Dilandau is back and his masters are the Dark Lords. Van and Hitomi reunite with Merle and Nathen. All is coming together as the Triple Eclipse nears, Will Van find the answer to save Hitomi?
Chapter 27: The Heart of Light
The Ziabach floating fortress is nearing the Forests of Fanilia, the old Dragon Forrest. The three have called Lord Dilandau and Empress Terrial to them. Terrial is fearful, but Dilandau knows he will soon fight again. He can see the blood in his mind. It will free him from the doubts "her" memories give him.
Lord Lawrence: "All is in place, the white and green dragons have come together. We have seen to it that they have mated in the ancient way with the Dragon Fire. The dragon will now more than ever hesitate to kill for now to him all is at stake. Lord Dilandau you are to kill the Green Dragon Hitomi or if another kills her, you must prevent the placement of the Light of Balance into its resting place. Bring it to us, with her death and the death of her unborn child the line of Dragonmere will cease forever."
Dilandau: "It will be my pleasure to kill that trouble maker from the Mystic Moon, My Lord."
Lord Lawrence: "The last report received from Zingia indicates the others have learned to much about the Prophecy. He is ready to bring us our final distraction. I want it quickly, Dilandau you are to go now to obtain that distraction and as a treat eliminate the doppelganger. He will be of no further use to us and knows too much. Your guymelf is being readied now."
With that the three lords turn and leave.
Terrial: "When the time comes I want to help, I want Van. You can strike him down, but I want the last thing he sees before he dies to be me."
Dilandau: "When the time comes we will see. Now there is time before I leave come."
He pushes her ahead of him heading down the hall to his quarters.
Van & Hitomi are traveling through the forest of Bosram. It's quiet and beautiful in the early morning. Though still quite chilly, Van doesn't mind the slight chill on his bare chest. Although Hitomi scales cover most of her almost like clothes she still insisted on something to wear, so Van is walking shirtless enjoying the sight of Hitomi dressed in his red shirt. She stops suddenly listening to sounds only she can hear.
Van: "What is it Hitomi?"
Hitomi: "I hear someone." She sniffs the air. "It's Merle and Nathen they're heading this way."
Van: "Uh! Where I don't hear anything."
Hitomi: "A few miles, Van if we fly we could reach them in a matter of minutes."
Van: "Are you sure, the patrols could see us too."
Hitomi: "I don't think so, the closest one is a long way off and in the other direction."
Van: "You can hear them too. You sure are full of surprises."
Van and Hitomi both spread their wings, hers a soft translucent green, and his pure white feathers. Each soars high above the trees and they head west, Hitomi in the lead. After a few minutes she starts circling downwards, then dives with Van following close behind. They land almost directly in front of the two cats startling them.
Van: "Merle, what are you doing out here? You should have stayed with the Crusade."
Merle looks at Nathen and rolls her eyes.
Merle: "That means thank you for coming back for us. Nathen and I, well, we thought you might need our help. There is an Astorian dispatch waiting for us outside the Bosram boarder."
Hitomi: "Merle, did you bring any extra clothes, I could use a change."
Merle: "Sure, but… Oh I'm going to be sick again, sorry."
Merle runs for the brush, and at the mention of being sick Hitomi heads there too.
Nathen: "I don't know what's wrong with her. She's been like this since the day after we left. She thinks it was something she ate. But I ate the same food, though the broth she brought did taste kind of funny. Maybe I was wrong though, since I see that Hitomi is sick as well. Still I feel fine and I had some too. Did you have any?"
Van: "Broth? You two had the same broth I brought with me?"
Nathen: "Yes, Merle said the crewman was just going to throw it away so she brought some for us."
Van: "She saw the crewman?"
Van grabs Nathen by the shirt his voice is urgent.
Van: "What happened last night? Did you and Merle, well did you!"
Nathen: "Any thing that happened between us is none of your damn business, Van. She may be your friend, but that gives you no right to…"
Van cuts him off. They are both to the point of exchanging blows. Van is outraged, not at Nathen or Merle, but at the crewman, the traitor who did this. Two more victims, Merle and Nathen have just met, but now…
Van: "I'm sorry Nathen, I'm not mad at either you or Merle. It's just that, well that wasn't broth you had last night, I am afraid you and Merle have been caught in a trap set for me and Hitomi. It was Dragon's Mating Fire."
Dragons Mating Fire, Nathen knows what it is, he's heard the legends of its use.
Nathen: "Oh no."
Van: "Yes and since Merle's sick she is with child, just like Hitomi now is."
Nathen: "But why?"
Van: "To keep the Prophecy from fulfilling, to capture the power for greed. I know you've been kept out of most of what's going on, but now, now you need to know."
The girls are both gone for sometime giving Van most of the time he needs to quickly fill Nathen in.
Nathen: "By the holy spirits, Van, does Hitomi know everything."
Van: "No I can't tell her, not until we figure out the last of the Prophecy. It's the way to save her. We must get to the dispatch as quickly as possible, there's no telling what that traitor knows or what else he has planned."
Hitomi and Merle come back; Hitomi has changed into a short wrap skirt and crop style shirt of soft brown cloth. She hands Van back his shirt, then notices the look on both men's faces.
Hitomi: "There's more trouble isn't there?"
Van: "Yes, and since there is a dispatch waiting let's get moving, are you feeling better?"
Hitomi nods.
Hitomi: "I have a bad feeling, Van everything's coming together now, we can't wait we have to call Escaflowne and get to Freid fast."
Van: "But can we it's so far away."
Hitomi: "We'll do it together, all of us."
Hitomi motions Merle and Nathen over, they had been talking quietly and Merle seems upset, but the power needed to call Escaflowne will have to come from everyone.
Hitomi: "Van hold onto the pendant and give me your other hand. Merle and Nathen you
too."
They all clasp Van's free hand.
Hitomi: "Now think of Escaflowne, picture it in your minds, call it here to us."
They all concentrate hard, but nothing happens.
Hitomi: "Clear your minds of everything else."
Again nothing.
Van: "This isn't working Hitomi you wear the pendant."
Hitomi: "But Van I gave it to you."
Van: "Yes, but I think it may need to center on your power to work."
He removes the pendant and places it around Hitomi's neck. They are all still holding hands and when Hitomi reaches up to hold the stone in her free hand softly it begins to glow. Everyone is concentrating on Escaflowne, eyes closed picturing it in their minds. Van opens his eyes for just a moment, and he sees, he sees Hitomi, the ghost of an image across her face, the image is Hitomi as she was a beautiful human woman. In the light she is transformed, and as the light fades from the pendant the image disappears. 'That's got to be it, the pendant is the heart of light, with it Hitomi will not die, the dragon will, but I will save Hitomi and my child.' Van feels, no he knows that he has found the answer, there in front of him all the time.
In the clearing behind them a shaft of bright light descends, as Escaflowne appears landing on the ground with a hard thud. The light disappears leaving only the giant guymelf.
Nathen helps Van put out the small fire and gather up their belongs. Hitomi and Merle approach to talk to them as they work.
Hitomi: "You two have talked, so have we."
Merle: "Lord Van please don't blame yourself. Nathen and I were starting to have feelings before this happened and now there's no doubt that we will be together always. The spirits have their reasons and I accept them. I'm happy about this, our children will grow up together in a beautiful world, I just know it."
Van can't say anything, Merle is more to him than a companion, in his heart she's his sister. He hugs her and kisses her on the forehead.
Hitomi and Merle both to become mothers. Van is sure he has found the answer to the last of the Prophecy, has he? And what is the final distraction Lord Lawrence has sent Dilandau for. Chapter 28: The Final Distraction
Well I hope everyone has a chance to read and review, I do love hearing from you.
Fanilia
