A/N: Well, I know why you want to read this chapter… you want to find out who is in that approaching guymelef, don't you… the question is, shall I leave it until the next chapter, or tell you now… You'll see… I dedicate this chapter to CrimsonFire…

Disclaimer: I don't own Escaflowne, Hitomi, *insert CrimsonFire's drool here*(Dilandau) *More Drool*, or any other of its characters.

Chapter Nine: The Search

BlackMage entered the area of the burning rubble. "Dilandau! This is BlackMage! I have been sent to retrieve you. You had a faulty guymelef, but, thanks to FireLord, I am here to pick your remains from the fire! So you can get a new, better guymelef! Dilandau? Where are You?" He shouted. BlackMage walked around the heap of the previous Alseides, once or twice. He found nothing. Nothing, except guymelef tracks. Someone else had already come and taken Dilandau away. Trees could be heard off in the distance as they came crashing down. "There." BlackMage looked around once more, and left in the direction of the sounds. They were coming closer.

"Can you see anything, Number One?"

"We are approaching the wreck of the guymelef, Number Two."

"Anything?"

"Checking." The soldiers sent by Galken were looking as well as possible for FireLord. "Nothing. Except for these tracks. One older then the other. Both guymelef."

"Alright. Can you hear anything?"

"Yes, far off, in the distance."

"Stay there. The rest of us will join you, and we'll find whoever got here before us, and take back FireLord. I do not want to fail Galken, and believe me, neither do you."

BlackMage pushed through branches and trees. He was getting closer, but they kept getting ahead, just as he was getting close. Who could it be? BlackMage thought. And how did they get here before me. I left before anyone could have; I was the first to know he was to crash, before it even happened. Could someone have rigged it to fall? Mistress of the Shadows! She must be the one! She already had a grudge against him. And she did know it was going to fall, so she could have left before the note reached me, and gone out first. It is a possibility. It will be harder to find Dilandau if it is. Her guymelef is at least as dark as mine.

"Stealth Cloaks!" Number Two ordered. "Except you Four and Six. You fly up and scout ahead. If you meet resistance you can handle, handle it!"

The group split up. Four and Six flew up in the air, pushing past the brush. They looked deep into the forest, but little could be seen through the murk of the leaves.

"There!" Number Four shouted to Number Six. "Look. Two shapes, one as black as the night we fly through, both pushing through the trees. It's hard to see the other one."

"But there are at least two guymelefs. We may not be able to handle both. Come on, let's take out the black one."

Numbers Four and Six swooped down like eagles upon their prey…
A/N: I am so cruel. You still don't know who it is!!! Hehehehehehe. Maybe I can try and keep you hanging for another chapter!!! I love it!! Not telling you who it is!! Hehehe…I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as I enjoyed leaving you with little information!!! Hehehe…