~Remember I don't own Escaflowne or its characters!~
~Only two reviews… only two little reviews… *sniff* Now I really think you guys don't like my story. Anyway I couldn't keep the chapter from publishing (it has a will of its own) so I posted it anyway although I didn't get my ten reviews… Lucky readers…~
The Fate of Two Worlds: The Sequel
By Angel_Wings
Chapter 26 ~ Only Way
~~~ Dusty Plain ~~~
Hitomi slowly curled up into a ball letting herself cry a sea of tears. Gently the dragon couple rose staring at the sky. Already the blue heavens were beginning to show calmness again relieving all stress of the scarlet lightning. Tenderly Shakaku placed her eyes on the fallen warriors knowing their hope had crumbled. Escaflowne knelt beside the dragon king helping him rise to his feet. Van leaned on his partner's shoulder while he gradually began to organize his senses again.
The young king spotted his wife across the dusty battlefield and pushed away from the white dragon. Stumbling his way to his beloved Van could see the pain pulling at her beautiful features. Passing by the fallen warriors he never noticed the guardians gradually rising themselves. Coming to kneel by her side the man pulled his wife to his chest. Automatically Hitomi clasped hold of his shirt and sobbed into the warm red fabric. His gentle hand swept over her hair giving the little comfort it could provide. Quietly the seeress sobbed, "I'm sorry, Van… I'm so sorry…"
His heart twisted painfully as he clutched his dear spouse tighter to his chest. Roughly, yet tenderly, he whispered into her ear, "Shh… It's not your fault, Hitomi! You tried your hardest to save her…"
Slowly lifting his eyes the dragon king noticed the group of guardians bowing their heads in shame. Even his own eyes of fire spouted tears as he felt his own guilt stab his soul. Quietly he whispered in a shudder as if to convince his own self he said, "We all tried…"
Carefully the warriors lifted their eyes with burning anger in their depths. Flames of sizzling hate soon enveloped the state of guilt dwelling within them. Each felt the revenge in their hearts as they became determined to take back the precious child that had been stolen from them.
Hitomi's tears slowed as she stared at her husband's chest. The image of her child dwelled in her mind as she remembered the distinct look of distress on her little angel's face. Iris was dependent on them and Hitomi felt as if she had let her daughter down. Squeezing her emeralds shut a few last crystal drops slipped down her cheek. She didn't care what it took she would get her daughter back!
"Hitomi…" called the familiar voice of one of the guardians.
Slowly the angel queen lifted her eyes to stare up at Folken. His tender eyes looked down at her as he came to kneel beside her. Bringing a warm hand to her shoulder the man said, "Do not believe you are responsible for the kidnapping of your child. You never suspected this might happen."
The young dragon king's eyes were wide as he stared at his dead brother. He never imagined Folken would be the next guardian, but it seemed to be the case with the silver bands on his wrists that held Draconian emblems. It had been so long seen he had last seen him…
However the moment was suddenly broken when he heard his wife cry out.
"But I should have!" the seeress shouted painfully. Everyone sadly stared at their heartbroken queen feeling her pain. With new tears surfacing the woman continue to rant, "I am the queen of the greatest country on Gaea! I should have known that Dornkirk might attack while I was unconscious! I should have been ready!"
The king bared his teeth unable to stand her pain any longer…
Grabbing her face forcefully Van shouted in her teary face, "No, Hitomi! You're not perfect! You make mistakes like everyone else! You need to stop putting the world on your shoulders!"
Her emeralds watered again as she quietly whispered, "But I have to… I am the Angel of Gaea… the guardian of this world…"
Silence soon settled on the group knowing they could not debate that.
~~~ Judgment ~~~
Joutei stood in the very heart of the black void with his angels mingling nearby. Akuma silently floated to him with anger simmering in his red eyes. Crossing his arms in frustration the devil snarled, "Why do you continue to wait?!"
Joutei kept quiet almost as if he was ignoring the demon all together.
Throwing his arms wide the red immortal shouted, "We stay in this Hell Hole because you refuse to open the portals! Our two realms have been destroyed, but you show no shock!"
"I know all. Remember, Akuma?" the god reminded coolly facing away from the dark immortal.
"YES, I know!" shouted the demon angrily with his claws clutching the black air, "I also know you are all-powerful and could easily leave this place! Why do you not even try to leave, Joutei?!"
The golden figure glance sidelong at his adversary of all eternity before whispering, "You shall see, Akuma… You shall see…"
~~~ Dusty Plain ~~~
"So what do we do?" Nazomi asked bluntly as she sat beside one of the large boulders.
Tsuno who sat atop the same rock brought his fist under his chin, "We could always do a surprise attack and see if we could reach Iris before he killed her."
"Too risky" Sian commented automatically from her stance. Her long braid danced in the wind as her silver eyes were close, "We can't be certain they wouldn't notice our appearance before it was too late. We could appear and Dornkirk might still be holding Iris. He could kill her in seconds and we each know we could never make it."
Nembus gave the forest maiden a side glance before closing his eyes and saying, "Actually, Sian. You possible could do it."
The group all turned towards the maiden as the woman merely opened her eyes not looking at her old love, "How's that?"
Shaking away a few strands of ebony hair the man said, "You do have the gift of speed. You could probably get Iris without a problem before Dornkirk could even try to kill her."
Hope began to sparkle in a few eyes, but Sian quickly distinguished that when she snorted, "How could I?! When we died in the Final Battle we lost all our special gifts! Even when we were resurrected by Joutei and Princess Rachelle we were never returned those precious powers."
Heads hung down slightly knowing that idea was a dead end. Zaado shuffled a few feet away from the group as he softly said, "Perhaps we could double cross, Dornkirk. We could claim Hitomi would give up her powers, wait for him to give her to us, and then scram."
Again there was a shake of the head from Sian, "Wouldn't work either. Dornkirk is too smart for that. He won't give up Princess Iris so easily. He'll do something to keep her in his possession until Hitomi is completely drained of all her powers."
"Besides" commented Nazomi, "Most likely if it did work, where would it lead us? Even if we did get Princess Iris Dornkirk will be ready. His demons would be all over us in a heartbeat and we could still lose her in the battle."
"What if we left before they could even attack?" suggested Escaflowne as he flanked his mate possessively, "What if we just went back to Fanelia or somewhere?"
Sian shook her head yet again making her braid dance, "Still no good. Dornkirk would find us over time then the cycle will return."
Tsuno glanced over at the ancient brunette warrior and hissed, "We could easily send Iris away with Merle and defeat Dornkirk and his followers at the Mystic Valley."
Scowling darker Sian repeated the negative movement of her head, "No. Dornkirk might just send one of his demons on Merle and take both of them for all we know. Even if one of us stayed behind to protect the two Dornkirk might go himself and none of us alone can stop him."
Hitomi who sat beside her husband with his arm around her shoulders stared at the ground feeling her heart break with each defeated idea. Was there no hope?…
Snarling in frustration the Guardian of the Waves leapt from the boulder and stomped over to the forest maiden. Sian snapped her silver jewels on the warrior glaring at him darkly. Tsuno came right into her face making everyone very tense. The two fighters stared hard at one another with electricity singing in their blood. Sian growled lowly beneath her breath, "Stand down, Tsuno."
"You may be leader," growled the man angrily, "But do not act as if your decision is the only way to go."
Hitomi's eyes widened slightly as she raised them on the brunette female whispering, "Leader?…"
Sian glance at the queen through the corner of her eye before saying, "Yes, I am leader of the Ring of Guardians, Hitomi. Years ago when we were brought together Queen Iris appointed one of us as leader. For reasons, I still do not know I was chosen over all and spent many years trying to keep us working as a single unit. Unfortunately we were all stubborn and prideful people back then and my ideals for a single team was never succeeded."
Bringing one of set of fingers to brush over the tiara that fell over her brow the woman whispered, "This was my symbol for commanding over them, but sometimes it was never respected. We all had trouble listening to each other. Sometimes… my leadership was never listen to…"
Nazomi came behind the woman and brought a rough hand to the forest warrior's shoulder whispering quietly, "That is in the past, Sian. We know now that you were made leader for important reasons. Perhaps you were appointed because of this day."
Slowly the silver-eyed fighter turned to her comrade looking deep into golden eyes. Warmly the desert woman smiled, "You have been the one who has looked past the differences of humans when we attacked King Van. Perhaps you have matured beyond what we could not. Joutei must have saw this and claimed you as our leader. I trust you, Sian… I trust you as our leader…"
Sian turned away and closed her eyes. Slowly she set her silver jewels on the young Angel before her whispering, "It does not matter if I am leader or not. I hold no authority now with Queen Hitomi here."
Slowly the seeress began to understand as the forest guardian stepped up to the royal. Quietly Sian said, "I may be leader of the Ring of Guardians, Hitomi, but you are the eighth guardian. You are the Guardian of Gaea and you hold a rank far superior to my own. As the Angel of Gaea you have been given an authority that even I must bend my will to."
Coming to kneel in front of the young royal Sian bowed her head letting her bangs fall over her eyes slightly. With a firm and loud voice for all to hear the warrior said, "You are my queen and the chosen champion of Joutei himself. As the Draconian destined to protect this world to the end of her days I must follow you."
Carefully the warrior brought up her eyes, "but even if I didn't have to listen to you, Hitomi. If I even outranked you, I would still leave the decision up to you. As mother of the child stolen I feel you must make the final decision in rescuing her."
Folken stepped forward behind the kneeling guardian smiling proudly, "I agree."
Shaking her bangs from her eyes Nazomi brought an arm across her chest in the desert custom of allegiance saying, "I also will follow, Queen Hitomi's decision."
One by one the guardians stepped forward also agreeing to follow the seeress decision, but even with it so touching a moment Hitomi felt trapped. Her position was the hardest one ever and she felt her world begin to crumple. She had no idea how to save Iris let alone lead her group to victory over Dornkirk. Bowing her head she felt she needed to get away from this extensive pressure.
Pulling out of her husband's arms the seeress tried to keep the tears of distress from becoming visible. Turning away from the group Hitomi quietly began to walk away. Everyone stiffened as her back was turned to them. Van quickly rose and started after her, "Hitomi?"
Stopping a few feet away the woman kept her back to them making the young king also stop. Shutting her eyes shut the seeress made sure not to cry as she spoke. If she did her words would most likely break. Carefully the woman spoke keeping her words at such a level that they didn't lodge in her throat causing her to choke on them.
"I thank each of you for your loyalty and friendship" Hitomi whispered hoarsely, "If I… if I am to make the final decision… I think I need to be alone to think this over…"
Van's shoulders slumped slightly upon hearing her words. It was hard to imagine that for once she didn't need him by her side. Since their marriage they had always been at each other's side. Perhaps not physically speaking, but when they did things it was often together. They discussed issues and handled them together. The times when they argued were few, but still were there and when that happen they would soon come back together. They were two halves that were put together to make a whole. There could never be strong by themselves for it was their union that made them so powerful…
Her words hurt him stronger than any slap she ever gave him though it was not intentional.
The young seeress bit her lower lip as the tears slipped from her eyes unwillingly. Frantically she walked away towards the other side of the dusty plain trying to find solitude. She never looked back for fear of revealing her pain. Luckily none followed her except with their eyes.
Sian watched her queen sadly feeling a soft glow of sorrow glint in her heart. The breeze swelled around the guardians as they began to turn away from their queen to go wait for her to make her decision. Only Van, Folken, and Sian stayed watching their dear love one. Quietly the forest maiden whispered, "I trust in you, Hitomi… Be strong…"
Hitomi could no longer hold back the tears as she stumbled across the dusty land. She ran her hand over her face feeling the wet droplets cling to her fingers. The seeress refused to hold back her sob any longer knowing she was too far from her friends to be heard. Her vision became blurry as she saw images of the small infant flash in her mind again.
She had been so close… so close…
Yet… so far…
Her feet suddenly came to a halt and the woman slowly opened her eyes to see a deep canyon. Unknowingly her instincts had faltered her steps at the very edge of a cliff. However this was overlooked in her grief. Seconds later her knees buckled and she collapsed at the edge. Tears dripped from her chin mingling with the brown dust. It seemed as if she would cry forever and fill the large cavern with her tears… The water in her eyes just kept coming… and coming… and coming…
Until suddenly they slowed to a small halt…
Slowly Hitomi brought her hand to wipe the remaining tears from her eyes as she continued to sniff. The seeress stared at the beautiful view whispering, "I need to quite crying or I'll never think of a way to save Iris…"
The wind teased at her asking her to come fly, but she ignored its offer. The breeze picked up begging her to glide its gentle currents, but again she refused. Sadly the wind whispered through the canyon saying its sorrow, as it realized why its sweet angel would not come and play.
Staring down at the sharp edges of the canyon's bottom the seeress twisted ideas in her head. She thought of the ideas the guardians had offered and she shoot down each one in seconds. She thought of a thousand options, but each one was easily scratch out before she could even really strategize anything. Bringing her hands to clutch her head she felt the world spin. Her gasped for air as she felt like she was falling into an endless abyss…
What was she going to do?!
Carefully she slowed her breathing and closed her eyes. Her hands gradually fell to her lap as she whispered, "Think, Hitomi. There must be a flaw in Dornkirk's plan somewhere. Find it!"
The plan whirled in her head as she studied it. At every angle she could think of approaching the matter she studied and analyzed, but she was not a strategist. No matter how long she looked at Dornkirk's demands she got nothing except a headache. Angrily the seeress pounded her fist into the earth ignoring the few tears that slipped past her defenses.
"What do I do?" the seeress hoarsely whispered.
The passage from the Book of Angels ran through her head repeating word for word its message:
"Time will stretch for a rotation in peace over the world of dreams. After a time of slumber the globe will be shaken in an uproar as the eight shadows from the depths of the past will wrench themselves from the bellows of the underworld. Claws of death will try to squeeze the life from the world and take all the essence they can envelop. Oh, Angel of Gaea your time has come to once again give us your aid. Thy Ring of Guardians is your sworn league of protectors. Call to them! Take your people to the haven you have created! Powers envelop you! You face the ultimate terror! Mortality is the terror you face, oh Angel, and even now it towers over you! A babe for power! The ground beneath you is harsh and black as a single feather of identical hue falls to the earth announcing death and also proclaiming the time of the Rebirth when life will fall either to darkness or to light for a thousand rotations. Blood already marks the earth and more will fall before the result appears."
Hitomi winced as she remembered a certain line…
'A babe for power…'
Emeralds slide shut as she hissed with guilt evident in her hoarse words, "A babe for power… how could I be so blind?!"
Her left hand came into a small fist; "Babe is another term for baby or infant. Why didn't I realize the babe meant Iris?! There were no other babies around, and yet I could not see! Babe for power, indeed! It meant my powers in exchange for Iris! Hitomi, you idiot!"
Her hair lifted slightly in the breeze as she whispered, "Why did I not see it?…"
The dust drifted across the edge of the cliff before floating downwards into the canyon. The seeress watched the slow process as she muttered, "If only I had been more concerned with the prophecy… If I had only looked at it more…"
Turning her eyes to the sky to watch a few birds fly overhead she painfully whispered, "This is no time for regrets, Hitomi. You have limited time to decide what to do. Forget about 'what if'. The question is what now?"
Slowly her hands clasped together and she bowed her head in a position she did for serious matters. Emeralds slid close letting a few final tears slip down her pale cheeks. Her bangs fluttered dramatically as she choked back a sob. Quietly the young seeress whispered her prayer…
"Dear Joutei" she spoke just barely loud enough to hear her own voice, "Please help me. Help my daughter. Guide me to victory. I cannot do it alone."
"Help me please…"
The sweet voice of the angel carried on the wind playing with the echoes vibrating throughout the canyon. Streams of pink and purple began to take form in the sky as the world realized there were only a few remaining hours left for daylight. The heavens seemed to stir as they caught ear of the small prayer and they began to whisper comforting words to the royal maiden below. Birds drifted into the horizon leaving the angel to wait for her answer in solitude…
Slowly her emerald eyes opened revealing a sudden understanding. Carefully she stared off into the horizon watching the sun dip lower into the sky. Her single whisper seemed to hung in the air with a mysterious silence…
"I know what to do…"
~~~ Fanelia ~~~
Mamoru tensed when he heard his sister speak along with the others that watched his visions. The young royal locked his jaw as he whispered, "What is it, Hitomi?…"
~~~ Dusty Plain ~~~
Sian stood rigid with her arms crossing her chest. Her braid hung limp as she glanced over the group again for the sixth time in the last hour. The three elder angels leaned against the monster boulders discussing war tactics against Dornkirk. Shakaku and Escaflowne sat meditating in the dust with eyes closed. Merle and Folken desperately tried to keep Van's hopes up as they waited for his wife trying to keep him from becoming depressed.
The war woman snorted out a bit of dust before shifted her gaze back towards the horizon where she could barely see her queen sitting. Sian sighed heavily feeling somewhat guiltily for putting such a decision on the younger woman's shoulders. She had never wanted to hurt her with letting her make the decision, but she felt worse if she hadn't given it to her. Sian knew it was not her place to decide the next step. Perhaps if the situation had not become so complex she would have made the initiative, but with Iris in the clutches of their worse enemy…
"Are you alright?" came the rough voice from behind catching her back into reality.
Without looking back the woman whispered, "I just wish Hitomi did not have to carry such a heavy burden."
"She is the queen" Nembus commented lightly, "She will forever be burdened."
"But not like this!" snapped Sian as she squeeze her eyes closed, "She is so young… Even Princess Rachelle had not been this young when she took over the Draconians as queen and she at least had years of experiences of dealing in matters such as these."
Nembus sighed lightly, "Perhaps, but Hitomi is stronger than Princess Rachelle."
The brunette woman bowed her head quietly, "It does not mean she deserves this…"
In an even quieter voice, barely able to be caught by human hearing the female guardian whispered, "We don't deserve it either…"
His eyes of ebony blackness turned on her in surprise as he asked, "What did you say?"
Sian flinched as she realized she had spoken the thought out loud. Curse her foul luck! The woman remained motionless hoping her friend would think it was a fluke. Unfortunately the wind warrior did not and repeated, "What did you say?"
Again she was silent unable to say a word. Nembus gave a crooked smile as he brought his mouth to her ear, "You said we don't deserve it either, didn't you?"
A chill ran down the woman's spine as she felt his warm breath trickle her ear. In the back of her mind she remembered him doing that when they had been in the forest…
The distant memory brought a small tear to her eye as she thought of those years… those years they had been in love… They had been at each other's side for endless periods never disappearing unless telling the other where they were going or when they would be back. Those were the days when she felt her heart still held some warmth in it.
She never did understand how she fell in love with him. All she knew was that she had been in love with him… Key word though for the present was the word… 'been'… When Queen Iris had come to them to offer the positions as guardians it was the hardest blow their love had ever face. They had been given one night to decide their future…
~~~ Flashback ~~~
Sara leaned back on the limb using it as a bed. Through the branches she could make out the stars twinkling down at her. Nearby on another limb sat Nicholas starring at the ground below deep in thought. Both wanted what they had sought for the last few years… new life… and here it was being set on a platter… Unfortunately the offer came at a price…
The lady glanced at her male partner feeling sorrow take her. The moonlight highlighted his features making him look even more hansom than before. Angrily the girl scowled and blinked back her tears to whisper, "It's what we've always dreamed… to start over…"
"Yes…" the man replied emotionless.
Sitting up to cross her ankles she continued, "Our pasts will be erase and new beginnings will start…"
Nothing came from the male as he hung his head a little lower covering his bangs with his eyes. Sara flinched at his silence and said a little louder, "Will erase everything of our past, Nico!"
He flinched slightly at the sound of his nickname from her. She didn't often say it unless she was being affectionate, which was very rare. She was not a woman of warm fuzzy feelings. Cautiously she crawled over to him coming to kneel at his side. A few tears trickled to her chin as she hastily said, "I will not do this! I won't erase our love! Not even if it means we can start anew!"
His hands furiously grabbed hers in his strong ones catching her breath. She stared into his dark eyes as he roughly whispered in his velvety voice, "You will, Sara…"
"Nico…" she whispered sadly as more tears fell.
He stared into her eyes bringing his nose inches from hers as he rubbed his thumbs against her palms. Lowly he whispered, "I will not let you give up your greatest and only dream for me, Sara. I can't let you give it up."
"No" Sara sobbed, "I won't!"
"You must" he whispered firmly, "Think about what you are giving up. The blood on your weapons is easily washed away with water, but the blood on your soul can only go away with this. If we do this we are forgiven for everything we ever sinned of. I know that is something you have wished desperately for. Do this, Sa… Do this for yourself…"
A sob broke from her throat as she gave a small nod. If he wanted her to jump off a cliff she would do it. All he had to do was ask and it seemed she would follow. Now she was doing just that.
Slowly Nicholas pulled back to unsheathed his sword. Warily the woman watched as he brought the blade to his long hair. In seconds he weapon sliced through his hair cropping it to a very short assembly. As it swayed to a halt their eyes met and he whispered warmly, "This marks as my mourning for the love that dies here. I shall never love another and show it with this."
Sara bowed her head as she took her hair in her hands. Shaking considerably she worked with the tangled strains forcing them into a long braid that tapped against her back. Bringing her silver eyes back to his she whispered lovingly, "This marks as my mourning for the love that dies here. I shall never love another and show it with this."
They both sat in silence as they stared into each other's eyes feeling turmoil of emotions within their souls. Holding back a small cry Sara frantically swept the man into a firm hug crying into his shoulder as she did. Rubbing her cheek against his shoulder blade the woman let her heart break… How could he love her?… How could she love him for letting him do this?…
Wrapping his arms around her the male whispered quietly in her ear, "No matter if I forget these years… I shall never stop loving you, Sara… I'll never stop…"
~~~ End of Flashback ~~~
Sian jerked out of her thoughts suddenly and stomped a few feet away knowing he was watching her. Angrily she turned around snapping her silver jewels on his as tears glistened there. Quietly she snarled, "Stop, Nicholas… You know as well as I that we gave up those times for this."
Nembus's shoulders slumped slightly as his eyes filled with pain. The woman flinched at the sight, but quickly became firm again. Furiously she snapped at him, "Do not look at me like that! I wanted to hold on to what we shared years ago, but you eagerly accepted becoming a guardian! Blast you, Nicholas! Blast you to Hell! I have always regretted following you into that position as royal guards because I didn't want to give it up!"
Pointing a finger at him she snapped quietly, "But I know now that you have no regrets whatsoever! You never did love me did you, Nicholas?! Did you?!"
Nembus sighed quietly as he stared at her, "How can you even doubt me, Sa?"
Inwardly the woman flinched at the sound of her nickname, but didn't let him see what it did to her. His hand came to rest on her shoulder and she automatically tensed at the contact. His eyes of blackness bore into her silver ones as he whispered, "Of course I have regrets. I never wanted to give up our love, Sara…"
Her eyes became hard as she hissed, "Then why did you, Nico?"
He smiled seeing she was trying to pretend to be mad at him. His nickname gave it away though. Nembus brought his nose to rest against hers as he sadly whispered; "I knew I couldn't forgive myself if I let you give it up. I had lived a life exactly like yours, Sara, and I had dreamed of nothing else except starting over. I was willing to give up the dream for our love, but I couldn't ask that of you. I knew how much you desired it as did I."
Tears spilt as she angrily pushed away from him.
"It doesn't matter now" she hissed painfully, "We have already made our decisions and we cannot change them. Now we must focus on the present."
"Sara…" Nembus called softly lifting a hand to her.
"No" she firmly cried snapping around with a whirl of her braid, "My name is not Sara. I am Sian, Guardian of the Forest, and you are Nembus, Guardian of the Wind."
His hand fell back to his side as she whispered harshly, "And I do not know you…"
With that she turned away letting her braid snap through the air as she walked off. Nembus watched her go with a heavy heart letting a single tear produce in his own eye. As her feet unruffled the layers of dust Sian wiped away the few stray tears cursing herself.
"Stop your crying" she scowled herself, "This is not the time to confront that part of your life. You need to be worrying about the present. The royal family is in jeopardy and your looking back on the past. Time for action, not for crying."
Pulling her shoulders back the woman took back her hard rock expression. Only her slightly red eyes offered the fact of her crying. Crossing her arms Sian began to mull about strategies against Dornkirk. Anything to keep her mind of what had just occurred between her and Nembus…
Fortunately it was at this moment Hitomi began to walk back catching the attention of the maiden and warding off the encounter. The seeress walked slowly as if dreading the ending of her trek. One by one the group noticed her arrival and gradually made their way over to Sian. The braided warrior gave a small scowl as she saw the tears in her mistress's eyes.
Something was not right…
The look in the queen's emeralds spoke of dark foreboding…
Van quickly ran past the others to the head of the group next to the forest female. Each watched stiffly as the seeress halted a good fifty feet away. The wind blew a few strands of hair in the royal woman's face making her tears catch on the silky locks like morning dew on blades of grass. Sweeping away the disrupting hair the queen stared at the small audience before her never realizing another small group was also watching her every movement…
~~~ Fanelia ~~~
Mamoru leaned forward in his seat without realizing it as he tensely waited in suspense for his sister's decision. All became still and suspended in the moment as the eyes from the distant land watched… and waited…
~~~ Dusty Plain ~~~
Hitomi bit her lower lip as she felt a few tears spring back in her eyes. Blinking them back she lifted her chin a little and brought a determined look into her emeralds. She would not cry before them. She was a queen who had made a decision that could change millions of lives… She had to remain firm in her decision… Besides she had to make sure she didn't break apart before she could even accomplish it…
Taking a breath of air the seeress began quietly, "Before I speak I want you all to understand why I am doing this…"
Sian suddenly became very rigid as her mind went into full gear. In a silent whisper the warrior said to herself, 'This can't be good…'
Her stomach did knots and twists as Hitomi continued a little louder, "I have spent an hour thinking about what I should do. I wish I had some bases to go with what I have decided… something to comfort you with what I am willing to do, but… I do not…"
Tightly her jaw locked as the lead warrior felt dread take hold of all five of her senses, "No…"
Lifting her hand the royal showed the pendant to everyone as she released a single tear from her eye. Emeralds slid over to her husband and friends as the seeress whispered quietly, "I'm sorry…"
Abruptly the pendant glowed sparking life into the forest maiden. In a fraction of a second the blue pillar shot down from the sky enveloping the young royal. Hitomi's pale fingers gripped the small red stone as she began to be lofted quickly into the sky. The group gasped as they saw their queen leaving them behind. Hastily the angel cried down to them, "I'm going to give up my powers to Dornkirk!"
Tears sprang as she painfully shouted, "It's the only way! I'm sorry!"
Her hair flew around her face frantically encasing her emeralds in a small halo as they twinkled with crystal water. The blue atmosphere was thick with power as it made a barrier between her and her companions.
"NO, HITOMI!" Van shouted as he raced towards the pillar. Sian swiftly followed with panic gripping her heart. Was her queen insane with grief?! If she gave up her powers the world would suffer along with Princess Iris! She couldn't let that happen!
The two leaders threw themselves at the aqua chamber desperate to grasp their love one, but they crashed into the invisible barrier and fell to the ground in a heap. Seconds later the others caught up with them standing over the two.
Nazomi threw up her hand crying, "No, Queen Hitomi!"
"Don't do this!" shouted Folken with arms spread.
"You'll kill yourself!" announced Zaado dramatically as he flung back his bangs, "And Gaea will suffer with your death!"
Sian looked through her messy bangs as the tears slipped from her silver eyes as she whispered, "Hitomi…"
Scrambling to his feet the dragon king placed both palms on the barrier pushing hard on it. His rubies flung up to catch the gaze of his beloved as she soared higher and farther away. In that single gaze they could see the pain flickering in each other's souls. Hers was that for having to do this and his was knowing he was going to lose her.
Bringing his palms into tight fists the young king began to brutally pound on the barrier cry, "NO! HITOMI!"
Turning away from the painful scene the seeress lifted her face to the heavens and closed her teary emeralds. Painfully she choked out in a whisper, "I'm so sorry, everyone…I'm so sorry, Van…"
Opening her eyes the tears swirled in the emerald jewels as she whispered, "But I kept my promise… I said I wouldn't die as long as I had a child within me… That child has been born, Van… My promise has been kept…"
In the twinkle of the blue light the seeress disappeared from that dusty land leaving behind a group of crying people. As the ray of cerulean faded away several of the spectators collapsed to their knees in tears. Merle wailed in her tight fists as her foster brother, Folken, held her in his warm arms. The dragon couple let their wings become limp letting the tips drag in the dirt sorrowfully while they both mourned by roaring into the sky. Sian brought her forehead to the ground as she held back a sob.
Next to her Van slipped down to his knees realizing the only person he had ever loved was gone. Painfully the king cried bitter tears as he hunched over.
~~~ Mystic Valley ~~~
Hitomi suddenly felt the solid ground beneath her feet again and she slowly opened her eyes. She grew hard as she saw the sight before her. The seeress was directly in front of the ebony throne that Dornkirk had created with his four remaining demons set on either side of a path that led to his chair. On the very chair of domination in a stab of twisted rock there sat the dark emperor smirking evilly. In a heavy black scaled arm rest the young angel princess screaming at the top of her lungs.
The seeress just stood there glaring at her greatest enemy feeling a swell of rage plague her. Forcing the unruly emotion down the woman kept a hard stare on the emperor as he slowly rose from his chair. The wind slowly drawled around them sending red sparks everywhere. Hisses came from the demons as the Angel began to leisurely walk towards the throne.
"So you have decided?" Dornkirk smirked as he asked the dark question that was so obvious. Hitomi did not blink as she continued to walk towards the emperor with a scowl on her face.
"Yes…" the seeress whispered a bit harshly still glaring at him.
Her hard stare didn't do anything to Dornkirk as he began to chuckle, "You have come alone…"
Sadness momentarily crossed the queen's emeralds catching the eye of the dark ruler. In seconds, however, the emotion disappeared from her eyes to be replaced with strength and determination. Carefully so her voice didn't break the seeress said, "Yes, I came alone… I knew if the others were here you might kill Iris…"
Dornkirk eyed the woman suspiciously knowing that a trap might be coming. Hitomi saw this and shook her head lightly, "There is no trap, Dornkirk. I left them without their consent to come here to get my daughter back. I will give up my powers for her, but you must give her to me first."
One of the demons nearby snorted as Hitomi stood next to him, "Do you really think our father is stupid, Kazanki?! I mean… Fanel?!"
The seeress glanced at the demon out of the corner of her eye saying, "I mean what I say, Kusari. I will give up my powers on my own free will and not double cross your father."
On the other side of the demon son a second demon hissed, "Like we can trust you."
The seeress stared at the other brother for a moment unable to say a word. Her eyes only turned away when Dornkirk spoke.
"He has a point, seeress" the cynical ruler commented bluntly while still clutching the infant, "Why should I give up your daughter when I am not entirely sure you will give up your powers after you have her?…"
Hitomi stared at him with a stern expression shouting over the roaring cinders, "We made a deal, Dornkirk! I give up my powers to you and I get Iris!"
"I never said I would give her to you!" the man yelled back with a dark expression, "I only said your daughter would die if you did not give up your powers by sundown!"
Slightly smirking the seeress asked hoarsely from her past tears, "So if I give you my powers, Dornkirk, no harm shall ever come to Iris."
The Zaibach emperor narrowed his eyes on the woman seeing her play on words. He knew what she was trying for. She was trying to keep the child from ever being hurt if he should come to rule over Gaea. This seeress was a sharp knife… that could be certain…
"That is not part of the agreement" the man exclaimed sharply angered with her trickery.
The seeress scowled as she shouted, "Then we have no agreement! Either I get Iris and she stays alive even after you come into power or I shall never give up my powers!"
"Then she dies!" the emperor thundered, "You sacrifice her then!"
The Angel flinched at his words as a shadow of emotional pain flashed over her eyes. Dornkirk smirked when he realized she had been caught. She could not turn away now. Emeralds stared at the wailing child seeing the small tears trickled down the flush cheeks of the babe. Each tear was like a dagger being shoved into the woman's heart…
With her own tears slipping the woman held both her hands out and said, "Give her to me… and you shall have what you want…"
The ruler stared at her with a blank expression while the demons hissed and shifted. Angrily Kusari growled, "She will betray the deal! As soon as she has her daughter she will leave with her powers still intact!"
"Agreed!" snarled Dilandau as he took a step towards the woman, "Just steal her powers and kill the brat!"
Hitomi ignored the cloaked followers, as her eyes remained locked with Dornkirk's. Both leaders burrowed their eyes into each other's looking for different things. Both having doubts about the other.
Tentatively the seeress shouted, "My promise is true, Dornkirk. As Queen of the Draconians I shall do as I have said! I will give up my powers to you!"
The cinders and sparks dazzled the air with their glow as the Zaibach ruler slowly stepped towards the seeress. The demons started as they saw their leader hold out the baby to the young mother. Swiftly the seeress took the bundle and hugged it to her chest whispering comforting words in the child's ears. Soon the wails quieted as the infant clutched its mother's shirt.
The demons stared in wonder unable to believe their ruler had given up their trump card. Dornkirk never let his eyes leave the woman knowing the danger in letting her have the infant. Hitomi glanced up momentarily knowing her time was short with her only child. Biting her lower lip the seeress stared down affectionately as her daughter whispering softly, "I'm sorry, my little angel, that I must leave you. Take care of your father for me. Don't let him destroyed himself with his grief… Be the jewel of his life to keep him going…"
"Enough of your babbling, seeress!" the emperor thundered, "It is time!"
As he took a step towards her Hitomi frantically cried, "NO! WAIT!"
The cloaked beings froze at her protest. Angrily Kaosu cried, "She tends to deceive us!"
"No!" Hitomi exclaimed desperately, "I merely want to send Iris to safety! I want to send her to her father!"
Dornkirk stared hard at the woman knowing this could be very well a trick. Gruffly he snarled, "If you dare cross me, seeress, you will see bellows of tortures you have not even begun to imagine…"
The woman said nothing as she slightly turned away from the demons. Carefully she stroked the infant's chubby face as she walked a few paces away from the throne. The golden sparks floated through the air curling with warmth as the seeress placed the infant on the black earth. Giving the child a final kiss on the brow the mother withdrew from her newborn. The second her fingers left the small bundle the babe began to whimper bringing such torture to the woman.
The wind began to tug on the world as the mistress began to wield the power bestowed upon her. Glowing brightly the red stone grew warm in the seeress's hand as she blinked back her tears. Silently the queen said a prayer, "Dear Joutei, keep her safe and bring her to Van…"
In a rush the blue pillar crashed down enveloping the small babe in its cerulean glow. Swirling aqua power cradled the infant softly before slowly levitating her up to the heavens. The demons stepped back as the wind grew harder, but the queen remained at the edge of the shaft. She even went so far as to put her palm against its beautiful surface. Sparkling over her skin the angel queen could feel the awesome power. This was unnoticed though for emeralds were forever locked on the child being taken away. Hitomi could hear the faint wail of her child…
Her child…
The phrase sounded so strange on her lips… It was so new to her this world of creating such a small life… and already that life was being taken away from her… Blinking at the tears the woman pressed herself harder against the glass wonder whispering painfully, "I'm so sorry, Iris… Goodbye,… my little angel…"
With those words of sealing the blue raised harder into the sky sucking up the child into its abyss before fading away from the red sky…
~~~ Dusty Plain ~~~
It was a time of mourning. That's all you could call it. The tears fell in an endless wave as the guardians and family members cried for their lost love one. They shouldered each other's emotional burdens, but it was such a heavy load. Tear stained shirts became their clothes and hands ran over their face leaving smeared trails of water down their cheeks. It was like their hearts had become vacuum sucking up the last bit of hope and joy from their souls. There was only empty loss left in their bodies…
Nazomi lifted her golden eyes of twinkling water to the group whispering painfully, "What do we do now?"
The old giant glanced at his old companion while he mentally grasped for straws. Softly the man replied still dead by grief, "Maybe we can go to the Mystic Valley and stop Lady Hitomi before its too late."
There was wave of emotional stiffening as everyone realized there was still a glimmer of hope. Van was one of the first to jump up with the twinkle of little droplets in his eyes. Optimism glimmered in their eyes with the prospect… all save one…
Sian remained kneeling with a bowed head with her eyes closed. Her senses reeled as she felt the sense of some power approaching… This was not the time to celebrate just yet…
Bringing her silver eyes to the sky the woman noticed a small flash of aqua light from above. Her whole body stiffened as she felt something coming. For a split second, but only that, she thought it might be Hitomi returning. Sadly, she realized there was only one approaching and she did not have the life signature of their queen…
Painfully the maiden whispered for all to hear, "It's already too late…"
The wind suddenly sounded sending everyone into a state of shock as they turned to see the shaft of blue light crashed down. Hair flung back as it whirled behind them and the ground shook violently at the descent of the pillar. Catching his footing before he could fall the king stared at the shaft in hope and in sorrow…
Either it was his wife returning to him with Iris… or… or… Oh, he did not want to think of what else it could be!
As the small bundle drifted down the ray of light the man slowly began to walk towards the aqua realm. While Iris grew closer to the ground Van raced faster. His heart was beating several miles an hour and at the same time not beating at all. His feet clopped over the hard dirt as he ran to his daughter. Just as the infant landed in a soft feathery descent the young man arrived at the shaft. He stopped tentatively as he reached the small bundle noticing the tears streaming from the infant's emerald eyes… the same colored eyes as her mother's…
Tenderly the man picked up the child as the group gradually made there way over to the king. Nembus let Sian lean on his shoulder. She was too emotionally drained to stand by herself. The silver-eyed warrior stared at the infant affectionately, but in pain. If the princess was here then that meant the queen was going to give up her powers shortly…
Van looked up at the heavens through his unruly raven locks to sadly whisper, "Hitomi…"
~~~ Mystic Valley ~~~
Hitomi slowly opened her eyes releasing the sea of tears that had been held back by her eyelid's damn. Her emeralds stared out ahead of her at the ebony emperor. Her lip trembled in sadness as she whispered softly, "It is done…"
Dornkirk smirked as he sauntered over to the powerful woman bringing up his pair of hands. The seeress saw nothing it seemed. Her emeralds reflected a dead look that would shadow her eyes momentarily before coming back again. The emperor smirked at how easy it was to break her spirits. In the marrow of his bones, however, the ivory bands whispers doubts and suspicions about the seeress. This woman had been known to never give up and he had easily broken her down to a defeated shell of what she once was. Yes, it was a bit… devious…
Fortunately, he could put his suspicions to rest easy. She was before him now and she held before him a golden platter serving her powers. His claw ached as he strained to take his prize, but at the same time he hesitated. One must always be wary when things come too easy. Slowly his ebony claw and pale hand came to rest inches away from her cheeks. Hitomi sucked in her breath with fear as she realized what was going to happen next. Dornkirk stared at her thinking over the possibility for deception. After several moments the emperor decided to just take the powers and worry about deception later. Even if they were planning a trap he would have her powers and no one would be able to stop him!
Grinning triumphantly the man asked mockingly, "Any last requests, Seeress from the Mystic Moon?"
Hitomi looked straight at her enemy with a determined glint in her emeralds. Softly she whispered, "Let me die…"
Dornkirk froze thrown off by her words, "What did you say?"
"I know what will happen after you take my powers" she said bluntly with a hint of sorrow, "I shall pass through great suffering and then you shall bring a torture over Gaea for a thousand years. I do not wish to see it. I do not wish to see my friends and love ones die before my eyes. Just kill me and get over with! Let me die the death I deserve for my sins and crimes! Let me die!"
A wicked smirk pass over his pale lips as his hands tingled with his scarlet power. His eyes began to sparkle as he whispered darkly, "So be it!"
The dark emperor slapped both of his palms against her cheeks and the seeress's eyes widened considerably. The wind thundered with lightning and the sparks swirled about them in a race. The demons had to shuffle back to keep out of the display. Gradually a rose sphere surrounded them sizzling with the strength of its possessor. With a bellowing roar the demon leader began to draw out the sweet essence of his captor pulling out of ever fiber of power from her body.
Hitomi's eyes squeeze shut and her mouth flung open, but produced no noise. Her hands clasped Dornkirk's tightly against the extreme pain torturing her body at the moment. With each second the pain grew stronger and the lightning wind became harsher. A very painful scream finally tore from the woman's throat passing over lips in a whirl proclaiming the end of the world…
~ Cliffhanger! You really didn't believe she would do it, huh?! Well, I proved you guys wrong! Hehehhehe! Okay, okay! So wait?! Hitomi's going to die?! Dornkirk will rule Gaea for a thousand years?! Well the guardians won't stand for that and neither will Van! But it's already too late to save Hitomi! Isn't it?~
~ In the next chapter the doors of Hell are broken down and destruction washes over the Mystic Valley as our group heads out to stop Dornkirk before its too late! But what if its already too late?! Find out in the next chapter of my story… Chapter 27: Darkest Hour!~
~Only two reviews… only two little reviews… *sniff* Now I really think you guys don't like my story. Anyway I couldn't keep the chapter from publishing (it has a will of its own) so I posted it anyway although I didn't get my ten reviews… Lucky readers…~
The Fate of Two Worlds: The Sequel
By Angel_Wings
Chapter 26 ~ Only Way
~~~ Dusty Plain ~~~
Hitomi slowly curled up into a ball letting herself cry a sea of tears. Gently the dragon couple rose staring at the sky. Already the blue heavens were beginning to show calmness again relieving all stress of the scarlet lightning. Tenderly Shakaku placed her eyes on the fallen warriors knowing their hope had crumbled. Escaflowne knelt beside the dragon king helping him rise to his feet. Van leaned on his partner's shoulder while he gradually began to organize his senses again.
The young king spotted his wife across the dusty battlefield and pushed away from the white dragon. Stumbling his way to his beloved Van could see the pain pulling at her beautiful features. Passing by the fallen warriors he never noticed the guardians gradually rising themselves. Coming to kneel by her side the man pulled his wife to his chest. Automatically Hitomi clasped hold of his shirt and sobbed into the warm red fabric. His gentle hand swept over her hair giving the little comfort it could provide. Quietly the seeress sobbed, "I'm sorry, Van… I'm so sorry…"
His heart twisted painfully as he clutched his dear spouse tighter to his chest. Roughly, yet tenderly, he whispered into her ear, "Shh… It's not your fault, Hitomi! You tried your hardest to save her…"
Slowly lifting his eyes the dragon king noticed the group of guardians bowing their heads in shame. Even his own eyes of fire spouted tears as he felt his own guilt stab his soul. Quietly he whispered in a shudder as if to convince his own self he said, "We all tried…"
Carefully the warriors lifted their eyes with burning anger in their depths. Flames of sizzling hate soon enveloped the state of guilt dwelling within them. Each felt the revenge in their hearts as they became determined to take back the precious child that had been stolen from them.
Hitomi's tears slowed as she stared at her husband's chest. The image of her child dwelled in her mind as she remembered the distinct look of distress on her little angel's face. Iris was dependent on them and Hitomi felt as if she had let her daughter down. Squeezing her emeralds shut a few last crystal drops slipped down her cheek. She didn't care what it took she would get her daughter back!
"Hitomi…" called the familiar voice of one of the guardians.
Slowly the angel queen lifted her eyes to stare up at Folken. His tender eyes looked down at her as he came to kneel beside her. Bringing a warm hand to her shoulder the man said, "Do not believe you are responsible for the kidnapping of your child. You never suspected this might happen."
The young dragon king's eyes were wide as he stared at his dead brother. He never imagined Folken would be the next guardian, but it seemed to be the case with the silver bands on his wrists that held Draconian emblems. It had been so long seen he had last seen him…
However the moment was suddenly broken when he heard his wife cry out.
"But I should have!" the seeress shouted painfully. Everyone sadly stared at their heartbroken queen feeling her pain. With new tears surfacing the woman continue to rant, "I am the queen of the greatest country on Gaea! I should have known that Dornkirk might attack while I was unconscious! I should have been ready!"
The king bared his teeth unable to stand her pain any longer…
Grabbing her face forcefully Van shouted in her teary face, "No, Hitomi! You're not perfect! You make mistakes like everyone else! You need to stop putting the world on your shoulders!"
Her emeralds watered again as she quietly whispered, "But I have to… I am the Angel of Gaea… the guardian of this world…"
Silence soon settled on the group knowing they could not debate that.
~~~ Judgment ~~~
Joutei stood in the very heart of the black void with his angels mingling nearby. Akuma silently floated to him with anger simmering in his red eyes. Crossing his arms in frustration the devil snarled, "Why do you continue to wait?!"
Joutei kept quiet almost as if he was ignoring the demon all together.
Throwing his arms wide the red immortal shouted, "We stay in this Hell Hole because you refuse to open the portals! Our two realms have been destroyed, but you show no shock!"
"I know all. Remember, Akuma?" the god reminded coolly facing away from the dark immortal.
"YES, I know!" shouted the demon angrily with his claws clutching the black air, "I also know you are all-powerful and could easily leave this place! Why do you not even try to leave, Joutei?!"
The golden figure glance sidelong at his adversary of all eternity before whispering, "You shall see, Akuma… You shall see…"
~~~ Dusty Plain ~~~
"So what do we do?" Nazomi asked bluntly as she sat beside one of the large boulders.
Tsuno who sat atop the same rock brought his fist under his chin, "We could always do a surprise attack and see if we could reach Iris before he killed her."
"Too risky" Sian commented automatically from her stance. Her long braid danced in the wind as her silver eyes were close, "We can't be certain they wouldn't notice our appearance before it was too late. We could appear and Dornkirk might still be holding Iris. He could kill her in seconds and we each know we could never make it."
Nembus gave the forest maiden a side glance before closing his eyes and saying, "Actually, Sian. You possible could do it."
The group all turned towards the maiden as the woman merely opened her eyes not looking at her old love, "How's that?"
Shaking away a few strands of ebony hair the man said, "You do have the gift of speed. You could probably get Iris without a problem before Dornkirk could even try to kill her."
Hope began to sparkle in a few eyes, but Sian quickly distinguished that when she snorted, "How could I?! When we died in the Final Battle we lost all our special gifts! Even when we were resurrected by Joutei and Princess Rachelle we were never returned those precious powers."
Heads hung down slightly knowing that idea was a dead end. Zaado shuffled a few feet away from the group as he softly said, "Perhaps we could double cross, Dornkirk. We could claim Hitomi would give up her powers, wait for him to give her to us, and then scram."
Again there was a shake of the head from Sian, "Wouldn't work either. Dornkirk is too smart for that. He won't give up Princess Iris so easily. He'll do something to keep her in his possession until Hitomi is completely drained of all her powers."
"Besides" commented Nazomi, "Most likely if it did work, where would it lead us? Even if we did get Princess Iris Dornkirk will be ready. His demons would be all over us in a heartbeat and we could still lose her in the battle."
"What if we left before they could even attack?" suggested Escaflowne as he flanked his mate possessively, "What if we just went back to Fanelia or somewhere?"
Sian shook her head yet again making her braid dance, "Still no good. Dornkirk would find us over time then the cycle will return."
Tsuno glanced over at the ancient brunette warrior and hissed, "We could easily send Iris away with Merle and defeat Dornkirk and his followers at the Mystic Valley."
Scowling darker Sian repeated the negative movement of her head, "No. Dornkirk might just send one of his demons on Merle and take both of them for all we know. Even if one of us stayed behind to protect the two Dornkirk might go himself and none of us alone can stop him."
Hitomi who sat beside her husband with his arm around her shoulders stared at the ground feeling her heart break with each defeated idea. Was there no hope?…
Snarling in frustration the Guardian of the Waves leapt from the boulder and stomped over to the forest maiden. Sian snapped her silver jewels on the warrior glaring at him darkly. Tsuno came right into her face making everyone very tense. The two fighters stared hard at one another with electricity singing in their blood. Sian growled lowly beneath her breath, "Stand down, Tsuno."
"You may be leader," growled the man angrily, "But do not act as if your decision is the only way to go."
Hitomi's eyes widened slightly as she raised them on the brunette female whispering, "Leader?…"
Sian glance at the queen through the corner of her eye before saying, "Yes, I am leader of the Ring of Guardians, Hitomi. Years ago when we were brought together Queen Iris appointed one of us as leader. For reasons, I still do not know I was chosen over all and spent many years trying to keep us working as a single unit. Unfortunately we were all stubborn and prideful people back then and my ideals for a single team was never succeeded."
Bringing one of set of fingers to brush over the tiara that fell over her brow the woman whispered, "This was my symbol for commanding over them, but sometimes it was never respected. We all had trouble listening to each other. Sometimes… my leadership was never listen to…"
Nazomi came behind the woman and brought a rough hand to the forest warrior's shoulder whispering quietly, "That is in the past, Sian. We know now that you were made leader for important reasons. Perhaps you were appointed because of this day."
Slowly the silver-eyed fighter turned to her comrade looking deep into golden eyes. Warmly the desert woman smiled, "You have been the one who has looked past the differences of humans when we attacked King Van. Perhaps you have matured beyond what we could not. Joutei must have saw this and claimed you as our leader. I trust you, Sian… I trust you as our leader…"
Sian turned away and closed her eyes. Slowly she set her silver jewels on the young Angel before her whispering, "It does not matter if I am leader or not. I hold no authority now with Queen Hitomi here."
Slowly the seeress began to understand as the forest guardian stepped up to the royal. Quietly Sian said, "I may be leader of the Ring of Guardians, Hitomi, but you are the eighth guardian. You are the Guardian of Gaea and you hold a rank far superior to my own. As the Angel of Gaea you have been given an authority that even I must bend my will to."
Coming to kneel in front of the young royal Sian bowed her head letting her bangs fall over her eyes slightly. With a firm and loud voice for all to hear the warrior said, "You are my queen and the chosen champion of Joutei himself. As the Draconian destined to protect this world to the end of her days I must follow you."
Carefully the warrior brought up her eyes, "but even if I didn't have to listen to you, Hitomi. If I even outranked you, I would still leave the decision up to you. As mother of the child stolen I feel you must make the final decision in rescuing her."
Folken stepped forward behind the kneeling guardian smiling proudly, "I agree."
Shaking her bangs from her eyes Nazomi brought an arm across her chest in the desert custom of allegiance saying, "I also will follow, Queen Hitomi's decision."
One by one the guardians stepped forward also agreeing to follow the seeress decision, but even with it so touching a moment Hitomi felt trapped. Her position was the hardest one ever and she felt her world begin to crumple. She had no idea how to save Iris let alone lead her group to victory over Dornkirk. Bowing her head she felt she needed to get away from this extensive pressure.
Pulling out of her husband's arms the seeress tried to keep the tears of distress from becoming visible. Turning away from the group Hitomi quietly began to walk away. Everyone stiffened as her back was turned to them. Van quickly rose and started after her, "Hitomi?"
Stopping a few feet away the woman kept her back to them making the young king also stop. Shutting her eyes shut the seeress made sure not to cry as she spoke. If she did her words would most likely break. Carefully the woman spoke keeping her words at such a level that they didn't lodge in her throat causing her to choke on them.
"I thank each of you for your loyalty and friendship" Hitomi whispered hoarsely, "If I… if I am to make the final decision… I think I need to be alone to think this over…"
Van's shoulders slumped slightly upon hearing her words. It was hard to imagine that for once she didn't need him by her side. Since their marriage they had always been at each other's side. Perhaps not physically speaking, but when they did things it was often together. They discussed issues and handled them together. The times when they argued were few, but still were there and when that happen they would soon come back together. They were two halves that were put together to make a whole. There could never be strong by themselves for it was their union that made them so powerful…
Her words hurt him stronger than any slap she ever gave him though it was not intentional.
The young seeress bit her lower lip as the tears slipped from her eyes unwillingly. Frantically she walked away towards the other side of the dusty plain trying to find solitude. She never looked back for fear of revealing her pain. Luckily none followed her except with their eyes.
Sian watched her queen sadly feeling a soft glow of sorrow glint in her heart. The breeze swelled around the guardians as they began to turn away from their queen to go wait for her to make her decision. Only Van, Folken, and Sian stayed watching their dear love one. Quietly the forest maiden whispered, "I trust in you, Hitomi… Be strong…"
Hitomi could no longer hold back the tears as she stumbled across the dusty land. She ran her hand over her face feeling the wet droplets cling to her fingers. The seeress refused to hold back her sob any longer knowing she was too far from her friends to be heard. Her vision became blurry as she saw images of the small infant flash in her mind again.
She had been so close… so close…
Yet… so far…
Her feet suddenly came to a halt and the woman slowly opened her eyes to see a deep canyon. Unknowingly her instincts had faltered her steps at the very edge of a cliff. However this was overlooked in her grief. Seconds later her knees buckled and she collapsed at the edge. Tears dripped from her chin mingling with the brown dust. It seemed as if she would cry forever and fill the large cavern with her tears… The water in her eyes just kept coming… and coming… and coming…
Until suddenly they slowed to a small halt…
Slowly Hitomi brought her hand to wipe the remaining tears from her eyes as she continued to sniff. The seeress stared at the beautiful view whispering, "I need to quite crying or I'll never think of a way to save Iris…"
The wind teased at her asking her to come fly, but she ignored its offer. The breeze picked up begging her to glide its gentle currents, but again she refused. Sadly the wind whispered through the canyon saying its sorrow, as it realized why its sweet angel would not come and play.
Staring down at the sharp edges of the canyon's bottom the seeress twisted ideas in her head. She thought of the ideas the guardians had offered and she shoot down each one in seconds. She thought of a thousand options, but each one was easily scratch out before she could even really strategize anything. Bringing her hands to clutch her head she felt the world spin. Her gasped for air as she felt like she was falling into an endless abyss…
What was she going to do?!
Carefully she slowed her breathing and closed her eyes. Her hands gradually fell to her lap as she whispered, "Think, Hitomi. There must be a flaw in Dornkirk's plan somewhere. Find it!"
The plan whirled in her head as she studied it. At every angle she could think of approaching the matter she studied and analyzed, but she was not a strategist. No matter how long she looked at Dornkirk's demands she got nothing except a headache. Angrily the seeress pounded her fist into the earth ignoring the few tears that slipped past her defenses.
"What do I do?" the seeress hoarsely whispered.
The passage from the Book of Angels ran through her head repeating word for word its message:
"Time will stretch for a rotation in peace over the world of dreams. After a time of slumber the globe will be shaken in an uproar as the eight shadows from the depths of the past will wrench themselves from the bellows of the underworld. Claws of death will try to squeeze the life from the world and take all the essence they can envelop. Oh, Angel of Gaea your time has come to once again give us your aid. Thy Ring of Guardians is your sworn league of protectors. Call to them! Take your people to the haven you have created! Powers envelop you! You face the ultimate terror! Mortality is the terror you face, oh Angel, and even now it towers over you! A babe for power! The ground beneath you is harsh and black as a single feather of identical hue falls to the earth announcing death and also proclaiming the time of the Rebirth when life will fall either to darkness or to light for a thousand rotations. Blood already marks the earth and more will fall before the result appears."
Hitomi winced as she remembered a certain line…
'A babe for power…'
Emeralds slide shut as she hissed with guilt evident in her hoarse words, "A babe for power… how could I be so blind?!"
Her left hand came into a small fist; "Babe is another term for baby or infant. Why didn't I realize the babe meant Iris?! There were no other babies around, and yet I could not see! Babe for power, indeed! It meant my powers in exchange for Iris! Hitomi, you idiot!"
Her hair lifted slightly in the breeze as she whispered, "Why did I not see it?…"
The dust drifted across the edge of the cliff before floating downwards into the canyon. The seeress watched the slow process as she muttered, "If only I had been more concerned with the prophecy… If I had only looked at it more…"
Turning her eyes to the sky to watch a few birds fly overhead she painfully whispered, "This is no time for regrets, Hitomi. You have limited time to decide what to do. Forget about 'what if'. The question is what now?"
Slowly her hands clasped together and she bowed her head in a position she did for serious matters. Emeralds slid close letting a few final tears slip down her pale cheeks. Her bangs fluttered dramatically as she choked back a sob. Quietly the young seeress whispered her prayer…
"Dear Joutei" she spoke just barely loud enough to hear her own voice, "Please help me. Help my daughter. Guide me to victory. I cannot do it alone."
"Help me please…"
The sweet voice of the angel carried on the wind playing with the echoes vibrating throughout the canyon. Streams of pink and purple began to take form in the sky as the world realized there were only a few remaining hours left for daylight. The heavens seemed to stir as they caught ear of the small prayer and they began to whisper comforting words to the royal maiden below. Birds drifted into the horizon leaving the angel to wait for her answer in solitude…
Slowly her emerald eyes opened revealing a sudden understanding. Carefully she stared off into the horizon watching the sun dip lower into the sky. Her single whisper seemed to hung in the air with a mysterious silence…
"I know what to do…"
~~~ Fanelia ~~~
Mamoru tensed when he heard his sister speak along with the others that watched his visions. The young royal locked his jaw as he whispered, "What is it, Hitomi?…"
~~~ Dusty Plain ~~~
Sian stood rigid with her arms crossing her chest. Her braid hung limp as she glanced over the group again for the sixth time in the last hour. The three elder angels leaned against the monster boulders discussing war tactics against Dornkirk. Shakaku and Escaflowne sat meditating in the dust with eyes closed. Merle and Folken desperately tried to keep Van's hopes up as they waited for his wife trying to keep him from becoming depressed.
The war woman snorted out a bit of dust before shifted her gaze back towards the horizon where she could barely see her queen sitting. Sian sighed heavily feeling somewhat guiltily for putting such a decision on the younger woman's shoulders. She had never wanted to hurt her with letting her make the decision, but she felt worse if she hadn't given it to her. Sian knew it was not her place to decide the next step. Perhaps if the situation had not become so complex she would have made the initiative, but with Iris in the clutches of their worse enemy…
"Are you alright?" came the rough voice from behind catching her back into reality.
Without looking back the woman whispered, "I just wish Hitomi did not have to carry such a heavy burden."
"She is the queen" Nembus commented lightly, "She will forever be burdened."
"But not like this!" snapped Sian as she squeeze her eyes closed, "She is so young… Even Princess Rachelle had not been this young when she took over the Draconians as queen and she at least had years of experiences of dealing in matters such as these."
Nembus sighed lightly, "Perhaps, but Hitomi is stronger than Princess Rachelle."
The brunette woman bowed her head quietly, "It does not mean she deserves this…"
In an even quieter voice, barely able to be caught by human hearing the female guardian whispered, "We don't deserve it either…"
His eyes of ebony blackness turned on her in surprise as he asked, "What did you say?"
Sian flinched as she realized she had spoken the thought out loud. Curse her foul luck! The woman remained motionless hoping her friend would think it was a fluke. Unfortunately the wind warrior did not and repeated, "What did you say?"
Again she was silent unable to say a word. Nembus gave a crooked smile as he brought his mouth to her ear, "You said we don't deserve it either, didn't you?"
A chill ran down the woman's spine as she felt his warm breath trickle her ear. In the back of her mind she remembered him doing that when they had been in the forest…
The distant memory brought a small tear to her eye as she thought of those years… those years they had been in love… They had been at each other's side for endless periods never disappearing unless telling the other where they were going or when they would be back. Those were the days when she felt her heart still held some warmth in it.
She never did understand how she fell in love with him. All she knew was that she had been in love with him… Key word though for the present was the word… 'been'… When Queen Iris had come to them to offer the positions as guardians it was the hardest blow their love had ever face. They had been given one night to decide their future…
~~~ Flashback ~~~
Sara leaned back on the limb using it as a bed. Through the branches she could make out the stars twinkling down at her. Nearby on another limb sat Nicholas starring at the ground below deep in thought. Both wanted what they had sought for the last few years… new life… and here it was being set on a platter… Unfortunately the offer came at a price…
The lady glanced at her male partner feeling sorrow take her. The moonlight highlighted his features making him look even more hansom than before. Angrily the girl scowled and blinked back her tears to whisper, "It's what we've always dreamed… to start over…"
"Yes…" the man replied emotionless.
Sitting up to cross her ankles she continued, "Our pasts will be erase and new beginnings will start…"
Nothing came from the male as he hung his head a little lower covering his bangs with his eyes. Sara flinched at his silence and said a little louder, "Will erase everything of our past, Nico!"
He flinched slightly at the sound of his nickname from her. She didn't often say it unless she was being affectionate, which was very rare. She was not a woman of warm fuzzy feelings. Cautiously she crawled over to him coming to kneel at his side. A few tears trickled to her chin as she hastily said, "I will not do this! I won't erase our love! Not even if it means we can start anew!"
His hands furiously grabbed hers in his strong ones catching her breath. She stared into his dark eyes as he roughly whispered in his velvety voice, "You will, Sara…"
"Nico…" she whispered sadly as more tears fell.
He stared into her eyes bringing his nose inches from hers as he rubbed his thumbs against her palms. Lowly he whispered, "I will not let you give up your greatest and only dream for me, Sara. I can't let you give it up."
"No" Sara sobbed, "I won't!"
"You must" he whispered firmly, "Think about what you are giving up. The blood on your weapons is easily washed away with water, but the blood on your soul can only go away with this. If we do this we are forgiven for everything we ever sinned of. I know that is something you have wished desperately for. Do this, Sa… Do this for yourself…"
A sob broke from her throat as she gave a small nod. If he wanted her to jump off a cliff she would do it. All he had to do was ask and it seemed she would follow. Now she was doing just that.
Slowly Nicholas pulled back to unsheathed his sword. Warily the woman watched as he brought the blade to his long hair. In seconds he weapon sliced through his hair cropping it to a very short assembly. As it swayed to a halt their eyes met and he whispered warmly, "This marks as my mourning for the love that dies here. I shall never love another and show it with this."
Sara bowed her head as she took her hair in her hands. Shaking considerably she worked with the tangled strains forcing them into a long braid that tapped against her back. Bringing her silver eyes back to his she whispered lovingly, "This marks as my mourning for the love that dies here. I shall never love another and show it with this."
They both sat in silence as they stared into each other's eyes feeling turmoil of emotions within their souls. Holding back a small cry Sara frantically swept the man into a firm hug crying into his shoulder as she did. Rubbing her cheek against his shoulder blade the woman let her heart break… How could he love her?… How could she love him for letting him do this?…
Wrapping his arms around her the male whispered quietly in her ear, "No matter if I forget these years… I shall never stop loving you, Sara… I'll never stop…"
~~~ End of Flashback ~~~
Sian jerked out of her thoughts suddenly and stomped a few feet away knowing he was watching her. Angrily she turned around snapping her silver jewels on his as tears glistened there. Quietly she snarled, "Stop, Nicholas… You know as well as I that we gave up those times for this."
Nembus's shoulders slumped slightly as his eyes filled with pain. The woman flinched at the sight, but quickly became firm again. Furiously she snapped at him, "Do not look at me like that! I wanted to hold on to what we shared years ago, but you eagerly accepted becoming a guardian! Blast you, Nicholas! Blast you to Hell! I have always regretted following you into that position as royal guards because I didn't want to give it up!"
Pointing a finger at him she snapped quietly, "But I know now that you have no regrets whatsoever! You never did love me did you, Nicholas?! Did you?!"
Nembus sighed quietly as he stared at her, "How can you even doubt me, Sa?"
Inwardly the woman flinched at the sound of her nickname, but didn't let him see what it did to her. His hand came to rest on her shoulder and she automatically tensed at the contact. His eyes of blackness bore into her silver ones as he whispered, "Of course I have regrets. I never wanted to give up our love, Sara…"
Her eyes became hard as she hissed, "Then why did you, Nico?"
He smiled seeing she was trying to pretend to be mad at him. His nickname gave it away though. Nembus brought his nose to rest against hers as he sadly whispered; "I knew I couldn't forgive myself if I let you give it up. I had lived a life exactly like yours, Sara, and I had dreamed of nothing else except starting over. I was willing to give up the dream for our love, but I couldn't ask that of you. I knew how much you desired it as did I."
Tears spilt as she angrily pushed away from him.
"It doesn't matter now" she hissed painfully, "We have already made our decisions and we cannot change them. Now we must focus on the present."
"Sara…" Nembus called softly lifting a hand to her.
"No" she firmly cried snapping around with a whirl of her braid, "My name is not Sara. I am Sian, Guardian of the Forest, and you are Nembus, Guardian of the Wind."
His hand fell back to his side as she whispered harshly, "And I do not know you…"
With that she turned away letting her braid snap through the air as she walked off. Nembus watched her go with a heavy heart letting a single tear produce in his own eye. As her feet unruffled the layers of dust Sian wiped away the few stray tears cursing herself.
"Stop your crying" she scowled herself, "This is not the time to confront that part of your life. You need to be worrying about the present. The royal family is in jeopardy and your looking back on the past. Time for action, not for crying."
Pulling her shoulders back the woman took back her hard rock expression. Only her slightly red eyes offered the fact of her crying. Crossing her arms Sian began to mull about strategies against Dornkirk. Anything to keep her mind of what had just occurred between her and Nembus…
Fortunately it was at this moment Hitomi began to walk back catching the attention of the maiden and warding off the encounter. The seeress walked slowly as if dreading the ending of her trek. One by one the group noticed her arrival and gradually made their way over to Sian. The braided warrior gave a small scowl as she saw the tears in her mistress's eyes.
Something was not right…
The look in the queen's emeralds spoke of dark foreboding…
Van quickly ran past the others to the head of the group next to the forest female. Each watched stiffly as the seeress halted a good fifty feet away. The wind blew a few strands of hair in the royal woman's face making her tears catch on the silky locks like morning dew on blades of grass. Sweeping away the disrupting hair the queen stared at the small audience before her never realizing another small group was also watching her every movement…
~~~ Fanelia ~~~
Mamoru leaned forward in his seat without realizing it as he tensely waited in suspense for his sister's decision. All became still and suspended in the moment as the eyes from the distant land watched… and waited…
~~~ Dusty Plain ~~~
Hitomi bit her lower lip as she felt a few tears spring back in her eyes. Blinking them back she lifted her chin a little and brought a determined look into her emeralds. She would not cry before them. She was a queen who had made a decision that could change millions of lives… She had to remain firm in her decision… Besides she had to make sure she didn't break apart before she could even accomplish it…
Taking a breath of air the seeress began quietly, "Before I speak I want you all to understand why I am doing this…"
Sian suddenly became very rigid as her mind went into full gear. In a silent whisper the warrior said to herself, 'This can't be good…'
Her stomach did knots and twists as Hitomi continued a little louder, "I have spent an hour thinking about what I should do. I wish I had some bases to go with what I have decided… something to comfort you with what I am willing to do, but… I do not…"
Tightly her jaw locked as the lead warrior felt dread take hold of all five of her senses, "No…"
Lifting her hand the royal showed the pendant to everyone as she released a single tear from her eye. Emeralds slid over to her husband and friends as the seeress whispered quietly, "I'm sorry…"
Abruptly the pendant glowed sparking life into the forest maiden. In a fraction of a second the blue pillar shot down from the sky enveloping the young royal. Hitomi's pale fingers gripped the small red stone as she began to be lofted quickly into the sky. The group gasped as they saw their queen leaving them behind. Hastily the angel cried down to them, "I'm going to give up my powers to Dornkirk!"
Tears sprang as she painfully shouted, "It's the only way! I'm sorry!"
Her hair flew around her face frantically encasing her emeralds in a small halo as they twinkled with crystal water. The blue atmosphere was thick with power as it made a barrier between her and her companions.
"NO, HITOMI!" Van shouted as he raced towards the pillar. Sian swiftly followed with panic gripping her heart. Was her queen insane with grief?! If she gave up her powers the world would suffer along with Princess Iris! She couldn't let that happen!
The two leaders threw themselves at the aqua chamber desperate to grasp their love one, but they crashed into the invisible barrier and fell to the ground in a heap. Seconds later the others caught up with them standing over the two.
Nazomi threw up her hand crying, "No, Queen Hitomi!"
"Don't do this!" shouted Folken with arms spread.
"You'll kill yourself!" announced Zaado dramatically as he flung back his bangs, "And Gaea will suffer with your death!"
Sian looked through her messy bangs as the tears slipped from her silver eyes as she whispered, "Hitomi…"
Scrambling to his feet the dragon king placed both palms on the barrier pushing hard on it. His rubies flung up to catch the gaze of his beloved as she soared higher and farther away. In that single gaze they could see the pain flickering in each other's souls. Hers was that for having to do this and his was knowing he was going to lose her.
Bringing his palms into tight fists the young king began to brutally pound on the barrier cry, "NO! HITOMI!"
Turning away from the painful scene the seeress lifted her face to the heavens and closed her teary emeralds. Painfully she choked out in a whisper, "I'm so sorry, everyone…I'm so sorry, Van…"
Opening her eyes the tears swirled in the emerald jewels as she whispered, "But I kept my promise… I said I wouldn't die as long as I had a child within me… That child has been born, Van… My promise has been kept…"
In the twinkle of the blue light the seeress disappeared from that dusty land leaving behind a group of crying people. As the ray of cerulean faded away several of the spectators collapsed to their knees in tears. Merle wailed in her tight fists as her foster brother, Folken, held her in his warm arms. The dragon couple let their wings become limp letting the tips drag in the dirt sorrowfully while they both mourned by roaring into the sky. Sian brought her forehead to the ground as she held back a sob.
Next to her Van slipped down to his knees realizing the only person he had ever loved was gone. Painfully the king cried bitter tears as he hunched over.
~~~ Mystic Valley ~~~
Hitomi suddenly felt the solid ground beneath her feet again and she slowly opened her eyes. She grew hard as she saw the sight before her. The seeress was directly in front of the ebony throne that Dornkirk had created with his four remaining demons set on either side of a path that led to his chair. On the very chair of domination in a stab of twisted rock there sat the dark emperor smirking evilly. In a heavy black scaled arm rest the young angel princess screaming at the top of her lungs.
The seeress just stood there glaring at her greatest enemy feeling a swell of rage plague her. Forcing the unruly emotion down the woman kept a hard stare on the emperor as he slowly rose from his chair. The wind slowly drawled around them sending red sparks everywhere. Hisses came from the demons as the Angel began to leisurely walk towards the throne.
"So you have decided?" Dornkirk smirked as he asked the dark question that was so obvious. Hitomi did not blink as she continued to walk towards the emperor with a scowl on her face.
"Yes…" the seeress whispered a bit harshly still glaring at him.
Her hard stare didn't do anything to Dornkirk as he began to chuckle, "You have come alone…"
Sadness momentarily crossed the queen's emeralds catching the eye of the dark ruler. In seconds, however, the emotion disappeared from her eyes to be replaced with strength and determination. Carefully so her voice didn't break the seeress said, "Yes, I came alone… I knew if the others were here you might kill Iris…"
Dornkirk eyed the woman suspiciously knowing that a trap might be coming. Hitomi saw this and shook her head lightly, "There is no trap, Dornkirk. I left them without their consent to come here to get my daughter back. I will give up my powers for her, but you must give her to me first."
One of the demons nearby snorted as Hitomi stood next to him, "Do you really think our father is stupid, Kazanki?! I mean… Fanel?!"
The seeress glanced at the demon out of the corner of her eye saying, "I mean what I say, Kusari. I will give up my powers on my own free will and not double cross your father."
On the other side of the demon son a second demon hissed, "Like we can trust you."
The seeress stared at the other brother for a moment unable to say a word. Her eyes only turned away when Dornkirk spoke.
"He has a point, seeress" the cynical ruler commented bluntly while still clutching the infant, "Why should I give up your daughter when I am not entirely sure you will give up your powers after you have her?…"
Hitomi stared at him with a stern expression shouting over the roaring cinders, "We made a deal, Dornkirk! I give up my powers to you and I get Iris!"
"I never said I would give her to you!" the man yelled back with a dark expression, "I only said your daughter would die if you did not give up your powers by sundown!"
Slightly smirking the seeress asked hoarsely from her past tears, "So if I give you my powers, Dornkirk, no harm shall ever come to Iris."
The Zaibach emperor narrowed his eyes on the woman seeing her play on words. He knew what she was trying for. She was trying to keep the child from ever being hurt if he should come to rule over Gaea. This seeress was a sharp knife… that could be certain…
"That is not part of the agreement" the man exclaimed sharply angered with her trickery.
The seeress scowled as she shouted, "Then we have no agreement! Either I get Iris and she stays alive even after you come into power or I shall never give up my powers!"
"Then she dies!" the emperor thundered, "You sacrifice her then!"
The Angel flinched at his words as a shadow of emotional pain flashed over her eyes. Dornkirk smirked when he realized she had been caught. She could not turn away now. Emeralds stared at the wailing child seeing the small tears trickled down the flush cheeks of the babe. Each tear was like a dagger being shoved into the woman's heart…
With her own tears slipping the woman held both her hands out and said, "Give her to me… and you shall have what you want…"
The ruler stared at her with a blank expression while the demons hissed and shifted. Angrily Kusari growled, "She will betray the deal! As soon as she has her daughter she will leave with her powers still intact!"
"Agreed!" snarled Dilandau as he took a step towards the woman, "Just steal her powers and kill the brat!"
Hitomi ignored the cloaked followers, as her eyes remained locked with Dornkirk's. Both leaders burrowed their eyes into each other's looking for different things. Both having doubts about the other.
Tentatively the seeress shouted, "My promise is true, Dornkirk. As Queen of the Draconians I shall do as I have said! I will give up my powers to you!"
The cinders and sparks dazzled the air with their glow as the Zaibach ruler slowly stepped towards the seeress. The demons started as they saw their leader hold out the baby to the young mother. Swiftly the seeress took the bundle and hugged it to her chest whispering comforting words in the child's ears. Soon the wails quieted as the infant clutched its mother's shirt.
The demons stared in wonder unable to believe their ruler had given up their trump card. Dornkirk never let his eyes leave the woman knowing the danger in letting her have the infant. Hitomi glanced up momentarily knowing her time was short with her only child. Biting her lower lip the seeress stared down affectionately as her daughter whispering softly, "I'm sorry, my little angel, that I must leave you. Take care of your father for me. Don't let him destroyed himself with his grief… Be the jewel of his life to keep him going…"
"Enough of your babbling, seeress!" the emperor thundered, "It is time!"
As he took a step towards her Hitomi frantically cried, "NO! WAIT!"
The cloaked beings froze at her protest. Angrily Kaosu cried, "She tends to deceive us!"
"No!" Hitomi exclaimed desperately, "I merely want to send Iris to safety! I want to send her to her father!"
Dornkirk stared hard at the woman knowing this could be very well a trick. Gruffly he snarled, "If you dare cross me, seeress, you will see bellows of tortures you have not even begun to imagine…"
The woman said nothing as she slightly turned away from the demons. Carefully she stroked the infant's chubby face as she walked a few paces away from the throne. The golden sparks floated through the air curling with warmth as the seeress placed the infant on the black earth. Giving the child a final kiss on the brow the mother withdrew from her newborn. The second her fingers left the small bundle the babe began to whimper bringing such torture to the woman.
The wind began to tug on the world as the mistress began to wield the power bestowed upon her. Glowing brightly the red stone grew warm in the seeress's hand as she blinked back her tears. Silently the queen said a prayer, "Dear Joutei, keep her safe and bring her to Van…"
In a rush the blue pillar crashed down enveloping the small babe in its cerulean glow. Swirling aqua power cradled the infant softly before slowly levitating her up to the heavens. The demons stepped back as the wind grew harder, but the queen remained at the edge of the shaft. She even went so far as to put her palm against its beautiful surface. Sparkling over her skin the angel queen could feel the awesome power. This was unnoticed though for emeralds were forever locked on the child being taken away. Hitomi could hear the faint wail of her child…
Her child…
The phrase sounded so strange on her lips… It was so new to her this world of creating such a small life… and already that life was being taken away from her… Blinking at the tears the woman pressed herself harder against the glass wonder whispering painfully, "I'm so sorry, Iris… Goodbye,… my little angel…"
With those words of sealing the blue raised harder into the sky sucking up the child into its abyss before fading away from the red sky…
~~~ Dusty Plain ~~~
It was a time of mourning. That's all you could call it. The tears fell in an endless wave as the guardians and family members cried for their lost love one. They shouldered each other's emotional burdens, but it was such a heavy load. Tear stained shirts became their clothes and hands ran over their face leaving smeared trails of water down their cheeks. It was like their hearts had become vacuum sucking up the last bit of hope and joy from their souls. There was only empty loss left in their bodies…
Nazomi lifted her golden eyes of twinkling water to the group whispering painfully, "What do we do now?"
The old giant glanced at his old companion while he mentally grasped for straws. Softly the man replied still dead by grief, "Maybe we can go to the Mystic Valley and stop Lady Hitomi before its too late."
There was wave of emotional stiffening as everyone realized there was still a glimmer of hope. Van was one of the first to jump up with the twinkle of little droplets in his eyes. Optimism glimmered in their eyes with the prospect… all save one…
Sian remained kneeling with a bowed head with her eyes closed. Her senses reeled as she felt the sense of some power approaching… This was not the time to celebrate just yet…
Bringing her silver eyes to the sky the woman noticed a small flash of aqua light from above. Her whole body stiffened as she felt something coming. For a split second, but only that, she thought it might be Hitomi returning. Sadly, she realized there was only one approaching and she did not have the life signature of their queen…
Painfully the maiden whispered for all to hear, "It's already too late…"
The wind suddenly sounded sending everyone into a state of shock as they turned to see the shaft of blue light crashed down. Hair flung back as it whirled behind them and the ground shook violently at the descent of the pillar. Catching his footing before he could fall the king stared at the shaft in hope and in sorrow…
Either it was his wife returning to him with Iris… or… or… Oh, he did not want to think of what else it could be!
As the small bundle drifted down the ray of light the man slowly began to walk towards the aqua realm. While Iris grew closer to the ground Van raced faster. His heart was beating several miles an hour and at the same time not beating at all. His feet clopped over the hard dirt as he ran to his daughter. Just as the infant landed in a soft feathery descent the young man arrived at the shaft. He stopped tentatively as he reached the small bundle noticing the tears streaming from the infant's emerald eyes… the same colored eyes as her mother's…
Tenderly the man picked up the child as the group gradually made there way over to the king. Nembus let Sian lean on his shoulder. She was too emotionally drained to stand by herself. The silver-eyed warrior stared at the infant affectionately, but in pain. If the princess was here then that meant the queen was going to give up her powers shortly…
Van looked up at the heavens through his unruly raven locks to sadly whisper, "Hitomi…"
~~~ Mystic Valley ~~~
Hitomi slowly opened her eyes releasing the sea of tears that had been held back by her eyelid's damn. Her emeralds stared out ahead of her at the ebony emperor. Her lip trembled in sadness as she whispered softly, "It is done…"
Dornkirk smirked as he sauntered over to the powerful woman bringing up his pair of hands. The seeress saw nothing it seemed. Her emeralds reflected a dead look that would shadow her eyes momentarily before coming back again. The emperor smirked at how easy it was to break her spirits. In the marrow of his bones, however, the ivory bands whispers doubts and suspicions about the seeress. This woman had been known to never give up and he had easily broken her down to a defeated shell of what she once was. Yes, it was a bit… devious…
Fortunately, he could put his suspicions to rest easy. She was before him now and she held before him a golden platter serving her powers. His claw ached as he strained to take his prize, but at the same time he hesitated. One must always be wary when things come too easy. Slowly his ebony claw and pale hand came to rest inches away from her cheeks. Hitomi sucked in her breath with fear as she realized what was going to happen next. Dornkirk stared at her thinking over the possibility for deception. After several moments the emperor decided to just take the powers and worry about deception later. Even if they were planning a trap he would have her powers and no one would be able to stop him!
Grinning triumphantly the man asked mockingly, "Any last requests, Seeress from the Mystic Moon?"
Hitomi looked straight at her enemy with a determined glint in her emeralds. Softly she whispered, "Let me die…"
Dornkirk froze thrown off by her words, "What did you say?"
"I know what will happen after you take my powers" she said bluntly with a hint of sorrow, "I shall pass through great suffering and then you shall bring a torture over Gaea for a thousand years. I do not wish to see it. I do not wish to see my friends and love ones die before my eyes. Just kill me and get over with! Let me die the death I deserve for my sins and crimes! Let me die!"
A wicked smirk pass over his pale lips as his hands tingled with his scarlet power. His eyes began to sparkle as he whispered darkly, "So be it!"
The dark emperor slapped both of his palms against her cheeks and the seeress's eyes widened considerably. The wind thundered with lightning and the sparks swirled about them in a race. The demons had to shuffle back to keep out of the display. Gradually a rose sphere surrounded them sizzling with the strength of its possessor. With a bellowing roar the demon leader began to draw out the sweet essence of his captor pulling out of ever fiber of power from her body.
Hitomi's eyes squeeze shut and her mouth flung open, but produced no noise. Her hands clasped Dornkirk's tightly against the extreme pain torturing her body at the moment. With each second the pain grew stronger and the lightning wind became harsher. A very painful scream finally tore from the woman's throat passing over lips in a whirl proclaiming the end of the world…
~ Cliffhanger! You really didn't believe she would do it, huh?! Well, I proved you guys wrong! Hehehhehe! Okay, okay! So wait?! Hitomi's going to die?! Dornkirk will rule Gaea for a thousand years?! Well the guardians won't stand for that and neither will Van! But it's already too late to save Hitomi! Isn't it?~
~ In the next chapter the doors of Hell are broken down and destruction washes over the Mystic Valley as our group heads out to stop Dornkirk before its too late! But what if its already too late?! Find out in the next chapter of my story… Chapter 27: Darkest Hour!~