THE DESCENDED SHADOW
PLEASE NOTE: This story has been discontinued.
Was it all just a dream, or maybe a vision, no it was real! I returned to earth after Dunkirk was defeated and his fate alteration engine destroyed among Zaibach's cities. I slowly returned to my life on earth but Gaia and Van were never far from my thoughts. Not even today, on one of the most important days of my life.
"HITOMI" The gathered crowd yelled as they smashed they're drinking cups into the air, "At this your twentieth birthday we wish you a happy day and many happy returns!" Hitomi blushed into herself not sure what to make of the gathering in her honour. She had just come home from a hard day at collage and found her living room filled with people, all her closest friend. There was Yukari, and Amano, Sada, Yuuma and many others of her friends. Inside she was smiling, she had been duped. All day they had acted like nothing special was happening. They hadn't even remembered it was her birthday.
"What's all this" Hitomi asked knowing the answer before the words had even left her lips.
"Have you been planning this all along?" she asked them accusingly, Yukari and Amano just smiled from cheek to cheek.
"You didn't think we would forget your big day. It's hard to think about, your now Twenty, you've grown up" Amano answered her still smiling before Yukari could say about the same thing. He walked over and threw his arms around her. Then he released her from his warm hug.
The smile she had on the inside had moved fully onto Hitomi's face,
"I don't know what to say…. I love you guys, and you have done all this for me!" She couldn't help but start to laugh, she was so happy. It was Hitomi's twentieth birthday,
She planned to have fun and she was with all the people she loved. She lowered her head in a traditional bow,
"Let's have some fun!"
Yukari turned on some music and Hitomi's party really began. Everyone danced, enjoyed themselves, and Hitomi hadn't had so much fun in a long time and she really needed it. Recently it felt as if she had been doing nothing but work at collage, with her studies. Any time she hadn't been working she would remember the past. Back though she knew it would make her upset… to her time in Gaia, to Van and Allan, Millerna and Merle, yes she even missed Merle. Her paws, and tail, that obnoxious face and those strange whiskers. Fine she didn't really miss her too much but she always missed Gaia and most of all Van, she missed Van. In the time since she'd returned so much had happened, and she had mainly hid from the world in her studies, she was afraid of what she had seen and what people would think if she told them the truth. When Hitomi returned she appeared at the same moment she left, when Van had slain the dragon. They decided that it had all been a trick of the mind but Hitomi knew better, she had seen it all before.
When Hitomi left the dating game Yukari came in after Amano but she didn't care anymore, she was in love but not with Amano or anyone else on earth. Days became weeks and weeks became months and before she knew it here she was four years later, wondering if she would ever return to Gaia.
"HITOMI!" Yukari yelled into her ear, Hitomi was pulled out of her daydream. She looked into her friend's eyes closely before she could get a full grip of the reality around her.
"I haven't seen you in ages Yukari. How have you been?" Hitomi voiced clumsily. Yukari eyed her suspiciously for a moment, "Don't change the subject" She lent in closer to Hitomi intermittingly, "Just what where you thinking about looking so contented?"
She produced an evil smile,
"Thinking of a new guy you haven't told me about are you?" Hitomi took a step back from Yukari as if she had just been hit,
"No, its nothing like that Yukari, I've been keeping nothing hidden from you, and even if I was it wouldn't stay hidden for long… You being so perceptive and such a great detective I mean". Yukari smiled happily to herself,
"Yey, I guess I am really perceptive and a great detective aren't I" She laughed to herself as Hitomi let out a breath of relief, She knew the only way to stop Yukari in her tracks was to pet her Ego, worked every time. That's how Gaia had stayed Hidden for so long, even from her best friend. Amano never questioned her on such matters but she got the impression that that he suspected something had changed in her that night, other than her clothes. That was hard for me to explain.
"Well then, what have you been up to? I haven't seen you in ages! And you living on campus at the Collage" Yukari elbowed Hitomi in the ribs playfully with a raised eyebrow "I bet you get into tons of trouble nobody knows about, well that is till now."
Hitomi's mouth widened into a large smile and gave her friend a small laugh, still playing with her ego,
"Yes I get into all the trouble Yukari. I'm really the girl from Hell here and I could have any guy I wanted within a 2 mile radius". Hitomi laughed again as she finished her joke, Yukari joined in as she got it. As it wore off Yukari looked fierce and serious again,
"Now Hitomi its no joke you really need to get a boyfriend its been too long. I don't get what happened; you used to be full of life and then one day you just quietened down as if you had been through a lot more than the rest of us. Please tell me Hitomi, what happened to you?"
Hitomi looked anxious for a second. 'What am I going to do; this will take more than an ego rub to avoid.' Hitomi raised her head and looked her friend in the eyes. 'Its time that she knew the truth, Amano too I owe it to them both to tell them. What a coincidence that this all comes into the open today, just after I saw that feather beside my bed this morning. I'm I being told something? No thats ridicules. Its time',
"Ok Yukari, it's time I tell you something that you will probable think that I should be locked up for but go get Amano and meet me outside. Then I will tell you both everything that you want to know and probable more."
Yukari looked confusedly but obeyed her friends request. She turned to get Amano to hear her story. As Yukari left to get Amano, Hitomi turned and walked to the front door of her home. With a quick hand movement she unlocked the door and stepped into the cold, winter air outside. She shivered and rubbed her arms for warmth.
There was a chill wind out tonight and Hitomi could feel it all though she did not pay much attention to it as her mind was still locked in thought. Ever since she awoke to find a feather lying on her bedside table, all her thoughts had lingered on the questions of 'Was Van trying to contact her and if he was what could she do'. These questions had troubled her all day and it was because of these questions that Hitomi's mind was so occupied during her party. It was also because of these questions that Hitomi had begun to think about Gaea and more importantly Van again. It had been so long since Hitomi had seen Van and everyone else that it was almost heartbreaking for her to think of them again. This was because now more than ever Hitomi had just wanted to travel back to Gaia if only for an instant just so that she may see Van again. Hitomi had often dreamed about Van but overtime it had lessened, that was until today. She dreamed about him and how he would rebuild Fanelia along with Allan and Merle and everyone else.
She also dreamed of Van just sneaking out in order to go into the forests of Fanelia. So that he may escape his royal duties and just be alone with his thoughts for a while , sword training or on some occasions by flying and keeping watch over Fanelia's land while his subjects slept. It was this dream that Hitomi had experienced the most, as it was one of her fondest memories of Van, of Van and his wings.
It was a moment before Hitomi became aware of a small white feather lying at her feet,
"Could it be, no it can't be him," Hitomi muttered to herself as she picked up the feather, it was identical to the one she had found beside her bedside table just that morning. It was identical in size, shape and colour, a bright white just like Van's wings. As she lifted the feather up to inspect it further the feather began to glow a bright white light that hurt her eyes yet she could not take her eyes away from it. Then in an instant lightning began to flash all around Hitomi's feet and body and she was once more encased in a bright light that lifted her from the ground, from her home, from the earth and as it did Hitomi felt a great inner peace that she had not felt since she realised her true feelings for Van. As she knew that she was once more returning to Gaia and that she would once more see her beloved along with everyone else she had missed these long years.
The light dissipated and all was quite once more. Amano and Yukari quickly came through the front door as not to let heat escape the happy party inside. The lights from inside the house played patterns with the shadows. They were muttering to each other,
"She told us to meet her here, right here" Yukari told Amano looking all around the small garden for Hitomi.
"Well, where did she go then? Maybe she just went back inside to the party," Amano said shrugging his shoulders. "And if not she is one girl who can look after herself".
They both turned to return to the party, Yukari still feeling uneasy, there was something in the air. As the door closed on the garden all was silent once more
.……….
Within four years the proud land of Fanelia had been rebuilt into a magnificent kingdom that even shined compared to the old Fanelia. Now it was a true power in the Alliance of six nations that had existed since the fall of Zaibach. A real agricultural power it produced large amounts of food and exported in trade treaties to other countries in the alliance. Within the countries only city, the city Fanel, the king, Van Fanel lived.
The people of Fanelia like all people who meet him loved him. His peaceful rule had made things possible that even in the days of old where impossible. The days of Fanelia's ignoring of the outside world where over, its new king saw to that and with this new benefits where sewn.
Van Fanel though happy to rebuilt his country and help his people hated his post, which made him uncomfortable. As well as all the nonsense he had to go through in the name of the state he was constantly reminded of his duty to produce an heir to the throne of Fanelia. But the most eligible bachelor in the alliance had no wish to marry, not now not ever; he had loved and through his love had gone he had never forgotten his vow to her.
King Van's head felt like lead being rushed around by his closest friend. It was time of another 'Acts Of State' that he hated so much. Merle forced him though the doors into the Fanelian Palace's main hall, then she stopped and turned to look him in the eye.
"Lord Van, why do you have to be so stubborn? I know you hate these meetings but do you have to make it a battle for me to get you into the right room!" although upset with Van Merle never seemed to have the power to really get angry at him, even if she was really miffed. She saved that for the other people around her. Van's face brightened at the excuse to stop moving towards his fate and his advisors. He took a step towards the window at the side of the room.
"Merle, I know you and if you where in my position you would be hiding in a closet on the 3rd floor by now. And I don't hate this meetings or my advisors I just hate the way they can't agree on anything and then argue about the slightest thing for 2 hours", Van let out a little laugh as he thought,
"When did this happen, Merle?"
"What happen Lord Van?" Merle asked as she joined him by the window looking out into the night sky, it was dotted with bright sparkling stars, each representing a sad memory in her beloved's life.
"When did I start to bow to these pressures? In the past all I had to say was let's build a house over there and everyone would jump to it. Now it takes an army of advisors to make the decision for me. When did I become a figure head of my own Kingdom" Van answered her sadly, it was around this time four years before that he had lost his beloved, Hitomi, he could almost hear her voice in his ears. Her passionate pleas against war and her vows to him, reflections of his to her. A tear ran down his face as all the memories of what he had lost flooded back into his mind. Merle seeing his distress put her arm around him in an attempt to comfort him.
"Van, I miss her too" Merle said to him biting her lip a little "But we must think to the future and you must be focused. This meeting is important; it will be the last one before Allan's arrival. We must put things in order."
Van took a deep breath of the air in the large hall, and prepared to turn back to the meeting in agreeance but the mystic moon caught his eye.
"Its beautiful as always, glittering in the night above us" Van said as if to himself before lowering his head sadly "I wish Hitomi was here to see it".
"LORD VAN!" One of Van's advisors had come to find him as his absence from the meeting had been noticed. Van turned from the window reclaiming his compositor but he advisor stopped, almost scared in his tracks. Van looked up to find the confusion and fear in his eyes.
"What's wrong Radian?"
"Your neck, Sir look at your neck!" Radian almost stammered out still filled with fear. It was only then that Van and Merle could see that his neck was illuminated by an erry blue glow originating from the pendent Hitomi had given him. Both Van and Merle looked shockingly at each other before they both darted back to the window behind them.
As they expected in the centre of the sky the pillar of blue light had returned to Gaea. Van looked closely at the pillar and saw it land on Gaia within several miles from their very spot. With Merle still staring out at the sky, Van twisted himself round and barked some orders at his present advisor,
"Cancel the meeting, something much more important has taken precedence. And get as many guards from the city to start a search operation to find the person who came out of that pillar of light".
"But Sir…" His advisor attempted to protest,
"No buts…. NOW!" Van barked back at him. Radian his advisor turned heel and ran out of the room to carryout his kings orders immediately. Van turned to Merle who had just turned to face Van. She looked both scared and happy at the same time,
"Do you believe that it could be her, Van?"
He narrowed his eyes closely on her and answered,
"We won't know till we find where that pillar hit land. Come Merle!" Van grabbed one of the swords from the side of the room and ran full stride out of the room showing his speed in youth. Merle needed no second order and ran after him ready to help find the person from the Mystic moon who had just landed.
…………
The cold air bit into Allan's arms as he sat on the deck of his Levi-Ship the Crusade. Although it was quite a warm day the night was bitter cold. He looked out over the lands of Gaia in front of the ship as it floated above the green. He had come to the deck to escape; the game of cards in the other room as it had gotten too much. He couldn't keep his mind on his cards with all that was happening and it was burning a hole in his wallet.
Allan let out a sigh; the sky at night was beautiful. The day after Tomorrow they will arrive at Fanelia and he would ask for help. It would be just like old times just without her there to help them. He let out another sigh, before she had left he had convinced himself that he was no longer interested in her and gave her up to Van but since she had left he wasn't quite as sure. Having Celena there was a help but once it started he wasn't sure anymore…. Celena.
A lot had happened to him since that time 4 years ago. Most notable the death of the king which led to large problems in Asturia. He and the other knights of Cilia had to keep the peace. If the fear had spread onto the streets it could have been a disaster for the government and lead to a horrible power struggle in the country. Why did that Idiot leave, this could have all been averted but he had to be selfish and leave his wife, just like father did. Allan clenched his fist at the thought, he never really liked Dryden but he thought that he had more honour than to abandon his wife, obviously not so.
Since then Eries had ruled the country, peacefully but it would take very little to shatter that peace at the moment. That's why he decided it was better to leave the country quietly, if the people know that one of the legendary Knights of Celia had left the country it might just have been enough. A slight noise startled him from behind; he turned his head to see Gaddes sit down next to him. Allan smiled at the opportunity to turn the mood to something a bit more upbeat,
"You broke too?"
Gaddes gave out a painful laugh and bowed his head,
"They cleaned me out". He turned his head to see what Allan he been entertaining himself with, as he saw the sky he sighed,
"You were always the romantic type boss. Into skies and flowers, just like Celena" He quickly stopped in his tracks "Sorry, I didn't mean too….". Allan cut him off completely with a gesture of his hand; he guessed that this conversation wouldn't be upbeat after all. He was about to speak to Gaddes but stopped as a light from the Mystic moon caught his eye, looking up, closer he could see a small pillar of light growing down to the surface of Gaia in the distance. He sat quietly thinking the situation over, then quietly stood up.
He looked down at Gaddes and signalled that he should do the same, as Gaddes got to his feet Allan gave him an order,
"I want us to continue moving through the night. If that pillar is a sign of what I think it is I don't want to leave Van without knowing for long. Clear Gaddes?".
"Yes Sir", Gaddes answered and took control of the leve-ship and started her moving through the clouds. Allan turned and walked back into the cabin as the other members of the crew came out of the open hall on the ship.
"What happened why we moving!" Reeden asked. Gaddes turned to him,
"It looks like the little lady has returned".
…………………….
Looking down the immense drop in front of her Hitomi almost felt like she was floating in mid air. I'm I dreaming, what just happened to me? The large desert in front of her stretched out from Horizon to Horizon and a large mountain stood around her. Her heart was racing, how did she get here into the middle of nowhere, in the middle of a desert. She didn't understand what was happening to her, but she felt light headed and a great sense of urgency, like she did when she had told the future all those years ago.
Hitomi fell onto her knees begging for the version to stop, she had promised that she would never try to see the future anymore but here she was seeing it again.
"Stop, go away, I don't want to see what's to come tomorrow!" She yelled out into the desert. Her thoughts where interrupted by a loud yell, from below the cliff she was standing on.
Without a thought she wanted to help the person in distress and wished for it, before she could move she found herself five meters from a late teenage girl faced by men, raped in cloaks of the same colour of the sand around them. Each holding curved knives, ready to be brought into action.
Looking smug one of the men yelled over to her,
"See nobody here to help you sweetheart, so are you gonna come or what?" The girl he was speaking to swished her ponytail of brown hair behind her head defiantly highlighting the yellow ribbons holding it in place,
"What if I said no? But of course you don't know, your type are too stupid to know what the hell is happening around them let alone with other people?" She smiled to herself; she too was dirty. She was completely covered in sand, and looked tired. Hitomi could see sand pouring out of her pockets. 'Wait a moment, they don't have jeans in Gaia, she must be from the Mystic Moon… I mean Earth'. Hitomi thought to herself.
"Sorry but I only follow orders, and not because I'm too stupid to understand there meaning. I guess I'm just a loyal type of guy" He told her before running at her, she just smiled. With a quick hand movement she removed a small curved sword from the leg of her jeans. The man tried to block the attack from the girl with his knife but fell to the ground behind him with a sliced wound along his chest. She wiped her blade and prepared for the battle with the rest of the group she knew was coming.
"My name is Sadako Kanzaki and I'm pissed and if you don't want my anger taken out on you… LEAVE!" She yelled at the remaining men.
Hitomi's eyes widened in realization. This child was called Kanzaki, the brown hair and the eyes, they're his eyes! She felt sick with the sudden realization of what was happening, she was seeing something that is going to happen to her own daughter in the future. Fear paralysed her as she realized the danger she was in.
"The little girl thinks she tough because she killed a rookie, I think not pretty" Another of the men told her, "Alright boys she's killed one of our number and Nimura will be pissed unless carry out his orders".
The three of the men ran at her with they're swords drawn. Sadako smiled at the men. With lightning fast reflexes she pulled a small knife from above her left sleeve and threw it at one of the charging men. It impacted in the upper leg; he let out a squeal of pain, and fell to the ground tripping a second of the charging men, falling into a mass of sandy cloaks..
Without a look back the first man thrust his sword at Sadako and produced a second sword. She blocked his attack, throwing the sword out of his hand. He thrust his second sword at her stomach in an attempt at a quick victory; she hit the side of the sword powerfully, shattering it and rolled backwards away from the sword shards. She jumped back to her feet and ran at him, throwing her sword ahead of her with all her might, the sword impact and went right through the man. He gowned in pain and started to fall to the ground. Still running she pulled her sword out of him and continued.
The men she managed to trip up had got to his feet and blocked her blow aimed at his head, recoiling from the force of the hit he jumped back,
"Who trained this girl?"
He lifted his sword up to the sky and positioned it so it glared into Sadako's eyes, recoiling from the light she was blinded. He pulled out a knife and threw it at her. With almost lightning reflexes she dodged to her side. She made an angry grown as it slit along the side of her neck and cut some of her free hairs. Quickly she charged at him again with her sword drawn, he blocked her first stick to the side, but didn't move fast enough to block a side hit on his head, knocking the man to the ground unconscious. No sound came from the sword as it hit the sand.
Breathing heavily she walked forward toward the man she had daggered in the leg, seeing her coming towards him, he crawled back, yelling,
"Help, Help, me please. Please don't kill me, please," He begged her.
She looked sickened by him,
"You where warned", She reminded him, he threw this arm to the left and grabbed his sword but before he could lift it Sadako's was in his gut. She twisted the sword, removed it and spat on him,
"You were warned". She wiped her sword.
She turned around; to finish the unconscious man and directly faced Hitomi, her eyes widened,
"Mum?" She asked. Sadako let out a scream as she felt the force smash into her back; she looked down to see a crossbow bolt sticking out of her right breast. She outstretched her hand towards Hitomi, "Mum?", and collapsed onto the deserts sand.
……………..
"No!" Hitomi screamed as she awoke. She remembered it clearly; she had just watched her own child die. The sweat was running down here face, she felt disorientated and confused. Where I'm I, she thought as she looked around she could she a lusciously decorated room, with dragon carving around the walls and window. She looked closely out of the window, and saw Fanelia, with its familiar forests. Slowly a single white feather floated past the window, it was then that it struck her.
"I'm back in Fanelia, in Gaia".
It was only then that she saw him; Van was in a chair next to her bed slumped over onto her sheets, sleeping. She lied back on to her pillows feeling a lot calmer. I'm back. "I think I'll go back to sleep, I am quite tired" She muttered to herself before closing her eyes.
Hitomi was awoken by Voices a few minutes later,
"Van, have you fallen asleep! And when you're meant to be her guardian!" Merle's voice was all familiar to her, how could she miss the voice she'd argued with so many times.
"It doesn't matter Merle, they're 3 armed guards outside that door and anyway I was tired, that wasn't exactly a breeze in the woods" Van retorted, Hitomi could feel him lift off her bed beside her.
"Don't worry about it Van, you've saved my life enough times already" Hitomi spoke quietly. Van bolted up as he heard her voice, again. Van's mind was a flurry with thoughts and images; she was really here and now awake. She was back, she had returned to him. Merle couldn't hide her excitement,
"HITOMI, YOU'RE AWAKE" Merle yelled, and then jumped onto the bed using her feline abilities "I'm so glad you're Ok, but you look terrible"
Ignoring Merle Hitomi turned her head to look at Van; he looked right into her eyes. She smiled, happily. Van couldn't move as if paralysed by the smile. Thou he did, return the smile,
"Hitomi are you Ok, when we found you last night…. We weren't sure what had happened or even if you were…." Van asked finally escaping his Paralyses, breaking off towards the end.
"I've felt better, but I always feel bad after a vision" Van's eyes sparkled as she spoke,
"So your gonna be fine, my doctors couldn't find anything wrong with you but they had never seen someone from the mystic moon before", Van was so relieved it was clearly visible, he had the real fear to deal with that Hitomi just after being returned to him would be snatched away forever.
Merle looked closely at Hitomi and gave her a big lick on the nose,
"Hey, I said not to do that Merle!" Hitomi said in immediate defence, Merle stopped for a second, smiled evilly at her and started again. Van could do nothing but laugh at the situation. He never dreamed he would see her so happy to see someone that wasn't him, especially Hitomi as they never got along. Once Hitomi had escaped Merles tongue she looked closer at Van and Merle who where now fully visible, unlike before. Van had changed, he had added 2 foot to himself but that was expected, as Falcon was so tall. His messy hair was now kept shorter but still bothered his eyes. His face had become fiercer and less friendly as age and politics had eaten away at him. His dress sense though was the only thing about him that hadn't changed much. He still wore his black trousers and red shirt.
Merle had also changed a lot. She now was a lot less of a scary cat girl, but more of a beautiful cat woman. She had grown taller but not at the extent of Van, Hitomi placed her about 5:8. Her fur had developed and shined in her youth. Her dress sense unlike Van's had changed; she now wore a much longer dress in the same colour as her old one. It crossed her shoulders to keep the sleeves short to show of her arms. Her eyes also looked more mature than they did in the past, Hitomi guessed that helping Van rule a country was a mature job.
Hitomi took a last look around the room before she moved herself in the bed so she was ready to get up. Van helped her by grabbing her arm and helping her out of the bed, as he did so there eyes came into direct contact less than 30 centimetres from each other. Van blushed and started a topic of discussion to take the focus from the situation.
"Do you think your ready to get up Hitomi, you don't look so hot". Hitomi looked almost insulted,
"Now Van, I'm a big girl I know when I'm ready to leave my sick bed". As soon as she had finish she stumbled nearly fell back onto the bed. "I'm still Ok, I'm fine". As she was now out of her bed, standing on her own two feet, Van noticed the changes in Hitomi after four years without seeing her.
Hitomi had let her hair grow another inch down the back of her head, and the brown colour had darkened somewhat. Her face had grown much more adult but still had that happy little girl charm. She was also a good bit taller at 5:10, with long straight legs. They would have given her an extra edge I running. She also stood in front of him in a pair of Navy jeans and white t-shirt, nothing like her clothes from last time. She also had a pullover jacket over her t-shirt.
"Van I want you to show me and tell me everything. I want to know what has happened here and everywhere else!" She told Van looking excitedly at him.
Van also wanted to talk to Hitomi, they hadn't seen each other in four years and old emotions where returning to the surface. His love for her had never died and just to be with her again was perfect. Van smiled at her and answered,
"Yes of course, we can show you around the city and exchange stories of what has happened. But I think you should change before we go out, I don't want everyone to know the girl from the mystic moon has returned". Hitomi looked down at her clothes, seeing the dirty marks from mud she decided that he was probable right.
"Don't worry Hitomi I have brought some clothes that you can use for now" Merle smiled at Hitomi evilly "Van we will need you to leave, girls only time now!" Hitomi looked sacredly towards Van.
"What are you going to do to me?" She asked as if she was being convicted, Merle just smiled again,
"You'll see".
She decided to go with it, what's the worst that she could do? Hitomi followed Van leaving the room with her eyes, then at Merle and let out a sigh of relief.
"I'm Home" She muttered under her breath, "I'm home".
……….
The sun beamed down onto Van agreeably, laying back on the grass in one of his many gardens was one of his favourite pastimes on a day like this. The sun just felt like a warm blanket over your entire body bringing peace to the world of chaos. Through it was having no effect at the moment, his mind to cluttered, filled with emotions and thoughts he couldn't make sense of.
Hitomi had returned to Gaia, she had returned to him as if just when he called for her to come. Why now, if it wasn't me calling? With all that's going on now. We have Allan coming, with important news and with the new report in from their lines at Erráre. She hasn't returned to the peaceful world I had promised her when she left for the moon. Van sighed.
Just seeing her is enough, but now I have to work out what to say about what's happened here. I'm only 21, but I feel like an old man, ruling his nation from his walking stick. I may have rebuilt Fanelia but there's a lot of things I've done that I'm not proud of recently. In recent days the war with Erráre, terrorist attacks, deaths and assignations, Gaia is not the peaceful place I wished it to be either. So many regrets for just one man.
As his blanket of warmth vanished Van opened his eyes to see merle face to face with him. He rubbed his eyes and lifted himself off the grass,
"Hi Merle, where's Hitomi?" Van asked, he never though he would ask that question again, until yesterday. Merle smiled and nudged towards the palace door she had just walked out of,
"She's not a fan of high lady fashions," She told Van. "She's hiding in the doorway," She told him in a whisper. Both Van and Merle walked over to the doorway to see Hitomi standing behind the door. She looked discussed in herself. She was wearing a beautiful pinkie white dress, the ultimate of rich girl clothing. Van smiled,
"Look at me I'm the re-enactment of a Cinderella going to the dance".
"See what I mean," Merle told Van, "Not a fan at all".
Van looked down at her, feeling sorry for her, she had always hated these dresses. He took Hitomi's hand and led her into the courtyard. Before she could protest, the beauty stunned her. The garden, although not being very big had more flowers than Hitomi had ever seen and of all colours, reds, yellows, blues, pinks and whites…. Like Van's wings. She stood stunned for a moment; everything was perfect, except the dress. The sun was high in the sky, the flowers surrounded her, and she was here with both Van and Merle. She closed her eyes, trying her best to preserve the moment, forever.
Merle looked confusedly towards Hitomi, she arched her head in front of hers,
"What, you don't have gardens on the Mystic Moon?". Breaking Hitomi's thoughts, she remembered why she didn't like Merle that much; she always had something to say. She looked into Merles eyes,
"Of course we have gardens on the Mystic Moon, but there are few as beautiful as this. Anyway the Mystic moon is very different, than here" Hitomi answered Merle. Van followed the potential argument develop, he loved being with them both, never a dull moment,
"Ok, cool down before my garden is destroyed by a fight." Van told them both, turning both pairs of piercing eyes on him angrily. He decided it would be safest to change the subject,
"Hitomi, you wanted to know what's happened here in the past four years"
Both faces changed Hitomi's to one of curiosity, while Merles turned grave at the comment as if remembering something she would rather had forgotten. Hitomi couldn't help but see the grave look on Van's face, he looked almost scared. Hitomi walked forward and put her hand on his shoulder, and lowered her head to look directly at him,
"What's wrong Van? What could possible have happened here that would be that bad?" Van looked up again with a new sense of resolve. It is now time that he told her the truth of what had been happening in Gaia, and in the past few months.
"Well it all started with the rebuilding of Fanelia. We all went through a lot of hardships but before we were even back on our feet, Alliance forces in the south of Freid where attacked by Erráre" Van started to explain to Hitomi, but stopped when he saw she was confused.
"What do you mean attacked, and what's Erráre" She asked him. Van took a deep breath and continued,
"Erráre are a small nation to the south of the Alliances borders. They decided to take advantage of the problems that we've all suffered from since war with Zaibach. They attacked a small town on the border and…." Van trailed off as if scared to utter it.
Hitomi's concern just multiplied. How could this sort of thing continue here? She looked into Van's eyes,
"And?" Van felt her piercing eyes, as if they were seeing right through his very soul.
"and they destroyed and killed everything. They wiped the whole village of the map. Soldiers, men, women, children, everything" He now stared into her horrified eyes. She took a step back fearful of what she had just heard. Thoughts ran through her head like a marathon. Who are they, how could they do that? Could it really be true? Women and Children? What was done about it?
Sensing that Hitomi wanted the story to be continued, he returned to the past.
"Once reports of this brutal attack reached the different member states, they were Unanimous in their decision to go to war. We where all tired of fighting but how could we ignore an attack on such a disgusting scale". Hitomi looked into his eyes again, she could see and sense how much even talking about this was hurting him. He was on the verge of losing control.
"Unanimous, which means that you also voted for the attack?" Van nodded a reply to Hitomi, she didn't even notice Merle slide away in the background.
"And you regret that decision?" Hitomi asked him, he nodded.
She looked puzzled,
"Van, I also hate war and what it does to people but you can't ignore something like that being done to you. You mustn't let people die" Hitomi said trying to please Van, though it had the opposite effect. Van dropped to his knees in the garden in front of Hitomi and hid his face.
"Van I…." Hitomi started before she was cut off by Van.
"What's the point of being the victor in a war if this is how you do it! How could we become that which we hated the most! HOW!" Van yelled out, the air carrying his voice around the gardens, echoing off the high walls. He pulled a scrunched and ripped letter out of his pocket and threw it to the ground next to him angrily.
Hitomi looked at him. She felt scared; she had never seen Van act like this before, what happened? She shifted her eyes from him and looked at the letter, knelt down and picked it up. Flattening the letter out she could see it was addressed to Van personally. As she turned it to slip the letter out of its envelope, she saw a wax seal. Curious she ripped it off and put it into her pocket before continuing and removing the letter from the envelope. As she read the letter her heart plummeted. She too fell to her knees realizing what had been done. The letter dropped out of her hand and onto the recently cutgrass.
"Was anything left?" Hitomi asked, almost in a daze. Her throat had turned dry, and each word almost hurt to say. Van shuck his head,
"It wiped out the capital, several smaller towns and several thousand people. The soldiers from Freid found nothing alive" Van told her, the pain he felt was almost unbearable, and the knowledge that he was one of 6 people responsible for such a slaughter. The use of it in Zaibach was needed as they were soldiers and our very survival was threatened. They couldn't have conquered any of the alliance even right after the war with Zaibach, but they still dropped that thing. Why?
"Why would Basram do that?" Hitomi sputtered out.
"That's what I want to know and I'm not the only one. Both Queen Eries and Chid want an explanation" Van looked up at the sun high in the sky. Within moments he stood up again on the grass and regained his compotator. Hearing him raise Hitomi looked up at him and slowly pulled herself to her feet. Van caught her arm and helped her up.
Van looked into Hitomi' reddened face. A small strand of her hair had come free and lay over her face. It was at this moment that Van realized that since she had left she had become even more beautiful. They looked into each other's eyes, remembering the love that they knew and still had for each other. Van raised his hand and brushed the free hair from Hitomi' eyes.
Hitomi fell forward onto Van and buried her face in his chest, rapping her arms around him. Van followed by holding her, also. Rapped in his arms Hitomi felt safer and happier than she had ever felt before. She was with her one true love, and as long as she was with him her world would be complete. Van felt like his heart was going to jump from his chest. He hadn't felt this way for years, not since she left. Everything in the world around just melted away in that moment. Both Van and Hitomi wished that one moment could last a lifetime, but all moments come to an end.
In the back of the garden Van heard the sound of feet walking their way. He spoke into Hitomi' ear,
"Someone is coming from the other side of the garden" Their tight embrace faded as they pulled away from each other. Hitomi looked up at Van lovingly and smiled waiting for the mystery visitor. Walking slowly up the path towards them.
Van's face lit up seeing the man. He also started to smile at Van,
"Van. Your not chickening out are you!" The man laughed as he stopped in front of Van, saw Hitomi and asked, "Who's this?" Van's smile enlarged an inch,
"Dawn I want you to meet Hitomi, she returned yesterday". Hitomi could feel herself turn redder by the second. She didn't understand what was going on or who this visitor who interrupted them was but she hated to be seen in such a horrid dress. Dawn looked at Van as if he had told a joke and missed the punch line. He switched his glance from Van to Hitomi and back to Van.
"Thee Hitomi…. The Visitor from the mystic moon…. The foreseer…. Your Hitomi?
Van just slowly nodded him his answer, Dawn looked again at the girl in the pink dress. She could be one of any nobles, she looks no different! Dawn came to the quick conclusion that this must have been a cruel joke being played on him.
"Van, are you feeling Ok this morning. You didn't hit your head when you got up or anything?" Dawn asked Van, Van just looked at him. A cold breeze made Hitomi shiver through the thin material.
"No Dawn, I'm thinking straight and I've had no mind altering falls", Van told him "Didn't you see the activity of the guards last night. They were searching for her after she was dropped by the pillar of blue light."
"Wait a moment, the pillar dropped me?" Hitomi asked Van confused by the comment "It dropped me from the sky rather than setting me down?" Both Van and Dawn turned their attention to her.
"Yes it did Hitomi, that's why you where in the Hospital wing. We found you in a heap a few hundred yards from the city walls".
Hitomi was confused, why did it drop me? Any of the other times I came to Gaia it left me off perfectly. Why did it drop me this time?
"You really are her aren't you?" Dawn asked her now facing her directly. "You're the girl who left here after the fall of Zaibach, after leading a pivotal role in the saving of Fanelia" Hitomi was taken back but was pleased that he now believed that she was herself.
"I don't think it was pivotal. But I did help as much as I could for Van and Fanelia" Hitomi told him. He seemed convinced by her answer. Dawn kneeled down onto the grass and bowed to her.
"I thank you Hitomi, foreseer, for your sacrifice for the future of Fanelia and of Gaia". Hitomi almost fell backwards over herself. She didn't understand his strange comments, what had happened, what had the people from Gaia heard about her and who she was. Where they told that she was some sort of supernatural sorceress, with the powers to predict the future and show the unseen, and if they were who told them that. Dawn looked down at the girl; his heart had missed a beat. He didn't expect such a negative response to his comments. He immediately bowed his head again,
"I didn't mean any disrespect malady".
Dawn felt a hand on his shoulder as he was bowed; he looked up to see Van shaking his head. Dawn was puzzled further by Van reaction, first 'The Foreseer' and then Van reacted badly to his showing of respect. He had almost wished he had seen Van before he had seen her.
"Now Dawn, you don't believe all those rumours that float around the place do you. I thought I told you more about Hitomi than that. She wasn't anything like what the Rumours said".
Dawn felt extremely stupid. It was true that Van had told him of his true love but he had also heard so much from the city of the great Foreseer, the foreseer who saved the kingdom. He decided he has better get it straight before he gets to know this girl, this girl from the mystic moon, the hunted moon, the plane of unforgotten memory. Dawn held out his hand to Hitomi who was still on the grass where she fell, looking up at the powerful looking man, a man she had never meet but already felt she had a connection and felt she could trust with her life.
"I'm sorry if I put you in an uncomfortable position" Dawn told her as she took his hand to help her from the ground. Van smiled at the interaction of the two. What an unusual situation, one thought the other to be a legend the other a complete stranger. Hitomi laughed, as she brushed the dress down,
"I guess I'd better get used to that, when people learn who I am anyway", Dawn quickly ducked back to the opposite side of Van, scare of causing more unexpected trouble between himself and her. He didn't want to get on her bad side, as that would make things complicated. The group returned to their walk along the bright garden.
"Now, shall we find Merle" Van told them "Because I believe she wanted to see this rematch of ours Dawn, she was soooo, looking forward to seeing you in action against me. I guess she just likes two guys in a duel showing their skills" Dawn laughed at the thought,
"Well we can't disappoint her, now shall we" Dawn laughed as they continued to the castles duelling ring.
………
The large duelling arena was built in the centre of the castle Kanzaki within the City of Fanel within the Kingdom of Fanelia. Surrounded by high walls the arena boasted security and privacy for the king and his personal duelling partners. Since the construction of the city and the castle this was one of the few places he could go to escape from his busy life of King. Although the war with Zaibach had ended four years before, the continuing threat to Fanelia lead Van to continue to hom his skills to become more powerful than ever, even surpassing the great Allan Schezar.
The only person whom could match Van at his own game was his personal bodyguard and close friend, Dawn. They always trained together to help them keep themselves on their toes. Van, although enjoying the peace that Fanelia had known in the past years knew that wars where not gone and the resent problems with Erráre brought this to the forefront. He promised himself that Fanelia would never suffer the pain that it did in the past even if he had to sacrifice his own life to secure it.
Van's mind was muddled as he stood across the sandy arena from Dawn his friend and protector. Fierce they face each other across the field of battle ready for the first strike in their battle. In the stands to the left of the arena the seats were all empty, except of course for the Royal box at the top. Here Merle and Hitomi sat watching the two men prepare themselves for battle.
Merle stretched and leaned forward in her seat as she waited for them to start,
"Ay, what are they waiting for?" She turned to Hitomi who wasn't blinking as she watched the two men stare at each other, "They do this every time they have a duel! They just stare at each other for ages before one of them makes the first move!" She sighed "Why don't you start it already!" She yelled down to them.
Van sighed as he heard Merle's yells from the stands.
"Must she destroy the dramatic opening to the duel" Van said under his breath before raising his head to face Dawn,
"Maybe we should start or Merle might get upset at us". Dawn looked scared as Van finished, knowing how bad Merle could get.
"Van! Don't even joke about that!" Dawn raised his plane sword of steel in front of his face as a sign of respect to his opponent. Van mirrored the same movements, showing Dawn respect with his royal Fanelian sword. Both men moved into battle posses. A gust of wind blew Van's hair out of place, as he prepared himself for the battle.
Dawn closed his eyes and pictured the arena in his mind, from the stands to the walls, from the castle gates to the bridge of Aire. He regulated his breathing ready for the battle with his protectie, friend and King. In an instant Dawn went from still into a full sprint, running at Van. He aimed his sword, the dual had begun. Van was ready for Dawn and the two men struck steel, sparks flying the two fought each other for an advantage. Striking at each others sword time and time again, the battle which had started so quickly had already been stalemated. Their swords interlocked they faced each other, their faces mere inches from each others. Through the strain of the block Van smiled at Dawn,
"So Dawn tell me, how was your trip. You haven't told me since you got back" Van asked him, Dawn laughed at the mistimed questioned and threw Van off his sword deeper into his side of the Arena.
Van recovered himself and landed himself gently on the sand, he smiled at his friend. Dawn straightened his back and slowly walked towards Van,
"Well we didn't get back in till this morning because of a lot of commotion with the soldiers. I guess I now know why that was" Dawn answered him before launching into another series of attacks on the Fanelian King "So you can guess I'm still a bit tired from the long journey". Now it was Van's turn to laugh as he continued the cycle of attack and defence tactics.
"Trying to show me up when you're tired! One might think your trying to embarrass me Dawn!" Van yelled at him over the loud bangs of crashing steel. "I could beat you with one arm and blind folded, Van!" Dawn retorted, still clashing steel with him. As Dawn launched another attack Van ducked back making Dawn lose his balance as he attacked air. From below Van kicked Dawn in the stomach this time knocking Dawn back. Van pulled himself from the dust and prepared his sword to continue combat, "Tonight we should try that then" Van told Dawn confidently, charging him once more, "That is if you're not too tired!" Dawn recovered just in time to block Van's attack. Once again they were face to face with nothing separating them but there swords.
"Do they always fight like this" Hitomi asked Merle as they continued to watched the fight develop from the royal box. "I mean do they always have conversations when they're trying to beat each other". Merle just laughed remembering back to all the duels that she had seen Dawn and Van have in the past.
"Id love to say it's all to impress you Hitomi but they just can't have a full fight without that. It's the only time that both of them feel completely relaxed and can have a good old nattier" Merle laughed into herself as she saw the look on Hitomi's confused face.
"Ok Hitomi it's like this, Dawn is Van's bodyguard. Because of this Dawn and Van can't act too much like their friends when they are around the people in the castle, this is where they can talk without people caring" Merle told Hitomi changing her gaze back to the battle progressing further on the ground.
"But why can't Van and Dawn be friends even if Dawn is his body guard?" Hitomi asked confused by the situation. She thought that if anything it would be better as he would be even more set to protect him. Merle answered without turning her attention from the battle,
"Something about it being a conflict of interests. Say if Dawn was injured protecting Van, being a King Van should abandon him and get himself to safety" Merle sighed,
"But them being friends Van wouldn't leave him, and that is the conflict of interests. It could get Van killed and that's why people don't want it, but Van doesn't care what they think, and that's why Van and Dawn are friends anyway. Beside me Dawn is the only other person who really knows Van".
Hitomi smiled at Merle and placed her hand on her shoulder,
"Is there a fee to join the club" Merle seemed saddened further by Hitomi's joke "Cheer up Merle, Van isn't going to get himself killed, not a chance. Look at him out there, he can handle himself and he will also have Dawn to protect him. There can't be anyone, not even in a place as big as Gaia that could take them both on and win. No Merle Van will be fine". Merle smiled openly and turned to face Hitomi, licking her on the face and hugging her,
"Thank you Hitomi. Thank you for returning and just…Thank you" Hitomi smiled,
"Yes he can handle himself Merle," She whispered in her ear. Merles smile just getting wider,
"It's strange, you have only just returned…" Merle began "and yet it feels like you have never left Hitomi". Hitomi smiled and they both returned to watching the duel between Van and Dawn.
Both Dawn and Van where tiring. They had been battling now for 20 solid minutes and neither had gained any ground on the other. Desperate to gain ground on Van, Dawn furiously attacked. In the in suing attack Van's sword was thrown from his hand and embedded into the wall of the stands. Both stood waiting for the other to make the first move and finish the fight. Van bolted, and ran to the stands full pace throwing dust into Dawn's eyes, in his attempt to beat him to the sword and declare victory.
Shacking the dust out of his eyes Dawn turned to face Van once more, now armed with his sword again, standing beside a sizable hole in the side of the arena stands. Dawn panted as he saw they were both back to square one, again and he had wasted his energy for no good reason.
"They're getting serious" Hitomi commented from the stands as she watched the fight. Although she hadn't known Dawn for long she knew that he, like Van was not one to give up easily or one to take defeat easily. "
Yes, I haven't seen them get this serious for ages" Merle added, seeing the same signs as Hitomi in the two men still waiting for the next fight to start "I wonder what had started this off?" Both girls looked tensely at the fight below, as it started to ignite once more.
Dawn started a new charge into Van at the side of the arena. As if planned, as soon as Dawn started his charge into Van the wind blew throughout the Arena filling the air with dust and blinding both fighters. Running at full pace Dawn lost his footing and fell face first into the dust. Through the wall of dust he heard Van's yells get closer to him giving him just enough time to turn onto his back on the dust. Van jumped through the dust and launched his sword at Dawn, on the ground. Dawn blocked the attack, barely with his sword, leaving them once again in a stalemate.
"Dawn, you can't keep this up for much long! You can't continue for much longer!" Van yelled at Dawn still blocking his attack on the ground. Dawn, encouraged by Van's overconfidence shifted his back and kicked Van in the face with his boot, throwing Van to the ground several meters from him. Both got to their feet, ready to start anew, when both men where stopped but something neither of them expected.
The main doors to the Arena opened and an old friend marched in. The tall man in blue shock his head as he saw Van and Dawn on the battlefield and he started to quickly make his way to them. Following close behind was a girl, a girl that Hitomi didn't recognise, and Merle didn't seem happy to see.
"Who is that girl with Allan?" Hitomi asked Merle, she sighed,
"That is Celena, his sister. You know the crazy one who tried to kill Van a ton of times". Hitomi looked closer at the quite, slender looking girl and back to Merle,
"I thought when she was returned Dilandau was killed, never to return" Hitomi asked Merle still watching them making their way across the dusty Arena to the ended fight.
"That's the way they say it, but I still don't believe it! Not for a second! You're not a bloodthirsty boy one second then a nice happy girl the next" Merle informed Hitomi, though Hitomi hadn't yet made up her mind. She wanted to give her a chance; she could only imagine what it must be like for her to have changed so much and to be hated by so many people. Hitomi got to her feet and motioned Merle to do the same,
"Come on lets go!" Hitomi pushed Merle as she tried to get out of the royal box, "I wanna see Allan!" Merle just snorted at her,
"Allan, Allan, what's so great about Allan anyway". One look form Hitomi and she was on her feet,
"Ok, Ok, let's see Allan but try not to fall in love with him again; I don't want you hurting Lord Van". Another look from Hitomi and she was silenced once more, on her way out of the box and down to the reunion of old friends.
Van lowered his sword, seeing the visitors enter the arena. Dawn followed in suit seeing that their duel would have to end, for the moment. He let out a sigh, and started to rub his shoulder.
"We'll finish this later Dawn" Van told him with a smile. He was tired, and even if Allan hadn't appeared when he did the battle would have been finished soon anyway. Neither of them could have kept up that punishment.
"You can count on it Van" Dawn replied, before both men turned to see Van's guests.
"Allan, it's been too long" Van started, as Allan and Celena reached them. Allan looked grave but still managed a smile,
"It's nice to see you as well Van"
"I don't understand Allan you weren't meant to arrive till tomorrow morning" Van asked Allan, not knowing the reason for Allan's early arrival in his country which caught him off guard. It wasn't that he disliked Allan, but Van never like people coming before they were meant too. He had great respect for Allan, master swordsman of Gaia and one of the Knights of Cilia. He had even helped train Van up during the war with Zaibach, though recently Van had surpassed his teacher in skill as he was sure that his trainee would one day surpass him. As was the passage of time and of training to the next generation.
"Last night we saw something… A pillar of light, blue light, A pillar like 'Hers' Van, Hitomi's" Allan told Van. Allan was sure that Van would be more concerned than that, she may have returned and near here or even in danger. He thought that he loved her, and that this would be great news. He had even gone through the night to get this information to him. "I thought you'd be more surprised Van, Don't you understand that this means that she may have returned to Gaia!"
Van just smiled at his friend,
"I know Allan, I know what it means and we already know" Van told Allan,
"You mean you know…… and have found her!" Allan spurted in shock.
"Yes, we found her last night" Van said and took a look to the stands, Hitomi and Merle walked out from the entrance and directly to them. "And there she is".
Allan looked in the same direction as Van and saw Merle; Merle with a girl, a girl in an ugly pinkie-white dress, a girl with 'Her' face. Allan's heart took several leaps as he saw the girl, the girl he had loved and lost to Van during the war. The girl he had always hoped to see again. The girl he still loved although he'd would never admit it. He closed his eyes and tried to savour the moment, to burn the memory into his mind so he could never forget it. Allan opened his eyes again and looked at the girl, Hitomi, now standing in front of him, smiling at him. He returned the smile,
"Hitomi, is that really you?" Allan asked, wanting to believe his eyes "Is that really you?" Hitomi nodded, and walked up to him,
"Yes Allan, I'm me," Hitomi answered. She hugged him tightly round the middle, and took a step back "It's great to see you again, but there is someone you haven't introduce me to". Hitomi turned to Celena to everyone presents surprise and walked up to her. Hooded Hitomi couldn't see her face as she spoke,
"Celena…" Hitomi started. Celena was shocked but looked up and answered her,
"Yes?"
"Let us forget the past. I don't believe that you have done anything wrong and I don't hate you. Do you wanna be friends?" surprise spread throughout the group like a fire would, when Dilandau wasn't trying to kill Van Hitomi was the one he was after and here she was unconditionally giving up the past, with 'him'. None of them where more shocked than Celena herself who was used to being hated by others, the only one who had truly forgiven her was her brother, but now there was another whom she hadn't even seen since she had returned to her 'her' form.
"I… I… I…" Celena stuttered, in response to Hitomi. Hitomi just smiled at her, raising her hands Hitomi removed the hood covering Celena's face. With the hood gone Celena was seen for the beautiful young lady that she was, all but the scar on her left cheek, the scar Van gave her. Hitomi's smile just got larger,
"There will be no need for that here, you are among friends". Celena joined Hitomi in the smile and the mood of the group changed almost instantly.
"Come let us go, you must be tired from the long trip. Let us give you food and drink. And Allan you said there was something you wanted to talk to me about, something so important you couldn't courier it" Van said as he started to walk towards the castle by passing over the bridge of Aire into the central castle complex.
"Yes, but such things can wait" Allan told Van as the group followed him into Castle Kanzaki.
………….
Loved by the heavens, embraced by the rivers and cradled by the forests, the land of Fanelia had the best of all worlds within its borders. Hitomi stood looking out the window at the country she knew but the city she didn't. From this particular window she could see right into the centre of the city protected by a series of large turrets leading into the castle complex, still under construction the turrets looked like large tents held by wooden scaffolding. It appeared to Hitomi that the city had been designed to protect it against any and all armies that could threaten it. Even the external walls now had several layers of stone which Guymelef's would have trouble crushing.
Although designed for war, Hitomi saw that the city was also designed for peace, as the inner city was full of gardens and trees for the people, and a magnificent town hall and promenade in the centre for the people to gather. With all the modern needs of the people met, Hitomi was surprised that such a city could have been built in only four years. And with the castle still under construction Van had left himself to last in the rebuilding of Fanelia and the city Fanel. Powerful, extravagant and beautiful Fanel was an example to the world of how a modern city should be built.
Looking from the East to Asturia, to the South-East to Zaibach and the south to Fraid she wondered how they had survived the test of time and the wars of late. Hitomi sighed wishing to see them again, to see if they had been as fortunate as Fanelia in the rebuilding of Gaia in the shadow of Dunkirk.
The small room they had come into seemed to be best described as Vans study, full of papers, with a small desk, meeting table and live fireplace. Van sat at one of the chairs next to the fire, beside the table. Allan, Celina, Merle did the same. Hitomi remained at the window looking over the world, at night. Hitomi thought how much the stars where beautiful that night, the stars and the twin moons at night.
"Van from what I saw as we landed neither you nor Dawn have lost any of your skills. It was quite an impressive show of skill" Allan complemented Van as he sank into his chair and enjoyed the fire. Van shock his head,
"No, I got cocky and that lead to this" Van replied, motioning to a boot shaped imprint on his forehead "This should never have happened, I got cocky".
"Even thought that was very good, it's good to see you haven't been slacking in your old age" Allan laughed at Van "Your not a young warrior like me". Van shock his head at the pathetic joke and motioned to Hitomi still by the window watching the stars burning in the sky.
"Come Hitomi join us, Allan was going to tell us something important, weren't you Allan". Hitomi turned from the window and agreed to join them at the table, taking a seat next to Van. Hitomi felt that now that she was back she didn't want to be separated from him for long.
"Are you sure that nobody will disturb us?" Allan Asked Van, he looked almost amused by the question,
"Dawn has been given orders not to let anyone in, that means that no one will get in, No one". Allan seemed convinced and took a deep breath ready to start.
"As you all know that the final battle for Zaibach took place four years ago next week, and in that battle many people died" nodding the group agreed with Allan "Recently have been doing research into Atlantis and the many medicines that they had open to them. In Asturia's central study of the texts I found a tablet, a tablet written in ancient Atlantian, a tablet with what I'm looking for"
The group remained quite following Allan, though most surprised,
"But Allan why are you looking up ancient Medicines. Why do you need such medicines?" Hitomi asked what the group was thinking.
"Well, I don't… but Celena does" Allan told them, all eyes on Celena all with the same question on their lips,
"Celena is ill. In resent months the worst has been happening, Dilandau has been taking control of her for sort spans of time… but these have been getting longer every time this happens" Allan said answering the question they hadn't yet asked. Nobody made a sound for a moment for it to sink in, it was Merle that reacted first,
"I knew it! You just wanted a cover until everyone had forgotten! But it hasn't worked so you've now come for revenge! Isn't that right, Dilandau!" Merle yelled at Celena over the table, through her hood she started to cry,
"I didn't do those things. I didn't do anything, but go ahead and hate me! I'm used to it!" Allan put his arm around Celena trying to comfort her. Merle sank back into her chair, not sure of what to think.
Van sat by the fire, wide eyed,
"You mean that monster has returned. Was anyone hurt?" Van demanded of Allan. Allan just shock his head,
"No, the times that it happens have been exact so we have been able to plan for it, but I refuse to let Celena be taken from me again. I refuse to let that Murderer have her again!" Allan replied. Hitomi just sat and listened, scared. She remembered Dilandau very clearly from her trip to Gaia and no sooner than she returned and this happens. As much as she was scared she could only imagine the fear that Celena must be feeling, she could be blinked out in any moment.
Lifting herself out of her chair nobody saw Hitomi move. They all had eyes focused on the crying Celena and Allan. She walked round the table to Celena and kneeled down beside her. All eyes moved from Celena to Hitomi.
"Celena, Allan, I can't talk for everyone but I will help you. As I said before I don't believe you have done wrong and I want to help you get rid of that Monster" Hitomi told Celena, Celena grew a smile and hugged Hitomi,
"Thank you" was all Celena could manage to say, as she started to cry again, but now tears of joy rather than tears of pain. Even Merle was moved by the display by Hitomi, Van smiled. 'This is why I love her so much' Van though 'She is willing to forgive all and to help all people she can'.
"Thank you, Hitomi" Allan told her as he continued to comfort Celena, Van decided.
"Alright Allan, I give you all the support I can but what can we do?" Van asked Allan.
"I have this" Allan lifted a piece of tablet from his pocket, a tablet covered in inscriptions, Adlantian inscriptions "This is a piece of inscription about a medicine, I want you to try and see if any of your Wise Men can work out what it says". Van nodded as Allan placed the in scripted tablet onto the table. Hitomi looked at it, she recognised that language. Though it was very different from Japanese, she learned it at collage
"We lords of the earth, sky and water here lie the tablet of medical discovery" Hitomi read aloud. All eyes turned to her again,
"Hitomi, you can read it?" Merle asked quietly, she knew that Hitomi had shown unusual powers but how could she ready something so alien?
"Its in a language I studied at Collage from the mystic moon, its called Latin, it was spoken in the olden days on the mystic moon" Hitomi explained, and then continued to ready the transcript on the tablet.
"This tablet will lead you to the ultimate goal hidden away, a medicine capable of curing all ailments, injuries and even death. Hidden from a world unready for it we leave this tablet with hope that in the future it shall be found again. 3 Objects you must find, once all three are gathered in the mystic valley the final test you must take to gain the Elixir Of Atlantis. You must find the Tree Of Life, The Snake Of Health and the Sword of Victory. If it be fated you will succeed"
The room was quite, the only sound came from the burring fire in the fireplace. Crackling. Van had decided that he would help his friend to the end and do everything in his power to stop Dilandau from returning to Gaia. He also couldn't bare the thought of being without Hitomi again. Merle decided that she was going to do the same as Lord Van, weather that meant that she didn't believe her, but if she was right stopping him from coming back would be a good thing. Hitomi had already decided to help them, she wanted to help Celena with all the powers she had, no matter the cost.
This left no other options open to the group of old friends; they must begin a new journey and open a new chapter in the book of Gaia. The book opens on the Shrouded in Shadow Odyssey. The shadows on the past begin.
End of Part One
Butch Cassidy
15.06.2003
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AUTHOR MESSAGE
Thanks for reading the first part for both The Descended Shadow and Shadows of the Past. I hope you enjoyed it. This fan Fiction opens the 'Shadows of the Past' series which follows this story as well as 'The Descended Shadow' which follows the story of Sadako. Butchs Fan Fiction Forum is very proud of this and looks forward to the next parts releases for both Shadows of the Past and The Descend Shadow. Did you catch the 'Battle Royale' and 'Ringu' references? Also there are countless references to 'The Prophesy', for more on this Fan Fic head to my links section. Well hope you enjoyed this, my longest Fan Fiction yet and hope to see you again. Any questions mail me at the above address.
-ButchCassidy
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