The winged angel or the fire beast

A/n I would just like to thank Dark Angel/ Hannah for her persistence to do this chapter. As you may have realised I'm very lazy and I really appreciated Dark Angel's support (and pressure) to update. ^_^ Thank you for reviewing everyone. One more thing, in my story Folken and the Dragonslayers aren't dead. They didn't deserve to die in the first place : (

Chapter 6

'Interrogation'

Van sat back from the bars and looked down at the wet floor. There was nothing more to say and Helena had nothing more to share. Van thumbed the vacant sheath at his side, wondering of the whereabouts of his sword.

Breaking the silence, Helena stood up raising her arms as if to stretch but she froze when the heavy sound of footsteps could be heard. Van looked past Helena down the dark corridor where the sharp chinking of keys could be heard clearly.

'What do you think it is?' Helena said, beginning to rest her arms. The question may have seemed obvious but Helena just wanted an answer, to reassure her confused thoughts.

'Maybe it's some new, misfortunate prisoner,' was Van's open-ended answer.

The footsteps became louder until eventually, an outline of an armored figure could be seen. Van stood up and moved away from the bars at the front of the cell as Helena did the same. The figure stopped in front of Van's cell and before putting the key into the lock, he turned his head slightly to glance at Helena who was watching back.

His pale skin wasn't darkened by the cloud of blond hair that was upon his head. Helena recognised him from when they last met in the valley, Chesta. A smile glimmered across his face but disappeared quickly when he turned the key.

'If you just do as your told Lord Van there won't be any problems.' Chesta moved towards Van and attempted to pull him out by his arm, but he was abruptly mistaken. As Chesta grabbed Van's arm, Van's other arm took a shot at his face, sending him to the floor. Van pinned Chesta to the floor as he tried to take the keys from his hands. Helena jumped at the bars of her own cell, trying to hold down Chesta's leg, vainly trying to help.

Unfortunately this plan of escape was short lived as Dilandau stepped out from the shadows, who had obviously been standing there just in case, sword pointed at Van's throat. Helena's excitement died down as she stepped back, whilst Van stood up scowling the grimacing Dilandau.

'You just don't learn do you Van? You're in my lair now and what I say goes. Best you keep to that.' Van gave no reply but moved on when Dilandau nudged him in the direction down the corridor. Helena watched them go and sat back on the wet floor, narrowing her eyes at Chesta as he recovered himself and left.

Hours must have passed as Helena sat, hands across her knees. She looked at her necklace, feeling the coldness of the gem without touching its smooth surface. 'How did I get here?' muttering to herself aloud. 'It seems impossible that a necklace could bring me to another planet! Even my arm doesn't seem broken anymore' She shook the thought from her head and looked at her reflection in the pink gem. She jumped when the clang of metal was heard against one of the cells.

To her left, Van was thrown in his cell. As Chesta brushed off his hands he headed towards her cell.

'Van! Are you alright?' Helena put her hand across her mouth when she realised how stupid she sounded. Van turned his face towards her and managed a faint smile before passing out. Tears came to Helena's eyes as she glanced across his limp body. Bruises ran up his arms and blood seeped through his clothes where wounds hid underneath. Cuts seemed to scar his face and his breathing was shallow and choked.

'What have you done to him? You can't leave him like this!' Helena could feel the hatred inside her, burning like it did back on Earth for her mother.

'I think you shouldn't worry about him. Start worrying about yourself if you don't do as your told.' Even though Chesta seemed an enemy to her, she calmed down. He didn't seem to command her but advice her, like he actually cared about what might happen to her.

'Fine. But please do something about Van,' she pleaded, tears welling up again.

'Alright,' he replied unpromisingly while he unlocked her cell and pulled her out.

'Who did that to him, what kind of monster could do that to just a kid?'

'That monster is Dilandau. And the same thing will happen to you if you don't do as he says.' Chesta snapped at her, seeming to be offended that Dilandau was referred to as a 'monster.'

Helena decided to keep quiet from then on. Her arm had healed unbelievable. Another thing she had to worry about not understading. She paced down the corridors with Chesta silent at her side. All the corridors seemed to look the same but turning to see Chesta face showed that he looked focused and that he knew where they were going.

They finally stopped at a metal door. 'Go in there and sit down.' Helena didn't reply but pressed on the cold surface of the door that jarred open with its immense weight.

Inside the air was cold and the light was doused in shadows. A chair stood in the middle of the small room and she moved forward to sit as commanded by Chesta who was no longer to be seen. Helena turned sharply, as the door seemed to shut on its own but resumed her command to sit.

'Is there anyone here?' Calling out, as the stone walls seem to absorb her words.

'Where did you come from?' a voice echoed back. Helena looked around for a face but saw nothing in the darkness of the room.

'Who are you? Where are you?!' Panicking she stood up, moving away from the chair, passing her sight around the shadowed room franticly. Helena froze when she felt a hand from behind touch her shoulder.

'Sit,' as the hand forced her body down towards the chair. She didn't dare turn to see who it was. She shut her eyes as the hand left her shoulder and seemed to stroke her cheek before leaving as the figure walked around. The sound of boots on the hard floor echoed as the stone walls choked her whimpers.

'You can open your eyes, I won't bite.' Helena recognized the voice immediately. The tone gave it away immediately, sadistic and teasing. She opened her eyes to see Dilandau's back turned to her.

'So, where are you really from?' his back still turned, Helena appeared confused.

'I've already told you, I'm from Earth…the Mystic Moon.' correcting herself.

'How did you get here then?' She could tell that he believed her like before when he asked, it was a little game to him. Somehow she had to prove it though.

She searched her mind for something that seemed faintly possible to believe. Her mind produced a blank. 'The green light…. the green light brought me here.' Dilandau paused and turned. He wasn't smirking like the last time she saw him. His face was serious and a bruise was seen on his face near an aged scar that showed so much pain still.

'Has Van told you anything?' his tone harsher than last, looking for a quick reply.

'Like what Lord Dilandau?' Even though worried for her own safety, by questioning him back she might be able to sort her head out about what was happening at the moment and why she was here.

'It doesn't matter,' shaking his head of troubling thoughts but looking at her again, looking still in control. 'You sure he hasn't told you anything about before you came here?'

'He hasn't said anything,' now looking back at him, looking deep in to his garnet eyes. 'Why did you hurt Van?' Changing the subject radically, hoping to take control of the conversation. Dilandau took a step back, shocked by her persistence to question when he was meant to be interrogating her! Annoyed as he was, he replied.

'When we captured him he wasn't in his Escaflowne. I questioned him as nicely as possible but if he doesn't want to tell me where the Escaflowne is then…' he paused, raising his hand to his scar. Touching it as if it still stung from when it was first etched in to his face. Stirring from his daze, he focused on her with cold red eyes, ' he must suffer the consequences. The same as you if you don't do as your told!' He began pacing, lost in thoughts as his face reflected his depth in concentration.

She sat, watching him intently. He could see her out the corner of his eyes and even then he could see that she was beautiful. Her long brown hair flowed over her shoulders. Even under her baggy, white shirt he could still see her noticeable curvature that was hugged by her arms. What enticed him the most though, was her eyes. A deep blue haze which was unreadable for his unpenetrating eyes. 'If Folken is right, this should be easy enough,' he thought to himself. Dilandau stopped and turned to her with a smirk across his face.

Helena had been doing well with Dilandau 'supposed' interrogation. She hadn't been hurt yet and he didn't seem to be too angry. The strangest thing of all though was that he didn't really scare her. She felt pity for him. Pain was written across his face and she wanted to help him. She watched him stand in front of her as she read his eyes. Corrupted by fire and blood, he was trapped inside.

Dilandau couldn't take it anymore; watching her he could tell that she didn't fear him. He would have to make her; it would just take sometime.

'So, Van told you where the Escaflowne is?' Dilandau watched her expression as she shifted in the chair, releasing her grip on him with her eyes.

'I don't even know what it is,' her glance returning to the floor.

'You do know. Where is it?' His voice becoming demanding.

'Lord Dilandau, I don't know anything. He won't even speak to me.' There was a silence after her reply. Breathing out in relief, she nearly choked in shock as Dilandau lifted her to her feet. His face was so close, that their eyes locked and she couldn't pull her sight away.

'Don't lie to me!' His eyes angry and aflame. Helena began panicking, her breathing quickening. She pushed him away and headed for the door but was stopped short as her body was flung towards the wall. Helena screamed out in pain and her eyes welled up in pain and fear. She was trapped. Dilandau pressed her body up against the wall, holding her arms at her side.

'Now don't tell me you don't know anything. I'm not going to waste my life looking for the Escaflowne anymore!' Mistakenly loosening his grip, Helena recovered her arm and slapped him across the face.

He turned his face towards her unfazed by her attempt, and raised his arm to hit her. He paused, seeing that even though she shook scared of the consequence to be, she still looked at him in sympathy. He looked in to her eyes and felt weak for it. His hand fell to his side and he stepped back from her quivering body.

'Dilandau. You don't have to suffer alone,' her voice reflecting the pity she felt for him. Dilandau would have happily fallen in to her arms and accepted her kindness but he knew he couldn't. He couldn't, happiness would never be allowed for Dilandau. Dilandau found his happiness through battle and death, and that's all he needed. His eyes alight once more, he stepped forward to hit her. 'I don't need your sympathy!' He raised his arm, waiting for her to change the way she looked at him but the sympathy remained. He brought down his arm but was stopped by an intercepting metallic arm.

'I think you've had enough Dilandau.' Helena relaxed slightly as she moved away from Dilandau.

'I was only having a bit of fun Folken,' his voice sarcastic and angry. Folken's emotionless face was unchanged and he motioned for Gatti to come in and take Helena back to her cell. Helena followed the command gratefully and Dilandau followed Folken to his office-like room. Neither spoke until they reached to two large wooden doors of the cobwebbed office.

'Sit Dilandau.' Dilandau refused and remained standing, hand on hip.

'Why did you stop me Folken!?' Letting out his anger out that he had stored all the way from the interrogation room.

'She is the one that has been sent to stop you, like Hitomi before. If you're violent towards her, she'll have no choice but to fulfil her destiny to destroy you like Hitomi did.'

'Do you have to remind me about Hitomi. It makes me feel sick that because of her I was imprisoned inside Celena for so long.' Dilandau's eyes narrowing at the idea.

'But I must remind you otherwise you'll make the same mistake before. That is why I have come up with a plan, which will solve this little destiny problem…'

A/n da na! I've actually written out the plan for this story now because its going to get a little complicated from now on. Well, you can still convince me who you want Helena to fall in love with. There is still time to persuade my decision. I'll try and update soon, I definitely will before Christmas…..I hope. Feel free to review, really.

Lady whitewolf

xXx

ladywhitewolf_inabluemoon@hotmail.com