Dragon Burn.
By Amanda Wardropper
Night of the Dragon
Chapter 13 - castle of New Fanailia
They sped down the corridors. It was almost time. Van had ordered everyone to that courtyard where the Atlantian scripts were. He said that they needed more energy, something he only knew from instinct. That's all that they were running on, instinct. It was guiding them to the right desicions. Hitomi thought it ironic that Lady Fate was playing a game of destiny with them again.
"Van, are you sure about this?"
"As sure as my wings will never fail me!" He called back to her.
She wasn't so sure as he seemed to be. Although her instinct was telling her what to do, she didn't have time to think about it, her instinct could easily make a wrong turning as it were.
They heard somebody coming up behind them. "Wait! Van! Lady Hitomi!" It was Jason.
Hitomi turned her head, rather than meet his eyes. She could never forget what happened, despite how innocent it was.
"Everything is ready, Van, all the castles inhabitants are gathered outside, in the fields behind the castle."
"Good, now, have some of the meluf teams suit up. Get Kayleeth and Escaflowne suited up aswell."
Jason speeded up and took a sharp left to the meluf hangars, Van paused at the cross roads, clearly not wanting to let go of her, but also wanting to do his duty. She clutched his shirt, "Van." She looked into his brown eyes, asking him not to leave.
Finally he sighed, in resognition. "Fine, I won't go out onto the battle field," He smiled sincerly at her, "Mistress!" His smile withered, "But I have to take Escaflowne out, so I can hear the com unit."
"Then let me come with you, we're together in this, now and always."
"From two worlds, shall come two people and one power shall decide their fate." He recited the prophecy given to the two who would control the Dragon God. "Come on then." He raced down the left hand corridor, where Jason had vanished down.
It was dark in the meluf hangars. The sound of their echoeing footsteps was all that penetrated the great darkness. Hitomi stopped dead in her tracks when the grinding of gears started up. A trill sound that pierced through her ears. "It's alright, it's just Escaflowne, it senses that I'm near by the blood pack." Van shouted, over the noise.
He ran down the aisles of Guymelufs, all sat atop the piers. Towards the very back of the hangar, the more important guymelufs were kept. At the very back stood the most important one of all, the king's own. The most powerful of all guymelufs and of Ispano make, the white dragon god, Escaflowne.
She followed Van to the guymeluf. He jumped onto the platform infront of the energist, "OK old buddy, let's rock." He place a hand on the energist and splayed it out. The energist inside began to glow and a jet of steam was released as the cockpit door opened. Van stepped inside and the door closed behind him. Minutes later, when he had set the controls, the huge, steel soldier's gears began grinding faster and louder.
The massive warrior began to stand. It's cloak billowed out behind it, a royal, navy blue.
Escaflowne bent down on one knee and held a hand out to her. She seemed so small by comparison to the hand offered her.
"Hey, you wanted to come, hurry up!" The young warrior within called to her. She stepped onto the palm.
"Em ... Van, are you sure about this?" It was alright riding a dragon, but whenever she was held in Escaflowne's grasp, it tended to get tighter, faster.
Van sighed in agitation, "I promise I'll be careful." Women ..... chaaa! He thought.
When the hand closed around her the meluf stood to it's full, towering height. Hitomi looked down at the floor and gasped, she never realized how tall
Escaflowne actually was.
Escaflowne leaned forward as it leapt into action. Reaching the end of the hangar, where the doors were now open, it jumped into the air. As it morphed into the white dragon, Hitomi could here the ripping sound of fabric as the wings of the great beast unfurled.
"Alright, so I won't join the battle," Van told her as she wrapped her arms around his waist. "But just this once." He added with a smirk.
"Fine by me." She answered. As the white dragon took flight into the dying daylight she thought of all the times that Van had almost died himself, whether it be her fault or Escaflowne's. At the painful memories she buried her head in his shirt, "I'm so glad you never died, Van." She whispered into it.
Sensing her anguish, Van wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders and drew her close. "Just one last battle." He told her. "And then it's all over."
As they climbed height he swirved to the right and the walls of the great courtyard rose up infront of them.
He took to one of the corners and angled the beast to balance on top of the collossal wall.
People were already gathering, talking, questioning why they were here. They were all here for a purpose, all were involved in this final stretch of Myths, Prophecy, Legend and Destiny.
The two Draconians sat down in the white dragons cockpit, not wanting to let go. Van leaned forward to switch the com unit on. As he leaned back he hitched a knee up and drapped his free arm over it. He stated, as he looked over the sea of people, "We could've come here later, but I wanted to share something with you." He waited for a long moment before continuing, "I bet you never took the time to watch a full, Gaean, sunset and watched the moons rise before."
"No, I never had the time." He smiled, on their first adventure, they rarely had time for a shower!
"I wanted to take you up here while the dancing was just starting, but ... I never got the ... time."
She shivered, although it had been a fine day, rain was heading their way, from behind. She huddled herself closer to him, taking in his masculin odor. He welcomed her warmth as she savoured his. The sun was low on the horizon now, casting a beautiful hue of orange across the land. The com unit buzzed, but only to report on their positions.
As the dying sun reached just over the violet mountains, in the far distance, it seemed to glow with a deep shade of orange. Hitomi gasped, the flat land and forest took in the colours and melted into one, whereas the looming forms of Fanailia's heighest mountain ranges, the Rougue Amour. Unbeknown to her, they were named in an ancient language long forgotten, but meant Lost Lovers, a sort of prophecy in themselves. Her eyes widened and dilated, the emerald in them glowing, along with the landscape. A smile crossed her lips and she leaned into him, "It's all the more gorgeous, when I'm with you." (Soppy i know! :) ) She looked out at the horizon, in her minds eyes, she could see the great, red dragon God facing her, beckoning her to set it free. She watched as it cantered across the suns path and swung back around again. The gathering clouds were dusty, with an almost luminous yellow on their under sides.
"Just one more battle, then it's all over, Hitomi ... just one more." He whispered, squeezing her shoulders for emphasis.
Unlike Earth, Gaea's moons followed directly behind the sun, but were only fully visible once the sun had set. The stars began uncloaking themselves while the two moons gathered light and cast it off in a pastely river of galaxies and nebulas far away.
"Hey! Van!" Van leaned forward and looked over Escaflowne and down to where the voice was coming from. It was Tirone, he stuck two fingers in his mouth, mimicking being sick. He removed them and called up to the two lovers on the huge white dragon, "You're gonna bring up my dinner if you stay their, cavorting any longer! C'mon down, you got work to do, Van!"
Van smiled smugly and stuck two fingers up in the air, at Tirone, "F*&K work! Why sit through boring meetings when I could be, in your words, 'frolicking' with an angel?" Hitomi blushed as she watched the two exchange mocking blows.
"Any more frolicking and you'll need a room! Or else my dinner really will come up!" It was Van's turn to blush, he was caught off guard, Hitomi rolled her eyes and dived in to save him.
"Fine," she said, in a way too pleasant voice, " seen as it's your dinner at stake can we use your room?"
The white cat boy turned bright red. Van regained his composure and added, "Or do you need it?" Tirone's face deepened to scarlet. His face cleared and he smiled, waving his hands dismissingly, "Ahhh what's the use!" The two Draconians fell back laughing. The cat boy got down on all fours and bounded off to tend to some unknown business.
When they'd stopped laughing Van pointed out, "You do know that in order to get down from here, we're gonna either have to jump it or use our wings. Infront of this croud."
"Van, you told me that it was best if you didn't use your wings infront of a crowd, of any people, not just your own."
"So I goofed and forgot about the fact that we have to get down!"
"I think we should jump. If it means we keep our wings secret for another day."
He sighed, "They already know about me, they had to live with a boy intent on learning how to fly."
"Well how about using those climbing plants behind us." She pointed to the vegetation.
He grinned, "What would I do without you, Hitomi?"
"I dunno, what did you do? If it weren't for me, you'd have the whole city running after us with farm tools and torches." She giggled.
"C'mon, we better start gearing the crowd." He started to get up but she held his shirt.
"Awwww! But the sun hasn't even set properly yet!"
Van sniggered, "C'mon ya lazy thing! You just wanna sit there!"
"With you." She added. With a heavy sigh, she pulled herself up, "Alright, I'll give up my time with you, for the sake of some measly few hundred people!"
"Millions, Hitomi. We're gonna save millions."
"Oh yeah! I forgot it's the whole Gaea that rests in our hands. Again." She grumbled.
"I'll make it up to you. We'll watch the sun rise in the morning. You may as well see both!"
"Fine with me!'
He leapt over the side of Escaflowne, grabbing some vegetation on his way down. The vine he was holding carried on dropping for about three quarter of the way down the wall, until he was yanked back up into the air when it reached it's furthest length. He gave a quick look up and down, "That ortta do it!" He dropped the rest of the way and landed on the cobbled ground. He called up to her, "I hope you're good at climbing."
"No." Was her answer. She started to get out. She yelped as she lost her footing and slid several feet before gaining a foot hold again. "I told you so." She said sheepishly.
The sky was darkening rapidly, the clouds in the distance were a smouldering storm on the horizon, waiting to attack Fanailia with all natures force. It was worse, because Fanailia was situated between mountain ranges, where storms could be fataly spectacular.
Hitomi dropped to the ground beside him as Van looked out amoung the sea of wandering souls. They didn't have a clue why they were here, just by command of their sovereign. "Soon, very soon."
"What?"
His voice sounded distant as he listened to the inner calm within him, "Green Holith, God of all Forest Dragons."
She frowned in puzzlement, "What are you talking about." She nearly lost her breath when he turned to face her. The Dark magic within him burned viciously in his eyes. Despite the fact that they were glazed over in a trance like calm, the fury inside boiled to a point. The clouds of instinct swept in endlessly changing shapes in his brown eyes. Scared as she was, about that look, she could hear more than see that he was not Van Fanel, but the Draconian born to play out this endless dance with fate. "Red Rangerath awaits us."
Relying on her own instinct to tell her what he was talking about, she added in a whisper, "God of all Dragons."
He nodded shallowly, "The dance begins."
"The dance with death." She entered the trance like disposition that Van was in. A place where they weren't who they knew each other as, but the ones prophecied to see the dance take place, controling it, editing it, relying on it. This place between physical and unphysical presence was a desolate wasteland, nothing but prophecy, instinct, the past and the future lay between the world of the living and the world of the dead.
This place was the sleeping mind of the beast deep inside both of them, the God of Dragons, Red Rangerath.
Van hardly heard the messenger in the middle of the courtyard call to him, "Sir! The green horizon has been spotted to the East." Where the storm clouds brooded. "It begins." He whispered. "Let us see this through." Van was lost in the world of prophecy, as was Hitomi, their souls dedicated to the cause they were born for. Their physical bodies were just empty shells now, no feeling, just sight and sound reached them in this desolate desert.
In this place, Hitomi stood, her minds eye. She watched through unseeing eyes as her body moved forward and stopped infront of the fountain. The winged waters eyes, she thought. The dragon head was missing the red eye. The ruby in her pocket, the missing link. Van stood behind her, sharing the same thought.
*You have come! Awaken me so I may do what I am destined for!* The disembodied voice boomed through the silence of their empty world. *Awaken the winged waters! I am ready!*
Obediently, Hitomi removed her ruby from it's imprisonment in her pocket and placed it in the knotch of the dragons missing eye.
Jason wandered into the courtyard, having finished his job of meeting the first line of guymelufs, he'd promised Van he'd be there when the final chapter of this strange, twisted fate occurred. He halted abruptly when he caught sight of Van and Hitomi, standing infront of the fountain. He didn't hear the deep, booming voice of the fire spirit, nor did anyone else, except those destined to dance with death. He didn't know exactly what Van was doing or had planned, but he knew better than to dismiss destiny. He was once a Dragon slayer, a breed of people at Lord Donkirks call. Their purpose, while under rule of Dilandu, was to destroy Van Fanel, a fate which nobody had completed. Destiny had worked against them.
He worked his way through the crowd, picking up Tirone on the way. The two stoped just infront of the fountain, Van and Hitomi.
As Hitomi placed the ruby in it's rightful place, a crushing imapct to the air around them, took the crowds breath away. As fast as it had come it was gone. In it's place, stood a tall column of red light, swallowing the fountain and space around it for three paces. Van and Hitomi stepped in. The column of light was only slightly see through.
Jason and Tirone stood on the edge of light. Too confused to try and make sense of this event and too scared to do anything about it.
Inside the column of red light, it was warm, uncomfortably warm. For a brief moment Hitomi had returned to her, all senses. She glanced up above her. The pillar of light reached up for thousands of feet, only a tiny speck of the sky above was left. Her senses were abruptly torn away from her, back into the place between worlds, where their goal lay.
*You are here, you must release me.* The voice of the dragon god called to them. In the place between worlds, their spirits wandered over to the bulk that was Rangerath. It's red scales covered the whole of it's body, except it's massive wings. His limbs were taller and wider than Van was tall. Powerful paws, with huge, glistening claws gripped the ground. The head was almost as big as Hitomi and it's long, supple neck as thick as her waist. As it's jaw muscles worked and it opened to reveal countless numbers of tiny, sharp teeth, the forked tongue stuck out from between them. One of it's yellow, slit eyes focused on Van. He stood tall, chest puffed out and his jaw muscles working as he held the dragons stare. Rangerath snorted, *You are indeed the Knight of Dragons,* It lowered it's head to him,* I bow down to your power, oh great leader.* The eye focused on Hitomi next. She bravely held it's gaze, although she was scared out of her wits. *You are the Star Wanderer, Draconian child. I bow down to your knowledge." It verified that they were indeed the ones prophecied. The head lifted high into the air, still keeping her stare, *You have truely awsome powers, you are not aware of. You must free your power, Star Wanderer.* It's jaw opened, in a dragon smile, *It is good to see that the lost souls have been united again. It is good to see my masters after so long.*
"But we are not your masters, Rangerath, we only request your help." Her voice sounded like a mouses squeak compared to the low rumble of the dragon.
Rangerath inhaled deeply. The muscles on his ribs revealing them. He let it out in a rush of steam, *Only my masters can summon me, as you can summon the Knight of Dragons via the pendant, as he can summon you, Star Wanderer, by his calling.* The feather. The head rose further into the air, looking up into nothingness. Only the dragon knew what he was looking for, * We must hurry, my twin, Holith, is coming.* He glanced back down at the Star Wanderer, *You have great power, my child, for the common good. Greater than that of the Knight of Dragons. However, in turn he has a more stronger darker side than you, a balance that must always be kept and always in mind.* That explains the look in Van's eyes. *If you go through with this, Children of the Stars, keep in mind, your feelings for each other, I thrive on your emotions, I grow stronger each time an emotion is strong enough. Never let yourself doubt those feelings. It is time.* Van had been paying close attention, he gave a low bow of his head. Hitomi stared in wide eyed awe. Inhaling sharply, the dragon let out a powerful, loud, bone shaking roar. A challenge to the world of the living, announcing it's imminent arrival.
Back in Fanailia, the crowd gathered in the courtyard all drew breaths together, women screamed and fainted as a ghastly moan was heard. The pillar of light pulsed, waves of it rising from the ground, to the towering heights above. It's colour grew darker.
Inside, their senses were returned. Hitomi gasped for breath, a cold sweat covered her forhead. Van was in the same state. Before she could get a word in he screamed in pain. The sound went ripping through her ear drums. He threw his head back as his wings burst out from his shoulders, his shirt fragmented and drifted off into an unseen breeze within the light. The whites of his eyes rolled in horror as he was surrounded by fire. The flames swallowed him and drove upwards. She could make out his shadow and called to him. No answer except his long drawn cry. He held his head in his hands, the pain coarsing through him was almost unbearable. In order for the fire spirit to exist in this world he had to share a soul.
From atop it's height, Escaflowne's metal form reared and belowed in a metallic ring that was sent in waves through the terrified crowd. It lifted itself from the wall and plunged into the flames. The updraft carried it high into the sky. The fire molded into it's shape, covering it, clinging to it like a second skin. Life had been given back to the dragon once lost. To sustain it, great power was needed.
Jason felt a stab of pain, it dissipated almost in the same moment. All of a sudden it felt like his strength was being sapped from him. The dragon was feasting.
Voices pierced their ears as the fire around Van lowered. *Will not work! Forgive, Forgive, Betray, Forgive!*
"What!" He shouted. The voices repeated their chant several times.
"But I already forgave him!" Hitomi voiced.
* You have not been faithful Star Wanderer. you have betrayed your one true.* Van's face turned ashen. The forbidden kiss. Jason.
She groaned as she hid her face in her hands, "How could I?"
"How could you what? Hitomi ... please don't say that you ..." His voice broke.
She looked up into his eyes, the dark magic still thundered through them, "I ... It's not what you think! ... I" He looked heart broken, "Van ... Don't do anything rash. I ... it was just one ... I kissed him ... I kissed ... Jason." His mouth worked but no words came out. Tears stung her eyes. He took a step to her side, where Jason stood watching. In a lightning moment he struck out at him. His fist connected with Jason's jaw. In a bitter voice, Van warded, "Now we're even ... Dragon slayer." Jason comforted his jaw.
"Van, please don't." He turned his raptor glare onto her. Without a word he launched himself into the air, beating his wings. His heart broken and shredded into tiny pieces, up to where Escaflowne gathered it's shape.
In that instant Hitomi buckled in pain, of a love lost. The pain gripped her heart. Her head swung back, her back arched, her fists held out at her side, she let rip a frightening scream as nothing but inundated pain shot through her. In a split second she heard the ripping of skin and fabric as her wings crashed through her shirt and blazer.
She clutched at what was left of her shirt. Her fists rested on her chest, still stuck out. She took a deep breath before crying out again, this time for Van. The pain was so intense she feared she might die. If she did, she couldn't without his forgiveness.
Van heard the ear piercing screams from his crouched position on Escaflowne. His vision was badly blurred as his mouth quivered. *Son, what are you doing?* His head shot up.
"Mother?" He whispered, in an uncertain voice. The spirit before him brightened the darkness all around. It held out it's hands to him.
*Son, what are you doing? You are killing her, can you not see?*
"What?"
"You are killing her. Look down," She pointed to the ground below them, "Past the feelings of your heart. Can you not see? Did Rangerath not warn you? That you possess a great, dark power?
"Yes but ..."
*This is the form of that power. Do you not see. You and the Star Wanderer are linked. She will die if you do not do something."
"What do you mean? I don't want her to die." He stared at the ground in disbelief. Just because he was angry didn't mean he wanted her to die. As if she had read his mind the spirit answered, *She is devoted to you, Van, my son. She would lay down her life for you. If you do not do something, she will throw away her life, in the sorrow of knowing that she made you renounce your love for her.*
"But ..."
*What are your true feelings, Van? Does it matter, one little betrayl? It's not like you havn't betrayed her.*
Understanding swept in. He reached a hand out to the floor and screamed, "Hitomi, no!!!! I don't want you to die!" He leapt off Escaflowne, wings spread to their full extent. "No!!!"
*You have to hurry! She has not got that long!* The spirit called after him, *I want you to know that I am proud of you, my son. I am happy that I now know that I have raised you in the right way. Hitomi is a truely lucky woman.* The name of his love rang through the air on the chimes of his mothers voice. I am happy that you are so wise and that you have given me another chance at life, mother, he thought in the seconds it took him to reach her.
Van reached a hand out to her, fingers splayed inside the brown gauntlets he wore. "Hitomi, it's alright. I forgive you!"
His voice rang through her head like a good spirit's. She opened her eyes, he was indeed a good spirit come to rescue her from her death. His hand out streched to her, meeting his eyes wasn't the evil experience she thought it would be, but the loving look, shared by two lovers. Despite the magic within them she could still see the tender worry in them, of unimaginable love, of uncharted care. Between the pain she lifted her hand to his. The split second it took to clasp his hand the pain cut off, as though connecting with him would save her from any kind of pain or death. She called his name. In the split second it took for him to lift her up and wrap her in his arms, all worry, all doubt was banished and undying care and love swept in.
"I forgive you, a thousand times over." He whispered into her hair as he kissed it. "I don't want any other but you ... never."
She held onto him and her shirt, crying in relief. "Van, I swear undying vengance against anyone who tries to take me away from your arms at this moment." In that moment, she was in paradise, again. A paradise longforgotten, never felt since she had said fairwell to him over a year ago, in the tomb of his family, in the forests of Fanailia, or when he had rescued her from Donkirk's fortress. A paradise
discovered once more, in his tender embrace.
*You have proved your faithfulness to each other, I am proud masters. You truely are the ones prophecied, I am sorry that the good spirits chose to test you in that way, I had no way with it. Your emotions of conflict have brought me forward. Your undying affection for each other is what will power me, being the strongest emotion of all.* The voice of Rangerath, God of all dragons, boomed over the sound of the light, coarsing upwards to the stars.
*Take to your dragon, Knight of Dragons, let me show you how a dragon thinks in the heat of battle.*
"I don't want to fight!" Hitomi cried into his shoulder. "I don't want to kill people."
*Your kind heart, Star Wanderer, is a great power. You are the one who keeps me sustained in the world of the living. It is your emotion and empathy for those around you which marks you out as the true Star Wanderer, among those that went before you. You will not join the fight, if you so choose, but I pray you will stay by his side. It is prophecied that the Knight of Dragons is so named because he has the heart of a dragon, the will of one and the spirit of one in fight, striking opponents down in a thought. But, in order for him to fight, he must have a worthwhile reason. Therefore, he has always fought for a world without war and to protect the true Star Wanderer, though he may not see it that way.*
"You mean, Van only exists, as the Knight of Dragons, for the sole purpose of protecting me?"
*Yes, not only that, he exists for he is the one born to the power of the dragon, no other. You both exist because you are unique, the best of your abilities, the ones who are prophecied. Do not think of it as that though, it is misguiding to the wrong mind. Think of it as helping each other to survive. You give him something to fight for, therefore he lives through the fight and lives to fight another day. You are the bond between each others lives, linking them in endless limbo.
Now, we must fight!*
"Wise words, from a wise creature." Hitomi smiled and looked up at Van, "I will give you something to fight for, Knight of Dragons, not because I so wish, but because I need you, Van."
He returned her smile. "I am honored to fight on your behalf, Hitomi, Star Wanderer, I will not fail you." He carried them up to the vigilent height of Escaflowne. It's head turned to face them, no longer a guymeluf, but the spirit of the dragon God. *We will fight!*
"Like never before!" Van assured.
By Amanda Wardropper
Night of the Dragon
Chapter 13 - castle of New Fanailia
They sped down the corridors. It was almost time. Van had ordered everyone to that courtyard where the Atlantian scripts were. He said that they needed more energy, something he only knew from instinct. That's all that they were running on, instinct. It was guiding them to the right desicions. Hitomi thought it ironic that Lady Fate was playing a game of destiny with them again.
"Van, are you sure about this?"
"As sure as my wings will never fail me!" He called back to her.
She wasn't so sure as he seemed to be. Although her instinct was telling her what to do, she didn't have time to think about it, her instinct could easily make a wrong turning as it were.
They heard somebody coming up behind them. "Wait! Van! Lady Hitomi!" It was Jason.
Hitomi turned her head, rather than meet his eyes. She could never forget what happened, despite how innocent it was.
"Everything is ready, Van, all the castles inhabitants are gathered outside, in the fields behind the castle."
"Good, now, have some of the meluf teams suit up. Get Kayleeth and Escaflowne suited up aswell."
Jason speeded up and took a sharp left to the meluf hangars, Van paused at the cross roads, clearly not wanting to let go of her, but also wanting to do his duty. She clutched his shirt, "Van." She looked into his brown eyes, asking him not to leave.
Finally he sighed, in resognition. "Fine, I won't go out onto the battle field," He smiled sincerly at her, "Mistress!" His smile withered, "But I have to take Escaflowne out, so I can hear the com unit."
"Then let me come with you, we're together in this, now and always."
"From two worlds, shall come two people and one power shall decide their fate." He recited the prophecy given to the two who would control the Dragon God. "Come on then." He raced down the left hand corridor, where Jason had vanished down.
It was dark in the meluf hangars. The sound of their echoeing footsteps was all that penetrated the great darkness. Hitomi stopped dead in her tracks when the grinding of gears started up. A trill sound that pierced through her ears. "It's alright, it's just Escaflowne, it senses that I'm near by the blood pack." Van shouted, over the noise.
He ran down the aisles of Guymelufs, all sat atop the piers. Towards the very back of the hangar, the more important guymelufs were kept. At the very back stood the most important one of all, the king's own. The most powerful of all guymelufs and of Ispano make, the white dragon god, Escaflowne.
She followed Van to the guymeluf. He jumped onto the platform infront of the energist, "OK old buddy, let's rock." He place a hand on the energist and splayed it out. The energist inside began to glow and a jet of steam was released as the cockpit door opened. Van stepped inside and the door closed behind him. Minutes later, when he had set the controls, the huge, steel soldier's gears began grinding faster and louder.
The massive warrior began to stand. It's cloak billowed out behind it, a royal, navy blue.
Escaflowne bent down on one knee and held a hand out to her. She seemed so small by comparison to the hand offered her.
"Hey, you wanted to come, hurry up!" The young warrior within called to her. She stepped onto the palm.
"Em ... Van, are you sure about this?" It was alright riding a dragon, but whenever she was held in Escaflowne's grasp, it tended to get tighter, faster.
Van sighed in agitation, "I promise I'll be careful." Women ..... chaaa! He thought.
When the hand closed around her the meluf stood to it's full, towering height. Hitomi looked down at the floor and gasped, she never realized how tall
Escaflowne actually was.
Escaflowne leaned forward as it leapt into action. Reaching the end of the hangar, where the doors were now open, it jumped into the air. As it morphed into the white dragon, Hitomi could here the ripping sound of fabric as the wings of the great beast unfurled.
"Alright, so I won't join the battle," Van told her as she wrapped her arms around his waist. "But just this once." He added with a smirk.
"Fine by me." She answered. As the white dragon took flight into the dying daylight she thought of all the times that Van had almost died himself, whether it be her fault or Escaflowne's. At the painful memories she buried her head in his shirt, "I'm so glad you never died, Van." She whispered into it.
Sensing her anguish, Van wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders and drew her close. "Just one last battle." He told her. "And then it's all over."
As they climbed height he swirved to the right and the walls of the great courtyard rose up infront of them.
He took to one of the corners and angled the beast to balance on top of the collossal wall.
People were already gathering, talking, questioning why they were here. They were all here for a purpose, all were involved in this final stretch of Myths, Prophecy, Legend and Destiny.
The two Draconians sat down in the white dragons cockpit, not wanting to let go. Van leaned forward to switch the com unit on. As he leaned back he hitched a knee up and drapped his free arm over it. He stated, as he looked over the sea of people, "We could've come here later, but I wanted to share something with you." He waited for a long moment before continuing, "I bet you never took the time to watch a full, Gaean, sunset and watched the moons rise before."
"No, I never had the time." He smiled, on their first adventure, they rarely had time for a shower!
"I wanted to take you up here while the dancing was just starting, but ... I never got the ... time."
She shivered, although it had been a fine day, rain was heading their way, from behind. She huddled herself closer to him, taking in his masculin odor. He welcomed her warmth as she savoured his. The sun was low on the horizon now, casting a beautiful hue of orange across the land. The com unit buzzed, but only to report on their positions.
As the dying sun reached just over the violet mountains, in the far distance, it seemed to glow with a deep shade of orange. Hitomi gasped, the flat land and forest took in the colours and melted into one, whereas the looming forms of Fanailia's heighest mountain ranges, the Rougue Amour. Unbeknown to her, they were named in an ancient language long forgotten, but meant Lost Lovers, a sort of prophecy in themselves. Her eyes widened and dilated, the emerald in them glowing, along with the landscape. A smile crossed her lips and she leaned into him, "It's all the more gorgeous, when I'm with you." (Soppy i know! :) ) She looked out at the horizon, in her minds eyes, she could see the great, red dragon God facing her, beckoning her to set it free. She watched as it cantered across the suns path and swung back around again. The gathering clouds were dusty, with an almost luminous yellow on their under sides.
"Just one more battle, then it's all over, Hitomi ... just one more." He whispered, squeezing her shoulders for emphasis.
Unlike Earth, Gaea's moons followed directly behind the sun, but were only fully visible once the sun had set. The stars began uncloaking themselves while the two moons gathered light and cast it off in a pastely river of galaxies and nebulas far away.
"Hey! Van!" Van leaned forward and looked over Escaflowne and down to where the voice was coming from. It was Tirone, he stuck two fingers in his mouth, mimicking being sick. He removed them and called up to the two lovers on the huge white dragon, "You're gonna bring up my dinner if you stay their, cavorting any longer! C'mon down, you got work to do, Van!"
Van smiled smugly and stuck two fingers up in the air, at Tirone, "F*&K work! Why sit through boring meetings when I could be, in your words, 'frolicking' with an angel?" Hitomi blushed as she watched the two exchange mocking blows.
"Any more frolicking and you'll need a room! Or else my dinner really will come up!" It was Van's turn to blush, he was caught off guard, Hitomi rolled her eyes and dived in to save him.
"Fine," she said, in a way too pleasant voice, " seen as it's your dinner at stake can we use your room?"
The white cat boy turned bright red. Van regained his composure and added, "Or do you need it?" Tirone's face deepened to scarlet. His face cleared and he smiled, waving his hands dismissingly, "Ahhh what's the use!" The two Draconians fell back laughing. The cat boy got down on all fours and bounded off to tend to some unknown business.
When they'd stopped laughing Van pointed out, "You do know that in order to get down from here, we're gonna either have to jump it or use our wings. Infront of this croud."
"Van, you told me that it was best if you didn't use your wings infront of a crowd, of any people, not just your own."
"So I goofed and forgot about the fact that we have to get down!"
"I think we should jump. If it means we keep our wings secret for another day."
He sighed, "They already know about me, they had to live with a boy intent on learning how to fly."
"Well how about using those climbing plants behind us." She pointed to the vegetation.
He grinned, "What would I do without you, Hitomi?"
"I dunno, what did you do? If it weren't for me, you'd have the whole city running after us with farm tools and torches." She giggled.
"C'mon, we better start gearing the crowd." He started to get up but she held his shirt.
"Awwww! But the sun hasn't even set properly yet!"
Van sniggered, "C'mon ya lazy thing! You just wanna sit there!"
"With you." She added. With a heavy sigh, she pulled herself up, "Alright, I'll give up my time with you, for the sake of some measly few hundred people!"
"Millions, Hitomi. We're gonna save millions."
"Oh yeah! I forgot it's the whole Gaea that rests in our hands. Again." She grumbled.
"I'll make it up to you. We'll watch the sun rise in the morning. You may as well see both!"
"Fine with me!'
He leapt over the side of Escaflowne, grabbing some vegetation on his way down. The vine he was holding carried on dropping for about three quarter of the way down the wall, until he was yanked back up into the air when it reached it's furthest length. He gave a quick look up and down, "That ortta do it!" He dropped the rest of the way and landed on the cobbled ground. He called up to her, "I hope you're good at climbing."
"No." Was her answer. She started to get out. She yelped as she lost her footing and slid several feet before gaining a foot hold again. "I told you so." She said sheepishly.
The sky was darkening rapidly, the clouds in the distance were a smouldering storm on the horizon, waiting to attack Fanailia with all natures force. It was worse, because Fanailia was situated between mountain ranges, where storms could be fataly spectacular.
Hitomi dropped to the ground beside him as Van looked out amoung the sea of wandering souls. They didn't have a clue why they were here, just by command of their sovereign. "Soon, very soon."
"What?"
His voice sounded distant as he listened to the inner calm within him, "Green Holith, God of all Forest Dragons."
She frowned in puzzlement, "What are you talking about." She nearly lost her breath when he turned to face her. The Dark magic within him burned viciously in his eyes. Despite the fact that they were glazed over in a trance like calm, the fury inside boiled to a point. The clouds of instinct swept in endlessly changing shapes in his brown eyes. Scared as she was, about that look, she could hear more than see that he was not Van Fanel, but the Draconian born to play out this endless dance with fate. "Red Rangerath awaits us."
Relying on her own instinct to tell her what he was talking about, she added in a whisper, "God of all Dragons."
He nodded shallowly, "The dance begins."
"The dance with death." She entered the trance like disposition that Van was in. A place where they weren't who they knew each other as, but the ones prophecied to see the dance take place, controling it, editing it, relying on it. This place between physical and unphysical presence was a desolate wasteland, nothing but prophecy, instinct, the past and the future lay between the world of the living and the world of the dead.
This place was the sleeping mind of the beast deep inside both of them, the God of Dragons, Red Rangerath.
Van hardly heard the messenger in the middle of the courtyard call to him, "Sir! The green horizon has been spotted to the East." Where the storm clouds brooded. "It begins." He whispered. "Let us see this through." Van was lost in the world of prophecy, as was Hitomi, their souls dedicated to the cause they were born for. Their physical bodies were just empty shells now, no feeling, just sight and sound reached them in this desolate desert.
In this place, Hitomi stood, her minds eye. She watched through unseeing eyes as her body moved forward and stopped infront of the fountain. The winged waters eyes, she thought. The dragon head was missing the red eye. The ruby in her pocket, the missing link. Van stood behind her, sharing the same thought.
*You have come! Awaken me so I may do what I am destined for!* The disembodied voice boomed through the silence of their empty world. *Awaken the winged waters! I am ready!*
Obediently, Hitomi removed her ruby from it's imprisonment in her pocket and placed it in the knotch of the dragons missing eye.
Jason wandered into the courtyard, having finished his job of meeting the first line of guymelufs, he'd promised Van he'd be there when the final chapter of this strange, twisted fate occurred. He halted abruptly when he caught sight of Van and Hitomi, standing infront of the fountain. He didn't hear the deep, booming voice of the fire spirit, nor did anyone else, except those destined to dance with death. He didn't know exactly what Van was doing or had planned, but he knew better than to dismiss destiny. He was once a Dragon slayer, a breed of people at Lord Donkirks call. Their purpose, while under rule of Dilandu, was to destroy Van Fanel, a fate which nobody had completed. Destiny had worked against them.
He worked his way through the crowd, picking up Tirone on the way. The two stoped just infront of the fountain, Van and Hitomi.
As Hitomi placed the ruby in it's rightful place, a crushing imapct to the air around them, took the crowds breath away. As fast as it had come it was gone. In it's place, stood a tall column of red light, swallowing the fountain and space around it for three paces. Van and Hitomi stepped in. The column of light was only slightly see through.
Jason and Tirone stood on the edge of light. Too confused to try and make sense of this event and too scared to do anything about it.
Inside the column of red light, it was warm, uncomfortably warm. For a brief moment Hitomi had returned to her, all senses. She glanced up above her. The pillar of light reached up for thousands of feet, only a tiny speck of the sky above was left. Her senses were abruptly torn away from her, back into the place between worlds, where their goal lay.
*You are here, you must release me.* The voice of the dragon god called to them. In the place between worlds, their spirits wandered over to the bulk that was Rangerath. It's red scales covered the whole of it's body, except it's massive wings. His limbs were taller and wider than Van was tall. Powerful paws, with huge, glistening claws gripped the ground. The head was almost as big as Hitomi and it's long, supple neck as thick as her waist. As it's jaw muscles worked and it opened to reveal countless numbers of tiny, sharp teeth, the forked tongue stuck out from between them. One of it's yellow, slit eyes focused on Van. He stood tall, chest puffed out and his jaw muscles working as he held the dragons stare. Rangerath snorted, *You are indeed the Knight of Dragons,* It lowered it's head to him,* I bow down to your power, oh great leader.* The eye focused on Hitomi next. She bravely held it's gaze, although she was scared out of her wits. *You are the Star Wanderer, Draconian child. I bow down to your knowledge." It verified that they were indeed the ones prophecied. The head lifted high into the air, still keeping her stare, *You have truely awsome powers, you are not aware of. You must free your power, Star Wanderer.* It's jaw opened, in a dragon smile, *It is good to see that the lost souls have been united again. It is good to see my masters after so long.*
"But we are not your masters, Rangerath, we only request your help." Her voice sounded like a mouses squeak compared to the low rumble of the dragon.
Rangerath inhaled deeply. The muscles on his ribs revealing them. He let it out in a rush of steam, *Only my masters can summon me, as you can summon the Knight of Dragons via the pendant, as he can summon you, Star Wanderer, by his calling.* The feather. The head rose further into the air, looking up into nothingness. Only the dragon knew what he was looking for, * We must hurry, my twin, Holith, is coming.* He glanced back down at the Star Wanderer, *You have great power, my child, for the common good. Greater than that of the Knight of Dragons. However, in turn he has a more stronger darker side than you, a balance that must always be kept and always in mind.* That explains the look in Van's eyes. *If you go through with this, Children of the Stars, keep in mind, your feelings for each other, I thrive on your emotions, I grow stronger each time an emotion is strong enough. Never let yourself doubt those feelings. It is time.* Van had been paying close attention, he gave a low bow of his head. Hitomi stared in wide eyed awe. Inhaling sharply, the dragon let out a powerful, loud, bone shaking roar. A challenge to the world of the living, announcing it's imminent arrival.
Back in Fanailia, the crowd gathered in the courtyard all drew breaths together, women screamed and fainted as a ghastly moan was heard. The pillar of light pulsed, waves of it rising from the ground, to the towering heights above. It's colour grew darker.
Inside, their senses were returned. Hitomi gasped for breath, a cold sweat covered her forhead. Van was in the same state. Before she could get a word in he screamed in pain. The sound went ripping through her ear drums. He threw his head back as his wings burst out from his shoulders, his shirt fragmented and drifted off into an unseen breeze within the light. The whites of his eyes rolled in horror as he was surrounded by fire. The flames swallowed him and drove upwards. She could make out his shadow and called to him. No answer except his long drawn cry. He held his head in his hands, the pain coarsing through him was almost unbearable. In order for the fire spirit to exist in this world he had to share a soul.
From atop it's height, Escaflowne's metal form reared and belowed in a metallic ring that was sent in waves through the terrified crowd. It lifted itself from the wall and plunged into the flames. The updraft carried it high into the sky. The fire molded into it's shape, covering it, clinging to it like a second skin. Life had been given back to the dragon once lost. To sustain it, great power was needed.
Jason felt a stab of pain, it dissipated almost in the same moment. All of a sudden it felt like his strength was being sapped from him. The dragon was feasting.
Voices pierced their ears as the fire around Van lowered. *Will not work! Forgive, Forgive, Betray, Forgive!*
"What!" He shouted. The voices repeated their chant several times.
"But I already forgave him!" Hitomi voiced.
* You have not been faithful Star Wanderer. you have betrayed your one true.* Van's face turned ashen. The forbidden kiss. Jason.
She groaned as she hid her face in her hands, "How could I?"
"How could you what? Hitomi ... please don't say that you ..." His voice broke.
She looked up into his eyes, the dark magic still thundered through them, "I ... It's not what you think! ... I" He looked heart broken, "Van ... Don't do anything rash. I ... it was just one ... I kissed him ... I kissed ... Jason." His mouth worked but no words came out. Tears stung her eyes. He took a step to her side, where Jason stood watching. In a lightning moment he struck out at him. His fist connected with Jason's jaw. In a bitter voice, Van warded, "Now we're even ... Dragon slayer." Jason comforted his jaw.
"Van, please don't." He turned his raptor glare onto her. Without a word he launched himself into the air, beating his wings. His heart broken and shredded into tiny pieces, up to where Escaflowne gathered it's shape.
In that instant Hitomi buckled in pain, of a love lost. The pain gripped her heart. Her head swung back, her back arched, her fists held out at her side, she let rip a frightening scream as nothing but inundated pain shot through her. In a split second she heard the ripping of skin and fabric as her wings crashed through her shirt and blazer.
She clutched at what was left of her shirt. Her fists rested on her chest, still stuck out. She took a deep breath before crying out again, this time for Van. The pain was so intense she feared she might die. If she did, she couldn't without his forgiveness.
Van heard the ear piercing screams from his crouched position on Escaflowne. His vision was badly blurred as his mouth quivered. *Son, what are you doing?* His head shot up.
"Mother?" He whispered, in an uncertain voice. The spirit before him brightened the darkness all around. It held out it's hands to him.
*Son, what are you doing? You are killing her, can you not see?*
"What?"
"You are killing her. Look down," She pointed to the ground below them, "Past the feelings of your heart. Can you not see? Did Rangerath not warn you? That you possess a great, dark power?
"Yes but ..."
*This is the form of that power. Do you not see. You and the Star Wanderer are linked. She will die if you do not do something."
"What do you mean? I don't want her to die." He stared at the ground in disbelief. Just because he was angry didn't mean he wanted her to die. As if she had read his mind the spirit answered, *She is devoted to you, Van, my son. She would lay down her life for you. If you do not do something, she will throw away her life, in the sorrow of knowing that she made you renounce your love for her.*
"But ..."
*What are your true feelings, Van? Does it matter, one little betrayl? It's not like you havn't betrayed her.*
Understanding swept in. He reached a hand out to the floor and screamed, "Hitomi, no!!!! I don't want you to die!" He leapt off Escaflowne, wings spread to their full extent. "No!!!"
*You have to hurry! She has not got that long!* The spirit called after him, *I want you to know that I am proud of you, my son. I am happy that I now know that I have raised you in the right way. Hitomi is a truely lucky woman.* The name of his love rang through the air on the chimes of his mothers voice. I am happy that you are so wise and that you have given me another chance at life, mother, he thought in the seconds it took him to reach her.
Van reached a hand out to her, fingers splayed inside the brown gauntlets he wore. "Hitomi, it's alright. I forgive you!"
His voice rang through her head like a good spirit's. She opened her eyes, he was indeed a good spirit come to rescue her from her death. His hand out streched to her, meeting his eyes wasn't the evil experience she thought it would be, but the loving look, shared by two lovers. Despite the magic within them she could still see the tender worry in them, of unimaginable love, of uncharted care. Between the pain she lifted her hand to his. The split second it took to clasp his hand the pain cut off, as though connecting with him would save her from any kind of pain or death. She called his name. In the split second it took for him to lift her up and wrap her in his arms, all worry, all doubt was banished and undying care and love swept in.
"I forgive you, a thousand times over." He whispered into her hair as he kissed it. "I don't want any other but you ... never."
She held onto him and her shirt, crying in relief. "Van, I swear undying vengance against anyone who tries to take me away from your arms at this moment." In that moment, she was in paradise, again. A paradise longforgotten, never felt since she had said fairwell to him over a year ago, in the tomb of his family, in the forests of Fanailia, or when he had rescued her from Donkirk's fortress. A paradise
discovered once more, in his tender embrace.
*You have proved your faithfulness to each other, I am proud masters. You truely are the ones prophecied, I am sorry that the good spirits chose to test you in that way, I had no way with it. Your emotions of conflict have brought me forward. Your undying affection for each other is what will power me, being the strongest emotion of all.* The voice of Rangerath, God of all dragons, boomed over the sound of the light, coarsing upwards to the stars.
*Take to your dragon, Knight of Dragons, let me show you how a dragon thinks in the heat of battle.*
"I don't want to fight!" Hitomi cried into his shoulder. "I don't want to kill people."
*Your kind heart, Star Wanderer, is a great power. You are the one who keeps me sustained in the world of the living. It is your emotion and empathy for those around you which marks you out as the true Star Wanderer, among those that went before you. You will not join the fight, if you so choose, but I pray you will stay by his side. It is prophecied that the Knight of Dragons is so named because he has the heart of a dragon, the will of one and the spirit of one in fight, striking opponents down in a thought. But, in order for him to fight, he must have a worthwhile reason. Therefore, he has always fought for a world without war and to protect the true Star Wanderer, though he may not see it that way.*
"You mean, Van only exists, as the Knight of Dragons, for the sole purpose of protecting me?"
*Yes, not only that, he exists for he is the one born to the power of the dragon, no other. You both exist because you are unique, the best of your abilities, the ones who are prophecied. Do not think of it as that though, it is misguiding to the wrong mind. Think of it as helping each other to survive. You give him something to fight for, therefore he lives through the fight and lives to fight another day. You are the bond between each others lives, linking them in endless limbo.
Now, we must fight!*
"Wise words, from a wise creature." Hitomi smiled and looked up at Van, "I will give you something to fight for, Knight of Dragons, not because I so wish, but because I need you, Van."
He returned her smile. "I am honored to fight on your behalf, Hitomi, Star Wanderer, I will not fail you." He carried them up to the vigilent height of Escaflowne. It's head turned to face them, no longer a guymeluf, but the spirit of the dragon God. *We will fight!*
"Like never before!" Van assured.