Day of the Dragon
Chapter 2 The Dragon Reborn
The rocks were rough and jagged and the trail curved many times. Trekking through the mountain seemed like a good idea to Van at first. The trail seemed endless and the road's surface did not help. It wasn't until dusk that Van reached his destination, the Tome of Darithal.
Its size was similar to that of the palace back at Fenkeep. The structure was build similar to a shrine, but much larger. Two statues of Escaflowne stood beside the tome's entrance, each looking at the door. As Van stepped through the entrance, he did not notice that the eyes of the statues glowed. Van was not alone.
As soon as he was fully in the tome, the entrance sealed itself with a hidden wall that erupted from the floor. Van was trapped. And to make matters worse, a huge dragon slept in front of a statue of Escaflowne at the center. The dragon's scaley hide was a dark shade of brown and its wings were both the size of its own body. Its tail was long and had a stinger at the end. Its teeth were the size of swords and its claws were like spears.
Van looked at the statue and noticed it was not made of stone, but of a fine ruby. Van remembered it like the tiny pebble that Hitomi used to summon Escaflowne before he fought Delandu. Cautiously he stepped attempted to see if there was a way around the dragon. But there was none. He went back to the entrance but remembered he was sealed shut. His only hope was to summon Escaflowne and get the heck out of here.
But it was then Van's eye caught a movement. He looked at where the dragon slept, but it was gone. In panic, Van's eyed traveled all over the place. The dragon was no where to be found. Seeing this chance, Van ran up to Escaflowne and touched it. It glowed a brilliant red and then the ruby exterior shattered. The real Escaflowne was underneath the ruby coating. Van was relieved that his guess was right, but then he felt that the air was more humid.
Turning around, Van saw the dragon, its face six feet away from his. It ruby-red eyes stared unblinkingly into Van's eyes. It then gave a roar and lashed out at Van. Van dodged it and took out his sword. But as soon as he took it out, the dragon stole it with its tail and flung it to the far corner of the tome. The dragon then backed up, ready for a leaping kill. Van closed his eyes.
When Van opened his eyes he saw that the dragon was dead, its eyes white, showing sudden death. He also saw that a giant sword had sent a horizontal strike to its back. It was Escaflowne's sword, and Escaflowne was right beside the dragon. Seeing as Escaflowne only acted on its own when Hotomi was inside it, Van approached Escaflowne with caution.
"Do not fear me, Van." spoke Escaflowne.
Van jumped in fright, but then calmed down and sat beside Escaflowne.
"So, your soul responded to my call." said Escaflowne. "That is why you are hear."
"But why, Escaflowne?" asked Van.
Escaflowne looked up slightly.
"You see, Van, there is a new evil in the air." said Escaflowne. "A new evil that threatens the life of the Wing Goddess."
"Hitomi!?" exclaimed Van. "She is here?"
Escaflowne looked back down again.
"Is she alright?" asked Van.
"That depends on what you mean by 'alright'." said Escaflowne. "She is in the custody of a new evil."
"How?" questioned Van.
"When the Wing Goddess was returning to the Mystic Moon, she was intercepted by a dark spirit." began Escaflowne. "This spirit is the spirit of a fallen enemy of mine. His name was Ajuk."
"I heard of that name before." said Van. "An old sage said you fought him years ago."
"I did." continued Escaflowne. "Last I saw him he committed suicide, jumping from his flying fortress and landing on spears. His plans were foiled and he had summoned a new armor to combat me in my human form. But his soul stills seeks revenge on me, so I suppose he knew of the Wing Goddess."
"So what can we do?" asked Van.
"We can find Ajuk by taking the hearts from the three Dragon Armor of this land." answered Escaflowne. "Ajuk somehow summoned them, even as a spirit. With them he is attacking Senbena."
"Then we must go!" exclaimed Van.
"And I have some news for later battles, Van." said Escaflowne. "You no longer need to give me your blood to operate me. The first time was all the blood I needed."
"Then that makes it easier." said Van with a smile. "Now no more time for chatter, he must save the Wing Goddess."
"Yes, it shall be fun, fighting with you again." said Escaflowne.
Escaflowne's chest then opened up and Van jumped right inside. The glove, chest, and leg sleeves grabbing onto Van, but the drills were no where inside Escaflowne. Van then moved his right leg, and Escaflowne did the same. With Escaflowne under his control, Van broke through the entrance, and then walked down the mountain, and back to the plains. Now Van has a new quest, to seek Ajuk and save the Wing Goddess, Hitomi.
To be continued...
Chapter 2 The Dragon Reborn
The rocks were rough and jagged and the trail curved many times. Trekking through the mountain seemed like a good idea to Van at first. The trail seemed endless and the road's surface did not help. It wasn't until dusk that Van reached his destination, the Tome of Darithal.
Its size was similar to that of the palace back at Fenkeep. The structure was build similar to a shrine, but much larger. Two statues of Escaflowne stood beside the tome's entrance, each looking at the door. As Van stepped through the entrance, he did not notice that the eyes of the statues glowed. Van was not alone.
As soon as he was fully in the tome, the entrance sealed itself with a hidden wall that erupted from the floor. Van was trapped. And to make matters worse, a huge dragon slept in front of a statue of Escaflowne at the center. The dragon's scaley hide was a dark shade of brown and its wings were both the size of its own body. Its tail was long and had a stinger at the end. Its teeth were the size of swords and its claws were like spears.
Van looked at the statue and noticed it was not made of stone, but of a fine ruby. Van remembered it like the tiny pebble that Hitomi used to summon Escaflowne before he fought Delandu. Cautiously he stepped attempted to see if there was a way around the dragon. But there was none. He went back to the entrance but remembered he was sealed shut. His only hope was to summon Escaflowne and get the heck out of here.
But it was then Van's eye caught a movement. He looked at where the dragon slept, but it was gone. In panic, Van's eyed traveled all over the place. The dragon was no where to be found. Seeing this chance, Van ran up to Escaflowne and touched it. It glowed a brilliant red and then the ruby exterior shattered. The real Escaflowne was underneath the ruby coating. Van was relieved that his guess was right, but then he felt that the air was more humid.
Turning around, Van saw the dragon, its face six feet away from his. It ruby-red eyes stared unblinkingly into Van's eyes. It then gave a roar and lashed out at Van. Van dodged it and took out his sword. But as soon as he took it out, the dragon stole it with its tail and flung it to the far corner of the tome. The dragon then backed up, ready for a leaping kill. Van closed his eyes.
When Van opened his eyes he saw that the dragon was dead, its eyes white, showing sudden death. He also saw that a giant sword had sent a horizontal strike to its back. It was Escaflowne's sword, and Escaflowne was right beside the dragon. Seeing as Escaflowne only acted on its own when Hotomi was inside it, Van approached Escaflowne with caution.
"Do not fear me, Van." spoke Escaflowne.
Van jumped in fright, but then calmed down and sat beside Escaflowne.
"So, your soul responded to my call." said Escaflowne. "That is why you are hear."
"But why, Escaflowne?" asked Van.
Escaflowne looked up slightly.
"You see, Van, there is a new evil in the air." said Escaflowne. "A new evil that threatens the life of the Wing Goddess."
"Hitomi!?" exclaimed Van. "She is here?"
Escaflowne looked back down again.
"Is she alright?" asked Van.
"That depends on what you mean by 'alright'." said Escaflowne. "She is in the custody of a new evil."
"How?" questioned Van.
"When the Wing Goddess was returning to the Mystic Moon, she was intercepted by a dark spirit." began Escaflowne. "This spirit is the spirit of a fallen enemy of mine. His name was Ajuk."
"I heard of that name before." said Van. "An old sage said you fought him years ago."
"I did." continued Escaflowne. "Last I saw him he committed suicide, jumping from his flying fortress and landing on spears. His plans were foiled and he had summoned a new armor to combat me in my human form. But his soul stills seeks revenge on me, so I suppose he knew of the Wing Goddess."
"So what can we do?" asked Van.
"We can find Ajuk by taking the hearts from the three Dragon Armor of this land." answered Escaflowne. "Ajuk somehow summoned them, even as a spirit. With them he is attacking Senbena."
"Then we must go!" exclaimed Van.
"And I have some news for later battles, Van." said Escaflowne. "You no longer need to give me your blood to operate me. The first time was all the blood I needed."
"Then that makes it easier." said Van with a smile. "Now no more time for chatter, he must save the Wing Goddess."
"Yes, it shall be fun, fighting with you again." said Escaflowne.
Escaflowne's chest then opened up and Van jumped right inside. The glove, chest, and leg sleeves grabbing onto Van, but the drills were no where inside Escaflowne. Van then moved his right leg, and Escaflowne did the same. With Escaflowne under his control, Van broke through the entrance, and then walked down the mountain, and back to the plains. Now Van has a new quest, to seek Ajuk and save the Wing Goddess, Hitomi.
To be continued...