Draconian Chronicles 3: Part One
Nocturnal Attacks
Emperor Dornkirk stayed in a room, with three doppelgangers standing in silence before him. "I wish for you three to perform a task for me."
The leader stepped forward and bowed. "We are at your disposal, My Lord."
"You know the art of mind manipulation, but can you form a link between two other people?" The Emperor questioned.
"We can." The creature replied.
"Good, I wish that you create a link between myself and the girl from the Mystic Moon."
The two assassins on each side of the leader gasped. "She is the accursed one."
"She foresaw our brother's death." The other replied.
"Yes, she is powerful. She also holds something I need to know, which I plan to get for myself. Now, can you do it?"
The leader silenced his lieutenants. "We can. Will there be any opposition?"
The Emperor scowled. "The King of Fanelia, Van Fanel. He is her protector; he must be…temporarily taken out of commission. Him and two other felines, which should prove a small nuisance to overcome."
The leader nodded. "It will be done." He stepped forward and took the Emperor's wrinkled head in his hands. He chanted some words and there was a bright flash of light, and the three doppelgangers disappeared.
The Emperor smiled. One side of the link has been made. Now, Angel of Light, you must connect with me.
Van and Hitomi lay next to each other, asleep beneath a tree. Escaflowne sat in a majestic pose behind them. Two tails, one blue, and orange, hung above them. Merle giggled, as Reeko pulled a coin from her ear. "It's all in the wrist." He told her and performed it again.
Merle watched carefully as the coin disappeared from Reeko's hand. Reeko moved his hand behind Merle head, and the coin once appeared in his hand. Merle giggled. "Show me again!"
Reeko happily obliged, not noticing the warped figures in the distance, approaching the travelers.
Hitomi frowned and looked around. She was floating above the land of Atlantis. Why am I here? Draconians flew in great numbers, going about their business. Several draconians came up to Hitomi with sad expressions. They were dressed in lavish clothing; much more elaborate then that of the rest of their kind.
They looked at Hitomi and held her hand. They're coming… They told her.
Who?
The evil ones, they wish to… Suddenly, there was an explosion in the sky. The sky was ripped apart as if it were nothing but thin cloth. Blue sky turned black and red, the ground burst into flames, and the sky was filled with smoke.
Hitomi
shrieked in fear as several draconians were struck with meteors that fell from
the sky. The ones in front of Hitomi
cried. They're coming… They want to destroy us…
Just then, the tear in the sky widened and a face showed through. It was Emperor Dornkirk. Hitomi gasped, knowing who it was, only because Van had told her. He's coming?
Help us… They pleaded as they began to back away. Aide us in our struggle…Angel of Light… help us…
The Emperor laughed and the center of Atlantis exploded as if a giant bomb went off. Everything was engulfed in flames and soon, nothing surrounded Hitomi…but white light.
"No!" Hitomi screamed as she shot up in bed. "They're coming!"
Van was up instantly, and Reeko and Merle jumped out of the tree. "What's going on?"
Van helped Hitomi's shaking form close to him. "What happened? What did you see?"
Hitomi cried. "Atlantis…gone! Just like Fanelia!"
Reeko raised an eyebrow, but Merle gasped as her fine tuned ears picked up something. "Reeko…" She whispered.
Reeko turned his head and listened. Something was rustling…then he heard a tree twig snap. He narrowed his eyes and took out his dagger. "Stay here." He instructed as he set out.
Van rocked Hitomi back and forth as Merle watched Reeko walk out towards the edge of the forest that they had landed near.
Reeko sniffed the air…there was an unusual odor in the air. "I think…" Just then, Reeko fell to the ground. A doppelganger materialized at his side. He had stealthy knocked out the youth, with a blow to the side of the neck.
Merle gasped. "Reeko!" She started running towards him, but another Doppelganger appeared and fired a dart, which hit Merle in the back, knocking her out cold.
Van jumped up, Hitomi kneeling by his side. He unsheathed his sword and narrowed his eyes at the attackers. "What is your business here?!" He challenged. Suddenly, the leader formed besides him, grabbing the young prince's head tightly.
Van gasped and cried out in pain…as the doppelganger took out a large needle, and injected a solution into the side of Van's neck. He soon let go of Van, the warrior falling down to the ground, on his knees, breathing deeply.
The leader turned to Hitomi, who gasped and tried to back away, but his followers came up behind her and held her tight. The leader smiled. Don't worry. This won't hurt a bit… for me that is." He took Hitomi's head and gazed into her eyes. There was a bight flash and Hitomi screamed as her mind was connected to the Emperor's, though she didn't know it.
She collapsed, in shock, and Van struggled to his feet, but he too fell unconscious.
The leader smiled. "Our work is done. May we return to his worshipfulness with the good news." He crossed his arms across his chest and vanished, his two minions along with him, leaving the four travelers passed out and sprawled out on the grass.
Reeko was the first to awaken. He shook his head to clear it and looked around. He saw his love sprawled out on the ground. "Merle!" He ran to her. He saw the dart in her back and took it out, making her whimper in pain. He lifted her up into his arms. "Are you okay?" He asked.
Merle's eyes slowly opened, but she only had enough strength to nod. Reeko licked her a few time and carried her back towards the tree. Setting her down, he went to check on Hitomi. "Hey, come on…wake up."
Hitomi moaned and slowly sat up. "Huh? What happened?" She looked around and saw Van. "Van!" She shouted and crawled over to his side. His hair covered up the mark the needle had left on his neck, for then Hitomi would have been careful about what she did next. She reached forward and slightly shook him. "Wake up."
Van stirred and then abruptly shot his head up. He laughed and looked at Hitomi with red glowing eyes. Hitomi shrieked as Van unsheathed his sword and held it above her head. "This is your end, Angel of Light." Then the sword came down…
The three doppelgangers that had attacked Van and the others appeared before Emperor Dornkirk. "We have done as you commanded." The leader said. "The girl is linked to you, and the boy has been tainted." He explained.
The Emperor smiled. "When will I have access to the maiden's memories?"
"As soon as she taps into her power from the crystal. The young prince's…current actions, will force her to do just that."
The Emperor smirked. "Very good." It won't be long now, Angel of Light, before I learn of the location of Atlantis! His laughed echoed through the halls of the floating fortress.
Hitomi screamed and rolled to the left as Van's sword came down hard on the grass, right where Hitomi had just been a moment ago. Hitomi jumped to her feet and was immediately overwhelmed with a nauseous feeling. She swallowed. "Van! What are you- Ahh!" She dodged another sword attack.
Van growled, but said nothing, as he charged at her once more. Hitomi had no choice, but to unveil her wings and take to the air. "What is going on!?" She asked.
Reeko ran up and tackled Van, knocking the sword out of his hands. He pinned him, and noticed the mark on his neck. "He's been poisoned!" Reeko managed to say, before Van backhanded him and sent him reeling.
Van threw his legs in the air and then threw them forward, landing on his feet. He dove for his sword and took out his wings, before jumping into the air after Hitomi.
"Van!" Merle shouted.
"Reeko!" Hitomi yelled. "Do you know the antidote?" She flew to the side to dodge Van's attack.
Merle ran to Reeko's side and helped him up. "Yeah! They're Garla Leaves!" He shouted.
Hitomi nodded and kicked Van in the stomach as he tried again to slice her from shoulder to hip. She dove to the ground. "Fine them! I'll keep him busy!" She proposed and held her hand out to form a bow and arrow out of light.
Reeko gasped. "How did she just…"
"It's the power of the stone." Merle explained. "Come on!" She dragged him away towards the forest. "We gotta find those leaves!" Then she and Reeko took off.
The Emperor smiled as all of Hitomi's memories were at his disposal. He accessed the ones he needed. Where did Atlantis lie asleep? He closed his eyes and searched through the information that lay in front of him, as if it were a book. You may be smart, little one, but I will find what I am looking for.
There. He found it. He opened his eyes and grinned. "Golaya Sea." He said.
He leaned forward and spoke into a microphone. "Folken."
"My Lord?" Folken's voice came back.
"Set course for the Golaya Sea." He commanded.
"Yes, My Lord." Folken said and the floating fortress changed direction to the West.
The Emperor smiled. Soon. Soon…all the power of Atlantis will be mine!
Hitomi fired an arrow of light at Van, who easily dodged it. He began to tap into his own power and created a bow and arrow of fire. He fired it back at Hitomi with such precision, that Hitomi was singed on her upper arm. She cried out and her arm fell loosely at her side.
"Van! Why are you doing this? Control yourself!" She pleaded, but to empty ears.
Van threw his hands forward, attacking Hitomi with a black magic ball. Hitomi gasped and created a shield in front of her self as the ball flew her way and dissipated against her shield.
Hitomi
thought. Folken used that kind of
Black Magic! Which means either he or
the Emperor is in control of Van! Oh
no!
Back in the Floating Fortress, Folken had his eyes closed, using his power and his brother's power to attack the Angel of Light. I don't approve of this, but My Lord commands it… He commanded Van to attack again, the poison making it impossible for Van to refuse.
Van attacked mercilessly against Hitomi, making it harder for her to hold the shield. Please Reeko! Hurry!
Merle and Reeko ran on all fours to the forest and began to frantically search for the right leaves. "What do they look like?" Merle asked as she rummaged through the dozens of plants the forest held.
Reeko also search as he replied. "They're a dark green with red markings on them." He looked up and saw Merle's face close to his. He cried out in surprise and fell backwards.
"Like this?" Merle produced in her hand, three dark colored leaves that had bright red markings on them.
"Exactly!" He took them and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "You are simply amazing."
Merle blushed and took the leaves back and ran back towards the camp. "Come on! We don't have much time!"
And she was right. Hitomi's shield flickered and went out, just as Van fired another attack, this time a red colored whip, made out of light. He whipped her, knocking her out of the sky.
Hitomi hit the ground, just as Reeko and Merle burst out of the forest. She had a large gash that went from her stomach and around to her back. She bled heavily, and breathed slowly deep breathes.
Merle ran to her side and tried to stop the bleed. "No! Come on Hitomi! You can make it through this!" She applied pressure.
Hitomi nodded and blacked out.
Reeko took out his trusty slingshot and aimed a large pebble at Van. Van was readying another attack at Hitomi, as Reeko hit him with the pebble on the side of the head. Van cried out and fell from the side. Reeko ran up and broke his fall.
"Ow." Reeko managed as he rolled Van's unconscious body off his. He took the leaves from Merle and force-fed them to Van.
Van opened his eyes in surprise and coughed up the poison, making a pile of goo on the floor. He shook his head to clear it. "What…happened?"
Reeko cleared his voice. "You…uh…you were poisoned and attacked us."
"I what!?" Van shouted in disbelief.
"It was the doppelgangers fault. Not yours."
Van looked up to Merle as she said that. "Where…where is Hitomi?" He asked.
Merle moved to the side and showed Hitomi sprawled out on the floor, bleeding from the side. Van's eyes widened. "Hitomi!" He crawled to her side. "Oh no…"
He lifted her head into his lap and closed his eyes. "I will undo what I have done." His hands began to glow and the glow went into Hitomi. Her wounds healed, leaving only scars from the attack.
Hitomi moaned awake and opened her eyes. "V-Van?"
Van nodded sadly. "I…I'm so sorry." He croaked, his throat constricting, making it harder to talk.
Hitomi smiled. "It…wasn't your fault. You were being controlled." She said.
Van held her close. "What have I done…oh what have I done."
Reeko held
Merle close to her, expecting something worse to happen. He was thinking more along the lines of… What have I gotten myself into?
A/N: Boy that was an exciting chapter! What will Van and Hitomi do to stop the Emperor? Will they find out at all? Tell me if this is good, ne? Read and Review!!!
