Cosima arrives at the East gate to the castle at two as promised. Tayles is already there waiting, but she is not alone. She has a child with her, not it's not a child, but a young woman.
"I thought you were coming alone, who is this?'
"A earth magic practitioner of my acquaintance. She has worked for me before. She is of the people born in the eastern mountains during the blooming of the 3magic bean plant. Her abilities will make it easier for you to enter the castle. Her name would have no meaning to us, so she uses none. I call her Magic."
The Mystic Moon is lowering in the sky and the hour is approaching to enter. The three blend into the shadows, and when the hour strikes, they enter the gate. Slowly they make their way to the area Merle has told them is below her window. The window is open, now is the time to move.
Magic moves forward, kneels and lays her hands on the ground. She chants very softly, the sound could be mistaken for the wind blowing gently thru trees on a summer's night. She raises her arms slowly to the sky above her head. Cosima is looking at her face, the girl's eyes are widening, they seem to be swirling as if a storm is building deep within them. As she lowers her arms she exhales onto the ground. From her being issues ~Glitter, it dusts the ground and there is a rumbling ever so slightly as a plant begins to sprout. It vines upward, growing larger and stronger, but all silently. When it reaches the window it coils around the sill and stops.
"There Cosima, now we climb. Thank you for your assistance, Magic we will meet again soon."
The two women climb the vine, over the windowsill and into Merle's room. Once both are in, Cosima looks out to see the vine shrinking back into the ground, and the woman disappearing into the night. The spirit within her whispers, 'she has expelled ~glitter, the ground has been blessed by her love.'
Merle is pacing back and forth in her room.
"We must hurry, I heard the door close some time ago, but I dared not look out, he has seen me once already today, but he was far away and engaged in an argument with Allen Schazar."
Tayles is not happy with this news. She draws in a breath, " There is a Knight of Cale in the castle." It is a statement not a question. No answer is necessary.
"We must move fast, lets go."
Tayles leaves the room first, checking the passage and motioning for the others to follow. The hall is quiet this time of night, any sounds they make sound like thunder to Cosima. They reach the door to the outer room with no trouble. It is locked, but no challenge to Tayles. Within seconds they are in. Merle leads them to the back to a place where there is no door. Tayles sees it right away, but Cosima is confused. The spirit within her cautions her 'Let Tayles do her work, she is good at it.' Tayles uses her hands to move parts of the wall that shouldn't move, then she kneels, and listens, she takes a small tool out of the pouch hanging at her side. The wall gives way and becomes a door, opening to reveal a room. Inside the room is a cage and in it is Cherry Blossom.
Cherry looks up at the door opening, but it's not Van entering, instead it seems to be her friend. But how many times has she had this dream of being saved?
"Go away and don't return till I am truly asleep. That is where dreams belong."
"Cherry we are here to save you, the spirit within me guides us to your rescue."
"Then you are real?"
"Yes and its time for you to leave."
Tayles is picking the lock on the cage door, it clicks and she pushes it open with one shove.
"Come on girl, there no time, we have to leave now."
"Leave, I'm not sure I can. I love him now, he will die without me, even if it is a dead woman he wants."
She is hesitating to come out, time is growing short, and soon they will be caught. The spirit within Cosima is whispering to her again. 'Tell her to save him all she has to do is enter the hall, tell her now!'
"Cherry blossom, to save him you must enter the hall outside these rooms now!"
They move quickly, Cosima knows in her heart that her spirit knows something he is again not willing to tell, but this time she is sure that the information could mean life or death. But still she follows his instructions. A few steps outside the door into the hall is all the further they make it. Van is waiting. His hand is on his sword ready to draw, the way blocked.
"Why, when you would have been safe, why do you turn on me again, you left me once and die because of it." Van is shouting everyone in the castle will soon come to see what is happening to the King.
He is looking only at Cherry Blossom. It is clear now even to Tayles, that he sees only Hitomi.
Evil Spirit is almost laughing out loud, if it would have been possible. It is time to push him over the edge. The girl Cherry will surly follow, for she now loves him, stupid girl. He gathers himself around Van and for the first time in all his eternity enters his victim. All his hate for life engulfing and filling Van.
Allen arrives in the hall to see Van, Merle and two other women are causing all the commotion. One of the strangers is a pleasant looking girl, but the other is clearly dangerous. Allen moves forward, not to join sides, but to find out what is happening to his friends.
Evil Spirit's take over of Van is complete, only that spirit seeker seems to be able to see what he has done. The insanity flowing thru him is sweet, how he would love to spend some time just drinking it in, but he now knows exactly what he is going to do. The spirit within the seeker is close; he can feel that it loves Van, how nice, that is the key to its destruction too. This is more than he could have ever hoped for. Evil speaks in Vans voice.
"You won't leave me, Hitomi, if I can't have you than no one will!"
He draws his sword and prepares to strike Cherry Blossom down. The woman in the black cloak blocks his blow; she has thrown off the cloak and pulled from her back, twin daggers. So they have an assassin with them.
Allen has witnessed enough, no one, woman or not will kill his friend. He draws his own sword, and charges Tayles, she turns blocking his blow easily. Allen takes a wild swing at this woman, who is she to handle weapons with such ease. She again blocks his attack back swinging her dagger. There is the distinct sound of ripping fabric; Allen looks down to see a gash across his shirtsleeve. A fine trickle of blood runs down his arm. Tayles laughs at the look on the knight's face, and throwing her long red hair back over her shoulder, she stands ready for his next move. The sparing continues. The fight between the two is an even match, almost a dance in the intricacy of the blows exchanged.
Cherry Blossom and Cosima both turn to see. This is Evils chance. He raises Van's sword, the symbol of the Kingdom of Fanelia and plunges at Cherry and ugly cry escaping from his lips. Cosima reacts, not thinking and throws herself in front of her friend. The sword enters her mid section as she lets out a small gasp of astonishment.
Before I post the last chapter I would like to thank all my friends from Anime Shack who loaned me their names and their characters:
Angel Eyes as Cosima (yes that is her real name and I love it.)
3Magic Bean as Earth Magic (she is wild and crazy---If you don't believe me just visit animeshack.com Escaflowne posting ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~broad and visit the posts "Moose Project and Van Project.
Tarot Girl as Cherry Blossom (Cherry is her signature, but she is also Sword Swinger at the Moose Project)
Tayles as Tayles the Assassin (Thanks Tayles for the bio and help writing the fight scene)
Evil Spirit as Evil Spirit (I don't really know him, but the name was perfect)
This story was created because of a quote that goes like this
"I have my love in my room, in a cage, in the dark, where only I can see it"
Yes I am crazy I wrote a whole fic from a quote. I hope you have enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing this for my friends.
Fanilia