave any light. Although it was late at night, the air was amazingly warm, and neither of the females required a sweater. Terra looked at Hitomi, and noticed that she was clearly worried. Terra knew that there was something special about this young woman from Japan, but she didn't know what it was. It didn't matter now, however. She was still too angry at fate to care. She needed to hit something. *Damn! Damn! Damn!* DAMN! The verbal outcry startled Hitomi. "I knew you were a fanatic for the show, but I think you are eh?" Terra saw it too. A blue Toyota pulled up on the curb right next to the two females, and stopped. It was not parked very neatly. In fact, the front right wheel went over the curb. The door opened, and a Caucasian male stepped out of the car. Terra suddenly felt nauseated as the smell of liquor filled her noses. The teen wore a huge black Nike jacket that almost seemed too small for him, and light blue jeans that was cut off at the ankles. After getting out of the car, the well-muscled teen began walking around the front of it. With every step that he took, the smell of liquor became larger, more nauseating. He stepped into the headlights, and adrenaline shot up Terra's limbs when she recognized the face. As he reaches the sidewalk, he almost trips on the curb. He manages to regain his balance before he toppled over, and blocked the sidewalk path in front of the two girls. "Hey Terra, why don't both of you come on into my car? I'm tired of hanging around my house when there's no one at home. It will be fun." The teenage male's speech was slightly slurred. Terra was not in the slightest amused. *Great,* she thought, *not only do I have to miss my favorite show, I have to deal with this looser. *In a stern voice, Terra replied, "Why don't you leave me alone John? I'm not in the mood to baby-sit, you slacker. When I told you our relationship was not working out, I meant it. Get out of our way, take your car, and leave us be. Come on Hitomi." Terra began to walk toward the big man, with Hitomi just a step behind. But the huge teen refused to move. Terra, seeing John's stubbornness, decided it was best not to harass the large person anymore, and attempted to walk around him. John however, had other ideas. "I said, you should get in the car with me." He promptly grabbed Terra, and shoved her in the direction of the car with little effort. Hitomi, seeing the strength of the man, became intimidated and stopped dead in her tracks. Terra was not intimidated however, and her fury grew. "John, I'm giving you fair warning. Get this through your stupid, drunk brain. I'm not going with you. Our relationship is over. Don't make me do something that you will regret." Terra attempted to walk pass John again, but the big man threw out his large arms, intending for another shove. This time, Terra was ready. Shifting her body position, she grabbed her John's massive wrists. In one swift motion, the big man was lofted into the air, and met the ground hard. "Humph." Terra clapped her hands together and began to walk away from the fallen drunkard. John was not done yet though. He got up, and grabbed Terra's arms, and using his massive body and strength, he picked her up, and pinned her between his arms, body, and the car. The smell of his breath was enough to make Terra gag. John, noticing his commanding position, stated, "You will getting in the car Oomph!" John collapsed in agony, holding his groin where Terra had brought up her knee. "I gave you fair warning. Now you suffer the consequences." Terra then turned to Hitomi. "Come on. Let's get home." They only walked a few more paces ahead when the pair heard a shout from the wounded man. "Bitch! You hurt me! You hurt me in the most agonizing way! You will pay for wounding my manhood, with interest!" "What are you talking about?" Terra replied. She turned around, and froze in terror. John had unzipped his Nike jacket, and pulled out a small revolver. Terra looked at her surroundings, and was dismayed that there was nowhere to hide. She also knew begging to a drunk would be a waste of time. That left just one option. "Hitomi! Run!" Terra and Hitomi took off. *This can't be happening,* Terra thought as they were running. Terra was not able to add more to that thought. There was a loud CRACK as the gun went off, and Terra noticed that her friend running in front of her fell. "Hitomi!" There was an explosion of light that emanated from around Terra, and she felt very light-headed. The light lasted only for a fraction of a second, but it was enough to disorient Terra. Before she knew what had happened, she ran straight into a tree, head first. The last thing Terra saw was the sudden creation of tree bark in front of her face after the explosion of light. Then there was only darkness. ************ "Ouch!" was the first thing that came out of Terra's mouth after she woke up with a large lump on her head. She rubbed it, and found it to be very tender. She tried to stand up, and although a bit wobbly, she managed to stand straight without any help. She found herself staring into the tree she had bumped into. The tree in front of her had an indentation where her head had bumped into it. Behind her was a forest of very large trees. It was also very chilly. "Where am I?" Terra spoke to herself. "NO!" Terra quickly recognized the voice as Hitomi's. Now fully awake and aware, she looked in the direction of the cry. Looking below the small hill she was perched on, she saw what appeared to be a thief's camp from an old movie in the middle of the clearing, complete with several blankets, a campfire with meat cooking over it, and two sacks full of weird coins. Hitomi was in the clearing, near the camp, wounded. Two of the three men, who were dressed very strangely, were converging on Hitomi's position. Two of the men were carrying long, curved swords, similar to ones she saw in an Encyclopedia, and were approaching her menacingly. "I have to help her! But what can I use as a weapon? I can't fight those men with swords without something." She spotted an unused sword by the camp, but she quickly dismissed using, because she had no idea how to use it. Scanning, she quickly found her answer. The third man was holding a staff, something she knew how to use. Before she knew what she realized what she was doing, Terra charged. **************** *This is a dream. This is a dream. This is a dream,* but in her heart, Hitomi knew that this time, it was not the dream. She couldn't do anything. *Just like so many other visions, they all came true,* she thought, *except here, I am going to die.* As the two swordsmen closed in, she heard a loud shout. A lone figure, clad in a moderate skirt and blouse, apparently worn for parties, charged down the hill, aiming for the man in black. The leader of the group apparently surprised by a back assault, attempted to get in a defensive stance, but the female closed the gap too quickly, and using her significant momentum, punched the black man in the jaw, knocking the leader down. She quickly grabbed the staff, and readied herself against the two others. The two swordsmen after shaking off their shock and surprise grinned. Hitomi quickly realized who it was and was amazed that she was here as well. "Terra! Be careful!" The first to attack was the short man. He charged, apparently thinking that he could quickly bring down this young upstart who was ten years younger than he was. It was a painful mistake, as Terra quickly sidestepped his sword thrust and promptly swung her staff at the attacker's exposed right ankle. The weapon connected, and the sound of bones being broken could be heard. The attacker winced in pain, and Terra was not about to loose her advantage. Terra immediately swung her staff the other way, aiming for the body, but the man was expecting this, and parried the blow just in time. Terra quickly pulled the staff back and began a thrust toward the man's chest. A risky move, but it was one that worked. The thrust hit the man squarely in the stomach, and the man collapsed painfully, the wind being knocked out of him. Upon seeing the swordsman fall, the comrade in arms approached cautiously. He attacked Terra, fully aware of her potential. Terra continuously blocked blow for blow, but the man kept up the offensive, using the speed of his movements to keep ahead of her. It soon became clear to Hitomi that Terra was loosing, for she was loosing ground and could never get on the offensive. *I need to do something!* She tried again to stand, but it was no use. Her bleeding leg could not hold her. She was also slowly loosing her concentration, her consciousness. Franticly searching the ground, she found a small rock. "Go away!" she shouted, and threw the rock. It wasn't much, and bounced harmlessly against the man's leg. It didn't do any damage, but it took his attention from the battle for a fraction of a second. It was a fraction too much. Terra, after parrying yet another blow, brought her staff sideways, smacking the man's sword arm. Wincing in the sudden pain and surprise, the man dropped his sword. Terra shifted her position, and attacked the leg, sweeping the man off his legs. Terra quickly looked around for the man in black, but he disappeared, the trail he left behind led into the forest. The other swordsman was still on the ground, still catching his breath and unable to stand. She turned back to her fallen opponent, and put her leg on his throat, and began to squeeze. "Take your friend and leave us alone, now. If you come back, I promise that it will hurt even more." The swordsman was in no position to argue, with his sword arm disabled and his companion unable to move without assistance. Terra let him go, and it was not until after the men were well on their way into the forest that she turned her concern to Hitomi. Upon seeing her in the soft, blue light, Terra felt the blood rush from her face. Hitomi was lying on the floor, unmoving; her leg surrounded by a pool of blood. To be continued... Page 12 Gilbert Lin And to think that she felt so smug a moment ago. Terra cursed herself for not paying more attention to Hitomi. Terra was holding Hitomi's wounded body, wondering if she was dead or alive. Quickly she checked her pulse, and was relived when she found out she still had one. "What to do? What to do?" she spoke to herself. Terra was panicking, and she knew it. She felt deja vu all over again. There was a sickening feeling in the middle of her stomach now, gnawing at her feelings and emotions. It was the feeling of utter helplessness. Hitomi was dying right before her eyes. Terra was frightened. She closed her anguished eyes. Challenging fate and the world itself, she shouted. "No! This won't happen again! I won't allow it to happen twice!" Shouting calmed her down, and then she remembered her mother's voice and guidance on what to do to stop bleeding. Carefully, she reached deep into her memories. Then, without any sound, searched the camp, and found the several items that would hopefully save Hitomi's life: a blanket, cloth, and water. ****************** Hitomi never felt this relaxed ever. It was as if the softest, whitest, most fluffy blanket wrapped around her around her body. She felt completely weightless. The only thing around her was the whiteness, but the light was very comfortable. She closed her eyes. And found herself floating above a battlefield. Around her, thousands of people swarmed, each trying there hardest to eliminate each other. Guymelfs were liberally sprinkled around the area, the nearest one was using it's great height and strength to kill tens at a time with each swing of it's foot, and each pass with it's sword killed hundreds more. Other guymelfs in the distance were battling each other, their clash of metal banging against each other. She looked around, loathing the carnage below her, wishing it would stop. She then spotted a guymelf that she was very familiar with. It was Escaflowne. "Van!" she cried out, ecstatic to see him even if it was just a dream. She began to fly her spirit form towards the Ispano White when she heard another, unfamiliar sound like a tea kettle whistle. She scanned around, and saw a bomb, dropped by a flying machine, fall too the ground. It detonated, and the resulting explosion from the energist bomb engulfed her view of the battlefield. She felt no physical pain, but the spiritual pain was tremendous when she heard all of the voices below her cry out in pain. But the one voice most painful was that of Van. His cry of agony, audible above the roar of flame, broke Hitomi, and she knew she was ready to die. **************** Van had locked himself in his room. Too many events were happening around him demanding his attention and he needed to get away from it all to sort them all out. There was Seith. It is apparent that he is another descendent of Atlantis, but for some reason he was going out of his way to avoid Van. Then there is the problem of Allen. After the battle, Van had talked to his friend, and learned that he is now a fugitive of the country that he had swore to protect. This worried Van, as now he no longer had a home, and save for the possessions he brought with him, he no longer had any property. Van offered to take him into Fanelia, but he refused, saying that Seith had already offered him a position in his army. However, Van could not get over the thought that Allen has accepted Seith as a dear friend to be trusted. He came back to the flying ship just in time to see Sasha's black wings. He also saw Seith's cold eyes at that time. He saw the unforgiving, discriminatory look on his face. He knew right then that he could be trusted as a comrade, but he could never be a close friend. Then there was Allen's sister. "No," he corrected himself, "not his sister." Van was not sure what to call Dilandau. The news of Serena's transformation back to Van's arch enemy once again alarmed him. Upon hearing that news, Van avoided Dilandau's locked room extremely carefully. While the scar Van had given to Dilandau vanished on his transformation to Serena, according to Allen, it still exists on Dilandau. "No doubt he still despises me for scaring that face of his years ago." But there was a deeper reason for his avoidance of Dilandau. It was a reason he also barely acknowledged. Simply put, he hated him. Nightmares of the war still haunt him, and they all involved the one boyish man no older than he was who was obsessed with killing him. He would kill innocents, friends, and his personal friends all for his own enjoyment. Van closed his eyes, and unwillingly remembered his most recent, and most disturbing, dream. Hitomi was laying on the floor, her cute sailor skirt stained by her own blood, and several ghastly wounds on her arms and legs. Standing above her, a boyish Dilandau was enjoying himself, and wielded his bloodied sword blade with expert accuracy, creating several numerous wounds intended to inflict immense pain, not to kill. He was demanding something from Hitomi, but all he heard was Hitomi's constant scream, and all he saw was Hitomi's look of pain, sadness, anguish, and defiance. He tried to attack Dilandau physically, but he seemed to pass straight through them, like a ghost. He was helpless. All he could do was look into Hitomi's eyes of suffering in anguish. Thinking of Dilandau also reminded him about the horrors of war, the pillaging, the plundering, the loss of innocent life, and the blood on his hands. "And now there might be another one." Recently, tensions have been slowly rising between Basram and Asturia over what to do with the energist-bomb. On this thought, Van sighed. "Not another war," he said to himself. "There should not be any more fighting." He made a mental note to himself to go and do diplomatic visits advocating against war to the other countries. He was sure he could calm the furious blood rising between the two nations. After becoming a hero of the Gaean War, the name Van Fanelia caried much political weight, even if Fanelia itself did not have a large army. While he was doing that, he could also search for a particular cat-girl who was causing him a lot of anguish. The simple fact is, Van needed Merle. He needed a smile right now. She was a breath of fresh air, and his private source of near limitless laughs and smiles. Van stepped toward the window of the cabin, inhaled deeply, and gave out another sigh. "Merle, where are you?" He received no answer. "Being a king is too stressful," he said to himself, and moved away from his view of the mystic moon. ****************** Terra was pushing hard, using all of her strength, and prayed that she was doing the correct thing. The bullet that pierced Hitomi's skin seemed to have grazed the side of the leg, thankfully not lodging itself in but making a ghastly wound that bled horridly. Terra had elevated Hitomi's legs with miscellaneous items from the camp, and was putting pressure on the wound using the cloth. In an attempt to keep Hitomi warm, a blanket was thrown over her. Terra hoped to stop the bleeding using her pressure. It was working, but Hitomi had already lost a lot of blood. Terra wondered whether Hitomi would ever speak again. **************** Van drew to a sudden stop in the hallway of the flying machine Montu. His mind, once wondering about his childhood playmate, came into focus immediately, and as the pendent he wore for nearly one year felt overly warm. Van also felt slightly lightheaded, to the point of nearly losing his balance. Balancing himself by placing one of his hands against the wall, he used his other hand to pull out the possession that to him was more precious than the Ispano white he rode into battle a year ago. He gripped it, and knew it had happened. Hitomi had returned to Gaea. But there was more to this feeling, and he knew it. He suddenly felt desperation, as his own blood left his face. Hitomi was dying. He did not know how he could tell, only that he did. He had to find her, to help her! His mind began to figure out numerous ways to locate her, to speed towards her, and rescue her from her pain. He could find no solution to his dilemma, however. Then he thought of someone, a close friend, who would help him locate the girl from the mystic moon. Immediately, he headed to his quarters, and simultaneously prayed for someone, anyone, to help Hitomi. ****************** "I know what you are thinking, Hitomi," The columns of flame passed, and a full view of grass surrounded her vision. "But it is not your time to die." Hitomi turned around, and saw a young, vibrant woman, sitting on the grass, looking like a slightly older version of Hitomi. She was wearing an old Kimono, something that would have been in fashion in Japan about 50 years ago. "Grandmother? But! But!" "Sit down, child." She patted on the soft grass with her hand, inviting her to come. Hitomi hesitatingly walked to her side, and did as she was told. "Don't ask questions, granddaughter, and just listen. That battle you were witness will be the beginning of Armageddon for Gaea. The new weapons and devices that will be used in that war will devastate the land. Nothing can or will live in the aftermath of that war, and all of the work that you, your friends, and the people of Atlantis have done in the past would have been for nothing. This must not be allowed to happen. Someone must stop this future from happening." "But what can I do grandmother?" Hitomi asked. "One person can make little difference in the world." "My granddaughter, one person can always make a huge difference." ****************** Terra was sitting by the campfire, feeling relieved and distressed all at the same time. She was relieved because Hitomi's blood finally slowed down to a trickle, and stopped all together about two hours ago. However, now that her mind was over that crisis, her mind wondered over to a new, and different problem. She had no idea where they were. In fact, she wondered whether or not she was still in San Diego. "People wielding swords?" she said to herself. "No one wields swords like that anywhere in the U.S. Why use swords when guns are so much better?" Her surroundings all looked unfamiliar. Though the blue light was shadowed by a thin layer of clouds above her, there was still enough light leaking through to discern her surroundings. The forest she ran from lay across from her, staring at her with blackness. On an opposite end of an invisible boundary that marked the end of the forest, was flat land covered with patted down dirt and small grass. Even the camp was strange. It did not have sleeping bags, and no vehicle was in sight other than the wagon that was clearly the property of those men that so closely came to murdering Hitomi. The food they left behind held a lot of beef jerky and several dried nuts that she did not recognize. If not in San Diego, where? Had she been struck by the bullet and shot fatally, and now she was in heaven? Or was she dreaming? A female noise beside her awakened her from her thoughts. Turning her head, she noticed Hitomi's eyes open slowly, and her excitement grew. Although Terra had fully intended to give a warm welcome to the person whose life she had personally saved. The words that spilled out were quite different. "You fool!" She yelled in Japanese. "Don't you dare attempt to die on me again! Otherwise, I'll have to save your life again, and then I'll kill you myself!" She gave a crooked smile to Hitomi. "What happened?" Hitomi asked. She began to rise, but as she reached a sitting up position, she immediately felt dizzy, and crashed back on the blanket below her. "Whoa!" She said in English. Quickly, she switched back to Japanese. "Don't try that. You are still really weak from blood loss. You won't be getting up anytime soon." Although still dizzy, Hitomi had no intention of sleeping. At least, not yet. "San Kyu," she said in English. In English, Terra replied, "Hey! No problem. You can't be the daughter of a doctor without learning some tricks. Actually, I am glad that you came through all right." She looked around her. "Now all we need to do is figure out where on Earth we are." Looking around, sudden realization dawned on Hitomi's face. Her friend would not believe it at first, but she needed to know. "I don't know exactly where we are," Hitomi stated in Japanese, "but I know that we are not on Earth anymore." The statement came at her with the power of one-million electric volts. "Come again, Hitomi? I think the loss of blood has got to your brain. Where else except Earth can we be?" Hitomi managed a slight smile, meekly raised her arm at the sky, and pointed out the moon, now uncovered by the clouds. Terra's jaws dropped to the floor, staring in disbelief at the moon in the sky. No, not the moon, Terra corrected herself. It was Earth. "Welcome to Gaea." ******************** Manus was exhausted. He had been searching the entire city looking for some clues about Merle, and had turned up nothing. It was getting very late, as the sun set several hours ago. Very few people were in the streets. A few drunkards clumsily finding their way home, some homeless people seeking shelter that night, and the occasional pair of Fanelian soldiers patrolling the streets. He himself was returning to the inn, after another day of unrewarded searching. While walking under the bright light of the Mystic Moon, he pulled out his copy of Merle's picture. Staring at it woke him up a little. Seeing her face renewed his hope. Before, her daughter didn't have a face nor a name. Just a position. Now, that position had those qualities, even if he was not completely sure. He placed his hand to his heart, and felt it's quiet thumping. He would search and find Merle, for somehow, his heart, his soul was guiding him towards her, and he has always trusted his soul. Finally, he arrived at the inn. A few minutes ago, the only thing he wanted to do was crash into his room at the inn, but instead of going up the stairs to his room, he veered off to the other side of the room, where the bar was. Still standing, he ordered a beer from the bartender. While he was waiting for the bear, he looked around the room. There were not that many people in the room. In fact, there were only three. One of them was dressed in complete black He had seen him earlier that night, exiting from a small, personal, and very fast looking flying ship. There was almost no part of the man that was not black. Even his head was mostly hidden by a large black hat, and his skin was as close to black as well. The only part of him that was not black was a red bracelet, barely visible under his clothes. The other two men looked like woodsmen. They were all sitting at the same table, speaking at inaudible tones to each other, so that no other human could hear them outside of the table. Inaudible for a human maybe, but not for a catman. As a catman, Manus had incredible hearing. He smiled. While knowledgeable humans, such as scholars and politicians knew and exploited the heightened senses of catmen, those people were very few. Apparently, these people didn't know about his powerful senses or just didn't care. Without anything else to do, he sat down, and began evesdropping. "How many were you able to get?" The man in black had a voice that was rich and commanding. From his tone of voice, he quickly decided that he was in command. "Four," one of the two men replied. "There were some kids playing quite a ways inside the forest. So I decided to play the friendly guy and ask them where they lived. The dumb kids told me. Turns out that they were playing far away from their homes. I smiled and left them alone for a few minutes, and came back with the rest of my gang. The gang and I caught them all. They all had spunk. They should all sell really well. They are all on their way to the market." *Sell?* Manus thought. *They sell children? They must be slave traders!* The black clothed man nodded, and turned his head to the other slave trader. He winced suddenly at the action and rubbed his chin. "How many did you catch this month Oak?" "Plenty. Slaves are not in such high demand yet though, so I decided to let go of just two of my inventory. One of them was this cat girl. Cute little girl. Anyway, I was simply strolling along. Hell, I wasn't intending to do any other poaching this month. But I saw this cat girl running along. 'Hell,' I said, 'Why not?' So I sneak up behind her, and really nail her head with the flat of my sword. After she awoke, she said a lot. She told her name was Merle, and that she had some sort of relationship with the king of Fanelia. Naturally, I didn't really believe her. After I sent her to the Palas market, I checked up on her story. Turns out that she was telling the truth. I am now bouncing my head off because I should have ransomed her off to the King!" The three men all gave a good laugh, and Manus frowned. He quickly decided on his course of action. He paid the bill and a tip to the bartender, and exited the inn, back into the soft, blue light. After a few minutes, he found one of the Fanelian soldiers patrolling the streets, and told them about the slave traders in the inn. The guards thanked him, and rushed back to their headquarters to get reinforcements. Manus sighed, and returned to the inn. He noticed that the man in black had left already, but Oak and the other slave trader were still drinking casually, with laughs booming out of them. Manus returned to his room, crashed on the bed, and began staring at the ceiling. The last thing he remembered before he fell asleep was being rewarded for his actions by the numerous oaths and cries of the two slave traders as they were caught by the Fanelian soldiers. Tomorrow he would set out for Palas to find his daughter. ************** The air crackled and popped over the campfire, where the two stranded visitors from Earth lay. Terra was cooking some sort of bird for herself that was left next to the campfire. After her initial shock from seeing the Earth from another planet, Terra became silent, trying to sort this radical new information, While doing so, she finished cooking the fish that was left on the spit, and gave it to Hitomi. Hitomi was already almost done devouring the fish left on the campfire spit. Although much of the color has not returned to her face, Hitomi was looking much better. "Let me get this straight." Terra stated after Hitomi was done eating the hot fish left by the former occupants of the camp. "We are not on Earth. Instead, we are on some other planet you have been to before, which is named Gaea by its occupants." Hitomi solemnly nodded. "Hitomi, I think you had better start from the beginning." Hitomi sighed. She knew this was coming. Finding a lack of a better item, she wiped her hands and face on her blanket to rid herself of the fish oils that stuck onto her hands and face. Then, she slowly moved to a more comfortable position, and started her story. "It started with a crush I had with a boy and a vision..." Terra interupted her, and put one finger to her mouth, telling Hitomi to be silent. Quickly, she mouthed "Something is coming." "Stay here, I'll be back after I get some water." she said out loud. Hitomi watched as Terra quietly but swiftly grabed her staff, moved to the edge of the camp, and dissaper into the woods. A few moments later, Hitomi heard a strifled scream, and an oath from Terra. Suddenly, a creature was forcefully expeled from the forest, and stumbled to the floor. Terra quickly followed the creature, and positioned her staff to strike with it. The creature looked immencely humanlike, but it also resembled like a cat. She was incredibly soiled and smelled horribly. "What the blazes are you?" Terra spoke in English. Amaizingly, the cat-creature spoke Japanese. "Please, I only want some food." said the creature. Hitomi, already alert, quickly realized the cat-creature's voice. "Merle? Is that you?" The catgirl, was completely stunned. "Hitomi?" ****************** "Calm, how can I stay calm?" the king of Fanelia yelled. Hitomi is out there, wounded, and I am stuck on this flying boat till until it touches back down!" Allen Schezar was clearly worried also, but he was able to think through Van's supprising news rationally. "Well, you said yourself that you felt that she was out of immidiate danger, right?" Van had to agree. He didn't need to be worried as much anymore. Someone had already helped her out of danger. But it was small confort because he had no idea where she was. He had come to Allen for help. But he had no idea how to find the girl from the mystic moon. He couldn't reach his love, and knowing that just made him more depressed. Van began pacing around the room. It was a habit that started when he became king of his kingdom, because he just had to do something other than sit when he felt like bashing the brains out of political lackies. He paced from the open door on one side of the room to the other side, where a window beautifully displayed groups of clouds lazily passing by. "What about the pendent?" Allen asked. Van, intrigued by the idea, pulled out the one physical treasure that mattered as much as Escaflowne. The gem, once worn by Hitomi, seemed to sparkle with her essence, and for the first time, he felt hope. Taking the neclace off of his neck, he grasped the string. Allen had placed a map on the table. Moving toward it, Van let the pendulum loosely swing and began his scrying, just like Hitomi had taught him to do. He wondered why he hadn't thought of using the mystic Atlantian pendent before. Concentrating on the pendent, he visualized Hitomi like he remembered. Quiet, happy, beautiful. A second later, he knew where he had to travel, and Van was extatic, but he frowned nevertheless. He would have no help with his search where he was going. "Hitomi is at the border of Austria and Daedalus," he said simply. ******************** Outside of the Allen's room in the hallway, a duitiful but sneaky young Pharoh was quietly listening in on Van and Allen's conversation. Satisfied with the information he had just recieved, he began to continue his path down the hall. "Interesting," he said to himself. ******************** Merle was buisilly chewing down one of the best fish she had ever tasted. Then again, it probably only tasted good because she was starving, but she didn't care. Sitting nearby a sleeping Hitomi, she was staring into the light of the fire, while keeping her distence from Hitomi's intriguing friend. Although Terra was nice and polite, the way she roughed her up during their first encounter and the very large frown on her face as she had to cook another piece of fish told her to be on her guard. Merle was jealous of Hitomi. But right now she was feeling sorry for her as well. Although a rival for Van's affections, she couldn't help but feel sorrow as she stared at Hitomi's crudely bandaged leg. "So, what are you going to do now Merle?" Terra asked. Merle noted a bit of frustration in her voice. "Well, I don't have any idea of where we are either. I figure I will follow a stream I stumbled across a ways back until I find civilization. After that," Merle paused, and averted her eyes to the grass. "I'm going to Palas to repay a debt I owe someone." "Well, since we don't know where we are either, I guess Hitomi and I will follow your lead. We need to get Hitomi to a doctor soon, before that wound of hers becomes infected. We can leave in the morning. Looking at the sack of coins near the campfire, she guessed she must have a small fortune ready to spend. She will use those coins to pay the doctor. Terra returned her attention to her food. Seeing that it was done cooking, she stopped rotating the skewered fish above the fire, ignoring the pain as the burning hot fish oil dripped down on her hands. "We will leave in the morning." Terra said simply. With that said, she took a large bite out of the fish. ******************** Seith was pleased. Disturbed from the discovery of Sasha's black wings a few hours ago, yes, but still pleased. Anthony was waiting in front of him, giving him full military attention. Although he was his closest friend, the main focus of his mind at that moment was buisness. *Personal matters,* he said to himself, *will have to come later." "I'm sorry to have to drag you away from the oporating room door, my friend, but I have need of your services. I have found a way to tie up our last loose end in our plan." Anthony's soldier expression did not leave his face. Seith was pleased that Anthony understood that right now, it was time for buisness. "We no longer depend on finding Merle to silence King Van politically. Hitomi, the girl from the Mystic moon is on Gaia." Anthony's expression registered supprise with those words, but face quickly vanished. Seith decided to forgive Anthony for the slight show of weakness. "I want you to take a flying Guymelf and return to Kanaphra to take command the flying ship Mystic, and head for the border between Daedus and Austria. If we can find Hitomi before the king of Fanellia does, we can return Hitomi to Van and using Allen we can convince Van to be at least neutral in matters concerning Austria or better yet, cause hostility between the two countries. In one move we can prevent the one one vocal force that can stop the conflict between Basram and Austria, and those two powers will destroy each other. Finding the cat-girl is important, so grab her if you spot her, but Hitomi should be easier to locate, since she will be completly out of place. Any questions?" Anthony did have one question. "One question, your majesty. What should we do if Van finds the girl first?" Seith thought it over. "Let them be. We can't risk exposing our plot. However, I think the flying ship Montu will be heading back to Kanaphra a bit slower than expected, due to engine problems. Dismissed." Anthony gave a quick bow to his pharoh and was about to exit the door, when he heard a softer, more gentle voice coming from behind him. "Anthony, how is Sasha?" Anthony slowly turned around, and gazed right into Seith's painful eyes. What he read in those eyes was some discrimination, pain, but most of all sorrow. "No word yet from the doctor. She is still in her coma." "I see." was all Seith replied. Seith moved to a chair, and sat down, staring at the floor. Anthony, although disturbed by the king's concern, exited the cabin to execute his commands. Seith continued to sit in his chair. Burrying his face in his arms, he felt rage go through him, but for some odd reason he found tears flowing down his face and into the crevices of his hands. Determined, he began to talk to himself. "You are right Sasha. I can't marry you with your black wings, but I refuse to let you die now. I won't let you take the easy way out. I'll find a way to bring you back to this world, and I will fix your wings." Rising from his chair, he went to a small bookshelf in the cabin. Going to the second row, he looked at numerous books dating back several years. They were Zabiachian bound books, and contained much of the reasearch the Zabiachian scientists and magicians did concerning the artifacts of Atlantis. Finding a particular book, he located the passage describing an artifact that was supposidly used by the Atlantians to heal injuries. Turning the page, he found a colored drawing of the artifact. It was a hand drawn picture of a red bracelet. To be continued...