~Remember I don't Escaflowne or its characters~
~Okay this chapter gets a little sad, and a little more confusing, but chapter 9 just about
explains everything so don't worry~
~You people who are worrying that the story is coming to a close b/c your learning all the
secrets I promise you this story is FAR FROM OVER!!!!!~
~Bad guys are going to come into play of this chapter~




The Fate of Two Worlds
By Angel Wings

Chapter 8 ~ Multitude of Angels

~ Dark Fortress ~
Kaosu and Kusari stood at the edge of the open passage of the guymelef docking bay. They
stared down at the kingdom below. It looked so small from their height. It looked like it would
be such an easy target, but they knew better. Kaosu turned toward the back of the docking
bay where dozens of crew members were working at the control panels, "Fire the main
cannon again. Four degrees south."

A crew member nodded at the command and began pulling levers and turning dials. Blue
electricity formed around one of the twisted peaks on the outside of the castle. A surge of
power formed at the peak and blasted through the sky at the castle. The clouds swirled
around the blue electric energy giving it a eerie look. Silenced filled the air as the beam of
energy struck down from the sky at the castle. The energy was so powerful that it blasted
through one of the castle's main walls forming a large hole.

Kaosu smiled at the achievement and turned to his brother, "Let us go brother. Phase I is
complete. Let us begin Phase II."

Kusari nodded never turning away from his stare on the castle. Kaosu didn't even notice his
brother's silence. He had always been quiet even when he was a child. But it was something
Kaosu had quickly gotten used to. Why should he care?

The blonde stared back down at the land below. He saw their revenge was close in hand. All
he wanted to do at the moment was snapped the seeress of the Mystic Moon's neck in two.
Once he had done that he wanted to kill the King of Fanelia with the King's own sword.
Revenge.....sweet revenge......

Kusari and Kaosu quickly took off their dark shirts and strapped on their swords. They
stepped closer to the edge and the rush of air lifted their bangs. It felt so familiar to the two
men. They bended over ready to leap into the sky when Dilandau walked into the room just
when they were about to jump.

"Kaosu!" Dilandau yelled, "Where are you going?!"

Kusari didn't even turn around while Kaosu answered the unruly man, "We are going
complete Phase II. Get the guymelefs ready and we'll tell you when to act on Phase III."

Dilandau stared hard at the man. He had waited a long time for this moment. To wait longer
was like a horrible torture and he sure wouldn't wait.

"UNDERSTOOD??!!!" roared Kaosu.

For the first time in his life Dilandau did something no one ever imagine to happen. He got
scared. He had never feared anything or anyone, but these two scared him down to the very
marrow of his bones. Something about them made Dilandau think of the men as something far
worse than what he was. Dilandau nodded his head a little shakily.

Kaosu nodded and faced the drop with his brother. The two groaned as black as night wings
burst from their backs. Black feathers were swept up into the rush of the wind blowing
towards the heavens. The two brothers spread out their wings to their full wings span and then
dove into the long drop to the ground.

~ Fanelia ~
Hitomi groaned painfully as she got to her knees. Her head felt like it was splitting in two. The
light was too bright at first for her to take, but she quickly adjusted. There was another
crashing sound and the castle shuddered once more. Dust and bits of matter fell from the
ceiling landing everywhere including on Hitomi. She brushed it away and looked around the
room.

She spotted the form of Jasper laying face down on the floor. As fast as could she crawled
over to his limp body. Grabbing his shoulders she shook him violently, not knowing what else
to do.

"Jasper! Jasper! Please Wake Up!" she called. When he didn't budge she became close to
tears. "Please......."

A large moan escaped from the old man's mouth, "Go, Hitomi. I'm alright. Go help the others."

Hitomi bit her lip not wanting to leave his side, but a sudden flash of Van's face made her heart
race. Was he okay? She had to know if he was.

Nodding to the old man she quickly got to her feet and raced out the room. Where would he
be?

Racing down the halls all she could think about was he was lying somewhere hurt. Could be
dead? No. She refused to even consider that.

Hitomi turned a corner and slipped falling to the stone floor hard. Groaning from the pain in
her knees from the fall she got to her feet and continued down the corridor. "VAN!" she
called desperately.

A second after she call his name a huge blast exploded a few feet in front of her sending her
flying backwards. She landed hard on her back and cried out in pain. Her uniform was torn in
several places from the explosion. Standing up she looked at the destruction that was just
caused. A large portion of the wall had been taken out plus the floor and ceiling were gone
leaving a large gap in the corridor. She stared in wonder at the horrible destruction that had
been caused. Hitomi went to the edge of the gap and stared out into the sky.

It looked like a large thornbush formed into a ball. It floated in the sky and was at least a third
of the size of Fanelia. Blue lightening streaked across the sky and among the 'thorns' of the
ship. To Hitomi it was one of the most evil looking things in the world. A black aura that only
Hitomi could see radiated from the fortress. Without even thinking she muttered, "Zaibach is
back...."

She stared hard at the fortress studying it when she suddenly noticed to dark forms coming
down from the dark castle. At first she thought they were guymelef, but when they grew closer
she realized they were two men......two men with black wings!

Hitomi gasped in realization of the wings. "How? There were no more Draconians!" she
thought astounded at the fact that there were two more angels in the world.

One flew to the ground and landed in the royal gardens while the other flew directly to Hitomi.
Her eyes grew wide with fear as he got closer. Hitomi walked backwards trying to escape,
but she soon felt hard stone at her back and she knew she was trapped. He landed a few feet
in front of her. He had blonde hair and icy blue eyes that pierced her heart like a knife. His
black wings arched upwards and made him twice as big. She found him extremely intimidating.

His voice was also like ice and shot like daggers, "Well it wasn't hard to find you. Thankfully
for me."

Hitomi tried her best to melt into the wall, but she had no chance now. She was corner and
had no where to go.

"I'm Kaosu, the corrupted, and you are to be my captive" he hissed hatefully. His eyes stared
hard at her and she shudder under his gaze. A strong hand flew to her throat and lifted her
from the comfort of the ground. "And now you will come with me....." he growled through
clenched teeth. Hitomi gasped for air in her lungs desperate for the necessary oxygen.

Kaosu smiled at her pain. He always enjoyed the part when he got to torture the inferior lives.
He squeeze her throat a little harder grinning at the pain etched across her face. She was so
close..... He felt such a desire to snap her neck then and there, but that would ruin the plans.
He forced himself to resist although nothing else would make him more happy than doing just
that.

"LET HER GO!!!!!" a voice ordered. Kaosu kept the lock on her neck and looked towards
the voice. There standing on the other side of the gap stood the young King of Fanelia. He
stood with his sword ready and his feet ready to leap over the gap. It was obvious he was in a
rage and was ready to kill him. Even though Hitomi was weak from his hold she was able to
turn her head and spot her rescuer. A small glow lite in her heart as she realized it was her
loved Van.

Kaosu laughed, "You are no position to order me, dragon!" His wings spread to their full
length and beat hard sending dust everywhere as he and Hitomi took to the air. Van lifted a
hand to keep the dust from his eyes. As soon as the dust settled Van quickly let loose his
wings ripping his shirt and flew after the two.

"HITOMI!!!" he shouted at the two.

Hitomi was beginning to black out from flying and lack of air. It was amazing that this man
could hold her by just one hand like this as they flew. She felt them take a sudden dip and land
onto the earth. Kaosu threw her onto the ground as hard as he could. She landed on her side
and slid a few feet before coming to a stop. Coughing uncontrollably she got to her knees and
found herself at the feet of a pair of pitch black boots. She had barely got a glance of the
shoes before someone grabbed hold of her hair and pulled her to a near standing position. She
cried out at the sudden pain and looked into a pair of identical ice blue eyes.

"So this is the famous seeress" the voice was dark and made Hitomi shiver in fear. He was a
twin of the first man except he had silver hair. Hitomi wanted to run from them. She could feel
an overwhelming sense of evil from them. They were men who should be avoided and that
was all she wanted to do at the moment.

She grabbed hold of his hands trying to break the hold they had on her hair, but he was
extremely strong and she was still weak from lack of air. No matter what she tried she
couldn't break the deadlock he had on her hair. A small whimper escaped from her throat as
she grew even more scared. She knew she was helpless and at their mercy. A fire burned in
the eyes that glared down at her and she fear it. What was he thinking? What did he plan to
do with her?

"I said let her go!" shouted Van angrily.

Kusari and Kaosu turned at the young king's outburst. They both seemed to be annoyed at the
king's demands. His demands reminded them of Dilandau's impatience. Kaosu drew his sword
which gleamed in the sunshine.

Kaosu was about to leap at the man and kill the him, but his brother's voice stopped him.

"Kaosu...." came his brother's voice.

The blonde man looked through the corner of his eye, not willing to lose sight of the king, and
saw his brother holding out his sword by his side. Kaosu smiled viciously at the gesture and
realized the fight was his. He turned to Van with glee in his eyes. Van was confused at first,
but once he saw the other man with silver hair had pulled out his sword he realized what was
happening. Van plunged towards Hitomi, but he was too slow for Kaosu blocked him. Van
winced knowing he was just as well had no weapon for he could do nothing now. Both of the
brothers smiled seeing the king understood his predicament.

"King Van" drawled the blonde haired man, "drop your sword to the ground and slid it to us."

Van hesitated not willing to give up his only weapon. The man in dark clothes grew infuriated.
Kaosu nodded at his brother, who, at the sign of the nod, twisted Hitomi around and pulled
her head back. Her neck was now fully exposed and he placed the blade of his sword against
the girl's neck. Kaosu glared at the raven haired man, "The girl dies if you resist!"


Allen held onto Celena's hand dearly. The ground had fallen apart right at the woman's feet
and had caused her to plunge into it's depths. Luckily the ground had just crumbled a little at
Allen's feet giving him a good foothold. Allen had lunged for Celena's hand and now stood at
the brink of the crevice about to also fall in.

Celena's tears slid down her cheek as she realized she was pulling in her brother at the same
time. "Let go......" she said sadly. She had spoken loud and clear, but Allen couldn't believe
what she said. She spoke a little louder, "Let go, brother......"

Allen grunted straining through his words, "Never. I'd rather die than let go."

"You must or will both die!" Celena cried sorrowfully.

A few clumps of earth crumbled away from the edge causing Allen to sway a bit closer
towards the edge. Their hands were becoming sweaty and Allen began to lose his grip.

"I refuse to lose you again!" he shouted angrily.

Celena cried bitter tears as she spoke words that Allen didn't want to hear, "Let me go. I
deserve to die."

"NO! You don't!" Allen yelled straining every moment, "Don't give in to your depression,
Celena! Fight for your life!"

Celena frowned sadly, "Why?! Why should I fight for a life with no purpose?! People have
already prosecuted me. Why should I return to a life when no one will welcome me in?"

Allen stopped straining for a moment and stared down at his sister. What could he say to that?
Even to him it seemed like a hopeless life. He closed his eyes and opened his heart, "Dear
Gods....give me the words to help my sister....."

"Because I can't see you leave again" he whispered, "You are my sister...I love you". He didn't
speak words of his own. He spoke words that came from his heart. Words that were sacred.

His sister felt the love flowing through the words and she wished she could hug her brother at
that moment. She no longer wished for death only to be close to her brother. She felt a burst
of energy swell in her body and she suddenly had enough energy to pull herself up out of the
pit. Allen grunted as his sister made it over the edge. As soon as she was up and over the two
took each other into their arms and cried.


Millerina felt a stabbing pain going through her belly when she woke up. She barely noticed
the hand of husband clutching her fingers. Panic swept through her as she realized she felt
nothing from her baby. Millerina desperately tried to pull herself into a sitting position, but in
vain. She fell back onto her pillow weakly. She had fallen onto her stomach and been
damaged internally. She was extremely weak from blacken out.

Dryden helped her and with both of them working together were able to get her into a sitting
position. She placed both her hands over her stomach.

Dryden looked at her concern, "Is something wrong?"

Millerina didn't speak, but thought, "Something is very wrong....."


Chid tried to bulldoze past the guards, but they refused to budge. The young boy who had
been terrified of making a mistake in court or messing up in public now glared at a guard
twice his side and shouted angrily, "You WILL move out of the way. I command it!"

The guard shook his head, "I'm sorry, milord, but their is danger outside and that is no place
for our king."

Chid was becoming red with anger. His friends laid behind those doors and because of his title
he could do nothing to help them.

"I have very close friends out there and I refuse to let them die!" he shouted at the guard. At
that moment the guard looked at the king not as a boy anymore, but as a person. He saw true
responsibility in the boy's heart and no longer the childish play. The boy was only thirteen
rotations, but he had matured into a man.

The knight nodded, "Then let us be off."


Merle flew down the flight of stairs. Her claws dug into the stone steps as she lept from step
to step. What was going on? Who were those people firing at Fanelia? The questions whirred
through her head as she desperately went in search of her brother. Without even slowing
down Merle lunged at the door at the end of the stairs thrusting it open. She fell onto her
paws sliding upon the floor. Without even halting from the slide she lunged down the hall in
search of her friends.


Jasper stumbled down what was left of the stairs and exit out of the hole in the wall that led to
the gardens. He stumbled into the light, still dizzy from his fall, and had to take a few moments
to readjust to the bright light. For a few moments he was blinded by the sun, but once he
gained back his sight he spotted the scene playing before him. He saw two men with black
wings holding Hitomi. His king stood aside, unarmed, watching what was happening. One
man placed a sword at Van's neck threatening him that if he budged an inch the woman
would die. Hitomi was wincing in pain as the blade dug into her neck causing a few drops of
blood to fall onto the sword. Jasper grew enraged by the way they treated his companions.

He took a step forward, but quickly realized he was useless. He was too old and too slow to
help out. He would only get captured along with them or get all of them kill in an instant. He
needed to get help and was about to when one of the black angels stepped towards Hitomi
causing Jasper to halt.

The blonde who held the sword at Van's neck backed away slowly and faced the woman. His
hand went to Hitomi's shirt and pulled out from under it a red stoned pendant. Jasper gasped
again at the sight of the stone. "Is that....?" A sudden understanding sunk into the old's man
and realized he couldn't go get help. This fight was his fight.


Kaosu smiled at the familiar stone he played with, "Here we are....the pendant...." His smile
left and he quickly swirled around and took hold of Van's hands so they went behind his back.
He placed his blade at Van's adam's apple and hissed, "We'll have no disturbance from you
with what we're about to do!"

Van feared an answer, but he asked anyway, "What will you do to us?"

Kaosu laughed heartily, "Watch and see, oh, King!" With that Kaosu nodded to his brother.
Kusari nodded and tossed Hitomi to the ground. Dust rose as she slid across the dirt. She was
laying on her back again and was too weak to rise. Her emeralds eyes opened to see Kusari
towering over her. She didn't have the strength to escape him and the man knew it. A small
laugh escaped his lips as he watched the girl cower beneath him. Kusari brought his sword to
his side and glared down at the girl.

"We will finally have justice" he growled as he readied the sword.

"Justice?" Hitomi asked more to herself than to anyone.

Kusari's eyes sparked flames at her question. "YES! JUSTICE!" he bellowed angrily in her
face. The woman shriveled in fear. The man was at the edge if she provoked him further her
life would be in jeopardy.

Even though she feared for her life, Hitomi had to asked the question again. She swallowed
her fear and asked in a voice that didn't even shake, "Justice for what?"

Kusari glared down at the seeress. He held such rage for this woman yet she didn't know why
and to him it amused him. She knew so much, but yet so little. She knew of the past, present,
and future, but didn't understand one bit of it. It was funny irony. He chuckled as he answered
the confused woman, "Justice for the death of our father."

"Your father?" Hitomi inquired desperate for information. She was totally lost and wanted to
understand her attackers.

Kusari began to circle the woman with his sword pointed at her from arm's length the whole
time. His eyes glinted evilly as he thought of a million ways he could kill her right now. She
was so close, it was torture to him. He wanted to do nothing else, but kill the beautiful woman.
The silver haired had to bottle his rage, but doing so he only made things worse.

"Our father was killed because of your interference" he growled as he continued to circle her,
"Our father was respected and honored by thousands until he was stripped of his honor
because of your people."

"My people?" Hitomi was growing more confused. Van was wondering the same thing.

He didn't understand who these men were and he didn't care. They had mistaken Hitomi for
someone else. She wouldn't hurt a soul. He refused to believe anything that came out of that
demon's mouth.

Kusari's wings arched cynically as he continued, "My Father was in charge of a powerful
army and he was well honored. His powers and goals were feared by your people so they
shunned him. He was to forever be dishonored by even his own blood. All because of your
kind! They retreated from him and forbade him to follow, but even then it wasn't enough!
They sent the royal heir to come and finish him off so he would hold no glory even in death!"

His eyes fixed on Hitomi and something much worst than hate filled the man's soul. Hitomi felt
it and she feared it. It wasn't death she feared, but what he might do. The hate was slowly
consuming him like a fire and it was so hot that it burned her. She wished she could disappear
at that moment for she would be the first that he would bring his wrath down upon. He
pointed a finger at Hitomi and shouted, "They sent YOU!"

Van was lost now. What did his words mean? Hitomi was in the same boat. She was just as
confused.

"What do you--" she was cut off as he grabbed her shirt collar and pulled her from the ground.
Van violently tried to leap at the man, but was held back. The king glared at the man and
swore under his breathe that if she was harm they would have to face his rage.

Kusari brought her eyes to his level and he whispered dark words, "Let me show you...."

He grabbed her golden chain and broke it easily. Taking it in his fist he placed it at Hitomi's
heart. The group watched as a small flicker of red light glowed from within his closed fist.
Hitomi felt a twinge of power emitting from it and closed her eyes ready to take the blow.
Kusari watched as the light grew and his eyes filled with victory, but the emotion left as the
light faded. He growled angrily at the failure. His hand shook the pendant violently as if it was
broken. Hitomi reopened her eyes when no blow hit her. Kusari suddenly realized he had
forgotten an important factor to the ritual. He gave Hitomi a great shove and she fell once
again to the floor causing the dust to stir. She now laid on her stomach and rose onto her
elbows.

Hitomi tensed as she heard him whip his sword in the air testing it. She barely turned her head
giving her just enough view of the man. He held his sword at ready, ready to kill her in cold
blood. She turned her body around so she would lay on her back.

"Just a few drops are all I need!" he spoke as he lifted his sword above his head. Van cried
Hitomi's name as the blade came down in one swift motion.

To Hitomi's ears the world went dead. No sound could be heard except for the sound of the
blade slicing through the air. Even Van's desperate cries were muffled and couldn't be heard
by her. The gleaming blade was all that she saw. It didn't even appear to be moving. It loomed
above her as her passage into the afterlife. She couldn't stand to see her own death and closed
her eyes, waiting for the sword to take her life.

Her ears perked as she heard metal run through flesh, but Hitomi felt no pain. Her eyes flew
open to see the blade a few inches from her face. It was dripping in blood, the blood of
another victim. A body stood in front of her shielding her from the blow. It shocked her to see
someone in front of her, but what was more shocking was the fact that the person had white
wings! Her emerald eyes locked onto the wings and her heart dropped. "VAN!!!!!!!!!"

Kusari removed his sword and the body fell face down. With the body removed out of the
way Hitomi was able to see that Van was still held captive by Kaosu. She felt like her heart
had wings when she saw her beloved alright, but in the same instant she felt a weight fall upon
it. Who was her savior? She looked over at the body and watched as the victim's wings began
to turn a dark gray. "Death...."

Hitomi emeralds followed from the person's wings up his spine to his head and stared at his
gray hair. A lump grew in her throat as thoughts filled her mind.

Kusari only watched as the girl crawled to the man's body. He was waiting for the factor to
come.

Hitomi's eyes filled with shock when she saw the man's face. Jasper's eyes were closed shut
wincing in pain. Van stared in disbelief at the old man's sacrifice. Only Hitomi found words to
say, "Jasper?......Jasper?"

Tears caught and she choked on the man's name. With shaking hands she turned the man over
and cradled his head in her arms. He opened his old blue eyes and smiled at the seeress.

"Don't worry....It's not your fault.....Its mine....." he whispered through joyous tears.

Hitomi cried as she cradled the man's head not knowing what to do. Her world was spinning
and a dark shadow was falling over the lands. The air within her lungs was slowly leaving. The
person close to heart was dying in her arms that were now covered in blood. Salty tears fell
from her eyes as she saw the man living the physical world around them. Hitomi mind was
whirling with possible ideas of saving the kind man, but a small voice kept telling her there was
nothing to be done. He was a life that could not be saved.

"No..." she sobbed through her tears, "I should have done something to stop you. It's my
fault...." Jasper placed a warm hand on her soaked cheek and the girl looked into the man's
eyes.

Their was a deep love in his eyes as he stared at the woman before him.

"I had to do it..." he whispered. He gave a small groan of pain and Hitomi held him closer. His
twinkling eyes were becoming dull and his breathing was becoming ragged. He held on tight to
her arms as he said something overwhelming, "You see, dearest Hitomi, you are my
granddaughter."

Hitomi stared down at him in shock at his words. Was he mad? Had he gone insane from the
pain?

"What do you mean? I can't be your granddaughter." she replied overwhelmed with confusion.
Jasper smiled through the agony wrenching through his body.

"You are" he said lovingly, "My beloved had a pendant just like that. We were deep in love,
but Zaibach was after me. I was forced to leave the "Creation" and go into hiding, but I see it
was in vain for you have come into danger."

Hitomi just couldn't believe him. The logically side of her brain was screaming at her not to
believe the man. It couldn't be possible. Could it? A thought crossed her mind deciding it was
the best way to know the truth.

"If you are who you say...." she spoke with suspicion hinting in her words, "Then tell me this
what is my grandmother's name?"

Jasper felt pain twist his heart. She didn't believe him. How could she? What he spoke was
overwhelming and unbelievable. The only way to prove himself was to say the name that she
asked for.

He winced a little in pain before gasping his long lost love's name. A name he had not said in
almost two decades.

"Her name was Iris Naomi Kamuka."

Hitomi couldn't feel the ground. A swell of love for the man burst as her grandmother's name
reached her ears. Her senses tingled as she realized the truth.

"grandfather?...." she muttered happily. Hitomi shook with tears falling as the old man struggled
to a sitting position to hug her. The man held the poor sobbing girl close and remembered a
memory.....


"I don't want you to go!" cried the crying child. Her tears soaked into the man's shirt as he held
her close to his chest. The girl's small hands clenched onto the man's shirt not willing to ever let
go. His own eyes filled with tears as he saw such love pouring from the child. His arms
squeezed the girl a little tighter knowing that he would probably never see her again. Standing
around the two were the child's mother and grandmother. They watched with sad eyes as the
child clung to the man. They knew it was going to be hard, but never imagining the meeting
would be so heart wrenching.

Finally the man pulled the girl away from his chest and placed her in front of him. The girl
swallowed her tears and tried her best not to sniffle for she saw her grandfather had something
to say.

"My child" he whispered sorrowfully, "I promise to see you again. Maybe soon or maybe
later, but I give you my word. I will see you again."

The child's eyes filled with tears again as she sobbed, "I will be waiting for that day, grandpa."


The man's mind filled with the familiar memory as he held the same girl he had held so long ago
As he petted her hair he whispered, "I have kept my promise."

Hitomi pulled back from the man and smiled at him. Jasper did the same, but suddenly his face
twisted in pain and he fell back onto his side.

"GRANDFATHER!" the young girl cried as she flew to her relative's side. Jasper's wings
were now as dark as night and feathers were beginning to molt. His features strained to hold
onto the grasp of life he still held. His eyes painfully opened and his vision focused for an
instance on the girl he had left behind so many years ago.

"Goodbye, my grandchild. I hope you live a long and beautiful life." With that his body relaxed
and his eyes closed never to open again.

Hitomi could not believe it. In a matter of minutes she had found and lost her grandfather in the
same moment. A surge of tears poured from her eyes as she held onto her grandfather's body.

Van eyes couldn't leave the scene before him. It had been Hitomi's grandfather. A man his
family had protected for decades turned out to be his love's grandfather. His heart sunk as he
watched the man die in Hitomi's arms. His own ruby eyes filled with tears for the man. He had
always been someone who meant something special to the boy king. More importantly he
shed tears for Hitomi. For she had never really know the man to be her grandfather and when
she finally discovered the truth she lost him again. The pain he felt from her was like an
overflowing ocean. Never before had he felt such sadness. Even when he had lost his whole
family he had never faced such grief.

Kusari smiled at the pain passing through the girl. The death of the man was better than what
he could hope for. He glanced at his brother and the young king. The king was obviously
sadden for the death of his old friend and for the seeress's pain. His brother on the other hand
held a victorious smile on his face as he watched the woman cry. Kusari turned back to the
girl and pulled her away from the dead body. The woman made no attempt to break away.
Her grief was all she was focused on at the moment. He took the collar of her shirt in his hand
and held her just high enough so she wouldn't touch the ground. Still she did not notice what
was occurring and continued to sob. Kusari grew angry that she wasn't going to see what was
to come and slapped her across the face snapping her back to attention. Van struggled
against his holder trying to go to his woman's aid, but in vain. Hitomi slowly turned her face
toward the evil man no longer tears flowing from her emeralds.

Kusari took his fist and slowly opened it in front of the girl's chest. As Hitomi's tears fell from
her face, Kusari spoke, "Let me show your true self...."

A second later Hitomi's tears landed on the smooth surface of the pendant and the two
reacted. Hitomi screamed in pain as searing pain ran throughout her body. The pendant
seemed to glow bright because of her screams and grew in intensity when her cries grew
louder. Hitomi clawed at the man's wrist desperate to rid the pain. Her back felt like it was on
fire and glowed white beneath the material of her clothes. All who were around could hear the
ripping of cloth and watched as Hitomi's uniform jacket and under shirt ripped apart to shreds.
Van's eyes grew wide as he watched a pair of snow white wings burst from her back. Luckily
her jacket stayed intact and continued to cover the girl. As the wings reached their full length
Hitomi's body, along with her wings, went completely limp.

Kusari smiled as her secret heritage was finally revealed. Effortlessly he tossed her like a rag
doll to the ground.

Hitomi's eyes laid weakly opened as she stared at her sparkling white wings.

"How?" she muttered.

Kusari stood over her and smiled an evil grin, "I can answer that...."



~Okay okay so sorry, but two of my chapters some how got merged together and I had to fix
it. Sorry, but you already have read chapter 9 if you've read chapter 8. Sorry. To make up for
the confusion, I've posted chapter 10 also!~
~Keep those R&Rs coming!!!!!~