Draconian Chronicles 3

Draconian Chronicles 3

Part 5: Family Ties

Van and Hitomi stood tense and ready back to back as the sound of the Guymelifs grew louder. Merle and Reeko were standing in a corner, behind them Kokoro tried to put on a strong face, but it was clear he was scared. Hitomi held her staff out in front of her, its pink glow shining on half of them room. The other half was a pleasant yellow glow, from Van's light sword. It blazed with power as if made by fire.

The Elders stood by the raised chairs that they had been seated in earlier. There were now 6 out of the 12 before, the rest had fled beforehand. Hitomi frowned. "Aren't you going to defend yourselves??" She couldn't believe that they would throw their lives away so easily.

The head Elder smiled. "We never said we were defenseless."

Hitomi was about to further question his meaning, when the building began to shake. Hitomi gasped as four guymelifs and a few dozen soldiers stormed the tower.

Van and Hitomi growled and charged into battle.

Hitomi made a swift stroke upwards against an oncoming soldier. He was bisected from the middle up, falling in a burnt heap. Two men came up behind Hitomi and attacked. She swung her staff sideways, gutting them easily. One came up and caught her off guard, grabbed her hand and using his strength to try and make her slice herself with her own weapon. But instead of hitting Hitomi, it went through her!

She smirked. "Don't you know you shouldn't play with other people's things without their permission?" She elbowed the guy in the mouth, hearing it crack with the impact, the stabbed him through the stomach with her staff, it going through him as well. Although he didn't come out unharmed as Hitomi had. He fell to the ground dead, and Hitomi withdrew her weapon, running back into the fray.

Van sliced at two men, their weapons falling to the ground, then he came up and jumped into the air, kicking both in the head. They fell to the ground. A man came up behind him, but Van sensed him coming and raised his sword over his head to block it. Van bent down and whipped out his leg to trip the fellow. He fell with a loud thump, though it was lost in the sounds of battle.

The man didn't give up then though, no. He tried to slice at Van's legs, but Van simply flipped forward, out of the way, and then immediately back flipping over the man, and stabbing him in the chest. The man cried out in agony. Van pulled his sword back and ran off to protect the elders.

It looked like Hitomi and Van had the same idea, because before they knew it they were side-by-side, ready to defend the elders. But from the looks of it, they didn't look like they needed saving at all.

The Head Elder formed a blue ball in his hands, as well as the other aged council members, all ranging in color, from red to purple. The Head Elder had a determined look on his face. "For the Goddess of Fate! Release!" As one all the Elders released their magical attacks, striking one of the guymelifs at its weakest points.

It lost an arm, and parts of it leg fell to the ground. It fell to the floor in a messed up heap. Hitomi and Van watched it fall and turned back to the Elders, speechless.

The Head Elder smiled. "Continue to defend the others…we will be fine."

Van and Hitomi nodded and Hitomi ran off to see if Merle and Reeko were okay, but when Van turned to follow, he saw a 5th guymelif coming up behind the Elders. He turned. "Watch out!"

The guymelif shot off one of its liquid spears, slamming hard into the Head Elder.

Van was horrified. "No!!!!" He powered up his sword and took a mighty swing at the guymelif. A charged yellow disk flew from his sword, landing on the guymelif's chest, and exploding in a large heap and metal.

Van ran to the Head Elder. The wound was too large to heal, even with Van's powers. The Elder did not seem seemed sad or worried about his demise. He simply smiled up at the young king. "Protect…the Angel of Light. She…will save…us…all…"

Van watched as the body of the Elder disintegrated before his eyes. He saddened and looked around to find Hitomi. He found her in the worst place possible.

"Van!" She screamed and she fought to break free of the Guymelif that held her captive. And the operator of that guymelif?

"Van, I got your little brat girlfriend here…and she will be my present to his majesty Emperor Dornkirk.

Van froze as Dilandau's voice came from the control chamber. "Dilandau! Let her go!" He demanded.

"Oh I don't think so." He tightened his grip on Hitomi, making her cry out in pain and Van fell to his knees, feeling her pain rip through his body as well. Then Dilandau changed into his flight mode and took off towards the Floating Fortress, leaving Van to cry out for his loved one.

"HITOMI!!!!!!"

Hitomi was thrown unceremoniously in front of the Emperor Dornkirk. He smirked at her small form, and gestured to his guards. "Leave us."

They bowed and left the chambers. Hitomi growled and jumped to her feet, then back flipped away from the menacing figure. "I demand I be released this instant!" She said.

Dornkirk smirked. "Now, now. Is that anyway to talk to your relative??"

Hitomi gasped. "I don't know what you are talking about!" She placed a hand on her heart and her chest started to glow. She expected her wings to emerge and she would blast her way out of here if she had to. But instead…her heart started to hurt and she cried out in pain as the effect backfired. She fell to her knees.

Dornkirk stepped forward. "You cannot use your powers here. You are helpless."

Hitomi narrowed her eyes at him. "I am never helpless." She looked up at him and tried to stay strong, but she could feel her strength leaving her. "What…what are you doing to me???"

The Emperor placed a hand on Hitomi and Hitomi wanted to move away, but found she couldn't. "I am going to show you the truth. That which has been hidden from you for so long."

Then Hitomi passed out.

Van ran out of the Elder chambers and dove off the side of the tower. His wings spread open and he began to glide down over the city. Merle and Reeko jumped back down the skywalks and tried to keep up. Kokoro flew above them and looked towards Van. "He's heading to the shrine." He deduced.

"But we were never shown that part of Atlantis. How does he know where it is??" Merle asked, leaping over another skywalk.

Kokoro dove under the same skywalk, as Reeko followed Merle's path and continued to follow the angered king. "All draconians can sense where it is. It is the center of a lot of power."

Merle frowned and stopped as they came up to the Shrine. "Isn't that where your sister is?" Reeko came up besides her and Kokoro stayed up above them.

"Yeah. She is there in case Ziaboch gets the idea they can take our power and use it for themselves." He told them.

Merle gasped at the beauty of the shrine. It was a large temple of some sort. It had blue lanterns hanging from it. There was one set of double wooden doors that were open and inside was darkness.

"What a creepy place." Reeko said.

Kokoro withheld a laugh. "It's not made to be enjoyable. It is very dangerous in the wrong hands."

Merle nodded. "Let's go see what Van is up to."

Van walked slowly in the shrine, and searched for Kiseki's aura. She was sent here as the last stronghold against the Ziaboch Empire. Van held his sword in front of him, defenses up, even in the serene setting of the shrine. His wings were out and twitching in nervousness. There was a great power stored here. One he thought Ziaboch could do a whole lot of damage with if they got their hands on it.

Van followed his sense until he came to a large room. There was a great obelisk in the center of it, and at its base, stood Kiseki. She was on her knees before the structure, hands in front of her, and wings gracefully at her sides. Her head was bowed in homage. Van quietly stepped forward, his large eyes taking in all the details.

The sides of the room were filled with balconies and seating arrangements. This must be where the city held its meetings. The top of the obelisk was golden, compared to its black body. Van came up to Kiseki just as she got up to turn to him.

"Ah, Protector. Our defenses are gone?" She asked simply.

Van nodded. "The Elders have been defeated." He hung his head down low.

Kiseki looked at him carefully. "The Angel of Light is gone as well?"

Van gasped and looked up at the priestess. "Y-yes. She was kidnapped. How did you know?"

Kiseki smiled. "I felt her aura leave this city and go into the ship in the sky." She explained.

Van nodded. "We have to get her back."

Kiseki's expressions went calm, and she closed her eyes. "First, we need to take care of the unwanted visitors."

"Lord Van!" Merle and Reeko came running in, Kokoro flying in above them.

Lord Van raised an eyebrow. "Unwanted visitors?" He turned to Kiseki.

Kiseki's eyes flared open. "They're here!" She flew into the air and suddenly the door behind where Merle and Reeko had just come in… three guymelifs came through the wall, rubble going everywhere.

Kokoro gasped. "They must've followed us!"

Van flew into the air besides Kiseki. "I hide Escaflowne back at the base of the Elder's Tower! It'd take too long to go and get it!" He narrowed his eyes at the intruders.

Kiseki folded her hand in front of her. "Then we have no choice, we must flee."

"I doubt they'll let us. And I don't see any other way out."
Kiseki smirked, her eyes closed. "There are always two ways out of a situation. Go down there next to the others. I will take care of these barbarians."

Van was skeptical and was about to object, when Kiseki's eyes opened and they glowed yellow. "Now!"

Van gasped and immediately flew down to Reeko and Merle. "What is she doing!?" Reeko asked.

Kokoro watched his sister's gestures. "On no…" He ran forward, but Van held him back. Kokoro leaned forward. "No! Kiseki! Don't!!"

Merle frowned. "What's going on??"

Kokoro gritted his teeth. "She is performing a forbidden ritual called 'Calling down of the Sun'. Destroys all organics. Kiseki!!!!" He called in vain as she began the chant.

"In the name of Great One, holder of the sun disk, Re, protect me from my foes. Flesh burn and life end!" There was a bright flash and an enormous flare of heat, causing the group on the ground to have to cringe back.

When the light died down, they opened their eyes and saw the room was devoid of all life. Van closed his eyes to sense for the guymelif's pilots. There was no sign at all. "They're…gone." The guymelifs stood quiet and ghost-like, not moving an inch, yet looking undamaged on the outside.

Kiseki floated down to the ground, and breathed heavily.

Merle ran up to her. "You okay?"

Kokoro came up and steadied her. "She is weak from the attack." He replied to the cat girl. He turned to his sister. "You need to rest."

Kiseki didn't answer, only reached onto her side and pulled out a pouch. Reaching in, she pulled out some…

Kokoro gasped. "Star dust…no, Kiseki, don't…"

Kiseki threw the dust into the air. It fell on everyone and the two cat people tried to shake it off. "Hey, what's the idea?" Merle asked.

Van look at his hands as the dust fell on him too. "Huh?"

Kiseki closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Angel of Light…" She clapped, finalizing the spell.

Then, all five were surrounded in a golden light and disappeared from the room.

Reappearing in another room, the five materialized, and Kiseki passed out in Kokoro's arms.

Merle looked around. "Huh?"

"Where are we?" Reeko echoed her confusion.

Kokoro looked sadly down at his sister. "She used a teleportation spell to get us out of there and bring us here."

"Where's here?" Merle asked.

Van looked around. "We on the floating fortress."

"We're what!?" Reeko exclaimed. "Ah man! I didn't even get a chance to make my will yet!"

Van closed his eyes and sensed for his true love and partner. "Hitomi…" Spreading his wings he took to the air. "Reeko, Merle, stay here with Kokoro! Stay here while I find Hitomi!!"

"Lord Van!" Merle started to run after him, when Reeko held her back by the waist. "You heard the prince. We stay here. I don't wan to lose you."

Merle blushed and stopped resisting as she leaned into Reeko's embrace. She watched Van disappear down the hallway. Be careful Lord Van…

Hitomi awoke her in own bed…she looked around and heard a baby crying. She walked out of her room, and followed the noise to the guest room. There she saw Saino walk into the room, and lift up the baby. There, there, shhh…" She rocked it back and forth until the crying stopped.

Hitomi frowned. The baby…my mom?

The room disappeared and Hitomi awoke in the emperor's chambers once again.

Emperor Dornkirk walked up to her. "Your mother was born on the Mystic Moon. Saino left Gaia and left me. She had our child alone on the Mystic Moon!"

Hitomi gasped as tears came to her eyes. "Then you're…my…"

"You are my lovely granddaughter." He came up and placed his hand on her shoulder.

Hitomi shivered under his touch. "No!!!!"

Just then Van burst through the room, and flew in fast and hard, ramming into the emperor and sending him to the other side of the room. "Hitomi!" He flew down and lifted Hitomi into his arms.

Her eyes continued to tear as she cried into Van's embrace. "He's…he…" She hiccupped and passed out.

Van glared at the recovering emperor. "What did you do to her!"

Dornkirk smirked. "Can't a grandfather take some energy from his granddaughter?"

Van gasped and looked down at Hitomi. "She is your…" The granddaughter of my enemy… the reason she is draconian…no… "No!!!" He glared at Dornkirk. "You lie!"

The emperor stood up. "Think about it. Why does she have the pendant that Saino possessed? How was it that she touched the Rhinestone of Life? And how is it that she became a draconian? Because she was a draconian descendant herself!"

Van blinked as all the words began to sink in. What could he think of her now? He loved her, but she carried the blood of the enemy.

"So you see? True love only exists in fairy tales.

Van shook her head. "No! I love her no matter what!" He shouted.

Dornkirk smirked. "Do you? Will you be willing to fight for her?" He made a quick motion with his hand, and Dilandau came out of one of the side doors.

Van narrowed his eyes at his rival.

"Well, well, well, looks like the great Angel of Light is here. With her precious protector." The Dragon Slayer said, his voice dripping with disgust.

Van placed Hitomi down on the ground and glared at Dilandau. "If I fight, what do I get?" He asked Dornkirk.

"You and my granddaughter get to leave alive." He replied.

Van raised an eyebrow. "And if I lose?"

"Atlantis is mine." He smiled as if the battle were already won.

Van blinked in surprise. Could he make such a deal and sacrifice a whole city? Put all that magical power on the line? Was it his place?

Hitomi stirred in his arms. "I…he's my…why…why wasn't I told?" She muttered in her sleep."

She's in shock…I have to help her. Van thought. He looked up to Dornkirk. "You have yourself a deal."

A/N: I know this took a long time to get out and I'm sorry! Really! I hoped you liked it! Ja ne!