Chapter 16, Learning to Love, Wish
Author: angelwarriar/Kia
Email: goddessoflove@usa.com
A/N: I am going thru a transformation. I have a new email address because I'm beginning not to like yahoo. I am also going to have a new pen name. It will be Kia. Or do you think that I should just stay as angelwarriar? Please tell me in your review! Thanks! Here we go! ^_^
The sky darkened and the wind roared. Every eye was turned to the sky as the majestic Escaflowne descended. A loud thunder shook the earth and the trees as Escaflowne landed on the ground in a kneeling position, its head bowed, and its cape billowing in the wind. The guymelefs stepped back a step in surprise. A bright light shot out of the Escaflowne's dragon heart. It traveled straight ahead and enveloped Van. As Escaflowne strapped its partner in its cockpit, it rose up to its feet and drew its sword.
"Who's first?" Van's voice asked from the cockpit.
A guymelef stepped forward with its sword drawn. It and Escaflowne engaged in a sword battle. Escaflowne easily defeated the guymelef, and it fell to the ground. Another guymelef took the fallen one's place. It slashed out with its sword, and was blocked by the Escaflowne. The Escaflowne pushed back hard and threw the guymelef to the ground. It stuck its sword through the cockpit, barely missing the pilot. The Escaflowne rose up and prepared for another opponent. This one was harder to beat. The pilot was experienced in the cockpit of a guymelef. Van deflected another blow from the enemy gurymelef. He kept deflecting blow after blow. Attacking with sword tactic after sword tactic. Ministering punch after punch. He didn't even see the guymelef flying in behind him.
"Van!"
Van heard Hitomi scream, turned around, and saw the guymelef with its sword drawn heading straight for him. He reached out a hand and grabbed the guymelefs wrist. Van leaned the Escaflowne back and stabbed the guymelef in front of him with the captive guymelef's sword. It fell to the ground. Then Van twisted the captive guymelef's wrist and the sword came out of its grasp. Van punched it in the face, and it fell to the ground. Two guymelefs stepped forward and began to spar with the Escaflowne. Van was holding his own, but everyone could see that he wouldn't be able to for long at the rate that things were going.
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Hitomi bit her lip not to scream when one of the guymelefs kicked Van in the knee and made the Escaflowne fall down to a kneeling position. If the pilots of the guymelefs kept pulling dirty tricks, Van wasn't going to last much longer. Hitomi closed her eyes and tried to block out the noise to try to think of a way out of the mess they were in. Then it came to her. Hitomi opened her eyes at the realization. It was something that her grandmother told her long ago.
A newly thirteen-year-old Hitomi sat on a rock in front of the lake in the forest that she lived in. It was her birthday and it had been a tiring day. She heard footsteps come up behind her and her grandmother sat down beside her. They were silent for a long time.
"What's wrong, Hitomi?" her grandmother asked her gently.
"It's nothing important," Hitomi said quietly.
"But it must be," her grandmother replied. "For you are usually smiling, but I've found you with a frown."
Hitomi sighed. "It's just that," she started; She looked up to her grandmother. "Do you think that my mother and father would be proud of me?"
Her grandmother blinked, then smiled. "Yes, my dear. I do."
"I mean, really proud of me?" Hitomi asked desperately. "Would they like what I look like? Do I even look like them? Or how I fight? Would they think that I fight good?"
Her grandmother wrapped her arm around Hitomi's shoulder. "They would think that you are beautiful because you look exactly like them. They would also think that you fighting skills are so good that you would surpass anyone. Most importantly, they would love you. No matter if you were ugly as a worted toad-" this earned a tiny giggle from Hitomi "-or if you didn't know how to fight at all. All that matters is that you are you, no matter what."
Hitomi sighed and leaned against her grandmother. "I wish they were here right now," Hitomi whispered.
"Well, one day, child, your wishes will come true," her grandmother replied.
"Do you really think so, grandmother?" Hitomi asked.
"If you believe in them enough, then yes, your wishes will come true," her grandmother said.
Hitomi smiled a bit. Even then her grandmother was trying to prepare her for these moments in time. Hitomi took a deep breath and closed her eyes once more. She concentrated all of her energy on one thing: a wish.
I wish...
Hitomi's world exploded with different things all at once. She saw different sights, and with each came a new color. Red, blue, green, white, black, pink, gold, silver came at her all at once. She concentrated on finding the right color. Then she found it. The silver was exactly what she wanted. A way out. She reached forward with her mind and grasped hold of the silver image. A bright light surrounded Hitomi, Collin, Merle, Balgus, and the Escaflowne with Van inside. All of them were lifted toward the sky. Up, up, up they went until blackness overcame them all. Then the light disappeared, leaving only the cowering guymelefs looking to the sky in fear.
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In a cold and snowy place, a figure watched as a bright light deposited four beings and a large machine from the sky. Then the light disappeared just as quickly as it had appeared. The figure slowly stood up, dropping the wood in its hands.
"It can't be," it whispered to itself. Then it took off as fast as it could to the place where the light had descended.
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Van awoke slowly. His whole body ached. He opened his eyes and slowly became aware of his surroundings. He realized with a start that he was still strapped in the Escaflowne. He unstrapped himself and pushed a button. The cockpit opened up, and Van fell out of the guymelef. The cold hit his face harshly. He pushed up to his knees and shook his head. Then he looked around and saw only white. It appeared that he was in a snowstorm. He heard a groan and jerked his head around. He saw Collin rising to his hands and knees from the chilling snow. Van got up and went to assist him. He helped him stand.
"Where are we?" Collin shouted above the wind.
"I don't know," Van shouted back. "Let's try to find the others."
They searched around and found Balgus getting up from the snow. They helped him stand. "Are you all right?" Collin asked.
"I am getting too old for this," he replied.
Van turned to Collin with a smile. "He's all right."
"Where is the Lady Hitomi and Lady Merle?" Balgus asked them.
"They were side by side when we were, well when whatever happened to us happened, so they have to be close by," Collin answered.
They searched around and finally found Merle. Her fir was a mixture between white and blue. A few feet to the side of Merle was Hitomi. She was blue all over. Van cleaned the snow off of her. He picked up her arms and hands. They had burn marks on them. Van suddenly felt a presence coming. He withdrew his sword and stood in front of Hitomi as a creature appeared out of the snow. It was furry and tall. Its fir was blue and white. It had on breeches and a blue shirt with cut-off sleeves. It raised its paws in the air when he saw all three men in defense.
"Please," it said. "I mean you no harm. You must follow me quickly. The storm is about to reach its peak."
Van sheathed his sword after a moment. The creature was right. This storm was going to get worse, and he would rather take his chances with the creature. He bent and picked up Hitomi. Then he turned toward the towering Escaflowne. He willed it to disappear until he needed it again. The Escaflowne stood and disappeared from sight. Van holding Hitomi, Collin holding Merle, and Balgus trailing behind, searching for danger all followed the huge creature to wherever it was taking them. While at the same time praying they hadn't made the wrong decision with where to place their trust.
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The first thing Merle came aware of was the fact that someone was carrying her. She awoke with a start and began struggling to be put down.
"Easy, beautiful," a gentle voice said.
The voice continued to offer soothing words as Merle's panic began to leave. She began to feel cold. "So c-cold," Merle chattered out.
"I know," the voice said softly. "We're almost there."
Her carrier tightened his hold on her to allow her more of his body's warmth. A while later, she was gently put down on a warm floor. A blanket was wrapped around her. It was thick and furry. She opened her eyes to be met by a pair of green eyes in a tan face surrounded by sandy blond hair. A fire was to her left, for she could hear it crackling. It lit up Collin's face.
"W-where?" she tried to ask.
"Shh," Collin said. "It's all right. Rest now." He ran his fingers down her cheek. "Rest."
Merle nodded slightly and closed her eyes while Collin continued to make comforting lines on her face with his fingers. Her last thought was that she was falling in love with a man with green eyes.
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Van looked over at the sleeping forms of his wife and sister. He was still confused as to what had happened for them to get to this snowy land in the first place, but he was willing to bet that Hitomi had something to do with it. Those burns on her hands and arms were unusual to say the least. He returned his attention to their rescuer sitting across from him, Balgus, and Collin.
"My name is Ginoz," he began. "I am apart of the Wolf Clan. We have lived here since the world first came to be."
"How did you find us?" Van asked.
"I saw the light in the sky appear and disappear. My people like to keep to themselves, but there is a story that has been passed down for generations to the eldest child in each family. The story says that on a night of peril there will appear a great light that shall carry five beings. Within those five, one shall save and unite our world."
"And you think we're that five?" Collin asked skeptically.
"Yes, for the story also states that the one will be wearing the power of the lost god," he stated. He motioned toward the sleeping form of Hitomi. "She wears it."
Van looked at Hitomi then back at Ginoz. "You believe that my wife was sent here to save the world?"
Ginoz nodded.
They were all silent. All of them watching Hitomi while she slept.
"Where is the rest of your clan?" Balgus suddenly asked.
"They are within the mountains," Ginoz answered. "It is where we have always lived."
"What were you doing out here then?" Collin asked suspiciously.
Ginoz sighed a sad sigh. "Due to the circumstances, I had to leave my family to retrieve herbs for my people. They are very ill. Some of the children and older ones of my clan have already left this world because of the illness. I must return with the herbs as soon as possible or everyone will die." He looked to the three men sitting across from him. "Please, you must come with me to my village. This place is full of dangers. The cold isn't the only thing that can kill."
The other two men looked at Van. "All right," Van said. "We'll travel with you to your village."
Ginoz nodded his approval. "We leave in the morning."
As the men turned in Van noticed that Balgus and Ginoz slept across from one another as close as they could get to the opening in case of danger. Collin slept with his arms around Merle. Van gave a small smile. He had a feeling that he and Collin were going to have a serious talk before this was all over with. Van settled down beside Hitomi. He wrapped his arms around her lithe form and buried his face in her hair. Gods, how he loved this woman. He was just now beginning to realize how dangerous this truly was for her. He didn't know what he would do if anything happened to Hitomi. Hitomi softly groaned and unconsciously moved closer to him. Van lightly kissed her neck and closed his eyes. "I swear that no harm will come to you," he whispered in her ear. "I love you, Hitomi."
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In the dark and cold palace, Tarik held his wife tightly and smiled. Soon it would all be over...
All done with this chapter. The next chapter is where they group travels to Ginoz's home. I can't wait to write it. The group will find out some big surprises! Don't forget to review!
Angelwarriar/Kia
P.S. Should I change my name completely to Kia or leave it as angelwarriar? Please give me some advice! Thanks!