1.1.1.1.1 Vision IV: The diabolical Adonis
"Is it a dream? Or perhaps an illusion?
This is the kingdom of Asturia, the border regions.
In that forest I met an angel of light. That person's name is Allen Schezar.
At the time his giant defeated Escaflowne, the wind enveloped me by an ominous vision."
"Allen-san! We must flee. The invisibles! They are ready to attack!"
Everyone was looking at her curiously and surprised.
"I'm telling the truth" cried Millennia. "I have seen them. They burned the kingdom of Fanelia. The invisible giants. I have seen them. Onegaï… Believe me!"
"What are you talking about?" asked a man in the crowd.
"You are a bird of ill omen!" replied one of his friends.
"this girl comes from the mystic moon. People there are bad luck." Said a man, who was playing with a knife.
"Really?"
"Calamity is going to happen to us!"
"Shut up!" yelled Allen. "Since when do Asturians believe this non-sense? I'm sorry", he said turning to face Millennia. "Please, excuse my men. You seem to be tired. Would you like to have a rest in your room?"
"Commander!!" called a man arriving in hurry on his horse. "We have found men in the forest!"
"Men?!?" asked Allen very surprised.
"This girl spoke the truth" whispered the man with the knife.
"Commander!" yelled a second man, "we've caught them.."
Van looked at the body, hoping it was one of his enemies. But his eyes widened as he recognized the captive.
"Merle" he whispered before calling her. "MEERRLLLEEE!"
Hearing his voice, she opened her eyes. And she was so happy that even though she was battered, bound and worn, she jumped and tried to reach him.
"Vaaann-saaammaaa!"
He cut her loose and took her in his arms.
"Do you know her?" asked Allen to Millennia.
"Hye. She is from Fanelia." Answered Millennia before she felt to her knees by Van's side and smiled to Merle. You are safe now…she thought, a soft light coming out of her hands and slowly healing Merle's wounds. The cat- girl didn't see this, only looking at Van and sobbing, began to tell them the situation in Fanelia.
"They are all dead. They have all been burned alive. Everything's been destroyed. The soldiers are dead and the kingdom is destroyed. The survivor have run away. No one stayed, Majesty. No one. And I have been looking for you all this time."
She lost consciousness.
"I'm so happy to see you safe Merle." Van whispered. Millennia was trembling on her feet, tears in her eyes. She had felt all the pain through Merle's words.
"No… Why did they burn everything? Why am I reliving this again? Why is the wind so warm?"
She felt in Allen's arms, passing out from exhaustion.
"Millennia? She is so hot! She has fever. Van come with me."
Van nodded and took Merle in his arms before following Allen.
They took the two girls to a room so they could rest. Allen applied a damp cloth to Millennia's forehead for her fever, but she was in a delirium. She caught his hand and pushed it away. She was calling Allan and Dilan, telling them not to follow the men in black and blue. Then she called out Van's name.
"Van don't go. Don't follow them or you'll disappear like Allan and Dilan. Van!"
Van came to her bedside. As Allen put a hand on her forehead, she violently sat up, trying to escape and butted into his chin. Van caught her and blocked her in his arms. She was crying and shivering.
"Millennia, wake up!" said Van worried.
She opened her eyes and saw Van. Tears were running down her check.
"O Gods! I was dreaming again. But why does always wind carrying the smell of war to me?
She let herself fall onto Van's shoulder. He took her to the bed and covered her. Allen looked at this strange girl. Millennia smiled to Van and he went back to Merle.
"You called you mother in your dream. Do you think she's worrying about you?" asked a timid Allen. Millennia blushed and whispered.
"Maybe she's taking care for me from heaven. She died giving me birth at the turn of the Millenium. That's why they called me Millennia…"
"I shouldn't have asked. Please forgive Millennia!"
"Don't be sorry. It's not necessary. After all I never knew her."
Embarrassed silence.
"Your mother must be a beautiful woman Allen."
Allen stared into distance.
"Yes she was the most beautiful lady in Asturia. But she died when my little sister disappeared. We never found my sister but I still believe that she is alive. She would be about your age."
"Why does so many orphan exist on both worlds…" she whispered.
She closed her eyes and found a peaceful sleep. Allen smiled and left the room.
Van was tending Merle's scratches, listening to Millennia's peaceful breathe. He discovered a small seed in one of the wounds. He immediately recognized it and stand up. Before leaving the room, he put an hand on Millennia's forehead. The fever was burning her skin. He left the room, hoping to find the Mole-Man.
Millennia, please, wait for me…
The Mole-Man was being detained by Allen. Van found him and asked him if he knew the seed he found in Merle's wounds. The Mole-Man took it and gave it to Van. Van began crushing it immediately and asked for his help.
"Where did you learn about this plant your Highness?"
"My brother taught me…"
Merle was trying to interrupt Millennia, but she was just sitting up in her bed, reading the book Vargass gave her. She was searching for healing spells. She was suddenly disrupted by the wind who did her loose her page and told her that something was coming. She closed her eyes, ignoring Merle words, looking for the source. As she opened her eyes, she saw the Mole-Man in front of her and screamed. The Mole-Man jumped back, landing at Van's feet. Van was returning with a medicine. He sat down beside Merle and gently applied it to her scratches.
"It's for me?"
"humhum." He nodded.
She was so happy Millennia was jealous of this complicity. She was surprised when Van approached her bed and without warning or any explanation pulled the cover back.
"Van what are you doing!" She yelled when he took her bandages off, until she felt him applying the medicine to her large wounds on each thigh and arms.
"This seed got into your wounds in the forest and gave you the fever. With this medicine you'll be all right in a few hour."
Millennia smiled at Van, touched by his consideration. Suddenly the wind whistled around her. Van took her hand.
"Everything will be okay. I promise."
Dilandau was leading his troop in attacking the fortress. He was impatient to hunt the Dragon and very enthusiastic. He wanted to burn everything in sight.
"Dilandau, are you going to burn everything once again?" asked him a strong and cold voice.
"Na Folken. Don't be afraid of fire. Remember that if we kill everyone, no one could say who did it! And everything burns, it'll be easier to find the so-called dragon Dornik-sama is looking for."
Dilandau closed the communication. Folken sighed to the young man attitude.
Allen was preparing the attack and inspecting his troops. Gaddeth came and asked him:
"Do you really believe what the girl said?"
"I don't, but I know what I saw in Dilandau's look. Take Escaflowne and the girls to the Crusade, and prepare the Scherazade."
"Yes commander"
An explosion told them that the fight had began. Allen in the Scherazade inspected the battlefield and gave the order to his troop to go to the Crusade. Everything was on fire. Van ran to Allen:
"Allen! Give me Escaflowne back and I'll help you fight the invisible!"
"Escaflowne is on board for the Crusade with Millennia and Merle. We are leaving Van."
"What kind of knight are you Allen? Atashi, Van Fanel never turn my back on the enemy."
"And what's going to happen to your people if the king die in an secondary battle? There is no honour in dying in a hopeless battle. You'll find it in fighting for your people."
Van watched the emblems of Fanelia on his sword's guard and then replaced it in his scabbard.
Meanwhile, Millennia and Merle were taken by Gaddeth to Allen's Crusade. Millennia was asking where Allen and Van were, and Merle was crying.
"They'll be joining soon," assured Gaddeth.
Outside the fort. Dilandau was laughing and burning everything. His troops were waiting for the fire to subside so they could sift through the wreckage.
"Dilandau"
"Na ya Folken. We'll find the dragons soon!"
"Don't you think it's unlikely that Allen would not showing himself?"
"I don't think they were expecting the attack."
"They can escape through some alternate route. The waterfall near the fort for exemple."
"Nani?! Gati, Viole! Hurry up to the waterfall!"
The Scherazade was running through the forest, Van in the hand of the guymelef.
"Just in time!" whispered Allen.
"the way is over, we must fight Allen!" But Allen jumped from a cliff. "Allen Nani?!"
the Crusade emerged from the waterfall below. The Scherazade landed on the Crusade.
"Van-Sama!"
"Allen!"
They smiled until they saw the guymelef right behind them.
"Flying guymelef how can they…?!"
The guymelef unable to fight in fly mode proceeded to land on the crusade. Dilandau attacked Allen with his demon laugh. Van was put down and rendered powerless to the battle.
Millennia, Merle and Allen's crew watched nervously from the bridge of the crusade. Millennia stepped back, her head felt dizzy. Listening to the wind, she knew before it happened that Dilandau's troops were crippling the ship to stop it. She looked at Van whose anger was visible all over his face. He was going to do something crazy…
Remembering Allen's word regarding the protecting of the lives of others, Van determinedly headed for Escaflowne.
Millennia was shivering, The fight was exciting her, she knew it, and something inside her head was coming out of darkness. The wind was calling and she couldn't do anything against. She saw Van jumping to join Escaflowne quickly as possible. She took her pendant off and giving it to Merle said:
"If anything happens and we disappear, follow the light. Remember, follow the light!"
"Nani?" asked Merle.
"What are you doing young lady?" Asked Gaddeth.
Millennia's forehead was glowing. She had stolen the sword from Gaddeth and ran to Escaflowne.
Van climbed into Escaflowne and dived from the hull of the Crusade. The guymelef transformed into the shape of a dragon. Van was ridding atop of it. Everyone was surprised, but they were extremely relieved when they saw Millennia jumping from the hull. Her lips moved and wind blew so hard that she landed right behind him.
"Millennia?! What are you doing here?"
"You need to find the Dragon's wind and make them follow you. I'll help you." She answered with an hollow voice. "we'll talk later" she replied seeing Van's face. She turned,
looked at the Flying Guymelef and yelled: "MERA!!"
Fire flew out of her hand and pushed one of the guymelef away from the Crusade. It attracted Dilandau's attention.
"The dragon!" Yelled Dilandau, a sadist smile on his face.
The guymelef took off after Escaflowne. It was exactly what Van wanted, except that he wanted to protect Millennia and didn't recognized the girl who was with him, making fire with words, a light symbol of dragon on her forehead.
"Now follow the wind Van, Bagi!!!"
Van felt the blowing Wind, according to the girl's words. Escaflowne flight quickly far away from the crusade. Merle was crying and yelling at Gaddeth.
"Turn back! We must follow them!"
"We can't!" sighed Gaddeth. "The damage is too heavy. We'll never be able to catch them."
Merle turned back to the window and looked at the sky were Millennia and Van has disappeared. She looked at the pendant and yelled:
"Damned girl! Where are you Van- Sama!!!"
"Is it a dream? Or perhaps an illusion?
This is the kingdom of Asturia, the border regions.
In that forest I met an angel of light. That person's name is Allen Schezar.
At the time his giant defeated Escaflowne, the wind enveloped me by an ominous vision."
"Allen-san! We must flee. The invisibles! They are ready to attack!"
Everyone was looking at her curiously and surprised.
"I'm telling the truth" cried Millennia. "I have seen them. They burned the kingdom of Fanelia. The invisible giants. I have seen them. Onegaï… Believe me!"
"What are you talking about?" asked a man in the crowd.
"You are a bird of ill omen!" replied one of his friends.
"this girl comes from the mystic moon. People there are bad luck." Said a man, who was playing with a knife.
"Really?"
"Calamity is going to happen to us!"
"Shut up!" yelled Allen. "Since when do Asturians believe this non-sense? I'm sorry", he said turning to face Millennia. "Please, excuse my men. You seem to be tired. Would you like to have a rest in your room?"
"Commander!!" called a man arriving in hurry on his horse. "We have found men in the forest!"
"Men?!?" asked Allen very surprised.
"This girl spoke the truth" whispered the man with the knife.
"Commander!" yelled a second man, "we've caught them.."
Van looked at the body, hoping it was one of his enemies. But his eyes widened as he recognized the captive.
"Merle" he whispered before calling her. "MEERRLLLEEE!"
Hearing his voice, she opened her eyes. And she was so happy that even though she was battered, bound and worn, she jumped and tried to reach him.
"Vaaann-saaammaaa!"
He cut her loose and took her in his arms.
"Do you know her?" asked Allen to Millennia.
"Hye. She is from Fanelia." Answered Millennia before she felt to her knees by Van's side and smiled to Merle. You are safe now…she thought, a soft light coming out of her hands and slowly healing Merle's wounds. The cat- girl didn't see this, only looking at Van and sobbing, began to tell them the situation in Fanelia.
"They are all dead. They have all been burned alive. Everything's been destroyed. The soldiers are dead and the kingdom is destroyed. The survivor have run away. No one stayed, Majesty. No one. And I have been looking for you all this time."
She lost consciousness.
"I'm so happy to see you safe Merle." Van whispered. Millennia was trembling on her feet, tears in her eyes. She had felt all the pain through Merle's words.
"No… Why did they burn everything? Why am I reliving this again? Why is the wind so warm?"
She felt in Allen's arms, passing out from exhaustion.
"Millennia? She is so hot! She has fever. Van come with me."
Van nodded and took Merle in his arms before following Allen.
They took the two girls to a room so they could rest. Allen applied a damp cloth to Millennia's forehead for her fever, but she was in a delirium. She caught his hand and pushed it away. She was calling Allan and Dilan, telling them not to follow the men in black and blue. Then she called out Van's name.
"Van don't go. Don't follow them or you'll disappear like Allan and Dilan. Van!"
Van came to her bedside. As Allen put a hand on her forehead, she violently sat up, trying to escape and butted into his chin. Van caught her and blocked her in his arms. She was crying and shivering.
"Millennia, wake up!" said Van worried.
She opened her eyes and saw Van. Tears were running down her check.
"O Gods! I was dreaming again. But why does always wind carrying the smell of war to me?
She let herself fall onto Van's shoulder. He took her to the bed and covered her. Allen looked at this strange girl. Millennia smiled to Van and he went back to Merle.
"You called you mother in your dream. Do you think she's worrying about you?" asked a timid Allen. Millennia blushed and whispered.
"Maybe she's taking care for me from heaven. She died giving me birth at the turn of the Millenium. That's why they called me Millennia…"
"I shouldn't have asked. Please forgive Millennia!"
"Don't be sorry. It's not necessary. After all I never knew her."
Embarrassed silence.
"Your mother must be a beautiful woman Allen."
Allen stared into distance.
"Yes she was the most beautiful lady in Asturia. But she died when my little sister disappeared. We never found my sister but I still believe that she is alive. She would be about your age."
"Why does so many orphan exist on both worlds…" she whispered.
She closed her eyes and found a peaceful sleep. Allen smiled and left the room.
Van was tending Merle's scratches, listening to Millennia's peaceful breathe. He discovered a small seed in one of the wounds. He immediately recognized it and stand up. Before leaving the room, he put an hand on Millennia's forehead. The fever was burning her skin. He left the room, hoping to find the Mole-Man.
Millennia, please, wait for me…
The Mole-Man was being detained by Allen. Van found him and asked him if he knew the seed he found in Merle's wounds. The Mole-Man took it and gave it to Van. Van began crushing it immediately and asked for his help.
"Where did you learn about this plant your Highness?"
"My brother taught me…"
Merle was trying to interrupt Millennia, but she was just sitting up in her bed, reading the book Vargass gave her. She was searching for healing spells. She was suddenly disrupted by the wind who did her loose her page and told her that something was coming. She closed her eyes, ignoring Merle words, looking for the source. As she opened her eyes, she saw the Mole-Man in front of her and screamed. The Mole-Man jumped back, landing at Van's feet. Van was returning with a medicine. He sat down beside Merle and gently applied it to her scratches.
"It's for me?"
"humhum." He nodded.
She was so happy Millennia was jealous of this complicity. She was surprised when Van approached her bed and without warning or any explanation pulled the cover back.
"Van what are you doing!" She yelled when he took her bandages off, until she felt him applying the medicine to her large wounds on each thigh and arms.
"This seed got into your wounds in the forest and gave you the fever. With this medicine you'll be all right in a few hour."
Millennia smiled at Van, touched by his consideration. Suddenly the wind whistled around her. Van took her hand.
"Everything will be okay. I promise."
Dilandau was leading his troop in attacking the fortress. He was impatient to hunt the Dragon and very enthusiastic. He wanted to burn everything in sight.
"Dilandau, are you going to burn everything once again?" asked him a strong and cold voice.
"Na Folken. Don't be afraid of fire. Remember that if we kill everyone, no one could say who did it! And everything burns, it'll be easier to find the so-called dragon Dornik-sama is looking for."
Dilandau closed the communication. Folken sighed to the young man attitude.
Allen was preparing the attack and inspecting his troops. Gaddeth came and asked him:
"Do you really believe what the girl said?"
"I don't, but I know what I saw in Dilandau's look. Take Escaflowne and the girls to the Crusade, and prepare the Scherazade."
"Yes commander"
An explosion told them that the fight had began. Allen in the Scherazade inspected the battlefield and gave the order to his troop to go to the Crusade. Everything was on fire. Van ran to Allen:
"Allen! Give me Escaflowne back and I'll help you fight the invisible!"
"Escaflowne is on board for the Crusade with Millennia and Merle. We are leaving Van."
"What kind of knight are you Allen? Atashi, Van Fanel never turn my back on the enemy."
"And what's going to happen to your people if the king die in an secondary battle? There is no honour in dying in a hopeless battle. You'll find it in fighting for your people."
Van watched the emblems of Fanelia on his sword's guard and then replaced it in his scabbard.
Meanwhile, Millennia and Merle were taken by Gaddeth to Allen's Crusade. Millennia was asking where Allen and Van were, and Merle was crying.
"They'll be joining soon," assured Gaddeth.
Outside the fort. Dilandau was laughing and burning everything. His troops were waiting for the fire to subside so they could sift through the wreckage.
"Dilandau"
"Na ya Folken. We'll find the dragons soon!"
"Don't you think it's unlikely that Allen would not showing himself?"
"I don't think they were expecting the attack."
"They can escape through some alternate route. The waterfall near the fort for exemple."
"Nani?! Gati, Viole! Hurry up to the waterfall!"
The Scherazade was running through the forest, Van in the hand of the guymelef.
"Just in time!" whispered Allen.
"the way is over, we must fight Allen!" But Allen jumped from a cliff. "Allen Nani?!"
the Crusade emerged from the waterfall below. The Scherazade landed on the Crusade.
"Van-Sama!"
"Allen!"
They smiled until they saw the guymelef right behind them.
"Flying guymelef how can they…?!"
The guymelef unable to fight in fly mode proceeded to land on the crusade. Dilandau attacked Allen with his demon laugh. Van was put down and rendered powerless to the battle.
Millennia, Merle and Allen's crew watched nervously from the bridge of the crusade. Millennia stepped back, her head felt dizzy. Listening to the wind, she knew before it happened that Dilandau's troops were crippling the ship to stop it. She looked at Van whose anger was visible all over his face. He was going to do something crazy…
Remembering Allen's word regarding the protecting of the lives of others, Van determinedly headed for Escaflowne.
Millennia was shivering, The fight was exciting her, she knew it, and something inside her head was coming out of darkness. The wind was calling and she couldn't do anything against. She saw Van jumping to join Escaflowne quickly as possible. She took her pendant off and giving it to Merle said:
"If anything happens and we disappear, follow the light. Remember, follow the light!"
"Nani?" asked Merle.
"What are you doing young lady?" Asked Gaddeth.
Millennia's forehead was glowing. She had stolen the sword from Gaddeth and ran to Escaflowne.
Van climbed into Escaflowne and dived from the hull of the Crusade. The guymelef transformed into the shape of a dragon. Van was ridding atop of it. Everyone was surprised, but they were extremely relieved when they saw Millennia jumping from the hull. Her lips moved and wind blew so hard that she landed right behind him.
"Millennia?! What are you doing here?"
"You need to find the Dragon's wind and make them follow you. I'll help you." She answered with an hollow voice. "we'll talk later" she replied seeing Van's face. She turned,
looked at the Flying Guymelef and yelled: "MERA!!"
Fire flew out of her hand and pushed one of the guymelef away from the Crusade. It attracted Dilandau's attention.
"The dragon!" Yelled Dilandau, a sadist smile on his face.
The guymelef took off after Escaflowne. It was exactly what Van wanted, except that he wanted to protect Millennia and didn't recognized the girl who was with him, making fire with words, a light symbol of dragon on her forehead.
"Now follow the wind Van, Bagi!!!"
Van felt the blowing Wind, according to the girl's words. Escaflowne flight quickly far away from the crusade. Merle was crying and yelling at Gaddeth.
"Turn back! We must follow them!"
"We can't!" sighed Gaddeth. "The damage is too heavy. We'll never be able to catch them."
Merle turned back to the window and looked at the sky were Millennia and Van has disappeared. She looked at the pendant and yelled:
"Damned girl! Where are you Van- Sama!!!"