Disclaimer: I do not own anything of Escaflowne. I only own Rika, Kat,
Alex, Nicole, Blue, Jewel, Narisia and the new DS. Please ask me if you
wish to use them.
Author's Note: Hey, this is the last chapter of Shadow Warrior! Yes, the story is coming to a halt. I'm so happy that this story has been such a success! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed and read this story!
Chapter Twenty-Five: Angels Are Guarding Me
Time had completely stopped. The air didn't move; the world didn't turn, and the atoms didn't even stir. Yet one person stood alone in a room filled with upcoming death. She was Rika Avalon. She looked about her; she had successfully stopped time at the moment before Jewel's death. Why had she done it? Simply to try and undo it.
The death that was to take place here, today, right now, need not happen. If only they had gotten to her sooner… But they had tried that already. It hadn't worked. So now they were here, in the same place she had seen them. The Dark Moon Daughter had handled herself well, but if only she knew what was to come as Rika did. If only it was in her power to change it… No, it wasn't. Rika had gone back to this moment a thousand times, looking for an answer to the question she had.
But no matter how many times she came back, no matter how many situations she created or disposed of, she could not change what Destiny had in store. She looked around one last time. She walked over to her lover, Dallet. In one time they had been in great love, not willing to lose the other without reason. Willing to die just to keep their love going.
It was going to be destroyed. They would die, and their love could never fully develop. She would have to leave him with a memory of her… She could live on, but he couldn't. Surely if there was another way she would take it, another path to walk down, another situation she hadn't thought of. But the choices were gone; it was out of her hands now.
Tears began to slowly slide down her face. No, she couldn't lose him like this! No, she couldn't let it happen! Not this way, not like this! Couldn't… Couldn't…. The word echoed inside her head like a bell. Couldn't… There was no way she could stop it. Rika Avalon, the girl with the powers of any Fate, had to submit to Destiny. The one thing she couldn't control… The one thing she wanted so badly to protect and keep, to treasure and to love, would be ripped away from her.
Couldn't… Couldn't… She reached out and gently stoked Dallet's skin. So cold, yet warm. Smooth but faint, like it was going to slip out of her grasp in seconds, forever out of reach. Couldn't… How could this happen? Couldn't… She wouldn't be able to stop it. Couldn't… She would rather die then let him go. Couldn't… The word closed in on her like darkness. The one thing she couldn't escape for all eternity would haunt her for the rest of her life. Couldn't…
She placed a kiss on Dallet's forehead, a small good-bye. She began to turn around, to resume time, to die once again, but she stopped. Hesitated, frozen with one last wish. One that only she could fulfill. She turned back and stared at the frozen figure of her love. He didn't move, only stared straight ahead with the same look she had seen a thousand times on his face. She went up to him and kissed him one last time on the lips.
"Good-bye, sweet Knight. Forever will our love be," she whispered against his sweet lips. She turned around and walked back to her exact spot next to Kat. Dare she risk another look at him before it happens? She bowed her head and closed her eyes, saying a quiet but desperate prayer. She opened her eyes and time once again resumed.
****
Kat watched as Jewel hit the ground. She remained still, totally still. She couldn't believe it… Another gone…
Short lived. Jewel sat up, her eyes blank. "Not yet, I go you go!" She screamed, her voice not her own. An arm suddenly came ripping out of her chest. Long and spindly, dark red in color with small spike all over it, it shot forth towards Kat. It's long, think fingers were agile and extremely talented at finding its target, and the long, sharp, twisted claws at the end of each one proved fatal.
It was quick. Within milliseconds it had attached itself to Kat's throat, cutting off her air supply and ripping open her neck. Shocked, Kat tried to claw away at it, but it proved pointless. Blood began to soak her clothes, spilling freely from her neck. Her eyes began to roll up into her head.
Just then Nicole and Alex burst into the room. They saw Kat and were immediately by her side. But yet, they did not see the other two exact arms rip out of Jewel's chest and shoot forth. The hands attached themselves to Nicole and Alex's necks, ripping them open also. Both struggled like Kat, but both lost. Blood splattered everywhere, and their clothes were soaked.
The rest of the Dragon Slayers entered on the scene, and froze. Paralyzed with the fear of the site before them, they stood staring, unable to move. Just then a figure leapt from the shadows. A male, 5"7'. Short brown hair, icy-blue eyes, and a sleek build wearing a black trench coat with the Dragon Slayer shoulder pads on top of it. He pulled out his sword and came up behind Jewel. Everyone recognized him as Vince Draymar, the talented assassin for Zaibach.
Kat, struggling to breathe, looked at Alex and Nicole. They shared a mutual thought. As if in slow motion, Vince pulled back his sword and swung. The blade sliced through the air, smoothly, deadly. A second before steal met flesh, Nicole, Alex and Kat all released their energy.
It happened so fast, the normal eye could not catch it. The Protectors glowed, then stopped as the glowing shot up the arms and into Jewel. At the exact moment Jewel was hit with the energy, the blade cut through her first layer of skin and hastily made its way through the rest of the skin, muscle veins and bone.
As the sword came through, and Jewel's disembodied head began to fall, her body emitted a flash. The flash was bright, blinding everyone. It seemed to stay bright for hours, day, months at a time. It seemed lengthy, long, stretched out. But in time, it was only five seconds long.
There was the sound of lightning and thunder as the light disappeared. When it disappeared, and everyone opened their eyes, Jewel was no where to be seen. All that was left of her was some ashes, and the arms that had sprouted from her chest were still attached to Kat, Alex and Nicole, who were laying lifeless on the floor.
Vince sheathed his sword and looked as Miguel, Chesta, and Dilandau all rushed forward to help the three Protectors. Dallet turned and looked at Rika, who was still standing where she had been before. She seemed strangely out of place… He slowly walked up to her. As he reached her side, he realized that she was crying. He put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her to him. She buried her face in his chest.
Dallet watched as the three forms of the Protectors where tended to by their husbands. Miguel was over Alex, his hands shaking so bad that he could barely shake her. Chesta was sobbing over Nicole, shaking her over and over again. And Dilandau was bent close over Kat and Dallet wasn't sure what he was doing.
Dilandau gather Kat into his arms. Her neck was torn open, and she was losing blood very fast. He turned around and looked at his group. This would take time.
****
Three Months Later…
Rika stood next to Dallet, staring out a window. It had taken time, but she had finally told him everything. He had understood. They were to be married in the next two months. She sighed and fingered the ring on her finger. She had had it ever since she could remember, a gift from her time in the future, you could say. It was her ring from Dallet, and she never took it off. She gave a small smile as she watched the scene below them.
The new Dragon Slayers had adapted nicely and they were a complete team. Rydia was also a Dragon Slayer; she really was an undercover agent for Zaibach. The bandits had been returned to Fanellian, escaped the battle once they had all come around and the Dragon Slayers weren't back yet.
The Protectors had come close to death, but had not lost the battle. They were still recovering, still very weak. But at least they were out of the Medical Bay. Alex was sitting under a tree, reading while Miguel sparred with Zaiyane close by. Nicole was leaning against Chesta talking a walk, and Dilandau was being himself, over protective of Kat.
Ever since she had almost died in his arms, he had made sure she had taken her medicine, rested, ate and didn't put herself in any harm or stress. Although Miguel and Chesta had done the same for Nicole and Alex, Dilandau was still fussing over Kat and it was starting to get on her nerves. Right now Kat was lying on the grass staring up at the perfectly blue sky with Dilandau close by, keeping an eye on her.
Rika chuckled softly. She had told the Dragon Slayers that she had been the one to put dampeners on their powers. It was crucial that she did it, and she apologized to them. They accepted it and everything as fine, but the dampener was still in place for their own good. Everything would be alright, it wouldn't turn out like the last thousand times she had done it. Things were finally going right for once. And everyone was happy.
*~~*
THE END
Author's Note: Wow, the last of Shadow Warrior. Amazing! This is my longest story yet, 26 chapters! I'd like to thank everyone who has supported me in this story, and everyone who has read and reviewed it! It means so much to me to see people who really enjoy my work. I feel so happy to see people who like it and like to read it. It makes my life so much happier and it's also people like those who make it worth while to write. Thanks again for everything!
-ShadowKat
Author's Note: Hey, this is the last chapter of Shadow Warrior! Yes, the story is coming to a halt. I'm so happy that this story has been such a success! Thanks to everyone who has reviewed and read this story!
Chapter Twenty-Five: Angels Are Guarding Me
Time had completely stopped. The air didn't move; the world didn't turn, and the atoms didn't even stir. Yet one person stood alone in a room filled with upcoming death. She was Rika Avalon. She looked about her; she had successfully stopped time at the moment before Jewel's death. Why had she done it? Simply to try and undo it.
The death that was to take place here, today, right now, need not happen. If only they had gotten to her sooner… But they had tried that already. It hadn't worked. So now they were here, in the same place she had seen them. The Dark Moon Daughter had handled herself well, but if only she knew what was to come as Rika did. If only it was in her power to change it… No, it wasn't. Rika had gone back to this moment a thousand times, looking for an answer to the question she had.
But no matter how many times she came back, no matter how many situations she created or disposed of, she could not change what Destiny had in store. She looked around one last time. She walked over to her lover, Dallet. In one time they had been in great love, not willing to lose the other without reason. Willing to die just to keep their love going.
It was going to be destroyed. They would die, and their love could never fully develop. She would have to leave him with a memory of her… She could live on, but he couldn't. Surely if there was another way she would take it, another path to walk down, another situation she hadn't thought of. But the choices were gone; it was out of her hands now.
Tears began to slowly slide down her face. No, she couldn't lose him like this! No, she couldn't let it happen! Not this way, not like this! Couldn't… Couldn't…. The word echoed inside her head like a bell. Couldn't… There was no way she could stop it. Rika Avalon, the girl with the powers of any Fate, had to submit to Destiny. The one thing she couldn't control… The one thing she wanted so badly to protect and keep, to treasure and to love, would be ripped away from her.
Couldn't… Couldn't… She reached out and gently stoked Dallet's skin. So cold, yet warm. Smooth but faint, like it was going to slip out of her grasp in seconds, forever out of reach. Couldn't… How could this happen? Couldn't… She wouldn't be able to stop it. Couldn't… She would rather die then let him go. Couldn't… The word closed in on her like darkness. The one thing she couldn't escape for all eternity would haunt her for the rest of her life. Couldn't…
She placed a kiss on Dallet's forehead, a small good-bye. She began to turn around, to resume time, to die once again, but she stopped. Hesitated, frozen with one last wish. One that only she could fulfill. She turned back and stared at the frozen figure of her love. He didn't move, only stared straight ahead with the same look she had seen a thousand times on his face. She went up to him and kissed him one last time on the lips.
"Good-bye, sweet Knight. Forever will our love be," she whispered against his sweet lips. She turned around and walked back to her exact spot next to Kat. Dare she risk another look at him before it happens? She bowed her head and closed her eyes, saying a quiet but desperate prayer. She opened her eyes and time once again resumed.
****
Kat watched as Jewel hit the ground. She remained still, totally still. She couldn't believe it… Another gone…
Short lived. Jewel sat up, her eyes blank. "Not yet, I go you go!" She screamed, her voice not her own. An arm suddenly came ripping out of her chest. Long and spindly, dark red in color with small spike all over it, it shot forth towards Kat. It's long, think fingers were agile and extremely talented at finding its target, and the long, sharp, twisted claws at the end of each one proved fatal.
It was quick. Within milliseconds it had attached itself to Kat's throat, cutting off her air supply and ripping open her neck. Shocked, Kat tried to claw away at it, but it proved pointless. Blood began to soak her clothes, spilling freely from her neck. Her eyes began to roll up into her head.
Just then Nicole and Alex burst into the room. They saw Kat and were immediately by her side. But yet, they did not see the other two exact arms rip out of Jewel's chest and shoot forth. The hands attached themselves to Nicole and Alex's necks, ripping them open also. Both struggled like Kat, but both lost. Blood splattered everywhere, and their clothes were soaked.
The rest of the Dragon Slayers entered on the scene, and froze. Paralyzed with the fear of the site before them, they stood staring, unable to move. Just then a figure leapt from the shadows. A male, 5"7'. Short brown hair, icy-blue eyes, and a sleek build wearing a black trench coat with the Dragon Slayer shoulder pads on top of it. He pulled out his sword and came up behind Jewel. Everyone recognized him as Vince Draymar, the talented assassin for Zaibach.
Kat, struggling to breathe, looked at Alex and Nicole. They shared a mutual thought. As if in slow motion, Vince pulled back his sword and swung. The blade sliced through the air, smoothly, deadly. A second before steal met flesh, Nicole, Alex and Kat all released their energy.
It happened so fast, the normal eye could not catch it. The Protectors glowed, then stopped as the glowing shot up the arms and into Jewel. At the exact moment Jewel was hit with the energy, the blade cut through her first layer of skin and hastily made its way through the rest of the skin, muscle veins and bone.
As the sword came through, and Jewel's disembodied head began to fall, her body emitted a flash. The flash was bright, blinding everyone. It seemed to stay bright for hours, day, months at a time. It seemed lengthy, long, stretched out. But in time, it was only five seconds long.
There was the sound of lightning and thunder as the light disappeared. When it disappeared, and everyone opened their eyes, Jewel was no where to be seen. All that was left of her was some ashes, and the arms that had sprouted from her chest were still attached to Kat, Alex and Nicole, who were laying lifeless on the floor.
Vince sheathed his sword and looked as Miguel, Chesta, and Dilandau all rushed forward to help the three Protectors. Dallet turned and looked at Rika, who was still standing where she had been before. She seemed strangely out of place… He slowly walked up to her. As he reached her side, he realized that she was crying. He put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her to him. She buried her face in his chest.
Dallet watched as the three forms of the Protectors where tended to by their husbands. Miguel was over Alex, his hands shaking so bad that he could barely shake her. Chesta was sobbing over Nicole, shaking her over and over again. And Dilandau was bent close over Kat and Dallet wasn't sure what he was doing.
Dilandau gather Kat into his arms. Her neck was torn open, and she was losing blood very fast. He turned around and looked at his group. This would take time.
****
Three Months Later…
Rika stood next to Dallet, staring out a window. It had taken time, but she had finally told him everything. He had understood. They were to be married in the next two months. She sighed and fingered the ring on her finger. She had had it ever since she could remember, a gift from her time in the future, you could say. It was her ring from Dallet, and she never took it off. She gave a small smile as she watched the scene below them.
The new Dragon Slayers had adapted nicely and they were a complete team. Rydia was also a Dragon Slayer; she really was an undercover agent for Zaibach. The bandits had been returned to Fanellian, escaped the battle once they had all come around and the Dragon Slayers weren't back yet.
The Protectors had come close to death, but had not lost the battle. They were still recovering, still very weak. But at least they were out of the Medical Bay. Alex was sitting under a tree, reading while Miguel sparred with Zaiyane close by. Nicole was leaning against Chesta talking a walk, and Dilandau was being himself, over protective of Kat.
Ever since she had almost died in his arms, he had made sure she had taken her medicine, rested, ate and didn't put herself in any harm or stress. Although Miguel and Chesta had done the same for Nicole and Alex, Dilandau was still fussing over Kat and it was starting to get on her nerves. Right now Kat was lying on the grass staring up at the perfectly blue sky with Dilandau close by, keeping an eye on her.
Rika chuckled softly. She had told the Dragon Slayers that she had been the one to put dampeners on their powers. It was crucial that she did it, and she apologized to them. They accepted it and everything as fine, but the dampener was still in place for their own good. Everything would be alright, it wouldn't turn out like the last thousand times she had done it. Things were finally going right for once. And everyone was happy.
*~~*
THE END
Author's Note: Wow, the last of Shadow Warrior. Amazing! This is my longest story yet, 26 chapters! I'd like to thank everyone who has supported me in this story, and everyone who has read and reviewed it! It means so much to me to see people who really enjoy my work. I feel so happy to see people who like it and like to read it. It makes my life so much happier and it's also people like those who make it worth while to write. Thanks again for everything!
-ShadowKat