Episode Fifteen: Close to Crystal

Escaflowne: Dreams of Destiny

Previously on Escaflowne: Dreams of Destiny

It is a long week for Gaea when Kirei and Rallin finally reveal (most) of their pasts to Van and Hitomi, and a more limited version of their story. Meanwhile, the new Ebony Clan Leader, Hikeshi, and his troops are heading to attack what has been keeping Goshem from victory - specifically the Keeper and the Dragon. This would all be fine for Hikeshi had it not been they were going against orders...


Hitomi's eyes were wide with shock as she saw the guymelefs. Was this... was this what Folken meant when he said this place would be important to me? But why? I haven't 'seen' the key here... Suddenly, she felt Escaflowne turn suddenly. She let out a small gasp.

"I'm sorry, Hitomi. But I won't let them hurt you, and if I land they will kill both of us." Van's voice was apologetic, and although his eyes were on the surrounding guymelefs. "I'm so sorry Hitomi, for bringing you here."

"Don't be sorry Van. I should be sorry for putting you into this position. Without me you could fight. In any case, we had no idea that this would happen. I never even saw it in the cards."

"Hitomi I-"

***

"What a sweet reunion Fanelia." Hikeshi sneered at the young couple, effectively breaking their moment. Hikeshi had never been one for emotions, and LOVE of all things being the most prominent... he hated to see them.

Van Fanel whipped his head towards the voice, and turned to be facing a guymelef not unlike those he had destroyed years ago... the Alseidies. Van blinked. It looked like the Alseidies but... it couldn't be. It couldn't possibly be. When Zaibach had been asssimilated into the other countries of Gaea, mostly Goshem, it was an order that all their melefs be destroyed. Coming from Van, as one of the key leaders in the Alliance, he refused to let his brother's technology be used to kill. Again. But this was the same weaponry as on... Dilandau's Alseidies. In a flash, Van remembered a key detail to the last Great War. The red Alseidies... it had been ampuated, but the pieces had been intact. And they had never known who had taken them.

Van, still keeping Hitomi close, stiffened to face his attacker. "Who are you?"


Rallin still felt unsure of what his place was, though the Keeper (he still couldn't look her in the eye, or call her by name) and the Dragon had accepted willingly. It was an easiness that hadn't left him since they had arrived back in Freid, and he was not sure what the cause was. Suddenly, all alone in his room, he saw a glow coming from a spot under his shirt. He had forgotten, in all the events leading up to this point, that he still wore the necklace of the Ebony Clan. It signified the unity, and, with only the General and the sorcerers knowing why, glowed when another group in the Clan was attacking. But if it flashed now... and his own group was dead... to Rallin that could only mean...

Hikeshi. He had come to attack, and Rallin was sure it would be against the Keeper. Despite who he had once fought for, he knew he had to help.

In a dead sprint, he headed towards where Minuit was stored. And he also headed for Kirei. They needed all the help they could get.

***

Only a half hour later Rallin, Kirei, and the Crusade where heading to where Rallin had said the Warriors were. Kirei and Rallin were flying just ahead of the Crusade, going as fast as their melefs would go. They were also having a yelling conversation.

"How on Gaea do you know they are attacking?"

"You don't believe me Fanel?"

"It isn't that... well yes it is. How?"

"When I became a Ebony Clan Warrior we were given necklaces that would notify us if a fellow Warrior or Group was attacking, or needed help. The necklace flashed this morning."

"I'll accept that, but then how do you know where they are? There is no way only a necklace could tell you where."

"The necklace gives us a direction. It glows brighter as we near the target. It was part of the challenge as a Warrior. See?" Rallin held up the glowing necklace, shaped in the fashion of a talon. "It's getting brighter. We're almost there."

Kirei squinted at the pendant. It was still quite small, and he was a few metres away from Rallin and his guymelef. "If you say so. Let's hurry."

"If we weren't hurrying, why would we even be going?" With that, Rallin flew further ahead.


"I am Hikeshi Nimlos Barruchi. The leader of the Ebony Clan Warriors." Hikeshi smiled, though no one could have seen it. "Now King Fanel, let us dispose of all the formalities. Give us the Keeper."

Van, knowing what he meant, surged with anger. "I will never give you Hitomi. Not on my life."

"Is that true then? If it means killing you and the Keeper to secure Goshem's victory then so be it. Warriors, in formation."

"We are ready, Lord Hikeshi."

"Fanelia... prepare to die."

***

"Are we getting close?" Kirei yelled to Rallin. "I can feel Escaflowne."

"We are close. Your turn to explain. How do you know that... Van and Escaflowne are there?"

"The melefs can sense each other. They only react when a Fanel is nearby."

Rallin smiled. The Ispano guymelefs were truly amazing. "Let's go. It is only a half hour until we reach the battlefield."

***

"Van," Hitomi whispered, "fly by the trees, before the Alseidies comes very close to us. I will jump off there, and then you will be able to fight."

"But Hitomi, there is a good chance you will get hurt. I don't want that." Van's ruby eyes were still on the slow approaching melefs.

"There is a greater chance of both of us dying if I stay here. Van, please. I can handle it, and they will not know where I am."

"Hitomi..."

Before the decision could be made, Hikeshi was suddenly right in front of them. It appeared that his version of the Alseidies had a stealth cloak too.

***

Allen was in the loading area of the Crusade, prepping Scherezade. Though it was true that as long as the past remained as it was, he and the King of Fanelia would never be close friends. But they were comrades during war, and war this was. He could not let a King of a country die, no matter who they were, as long as they were not enemies. And he knew Van. He would help.

***

"Looks like you are trapped Fanelia. Rumours were that you could see through the stealth cloaks. I guess popular imagination lies. Too bad for you."

Van gritted his teeth instead of responding. It had been five years since he had last tried to see the invisible, and he wondered if he could still do it. Just then, he felt a small stream of warm breath touch his ear. Hitomi wanted to whisper something.

"I know we cannot get out of this Van," whispered Hitomi, "and I know that I am a danger to you. But until you can see the invisible without effort, let me help. I can still do it."

"Are you sure, Hitomi?"

"Yes Van. He is here because of me. This is my battle too. We will fight together."

***

Chid Czar Freid looked out the window. Many miles away, in Freid's Tourain Valley, a battle was going to occur, and he, as Freid's ruler, was not there. And Chid felt guilty for that. Their collective enemy, Fanelia, Freid, and Asturia; was attacking and he himself could do nothing - nothing - against them.

"Is something wrong Chid?" Millerna's lilting voice wafted into the room.

"Hm? Oh, Aunt Millerna. Nothing really. Just thinking."

"About what Chid?"

"This war. I'm just as helpless as I was at five years. Five years later and you think that I would at least be able to defend my own country."

Millerna looked at him sadly. Her little nephew, forced to age and mature and he was only 11. "Chid you can't blame yourself. You were only five when you lost the last of your parents and... were made to rule a country. No normal child does t hat. You have done, and are doing the best you can."

Chid remained silent for a moment. Then, hugging his Aunt, said, very softly, "Thank you Aunt Millerna."

***

The guymelefs, ALL the guymelefs, had disappeared. If you couldn't "see" it, it would look like Tourain Valley was completely empty - save for Escaflowne. But in a small way to Van, he could see what appeared to be very faint outlines. But to Hitomi, she could see the at least dozen guymelefs surrounding them. And coming towards them.

"Van."

"Hitomi."

"There are three melefs on our left, four on our right, five far ahead of us, and Hikeshi 10 yards away. If we fly straight up, and you use Escaflowne's sword, we at least should be able to take out two on our sides." She paused. "At least, theoretically, it should be possible."

"It is possible. Are you ready, Hitomi?" Van held the reins ready. He felt her settle where she would both be shielded, and where she could get the best view of the battlefield. "It looks like this battle is about to begin."

Without another word from either of them, Escaflowne soared straight up into the sky, just as the Goshem soldiers began the attack.

***

"It's started." Rallin's voice, though he was still shouting, was sombre. "The battle. It's started."

Kirei was absolutely mystified. Although Rallin had yelled it to him SEVERAL times while they were heading towards the "battle" it still didn't make sense to Kirei how a simple necklace could tell someone so much. Rallin's pendant nearly confused him as much as the pendant his cousin and Lady Hitomi shared. No matter. If Rallin said the battle started, it probably had started. And that would mean they'd have to hurry.

***

True to Hitomi's plan, as Escaflowne rose, Van had managed to take out two of the guymelefs. But there were still at least 10, let alone how many were still waiting, and even with Van's skills, Hitomi's ability and strategy, and Escaflowne's sheer power... there was no way that they could last for very long.

"I'm so sorry Hitomi."

"Don't worry Van. I'm glad to still be with you, no matter what happens."

Just then Hikeshi's Alseidies made itself known as it fired a barrage of metal claws at Escaflowne.

And just then - our calvary arrived.


Hello!!

I'm actually getting quite sad, I'm getting close to ending this fanfiction, but don't worry, this battle (for the last key if any of you were paying attention) should last at least 3 episodes, since I'm going into detail - YAY!!! Besides the Crystal Key is only the beginning to the final battle when...

I'm not supposed to give a whole lot away since I'm not even close to finishing. But I've got the outlines!!! And, gomen, but I'm focused on a LOT more than just this fanfiction (though it takes up a large portion of my computer time). My Gundam Wing page, [Believe In Me] is going to go up, and I need to figure out what I'm going to use as the plot in THAT continuation... Will you guys read it? Huh? Pretty-please?? I'll only start it when THIS fanfiction is finished though, I promise. Oh yeah. My second version of a continuation should be getting an outline soon so... I'm so busy!

Also, I hope you liked this chapter, and *** between scenes means it's all happening in AROUND the same area, and time. Oh yes. Can someone tell me how to spell the name of Dilandau's guymelef from the series? I spell it ALSEIDIES but that doesn't look right...

Kisses to all my Readers and Reviewers!

Angelic1090
04.08.2001
Read and Review!!