Episode Twenty-Five: The Beginning

Escaflowne: Dreams of Destiny

Previously on Escaflowne: Dreams of Destiny

The truth is finally revealed to Hitomi in a dream that speaks of their new - and old - enemy. The name Adelphus seems familiar, though she knows she has never met him. But there is an underlying knowledge that accompanies visions, and Hitomi is about to see her destiny unfold...

// ~ * ~ \\

Hitomi woke up with a start.

Van, feeling her tremor slightly within the circle of his arms, murmured slightly and drew her closer. She relaxed slightly, but a nagging voice in her mind kept whispering that there was something important that she had to remember, something she had to tell Van.

Something that if she forgot to say it, could have very drastic repercussions.

So what was it? What was she supposed to remember?

Something about...

Adelphus!

She turned to Van, and kissed him softly to wake him up.

***

Van replied to this kiss softly, blinking his eyes open slowly to look at his fiancée. He had felt her shake even while dreaming, and had drawn her closer, in kind. But it appeared that whatever had been troubling her in her dreams had not disappeared.

"What is it Hitomi?" he asked softly, so as not to wake the other two with them. "What did you dream?"

He always seemed to know. Know what was wrong, what she felt, and if she dreamed. And he helped. Which was why Hitomi was always so grateful to have him by her side. Instead of replying right away, she buried her face in his shoulder.

"Hitomi?" he asked again, rubbing her back to ease the tension. "You can tell me."

"The enemy Van. The dream told me who they were." Their conversations were hardly ever anything but to the point, and though the affection between them was easily felt and seen, they rarely vocalized it save for an 'I love you'.

"And they would be?"

"A man from the old Zaibach army. The leader. He survived the last war even with the energy bomb Basram had, and he had cursed revenge."

"Adelphus, Hitomi? He is the one causing this?"

"I think so," she replied softly. After a moment's hesitation, she whispered what had been plaguing her since all of this had begun. "I'm scared, Van."

Van looked down at her, surprised. She had never said anything other than the contrary before, and as if to comfort her, drew her closer. "Of what, Hitomi?"

She paused, keeping close to him as if to draw strength from his solid form. "Of everything, Van. Of this war. Of Adelphus. Of my role, now. It seems as if every time I come here Gaea is destined to be dragged into war. I don't want that to happen again. And then... what happens if your people don't accept me? What then? The Gateway will be close and"

"Don't worry Hitomi. No matter what happens, I will be with you, and my people will accept you as willingly as you accepted me - even with my wings. Besides, I love you too much to let anything come between us again. We'll be together forever, I promise."

Reassured, she whispered his name again, before they both drifted off into what seemed to be a calming sleep.

Too bad for Hitomi that what she saw the moment her mind drifted off was the exact opposite.

// ~ * ~ \\

*** Hitomi's Dream ***

There was this feeling pulling at her, telling her that she needed to be somewhere.

And she needed to be there NOW.

But where was it?

And where was she?

She gave a questioning look around before she decided to look.

// ~ * ~ \\

Merle looked up into the sky from one of the houses in their temporary village. It had already been at least 6 months since the start of this new threat, and yet, still there was no word from Lord Van.

Or Kirei. But even their isolated little place that was Adon still heard news from the rest of Gaea on the war. Mostly messengers from Asturia. Allen Schezar himself had once arrived, that was only a few weeks ago, to deliver news that he had seen the two Fanels while battling, and that Hitomi was with them.

He had also said something about a third, new ally

Merle shook her head at that. She wouldn't know until they all came back what had happened and who the newcomer was.

Lord Van would be safe, if Hitomi and Kirei were with him. Merle knew that.

So why was something inside her telling her mind that something very big was about to happen?

And also that that something had the potential to have a horrible outcome?

// ~ * ~ \\

"Hello?" Hitomi's voice echoed slightly because of the emptiness in the area surrounding her. "Van? Varie? Is anyone here? Does anyone know why I'm here?"

There was silence all around her. And though it was somewhat unnerving to be completely alone in this place, just as Kirei's Fanelia had seemed oddly familiar, so too, did this place.

Only it wasn't a comforting familiarity. It was an urgent one.

Was she supposed to come here, wherever this place was...

Was she supposed to be here? If so, then when?

Perhaps someone would come to explain later.

Hitomi continued to look around.

// ~ * ~ \\

Van woke up only once in the middle of the night. It was as if there was something pulling at him, telling him to go home.

But he already was in Fanelia. Perhaps it was his home? The capital?

Or...

He was too tired to think about the pulling feeling right at this moment. He could talk to Hitomi once it was morning.

***

"Hitomi," said a lilting voice, "I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."

Hitomi turned around quickly in surprise. "Varie," she exclaimed, relieved, "are here to explain?"

She nodded, smiling. "The beginning of your destiny here is about to begin."

"The Gateway..."

"Yes. Have you made you decision concerning the..."

"I... we... we're going to seal the gateway. I can't sacrifice so many hopes and dreams and lives just for me. Besides..."

"You have a reason to stay now?" Varie smiled, making Hitomi blush slightly.

Hitomi nodded. "So..."

"Come. I'll explain as we go."

// ~ * ~ \\

Adelphus smirked at the news that the sorcerers had just delivered.

So the Gateway was set to appear...

His pieces were all in place.

They were going to come out of this war, alive and victorious, if Adelphus had any say in it.

And he would make sure that he had say in this outcome.

// ~ * ~ \\

"So what is this place?"

"We are in Fanelia, Hitomi."

"Fanelia? But I don't recognize this..."

"We are on the borders, far north of Kirei's duchy. This is the region of Adon."

"This is the place where the Gateway..."

Varie nodded, and Hitomi allowed herself a small smile, though the dangers were now clearly laid ahead of her.

"Everything seems to happen to Fanelia."

Varie, too, smiled.

Then Hitomi woke up.

*** End Dream

"Adon." The word was silent, on Hitomi's lips.

// ~ * ~ \\

Hey everyone!!

It's been a while, ne? Anyway, again, I'm VERY sorry that this chapter too agonizingly long to get out, and also that it's very short (I have had a series of major tests in the last two weeks), but on another note... I seem to be getting into the whole 'mushy' aspect of things. Sigh. I said I would be fulfilling the romance requirement, and thus are doing so (please tell me it's alright).

But I WILL still bring the Gateway back into play. That is after all, the focus of Hitomi's purpose, and I've decided that this story will (unless of course something else pops into my head) be 30 chapters. Hope you enjoyed this chapter!

Angelic1090
05.09.2001

p.s. I'll try to get Episode 26 out a bit sooner. ^_^