Author's note: once again I sorry for late posting, enjoy ^.~
Disclaimer: I don't own Escaflowne, however I do own the angel
Alone in Blood part 4
Dilandau reached for the shadow. He welcomed the pain, as if somehow it would give him the strength to reach even farther. Help me… help me… come on… don't let me die… everything seemed to depend on this creature. The thought that it could be something bad had not crossed his mind. He closed his eyes and stretched out his arm, willing the shadow to help him. He wanted to at least die with someone by his side.
He felt a small hand grip his out-stretched one. He closed his fingers around it, then he drew the figure closer. He opened his eyes and to his surprise tears of gratitude shone without spilling in them. The figure leaned forward over him. She was smiling, was she… an angel? Her hair was short and disarrayed. The tendrils seemed to flow where they wanted. White hair, like snow. No, like an angel, my angel. Dilandau was unaware of the fact that he was smiling. It was a smile that had never before been seen on his face, a content smile, a loving, caring smile. The girl held his hand and looked at him with soft pink eyes, she looked as pure as the snowy white colour of her hair. She had dusting of freckles, like snowflakes.
She did not seem to mind the blood, even as it was dripping down her forearm her eyes remained on his. When she spoke it was a feathery light whisper.
"It's all right. I'll stay with you. I'll help you, even if all I can do I hold you."
"Thank you." Dilandau was not sure if he had spoken or thought it, but he knew that he meant it. The boy, for that was what he was not a solider or a part of war, he was just a boy now, and he closed his eyes. He would not die alone, he would have his angel with him. He could rest now, because he wasn't afraid anymore. Dilandau smiled and felt himself drift into a painless sleep. The angel was still holding his hand.
****
Folken watched the dragon slayers. They were Dilandau's dragon slayers in every way. All fifteen of them stood at attention. Folken watched from a doorway, no one was a ware of his presence. General Aldelphos looked over the boys and Refina. He paced back and forth in front of them.
"I am saddened by Commander Dilandau's death." He paused. "But, life goes on and you are still capable soldiers in this army. I will assign you new positions in this army. The title of dragon slayers will be given to whom ever General Helio of the green copper army wishes. He has been given control of that department." At that moment the general of the green copper army walked in flanked by two guards. He whispered something to Aldelphos and the general of the red copper army nodded.
"A few of you have been selected to remain in the dragon slayers, and will be transferred under General Helio's command. The people are as listed." One of Helio's soldiers stepped forward.
"Slayer Migel, Slayer Gatti, and Slayer Dalet." The solider rolled up the scroll and stepped back.
"As for the rest of you," Aldelphos continued. "I've posted your new positions in your training area. You are dismissed." The dragon slayers filed out of the room trying not to look rushed.
Folken watched all of this unnoticed. He listened as the generals conversed casually.
"So, what will you have done with the rest of that lot?" Helio asked. It was hard to tell if he was disliked them or was just indifferent.
"Most of them have been assigned to different areas of the my army, naturally those ranks are lower than their present state."
"I take it you aren't particularly fond of them…" Helio looked at the other general.
"Gods no! Why should we trust a mentally unstable fifteen year-old and his equally aged companions to do something meant for older more experienced, not to mention sane, people." Aldelphos stroked his chin. "I don't even know why he has a girl in there. She is a disgrace to all of us."
"Doesn't Folken have two females under his command?"
"Ahh, yes Folken, he does I believe, cat girls. They have proven themselves. Besides they aren't even human. Folken seems to have a taste for the unusual."
"Indeed." The generals continued to talk. Folken disappeared from the doorway as though he had never been. He headed in the direction of the training area.
****
"Where am I?"
"I dunno, can you see my name?"
"What! How come they put me there!"
"Wait a minute…"
The dragon slayers searched the list for their names and ranks. Refina stood at the back waiting for the boys to move out of the way. Chesta smiled at her sympathetically. He waited at the back also. Viole shoved his way out of the group with a discussed look on his face. Guimel came out of the crowd with a somewhat sad look. Many of the other boys broke away looking much the same. Gatti, Migel and Dalet stood to the side waiting to see what their friends got.
"Hey, Guimel, Viole, what'cha get?" Gatti asked.
"The demoted me! I'm a foot solider!"
"Me too…" Guimel said, his face twisted with disappointment. Other boys were voicing their agreement because they also had been given the same fate.
"They think we're too young!" Someone said.
"It's not fair! Haven't we proven ourselves!"
"Hey you guys, do you think we'll get to keep out Gymelefs?" a slayer with short brown hair and glasses asked.
"Why would they do that! They can probably find someone more experienced to pilot it!" Guimel sneered.
"Hey Refina! Where's your new post?" Migel asked over the boys. She turned to face him with hands on hips, she looked irritated.
"It says 'undetermined'." Her blue eyes met his dark ones. He jumped down from where he had been sitting and walked over to the wall. His finger moved down the list and stopped at her name. The other boys were watching. He tapped his finger on the word 'undetermined'.
"Hmmm… Undetermined." Migel stood up. "Maybe he the general wants you for his pet…" he smirked. Refina glared at him, but there was a hint of laughter in her eyes. The boys laughed, she and Migel exchanged knowing looks. They both knew that Aldelphos had no respect for the younger generation and these boys needed to laugh. Even if they were crying inside.
"Hey where'd Chesta go?" Gatti said coming over to Migel and Refina.
"I dunno. He was waiting here with me." Refina said glancing around. Dalet strode over to them, brushing strands of brown hair from his face. He smiled a charming smile and said, "Maybe Chesta didn't like his new position."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Gatti shot a suspicious look at the taller boy.
"I dunno… just thinking." Dalet ignored the look and pretended to be staring intently at something. "So where was he assigned?"
"Uh… it's just like a line, a dash. That's it." Refina said puzzled. She stared at the sheet then look back at her friends. "What does that mean?"
"I don't know, but let's go find Chesta." Gatti said and headed off in the direction of their rooms. The other three followed
****
Folken watched the four friends leave then returned to watching the remaining ten. They sat all around the entrance. A cloud of depression seemed to hang over them. A few of them talked amongst each other. Most of them were quiet. They had suffered a lot.
"You seem as sad as those boys down there." Folken Turned to see Naria leaning against the doorframe. She was wearing a short top and a pair of loose grey pants. Her hair was wet.
"Naria…" Folken looked as though he had meant to say more, but he didn't.
"Dilandau's death is really bothering you." She walked up and leaned on the rail facing down into the arena. "I feel so bad. I was unaware of your bond with Dilandau."
"It's all right Naria. I didn't expect you to know. Most people didn't."
"How is it that you are so connected?"
"We used to talk together. On dull nights in one of our rooms we'd play chess. It was a quiet sort of evening we'd enjoy. Sometimes we'd talk about life here, on the fortress." He paused and smiled faintly. "We used to discuss what life would be like after we created Dornkirk's perfect world. Who we'd be, where we'd live, that sort of thing."
"Oh Folken." Naria's eyes were filled with tears for him. "I'm so sorry." He turned to look at her and to her surprise his eyes were faintly misted. But he did not cry so she cried for him. Embracing Folken and some how hoping to end his sorrows.