The whole room consisted of uncomfortable rustles and stirrings. The red haired woman in uniform Hitomi had noticed before ordered all the soldiers to leave the room. They left without objections.
Merle cupped the jewel in her hands. "Isn't this the pendant you gave to Van?"
Hitomi nodded silently. Ty backed away and hid behind Allen. He was even more frightened than Hitomi was. He was positive of that.
"Who is she?" Hitomi asked in a slightly angry, shaken voice that was trying to conceal the true fear of the worst. "Who is she, and why does she have the pendant?"
"Hitomi, we don't know who she is. Some of my men found her in the northwest fields, and she was well on her way over here," Allen explained.
"But…" Her voice faded into a whisper. "Van never took it off. He never let it go. What if…he's…"
Merle shook her head vigorously. "No! No, he's all right! He wouldn't let them get that kind of glory! He wouldn't let them win! Never!"
"…Who?"
Merle continued shaking her head. She let the pendant slip out of her shaken fingers, and grasped the woman's arm, who was now at her side. Allen placed his hand on Hitomi's shoulder.
"I think it's time for that explanation." He helped her into the halls, stopping Ty from following. "Merle, watch her. Ty, you stay here." He gestured to the woman with a nod of his head, and they were off through the halls.
Following a number of flights of stairs traveled, they reached a room with two large doors. With an extremely big table in the center and many chairs lining it, Hitomi remembered it was the room where meetings were held.
They all took a seat closest to the entrance. Hitomi sat across from Allen and the woman. A moment of silence took place as they got settled.
"First of all, Hitomi, this is Verona. She's one of the three Fanelian General's. The other two were killed trying to protect Van."
"Unfortunately, I didn't succeed, either," she said. The deep expression in her voice was a mystery to Hitomi. And with the emotionless expression on her face, she would have been even more beautiful than she was.
Hitomi nodded. "I'm sorry, but I don't remember meeting you when I last came to Fanelia."
"That's because I was elected just after you left. Before they came." She smiled in Allen's direction. "Now I believe you have to hurry your explaining." Verona glanced back at Hitomi. "Forgive me if I don't take much part in this conversation. I suppose you could say that my failure haunts me."
Hitomi wasn't sure how to respond, so she replied the only way she knew that would be best for her situation.
"…Okay."
Allen sighed. "I believe it all started just after your departure. Fanelia was definitely not prepared for this type of war, if that's what it really was. Not many were killed, only those that stood in their way of reaching the King were slaughtered. Verona was lucky."
"I still have some lovely scars, however. They could have easily killed me."
"Who?"
"The Draconians," Allen said.
"The Draconians? The people of Atlantis? But how does that make sense? Why would they want him if he was one of their kind?"
"He's not." A new voice proceeded in the conversation. The young woman with long, dark hair stood between the doorway.
"Who are you?" Verona asked.
"My name is Hallandia. I'm sided with the Draconians you seek. But I'm not here for harsh purposes," she added hastily.
"Why are you here, then, and where did you come from?" Verona asked suspiciously.
"I journeyed from the country of Freid in search of the two remaining keys that would lead us to the most important item of our needs." She looked at Hitomi, her black eyes solid as coal. "You are one of them. I do not know of the other. So, I have come to warn you. To my luck, I was able to obtain the pendant, one of the two items needed for my people's victory; one of them is already in our reach."
"What, so you're trying to help us?" Allen asked in surprise.
She nodded solemnly, and noticed Hitomi's blank expression.
"Please, if I may continue, I believe I know the whole story. She must fully understand it."
"Go ahead."
Hallandia's dark robes dragged across the floor as she found a chair to sit on.
"Before I go on, please, don't interrupt me when I mention your names. In truth, I know all of you, and about your past. There's no need for you to be startled."
They all nodded.
Hallandia placed her hands on her lap.
"As Allen Schezar explained, my people invaded the country. They captured the King of Fanelia, one of the three keys, and in the process got hold of the drag energist used to power the legendary Escaflowne. Since the King had the pendant attached around his neck, my people succeeded in the reach of capturing the second object linked to the keys. They were forced to leave before they could take the last of the three; the Ispano guymelef, Escaflowne.
"You are all safe, as long as my people don't have the Escaflowne, the pendant, and the last key; an advantage you have, since we do not yet know the last of the keys."
"These keys you're talking about…what do they mean?" Hitomi asked.
"And you keep calling the Draconians, 'your people'!"
"Indeed, they are my people. I am of their blood. I can't escape that fact. I may not follow their ways, and I may disobey them as much as I desire, but I am one of them. Your question, Hitomi, is important. In fact, it brings me to the reason why my people have done this. We destroyed the true Atlantis. Sadly, it is true. My leaders wanted to power Gaea with a different democracy. They brought Atlantis to its end, but also destroyed themselves, descending to a life where they were almost dead, yet more so asleep. In centuries to come, when the three people with the most power in hand linked to Atlantis, they would rise again, and destroy the items and keys of Atlantis that protected Gaea and its people from the destruction of evil. Because the King of Fanelia is part Draconian, and last of the true blood of Atlantis, he is a key. You two, and your united souls, makes you a key as well, Hitomi. Escaflowne, your pendant, and the energist, given to the King by his Draconian mother, are the items of Atlantis." She closed her eyes. "You must protect the remaining items with all cost. Van of Fanelia is protecting you the best way possible. My people will not kill him. He's much to important; more like bait to get to you. And you know he will not give you to them that easily. My people are trapped in their own bind until you surrender the items, and your lives. I pray, do not sacrifice yourself. The third key holds the most power of all. That key will bring an end to the evil, and Gaea will never again be harmed."
"That's ridiculous, if we don't have a clue who, or what, the third key is!" Verona exclaimed in frustration.
Hallandia bowed her head. "I am sorry. I wish I could help."
"You have," Hitomi said gently. To everyone's surprise, she was smiling with such grace. "I know everything, now. And not only that, you've helped me restore the faith I have in everyone, especially Van. Thank you."
Hallandia's dark face glowed, and her eyes shimmered with happiness. "Of course, Hitomi."
"Allen, Verona, I'm not sure what we're to do. However, I think that moderate preparation is a good idea for now. We need to find the third key before we take part in any course of action."
"I agree one hundred percent," Verona said.
Allen nodded.
"Good," Hitomi said. She stood up from her chair. "Now, we have no reason to worry. We're secured, and we've got amazing wit and knowledge of the Draconians' plan. Let's just do what we must, and start our preparations.
* * *
The dark room was filled with a strong stench. Water dripped from the cracked, rotted stones, and washed away through the light dirt.
Heavy chains rustled along the wall where they were attached and under tension. The door, consisting of rusty metal bars, squeaked open, and a man in black robes and a hairless scalp entered the silent room.
"Are you ready to talk yet?"
A dark figure lurched slowly behind the darkness, the chains rattling with it.
"Now, now. Why the hesitation? The stubborn attitude? You're one of us."
"I'm not one of you. I'm nothing like you."
"How much of the same blood must you shed before you end the lippy speech, and tell us what we need to know?"
"Do what you must. You'll get nothing from me," the shadow snarled.
"As you wish. But be aware, we shall continue to do what we inquire, and you will experience as much pain as it will take."
A pale hand lifted from the layers of black cloth, and it waved in an odd direction, familiar beyond the darkness of the room.
The crouched frame hollered in pain, even after the piercing sensation left along with the man in robes.
"Pleasant dreams, Dragon."