Uteri sat upon a rock drawing in the sand of the cavern with the tip of her sword. None of the men had
approached her after her conversation with the being that lay behind the ring that was now empty.
Osaka had decided to think her options through before making her first wish. The Zaibach Empire had
been everything to her, her life, her reason for being… and now it lay in shambles. She remembered the
anger she felt when one of her men had been cut down by 'the white dragon' during one of the last battles
of the Great War. Not because she had any real affection for her charges, but because they were hers. She
would be the one who was to decide if they lived or died… not that snot-nosed brat, Van Fanel.
She drilled her sword harder into the ground as her rage took over. She needed something to cool her
off. " Thaysis! Bring me a bottle of wine!" she ordered.
The man scurried to perform the task given to him. A few seconds later he returned with a bottle and
glass in hand.
Uteri snatched up the bottle paying no mind to the glass. She proceeded to rip the cork out with her
teeth and take a swig of the bitter liquid.
It was obvious what she had to do. Uteri couldn't exact her revenge without a plan… unfortunately
planning wasn't one of her strong suits. There were three components that had always made up the Zaibach
Empire; the brains, the brawn and the power.
The power once been in the hands of Emperor Dornkirk… but he was gone now and a new source of
power had been placed in her hands… but power was useless without direction. She needed the other parts
of the Empire, but they were now out of her reach…
The brains… Folken Strategos… was gone.
The brawn… Lord Dilandau… was gone.
Suddenly an idea struck her. She turned to the ring behind her, her eyes glistening… maybe not…
~~~~~~@~~~~~~
Van sighed as he used his hand to prop up head. This is what he left Hitomi for? The petty squabbles
that went on among some of the court of the reconstructed Fanelia were many and unimportant.
His newly appointed generals were arguing amongst themselves about how some trade routes had
become ineffective and just slowed the progress of others which needed more attention.
This had been the third time this issue had come up and every time it had ended the same. The four
men would start just a friendly conversation about Fanelia's economy, the conversation would escalate into
debate, when they couldn't reach an agreement they would seek out the King and drag the boy into the
argument. The main problem was that after they took him from what he was doing they would continue to
argue as if he wasn't even there. Every time he tried to suggest something the men would just keep talking
as if he hadn't said anything in the first place.
It was quite infuriating for the young King. 'If they didn't want my opinion, why did they ask?' he
thought. Usually when his opinion was ignored he would make his annoyance to the situation known, but
today… he just didn't care, sooner or later they would grow tired of the bantering and leave as if nothing
had taken place.
Van turned his gaze to temple that lay just outside the palace walls, the building that housed the
sleeping Escaflowne and his brother who had passed away a little over a year ago was beautiful and
majestic.
'They both deserve that resting place,' Van thought sadly. True, he would hate to have to reawaken
Escaflowne because of a war but Escaflowne was more than a suit of armor… it was a link to his love
Hitomi.
Then there was Folken… his dear brother. Yes he had belonged to the Zaibach but had redeemed
himself through his actions. Van's heart ached when he thought that he never got to tell Folken that he was
proud of him… that he forgave him.
Van's eyes started to mist over at the thought of his lost brother and distant love Hitomi. He willed the
tears not to fall. ' I need to get some air,' he thought to himself.
He pushed himself up from his seat and made his left the conference room. The generals didn't even
notice his departure.
~~~~~~@~~~~~~
Celena gazed out at the sea from the balcony of her room. For the past year she had lived in the dark,
knowing something was wrong but never able to pinpoint what it was. There were so many gaps in her
memory yet sometimes when she closed her eyes she would see flashes of fire… darkness… blood…
The cool wind whipped through her silver curls. It was nights like this that were the loneliest. Allen
was dining in the grand hall below her with Millerna and Dryden, he had asked her if she wanted to join
them but sometimes when she was around them she felt more isolated than usual. The way they would
correct themselves when they talked about the war then give her a strange look as if something they said
would anger or upset her.
Over the past year Celena had felt like a porcelain doll, always handled with care as if she could break
at the slightest disturbance.
' I'm not a child anymore! Why won't Allen stop treating me like one!' she thought bitterly as she laid
her head down on top of her arms which were leaning on the balcony railing.
The wind began to grow colder and blew with increasing strength snuffing out the candle that sat on
the table by her bed. She entered her room and lay down on the bed not even bothering to re-light the
candle. Celena turned her head burying her face in pillow trying to silence her minds worries and
aggravations.
Shadows on the wall moved of their own accord, but went unnoticed by the distraught girl on the bed.
Once they reached the mirror they produced a black human form.
It stepped through the smooth surface and into Celena's room. Suddenly the shadow-man became one
of fire.
Feeling the warmth and noticing the new source of light the girl turned to the figure.
The man of flame stood in a non-threatening pose at the foot of the bed. To Celena's surprise nothing
else was on fire… just the man.
"Hello Celena," it greeted friendly.
Still caught in a state of shock and confusion she found it hard to form the words. " Wh…who are you?
How do you know my name?"
He tilted his faceless head to the side. " You know who I am Celena… come closer," he reached his
hand out toward her.
She shook her head; no… she didn't know this man. But she found herself unable to stop herself from
coming toward him.
The flame circled her studying her in slight fascination. " Are you sure you don't remember me?"
A strange feeling came over her, her chest felt tight it was hard to breathe. Then there were flashes…
ones like she had seen in her dreams but this time they were more vivid… they were so real she thought she
could reach out and touch them.
A red guymelef…
Faces of young men in blue uniforms…
Blood…
Fire… it was everywhere now, but she wasn't afraid, not in the slightest.
" AH!" she screamed as familiar pain cut it's way into her right cheek. She reached up and touched
it… blood… her blood… someone would pay for this.
The wound stung with unimaginable pain. The fire that now surrounded her grew higher as voices
called to her, hissing for her touch the fire.
Celena felt as if an alien force had entered her mind and watched as something made her hand reach
out for the flame. Her mind rebelled and cried out in anguish as her soul was twisted… changed into
something else.
A female scream shattered the peace of the night before fading into the uncontrollable laughter of a
male voice.
approached her after her conversation with the being that lay behind the ring that was now empty.
Osaka had decided to think her options through before making her first wish. The Zaibach Empire had
been everything to her, her life, her reason for being… and now it lay in shambles. She remembered the
anger she felt when one of her men had been cut down by 'the white dragon' during one of the last battles
of the Great War. Not because she had any real affection for her charges, but because they were hers. She
would be the one who was to decide if they lived or died… not that snot-nosed brat, Van Fanel.
She drilled her sword harder into the ground as her rage took over. She needed something to cool her
off. " Thaysis! Bring me a bottle of wine!" she ordered.
The man scurried to perform the task given to him. A few seconds later he returned with a bottle and
glass in hand.
Uteri snatched up the bottle paying no mind to the glass. She proceeded to rip the cork out with her
teeth and take a swig of the bitter liquid.
It was obvious what she had to do. Uteri couldn't exact her revenge without a plan… unfortunately
planning wasn't one of her strong suits. There were three components that had always made up the Zaibach
Empire; the brains, the brawn and the power.
The power once been in the hands of Emperor Dornkirk… but he was gone now and a new source of
power had been placed in her hands… but power was useless without direction. She needed the other parts
of the Empire, but they were now out of her reach…
The brains… Folken Strategos… was gone.
The brawn… Lord Dilandau… was gone.
Suddenly an idea struck her. She turned to the ring behind her, her eyes glistening… maybe not…
~~~~~~@~~~~~~
Van sighed as he used his hand to prop up head. This is what he left Hitomi for? The petty squabbles
that went on among some of the court of the reconstructed Fanelia were many and unimportant.
His newly appointed generals were arguing amongst themselves about how some trade routes had
become ineffective and just slowed the progress of others which needed more attention.
This had been the third time this issue had come up and every time it had ended the same. The four
men would start just a friendly conversation about Fanelia's economy, the conversation would escalate into
debate, when they couldn't reach an agreement they would seek out the King and drag the boy into the
argument. The main problem was that after they took him from what he was doing they would continue to
argue as if he wasn't even there. Every time he tried to suggest something the men would just keep talking
as if he hadn't said anything in the first place.
It was quite infuriating for the young King. 'If they didn't want my opinion, why did they ask?' he
thought. Usually when his opinion was ignored he would make his annoyance to the situation known, but
today… he just didn't care, sooner or later they would grow tired of the bantering and leave as if nothing
had taken place.
Van turned his gaze to temple that lay just outside the palace walls, the building that housed the
sleeping Escaflowne and his brother who had passed away a little over a year ago was beautiful and
majestic.
'They both deserve that resting place,' Van thought sadly. True, he would hate to have to reawaken
Escaflowne because of a war but Escaflowne was more than a suit of armor… it was a link to his love
Hitomi.
Then there was Folken… his dear brother. Yes he had belonged to the Zaibach but had redeemed
himself through his actions. Van's heart ached when he thought that he never got to tell Folken that he was
proud of him… that he forgave him.
Van's eyes started to mist over at the thought of his lost brother and distant love Hitomi. He willed the
tears not to fall. ' I need to get some air,' he thought to himself.
He pushed himself up from his seat and made his left the conference room. The generals didn't even
notice his departure.
~~~~~~@~~~~~~
Celena gazed out at the sea from the balcony of her room. For the past year she had lived in the dark,
knowing something was wrong but never able to pinpoint what it was. There were so many gaps in her
memory yet sometimes when she closed her eyes she would see flashes of fire… darkness… blood…
The cool wind whipped through her silver curls. It was nights like this that were the loneliest. Allen
was dining in the grand hall below her with Millerna and Dryden, he had asked her if she wanted to join
them but sometimes when she was around them she felt more isolated than usual. The way they would
correct themselves when they talked about the war then give her a strange look as if something they said
would anger or upset her.
Over the past year Celena had felt like a porcelain doll, always handled with care as if she could break
at the slightest disturbance.
' I'm not a child anymore! Why won't Allen stop treating me like one!' she thought bitterly as she laid
her head down on top of her arms which were leaning on the balcony railing.
The wind began to grow colder and blew with increasing strength snuffing out the candle that sat on
the table by her bed. She entered her room and lay down on the bed not even bothering to re-light the
candle. Celena turned her head burying her face in pillow trying to silence her minds worries and
aggravations.
Shadows on the wall moved of their own accord, but went unnoticed by the distraught girl on the bed.
Once they reached the mirror they produced a black human form.
It stepped through the smooth surface and into Celena's room. Suddenly the shadow-man became one
of fire.
Feeling the warmth and noticing the new source of light the girl turned to the figure.
The man of flame stood in a non-threatening pose at the foot of the bed. To Celena's surprise nothing
else was on fire… just the man.
"Hello Celena," it greeted friendly.
Still caught in a state of shock and confusion she found it hard to form the words. " Wh…who are you?
How do you know my name?"
He tilted his faceless head to the side. " You know who I am Celena… come closer," he reached his
hand out toward her.
She shook her head; no… she didn't know this man. But she found herself unable to stop herself from
coming toward him.
The flame circled her studying her in slight fascination. " Are you sure you don't remember me?"
A strange feeling came over her, her chest felt tight it was hard to breathe. Then there were flashes…
ones like she had seen in her dreams but this time they were more vivid… they were so real she thought she
could reach out and touch them.
A red guymelef…
Faces of young men in blue uniforms…
Blood…
Fire… it was everywhere now, but she wasn't afraid, not in the slightest.
" AH!" she screamed as familiar pain cut it's way into her right cheek. She reached up and touched
it… blood… her blood… someone would pay for this.
The wound stung with unimaginable pain. The fire that now surrounded her grew higher as voices
called to her, hissing for her touch the fire.
Celena felt as if an alien force had entered her mind and watched as something made her hand reach
out for the flame. Her mind rebelled and cried out in anguish as her soul was twisted… changed into
something else.
A female scream shattered the peace of the night before fading into the uncontrollable laughter of a
male voice.