Escaflowne: Dreams of Destiny
Previously on Escaflowne: Dreams of Destiny
The battle rages on, Kirei leading his attackers into the water, Van and Hitomi fighting them from above, and Allen fighting them on land. Rallin is caught in a duel with the man that destroyed his soldiers. And much to their horror, Van and Hitomi discover reinforcements... and a weapon not unlike the tool used by Basram in the last war... one of mass destruction...
[AN: (Expect a lot more of these as I near the end.) The names I gave our four heroes (Dragon, Keeper, Eagle, Raven) refer to Van, Hitomi, Kirei, and Rallin respectfully. Van was referred to as the Dragon in the series, Hitomi is the Keeper of the Keys in this, Kirei's melef was originally supposed to be the Japanese word for 'eagle' and is what it looks like when it flies (only bigger - duh), and Rallin is the Raven because of his "darkness". This is also why his guymelef is called "Minuit" or midnight. Also, unlike Van's Kirei and Rallin can fight in the armour form of their melef in the sky - different versions of suits. This chapter is also VERY long, and is a gift to all Escaflowne fans out there as April 12 is Van's 20th birthday! ^_^]
Kirei slashed through the remainder of the melefs fighting him, and looked up at the sky. Why was Escaflowne flying away? Kirei let the thoughts run through his head.
Perhaps they were going after the last key? Or maybe... they had found more of that blasted invisible enemy. Either way...
Kirei knew he had to help.
Adelphus looked at the sorcerors. "Are the lines ready for communication?"
They all bowed deeply. "Yes, Lord General. Lines to the remaining Ebony Clan warriors are open."
"Remaining?" Adelphus questioned, one eyebrow raised. "Hikeshi had a dozen melefs in his unit. You mean to tell me they are all dead?"
"I am afraid so, Lord General."
"And the troops I sent?"
"All right, General. About to commence attack on the Dragon, Keeper, and Eagle."
"Very well. Open lines. I have something to talk about with Hikeshi."
Hikeshi was thrown back with the force of Rallin's hit. He snarled, and was about to return the blow when he heard a slight buzz that could only mean...
"Hikeshi Nimlos Barruchi. You have disobeyed my orders." Adelphus' voice was cruel and stern. "Now what do you have to reply in your defence?"
His leader's voice made Hikeshi straighten, and stand very still. Dimly, he was aware that he was in a very vulnerable position. But he didn't really care. Hikeshi Barruchi wasn't sure which fate was worse - being killed at the hands of the man he loathed with all his being; or being punished by Adelphus.
***
Rallin heard the voice of Adelphus as well. It was then that he was reminded he had been a Ebony Clan Warrior for years, and it was only recently that he had switched sides. Odd, Rallin thought he would never become accustomed to fighting alongside his former targets, but Van Fanel and Hitomi Kanzaki had made him feel welcome - and a part of the group Rallin knew had for months only been three - they, and Kirei. Kirei too, had been very understanding.
Even after I blamed him for years for the death of my family. Rallin cringed. But he would wait. It was very possible that in the words Adelphus would say to Hikeshi... there would be something useful for his side.
***
"I'm very sorry, my Lord Gener-"
"Do not talk Hikeshi. You have failed. All twelve of your unit are dead, their melefs destroyed. What do you have to say for yourself?"
Hikeshi was stunned. All twelve - dead? He opened the visor, and with horrified eyes, saw the fire that had been his soldiers. In only a few hours... he had lost.
"Nothing Barruchi? It doesn't matter. I have sent the energy matter cannon and melefs to destroy the Dragon, Keeper, and Eagle. It doesn't matter." It was apparent that Adelphus had no idea that Rallin was listening in. "For attacking without my consent, and above all, failing even though I approved of it later, you are to come back to base. You will be given a new mission as well. Over and out." The line disconnected.
Hikeshi was so pale. Without even looking back at Rallin, he flew into the air and left.
A few minutes later, Rallin left as well, to stop the new troops - and the new weapon - from killing his newfound companions - and the last hope Gaea had for peace.
***
Kirei caught up with Escaflowne after a few minutes. "Van, Hitomi. Where are you heading? What's happened?"
Van was concentrating on the task ahead, so Hitomi turned to Kirei to explain. "There are more Goshem guymelefs up ahead, heading straight for us. And they have an energy cannon. It is probably powerful enough to kill anyone in a large radius.
"Gods..." Just as Kirei was about to ask another question, he saw the Minuit coming up from behind. Escaflowne and Ikari paused to wait for him.
"Rallin," said Hitomi, about to explain.
"I know. We have to hurry. I left Schezar back there to clean up."
"Let's go then," said Van firmly.
"Are they following according to prediction?"
"Yes. The Dragon, Keeper, Eagle and Raven are heading towards the troops."
"Is the energy cannon charged?"
"Yes. We are ready to fire at any time."
"Very well. Send word to the General."
***
Hitomi could feel her nervousness step up as they neared the melefs. It was disconcerting, the way they all just stood there. As if they knew what was going to happen... Thoughts ran through her head, about what could happen, what the outcome of this could possibly be. And then... she fainted.
:: Hitomi's Vision ::
They were all heading towards the new troops. And in her dream, as in the real world, Hitomi still had that feeling of uneasiness. That 'something-bad-is-about-to-happen' feeling. But what was it? What could it be?
And as if she were suddenly taken out of the flight, and had become an observer, like when she was in a movie theatre, she watched in horror as the enemy fired the energy cannon. But this cannon was not the one they were heading towards. No. Those troops were a division, meant to divert their - her - attention from feeling the energy from the sky. The cannon - and the troops - were in the sky, ready to fly and attack. She nearly screamed when they fired the cannon in the sky... taking out all of the troops... how could they have sacrificed their own men... and Escaflowne, Ikari, and Minuit.
Feeling an emptiness, and filled with horror at the same time, Hitomi was shocked. She let loose a scream into the sky as everything went black. "VAN!!!!"
:: End Vision ::
Hitomi felt herself being shaken awake, and heard Van's voice asking her urgently. "Hitomi? Hitomi? Please wake up?" She blinked up at him, haze fogging her mind. Suddenly, she started in alarm, and straightened again, noticing that not only had Van stopped, but that Kirei and Rallin had as well.
"That vision!" Hitomi's voice was hysterical, and to calm her down Van was rubbing broad circles gently on her back.
"What vision, Hitomi? What did you see?"
"The soldiers we are heading towards. Van, Kirei, Rallin. It's all a trap. They are just there to throw us off. Van... look at the sky." Hitomi shook again, and just for a moment, Van held her closer. What he saw nearly made him let go in shock. In the sky, just ahead of them, was a floating energy bomb. The very same design that Basram had used. A design that would wipe out all of Freid as a result. Van blinked. There were guymelefs there as well - to Van, no doubt so they could destroy any survivors.
"Gods... if we hadn't looked, if you hadn't seen, Hitomi. We would have been destroyed."
"Seen what, Lord Van?" It was the first time Rallin had actually said his name, but that didn't matter. Nothing mattered but surviving now.
"In the sky, if you picture seeing a red pendant swinging, and clearing all illusions there are guymelefs up there, and they look capable of flying while in flight. There is also an energy bomb like Basram's... It would have killed us."
"But how do you see it? I believe, but unless Rallin and I can see the invisible as well, there is little chance we will even have a chance."
Knowing the need, and also knowing that the enemy had to wait for them to put the plan in action, the three melefs flew close together making a 3-prong pinwheel shape, and Hitomi and Van began to explain the art of seeing the unseen.
***
A half-hour later, Hitomi satisfied at what all three could see, and having Rallin sense how many melefs there were with his pendant, they formulated a plan that would allow them all to live - hopefully. There was always a hidden danger to things, and having gone through battles and wars respectfully, all four knew that.
Escaflowne would go for the energy cannon in the sky.
Minuit would go after the cannon and troops on land, being there were only five melefs and the cannon.
Ikari would attack the ten melefs in the sky.
"Gods bless," said Hitomi.
"Gods bless," they all replied before they split up.
***
Just before Escaflowne would take off, Van and Hitomi sent word to Allen.
"Schezar can you hear me?" Van's voice crackled through Scherezade's voice-link.
"Fanel. Where on Gaea are you? Khristos just left me here."
"Stop complaining Allen. There are two energy cannons aimed for Freid. We are going to destroy them. Get back to Freid as soon as you can and give word for the city to be evacuated." Hitomi's cross voice made Allen quiet immediately.
"No questions?" said Van, "Very well. Hopefully, we will see you in a while. Gods bless."
"Gods bless." said Allen, solemnly, before he sped back to the Crusade and gave orders to SPEED to Freid's capital.
When the connection broke, Hitomi and Van shared a tender kiss, and then nodding to each other, headed towards a deceptively empty sky.
***
Rallin went for the cannon first. Three well-placed blows destroyed it, though the melefs guarding it had provided resistance, Rallin had taken out three of them, destroying their energistes. He then went back to work on the cannon, only placing one large swipe with his sword before the melefs had attacked. About to deliver the destroying blast, he found two blue Alseidies - the guymelefs of all Ebony Clan Warriors - blocking him.
"Traitor." one of the pilots hissed.
"You abandoned your army and left them to die." said the other.
Rallin felt himself surge with anger, then felt it subside. "Who said I abandoned them? They were executed. And unfortunetly, you will share the fate of my fallen comrades for failing your mission and insulting my honour." Rallin swung the sword down, and as the cannon exploded, taking all the guymelefs with it, he flew into the sky to help Kirei.
His mission had only taken him an hour, since he had left.
***
An hour after they had departed, and Kirei had only taken out three of the guymelefs. These guys knew how to fly-fight, and though Kirei did, they still had the stealth cloaks (not to mention the backup) that Kirei didn't. Kirei could see blurry outlines of the melefs he was fighting. Rallin had grasped Hitomi's cousin with ease. Kirei, though somewhat understanding it, did not. He sighed.
Suddenly he felt a blast hit him from behind, and like an eagle swooping for its prey, whirled around to bring his sword crashing straight through the entire melef, a diagonal line splitting in two, and sending it to the ground. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Rallin flying up in Raven form, then switching back to suit form, still hovering.
"Need some help, Fanel?"
"Spare me the sarcasm Khristos and just help me disable these melefs."
"What sarcasm?" said Rallin innocently, before grinning somewhat demonically with his visor open to Kirei, closing it, and lunging towards a melef.
A heated battle had begun. Again.
***
Van was somewhat aware of Rallin and Kirei fighting, but all of his attention was focused on the energy cannon. He was taken out of his train of thought momentarily when he heard Hitomi's soft voice. "Van."
"What is it?"
"There is lifeforce behind the cannon. It appeared we missed about three guymelefs while Rallin was counting." Hitomi paused. "If they do not interfere, and we destroy the cannon, they will be destroyed anyway, but there is no way on Gaea that they will just stand by."
"So you are saying we will meet up with resistance?" Van quirked an eyebrow. "Since when have we let that deterr us?"
"Never Van," said Hitomi, showing a small smile. "Just thought you should know."
Escaflowne flew straight at the sky-cannon, and, as expected, began to battle the three guymelefs that were left to guard it.
In Freid, Allen Schezar's message had forced a massive evacuation. There was organization to it, but... the best term would to call it "organized chaos". People were being put on leviships to the far country, and despite his quick thinking, Chid Czar Freid was still swamped with his hysterical people, and as a result had a massive headache.
"Duke Chid?" Callai, Chid's advisor, said very quietly. "The last of the civilians have been evacuated. The castle's shields have been put up. It is time to leave, we need you alive."
Chid sighed. "Very well, Callai. I just hope we aren't hit with destruction again."
"Yes Duke Chid."
It had been three hours since their operation had commenced. Rallin and Kirei destroyed the last of their enemy, and looked at each other, and then up at Escaflowne.
"Shouldn't we help?" asked Rallin, seeing that Escaflowne was still fighting off two other guymelefs.
"No. Remember our orders. We were to leave."
"If we leave Kirei, your cousin and the Keeper will die. And then, no matter what, Gaea will fall into dispair."
"But..."
"Even if it is at the risk of our lives, we have to help."
Kirei sighed. He had a feeling, that if all of them survived this, he was going to get a lecture from Van later. "Very well."
The Eagle and Raven headed towards Escaflowne.
***
"Lord Van!" yelled Rallin. "I know we are disobeying the plan, but let us finish this quickly. Kirei and myself will take the last two guymelefs. You go after the cannon."
Van and Hitomi looked at each other. "Very well!" yelled Hitomi.
"Gods bless!" shouted Kirei, engaging in a duel with one of the Alseidies while his cousin and his lady flew to try to save Freid... and the rest of Gaea.
***
As they neared the cannon, Hitomi closed her eyes, both to pray that they would all escape from this unscathed, as well to hope that the cannon would not fire.
"Are you ready, Hitomi?"
She nodded. "I'm ready. Gods hope that they don't fire."
"Yes."
And as the operator and his gaurds looked up in shock, and Hitomi braced herself for the blast, she was dimly aware that the two melefs were still fighting to hold off Kirei and Rallin - mentally, she noted that they were quite good. But Van moved bring Escaflowne's sword crashing through, the cannon let off a small blast, throwing Hitomi off.
"VAN!" she screamed.
***
Van turned in horror and watched as Hitomi fell. He was broken out of his trance as he heard her scream. Tearing his shirt off, he spread his wings and raced to catch her.
As their hands met, a white light spread from Hitomi's pendant, engulfing they, Escaflowne, Ikari and Minuit. And destroying the cannon.
***
Kirei and Rallin stepped out of their melefs in surprise a few moments later. The land they were in... it was familiar and yet it was not. Kirei turned to see his cousin and Lady Hitomi still holding hands, though they were standing now and Van had regained his shirt.
He also saw that Hitomi reached into the centre of the shining ball of light that was between she and Van. And in that light was a key...
The last key...
Kirei found his voice. "Van... where are we?"
To my Readers,
I hope you didn't think this chapter was too long! It's definetly the longest chapter yet, and I wrote in 2 days. TWO DAYS! It's the 11th today, but if I post it tomorrow, it'll end up on the main page on the 13th so... Happy Birthday Van!
Anyway, I changed the name of this chapter about 10 times 'cause I thought I would be able to fit stuff in that I didn't (is this fanfiction dragging??). I'll be taking a short break from this, probably only a few days (usually I start the next chapter as soon as this one is posted), so I can get SOME stuff on my gundam page done. Most notably, profile and viewpoints for Heero/Relena, and updates. But that's Gundam, not Escaflowne!
I have my next Escaflowne fanfiction roughed out, but it won't be another continuation, more of a PRELUDE to "Dreams of Destiny." Since I didn't address it that much in this fanfiction, the new fic will be called something along the lines of 'Dark and Light - The King's Cousin' and will be focused on Kirei and Rallin and their pasts.
I also just realised that Merle wasn't really in this at ALL, and I'm very sorry for that, but near the beginning Van told her to stay in Adon, so it wouldn't be like the series when she left but it wasn't at the order of Van, and HE didn't leave involuntarily so...
You'll see her in the epilogue. Which won't be appearing for at least a month.
Hope you enjoyed this chapter,
Angelic1090
04.12.2001 (I'm dating this tomorrow since that's when you will
see it)
Happy Birthday Van Fanel!
