Draconian Chronicles 3: Part Three
Hidden City
Blood red eyes flicked back and forth across the bridge of the Ziaboch Floating Fortress. Folken Stratagos watched Ziaboch soldiers and technicians alike running about in a mild state of panic. Sensors and analyzers were wailing like crazy trying to find out what was wrong.
"Report" Folken said.
One technician turned around from his post and saluted Folken. "Sir, engines are still down. Forward velocity is zero. Attempting to feed power into the stations levistones now." He reported.
Folken walked down a small flight of stairs to the bridge's main deck. "Cause of the problem?"
"Unknown sir. We suspect it was that woman. Whatever she did immobilized us for quite sometime."
Folken narrowed his eyes. Hitomi. He thought in disgust. He looked back at the technician. "Estimated time of repair?"
"48 hours."
Folken nodded. "You have such as the allotted time to get the levistones back online, or it will be you who will be immobile…" He turned his back to the officer and looked over his shoulder. "For the rest of your life." Then he left the bridge.
The man swallowed hard and immediately went back to work.
Folken entered the darkened chambers of Emperor Dornkirk. "My lord. We are working to capacity in attempts of getting the engines back online." He said.
Emperor Dornkirk stood up from his thrown and went to the view port. "No rush, Folken, the dragon has once again escaped out of our grasp, but this time it will not escape."
Folken frowned at the contradiction. "Sire?"
"While fighting the dragon, Dilandau placed a seeking device on the guymelif." The Emperor responded.
Folken's expressions changed to surprise. "Dilandau?" He repeated in slight disgust.
Out of the room's far shadows, came Dilandau…wearing a confident smile on his scared face. "That's right, Stratagos." He said, rather disrespectfully. "I craftily anticipated Van's cowardly retreat and made sure he couldn't get too far away without me knowing."
Folken glared at him. "You did do without my permis-"
"I did it under Emperor Dornkirk's command, Stratagos." Dilandau smirked and bowed to Dornkirk. "Emperor, the dragon and the rebels are escaping to Golaya Sea."
Emperor
Dornkirk nodded. "The Angel of Light
will open the chest and we will get the treasure." He turned back to the window and smiled to himself. Soon, the power will be mine.
High above the land of Gaia, the dragon once again flew with grace and majesty, with the king of Fanelia at the controls. Van expertly pulled on the left cord and Escaflowne veered to the left, straightening their course towards Golaya Sea. The sea air blew Van's hair in disarray, along with the sleeping beauty, hanging onto his waist. Hitomi had her eyes closed, hands clenched on Van's red no-sleeve shirt. Van smiled as he looked down at her, her porcelain face in its perfection. Her hair slightly blew as they encountered updrafts and downdrafts.
Van found it hard to concentrate on flying, when he looked at her. He closed his eyes and shook his head in an attempt to clear his mind of the image of the object of his affection.
The movement awoke Hitomi, who noticed Merle and Reeko asleep behind her. She stood up and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. Van turned his head and gave her a kiss on the cheek. She smiled and kissed him on the lips. After breaking the kiss, she sighed and laid her hand on his shoulder.
Van smiled and looked forward again. "We should be flying over the center of Golaya Sea soon."
Hitomi nodded. "We should find some answers there."
"What exactly did you see?" Her fiancée asked.
Hitomi frowned. "I saw them…pleading for help." She replied, almost in a trance as she recalled her vision.
"Who?" Van questioned.
"Draconians."
Van gasped. Hitomi averted the worried gaze he cast down at her.
Merle stirred, and both she and Reeko awakened. "What's going on?" Merle asked sleepily.
Van ignored them for now. "Tell me everything you saw, Hitomi."
Hitomi nodded slowly and recalled her vision for all to hear. When she was finished she was visibly shaken. Merle came up and nuzzled the frightened girl to calm her down. Van was saddened by this; he hated to see his love in such distress.
Suddenly, Hitomi sat up straight and gasped. Her eyes began to glow a pink color, and the necklace around her neck began to glow. Ahead she saw a wall of some sort, coming at them fast. "Van! Look out!"
Van pulled up on the reins, trying to avoid whatever Hitomi was seeing, though he couldn't see it himself. Reeko held Merle close as she screamed, for fear of falling off, as Van tried to maintain control of the flying dragon. Hitomi held onto Van's waist as they hit whatever barrier Hitomi had seen.
The dragon shook violently, almost tossing its passengers into the unmerciful sea below. Van and company cringed back as a bright light enveloped the beast of burden, and Hitomi let out one scream, before everything that was…disappeared.
One minute, chaos, the next silence. The sea once again flowed calmly below, brushed slightly by the daytime breeze. No trace of the four was evident. It was as if they were never there…
Merle groaned and opened her eyes. She was in a room of some sort. The window was covered with beautiful aqua drapes that conveniently obscured the vision of the area outside. She stirred a bit and saw Reeko asleep besides her. He lay there so quietly and soundlessly, that he looked so serene. Merle smiled and moved a piece of hair out of his eyes.
He stirred and smiled as his blue eyes feel upon the goddess-like cat girl above him. She blushed under his gaze. "Come on, cat nap is over." She hopped down and began to analyze the room. "Strange…I don't remember any place that we've been to that has this kind of décor." She said.
Reeko sat up and looked around. The room gave off a gentle feeling. He saw it also had lush aqua walls to match the drapes, and the furniture present was of very fine craftsmanship, though of a design unknown to him. "Where are we?"
Reeko heard Merle gasped and ran to her side. She had opened the drapes and revealed to them was a city like they had never scene. Large stone buildings covered the land and people with white angelic wings growing out of their back.
Citizens moved about their daily lives, walking or flying on the ground or on skywalks that connected some buildings together. Water fountains were everywhere, filling the air with a trickling sound, pleasant to the ear. It also gave the scene a passive look. "Wow." Both cat people breathed.
"You like it?" A voice said from behind them.
Reeko and Merle spun around to face to silent visitor. Reeko moved in front of Merle to protect her just in case. He narrowed his eyes. "Where are we?"
"Where are Van and Hitomi?" Merle questioned in the same rough manner.
The visitor, a boy about the age of seventeen smiled. He had long blond hair, pulled back into a ponytail. His bright blue eyes sparkled with the light that streamed though the window. He wore white robes with golden trimmings. He too had white wings growing out of his back, though they were not as large as the adults that walked around outside. "The Angel of Light and her Protector are safe in another room. I am to bring you to them later…in the meantime, may I offer you anything?"
Reeko stood his ground, unconvinced. "Take us to them now."
Merle nodded her agreement.
The teen frowned. "I'm afraid I can't do that. The council has yet to finish with them."
"Who are you?" Merle asked.
The boy once again smiled and bowed his respects. "I am Kokoro. It means, "Spirit" in Draconian." (Actually it's spirit in Japanese, by hey, it's my story.)
Merle gasped and looked out the window again. "D-draconian?"
Kokoro smirked. "Yes, welcome to Atlantis."
Van and Hitomi had awakened under similar conditions, except their visitor was a female with long red hair and green eyes. She wore a simple dress with extra material trailing from her wrist to behind her back. She claimed to be named Kiseki. ( "Miracle" in Japanese). She had greeted them very kindly and assured the two that their friends were being very well taken care of by her brother, Kokoro. He was to show them to anywhere they wanted in the palace.
Hitomi frowned. "W-where are we?" Though she already had a pretty good guess upon seeing the beautiful wings that Kiseki possessed.
Kiseki smiled. "Atlantis."
Van gasped. There was no way…Atlantis was destroyed! How could they possibly be here now? "B-but…it w-was…" He tried to say.
Kiseki nodded slowly. "Yes, it was destroyed."
Hitomi raised an eyebrow. "Then how…?"
Kiseki smiled. "It is not for me to give you the history lesson. That is up to the Elders of the Counsel. If you will follow me." She turned and left the room. Van and Hitomi exchanged glances before getting up off the bed and followed her outside.
Van gasped, along with Hitomi at the beautiful scene. Kiseki spread her wings. "The Counsel Elders are up there." She pointed to the center building that seemed to have many levels. "Come on." She began to fly up to it.
Van and Hitomi closed their eyes and the Rhinestone of Life's symbol on their chests began to glow. Then two pairs of angelic white wings grew out of their backs once again. With only a moment's hesitation, both flew up with Kiseki and followed her to the Counsel's Chambers.
In Merle and Reeko's room, the two were still being difficult with Kokoro. They refused to go anywhere until they knew their friends were okay.
"I don't understand why you are being so difficult and suspicious." He told them. He didn't understand these feelings because on Atlantis, everyone knew everyone and there was no mistrust.
Merle didn't answer, but only glared at the youth. She heard Reeko gasped. "Merle look!" She ran to his side by the window and saw Van and Hitomi flying towards the center building.
"Lord Van!" She immediately ran past Kokoro and out the door, Reeko right behind her.
"No wait! You can't go there!" Kokoro protested and flew outside the room after the felines.
Merle and Reeko weaved their way through the people in the hall until they made their way outside. They looked up at all the catwalks and began to jump from one to the other, slowly ascending to the counsel's chambers. They were about to enter, when Kokoro appeared in front of them.
"Now please! I was meant to keep you out of the Elder's discussion until it was done! You can't go in there!"
"Watch us." Reeko said getting ready to pounce.
"Kokoro, what's going on out here?" A woman asked.
Kokoro turned around to meet his sister. "Kiseki, I tried to stop them, but…"
"You must be their companions." Kiseki looked at the two. "You show great courage and loyalty to attempt to get to them so dearly." She replied.
Merle was struck in awe at her nobility and grace. "W-we have to see them!" She said.
"I'm sorry. They are meeting with the Elders of the Counsel and cannot be disturbed. It you like, I can take you to the room where they will be taken after the meeting. You can see them there." She offered.
Merle looked at Reeko, who shrugged and nodded. Merle turned to the woman. "Fine." Then the two followed Kiseki into the building, where they hoped they would be able to see their friends again.
In the Elder's Chambers, Hitomi gasped, for it was the same room, she had seen her grandmother in, in her vision. The group of counsel members sat above them, and looked at them in a mixture of awe and wonder. "We welcome you, Angel of Light, and Protector, to the city of Atlantis." The middle elder said.
"We have seen no proof that they are the ones of legend." Another protested.
"Shhh! How dare you speak out of line, and in such distasteful manner?" Another said.
"Enough." The middle one said. "He brings up a good point." He turned to Van and Hitomi, who had put their wings away upon entered the meeting. "Are you who we think you are?"
"Yes." Hitomi replied.
"Prove it."
Van and Hitomi once again closed their eyes and the crest glowed on their chest. They heard the elders gasped and in a bright flash, Van and Hitomi called out their wings, to be shown before all.
The elder nodded convinced and turned to the one who had protested. He nodded, unable to speak.
"Why have we been brought here?" Van questioned.
"Ah yes. Well, the counsel and I believe that our secret is about to get out. The evil that has been casting his own shadow across Atlantis, is about to come and destroy us once more."
Hitomi gasped. "The Ziaboch Empire!"
"We have called to you, Angel of Light, in hopes of receiving aide in this manner."
Van nodded. "You can guarantee that we will ensure that no lives will be lost."
"Do not make promises you cannot keep, Protector. But your decree is noted. This meeting is adjured and we will discuss these matters at a later time. For now, High Priestess Kiseki will escort you to a waiting room, where I believe your friends are waiting anxiously for your arrival."
Van smirked and Hitomi smiled and nodded. "Thank you, Elders. For your hospitality."
"We could offer no less. Please think of Atlantis as home."
The two nodded and exited the chambers to be met with Kiseki. "I will take you to your friends now."
Van and Hitomi, led by Kiseki, turned the corner and smiled as they saw Merle and Reeko glaring at the obviously nervous young boy standing in the corner. But when Merle's eyes spotted Van, her features lit up and she bolted to the door, along with Reeko, to greet Van and Hitomi with friendly hugs.
"I was so worried about you Lord Van!" Merle said.
Hitomi smiled. Even though Merle wasn't in love with Van anymore, she still showed the same childish worry she held to Van since the beginning.
Kiseki gestured to her brother. "This is my brother, Kokoro. It seems he was having trouble quietly controlling your friends." She smirked.
Van laughed. "They are quite a handful."
Van took Hitomi's hand and they sat down on the couch. Hitomi was suddenly having strange feelings about this room. What had happened here? She looked out the window and gasped, a vision beginning before her eyes.
Van, hearing this and seeing her blank expression, immediately latched onto her hand. He was suddenly thrown for a spin when he too was enveloped in the vision as well, seeing what Hitomi was seeing.
He saw two elder teens, sitting on the couch that he and Hitomi were sitting on right now. He looked over and saw he was stilling holding hands with Hitomi, though they were both standing up and were now on the side of the room, watching the events.
Hitomi gasped. "That's my grandma!" She said pointed to one of the girls.
The other had long blue hair, pulled back into a braid. Her orange-red eyes seemed to glow in anticipation. "Please, Saino Yutaka?" ( "Gifted" in Japanese. Okay, so I got a dictionary for Christmas and I am going a little crazy with it. Live with it!)
Hitomi's grandmother, Saino, smiled. "Alright, alright. I will." She took off her pink pendant and held it in her hand. She closed her eyes and the pink pendant started to glow. "You wanted to know about your future children? Then I will ask the pendant to tell us." She said.
Her friend smiled and watched carefully, along with the two unseen people in the corner. Saino smiled and began to describe the scenes she was watching. I see a beautiful lovely woman, standing in the middle of The Lake Of Desires. She is standing there, serene…quiet. The Mystic Moon of legend hangs above the Western Mountains. A man, dressed in Royal garbs, comes towards her on the night of her 19th rotation. She will be the man whom she will end up marrying, and have two beautiful boys."
Hitomi gasped. This was beginning to sound very familiar.
Her friend smiled. "Thank you, Saino. I have to get going now." The girl got up.
"Wait." Saino kept her eyes closed. "Her name…will be Vari."
Van and Hitomi gasped at hearing this. This was Van's grandmother? The woman who would give birth to Vari, Van's mother? Who would go to the lake and meet Lord Goau of Fanelia? Van and Hitomi wanted to hear more, but were distracted by a face in the window.
Hitomi cringed back. "That- that's Rhoan. The man who fell in love with my grandmother…something is strange about him."
Van held Hitomi close to make her feel safer as he stared at the face in the window. He knew that face. He gasped in realization. "That's Emperor Dornkirk!"
Then the vision ended.
Van and Hitomi snapped back to reality, with a concerned Merle and confused Kokoro staring at them. "What happened?"
Kiseki watched them carefully. "They experienced a vision."
Hitomi looked up in shock. "Yes…we did. How did you know?"
Kiseki smiled. "I did not get to be High Priestess for nothing." Then she frowned. "What did you see?"
Van held Hitomi close, for both still were frozen in shock. "My grandmother," Van started. "It seems Hitomi's grandmother, Saino, was the one who foresaw my mother and father's meeting."
Kiseki gasped. "Saino, was…your grandmother?" She asked in shock.
Hitomi nodded. "She was…why?"
Kiseki seemed to get uncomfortable. "She was…banished from Atlantis. She broke several of our laws."
Hitomi gasped. Her grandmother, the one who had been so kind to her when she was little, was a criminal…an outlaw??? Hitomi couldn't believe it! What was going to happen next? Kiseki stood in front of Van and Hitomi. "Let me tell you the story."
A/N: Horrible cliffhanger I know! But I can't make this chapter any longer, so anything I was going to write, goes in the next part. Keep checking in till then!! ^_^
