A while back, I attempted to write an AU Escaflowne with a plot inspired by Constantine. I wrote like...two chapters and then had the worst writer's block. Now, suffering from writer's block that prevents me from updating many of my stories, I actually had a bunch of ideas that made me want to try and rewrite the story.

So, here you are. Hopefully this story will not suffer the same as my other stories have been.

Disclaimer: Does my broke ass look like it owns Escaflowne? If it did, I think the series would have been dramatically different.

Prologue

Santa Cruz, California

The pale clouds passed before the moon as Van walked down the boardwalk, studying the beach. In the winter, there were barely, if any, people lingering by the water. Van looked up at the sky and sighed. He looked up at the sky and stared at the cloud covered moon. He studied it with eyes unfeigned by the beauty of the night and long dulled by a career centered around violence and death. After a few long moments, he turned his eyes from the orb and settled for watching the boardwalk where he currently waited.

"This is stupid," he muttered in English as he began pacing. He looked around the boardwalk again, and saw the same results, that there were no people around on the beach. Van pulled out his phone and dialed a number. The phone rang a few times, and then Van was transferred to a voicemail box.

"The number you have dialed, Emily Rorshanks, is not available. To page this person, please press five. At the tone, please leave a message," an automated voice said. A tone sounded and Van growled into the phone.

"Emily, get your ass to the board walk. I'm sick and tired of waiting for you, stupid woman," Van growled into the mouth piece. He waited a few more moments, then flipped his phone closed with a loud clack. He took up pacing again, the entire time muttering about how much he loathed the situation.

"Hey Van," a weak female voice said. Van spun around and saw a short woman, so skinny her bones could be seen through her ashen skin. There were dark circles under her eyes, and he appearance mirrored that of a corpse. She was wrapped in a large dark blue jacket and wore a long skirt with a pair of tennis shoes.

"Emily, what happened? You look like hell," Van said, running over.

"Ehn, you know how it is. Being one of the world's best seers, it's not all wine and roses. Lately, it's getting really hard," Emily said. She reached into her pocket and drew out a flask. As Van watched, she downed the contents and then smiled at him.

"What did you want to meet me out here for," asked Van. Emily pocketed the flask and smiled.

"Things are about to hit the fan, and trust me, you want to get your ass back to Japan. That's going to be the center. If whatever it is get's a hold in Japan, then the rest of the world is fucked, pardon my language," said Emily. She coughed and wiped her mouth.

"What do you mean things are going to hit the fan?" asked Van. Emily shrugged.

"You know how my visions are. I try to interpret them the best I can, but I'm not right all the time. all I know is, there's a psychic in Japan. She's in denial, or maybe in an institute. For some reason, she's repressing her powers, and soon she risks causing all that repressed energy to well up and burst out in some pretty destructive ways that can attract some less than reputable attention," Emily said weakly.

"Less than reputable? You mean demons?" Van asked. Emily nodded.

"Yeah, and if they get her...I keep seeing flames. Flames is not a good thing. Flames mean destruction, suffering, and death," Emily pointed out.

"Okay, what does the girl look like?" asked Van.

Emily reached into her pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper. Van unfolded the paper and a young woman with short cropped hair and sad eyes looked back at her. he blinked and refolded the paper, putting it back in his pocket.

"I drew it yesterday, figured you'd need to know what she looks like. Find her and guide her Van, she really needs you," said Emily.

"Alright. Besides, have you gotten any word from...from you know who?" asked Van. Emily sighed and shook her head.

"Nope. His will is still clouded from my sight, just as those clouds cover the moon above. I doubt I will ever see his will until I find myself face to face with his excellence in the kingdom of heaven. Ny body's wasting away too rapidly," Emily said.

"Why are you so sick? You were healthy when I saw you last," Van said, taking her hand. Emily laughed and tightened her hold on his hand.

"The cancer, the cancer they said was in remission no less, it spread. Docs say I'm at death's door. I could drop dead here, or in my bed, or a month from now. At the moment, it's all unknown. I cannot see my own fate, just those of the rest of the world, which tells me that I'm passing on soon. But Van, what I saw from before, I doubt it has changed," Emily said quietly. Van turned his eyes away and looked at the wooden boards compiling the boardwalk. Emily sighed and patted his hand.

"You are a child whose very existence is regarded as an abomination. Yes, in the past the angels could take on human brides. However, your mother and father committed an act against him most holy when they created you and your brother, and your brother's rebellion and allegiance with the dark ones continues to trouble heaven. No matter how many demons you sentence to eternal damnation, it may not be enough to redeem yourself, even though the sin is not of your doing," said Emily. She dropped Van's hand and sighed.

"I need to return to the hospice, I had to bribe the night watchman to come out here. Take care of yourself Van, and I'm sorry I will not see you again," said Emily. Van nodded and wrapped his arms around her skeletal frame.

"Never give in until the end Emily, not even in the face of defeat," he whispered. Emily nodded and placed a light kiss on his cheek.

"That goes double for you," she said softly, before walking away from Van and into the darkness of the night.