Escaflowne of the Sky
Cynic X
"..."- dialogue
'...'- thoughts
..... - scene change
Chapter 11- Conclusions
When Hitomi came to, her head was pounding. 'I wonder how many brain cells I lost since this thing started.' She thought sarcastically as she placed her hand on her head. She could feel a small bump forming from where she had been hit. "No wonder these people are crazy. All they do is hit each other in the head.' Hitomi looked around her and gasped. 'Where am I?' She stared at the giant room she was in. To her left, a giant machine stood that vaguely resembled a telescope of some sort, other than that, she was surrounded by total darkness. Suddenly, something in front of her moved, causing her to step back in fear.
"Whose there?" Hitomi cried, trying to keep the fear from showing in her voice. Lights went on in front of her, momentarily blinding her. When her eyes adjusted, she saw an old man, or what looked like an old man with extremely long white hair, suspended in some kind of huge yellow and red machine, that, at the moment was moving at her.
"I am Dornkirk, Master of the Zaiback Empire." The machine/man thing replied as it moved closer and then stopped. Hitomi gasped. 'No not again.'
"What do you want with me?' Hitomi asked, her fist going to her side. She was not about to show how frightened she really was.
"Not you. You are bait for the dragon." The figure laughed menacingly, and Hitomi could feel her stomach drop. 'Oh no, they are going to use me as bait to get Van to come with Escaflowne. Van, please don't come.' Hitomi prayed, but knew that it was probably futile, and that he would come dashing in to save her anyway.
"What makes you think he'll come?" Hitomi asked, angry that she was being used as a pawn in their sick game.
"He will, I have no doubt."
"Maybe he won't, you never know. Nothing is certain." Hitomi said, trying to annoy the hell out of the man in the machine.
"I know! He will come, it was foretold that the dragon will come, and the machine will be complete. Then, and only then will the future be upon us."
"Bastard...you are going to kill innocent people for your pathetic cause?" Hitomi cried, unable to hold back the anger anymore. It was enough that she was being a burden to Van and putting his life in danger, but if Zaiback got Escaflowne, god knows what they were going to do with it, and she had already seen the destruction they caused to Fanelia.
"They are being sacrificed for the greater good. It has to be that way so that we can have progress. We will build a better future on the lives of the few who died." Dornkirk said, believing every word that he uttered.
"But that is so wrong!" Hitomi cried, tears threatening to fall. "Why should anyone have to die? You kill with no remorse! What kind of future would that be?"
"That is not of your concern. You are only here to lure the dragon. What happens to you after that is not my concern." Dornkirk replied, uninterested in Hitomi's regard for his ideal future.
"Your...you're a monster! You want to bring about a future that will suit your needs. You have no care for anyone else." Hitomi cried on the very of going crazy. She couldn't believe that she was powerless to stop what was unfolding before her.
"That's no way to talk to Emperor Dornkirk." A voice from the shadows replied; the voice filled with anger.
"What?" Hitomi asked trying to search the shadows for the source of the voice. To her right, something moved out of the darkness.
"Folken..." Hitomi whispered, remembering him from their previous encounter.
"The girl from the Mystic Moon." Folken said in regard to Hitomi.
"H...how did you know that?"
"There is very little we don't know." Folken replied, his face twisted in an evil smile.
"Why...why are you doing this?" Hitomi cried.
"What do you mean?" Folken asked, suddenly amused by her question.
"Why would you betray your brother and your kingdom?" Hitomi asked softly.
"That is none of your concern." Folken replied coldly.
"I know it's not any of my business, but can't you see how much pain you have caused to Van? He's your brother, shouldn't that count for something?"
"I'm trying to make the future better...into a place where there are no wars, no fighting." Folken replied.
"So you mean that you are fighting to end fighting? Does that make any sense?" Hitomi cried in frustration.
"It is none of your concern." Folken turned to leave.
"Wait!" Hitomi cried. 'Why won't he understand what he is doing? He isn't making the future better, he's destroying it!'
Folken stopped, turning his face half way to listen to her.
"Think about it...you destroyed your own Kingdom. Practically killed her own brother, all for the sake of this man's sick dream?" Hitomi asked, pointing to Dornkirk. "Is this what you really want? Is this your dream as well?"
With that Folken turned to leave, making no attempt to answer her question. 'Maybe I was wrong about his after all. I though...I thought I sensed that he had a good heart. But I must be mistaken.'
"Ha Ha Ha. Are you trying to turn my own men against me?" Dornkirk asked from his perch in the machine.
"No...I'm trying to make them open their eyes, and see what a fool they have been."
"It will never work, I own these boys." Dornkirk laughed.
"Then I pity them. They don't know what they have done and will have no remorse about what they will do. It is a shame that-" But Hitomi was interrupted as a large boom sounded through the building.
'What was that?' Hitomi asked herself, as she looked up and saw the excitement in Dornkirk's eyes.
"The Dragon...it has come!"
"Van?" Hitomi asked, looking around her. The room was dark, but she could hear yelling gradually coming closer to where they were.
"Emperor!"
"Emperor!"
"We are under attack! It's the White Dragon!" A man wearing a Zaiback uniform bursted into the room they were in.
"Excellent. Bring him here."
'Van! No don't!' Hitomi though, as the doors were trusted open. Hitomi looked on as Escaflowne emerged from the rubble that blocked the entranceway. Escaflowne stepped into the room, and made it's way towards Dornkirk.
"Van! Wait!" Hitomi cried, running up to the huge guymelf.
"Hitomi!" Van cried opening Escaflowne's facemask. "Are you okay?'
"I'm fine Van."
"The pieces have all come together finally. Now is the time! Dragon come to me!"
"What the hell is he talking about?" Van asked, still inside Escaflowne.
"Van watch out, they are after Escaflowne! It's the last piece needed to complete their machine!" Hitomi pointed to the corner where the machine stood.
"I'll never let them have it." Van cried, raising Escaflowne's sword.
"Come to me..." Dornkirk repeated, as his hand started to glow an eerie white as Escaflowne suddenly dropped its sword to the floor. The pilot chamber opened in a burst of steam, and ejected Van to the floor.
"Van!" Hitomi cried running to him. Van was clenching his chest, as he staggered to his feet.
"No Hitomi! Stay...stay back!"
"What's wrong Van?" Hitomi cried with worry. 'Why is he in so much pain?'
"Come to me...."
Van had a shocked look on his face, as his wings erupted from his back, sending feathers into the air.
'What's going on?' Hitomi looked at Van, who seemed to be shaking. 'He didn't call upon them.' It suddenly hit Hitomi. 'Van didn't call upon his wings.' It finally started to make sense to Hitomi. 'Dornkirk is calling upon Van's wings, because Van is the Dragon, not Escaflowne!'
"Yes...finally...I finally have all the pieces."
Breaking out of his trance, Van reached for the sword at his side.
"You are mine!" Van cried as he ran towards Dornkirk.
"I don't think so Van!" Dilandau emerged from the shadows meeting Van's sword with his own.
"What?" Van asked, surprised at seeing the figure before him. The two locked swords once again, and continued to exchange blows, but it seemed that Van was hampered by the wings on his back, throwing his center of gravity off.
"Tell me! Tell me why!" Hitomi screamed looking at Dornkirk.
"What?"
"Tell me why you need Van?"
"Because the last piece to complete the machine is the mark he wears on his hand. The machine was created by Draconians, and thus can only be used once one of their kind. I need one of them to start it. He is the last Draconian, which means that he must place his hand on the machine in order for it to begin operating." Dornkirk said pointing to the machine.
'That's right.' Hitomi though, the pieces falling into place. 'They were going to use Folken, but some how he lost his arms with the mark on it before they could get the machine to operate, leaving Van as the only remaining Draconian with the mark on his right hand.'
"You will pay dearly for that!"
Hitomi looked over to where Van and Dilandau were fighting, and saw Dilandau holding the side of his face, blood pouring down the side of his glove.
"You have ruined my beautiful face!" Dilandau cried as he charged at Van. Van tried to turn around to block the attack, but tripped over his wings, and Dilandau was able to catch him, scratching Van across the chest with his sword, drawing blood.
"Van!" Hitomi cried upon seeing the bright red mark on his chest.
"Now were even Fanel!" Dilandau cried moving his gloved finger over his bloody check.
"I don't think so!" Van cried, raising his sword over his head, preparing to bring it down upon Dilandau, oblivious to the blood slowly tricking down his bare chest.
"Van! No! Don't! By killing him, you reduce yourself to his level." Hitomi said as she watched Van falter and lower his sword, turning to face Hitomi.
"Have to hide behind a women don't you!" Dilandau cried as he charged at Van's back. Hitomi's eyes went wide with fear.
"Van! Behind you!"
Just as Dilandau's sword was going to cut through Van's flesh, a figure jumped in the way of the sword and blocked the attack. Turning on his heals; Van came face to face with Folken.
"Brother..." Van muttered seeing the man behind him, holding back Dilandau's sword.
"Traitor!" Dilandau cried, exchanging attacks with Folken. Folken easily avoided them, and turned to his brother.
"Your little friend there talked some sense into me." Folken smiled as he nodded to Hitomi.
'I knew I was right about him.' Hitomi thought happily. 'Maybe the two of them can bring down Dornkirk!'
"This is so sweet, it's making me sick!" Dilandau cried, not liking the words that he was hearing.
"Folken what has gotten into you?" Dornkirk asked from atop the machine.
"I opened my eyes and realized what a twisted man you are. You used me! You knew that I felt like I didn't belong back at Fanelia after I failed to slay the dragon. You took me in and corrupted my mind. Brainwashing me with your dreams through my insecurities. And it took that girl to show me what a sick bastard you are!" Folken's wings bursted forth from his back as he flew at Dornkirk.
"Folken!" Van cried watching his brother attack the Emperor of the Zaiback Empire.
"Van! Get everyone out of here. I set this place to self-destruct in ten minutes. Without the technology in this fortress, Zaiback can go back to the peaceful, simple kingdom it once was."
"No brother! I won't leave you!" Van cried, spreading his wings, preparing to join his brother.
"Van...please leave. Rebuild Fanelia; make it prosper so that the ancient traditions it holds will never die. If I'm not there with you in body Van, always know I'm with you in spirit. With this single act, I avenge all the years I lost, and die a noble death, knowing I wasn't the cowards everyone thought I was."
Van shook his head, understanding that his brother was going to sacrifice his life in the name of his kingdom and family, so he could bring honor to his name once again.
"Good-bye Folken...my brother."
Folken smiled, and charged at Dornkirk, as Van ran to Hitomi.
"Let's get out of here." Van and Hitomi ran for the exit.
"Come on get out of here!" Van cried as he passed Dilandau.
"No! I'll never run away! I'm going to die with my Emperor." Dilandau stated, narrowing his eyes at Van.
"Suit yourself." Van and Hitomi ran until they reached an exit. Throwing the door open, the two of them were saw that the door opened out into thin air, and had to be at least twenty stories up.
"This must be where the guymelfs are launched from." Van commented as he walked over to the side.
Hitomi watched as he drew closer to the edge. "Be careful that you don't fall!"
"Fall?" Van asked with confusion. "How could I fall when I have these?" Van asked, pointing over his back in reference to his wings. Hitomi felt stupid, not realizing the obvious.
"Van, didn't you know that we were up this high?"
"No... I came in with Escaflowne."
"Van! You left it back there!" Hitomi cried, pointing back to the direction they had come.
"It okay, it's too late to go back and get it, but it obeys my thoughts, I'll make it change into dragon mode and fly away once we are far enough away from this fortress." And with that Van lifted Hitomi by her legs, pulling her to his chest, spread his wings, he jumped off the ledge that they had been standing on. Immediately Hitomi's arms went around Van's neck as the air whipped at her hair, causing her to shut her eye.
"Afraid that I'll drop you?" Van asked with amusement.
"No..." Hitomi smiled and loosened her grip and let out her breath, unaware that she had been holding it.
Van carefully flew away from the fortress, only stopping midair to look back. Hitomi saw his eyebrows go together, and suddenly part of the fortresses exploded, Escaflowne flying out from among the debris and fire.
"See..." Van commented as Escaflowne flew off towards the forest that wasn't that far in the distance. Hitomi shock her head in agreement.
"What do you think happened to Folken?" Hitomi asked, looking back over her shoulder at the fortress.
"He gave his life for-" But Van was cut short as a loud boom sounded. He tried to turn to see what had happened but the onslaught of debris from the fortresses made him falter in his flight, almost making them fall to the ground and met their death.
"Van! What's happening?" Hitomi cried as she clung on to him with dear life, watching the ground get closer and closer until Van was finally able to balance himself out and pull up.
"That was close." Van said trying to muster a smile, and turned to see that Hitomi had her eyes closed.
"Hitomi...it's okay." Van said prying her hands off her eyes, as he soared higher in the sky. Once he was above the treetops, he turned back to the burning fortress and saw that it was completely demolished and was starting to sink to the ground below as it bellowed fire in every direction.
'Folken...your sacrifice will not be in vain.' Van swore as he flew to catch up with Escaflowne, knowing he would make better time flying back to Astoria on the huge guymelf than on his own wings.
"Oh...umm...Van." Hitomi muttered, looking up at him. "I never got to thank you, for you know...rescuing me again..."
Van smiled. "Your more than welcome. Now lets get back to Astoria. I'm sure everyone is worried about us, and we still have to find a way for you to get home." Even though it hurt him, Van knew that the inevitable was coming, in that once they had destroyed Zaiback, Hitomi would return back to the Mystic Moon.
Hitomi shook her head in agreement as he began to land next to a waiting Escaflowne.
................................................................................
On top of Escaflowne, Van and Hitomi landed next to the windmill back at Astoria, as they saw Allen, Merle and Millerna run out to greet them.
"Lord Van I was so worried when you ran off!" Merle cried, throwing her arms around his neck and licking his face.
"Oh Merle." Van shook his head as he wiped his face.
"Are you guys okay?" Millerna asked.
"Yeah...we're fine." Hitomi replied with a weak smile.
"What exactly happened now?" Allen asked, stopping in front of the two. "I was going to follow Van with my men but we couldn't find where the fortress was." He muttered in frustration.
"Don't worry Allen. I handled everything." Van said with a cocky grin on his face that soon disappeared once he got serious. "Zaiback has been destroyed. My brother gave his life to kill Dornkirk and bring about the downfall of the Zaiback Empire."
"You mean they're really gone?" Allen asked with disbelief.
Van shook his head "yes". "Gaea is saved. No longer do we have to fear of meeting the same fate that Atlantis did."
"That's a relief then." Allen said placing his hand behind his head, still not believing that Van had saved everyone and brought down the Zaiback Empire by himself.
"Allen, we have to tell Daddy this good news." Millerna said happily, taking his hand.
"Come on, you guys must be exhausted." Allen said as he led the way back to the castle, Millerna one of his arms.
"Do you think they got a little friendlier since we saw them last?" Hitomi asked in confusion.
"Not really...they always had a thing for each other." Van said as he followed the group back inside.
"They make a cute couple don't they." Hitomi commented with a smile.
"Don't get any ideas!" Merle hissed at Hitomi, causing Van to laugh.
"Why don't you walk a little faster?" Allen asked as he turned around, waiting for them to catch up. "I want to hear the whole story Van."
"Still can't believe that the knight didn't come charging in to save the day Allen?" Van mocked him. Allen turned red with embarrassment, ignoring the last comment as they entered the castle.
After the King was informed of the good news, everyone wanted to celebrate the fall of the Zaiback Empire and the end of the war. As food was passed around and everyone began to have a good time to celebrate, Hitomi caught Van out of the corner of her eye as she saw him head out on to a balcony. 'What's wrong with him...why can't he ever enjoy himself. He earned this more than anyone.' She followed him out to the balcony where she saw something in his hand. 'That's an energist!'
Van turned around at the sound of her footsteps. "Hitomi, what are you doing out here?"
"I saw you leave, and thought that something might be wrong. What have you go there?" Hitomi asked pointing to his hand.
"It's Escaflowne's energist." Van said clutching the round stone in his hand.
"Why did you remove it?" Hitomi asked, remember seeing the red stone on Escaflowne before.
"Because it's not needed anymore. My brother died saving not just Fanelia, but Gaea as well so that we could live in a world where Escaflowne would not be needed to fight wars. I want to see what kind of world that would be like. I've seen the face of war, now I want to see if we can live in a world with peace as well."
"I think that's a great idea." Hitomi smiled as the two stared off into the night sky which was illuminated by the light of the moon and the myriad amount of stars dotting the dark sky.
Van shook his head in agreement. "I want to rebuild Fanelia too. I've learned a lesson throughout all of this. As long as a Kingdom has a King and people, it has a future. Just because Fanelia was attacked, and the people were driven out of their cities doesn't mean that the city no longer exists. We'll go back and make Fanelia prosper to the point where it was before the war."
"I hope that happens. Everyone here has been through so much. I just want everyone to be happy." Hitomi brushed a stray piece of hair behind her ear.
"What about you?" Van asked looking unsure of himself.
"What do you mean?" Hitomi asked turning to face him.
"What will make you happy?"
"What will make me happy? I never really thought about that..." Hitomi replied, not liking the turn this conversation was taking. She knew it would be inevitable once the war was over, but that didn't mean that she was looking forward to it.
"Will it make you happy to return home?" Van turned away. He didn't want to force her into doing something, and would respect her choice, but didn't know what he would do if he lost her as well.
"I thought so. I'm not from this world. My place is back home with my family, my friends, completing school, starting a career and living in a house with a white picket fence." Hitomi said, eyes deep in thought.
"I understand." Van said, as he held up the energist ready to send her home. The energist has mystical powers to call upon the light used to create a channel between the two worlds. Just as Hitomi's necklace, made from the same material as the energist, brought her to Gaea before.
Hitomi reached up and placed her hand on Van's extended arm. "You never let me finish." Hitomi stated, causing Van to drop his arm. "You see that is what should have happened. But now that I've seen what could happen, that all seems so small...so meaning less. How can I go back to what I've known...knowing that there is another world out there with so much more than I could ever have?" Van looked at Hitomi hopefully. 'Could she mean it?! Is she going to stay?' The thoughts ran through Van's head, still not believing what he was hearing. Mustering whatever courage he had, he asked her the words that were burning a hole in his heart.
"Does that mean that you aren't going back?"
"I have to go back..." Hitomi replied, causing Van's face to drop.
"B-but I thought you said that-" Van was interrupted by Hitomi placing her hand over his mouth to silence him.
"I have to go back...because I have to say good-bye."
'What could she do? She made friends here she couldn't bear to part with. Sure Merle was annoying, but she also needed a friend, and Hitomi found a kindred spirit in her. Allen was a player, but Hitomi looked to him like an older brother. Then there was Millerna who saved Van's life...Hitomi was still in debt to her...and there was ... Van...what could she say about Van? He had stolen her heart, and she liked the way she felt when she was around him. It was like she had found her other half...'
"G...good-bye?" Van muttered as the reality sunk in. 'She...she's going to stay...well actually come back...and stay with me!'
"Hitomi..." Van threw his arms around her, embracing her, showing that he returned her feelings.
'Just think...if I hadn't asked those stupid cards none of this would have happened.' Hitomi smiled, as she clung to Van. She didn't need excitement or change...she needed to feel his arms around her and she knew that was complete.
The End...^_^ 12/6/01
Please Read and Review! Thanks so Much!!
