Both Are Infinite: Book II

 Gaea Rising

Oh my gosh, it's been an entire year since I've posted!!!! Sorry to keep you waiting so long! The last year of university has been absolutely painful, I didn't even have enough time to sleep let alone write this story! But now, the hibernation is over! Before I go to grad school, I definitely plan to finish the entire Book II, so please please support me till then! Due to time constraints, I will be writing faster, so pardon me if the quality is not as good as before – I just want to get the story out. I actually wanted to quit writing this story, but after reading the reviews people left me, I was encouraged again. Thanks to all of you who said kind things!

Ok, since it's been a century since the last chapter, it's safe to assume that the reader has forgotten most of the plot – actually, so have I. About Book I, there will be sufficient hints along the way, so no need to review that – Book II can be read as a separate text anyways. I'll just remind you of the important points of the scary ch.1 of this book: Van and Hitomi are killed by their son Griffon, who is the reincarnation of Branimir; Valorick is handed the throne and the responsibilities; Hermione has phoenix powers, meaning she can resurrect people from the dead, but only if the bodies are found; Persephone is Valorick's beloved, but she betrayed him; Aleph, the elusive and powerful Atlantean from Book I gives Valorick a second chance by turning back time – the conundrum is that at some crucial moment in Book II, Val has to remake a choice he made – before, he had made the wrong choice, which precipitated the tragedy that you read in ch.1. Val is seen as the mediator of all things, the one who can unite darkness and light. Basically, everything that takes place from ch.2 onwards is essentially the past, and ch.1 is a possible future, one of many. If Val chooses rightly, then the future won't be tragic – of course, the ending is for you to read. I know it's confusing, so I cordially invite you to re-read ch.1, just to get a sense of continuity!

The following chapter is less depressing. It portrays s regular day in the lives of the Fanels. The sections of the chapter are entitled with Tarot cards, just like in the original series. Due to the chaos of Book I, I may have left out some mysteries unexplained, or some details neglected, so if this is the case, please inform me! Hope you enjoy this chapter, and don't forget to leave me a review =)

II. The Royal Fanels

"Our will is only a gusting wind
That turns us and urges us,
For in our most fervent longings
We are a field in bloom."
Ralph Waldo Emerson

L'aria/ La Vita (air/life):

Valorick awoke. He couldn't remember if he had dreamed, or even if he had slept. All he knew was that a sound woke him – was it a noise, a voice or a song? Without thinking, he glanced over to the couch and, as he had expected, Endymion was curled up there. This impulse to ascertain his friend's presence stemmed from the uneasy feeling the dream had left him. It imprinted on him a strange and elusive tang, yet at the same time, it conveyed a sense of familiarity, as if it had once been a life. He longed to get rid of it. The twilight in his room was pallid and serene. It must have rained during the night.

He got up and walked to the balcony door and flung it open. It turned softly on its hinges, not so much pushed by his hands as pulled outward by some wind on the other side of the door. The opening was like the blooming of a flower, and Valorick gazed deep into Fanelia's heart that the calyx and petals have kept secret. The ground and rooftops were wet and heavy, yet reflected the pale twilight, as if the sky had sunken down and taken refuge in the rain ponds. Valorick let his gaze drift aimlessly across the high clouds, then he heard the sound again. Only then did he realize it was the sound of faraway larks, heralds of the morn rejoicing in the dawn. Their voices were far, far away, singing farewell to the night, and they saturated the air; one had to hear them with one's feelings, not with one's ears. Valorick thanked the larks' song, for it was this sound that had drawn him out of the dream.

As he was dissolved into the landscape, he suddenly felt a blanket thrown on his back. He turned around, "Endy!"

"There is at least one moon step left until dawn. How come you're up so early?" Endy yawned and wrapped himself in a wool shawl.

"The larks woke me up," Valorick smiled at Endymion then looked away into the distance. "I had the strangest dream."

"Was it about that girl again?"

"Yeah...she was there again. She completely eludes me. I can never quite remember what she looks like, or what her voice sounds like. As soon as I wake up, she dissolves into a mere feeling. Her touch is like the wind that blows through me, yet at the same time, remains in me. There's something...otherworldly, I suppose. I do remember her eyes though...like diamonds."

"Perhaps she is a vision of the future," Endymion's eyes brightened. "Perhaps you've inherited your mother's visionary powers."

"Perhaps. But the other thing about this dream, Endy, was that it was unbearably sad. I remember people dying and Fanelia burning. It felt so very long, as if I actually lived it. I think I even cried in my sleep," he wiped his own cheeks, "Dry tears. And Griffon had become...never mind, I can't remember. I just hope that it is not a vision, just a nightmare. But everyone and everything are all right, aren't they?"

"Of course they are, Val! Maybe the sea voyages across Gaea have been too tiring for you." Endymion's sapphire eyes smiled resplendently. Valorick had once heard from his father that Endymion inherited from Orion the power to assuage everything.

A moment later, Endymion added, "All is peaceful, except for the arrival of cousin Amadis at dinner!" The two boys laughed.

"Ah yes, I nearly forgot the Wanderer is coming."

"Why do you call him the Wanderer?"

"Because his mind is never at rest, constantly wandering, seeking disasters," Valorick laughed.

"An apt name for him, indeed," Endymion yawned. "Perhaps we should sleep for a while longer. After all, there's much work to be done during the day."

"You're right." Valorick turned to go in but paused at the door. "Do come and share the bed with me. Don't sleep on the couch; it's not terribly comfortable. Your sleep is disturbed nightly, isn't it? Of course, you're always welcome to my room, but perhaps you really ought to speak to your parents about it. Maybe you can get a room that's further down the hall."

Endymion gaped. "Don't be ludicrous, Val! I wouldn't dream of bringing the problem to their attention, because to do so would necessitate the mentioning of..." Endymion blushed sheepishly. "Would you ever discuss such matters with your parents?"

Valorick burst out laughing. "If I ever did, I think my father would develop either a panic attack or a rash!" Their laughter drowned out the lark song. "In any case, it is a wonder that you are the only child. Well, let's leave the problem for now. Come inside."

Valorick stretched out his arms and just as the two of them were about to crawl into bed, Endymion pulled him back. He gestured for Valorick to be silent then pointed to the bed. Valorick turned suspiciously and it was then that he realized someone was inside the covers on the bed. He noiselessly backed up to his desk and reached for his sword. With soldierly caution, he and Endymion stood at the bed of the bed, ready to attack.

"Who goes there? Is it you, Hermione?" No answer came. "I'll tell you the story of Escaflowne if you come out, Hermione." Still no answer. Valorick looked at Endymion and shook his head. "Come on out of there, whoever you are! Your concealment here is considered a trespassing upon royal property!" The lump covered inside the blanket began to stir. Valorick pointed his sword straight at it.

Slowly, a hand began creeping out from beneath the covers. Then suddenly, the cover was thrown off completely and the person was fully revealed. "The day that you, Valorick Fanel, can threaten me, is the day time runs backwards!"

"Amadis!" Valorick and Endymion shouted simultaneously.

"Hullo, cousin Endy!" Amadis sneered and stood up on the bed, with his arms crossed pompously. His blue eyes were beaming like an owl's in the dark.

Valorick dropped the sword and pulled Amadis off the bed. "What in the name of Gaea are you doing here, hiding on my bed, at this hour? You were not supposed to come until dinner time!"

Amadis pushed Valorick away and began brushing his bright blond curls. "Careful with the hair, Valorick! I'm not a savage like you."

"Quit shouting so loudly." Valorick grunted through his teeth.

Amadis nonchalantly sat down on an armchair and rested his feet on the bed. "What are you doing up at this hour? Nothing illegal and delicious, I hope."

Endymion quickly held Valorick back and stepped forward. "Amadis, you still have not told us why you're here. Where's uncle Allen?"

Amadis began brushing lint off his shirt. "Oh dear, funny you should ask, Endy. You see, last night, as I was immersed in the festive spirit of drinking and debauchery, I was dared by my companions to sneak into the melef storage house and pilot one of the Caeli guymelefs – to impress the ladies, you understand?" Amadis winked and fluttered his lashes. "To make the most spectacular feat, I took Scherazade out for a walk, and given my intoxication at the time, it kind of...well, received a few wounds here and there."

Endymion gasped. "You damaged Scherazade? Uncle Allen will be most furious!"

"Bravo, cousin Endy! That is the reason why I've sped down the highway to Fanelia. By the time His Majesty arrives for dinner, the fury will have aged a little, and will hence be easier to withstand."

"How much is a few wounds?" Valorick asked in contempt.

"Oh...only an arm off, and a leg torn. The energist chamber was cracked and the cloak nonexistent. Oh yes, and I couldn't find the sword."

"A few wounds? The guymelef is practically destroyed!"

"Relax, Valorick, they can fix it. Even if not, who cares, it's an old piece of antique anyways! He can get a new one"

Valorick heaved crossly. "Surely you cannot believe that! Scherazade has accompanied your father on many perilous adventures and aided his triumph in famous battles! The least you can do is return to Asturia and apologize. You can't stay here!"

"Oh, but please!" Amadis imitated the whining of a little girl. "My old man won't be hurt...it's not as if he has romantic attachments to the guymelef. Just let me stay for the day. I promise I'll be good. Thanks, boys!" Without waiting for anyone's reply, Amadis turned and curled up on the chair and fell asleep.

Endymion sighed. "Well, there's nothing we can do to persuade him. We should just let him stay. I'm sure my mother will look after him."

"Wanderer..."Valorick stared at him. "Endy, you should get some rest as well. I think I'll go check if my dad is awake yet."

"Right then. I'll stay here with Amadis."

Valorick carefully closed the door behind him and walked down the hall towards that room with the dragonhead crest on the door. His steps quickened as he suddenly longed for the safety provided by the presence of his parents.

Il Sole (The Sun)

Every morning, ere the first rosy step of the pale dawn, Van would quietly slip out of bed and stand on his balcony. Even in the chills of winter, he would venture out with no shirt on, and no shawl. All he needed was a cup of hot tea, and the knowledge that Hitomi was still sleeping peacefully on the bed behind him. From the king's chamber, he had the unclouded view of the sun being born into the fullness of the Fanelian Valley.

Summer mornings always had a certain calmness about them, and Van felt particularly tranquil that day. He leaned over the railing and inhaled the cold air. It wad the scent of the forest after rain. The leaves and petals were still bedewed. The whole land beneath, his homeland, was refreshed, after receiving both the falling rain and the falling sunshine. Van noticed workers, bakers, farmers...already bustling and setting out for a new day. Everything was expectation and patience. Then he heard the rushing of stream from Hitomi's Japanese garden. He imagined that she grew up listening to that eddying sound, just as he himself had grown up listening to the trees of Fanelia.

The Mystic Moon had already veiled itself. Van shut his eyes and when he opened them again, he beheld the perfect moment: the ascent of the sun from behind the mountains, and the diffusion of the light into the valley's cradle. He realized that everything about the sunrise and the sky as a whole is unnameable, and that the cyclic return of the celestial orb cannot truly be counted on the clock or calendar. He was glad. The morning sun was always soft and it was at sunrise that it would be possible to stare straight at the core of the flaming star.

"Dad?" Valorick had approached the balcony quietly.

Van turned around. "Val! This is a rare hour to see you awake. Have you come to receive the sun?"

"No, I had a rather mysterious and unpleasant dream. The larks woke me up."

"I see. I've had my share of horrible dreams, though not as horrific as the visions your mother used to have. Here," Van poured a cup of tea for him, "Have some hot tea, it'll warm you up. Thank the heavens for Zaibach's tea warmer!"

Valorick laughed and came to stand by his father's side. "I wonder if the sunrise wills till be this glorious if something bad were to happen to the world."

Van smiled and tousled his son's hair. "The sun does not rise for us. It will go on shining even if Gaea were destroyed."

Valorick nodded contemplatively. "Hmm...What day is it?"

"Orange, 21st moon, I believe."

"The summer solstice..."

Just as all was serene beneath Aurora's light, a burst of exhilarated laughter came from the room behind them. They turned inside and saw Hermione jumping uncontrollably on the bed.

"Mommy! Mommy! Wake up! Wake up! There's one more day left till our trip! Wake up!" Hermione cheered vivaciously.

Hitomi opened her eyes in exhaustion and pulled a pillow over her head. "Hermione darling, do quiet down. Let mommy sleep for a while longer."

"Oh please," Hermione pulled her mother. "Let's start packing now."

"Hermione," Van stepped in, "Let your mother rest."

"Daddy!" She jumped into Van's arms.

"Hey! How's my little girl?" he kissed her on the cheek.

"My snow dragon of Asgardia has not hatched yet!" she pouted. "It's all your fault, Val!"

Valorick stood up from his chair. "What do you mean? I told you that it takes at least three colors to hatch. You have to be patient. Maybe you didn't take care of it well enough. Maybe the little dragon is already dead!"

Hermione shrieked. "Stop it! That's mean!"

Van sighed and put Hermione down. "That's enough, both of you. You're making too much noise. Can you go back to your rooms?"

"No!" Hermione stomped her feet. "I want to play with the phoenix relic!" Immediately, she ran over to the bedside stand and opened a box that contained the blazing relic, wrapped in silk.

Hitomi quickly woke up and tried to take the box from Hermione. Valorick went over and helped by trying to drag Hermione away. Much shouting and whining ensued. It was at this time when Van withdrew from the scene and looked in at it. Either from within or without, he understood that this image of his beloved wife and children was the manifestation of Eros.

La Ruota (The Wheel)

After breakfast, it was customary for Van to have an archery contest with Orion on the grounds before the castle.

Through innumerable battles and relentless training, the two men have come to master both weapon and self. In the beginning, nothing seemed further away from spirituality than war and aggression. But a philosophy was somehow born from their ardent desire to cleanse their bloodstained hands. This philosophy teaches that by being free from the enemy, the warrior frees himself. He does not simply kill an enemy, he also destroys the darkness within. In archery, the important thing is not to hit the centre of the target, but to hit 'something' within both himself and the world. The motions of drawing an arrow and releasing it were not just action, but emotion. This philosophy was the only way warriors could justify themselves to the battles and killings they may yet have to face.

Orion adjusted the strap of his quiver and began filling in the arrows. "Van, I've beaten you 14 times in a row, I don't think we need any more proof that I'm the Ultimate Archer, the King of Arrows, the God of...I can't think of another word," he twisted his eyebrows. "Swiftness, maybe?"

"Hmm..." Van smiled, "You just have beginner's luck." He carefully brushed the plumes of the arrows.

"Ha!" Orion smacked an empty quiver against Van's chest. "We'll just see about that! Fill 'er up!"

A page came up and stood behind the two archers so that he can refill the empty quivers. Orion shook out his hands and arms and picked up a bow. Van did likewise and positioned himself on the mark. Their eyes remained steadily on the red circle, and their right hands reached for the first arrow. Van took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

"You ready?" Orion asked and recognized Van's implicit reply. "Go!"

For the next minute, the shafts shot out like the bolts of a god, each straight to its happy mark. At the end, the page hurried up to the board and began counting the arrows – red ones were Van's, blues were Orion's. The sky blue arrows outnumbered the red ones by three.

Orion turned to Van, his eyes gleaming and his moist lips slanting in a delicious smirk. But Van saw not pride, but Orion's eternal candidness, his fervor and audacity, dauntless against the tides of time and circumstance. In that respect, Van gladly recognized his friend as the superior warrior. "Another triumph for you," Van patted him on the back.

"So it would seem. But I won't gloat this time...I really like that pocket watch you gave me, so on account of that, I'll let you go!" Orion beamed a resplendent smile.

Just as the two men were taking off the quivers and preparing to rest beneath boughs, Valorick and Endymion approached them with eager footsteps, a sense of the morning zeal that looks forward to the fulfillment of the day.

Van turned to them. "So has Amadis settled down yet?"

"Yes. Aunt Celena has calmed him with breakfast. Her and mom will probably take him riding later on." Valorick frowned with some concern.

Orion took a bite of his sandwich and spoke with his mouth full. "I can't help wondering what our old pal Allen is doing in the parenting department. Rather lousy authority, don't you think?"

Endymion laughed. "Father, it is not as if you ever exert much authority!"

Van sat down on the grass and sighed. "Endy, your father doesn't need to be controlling because you are too good natured; he should be thankful for having you. If you had been like Amadis, I think our clown prince here will be rather muddled." By this time, Orion had already wandered towards the servant who brought the morning bakery. "So boys, was there something that you needed to discuss with me?"

"Father, we were wondering if we might be able to go into the Nerya caves and do some exploring. After all, there might still be chambers or diamonds left to be excavated."

Van considered the proposal momentarily then nodded. "Be careful though. And don't forget to inform the guards."

The two young men shone with glee and gratitude, then immediately ventured towards the towering cliffs that curtained the castle from the western sky. At the base of the granite cliffs, cradled behind carrier carts and simple machinery used to process diamonds, the expansive opening of the caves arched black and irresistibly mysterious.

The guards welcomed the visit from the two princes who, dressed like archaeologists, seemed glad to align themselves with the common workforces that have always filled the caves with the broadness of their beings.

It was breezeless and damp within the long, winding tunnels of the caves. Valorick was in the lead, holding the torch within his hand. Endymion followed him in long and slow strides, occasionally stopping to admire the diamond dust embedded in the obsidian walls of the excavated chambers. Their eyes were averted heavenward, as if spying for some unseen beauty hidden in the crevices, and they panted with eager steps as the destination felt closer. In the meantime, they engaged in the fantastical speculations that they often entertain themselves with.

"Val, here is the eternal question again: do you really believe all those stories about Escaflowne?"

Valorick chuckled. "Well, they could very well be bedtime stories that our parents made up to entertain us. Hermione sure loves it. But then again, all the details and emotion attached make the story sound real, and very possible, don't you think?"

"Perhaps...But you actually believe that my mother was once a man who tried to kill your father, and worked for your dead uncle and some crazy emperor?'

"I guess that is pretty ludicrous," Valorick laughed.

"And what about this Atlantis myth? We've been to the Mystic Valley and saw nothing of the kind they mentioned! And all those complex stories about the past..."

"Right, Seraphine and...Branimir..."Valorick suddenly stopped walking. An upsurge of that elusiveness retained from the dream welled up in him, and an echo seemed to have come from the invisible end of the cave. He immediately turned to the direction of the echo. The monotonous "dong, dong" seemed to have murmured: 'There is no hope.' The phrase sounded with familiarity and prophecy. Valorick sickened into pale shock.

"What's wrong, Val? You don't look so good."

He blinked and when he tried to hear the echo again, it was gone. "Oh, nothing," he squeezed his eyes then continued the trek. "Right, and Serenus, with the shepherd. All that confusion about Time, gives me a headache just to make some sense of it. Perhaps we should leave it alone."

"Perhaps. Even it the story is only a fabrication, I think it lends a beautiful romantic light to our parents' love. If only I too can experience such adventure and romance," Endymion smiled to himself.

"You will...you will..."

"Are you certain you're all right, Val? Maybe we should get out for some air."

"No, that's not necessary, I'll be fine. What were you saying?" Valorick kicked a rock aside and led on.

"Well, the centre of the mystery and of my disbelief lies in the existence of Escaflowne. How can a guymelef of its colossal status, size and power just simply vanish somewhere along a route of time travel? What evidence do we have of its reality? Where do you think it is now?"

"Here, come give me a hand." Endymion went up and aided Valorick in pushing aside a large boulder that concealed the opening to an unknown chamber. They bent down and walked inside. Valorick looked up and saw the vault of the cave widening on all sides. After he secured the torch onto the wall, the light and dark, substance and shadow of the space were all intermingled into a canopy that cast its sublime stillness over the warrior shape that rested in the middle. The colossus stood before them in perfect view, exposed and lifeless like an unfinished book – it was a half- constructed guymelef, clad in a cloak of red and blue.

"Escaflowne is here," Valorick pronounced solemnly.

Endymion lay down a tool kit that he had carried with him. "It is magnificent indeed. Everyday, it's looking more like that picture we saw of Escaflowne."

Valorick put on a pair of gloves and opened a pocket book. "Let's get started then. We haven't worked on it for almost an entire color. Here, look at this detail, I copied it from Uncle Dryden's book on Escaflowne," Endymion leaned in. "I think today we should complete the sinews and circuitry of the arm. Later remind me to order the padding needed for the pilot chamber."

"Right!" Endymion rubbed his palms together fervently and examined a construction blueprint before obtaining the necessary tools. The boys climbed onto the guymelef and submerged themselves in the re-creation of a legend, a god.

The tools clang away against the polished metal of the gleaming guymelef. Strikes produced fiery sparks that momentarily illumined the exhausted but vivid gaze of the young men. Every noise corresponded to the 'dong, dong' that resounded somewhere deep in the core of the caves, and presaged the pounding of the guymelef's heart.

After two hours of working, they sat down for a break. Endymion wiped his forehead and took off the gloves. "I think the pyramidal structure above the left shoulder should be more pronounced, because right now it looks a little unsymmetrical."

Valorick straightened the plan sheet and scrutinized it. "Yes, you're right, but I thought we had the calculations right though. I guess I underestimated the space needed for the energist chamber. In any case, the energist is the most important."

"Think we'll make a trip to the energist mines of Ishtar and get one?"

"Hmmm...I don't know. We probably won't have a chance. But I want something more remarkable than a mere energist from some mine. Something with meaning."

"You mean, like a used energist? But that'll be hard! Who'll willingly give you their energist?"

Valorick sighed contemplatively. "The best would be to have the energist that my father used, but that disappeared long ago. We have to have something from the past, in order to make Escaflowne real! A great energist from a great guymelef, like Scherazade"

"But you can't be serious! Uncle Allen..." Endymion's remark was cut short by an echoing rustle that came from the outside tunnel.

The boys swiftly extinguished the torch with a pail of water, and crouched in the darkness behind the entrance boulder. They carefully controlled their labored breathing so that whomever was in the tunnel would not espy their secret presence.

A whistling tune was soon within hearing range. Then a dancing torchlight cast the shadow of a figure onto the chamber floor. "Boys?" The voice asked cheerfully.

Endymion sighed with relief. "It is only my father." He quickly emerged from the shadows and pulled Orion into the half-concealed cave. "Father, you mustn't appear unannounced liked this, what if someone followed you?"

"Oh please, do you honestly think that I would be so careless after years of being my brilliant self?" Orion laughed and secured his torch on the rugged wall.

Valorick peered out into the dark tunnel to reassure himself that no one else was there. "Uncle Orion, does my father know where you are?"

"Oh, he thinks I'm dealing with some ex-soldier named Augustus who apparently has some great idea about how to manage my army. It's quite a bore really, so I just left without telling anyone."

"That's rather irresponsible of you, father, you should respect the opinion of others."

Orion laughed and fell down against the wall. He turned to Valorick, "Just listen to him! A stranger would think he's the father and I'm the son!" He winked at Endymion. "Anyhow, boys, I'm here for one purpose, and that is to see how far you've progressed with this guymelef."

Valorick rushed forth at once and grabbed Orion by the wrist. "Yes, of course. Come closer, look at how gorgeous this surface it on the armour. Endy, light more torches, so the whole thing can come into view."

Blackness soon gave way to the trinity of light. At the centre of the focused rays stood the resplendent guymelef, half-breathing, half- shattered, as if it had lived through its past life of torture and bargained with death for another battle.

Orion was speechless. He gasped and ran his fingers delicately across the back of the silken cloak. Behind him, the unsheathed blade lay against the rocks, and he bent down to touch the crest on the hilt. He quickly withdrew his finger. "So Escaflowne lives again...Dear heavens, it's as beautiful as it always was. You boys have done a tremendous job over the past few colors." His gaze flew up as high as his neck would allow, "It's the spitting image. How did you ever get it to look so alike just by copying from a few pictures?"

Valorick took a deep breath. "Well, sometimes it's almost as if I actually piloted the real Escaflowne in some other life, you know? So when I was drawing up the construction plan, I could just work from whatever was in my mind. And there it was, the legendary guymelef."

Orion glanced at Valorick curiously. "Another life? Huh.... that's interesting, Val. When this all comes out, you should tell your mother about that. You are going to tell them that you re-made Escaflowne, right?"

Valorick looked at Endymion with some nervousness. "Well, yes, I think that will be inevitable someday. But as of now, there is no need. Besides, we're still doing some final touches. We're thinking of naming it Escavlon, actually."

"I found that name in one of the books about the Mystic Moon," Endymion said.

"The problem right now is the energist. Uncle Orion, any idea where we could find a special one, preferably one with ancient history, been inside a great melef, that sort of thing?"

Orion smirked. "Wow, that's asking for the impossible. Most energists of famous melefs are either still contained within their chambers, or have been preserved by the owners. Hard to find one unattached. Although...." Orion rubbed his chin and paced around the chamber. "There is this legend about some energist contained in the Altar of Ara, supposedly came from this great primeval dragon, then belonged to some guy who shot an arrow at the stars, blah blah blah, I'm not bookish enough to remember the details. But anyways, it's preserved in the altar as an object of veneration, supposed to bring fortune, or whatever."

Valorick's eyes hungered for the energist he was beginning to picture in his mind. "The Altar of Ara? Isn't that the temple of knights and warriors in Cesario? It must be a powerful energist then, if these men worship it!"

"You should ask someone more learned, like Nestor. I really can't remember....Oh yes, it's called 'The Eye of the Dragon,' don't ask me why. But seriously, Val, you can't dream of getting that! The Cesarions would never give it to you, and you would never be able to fight those warriors. Well, time for lunch!" Orion shrugged and walked out the chamber. Endymion followed him out with the torchlight.

In the deepening darkness, Valorick was left crouched in vicious desire and glee. His mind ached with the image of a glistening energist, like a rose in a furnace. It lay burning on a pedestal situated in the centre of a temple that lay beyond a garden where warriors waved their swords tranquilly, and the wooden windows of the temple lent a view of the sun- clad sea. The soul of Escavlon...

La Percezione (The Warrior of Dragons)

Heat waves were beginning to flood into the enclosed valley. Around noon at the height of summer the dust emptied the streets as if some catastrophe has swiped out humanity in one puff. Blasts of hot wind carried the dust horizontally across every vein of the city, asphyxiating and horrid, leaving no freshness behind.

Van's temper was slightly exacerbated by the sultriness. As he stumped down the hall, messengers handed him paper, but instead of reading them right away as he usually does, he used them to fan himself. Individual servants stood in the corners of the hallways and winnowed great fans in order to cool the air. Van pardoned them so that they may drink some cold water themselves.

When Van pushed open the doors of the conference room, a gust of wind brushed over the people assembled at the meeting table.

Dryden yawned and swung around in his chair. "Goodness, it is especially hot this year. When do you suppose Zaibach's electronic cooler will be produced?"

Van blew the hair off his forehead and let down the curtains. "Supposedly not for another year. Until then, we must bear with this heat. This trip down to the coast should alleviate our discomfort for a while."

"Ah yes, you two families are heading down with the Schezars, meanwhile leaving me to tend Asturia! Well, I must exercise some tyranny while I have the chance. So who will be ruling Fanelia?"

"Nestor, of course. But now we also have the kind service of his illustrious nephew, Trillius, who will no doubt take over once Nestor decides to retire. Ah, here they come."

Dryden turned to see the aged and staggering royal advisor aided by a young man of sturdy figure, matched with childlike eyes, but a rather thin, mirthless mouth. He quietly bowed to the king and seated his uncle down. His group of advisors all entered duly.

Hitomi followed them in, and sat down at the table, opposite Van. The freshness of her archaeologist's attire temporarily lessened the heat. She brushed aside her hair, and leaned forward, as if a breeze constantly caressed her face. "What a productive day I've had in the workshop! You'd never imagine! We've managed to excavate most of the remains of an Asgardian dragon. Perhaps one day we can display the fossils in the throne room! Is there anyone else we are waiting for?"

Van sighed, "As usual, Orion is absent, no doubt detained in the kitchen. Let's not wait for him. I will begin, first, by expressing my concern about the forest destruction problem in Valasia, the coal depletion in Daedalus, and the explosion at the energist mine up in Zaibach. Any comments on these? Suggestions? Information?"

The group proceeded to anatomize the issues. At the end of the three hour session, Van collected the reports from everyone, and rubbed his eyes in anxiety. "With this impending heat storm, the state of things does not look auspicious. I don't know about you but I have this sense of something coming, something great and terrifying. Perhaps it's nothing more than the heat storm, but perhaps it's more. In any case, let's be on guard and leave no loose ends before we depart for the trip. Nestor, Trillius, Fanelia will rest in your hands for a few days. I know you need no reminders or warnings from me, so I will trust you with everything."

Just as he was about to end the meeting, Van suddenly cringed and sighed. "Oh yes, before I forget, this business with the suitors has to stop!" Van rolled his eyes and turned to Dryden. "Surely you must have heard about these Basram merchants who came to see me, proposing their sons as suitors for Hermione?"

Dryden chuckled. "Think of it this way, it won't be a political marriage. The money they bring will be in the best interest of Fanelian economy."

Van began trembling. "My daughter is eleven! What could they have been thinking? I must say, Dryden, these merchants of yours have been polluting my country in more ways than I originally thought they would. With money come certain risks, that I know, but this corruption is to be obliterated!"

Dryden sneered. "Do you believe marriage to be a corruption? She is young now, but she will grow up one day, such proposals are merely ways of planning the future. Besides, all your diamonds would be useless if you had no one to market them! And..." Dryden stared up, and Van's glance pricked him like a needle.

"Speaking of this diamond business, it is creating a gap between the rich and the poor! There are now prostitutes, thieves, and gangs, Dryden. Take your merchants elsewhere, or at least disperse them! Take the diamonds with you if you'd like. I don't want the rich and powerful running Fanelia. I want workers, teachers, farmers, thinkers, bakers, soldiers, all voting in my government!"

Van slumped down into the chair and sighed. No one said anything. Dryden cautiously muttered to himself, "Well, Asturia is run by the rich and powerful, and she's a fine country!"

Van said rather calmly, "But I am not Aston or Allen. This is my country, not theirs, not yours."

Without a rebuttal, Dryden left the room. Hitomi hurriedly followed him out and detained him in the hall. "Dryden, you know the way Van is. He remembers that you've once saved his life and helped him rebuild Escaflowne and his home, and for that, he is grateful. But you must learn to understand his pain. He wants to keep Fanelia the way he remembered it as a child, the way his father built it. As that becomes more and more impossible, he feels pulled by the past and future."

"Of course, you're right, Hitomi, you always are. We're both just doing our jobs. But I have to admit it, us merchant types are nasty things. I think we've all seen how bad wealth can get when my old man tried to kidnap and sell the girl from the Mystic Moon! Never felt sorry when he died...he made me too much a son of his."

Hitomi smiled and kissed Dryden on the cheeks. "Don't ever think that. Your honest and kind actions have redeemed you. You are by far the most moral merchant I've met!" They both laughed. "Now you better hurry, Asturia will be wanting a guardian!"

When Hitomi returned to the conference room, it was announced that King Allen and Queen Millerna have arrived.

End of Part II

I hoped that you did not find the chapter too uneventful, or the writing style too bland! Please continue to read and post reviews! I will try to get the next chapter up soon!