Disclaimer: I do not pretend to own Escaflowne or any of it's
characters and/or settings and so forth. I do however pretend to own MY
characters, just in case anyone/anything was wondering.
"You're lucky Seer."
Hitomi whirled around. "Hello? Is anybody here?" She could've sworn that the place was empty, but that voice, who had spoken? It sounded strangely familiar and yet. She pushed all thoughts aside and ran as fast as she could to her grandmother's apartment.
She immediately knew something was wrong when the door to the apartment was unlocked. Grandmother never left the door unlocked after 7:00 p.m. Tentatively opening the door, she was met with utter blackness. "Grandma?" She took a step in. "Grandma, it's me, Hitomi. Are you here?" She reached for the light switch and frowned as the lights flickered but didn't come on.
"Grandma this isn't funny!" Her voice was anything but steady. She took a deep, calming breath. Clearing her mind of everything, she closed her eyes. Almost instantly a picture of the room appeared. Why had her powers come back now? What had triggered it? Immediately the room faded. Cursing, she cleared her mind again and the room reappeared.
Feeling her way along the wall, she headed towards the kitchen where the candles were. Careful to keep her mind blank, she opened the door and took a cautious step in. Deciding it wouldn't hurt to try one more time, she called out, "Grandma if this is a joke, it isn't funny anymore." Desperation colored her voice. "Please grandma, just answer me!"
Still no answer. Almost crying in frustration, she finally found the candles and lit them. Carefully heading towards her grandmother's room she kicked something hard and unrelenting. Cursing angrily she bent to see what it was and could've died right there. It was an energist. In the flickering candlelight it almost seemed to be glowing and if she looked close enough she could almost see. figures. They appeared to be fighting but she couldn't be sure, they seemed so far away.
Growling at herself for being so easily distracted she pocketed the stone and resumed walking towards the door. The door was slightly ajar, and as she reached to open if further, a strong wave of terror hit her so hard, she slumped against the wall. Her energy sapped, she weakly opened the door with a trembling hand and collapsed at the sight before her.
The room was lit with an eerie, dark red light that was almost like a mist, it was so heavy. Colors and shapes seemed like one, all except for the figure slumped on the floor, covered in her own blood. On the far wall facing the window, letters glowed in the unearthly light and formed words. Words that would mean nothing to anyone, save Hitomi. Words that brought back a rush of memories and a feeling of horror. Her family was in danger.
'Luck and Fate, intertwined. Luck you have not joined them, and Fate that we could not find you. Guymelefs are abroad once more. Peace is but a memory, a dream of better days. Fanel is cracking, bloodlust slowly taking over. Where is the calming of the raging blood? War is standing on a knife's edge, one wrong move and all will be over. Revenge is swift in the coming, may Gaea burn with dragonsfire.'
Hitomi slumped onto the floor. Her grandmother was dead, Gaea, and more importantly Van was in trouble, what else could possibly go wrong. 'Luck you have not joined them.' The sentence stood out in her mind and then it clicked. Quickly standing up, she grabbed her cell phone and called a familiar number. After seven nerve-racking rings someone picked up. "Mom?"
Van Fanel, king of Fanelia, glared angrily at the unfortunate messenger standing before him. "What do you mean more dragons have disappeared?! How is it possible to lose ten dragons in one night?!"
The messenger bowed his head, and with a trembling voice answered, "That's just it Lord. It isn't. Nodachi has been watching them like a hawk. He doesn't know how it's possible, but believes it might have something to do with the rumors of war."
Van gave a wordless snarl. This was just great. Just what they needed, more dead dragons on their hands. It wasn't as if their hands weren't already bloodied, but this, this just made it all better. Without even realizing it, his hard, angry gaze settled on the messenger who looked ready to bolt. With a start he came back to himself. "You're still here?" He almost laughed at the terror on his face. "You're dismissed."
With an audible sigh of relief, the messenger quickly disappeared through the doors, only to be replaced with yet another. wait, no, it was Merle. This time it was Van who sighed with relief. "Good, it's you."
"You were expecting the Duchy of Freid?" Came her snide response. Her smirk disappeared as she inspected him from afar. "You look awful." Merle said bluntly. "Rest and maybe, just maybe, a little food would do you a world of good." She gave a theatrical sigh. "Which is why I'm here. To make sure you eat what you're supposed to and."
"And nag me to death." He finished quickly. "I'm well aware of my lack of sleep and food. There just hasn't been any time for it. What with Allen Schezar, Millerna and her infernal husband trying to get me to scare my citizens to death with RUMORS, not solid facts, of war. Now there are dragons missing and just the other day, some scout reported seeing Guymelefs flying over Fanelia!"
Merle gave a sympathetic noise. Understanding that he just wanted someone to vent at, she refrained from speaking. He really was under a lot of stress. If only Hitomi were here. Her train of thought dissipated as he continued talking.
"Of all the things we need right now, Guymelefs just has to be the worst!" Standing up abruptly he began to pace. "Where are they coming from?! All the kingdoms agreed to put them in storage, so that it would be nearly impossible to retrieve them. Also," Here his voice dropped dramatically, gaining her full attention. "the scout said that it carried Freid's symbol on it."
"No." Merle's voice was soft with disbelief. This couldn't be true, Prince Chid wouldn't do anything like this. He hated war, condemned everything that had to do with war. "Not Chid. He couldn't, wouldn't. Why, how?!"
"Yeah, my thoughts exactly." Van's voice was grim and his eyes were harsh. "Other kingdoms seem to have the same problem, all except Millerna's and Chid's. How does that happen? It's either a VERY clever setup or they're trying to sabotage us." He stopped pacing and looked stricken. "Either way we have to start cutting some ties with them."
"But, then they'll know something's up." Trying to stay calm because that was obviously beyond Van's capabilities at the moment, Merle tried to make him see all the possibilities. "And what happens if, no, when we find out it's not them? They'll be incredibly angry with us."
With an angry growl Van rounded on Merle. "Then what do you suggest we do? I can't just storm in there demanding answers! If they are up to something then they'll know we're on to them. What then?"
"Don't get angry with me! It's not my fault this is happening, calm down!" Growling right back, and with a demonic glint in her eyes, she slapped him. Ignoring the angry red mark she left, she matched his glare with one of his own, until he started laughing. "What is so funny?" She hissed.
Taking a moment to gather his wits because he was laughing so hard he finally spoke. "You. Man, you are the most impertinent person I've ever met. Other than Celena I mean. No wonder you two get along so well." He grinned as she bristled at his statements. "Since you seem so full of advice today, then tell me what you think I should do."
"For your information, Celena and I do NOT get along so well. I despise her!" Eyes flashing angrily, Merle advanced on Van, who quickly backed away, hands held up in surrender. "As for my advice? I think you should go and check it out. Go to Freid, use the excuse that you haven't seen him in awhile, which you haven't." She added absently, missing his amused smile. "Anyway, just say that you wanted to see how he was doing. Then, if you don't see or hear anything suspicious tell him what you think is going on."
"What if I do, see something suspicious, I mean?" The smile was gone, replaced with a serious face.
"Don't let him know." Merle paused, thinking hard. "Just act as if nothing's wrong. Then, when you leave, go visit some other kingdoms who seem to be having the same problem, after that, go visit Millerna and Dryden in Austeria and do the same thing that you did with Freid."
"Just like that, huh?" He quickly nodded as the demonic glint entered her eyes again. "I completely agree! Honestly. Don't look at me like that Merle, this isn't funny! MERLE!!!"
Serori scowled at the figure cloaked in shadow. "I am well aware of my failure. You don't have to rub it in. However, you can't blame me and my squad for her not being there. Desdemona and Atari. That's all it is. She seems to be in Their favor."
"I don't care if the Mistress of Fortune favors her. I. Want. Her. Dead!!"
"You don't seem to understand. Apparently they seem to think that she has a part to play, and until she has played that part they will not allow her to die." Turning around she began to walk away, firing one last comment, "If you wish her dead so badly, do it yourself, Clan Leader Felcor."
Almost choking on his anger, Felcor stepped forward. "Wait right there, Serori. Where do you think you're going? You weren't dismissed." The shadows dissipated as they were no longer needed. She knew who he was so what was the point in hiding.
"You have no authority over me." She snapped back. But she stopped walking and waited for what he had to say.
Tall and forbidding, he was an intimidating person, or would've been if it had been anyone other than Serori. Clear, striking blue eyes glared at her through perfectly formed eyebrows, set in an almost perfect face. His mouth was forming a sneer at the moment and it marred his face. Flaming red hair, with every strand in perfect place sat atop his head. "Did you kill her family?"
A feral grin graced her lips. "But of course. This way there are no real ties that bind her to Chikyuu, or the Mystic Moon as everyone seems set on calling it. No romantic ties, only friendship and even those ones aren't as strong as they used to be." She chuckled coldly. "So the only logical course of action in her clouded mind will be to come seek us for her revenge."
Felcor grinned back at her. "I trust you left ample means to get here, and clues only she would get."
"Do you doubt my abilities?" Pretending to be offended she glared at him. "That hurts. I left her a message on her grandmothers wall, with her blood of course."
"Of course." He murmured.
She ignored his comment and continued. "In case she can't get here on her own power, which isn't unlikely," Condescension oozed from her voice. "We left her an energist. A small one, just like her pendant, however this one is unpolished and so has more raw power." She paused and sent him a sharp look. "When she gets here, we'll retrieve it, such power in untrained hands would be disastrous to us."
"Understood." Giving a quick nod, he started walking towards his dragon, Bloodstone. A small dragon, with dusty-gray scales, she gave the appearance of being weak, a sharp contrast from her rider. Pretending to be clumsy in air and on land, it lulled her enemies into a false sense of security, giving her the advantage. Agile and swift, she could outmaneuver anyone and anything. "I will inform the council of our progress."
"Make sure you tell Thirteen about this, Felcor." Mocking amusement colored her voice, it was a well-known fact that no matter how hard the other twelve member tried to hide anything from the thirteenth member, she always knew what was going on.
Stiffening, he tried to keep his voice from trembling as he answered. "I'll make sure it's arranged. Never fear." Growling softly, he jumped onto his dragon's back, who stumbled into the air.
Laughing nastily at his apparent discomfort, Serori turned to her own dragon, Ravenswing, or Raven. One of the biggest known dragons, past or present, she was of the Ancient Blood. Able to survive in any climate, including underwater, she was also able to shift her scale's color to match her environment. Currently they were an entrancing midnight-blue, her original color.
Graceful and nimble, Raven was an excellent combatant, and worked well with Serori, one of the best tacticians the Riders had. The ideal team, Serori was arrogant and rude, while Raven was humble and polite. It was Raven who was sent as an emissary to the Lesser Dragons, dragons without wings, and it was Serori who was sent to diplomatic meetings at other kingdoms. Both enjoyed fighting on a level that surpassed all others; it was second nature to them. Together they had complete control over the elements, and separated, they still had a measure of control, but not even a fourth of what they had when together.
Raven had the gift of tongues. Able to speak and understand any language anywhere, even on the Mystic Moon, she was taken on a lot of diplomatic meetings in case something was being hid from them. She was also one of the rare dragons who could speak both telepathically and out loud, which was also a great blessing.
'Ready?' Serori 'pathed to Raven. 'We need to trail Hitomi to make sure she has the proper incentive to come, and to make sure she gets here all right.'
'I'm always ready, it was getting boring listening to you two talk.' With a loud hiss, Raven quickly went into an attack formation as a troop of horses rode up.
"Oi!" The lead one called out. "Who are you? Do you have the permission from the King to be here?!"
Exchanging smirks, Dragon and Rider got ready to pounce as the horsemen got closer and closer.
A/N: Hey all, I fixed some errors in here, also Atari is the Goddess of Luck and Desdemona is the Goddess of Fate. I don't know if any deities were in fact used in Escaflowne, I don't recall any. well, if there, let me know! Thanks all!
"You're lucky Seer."
Hitomi whirled around. "Hello? Is anybody here?" She could've sworn that the place was empty, but that voice, who had spoken? It sounded strangely familiar and yet. She pushed all thoughts aside and ran as fast as she could to her grandmother's apartment.
She immediately knew something was wrong when the door to the apartment was unlocked. Grandmother never left the door unlocked after 7:00 p.m. Tentatively opening the door, she was met with utter blackness. "Grandma?" She took a step in. "Grandma, it's me, Hitomi. Are you here?" She reached for the light switch and frowned as the lights flickered but didn't come on.
"Grandma this isn't funny!" Her voice was anything but steady. She took a deep, calming breath. Clearing her mind of everything, she closed her eyes. Almost instantly a picture of the room appeared. Why had her powers come back now? What had triggered it? Immediately the room faded. Cursing, she cleared her mind again and the room reappeared.
Feeling her way along the wall, she headed towards the kitchen where the candles were. Careful to keep her mind blank, she opened the door and took a cautious step in. Deciding it wouldn't hurt to try one more time, she called out, "Grandma if this is a joke, it isn't funny anymore." Desperation colored her voice. "Please grandma, just answer me!"
Still no answer. Almost crying in frustration, she finally found the candles and lit them. Carefully heading towards her grandmother's room she kicked something hard and unrelenting. Cursing angrily she bent to see what it was and could've died right there. It was an energist. In the flickering candlelight it almost seemed to be glowing and if she looked close enough she could almost see. figures. They appeared to be fighting but she couldn't be sure, they seemed so far away.
Growling at herself for being so easily distracted she pocketed the stone and resumed walking towards the door. The door was slightly ajar, and as she reached to open if further, a strong wave of terror hit her so hard, she slumped against the wall. Her energy sapped, she weakly opened the door with a trembling hand and collapsed at the sight before her.
The room was lit with an eerie, dark red light that was almost like a mist, it was so heavy. Colors and shapes seemed like one, all except for the figure slumped on the floor, covered in her own blood. On the far wall facing the window, letters glowed in the unearthly light and formed words. Words that would mean nothing to anyone, save Hitomi. Words that brought back a rush of memories and a feeling of horror. Her family was in danger.
'Luck and Fate, intertwined. Luck you have not joined them, and Fate that we could not find you. Guymelefs are abroad once more. Peace is but a memory, a dream of better days. Fanel is cracking, bloodlust slowly taking over. Where is the calming of the raging blood? War is standing on a knife's edge, one wrong move and all will be over. Revenge is swift in the coming, may Gaea burn with dragonsfire.'
Hitomi slumped onto the floor. Her grandmother was dead, Gaea, and more importantly Van was in trouble, what else could possibly go wrong. 'Luck you have not joined them.' The sentence stood out in her mind and then it clicked. Quickly standing up, she grabbed her cell phone and called a familiar number. After seven nerve-racking rings someone picked up. "Mom?"
Van Fanel, king of Fanelia, glared angrily at the unfortunate messenger standing before him. "What do you mean more dragons have disappeared?! How is it possible to lose ten dragons in one night?!"
The messenger bowed his head, and with a trembling voice answered, "That's just it Lord. It isn't. Nodachi has been watching them like a hawk. He doesn't know how it's possible, but believes it might have something to do with the rumors of war."
Van gave a wordless snarl. This was just great. Just what they needed, more dead dragons on their hands. It wasn't as if their hands weren't already bloodied, but this, this just made it all better. Without even realizing it, his hard, angry gaze settled on the messenger who looked ready to bolt. With a start he came back to himself. "You're still here?" He almost laughed at the terror on his face. "You're dismissed."
With an audible sigh of relief, the messenger quickly disappeared through the doors, only to be replaced with yet another. wait, no, it was Merle. This time it was Van who sighed with relief. "Good, it's you."
"You were expecting the Duchy of Freid?" Came her snide response. Her smirk disappeared as she inspected him from afar. "You look awful." Merle said bluntly. "Rest and maybe, just maybe, a little food would do you a world of good." She gave a theatrical sigh. "Which is why I'm here. To make sure you eat what you're supposed to and."
"And nag me to death." He finished quickly. "I'm well aware of my lack of sleep and food. There just hasn't been any time for it. What with Allen Schezar, Millerna and her infernal husband trying to get me to scare my citizens to death with RUMORS, not solid facts, of war. Now there are dragons missing and just the other day, some scout reported seeing Guymelefs flying over Fanelia!"
Merle gave a sympathetic noise. Understanding that he just wanted someone to vent at, she refrained from speaking. He really was under a lot of stress. If only Hitomi were here. Her train of thought dissipated as he continued talking.
"Of all the things we need right now, Guymelefs just has to be the worst!" Standing up abruptly he began to pace. "Where are they coming from?! All the kingdoms agreed to put them in storage, so that it would be nearly impossible to retrieve them. Also," Here his voice dropped dramatically, gaining her full attention. "the scout said that it carried Freid's symbol on it."
"No." Merle's voice was soft with disbelief. This couldn't be true, Prince Chid wouldn't do anything like this. He hated war, condemned everything that had to do with war. "Not Chid. He couldn't, wouldn't. Why, how?!"
"Yeah, my thoughts exactly." Van's voice was grim and his eyes were harsh. "Other kingdoms seem to have the same problem, all except Millerna's and Chid's. How does that happen? It's either a VERY clever setup or they're trying to sabotage us." He stopped pacing and looked stricken. "Either way we have to start cutting some ties with them."
"But, then they'll know something's up." Trying to stay calm because that was obviously beyond Van's capabilities at the moment, Merle tried to make him see all the possibilities. "And what happens if, no, when we find out it's not them? They'll be incredibly angry with us."
With an angry growl Van rounded on Merle. "Then what do you suggest we do? I can't just storm in there demanding answers! If they are up to something then they'll know we're on to them. What then?"
"Don't get angry with me! It's not my fault this is happening, calm down!" Growling right back, and with a demonic glint in her eyes, she slapped him. Ignoring the angry red mark she left, she matched his glare with one of his own, until he started laughing. "What is so funny?" She hissed.
Taking a moment to gather his wits because he was laughing so hard he finally spoke. "You. Man, you are the most impertinent person I've ever met. Other than Celena I mean. No wonder you two get along so well." He grinned as she bristled at his statements. "Since you seem so full of advice today, then tell me what you think I should do."
"For your information, Celena and I do NOT get along so well. I despise her!" Eyes flashing angrily, Merle advanced on Van, who quickly backed away, hands held up in surrender. "As for my advice? I think you should go and check it out. Go to Freid, use the excuse that you haven't seen him in awhile, which you haven't." She added absently, missing his amused smile. "Anyway, just say that you wanted to see how he was doing. Then, if you don't see or hear anything suspicious tell him what you think is going on."
"What if I do, see something suspicious, I mean?" The smile was gone, replaced with a serious face.
"Don't let him know." Merle paused, thinking hard. "Just act as if nothing's wrong. Then, when you leave, go visit some other kingdoms who seem to be having the same problem, after that, go visit Millerna and Dryden in Austeria and do the same thing that you did with Freid."
"Just like that, huh?" He quickly nodded as the demonic glint entered her eyes again. "I completely agree! Honestly. Don't look at me like that Merle, this isn't funny! MERLE!!!"
Serori scowled at the figure cloaked in shadow. "I am well aware of my failure. You don't have to rub it in. However, you can't blame me and my squad for her not being there. Desdemona and Atari. That's all it is. She seems to be in Their favor."
"I don't care if the Mistress of Fortune favors her. I. Want. Her. Dead!!"
"You don't seem to understand. Apparently they seem to think that she has a part to play, and until she has played that part they will not allow her to die." Turning around she began to walk away, firing one last comment, "If you wish her dead so badly, do it yourself, Clan Leader Felcor."
Almost choking on his anger, Felcor stepped forward. "Wait right there, Serori. Where do you think you're going? You weren't dismissed." The shadows dissipated as they were no longer needed. She knew who he was so what was the point in hiding.
"You have no authority over me." She snapped back. But she stopped walking and waited for what he had to say.
Tall and forbidding, he was an intimidating person, or would've been if it had been anyone other than Serori. Clear, striking blue eyes glared at her through perfectly formed eyebrows, set in an almost perfect face. His mouth was forming a sneer at the moment and it marred his face. Flaming red hair, with every strand in perfect place sat atop his head. "Did you kill her family?"
A feral grin graced her lips. "But of course. This way there are no real ties that bind her to Chikyuu, or the Mystic Moon as everyone seems set on calling it. No romantic ties, only friendship and even those ones aren't as strong as they used to be." She chuckled coldly. "So the only logical course of action in her clouded mind will be to come seek us for her revenge."
Felcor grinned back at her. "I trust you left ample means to get here, and clues only she would get."
"Do you doubt my abilities?" Pretending to be offended she glared at him. "That hurts. I left her a message on her grandmothers wall, with her blood of course."
"Of course." He murmured.
She ignored his comment and continued. "In case she can't get here on her own power, which isn't unlikely," Condescension oozed from her voice. "We left her an energist. A small one, just like her pendant, however this one is unpolished and so has more raw power." She paused and sent him a sharp look. "When she gets here, we'll retrieve it, such power in untrained hands would be disastrous to us."
"Understood." Giving a quick nod, he started walking towards his dragon, Bloodstone. A small dragon, with dusty-gray scales, she gave the appearance of being weak, a sharp contrast from her rider. Pretending to be clumsy in air and on land, it lulled her enemies into a false sense of security, giving her the advantage. Agile and swift, she could outmaneuver anyone and anything. "I will inform the council of our progress."
"Make sure you tell Thirteen about this, Felcor." Mocking amusement colored her voice, it was a well-known fact that no matter how hard the other twelve member tried to hide anything from the thirteenth member, she always knew what was going on.
Stiffening, he tried to keep his voice from trembling as he answered. "I'll make sure it's arranged. Never fear." Growling softly, he jumped onto his dragon's back, who stumbled into the air.
Laughing nastily at his apparent discomfort, Serori turned to her own dragon, Ravenswing, or Raven. One of the biggest known dragons, past or present, she was of the Ancient Blood. Able to survive in any climate, including underwater, she was also able to shift her scale's color to match her environment. Currently they were an entrancing midnight-blue, her original color.
Graceful and nimble, Raven was an excellent combatant, and worked well with Serori, one of the best tacticians the Riders had. The ideal team, Serori was arrogant and rude, while Raven was humble and polite. It was Raven who was sent as an emissary to the Lesser Dragons, dragons without wings, and it was Serori who was sent to diplomatic meetings at other kingdoms. Both enjoyed fighting on a level that surpassed all others; it was second nature to them. Together they had complete control over the elements, and separated, they still had a measure of control, but not even a fourth of what they had when together.
Raven had the gift of tongues. Able to speak and understand any language anywhere, even on the Mystic Moon, she was taken on a lot of diplomatic meetings in case something was being hid from them. She was also one of the rare dragons who could speak both telepathically and out loud, which was also a great blessing.
'Ready?' Serori 'pathed to Raven. 'We need to trail Hitomi to make sure she has the proper incentive to come, and to make sure she gets here all right.'
'I'm always ready, it was getting boring listening to you two talk.' With a loud hiss, Raven quickly went into an attack formation as a troop of horses rode up.
"Oi!" The lead one called out. "Who are you? Do you have the permission from the King to be here?!"
Exchanging smirks, Dragon and Rider got ready to pounce as the horsemen got closer and closer.
A/N: Hey all, I fixed some errors in here, also Atari is the Goddess of Luck and Desdemona is the Goddess of Fate. I don't know if any deities were in fact used in Escaflowne, I don't recall any. well, if there, let me know! Thanks all!