~Remember I don't Escaflowne or its characters~
The Fate of Two Worlds
By Rochelle Cassel
Chapter 6 ~ Come Upon the Rain
~ Vision ~
Hitomi was kneeling in the dark abyss. Screams of people suffering filled the air,
but there were no signs of life. Such pain.....such suffering.....Hitomi couldn't take it. She
covered her ears, but the screams didn't grow fainter, they grew louder! The cries were
echoing throughout her mind. "Leave me be!" screamed the girl, "Please, STOP!!!" Suddenly
the darkness was quiet. Not a sound could be heard by her pale ears. The silence seemed
worse than the screams. She was alone....alone in the darkness. "Someone....is someone there?
Someone please! I don't want to be alone!" She leapt to her feet and began to run. Her soul
beg for someone.....anyone. To be alone was worse than death. She ran with no destination,
only with the wish for companionship. The darkness did not want it though. It fought to keep
her from seeing the ones she loved. She could feel the darkness try to swallow her . Dark
shadow like chains grabbed at her, but she ran faster escaping the clutches. "Leave me alone!"
The silence became deafening. "LEAVE ME ALONE!!!!!"
She was suddenly no longer in the black pit, but at an open field. A draconian woman with long
brown hair stands in the center of the grassy plane. A white dress that she wears is in ribbons
with blood and dirt staining every inch of it. Her wings were no longer there; only two bloody
nubs of pink and white feathers remained. Pain and torture had obviously fallen heavily on this
wretched woman. She falls to her knees as tears streams down her face. "No more...." she
shouts at the sky in an angry plead, "No more will my people suffer." Her tears drip down her
chin and neck sweeping into the cloth of her rags. A bright red light flashes across the field and
earth cracking can be heard all around. Then as fast as the image had appeared it disappeared
sending Hitomi back into the dark blackness.
Hitomi was again kneeling, but there were no screams or cries. Only a single voice from an
unknown source. No, not one voice...., but two that spoke in union. Both were female voices
that were vaguely familiar.
"Legend speaks.... a shadow of death..... will fall over a creation..... fire.....brimstone.....
death......destruction.....devastation......tears......bloody hands....."
Without even thinking Hitomi looked down at her hands. They were stained with blood. Her
eyes grew wide and her hands shook in fear. She stood up and tried to wipe away the blood
on her clothes, but the blood just grew thicker. Pink feathers littered the ground around her
causing her eyes to widen even more. The feathers were soaked in blood resulting them to turn
pink. Her ears picked up on the sound of someone crying. Emerald tears fell to the ground as
Hitomi spotted the lone being amongst the flames. His raven hair was matted in sweat and
blood and his ruby eyes cried tears of sorrow. His sword laid on the ground nearby smeared in
someone's blood. It was at that moment Hitomi noticed the body in Van's arms. His shirt was
soaked in the figure's blood from cradling the person close. Hitomi desperately tried to see the
figure's face, but before she had a chance the fire's flames leaped higher piercing the scorched
sky and enveloped both Van and the unknown person. Fire and brimstone.....death and
destruction.....rotting flesh.....the smell of blood....screams of pain.....Hitomi looked back down
at her bloody hands and screamed, "NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!"
~ Fanelia ~
"NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!" Hitomi shot up from the infirmary bed. A crash rang throughout the
room. Hitomi had accidentally knocked down a plate of medical tools. Everyone jumped at the
udden noise. Van grabbed Hitomi's shoulders steadying her. Her brow was covered in sweat
and her eyes still held the fear from her visions. Everyone, plus the historians, were standing all
around Hitomi's medical bed looking at her with concern.
"Hitomi, it's okay" Van coaxed, "It's over. Everyone's here with you." Hitomi's eyes slowly
recognized the figures surrounding her and gradually lost the fear that was evident within them
only to be replaced by tears. She looked at her palms and could still see the blood in her mind.
"My hands....my hands...." she cried into her palms. Van wished he could wipe the sorrow from
her. He hated it when she suffered, especially from her visions. It wasn't fair for the visions to
burden her like this. She never asked for her gift and didn't deserve the stress from them.
"It's okay, Hitomi, I'm here" he whispered as he held her.
"It was horrible" she muttered in his chest, "So much pain...and death...and my hands....they
were covered in..in blood." Her sobs increased as she clutched to her lover's chest. She
wanted so badly to forget the images, but they continued to repeat inside her head. Van slowly
rocked her caressing her arms and back as he did. He had never seen her like this. Something
terrible had happened in her vision.
"Hitomi, what happen?" he asked carefully, hoping not to worsen her state. She sniffled and
withdrew from his securing arms.
"I was out riding when I heard someone call me....It wasn't a voice, but an......an awareness"
she began, "and...and I found the doors. Something kept calling me so I went in and found the
room with them." She pointed to the historians, "There was a white book and it glowed. It
floated to me and opened to a page. I read what it said and---"
"You read it!" Van exclaimed. Hitomi looked at him confused as did the others.
"Yea, why?" the seeress asked. Van turned towards the historians who handed the white book
to their king.
"Because none of us could read the language, but you can. Could you read for us what you
read earlier" he said as he held out the book to her. She gave an uneasy nod and took the
book with shaky hands. She turned several pages before she laid the book open to the page
she wanted and read,
"Legend speaks of a time when a shadow will fall over the world of creation. A red fire will
explode through the world. The last of an entire race will be wiped out in a heartbeat and the
ash will blacken the sky. Brimstone will smite the newborn and souls will reunite. But with
reunion one will fall and another dead walks. Tears and blood swirl. Power of blood flows
deep. Let rain fall from the heavens and let the angels weep. For the only hope of life again is
with the pain of the loss. Blood will stain the hands of destruction."
Hitomi quickly shut the book and shoved it back into Van's arms not wanted to be near the
item. Something was radiating from it that sent chills down her spine. Her instincts told her to
be wary of the book and she obedied. When her fingers had first brushed it seemed to unlock
some dark feeling that had haunted the deep corners of her mind. The only thing that gave the
feeling like that was her mysterious tarot cards. She had placed them in a wooden box and
placed a padlock on it before she buried them in her backyard. She never wanted to risk using
the tarot cards. Their was something about them that scared her ever since the Great War.
Van saw her fearful eyes staring at the book so he hurried to hide it from her sight. Something
about all this seemed unreal to him. The world was spinning when the passage ran through his
mind.
"Van" Dryden asked, "Are you okay? You seem a little pale." Van nodded and hoped the
color would hurry back to his face.
"It's just that....that legend...." Van stuttered, "Dryden? You know a bit about the Draconian
culture. Do you know anything about this?" The fellow king blew some air out of his mouth
thinking.
"Yes" he answered quietly, "I have several scrolls from the Atlantian chronciles. I remember
reading something about "angels weeping". Why don't I retrieve them and we can all discuss
this when they arrive." Everyone nodded hoping to smooth out the mixed feelings about the
situation. Only Hitomi didn't move. She was deep in thought and lost in her mind. The small
audience dispatched from the room to have a late lunch leaving only Merle, Van, Millerina,
and Hitomi. Everyone was desperate to talk over old times with the dear Hitomi, but everyone
knew this was not the time.
"Hitomi if you really think you're feeling better it will be okay if you left the infirmiary" Millerina
doctored. After the shaky patient gave a small nod the queen left the room to join her husband
for a meal. Merle looked at Hitomi in concern with ears flaten against her head sadly.
"Are you sure you're okay, Hitomi?" she asked, "If you want I can stay with you." Hitomi
smiled at the cat-girl with thankful eyes.
"It's okay, Merle. Go get some lunch. I'll come down maybe later" Hitomi replied trying not to
let her voice break. Merle glanced at Van before nodding slightly and walking out the room to
get her meal.
Van looked down at Hitomi, who was still shook up. Her eyes were cast down at the floor
thinking of all that she had seen. The dark visions were following her in her mind. They were
beginning to drive her mad, which anyone would have from those sinister scenes. Rough hands
took her smooth ones holding them tenderly. Her emerald eyes looked up into his ruby depths.
Oh, how he wished to take away the burdens she was given from her visions. She had never
asked for her powers and now they were more of a curse than a blessing.
"Hitomi do you want to tell me what happened?....."
She shuddered at the memories. Never again did she want to relive the visions. Oh, how she
wish she could tell him, but to speak of them was like reliving them. Emerald tears showed Van
she wasn't ready yet.
He placed a hand on her shoulder, "Just tell me when your ready..."
She gave a gentle nod and Van led her back to her room. Hitomi walked to her bed as if she
was dead. The life seemed to be literally drained from her. She fell onto her bed on her back.
Hitomi stared up at her canopy from her view on her bed. Her body begged for sleep but to
escape the visions, but she didn't fear tired. She was awake in a fearful sweat that dripped from
her brow. She stayed like that until minutes became hours and she slowly fell into a deep sleep.
A gentle rain pelted the roof of the castle making a sweet melody like lullaby. Her breathing
slowed and she plunged into the weary world of dreams.
~ Dinning Room ~
Van looked at his reflection in his soup wondering how he looked so tired. Merle was chewing
on a bone of some animal meat lost in the meal. Millerina and Dryden were both eating some
pasta and chatting with Allen and Celena like old times. They didn't want to mention the
incident with Hitomi until the scrolls arrived. Even though untroubled words were exchanged
every occupant of the room's thoughts were on the sleeping girl within the upstair bedchambers.
Van couldn't stand the unconcern talk going around him. He couldn't stop thinking about
Hitomi. He was completely worried about her. With everyone acting like things were fine just
made him feel worse. His spoon clattered on the table as he pushed away from the table. A
silence fell on the group as they watched the king head towards his bedchamber.
~ Vision ~
Even in Hitomi's dreams the visions followed her, though the visions were ones she had never
seen. Hitomi saw Yukari, Amano, and her family standing at the track field. Yukari stood apart
from the group on the dark track while holding a boquet of pink roses. Tears that glistened in
the sunlight slipped down her cheeks as she held the roses close to her chest.
"Hitomi...." she whispered, "We all read the letters that you wrote two years ago and we're
sorry we didn't believe you. We will all miss you dearly, Hitomi. Don't ever forget us." With
that silent plead she gently placed the boquet on the black ground and stayed their kneeling as
Amano came over to her and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
Hitomi was able to read the thoughts of each indiviual, look through their eyes and see what
they saw. She watched Yukari's sad eyes as her thoughts whispered silently along the wind,
'Hitomi. You were my best friend, and you always will. I can never forget your courage,
strength, and love for life. You led me to Amano and I can never give you enough thanks for it.
I'll never forget you, don't forget me.' Yukari placed a hand over her eyes as she sobbed.
Amano knelt down and hugged her protectively. This time Hitomi heard the thought of the
brunette boy, 'Hitomi. I thought once I was in love with you, but you showed me that Yukari
was the true love I searched for. In fact, I had wanted to tell you that I was going to ask her to
marry me. I know I have your blessing and I treasure that most of all. You will always be my
close friend, Hitomi. Please visit us once in a while.' Amano shut his eyes tight trying to hold
back the flood of tears.
Hitomi floated to her family who stood beneath some trees and she found herself listening to
her father's thoughts, 'Oh my, daughter. My precious one. I lost you two years ago and again
you have left. I might never see you again, Hitomi. Please never let that come true. I give you
my blessing to the man who has stolen your heart. Come back one day, I want to see my
grandchildren. I'll always love you.'
Her father held her brother protectively ignoring the water that streamed down his face.
Mamoru, her little brother, watched the sky, 'Sis, do you hear me? I miss you so much. Please
come back. I want the game of checkers you promised. I have the board all set up in my room
waiting. I know you won't come back any time soon, but.....I still want that game when you do
come back. I know you will, Hitomi. I love you.' He clenched the shirt of his father and cried
the tears that he had held back until now. The tears slowly made a spot on the shirt were it
grew wet.
Hitomi's mother was the only one who had no tears and her thoughts were confusing to her
daughter, 'Oh my daughter. You have found the way home. Home to your love. Go to the
valley daughter....go to the Valley of the Mystic Moon. You'll find what you're searching for.
I'll love you forever. Never forget your homelands.'
Hitomi was now floating in the sky watching the scene from afar. Their sorrow and love was so
strong she found herself crying. She smiled at her love ones and whispered, "I'll always
remember you. You're all my family. I love each of you dearly and I promise one day to return.
Farewell and God bless, my family." As Hitomi disappeared into the sky, she didn't even
noticed her family had heard every word and had smiled through their tears.
Blackness surrounded Hitomi as she found herself in a place she had never wanted to
remember again. The dead was walking everywhere and screams of pain and anguish followed
in their wake. They were the color of gray while Hitomi was full of color and life. They
marched in endless lines of pairs. Chains of black shadows swirled around their ankles and
wrists. Hitomi walked between a pair of lines and stared at the walking ghosts. There was no
end to the lines. She could not see the beginning or end of either line. If she could have peered
over the heads of the lines she would have seen endless lines that marched past the horizon.
The ground was of bare dry earth that was cracked that brought dust to rise at each step taken
from the deceased.
Out of the blue, Hitomi began to recognize faces among the crowd. A boy from her math class
walked by in deep distress, not even noticing her. A girl that she knew from her track team
marched the dead walk nearby. Faces all over the place were of the people she had left behind
on her world. Hitomi began running down the line checking faces. Every so often a face would
appear that she recognized. She came to halt as she saw a face she had not expected. Hitomi
could only stare at Yukari's sullen face that held dark rings under her eyes. The clothes she
wore were so torn apart that Hitomi couldn't even tell what they had been before. Stained
blood matted the material causing it to hug her limp body. Blood was smeared across her face
in a deadly sense.
"Yukari?! Yukari!" Hitomi shouted helplessly. Hitomi tried to grab the girl's shoulder in hope of
stopping her walk, but her hand passed through her best friend. The girl continued to walk with
the chained souls of the dead, but Hitomi did not follow. Her emerald eyes brimmed with tears
as she watched her friend disappear on the horizon. Her eyes swept over the crowd and she
spotted something that caused her heart to stop.
Her father was limping down the line with his hand clenching the hand of a bloody boy of about
six years old which she immediately recognized as her brother. The middle aged man was
covered in dry blood and clothes were tattered like Yukari's. Her young brother was identical
to her two love ones. "Dad.....Mamoru.....no...." she whispered as they passed by her. Again
she tried to grab a shoulder, but her hand slipped through the body of her younger brother
causing a flood of tears to fall. They disappeared into the horizon just like Yukari into a cloud
of dust and death.
Hitomi turned around, not wanting to see any more, but she became faced to face with a
brunette boy covered in wounds that sprouted blood. "Amano....." she whispered as he
trudged pass her. She couldn't believe this was happening. All her love ones were in the land of
the dead. Dead.....No. Hitomi couldn't believe it. She wouldn't believe it.
A figure appeared next to Hitomi and she jumped at the sudden appearance of another living
being. It was her mother. She was in a tattered dress stained with her blood. Even though the
woman was dead a small hue of color still flowed over her. Gray colors swirled with faded
rainbow hues. They flowed over the woman like a film that could not be touched. The colors
were forever shifting and churning. A endless battle was fought between the colors. Each trying
to overtake the other. It was obvious, however, that the gray would in the end swallow up the
rainbow. Hitomi turned her attention back to her mother. The dead woman stared at Hitomi
with hurt in her eyes.
"Mother...." Hitomi whispered painfully. Tears sprang into her mother's eyes as she answered
with a word that sounded bitter on her tongue.
"Hitomi"
"Mother what happen to you.....Yuakri...Mamoru and dad.....who did this?!" Hitomi cried
through her blurred vision of tears.
"You...." her mother whispered harshly, her eyes cold.
"Me?" Hitomi muttered confused as ever, "But I couldn't have--" Her mother's hands grabbed
Hitomi's pale finges cutting the girl off from her question. Her mother's nails dug into Hitomi's
flesh and Hitomi wince from the pain.
"Hitomi....why didn't you help us?! How could you kill us like that?! You mourn us, but it was
because of you we are her!. You did this to us." with those last words the woman yanked
away her hands and ran into the crowd of the dead forever to live in a place that was best
described as Hell.
"Mother, wait!" Hitomi shouted after the disappearing form. She brought up her hand reaching
out to her. Her emerald eyes grew wide when she saw the blood on her hand. Her mother
must have left it there when she held Hitomi's hands. Hitomi desperately tried to rub the blood
away , but it only grew thicker. Suddenly red rain poured down from the sky on to her
covering her from head to toe in the disgusting liquid. Hitomi was now in the dark abyss
soaked in the blood of the dead. Her hands ran over her body trying to some how get rid of the
hideous feature, but only in vain. She fell to her knees and screamed a blood curdling scream
that rang throughout the empty blackness.
~ Hitomi's Bedchamber ~
Hitomi woke up screaming in her bed. Sweat covered her brow and her hands clenched the
sheets of her bed. She felt filthy and desperately wanted a bath. The girl jumped from the
comfortable bad and went into her connecting bathroom. The large marble tub was a beautiful
sight, but it was empty and Hitomi couldn't wait for some maids to fill it.
As if the world was watching her, a loud thunder boomed throughout the castle. Hitomi turned
towards her glass doors that led to her balcony. Water was streaking down the glass showing
it was a rain storm. Hitomi walked over to the glass and stared out the window, checking the
world outside. 'Perfect!' Hitomi smiled and bolted from the room.
~ Van's Bedchamber ~
Van stared out his window watching the rain fall. The rain could always relax him even on his
worst days. His nerves began to slowly dull and he closed his eyes. The world was so peaceful
that his senses opened up to the world and his sense of awarness hightened. When his senses
opened completely he was flooded with emotions that caused him to stumble back at the force
of them. Saddness.....fear.....anxiety.....distress.... The emotions were radiating so strong he
knew exactly were they were coming from. He searched the grounds outside the window an
saw a head of golden hair disappear around a corner. 'Hitomi......'
~ Castle's Apple Orchard ~
Hitomi sprinted down an alley of apple trees, not bothering to even wipe away her wet bangs
that stuck to her brow. Her drenched clothes clung to her body and chilled her bones. The
leather of her clothes was beginning to rub up against her skin and give her a terrible burn.
Without a second thought she pulled of her clothes leaving her in a pair of tight running shorts
and white under shirt that were completely soaked. Her tennie shoes and socks were tossed
aside and her bare feet splashed in the rain puddles. The water ran down her back and arms
causing her to have goosebumps. It would have been freezing to anyone else, but Hitomi
couldn't escape the feelings within her soul. They were tearing her up inside. She ran so fast
that the scenes surrounding her became a blur. Her legs stretched as far out as possible trying
desperately to rid the emotions swelling in her. Limbs swung weightless and feet almost
appearred to not even touch the ground. Eyes of shiny emeralds closed shut on the world.
From another point of view it was a glorious scene. A girl of such youth and beauty was
running in a shower of sparkling crystals that surrounded her. To Hitomi it was the worst
experience she had ever had. The scenes of her dead friends and family couldn't leave her
mind. The blood pouring over her body made her want to gag. Tears poured from her closed
eyelids no longer able to be kept at bay.
Hitomi's breathing soon became ragged and she was forced to slow down. She opened her
eyes and found herself beneath an apple tree. Stumbling over to the trunk of dark bark she
crossed her arms in front of her and stuffed her face into the arms' joints. Salty tears sprung
from her emeralds pools and mixed with the fresh water raindrops that trinkled down her skin.
The visions of death flowed through her mind like a river. Every pore of her body screamed for
the horrors of deaths to stop, but they only continued in great speed. Faces of her dead love
ones flashed before her eyes so fast it was like watching her life before her eyes.
Her sorrow was so bad she didn't hear the voice calling out her name. A sudden warmth on her
shoulder caused her tears to cease their downpour. A tan hand hugged the shaky shoulder
tenderly. She turned around with her eyes downcast hoping to hide her tears. She concentated
her sight on the pair of black boots and soaked navy pants that laid before her. Wet, but warm
fingers took hold of her chin and brought her emerald eyes to stare into red rubies. Hitomi and
Van looked into each others' eyes searching their souls. Hitomi forced herself to pull away. She
walked out from under the cover of the tree and into the pouring rain. Van didn't move, but
watched her hug herself in the cold water that fell from the heavens. His heart twisted in pain
from watching her suffer. He wanted so badly to wipe away the stress and pain that plagued
her. It just wasn't fair for Hitomi to have such a gift that she didn't ask for that burden her so.
Van walked up behind her and placed both of his hands on her shoulders, bringing his lips to
brush up against her ear, "What's wrong, Hitomi?" His sweet breathe tickled her ear and sent a
shiver down her spine. She loved the smell he had of green grassy fields. Every feature of him
was special to her.
She couldn't hold back the truth.......she didn't want to hold back the truth. Her voice nearly
broke from the pain, "I saw my friends....and family.......they were dead......" Her hand rubbed
away a few tears as she turned to face him. His red eyes held pain and concern as she looked
deep into them. His hands held hers as she whispered to him, "My mother warned me about
the Cursed One and that I should find the Savior or the universe will be destroyed..... so much
death and destruction.....killing.....murder....death...." New tears of salt slipped down her
cheeks while she covered her face with her palms. His gentle arms surrounded her body giving
her the needed warmth. A sweet kiss was planted on her wet forehead.
"Shhhhh......." he breathed, "Don't say another word........I'm right here.....I'll always be here for
you......"
"I know, but Van....." even more water flowed from her eyes and covered her wet face.
Emotions flared in her soul stretching across the orchard. The effect was so strong that it
caused Van to stumble back. It felt like an invisible damn had been broken and flooded his
mind. He had never felt such powerful emotion emitting from Hitomi before. Fear, sadness,
and stress swirled and floated in the young King's head making him dizzy. His vision blurred for
a second, but he was able to keep himself from falling over. His vision steady and he once
again could see his angel's face. Her head was bowed with her shoulders shaking. "I'm so
scared, Van.... I saw a vision of a world being destroyed and I'm very sure it's Gaea. If Gaea is
destroyed it will cause a chain-reaction that will cause the destruction of the entire universe."
Van held her palms and gentle stroked them, "Do not worry. For I am here and when we are
together nothing can tear us apart."
Hitomi felt the strength and mysterious link in his words. Something about those words patched
up the leaking damn. The flood of emotions drained from the field leaving two lovers standing a
mist the tears of the heavens. All though he had not come right out and said it deep within the
depths of her hearts Hitomi knew he had just proclaimed his love for her.
~Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Tell me what you think! R&R Please!~
The Fate of Two Worlds
By Rochelle Cassel
Chapter 6 ~ Come Upon the Rain
~ Vision ~
Hitomi was kneeling in the dark abyss. Screams of people suffering filled the air,
but there were no signs of life. Such pain.....such suffering.....Hitomi couldn't take it. She
covered her ears, but the screams didn't grow fainter, they grew louder! The cries were
echoing throughout her mind. "Leave me be!" screamed the girl, "Please, STOP!!!" Suddenly
the darkness was quiet. Not a sound could be heard by her pale ears. The silence seemed
worse than the screams. She was alone....alone in the darkness. "Someone....is someone there?
Someone please! I don't want to be alone!" She leapt to her feet and began to run. Her soul
beg for someone.....anyone. To be alone was worse than death. She ran with no destination,
only with the wish for companionship. The darkness did not want it though. It fought to keep
her from seeing the ones she loved. She could feel the darkness try to swallow her . Dark
shadow like chains grabbed at her, but she ran faster escaping the clutches. "Leave me alone!"
The silence became deafening. "LEAVE ME ALONE!!!!!"
She was suddenly no longer in the black pit, but at an open field. A draconian woman with long
brown hair stands in the center of the grassy plane. A white dress that she wears is in ribbons
with blood and dirt staining every inch of it. Her wings were no longer there; only two bloody
nubs of pink and white feathers remained. Pain and torture had obviously fallen heavily on this
wretched woman. She falls to her knees as tears streams down her face. "No more...." she
shouts at the sky in an angry plead, "No more will my people suffer." Her tears drip down her
chin and neck sweeping into the cloth of her rags. A bright red light flashes across the field and
earth cracking can be heard all around. Then as fast as the image had appeared it disappeared
sending Hitomi back into the dark blackness.
Hitomi was again kneeling, but there were no screams or cries. Only a single voice from an
unknown source. No, not one voice...., but two that spoke in union. Both were female voices
that were vaguely familiar.
"Legend speaks.... a shadow of death..... will fall over a creation..... fire.....brimstone.....
death......destruction.....devastation......tears......bloody hands....."
Without even thinking Hitomi looked down at her hands. They were stained with blood. Her
eyes grew wide and her hands shook in fear. She stood up and tried to wipe away the blood
on her clothes, but the blood just grew thicker. Pink feathers littered the ground around her
causing her eyes to widen even more. The feathers were soaked in blood resulting them to turn
pink. Her ears picked up on the sound of someone crying. Emerald tears fell to the ground as
Hitomi spotted the lone being amongst the flames. His raven hair was matted in sweat and
blood and his ruby eyes cried tears of sorrow. His sword laid on the ground nearby smeared in
someone's blood. It was at that moment Hitomi noticed the body in Van's arms. His shirt was
soaked in the figure's blood from cradling the person close. Hitomi desperately tried to see the
figure's face, but before she had a chance the fire's flames leaped higher piercing the scorched
sky and enveloped both Van and the unknown person. Fire and brimstone.....death and
destruction.....rotting flesh.....the smell of blood....screams of pain.....Hitomi looked back down
at her bloody hands and screamed, "NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!"
~ Fanelia ~
"NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!" Hitomi shot up from the infirmary bed. A crash rang throughout the
room. Hitomi had accidentally knocked down a plate of medical tools. Everyone jumped at the
udden noise. Van grabbed Hitomi's shoulders steadying her. Her brow was covered in sweat
and her eyes still held the fear from her visions. Everyone, plus the historians, were standing all
around Hitomi's medical bed looking at her with concern.
"Hitomi, it's okay" Van coaxed, "It's over. Everyone's here with you." Hitomi's eyes slowly
recognized the figures surrounding her and gradually lost the fear that was evident within them
only to be replaced by tears. She looked at her palms and could still see the blood in her mind.
"My hands....my hands...." she cried into her palms. Van wished he could wipe the sorrow from
her. He hated it when she suffered, especially from her visions. It wasn't fair for the visions to
burden her like this. She never asked for her gift and didn't deserve the stress from them.
"It's okay, Hitomi, I'm here" he whispered as he held her.
"It was horrible" she muttered in his chest, "So much pain...and death...and my hands....they
were covered in..in blood." Her sobs increased as she clutched to her lover's chest. She
wanted so badly to forget the images, but they continued to repeat inside her head. Van slowly
rocked her caressing her arms and back as he did. He had never seen her like this. Something
terrible had happened in her vision.
"Hitomi, what happen?" he asked carefully, hoping not to worsen her state. She sniffled and
withdrew from his securing arms.
"I was out riding when I heard someone call me....It wasn't a voice, but an......an awareness"
she began, "and...and I found the doors. Something kept calling me so I went in and found the
room with them." She pointed to the historians, "There was a white book and it glowed. It
floated to me and opened to a page. I read what it said and---"
"You read it!" Van exclaimed. Hitomi looked at him confused as did the others.
"Yea, why?" the seeress asked. Van turned towards the historians who handed the white book
to their king.
"Because none of us could read the language, but you can. Could you read for us what you
read earlier" he said as he held out the book to her. She gave an uneasy nod and took the
book with shaky hands. She turned several pages before she laid the book open to the page
she wanted and read,
"Legend speaks of a time when a shadow will fall over the world of creation. A red fire will
explode through the world. The last of an entire race will be wiped out in a heartbeat and the
ash will blacken the sky. Brimstone will smite the newborn and souls will reunite. But with
reunion one will fall and another dead walks. Tears and blood swirl. Power of blood flows
deep. Let rain fall from the heavens and let the angels weep. For the only hope of life again is
with the pain of the loss. Blood will stain the hands of destruction."
Hitomi quickly shut the book and shoved it back into Van's arms not wanted to be near the
item. Something was radiating from it that sent chills down her spine. Her instincts told her to
be wary of the book and she obedied. When her fingers had first brushed it seemed to unlock
some dark feeling that had haunted the deep corners of her mind. The only thing that gave the
feeling like that was her mysterious tarot cards. She had placed them in a wooden box and
placed a padlock on it before she buried them in her backyard. She never wanted to risk using
the tarot cards. Their was something about them that scared her ever since the Great War.
Van saw her fearful eyes staring at the book so he hurried to hide it from her sight. Something
about all this seemed unreal to him. The world was spinning when the passage ran through his
mind.
"Van" Dryden asked, "Are you okay? You seem a little pale." Van nodded and hoped the
color would hurry back to his face.
"It's just that....that legend...." Van stuttered, "Dryden? You know a bit about the Draconian
culture. Do you know anything about this?" The fellow king blew some air out of his mouth
thinking.
"Yes" he answered quietly, "I have several scrolls from the Atlantian chronciles. I remember
reading something about "angels weeping". Why don't I retrieve them and we can all discuss
this when they arrive." Everyone nodded hoping to smooth out the mixed feelings about the
situation. Only Hitomi didn't move. She was deep in thought and lost in her mind. The small
audience dispatched from the room to have a late lunch leaving only Merle, Van, Millerina,
and Hitomi. Everyone was desperate to talk over old times with the dear Hitomi, but everyone
knew this was not the time.
"Hitomi if you really think you're feeling better it will be okay if you left the infirmiary" Millerina
doctored. After the shaky patient gave a small nod the queen left the room to join her husband
for a meal. Merle looked at Hitomi in concern with ears flaten against her head sadly.
"Are you sure you're okay, Hitomi?" she asked, "If you want I can stay with you." Hitomi
smiled at the cat-girl with thankful eyes.
"It's okay, Merle. Go get some lunch. I'll come down maybe later" Hitomi replied trying not to
let her voice break. Merle glanced at Van before nodding slightly and walking out the room to
get her meal.
Van looked down at Hitomi, who was still shook up. Her eyes were cast down at the floor
thinking of all that she had seen. The dark visions were following her in her mind. They were
beginning to drive her mad, which anyone would have from those sinister scenes. Rough hands
took her smooth ones holding them tenderly. Her emerald eyes looked up into his ruby depths.
Oh, how he wished to take away the burdens she was given from her visions. She had never
asked for her powers and now they were more of a curse than a blessing.
"Hitomi do you want to tell me what happened?....."
She shuddered at the memories. Never again did she want to relive the visions. Oh, how she
wish she could tell him, but to speak of them was like reliving them. Emerald tears showed Van
she wasn't ready yet.
He placed a hand on her shoulder, "Just tell me when your ready..."
She gave a gentle nod and Van led her back to her room. Hitomi walked to her bed as if she
was dead. The life seemed to be literally drained from her. She fell onto her bed on her back.
Hitomi stared up at her canopy from her view on her bed. Her body begged for sleep but to
escape the visions, but she didn't fear tired. She was awake in a fearful sweat that dripped from
her brow. She stayed like that until minutes became hours and she slowly fell into a deep sleep.
A gentle rain pelted the roof of the castle making a sweet melody like lullaby. Her breathing
slowed and she plunged into the weary world of dreams.
~ Dinning Room ~
Van looked at his reflection in his soup wondering how he looked so tired. Merle was chewing
on a bone of some animal meat lost in the meal. Millerina and Dryden were both eating some
pasta and chatting with Allen and Celena like old times. They didn't want to mention the
incident with Hitomi until the scrolls arrived. Even though untroubled words were exchanged
every occupant of the room's thoughts were on the sleeping girl within the upstair bedchambers.
Van couldn't stand the unconcern talk going around him. He couldn't stop thinking about
Hitomi. He was completely worried about her. With everyone acting like things were fine just
made him feel worse. His spoon clattered on the table as he pushed away from the table. A
silence fell on the group as they watched the king head towards his bedchamber.
~ Vision ~
Even in Hitomi's dreams the visions followed her, though the visions were ones she had never
seen. Hitomi saw Yukari, Amano, and her family standing at the track field. Yukari stood apart
from the group on the dark track while holding a boquet of pink roses. Tears that glistened in
the sunlight slipped down her cheeks as she held the roses close to her chest.
"Hitomi...." she whispered, "We all read the letters that you wrote two years ago and we're
sorry we didn't believe you. We will all miss you dearly, Hitomi. Don't ever forget us." With
that silent plead she gently placed the boquet on the black ground and stayed their kneeling as
Amano came over to her and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
Hitomi was able to read the thoughts of each indiviual, look through their eyes and see what
they saw. She watched Yukari's sad eyes as her thoughts whispered silently along the wind,
'Hitomi. You were my best friend, and you always will. I can never forget your courage,
strength, and love for life. You led me to Amano and I can never give you enough thanks for it.
I'll never forget you, don't forget me.' Yukari placed a hand over her eyes as she sobbed.
Amano knelt down and hugged her protectively. This time Hitomi heard the thought of the
brunette boy, 'Hitomi. I thought once I was in love with you, but you showed me that Yukari
was the true love I searched for. In fact, I had wanted to tell you that I was going to ask her to
marry me. I know I have your blessing and I treasure that most of all. You will always be my
close friend, Hitomi. Please visit us once in a while.' Amano shut his eyes tight trying to hold
back the flood of tears.
Hitomi floated to her family who stood beneath some trees and she found herself listening to
her father's thoughts, 'Oh my, daughter. My precious one. I lost you two years ago and again
you have left. I might never see you again, Hitomi. Please never let that come true. I give you
my blessing to the man who has stolen your heart. Come back one day, I want to see my
grandchildren. I'll always love you.'
Her father held her brother protectively ignoring the water that streamed down his face.
Mamoru, her little brother, watched the sky, 'Sis, do you hear me? I miss you so much. Please
come back. I want the game of checkers you promised. I have the board all set up in my room
waiting. I know you won't come back any time soon, but.....I still want that game when you do
come back. I know you will, Hitomi. I love you.' He clenched the shirt of his father and cried
the tears that he had held back until now. The tears slowly made a spot on the shirt were it
grew wet.
Hitomi's mother was the only one who had no tears and her thoughts were confusing to her
daughter, 'Oh my daughter. You have found the way home. Home to your love. Go to the
valley daughter....go to the Valley of the Mystic Moon. You'll find what you're searching for.
I'll love you forever. Never forget your homelands.'
Hitomi was now floating in the sky watching the scene from afar. Their sorrow and love was so
strong she found herself crying. She smiled at her love ones and whispered, "I'll always
remember you. You're all my family. I love each of you dearly and I promise one day to return.
Farewell and God bless, my family." As Hitomi disappeared into the sky, she didn't even
noticed her family had heard every word and had smiled through their tears.
Blackness surrounded Hitomi as she found herself in a place she had never wanted to
remember again. The dead was walking everywhere and screams of pain and anguish followed
in their wake. They were the color of gray while Hitomi was full of color and life. They
marched in endless lines of pairs. Chains of black shadows swirled around their ankles and
wrists. Hitomi walked between a pair of lines and stared at the walking ghosts. There was no
end to the lines. She could not see the beginning or end of either line. If she could have peered
over the heads of the lines she would have seen endless lines that marched past the horizon.
The ground was of bare dry earth that was cracked that brought dust to rise at each step taken
from the deceased.
Out of the blue, Hitomi began to recognize faces among the crowd. A boy from her math class
walked by in deep distress, not even noticing her. A girl that she knew from her track team
marched the dead walk nearby. Faces all over the place were of the people she had left behind
on her world. Hitomi began running down the line checking faces. Every so often a face would
appear that she recognized. She came to halt as she saw a face she had not expected. Hitomi
could only stare at Yukari's sullen face that held dark rings under her eyes. The clothes she
wore were so torn apart that Hitomi couldn't even tell what they had been before. Stained
blood matted the material causing it to hug her limp body. Blood was smeared across her face
in a deadly sense.
"Yukari?! Yukari!" Hitomi shouted helplessly. Hitomi tried to grab the girl's shoulder in hope of
stopping her walk, but her hand passed through her best friend. The girl continued to walk with
the chained souls of the dead, but Hitomi did not follow. Her emerald eyes brimmed with tears
as she watched her friend disappear on the horizon. Her eyes swept over the crowd and she
spotted something that caused her heart to stop.
Her father was limping down the line with his hand clenching the hand of a bloody boy of about
six years old which she immediately recognized as her brother. The middle aged man was
covered in dry blood and clothes were tattered like Yukari's. Her young brother was identical
to her two love ones. "Dad.....Mamoru.....no...." she whispered as they passed by her. Again
she tried to grab a shoulder, but her hand slipped through the body of her younger brother
causing a flood of tears to fall. They disappeared into the horizon just like Yukari into a cloud
of dust and death.
Hitomi turned around, not wanting to see any more, but she became faced to face with a
brunette boy covered in wounds that sprouted blood. "Amano....." she whispered as he
trudged pass her. She couldn't believe this was happening. All her love ones were in the land of
the dead. Dead.....No. Hitomi couldn't believe it. She wouldn't believe it.
A figure appeared next to Hitomi and she jumped at the sudden appearance of another living
being. It was her mother. She was in a tattered dress stained with her blood. Even though the
woman was dead a small hue of color still flowed over her. Gray colors swirled with faded
rainbow hues. They flowed over the woman like a film that could not be touched. The colors
were forever shifting and churning. A endless battle was fought between the colors. Each trying
to overtake the other. It was obvious, however, that the gray would in the end swallow up the
rainbow. Hitomi turned her attention back to her mother. The dead woman stared at Hitomi
with hurt in her eyes.
"Mother...." Hitomi whispered painfully. Tears sprang into her mother's eyes as she answered
with a word that sounded bitter on her tongue.
"Hitomi"
"Mother what happen to you.....Yuakri...Mamoru and dad.....who did this?!" Hitomi cried
through her blurred vision of tears.
"You...." her mother whispered harshly, her eyes cold.
"Me?" Hitomi muttered confused as ever, "But I couldn't have--" Her mother's hands grabbed
Hitomi's pale finges cutting the girl off from her question. Her mother's nails dug into Hitomi's
flesh and Hitomi wince from the pain.
"Hitomi....why didn't you help us?! How could you kill us like that?! You mourn us, but it was
because of you we are her!. You did this to us." with those last words the woman yanked
away her hands and ran into the crowd of the dead forever to live in a place that was best
described as Hell.
"Mother, wait!" Hitomi shouted after the disappearing form. She brought up her hand reaching
out to her. Her emerald eyes grew wide when she saw the blood on her hand. Her mother
must have left it there when she held Hitomi's hands. Hitomi desperately tried to rub the blood
away , but it only grew thicker. Suddenly red rain poured down from the sky on to her
covering her from head to toe in the disgusting liquid. Hitomi was now in the dark abyss
soaked in the blood of the dead. Her hands ran over her body trying to some how get rid of the
hideous feature, but only in vain. She fell to her knees and screamed a blood curdling scream
that rang throughout the empty blackness.
~ Hitomi's Bedchamber ~
Hitomi woke up screaming in her bed. Sweat covered her brow and her hands clenched the
sheets of her bed. She felt filthy and desperately wanted a bath. The girl jumped from the
comfortable bad and went into her connecting bathroom. The large marble tub was a beautiful
sight, but it was empty and Hitomi couldn't wait for some maids to fill it.
As if the world was watching her, a loud thunder boomed throughout the castle. Hitomi turned
towards her glass doors that led to her balcony. Water was streaking down the glass showing
it was a rain storm. Hitomi walked over to the glass and stared out the window, checking the
world outside. 'Perfect!' Hitomi smiled and bolted from the room.
~ Van's Bedchamber ~
Van stared out his window watching the rain fall. The rain could always relax him even on his
worst days. His nerves began to slowly dull and he closed his eyes. The world was so peaceful
that his senses opened up to the world and his sense of awarness hightened. When his senses
opened completely he was flooded with emotions that caused him to stumble back at the force
of them. Saddness.....fear.....anxiety.....distress.... The emotions were radiating so strong he
knew exactly were they were coming from. He searched the grounds outside the window an
saw a head of golden hair disappear around a corner. 'Hitomi......'
~ Castle's Apple Orchard ~
Hitomi sprinted down an alley of apple trees, not bothering to even wipe away her wet bangs
that stuck to her brow. Her drenched clothes clung to her body and chilled her bones. The
leather of her clothes was beginning to rub up against her skin and give her a terrible burn.
Without a second thought she pulled of her clothes leaving her in a pair of tight running shorts
and white under shirt that were completely soaked. Her tennie shoes and socks were tossed
aside and her bare feet splashed in the rain puddles. The water ran down her back and arms
causing her to have goosebumps. It would have been freezing to anyone else, but Hitomi
couldn't escape the feelings within her soul. They were tearing her up inside. She ran so fast
that the scenes surrounding her became a blur. Her legs stretched as far out as possible trying
desperately to rid the emotions swelling in her. Limbs swung weightless and feet almost
appearred to not even touch the ground. Eyes of shiny emeralds closed shut on the world.
From another point of view it was a glorious scene. A girl of such youth and beauty was
running in a shower of sparkling crystals that surrounded her. To Hitomi it was the worst
experience she had ever had. The scenes of her dead friends and family couldn't leave her
mind. The blood pouring over her body made her want to gag. Tears poured from her closed
eyelids no longer able to be kept at bay.
Hitomi's breathing soon became ragged and she was forced to slow down. She opened her
eyes and found herself beneath an apple tree. Stumbling over to the trunk of dark bark she
crossed her arms in front of her and stuffed her face into the arms' joints. Salty tears sprung
from her emeralds pools and mixed with the fresh water raindrops that trinkled down her skin.
The visions of death flowed through her mind like a river. Every pore of her body screamed for
the horrors of deaths to stop, but they only continued in great speed. Faces of her dead love
ones flashed before her eyes so fast it was like watching her life before her eyes.
Her sorrow was so bad she didn't hear the voice calling out her name. A sudden warmth on her
shoulder caused her tears to cease their downpour. A tan hand hugged the shaky shoulder
tenderly. She turned around with her eyes downcast hoping to hide her tears. She concentated
her sight on the pair of black boots and soaked navy pants that laid before her. Wet, but warm
fingers took hold of her chin and brought her emerald eyes to stare into red rubies. Hitomi and
Van looked into each others' eyes searching their souls. Hitomi forced herself to pull away. She
walked out from under the cover of the tree and into the pouring rain. Van didn't move, but
watched her hug herself in the cold water that fell from the heavens. His heart twisted in pain
from watching her suffer. He wanted so badly to wipe away the stress and pain that plagued
her. It just wasn't fair for Hitomi to have such a gift that she didn't ask for that burden her so.
Van walked up behind her and placed both of his hands on her shoulders, bringing his lips to
brush up against her ear, "What's wrong, Hitomi?" His sweet breathe tickled her ear and sent a
shiver down her spine. She loved the smell he had of green grassy fields. Every feature of him
was special to her.
She couldn't hold back the truth.......she didn't want to hold back the truth. Her voice nearly
broke from the pain, "I saw my friends....and family.......they were dead......" Her hand rubbed
away a few tears as she turned to face him. His red eyes held pain and concern as she looked
deep into them. His hands held hers as she whispered to him, "My mother warned me about
the Cursed One and that I should find the Savior or the universe will be destroyed..... so much
death and destruction.....killing.....murder....death...." New tears of salt slipped down her
cheeks while she covered her face with her palms. His gentle arms surrounded her body giving
her the needed warmth. A sweet kiss was planted on her wet forehead.
"Shhhhh......." he breathed, "Don't say another word........I'm right here.....I'll always be here for
you......"
"I know, but Van....." even more water flowed from her eyes and covered her wet face.
Emotions flared in her soul stretching across the orchard. The effect was so strong that it
caused Van to stumble back. It felt like an invisible damn had been broken and flooded his
mind. He had never felt such powerful emotion emitting from Hitomi before. Fear, sadness,
and stress swirled and floated in the young King's head making him dizzy. His vision blurred for
a second, but he was able to keep himself from falling over. His vision steady and he once
again could see his angel's face. Her head was bowed with her shoulders shaking. "I'm so
scared, Van.... I saw a vision of a world being destroyed and I'm very sure it's Gaea. If Gaea is
destroyed it will cause a chain-reaction that will cause the destruction of the entire universe."
Van held her palms and gentle stroked them, "Do not worry. For I am here and when we are
together nothing can tear us apart."
Hitomi felt the strength and mysterious link in his words. Something about those words patched
up the leaking damn. The flood of emotions drained from the field leaving two lovers standing a
mist the tears of the heavens. All though he had not come right out and said it deep within the
depths of her hearts Hitomi knew he had just proclaimed his love for her.
~Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Tell me what you think! R&R Please!~
