Disclaimer: I do not own any of the character of "Escaflowne", not even Dilandau. Wish I did, but I don't. I don't own anything from "The Slayers" either. I do own Alessa, Myrna, and Hiero, whatever his last name becomes, and I own everything associated with his first life on the Planet Terrian. Ask my permission if you want to use him.
Chapter 23
The Lovers*
Rhythm of Emotions
~ The Crusade ~
As the light left his blue eyes, Allen felt something in his arms. It wasn't terribly heavy, but what he was touching was cold, made of metal, and breathing. He blinked away the effects of the light, hazes of red and silver splashed across his vision. What he held stirred and groaned a bit, muttering some curses about damned light and stupid rings.
The voice was familiar, but Allen couldn't quite place it, until his eyes started to clear. Red ones, the color or freshly shed blood, were staring back at him. They weren't as surprised as Allen's blues were. They were pissed and appalled.
"Dilandau?!" Allen gasped. The garnet eyes flashed dangerously at him, fires of insanity raging within them.
"ALLEN!?" he shouted angrily, then the youth slapped his face so hard that blood fell from his mouth. Then he dropped Dilandau for his arms could no longer maintain the hold with such pain in his face. It was either ignore the throbbing pain in his face and keep holding, or tend to it and hurt the brat.
"Damn klutz….can't you do anything right?" Dilandau muttered, not even rubbing what he'd hand on. He was sitting, propped up on his elbows with a sardonic look on his face. He looked as if he was laughing at Allen with his eyes and smug smirk. He was armed as well, though his sword was sheathed. He was Dilandau, he didn't need to be holding his sword to be a threat.
"Crusaders! Surround him!" Allen yelled, taking out his own sword and putting it an inch from Dilandau's laughing eyes. Or he tried to, Dilandau had his sword up faster than Allen could blink and parried him off, and Allen's sword got stuck in the floor, Dilandau blade coming back lightening fast to poke gently at Allen's throat.
"How insulting….a hooker trying to best me. Utterly laughable…." Dilandau snickered, poking again at Allen's throat, playful. The drop of blood that ran down Allen's neck wasn't so playful to him, but it was to Dilandau. The young man's horrid garnet eyes of his just glittered in amusement at the mere sight of so little blood.
Allen let his eyes drift to his men to see why they weren't helping, and didn't know whether to laugh or feel sorry for himself. The crew had been in perfect order when the light first hit, and they were still in the same spots they had been in now, with additions.
Teo was on the floor face first mumbling obscenities and flailing about while too groggy looking Dragon Slayers, one with silvery blonde hair and the other with short brown hair sitting on the poor man's back and head. Pyle, who had been near Gaddes, had two more Dragon Slayers sitting like parrots on his broad shoulders, one with shoulder length brown hair and the other with long black hair. They were holding onto Pyle's hair for dear life, not wanting to be tossed off by Pyle's meaty arms with at least taking a piece of him with them.
Pyle looked more like an angry dragon trying to shuck parasites, and doing a lousy job of it. Then there was Liesen, who had a blonde Dragon Slayer in his arms, but the boy was out cold. Even if he was the smallest of all the Slayers, Liesen was the smallest and thinnest guy on the Crusade, and the boy's armor wasn't helping. Liesen groaned as he face went red and his legs slowly gave way, sinking his body and the boy's to the floor.
Then there was Gaddes, patient, boyish Gaddes, who looked absolutely ridiculous with a lavender haired girl on his shoulders, as if it were his daughter getting a ride. The girl was Alessa and her face was a fine shade of red in realizing where she'd landed. Her hair was loose now, blowing over her shoulder's beautifully. For a moment, she reminded him of Marlene and Millerna, the way her deep icy blue eyes clouded over her discomfort to be almost teasing at Gaddes went red.
"Get off of me, blondie! Go hit on girls, not me!" a very saucy and velvety voice shouted, and punched and yelping erupting from behind Gaddes. He watched in horror as a blonde in robes of white went sailing out from behind and rammed into Ork. Allen felt relived the bald man wasn't playing with his daggers right now, or he might have done himself in by a severed tongue or jugular.
"Chid?" Allen said, his voice as puzzled as he gathered his face was. Chid looked up, with a black eye and bloody lip. He smiled weakly, then looked at the person that had hit him with utmost hatred. Chid never looked that unless he really hated someone, which wasn't some Chid did too often. He liked everybody….except.
"Hiero Fanel….I might have know you brought this here." Allen said sourly, gasping when Dilandau giggled, poking him again. Hiero's sapphire adorned head poked out from behind Gaddes as the man was helping Lady Alessa down. He looked indifferent to Allen's situation, as if it were worth less than dirt.
"Dilandau is not a this, he's a person. Your sister's son, try and be nice, or you won't be hooking anymore. I'll turn you into a woman….or maybe Dilandau would like that honor."
Allen looked at Dilandau in abject horror. The garnet-eyed youth was standing now, grinning in a sick manner. "The thought has crossed my mind….endlessly….but, I want Folken dead first. Allen can wait….till after Folken and Sora bleed for us." Dilandau sweetly, evil lacing every crisp word. In a second, the blade was sheathed, and Dilandau turned his back to Allen to lean against the glass-front of the Crusade's bridge, unbothered by anything he'd just done. His Dragon Slayers all managed to get to him and stand on either side, the blonde being the last one to stagger into the ranks. Allen looked at Hiero, the boy's sapphire and jade eyes glittering a little, almost fancifully at the prospect he'd just made.
'Evil….I knew it all these years, that boy is pure evil.' He thought, yanking his sword free and rushed at Hiero, who wasn't even paying attention. Hiero's eyes met his second before Allen brought his blade over his head, but never made a move.
Allen would have been happy if Hiero Fanel, the bastard son who soiled his mother and father's name with his sinful nature and making it all the worse by joining forces with Dilandau, their most hated enemy, had died by his blade. The blade fell, but then so did Allen, flat on his back. His own sword pointed at him, his attacker's golden eyes glaring at him.
"Father, you leave Hiero-kun alone. I won't allow you to hurt him. I'll damn you to the grave if you so much as shed one drop of blood, right after I bite your damn limbs off." Val sneered, fangs in the young man's mouth, that horrible horn of his sticking out of his hair. Val looked ready to explode with anger, but kept himself in check, throwing the blade angrily to the floor.
Val didn't offer a hand to help his father up, so Allen did it on his own and saw that young Myrna was clutching King Hiero's leg, hissing at him. Hiero rolled his eyes and tried to shake her off, and finally gave up and yanked her off into his arms. In response, she licked his face with a grin.
"You, little sister, have to go lay your mother's worries to rest, not hump my leg," he mock scolded, then looked at Val," I bet your mother would love to see you as well, Val-chan. Allen and us have to have a little discussion….so make it quick."
Val nodded and took Myrna, who fought him tooth and nail, from Hiero's arms and left the bridge. Hiero waited until they were gone before looking at Allen again. His mocking looks were gone, now deathly serious, a rare look indeed.
"What do you want, your highness?" Allen asked, lacing the last two words with venom. Hiero barely flinched. "The floating castle Eden of Zaibach that destroyed many of my people is where Folken and Sora are hiding. We have to hunt the Zaibach bastards down and destroy them so they can't do what they did to Fanelia and Freid to anyone else." Hiero said softly.
Allen's eyes widened, not dreaming the boy would say such things, but Chid came up a ways behind him, still favoring his black eye. His look was grave, those blue eyes of his quivering with sadness. "It's true….father. Zaibach attacked us without provocation….I might be….the only survivor of my kingdom. It was burned all over again by their guymelefs. I might be mistaken, since we didn't stay near Freid long enough to check for people. Dilandau was more earnest to rescue this little blue-haired bastard than to check on the welfare of my smoldering lands."
"Why would I want to mess with such beautiful fires? Bad enough Hiero got captured, but you made it worse by whining about leaving that dump of yours behind. Ridiculous, there are no battles to be gained from a pile of flaming ashes." Dilandau said snidely, crossing his arms across his chest, smirking.
Allen and Chid both looked at Dilandau angrily, but Dilandau went on with his sleazy grin, mocking the pair. "As I was saying before the slut-in-training interrupted me," Hiero snapped, yanking on Allen's hair extra hard," We're all going to hunt down Eden cause that's where Sora and Folken will run to since….the floating fortress Midgar has been destroyed. They have to be stopped soon or another country will suffer what mine and Chid's did. The longer you pine over the past, the more time you give those bastards to obliterate something else!"
"What do you suggest?" Allen griped, yanking his hair out of Hiero's grip, his blue eyes burning coldly into Hiero's. Hiero merely grinned. " I can douse for them, like my mother did for father once. I am good at it, believe me. I'm ready anytime you are." The king replied.
Allen straightened a little more, and looked at Chid instead. "Best we wait until we reach Palas for repairs. This is going to be a bumpy trip every so often. We have been having problems on board with the engine. Once we reach Palas, you can do your little tricks." Allen huffed and walked towards Gaddes," You kids can go grab some of the spare rooms we have left, but some of you are going to have to share. Liesen, you'll show them what's left."
"Youse got it, sir!" Liesen uttered, a littler nervous and readjusting his red bandana for no reason. He looked at Dilandau's group first, only walking when Dilandau did and the others followed. Hiero cast Allen a dirty look, then followed, Alessa keeping close.
When the Mystic Moon girl was gone, Gaddes finally spoke up. "Why didn't you tell him we might have a saboteur aboard, Commander?" he asked.
Allen looked at Gaddes hard, then let out a gentle sigh. "Why worry everyone with something we can handle on our own? We'll take care of this all once we reach Palas. Right now, the saboteur is the farthest thing from my mind. We have more important problems to consider."
"And what are those problems, Commander?" Gaddes questioned.
"Making sure Dilandau and Hiero don't destroy the ship….and all of us. We have to get rid of Dilandau and his men once we reach Palas, then at least that horror of Fanelia won't be able to cause anymore damage. I mean….those two….together, as comrades. Gaia would burn forever….that must be altered….but for now, let's just get home. We'll deal with the matter once we arrive." Allen returned.
"Of course, sir, but it really is a wonder though." Gaddes replied stiffly.
"What is that, Gaddes?" Allen asked.
Gaddes shrugged with a boyish grin. "What the Dragon Slayers the late Fanelian king killed are doing back alive. I know you said you saw Dilandau nine years ago and all, but it doesn't make sense why. Maybe instead of thinking about the fact that they are here and you don't like them, you should ask why they are here, and how. It could shed some light on why Freid and Fanelia are once again targets of Zaibach."
Allen considered that thought, giving a slight nod. "Perhaps that would help understand this plot further. I'll consider it. Just get us to Palas as soon as possible, Gaddes. You have the bridge." Allen replied, and left his second in command at the helm, the remainder of the crew getting back to their jobs.
~ Rec. Room ~
- Midnight -
"Ugh, so incredibly weak. If my men learn anything, it will be to never adapt to your style of fighting. Show no mercy Gatti!" Dilandau shouted, even though he was sparring against Hiero. Gatti was going against Keo, besting the man at nearly every turn, but looking like he was having far too much fun.
Val and Migel were sparring with each other, Val getting the upper hand a few times, but Migel would always come back strong. The rest were going against Crusade members, that disgusting and whiny cat-girl and her mother, Merle, were sitting on chairs by the door watching with interest. Myrna was more or less drooling in his and Hiero's direction, mainly at Hiero. Alessa was trying to get the hand of a sword with Chesta, but she only succeeded in nearly landing on the blade. It was laughable
Dilandau could help but grin at imagining hers and Myrna's deaths being similar to that of Folken's cat women, then Hiero's sword came down extra hard, his rage of Dilandau's thoughts filtering through Dilandau's stunned body.
Becoming in synch with Hiero gave off new sensations and abilities, namely telepathy, with a bit of empathy. He felt honored in a way that he and Hiero would be aware of what the other was feeling and if Hiero wanted to speak privately with Dilandau in a public area, he could send thoughts to Dilandau.
It wasn't as if Hiero couldn't do that thought sending thing with everyone else, but being in synch would eventually bestow upon Dilandau the same power, not the others. The only drawback was that there was no control over when it would work. Hiero couldn't censor his feelings from infecting Dilandau. If Hiero felt pleased, Dilandau would feel it, the same with anger, hatred, sorrow, and …..love. Hiero had been feeling love a lot lately whenever he looked at Alessa and hatred towards Chid and Allen. Right now, he was pissed off.
"You can't make me like her. She's a bad luck charm." Dilandau hissed out, parrying Hiero away. Their simple sparring match became a fight in seconds, but Hiero was smiling, so Dilandau smiled back. This would be fun.
"I never said you had to….just stop thinking about killing Alessa or I'll turn you back into a woman. You just to be alive….to make me happy, not intact." Hiero teased. Dilandau's face went red with rage, and Hiero's face became stern.
"I am not a woman, never will be! No mercy, Hiero! None!" Dilandau growled and struck back at him, sparks flying from their blades and across Hiero's sapphire hair. The young king just smiled madly. "That all you got? Come on, give me more, Dilandau! Show me what you'll give Folken!" Hiero laughed and easily struck Dilandau's sword out of his hands. Dilandau didn't bother to look surprised and jumped away from Hiero and rolled over his blade. Hiero went after him, ramming through Viole and Dalet's matches as Dilandau swiped up his blade and blocked, standing. Never would he kneel to anyone, not even Hiero.
He fought back hard, cackling wildly with Hiero's icicle laughter, sparks swimming through their hair and clothes each time their blades crashed together. "Excellent, best you watch yourself or you'll bleed all over that pretty body of yours." Hiero teased, the force of his next strike nearly shattering Dilandau's blade. He struck back with a sinister smile and struck back with equal force.
"You should worry about your own lovely form rather than mine. Don't try to hard….your highness." Dilandau snickered.
Hiero's face hardened for a second, the spread out into a pleasant grin. "Wouldn't dream of disappointing you, General Dilandau." Hiero snickered, putting a mocking emphasis on Dilandau's title. Dilandau sneered back and lifted his blade again, only to have it blocked by another blade. Hiero blade stuck it too, then just stared at it, then to its owner. Dilandau felt the hate again and turned, expecting either Chid or Allen. His eyes slit angrily at the sword's owner, those damndable blue eyes trying to looking superior to his garnets.
"Can't you boys do anything more constructive like fighting your elders, not children like yourselves?" Allen said lightly, smiling.
Hiero sniffed at him. "At least you admit you're an old bastard." The young king huffed, then grinned. Allen sneered at the boy, and Dilandau could almost feel the burning hate between them heat up their blades. Dilandau pulled his down, but kept it out, then Hiero and Allen followed.
"What do you suggest, uncle?" Dilandau hissed out smugly.
"How about you kids learn some things from your elders….like humility?" Allen brought back, all calm and pleasant now. Dilandau's blood boiled at Allen's audacity, but he kept it to himself. Then he noticed how quiet it was. All fights had stopped, and everyone was looking at the three of them.
"Fine….we'll learn how to humiliate you." Dilandau snickered, a plan forming in his head in seconds. Then he took a swipe at Allen's face. Allen lifted his blade swiftly to block, but instead of falling through with his attack, Dilandau did a split and rammed his fist into Allen's groin. Allen's face screwed up, but soon met with Dilandau's armor boot, and went sailing into Myrna and Merle.
Dilandau laughed wildly, and had his blade aimed dead at Allen's heart before the Asturian Knight could gather his senses. "You're too slow. Not all battles are won with a blade….you're not worthy of it yet. If you fell pray to such simple attacks, there's no hope for you to ever best me. You never beat me when I had a hold on my mother, and you can't now." Dilandau replied haughtily, then looked back at Hiero," Are you certain you wish to waste your time with this weakling?"
Hiero grinned back at him and nodded. "He's not embarrassed enough yet. He needs a bit more….humility taught to him." Hiero replied pleasantly.
Dilandau sighed with and looked back to Allen. With a grin, he gave his uncle a cut across his forehead and then punched him a few times until Allen's mouth gave up blood. Then he sheathed his blade and started to leave. Merle and Myrna went to Allen and helped him up. "What was that for, you lecherous bastard!?" Myrna screeched.
Dilandau fought the urge to behead the cat-bitch and kept walking out of the training room. "I wanted to break something beautiful." Dilandau said simply, and disappeared into the halls. He heard Hiero speak up. "Still want to fight me, Playboy Sr.?" Hiero asked.
"I've suffered worse. Bring it on, boy." Allen replied. The sound of steel meeting steel erupted, then faded as Dilandau walked further through the ship.
He had walked for several minutes before he found a familiar door. From his mother's memory, this was Allen's room. Dilandau smirked and entered, grinning further when he found no one was present, except that stupid owl of his uncle's, Natal. It was sleeping, but had white spots on its eyes. They were signs of blindness and old age, so Dilandau had no worries that damn thing would expose him. Even if it did, he'd have roast owl tonight.
His garnet eyes combed the room over for a few minutes, then the sound of loud booing, voices not of his Slayers. 'Hiero's winning, was there ever a doubt? Lousy playboy slut probably hasn't battled or trained against anyone since Val became a knight. Pity….I thought killing him was going to be fun….it's no fun if they can't fight for shit.' He thought. Then his eyes stopped on something that glittered on the desk near the bird.
He walked up to it, the bird still not moving much and picked the shiny silver object up. It was a locket, about the size of a pocket watch. Dilandau opened it, and caught his breath. "Mother…." He said quietly, looking at the finely painted picture. A true master artist, to make it come out so lifelike even at such a small size, must have done it. He didn't smile or frown at it, just stared with an emotionless line of his lips. It was Celena as he last remembered her, before he burst out of her body to breathe, before the sorcerers cut her beautiful body. It wasn't as good as his, but it was almost there.
He fingers the locket a bit, then tapped at the picture, and found there was glass covering it. "Hmm, keep your beauty flawless for a long time. This must have set your brother back plenty of gidaru to get such fancy work done. Shame he doesn't deserve it, shame for him anyway." He said to himself and left the room, locket in hand. He forgot to shut the door, but that didn't matter. He was Dilandau Albatou, he could do or say whatever he wanted to. Heaven help those that tried to one up him on his gods given right.
~ Guymelef Hold ~
"Damn….how could I lose to children? And in front of my own crew. I must be losing my touch with age….or pinning the family honor on Val so soon was a mistake as Millerna warned. Millerna had felt it was a big mistake to make Val take all that pressure at once, but Allen had thought Val could take it, being his son. Now he wasn't so sure Val was worthy of it. His son didn't even cheer him on, he cheered for Hiero. He'd even attacked Allen when he arrived for trying to stop Hiero's evils once and for all.
Val still had that horn of his too, and he hadn't had a decent chance to discuss it with him. Allen couldn't understand how two humans could create a boy with a horn and now fangs. 'It's probably for all the women I have been with, a curse of some vengeful goddess who hates supposed womanizers.' He thought as he entered the guymelef hold.
Hiero had been laughing his rotten little ass off when he disarmed Allen after a few rounds of swordplay. It had looked like Hiero was going for a punch and kick combo, but instead grabbed onto Allen's shoulder and flipped over him, reaching back before landing and ramming the hilt of his sword in the back of his elbow.
The pain had been numbing for a few moments, but Allen managed to keep some sort of hold on his blade, but Hiero was no longer behind him when he did. Seconds later, his sword was yanked from his hand, his surprise taken advantage of, then Hiero used his leg to sweep Allen to the floor, flat on his face.
He'd never been so humiliated, outdone by sneaky tricks. It had been worse than fighting Dilandau, who hadn't waited for Allen to prepare for a match and simply beat him on a whim. Hiero laughed about it, insulted him and fooled around. One moment he was joking, then next a seasoned warrior. Allen had been dumbfounded by his insane behavior. Then again, Allen had always felt there was something wrong with Hiero since he met the boy.
He just wanted to be as far from that annoying king as possible, such a little bastard. Allen couldn't even fathom how such gentle souls as Van and Hitomi could spawn such a holy terror. At least the young king was taking the room near the engine room, which his men and himself on occasion used to rest away from a lot of the noise and bustle of the crew and whoever came on the ship.
Allen went on his way, to do some tune-ups on Scherazade. Hiero had no guymelef, not anymore, so he wouldn't come to the guymelef hold at all. There were no extra guymelefs in the hold as far as he could see, so the Dragon Slayers wouldn't come here either.
Allen felt confident in that until he reached his guymelef, and heard a tinking sound. He looked up to it, and saw Dilandau perched within Scherazade's cockpit, holding some kind of necklace in his hands. The silver locket attached to it caught his eye after it twirled a bit, and then Dilandau's almost serene expression scared him to death.
"HEY! What are you doing in there with that locket, Dilandau!?" Allen shouted, angry that the boy had taken his most prized possession. Dilandau didn't seem to hear him at first, but then shut his eyes and sighed in an annoyed manner, as if Allen had interrupted something sacred. Dilandau snatched the locket into his hand with a flick of his wrist, then cast his garnet eyes upon Allen slowly.
"Whatever I feel like doing….Allen Schezar." Dilandau replied, and Allen remembered how much he hated the icy way Dilandau always said his name. Dilandau didn't look the same, his hair had more bangs that hung around his head, spiky ones like a dragon's crown. The armor was different, but those eyes hadn't changed, they still spelled death and hate towards everyone, and right now they were aimed at him.
"Where did you get that locket?" Allen seethed. Dilandau merely snorted at him and opened the locket deftly and looked at its contents with a hidden expression. "You room, where else? You moron, what a silly and inane question." Dilandau replied.
"Give it back, boy! That is all I have left of her!" Allen raged, but Dilandau response was a bone chilling cackle. "And it isn't the same for me. I don't have a family like you do, I don't have my mother anymore and my father is nothing to speak of, that raping freak has his name etched on my blade in blood. Soon, my blade will feed upon Folken's life, slowly, and painfully, what he deserves. This can't be all that remains of my mother anyway. You had family portraits done of your two, a figurine hidden in the back of her closet, and even a little bit of crochet stuffed under of her panties in her bureau. Don't tell me that you've turned her room into a damned shrine too and not even let yourself break the silence and serenity of that. Please, she'd roll in her grave." Dilandau uttered triumphantly.
Allen had been ready with a slew of insults until Dilandau had spoken so accurately of the portrait, one only he, the artist, Celena, and Millerna had known about, and even some things Allen didn't know about. He had turned Celena's bedroom into an untouchable shrine, even to himself. It was a way to preserve Celena's lost legacy, one she'd never gain because she'd been robbed of so many years of her life, then lost her life to rebirthing Dilandau.
Allen's expression was hard, but not as angry as before. "What say we call a truce for now and talk in my quarters."
"What for?" Dilandau said suspiciously.
"Just to talk….about Celena. And you….if you're brave enough." Allen said, hoping the last line would affect Dilandau's big ego. Dilandau smirked at him, but didn't move from his perch.
"Nice try….my life is private. And what the hell do I get out of talking about my mother? Hmm?" Dilandau sniffed curtly, closing the locket and letting it twirl in mid-air.
"Anything you want. Name….it." Allen said, then the wicked gleam in Dilandau's eyes made him regret those words.
"I want this locket, and no questions about it. She gave me life twice, after all….and that's all I will say. Deal or not, Allen?" Dilandau spouted with a smile. Allen was ready to call it off, but, he was curious about what information Dilandau had about Celena, too curious to give up such a chance.
"Fine then, but that is all you shall get. Follow me." Allen said tightly. Dilandau nodded and leapt down, but ran ahead of Allen. "I have her damn memories, fool, I know the way, much to my disgust." The silver-haired youth spat, and vanished from the room.
"I pray I do not regret this pact with the devil himself." Allen sighed, and followed swiftly.
~ Allen's Room ~
Dilandau didn't wait for Allen and he found the crimson armored youth sitting in his favorite chair, right next to Natal. The poor owl's feathers were all puffed up in fear. It knew to be afraid once it noticed Dilandau.
Dilandau turned his eyes to Natal, giving the bird a dark, feral look, like a hungry wolf gave its prey seconds before sinking it's teeth into the flesh. The bird quieted instantly, as if feeling the ferocity of the young man. Allen sighed deeply, and went for the less comfortable guest chair. It seemed to delight Dilandau at Allen's discomfort in the matter, as petty as it was.
That didn't matter, he'd given up his locket to speak with this egotistical bastard of a teenager. Dilandau looked as vicious and insane as ever, but to see such tranquility on his face only a few minutes ago made him wonder if something had changed.
"So what the hell do you want to hear about my mother….Allen?" Dilandau smoothed out with floods of venom. Allen twitched a bit, but didn't let it bother him past that.
"About Celena's last days…." Allen said softly. He would never call his dear, sweet angel of a sister this thing's mother. It would an insult to the family, to Celena. He couldn't bear the thought of it.
Dilandau looked thoughtful a moment, his garnet eyes glistening, then he rubbed his chin. "She hated you….for trying to lock her away in come ivory tower, to give up the baby she was carrying. She was angry that you forbid her to see her lover, who was obviously not my father. Folken raped her nineteen years ago, the night after you and your….sickening wife created my cousin. You were too busy bumping pelvises with your own wife and keeping your sister locked up like bird in a cage you never even noticed how much you were hurting her!" Dilandau spouted, his voice very angry," She ran away that night because you wouldn't even let her breathe long enough on her own to make her live her life as you saw fit. She hated you for that so much, and I hate you more, because I had stomach all that incessant whining you did about my mother's disappearance and your mother's death. I have never heard such a sorry pile of shit….'she made the alone feeling mother's death and Celena's disappearance go away.' Bull shit!"
Allen's eyes widened so much from the boy's words, he bet they looked like they'd explode. His jaw quivered, his heart ached, all because of this boy, the last thing living that was left of his sister, her arrogant and hateful son.
Allen nearly leapt out of his chair to strangle Dilandau, but kept his cool and spoke through gritted teeth. "I loved my sister, how could she possibly hate me. I did everything for her when she came back….from being you. I lost her since I was boy, then I lost mother. I had nothing until she returned….I did everything in my power to make her happy." Allen seethed, but Dilandau's sour look said that he could care less.
"What you made us was miserable. She never asked you to make her happy, she could do it damn well on her own. I might have been born differently, but hell, I would have been born without killing her if she'd married the man she'd been seeing before he rape! You're the reason she hurt, you were always the reason. Not that I needed it, but she loved and forgave me. She wanted me to come back, what she didn't want was to be locked up away from the world by a play, overprotective girl big brother!!" Dilandau shouted, startling Natal into a squawking fit.
Dilandau snarled at it. Allen didn't want to listen anymore, but Dilandau went on. "And your son, I hear, was banished from the family of Schezar over his horn….a horn! Doesn't take much to make the Schezar's look pathetic, now does it? Or is it just you? You, Mr. Perfect? I think not, you're far from perfection and always will be. You drove her to run, and if that had never happened, my mother might have survived….but her blood is on both our hands. I can live with that, can you….Allen Schezar?"
It had been said so harsh and boastfully, Allen nearly shot up to beat the boy to death, but stood quickly instead his fists clenched, Natal spurring his anger on with the noise he was making. "Oooo, did I hit a nerve? Did precious Allen finally see a flaw in himself? My, my, just declare a holiday….Gods be damned, shut up you stupid squawking bastard!!!!," Dilandau hissed at the bird, but it didn't stop," Fine, I'll dine on roast owl right now!"
Dilandau cackled as he held out his hands, and Allen nearly fell over in shock as flames started to form on his hands. 'Gods in heaven, what has Hiero unleashed!?' he thought, and tackled Dilandau into his chair before the flames could grow any larger.
"Get off of me, you damn bastard! You have no right to touch me when I'm playing, or anytime at all!! Arghhhh!!" Dilandau yelled in Allen's ear as loud as he could, stunning his senses a moment. Then Dilandau shoved Allen with so much force, the Asturian Knight crashed into his owl's perch and Natal flew to the ceiling for safety.
Dilandau had other plans and stretched his hands out for the bird again, the flames appearing on his fingers like small serpents, then grew. "Here birdy, birdy….I'm not going to hurt you. I'M GOING TO KILL YOU! Nya ahahahahahahaaaaa!!" Dilandau cackled, sending giant serpents of flames roaring towards Natal, Natal flew out of reach, but the tendrils followed him around the ceiling, only hungry for his flesh alone.
Allen knew Natal couldn't dodge forever, so he went for the door and thrust it open. "Natal! Out!! Fly away!!" he shouted, and made signals at it. Natal was nearly deaf and his eyesight wasn't so great, but he was smart. He knew gestures still, he could still see those. He could hear loud noises, that was why Dilandau's shouting scared him. Loud noises and repeated gestures worked fine on him. It worked, Natal shooting out of the room like lightening.
Allen was ready to face Dilandau, but heard something thud to the ground loudly. He looked to it and found Dilandau had fallen over unconscious. He had passed out from his own black magic, defenseless as an infant. "Sorry, my sister, but this demon must be sent away. I know I stopped Van from killing him once, but only because you were trapped inside him. No more chances, Dilandau…." Allen said to the sleeping general, taking his sword out. He raised it over the boy's body, closing his eyes as he tightened his grip for the fatal blow. Allen saw stars a second later, and fell to the side as darkness too him.
If he'd stayed conscious a few moments longer, he would have seen the figure that had struck him, the one that picked Dilandau up and took him out of the room slowly. "Dilandau is still needed for Lord Folken's plans, Schezar. I will not fail my master because of big-headed temper tantrums….you can die together in due time…." the raspy voiced owner snickered, and was gone.
~ Engine Room ~
- Storage and Sleeping Chamber -
Alessa walked through the engine room quietly, tugging at her freed hair. It felt cool like this, that and the fact Hiero still had her ponytail scrungie. She'd also been able to get back into some of her Earth clothing again, which felt even better. That blousy shirt tickled her too much.
Val had just told her that Hiero was in the spare room in the engine area, a room that was very small and private, what Hiero loved. Val was rooming with Viole and Dalet on blankets. The room was his, but there were no cots there for them, the crew had taken them since leaving for their own use.
Myrna was with Merle and Millerna, and Alessa was forced to room with the boisterous cat-females. She'd grown tired of Merle's snoring and Myrna talking in her sleep, about Hiero and tongue bathes. It was enough to drive her mad. Millerna had gotten out early to supposedly inspect Dalet's arm, just in case it had gotten infected. It was also the perfect excuse to be with her son more, to say how much she loved and missed him. Val looked so happy that she was around. She still loved him, despite his horn and fangs. Alessa was glad too, Val had someone other than the lot of them that loved him, and this was his own mother.
Chesta, Migel, and Gatti were with Dilandau were in another spare room, the sick room, but it hadn't been used since the Destiny War Dornkirk started. Dilandau had seemed disturbingly unhappy that the sweet smell of blood was not around and nearly cut Liesen apart to make it 'better.' The man was fast, she had to give that lanky Crusader that much.
Migel didn't bother flirting with her when she asked them where Hiero was, and was really happy Dilandau wasn't around. She'd gone to Val's room second and got what she wanted, where she was now.
She wanted to talk to him, to ask him some things Zaibach had cut short, and his great appetite had hindered. Alessa only hoped he wouldn't shy from the questions. They were sort of personal, but she had to know about Hiero's loves, the women he'd been with, intimately before she was even born.
It wasn't to judge him or those women, she was just curious about these women, ones that Hiero had shown affection for, and to see….if he could stand another to wither away. Would he only kiss her, never marry in the fear she'd grow old before his eyes as so many had? He'd probably buried his share of wives in the span of over 55,000 years. It probably hurt a lot to discuss, and probably would be very hard to learn about. She just needed to hear about it from his own mouth, to see if he could be with her as she knew the both of them wished.
Alessa finally reached the room, which could only be reached by climbing, to her disgust, a tall ladder. It wasn't as if it were difficult, but she'd have to open the shut door that lead to the room and hope to God it swung inward and not out or she'd be kissing the floor and probably get killed.
She groaned in frustration and stretched a bit as she thought it over, just to make herself think faster about getting up there, what she was going to say, instead of the life threatening injuries it might give her from a possible fall. Then she stopped and shrugged before climbing the ladder. "There are worse things out there than falling off a ladder…one being alone in a locked room with Dilandau. That guy is a creepy…." She muttered and went to the very top.
She knocked on it, but when nothing happened, she did it again. She waited again, then pressed her ear to the door and heard the sounds of water splashing. 'I don't recall Val mentioning a bathroom in here.' She thought sourly, feeling very gypped about not having a nearby bathroom to where she was sleeping, and the fact the bathroom she had to use was almost always being hogged by the crew and Myrna. She knew the cat-girl only hogged it to piss her off, and possibly make her piss on herself from holding too long. There was no way that girl had to use the bathroom 10 times in a half an hour when all she had was one glass of water. Alessa nearly wet herself when Merle came by and shouted for whoever was in there to get out or else. Merle was nice at least.
Alessa shook the lousy memory off and climbed up a bit more to reach for the doorknob. To her surprise, it opened inward and quite easily, as if it hadn't been shut properly. She managed to get herself in and shut the door gently, then turned to where the water noises were.
Her heart leapt up in her throat when she saw what the real noise was. Hiero had his head stuck out the only window of the room into the rainstorm that was going on outside. She hadn't heard any sort of storm noises, but then again, yelling at Myrna , talking to a lot of people and noisy engine room really didn't help one to concentrate on every little noise. What made her face go bright red was the fact his shirt was off. Hiero was wetting his hair up and rubbing at it, most of the water tricking down his slimly built torso, the slender muscles in his arms and back glistening as a flash of lightening crashed by. There was no soap around, so she assumed he was cooling off. It was a bit stifling in the Crusade's engine room, almost like and oven.
She couldn't find her voice, he was just so beautiful like this, even more than normal if that was possible. She could understand why Myrna was always after him, he was simply breathtaking no matter what. "Alessa?!" his startled voice broke her from her trance, and her blushing brightened.
Hiero was looking at her oddly, shaking his wet hair out deftly, then put his shirt back on. He shut the window and locked it before she finally found her voice. "I….uh….wanted to talk to you, Hiero, away from the others. I….wanted to talk a little more with you back in Egzardia….but….well, shit happened." She stuttered, her cheeks still flushed from his topless and wet image when she came in.
Hiero blushed a bit, but not as much as she did. He sighed gently and gestured for her to come near. She did, leaving a foot between them. He smiled at her, such a heart-melting one, but then she remembered why she came up here in the first place. He look went grave and nervous, and she looked at his feet as she wrung her hands together.
"I….wanted to ask you….about….uh….damn, this is hard." She stuttered, not wanting to give him more pain, but her curiosity hurt worse not getting satisfied.
"What is it, love?" he asked gently, making these questions in her mind seem all the more damaging to him. "Hiero….when you….were on Terrian….," she began, then noted his eye lost their affectionate luster and became guarded," You buried so many wives there. Do you….uh….feel much for them anymore and….well, could you take….another, ever, knowing they'll grow old and die,….and that you can't follow?"
Hiero's eyes held no emotion, not even sadness when she had finished her questions. She felt a little better to get it out, but sad that she had made Hiero distance himself.
He looked away for a moment, then back at her after a few minutes, his eyes hooded. "I miss them, yes, I will admit I miss them, but….they are dead and can never come back. I didn't love any of them at first, it was all Delphine's work in picking and choose the 'right' woman for me to get pregnant for the future of Terrian. I didn't do much for that since it was blown to pieces because I upset the balance of good and evil by absorbing Delphine in the first place. He did it more or less to torture me….among other things."
"The memories you let your Terrian side show me….he mentioned something about this god Delphine, that he drove you mad with his….love. What did he mean?" she asked, and Hiero seemed to grow angry, but it was short lived.
He brushed it off, looked away again. "Nothing important….Delphine was simply trying to hurt me for hurting him through the absorption, he tormented me with his tasks, murders by the thousands, innocents and evils falling together….but the wives he had me take were victims mostly. Victims of fate to meet me. I grew to love a few over time, but not fully. I never found that….true love, the love that makes you forget everything in a glance." he replied.
Alessa nodded, noticing he was avoiding two questions already, so she asked one of them. "But could you wed again, knowing what you know?" she asked quietly, touching his shoulder gently. His stiff form softened then, his double colored eyes glittering at her like polished jewels.
He smiled pleasantly, and it only took her second to register the fact he was touching her, pulling her towards him. By that time, his lips were on her, his tongue probing at her earnestly through her parted and shocked lips. Then she let it happen, she let the kiss warm her and make her stomach flutter with soft butterflies.
He pulled back a little, holding her against him with his arms wrapped about her tightly, one hand smoothing through her hair. "Yes….I would do anything….for love. And I would certainly do everything for my true love, the woman I have been searching for since I was born. You." he said gently, with the sincerity and love to prove it littered in his voice.
"That's so sweet. Oh Hiero…." She began, but he took her soft lips in his once more, and their tongues met, tangled in a private war, the heat rising in her body as his hand sifted through her hair, his other, running along her spine.
Soon his fingers became entangled in her hair, his lips leaving her to suckle on her throat, licking at her jugular almost hungrily. It felt like sparks running across her skin, and nearly paralyzed her with pleasure. Alessa ran her fingers across his shirt, reaching for the clasps that help it on. He didn't fight her and let her take his shirt off to fondle his well-sculpted torso. His skin was so soft, like a newborn's was, but his hands were growing more adult as they slipped up her shirt, his body pressing against hers to move her backwards.
She didn't bother to think why until the backs of her knees bumped against something. She vaguely looked down as Hiero started to lift her shirt off half-way, then got on his knees to lick and nip at her flat stomach and slim sides. It tickled and pleased her, making her body jerk a bit, but she managed to open her eyes and look at what he'd backed her against. 'His cot….' She thought numbly, moaning gently as Hiero's hands reached around her breasts to take her bra off, all the while slipping his warm tongue between them.
She hadn't noticed the cot when she came in, but then again, she'd been staring at a very wet Hiero earlier, his cot wasn't the foremost thing on her mind. His love and beauty were. She gasped as her bra fell from her body, leaving her exposed and looked down. Hiero was looking right back, his hands on her hips, thumbs looped into the top of her jeans. He had to most innocent look on his face, but something sparkled in his eyes that wasn't so innocent. She smiled at him, and he nodded at her and started to play with her chest with his mouth, taking one breast into his mouth while massaging the other generously.
Her knees grew weak at each swipe of his tongue and deep suckling. He nearly took her breast all the way into his mouth before stopping and going to the next. She wrapped her arms about his head, not wanting the wonderful feel of his hot mouth to leave her. He saturated her chest with his attentions, his hands sliding slightly across her jeans to the front. Her womanhood warmed up when her flicked open the button, pushing the zipper down slowly. She near screamed when he stuck his hand inside and rubbed her panties that were all that stood between him and her womanhood. He chuckled against her chest, and made her flush.
"We're excited, aren't we?" he said in a devil-may-care tone and started lowering his kisses and licks down her stomach, his free hand pulling her pants down. He quickly pulled off her shoes then she stepped out of her pants as best she could, but it was hard to concentrate with Hiero touching her private so slowly and softly. She was well aware her panties were going to be soaked if he continued, and he loved her, so he'd probably make it happen. Hiero knew how to love a woman and please her, he was showing he could right now.
He was kneeling before her like she was his queen and he was her knight, an expression of pure love and admiration washing across his face. Her mind just numbed as she felt his cool fingers slip into through the bottom hem of her panties, and flicked at her petals, sliding elegantly along their moist surface.
Alessa bit her lip as he made slow and deliberate circles across them, then started to prod through them with one long finger, and she felt her soul melt as his finger entered her body gently, moving through her contracting womanhood.
His finger stopped when he reached her virgin barrier, and she felt a little disappointed that it was there for a moment, but only for that long. He started to twist his finger inside her against it, exciting her. "Feels good?" he asked in a husky tone. It nearly drove her over the edge, but she managed a feral grunt of 'yes.'
"Good…." He chuckled, and took his finger out. He didn't take her panties off, but started to nuzzle his mouth against the fabric, letting tongue shoot out deftly against her thighs and the skin near the edge of her panties.
Then he suddenly pushed his tongue inside them and started to lick at her womanhood. She gasped and that was all she could manage before he sped his feeding up, eliciting deep moans from her quivering and heated form.
He put the length of it inside her womanhood, tasting every inch of her. He mouth was engulfing her private like a hungry beast, his hands on her hips to keep her standing. She sway as waves of pleasure rocked against her body, then felt cooler as Hiero's attentions stopped and he yanked her panties off with a growl. Then he got her to sit down with a bit of pushing, and buried his face back between her legs.
Alessa moaned louder, each taste he took driving her up a wall. Then he touched something that made her hips buck forward and scream. He'd found her clit, and was suckling on it like a bottle, swirling his tongue rapidly around it with no mercy. He twitched and kicked, the heat where he was driving her crazy. Her body started to sweat as he added his finger to her womanhood again, licking her special spot madly as he pumped his finger through her.
Then it came, stars exploding in the back of her head as she let her nectar flood his waiting mouth. He took it in greedily, sucking out her hot nectar until she couldn't give him anymore. Her body was wet with sweat, panting and heaving heavily as Hiero pulled out his finger and lifted his head up. He licked his lips with a smile, eyes shut, but content. Alessa just looked down at him, still panting and full of desire.
"Hiero….that was incredible…." She gasped, not standing since her knees were a bit wobbly. Hiero opened his rare eyes and smiled at her, kneeling still. He said nothing and began to kiss along her legs, making shiver run through every orifice of her body. She leaned over bit, running her slim finger across his spine, down his sides, right to his pants. As she near his thighs, she felt a stiff bulge struggling to break free under the fabric. She gripped at it, and Hiero gasped against her thigh. He stayed there as she rubbed the spot, and looked to him to see how he was reacting. His eyes were all scrunched up, his breaths heavy and fast, and he was gritting his teeth every so often.
Alessa stopped and Hiero stood, still panting. "Shall we continue?" he asked, sounding very anxious. She knew what he meant and nodded. He nodded back and quickly shucked his boots and pants into a corner then sat on the cot beside her. The bulge was even more obvious now, trying to find a way out for relief. She kissed him deeply, playing with his hot tongue as she reached for his boxers and gently pulled them off.
She felt across his bare hips blindly, to intent on the white hot kiss they were enthralled in. Her fingers strayed across Hiero's manhood, something she'd seen at a distance, but had been impressive to say the least. Hiero's kisses became more heated and urgent as she stroked it, the flaming heat from the exciting flesh nearly burning her fingers.
Then she gripped it and Hiero's body went rigid, a dragon's growl vibrating loudly in his throat. He didn't give her a chance to do much and tackled her body into the bed, laying his naked body across hers. He pulled his kisses back, and she felt the moisture on her private grow as the hot tip of his manhood kissed her entrance. He looked to her for assurance, so she gripped one of his hands and nodded. He smiled in answer and kissed her deeply. Seconds later he thrust himself inside her, shattering her barrier forever. She screamed in his throat, the pain pleasurable and excruciating. She felt him stroking her hair and kissing her cheeks, trying to sooth her pain. He wasn't moving himself, so she'd get used to him. The pain left her after a few more seconds and she relaxed, smiling deeply.
Then Hiero started to move, slowly at first, then gradually speeding himself up. She felt like her blood was boiling the deeper Hiero's flesh went within her body, slick and nearly stabbing his love into her soul. Soon their hips were bucking against each other with bone breaking force, Hiero making those erotic dragon trills of his, his way of moaning with her. It was kind of cute in its own bestial way to her.
Hiero thrust into her again, making her scream out his name passionately, and she thrust herself up at him, making him do the same. His body splayed across her, pushing himself deeper and deeper into her womanhood until veins starts to pulse on his forehead. His scars even seem to throb with his lust. They thrashed with each other, Hiero trying to sit her up with him. The action proved inviting to her, since they were still making love rather rapidly, and they fell off the cot in a cyclone of flesh and sheets, Alessa on top.
Their movements didn't stop, even as twisted and sweat soaked the sheets got. Alessa pushed into him faster and faster until Hiero was practically screaming out her name, his hands holding fast onto her breasts, pressing on them with great force.
Alessa reached her climax at last after several more minutes of their love making, her nectar drowning Hiero's flesh within her and set his own climaxes off. "AH! ALESSA!"
"HIERO! OH!" she screamed with him as she peaked again, his white-hot seed filling her womb over and over. She collapsed against his chest, his flesh still nestle warmly inside her. She was breathing hard, her virginity and energy spent. Her energy would return, but she had no regrets about giving her innocence away to Hiero. She never would.
"I love you." he uttered softly, hugging her close. I love you too." She replied, finally letting his flesh out to rest beside him. Both were asleep in each other's warm embrace before they could do anything else, the soft patter of rain lulling the lovers into sweet dreams.
~ The Bridge ~
- Earlier -
Dilandau had no idea why he had woken up outside the door to the bridge, but it didn't matter. Allen wasn't in his face anymore. He got up from the floor and went on the bridge, only seeing the man called Gaddes at the helm, barely awake.
Dilandau walked to the opposite side of the bridge and leaned across one of the crude control panels. The Vione was more advanced than this piece of crap. When Allen was dead, Dilandau would improve upon this flying pile of junk most readily.
He started to look out the window when he suddenly felt very warm, everywhere. At first, he thought it was the poor ventilation system in the ship, but by looking at Gaddes, he could see the man wasn't sweating. The air hadn't been too warm on the bridge before.
The heat increased in his lions and he had to hold onto the panel for balance as he shut his eyes. He felt it, feelings of pleasure were attacking his senses, Hiero's feelings. He had to guess Hiero was enjoying himself heavily from the increasing heat in Dilandau's body.
It was a bit euphoric, but Dilandau didn't need these useless feelings inside him, not when he wanted to be angry at Allen, at Folken and Sora, but the feelings kept hitting him. It was like he was on fire, but in a good way. Being burned alive wasn't as appealing as watching someone else burn to death. This is what he felt, the pleasure of the flame to his eyes, ecstasy of those perfect amber and white-hot dancers, his dancers. The flames were his muses, his angels….his pleasure.
He shook his head a bit in hopes it would drown the feelings of being in synch with Hiero, but they were only amplified. He breathed deeply, and that helped, fighting was getting him nowhere. He just let it come, welcomed it to battle with his own senses fairly.
"Hey, that you Dilandau?" said an annoyingly familiar voice. 'Not Myrna, not the little cat-bitch, not now!' his mind screamed. He turned about angrily, but the pleasure waves hit him again and his face screwed up into a smirk.
She smiled back at him, and it made him sick. "What do you want, bitch?!" he hissed, his voice pitching high for a moment. He cleared his throat, then groaned as he saw she misinterpreted his slip for flirting. 'Like I'd ever flirt with that…or so pathetically. She's a stinking whore from a smutty race. I'd sooner throw her through the glass than flirt with her.' He thought harshly.
"I wanted to know if you'd keep me company, since I can't find Hiero or Val. I couldn't sleep and….wondered if you'd keep me company for a while, if you catch my drift." She flirted with that bubbly and childish voice of hers. Dilandau wanted to laugh, but Hiero's emotions weren't making it easy. He'd just have to ride it out.
He slapped Myrna across the room instead, angry she dared to think she could use him to make Hiero jealous. He knew her game, he'd seen so many women try it with his Slayers and soldiers he'd been raised around. If the man of their choice paid little attention to them, the women would go to another close to the man and try and seduce him, all for the sake of making the other man jealous. He wouldn't be used, never again. Folken had tried, but he knew better then too. Dornkirk was the only one who had gotten away with it, but that old bastard was dead. No one would control Dilandau Albatou again.
"Get out of my sight, you little whore! Splatter your furry carcass through the glass. If I see you up here again trying to use your lying tongue, you'll never taste ever again, if you're lucky. Go hump someone else's leg or I'll break yours!!" Dilandau spat, finding pleasure in Myrna's fearful and wet eyes. She scampered out quickly, and Dilandau too that chance to turn around and walk to one of the window panels of the bridge. He heard Gaddes mumbled something intelligible, but one sharp look from Dilandau's eyes and Gaddes was quiet.
The pleasure was growing still, but Dilandau let it come, he didn't fear it. It couldn't hurt him, it wasn't as if he was in love with that jinx. They were only Hiero's feelings, they would pass. Once this prophecy was fulfilled, he could control what came in.
'I hope….' He thought, nearly groaning as another pleasure wave struck his senses.
~ Morning ~
Hiero stirred a bit as he heard a tapping noise. At first he thought it was the window's getting blown against by the storm, but then he recalled that he'd locked them before. He grinned at that memory, after 500 years or so of celibacy, he'd given in to temptation and made love to another female, but this time, it was one he truly loved.
It had been a wonderful night, one he hoped they would repeat once Folken was dead. He pushed thoughts of Folken away and rubbed at his eyes, blinking them furiously. The room was still dimly lit by the lantern above his and Alessa's nude bodies, only a sheet to cover them.
The tapping continued and as he listened harder, he found it to be coming from the door. It wasn't locked either, he'd forgotten to do that, but he'd had something more important to do, like Alessa.
'Feisty little Angel of Love. Nice….but who could waking me up now? Gods, I wish I had a pocket watch so I knew what time it is so I could yell at the idiot knocking.' he thought crossly and slipped out of Alessa soft grip and got up to search for his boxers. He found them near his cot and quickly thrust them one, then ran one hand through his tussled hair as he went for the door. He pulled it open to see Pyle staring at him, blushing a bit with a suggestive smile. "Wipe that off your face, fatso. What do you want?" Hiero snapped, scratching at his neck.
Pyle face fell, as if he was ashamed for teasing Hiero. "It's….we've reach Palas."
Hiero's face faulted, and he was ready to slap the door in Pyle face, when his empathy kicked in, and he felt pain in Pyle heart, similar to what he felt when he woke up in that elfin dungeon fifty-five millennia ago.
Pyle's eyes were growing sadder by the minute. "Palas….is….gods, you have to come to the bridge immediately. I have to go wake up the Commander and the rest of the kids, I thought…..you should be there early. You know how Allen gets when he thinks you're being snotty to him."
"No, Pyle, it's ok, go wake up the others. I'll get Allen. Just go, we'll be right down." Hiero replied, the man nodding before he started down.
Hiero didn't bother to shut the door and started to get dressed. Then he walked over to Alessa and gently shook her awake. "Um, Hiero? What? What is it? What's wrong?" she asked, seeing the pain in his eyes. "Get dressed, something's wrong with Palas….Val's home….Just get dressed as fast as you can. I'm going to get Allen." He told her. She nodded and started pulling her clothing on. Hiero left her there, swiftly descending the ladder and running out of the engine room.
~
"I don't believe it….it's all gone." Liesen uttered tearfully. Hiero felt worse about this than any of the Asturian born Crusaders ever could. He felt it was his fault. If he'd killed Folken, maybe this wouldn't have happened. Palas was nothing but a crater of ash. No fires blazed, no bodies, just nothing but a smoking crater of darkness.
"Grandfather….Aunt Eries….The Knights….Father, they're all gone." Val said, his voice breaking. Hiero wanted to cry for Val, he hated to see his best friend hurt. He'd had the best night of his life on Gaia last night, but now, in the haze of the ongoing rainstorm, the mood of happiness was falling into the abyss of the void within his soul. He felt this way when he found out he'd destroyed his kingdom single handedly, without even trying. He felt this pain when he discovered Veda's body, when Bran's death was announced, and especially when Lina and Zelgadis died before his very eyes.
It was the pain of being helpless, one he knew too well on Terrian and Val's world, but also with Van, Hitomi, Celena, Daisuke, and Fanelia's deaths. He had been powerless to help any of them, trying his best never being enough at the time. 'No, never again. Folken's end is now or never….I can't let him destroy more lives over us….' He thought, growling at the horrible wasteland below. The ship was landing at what was left of the harbor, and Hiero felt his heart leap at the sight of a number of people waving at them.
"Father! It's Aunt Eries! And she has little Ryna with her, and some of the knights, they're ok!" Val said, very loud and happily.
"Gaddes, dock us here. We'll take the survivors to our outpost in the forest. It should be safe from attack. We'll make sure of it," Allen ordered, and Gaddes obeyed, then Allen looked at Hiero's angry face," Quite a mess your uncle is causing. Whatever the reason, he's going to die this time."
"He's not my uncle." Hiero hissed. Allen looked a bit stunned by the statement, but said nothing, so Hiero went on.
"My uncle was a good man, he loved his cat-women dearly enough to take care of them. He looked after Dilandau sometimes, worried about his problems. He loved my father enough to try and kill a dragon so father wouldn't have to taint his gentle soul with such a barbaric ritual. He lost his damned arm and soul to protect my father!!" Hiero grated out," This Folken, this thing in Folken's body, is not my uncle. He's nothing but a monster. Only a monster would hurt innocent people who have nothing to do with their agendas and force innocent people into his plans as he did Lady Celena, Daisuke, and my parents! If anyone kills him, it will be Dilandau and myself. I won't let him hurt anyone else….not in such a cowardly manner as he seems to enjoy. For everything he's done, he's going to suffer a thousand fold, tomorrow. I won't wait anymore….I am dousing for Castle Eden on our way to the outpost….and then we finish this, forever."
Dilandau had a sinister smile on his face and gave a sharp nod. "Yes, playtime is over. Time to give that bastard father of mine a death to remember for using Gaia as his plaything."
"What do you intend to do, Dilandau, when you're no better than Folken is?" Allen sniffed. Dilandau sneered at him. "I am not a petty pervert, I may be a monster and devil, but I like it that way."
"So you say, but what do you intend to do once you get to Eden?" Allen questioned heatedly
Dilandau smiled and Hiero smiled with him. "Unleash hell." They said together, the menace in their voices chilling the very air.
To Be Continued….
The Lovers card represents Hiero and Alessa and their true love. Also, it speaks of the bond between Hiero and Dilandau, them being in perfect synch as well as Alessa and Hiero remaining true to each other and showing where they stand for each other, in eternal love.
Teaser: Plans of attack, but there's still a spy among them. Will he be discovered in time? And finally, the Prophecy of the Seven Angels is achieved.
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