CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

A True Hearts Calling Part Two

Allen stared incredulously at Dilandau; who stood there smiling at him. Allen had to think quickly, if Hitomi wasn't already dead, he needed to figure out a way of getting her out of that rope; he was running out of time. He began to run out of the balcony when Dilandau stood in his way.

"Where are you going, Allen?" He raised an eyebrow. "You can't reach her, the only person who can is Van, and if he chooses to, he'll die."

Allen remembered the situation with Van's wings. Dilandau had set this up so that Van had to choose between his own life, or Hitomi's. "Dilandau, you bastard."

Dilandau laughed. "Now, now. No need for foul language." Allen began to slide his sword from the case, Dilandau frowned. "If you dare to remove that sword fully from its case, you know there will be consequences."

Allen paused for a moment and looked at his sword. He looked back up at Dilandau, smiled, and continued sliding it out of its case. He held the sword in front of him. "Consequences sound fine to me, I've done enough to deserve them."

Dilandau looked disbelievingly at Allen. "What's the point, Allen? You can't save her, you can't save anyone." Dilandau still did not reach for his sword.

Allen sneered. "Since when have you been one to turn down a fight?"

"Since when have you been one to allow your friends to die?!" Dilandau reached for his sword with immense speed and swung it at Allen, who took the hit with his sword. The blades collided and sparks were sent flying. They continued in their swordplay. "Van's down there as we speak, debating on what to do." Dilandau said as they continued to clash sword against sword. He locked his sword with Allen's so their faces were close. "It's only a matter of time before he decides to fly, in which case…" Allen pushed his sword against Dilandau's and sent Dilandau tumbling backwards.

Dilandau stood and looked at Allen; he was getting annoyed. Allen looked back at Dilandau. "Your out of touch, Dilandau." Dilandau sneered as he charged at Allen; who dodged him and sent him running into the railing. Allen turned around and faced him. "Don't underestimate me!"

Dilandau turned to Allen again and smiled. "Never, Allen." Allen stared as Dilandau didn't move. Instead he swung his sword at the rope that was around the railing, breaking it.

Allen ran to the railing and looked over the edge. "Hitomi!" He spotted Van down below. "Van!"

Van saw Hitomi begin to fall, without caring about himself he concentrated on spreading his wings. "Hitomi!" Van's wings burst out as he cried out in pain. He leapt from the ground and sailed into the sky while tears formed in his eyes. He caught Hitomi's body in his arms as he tried to continue to the ground.

He felt his feet touch solidness and he lay her on the ground motionless. He brushed the hair from her face as he reached for his sword and cut the rope which bind her. He slid the rope from her body carefully and looked at the wounds on her body; they were deep, and she had lost a lot of blood. He felt tears fall from his eyes. "Hitomi…"

A tear hit Hitomi's face as her eyes fluttered open. She looked at Van, smiled. "Van." Van wrapped his arms around her carefully and hugged her with everything that was inside of him.

"Thank goodness, I'm glad." He began to cry. "I'm so glad."

Allen watched from afar, and without feeling the impact of jealousy he should have felt, he felt happy for them. He turned to Dilandau whose face was distorted with anger, confusion, and fear. Van wasn't dead. In fact, he looked fine. "What the hell…" Dilandau said under his breath.

Allen pointed his blade at Dilandau. "You've lost, Dilandau. Forget about it."

Dilandau panicked for a moment, then regained his composure; he faced Allen. He leaned forward and licked the end of Allen's sword, cutting his tongue. "Nothings over yet, Allen."

Allen went to swing at Dilandau, but before he was able to strike him, Dilandau jumped off the railing. "Sayonara, Allen-san."

Allen watched as he glided down to the ground and landed softly on his feet. "He isn't human…" Allen stared in horror as he watched Dilandau walk slowly towards Van and Hitomi. Van's back was to Dilandau and Hitomi didn't seem to notice him coming. "Van! Look out!" Van didn't hear him as he continued to hold Hitomi.

Allen knew he had to do something. He couldn't jump of the railing like Dilandau, it would kill him. He began to run into the fortress, to the only exit he would be able to use. "Shit." He fled down the corridors and the stairs, Dilandau's men being none the wiser. Wait for me, please. Wait for me…

Van cooed to Hitomi as she passed in and out of consciousness. He had to get her out of there. He didn't hear Dilandau approach at all until he heard a twig snap from directly behind him. He released his sword from the case and turned around on his crouching legs. His sword hit Dilandau's as Dilandau locked gazes.

"It's been a while since we did this, hasn't it, Van?" Dilandau smiled as he pushed down on his sword, trying to knock Van back.

Instead, Van pushed back sending Dilandau stumbling. Van tried to stand tall but was unable. He stood, somewhat bent, clutching at his stomach. His insides seemed to be on fire, and the pain was unbearable. He knew he couldn't win this battle. He looked in the corner of his eyes at Hitomi. Wake up Hitomi. Run!

"Where are you looking Van!? Your opponent is me!" Dilandau swung hard at Van as Van met him steel with steel. However Dilandau had the advantage as far as strength went since Van's body was injured, so Dilandau's hit sent Van's sword off to the side and the tip of Dilandau's blade struck Van in the cheek.

Van clutched at his cheek as he stumbled, having a hard time standing. He pulled his hand away from his cheek to see the amount of blood there was, he didn't like what he saw. "Damn it." He needed Hitomi to wake up and run, he wasn't going to make it, he knew it.

Dilandau licked the blood from his blade as he looked at Van. "Your face is even with mine now, Van. How does it feel?" Dilandau stroked the scar on his face.

Van didn't answer. Suddenly he had a convulsion of pain and he spit up blood. He bent over at a 90 degree angle as he clutched at his stomach. Dilandau took advantage and kicked him over. Van rolled to his side as his breathing became laboured. There was a trail of blood coming from his mouth.

"Answer me! How does it feel Van, I'd really like to know?!" With his foot he rolled Van over onto his back so he could look at his face. He placed his foot on Van's stomach and applied pressure as he leaned over him. Van groaned and coughed up more blood. Dilandau's voice quieted. "How does it feel to know that, after I kill you, right here, I'm going to take Hitomi's life." He smiled as he saw Van's pained face. "Well who knows maybe I'll play with her a bit before I kill her." He applied more pressure still to Van's stomach. His face no longer smiled. "Then I'll take Fanelia, and all your friends, will burn." He narrowed his eyes. "You're a lucky man not to have to live though that, Van." Van had visions of Merle and the rest of the people in Fanelia being burned.Tears streamed down the side of his face. Dilandau took his foot off of his stomach as he laughed.

Dilandau grabbed the neck of Van's shirt and pulled him to a standing position. He brushed Van off and stood before him, watching as Van struggled to stand. Van raised his eyes to Dilandau's, challenging him. Dilandau's smile faded. He slapped Van with the back of his hand. Van did not fall, but staggered greatly. "Why are you so bloody persistent?" Dilandau said as he approached Van once again. He raised his blade, and aimed it for Van's stomach. "Bye bye, Van." He pulled the sword back and thrust it forwards.

Just as he did so, Allen jumped in front of Van and took the sword in his stomach. His face contorted in pain as he gurgled his own blood in his throat. He gripped the sword in front of him. Van stared blankly as blonde hair flowed in front of him. Allen…

Dilandau pulled his sword out of Allen as Allen tumbled to the ground. He coughed as Van knelt to him. "Allen?" Van searched Allen's face as Allen went into a coughing fit. Blood bubbled from his mouth as Allen looked at Van and smiled weakly.

"Take this as my resignation letter, Lord Van." He laughed and began coughing. His eyes closed, and the coughing stopped.

Van leaned over, and kissed Allen's forehead. Before he raised his head, he felt the prick of a blade on the back of his neck. "You've got to be kidding me." Dilandau's voice gave him the chills. He looked behind him at Dilandau as he was forced to stand. Dilandau laughed. "He's the reason your in this situation, and you kiss him?" Dilandau shook his head. "Your pitiful, Van." Dilandau took a swing at Van's arm and sliced it. Van staggered away from Allen's body in pain. "The sight of it, of this blood, of your blood, Van. Its exciting!" He sliced Van's other arm, sending Van to fall to the ground. He had lost too much blood. "Why don't you just run? I don't understand you. Instead of standing around wounded, you could have just run. I wouldn't have chased you." Dilandau laughed. "Oh who am I kidding, I would have."

Dilandau stood over Van once again. "You never did answer my question, Van." He frowned. "How does it feel?"

A voice came from behind Dilandau. "Something like this." With that there was a sword plunged through Dilandau's stomach as Dilandau gargled. His eyes bugged as he stared into Van's eyes. A trail of blood flowed from his mouth as he coughed. The sword was rotated and then pulled from Dilandau's body. Van saw Allen standing there, bent over clutching his stomach with one hand, with the bloody sword in the other. Allen smiled, and fell once again.

Van used what energy he had left and sat up; he saw Dilandau's body, along with Allen's. Both appeared to be dead. He heard the crunching of the dried grass as he looked over and saw Hitomi's leg move. He crawled frantically to her and looked at her face. "Hitomi?" Van coughed.

"Van." Hitomi smiled up at him weakly. "What happened?" She tried to look around. "I smell blood." She looked back into Van's eyes. "Van?"

Van looked away from her, he didn't want to tell her what had happened. "I'm sorry."

Hitomi struggled to sit up, since she was having trouble Van helped her. She sat up, holding her left arm. She saw Allen's limp body a few feet from her. She gasped and began to crawl towards him. "Allen!"

"Hitomi, wait!" Van sat there and watched her go.

She made it to his body where she lay his head in her lap. She looked down at his face, he looked so peaceful. She brushed her fingers across his lips as she cried. "Allen…No." She pressed her forehead to his and continued to cry out loud, and hard. She rocked back and forth, trying to comfort herself. Suddenly she heard a groan escape his lips, and she leaned back to look at him. He squinted up at her.

"Hitomi?"

Hitomi laughed through her tears. "Your alright… Your alright." She brushed her hands across his forehead.

"How's Van?" Allen closed his eyes.

"He's fine Allen, we're all alright." She looked over at Van and smiled; Van returned her smile.

"Good. I'm glad." He opened his eyes and looked at Hitomi. "Hitomi, I-"

"Shh. You need to rest. Take it easy." Hitomi cooed.

"No!" Allen shot back and looked at her. "I need to say this now, I may not get another chance."

Hitomi looked at him blankly. "Allen…"

"I need you to know, that I know I made a mistake. But I'll do whatever it takes to turn this around. I know I messed up, I know I let Van, and Fanelia, and even you down. I know what's at stake Hitomi, you and Van are everything to me, I was just blinded momentarily, I promise you that'll never happen again. And if you give me a chance - believe that I can change, I'll keep us all together, whatever it takes." He looked over at Van and then back to Hitomi. "You have a million reasons to want to leave, but I'm begging for you not to." He smiled. "I finally see what the difference between me and Van is. I loved you selfishly, I didn't love you for you, I loved you for me, because I needed you. Van loves you for everything you are, and I know he makes you happy. That's why I'll never pull a stupid stunt like this again."

Hitomi cried, and laughed. "Allen…Of course I can forgive you."

Van tried to stand; he staggered slightly but kept his ground. Allen looked back at him, as if to ask him how he was feeling. Van glared at Allen. "You put myself, Fanelia, and Hitomi at stake today Allen. You went to Dilandau of all people, and betrayed everyone." Allen looked away from him, and closed his eyes, saddened. Allen didn't expect much more from Van, he had no right to. "But." Allen opened his eyes. "You took a sword for me back there. If you weren't true in your heart, you wouldn't have done that for me. I know you love Hitomi, so I know you'll always protect her, like I do."

He walked in front of Allen so he could see him. "Today, I wasn't the one to save Hitomi, you were. When I was too weak, you were there. So while you caused all this trouble, you also saved your king, your country, and your friends." Van squatted down and reached out a hand to Allen.

Allen reached out and shook it; smiling. Hitomi watched the two men shake hands; overjoyed. Allen let go of Van's hand and groaned. Hitomi gripped his arm in alarm. "Allen?"

Allen looked up at Van and Hitomi. "Maybe we can save the sweet nothings for later, I don't know if you know this, but having a sword shoved through your abdomen doesn't feel as good as it looks."

Van and Hitomi smiled at him. Van stood back up. "I'll go get someone from the castle to help." He looked behind them at the Floating Fortress. It was slowly disappearing, and floating away from Fanelia. Van began to walk away.

When Van was a fair distance away, Hitomi looked into the distance where the Floating Fortress had been. "I guess they have no reason to stay here now. Dilandau is gone, and no one can bring him back now."

Allen frowned thoughtfully. "Do you really think its over?"

Hitomi thought for a moment. She looked back at Van in the distance, and smiled. The sun was just about gone, leaving rays of orange and yellow and pink sailing across Gaia. She looked into the sun and shielded her eyes. "I don't know. But if its not, we have each other now, don't we?"

Allen smiled up at her. "Your not planning on leaving this time are you?"

Hitomi looked down at him. "No Allen." She looked back up and squinted against the sun. "Not this time."

Well there you have it. The last chapter. No I'm lying, there's one more. I've gotta make sure everyone knows what happens to all of the characters don't I? Anyways I hope you enjoyed it, and thank you to those people who messaged me about being on the mailing list. Agai, if you missed it in the last chapter, I am writing my own novel, and I have a mailing list for those of you who would like to read it, you will get chapters mailed to you as I write them. For more information scroll to the bottom of the last chapter.

Please review. Its practically my last chapter, and I would like to hear my readers thoughts!