Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters of "Escaflowne," not even Dilandau. Wish I did, but I don't. I don't own anything from "The Slayers." I don't own the Hammerfall song "Glory to the Brave" either. I do own Hiero, Alessa, Myrna, Tryst, Garland, and Hess, and whatever Hiero's last name becomes. I own everything associated with his first life on the Planet Terrian. Ask my permission if you want to use him.
Author's Note: This Sequence is to pay tribute to the fallen Dragon Slayers and all those that died during the War of Angels. It also describes the events after Hiero reports their banishment to Dilandau and the Dragon Slayers, and a day after Hiero is holding Alessa in their bed in the Abyss after it has departed Jotunheim. Enjoy!
Ending Sequence
Snow is falling down on this glorious land,
Colours* fading, turning into white again.
To fallen heroes angels sing, they cry their winter tears,
Endless mourning days will turn to years….
So this is goodbye, I take leave of you and
Spread your wings and you will fly away now, fly away now….
Hiero is standing in a forest of Fanelia with Alessa, both staring with small smiles on their faces at the untouched shrine to the true Folken Lacour de Fanel. The husband and wife both wear dark winter cloaks, covering what they wear beneath it fully and keeping their bodies warm from the biting cold. Frost has cast itself upon Hiero's brilliant sapphire hair, making him look as if his hair has gone white and shimmers. The trees are laced with snow, looking like frosted emerald cakes above the pair. Hiero steps up quietly and bows his head to the shrine, dusting some snow off the plaque his father and mother prayed to often.
"Ja ne, Uncle Folken, your spirit is at rest. That amalgamation Sora created is gone for all times. Rest again with your girls, I know they're probably pissed off at me for killing their daughters and nieces, whichever applies to what twin. It had to be done. I just want to remind them not to haunt me. I have enough voices in my head and hallucinations, don't need more….and say hello to my parents for me. Please, tell them….I will always love and miss them. I hope….they have forgiven me for breaking the rules. I did my best to protect Fanelia. I did." Hiero said quietly, pulling a bouquet of lilies out of the folds of his cloak and set them upon the shrine.
He turns away and goes to his wife, slipping his arm through hers as he tugs her gently away. "That was very nice Hiero, but I think they could have done without the swear words. This is a holy place." She tutted.
Hiero shot her an odd look. "I was talking to them, not praying. I don't pray." He said simply, his voice quivering a bit.
She sighed and pulled up his hood then her own as a gust of cold, snow-sparkling wind rushed past them. It has begun to snow again, very softly and Hiero grumbles. Swiftly, he takes Alessa into his arms and spreads his wings. He takes flight to the cold air as she clings to him, blushing at the noble gesture. "I hate the cold sometimes." He muttered, going higher and farther away from the grave. Far below them, the spirits of Van, Hitomi, Folken, Naria and Eriya appear, slightly faded in the snowfall. They smile up towards the couple, and wave good-bye.
"Thank you." Van says, waving to his son, even if he can't really see him.
"We'll always love you too, Hiero, always." Hitomi says warmly, nuzzling against her husband with a content smile.
Nothing on earth stays forever,
But none of your deeds were in vain.
Deep in our hearts you will live again,
You're gone to the home of the brave!
Migel stood tall and proud between Gatti and Chesta, he being the only Slayer to hold three red roses in his gloves hands. He and the other boys were all that was left of the true Dragon Slayers, just three un-aging nineteen year old warriors who would always crave the glory of battle for themselves and their patron. Migel had never been one to enjoy cold weather, even as long as he had lived in Zaibach, which had long and harsh winters. The cloaks they wore help keep most of the breeze and cold snowflakes out enough, but it was still uncomfortable to stand in one place.
Hiero Fanel had built the shrine they stood in front of after Allen and Millerna Schezar had passed on, a shrine to the lost soldiers who couldn't come with them since they weren't angels, but mortals. Migel placed each rose on each shrine plaque. Gatti and Chesta had already said their wonderful good-byes to the fallen Slayers, their roses already frosted over with fresh snow.
"Good-bye, Guimel, Viole, Dalet. Perhaps your bodies are not within these underground beds of eternity, but we know you appreciate what Hiero did for all of us, despite the fact he's a smart-ass. He granted you eternity in his own way, even if he never meant to do it to Guimel. We'll never forget you, comrades. Never." He said quietly, at saluted the shrine.
With that, they remained in silence for a few honorable minutes, then saluted together and turned about, to leave the cemetery of Palas forever. Lord Dilandau was still within, but he had told them to get back to the Abyss Floating Fortress before him or there would be hell to pay. They were going to leave once Dilandau returned, least the western continent forever. They didn't want to leave on a sour note, or a beating.
Each spread their wings and flew into the snowy sky, to the mountains where the Abyss lay in wait for its masters.
Every solemn moment I will treasure inside,
Even though it's hard to understand.
That a silent wind can blow the candle out,
Taking everything leaving the pain….far behind….
Dilandau stood quietly before his mother's tarnished grave. He had to say good-bye one final time, he'd never see this place again, not that he wanted to. Palas should have stayed a pile of rubble, it was prettier on fire. The cemetery had remained untouched. He remembered being here once, when his mother came to pay her respects to her own fallen mother and turned back into him. It had been disconcerting for him, but he got over it. He was alive, she wasn't. She died so he could live, as a man, as the general he always wanted to be.
He pulled a blood-red rose from within the folds of his black hooded cloak, the hood hiding his features from any passer-by. He didn't need to be bothered by moronic Palas morons who still thought he needed to be arrested. 'Let them try, hmm, Mother? I'll put them next to you to keep you company.' He thought with an amused smile. He had the hood on for another reason, he hated breaking a schedule, and they were to leave soon. Fanelia had spurned them and it wouldn't be long before the new order of Zaibach destroyed it, and maybe Palas. Dilandau relished the thought.
He tosses the rose down upon her grave and then blows her a kiss with a smirk. "Good-bye, Mother, for the last time." he stated, a little warmer than his thoughts were of Palas burning. Then looked at his locket, opening it a moment to see his mother's eternal beauty locked inside, and said to it," I will always keep the memory of you close, even if I won't be coming back here to see you. You understand. War is at hand, but not here, not for us. Fanelia is finally going to fall, Mother, fall for all times for having such a pathetic king. It was bound to happen, you know."
He sighed, knowing she couldn't reply and snapped the locket shut, tucking the cold metal under his armor. "Farewell, Mother. Rest easy, your son will never stop having fun." He called out to her as he turned on heel and walked away, stopping as he was about to pass by Allen's grave.
He sneered at the headstone, angry he hadn't been able to kill the man, but since Allen had been crippled, his men never stopped guarding him. The stupid fool died of infection only five years after the War of Angels ended, dying pathetically in bed, on his back, and weeping like a little girl that he loved his family and would miss them. Dilandau had been there, just to see him suffer, but it was an empty victory. The man died because he was weak and sick, not weak in battle.
It was true Allen had acted rather stupidly to save Val, losing his leg in the process and being poisoned by the dark energy over time, but better him than Val.
"I hate heroic crap, Allen Schezar. I hope the maggots are choking on your stinking flesh." Dilandau hissed and gave the headstone a hard kick. The headstone cracked and broke in half after a few seconds. Dilandau didn't mind the throbbing in his foot, he felt better inside with having defaced the dead knight's grave.
"Even in death, dear Allen, you're weak." Dilandau spat and walked off, spreading his white and silver wings after a while to reach his floating fortress.
You call out my name, but your voice is fading,
Into the wind, embraced, you'll fly away now, fly away now….
Nothing on earth stays forever,
But none of your deeds were in vain.
Deep in our hearts you will live again,
You're gone to the home of the brave!
Val is looking at Palas as well for the last time, the home of Schezar Family to be accurate. This is where his sons and daughter once lived to carry the family name.
Val walks quickly towards it and enters the abandoned mansion. He smiles as he looks at the walls and what was once a bright and cheerful living room. The furniture is long gone, as his children are long dead, their descendents elsewhere in Gaia, not in Palas anymore. Val walks up the stairs and goes for his old room, where he and his little brother Leon spent a lot of time. Leon was dead though, he died a happy grandfather and married a fine noble woman. Val had settled for a rather saucy merchant's daughter, one he had been happy to call his wife. His father hadn't approved, but then again, the man died three years after the wedding. He didn't curse Val when he died, but he didn't say he was sorry for being such a jerk to him. Val still loved his father, and pitied his poor mother. She loved Allen most of all, and lost him soon after they had a normal human child, normal little Leon.
Val took a heavy breath as he opened the closet, peering inside to smell what remained of the scent of the clothing that it once held. Val perked up when he saw a piece of colorful paper inside, dusty and worn on the floorboards. He picked it up and found it to be a child's picture, rather sloppy, but it was a painting the ocean. He remembered this picture.
"Filia….my daughter. Sweet and creative Filia." He murmured, holding the picture close before slipping it inside his cloak. She had been the spitting image of his mother, Filia Ul Copt, so it only felt right to name her after her. She even got incensed easily when people teased her about her art, hitting them with sticks. He was glad he never had the urge to buy her a mace.
"I'll really miss this place, it holds so many memories, but I can't stay. There is nothing left but memories. I can't survive on those alone," he uttered, starting to leave the room, stopping by the door to turn around slightly," But I will never forget my days here in Palas. They will always be within my dreams."
My eyes are closed I feel you're faraway,
(So close….)
Far beyond that shining star!
I know you'll find what you've been fighting for,
Far beyond that shining star!
Hiero watches Fanelia burn, almost indifferently, but with a bit of pain in his eyes. He keeps watching even when Alessa turns away with disgust. "You're looking with blind eyes, Hiero. How can you stand such slaughter?" she accused.
Hiero kept his eyes static, watching his homeland burn. "My descendant was the blindest man of all for banishing us in his time of need. I only watch because if I don't, I won't learn the result. Fanelia truly has no fate any longer, this much proves it, it is so like stars, always bright, always static, never changing shape, only destination. The planets too….as if they are used to their boring existence. The king thought he didn't need us, that his guymelefs were good enough. That all we do is instigate war and drag them on….Because he lost faith in us over being accused of hiding behind us, the New Order of Zaibach will rule the western continent." Hiero replied evenly, almost sorrowfully.
"And us? What will we do without the support of the west? You haven't told me where we are going." Alessa asks.
Hiero finally looks away and towards her, a small smile playing on his lips. "The eastern continent of Alfheim^ will be out home, where we will reign until the world comes to an end, then we go to another world. On and on, always together and as we please. If we keep changing where we go, we will never grow old and boring, we will keep pride away. Fanelia had too much pride in the old ways, ones that excluded us, all so the king would look good. There is too much pride in the same old routine, that's why it ruins so many." He told her, then walks out of the bridge room
Alessa sighed, shaking her head at him as he goes. "Whatever will I do you, love?"
Down on bended knee I pray, bring courage to these souls.
Make 'em live forever in the heart of the bold!
So I say farewell my friends, I hope we'll meet again,
When time has come to fall from grace!
Hiero and Dilandau are leaning on the railing in the hangar area of the Abyss, looking out at the night sky, Fanelia far behind.
"Dilandau…." Hiero piped up, and Dilandau just made a noise that was close to a 'yes,' still staring at the star speckled sky. "I promise I will always be one of your Dragon Slayers, as whatever you see fit." Hiero replied evenly.
Dilandau looked at him a moment, lowering his head in thought. "How about you be our Strategos, since you have more military knowledge than any of us combined. As well as great loyalty, you've proven as much all these years of never being far away."
"Do I had to wear that godly awful cloak my uncle did?" Hiero asked, sounding a bit uneasy about mentioning it.
Dilandau simply grinned. "The closet you'll get to godly awful is saying 'gods,' Hiero. You can choose whatever you like to go over your armor," Dilandau smirked, then got a stern look on his face, looking into the night sky," Style isn't what Dragon Slayers are for, though, the eternal fight is. We depend on ourselves, not faith or damned fashion. Try to keep it from blinding people. As my Strategos, you can also recruit new Dragon Slayers for me when you're not fighting, and whatever else I choose for you to do. Nothing demeaning, I save that for the true fools."
Hiero nods, looking out at the sky with the general. "All right then, I am the Dragon Slayer Strategos. With my knowledge of the military past and your inherited military genius….the wars of the east will go to your liking. Much more fun for us all, I'm sure. I will honor the position, Dilandau, as I will always be with you, Alessa, Val, and the others. I never leave those close to me….not for anything."
Dilandau turns to look at him, about to say something, but a voice interrupts. "Lord Dilandau! Lord Hiero! Land is in sight! Come back to the bridge, please!" Gatti's voice called from the intercom. Dilandau's mouth shut and his look soured. "How dare he interrupt me….he'll be punished when I get in there."
"You did tell him to call us back when the eastern continent was in sight. You can't blame him for following –slap-….orders." Hiero said simply, ignoring the slap he got for talking back as always.
Dilandau shrugged and stood up, Hiero following. "Then his slap was yours….Strategos Vendetta." Dilandau stated, a soft glow of amber coiling across the hangar.
"Certainly….Dilandau." Hiero snickered, and sidestepped the next slap, running out of the hangar area with Dilandau shouting at his heels. The sea below the Floating Fortress Abyss is focused on, the sun slowly peeking over the distant horizon.
So this is goodbye, I take leave of you and
Spread your wings and you will fly away now,
Fly away now….
All of the Dragons Slayers, Angels and not, are looking out the front of the new Abyss bridge and see the sun rising over the eastern continent of Alfheim, and a small fishing community is seen on the coast. Horses are being ridden on the perfect beaches, but no guymelefs or machinery have been spotted yet. The people on shore scatter into their village as the Abyss floats closer. Dilandau and Hiero arrive on the bridge, and the general spreads a triumphant smile across his face, clasping his hands together in triumph. Hiero is smiling at finally seeing the land he had only read about in boring books. Alessa is also smiling, glad she'll be off the Abyss soon and be able to be on land again.
"A land without guymelefs….war must be fought hand to hand here. I like this. My Dragon Slayers won't get sloppy now." Dilandau said with pleasant malice, his garnet gaze boring into the land as if to bury it.
Hiero nods, along with Gatti, Migel, and Chesta, and Val, all dressed their new navy blue Dragon Slayer armor.** There are three other Dragon Slayers behind them, all grinning. Behind Alessa is a young blonde Asturian named Tryst, his blue specked, lavender eyes gazing happily at his new home continent. Beside him are dark-haired Freidian twins with blue eyes, Garland and Hess, all proud to be there on such an unheard of quest to the east.
Dilandau suddenly notices their presence and smirks at them. "Slayer Demitrius, take the rookies to the hangar area to prepare for out arrival. I'll be there soon, don't disappoint me, or else." He said crisply, sneering at Alessa. She huffed at him and looked to Hiero, but he made a gesture with his head for her to go on. With an exasperated sigh, Alessa started to leave. "Tryst, Hess, Garland, follow me, or face our general's wrath. Or maybe Hiero's, boys." She spat out.
The three hesitate until Hiero and Dilandau look at them, then they quickly get behind Alessa and follow her out, Garland shutting the door as he goes. "Gatti, lock it." Dilandau ordered, and Gatti obeyed quickly.
As soon as the lock clicks into place, Dilandau and Hiero reach into their armor and then spread their shockingly brilliant wings. Chesta follows the actions, then Val, Migel, and finally Gatti. They spread them for a moment, stretching their blessed gifts of Mother Gaia, Hiero's and Dilandau's being of the winged people fully. Then, they fold them against their backs gently, all looking towards Alfheim as they are only several yards away.
"Ours for the taking….what fun we'll have here fighting in the glorious wars of the mysterious East." Dilandau said gleefully, grinning like a madman.
"This is only the beginning, Dilandau. There's so much more….fun….we can have here. The East is our home now….our land. Our playground…."
"Yes, this is going to be so much fun. Soon, we'll play….forever!!" Dilandau cackles.
Hiero nods, smiling the looks at the continent. "We shall play there indeed, for more than you ever thought possible, dear Dilandau." Hiero says with a smirk, and strokes his scar. The sun is high in the sky as they reach the coast.
The last thing seen is the continent below, the shadow of the Abyss passing over a few boys and girls playing in the morning surf. The children's wide eyes watch it pass as the waves lick at their bare, innocent feet.
Nothing on earth stays forever,
But none of your deeds were in vain.
Deep in our hearts you will live again,
You're gone to the home of the brave!!
*Colours is not a misspelling, this is how Hammerfall spells it, and some European countries spell it.
^Alfheim means elf home, if that's any hint to readers for part 3's major population. Alfheim is the homeland of the elves of light in Norse Mythology, on the highest level of the Norse Universe with Asgard and Vanaheim. It is also the palace of the god Freyr, the god of peace, plentiful harvests, sun and rain, but also a brave warrior. Friendly fact there.
**The new armor described is actually the armor from "Escaflowne the Movie: A Girl in Gaia." It looks much more protective of the body than the series' armor. Jeez, I have to see this movie!
Thank You All For Reading! Review!
-_^
