This chapter is one of the shortest and in my opinion the saddest. :( So to make up for the shortness I'm going to write a nice long disclaimer! :) p.s. I know I spelled dodged and Gaea wrong in the last chapter. Forgive me I'm dyslexic and my spell check doesn't help with those kind of mistakes. :(

Disclaimer:

LS is standing in the anime and manga museum, looking at a glass box with the rights to escaflowne in it.

Suddenly a little devil appears on LS's left shoulder. "Come on, take it! You know you want to!"

LS looks to other shoulder. "Hey, where's the other guy?"

An angle wearing a devil costume appears on the left side beside the devil. "Go on, take it!"

"Aren't you suppose to tell me NOT to do bad things?!"

"I did try that for a couple years but I figured if you can't beat um join um!"

"Works for me!" LS lifts up glass box and grabs the paper with the rights to escaflowne on it. "Yes it's mine! It's finally mine!"

Suddenly Van swings down on a vine and grabs the rights. "Me Van, king of Fanelia!"

"Nooooooo! Well I guess I just don't own the rights to escaflowne!" :(

The Blood Stained Mind of a Blackened Heart: Ch 4 Farewell

Episode 12

Up in the Vione Dilandau stood outside of the operating room. Finally a surgeon came out of the room and whispered something in Dilandau's ear.

"What?!" Dilandau barged into the operating room.

Kaomi lay on the operating table. She was already knocked out from the anesthetic. Dilandau walked up to the table and to his disbelief found that Kaomi's stomach was untouched. There were no wounds, no stitches and no scars.

"What is this?!"

Just then Folken came into the room.

"Folken, there's something wrong going on here!"

"I know. Let me explain." Folken and Dilandau both left the room and went back to Folken's room.

"She's what?!"

"Part shadow demon."

"But didn't all the shadow demons die out years ago?"

"Yes. She is the last."

"Shadow demons can regenerate, can't they?"

"Yes they can. That's why she's still alive."

Hours past, the anesthetic had worn off and Kaomi opened her eyes. Everything was blurry but she could make out a dark figure standing over her. It was Dilandau.

Kaomi quickly sat up. "I can explain..."

"No need. Folken told me everything."

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner."

"All that matters is that you're alive. You showed real loyalty out there..." Dilandau placed his hand on Kaomi's. "No more than loyalty! I'm afraid I have to leave for battle." Mentioning battle reminded Dilandau of something else. "Um about Miguel..." Dilandau quickly explained Miguel's death to Kaomi.

Kaomi suddenly felt a new hatred for doppelgangers.

"It will be a while before the drowsiness wares off so try and get some rest. Oh and by the way I left you a new uniform." Dilandau pointed to some clothing on a chair by the door then left the room.

Kaomi woke up a few hours later feeling well rested and ready for battle. She got out of bed and walked over to the chair with her new uniform on it. As she put the jacket on she noticed that it was different from the standard blue uniform. It was all black except for a green half sphere emerald on each shoulder pad.

Kaomi left her room and began to walk down the hall when she saw Folken turn the corner.

"Hello Kaomi. Are you well enough for battle?"

"Yes sir."

"That's good. Your guymelef is too damaged to fight at the moment so I'm going to have to send you on foot. You'll be given a bow and some arrows and I'll have someone bring you down to the battle field."

"Yes sir."

Episode 13

Kaomi stood her post, shooting any of Freids soldiers that came too close which didn't happen too often. Then Kaomi noticed something red out of the corner of her eye. Kaomi turned her head slightly to see Dilandau's alseides striking down another guymelef.

"Out of my way peasant!"

Kaomi watched as Dilandau knocked the duke to the ground then began to fight Allen.

"I am Mahad dar Freid!"

Kaomi diverted her attention to the Duke who was standing in plain view with his sword in the air.

"If it's glory you want, face me!"

Kaomi aimed her bow and arrow.

"I am the Duke of Freid!"

Kaomi fired her bow and the duke fell. It looked like she wasn't the only one who noticed the duke, there were several other arrows in the duke's chest and back.

"Dilandau. The dragon slayers are to fall back. Duke Freid is dead. This battle is over. Your job can wait."

"Damn it. I'll have my fun later!"

Up in the Vione Kaomi was met by Dilandau in the anchorage.

"I see you're wearing your new uniform."

"It's wonderful, thank you!"

"I have one more gift for you." Dilandau turned Kaomi around so that she was facing a brand new completely black alseides. Kaomi looked up at her new guymelef in aw.

"Welcome to second in command!"

"This is amazing! I can't believe you're doing this for me!"

"Well you did save my life! Of course this is nothing compared to that."

Later that day Kaomi was leaning on a railing and looking out over the edge of the anchorage. Dilandau came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

Dilandau placed his head on her shoulder and kissed her cheek. "It's a beautiful view. Is it not?"

Kaomi placed her hands on his and kissed him back. "It is."

Dilandau and Kaomi looked over the horizon at the grassy hills, the bright blue sky and the occasional puffy cloud, blissfully unaware of the horrors that were soon to come.

"It's even more beautiful at night."

Just then Gatti came running into the anchorage. "Lord Dilandau, the ship that carries the dragon on it has been spotted!"

In a matter of minuets all of the dragon slayers were departing in their alseides.

Episode 14

Van landed escaflowne in the middle of an open field. One by one the dragon slayers landed around him.

Dilandau and Kaomi landed in front. "Okay, people, the dragon hunt ends today."

"I'm going to end this myself. Escaflowne, give me strength!"

"Attack!"

But Van had started his rampage before any of the dragon slayers could get close. Van sliced through Gumiel and smashed in Gatti's head.

"Damn, he's fast! Stealth cloaks!" All the dragon slayers quickly put their stealth cloaks on.

Van looked around a bit. "I can see them... I can see them!" With no hesitation Van continued his merciless rampage. "This is for Duke Freid!"

Dallet tried to stop Van by putting his shield up but Van's sword plunged right through.

"This is for Balgus!" Van slashed through another guymelef and then Viole.

Dilandau stood; sweat dripping down his face, horrified at what was happening. Kaomi also stood in terror, listening to the screams of her friends as they were slaughtered.

"W-what's happening?"

"Flank him!"

"What is he?"

"Shesta!" Kaomi noticed Van charging towards Shesta and attempted to shove Van away. Unfortunately Van's sword still hit Shesta's side.

"Ack! M-master Dilandau..." Shesta's guymelef fell to the ground.

Van turned around to see who pushed him and knocked Kaomi into the side off a cliff, then turned to face Dilandau.

Beads of sweat rolled down Dilandau's face as he franticly looked around for his dragon slayers. "Gatti? Shesta? Dallet! What is he...?!

Kaomi climbed out the wreckage that was once her alseides and ran over to Shesta. "Shesta? Shesta!" Kaomi managed to open Shesta's alseides and pull him out. He was unconscious and had a large and deep cut on his side. Kaomi removed Shesta's jacket and wrapped it around the wound to slow the bleeding. Kaomi put Shesta on her back and looked up at Van and Dilandau.

"Stay away!" Dilandau panicked and fired all of his crima claws at Van. All of which missed except for one that scratched Van's face.

"And this is for Fanelia... prepare to die!" Van raised his sword and charged.

"NO!"

Suddenly escaflowne just stopped. Escaflowne stood motionless for a few seconds, then its exterior turned pitch black and fell to the ground. Dilandau quickly picked up Kaomi and Shesta and flew back to the Vione, looking back on what was once a threat.

LS: It's so sad... all the dragon slayers are dead. :( On to better news! This is news you've all been waiting for! The next chapter you find out who Kaomi is! Oh boy! So please R&R! :)