Chap.13



Dornkirk frowned. Everything he had done to setup his rule, his perfect kingdom, was going down the drain. Frustrated, he peered into his crystal. Still, the shadow of a dragon forever loomed over it, clouding everything. Dornkirk remembered when the future had been clear, when everything had been so simple.

Leaning back, Dornkirk thought of his perfect future.



Folken....his perfect son. Gallant, brave, genius. He would lead Zaibach to a golden era of triumph and prosperity.



Lourdes...his beautiful daughter. Married to Folken.



Dornkirk smiled at the thought of grandchildren.



And Zaibach...his prosperous kingdom, that would extend to the ends of the world. Not just this world, but all the worlds.

And ruled by King Folken and Queen Lourdes. Yes...it had been so perfect.



But his future, his perfect plans were all getting washed away, as first one thing and then another came up. First, that damnable soldier had tried to take Lourdes away. Smiling twistedly, Dornkirk felt somewhat better that his daughter had refused, but still....Dornkirk made a mental note to rid his ranks of that soldier. What was his name again?..Dornkirk drifted onto another thought. Then, Dilandau had to show up with the brother of Folken. Dornkirk knew that he hadn't spent all these years getting Folken out of his shell only to lose him again.

And what to do about this dragon. This shadow cast upon his future. Looking down, the Emperor regarded the still figure lying on the table. The girl. The strange girl. When she had first stepped on Zaibach ground, he had sensed a power about her. A strange glow emanating from her. His physicians had done everything, trying to find the source, trying to get rid of it. And yet, still, here she lay, still and cold as stone, and there was still that power, that awesome force emanating from her. What was it? In his ears, the machines throbbed dully. The constant throb of the machinery. Dornkirk yearned for silence. For peace in that silence.

The door to the laboratory opened. Folken entered.

"Your Majesty." He bowed, somewhat stiffly.

"Folken..." Dornkirk regarded the boy. Yes, he was but a boy. Confused, needing guidance. "You must understand Folken. We all want peace." Dornkirk spoke softly, yet his voice resonated to all corners of the room. "But..the nature of everything is to fight. And so, my son, we fight. We fight For peace. For only when we conquer all, shall there be peace." Dornkirk watched. Folken remained motionless, his head to the ground.

"I understand." Folken said, his voice expressionless.

"My son....why did you give up Lourdes?" Dornkirk wasn't even sure why he asked it.

Folken didn't move.

"Because I did not love her." He said without hesitation.

"Love her?" Now the Emperor was truly puzzled. "She is beautiful is she not?"

"Beauty has little to do with love." Folken averted his head, his eyes closed. Dornkirk watched him, a part of him sad. He knew that he was slowly, losing Folken. Day by day. Reaching out, the Emperor felt the life force, that so long ago, he had given up For the boy. The boy, his son.

"What has changed, my son?" Dornkirk asked softly. "For ten years, you have been my right hand. My general. We are so close, my son, to my dream, our dream."

Folken was still.

"Do you threaten years of work and dedication? For a brother that you lost long ago?"

Folken drew himself up to his full height, head still averted.

"I do not have a brother." He said, his voice like rain dropping on dry ground. Dornkirk regarded him still. He is lying to me, Dornkirk said. He could feel it. Even though weaker, the bond between was still there. Burning, connecting. Dornkirk reached out, and touched his mind.

Folken's eyes flew open. He stared at the Emperor.

Folken, my son.

You are mine.

Obey me.

The Emperor regarded him silently. Folken resisted the urge to turn and run. He looked at the still figure on the table. Covered in a thin sheet. Hitomi.....

"Take him. Do whatever you will with the king of Fanelia.." Folken turned with a wave of his hand. "Have your future." He said softly.

Dornkirk regarded him, as he left. Watching Folken as he glanced at the girl on the table, as he headed out, his back rigid.

I will do whatever I will, Folken Fanel, and don't you forget that! Dornkirk thought impassively.



Once Folken had left, Dornkirk summoned Dilandau. Dilandau entered, his face, as always grinning from ear to ear.

"Your Majesty." He bowed.

"Dilandau, we must find the source of this dragon. This shadow that has been cast on Zaibach."

"Yes your Majesty...What about the young king?" His eyes gleamed. Dornkirk looked down at Dilandau.

"Dilandau, I want you to get out of your head, the revenge and hatred towards Folken. The King of Fanelia is my concern. Your concern is to find this dragon. Do you understand?"

Dilandau flushed and looked down.

"Yes my Lord." He bowed again. "What shall I do about the guymelef?"

"Guymelef?" The Emperor looked up. He hadn't been told of a guymelef. Dilandau nodded.

"Yes, it was brought in with The boy."

"Hmm....does this guymelef...perhaps...have a name?"

"I'm not sure..." Dilandau mused. "THE boy has been uncooperative."

"Well...then, he'll just have to be cooperative, won't he?" The Emperor smiled. Dilandau nodded eagerly. Anything to get at Folken.

"Please, give me The charge of getting it of him!" Dilandau asked eagerly. Dornkirk shook his head. Sometimes, Dilandau could be so cold, so blood-thirsty. It scared even him. Pausing, The Emperor thought For a moment.

"...alright Dilandau. You report back to me, information about this guymelef. It may be that..we were wrong about The dragon being a person.." The Emperor mused out loud.

Dilandau's face lighted up eagerly.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" He scurried out of The room.

Dornkirk watched him. Was this The right thing? Had it ever been The right thing?



*******************************

Van stared at his gilded sword, The royal blade of Fanelia. He chuckled bitterly. It was a hoarse sound. How little it meant now, The 'royal blade of Fanelia', how little it would ever mean. There was no Fanelia. Van closed his eyes, his body shaking. The people fled, The country in ruins.

Get a grip, he told himself, over and over. Yet it never made The thoughts leave his head. It never made The nightmares go away.

He shuddered against The wall. He had come to know that wall well.

And that all-consuming question that always took up way too much space in his head.

Where was Hitomi? He hadn't seen nor heard from her since they had first been captured and brought to this accursed place.

Why should he care? She was but a tag-a-long.

Yet...

His body racked with fatigue.

Sharp light shook him out of his dream-filled stupor.

"Get out of my way! I have The Emperor's orders!" A voice that sent chilled him to The bone shouted. "Get out of my way! Where is he!? Where is The king?" The voice crowed mockingly.

His captor stood at The bars.

Van shielded his eyes against The sudden light. His head spun.

"Hello Van." The soldier mocked, dressed in full armor, a sword at his side. Van felt anger well up within him. This was The one, The one whom had destroyed and wreaked havoc on his country, his people, his Hitomi. He wanted to get up, he wanted to fight, but The strength wasn't there. Van forced himself to turn his head, squinting in The light to make out The features of his captor. The soldier laughed, a high, maniacal laugh.

"Come now Van, if you will cooperate, this will be easy." Dilandau peered through The bars. Van glared at him.

"Where is Hitomi?" His voice was hoarse. Dilandau laughed.

"Oh...she's long gone." He grinned. "But you might be able to save yourself if you tell me, what is The dragon?" All humor left his voice.

Van stared at him. Dragon? He had heard nothing about dragons. Turning his head away, his eyes seeing spots, he rested against The cool stone of The wall.

"Where is Hitomi." He asked again, whispering.

"Hmm..not cooperating I see." Dilandau grinned, he didn't sound too disappointed, "Well, then, we'll just have to get it from you another way....." He laughed.

Van was past caring, though he knew that The soldier had just proclaimed his execution. He didn't care. He had nothing left to live For. His country was gone, The people had fled, and his love, his heart had been ripped away. What else was there?

Van heard The clanging of The metal bars being opened. He lay limp, enjoying The cool stone while it lasted.

"Dilandau! What is The meaning of this?" A new voice.

"Why Strategos..Funny you should show up."

Strategos. The silent, cloaked figure, that was always watching. Watching and waiting. Van blinked, looking in The light once more. He stood there, Strategos. Cloaked and mysterious as always.

"Dilandau, The prisoner is not your concern. The Emperor has not ordered this."

"Hm..Strategos, it seems that you've fallen second in favor...For..he has ordered this." Dilandau hissed, glee shining in his eyes.. Strategos was impassive, his marble features hardly moving.

"Has he..." He muttered, his eyes only slits. Dilandau grinned, his eyes lighting.

"Why...Strategos, you have an objection?"

Strategos gave Dilandau a look that could've frozen ice.

"No." Strategos turned, his cloak hardly rustling.

Van leaned back, his eyes closing, returning back to his dreams, returning to his Fanelia.



Folken headed up The staircase. The damp, and chill seeped into his bones. His hands clicked, The metal was cold. It made his stump of an arm ache and throb painfully. Folken wondered if, it had always ached and he had just never noticed, or maybe it was because he was getting old. How old was he? It seemed like an eternity since he had been The young king of a new kingdom, ambitious and hot-headed.

Old enough For bones to ache and hearts to hurt, he thought to himself wryly.

When he had left Fanelia, Van had been but a baby, a sweet-faced toddler. And now, here he was, a grown man. Hot-blooded and full of pride. Had I been like that? Folken wondered to himself.

All those times, just watching his brother in his cell, he had wondered. Had he been The same? Folken had watched as Van's emotions flitted across his face, even though he knew that Van tried to keep his face impassive. How easily he gives himself away, Folken thought. The thought was tinged with scorn...yet...

There was that little voice inside of him, that little part that was untouched, unhurt, that screamed out at him. Did Van give himself away, give away his feelings, his emotions..because..he could?

Folken stumbled on The last step before reaching The top. He closed his eyes. Dilandau's cruel laughter echoed in his mind.

Could he choose to feel..pain and sorrow and hurt again? Could he make himself feel after all these years? All these years of building up his own walls, only to tear them down again?

What am I think, he thought, pushing his way into The warm sunshine of The inner courtyard. It was midday.

Folken looked around The courtyard, soldiers and commanders alike went about their businesses, attending to whatever was on their mind. He strolled through The trees that decorated The yard, enjoying The warm sun. Several gave him odd looks. It was unusual For The Strategos to be anywhere but locked up in his tower room, brooding and moody. Now, many were wildly surprised that he was out and about, strolling The courtyard.

Folken ignored their looks, and instead, mulled over his current problems.

He didn't even realize when someone bumped into him until The other person exclaimed.

"Oh! I'm sorry.." The other person mumbled. Folken, shaken out of his thoughts, looked up to see a shame-faced, flustered Kent.

"Kent..." Folken said, mildly surprised at Kent's appearance. For Kent looked like he hadn't slept in weeks, much less eaten. He was red in The face, obviously just out of sword practice and was gaunt and pale. His eyes were dark and stormy, filled with sadness and almost dead.

"Hello Folken." He mumbled.

"Hello Kent...." Folken trailed off, unsure of whether or not to ask about Lourdes. But he didn't have to think long, For Kent burst out.

"Folken, I apologize to you."

"For what?" Folken leaned forward, concern For his friend currently clouding over his thoughts.

"For...." Kent averted his eyes, his voice was strained, "For ruining your wedding." He finally finished.

"You don't ruin my wedding Kent, I didn't' have a wedding to begin with. It was all a charade, we didn't' even love each other." Folken explained, it all made perfect sense to him. But this seemed to distress Kent even more.

"She did love you, For....she doesn't love me." He finished, his voice barely above a whisper. Folken didn't know what to say to his friend, only that to see him in that state made him hurt.

"Kent.." He began, but Kent raised a hand to silence him.

"No...Folken, you don't have to explain. I understand." His eyes closed, then opened. "So what brings you out here?" He asked dryly. Folken laughed, it was such a change in conversation.

"Had to get out. You?"

Kent shrugged, "Just..you know to get away." He shrugged again. "Dilandau's making a fuss again. Raising a racket For nothing."

Folken quirked an eye, "Hmm..how so?"

Kent rolled his eyes, "You know how he is, pain of others makes him happy. Seems he got The Emperor's orders to torture some prisoner by The Sagiron Cliffs. You know, The ones east of Doven, though," Kent's expression became thoughtful. "It's not much of a torture chamber really..."

Folken's eyes narrowed in thought, covering his heart that was beating a mile a minute. "Hmm..prisoner?"

Kent nodded, "Yeah, dark-haired young man," He laughed, "Hardly a man. Small thing. Very enthusiastic, though. I've never seen so much anger and pride in one face." He shook his head.

"Really.." Folken thought For a moment. The Sagiron Cliffs. A set of jagged cliffs and peaks that descended into nothingness. It was like a gauge in The land itself, and The land heaved and spewed with great lava bursts. Hardly a place to gain information from someone, though it was often an ideal spot For executions. Leave it to Dilandau to disobey orders and follow on a whim.

"Yes, what's wrong?" Kent looked at Folken. Folken shook his head.

"Umm..nothing." Folken thought For a moment. Why should he care that Dilandau was going to kill a prisoner? Prisoners were killed everyday, both in Zaibach and everywhere else in Gaia. True, it was his brother....but, all The better.. Folken narrowed his eyes. Van had been taking up way too much space in his mind, constantly tugging on his conscience, his guilt. Best to be rid of him.

Yet, something inside urged him to look towards The east, towards The dark peaks that shaped The Sagiron. A brother...a brother of blood.

"I ..I have to go." Folken nodded a farewell to Kent. Kent looked at him in confusion, but shrugged and went away, wrapped up in his own problems.

Why should you care? A voice nagged, over and over again.

Because...he's your brother...Another voice, this one sweet and clear, chimed back.

He was torn.

Almost unwillingly, he found himself running towards The dark peaks, The ground giving way to his steps. He didn't know what he was doing.

The whole time, he felt The Emperor within him. At The present, Folken knew that The Emperor was yet unaware of what he was about to do, of what he would do that would cost Dornkirk his future. But how much longer could Folken keep this from him? How much longer would Dornkirk allow him to be free? He didn't want to take The chance.

The peaks loomed closer and closer, even from this distance, Folken could make out The little shapes that were Dilandau and his retinue of followers, and one limp body, standing precariously on The edge.

He was afraid he would be too late. Folken could see Dilandau's grinning face, his eyes gleaming with an odd glint in them. The glint of madness.

Running up, his breath and sides heaving, Folken shouted,

"Stop this madness! What is going on here Dilandau!" He asked sternly, sure that Dilandau was some way or other breaking some sort of rule. Dilandau turned, almost reluctantly, as if ripped from a screen that showed his favorite entertainment.

The boy lay on The ground, bloody and bruised, obviously beaten by Dilandau or his soldiers. Folken stared down at The boy, yet oddly, no pity was in his heart. There was something else, something odd. A feeling that Folken had never felt before. The boy looked up at him, his dark eyes fierce, his chin set and stubborn.

It reminded him of himself.

"Strategos, funny you should always show up." Dilandau remarked non-chalantly, his voice carrying an edge.

"Yes it is, isn't it. And funny how you should always be out, thwarting The Emperor's plans." Folken returned, just as coldly.

Dilandau scowled, "It is none of your business whatsoever what The Emperor's plans are, you wouldn't know of them."

"I know that you are trying to murder a valuable source of information." Folken looked at Dilandau levelly.

"I am no source of anything. I'm not telling you anything!" Van shouted venomously from the ground. He drew himself up, balancing on weak legs. Folken noticed that his hands were tied behind him. Van returned his stare with an equally cold one.

"Dilandau, I order you to return The prisoner to The castle."

"Order me, Strategos?" Dilandau laughed. "You can no more order me, than an ant can order The lion."

"Really.." Folken mused, The thought somewhat amusing him.

Dilandau didn't reply, hearing The sarcasm in his voice. Instead, he turned to the soldier beside him, a pretty-faced boy.

"Miguel, do it now!"

Miguel nodded curtly, moving towards the prisoner. He nudged Van, dragging him up. Van winced, as his cuts tore and stretched.

Van watched them, knowing what they were intending to do. He didn't' resist, he was resigned to his fate. He cherished it.

Folken watched the entire scene, his face impassive and set in stone.

"You see, Strategos, I am the boss here." He grinned. "Do it!!!" He yelled at Miguel. Miguel nodded, his eyes dark.

"Bye bye Van." Dilandau sang, his face lighting up.

Folken didn't react, his face showed no emotion. Yet, inside, his blood was boiling, and he knew, with dread, that all this had to end. One way or another.

"How cruel a brother you are Folken.." Dilandau sneered, as Miguel pushed and Van disappeared, into a grave of boiling lava.

Folken let out his breath. How wrong this twisted world was....

Without thinking, without reflecting on the consequences, Folken ran forward, and as the ledge loomed closer, he could see Miguel, turning to see him rushing forward. Miguel's face was contorted with fear. Instead though, Folken passed him, and in a rush, a rush that he had forgotten he had ever experience, he threw himself over.

The lava was bright red.



Van fell, his back to the ground. It was almost better that way, so that he didn't have to stare death right in the face. He hands were tied, and he moved his shoulders. How stupid these monsters were. Did they not think that, if he had wanted to, he could've saved himself? Even now, he had to suppress The urge to unfold his wings and fly up to life. He didn't' want life. Closing his eyes, for the first time, tears sprung. They stung his eyes, working their ways to the corners of his eyes. Why was he crying now? For what?

Fanelia...Balgus....Mother...Father.....Hitomi.....Folken.............

His life flashed by him, and he saw all of them.

Then, suddenly, as if out of nowhere, an angel appeared, wings of tainted blue, he descended upon Van.

Van stared, watching as his captor became his savior.

Only two people in Gaia had wings.

Only two people in Gaia had wings that lived.

Van stared, his heart in his head, the blood rushing in his ears.

His savior descended, wrapped in blue velvet and blue feathers. He caught Van in a swoop of his arm, carrying him higher and higher.

Van looked down at the ground, his blessed peace.

Staring at the man's pale hair, eyes, stubborn chin. All so familiar. All those hours in the cell, watching him. Racking his brain. Wondering where had he seen him before?

"Brother......" Van whispered, his heart breaking and crying.

Folken was silent as he bore his brother to safety.