Gaea Regained Wow!!! You guys have spoiled me with your compliments! Thank
you, thank you! Keep 'em coming, hehe! And please, please tell all your
fellow esca fans about this story, cuz I really want my wish of a wide
readership to come true. Once again, this chapter is long, but I posted it
anyways because many people requested it. However, I can't update so
frequently, due to publicity reasons of course. Plus, I'll be going on
vacation to Bali soon - wheeee, the sun, the beach (. So, the next chapter
will take some time.sit tight for now, but fly high!!!!
VII. This Pendant World
being to timelessness as it's to time
love did not more begin than love will end; where nothing is to breathe to stroll to swim love is the air the ocean and the land. love is the voice under all silences the hope which has no opposite in fear; the strength so strong mere force is feebleness: the truth more first than sun more last than star. e. e. cummings
I am haunted by numberless islands and many a Danaan shore, Where Time would surely forget us, and Sorrow come near us no more; Soon far from the rose and the lily and the fret of the flames would we be, Were we only white birds, my beloved, buoyed out on the foam of the sea! W.B. Yeats, "The White Birds"
Just as Van's wings allowed him to ascend five feet into the air, Orion dashed out of the castle, passed the frantic Merle and grabbed onto Van's legs. "Get down, Van! Now! If you fly any higher, the vision will come true! C'mon!"
But Van heard nothing. His soul was surrounded only by his own despairing calls of her name. "Hitomi! Hitomi!" He cried out to her the way a starved and forlorn child cries out to a distant God.
Merle helped Orion pull him down. "Lord Van, please, please come down. You've got to listen to us!"
"Van!" Orion yelled with a grunt. "Stop beating your wings in my face! It really hurts! Come on! We'll find her later, I promise!" Some bystanders hurried to help Orion; some went running to find King Allen. But all efforts were ineffectual.
"Let me go! Let me go!" In the turmoil of desperation, Van hit Orion across the head and freed himself from the chain of hands imprisoning him. He soared towards destruction.
"No, Van, no!" Orion screamed after him then something daunting and unnatural happened. In an infinitesimal amount of time, white wings were born out of Orion's back and with them he instinctively flew after Van and caught him before death did.
"Orion?" Van stared at him with shock.
"Come on. I promised Hitomi I'd protect you, so get down. Don't make me break my promise."
"Look, y-you have wings. You're, you're flying."
"Huh?" Orion seemed not to have noticed the change in his body. When he looked down at the diminished landscape, all instincts of flying vanished and he grabbed onto Van with a shiver. "Umm.o-okay. This is.this is.really, really high. I have no idea how I got here. But can we please get back down now, Van?"
Van looked up and fixed his gaze at the zenith where blue traces of the sunpillar were still lingering. He squinted his immense eyes and tried to sense where she had gone. "Hitomi?" The heavens sent down nothing. He felt Orion trembling in fright against him, so with a sorrowful resolve, he descended.
The crowd on the ground was tumultuous with shock, perhaps even a little exhilarated. Whispers of "he's a draconian too" could be heard. Merle held Van with anxious tears that no one understood since none of them knew of Hitomi's prophetic vision. Orion stood in the middle, not knowing how to react and even more ignorant as to how he could make the wings disappear. Van whispered in his ear, "Just imagine them disappearing. Picture it and it'll happen."
He succeeded and fell to the ground. He had known misery, death, illness, poverty, joy, but never the daunt of a new life, a revolution of everything he had thought he knew. He felt he had been living a lie, an unreality. Van stood sombrely in front of him, and looked down at him. But he thought Van's eyes, far from providing an answer, expressed a mysterious mixture of agony, anger and relief.
Allen dispersed the gossiping crowd. Selena and Merle stayed looking at them with what felt like compassion. "Orion?" Allen asked in astonishment.
He opened his mouth to respond but no coherent answer came out. He tried again with a lapse of tone. "I just.I just.really don't know. Hitomi said that Van must not chase after her when she gets taken so I went after him.by pure instinct. It couldn't have been.when Van and I had a blood pact. I.it must have been born in me.you know.wings and all."
"Were your parents.draconians?" Allen asked cautiously.
"I never knew my parents. My mother was a.a.a prostitute. She went from country.to country. She left me, abandoned me in the Dragons' Nest in Fanelia, when I was a baby. I suppose they didn't eat me because.because I'm a dragon too. When my guardian found out who my mother was and took me to see her, I was only five. But she.she cursed at me, said I had.bad blood.cursed blood. Then she pushed me out." Selena began weeping for him. "I never saw her again. I guess maybe she knew I was a.draconian. That's why she didn't love me. Of course, my father could have been anyone.maybe a draconian."
No one knew what to say. Being a descendant of Atlantis was a curse and a blessing, even after the Destiny War. Van gave everyone a final stare then rushed off, gesturing for Merle not to follow him.
Selena went up to Orion and put a cloak on his back. "Orion," she whispered to him. "I think they're beautiful." He turned around in gratitude and confusion, unsure if she would love him because he was a draconian like Van or in spite of him being one. He smiled feebly at her before getting up to chase after Van.
"Brother." Selena held onto Allen's arm.
"Don't worry," he put his arm around her. "It's shocking, I know. But it's all aptly so, aptly so." They headed into the castle, followed by Merle with Vianne in her arms. ....
The sky had begun to shed the gloomy mask of the past few days and a blue patch was magnanimously revealed. Fanelia enjoyed daytime heat once again. Orion ran and panted beneath the sunshine and knew Van would be in the last place where he did not look.
He entered the dell reverently and saw Van kneeling in front of the royal tombs, as silent and still as those who lie beneath. He crept up and whispered. "Van? Don't you have anything to say to me?"
Van ignored at first and lay down, down but tense against the flatness of the ground. He then said, "You don't understand, the change is as much for you as it is for me. When Folken died.I thought I was the last draconian. But now.I'm not alone anymore."
Orion sighed and lay down beside him. "So I guess we do share the same blood in a way. But being a draconian? Heavens, I really don't know what that means. Anyhow, that's enough about me. It's not like I'm in any danger. I just need a few flying lessons," he chuckled then paused for a while. "You are never alone, Van. Yes, I know, I know, you feel alone without her, but."
Van closed his eyes. "I have to make a decision now."
For the next few moments, they lay contemplating the sky and listening to the soft susurrus of the tress accompanied by birdsong. The sky was more translucent than blue, a little pale. But even if white, Van believed the sky had strength, as it always does. Its strength is infused by the sun and not mutable like his own human strength, which is subject to physical and emotional failings. The empyrean is the eternal hero.
"So, Van," Orion broke the silence. "Do you think that blue patch up there is really the only sky?"
"I don't know. Maybe it's a blue world."
"Ah. You know what, I think we're such jerks," Van glanced at him and frowned, "Well, maybe only you. Tell me, why is it that on a battlefield, you can make the decision to take someone's life within seconds, and yet now you can't decide whether or not to go after the woman you love?"
"Then why did you stop me?"
"Because I made an instinctive decision. Look, I know you'll eventually decide to go find her but it won't be today. The right time will come and you will feel it intuitively. I stopped you not because I never want you to go, but I had to keep my promise to Hitomi. If you die, you'll leave her all alone no matter where she is. Have you thought about that?"
"Hitomi." Van muttered to himself and partly regressed back to the agony and excruciating pining that characterized the past five years. "I.I can't feel her presence."
"Don't worry," Orion patted his shoulder. "You will soon. Look, I know being without her is really painful for you, but perhaps this is some kind of a test. You see, you love.well, it isn't exactly ordinary. It's otherworldly. For the rest of us, we see a plain blue sky up there, that's our only reality and it's all we'd dream of reaching. But you see the sky beyond this sky, the reality that rises above the reality of Gaea. Hitomi is like your cosmic vision. Because such vision is beyond Gaean bounds, it has a certain danger. You two are mortals who'd been given eternity, so maybe the gods need to make sure you can handle such an enormous thing."
Van stood up and dusted the grass off his pants, and then he held out his hand to help Orion up. "You're right. I'll decide at the right moment. Thanks.brother." He smiled slightly then headed towards the castle. But he suddenly stopped before exiting the dell, as if struck by wonder.
"What is it, Van?" Orion ran to him.
"It's her.It's." Van was somewhat out of breath, "Hitomi. I can feel her presence, it's like how we used to dream of each other. She's safe," he smiled at the sky then repeated gently, "She's safe." Van felt that he would gradually regain connection with her, and that eventually they'll meet again. Even when she was gone, she will always be omnipresent.
The two parted, Orion to the military base and Van to oversee Operation High Sky. On his way to find Allen, he came across Dryden, running towards him, with unusual excitement.
"Van, I mean, Your Majesty," he panted heavily and his face was red rather than debonair. "You will not believe what happened!"
"What? Did something go wrong with the scheme?"
"Heavens, no!" he pulled Van to a more private corner. "It's far from being wrong. It's miraculous! You're the first person I've informed. Here," Dryden took out a black velvet pouch and poured its glittering contents onto Van's palm.
"Are these crystals?" Van sounded indifferent since he did not think Dryden really had a point.
"No, better. They're diamonds!" Van's eyes widened. "Congrats, Fanelia is now one of the richest countries in the world. If you'll let me handle the trading, I guarantee money enough for anything."
Van's eyes glittered as when a child first beholds a star. For a moment, Dryden suspected Van of being swayed by wealth, but then the young king exclaimed, "This is great news! This means we have enough resources to finance the army, help the people and rebuild the destroyed countries! I've got to go tell Allen and the others!" He hastily poured the diamonds back into the pouch and ran off with an excited stumble. Dryden watched then chuckled to himself, "That boy is a strange one, but he's good." ....
Other than celebrating with the lords for the discovery of the diamonds, Van spent the rest of the day in his duties. He busied himself with an alacrity and even cheerfulness few have witnessed. Such behavior worried Allen since he expected his friend to act the exact opposite in Hitomi's absence.
Van began by personally writing a thank you note to all the delegates who came to the alliance meeting. He wrote a longer letter to President Menulf of Zaibach inquiring after the weapons development plan, and he did not hesitate to advise the president not to exceed the limit necessary for defence. Van then went down to the food shelter and helped Merle hand out bread and water to the citizens. Afterwards, he conducted a meeting with Orion and the military commanders. A special missions unit was placed aside to use as emergency reinforcement in case any of their neighboring countries were invaded. Towards evening, Van joined the rank of diggers at the cliffs. The earthy scent of the underground caves and the sound of dripping water suspended time, and Van enjoyed the work until finally his body was exhausted, against the wishes of his mind.
He retired to his room without eating dinner. In the darkness, surrounded by familiar things, he felt it safe to think. Hitomi's presence from the previous night was still there. Suddenly, he received another spark from her - she is in Gaea! She is safe and here in the same world. He nearly cried out in joy. The "right time" will come soon, he mused. But no, he restrained his mind. Something was disturbing about this. In a terrifying epiphany, he realized that all his activities during the day constituted a preparation for war, the war he had consciously tried to avoid. He himself had unconsciously made the war inevitable. Gaea will soon be steeped in the blood of war, again, and she will be in this world, amidst the danger and violence. She will once again witness his own savagery on the battlefield.The past flooded back in all menace and dread. Fanelia will no longer be the peaceful home he had invited her to live in for the rest of her life.
"Does this mean that, after I find her, I will have to send her back to the Mystic Moon?" he dared to ask himself, but then he covered his own ears, in fear of any answer. In a frozen position, he fell into stupefied and unrestful sleep.
He usually did not dream, unless it was with Hitomi. But that night he heard voices in the complete darkness of his sleep. First it was Aleph's deep, solemn voice saying, "What will soon happen will be painful but you will come through. Let Freya's love heal you." The last phrase was repeated with emphasis, "Let Freya's love heal you." Then Aleph's voice faded. Folken's soothing voice followed, but it simply said, "Believe."
Van awoke with a start, and thought he has only been sleeping for a few minutes. But he looked outside and it was nearly dawn. Exhausted and dejected, he slipped out of bed and washed his face. As is customary every morning, he stood on his balcony with a cup of tea, and waited for the sun to rise over Fanelia. Even in the gloom of impending war, the silent purple light unfurled itself over the kingdom, as it did when he had first become king on that fateful day. But everything had changed since the Destiny War. He looked back on that time as a nightmare and his own mood as a sickness. Now, instead of raging, vengeful flame, there was an unresolved, whimpering dismay within him. It was the vagueness of indecision.
As a king, it is his duty to make decisions. But he could not. I find her, and either let her go home safely, or keep her here with me.in a world of war. In all selfishness, he wanted to keep her here, and he justified the idea by saying that he'd protect her from all harms of war. But no, it would feel almost like a betrayal. After all, it was I and Escaflowne that brought the war.
Free will felt like a burden. He did not want to choose and to be responsible for the choice. He hated always being the one to decide, the one every person looked up to as the paragon of excellence. They expected him to make the right choice. He did not know what was right. He had disbelieved fate and gods, but he now knew that it was arrogant of him - he will always answer to Time and Love. Time, not fate, made the travels to the past and future possible. Having seen the future, he has been given a privilege. But one should never attempt to change fate and shape the world as one sees fit. The dynamics of cause and effect would be muddled up. The decision he makes would affect the future and he did not want to be responsible for such a muddle. He was forced to take the rein, as if to test his worthiness.
Hitomi had made the choice five years ago, but she has returned, making it somehow incumbent upon him to bear the burden this time. At such moments, he desired fate and destiny to be handed to him on a golden plate. He wanted the pressing, the inescapable, and the tyrannical to tell him what to do.
At last the sun had fully risen and the purple ether faded into a light gold. Van finished his tea and thought that big decisions should not be dissected or complicated, but simply left to one full minute. With that in mind, he went inside and changed his clothes, and buckled on his sword.
On his way to see Nestor, he paused by the medical area on the ground floor of the castle. A strange, lamenting wail floated like a haunting ghost above the patients' hall. Van stopped and peered in. A woman, not young, not old, was crouched over a dead soldier and she sobbed with a heart-freezing pain at the most unendurable loss. Van felt a chill. He saw Selena standing in the corner, and he walked over to her. "What happened?"
"Oh, Van!" she was startled. "I didn't even see you coming. Well, that's Karo, he was part of the Fanelian troop that came to rescue Asturia. He was badly wounded in the chest. We had hoped he'd survive, but.His love, Nairn, she watched him die earlier this morning. I'm just worried she'll carry out her threat of killing herself."
Van turned and meditated on the scene. The poignancy of death-parted lovers.something in him was burning and illuminated. For one minute, he felt the woman's agony as if it were his own. The right time has come and he finally decided. He thanked Selena then proceeded to tell Orion of his decision.
As he had expected, Orion was already teaching archery to some amateur soldiers in front of the castle gate. Van waited until the students went off to practice, then he picked up a bow and some arrows for himself.
"Good morning, my brother, what brings you here?"
"I've made up my mind," Van said, standing in the shooting position.
Orion came up and adjusted Van's right arm a bit. "Not so tense, Your Majesty. That's better. So what'll it be?"
Van let the arrow loose. Straight to the mark. "She sent me a strong feeling last night. She's here on Gaea. I'm going to go on Escaflowne and use the pendant to find her. It shouldn't be a problem." He let out another shot; it missed the target slightly. Van set down the bow and turned to Orion. "What I wanted to tell you is that once I find her, I'm going to send her back to the Mystic Moon."
"What? You're going to send her back? But Van."
"I know. But it's the right choice. You see," he looked up at the sky, "I can't ask Hitomi to stay in a world of war. She hated it before. I'm to blame for this war - don't ask," he gave Orion a glance, "I don't want her to get hurt. She can return to the part of the Mystic Moon that's safe. Perhaps I'll go to her after all this.perhaps not. I will shoulder the karma of war and death.alone."
Orion was dumbfounded for a while then said, "I'll be here to shoulder it with you."
Van patted him on the back. "I know. I think.I hope she'll agree with my decision."
Orion did not make any reply and simply let Van return to archery. Then they both heard Allen calling, "Van, there you are."
"What's the matter, Allen?"
"I just got a message from Freid. Duke Chid requests a meeting with me, reason unknown. He also sent you a message. Here,"
Van took the letter and opened it. He lifted his eyes off the page and sighed in relief. "Hitomi is in Freid with him. She's safe. I'll go with you, Allen."
"Right, Gaddes has already started prepping the Crusade. I'll meet you in ten minutes." Allen hurried off.
Van turned to Orion. "Stay here and help out. I'm not sure when I'll be back. It depends on Allen's meeting. It shouldn't be later than tomorrow noon." He walked off but stopped and added, "I haven't changed my mind. It'll be nice spending some last minutes with her." Then he ran.
Orion looked in his direction with a sober sense of despair and he stood still for a moment before returning to archery. In a short while, the Crusade ascended into the air. Orion gazed up but the sun blinded him and the leviship appeared only as a black patch against the blue sky. He felt an upsurge of strange sensations. It was like the droning of devilish incantations, and it was - as much as he wanted to deny it - apocalyptic. He could imagine death, that last moment of stepping over the precipice, but the apocalypse, a moribund core of ultimate destruction, was unfathomable. In dread, he wondered if it would be one glorious explosion ending all life, or a slow freezing out lacking any tumult or screams. But he also had a dim suspicion that the end of the world was something they already knew but just couldn't remember. It would be like returning to the mother's womb. It's coming. ....
A burnt sienna sun hung over the exotic peaks of Freid's mountain ranges. Over the softly rounded summits, the tranquil Godashim appeared, peaceful and steady in its holiness. Van was glad to know that Hitomi was transported to so beautiful a place.
As soon as the Crusade landed in front of the palace, Van rushed out and saw her, safe and smiling next to Chid. They ran to each other and he held her firmly against his body that felt ready to collapse. "Hitomi! Thank the heavens! I am so sorry."
She cupped his face in her palms. "No, thank you, and thank Orion. I knew he'd keep his word. Your safety means more to me than my own."
"Don't say that, please don't," he bent his head down and kissed her neck, burying his face in the curve between her neck and shoulder.
Meanwhile, the crew of the Crusade watched gleefully, and the other two monarchs greeted each other. "King Allen," Chid addressed in his charming voice. "I'm truly grateful that you were able to come on such short notice. No doubt you are very busy with the present situation. My most sincere condolences for the losses Asturia had suffered. I trust that the provisions I sent were of use?"
Allen bowed. "Of great use, Duke Chid. You have demonstrated magnanimity and wisdom at so young an age. It is most impressive."
"Thank you. We will soon conduct our meeting. Shall we wait for our other guests?" Chid smiled brightly and turned to admire the lovers' reunion.
Allen gazed at Chid and felt an ache. Images of Marlene suddenly dashed across his mind, but remembering Millerna, he quickly checked himself. He noticed that Chid still wore the ring. Something about Chid's blue eyes and golden hair seemed disturbing, because they resembled his own so much. He is my son. Allen made himself brave enough to accept this truth. Yet the loss of his family and of Marlene, left its shadow of unbearable agony with Chid, and though the boy stood healthy and happy in front of him, Allen felt like he had already lost his only son. For one moment, he wanted to forget all civility and just embrace Chid in his arms. He had already endured the ordeal of losing the one child he had with Millerna, and further bereavement would render all his chivalric ideals folly and his life meaningless. Facing this, the invincible knight and charismatic king felt himself reduced to a coward.
"King Van," Chid interrupted the two lovers, "I'm sorry for intruding, but I must inform you that I apologize for the delayed massage. It was just that Hitomi said you already knew she was safe. Plus, her and I desired some time together to talk about the past five years."
'There's no need to apologize, Duke Chid. Hitomi has already explained everything. I should thank you instead."
Chid bowed then went with Allen to sit on a nearby bench. The crew was also dismissed. The couple still remained on the same spot.
"Van, I'm so very sorry I yelled at you like that. I just didn't want you to chase after me then get yourself killed. Saying those things was the only way I could think of. Orion told me you took it all seriously."
"I did," he laughed at himself. "But I thought that if you really wanted to leave me, then I have to accept it."
"You silly boy!" they put their foreheads together. "So was that our first lovers' quarrel?" she giggled. "I'm just glad the vision did not come true. Somehow I feel it's all my fault again. I should never have done the Ra-Maat reading," she wriggled out of his arms and walked off a little. "It pulled ill fate into place. I don't want to go back to the Destiny War."
"Hitomi, how can it be your fault? Be it past or present, it was I who called the war into place. Branimir is here because of me, not you. Besides, I asked you to do the reading. If it weren't for your visions, I would have died a long time ago. Gaea would have been destroyed," he pulled her back to him, "You're the savior of us all."
Ignoring the onlookers, they kissed. But the impassioned kiss of reunited and inseparable lovers was more than the coupling of two souls. It created a mingling of two worlds. Drawn with a coveting the one of the other, one opened its mouth and the other poured in, fusing two dimensions, two realities, and two natures, in one whole universe. Thus did Gaea and Atlantis come together.
Immersed in each other's caress, Van and Hitomi did not at first notice that their world had been transformed. Chid's yell awoke them. "Hitomi! Van! What happened?"
They looked around with a daunted jolt. Allen and Chid had been caught in the middle of the merging worlds also. "It looks like the Mystic Valley to me," Allen said as he came running. "How in the world did we get here?"
Van observed the ancient city, lying in glorious ruins of marble pillars and faded splendor of awesome power. "You're right, this is Atlantis. I didn't even see anything happen."
"Neither did we. One second we were sitting there, then we felt a certain disturbance, very subtle, kind of like a wind. When we looked up the next second, Freid had disappeared."
The two men stepped forward in a defensive position, wanting to protect the woman and the child. Chid held onto Hitomi's hand. "What are you thinking about, Hitomi?" he asked.
Everyone then turned to her. She stood as if in a dazed dream and stared straight in front of her at the Atlantean ruins. Then she said, in a rather monotonous voice, " 'When Atlantis comes to you, go to the Tree of Life and Death, and there dig up the relic. The dragon and the phoenix shall rise and together rule the sky.'"
Van gasped. "Seraphine's instructions! I nearly forgot. Atlantis came to us! Okay, now we must find the Tree!" He ran forward.
Allen and Chid stood more perplexed than ever. "Who's Seraphine?" Allen shouted. "What's going on here, Van? What's this Tree of Life and Death?"
"There!" Hitomi suddenly pointed up at an elevated plateau, upon which stood a single tree with majestic foliage. "Up there, Van! It's the same tree you sat under that time when you almost died and I came to find you, remember?"
Van looked up swiftly then beckoned everyone with fervor. "You're right, Hitomi! Come on, everyone, let's go! Let's go!" he led the way, followed by Hitomi and Allen, who held Chid's shaking hands.
The four of them meandered through the streets, up the steps and finally crossed the bridge that led up to the plateau. "Okay," Van regained his breath, "I guess now we start digging."
"Where? With what?" Allen asked irritably.
"With our hands, near the roots of the tree." Van ran over to the tree and knelt down. Everyone else followed his example and began overturning the earth. Beneath the umbriferous branches of the great tree, they dug away nervously, fearing that the next minute will bring another change of worlds. Van felt it strange that there was a total lack of wind. He was used to hearing the rustling of tress but this one produced none. "I wonder why it's called the Tree of Life and Death," Hitomi muttered to herself. No one answered.
Because the dirt was soft and loose, the digging was not laborious, but it was directionless and frenzied. After some time, Chid exclaimed, "Hitomi! Come here, I found something!"
The three adults hurried over to Chid's side and saw inside the hole, a partly concealed shining object. Van reached in and pulled it out. "It really is a relic," he wiped away the dirt, "Look, a dragon and a." The object was a bit filthy, but pure gold, resplendent even after aeons. Its intricate carving demonstrated exquisite craftsmanship. The symbolism was as labyrinthine as the designs, teasing the mind into a mysterious passage that extended back to the beginning of time. A piece of the relic had been broken off.
"The other creature in the carving looks like a bird," Chid pointed out.
Hitomi scrutinized the object closer. "It's a phoenix." The fierce winged dragon and the fiery phoenix held in between their claws a circular object that was unidentifiable.
"Just like we were told," Van said. "But look, the curve of the bird's tail is broken off." Everyone dug around in the vicinity for the missing piece but to no avail.
Suddenly Hitomi's eyes brightened and she searched in her pockets. Then she took out the golden crescent, the broken piece of treasure she unearthed at Akrotiri. "Van, these two look alike, don't they?"
"Do you think they'd fit together? Here, try it," he handed her the relic.
Cautiously, she fitted her thin, little golden piece into the gap in the phoenix's crescent tail. It became whole; the transformation was complete. Then, as the relic regained its entirety, it resonated and blazed with a strange fire. It floated out of Hitomi's hands and hung beautifully in mid air. The four of them stepped back in awe and thought how real, how alive the two golden creatures looked.
The Universe too responded strongly to the completion of the ancient relic. It seemed to have sent Hitomi a certain message and she became mesmerized by the mystic glow of the relic. Her eyes became hollow and reflected not her own soul, but the fire alone. Oblivious to everyone's warning, she pushed Van away and reached out to hold the object. Contact with it scorched her skin but she held on, and Van could not pull her hands off. From then on, everything became illusory for her.
Allen and Van tried in vain to call her back. She simply stood with the relic, lost in an ancient and distant world. Suddenly, an explosion of blinding light sent the two men backwards. Van partly shielded his eyes from the radiance but through the garish light, him, Allen and Chid could see Hitomi's face, changing.
Enveloped by the light, the only thing Hitomi could see was her watch. She saw the two arms of time start spinning faster and faster, sweeping the ocean of Time onto the shores of future. The light died out. Everyone's gasps were followed by her own scream as she touched her withered, wrinkled face. The whole of Atlantis echoed her scream like an empty tunnel.
"Time.time has sped up for her. She's.she'd o-old," Allen whispered in terror, and he held Chid back as Van went forward, nearly tripping over to the ground.
Hitomi slowly regained her consciousness. She threw the relic at the tree then ran to the edge of the plateau and looked down at the abyss. The laws of Time have been broken for her. No longer young and beautiful, she was convinced she did not deserve Van. She leapt off the precipice. Yelling and screaming, Van dived after her. Amid the downpour of white feathers, she saw his hand reach down for hers. But she wanted to resist. She saw his mouth moving, his eyes in tears, and she felt his arms trembling as he held her. She couldn't hear anything but only gazed at him with shame and embarrassment. Being old, she found she had very little strength so she had to submit to his embrace. He brought her back to the plateau. Then, with Allen and Chid as witnesses, he kissed her, regardless of age, time, distance - all appearances, all surfaces. Their pendant began glowing in unison with the relic.
Another lovers' kiss generated another metamorphosis. The two worlds unwound themselves from each other's arms and soared back to their proper homes. Once again it was two dimensions, two realities, and two natures separate in two different universes. Thus did Gaea and Atlantis break apart.
The four of them stood in front of Freid's palace. Everyone held their breath and stared at one another. All returned to normal. Hitomi touched her own face and sighed in gratitude. They all wanted to dismiss what just happened as an illusion, or an irresponsible dream. However, having a communal dream only served to reinforce the reality of the dream.
Then they noticed the relic shining on the ground in front of them. Everyone withdrew. "So, it was not a dream?" Allen asked in confusion. Silence affirmed "no." The sunset was also evidence - when Atlantis appeared, it was little over noon. Time has elapsed without them.
As the three adults still stood incredulously, Chid bent down and picked up the relic. He wanted to give it to Hitomi, but she shrank back her hands. "Don't worry, Hitomi," Chid smiled angelically, "Even if it was not a dream, it's okay. This golden object is not a curse. It glows with the power of Atlantis. It changed you in order to prove to you and to all of us that your love is needless of time or appearance. Keep it, it's sacred," he shoved it into her hand. "Van still loves you, doesn't he? That's all that matters." Allen came over and laid his hands on Chid's shoulders. Then they went inside the castle.
"Van." Hitomi turned to him with a wistful tremor. "I'm."
"Shh.it's okay," he drew her into his arms. "Returning to Atlantis is like going back to the past. Then you became like that, well, that's like going to the future. But we've strived through both, didn't we? We'll defy it all. Remember Valorick and Hermione? They're proof that the good future is already ours."
Safe in his arms, Hitomi felt both sad and grateful. She has been given the greatest. To express her gratitude, she thanked God, the God of Earth, of her childhood, of the Universe. Then she felt like she should thank a god of Atlantis. Freya was the only one she knew so she thanked the Goddess of Love and Hope. Strangely, the surge of force came again just like it did when she first prayed with Van. Hitomi wanted to unravel the mysterious power that shone through her, but her attention was quickly diverted back to Van. The force just sat still inside her.
Where two mountains joined into a valley, there was a soft cradle and the sun settled into it slowly. The reddening sun disc painted the land orange and washed it with beauty, imperishable and cosmic beauty. The relic, a souvenir of the intermingling of two worlds, glowed gold and red. Atlantis and Gaea may have been sundered, but Van and Hitomi remained together, forever beneath the sun that's eternally reborn. ....
Luxury is considered a noble principle in Basram. Dignity, in the sense of glittering superiority, is based on luxury. President Basante's bed was a product of luxury. But it was more than a bed. It was at least twenty times the size of a futon. It was canopied with red silk and satin, and cushioned with purple velvet embroidered with gold thread. In the middle is the sleeping area. Attached to its sides are sofas, a writing desk, an eating area with fruit and wine, and near the end of the 'bed', there was a hot tub. The President could rest, eat and bathe all in one space, without having to go from room to room. One canopy encompassed all of life.
Basante was ready to take a bath when the eerie Atlantean voice echoed down from above. Basante!
He nervously rolled out of the tub, spilling water all over his velvet bed, and threw on a robe. "My great Lord Branimir! I'm at your service."
Good. For once your service will be essential. If it were not for the barrier between my world and yours, I'd do everything myself! It seems, the voice chuckled; I've failed time and time again to weaken their love. Such power! Such light! Such eternity! It should have been mine! Vannius stole the one I loved. Yes, even I am capable of the power. But what is lost I must now regain. I will take away his love, his family, his country, his life! I will show him tragedy in a drop of rain. Let the deluge rain down on them! If the Universe regards me as but a piece of earth and them the heavens, then let yon star-illumined heaven bend down to kiss the murky earth!" Basante knuckled his temple in confusion, not knowing why his master had come with such dramatic exclamations that had no meaning for him.
The voice continued with all passion and intensity. Let order die! Banish ideals! Let this Gaea no longer be a stage for the playing forces. Let the end come. Death shall bring those two to my world, the Eternal Realm, and here I may have experiences and power superior to theirs. Basante! The man bowed. Send an assassin to Fanelia tonight. Kill his beloved companion Orion. We shall call that a little appetizer for Vannius. He is now in Freid, and Escaflowne is not with him. In the morning, send your troops to invade Godashim. Bring them to Basram alive.
"Yes, Your Fierceness, I will not fail you."
You'd better not. Seraphine already has. But alas! How can I blame her? She is the reason I'm embroiled in all this. I shall now go to Serenus and bring her. You carry on your tasks. Once they get to Basram, I'll inform you of further plans. The end shall come, I will guide it. Let darkness be the burier of the dead. ....
After a relaxing dinner, Van and Hitomi withdrew to their room. They had not requested to share a room, but Chid allotted only one to them. They sat inside for a while, talking about their day. Van told her about the diamonds found in Fanelia and about Orion's being a draconian. She was more delighted then stunned, for she knew what it meant to Van. They also tried to decipher the mystery with the dragon and the phoenix but in the end, they decided it was perhaps not the right time and place to fathom it.
As the Mystic Moon climbed serenely toward the centre of the starry dome, night seemed a day of white light. They went out onto the balcony and sat down. One blanket covered them both. The sight of the full-orbed moon brought nostalgia and sorrow to Hitomi.
"The war on Earth is still going on. I can feel it. It'll probably drag on for years."
"Wars are always excruciatingly long. Are wars there as bad as they are here?"
"Worse," she sighed, "See, we don't have guymelefs, but we have more powerful weapons. They can kill thousands of people in one second. Van, Chid told me you allowed Zaibach to develop better weapons," he cast his eyes down, "You really must not, Van. Please withdraw the plan. The horrors of mankind lie in the rapidly increasing power that comes with better technology. Earth has proved that. Atlantis has proved that. You mustn't let Gaea meet the same fate."
"I know," he said curtly, "I wanted the weapons for defence. But I guess you're right."
"Van, I know you hated the Destiny War. But everything you've done for the past two days has been a preparation for war. Do you want to see that again?"
"Of course I don't," he responded bitterly, "I've tried to stall it as long as possible. But because this involves the Fireans, Branimir and the past in Atlantis, it's more than just politics. War is.Balgus said that I must use my bloodstained hands to break free from the sorrows of war. But can that actually be possible?"
She laid her head on his shoulder. "If it does get bad and the war erupts, I'll be here to fight it with you."
Van inhaled deeply and threw out the words, "No.you won't."
"What?" she was petrified and a little angry.
"I.I meant to tell you earlier. Before I came to find you, I've resolved to." he cleared his throat, "to send you home to the Mystic Moon. I've thought a lot about this and it's my final decision and I hope you'll agree."
"But, Van, but." she was on the brink of tears, "All those things I said the other day were lies. I pretended to be angry with you. I don't actually want to go back. I really want Fanelia to be my home now," she clutched him.
"It has nothing to do with what you said before. I know you don't want to go back any more than I want you to go. The reason is.the war is inevitable and impending. Fanelia may well be attacked because of me. It won't be the home I promised you. Nothing, absolutely nothing pains me more than to lose you and Fanelia," he held onto her for strength. "Naïve as it sounds, this may be the war to end all wars. We have to get rid of the Fireans somehow. My conflict with Branimir has already dragged on for aeons. I must get to the bottom of this and end it all. Gaea will be hell and I want you to go where it's safe. You said that the place where you were studying with your friends was away from war, so you should go back there until it's all over." She buried her face in his chest and sobbed.
"Don't worry, I'll be fine. Allen, Orion and all our allies will be by my side. Besides, if I have to fight again.like before, I don't want you here to see me like that. It's too horrifying. Things will get very chaotic. When it's all straightened out, I'll go find you. Fanelia will still be here, damaged or not." He held her and rocked to and fro.
She tried to search for a reason why he would be wrong. "But, Van, you may need my help."
"I.look, if your help puts you in danger then I don't want you to help. It may very well be that Branimir already knows about you, and if you get involved, he may want to kill you too. I cannot allow any chance of that happening."
Hitomi snuggled closer to him and tried to rest. She bravely summarized the events of the past few years: from coming to Gaea, loving Van to losing him, then just a short while ago, she held him again and they embarked on such a journey on Serenus. Now here, back on Gaea, another war.what could all this mean but that Time is cyclical? She shed a tear because she had believed they had risen above the cycle. But tears and contemplation were already insufficient in the face of so much life and death. All was gained, lost and regained. That was the only immortality. She accepted it as the natural cycle of things. Then she concentrated solely on the belief that he will be all right and they will be together again and again.
Van felt her pain excruciatingly but he resolved to remain steadfast to his decision. It was better to be separated from her than to put her in danger. "Hey Hitomi? Remember how Folken said we would feel the right path? Well, I feel this is the right path. That means we'll come through. I hope.no, I know we will." Then Van smiled upon the thought that ever since he met Hitomi, he had become hopeful somehow.
She did not say anything but simply held him and inhaled the scent of the meadows that perpetually diffused from him. She may not be able to do so for another few years.
They rested silently beneath the starlight that was calm one moment and quivering the next. Then, from the deep of the night, they heard an echoing birdsong, drifting out of the sky and softening the darkness. The melody inspired them to lift the veil of mysteries and take one rapturous glimpse at the infinite possibilities of their uncertain future. The song was at once a dirge, an aria and a madrigal.
They looked up and saw the source of the song: two white birds beating their luminous wings in the dark. They seemed to fly at a visionary speed and encircled each other and formed an orbit as binary stars do. "Birds in the middle of the night?" Van asked. The winged creatures in their starry flight brought the two lovers a vision of children singing, of perilous adventures, of eternal woes eternally consoled, of a home they never knew yet have always known.
Hitomi then asked, "Is there a home for us?" ....
Allen had desired some time alone with Chid but when it did come, he felt helpless under its mixture of satisfaction and dread. They took an after-dinner walk in the gardens and mainly conversed about what happened with Asturia. Chid tried to alleviate Allen's weariness by talking about the stars instead. They also discussed the strange event of the afternoon, but like Van and Hitomi, they came to no conclusions. They eventually reached the summerhouse where Chid said his mother liked to spend time alone. Allen entered awkwardly.
After Chid took him on a tour, they returned to the main hall and Allen stood silently by the window. He intuitively felt that Chid had an unspoken purpose for calling him all the way from Fanelia and bringing him to this house. He dared not speculate what the purpose might be. The little child was adorable in his sparkling youth, but he also carried an air of sadness and wisdom. Allen turned away from him.
Chid then went inside a room briefly then came out with his hands behind his back. He stood next to Allen and gazed at the night view with him. A tension had developed but both of them ignored it. Allen thought Chid seemed enigmatic all of a sudden, so distant and even mystic, like the moon above.
"Tell me," Chid asked softly, "Are you proud of me?"
Allen was startled by the question, the one that he had wished his son would ask him. "I, uh.Duke Chid, I sincerely believe that you are a wise and inspirational leader, and you've guided Freid to such a steady and prosperous place in her history. Insofar as my country has a strong alliance, not to mention blood relations, with Freid, then of course.I am proud.of you, I mean." Courtesy was the only way to mask the inner pain and prayer.
But Chid seemed to have seen through the mask and he forced on. "That is not what I meant," he turned to face Allen and continued in a steady voice. "I meant to ask, are you proud of me.as my father?" Chid was relieved to hear himself say the words. The impeccable blue of his eyes was so steadfast that it unnerved Allen.
"How did you." Allen said as he took a few steps back.
Chid revealed the book that he had been holding behind his back. "I found mother's journal by accident. It was hidden in a secret place behind her music box. She loved you before she even met the Duke of Freid, and you loved her. I now know why she told me all those stories about the invincible knight. She kept her love for you alive in me. You still haven't answered my question," Chid maintained all strength and authority whereas Allen sank down into a chair. He suddenly thought of his own father, and how they were reunited in the Mystic Valley. Then he remembered his first love. Her portrait was hanging right there in front of him. He gazed at it and wished her eyes would blink just once and tell him what to do.
The child came to his side. "I talked to Hitomi about this yesterday. She advised me to disclose the truth. She also said you told her five years ago. You've known all along. Why didn't you tell me? I guess.it's because of the Duke.my father." An irrepressible melancholy arose in Chid and tears were ready to stream out.
Allen thought of Millerna and of the possible consequences his union with Chid would produce. But then his eyes reverted back to Marlene's ethereal and sad face. In his mind, he reaffirmed his present and everlasting love for Millerna but he also apologized to her before standing up and opening his arms.
Chid ran into his embrace as they had both dreamed. "Father!" he began sobbing. "My father!"
Allen shivered with his one and only child in his arms. Despite being a man of formidable stability, he shed tears of gratitude for the first time. "Of course I'm proud of you.my son."
"Father, I know this complicates your current family situation with Aunt Millerna. But when I discovered I was no longer an orphan and that you were.I just." he held on tighter. "If another war comes, I don't want to lose you again!"
"You won't, I promise," he stroked the child's golden locks. "I promise."
The embrace of father and son enlivened the night world. Marlene looked down, as if from the portrait, and smiled upon this long-dreamt of reunion. Through the meandering roads of life and circumstances, they were finally brought back to the place where they were always meant to be - a family. The empty halls echoed with the sound of love gained, lost and regained forever. ....
The morning ether was not soft and serene, as they had hoped. Greyness descended upon the whole of Gaea. It was an inauspicious day for a farewell. Nevertheless, Van held Hitomi's hands and they walked towards an open clearing behind Freid's royal castle.
His voice was ever so angelic but the power it had was enough to break her soul. "When all this is over, I'll fly to you again. We'll come back here and use our will power to create a home for ourselves. It'll be a small world inside Fanelia. It won't be like the rest of Gaea, because it will be based on a hopeful wish, and."
"It will be born out of eternal love," Hitomi completed his thought and sentence.
They kissed. Van held her so that her feet were slightly lifted off the ground. She pressed her hand lovingly on his chest and felt the life- giving pulses of his warm and racing heart. "Van, just promise me you'll be careful. I'll wait for you. I'll always wait for you."
He took one last look at her then raised up the pendant. The much hated and much loved pillar came as beckoned. It surrounded them in its cold blueness that appeared exceedingly bright in the grey morning. But nothing happened. Hitomi did not float up like she was supposed to. Neither of them felt weightlessness and they stared at each other in perplexity. Van then held onto her fearing the light would change its mind and take her away. The pillar simply throbbed alone, purposeless and powerless.
"The gravity of love," a voice suddenly came from outside the light. The sunpillar retreated into the clouds. Van and Hitomi blinked hard and beheld before them the man who is a beacon in their tempestuous sea. "B- brother! Brother, I."
"The gravity of love forever binds Hitomi to you and hence to Gaea. No matter what happens. Things are not the same as before."
"The gravity of love?" Hitomi whispered. Strangely, they both felt somewhat disappointed that all the courage they built up for the decision and the farewell had been wasted.
"Don't worry, the courage you've demonstrated proves you have strength, and that strength will be needed later. Van, Hitomi, remember, don't wallow in tragic waters. You two must hang on together."
"Brother, your ideals." Van was interrupted by Gaddes's call. "What is it?" Van turned and asked impatiently.
"Bad new, Your Majesty," Gaddes paused in reluctance. "Emergency message from Fanelia. General Orion, he's.he's been stabbed by an assassin. He's.on the verge of death. We're prepping the Crusade." Gaddes ran off.
"Oh, Van." Hitomi held him but she was unable to support him. He turned with tearful eyes to where Folken had been standing, but he was gone too. Van knelt on the ground in death-like stillness. She feared this was too much for him. For a minute, he forgot Hitomi was even there. Maybe he had been hubristic in defying fate, maybe he should not have come to Freid, maybe.the torrent of thoughts engulfed his soul. He cried out to the Numen, "Aleph! Come out! Why are you putting me through this? Death has already claimed one brother, it cannot take another!" No answer came. He put his head on Hitomi's shoulder like a child. Then, confounded and defeated, he let out a soul-stifling scream.
His outburst of volcanic emotions spread across the land and reached the sky, calling forth some god. The pillar of light shot down and sent him a god, gleaming and valiant, its cloak flowing grandly in the wind.
They both looked up in surprise at what stood in front of them. "Escaflowne?" Van asked.
"Your emotions must have called it here."
"Oh, no!" Van looked horrified. "The sounds of war." he stood up nervously. "If Escaflowne is here, that means.war is near." He began pacing around.
"Van, please stay calm," she pleaded, "Let's just go back to Fanelia. Orion is going to survive. War may not be."
But it was too late. They heard soldiers of Freid yelling, "The Basram army is here." The movements of guymelefs could be heard. They turned to the north and saw a swarm of enemy troops flooding over Freid's mountains.
"Van!" Allen was already in Scherazade. "How did Escaflowne get here? Never mind that, Freid's being attacked. I'm going to defend the front and protect Chid. You take Hitomi on the Crusade and return to Fanelia." Allen didn't allow Van any time to dispute. He quickly gestured the soldiers to go forth and he followed them in all valor.
"Don't fight, Van," Hitomi pulled his arm despite knowing that he was resolved to.
His eyes appeared lifeless. "I don't want to go back to that again, you know I don't. But I have no choice, Hitomi. Did I ever have a choice? I must do what I've decided to do, and that's to end this. What's happened now makes my decision firmer. Go to the Crusade and it'll take you to a safer place. I must follow Balgus's advice again - use my bloodstained hands to break free from the sorrows of war." Then he leapt up into Escaflowne.
She called after him but she knew she had to let him go. The test was for him as it was for her. She did not go to the Crusade but stepped into the castle and began to pray to Freya.
The pendant around Van's neck began glowing, but he did not even notice. All he concentrated on were Fanelia, Gaea, Orion and Hitomi. Fire consumed him. Escaflowne came alive and stepped out. The enemy had come. With a battle cry, Van struck out his sword.
He immediately destroyed one Basram guymelef that was in front of him. Escaflowne's pain is my pain. One charged at him from the right but he blocked it. The pain of war. In one slash, he killed three. His swordsman skills had escalated over the years and he became almost invincible. If this war won't end, He turned back and destroyed the unit that was closer to the castle. I'll be the one to shoulder the burden. Then he ran to where Allen and the others were fighting and sped up their rate of victory. I'll shoulder the karma of war. He killed the most formidable enemy, the leader of the Basram troops, who was breaking Freid's defensive front. Along with the sorrow of the dead!
"Van!" Allen's sword blocked him. "What are you doing?"
"Helping you guys protect Freid!"
"You're supposed to stay with Hitomi! Go back to Fanelia! Orion needs you. We're holding off the enemy well. This battle will be over in no time. I'll catch up with you later. Go! Now!"
Van slowly put down his sword and said cynically. "Just think, Allen, this world is not even hell." He yielded to Allen's authority and headed back to the castle, walking carelessly over the raging battle fire.
When Hitomi saw Van return, she neither smiled nor cried. Escaflowne transformed into a dragon. She simply understood that she had to jump in. The dragon wings fanned the hot air and soared into the sky.
Van felt his eyes begin to droop and his grip on the handles loosened. He wanted to give in, to fail miserably for once, and be left to perish. Looking straight ahead, the whole land looked saturnine, ashes dying after a raging flame. He could not see Fanelia.
Why is a simple word like "peace" so complex a concept, so painful a process?
~ End of Part VII ~
Author's Note: Wheeee! The finale is coming soon! I feel kind of lost in the plot - maybe there's just too much stuff. There are probably inconsistencies I didn't even notice. If I'm confused, some of you are bound to be also. If you have any questions, just e-mail me. I've been trying to write more, so sorry if the writing quality has deteriorated somewhat. I hope it'll be better in the next chapter.
Some points of interest: The chapter's title, "This Pendant World", is taken from Milton's "Paradise Lost", and it refers to the Ptolemaic vision of the Universe - the world (in our case, Gaea) is hung from a golden chain attached to Heaven. There was a passing reference to a child Allen and Millerna had but lost. Basically, Millerna had a miscarriage and she can never have a baby again. They will explain all this to Hitomi in chapter nine. But don't worry, they will get another child - that's a mystery for now.
VII. This Pendant World
being to timelessness as it's to time
love did not more begin than love will end; where nothing is to breathe to stroll to swim love is the air the ocean and the land. love is the voice under all silences the hope which has no opposite in fear; the strength so strong mere force is feebleness: the truth more first than sun more last than star. e. e. cummings
I am haunted by numberless islands and many a Danaan shore, Where Time would surely forget us, and Sorrow come near us no more; Soon far from the rose and the lily and the fret of the flames would we be, Were we only white birds, my beloved, buoyed out on the foam of the sea! W.B. Yeats, "The White Birds"
Just as Van's wings allowed him to ascend five feet into the air, Orion dashed out of the castle, passed the frantic Merle and grabbed onto Van's legs. "Get down, Van! Now! If you fly any higher, the vision will come true! C'mon!"
But Van heard nothing. His soul was surrounded only by his own despairing calls of her name. "Hitomi! Hitomi!" He cried out to her the way a starved and forlorn child cries out to a distant God.
Merle helped Orion pull him down. "Lord Van, please, please come down. You've got to listen to us!"
"Van!" Orion yelled with a grunt. "Stop beating your wings in my face! It really hurts! Come on! We'll find her later, I promise!" Some bystanders hurried to help Orion; some went running to find King Allen. But all efforts were ineffectual.
"Let me go! Let me go!" In the turmoil of desperation, Van hit Orion across the head and freed himself from the chain of hands imprisoning him. He soared towards destruction.
"No, Van, no!" Orion screamed after him then something daunting and unnatural happened. In an infinitesimal amount of time, white wings were born out of Orion's back and with them he instinctively flew after Van and caught him before death did.
"Orion?" Van stared at him with shock.
"Come on. I promised Hitomi I'd protect you, so get down. Don't make me break my promise."
"Look, y-you have wings. You're, you're flying."
"Huh?" Orion seemed not to have noticed the change in his body. When he looked down at the diminished landscape, all instincts of flying vanished and he grabbed onto Van with a shiver. "Umm.o-okay. This is.this is.really, really high. I have no idea how I got here. But can we please get back down now, Van?"
Van looked up and fixed his gaze at the zenith where blue traces of the sunpillar were still lingering. He squinted his immense eyes and tried to sense where she had gone. "Hitomi?" The heavens sent down nothing. He felt Orion trembling in fright against him, so with a sorrowful resolve, he descended.
The crowd on the ground was tumultuous with shock, perhaps even a little exhilarated. Whispers of "he's a draconian too" could be heard. Merle held Van with anxious tears that no one understood since none of them knew of Hitomi's prophetic vision. Orion stood in the middle, not knowing how to react and even more ignorant as to how he could make the wings disappear. Van whispered in his ear, "Just imagine them disappearing. Picture it and it'll happen."
He succeeded and fell to the ground. He had known misery, death, illness, poverty, joy, but never the daunt of a new life, a revolution of everything he had thought he knew. He felt he had been living a lie, an unreality. Van stood sombrely in front of him, and looked down at him. But he thought Van's eyes, far from providing an answer, expressed a mysterious mixture of agony, anger and relief.
Allen dispersed the gossiping crowd. Selena and Merle stayed looking at them with what felt like compassion. "Orion?" Allen asked in astonishment.
He opened his mouth to respond but no coherent answer came out. He tried again with a lapse of tone. "I just.I just.really don't know. Hitomi said that Van must not chase after her when she gets taken so I went after him.by pure instinct. It couldn't have been.when Van and I had a blood pact. I.it must have been born in me.you know.wings and all."
"Were your parents.draconians?" Allen asked cautiously.
"I never knew my parents. My mother was a.a.a prostitute. She went from country.to country. She left me, abandoned me in the Dragons' Nest in Fanelia, when I was a baby. I suppose they didn't eat me because.because I'm a dragon too. When my guardian found out who my mother was and took me to see her, I was only five. But she.she cursed at me, said I had.bad blood.cursed blood. Then she pushed me out." Selena began weeping for him. "I never saw her again. I guess maybe she knew I was a.draconian. That's why she didn't love me. Of course, my father could have been anyone.maybe a draconian."
No one knew what to say. Being a descendant of Atlantis was a curse and a blessing, even after the Destiny War. Van gave everyone a final stare then rushed off, gesturing for Merle not to follow him.
Selena went up to Orion and put a cloak on his back. "Orion," she whispered to him. "I think they're beautiful." He turned around in gratitude and confusion, unsure if she would love him because he was a draconian like Van or in spite of him being one. He smiled feebly at her before getting up to chase after Van.
"Brother." Selena held onto Allen's arm.
"Don't worry," he put his arm around her. "It's shocking, I know. But it's all aptly so, aptly so." They headed into the castle, followed by Merle with Vianne in her arms. ....
The sky had begun to shed the gloomy mask of the past few days and a blue patch was magnanimously revealed. Fanelia enjoyed daytime heat once again. Orion ran and panted beneath the sunshine and knew Van would be in the last place where he did not look.
He entered the dell reverently and saw Van kneeling in front of the royal tombs, as silent and still as those who lie beneath. He crept up and whispered. "Van? Don't you have anything to say to me?"
Van ignored at first and lay down, down but tense against the flatness of the ground. He then said, "You don't understand, the change is as much for you as it is for me. When Folken died.I thought I was the last draconian. But now.I'm not alone anymore."
Orion sighed and lay down beside him. "So I guess we do share the same blood in a way. But being a draconian? Heavens, I really don't know what that means. Anyhow, that's enough about me. It's not like I'm in any danger. I just need a few flying lessons," he chuckled then paused for a while. "You are never alone, Van. Yes, I know, I know, you feel alone without her, but."
Van closed his eyes. "I have to make a decision now."
For the next few moments, they lay contemplating the sky and listening to the soft susurrus of the tress accompanied by birdsong. The sky was more translucent than blue, a little pale. But even if white, Van believed the sky had strength, as it always does. Its strength is infused by the sun and not mutable like his own human strength, which is subject to physical and emotional failings. The empyrean is the eternal hero.
"So, Van," Orion broke the silence. "Do you think that blue patch up there is really the only sky?"
"I don't know. Maybe it's a blue world."
"Ah. You know what, I think we're such jerks," Van glanced at him and frowned, "Well, maybe only you. Tell me, why is it that on a battlefield, you can make the decision to take someone's life within seconds, and yet now you can't decide whether or not to go after the woman you love?"
"Then why did you stop me?"
"Because I made an instinctive decision. Look, I know you'll eventually decide to go find her but it won't be today. The right time will come and you will feel it intuitively. I stopped you not because I never want you to go, but I had to keep my promise to Hitomi. If you die, you'll leave her all alone no matter where she is. Have you thought about that?"
"Hitomi." Van muttered to himself and partly regressed back to the agony and excruciating pining that characterized the past five years. "I.I can't feel her presence."
"Don't worry," Orion patted his shoulder. "You will soon. Look, I know being without her is really painful for you, but perhaps this is some kind of a test. You see, you love.well, it isn't exactly ordinary. It's otherworldly. For the rest of us, we see a plain blue sky up there, that's our only reality and it's all we'd dream of reaching. But you see the sky beyond this sky, the reality that rises above the reality of Gaea. Hitomi is like your cosmic vision. Because such vision is beyond Gaean bounds, it has a certain danger. You two are mortals who'd been given eternity, so maybe the gods need to make sure you can handle such an enormous thing."
Van stood up and dusted the grass off his pants, and then he held out his hand to help Orion up. "You're right. I'll decide at the right moment. Thanks.brother." He smiled slightly then headed towards the castle. But he suddenly stopped before exiting the dell, as if struck by wonder.
"What is it, Van?" Orion ran to him.
"It's her.It's." Van was somewhat out of breath, "Hitomi. I can feel her presence, it's like how we used to dream of each other. She's safe," he smiled at the sky then repeated gently, "She's safe." Van felt that he would gradually regain connection with her, and that eventually they'll meet again. Even when she was gone, she will always be omnipresent.
The two parted, Orion to the military base and Van to oversee Operation High Sky. On his way to find Allen, he came across Dryden, running towards him, with unusual excitement.
"Van, I mean, Your Majesty," he panted heavily and his face was red rather than debonair. "You will not believe what happened!"
"What? Did something go wrong with the scheme?"
"Heavens, no!" he pulled Van to a more private corner. "It's far from being wrong. It's miraculous! You're the first person I've informed. Here," Dryden took out a black velvet pouch and poured its glittering contents onto Van's palm.
"Are these crystals?" Van sounded indifferent since he did not think Dryden really had a point.
"No, better. They're diamonds!" Van's eyes widened. "Congrats, Fanelia is now one of the richest countries in the world. If you'll let me handle the trading, I guarantee money enough for anything."
Van's eyes glittered as when a child first beholds a star. For a moment, Dryden suspected Van of being swayed by wealth, but then the young king exclaimed, "This is great news! This means we have enough resources to finance the army, help the people and rebuild the destroyed countries! I've got to go tell Allen and the others!" He hastily poured the diamonds back into the pouch and ran off with an excited stumble. Dryden watched then chuckled to himself, "That boy is a strange one, but he's good." ....
Other than celebrating with the lords for the discovery of the diamonds, Van spent the rest of the day in his duties. He busied himself with an alacrity and even cheerfulness few have witnessed. Such behavior worried Allen since he expected his friend to act the exact opposite in Hitomi's absence.
Van began by personally writing a thank you note to all the delegates who came to the alliance meeting. He wrote a longer letter to President Menulf of Zaibach inquiring after the weapons development plan, and he did not hesitate to advise the president not to exceed the limit necessary for defence. Van then went down to the food shelter and helped Merle hand out bread and water to the citizens. Afterwards, he conducted a meeting with Orion and the military commanders. A special missions unit was placed aside to use as emergency reinforcement in case any of their neighboring countries were invaded. Towards evening, Van joined the rank of diggers at the cliffs. The earthy scent of the underground caves and the sound of dripping water suspended time, and Van enjoyed the work until finally his body was exhausted, against the wishes of his mind.
He retired to his room without eating dinner. In the darkness, surrounded by familiar things, he felt it safe to think. Hitomi's presence from the previous night was still there. Suddenly, he received another spark from her - she is in Gaea! She is safe and here in the same world. He nearly cried out in joy. The "right time" will come soon, he mused. But no, he restrained his mind. Something was disturbing about this. In a terrifying epiphany, he realized that all his activities during the day constituted a preparation for war, the war he had consciously tried to avoid. He himself had unconsciously made the war inevitable. Gaea will soon be steeped in the blood of war, again, and she will be in this world, amidst the danger and violence. She will once again witness his own savagery on the battlefield.The past flooded back in all menace and dread. Fanelia will no longer be the peaceful home he had invited her to live in for the rest of her life.
"Does this mean that, after I find her, I will have to send her back to the Mystic Moon?" he dared to ask himself, but then he covered his own ears, in fear of any answer. In a frozen position, he fell into stupefied and unrestful sleep.
He usually did not dream, unless it was with Hitomi. But that night he heard voices in the complete darkness of his sleep. First it was Aleph's deep, solemn voice saying, "What will soon happen will be painful but you will come through. Let Freya's love heal you." The last phrase was repeated with emphasis, "Let Freya's love heal you." Then Aleph's voice faded. Folken's soothing voice followed, but it simply said, "Believe."
Van awoke with a start, and thought he has only been sleeping for a few minutes. But he looked outside and it was nearly dawn. Exhausted and dejected, he slipped out of bed and washed his face. As is customary every morning, he stood on his balcony with a cup of tea, and waited for the sun to rise over Fanelia. Even in the gloom of impending war, the silent purple light unfurled itself over the kingdom, as it did when he had first become king on that fateful day. But everything had changed since the Destiny War. He looked back on that time as a nightmare and his own mood as a sickness. Now, instead of raging, vengeful flame, there was an unresolved, whimpering dismay within him. It was the vagueness of indecision.
As a king, it is his duty to make decisions. But he could not. I find her, and either let her go home safely, or keep her here with me.in a world of war. In all selfishness, he wanted to keep her here, and he justified the idea by saying that he'd protect her from all harms of war. But no, it would feel almost like a betrayal. After all, it was I and Escaflowne that brought the war.
Free will felt like a burden. He did not want to choose and to be responsible for the choice. He hated always being the one to decide, the one every person looked up to as the paragon of excellence. They expected him to make the right choice. He did not know what was right. He had disbelieved fate and gods, but he now knew that it was arrogant of him - he will always answer to Time and Love. Time, not fate, made the travels to the past and future possible. Having seen the future, he has been given a privilege. But one should never attempt to change fate and shape the world as one sees fit. The dynamics of cause and effect would be muddled up. The decision he makes would affect the future and he did not want to be responsible for such a muddle. He was forced to take the rein, as if to test his worthiness.
Hitomi had made the choice five years ago, but she has returned, making it somehow incumbent upon him to bear the burden this time. At such moments, he desired fate and destiny to be handed to him on a golden plate. He wanted the pressing, the inescapable, and the tyrannical to tell him what to do.
At last the sun had fully risen and the purple ether faded into a light gold. Van finished his tea and thought that big decisions should not be dissected or complicated, but simply left to one full minute. With that in mind, he went inside and changed his clothes, and buckled on his sword.
On his way to see Nestor, he paused by the medical area on the ground floor of the castle. A strange, lamenting wail floated like a haunting ghost above the patients' hall. Van stopped and peered in. A woman, not young, not old, was crouched over a dead soldier and she sobbed with a heart-freezing pain at the most unendurable loss. Van felt a chill. He saw Selena standing in the corner, and he walked over to her. "What happened?"
"Oh, Van!" she was startled. "I didn't even see you coming. Well, that's Karo, he was part of the Fanelian troop that came to rescue Asturia. He was badly wounded in the chest. We had hoped he'd survive, but.His love, Nairn, she watched him die earlier this morning. I'm just worried she'll carry out her threat of killing herself."
Van turned and meditated on the scene. The poignancy of death-parted lovers.something in him was burning and illuminated. For one minute, he felt the woman's agony as if it were his own. The right time has come and he finally decided. He thanked Selena then proceeded to tell Orion of his decision.
As he had expected, Orion was already teaching archery to some amateur soldiers in front of the castle gate. Van waited until the students went off to practice, then he picked up a bow and some arrows for himself.
"Good morning, my brother, what brings you here?"
"I've made up my mind," Van said, standing in the shooting position.
Orion came up and adjusted Van's right arm a bit. "Not so tense, Your Majesty. That's better. So what'll it be?"
Van let the arrow loose. Straight to the mark. "She sent me a strong feeling last night. She's here on Gaea. I'm going to go on Escaflowne and use the pendant to find her. It shouldn't be a problem." He let out another shot; it missed the target slightly. Van set down the bow and turned to Orion. "What I wanted to tell you is that once I find her, I'm going to send her back to the Mystic Moon."
"What? You're going to send her back? But Van."
"I know. But it's the right choice. You see," he looked up at the sky, "I can't ask Hitomi to stay in a world of war. She hated it before. I'm to blame for this war - don't ask," he gave Orion a glance, "I don't want her to get hurt. She can return to the part of the Mystic Moon that's safe. Perhaps I'll go to her after all this.perhaps not. I will shoulder the karma of war and death.alone."
Orion was dumbfounded for a while then said, "I'll be here to shoulder it with you."
Van patted him on the back. "I know. I think.I hope she'll agree with my decision."
Orion did not make any reply and simply let Van return to archery. Then they both heard Allen calling, "Van, there you are."
"What's the matter, Allen?"
"I just got a message from Freid. Duke Chid requests a meeting with me, reason unknown. He also sent you a message. Here,"
Van took the letter and opened it. He lifted his eyes off the page and sighed in relief. "Hitomi is in Freid with him. She's safe. I'll go with you, Allen."
"Right, Gaddes has already started prepping the Crusade. I'll meet you in ten minutes." Allen hurried off.
Van turned to Orion. "Stay here and help out. I'm not sure when I'll be back. It depends on Allen's meeting. It shouldn't be later than tomorrow noon." He walked off but stopped and added, "I haven't changed my mind. It'll be nice spending some last minutes with her." Then he ran.
Orion looked in his direction with a sober sense of despair and he stood still for a moment before returning to archery. In a short while, the Crusade ascended into the air. Orion gazed up but the sun blinded him and the leviship appeared only as a black patch against the blue sky. He felt an upsurge of strange sensations. It was like the droning of devilish incantations, and it was - as much as he wanted to deny it - apocalyptic. He could imagine death, that last moment of stepping over the precipice, but the apocalypse, a moribund core of ultimate destruction, was unfathomable. In dread, he wondered if it would be one glorious explosion ending all life, or a slow freezing out lacking any tumult or screams. But he also had a dim suspicion that the end of the world was something they already knew but just couldn't remember. It would be like returning to the mother's womb. It's coming. ....
A burnt sienna sun hung over the exotic peaks of Freid's mountain ranges. Over the softly rounded summits, the tranquil Godashim appeared, peaceful and steady in its holiness. Van was glad to know that Hitomi was transported to so beautiful a place.
As soon as the Crusade landed in front of the palace, Van rushed out and saw her, safe and smiling next to Chid. They ran to each other and he held her firmly against his body that felt ready to collapse. "Hitomi! Thank the heavens! I am so sorry."
She cupped his face in her palms. "No, thank you, and thank Orion. I knew he'd keep his word. Your safety means more to me than my own."
"Don't say that, please don't," he bent his head down and kissed her neck, burying his face in the curve between her neck and shoulder.
Meanwhile, the crew of the Crusade watched gleefully, and the other two monarchs greeted each other. "King Allen," Chid addressed in his charming voice. "I'm truly grateful that you were able to come on such short notice. No doubt you are very busy with the present situation. My most sincere condolences for the losses Asturia had suffered. I trust that the provisions I sent were of use?"
Allen bowed. "Of great use, Duke Chid. You have demonstrated magnanimity and wisdom at so young an age. It is most impressive."
"Thank you. We will soon conduct our meeting. Shall we wait for our other guests?" Chid smiled brightly and turned to admire the lovers' reunion.
Allen gazed at Chid and felt an ache. Images of Marlene suddenly dashed across his mind, but remembering Millerna, he quickly checked himself. He noticed that Chid still wore the ring. Something about Chid's blue eyes and golden hair seemed disturbing, because they resembled his own so much. He is my son. Allen made himself brave enough to accept this truth. Yet the loss of his family and of Marlene, left its shadow of unbearable agony with Chid, and though the boy stood healthy and happy in front of him, Allen felt like he had already lost his only son. For one moment, he wanted to forget all civility and just embrace Chid in his arms. He had already endured the ordeal of losing the one child he had with Millerna, and further bereavement would render all his chivalric ideals folly and his life meaningless. Facing this, the invincible knight and charismatic king felt himself reduced to a coward.
"King Van," Chid interrupted the two lovers, "I'm sorry for intruding, but I must inform you that I apologize for the delayed massage. It was just that Hitomi said you already knew she was safe. Plus, her and I desired some time together to talk about the past five years."
'There's no need to apologize, Duke Chid. Hitomi has already explained everything. I should thank you instead."
Chid bowed then went with Allen to sit on a nearby bench. The crew was also dismissed. The couple still remained on the same spot.
"Van, I'm so very sorry I yelled at you like that. I just didn't want you to chase after me then get yourself killed. Saying those things was the only way I could think of. Orion told me you took it all seriously."
"I did," he laughed at himself. "But I thought that if you really wanted to leave me, then I have to accept it."
"You silly boy!" they put their foreheads together. "So was that our first lovers' quarrel?" she giggled. "I'm just glad the vision did not come true. Somehow I feel it's all my fault again. I should never have done the Ra-Maat reading," she wriggled out of his arms and walked off a little. "It pulled ill fate into place. I don't want to go back to the Destiny War."
"Hitomi, how can it be your fault? Be it past or present, it was I who called the war into place. Branimir is here because of me, not you. Besides, I asked you to do the reading. If it weren't for your visions, I would have died a long time ago. Gaea would have been destroyed," he pulled her back to him, "You're the savior of us all."
Ignoring the onlookers, they kissed. But the impassioned kiss of reunited and inseparable lovers was more than the coupling of two souls. It created a mingling of two worlds. Drawn with a coveting the one of the other, one opened its mouth and the other poured in, fusing two dimensions, two realities, and two natures, in one whole universe. Thus did Gaea and Atlantis come together.
Immersed in each other's caress, Van and Hitomi did not at first notice that their world had been transformed. Chid's yell awoke them. "Hitomi! Van! What happened?"
They looked around with a daunted jolt. Allen and Chid had been caught in the middle of the merging worlds also. "It looks like the Mystic Valley to me," Allen said as he came running. "How in the world did we get here?"
Van observed the ancient city, lying in glorious ruins of marble pillars and faded splendor of awesome power. "You're right, this is Atlantis. I didn't even see anything happen."
"Neither did we. One second we were sitting there, then we felt a certain disturbance, very subtle, kind of like a wind. When we looked up the next second, Freid had disappeared."
The two men stepped forward in a defensive position, wanting to protect the woman and the child. Chid held onto Hitomi's hand. "What are you thinking about, Hitomi?" he asked.
Everyone then turned to her. She stood as if in a dazed dream and stared straight in front of her at the Atlantean ruins. Then she said, in a rather monotonous voice, " 'When Atlantis comes to you, go to the Tree of Life and Death, and there dig up the relic. The dragon and the phoenix shall rise and together rule the sky.'"
Van gasped. "Seraphine's instructions! I nearly forgot. Atlantis came to us! Okay, now we must find the Tree!" He ran forward.
Allen and Chid stood more perplexed than ever. "Who's Seraphine?" Allen shouted. "What's going on here, Van? What's this Tree of Life and Death?"
"There!" Hitomi suddenly pointed up at an elevated plateau, upon which stood a single tree with majestic foliage. "Up there, Van! It's the same tree you sat under that time when you almost died and I came to find you, remember?"
Van looked up swiftly then beckoned everyone with fervor. "You're right, Hitomi! Come on, everyone, let's go! Let's go!" he led the way, followed by Hitomi and Allen, who held Chid's shaking hands.
The four of them meandered through the streets, up the steps and finally crossed the bridge that led up to the plateau. "Okay," Van regained his breath, "I guess now we start digging."
"Where? With what?" Allen asked irritably.
"With our hands, near the roots of the tree." Van ran over to the tree and knelt down. Everyone else followed his example and began overturning the earth. Beneath the umbriferous branches of the great tree, they dug away nervously, fearing that the next minute will bring another change of worlds. Van felt it strange that there was a total lack of wind. He was used to hearing the rustling of tress but this one produced none. "I wonder why it's called the Tree of Life and Death," Hitomi muttered to herself. No one answered.
Because the dirt was soft and loose, the digging was not laborious, but it was directionless and frenzied. After some time, Chid exclaimed, "Hitomi! Come here, I found something!"
The three adults hurried over to Chid's side and saw inside the hole, a partly concealed shining object. Van reached in and pulled it out. "It really is a relic," he wiped away the dirt, "Look, a dragon and a." The object was a bit filthy, but pure gold, resplendent even after aeons. Its intricate carving demonstrated exquisite craftsmanship. The symbolism was as labyrinthine as the designs, teasing the mind into a mysterious passage that extended back to the beginning of time. A piece of the relic had been broken off.
"The other creature in the carving looks like a bird," Chid pointed out.
Hitomi scrutinized the object closer. "It's a phoenix." The fierce winged dragon and the fiery phoenix held in between their claws a circular object that was unidentifiable.
"Just like we were told," Van said. "But look, the curve of the bird's tail is broken off." Everyone dug around in the vicinity for the missing piece but to no avail.
Suddenly Hitomi's eyes brightened and she searched in her pockets. Then she took out the golden crescent, the broken piece of treasure she unearthed at Akrotiri. "Van, these two look alike, don't they?"
"Do you think they'd fit together? Here, try it," he handed her the relic.
Cautiously, she fitted her thin, little golden piece into the gap in the phoenix's crescent tail. It became whole; the transformation was complete. Then, as the relic regained its entirety, it resonated and blazed with a strange fire. It floated out of Hitomi's hands and hung beautifully in mid air. The four of them stepped back in awe and thought how real, how alive the two golden creatures looked.
The Universe too responded strongly to the completion of the ancient relic. It seemed to have sent Hitomi a certain message and she became mesmerized by the mystic glow of the relic. Her eyes became hollow and reflected not her own soul, but the fire alone. Oblivious to everyone's warning, she pushed Van away and reached out to hold the object. Contact with it scorched her skin but she held on, and Van could not pull her hands off. From then on, everything became illusory for her.
Allen and Van tried in vain to call her back. She simply stood with the relic, lost in an ancient and distant world. Suddenly, an explosion of blinding light sent the two men backwards. Van partly shielded his eyes from the radiance but through the garish light, him, Allen and Chid could see Hitomi's face, changing.
Enveloped by the light, the only thing Hitomi could see was her watch. She saw the two arms of time start spinning faster and faster, sweeping the ocean of Time onto the shores of future. The light died out. Everyone's gasps were followed by her own scream as she touched her withered, wrinkled face. The whole of Atlantis echoed her scream like an empty tunnel.
"Time.time has sped up for her. She's.she'd o-old," Allen whispered in terror, and he held Chid back as Van went forward, nearly tripping over to the ground.
Hitomi slowly regained her consciousness. She threw the relic at the tree then ran to the edge of the plateau and looked down at the abyss. The laws of Time have been broken for her. No longer young and beautiful, she was convinced she did not deserve Van. She leapt off the precipice. Yelling and screaming, Van dived after her. Amid the downpour of white feathers, she saw his hand reach down for hers. But she wanted to resist. She saw his mouth moving, his eyes in tears, and she felt his arms trembling as he held her. She couldn't hear anything but only gazed at him with shame and embarrassment. Being old, she found she had very little strength so she had to submit to his embrace. He brought her back to the plateau. Then, with Allen and Chid as witnesses, he kissed her, regardless of age, time, distance - all appearances, all surfaces. Their pendant began glowing in unison with the relic.
Another lovers' kiss generated another metamorphosis. The two worlds unwound themselves from each other's arms and soared back to their proper homes. Once again it was two dimensions, two realities, and two natures separate in two different universes. Thus did Gaea and Atlantis break apart.
The four of them stood in front of Freid's palace. Everyone held their breath and stared at one another. All returned to normal. Hitomi touched her own face and sighed in gratitude. They all wanted to dismiss what just happened as an illusion, or an irresponsible dream. However, having a communal dream only served to reinforce the reality of the dream.
Then they noticed the relic shining on the ground in front of them. Everyone withdrew. "So, it was not a dream?" Allen asked in confusion. Silence affirmed "no." The sunset was also evidence - when Atlantis appeared, it was little over noon. Time has elapsed without them.
As the three adults still stood incredulously, Chid bent down and picked up the relic. He wanted to give it to Hitomi, but she shrank back her hands. "Don't worry, Hitomi," Chid smiled angelically, "Even if it was not a dream, it's okay. This golden object is not a curse. It glows with the power of Atlantis. It changed you in order to prove to you and to all of us that your love is needless of time or appearance. Keep it, it's sacred," he shoved it into her hand. "Van still loves you, doesn't he? That's all that matters." Allen came over and laid his hands on Chid's shoulders. Then they went inside the castle.
"Van." Hitomi turned to him with a wistful tremor. "I'm."
"Shh.it's okay," he drew her into his arms. "Returning to Atlantis is like going back to the past. Then you became like that, well, that's like going to the future. But we've strived through both, didn't we? We'll defy it all. Remember Valorick and Hermione? They're proof that the good future is already ours."
Safe in his arms, Hitomi felt both sad and grateful. She has been given the greatest. To express her gratitude, she thanked God, the God of Earth, of her childhood, of the Universe. Then she felt like she should thank a god of Atlantis. Freya was the only one she knew so she thanked the Goddess of Love and Hope. Strangely, the surge of force came again just like it did when she first prayed with Van. Hitomi wanted to unravel the mysterious power that shone through her, but her attention was quickly diverted back to Van. The force just sat still inside her.
Where two mountains joined into a valley, there was a soft cradle and the sun settled into it slowly. The reddening sun disc painted the land orange and washed it with beauty, imperishable and cosmic beauty. The relic, a souvenir of the intermingling of two worlds, glowed gold and red. Atlantis and Gaea may have been sundered, but Van and Hitomi remained together, forever beneath the sun that's eternally reborn. ....
Luxury is considered a noble principle in Basram. Dignity, in the sense of glittering superiority, is based on luxury. President Basante's bed was a product of luxury. But it was more than a bed. It was at least twenty times the size of a futon. It was canopied with red silk and satin, and cushioned with purple velvet embroidered with gold thread. In the middle is the sleeping area. Attached to its sides are sofas, a writing desk, an eating area with fruit and wine, and near the end of the 'bed', there was a hot tub. The President could rest, eat and bathe all in one space, without having to go from room to room. One canopy encompassed all of life.
Basante was ready to take a bath when the eerie Atlantean voice echoed down from above. Basante!
He nervously rolled out of the tub, spilling water all over his velvet bed, and threw on a robe. "My great Lord Branimir! I'm at your service."
Good. For once your service will be essential. If it were not for the barrier between my world and yours, I'd do everything myself! It seems, the voice chuckled; I've failed time and time again to weaken their love. Such power! Such light! Such eternity! It should have been mine! Vannius stole the one I loved. Yes, even I am capable of the power. But what is lost I must now regain. I will take away his love, his family, his country, his life! I will show him tragedy in a drop of rain. Let the deluge rain down on them! If the Universe regards me as but a piece of earth and them the heavens, then let yon star-illumined heaven bend down to kiss the murky earth!" Basante knuckled his temple in confusion, not knowing why his master had come with such dramatic exclamations that had no meaning for him.
The voice continued with all passion and intensity. Let order die! Banish ideals! Let this Gaea no longer be a stage for the playing forces. Let the end come. Death shall bring those two to my world, the Eternal Realm, and here I may have experiences and power superior to theirs. Basante! The man bowed. Send an assassin to Fanelia tonight. Kill his beloved companion Orion. We shall call that a little appetizer for Vannius. He is now in Freid, and Escaflowne is not with him. In the morning, send your troops to invade Godashim. Bring them to Basram alive.
"Yes, Your Fierceness, I will not fail you."
You'd better not. Seraphine already has. But alas! How can I blame her? She is the reason I'm embroiled in all this. I shall now go to Serenus and bring her. You carry on your tasks. Once they get to Basram, I'll inform you of further plans. The end shall come, I will guide it. Let darkness be the burier of the dead. ....
After a relaxing dinner, Van and Hitomi withdrew to their room. They had not requested to share a room, but Chid allotted only one to them. They sat inside for a while, talking about their day. Van told her about the diamonds found in Fanelia and about Orion's being a draconian. She was more delighted then stunned, for she knew what it meant to Van. They also tried to decipher the mystery with the dragon and the phoenix but in the end, they decided it was perhaps not the right time and place to fathom it.
As the Mystic Moon climbed serenely toward the centre of the starry dome, night seemed a day of white light. They went out onto the balcony and sat down. One blanket covered them both. The sight of the full-orbed moon brought nostalgia and sorrow to Hitomi.
"The war on Earth is still going on. I can feel it. It'll probably drag on for years."
"Wars are always excruciatingly long. Are wars there as bad as they are here?"
"Worse," she sighed, "See, we don't have guymelefs, but we have more powerful weapons. They can kill thousands of people in one second. Van, Chid told me you allowed Zaibach to develop better weapons," he cast his eyes down, "You really must not, Van. Please withdraw the plan. The horrors of mankind lie in the rapidly increasing power that comes with better technology. Earth has proved that. Atlantis has proved that. You mustn't let Gaea meet the same fate."
"I know," he said curtly, "I wanted the weapons for defence. But I guess you're right."
"Van, I know you hated the Destiny War. But everything you've done for the past two days has been a preparation for war. Do you want to see that again?"
"Of course I don't," he responded bitterly, "I've tried to stall it as long as possible. But because this involves the Fireans, Branimir and the past in Atlantis, it's more than just politics. War is.Balgus said that I must use my bloodstained hands to break free from the sorrows of war. But can that actually be possible?"
She laid her head on his shoulder. "If it does get bad and the war erupts, I'll be here to fight it with you."
Van inhaled deeply and threw out the words, "No.you won't."
"What?" she was petrified and a little angry.
"I.I meant to tell you earlier. Before I came to find you, I've resolved to." he cleared his throat, "to send you home to the Mystic Moon. I've thought a lot about this and it's my final decision and I hope you'll agree."
"But, Van, but." she was on the brink of tears, "All those things I said the other day were lies. I pretended to be angry with you. I don't actually want to go back. I really want Fanelia to be my home now," she clutched him.
"It has nothing to do with what you said before. I know you don't want to go back any more than I want you to go. The reason is.the war is inevitable and impending. Fanelia may well be attacked because of me. It won't be the home I promised you. Nothing, absolutely nothing pains me more than to lose you and Fanelia," he held onto her for strength. "Naïve as it sounds, this may be the war to end all wars. We have to get rid of the Fireans somehow. My conflict with Branimir has already dragged on for aeons. I must get to the bottom of this and end it all. Gaea will be hell and I want you to go where it's safe. You said that the place where you were studying with your friends was away from war, so you should go back there until it's all over." She buried her face in his chest and sobbed.
"Don't worry, I'll be fine. Allen, Orion and all our allies will be by my side. Besides, if I have to fight again.like before, I don't want you here to see me like that. It's too horrifying. Things will get very chaotic. When it's all straightened out, I'll go find you. Fanelia will still be here, damaged or not." He held her and rocked to and fro.
She tried to search for a reason why he would be wrong. "But, Van, you may need my help."
"I.look, if your help puts you in danger then I don't want you to help. It may very well be that Branimir already knows about you, and if you get involved, he may want to kill you too. I cannot allow any chance of that happening."
Hitomi snuggled closer to him and tried to rest. She bravely summarized the events of the past few years: from coming to Gaea, loving Van to losing him, then just a short while ago, she held him again and they embarked on such a journey on Serenus. Now here, back on Gaea, another war.what could all this mean but that Time is cyclical? She shed a tear because she had believed they had risen above the cycle. But tears and contemplation were already insufficient in the face of so much life and death. All was gained, lost and regained. That was the only immortality. She accepted it as the natural cycle of things. Then she concentrated solely on the belief that he will be all right and they will be together again and again.
Van felt her pain excruciatingly but he resolved to remain steadfast to his decision. It was better to be separated from her than to put her in danger. "Hey Hitomi? Remember how Folken said we would feel the right path? Well, I feel this is the right path. That means we'll come through. I hope.no, I know we will." Then Van smiled upon the thought that ever since he met Hitomi, he had become hopeful somehow.
She did not say anything but simply held him and inhaled the scent of the meadows that perpetually diffused from him. She may not be able to do so for another few years.
They rested silently beneath the starlight that was calm one moment and quivering the next. Then, from the deep of the night, they heard an echoing birdsong, drifting out of the sky and softening the darkness. The melody inspired them to lift the veil of mysteries and take one rapturous glimpse at the infinite possibilities of their uncertain future. The song was at once a dirge, an aria and a madrigal.
They looked up and saw the source of the song: two white birds beating their luminous wings in the dark. They seemed to fly at a visionary speed and encircled each other and formed an orbit as binary stars do. "Birds in the middle of the night?" Van asked. The winged creatures in their starry flight brought the two lovers a vision of children singing, of perilous adventures, of eternal woes eternally consoled, of a home they never knew yet have always known.
Hitomi then asked, "Is there a home for us?" ....
Allen had desired some time alone with Chid but when it did come, he felt helpless under its mixture of satisfaction and dread. They took an after-dinner walk in the gardens and mainly conversed about what happened with Asturia. Chid tried to alleviate Allen's weariness by talking about the stars instead. They also discussed the strange event of the afternoon, but like Van and Hitomi, they came to no conclusions. They eventually reached the summerhouse where Chid said his mother liked to spend time alone. Allen entered awkwardly.
After Chid took him on a tour, they returned to the main hall and Allen stood silently by the window. He intuitively felt that Chid had an unspoken purpose for calling him all the way from Fanelia and bringing him to this house. He dared not speculate what the purpose might be. The little child was adorable in his sparkling youth, but he also carried an air of sadness and wisdom. Allen turned away from him.
Chid then went inside a room briefly then came out with his hands behind his back. He stood next to Allen and gazed at the night view with him. A tension had developed but both of them ignored it. Allen thought Chid seemed enigmatic all of a sudden, so distant and even mystic, like the moon above.
"Tell me," Chid asked softly, "Are you proud of me?"
Allen was startled by the question, the one that he had wished his son would ask him. "I, uh.Duke Chid, I sincerely believe that you are a wise and inspirational leader, and you've guided Freid to such a steady and prosperous place in her history. Insofar as my country has a strong alliance, not to mention blood relations, with Freid, then of course.I am proud.of you, I mean." Courtesy was the only way to mask the inner pain and prayer.
But Chid seemed to have seen through the mask and he forced on. "That is not what I meant," he turned to face Allen and continued in a steady voice. "I meant to ask, are you proud of me.as my father?" Chid was relieved to hear himself say the words. The impeccable blue of his eyes was so steadfast that it unnerved Allen.
"How did you." Allen said as he took a few steps back.
Chid revealed the book that he had been holding behind his back. "I found mother's journal by accident. It was hidden in a secret place behind her music box. She loved you before she even met the Duke of Freid, and you loved her. I now know why she told me all those stories about the invincible knight. She kept her love for you alive in me. You still haven't answered my question," Chid maintained all strength and authority whereas Allen sank down into a chair. He suddenly thought of his own father, and how they were reunited in the Mystic Valley. Then he remembered his first love. Her portrait was hanging right there in front of him. He gazed at it and wished her eyes would blink just once and tell him what to do.
The child came to his side. "I talked to Hitomi about this yesterday. She advised me to disclose the truth. She also said you told her five years ago. You've known all along. Why didn't you tell me? I guess.it's because of the Duke.my father." An irrepressible melancholy arose in Chid and tears were ready to stream out.
Allen thought of Millerna and of the possible consequences his union with Chid would produce. But then his eyes reverted back to Marlene's ethereal and sad face. In his mind, he reaffirmed his present and everlasting love for Millerna but he also apologized to her before standing up and opening his arms.
Chid ran into his embrace as they had both dreamed. "Father!" he began sobbing. "My father!"
Allen shivered with his one and only child in his arms. Despite being a man of formidable stability, he shed tears of gratitude for the first time. "Of course I'm proud of you.my son."
"Father, I know this complicates your current family situation with Aunt Millerna. But when I discovered I was no longer an orphan and that you were.I just." he held on tighter. "If another war comes, I don't want to lose you again!"
"You won't, I promise," he stroked the child's golden locks. "I promise."
The embrace of father and son enlivened the night world. Marlene looked down, as if from the portrait, and smiled upon this long-dreamt of reunion. Through the meandering roads of life and circumstances, they were finally brought back to the place where they were always meant to be - a family. The empty halls echoed with the sound of love gained, lost and regained forever. ....
The morning ether was not soft and serene, as they had hoped. Greyness descended upon the whole of Gaea. It was an inauspicious day for a farewell. Nevertheless, Van held Hitomi's hands and they walked towards an open clearing behind Freid's royal castle.
His voice was ever so angelic but the power it had was enough to break her soul. "When all this is over, I'll fly to you again. We'll come back here and use our will power to create a home for ourselves. It'll be a small world inside Fanelia. It won't be like the rest of Gaea, because it will be based on a hopeful wish, and."
"It will be born out of eternal love," Hitomi completed his thought and sentence.
They kissed. Van held her so that her feet were slightly lifted off the ground. She pressed her hand lovingly on his chest and felt the life- giving pulses of his warm and racing heart. "Van, just promise me you'll be careful. I'll wait for you. I'll always wait for you."
He took one last look at her then raised up the pendant. The much hated and much loved pillar came as beckoned. It surrounded them in its cold blueness that appeared exceedingly bright in the grey morning. But nothing happened. Hitomi did not float up like she was supposed to. Neither of them felt weightlessness and they stared at each other in perplexity. Van then held onto her fearing the light would change its mind and take her away. The pillar simply throbbed alone, purposeless and powerless.
"The gravity of love," a voice suddenly came from outside the light. The sunpillar retreated into the clouds. Van and Hitomi blinked hard and beheld before them the man who is a beacon in their tempestuous sea. "B- brother! Brother, I."
"The gravity of love forever binds Hitomi to you and hence to Gaea. No matter what happens. Things are not the same as before."
"The gravity of love?" Hitomi whispered. Strangely, they both felt somewhat disappointed that all the courage they built up for the decision and the farewell had been wasted.
"Don't worry, the courage you've demonstrated proves you have strength, and that strength will be needed later. Van, Hitomi, remember, don't wallow in tragic waters. You two must hang on together."
"Brother, your ideals." Van was interrupted by Gaddes's call. "What is it?" Van turned and asked impatiently.
"Bad new, Your Majesty," Gaddes paused in reluctance. "Emergency message from Fanelia. General Orion, he's.he's been stabbed by an assassin. He's.on the verge of death. We're prepping the Crusade." Gaddes ran off.
"Oh, Van." Hitomi held him but she was unable to support him. He turned with tearful eyes to where Folken had been standing, but he was gone too. Van knelt on the ground in death-like stillness. She feared this was too much for him. For a minute, he forgot Hitomi was even there. Maybe he had been hubristic in defying fate, maybe he should not have come to Freid, maybe.the torrent of thoughts engulfed his soul. He cried out to the Numen, "Aleph! Come out! Why are you putting me through this? Death has already claimed one brother, it cannot take another!" No answer came. He put his head on Hitomi's shoulder like a child. Then, confounded and defeated, he let out a soul-stifling scream.
His outburst of volcanic emotions spread across the land and reached the sky, calling forth some god. The pillar of light shot down and sent him a god, gleaming and valiant, its cloak flowing grandly in the wind.
They both looked up in surprise at what stood in front of them. "Escaflowne?" Van asked.
"Your emotions must have called it here."
"Oh, no!" Van looked horrified. "The sounds of war." he stood up nervously. "If Escaflowne is here, that means.war is near." He began pacing around.
"Van, please stay calm," she pleaded, "Let's just go back to Fanelia. Orion is going to survive. War may not be."
But it was too late. They heard soldiers of Freid yelling, "The Basram army is here." The movements of guymelefs could be heard. They turned to the north and saw a swarm of enemy troops flooding over Freid's mountains.
"Van!" Allen was already in Scherazade. "How did Escaflowne get here? Never mind that, Freid's being attacked. I'm going to defend the front and protect Chid. You take Hitomi on the Crusade and return to Fanelia." Allen didn't allow Van any time to dispute. He quickly gestured the soldiers to go forth and he followed them in all valor.
"Don't fight, Van," Hitomi pulled his arm despite knowing that he was resolved to.
His eyes appeared lifeless. "I don't want to go back to that again, you know I don't. But I have no choice, Hitomi. Did I ever have a choice? I must do what I've decided to do, and that's to end this. What's happened now makes my decision firmer. Go to the Crusade and it'll take you to a safer place. I must follow Balgus's advice again - use my bloodstained hands to break free from the sorrows of war." Then he leapt up into Escaflowne.
She called after him but she knew she had to let him go. The test was for him as it was for her. She did not go to the Crusade but stepped into the castle and began to pray to Freya.
The pendant around Van's neck began glowing, but he did not even notice. All he concentrated on were Fanelia, Gaea, Orion and Hitomi. Fire consumed him. Escaflowne came alive and stepped out. The enemy had come. With a battle cry, Van struck out his sword.
He immediately destroyed one Basram guymelef that was in front of him. Escaflowne's pain is my pain. One charged at him from the right but he blocked it. The pain of war. In one slash, he killed three. His swordsman skills had escalated over the years and he became almost invincible. If this war won't end, He turned back and destroyed the unit that was closer to the castle. I'll be the one to shoulder the burden. Then he ran to where Allen and the others were fighting and sped up their rate of victory. I'll shoulder the karma of war. He killed the most formidable enemy, the leader of the Basram troops, who was breaking Freid's defensive front. Along with the sorrow of the dead!
"Van!" Allen's sword blocked him. "What are you doing?"
"Helping you guys protect Freid!"
"You're supposed to stay with Hitomi! Go back to Fanelia! Orion needs you. We're holding off the enemy well. This battle will be over in no time. I'll catch up with you later. Go! Now!"
Van slowly put down his sword and said cynically. "Just think, Allen, this world is not even hell." He yielded to Allen's authority and headed back to the castle, walking carelessly over the raging battle fire.
When Hitomi saw Van return, she neither smiled nor cried. Escaflowne transformed into a dragon. She simply understood that she had to jump in. The dragon wings fanned the hot air and soared into the sky.
Van felt his eyes begin to droop and his grip on the handles loosened. He wanted to give in, to fail miserably for once, and be left to perish. Looking straight ahead, the whole land looked saturnine, ashes dying after a raging flame. He could not see Fanelia.
Why is a simple word like "peace" so complex a concept, so painful a process?
~ End of Part VII ~
Author's Note: Wheeee! The finale is coming soon! I feel kind of lost in the plot - maybe there's just too much stuff. There are probably inconsistencies I didn't even notice. If I'm confused, some of you are bound to be also. If you have any questions, just e-mail me. I've been trying to write more, so sorry if the writing quality has deteriorated somewhat. I hope it'll be better in the next chapter.
Some points of interest: The chapter's title, "This Pendant World", is taken from Milton's "Paradise Lost", and it refers to the Ptolemaic vision of the Universe - the world (in our case, Gaea) is hung from a golden chain attached to Heaven. There was a passing reference to a child Allen and Millerna had but lost. Basically, Millerna had a miscarriage and she can never have a baby again. They will explain all this to Hitomi in chapter nine. But don't worry, they will get another child - that's a mystery for now.