Draconian Chronicles 2:
Part Four- Unknown Occurrences
It was dark. One would barely be able to see the person in front of him, if it weren't for the feint glow of the two lanterns that were there.
It was silent. Only the sound that could be heard was the constant drip of water leaking out of the ceiling and falling into its own little pool.
It also stank! The decades of having water flow into this tunnel had taken its toll. A distinctive odor filled the air of mildew and moss. Green patches covered the wall and added its stench to the underground ecosystem.
Despite all of these things, the four travelers didn't seem to mind walking through the sewers of Petite Beau. They took pleasure in just being together and remained optimistic that they would soon leave this place and resurface to the land, which now sat in wait above them.
Van Fanel walked down this unknown tunnel; perfectly content with his surroundings…actually, it wasn't the surroundings he admired, but the beautiful girl that was holding onto his arm.
Hitomi smiled and sighed in happy bliss and she looked up to see Van's gorgeous brown eyes looking down at her in mixed amazement and admiration.
Hitomi had been through a lot already during her visit to Gaea. She and Van had just recently become part of a bigger destiny that both were still discovering. Upon making contact with the Rhinestone of Life, Hitomi had been transformed into a draconian. She had come to accept it and no longer saw it as a disability but instead saw it as an opportunity. She believed now that maybe being like this would show Van that he wasn't as alone as he first thought.
Things had gotten more complicated when Van's brother, Folken, had tried to take away the Rhinestone of Life with its counterpart the Rhinestone of Death.
Van and Hitomi had succeeded in destroying the Rhinestone of Death and temporarily putting an end to Folken.
Now Folken was back and had managed to get the Rhinestone of Life away from Van and Hitomi. That was why they were here now. Planning to get back inside Folken's fortress with the help of their new ally.
Reeko walked ahead of them, a cat boy with attitude, unknowingly falling in love with the other cat girl next to him, Merle. They laughed and chatted a few meters ahead of Van and Hitomi.
"They are so adorable!!!" Hitomi mussed.
Van quietly chuckled. "That they are."
Van saw
Hitomi fix Reeko with a stare and start to frown. They had already told Reeko about the Rhinestone of Life and why
they had to get it back, though leaving out the part about Van and Hitomi now
being draconians. Hitomi didn't want
Reeko to know that they were the two in his grandmother's diary. ' Two white angel feathers come out and
turn into two angels….'
"Are you okay?" Van asked worriedly.
Hitomi snapped out of her trance and smiled at Van. "I'm fine, but I think I need to update you."
Van frowned. "What do you mean?"
Hitomi took a deep breath before starting. "When you were unconscious, I stumbled upon Reeko's grandmother's journal. She foresaw the future. She saw Merle meet Reeko, and she saw two angels save Petite Beau from the Ziaboch Empire."
Van's eyes grew wide. "You think it's us?"
"I think so, but…" She stopped mid sentence, and mid stride. Something felt wrong.
Van stopped walking and looked at Hitomi in worry. He knew that look and stayed quiet.
Hitomi closed her eyes and stretched out her senses. Ahead, Reeko and Merle also stopped and sniffed the air.
"Something's not right here." Merle said uneasily.
Reeko narrowed his eyes. "I know that smell." The hair on the back of his neck stood on end.
Hitomi used her mind's eyes to scan the tunnel. She saw six black shadows coming in from behind and ahead of them.
Her eyes flew open. "Ambush!!"
Instantly, six lizard-like creatures jumped out of the shadows and charged at the weary travelers.
Van unsheathed his sword and moved instinctively in front of Hitomi. Reeko withdrew a small dagger and slowly moved Merle behind him.
The first three moved in on Van. He flicked his eyes between them, tempting them forward.
Reeko growled as the other three moved in on him. He let out a battle cry and charged at the creatures.
The creatures had the head of a lizard, with the body of a man. Its skin was a dark green and a tail grew behind them. Their eyes were yellow with menacing red slits for pupils.
With one battle raging on, the three with Van also jumped into the fray. Van took on all three at one time, swinging his sword in an attempt to bisect them.
With swift reptile agility, they easily back flipped out of harm's way, only to jump forward again and counterattack with staffs and swords of their own.
Reeko was fairing well against his three opponents. He jumped over one and landed behind him, embedding his dagger in his back. The creature fell to the floor, blue blood oozing out of his wound.
With Reeko's attention split, one creature made a dive towards Merle. She screeched and moved back as the creature advanced.
Van managed to slice his sword through one of his foes, making a gash that opened his body from hip to shoulder.
One made it through his barrier to Hitomi. She also backed up until she was back to back with Merle.
Both men were busy fighting their own battles to even try and save the girls. Merle and Hitomi exchanged glances and nodded. They'd handle this their way.
The creature grabbed Hitomi's arms at the wrist and tried to drag her away. Hitomi though wasn't as helpless as she appeared to be. She clasped her hands together, raised them over her head, then brought them hard again, right on the side of its neck. It crumpled to the floor unconscious.
Merle, on the other hand, was much more viscous. She got down on all fours and pounced on her adversary. She pinned it down and began to claw its face.
It cried out in pain, so Merle silenced it by making a deep claw mark in its neck, simultaneously slitting its windpipe.
The last two decided it would be a good idea to run away, while they had the chance. So they turned their tails and ran down the tunnel, leaving both boys lost in bewilderment.
They turned around and saw what both Hitomi and Merle had managed to do and nodded.
"I would have run too." They both replied.
All four laughed and the tension dissolved. Merle ran up to Reeko and threw her arms around his neck. "You were wonderful!"
Reeko blushed like crazy, but wrapped his arms around her and spun her around.
Van walked over to Hitomi and wrapped his strong arms around her in a warm embrace. She leaned in and rested her head in his shoulder.
She sighed. "Maybe Hishona was right about is after all."
Reeko's ears twitched and he let go of Merle and turned to face Hitomi. "What did you say?" He asked coldly.
Hitomi's eyes widened and she took a step back. "Nothing."
Reeko narrowed his eyes ad stepped forward. He repeated. "What. Did. You. Say?"
Hitomi was going to lie, but sighed in defeat and looked down at the ground in shame. "Maybe Hishona was right about us after all.
"How do you know her?" He asked calmly. "What do you know about her!?" He shouted.
"I'm sorry." She said. She raised her head and met his cold eyes blue stare. "I read your grandmother's journal. I understand that…"
"You what?!" He shouted. "I can't believe you'd go and do a thing like that! I felt bad about what I did, but then I came back and saved you, and you snoop in my stuff!!?"
Reeko turned and ran away down the tunnel.
"Reeko! Wait!" Merle cried, but it was too late. Reeko was gone.
Author's notes: Anyone want to see what Van looks like? Anyone want to see Hitomi with wings and her new long hair? Visit my new website and see my fanart of Escaflowne!!! www.geocities.com/digidynasty/