Disclaimer: I do not own Tenkuu no Escaflowne.
Of Dragons and Destiny: Chapter IV
Flying and Flight
"Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth,
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sun-ward I've climbed and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds – and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of – wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence…"
~ John Gillespie McGee, Jr., "High Flight"
"You are far too cheerful for this early in the day," Colin said to Chesta, trying not to nosedive into his bowl of watery gruel. His bleary eyes roved down the table and he saw that many of his dorm mates were in the same predicament.
"What can I say? I've always been a morning person," Chesta replied, putting another spoonful of gruel in his mouth. "You know, if you think really hard, you can pretend that this is oatmeal with good thick cream."
"Yeah, except that the cream's curdled and the oats have been rolled in chalk," griped Raul, sitting opposite of the two friends.
"You're just grumpy because Lord Dilandau made you call minutes this morning, Wakiza," Chesta said.
"Two hours before breakfast was supposed to start! Can you believe it? And we were already waking up two hours early to begin with." Raul rolled his amber eyes, free of leftover sleep because he had been awake so long. "Thank you so much for reminding me!"
"Hey, Gatti! Wake up!" Colin bellowed in his seatmate's ear. The blond jerked his head up, which had been dangerously close to settling in his still-full bowl.
"Huh, what?" Gatti snorted, looking about him as if he didn't know where he was.
"You were about to fall asleep in your food."
"My hero," Gatti said sarcastically, "And this is not food, not by any stretch of the imagination."
"What is the nature of this, if it is not food?" Colin asked, as if posing a philosophical question.
"That's easy," said Gatti, "it's the stuff they collect from the repairs they're making on the fort. And since the army's so economical, they figured they might as well feed it to us, seeing as how it's so full of the nutrients growing boys need."
"You sound like my mother," Chesta grunted, "except for the part about building leftovers."
"Well, what do you think it is?"
"Poison," Raul said seriously. Suddenly, his eyes bugged out of his head and he clutched at his throat, making small gagging noises. His body jerked around as if all the muscles had suddenly started to spasm. With a strangled cry, he fell off of his seat and disappeared underneath the table. The other boys waited boredly for what was going to happen next.
"See, I told you it was poison!" Raul said, his dark blue head popping up from beneath the table.
"You know, that would be funny if you didn't do it every day," Colin pointed out as Raul resumed his seat. None of the other boys in the dining hall paid any attention to Raul's theatrics.
"Shows how much you know," Raul retorted. He sighed dramatically. "I would have been Zaibach's greatest actor if my father hadn't sold me into slavery when I was but a lad of tender years. 'The thrice three muses mourning for the death of learning late deceased in beggary.'"
"' An' he had been a dog that should have howled thus -- they would have hanged him'," Chesta rejoined.
"Wakiza, he enlisted you in the army."
"I know! And I was only seven!"
"All past regrets aside," Colin interrupted, "we still don't now what this stuff is."
"I know what it is!" another boy farther down the table burst out, "It's sh…!"
"Sh!" A multitude of voices shushed him as the room came to attention. Lord Dilandau had just entered and was glaring down at them from the raised dais at the end of the hall.
"You men might be wondering why you have been woken up so early this morning and doubtless many of you have been grumbling about it," Lord Dilandau began, "But let me be the first to inform you that you will not only thank me for doing this, you will almost certainly wonder why you could not have dispensed with going to sleep at all."
"Doubt it," Colin heard Raul mutter. Colin agreed with him, but he was burning to know what exactly Lord Dilandau had up his sleeve. The commander never did something unless it was for a reason, and his motives seemed sadistic at best most of the time.
"Look around you," Lord Dilandau ordered, "Go on! Look!" The boys obeyed, shooting puzzled glances at their neighbors. Raul crossed his eyes and stuck out his tongue at anyone who looked in his direction. "When your training began, there were over two hundred of you. This entire room was filled with boys who desired to become Dragon Slayers." Dilandau's voiced echoed in the cavernous hall. "There are only fifteen now." He let the solemn weight of his words sink in before he continued. "Some left because they were weak and could not handle the physical, mental, and emotional demands that I had placed on every single one of you. Others were injured and could not complete the training. A few paid the ultimate price attempting to reach the highest honor of serving Zaibach. I ask for a moment of silence as their names are read. Lieutenant?"
One of the young officers who had been overseeing the training of the candidates stepped forward and unrolled a parchment scroll. Torchlight winked on his various medals and decorations. With a grave bearing that would have honored the bravest fallen warrior, he read:
"Aleser, Taka;
Annora, Cayla;
Banest, Marcus;
Erland, Zale;
Dempsey, Ahren…"
Colin felt a pang when that name was read. Ahren had lasted a month and a half after Colin's arrival, and less than a week after his appointment with Lord Dilandau, following Colin's "promotion." Colin had heard Ahren sobbing into his pillow that night as he passed by the boy's bed on the way to his own, but never mentioned what he had heard to anyone, in light of Sergeant Berenger's revelation. He made no obvious overtures of friendship to his one-time enemy, but he at least developed a sense of empathy for Ahren, who was a kindred spirit of sorts.
They had found Ahren in the stables, his lifeless body swinging from one of the rafters by a rope he apparently braided out of his own sheets.
"…Lander, Audra;
Ottokar, Luther;
Rahman, Dymas;
Seif, Willem;
Tymon, Abran;
Veda, Lian."
There was absolute silence after the lieutenant finished reading so that the last dying echoes of his voice whispered in their ears like the shades of the departed clinging to their last tie to the mortal world.
"Do not forget us, your onetime brothers," they seemed to plead. Colin heard Chesta sniffling as quietly as he could behind him.
"You have reached the final stage of your training. Once it is completed, you will become Dragon Slayers, Zaibach's most elite and specialized guymelef troops."
"Did he say 'guymelef'?" Chesta gasped out loud. He was not the only one.
"Yes, guymelef," Lord Dilandau answered, smirking a bit, "Training begins today. Each of you has already had rudimentary training in piloting guymelefs…or you should have." Colin saw the look Lord Dilandau shot him.
What's that supposed to mean? Didn't they put that I've already qualified for a Derieto model guymelef?
"You will find, however, that the Alseides models are quite different from anything in your experience, thanks to improvements and modifications added by Folken Strategos. The Strategos himself will be instructing you on how to use the Stealth Cloaks and the flight mode…"
The uproar was immediate. "Flying! We're going to be flying!" Raul yelled, abandoning all semblance of bearing. He whooped and thrust a fist into the air.
"I've always dreamed of flying!" Gatti exclaimed, his eyes sparkling as if they were already touched by the light of the sun.
FLYING. I will finally be able to escape the chains that hold me to Gaea. The clouds will be beneath my feet and people will look up, wondering. I will be able to do things they can only dream about or cannot even imagine.
"Aren't you happy, Colin?" Chesta asked him, "You have the oddest look on your face."
"I am happy, Ches. There simply aren't words enough to express it."
"I drew number 5. What number did you get?" Chesta wanted to know.
Raul, Gatti, and Colin squinted at the scraps of paper they held in their hands, trying to discern what was written on them in the early dawn light that was barely paling the blue-black of the sky. The constant jarring of the wagon wheels over the rutted road was not helping to make the numbers anymore legible.
"I got 4," Raul said finally.
"Three," Colin replied.
"I have number 11…no, wait…number 17," Gatti said.
"Oh great," Raul remarked sarcastically, "A guymelef pilot who can't tell the difference between a one and a seven. We're all going to die."
"Only if you get in my way, Wakiza," Gatti threatened with a smile on his face.
"Oooo, I'm so scared!"
"You should be, smart ass!" Gatti cried and dove at him. Raul yelped as if he was wrestled to the floor of the wagon, his right arm twisted behind his back and his legs pinned by the weight of Gatti's body. "Say it!"
"No way!" Raul yelled. The other boys in the wagon were yelling also, mainly things like, "Fight! Fight! Fight!" or egging on their favorite combatant. Gatti and Raul responded in kind, Gatti by pressing the unfortunate Raul harder into the rough wooden boards, Raul by trying to get his free arm out from under his body while at the same time attempting to bite Gatti.
"Cut it out you two. At least get a room," Colin said, slightly worried that either Gatti or Raul would hurt each other.
"Oh, gross!" Gatti exclaimed and hastily released Raul.
Raul slowly sat up, massaging his injured arm. "But sweetheart," he sniffed, "does this mean you're ashamed of your true feelings for me?" He batted his eyes at his friend.
Gatti blushed a deep crimson as the others laughed and might have punched Raul, but Chesta grabbed his arm before he could swing.
A mild breeze from the mountains barely lifted the limp wind flag. It was a perfect day for flying. At least, birds always seem to fly better when there's no wind. No clouds in the sky either and it's getting on towards autumn; you can smell it in the air. We're going to be leaving Fort Prolieato soon. Where are the guymelefs?
The wagon slowed and then stopped. One after the other, the boys jumped out of the back of the wagon.
"So where are the guymelefs?" Ryuon asked, shoving his glasses further up on the bridge of his nose and peering about the empty airfield. Except for the wagon and the driver, the only thing that moved were the fifteen youths who had been anticipating fantastic armored giants that none dared to picture in their imaginations.
"I dunno," Migel replied.
"Hey, did anyone get number 13?" Arnor asked suddenly. Everyone glanced down at their scraps of parchment.
"Nope."
"Uh-uh."
"I got number 3."
"Who has 13?"
They all looked at Arnor. "How did you know no one had 13?" asked Viole.
Arnor smirked smugly. "There are fifteen of us right? Sixteen, if you count Lord Dilandau. So the only way Leala here could have 17 was if the builders skipped a number. My father helps to design guymelefs and airships," he told them, "Whenever they have a new model or something like that, they never give it the designation of 13, even if it is the thirteenth in a series."
"Why not?" Damon wanted to know.
Arnor paused to make sure he had everyone's attention. He did. "Because," he explained, "the number thirteen is supposed to be unlucky."
There was an uncomfortable silence.
"Pish, one number can't be more unlucky than another," Gatti declared, laughing. The other youths, shaken from the pall of whatever fear had taken hold of them, laughed also. Just another one of Arnor's bizarre facts, they agreed.
"Hey, what's that?" Cyril yelped suddenly, pointing to the far end of the field. The other boys followed his shaking finger and saw the sky and the woods, even the very air, was warping and shimmering as if the sunlight had been turned into subtle rainbows.
One after another, two ranks of towering blue armored suits revealed themselves, shaking off the mantle of invisibility that had concealed them from the boys' eyes. The last guymelef to reveal itself was different, in that it was the red of a blazing ember. Its cockpit hissed open and the pilot climbed out nimbly and leapt to the ground.
"Lord Dilandau!" Immediately, everyone fell into a reverent bow.
"Welcome to your first day of flight training," Lord Dilandau said simply. Colin cautiously raised his head from the dusty earth. The cockpits of the other guymelefs opened, but they were empty. Those are ours!
"You can get up now," a voice behind them said. Colin swiftly turned his head to look over his shoulder at the speaker.
"Strategos, may I remind you that they are under my command and not yours?" Lord Dilandau snapped. He glared at those who had turned around to look. Curiosity killed the stupid soldier who forgot that his commander is a psychotic. Hopefully he'll wait till we get back to the fort to punish us. "Get up!" he ordered, "Folken Strategos will now begin your training." He started walking back toward the red guymelef, obviously finished with them for the time being.
The Slayers recovered as hastily as possible and turned to the Strategos expectantly. Colin stared at the man, who had been completely unfazed by Dilandau's outburst. He's young to be a Strategos and why is he dressed like one of the Sorcerers? Interesting tattoos; they probably have some sort of meaning or else he wouldn't have them. Doesn't look like he's been out in the sun often. What the…?
"The Alseides guymelef is a multi-role fighter," the Strategos had been saying as he walked toward the silent machines. To accomplish this, he had to go through the crowd of Dragon Slayers and in doing so, his black cloak slipped aside just enough to give Colin a glimpse of his skeletal metal right arm. "Its primary function is defeating enemy guymelefs in combat on the battlefield. Due to its flight and stealth capabilities, it is also a superior pursuit, reconnaissance and interdiction craft. It is powered by twin Drag-energists, which supply the necessary power to achieve flight and to maintain the Stealth Cloaks. However, because of the massive amount of energy used for these functions, it is impossible to fly while in stealth mode. This important fact is your first lesson. Any questions?"
Myr raised his hand. "What are the weapons capabilities?"
"The Alseides lacks any formed hands, as you can clearly see. Instead, liquid metal stored within the guymelef's main power core is used by the pilot to form a multitude of weapons, ranging from a Crima Claw, a semi-liquid flail, to a hardened sword. The most difficult skill an Alseides pilot must learn is to mold and control this liquid metal."
"But isn't having liquid metal so close to the power core dangerous?" Colin asked. The Strategos raised an eyebrow. Probably offended him by questioning the Alseides' design.
"As a matter of fact, yes," the Strategos admitted, his voice as calm and even as it had been from his first words to them. Colin blinked at this frankness. "Do not be concerned; measures have been included to compensate for that particular problem. The danger to the pilot and the internal structure is minimized by a protective gel that fills the cockpit whenever the guymelef is in operation. As a matter of fact, if there are no more questions, I would like to ask you to climb into your respective guymelefs and begin familiarize yourselves to movement in the gel and with the controls. We will not begin weapons training until everyone is accustomed with the basic operation of their guymelef."
"Finally," Raul muttered as he, Gatti, Colin, Chesta and the rest ran to find their assigned guymelefs, "I thought he'd never stop talking! Forget all that crap about "multi-role fighter," let's just start flying and blowing shit up!"
"Candidate Wakiza!"
"Oh, shit! Yes, Lord Dilandau?"
SMACK! "I do not want to hear any more stupidity and recklessness from you! You will learn everything about your guymelef and you will bring a full report to me by tomorrow night. Understand?"
"Yes, Lord Dilandau." Raul trotted over to where Colin and Chesta waited by their guymelefs; Gatti's was farther down in the second rank. Noting their worried stares, Raul smiled nonchalantly as he began climbing into his cockpit. "Don't worry about me boys," he said casually, "What would the day be like if Lord Dilandau didn't slap us at least once?"
"You've got to be more careful and stop mouthing off," Chesta told him, "especially when Lord Dilandau can hear you."
Raul grunted and dropped into the control chamber. The canopy of the cockpit closed automatically, concealing him from view. Colin and Chesta glanced at each other and shrugged before climbing into their own guymelefs.
All right, what have we here? Looks like a less manually controlled 'melef than some of the models at the Academy. Targeting array, this looks like the weapons controls…don't touch them, no matter how much fun it would be. What's that noise? Oh, the protective gel the Strategos was talking about. Yuck. At least it's not cold. How far up is it supposed to go anyway? Good, it stopped.
"Aw, man! I hope this slime doesn't stain my uniform!" Colin heard a voice whine near his ear. He almost jumped out of his skin, and then realized it had to be some sort of communication device between the Alseides. That must have been Dalet. Wonder if he knows he's broadcasting?
"Hey, idiot! Everyone can hear what you're saying!" someone, probably Raul, thoughtfully informed him. Laughter echoed in Colin's cockpit and drifted across the field.
"Element, tench-hut!" Lord Dilandau snapped. There was immediate silence.
"Thank you, Dilandau," the Strategos said, his voice sounding even more inhumanly emotionless over the communications link. Colin peered out through his guymelef's eye-slit. Where did he go? Does he have his own guymelef somewhere? "Slayers, observe your commander. He will walk to the other end of the field, turn, and activate his stealth cloak. This will teach you not only how to maintain your guymelef's equilibrium, but also show you how to identify an Alseides in stealth mode, which will be important on the battle field so that you will not injure your teammates."
Lord Dilandau began pacing slowly down the field. Amazing how that suit seems to swagger like he does; this gel we're in must also be super sensitive to our movements. But fighting in stealth mode? How is one to fight an enemy when one is invisible? That is dishonorable, cowardly. I don't think I'd be able to do it, even if Lord Dilandau ordered me. I'll have to think up a way to fight honorably without angering him. Unconsciously, his hand reached for the seal case, something that had become habit without his knowing.
"Note the distortion, marked by the nearly invisible diffraction of light, which appears in outline about the cloaked Alseides. This distortion is harder to notice if the guymelef is not moving or moving very quickly. It becomes more obvious just as the Alseides begins either to cloak or decloak."
"Hey, Colin, push the small blue button on the far right side of your weapons control panel and punch in the number 04," Raul's voice sounded in his ear, "and don't say anything until you do it."
Colin did as he was told and asked, "What did that do?"
"It turned on the inter-guymelef com-link," Raul informed him, "now we can talk between ourselves without everyone else listening in. I've already taught Gatti and Ches how to do it."
"Does it work only between two 'melefs?"
"Nope. If you push the red button just below the blue button twice, and then put in the numbers for Chesta's and Gatti's 'melefs, you'll be able to talk to all three of us at once. Do that right now; Gatti and Ches are going to come online in a couple of seconds."
What amazing things happen with new technology. If the communications systems on these things are capable of inter-guymelef and multiple uplinks, what are the weapons systems like?
"Can everyone hear me?"
"Loud and clear, Colin."
"These Alseides are amazing! I can't wait until we can try them out in the air!"
"I can't wait until I'm…"
"Yes, Raul, we all know; 'blowing shit up.'"
"Shut up."
"Make me…ouch! Watch it! You'll scratch the paint job on Diana!"
"You named your Alseides 'Diana'?"
"Yeah, so?"
"No need to get so defensive about it!"
"You should name your 'melefs, too, you know. It's bad luck to not have a name for a guymelef."
"All right, mine's going to be Astrea."
"Mine will be Ophelia, no, Circe…um, Kathrine! No…how about Nemesis?"
"Just pick one already, Raul."
"A guymelef's name is very important and should have meaning to it. So shut your ignorant mouth! Hey, how much do any of you wanna bet I could barrel roll this thing?"
"Without Lord Dilandau noticing? I doubt it. You don't even know how to fly it yet."
"Shows how much you know."
"What's that supposed to mean? All right, you're on! Twenty says you can't barrel roll without Lord Dilandau killing you."
"Chesta? Colin? You want to get in on this?"
"No thanks."
"Hey, Colin, what about a name for your 'melef?"
"I don't have one just yet. Give me some time to think about it."
"YEEHAAAW!" Raul whooped and forced his guymelef into a tight barrel roll. Chesta and Colin, the former flying a little behind and to the left of Raul, the latter flying before and slightly to the right, had to quickly move out of the formation to avoid being hit.
"Are you insane?" Chesta exclaimed, panting as the adrenaline coursed through his body, "You could have killed us!"
"But I didn't," Raul said smugly, righting himself, "And now Gatti owes me twenty." Chesta and Colin drifted back into the formation.
"Just give us a warning next time," Colin told him, stifling his laughter. He understood why Raul had done it; the urge to do some acrobatics of his own was nearly overpowering. The world spread itself beneath him, the endless horizon stretching in all directions. And now there is no limit to where I can go, what I can do!
"You're lucky Lord Dilandau didn't see you," Chesta grumbled.
"You're already on his shit list, Raul," Gatti chimed in from the other side of the V-formation they were flying in, "You really don't need to be taking chances like that. I didn't really think you'd do it."
"And you're supposed to be my best friend, the guy who knows that I like vinegar on my pancakes. I'm offended."
"Raul, you like what…? That is so weird!" Colin exclaimed, laughing.
"It tastes good! Don't knock till you try it, I always say!" Raul retorted cheerfully.
"It still wasn't a good idea to do that just now," Chesta pointed out.
"All right, all right. Yeesh, you guys are the worst nags…"
"Lord Dilandau! What's wrong?" a voice cried over the link. Colin focused on the crimson guymelef at the head of the formation and saw that it was weaving about erratically. What's going on? One of his energists is smoking; it must be some sort of malfunction!
Colin punched the button that would connect him to all the others in the formation. "Lord Dilandau! Do you read?" he called out anxiously. There was no answer.
"Dragon Slayers, return to the air field," Folken ordered, "If Lord Dilandau is forced to make an emergency landing, training personnel will attend to him. Return to the airfield immediately."
The formation turned in the direction of the airfield, twenty miles to the east. They yelled encouragement to their commander, but his altitude began dropping so rapidly anyone would have known that he could not possibly make it back safely. All of them lowered their altitude to stay with him, but it would soon be too dangerous; the tree tops were coming up to meet them. There was still no response to their desperate cries.
When Lord Dilandau's craft dropped below the evergreen spires, the formation hovered hesitantly for an instant, not sure of what to do. Folken's voice crackled over the airwaves once more. "Dragon Slayers, this is a direct order: return to the air field at once. Anyone who does not obey will be considered for court martial."
"Come on," Gatti said to them, his voice choking in anger, "Let's go back. You heard him; they'll take care of Lord Dilandau. Dragon Slayers, form up!"
They reformed and lofted into the sky. All except for Colin.
"Hey, Delios! Get your ass back up here!"
"Cool it, Schaffer! Gatti, I'm going down with him."
"But, Colin…"
"It'll be all right, Ches. Let him go. Colin, no stupid heroics, got it? You're probably going to be court-martialed but I don't want you killing yourself to avoid the Inquisition."
"Aye, aye, Captain Wakiza."
"Good luck, Colin. And Sheep Boy, put a sock in it."
Colin descended in to the darkening twilight of the forest as his comrades flew back to the air field, the setting sun gleaming on their guymelefs.
Slow, slow, that's it Colin, don't want to get any nasty tree stuff on your 'melef. All right, Lord Dilandau, where did you go? These trees are bigger than they looked from the air. There he is! Mother Gaea!
The red guymelef lay on the forest floor, flat on its back, both of its energists smoking. There were long, dark marks scored into the earth, showing where Lord Dilandau had attempted to land his injured guymelef. There was no movement that Colin could see in the surrounding area and the cockpit was closed; it was most likely that his commander was still inside.
"Lord Dilandau, are you all right?" Colin asked, even though he knew it was unlikely that Lord Dilandau could respond even if he could hear his call. Colin landed, a trifle clumsily on the rougher terrain. He waited impatiently for the gel to drain away and the yoke to release him from the cockpit. He leapt from his guymelef and landed on the forest floor as lightly as a cat. Colin clambered onto the still body of the other guymelef, calling out, "Lord Dilandau? Can you hear me?"
Where is the emergency release switch? Come on, there has to be one on this thing! Ah, got it!
The cockpit hissed open, dispelling steam and gel. A form encased in black and red armor lay in the shadowed cockpit, quite still and obviously unconscious. Colin reached down and grabbed it under its arms, noting the lightness of the body. There was a slight moan as he brought it out, clasping it firmly to his body. Colin knelt down and cradled it in his arms, staring down anxiously at its pale face.
Blue eyes opened slowly and gazed up at him in confusion. "Eh?" gasped their owner.
"Don't worry, it'll be all right. Just lie still," Colin said soothingly, "You're safe now, Lady Celena."
"Ce-le-na?" the silver-haired girl questioned softly, saying the name slowly as if flavoring each syllable.
"Yes, that's who you are, that's your name," Colin told her, "Don't you remember?" Celena shook her head somewhat uncertainly.
"Name?" she asked.
"Yes, your name is Celena. My name is Colin." He pointed to himself.
"Co-lin?" she responded, pointing at him. Colin nodded and pointed at her. "Celena."
The girl frowned in puzzlement.
"You poor thing, not only did they take your identity and your future, they took your memories and your past, too." Celena cringed at the vehemence in his voice and stared at him with wide, frightened eyes. "I'm sorry," he apologized, stroking her hair till she calmed down. She has no memory, no past. She has no idea who she is or what was done to her. She's like a child! Perhaps that is a blessing. I'd better get her out of here before they come and change her back. Who knows what that will take.
"Ah," Celena whispered, stroking his cheek and smiling up at him like a child in the arms of a parent who is comforting them after a terrifying nightmare. Colin flushed and hastily, but carefully, helped Celena to her feet and was surprised to note that she was about his height. Even though she and Dilandau shared the same body, there are still physical differences between them. I wonder if…The girl laughed at the changing color in his face and reached out with both hands to explore this new marvel. Colin arrested them firmly, trying to ignore the injured expression Celena shot him.
"I'm going to get you away from this place," he said. Celena's blank look told him that she did not understand. "Come," he said, hoping that the girl would comprehend the simple word. He began walking down the length of the guymelef. With a cry, Celena reached out and grabbed his hand.
"Alone!" she wailed, "No! Please!"
"I won't leave you alone, I promise," Colin replied earnestly. She refused to let go of his hand. "All right, you're right; hold onto my hand if it makes you feel better." He guided her to the end of the guymelef and helped her to step down onto the firm mould of the forest floor. Celena stared about her in wonder, like a child seeing the world for the first time. She was so young when it happened she might as well be seeing it for the first time. Colin clenched his fist in anger. There'll be time enough to condemn the Sorcerers. How will I get her away from here and out of Zaibach? He glanced at his guymelef and quickly abandoned that idea. There were too many dangers and too much chance of failure, even if he could find a way to carry Celena as a passenger. There's only one thing to do; we have to try for Asturia. Once we cross the border, Zaibach can't get us and I can contact Sir Bjorn. He would help us, I know it. Especially considering who she is. But it's at least a five day's journey on foot. Can she do it?
There was no time to plan, no time to prepare; if they were going to escape, if she was going to escape, they would have to begin the journey now, even in the waning light of evening. Colin spared no thought for the ambitions he was leaving behind as he turned to the south and toward sanctuary. Chesta, Raul, Gatti, forgive me, but this is something I have to do. The thought of what his father might say did not even come under consideration. Colin struck out at a rapid pace, almost running, to put as much distance between them and the landing sight as possible. Celena clung to him, clearly not understanding the "why" of her companion's actions, only that she must stay with him or be alone. Thank Gaea some of the modifications that produced Dilandau are still with her. No one can keep this up forever, though. We're going to need food, shelter and we'll have to keep away from any villages between here and Asturia. They're sure to send out search parties, too. Damn it, the sun's set and I can't see the stars! If we stop now, they'll catch us! Just then, Colin stumbled upon an unseen root and fell heavily to the ground, bringing Celena with him. He heard a very audible popping noise and felt a sudden sharp pain shoot up his right leg.
"Damn it!" he cursed and sat up. He tried moving his right foot and winced at the intense throbbing pain that accompanied the motion. The ankle must be broken, or at least badly sprained. How am I going to walk on it? He cursed again.
"Bad!" Celena scolded, shaking her finger at him. Obviously, she understood or had remembered the taboo on cursing all mothers place in their children. It was such a ludicrous situation that Colin could not help but laugh. The darkness obscured Celena's features and she would easily be mistaken for Dilandau, who certainly would not have resorted to childish admonitions. Colin half expected to be slapped as he shivered, helpless in the grips of his mirth.
"Ah, my lady!" he said to her, taking her hands in his, "What a savior I turned out to be for you. Flight through a dark forest without any provisions or hope for shelter, and now I've gone and hurt myself. I apologize for the lack of the white horse and all the trappings of a proper knight. I had thought to rescue you, but it's hopeless now, I see. It seems that whatever fate was chosen for you must be fulfilled, though I would change it and the stars for you. And yet, it is not in me to surrender to fate just yet; call me a fool, for that is what I am, Fortune's fool!" He laughed again, harsh, desperate laughter. Celena seemed to be staring at him in confusion, but he could not be sure. "Well that you should look upon me like this," he continued, more to himself then to her. He began making motions to rise, "It is a humbling state and I have forgotten humility. A good knight never forgets that, you know." Very carefully, he got to his feet, or rather, foot, for his right leg would not support him at all. Panting from the exertion, he leaned against the tree that was responsible for his condition. The irony did not escape him.
"Help?" Celena queried. She placed his right arm over her shoulders, which was very awkward because of the bulky shoulder armor she wore. Colin was afraid to put his weight against her, but she pulled him away from the support of the tree and held him up.
"Hm, I suppose since I messed up rescuing you, you should do the rescuing now," Colin remarked, "Let's just keep going." The pair began hobbling southward again, much slower than they had been before. Celena began humming and Colin recognized a lullaby his aunt had sung to his younger cousins; perhaps his mother had sung it too, but he did not remember. He began singing along.
"Softly among the yellow flowers
the happy children tread their way.
The sun will shine for many hours
for their laughter, child, is the day.
Now the sun is setting fast my child
the sweet day is coming to its end.
Laugh now in your dreams so mild
to the night your brightness lend."
Celena stopped humming at the end of the verse. "What? Is my voice that bad or something?" Colin laughed.
"Pretty," Celena replied happily, "'Laugh'!" She giggled.
"Well, I'll be…" Colin said, then cut himself off just in time, "That's about the nicest thing anyone's said about my singing. Hey, look! It's getting lighter up ahead. We must be getting close to a clearing of some sort." I'll stop just to get my bearings and then we'll be on our way.
The trees thinned and soon they emerged in a wide grassy clearing, nearly half the size of the air field. Celena stopped and gaped at the wide open space before her. Colin took the time to look up at the stars, glittering points of light filling the sable expanse of the night sky. The Sword and there, ah yes, the Vigilant Guardian! Many thanks, Kane. We were drifting a bit to the west, I see. "We're set, Lady Celena, all we have to do is…" What was that?
A low, thrumming roar filled the clearing, coming from somewhere behind them. It quickly got louder, till it seemed that it, whatever it was, was nearly on top of them!
A transport! Have they found us or is this just a sweep? "Celena, we must hide!" Colin shouted, trying to drag Celena to the shelter of some nearby underbrush. But Celena was frozen in place, terror etched into her features. She knows what it means, why doesn't she run? "Celena!"
The airship roared over their position, its blazing white searchlight throwing up sharp black shadows. It continued on, disappearing over the tree line, the roar of its engine fading. They didn't see us! Colin nearly collapsed in relief. But they'll be back. Dilandau's simply too important not to do a thorough search for. He managed to urge Celena over to the bushes and began crawling toward the thick heart of the foliage. If they come back…
The roar once more filled the clearing, but it was slowing, slowing, stopping! The boxy craft landed in the clearing with an audible jar, not an arrow's flight from where they crouched. Colin peered through a small break in the leaves, holding his breath. The front dropped down in a ramp and a man garbed in the signature cloak of the Sorcerers stepped out onto it.
"We know you are here!" he shouted, looking almost directly at Colin and Celena's hiding place, "Surrender now, Dragon Slayer, and give Dilandau to us. You cannot escape and we will kill you if you do not give yourself up immediately!" The spectacles the man wore glittered with a cold light.
Colin felt Celena grab his arm and heard her whimper anxiously. "Bad man!" she moaned, "Bad man!"
"I know, I know," Colin whispered to her. She had tears glistening in her eyes. "I'm sorry Celena, I couldn't protect you. But, do you want me to die for you?"
"Die?" Celena gasped.
"Yes. If I pretend to surrender, if I act like I'm going with them, perhaps you could run! I'll fight them and they'd be too busy with me to hear someone running away. I don't care if they killed me, so long as you could get away!" he said eagerly. Celena looked at him, struggling to understand, hissing with frustration. "But you can't," Colin said heavily, "You don't know what any of this means. How would you survive on your own?"
"You have one minute to surrender, Dragon Slayer. One minute, and you will be branded a traitor, your family disgraced, and your life forfeit." Soldiers began to come down the ramp and line up in front of the airship. Colin counted at least twenty. Their swords were drawn and their captain was glaring in his direction.
No! I will not surrender! There's still a chance, there must be! But…will she understand? Will I be able to get away?"
"Celena, I want you to stay here. Stay here no matter what happens, got it?"
"Stay?" Celena bit her lip, but she understood the word.
"It'll be all right," Colin assured her, "No matter what happens to me, I want you to stay here. I promise I'll come back for you. Stay here where it's safe." He began to crawl away.
"Stay!" Celena cried, grabbing onto his leg and pulling him back. Tears were now streaming down her face, glistening silver in the starlight.
"Celena, please! I'll come back, I promise!" Colin pleaded. But Celena clung to him like a child clings to a parent about to abandon it in a strange place. Colin racked his brains for a way to make her let go and stay put, at least to distract her. Out of habit, he reached for his seal case…That's it! Quickly he removed the ivory decoration from his neck and pressed it into Celena's hands. "Here, keep this! It's my promise that I'll come back!"
Celena stared at the object in her hands and began to examine it curiously. Colin took his chance and crawled away swiftly and silently, emerging from the underbrush as far away from Celena as he could. He pulled himself upright using the low-hanging branches of a tree and slowly began hobbling forward.
Two soldiers rushed forward and roughly grabbed him by the arms, dragging him toward the airship. Colin clenched his jaw and glared at the Sorcerer who was descending the ramp to the forest floor.
"Where is he?" the Sorcerer demanded icily, peering down at Colin through his coldly shining spectacles. Colin could not see the eyes behind them, but he stubbornly met their gaze. "Answer me, boy!"
"Answer his lordship!" one of the soldiers holding him barked, accompanying his order with a sharp blow to the back of Colin's head with his gauntleted hand.
You'll have to try harder than that to make me confess. Did you not hear the man? I am a Dragon Slayer of Zaibach and everyone knows that Dragon Slayers are the elite of the elite. Confess to you? I think not. A sword flashed beneath his chin, tickling the delicate flesh of his throat and drawing the thinnest line of blood. Colin chuckled, causing the men around him to draw back in amazement, wondering if he was sane. Don't make me laugh you fools. Death is no stranger to me; in fact, he is a long overdue friend.
"That's enough, soldier!" ordered the Sorcerer. The tone of his voice changed as he regarded Colin. "This one does not fear death, it seems. Perhaps he believes himself to be invincible. Are you aware, boy, that you are mortal and that if you do not answer me, your life is over?"
"Yes," Colin answered, keeping his voice neutral, "It's not that I do not believe I cannot die. Death has no hold over me because I know it is my fate to die. If today, then why not?"
"Then why not tell us where he is?" the Sorcerer asked softly.
"What would be the point of that?" Colin shot back in the same tone of voice.
"I see. Well," the Sorcerer replied, reaching into his cloak, "there are ways to make you tell us what you know, even if you have a mind not to." He withdrew a hypodermic syringe from somewhere in his cloak, the needle glinting like a sliver of ice. He held it in front of Colin's face. "You know what this is, don't you?" he whispered. Colin glared at him, ignoring the tube of truth serum hovering mere inches from his body. Father told me about drugs like this. I can resist it if I try hard enough. I must hold onto what I believe in. Do not let me betray Celena! "Your failure to cooperate is duly noted," said the Sorcerer. He turned the syringe so that the needle pointed down and prepared to plunge it into Colin's neck.
There was a sudden piercing scream off to Colin's right, accompanied by the crashing noises of something moving swiftly, albeit clumsily, through the underbrush.
"Celena, no!" Colin shouted, struggling against his captors' grasp. Everyone, including the Sorcerer, turned toward the source of the scream and saw an armored shadow rushing at them, wailing like a damned soul. The soldiers parted, none willing to lay a hand on the demon. Celena launched herself at the Sorcerer, her weight bearing him to the ground. She began pounding the man's face, even as he screamed for help. Colin turned and bit the wrist of the man on his left, his teeth sinking deeply into the yielding flesh between the soldier's mailed jerkin and his gauntlet. Warm, salty blood gushed into his mouth. The man released him with a yelp and Colin boxed the ear of the other soldier with his free hand. The other snarled but held on grimly.
"Let go!" Colin shouted and drove his fist into the soldier's throat. The man stumbled back, clutching at his impacted windpipe. Unfortunately, without their support, Colin could not remain upright for very long. He only managed a couple of steps toward Celena before he fell to the ground, biting his bloodied lips to keep from screaming in pain. "Celena! Run! Get out of here!" He crawled, closing the distance between them. Voices, shouting, screaming obscenities swirled somewhere above them, but he gave them no mind. He seized Celena's upraised fist and bellowed in her ear, "Run, dammit! Run!" He pulled her off of the Sorcerer, who had fainted under her blows. "Run!"
Something like the sting of an insect pierced the back of his neck and a shroud of darkness fell over his eyes.
"Restrain her," a voice ordered flatly, dim in Colin's fading hearing, "and bring them both into the transport."
"Colin!" A plea he could not answer, and then the embrace of an endless black sea…
"Slayer Delios, do you understand the meaning of treason?"
"Yes, sir."
"Do you deny then, that you betrayed your country tonight?"
"Yes, sir."
"Do not mock me, Delios. Your father might be a minister…"
"That's enough, Captain. You are dismissed."
"But, Strategos…"
"You are dismissed, Captain."
"Yes, sir."
"He is gone, you may stand at ease if you like."
"Sir, I am being charged with treason, a charge I wish to contest. I am still a Dragon Slayer and loyal servant of Zaibach. Therefore, I wish to face the Inquisition as a soldier."
"You think that I am the Inquisition?"
"Sir, I was led to believe…"
"I am not your judge, boy. You will not face the Inquisition tonight, or ever."
"Sir, I do not understand."
"The captain is fond of empty threats, for he is fond of hearing his own voice. He pretends that he has more power than is due to a bureaucrat. Your father is a powerful man with powerful allies, young Delios. You can rest assured that your clan's influence saved you from disgracing them."
"My father..?"
"You have stumbled upon one of the great secrets of Zaibach. Even if you had not disobeyed orders, we could have easily found charges of treason that would allow us to execute you, at the very least throw you out of the army and into a prison cell for the rest of your life. Even wiping your memory would be a viable option in this case, and much more convenient, don't you think? Unfortunately, your father would have none of that and he has the power of committee behind him. He has no need of empty threats.
"Your punishment has been left up to me to find a suitable solution. You were not surprised when you discovered Dilandau in an altered state."
"No, sir."
"You're honest to a fault, boy. No wonder your father sent you into the army; you could never be a politician."
"Thank you, sir."
"I do not wonder how you got that information and I doubt you'd tell me if I asked. So you know of Dilandau's alter ego?"
"I know who she really is. She is an innocent girl who was corrupted by the Sorcerers in one of their sick experiments!"
"Condemning the Sorcerers is the same as condemning Emperor Dornkirk, who ordered the procedure."
"I do not believe that our Emperor would be so cold-hearted as to inflict such suffering on a child. I refuse to believe it! It must have been the Sorcerers, who saw a chance to manipulate a human being for their own ends and used excuses and lies to convince Emperor Dornkirk! It is their evil that I defy, not the will of the Emperor."
"If that is how you can reconcile such evil for the greater good, then I will not try to change your mind. You shall remain a Dragon Slayer, Delios, for I see in you a loyalty to Zaibach that cannot be swayed. This faith was tested tonight, but you gave yourself up."
"I was trying to give Celena a chance. I was going to come back for her."
"How, young Delios, how did you expect to accomplish that? Surely you knew that once you handed yourself over to the tender mercies of Zaibach, your every movement would be watched. You would have led us right to him."
"I would have found a way! I swore that I would protect her and come back to her!"
"All the same, you could not completely turn your back on your duty, your destiny. I understand that you entered the Dragon Slayers under protest?"
"No, sir. I chose."
"Hm, yet I seem to recall that you were well on your way to becoming a Knight Caeli. You abandoned such an honor because your father demanded it, didn't you?
"Silence sometimes speaks more clearly than words, boy. There is a saying in Zaibach and I wonder if you are aware of it: "bartered with like the children of Delios." Your clan has a long, outstanding tradition of selling off its progeny to futures that guarantee the continued elevation of itself. Perhaps this is why you can understand the need of sacrificing the few for the many."
"No, sir, I do not understand it. In fact, human life is not something that can be used as so many pieces of gold or animals for the slaughter. My destiny is to serve my clan and it is an honorable destiny. My father simply helped me to realize it."
"And yet you endangered this destiny, in fact the entire fortune of your clan to save one life, one life that can mean the difference between victory and defeat for Zaibach."
"I am free to choose, sir; she was not."
"So you believe in the freedom to choose, do you? It amazes me how you can say you are free to choose your own path and yet you believe in the destiny of yourself, your clan, and Zaibach."
"My destiny resolves itself, as all destinies do. All that matters is the way one goes about doing it."
"I was wrong when I said you were only fit for the army. You should have become a philosopher. But come now, there is something I want to show you…"
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"
"Stop it! What are you doing to her?"
"Slayer, you will remain here. Do not approach them."
"AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH! AAAAAAAAAAHHHH!"
"They're killing her! Let me go, let me go!"
"This is your punishment, young Delios. If you had not tried to run, Celena would not have had to go through this torment to have her changed back into Dilandau. If you had remained where you were supposed to, if you had followed orders, her suffering would have been minimal. Her screams are the result of your defiance."
"HELP! AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH! STOP! PLEASE! COLIN!"
"Do you hear that? Even though you caused this, she still cries out for you."
"No…Celena! Stop it, damn you, STOP IT! She should not be punished for my mistake! Kill me, do what you want with me, but let her go! Celena…"
"Get up, Slayer, and accept justice. You said you were willing to face judgment as a soldier, so do it. This is your Inquisition."
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry…"
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry…."
"AAAAhhh…uh…huh…huh…huh…"
"It is over. The transformation is complete."
"Strategos, the matter of the soldiers has been dealt with."
"Very good; thank you, Sergeant."
"Yes, sir."
"What 'matter' are you talking about?"
"You were accused of treason in front of twenty men. The Sorcerer has agreed to keep silent, but there is only one way to guarantee that the others will keep their vow."
"You…killed them."
"I, Colin? Was it not you that turned fugitive? Their blood is on your hands and the grief of their families is your doing. Do not think that you are above guilt simply because you have evaded more serious punishment. Where are you going?"
"I am a Dragon Slayer, and thanks to you, I will remain one. If it is not contrary to your will, I would like to renew my pledge of fealty to Lord Dilandau."
"Do so, Dragon Slayer."
"Lord Dilandau? Ah, but you are asleep, I see. Can you hear me, my lady? If you can, know that I swear my life and my honor to you and to no other. I failed you once, when I failed to protect you. It will not happen again. I will never leave your side, until I see your destiny fulfilled and you are returned to your rightful form. Know that I, Colin Delios, of the House of Delios, do hereby renew my oath of loyalty to Lord Dilandau and to Zaibach! And I swear it to you, Lady Celena."
A whispered oath and a guardian's kiss on a brow smoothed by the sleep of exhaustion.
"This was found in his hand. I believe it is yours."
"It is. Thank you, Strategos."
"The transport back to Fort Prolieato will depart in one hour. Be on it."
"Yes, sir."
"And Delios…"
"Yes, sir?"
"Remember that only three people in Gaea now hold the truth of what happened. See to it that it remains that way."
"Yes, sir."
Author's note: Credit is given William Shakespeare for lines from his plays "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and "Much Ado About Nothing," and for coining the term, "Fortune's fool." (Romeo and Juliet).