Here's the next chapter. Enjoy!

~*Rising of a Foreign Card*~
~Namida No Sora~

Setting: Two years later
On Earth

"Hitomi! You can do it! You're almost there! C'mon, Hitomi!" Her best friend, Yukari, was screaming and bouncing off the stands, waving banners and ribbons like a crazy person as she watched Hitomi sprinted towards the finish line of the track line, the sun glistening down on the sunny track meet.

Breathe in.

You're almost there, Hitomi! You can do it!

Breathe out.

Her legs stretched out as she bent foward, her head plummetting towards the finish line. She felt herself flying---she never felt such a feeling in years---towards the finish line. Her competition seemed to have disappeared as she sped like a horse to the finish line. She could feel the thrill as she stepped on the white chalk line, the smoke billowing as her arms gave out, her breaths shallow.

"Yay! Hitomi!" Yukari shreeked.

Hitomi smiled and waved at the stands as she walked back slowly. Although she felt overwhelmed by her achievement, she was feeling sort of down. Yah, sure, this would be the final year she would run at the track meet, but there was something else...something missing in her life...was it passion? Why was she all void inside, in some odd, twisted way?

She had grown up, and she was proud to say so herself. She was no longer the timid and helpless damsal in distress that she was a few years before. She was stronger now, and she could do anything herself, without any help. Her hair was now chin-height and she probably grew a couple of inches. She always considered the thought that she always felt protected because Van's mind and thoughts were always around....

Yukari met up with Hitomi at the benches, where her things were waiting. "Wow, that was an awesome run! Ever since junior high, you've become a lot stronger and faster. It's like you're running away from something...but then again, maybe it's your style. I don't know, but whatever it was, it was great. It was awesome."

Hitomi nodded. "Thanks."

Yukari continued to babble about how great Hitomi was at the run, but Hitomi was half paying attention. She was still musing inside about what was really wrong with her. She always felt down now, no excuses.

"Say, Hitomi!" Yukari said brightly. "Amano just got a new car...a beautiful sports car. Nice and fast...he's gonna take me out for a cruise this afternoon. Say, do you wanna come?" She fluttered her eyelids. "C'mon, Hitomi, it'll be fun!"

One side said she should go with Yukari and see this car for herself, see how fast it can go---*but Escaflowne can go faster*---and to admire the sleekness of the design. The other side pleaded that something was up inside, somewhere, and that she needed to tend to it. Hitomi was torn between duty and desire...

"Well, Hitomi, what'll it be?" Yukari asked.

Hitomi wilted. "Well..." she started.

"Hitomi!" Yukari shouted angrily. "I can't believe you. These past couple of weeks...you've been soooooo distant, as if something is bothering you. Every time I ask, you say it's nothing. Well, you know what? Something is up, and I can sense it....I don't believe that it's just "nothing"." She threw the towel at her. "Go do whatever it is you are thinking of doing, and leave your poor friend outta it." With that, she stomped off.

"Yukari!" Hitomi cried, but she was gone.

She sulked at the bench. What was wrong with her? Why did she feel so vunerable all of a sudden? She never felt this lonely since---since---that was it! The reason she was feeling down lately was that she hadn't seen Van in her thoughts lately!

She frowned. What was wrong? Has Van finally forgotten her?

"I'll never forget you!"

"Go, Mystic Eyes!"

She looked up in the clear blue sky. Van....where are you?


On Gaea

"Sire, you are almost eighteen cycles old," the minister pleaded. "Isn't it time that you must look for a mistress to tend to the castle? The law states that---"

"I don't give a damn about the law."

The minister seemed visibly startled as he tried to calm down the young king. "Your Majesty," he started, "but that is the law. Your father and your sire before your father and before him has followed the decree. You are no exception to the law. It is sacred and every heir to the throne of Fanalia must follow it---"

"Times change."

The minister was getting weary. "Your Majesty---"

"Leave me be."

After a moment's thought, the minister left the council room, leaving the young king to his thoughts. King Van Fanel was looking at his reflection in the mirror, musing at himself at how much things had changed. Fanalia was now complete and whole again, and as king, he governed to the best of his ability.

He was no longer the scrawny and brash prince he was when he was younger. He had grown up quite a lot these past few years, his hair slightly longer now and more manly features. The only thing he still lacked was the muscle in his body, for his arms remained as scrawny as they were a few cycles before. He still wore Hitomi's pendant and always had a thought to protect her no matter what...

Even if he was being forced for marriage?

He shook his head. Times were changing and getting more difficult. So many things were coming around and trouble seemed to be lurking amoung them lately...it was just waiting to hit them over the heads sometime.

"Your Majesty?"

Van whirled around. "Minister Jaro, I thought I told you---yes?"

The soldier nodded stiffly. "Sir, a knight is here, wishing to speak to you."

"S-Send him in," Van stammered.

A moment later, a knight appeared, with long blonde hair and a tall dimension. He was wearing the latest Asturian design of powder blue and was a lot more built than Van. He looked like a man that many girls would swoon for...and he was no exception. His presence made Van stiffen visibly.

The blonde man bent down. "Your Majesty, I am Sir Allen Schezar from Asturia, sending a message to the King of Fanalia from His Majesty in Asturia."

"Allan, long time no see," Van said softly.

Allan did not look up, but simply kept his head down. "The King of Asturia wishes to send a message, in regards to the seas. He says that a new power is rising and wishing to take over all of Gaea. He does not know the origin of this new power, but it is incredibly strong and attacked the frontlines out at sea. No survivors. Heavy casualties. He wishes support from the surrounding kingdoms, including Fanalia."

Van looked towards the window, where Fanalia prospered. A new enemy? he wondered. No, no...I don't want to fight anymore. I just want to live again a peaceful life, a life that dosen't involve the chaos of war...I nearly lost my life fighting, I nearly lost my mind. And now, some fool wishes to fight for the sakes of what? Power? Control?

Hitomi....

"Your Majesty?"

Van looked back at him, blank. "Hmm?"

"The response, Your Majesty?"

Van looked down at the floor, then back at the window facing the kingdom. The kingdom he was born into. The kingdom he fought for. The kingdom in which he had burdened for over three cycles. The new threat was a threat not only to Asturia, but his kingdom, and all the others. Gaea was threated. But what should he say? Save his skin or save the world he knew? What would Hitomi do in a situation such as so?

"Tell the King, His Majesty, that I will send support to the frontlines."

Allen nodded and then excused himself.

Van cocked his head to one side, in mild confusion, and then started walking out the council room to the corridors where his soldiers stood, stiffened. He turned to a nearby consellor who was running towards him. "I will be leaving," he simply stated.

"Where to, Your Majesty?"

"To Asturia."

Hitomi.....


"Fate is coming to a steep turn in this day and age," the man said. "I must make sure that the cards are right and that the future would be steered in such a direction that not even the strongest dragon or the strongest star can stop. I will ensure that my destiny comes, or I might as well die for it."

"Sir?"

The man looked up, tipped his head to one side, then said, "Prepare the troops. We're coming in."

"Aye."

***No man of woman born/
Coward of brave/
can shun his destiny***
~Homer, "Iliad" VI

~End of Chapter~
Ooohhh...who's the new bad guy? Please R&R!