To Unlock A Power

Escaflowne: Dreams of Destiny

Previously on Escaflowne: Dreams of Destiny

And the battle has begun. The three warriors are still engaged in battle, with the Asturian backups of Allen Schezar and the Crusade behind them. Yet Adelphus stands at the ready with his weapon - one that has been promised to destroy anything or anyone that is an obstacle. Hitomi, it seems, is finally going to activate the keys...

// ~ * ~ \\

Divine justice...

The words, though they had been but a whisper from Hitomi's mouth, seemed to echo throughout the battlefield, drawing everything to a pinnacle, a standstill if only for a second.

It was as if Hitomi - the Keeper, to all on the battlefield save four - had had the power to stop time.

Slowly, all eyes dream up to her, as if noticing her for the first time, in this battle that, for all purposes, would be the end for many...

Of war...

Or perhaps their lives.

Soldiers fight because they have something to believe in, something to fight for, and someone that they need to protect.

But unlike most soldiers, those that were fighting with the colors of Goshem flying off the flags, decorating their uniforms, and the armor...

They were different. They were the soldiers that Gaea had forgotten, seemingly fading into the background until there was no trace of them.

They might not have had any reason other than the sheer emptiness inside of them to fight...

But...

They were going to go all out.

// ~ * ~ \\

Three…

Two…

One…

And then the second wave began.

Now that the enemy had been worn down - or so the Goshemin troops thought - they could attack now and more then likely overtake the 'Allied' forces easily…

Even with at least half of the guymelef contingent out of commission, the pilots dead or injured, the mecha partially destroyed, or the energistes gone - and not one could be spared, or a person risked to try and bring them a new pair.

But there were still the foot soldiers. They were lying there, waiting, for their chance to strike. Alone, armed with only a sword, they might not have much of a chance - none at all, really - but they were armed with catapults and the fire tanks that had nearly one Zaibach the last war, barely a half-decade before.

Truth be told, the outcome of this battle, though all on the field, and in the air, and behind the lines knew it would be the pinnacle of the War - and the end; no one could see the outcome.

Well…

Perhaps there was one.

Hitomi Kanzaki, who at point had never believed in her powers - or magic at all - who now was the greatest sorceress on Gaea…

She alone, in the delicate balance of magic, and fate, knew what the outcome to this battle would be.

Rather, could be.

Depending on her actions, this war would end in Gaea's salvation…

Or its destruction.

But there were few that fought below her that realized the fragile balance that lay between her hands…

More specifically, in the keys and pendant that were the pinnacle of this war, the reason for all this bloodshed.

And the was a momentary flash of recognition in those emerald eyes, as she glanced down at the battlefield, as if it were nothing but an illusion…

For Hitomi's eyes had become blank and vacant, and had she not been surrounded with the white and gold light that bounced around her body, making her seem iridescent, any one of her friends may have thought she was having a vision.

But no words had left her mouth save for her whisper what seemed like hours ago…

It had only been but a few moments.

And, instead of the Japanese that she was customary to hearing herself speak…

When the words, seemingly whispered to her from millennia before, from the Atlanteans that had been her ancestors…

They came in Gaean. She understood, she heard it, in the cries of the warriors below her, in the prayers of the people on Gaea who had no stake in this war, who had only ever wished for a happy life…

In the thoughts of her beloved, and of her allies - her friends that would always protect her, knowing that they would never give up fighting for what was right…

Or for her…

It was in this language that the words came, whispers of a prophecy born unto life, never to be buried.

"Porque eu sou o keeper..."

As I am the Keeper…

"Con la potencia de los Atlanteans…"

With the power of the Atlanteans…

***

"Damn it! Fire, you fools, now!" Adelphus's voice rang out angrily as he watched the fate machine give the image of the Keeper…

"But sir…" the soldier's voice was crackling through his COM unit, "The enemies, sir, they're still destroying our troops."

"They do not matter!" his voice was still at the level of quiet rage, and as if sentencing punishment, he continued on, "If the Keeper is allowed to activate the Gateway we will lose this war!"

"But… sir… the soldiers…"

"You heard me. Fire the catapults… you have no other target but the Keeper."

***

For one brief moment, Van had been struck with a vision. It was that rare moment on the battlefield, that one breath that at once all soldiers take.

It was as if it was a warning, and it engulfed him…

~*

He was frozen there. He was no longer in Escaflowne, but outside, watching from the sky, then the forest, then…

Were Hitomi's visions like this? The feeling and experience of the real event, but unable to anything? The feeling of helplessness?

But his thoughts were diverted from comparing the similarities of having visions when a flash of light brought his attention back to the scene before him.

What he saw made his heart stop.

Hitomi, his love, surrounded in that ethereal light was being attacked.

He could do nothing to help her, and in horror he watched as one of the catapults finally.

He dimly heard his own voice scream as he watched her die…

"Hitomi!"

*~

Van was snapped back into reality, stunned. If that was to happen, then he could still stop it…

He took to the skies, leaving behind the battlefield to defend his love, with nary a word whispered but that silent scream…

***

Kirei was sorely tempted to just start destroying the guymelefs that continued to come, when all of a sudden…

They stopped. Oh, certainly the few that were still standing and fighting continued on, but they were no longer streaming at him.

And then, as if a small voice had whispered for him to do it, Kirei looked up.

And was promptly stunned…

Hitomi… Van's fiancée… and the Keeper, Kirei distantly remembered, she was suspended in the sky.

And she had wings.

It had been a surprise enough when he had learned of Van's wings…

But Hitomi's…

He did not dwell on the fact. Instead, she finished disabling the soldiers and guymelefs he was fighting, and then, being a tactician and a soldier, turn his gaze to see where the troops had gone.

They were moving towards Hitomi, and though Kirei had no real notion of why Goshem would want to destroy a chance for true peace - and Hitomi, as a result, he knew what the soldiers, armed with the catapults, meant to do.

He was a Knight and Lord of Fanelia. He was sworn to protect his country, his people, and his world.

To do that meant to protect she who was his future Queen.

Kirei Avan de Fanel, General of the Fanelian army and pilot of the Ispanian guymelef the Ikari, rose into the air, ready and willing to fight and defend Hitomi Kanzaki.

***

Rallin had simply followed Kirei as he flew upwards, his reasoning pointing at that Fanel wouldn't just leave the battlefield for no reason.

Other then that, he too, had noticed the troops had stopped coming, and thought to take to the air to ensure that no more were lying in wait to attack them once they relaxed.

If a guymelef had it in itself to nod, that would have been what the Minuit would have done, as Rallin gave a barely perceptible acknowledgement to Allen, he flew off, heading towards the same spot as his two comrades were speeding towards - the ball of light that was really Hitomi Kanzaki… the Keeper.

***

Her face was the picture of calm, a serene lake in the middle of summer, or the calm just before a storm.

But in Hitomi's mind, the thoughts and whispers were flying around, resembling a tornado, a hurricane, a monsoon.

Goddess help me…

What do I do now?

// ~ * ~ \\

Hi everyone!

Okay, so this is really just an extension for my AN, but… I need to ask everyone some questions!

1) Sequel or no sequel? (Mind you this means I can't kill any of MY characters…)
2) The Gateway: okay, spread out, and detailed, or brief? (I can go either way)
3) Personal author alerts. Write down/email me if you want to be on… IT!

I'm sorry this is so VERY late, but I've been busy *grumble* with HOMEWORK. Anyway, this MAY, get dragged out… It's hard fitting everything into one chapter, and well…

I want to. ^____^

I wanted to get this out in time for my birthday (I'm FINALLY 15 on Tuesday!), and this seemed just as good.

Oh, for future reference, any of you Sailor Moon or X/1999 fans, I'm co-writing a new crossover with Eve-chan! *Waves banner*

Dedication: To the families, workers, volunteers, and souls of all those who suffered as a result of the 9/11 tragedy.

I'll try to get the next one out soon, I promise…

Angelic1090 / 10.09.2001 (MY BIRTHDAY!!!)

P.S: hi_hello_o@hotmail.com, I loved the email, it was DEFINETELY original!