Disclaimer: Vision of Escaflowne and its characters and likeliness is copyrighted to its respective company(ies). But the characters I created and this story is copyrighted to me.
Rating: PG-13
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FATES' JUDGEMENT
By Cosmos (ml_eclipse@hotmail.com)
Chapter 10: Unexpected Company
She had known him for only a brief period of time, only that one night when he saved her life in fact; yet now his absence seemed to create such a void in her soul that she found it difficult to fill. It might simply be guilt…the guilt of knowing that he died because of her.
Hitomi's grip on the red fabric tightened as the surge of sorrow resurfaced in her soul once again. Her vision began to blur with the escape of translucent tears over the brim of her sad eyes. She looked down at the torn piece of clothing she held in her hand, regretfully. This was all that remained of him. This piece of shredded fabric soaked in his blood was all that she could retrieve from the destruction of last night. Unable to withhold her sorrow, Hitomi allowed her grief to pour freely while her hands continued to mend the torn fabric. Her blurry vision and shaking hands were making this task extremely difficult but she carried on with every stroke of the needle and every stitch of the thread.
Once in a while, she would put the needle down and glance through her heavily curtained bedroom window. Since early this morning, after her difficult struggle to reach her home, Hitomi had hidden herself within the safety of her bedroom. Although things seemed peaceful and safe now, she remained on constant alert to the slightest disturbances. The fear of being found was all too great upon her mind, and this time there would be no one to help her.
Her family was suspicious of her actions, naturally. Her mother immediately enquired into the sudden change of behaviour but Hitomi concealed her actions with a white lie; that she was feeling unwell. It was a reasonable excuse and her mother queried no more.
So here she was, trapped within the confines of her room and the loneliness and fear dwelling in her heart.
After inspecting the window and the outside scene it framed, Hitomi returned to her difficult task once again. She remained hard at work for several hours until a subtle noise outside caught her ears. Immediately she stiffened with fear as her unsteady gaze fell upon the window. Over the next minute she heard nothing more. Perhaps it was only her imagination.
There it was again.
It was a low rumbling sound, pounding out a strange rhythm every few seconds. Hitomi listened harder. It was the sound of a leather drum, and it was beating out an unfamiliar song whose slow, constant pace began to merge into a dizzying drone in Hitomi's mind.
She dropped the needle and clutched the side of her head with one hand as a sudden wave of nausea overcame her.
"What is wrong with me?" she thought aloud unsuspectingly. "Am I getting sick from too much anxiety?"
While she sat there trying to determine her body's strange reaction, the drumbeats began to heighten in rhythm and the sounds became stronger as it converged in her room. Despite her weakening state, Hitomi still had enough wit about her to notice the change in pitch. It did not pass her notice that the sound was increasing in decibels until her room appeared to be the core of the unusual instrument itself. Suddenly an image flashed swiftly through her mind of pale blue flames and dark hooded faces. Shocked by the unexpected revelation, Hitomi realized what was happening to her. It must be The Hunter. This must be some kind of trick they are using to capture her.
Grabbing her work, Hitomi stuffed it into a blue duffel bag by her side and immediately exited her room. In the hall, the kitchen, the living room, the monotonous rhythm chased her relentlessly as she struggled to escape. Upon reaching the living room, Hitomi gasped in shock and fear when the unconscious forms of her family appeared before her sprawled on the soft carpeted floor. Immediately, without a second thought of her situation, Hitomi stooped down beside her mother, who was nearest to her, and reached out to touch her face with a shaky hand. Her skin felt warm and the gentle caresses of her breath upon Hitomi's hand assured her mother's good health. Looking about her toward the other members of her family, her father and younger brother, she sighed inwardly with relief to see that they too have fallen into a deep slumber and nothing more. Stroking her mother's cheek with gentle care, Hitomi realized that she could no longer remain here. Her presence would endanger her family even further. With firm resolve, Hitomi stood up and ran out the back door.
Hugging close to the shadows, she slinked along the empty roads making her way to the only place she knew that could possibly offer her means of concealment, while simultaneously isolating her from other people so they too would not fall victim to her cursed fate like her family. Hitomi moved quickly despite concern of being discovered. She must reach the place before daybreak while the infant night could still provide her protection from sharp eyes. It took her over three hours to finally reach her destination. She saw with relief the ebony silhouettes of massive trees as they appeared into view a short distance away. Running silently, Hitomi escaped to the safety of this ancient forest while the sliver moon cast its faint light upon an advancing group of heavily cloaked men following steadfastly behind her.
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There were low murmurs in the near distant behind the thickets hiding a small worn path leading to an undisturbed crystalline lake situated at the west edge of Cummerson Forest. The faint sounds were easily detected by his well-trained senses as Van quietly approached the open area. He did not really understand why he decided to come here but something within his soul wanted to reach out for this newfound companionship. Having spent almost a month alone in the old central park day-after-day and night-after-night began to take a toll on his emotional state. Although a maverick at heart, Van could not deny the fact that loneliness was a poor companion to beget with. Initially, he focused all his attention on the mission at hand, which was to protect Infinity, but now he felt uncertain of the reason that had fueled his actions. Did the mortals deserve this fate we are condemning them to? he thought while he strolled toward the lake. It cannot be fair to say that they should forfeit their lives for us...but then we could not surrender ours either. A frown of frustration appeared on his young face as his heart and soul battled between the reasons, the feelings, and the knowledge of what was right and what should be. Perhaps, he thought, I should leave Infinity be. Should the time come for Judgement then Infinity will somehow escape the hands of The Hunter, but if now is not the occasion then she will die by their hands. Yet...either way...she will forfeit her life...unknowingly.
He could not forget the solemn emerald eyes, which gazed at him in anguish that night when they hid together within the abandoned warehouse. There was so much innocence and such reflection of fear that drowned within those pools of green. Here he was thinking of Infinity, the power of judgement, but he had forgotten that behind that power was an innocent soul…one with beautiful green eyes and a gentle heart. Simply calling this power Infinity was injustice in its own right because this power possessed another name…Hitomi.
He could clearly recall seeing the concern she evidently felt for him shown on her face when he told her to escape. Despite knowledge that death was vastly approaching, she had refused to leave him for fear of his life. Such kindness conflicted with the image his mother painted of these mortals. Surely if one rock could house such a gem as Hitomi then at least a few more existed somewhere deeper within the mountain from whence the rock originated. Before Van realized what was occurring, the dark picture his mother had shown him began to fade. And it became fainter still upon the encounter of a very recent event that just now unfolded before his eyes.
Van had arrived at the shore of an isolated lake hidden within the thick bodies of ancient evergreens. Yet, floundering about its clear waters were seven young men with flimsy spears poised awkwardly over their heads as they cast their inexperienced eyes over the dark surface. Suddenly a flash of silver beneath the water sparked a rush of adrenalin as one of the men quickly shot his spear at the target but the force of his throw also caused him to become greatly imbalanced. Along with his weapon came his body, head first, into the cold dark waters. An uproar of laughter soon reverberated throughout the silent forest as his friends obtained their amusement at his expense.
"Hey now, Sythe," Cade cried out with mirth, "if you can't even catch those fish with a sharp spear, do you think you would be able to catch them with your teeth?"
Coughing obsessively with water, Sythe growled out a response.
"So," Theo chimed in, "what does fresh sushi taste like?"
The last comment tipped the glass and Sythe turned on Theo, who happened to foolishly stand near him while making the comment, and dunked the poor boy's head into the water. However, Theo was a rather agile lad, and he quickly twisted his leg such that it knocked both he and Sythe off balance as they came crashing mightily into the water. A wrestling match immediately ensued as the two, unfairly matched opponents, tried again and again to dunk the other into the cold body of the lake.
"All right you idiots," Rad finally cried out humorously, "you're scaring our dinner away."
Sythe and Theo soon dropped the dispute. Sythe was the first to regain his feet as he turned to offer a friendly hand to Theo, who was ten years his junior. While pulling the youngling out of the water, Sythe happened to look over the shorter man's head to discover the presence of an individual he did not expect to see again.
He cried out in surprise, "Well, well, looky who we have here."
Upon hearing his comment, the other men immediately turned to see who the newcomer was. They were all equally surprise, especially the eldest, Rad. He had not expected Van to join them here in the forest. Knowing the brooding, solitary nature of this stranger, he would think Van to have immediately departed once they were gone. He had extended the invitation out of civility and not expecting it to be answered. But he was somehow glad that Van was now here. Much like the other men in his group, he knew what it was like to traverse this cold plane of existence alone. It was an experience he did not want to go through again, and one which he would never wish upon any soul. Ever since they found one another, this group of men became very close. They considered each other as brothers, where Rad and Sythe, being the two eldest, watched over their siblings with a high degree of protective ferocity and loyalty.
Throwing Van an extra homemade spear he held in his hand, Rad invited him to join them in the night's hunt. "Hope you know how to use that," he cried out, "because we need all the fish we can get."
"Why is that?" Van asked curiously.
"Silverback season is almost over," Rad replied, half-distracted by a faint shimmer an arms throw in front of him.
Van glanced down at the flimsy weapon in his hand. He quickly realized that this so-called spear was nothing more than a thin, weak metal bar to which a dull blade was tied unskilfully to one end. Holding the object in his hand, Van tested out its strength and found, with disgust, the way the bar flops to and fro with the movement of his arm. You can't catch a leaf with this let alone a fish, he thought.
"Well?" Cade called to him, "Are you going to help or stand there catching mosquitoes?"
Van scowled. The other men were surprise to see Van throw away the spear they gave him but their astonishment was shortly replaced with awe when the young man drew his magnificent sword from its scabbard. Without a word or glance, Van quickly pulled off his shirt and waded into the bitterly cold water. Despite himself, Van took a sharp intake of air when the chilly liquid touched his bare feet. However, his expression remained calm and rigid as usual.
Honing all his ability as a soldier, Van took a strike position where he remained still and silent as a statue. The water surrounding his lower thigh remained calm as if only the wind and shadows were there. His stealthy behaviour soon created an envelope of rigid silence that encompassed all those around him. No one dared to move as if afraid to shatter this fragile glass-like moment. The other men watched his swift moving garnet eyes as they followed their prey swimming innocently beneath the undisturbed surface. Suddenly an explosive splash broke the silence as Van swiftly jabbed the sharp blade of his sword into the dark face of the lake. Its smooth and deadly edge cut through the water without much resistance. Feeling a dragging force swaggering the full body of his sword, Van smirked with triumph as he pulled a large silverback from the water with the razor tip of his sword pierced cleanly through its body.
The other men gaped at his success with both shock and envy. Of course the silent moment of surprise could not last long before Arik wailed, "Not fair! He has a sword, damnit!"
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A lonely shadow slinked through the immense forest immersed in an atmosphere of fear and apprehension. The solitary figure would jump at the slightest sound: a twig snapping underfoot, the hoot or howl of unseen animals, or even the eerie whispers of the night wind. In-between the bars of shadows cast by the wide ancient trunks of the old forest, a flood of pale moonlight would weave through the forest floor to catch this individual's pale and mournful face. Her dull green eyes, once so full of spirit and laughter, glowed magnificently each time the faint moon caught their gazes.
With dark pupils dilated in fear, she glanced wildly around each time an unknown sound would catch her ears. With each three or four steps, she would give a wary glance behind, expecting to see dark shadows following her. Yet each time she saw nothing but utter darkness and emptiness. Her hands clutched tightly on the strap of her bag as she searched desperately for a place to hide. Fatigue was slowly overcoming her mind and, with the addition of fear and anxiety, she felt her body would soon give way to the demand of sheer exhaustion. Nevertheless, each time she would slow down to rest there would be a strange uneasy silence falling over the atmosphere as an unidentifiable troubled feeling swept through her heart, urging her to continue moving while warning of the death that followed unseen behind her.
Had her eyes not been dried of its tears she shed earlier for the young man that saved her life, she would be shedding them now in loneliness and depression. During her emotional turmoil, she would recall the familiar and friendly faces of her family, her friends, especially the two she deeply cared about, Yukari and Amano. Her face became even more sullen when she thought of Amano. He was one year her senior but he was a close friend of hers since junior high. They were both the best runners on their track teams and it seemed that single commonality created a special feeling she attached to his person. Whether it was love, she had yet to determine.
Then her thoughts shifted to him. The young stranger she met only three days earlier but whom made such an unexpected impact upon her heart and soul. It was strange. It felt as if she missed his presence more than anyone else she loved. Her brows furrowed in bewilderment. A sad sigh escaped into the night to be captured within the body of a passing breeze. Perhaps it was his great sacrifice for her that captivated her heart so much. She felt all the gratification a person could ever feel for her hero, but within that emotion something greater was slowly growing as well.
She recalled coming face-to-face with his garnet gaze so full of spirit and perseverance buried beneath all the burdens of sorrow and loneliness he must have carried within his heart. His solemn, enigmatic character greatly intrigued her but greater still was an inner compassion and gentleness she could sense behind his cold mask.
A rebel breeze blew coldly at her body, and she wrapped one hand around her waist as she whispered in loneliness, "I wish you're with me now."
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"Huh?" he gasped in surprise as a faint voice whispered in his mind but as quick as it came, the voice disappeared before he could catch the words it was saying.
"Hey, something wrong?" asked someone nearby.
Van immediately snapped out if his thoughts as he faced the individual. He replied solemnly, "No."
Cade studied the young man for a moment before he shrugged his shoulder helplessly and continued on with his work skewering the freshly caught fish with small twigs they collected from a nearby tree. Once done, he stabbed the twigs into the belly of the smouldering fire with the fish sticking above its flaming face. Before long, the luscious smell of roasting fish began to invade the atmosphere, cruelly tantalizing the nostrils of these hungry young men gathered around the small flames.
"Oh! I am sooooo huungaarry!" Arik wailed as he rubbed his growling stomach.
"Be patient Arik," Landen chastised. "The fish will soon be done."
"Well," Cade said without much attention to anyone, "thanks to Van we actually have something to eat."
"Hey," Theo chimed, "I caught one as well."
"Yeah a minnow," said Sythe, "and one that got trapped within your shirt when you fell into the water."
"So? At least I caught one Mr….Mr….," Theo frowned in concentration as he tried to come up with an insulting name, "Mr…I-took-a-nose-dive-to-catch-a-fish."
"Whah?" Landen cried out in disbelief before he doubled over in uncontrollable laughter. "Ha-ha-ha-ha! Yeah! That was a good one!" he cried out sarcastically while holding his stomach as laughter erupted from his mouth again.
"Humph!" Theo mumbled angrily, "At least I caught something."
Van stood up and strolled over to the fish cooking over the flames. Reaching one hand quickly in to grab one fish, Van said casually while juggling the hot food between his palms, "At least the boy was able to catch something." Taking his seat by Cade once again, Van began to eat his meal without further attention to the others. His comment collected him seven astonished gazes but he ignored them. A considerate comment like that was the least they expected from a rebel like him. Theo gave him an appreciative grin before he went in to grab a fish for himself.
They ate their meals in silence, but their minds were far from being silent. While Van was on a completely different line of thought, the other seven were pretty much considering the same subject. They all wondered about Van and his history. Although they guessed that he could not be any older than eighteen, they speculated about his past, who he truly was, and how he came to be the warrior they saw before them. Surely, this youth must hold some great position in an army somewhere for him to have such fighting skills but he appeared to be so young. However, the one thing that truly befuddled their minds was the fact that he carried a sword, which was something no one ever does nowadays.
Arius could no longer withhold his curiosity. No more than ten minutes into their meals before he voiced his inquisitiveness.
"Hey Van," he began hesitantly, "when did you…uh…when did you learn how to use a sword like that?"
Van remained silent with his attention still upon his meal. For a few moments, Arius was afraid he would not receive any reply from the young man. However, his fear was soon proven false when he heard Van's solemn voice spoke up from across the fire.
"When I was a child," came the clipped response.
Arius remained silent, hoping Van took it as an indication to continue. But he didn't. Arius took a bolder step and asked further. "Where'd you learn it? How did you come to have such a magnificent sword? I mean I have never seen such a thing before."
Arius again waited for the response but this time Van took a lot longer to reply. Arius noticed that his face had become grimmer and sadder. Regretting to have caused such pains to his companion, Arius was about to voice an apology but was interrupted by Van.
"My swordsmaster is a man named Balgus," Van began slowly as memories of a life he once led surged into his mind. "He is the best in all of Eth…he is the very best. He taught me to fight ever since I was able to hold a sword. But swordsmanship was not all he taught me. There was so much to the discipline that I learned from him, and I am forever grateful to him."
"Sounds like he is a good man," Rad joined in.
Van nodded while his gaze remained on the fire, the half-eaten fish in his hand long forgotten. Within the reddish-orange flames, Van saw his Etheria. He reminisced the beauty of his Kingdom's sunrise, and how his mother would always watch the event unfold in the highest tower of Laurith. Her beautiful white wings bathed in the rosy light while her long ebony hair waved freely in the soft gentle wind.
"Were you his only student?" someone's question sliced through his memory.
"No," Van replied, reluctantly returning to his present situation. His voice became slightly harder. "He has one other student." Then he added in a lower tone with a slight competitive edge, "One far greater than me."
Sythe and Rad immediately noticed the change in Van's voice when this second student was mentioned. They knew there must be some ongoing rivalry between these two. However, what surprised them was Van's acknowledgement of this student's superiority and, with prior observation of Van's obvious skills, gave indication that this other swordsman must be excellent indeed.
"Tell me Van," Rad said seriously, "I can tell you're not from around here, so what purpose brought you to Allaria?"
Van's eyes darkened and the image of the raging flames reflected clearly within its crimson face. "I have been given a task," Van replied coldly, "which I must complete…here." And that was all he would tell them.
"So was getting beaten up to death part of that task?" Cade asked referring to the night they found him.
Van frowned. "I've encountered some…resistance."
"I see."
Van soon wondered why he was answering these questions at all. These mortals need not know what his purpose in their city was. I have become too unguarded lately, Van thought with concern. I must be more wary of what I say from now on. From that point on, Van did not respond to any more questions; and he left the men wondering why he had become reclusive again, or why he opened up in the first place.
"Hey Van," Arius spoke kindly, "if you ever find yourself in a pinch again, you're always welcome to come to us."
Van looked up at the young man, whom he guessed to be three years his junior, with a surprised look. "Why would you want to help me?" Van asked warily.
"Well, why not?" Arius countered.
Van remained silent.
Arius spoke, "I've never known what a home is like and I have never had anyone who really cared for me before I joined Rad's group. Oh, I've been with other people but they were not the kind of crowd anyone would like to encounter. Before I met Rad and the others, I've been a washed up mess, always wandering aimlessly around the streets, most of the time going hungry. Although I still don't have a place to stay, at least I have a family now." Arius looked up at Van and said, "So I know what it is like to fight alone; that's why if I could help you I would. Fate has been kind to me lately and I want to thank her by helping another."
Fate, Van thought solemnly. "What about your parents?"
Arius' face became very sad. "My mother passed away giving birth to me. My father did not take her loss well and, out of grief, he joined her not long thereafter. So, honestly, I never knew my parents. I can't even remember what their faces looked like, or what their voices would have sounded like."
And you still consider Fate to be kind to you, Arius? Van thought. Your heart is too gentle for your own good.
"I was sent to several foster homes," Arius continued, "but it had never felt like home. They were they and I was I. That was how it had always been in those places."
"You feel as if you have awaken from a long sleep," Landen added. "You fell asleep knowing one world and when you wake you find yourself in someone else's. Your world had moved on without you, and now you have no place in it. That's why I ran away from my foster home. I wanted to find my world once again, find things I was familiar with."
"I wonder sometimes," Arius said quietly, "what my life would have been like had my parents been alive. I'd probably live in a three-bedroom home with a large yard and a dog. I have always wanted a dog. Each morning, I'd wake up to their voices, have breakfast with them, say goodbye and go to school, and later say hello again."
"Arius' history is pretty much all our histories," Rad said. "We're all outcasts of society, with neither home nor future. We did not choose to lead a life like this but we were fated to be born into one; so we make due with what we have. But we do not take our poor fate as an excuse to behave unkindly. It is quite unfortunate that many others do."
Van listened with interest while within his soul a storm of confliction raged. And the dark image of these mortals became fainter still.
Despite their kindness, or should it be said because of their kind hearts, that Van decided it was time for him to leave. The souls of these men were already burdened with their own grievances; he would not allow them to be entangled in his cursed fate as well. Van stood up silently and walked away without a word.
Landen called out in surprise, "Hey, where are you going?"
"I have unfinished business I must attend to," Van replied without a glance back.
"Wait," Arius implored, "maybe we can—"
But Van interrupted him. "You have enough troubles in your life as it is." Van added in a kinder tone, "I do not want to burden you further with mine."
"But—"
"Believe me," Van said firmly, "you would not wish to walk on this path of mine." Then he left. They watched in silence as his receding form became engulfed in the dark mists of the night.
"I feel sorry for him," Arik voiced his sympathy.
"Yeah," Landen agreed, "I think there is a lot more happening then he let on."
"A lone soul," Rad said solemnly, "fighting to find his purpose. It is a sad battle indeed."
Arius remained silent. As they began to return to their unfinished meal, a scream pierced through the night air to reach their unsuspecting ears. The young men immediately dropped their food and jumped to their feet.
"What the world was that?" Landen cried out in shock.
"Sounds like trouble," Sythe warned.
"Come on," Rad called as he ran in the direction the sound emanated from, "if someone is in trouble we have to help."
The other men agreed and followed closely behind him. Cade drowned out the fire before he too took off after his companions.
Van was not far away when he heard the cry for help but he also sensed much more then a simple scream. Immediately after the horrific sound reached his ears, a great surge of power slammed into his body, much like the one he felt on the night he first encountered The Hunter's sorcerers. Fleeting images of dark tree trunks rushed by his mind while strong emotions of fear zapped through his nerves. He quickly realized this was not his emotion he now felt but that of Infinity's vessel, Hitomi.
Without further hesitation, Van willed his wings to sprout tearing his stained white shirt in the process. With a mighty flap of his magnificent white wings, he was airborne and flying swiftly toward the one he was supposed to protect. All the while, he cursed himself for being so careless not to check up on the girl's condition and whereabouts. He had assumed The Hunter would not reorganize quickly enough to begin their search for Infinity so soon but obviously it was a grave miscalculation on his part. However, there was one thing that truly puzzled him. Why is she here?
It did not take Van long to find her. The incredible release of power from within her body was easy for him to follow. As he neared his destination, Van folded his wings and landed silently on a cushion of leaf litter and moss blanketing the dark forest floor. Quickly he rushed through the bars of shadows and pale moonlight toward her. From what he could see through her eyes, she was on the run. Panic and fear flooded every inch of her body, and all this he sensed clearly as if her emotions were his own. A small voice deep within the recess of his mind questioned this strange connection he evidently had with her, but during this time of heightened rage, he failed to notice it.
Suddenly, through the darkness, he saw her lithe form running maddeningly through the forest. The bars of light fell over her pale, fear-stricken face revealing crimson liquid that oozed out of the many scratches on her cheeks, which she received from the sharp brushes and lower branches of the forest undergrowth. Seeing her in obvious pain and terror, Van felt great guilt for leaving her alone. Damnit! He was supposed to protect her!
Trying to calm his raging heart, Van regained control of his anger and channelled it to greater use by enforcing his determination to protect her from The Hunter. Realizing she was heading straight in his direction, Van ducked behind a tree and grabbed her just as she passed him. Letting out a shriek of terror, she began to fight against his hold, pounding on his chest weakly with her small fists and all the while begging loudly for him to release her.
"Hitomi!" he called her name. He watched as she immediately stopped upon hearing his voice. Slowly, almost fearfully, she opened her eyes and raised her gaze up to his face.
Is it...? she thought fearfully, expecting her hope to vanish immediately upon sight of an unfamiliar face. But much to her relief and immeasurable joy, the pale moonlight revealed the face she had unknowingly come to care so deeply for. His beautiful, solemn maroon eyes gazed down at her with concern.
"Hitomi are you—?" he started to ask but she prevented him from finishing by embracing him with arms gladly wrapped around his neck. Her overjoyed face buried in his chest as she shed tears of happiness. His eyes widened in surprise to this unexpected reaction.
"Van!" cried she into his chest, "You're alive! You're alive!"
He gazed down at the innocent and fragile form holding onto him. An overwhelming emotion of affection suddenly overcame him. Slowly, he wrapped his arms around her waist and held her protectively in his tight embrace. With eyes closed and a tender grin upon his lips, he rested his cheek on top of her head as he felt her warm tears drift down the bare skin of his chest.
Hushing her comfortingly, he whispered, "Everything is going to be all right, Hitomi. I'm here now."
Her muffled cry continued to reach his ears.
"Please forgive me," Van whispered, "I shouldn't have left you alone."
He felt her head shake against his chest in disagreement. Then her gentle voice caressed his ears, as she said, "No, there's no reason to ask for forgiveness, Van. I am only…I am only glad you're here with me; that you are still alive and well. I was so afraid," tears began to form in her eyes again as she lifted her gaze to look at him, "I was so afraid I had lost you back there."
He listened to the words, and the voice, that spread unfamiliar warmth throughout his heart. A surge of indescribable emotions flooded his soul; and this single, beautiful individual he now held protectively in his arms created it all. He observed her sad, yet thankful eyes filled with crystalline tears, which she shed for him. It surprised him: her actions, her sincere concern for him, and her evident care for him. He, a complete stranger. She would cry, thought Van, for me. He raised a hand and wiped away a tear from her lower eyelid with his callous thumb. But if she knew...if she knew Etheria's blood, her enemy's blood, flows through my veins...would she still shed these tears for me?
"Come," he said solemnly, "we must get out of here. They are not far behind."
She acquiesced. He pointed the direction, about one o'clock in front of them and told her to run as quickly as she can, always keeping to the shadows and the moon to her right. He followed close behind her in order to keep himself between her and the dangerous enemies that were chasing after them. He soon noticed as they set out in the direction he indicated that she was carrying a large duffel bag with her. His brows constricted with curiosity. How long has she been out here? Was she prepared for this all along?
No matter how fast they moved their relentless foes seemed to travel even faster. He watched her silently from behind. He had seen her run once before and he quickly realized she was not running at the peak of her condition. Of course she would be tired from the horrific chase prior to meeting him, but he guessed she could not have run for more than twenty minutes before he caught up with her. And twenty minutes should not make a top runner like her tire so easily as she appeared to be now. In fact, her pace seemed to slow down with each passing minute and her breathing became rather laborious. He watched with concerned eyes as his mind raced to solve to this mystery.
Then he heard it.
A slow, constant beating of enchanted drums sounding faintly through the silent forest night. The sorcerers, he growled inaudibly. They're placing a powerful spell on her. Damn them! No sooner had he realized this that he saw Hitomi collapse exhaustively onto the damp forest floor. Rushing quickly to her side, he asked, "Hitomi? Are you all right?"
"Van, I," Hitomi struggled to speak but her mind felt muddled and incomprehensive to anything her eyes were perceiving, "I can't go on. I feel so…so strange…so tired." She began to lull off to sleep.
"No Hitomi!" he yelled while forcefully shaking her. "You must remain conscious. If you allow yourself to sleep then you will fall into the sorcerers' enchantment."
"Sorcerer?" she mumbled incoherently.
Shaking her again, he cried angrily, "Stay awake for me Hitomi! I need you to stay awake. You must resist the pull of sleep. Hitomi!"
"I will…try Van." He could see her frown as she struggled to remain conscious. "But it is…so strong. Van, I…"
She is right. This enchantment is much too strong, even for her. He bent down and gathered her in his arms as he began to channel some of his strength to her weak body. The powers that flowed through his veins, which have warded off the sorcerers' spell for him, would also help her as well but in doing this, he was taking a rather large risk. Since most of his strength would have been transferred to her he would be considerably weaker, and should they be caught then his ability to fight would greatly be diminished. But the risk of having her fall under the spell outweighed all else. He would not lose her to these men.
With the transfer of power still in progress, Van stood up with Hitomi cradled in his strong arms and continued on. The dark scenery flying by them seemed endless, and the silent night appeared to be timeless. He quickly forgot how long they were travelling, or at what time of night they were presently occupying. Had it been minutes? Hours? Was it almost dawn? He could not tell. Everything remained as still and as dark as ever.
He had ceased the transfer of his energy to Hitomi about twenty minutes ago once he noticed that she had regained relative consciousness and was able to ward off the enchantment on her own. Yet he still carried her in his arms because with her weak state she would only slow them down. It was perhaps another hour or so before they reached a large clearing located deep in the central region of the immense forest. He observed the grand expanse of short grass and wildflowers with concern. It would take them at least twenty minutes to traverse this large meadow under the condition they were travelling. He frowned in irritation. He hated to be exposed for so long, especially when his enemies were much closer then he had anticipated, but apparently this was the shortest route to the other side of the forest. He had to chance it.
Shifting Hitomi's body in his arms, Van set out across the meadow. For a while, it appeared that they might make it across without any problems but, of course, life was never that simple. Just as he cleared nearly two-thirds of the clearing, a rush of wind flew out from the side they were just at and trapped them within its chaotic belly. Hitomi let out a cry of fear while Van growled with ferocity. Placing Hitomi down, he unsheathed his sword and slashed through the dark twister with his powerful blade. The power of Etheria easily dissipated the strong enchantment. Quickly, a ring of cloaked men appeared at the perimeter of the meadow surrounding them on all sides. Immense blue flames burst into life behind each man, whose faces were hidden beneath the heavy fabric of their dark brown hood. At first their lips were moving but then they stopped, and Van could no longer hear the dull drumbeats that had assailed them the past hours. Released from the enchantment, Hitomi quickly regained her strength and she stood up close to Van. His unsheathed sword revealed the dangerous blade burning angrily at those whom awakened it. Van stood close to Hitomi with one arm stretched back slightly in his attempt to shield her shivering body behind him.
The once dark forest was now alighted in eerie blue as the sorcerers' flames, the source of all their powers, burned viscously behind them. Then to Van's grave concern, another troop of men appeared, led by a familiar foe. Van turned around and narrowed his eyes with rage. His garnet pupils burned with a flame of their own as he scanned his surrounding and accessed the dire predicament.
"Van…?" a meek whisper reached his ears from behind. Instinctively, he stretched his arm back further and pulled her close to him in an attempt to comfort her.
"Well," the commander spoke impassively, "it appears you managed to survive our last encounter."
Van replied with the narrowing of his cold eyes.
"All we want is the girl," the man spoke again. "We have no quarrel with you."
"Ah but you do," said Van, "because the girl is mine. And I will fight for her."
Hitomi was taken aback by Van's strong words but she remained silent.
"What is your name?"
"What interest is it to you?" Van questioned edgily. He observed the solemn, unmoving features of his foe's face with suspicion.
The other, much older man, casually replied, "I simply wish to know the name of my foolhardy opponent. Is there any harm in that?"
Ignoring his slight, Van responded cautiously, "That would depend on your intention. Names can hold much value when there is great power to be sought of it."
His enemy finally smiled, not one of joy but one of respect. This young man he faced guarded himself well. Indeed Van was correct to suspect there to be a specific intention behind the query for his identity. However, the intention did not stem from dark designs; it was one created by a mournful heart that had suffered a great loss within a turbulent past. For a moment, neither spoke. Van watched his enemy with ever heightened caution while the older stranger observed him through solemn crimson eyes that somehow reminded Hitomi so much of Van's.
Hitomi gave her surrounding a quick assessment. She saw that they were blocked off on all sides. There were absolutely no openings for them to escape. Her face paled and any hopes she held quickly dissipated upon this awful knowledge. She realized the outlook of surviving this situation was bleak for the both of them, and she suspected Van knew this as well; yet he remained ever defiant and valiant in the face of imminent death. Standing behind him, Hitomi could not see his face but she knew he would not reveal any fear he might have to his enemies. She knew from the short time she has been with him that Van was not one to back down so easily. He held so much pride and honour; he would not surrender even to save his own life. But she could not allow him to die for her again. She knew what she must do despite the fear that raged within her pounding heart.
Slowly Hitomi took determined steps forward as she announced, "Leave him be; I am the one you want."
"Hitomi!" Van yelled both in anger and surprise. "What the hell are you doing?!" He irately grabbed her arm and jerked her back, forcing her to face him. "Have you gone insane?!"
"Van," said she, "I can bargain with them. If I surrender they will let you go free."
"And you believe these bast—rds will keep their word?"
"I have to," she said sadly. "I can't allow for both of us to die. Van—."
He interrupted her, infuriated by the foolishness he was hearing coming from her lips. "They do not want you as a prisoner, Hitomi. They want to kill you, or have you forgotten?"
"I have not forgotten."
He was taken aback by her calm reply. Why is she doing this? he thought angrily. Is she such a fool to give her life away like this? What Hitomi said next took Van by complete surprise and her evident intention overwhelmed every sinew of his heart.
"I don't want you to die for me, Van," she whispered in a tearful tone. "I cannot live through all that horror again."
"Hitomi…"
The commander of The Hunter intently watched the two with eyes neither filled with hate nor joy. He observed Van's facial expression with much gravity. He could clearly see hidden beneath the rough, cold exterior that Van cared deeply for this girl whether he realized that or not. And apparently the feeling was mutual. But love is such a strange thing, the stranger thought. No one in love, notice when it takes hold and grows roots until it is too late, after the seed has become a full-grown tree. It is like a poison that seeps through one's veins unaware until the whole body will eventually be overcome by it. Apparently the sapling has begun to grow within these two hearts, but there will be many factors that will challenge its survival. It is unfortunate that I will be one of them.
"I am sorry to see," the stranger's voice diverted their attention to him once again, "that things have become overly complicated, more than I would have liked. But I have a duty to carry out and I will not permit any hindrance to my completing the task at hand."
Van glared at his foe silently but his grip on Hitomi's hand involuntarily tightened.
"Give me the girl," the stranger demanded in a tone that now became fiercer, "and I will allow you to live…Van."
Van's eyes widened in surprise but it quickly dawned on him that his name might have been overheard. He said with a smirk, "So now that you've discovered my name, what would be yours?"
The stranger grinned and said, "It is Folken. Folken Strategos."
Van's brow constricted in confusion. Where have I heard that name before?
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Author's note:
Since this was a rather long chapter, I won't update for the next two weeks. Basically, I'm just trying to buy myself time to actually start and finish the third part of Chapter 11. Things have become extremely busy for me but rest assured that I will complete this story. Honestly, I am anxious to know how this story will end as well, despite the fact that I am writing it myself. ^_~;
Next: Chapter 11: Battle at Cummerson Forest
Part I: "Cornered"
Cosmos 2004