Millerna came out of the infirmary. As soon as he saw her, Van got up from the cold hallway in which he had spent his night. They had safely returned to Freid. Celena was all right, but Hitomi had not woken up from her faint. Van was extremely worried. It was almost sunrise, and she still hadn't awakened. Van silently cursed, and hoped she was ok. Millerna hadn't come out of the infirmary once until now.
"How is she?" he asked, his voice full of worry.
"Don't worry Van. Hitomi is all right. She passed out from the shock and the pressure of the events." Millerna told him smiling.
"Thank goodness. I was afraid that monster hurt her or something." Van said looking relieved.
"Umm, Van, there's something you need to know." Millerna said.
"Oh yeah? What's that?" Van asked.
"Hitomi's pregnant, and I would recommend no more adventures for her. She's in a delicate condition, and should be more careful." Millerna told him, unaware of the fact Van already knew. (they decided to keep the news for themselves until the war ended)
"Yes, I know she is, and I've told her to be careful, only she wouldn't listen to me." Van responded. "Now that you say she should rest, I'll make sure she will."
"How long were you planning on keeping this from us?" Millerna asked surprised.
"Just until the war ended. Hitomi didn't want to be shielded just for that. She promised me she'll take it easy. It teaches me not to ever listen to her." Van smiled.
"Well, she's perfectly healthy, and the baby wasn't affected by any of this, but I was only saying. She wouldn't want to miscarry, just jumping into the heat of things like that." Millerna informed him.
"I'll tell her." Van agreed. "Can I go see her now?" he asked eager to check for himself that Hitomi was all right.
"Yeah. She's sleeping, but you can go in and see her." Millerna said and walked away.
"Hey, Millerna? Thank you for wasting your night on this. I know Dryden needs you too." Van said before he gently opened the door.
"It's ok. Hitomi's my friend. It was no trouble. Plus, Dryden is recovering nicely." Millerna smiled, seeing Van's anxiousness to be with Hitomi.
Van gently opened the door and stepped in. It was almost dawn. They had made it back to Freid a few hours before, with both Celena and Hitomi unconscious. They had to escape a few Zaibach guymelefs, but it was no trouble. He was glad they made it back safely, and Hitomi was in one piece. The early rays of sunshine were peaking through the window, and resting of Hitomi's sleeping features. Van smiled. She looked absolutely angelic. Van thought of how he almost lost her again. His jaw clenched. He'll not make that mistake again. Next time, he'll know better.
"Hmm, what do you see in me when you watch me sleep?" Hitomi asked.
"You're awake?" Van asked surprised.
"Yeah, I just saw you standing there and I didn't want to disturb you." she smiled.
"You should be sleeping." Van told her.
"Can't. I told you. I have to be up with the sunrise. I don't know why." Hitomi said getting out of bed.
"You should lay down. You've been through a lot." Van insisted.
"No, come on, I want to see the sunrise." Hitomi told him and walked out. She went out into the garden.
Van followed her.
"So this is it. This is the calm before the storm." Hitomi whispered.
Van noticed the red mark on Hitomi's cheek. It was actually turning blue.
"When did you get this?" he asked, brushing his hand past it.
"That's a present from Lord Motaro, when I didn't want to give him the Key to the Power of Atlantis." Hitomi said and winced.
"That @$$hole. I'll get him for this. I thought he was only preparing to strike you when I came in. " Van muttered.
"It's ok. I'm fine." Hitomi told him, and snuggled into him.
"No, you're not going out on that battlefield anymore. Millerna said you must take it easy." Van told her firmly, embracing her.
"Van, the baby is fine. I'm fine. Plus, there's no battle. I know how we need to end this." Hitomi told him.
"I don't care. I'll lock you in the dungeon if I have to, but you're not risking loosing your life again." he said fiercely.
"I didn't choose to go to Motaro you know. It just happened that I went. I'm glad I did though, or else I could have never figured out how we could end this," Hitomi said softly, kissing him.
"Yeah, but look what you got for it," Van said kissing her bruised cheek.
"It's only a bruise. It'll go away. It won't leave a scar. I've had worse," Hitomi said softly.
"Still, no one should dare treat you this way. If I ever meet Motaro, I'm going to snap him into two pieces. He has a reserved ticket on the boat to hell. First class, a Van Fanel reservation." Van hugged her. God, he never wanted to let her go. He swore never to let anything hurt her again.
"We must talk," Hitomi began. "I know what Motaro wants from us." Hitomi told him.
"What's that?" Van asked.
"It's the Key to unlocking the REAL Power of Atlantis."
"We destroyed that a long time ago." Van observed.
"Apparently, we only destroyed its power to predict the future. Motaro told me that the real power of Atlantis allows you to create fate. We never seem to get a break. First Dornkirk, who wanted to alter fate, and now this maniac who wants to create it." Hitomi laughed.
"We mustn't let him get his hands on that." Van agreed.
"He can't. In order to unlock it, he needs some sort of key. Apparently, he thinks I have it. That's why he hit me. Because I wouldn't want to give it to him." Hitomi explained.
"Do you even know what it is?" he asked.
"Well, the only thing that was associated with the power of Atlantis last time, was my pendant, I'm guessing that must be it." Hitomi concluded.
"So what do we do now?"
"We go talk to one of his friends," Hitomi said getting up.
"Where are you going?"
"To talk to Priestess Eunice. She has some explaining to do." Hitomi told him.
"You want to talk to me? What for my queen?" the raspy voice sounded behind them.
"You," Hitomi said turning around. "You have some serious explaining to do." she told her.
"I am but a mere priestess," the woman argued.
"Then how do you explain that Motaro is part of you High Order cult?" Hitomi challenged her.
"That, is a long story, I am not allowed to tell." Eunice said.
"You witch, you sit down right here and give us the answers we are looking for," Van threatened.
"That would be meddling with fate sire, I'm afraid I cannot do that."
"Hmm, Motaro sure was right about you High Order people. So afraid to meddle with fate. Well let me tell you something. There is no such thing as fate. We make our own destiny." Hitomi told her.
"No. What was written ages ago, is what will happen. No one can change fate." Eunice said.
"I don't believe that. So you better sit down and tell us how Motaro was part of the High Order." Hitomi ordered.
"You do this at your own risk," Eunice warned.
"As I said, I don't believe in fate. Go on." Hitomi encouraged.
"Very well. The High Order keeps the ancient secrets of Gaea. It also governs the secrets behind the Power of Atlantis. We meddle in sorcery, and any other ways that might be useful in predicting certain events that might lead to this world's destruction." Eunice began "It is true that we are afraid of fate, because we know the fate of the Atlanteeans. However, we try to read into the future, so we know what to expect, and how to work around certain major events, without actually changing fate. We are about 300. Not many, but considering most of us are 500-1000 years old, we feel it is enough."
"That's impossible, no one can live that long." Van said.
"You're wrong again. We are a mixed remain of Atlanteean blood. We once used to belong with the Atlanteeans, but when they were consumed by their hunger for power, we fled. It is true that most of us have some Atlanteean blood in our veins, but it is mostly Draconian and plain human blood that flows through our veins. This is enough, and through sorcery it keeps us alive for 500-1000 years." Eunice continued.
"Draconian blood? Does that mean you have wings?" Hitomi asked.
"No, we cannot fly like this young king. The percentage of Draconian blood in our bloodline is small. We're mostly involved in sorcery. Motaro, was one of the 12, on our elderly council. While he belonged to our group, Motaro was a strong magician. I only suspect his powers to have grown. He's probably unstoppable at the moment. However, he has a flaw. He is power hungry. He wants the Power of Atlantis so he can remodel the universe in his own image. He has become corrupt, and you, the last true descendants of Atlantis must stop him." Eunice ended.
"Us? Descendants of Atlantis? How?" Hitomi asked.
"Well you, your grandmother is half Atlanteean. There is still some trace of Atlantic blood left on Earth. Lord Van, is half Atlanteean through his mother who was also half Atlanteean. Through the ages, we discovered that if the quantity of Atlanteean blood you have in your veins exceeds half, you posses their powers completely. In conclusion, you are descendants of Atlantis." Eunice informed them.
"Very well. What do we need to do?" Van asked.
"That I cannot tell you. Although, you should know enough by now to figure it out yourself."
"One more thing. Is my pendant the key Motaro wanted?" Hitomi asked the weird woman.
"Yes," she said and departed. Her task was now complete. She had set things is motion. Smiling with a secretive smile, she retreated. Her ship was waiting in the forest. The rest was just a chain of events. All it needed now was a little thought. "Good luck," she wished them silently. Not even her, the leader of the ancient 12 could know the outcome of this. The waves of fate closed to her. This was another test Gaea must face alone.
Van and Hitomi watched the weird woman disappear. They had what they needed. Confirmation.
"Come on, we must go to the Mystic Valley. I have a feeling that's where out answers lie," Hitomi told Van.
"I was thinking the same thing. Let's take the Crusade and go, but you're staying here." he told her.
"Van, we're the last descendants of Atlantis. Enough is enough. You can protect me best if I'm with you," Hitomi argued hotly.
Van just nodded. The vision Hitomi had shared with him was still lurking in the back of his mind.
"Let's go tell the others," he said.
"Excellent!" Motaro laughed from his flying fortress. "My plan is working out marvelously. All I have to do now, is wait for them to open the gate, and I could just follow. That fool Eunice, I warned her not to get involved. She just made my job a whole lot easier," he laughed, with his grotesque laugh.
"Master? Then we get to burn Gaea?" Dilandau asked from behind him.
"Yes, all the pieces are in place. I shall finally have the power. Nothing can stand in my way!" Motaro roared with laughter.
Little did he know that the waves of fate wavered behind him. Nothing was ever written in stone.