Yukari is in the hands of the Ziabach Empire and at the mercy of Lord Lawrence.  What could possibly happen to her to make matters worse?  Dilandau gets a new slayer, one as bloodthirsty as he is. Life is good.  Amano reflects on the good times he, Yukari and Hatomi had on earth, and Van prepares to full fill the Prophecy, becoming the true King of Fanilia, The White Dragon.  Friends and enemies become warriors as they prepare for the battle that will either save or destroy Gaea.

Chapter 30: The Warriors of Gaea

Yukari slowly opened her eyes, how long had she been out, it could have been hours or even days, she has no way of knowing.  That dream, 'But no.' her panicked mind yells at her, 'it isn't a dream, it's real and it's a nightmare.'  She knows one thing for certain; she is in very real danger.  She can feel the cold uneven stone of the wall against her back, her arms shackled above her head.  They ache, as do her legs.  She is barely able to touch the floor, 'why is this happening to me?'  Her vision is starting to clear and she can see that she is not alone, there are two others present, one in red and black armor, and the other in long dark robes.  They are engaged in some sort of discussion and since they are in the cell with her, it must be her they are discussing.  She closes her eyes and concentrates on what the two are saying.

Dilandau: "I know she will come, Hitomi is very accommodating when it comes to her friends lives, Folken knew that when he destroyed half of Palas to acquire her.  How soon till this one is ready?"

Lord Lawrence speaks, but Yukari can't hear the words, his voice is still to low.

Dilandau: "What do you mean, there is no time for a complete fate alteration, I need a slayer, not some pathetic woman."

They are approaching Yukari as they speak, finally she can hear the voice of the other man as he answers.

Lord Lawrence: "You will have a slayer as aggressive and cunning as you when we are finished, we are going to give her part of you."

Dilandau: "Part of me?"

Lord Lawrence: "Just part of your emotions, your hatred and your lust for blood, we will alter her strength and destroy her ability to feel pain, that should keep her alive till the task is completed."

Dilandau: "Humm…  lovely!  I want a bonus for this, my lord.  I will not have any part of me loving anyone but me.  Make her desire above all to kill the one she now loves."

At the mention of her love Yukari's eyes fly open. 

Yukari: "No!"

Dilandau strides the rest of the way over to where Yukari is hanging.  He studies her body intently.  In those clothes one would never guess she is from the Mystic Moon.  Those fools on his brother's ship have at least learned something about not advertising the fact they have strangers with them.  Allen must be feeling so guilty now, he has lost not one, but two that were under his protection. 'Yes it serves him right, caring only for his sister, and not for…' Jealousy flares thru Dilandau's mind.  He shakes his head, bringing his thoughts back to the woman in front of him.  Dilandau reaches up and traces the line of Yukari's face with his hand.  She starts to tremble and tries to turn away from him, he slaps her, not too hard, but enough to be rewarded by the increase of fear reflecting in her eyes.  He can feel the thrill that punishing others sends coursing thru his body; the urge to slap her again, is almost overwhelming.

Dilandau: "That's good you already know to fear me."

He grabs a hand full of her hair, holding it tightly to keep her from moving her head, as his mouth descends on hers; the kiss is hard and cruel, as he grinds his lips against hers.  He tries to invade her mouth with his tongue, but she refuses to part her lips to him.  He pulls back to look into her eyes, there is still a spark of defiance in their depths. 'That won't do at all.'  Still holding her hair in one hand, Dilandau reaches to the neck of her dress, and in one swift pull tears the fabric down to her hips revealing the soft white curve of her breasts.  Yukari gasps at the action, and Dilandau seizes the opportunity to claim her mouth once more, this time his tongue slips in before she can stop it.  Dilandau is enjoying himself with his new toy, just one more thing, before the fun is over; he bites her lip drawing blood as he ends the kiss.  He pulls away licking her blood from his lips, savoring it as he stares into her eyes, to make sure she understands.

Dilandau: "Good girl, that's more like it, I may even decide to keep you for a while after I kill Van & Hitomi."

Dilandau laughs as he steps away from Yukari, she is trembling again.  Good.

Lord Lawrence: "Lord Dilandau, if you are finished with your fun, it's time to begin.  Guards bring her."

Unlocking her shackles, the guards pull Yukari from the cell and down the hall.  Her terrified screams are echoing off the walls as they go.

Dilandau is surprised at how much he is enjoying himself as he watches the changes take place in Yukari.  Her screams during the procedure excite him and even now after it's over the memory brings a smile tugging at his lips.  'I wonder if this is how a new father feels at the birth of his child?' She is a part of him now, unlike Celena, who is day to his night, he and Yukari are like twins, her moves now a mirror image of his.  Celena… being trapped in the recesses of her mind with nothing to do but wait for his chance to reemerge had been his own private hell, but now it is Celena that is trapped knowing everything he is doing, yes life is good.

He sits watching Yukari as a solider instructs her in the handling of a sword.  In no time at all she is mastering the movements, clashing metal to metal, so much of his style showing as she charges the solider, striking and evading his counter moves.  Her movements are so sensual that Dilandau finds that he is becoming jealous of her opponent; it is time to take over her training, why should a incompetent like that solider get to have the fun.  He will push her to the fever pitch that he feels every time he kills.

Yukari finishes with the pitiful man they had her training with.  She feels as if she has handled a sword her whole life and not just a few hours.  She smiles as she pulls her sword from the small-unprotected area of the soldier's side.  The blood smeared on he blade fascinates Yukari.  She raises it to her lips, turning to look Dilandau directly in the eyes.  Slowly she licks off just a little with her delicate pink tongue.  He stars at her visibly growing uncomfortable at the desire so obviously stirring in him.  Yukari walks over to Dilandau her face and arms glistening with sweat from her efforts.  She watches him as he reaches up taking the weapon from her hand, his gaze lingering momentary on remaining blood there, then tossing it aside he grabs her by the arm pulling her down to him.

Dilandau: "I wonder how it would feel to take you to my bed?"

Yukari pulls away, standing and extending a hand to him.

Yukari: "What makes you think it would be you taking me?"

Dilandau laughs as they leave the training area,  'This is going to be fun.'

Van slowly walks down the passageway to the room he has shared with Hitomi.  He enters and quietly lights the candles on the table, casting a soft light in the empty room.  Goldie leaves his perch on Van's shoulder to roost on the bedpost his eyes following Van's every move.  Van absently grasps the pendant around his neck as he looks around the room, his every thought focused on Hitomi.  The Draconions must surely be a cursed people.  Every time Van has known happiness it has been pulled from him. 'But not this time it won't, I will face my fears, and fulfill the Prophecy and then I will use the heart of light to return Hitomi to me.'  Van kicks his foot into something partially under the bed.  Reaching down he pulls Hitomi's duffle bag out.  He puts it on the bed, unzipping it and removing its contains one at a time.  He doesn't linger over the strange items he knows she prefers to wear under her clothes, setting them aside.  There are other clothes, pants, shirts, and then he stops as he pulls out her school uniform.  She wore this outfit almost as if it were her armor three years ago.   He lifts it to his face drinking in her scent from the very fibers of the fabric.  He shakes his head, what is he doing?  He reaches into the very bottom and removes the photographs.  Hitomi, a smile curving her oval face, with her family.  She looks as different from the blonde haired, blue-eyed boy, her little brother, as he does from Folken.  Hitomi's grandmother, so alike they look, she and this woman who stole for a time Leon Schazar's heart in the man's dreams.  He puts them down and is picking up the third picture, the one taken at the "Track Meet" when there is a knock at the door.  Van sighs and still holding the photo answers the door.  Amano is standing there, an unsure look on his face.

Amano: "I'm not sure why I'm here Van, it's just that…"

He trails off unable to finish saying out loud the fears he holds in his heart.

Van: "We'll get Yukari back."

Amano: "I want to believe it, I feel so guilty, she never wanted to be here, but she loves Hitomi, and she knew I wanted this.  Still I should have tried to find a way to send her back before anything happened to her."

Amano looks down noticing the photo Van is holding.  He reaches out to take it from him.  He smiles sadly as his thumb strokes the red-haired girl smiling at him, frozen in that moment in time.

Amano: "We had so much fun that day, the three of us.  Both Hitomi and I had placed first in our events at the meet and afterward the three of us went out to celebrate.    It was the first time we ever did anything together as friends.  We were like the three Musketeers that day."

Van: "Who?"

Amano: "Old Earth tales, the Musketeers were the kings swordsman.  They had all these exciting adventures, and there wasn't anything they wouldn't do for each other.  They would defeat their enemies and then they would shout 'One for all and all for one.'  It became so popular among the runners that everyone on the track team started shouting it after a win.  And this makes no sense to you at all does it.  I'm sorry to be going on and on."

Amano sighs as he hands the photo back to Van.

Amano: "I'd better go now, good night Van."

The hours' growing late as Van finally drifts to sleep, but even his dreams won't let him be.  In them he can see Hitomi smiling at him, Hitomi standing by the window in his room at the castle in Fanilia.  She turns to him heavy with his child, her green eyes sparkling.  Hitomi in bed her eyes misted with tears of happiness as Van holds their newborn child in his arms.  Hitomi sitting in the gardens as a small raven haired child runs into her arms and hugs her.  Hitomi, Hitomi.  Then the Green Dragon rears its head and Hitomi vanishes in a swirl of blue/green flame.  Van sits up in bed with a start, wide-awake, covered in sweat.  He is holding Hitomi's uniform in his hand crumpled from his grip.  Goldie jumps from the bedpost onto Van's shoulder, chirping smoothly to calm his mistress mate.  Time for sleep is over its time for Van to ready himself for the battle to come.  He pulls his satchel from beneath the bed opening it he removes an ancient armor.

The ship is a flurry of activity, the crew reading for an air battle if necessary, Guymelfs ready at the bay doors for launch.  To Allen's dismay everyone has decided to go including Merle and Millerna, neither can be swayed from their decision.  Except for Merle and Nathen the rest have on the uniforms of Asturian knights, even Gaddis has donned the blue and white uniform with the belled sleeves meant to deceive an opponent when he aims for the upper arm.  The room suddenly becomes quiet as Van enters.  Gone is the young Lord they all know, replaced by a dark and dangerous King, the King of Fanilia, the White Dragon.  Van wears the ancient armor of black leather breaches and sleeveless tunic.  Black elbow length gloves encrusted with silver mail in the shape of dragon scales, knee boots with the same silver scales and a black short cape with the crest of Fanilia embroidered on the back.  On his forehead is a silver twine band, a blue sky stone in the center.  He wears similar bands on his upper arms, one with a brown earth stone, and the other an aqua water stone.  But it is the front of the tunic that draws everyone's attention.  A white sky dragon adorns its breastplate, one clawed foot resting on an energist, a sword in one hand and the red stone of fire in the other.  From its mouth shoot flames of red, orange, and yellow.  Van looks as he feels, dangerous.

Yukari sleeping with the enemy!  Van King of Fanilia the White Dragon.  The eclipse is upon them as everyone arrives at the Shrine, in Thera Utopia, once the resting place of The Light of Balance.  Is it a trap, of course it is, but there is no other way as the Prophecy brings together the forces of Good and Evil.  Chapter 31: The Shrine at Thera Utopia