A New Beginning - Chapter 8
- 5 hours before -
Hitomi sped through the granite halls, her heels barely making any sounds, if any at all. She looked behind her to see if there's anyone. In a way she was unhappy about the fact that Van didn't trail after her…does that mean he doesn't care about her? Stop thinking too much! Hitomi made an effort to shut her mind out from such thoughts. Calmed down once again, she stood in the hall and waited. There was only silence, since everyone was probably still in bed. After a few minutes standing there, Hitomi resumed walking, idly, with some hope that Van might catch up. After she had reached the end of the hall to a wooden door, she looked around her. Where the hell am I? She turned around and began walking to where she came from.
Upon stepping into the garden, it was so silent it was as if something lies waiting beneath the trees, in the shadows, waiting for her to enter it. Looking for signs of Van, she glanced around the lust dark green and saw no one. A feeling deep inside…a feeling tells her something's waiting. Waiting for her, and only her. When a few leaves nearby rustled, she ran back around as fast as she could, knowing as well where she's heading. No… She quickly ran into a room, and when she entered, it was apparently a chamber full of weaponry, probably used to store weapons for practice. She leaned against the door as soon as she slammed it. Heaving for air, she thought, I can't go back to him… She immediately stood up and paced around the room. He is the king. Whatever he wants will be done. After a while of pacing, she is still unsure what her next step should be. She rested herself on a wall nearby with axes and swords of all kinds hung on the wall for display probably. Suddenly, a shock hit her body, and the terror came back to her. A soul deep inside awoke, telling her senses something is definitely going to happen within the next few weeks in the kingdom. And then, without further precaution, it came.
The whole room slided in different directions, leaving only a mass of pitch black. She knew what was coming. "Who's there?"
"Learning already…" The white figure made herself appear particle by particle, and soon her whole body was visible to Hitomi.
Hoping that she could get unanswered questions answered, she asked, "Why appear to me at this time?"
"Because I appear to you only when you need it." She smiled, then added, "You must leave him."
"Leave who? You-you can't mean…Van? Why? Why now?"
"Fate is about to take a turn…a very sharp turn indeed. Now it's up to you to decide whether Van lives, or dies."
"And how will leaving him help? Oh yeah, my anxiety is causing him pain. It seems the other way around."
The winged woman only smiled even wider, and Hitomi was surprised at the fact that she wasn't annoyed at her. "Do as I say, and you will give Van an extra chance to survive. Run away from the castle, and you shall come to my world soon." The black backgrounds morphed into the view of Atlantis--no, it was the past of Atlantis, the one she had went to when she'd died along with Van. Dying…is that what it meant?
The woman whispered something under her breath, smiled, and disintegrated, the same way she had come. Hitomi was violently jerked back to her dimension, and she gasped for oxygen as she adjusted to the dimness of the chamber of weaponry. What the hell was that?? Staring at the broadswords around her, a sense swept over her that the room wasn't so safe. She creaked open the entrance a bit, and peeked outside to see if there was anyone. Silence. Stepping outside, the breeze cooled her from the terror she just experienced. Then she saw Van at the end of the hall, walking very slowly with his head to the floor. Hitomi hid back in the room, and as soon as Van passed by and disappeared, she quickly ran as silent and as fast as she could opposite the direction of him. I can't face him yet! The thought of Van reminded her of something the woman had said. Give Van a chance to survive? She slowed to a stop and bent down to rest, panting all the while. A bunch of questions aroused in her mind. I should leave? What does my leaving have to do with Van's life?…my…ANXIETY? Is that what this was all about? I place everyone around me in danger? I am bad luck to everyone? Why should I leave? After all I've gone through to be with Van? Reality struck her, and she remembered one thing--he had hit her. And all she did was mention Folken…what if she had said something else worse? Would he…use his power over me against me? No…he loves me…he's Van, he's always had a bad temper. Why am I trying to hide the truth away from myself? She put her face in her hands and tears slid freely down the side of her face.
Wiping her tears, she stood up and came to a conclusion. I can run away from the castle, whether what she told me was true or not…if Van comes after me, then he truly loves me, and can give his kingdom up for me…will he? What if he won't? Hitomi growled and ran her hand through her short brownish hair, trying to figure out whether she should leave. Finally, the decision was made. She marched back to her room as fast as possible, and when she got there, she quickly scribbled down something and placed it on the bed. I can't cause you more pain…if you love me, you will understand what I expect. She looked at the note one last time before closing the door.
*****
Even after she left the castle without the guards suspecting, she still had that feeling that something's wrong. Something nagged at her brain to run, but another feeling told her not to. Hitomi just continuously walked, all the time also aware of the fact that nightfall was coming on. When it was too dark to see what was going on, she casually sat down on a boulder to rest, and sighed of weariness.
Suddenly, Hitomi was alarmed by the sound of footsteps. Out of the shadows, a man dressed in a long-sleeved dark green garment, with pants and a cape to match, stepped out. The stern expression on his face did not comfort Hitomi at all; he had eyes of a tiger ready to pounce on its prey, and Hitomi wasn't about to be his prey. Gasping, she turned and ran to the best her legs could carry her, but when she looked back, he was gone.
She spun rapidly in all directions, ready for an ambush, and her mind realized she was purposely led on a game of cat and mouse to a wooden bridge tied together with aged ropes on both sides. Holding on to the ropes dearly, she suddenly saw the man--there were more than one of him! Images of the same man flashed around her, some floating in the empty space beyond the wooden boards of the bridge. An image directly in front of her stepped forward and smirked, then turning his head quickly to the ropes supporting the bridge, squinting his eyes as he did so. Under the bridge was nothing but darkness. The ropes began unwinding themselves, slowly, then faster, and soon, were only a tiny thread away from breaking. She tried to move her legs, but to no avail did that help. They only shivered violently. "No…you can't…!" whispered Hitomi in fear. The man only laughed, turning his back to Hitomi and took the shape of a hawk.
Snap!
Hitomi felt a nothingness under her, but a great force pulling her downward. The bird flew to land and stood, watching, smiling. Gladly, she had jumped at the last minute, but that didn't save her. Only a few feet away from solid ground, her hand grasped, only to find nothing but air. So this is what she meant…going to her world…either Van or me, one of us had to leave this world…goodbye Van…
The darkness engulfed Hitomi's consciousness.