Episode 14: Lifelessness
"How long until we get there?" Hakai whined. "There's nothing to do on this stupid ship! Why can't we have some fun!?"
"Go and find your own fun." Amano spat at him with aggravation. "And stop annoying us."
Hakai seemed pleased with his irritation, but felt that his guardian's grant to wreak havoc was too good to pass up. "Fine! I will!" He stood up, stomping his feet. "C'mon Su!"
Suru responded obediently. "Come on, Celena." She beckoned the 16-year-old girl to her feet. The two of them left their place against the wall to follow her twin brother.
Yukari watched them go with concern. "Are you sure you want to let them do that? They'll tear poor Dryden's ship apart!"
"It was his fault for giving us the run of it." Amano snuffed. "Besides if Hakai was still here whining, I would kill him."
"What's got you so fussy?" Yukari asked. "I was just starting to feel better."
"It's the whole thing about Allen and me being the same person." Amano answered. "I don't like it."
"You can't really help it." Yukari pointed out. "Sorry, but that's the truth."
"I don't like it." Amano repeated. "I don't like him. I don't want to be like he is, it makes me sick to know that we are even from the same mold."
"You realize that you're acting like him right now?" Yukari said. "You're being pretty stubborn and I don't like it." She shoved him. "Cheer up. You've got me! Allen doesn't have me and that's why he's him and you're you."
"That doesn't make a lot of sense." Amano frowned.
She grinned smugly. "Does it have to? Just chin up and be content with who you are on the inside." He regarded her and shook his head.
Hakai rushed through the halls of the merchant vessel, burning off energy. They'd been moving for a day now, midday to midday including one night, and the claustrophobia was making him stir crazy. It was all Suru and Celena could do keep up with him. "Hakai!" Suru called like a girl lost, Celena being towed by her right hand. "Hakai! Slow down!"
"Hurry up!" He shouted back. "I ain't got all day to wait for you!"
"Please, Hakai!" Celena called.
"Eat my dust!"
Jiai stepped out into the hall was nearly plowed down. She fell back against the wall as Hakai rushed past. "Oh my gosh!" Suru and Celena stopped next to her to pant and he vanished, undeterred down the hallway. "What in the world?"
"We're…" Suru huffed, "We're sorry about that… Hakai didn't mean to push you…"
"Its okay." Jiai sighed. "He didn't push me." She had a question she needed answering. "Have you girls seen Hitomi?"
"No." Suru answered. "We haven't seen her anywhere."
"Was she at breakfast?" Celena asked. "Maybe she hasn't gotten up yet."
"Allen's still asleep too." Jiai recollected. "We did stay up late last night… or maybe he's shut himself in. I hope he's sleeping, he really needs it."
"Where is Hakai going?" Suru asked her.
Jiai was perplexed. "I don't know." She strained her neck to stare down the hall. "Who can ever tell?"
"We will just have to follow him." Celena resolved. The two of them headed after the escapee. Jiai shoved herself up and took off in the other direction, headed for the guest chambers. She wanted to find Hitomi and ask her about their destination and who they'd be meeting there. Jiai, herself, had never had any brothers or sisters, but she remembered Millerna had two, and that one of them lived in Zaibach. She was anxious to see who her "sister" was. In her quest she stumbled upon Yosu, who seemed distracted.
He looked up when he heard her coming. "Jiai, are you looking for Hitomi?"
"Yes." She answered. "Are you?"
He paused, seeming to debate with himself before answering. "Yes, I am."
"She has to be around here somewhere." Jiai determined. "I thought that she might still be in bed."
"I want to speak with her about something." He said, his mind floating back to the meeting the day before and her concern about whose feelings she was feeling. He understood what she meant; it was the same for himself and Van. This led him to consider whether what he was thinking now was his own thought. Becoming greatly troubled, he drew back into his own mind.
Jiai cocked her head. "Yes?"
"Uh," he looked up quickly, "you – you go on. Come and tell me when you find her."
"Alright," she agreed. She watched his eyes dull in thought and then left to continue her journey. Before she got there she was distracted by a set of identical voices, deep and humorous, coming from a side room. She peeked in and found Daiji and Dryden in yet another library, chatting against a wall of books. Daiji was laughing as he flipped through a volume.
"A mermaid do you say?" He asked.
"Oh yeah." Dryden replied. "We really hit it off. Found her at an auction. They were selling her for exhibition but I had a mind not to see her on display. She was much too magnificent a creature to keep caged, so I bought her. Something like 5,000 bucks… 50,000," he shrugged, "beats the heck out 'a me, something with a five in front. Ratboy thought I was crazy, even more when I told him I was going to set her free. But he thought most of my spending was crazy. What do I care? One of my most poignant philosophies has always been 'if you have it, why not spend it if it's going to a good cause'? Taking her home was a good one I think. Her name was Sylvie."
"Man," Daiji shook his head, his brown bangs hitting against his tanned face, "I admire you."
"What? For shelling out thousands?" Dryden asked.
Daiji grinned and scratched the back of his head. "No, for not caring about what people think of you. I like giving money to charity and helping other people, but I'm a coward to do it openly because I don't want to know what the press or my dad might say. I'm afraid they'd give me a label or something…"
"There's no shame in being nice." Dryden encouraged. "There' shame in being arrogant, and flashing good deeds and such, but doing it out of the kindness of your heart – I think that's a nice label."
Daiji felt empowered and smiled broadly before speaking again. "So, Sylvie huh?"
"Yep." Dryden answered. "Couldn't understand a word she said, but I don't think she wanted to leave when we got to her native waters. That's about when I met up with the rest of these guys, actually. It seems like forever ago."
Daiji noticed Jiai in the doorway and beckoned her in. "Hey, 'Ai. What's up?" She ducked inside on his request, a little nervously. She nodded to Dryden, sensing somehow that he deserved respect, and grinned a little to Daiji as greeting. Daiji gestured between the two others. "I don't know if you've gotten to know Jiai that well, Dryden, but this is our Millerna. Can you see it?"
The merchant and the girl locked eyes and she felt her pulse quicken. Even stronger than Daiji's, the green pools of Dryden's eyes made her feel warm and gummy. She sensed the bond between he and Millerna. He smiled and nodded. "Yes, I see it. You've pretty eyes, Jiai. Blue green. Interesting how it differs."
"Thanks." She peeped and edged out. "I'm on my way to find Hitomi. Excuse me please."
"'K" Daiji said as they parted.
Dryden waved a little. "Bye."
Van and Millerna had appeared in the hallway when Jiai reentered. Van was in the middle of saying something. "Both Asturia and Fanelia have been taken by the enemy. Perhaps Chesario too. This ship as attacked in Egzardia, so there's a possibility it has fallen as well."
"We have no proof Chesario or Egzardia are being controlled." Millerna replied. "There is no reason for us to think of the worst."
"But what if Zaibach is the root again?" Van asked. "That means we're headed straight back into a trap."
"What makes you sound so sure?" Millerna inquired. "You didn't seem to have a problem last night before we all went to bed."
"I've been thinking." Van answered. "I've noticed this a lot. It's happening again." His temper flared up as he considered the events of the past and the events of the future. "It's happening all over again! Everything! It began with the same events and it lead to similar ones! First Fanelia then our refuge up in flames, now we met with you and now Dryden again, the only logical thing to assume is that the same people are to blame."
"I haven't noticed so many congruencies." Millerna responded. "I think you are over analyzing things. Anyway, Eries would never attack her home country, that's not logic!"
"Excuse me – " Jiai interrupted, "but I think Van has a good point."
"What makes you think so?" Millerna asked.
"Because of something Yosu said." Jiai answered. "If this really is World War I and World War II for Gaea, and fate really is just copied, then Zaibach would be in charge now like they were in charge before."
"The same country caused both these wars on the moon?" Van asked.
Jiai nodded. "A country called Germany was trying to take over the world. They lost it the first time, and then about twenty years later they tried again because of the defeat. A lot of our countries allied together to stop them but the war lasted many years."
"And?" Van pried. "Did the allies win?"
"Yes." Jiai answered.
"Does this country still pose a problem for you?" Millerna asked.
"No," was the answer, "not anymore. They're peaceful now."
"Let's hope our road ends the same." Van stated. "At the very least there is hope, whether we live thought this next adventure or not."
Koneko and Merle rushed up, the cat seizing Van's arm when she arrived. "Lord Van Lord Van!"
"What is it, Merle?"
"Gadess said we'll be there soon!" Koneko cried. "He wanted us to tell you, Dryden and Allen! Do you know where the other guys are?"
"Dryden's in that room back there." Jiai directed. "And I think Allen's still asleep."
"K thanks!" Koneko cried. "C'mon Merle!"
The 13-year-old released her prisoner and darted off. "Neko wait for me!"
Van smiled. "I'm glad to see somebody cheery."
"There doesn't seem to be a lot of positive energy," Millerna sighed, "even in the most positive of people."
Jiai sensed a pang of nausea from her double and shifted weight. "I have to go find Hitomi." She excused herself and finally made it to the staircase leading to the guest wing.
An endless red sky and a stretch of dry dead plane sandwiched Hitomi as she flew with a pair of great white wings. She'd been through this vision before, and knew its ending. She flew without wonder or thrill, the peaceful feeling of blue skies and birds already burned away, and scanned the ground for a sign of the running girl or her mother. As she watched, the hills and the black city of Palas burst up in flames and withered as the sky began to crumble like paper. The fire formed a ring and stretched its tongues out to reach for her as she glided. She closed her eyes, waiting for fall, but found herself suddenly on the ground. She was running, pulled by the hand of a woman with frayed brown hair. The stomping she felt in her heart told Hitomi that she was the girl, and that they were running for their lives. She glanced over her shoulder and gasped. The melefs were right on top of them. In all of her visions, they had never looked so big before, or so black. She could see a pair of green, glowing eyes in the shadow above. The right hand reached for them, and she screamed and dodged but was taken up by it and held tight. She caught a glimpse at the ground of a young woman's petrified face. She couldn't blink before a Cleama Claw from the captor melef ran the figure through. Tears were streaming from Hitomi's green eyes as she saw a stricken mother fall, and she thrashed and screamed trying to escape the clutches of the black soldier. She rose higher into the burning sky, her body being crushed by the metal hand, and no hope of rescue in sight. She stared around, trying vainly to spot her angel among the giant enemies. She met a stranger; a man too burly to be Van, silhouetted against the red. His face was invisible, but he wore spread wide, a pair of wings. He swooped down like a hawk. He was a torpedo aiming for her. Coming to get her.
Again, she found herself straight upright in bed. The guest rooms of the merchant ship were modestly extravagant, adorned with silk and lace, but obviously rarely used. There was a floor of them on one of the upper decks, each having two windows flanking a four-poster bed. She huddled in her covers with her shirt wadded tightly in a fist against her racing heart. "Vision!" She cried. "Another vision! The strongest vision yet! What happened to me!?"
"Hitomi?" Jiai cracked open the door, then opened it all the way when she saw that her friend was awake. "I knocked and you didn't answer. I didn't know if you were in here or not."
"I'm here." Hitomi said, wearily. Her next question was jaded and toneless "What's wrong?"
"Nothing." Jiai answered, taken a little off guard. "I was just wondering where you were. Are you okay?"
"Yeah, yeah I'm fine." Hitomi answered. "I'm exhausted."
"I'm sorry." Jiai sat down on the foot of her bed. "Well, what I was wanting to ask you was about Zaibach. You know, the king and queen. You've been there before haven't you?"
Hitomi became aware again of why she was feeling so guilty and where they were going. She rubbed her eyes and climbed out of bed, her pleated skirt wrinkles unevenly. She bent down and grabbed her Nikes from under her bed. "Zaibach? Yes, I've been three, but that was under different circumstances. I don't know what its like in Zaibach since peace happened."
"Oh." Jiai said, leaning back against one of the posts.
Hitomi looked sideways at her and brought one leg up to tie her shoe. "But if you're wondering about who the king and queen are, the Queen you remember is Millerna's sister Eries."
Jiai straightened immediately. "Really?"
It was apparent to Hitomi that this was what her friend had been fishing for and looked up to meet her eyes. Hitomi had, in the presence of both Millerna and Jiai, begun to lose the double sense between them. Now she saw in her school friend's face the anxious anticipation she'd seen in the young queen many times. She looked away. "Yeah, Eries – Eries is kind of obscure to me. I didn't really know her very well. She was sort of a presence around the castle when I was there." She looked again to Jiai. "But, she loves Millerna very much." Jiai smiled and Hitomi resigned into an unexplained heavyheartedness.
* Escaflowne *
Trapan's transport ship hung over the streets of the capital city of Zaibach. Beside the figurehead, all of Trapan's men had disembarked to look into repairs for their melefs or attend to other, local army duties. Areolar was still in a bad mood. He hounded his sister for a good part of the morning, waiting for a chance to get a word with her. The chance came in the hallway outside Trapan's new resident chambers while Virial was in audience. He rolled his shoulders and came to stand next to his fuming younger sibling who still hadn't forgiven him for the interruption the day before. When he addressed her, she could sense a bit of tact in his voice. "Sis?"
"What?" She spat flatly. Her mind had been constantly in that valley in the Adynatons. What had been said, what had been done, and especially what could have happened if her brother hadn't interrupted. She would have gotten her first kiss, but Areolar had to barge in and go a-wall on her. If he made one more move to jeopardize her secret about Glaucus she would have to kill him.
Areolar hardened his brown eyes at her curtness. "You know I'm supposed to look out for you, right?"
"I don't need your nursing, Areolar! I think I've made that clear!" She shot. "I have my own career. I've built it without your help and I'll continue to do so if you don't mind. I thought we'd agreed to that from the start."
"We did." He admitted, hotly. He glanced to Resultant, Vector and Prestress who were standing a little way down the hall, listening but trying not to stare. The tall blond man leaned in to whisper hoarsely in Torsion's ear, one arm against the wall beside her head. "You've seen how he looks at you."
"I could whip Resultant in a minute." She answered, rolling her eyes.
"Not him." Areolar said, impatiently. "HIM." She sharpened her eyes toward her brother and twisted her face into a frown. "I'm looking out for you. To keep you from getting hurt."
"Virial wouldn't hurt me." Torsion snapped. "You don't know anything about it!"
"I know my own commander!" Areolar shouted. "I know his strength and honor and have seen and admired his attitude. He's hard, cold, and self-serving."
"You don't know him." She growled, her eyes staring into her brother's forearm.
"No YOU don't know him." Areolar shouted. The others down the hall turned an eye. "The eyes he makes at you – there's nothing but harm behind them."
"Glaucus wouldn't hurt me." Torsion said again.
Areolar looked confused and put off. "What!?"
"Glaucus wouldn't HURT ME!" Torsion yelled in his face. She flung his arm away from her face and stomped off down the hall away from her fellow captains. Areolar stumbled and watched her go with a scowl. Resultant and Prestress stared intently now. Vector stood at constant attention, seeing nothing but the other side of the hallway. Areolar turned on them, his covert operation ruined. "You've seen it haven't you!?" He barreled over, Prestress's slanted eyes relaxing indifferently. The fifth captain shot a finger to each of them. "You've seen what's going on!"
"We haven't seen anything." Vector reported. "We only follow orders."
"You four are together on assignment." He said, trying hard to establish a looming presence next to the giant, his brown eyes were burning with amber fire that was white at its heart. "Make sure he doesn't touch her."
"Commander Virial is not in that state of mind." Vector said, informatively.
Areolar snarled again. "I don't care! I am disembarking shortly for the royal Palace and I don't want to have him drooling on her. It's your job to make sure he stays away from her!"
"You don't trust us." Prestress stated, blandly. "Why bother giving us orders if you do not trust us to complete them."
"What are you implying!?" Areolar challenged.
Prestress closed his eyes, the edges slanting upward. "Orders are issued to those who are trusted to follow them. You command without confidence. Your actions are off-balance."
"Are you insulting me?" Came the charge, the captain was quick to take the defensive, feeling as if his authority as one of the five captains of the Zaibachian Dragon forces was an issue. He stepped toward the beast-man."
Prestress again took it in stride. "I was stating a fact"
"Listen, you! You're arrogant! And I don't like that!"
"Are you any less?" Prestress asked. "We are equal rank: captain. Therefore it is equal for me to regard you the same."
Areolar had had enough bantering with philosophy and wound up for a punch. Prestress blinked slowly and leveled his eyes to his peer, tightening the muscles in his neck and preparing internally for a blow while leaving his outside calm and unchanged. Areolar let fly and was caught by Vector's huge hand just inches away from the hybrid's nose. The force of the impact moved the impala's flaxen hair. Areolar realized what had happened and darted his sharply constricted eyes up into the bald man's face. He yanked his fist from the captain's hand and Vector's bulk returned to its previous uniformity. "This aggression is misdirected."
Areolar fumed, obviously angry but no longer enraged. His face was a pot at boil. "Fine. I wont trust you with this. I'll find a way to handle it myself." He stormed off in the same direction as his sister, leaving the three remaining captains to wait for the commander outside Trapan's audience chamber. Resultant had been unusually quiet. The impulsive 19-year-old leaned, fuming and consumed against the wall. He wanted Torsion. He'd always wanted Torsion. He thought that with all the time their party had spent together he had made it clear, but now he had competition with his superior officer. He'd reached an impasse. There were two options and he favored neither one: give up on her or confront him. He leaned, plotting as the meeting continued inside.
"Atlantis escaped again?" Trapan asked, pacing around on the edge of the shadows. He never liked to keep much light in his audience chambers, the very essence of his existence a conflict between light and dark. He liked to keep the game in his field. Virial stood in the center of a bath of sunlight filtering dirtily through the polluted clouds of Zaibach as lifeless as ever as his leader analyzed him. "And the Merchant was confronted but uncooperative. You were driven away by the Dragon and his company?" He turned sharply. "Machine, you are getting rusty. You've completed little and our time is shortening."
"Yes sir." Came the regulated response.
Trapan tightened his face. One thing about his machine; he could never tell if his criticism was making an impact or not. Trapan stood in shadow and threw his black cloak off of one shoulder, revealing the black on black embroidery of his suit and the obsidian ornate belt and hilt holding his jeweled sword. Even now the stones were glowing faintly under his left arm, their light making the glossy threads of his rich tunic glisten like gossamer. Virial did not turn to see, but Trapan rested his left wrist on the studded handle, causing the pink and green to grow in intensity. "Well, there's still a chance. You found the Hero in Deidlas did you?"
"Yes sir." Virial answered affirmatively. "You were correct."
"Hmn…" Trapan sniggered, he moved his fingertips across the large stone at the butt of his sword, its surface blaring as he moved back into the light. "I can see his mind." He swept up next to Virial who turned to cast his pallid eyes on him. "You've come to the right place, Machine, if you are fishing for Heroes. When the first plan does not succeed, the second shall. It is slightly less favorable yes, but if a Hero thinks like his enemy he would consider – retreat to the last place you would ever want to be. Take yourself out of your comfort zone. Make yourself miserable. Your enemies will never find you there. They will never think to look for you in a place that would kill you, so that is where you go. He has come directly to us. For our rich Asturian Hero, taking refuge in an urban city slum without the novelty of natural light or fresh air would write the pact of Hell." His coal black eyes flashed. "I depart for the Stronghold of the Master at midnight. I expect to meet him there if he has not already seen our delay. If chance belays our meeting, we head north and follow his wake. You have until twelve to deliver Atlantis to me. Otherwise your fate will not be manipulated favorably." He sneered to himself at the thought and turned his back to cut a dark silhouette against the dusty light. Virial bowed and turned to leave, but was called one last time when their backs were to each other. "Remember, Machine, when you find the Hero, leave him to me. He is in need of remedy for his ill-favored mind." He hissed to himself. "I deserve that privilege."
"Yes sir."
* Escaflowne *
"There it is!" Merle cried, her tail twitching back and forth.
Koneko pressed her face against the new glass of the bridge windshield. "Wow! That's the ugliest city I've ever seen!"
Dryden laughed, standing over them with his hands on his hips. "That's Zaibach for you. The only purely industrial country in Gaea. When Dornkirk first arrived here he preached to these people about science and technology until the people obsessed over it. They left their previous occupations and devoted their lives to wheels and steam…" he directed them back out over the jagged skyline, "and that's what you get."
"Its dirtier than LA in August." Daiji said. Dryden gave him a look that made his double laugh. "Zaibach is really dirty."
"I need to see this world of yours someday." Dryden said, shaking his head.
"Holy cow! You really should!" Daiji cried excitedly. "Oh! It'd be so great! You could come and visit and stay at my place. I'll show you around town, you can come to all my favorite haunts, meet friends. We can stay up until three watching old kung-fu movies and eating refrigerator chili, it'll be great!"
"I didn't understand a word you just said." Dryden mused. "But you know I'd love it."
Daiji grinned and gave him a quick nod. "We'd have to get you a new outfit though." Dryden smirked.
Van and Millerna arrived. Van was sounding hasty. "Are we –!?" But he stalled when he saw that they were indeed there.
Millerna ran up after him. Her mind was unlike his, focusing on the present instead of visions of the past. She took as sweep of the landscape and spotted the two tanned doubles standing there. "Dryden!" All smiles, the queen dashed up and hugged his arm. "It's exciting isn't it? Seeing Eries again? It is for me! And I'm glad you're here with me." He smiled down and her, removed his arm and put it around her shoulders. She transferred her grip to his middle.
Kio called up from the steering column. "We'll be ready to land in fifteen minutes!"
"Merle," Van requested. Her ears sprang up to hear his instruction, stars in her eyes, "you and Koneko go get everyone else and gather them up here for a meeting to decide what we're doing."
"Right away, Lord Van!" Merle saluted and leapt up. "C'mon Neko!"
"I'll race you!" Koneko challenged. The two of them dashed off the bridge, each narrowly missing Van as they cut on either side of him.
One of Dryden's original crewmembers, a cheery young man wit a high-pitched voice and bouncy red-blond hair, stepped up with a sense of respectful attention. "Sir, I don't think the airship will fit in closely unless we want to hover over the city."
"I don't think we should do that." Millerna said, warily, loosening herself on Dryden for a moment. "We're still not entirely sure that this place is safe for us, and the damage on this ship is pretty individual, we wouldn't want to be seen by the wrong people."
"Land us on the nearest edge." Dryden instructed. "Near the mountains if you can. We'll go in via cart or wagon or something."
The confident young hand nodded a quick bow to him and cheerily agreed, "Right sir!" before returning to his post.
Dryden gave him a jerk of a wave. "Thanks Llave."
"He's chipper for one of four survivors." Daiji observed, then with a sarcastic comb of his brown bangs he added. "Maybe too happy."
Dryden pulled his lips tight and let his shoulders sad some, the patch under his eye twitching a little. Millerna could feel the change around her and looked up, noting a sort of haze coming over him. It was a feeling that was contagious and she became sad. This and more made her remember what she'd seen and felt in the library just the day before – it was before she had made him happy.
* Escaflowne *
Virial's ship, the Congruency, was docked in the hanger of the Palace Zaibach, Trapan's ship hidden not far in another hangar. Areolar stormed down his commander's plank, purposely pounding his feet on Virial's property, he blew off steam as he headed out of the ship and down the halls toward the audience chamber. He didn't need a map or a guide to navigate these halls. He had been first a captain in the royal army before pledging his services to the Master. It wasn't long before he'd swept past familiar guards and staff and arrived at the court of his king and queen. The guards regarded him but made no move to inquire about his purpose or his mood. In all their time serving, they knew better than to distract Areolar when his temper was up, they'd learned about that in barracks or in mess when he'd gone off at an idiot. The captain stopped just short of entering the chamber, his nose to the doors, and attempted to gather himself. The entourage he'd brought with him was just catching up, his haste nearly lapping them in the time it took him to get from the ship to the throne. He took a deep breath as they filed in behind him, realizing that no matter how protective he was feeling, he couldn't let it get in the way of his goal; persuading the King. He checked over his shoulder to see if his troops were ready, then entered.
Queen Eries was as pallid as ever, but had reached a new level of lifelessness upon arriving as Zaibach's bride. All rooms in this palace were dark, the sky a permanent gray. The lack of sun had paled her skin to nearly the color of her hair. Her royal robes consisted of a restricting maroon and black gown, the edges fading to lavender, the color of the amethysts in her crown and earrings. She'd neglected her elf-like gold clasps since she'd left the sunshine. Her eyes were blue, but blank. Her husband, the young unhandsome Lyse Zaibach. He lacked the looks and strength of a king, his grass-blond head grown to his jaw line. He had the look of a sheltered soul malnourished and neglected, pale as his wife. However, his dark brown-red eyes were intelligent and eager, experiencing everything for the first time. He wore his kingly robes like a coat-rack, the expensive folds draping off of him in duty instead of raiment. He did not have the mindset for a ruler. His family had been removed from power for over a generation to make room for Dornkirk's growing empire. Lyse had the heart to do great things for his people, but was hesitant and easily swayed by logic, false or true. Areolar planned to make use of this foible.
He stepped up the long purple velvet carpet and addressed the monarch with false respect. "Your majesty!"
Zaibach straightened on his throne but it was his wife who had any trace of leadership. She stood to meet Areolar. "Captain?"
The soldier stopped. It wasn't that he'd forgotten about the Queen, but her entrance into the subject was a wrench. He cleared his throat. "I was addressing the king."
"But Eries addressed you." Lyse said pointedly. He smiled importantly fiercely proud of his bride. "If she wants to talk to you, you answer her." Eries looked down to her hand where she fingered her wedding ring.
Areolar cleared his throat again. "Of course." He continued speaking but not specifically to the queen. "I have come on order from my superiors to press upon you an urgent sense of military need."
"What kind of need?" Eries asked, raising her eyes to cast a suspicious stare at the young blond.
"There is a threat of a powerful factionary resistance planning to infiltrate the palace." He answered.
Eries paused, unconvinced and swept back to the throne with a billow of her heavy cloak. "Why have we heard no word of such a resistance?"
"It has just come up your highness." Areolar said, weaving his web perfectly.
"How is it that your superiors found out?" She asked.
"We received a messaged from Asturia and Fanelia." Areolar answered. "Both palaces have been infiltrated by the resistance already."
Eries's vacant blue eyes narrowed. "Asturia?" Her monotones sounded angry. "Why weren't we notified immediately?"
"That's what I'm doing." He responded, perhaps too brashly. "That is why I am pressing that you mount a military guard on the castle."
"What happened in Asturia?" Eries asked sharply.
Areolar knew he had his wrench on the ropes now. He took a deep breath and tried to muster some mock sympathy for his matriarch. "The Queen was taken, your Highness."
Eries became silent and her husband entered the negotiations with a touch of panic in his voice. "How fast can you secure the premises?"
Bingo. "In minutes, majesty, we can have the palace flooded with soldiers." He relaxed his guard, knowing that as long as he sounded confident enough he would have Zaibach under his thumb.
"When they took over Fanelia, did they take the king?" Lyse asked.
"Yes." Areolar assured.
"Do it!" He commanded, trying to sound stately and casting his dark eyes to his wife, making sure she was still safe. "Do it now!"
"Yes sir!" Areolar bowed and hurried out to obey orders, a smirk grown on his face and the sweet taste of future victory in his mouth.
* Escaflowne *
Gadess followed Merle and Koneko up the stairs. The two doubles had lost their cheer in the time between leaving to find the party and returning. Merle hopped up to the top step before the guest wing and turned to call back down. "He doesn't come out, Mr. Gadess." She said. "We called for him but he didn't come out."
Koneko nodded her agreement. "We thought you could get him out."
"I'll try." Gadess sighed. "But if the boss wants to be left alone, it's not my place to drag him." He arrived on deck and advanced toward Allen's locked door. Koneko and Merle hung back on the stairs and watched. He looked back to them then knocked. Allen was sitting by himself inside, his long blond hair uncombed and his clothes unkempt. He'd been sitting on the side of the bed for untold hours: thinking. As had become his custom recently, he was puzzling over himself, his reactions and his opinions. He was so different back when he was with Marlene. Back then he was – more positive. Hopeful. He didn't have as many cared then. He figured now that his life was doomed from the start. Over the course of his existence he had been happy very seldom. When he was young he was happy. Then his father left. His sister was kidnapped. His mother died. He was alone and wandered around Asturia training until he entered the army. There he met Marlene, and he was happy. But it wasn't long before she was taken from him by marriage then death. His fort became his home, then burned. Battle drove him through pain and a slog of bad memories. Then Celena returned, but the baggage she brought with her was massing constantly. Of course he'd fallen in love with Hitomi during that time, but she was taken by Van. And Millerna… maybe he still loved Millerna, but then again he didn't. He realized that what he'd found so amiable in Millerna was the memory of Marlene, but he hated to hurt her like that. The fact was that he'd gotten used to her devotion to him, and had taken for granted that the two of them would always be bound to each other. But now there was Dryden. The knight, out of conscience had set her free and she didn't tarry at all. She didn't wait loyally like she had before. She didn't even look back. He had lost her to Dryden twice now… once in marriage and now in love. He closed a fist around a clump of hair and cursed his fate. Now he was quick to judge and reluctant to trust. He realized that there was a temper in him that slept until fueled, and it frightened him. How many people had he killed in this place? He hadn't even thought of them as people or realized what he was doing as he cut them down. Those were the kind of people that Allen hated – methodic killers – and that was the kind of person he'd become. How? The shame of it all.
Gadess's knock jarred him. He jumped and much of his hair fell in his face. He cleared his throat quickly. "Who is it?"
"Me boss," Gadess called, "you okay?"
"Yes." Allen answered, falsely, "I'm fine."
"The team is meeting on the bridge. We've arrived in Zaibach. We need to figure out what we're going to do." Gadess leaned on the door. "We could really use you, sir."
'Use me?' Allen asked himself with a huff. 'Perhaps at one point I was useful.' He combed back his locks with his fingers. "I'll be there in a bit."
"I'll wait for you." Gadess announced and turned to the two girls. "Run down and tell them that we're coming."
"Okay." Merle agreed. She looked to Koneko and the two of them bounded back down the stairs. When they got back to the bridge, everyone else was assembled and holding an informal meeting of their own. Van and Yosu were situated on either side of Hitomi. The arrangement was too close of the two of them, who kept eyeing each other, and Hitomi who felt like trophy. Van broke the vice periodically to stand and speak forcefully at Dryden. He was at this moment on another of his passionate, accusing rants, the target leaning against the wall, listening sternly with his arms crossed and an impatient look on his face. Daiji looked about the same sitting against one of the bulkheads next to him. Millerna watched with Yukari and Amano, feeling like the air was being charged, and Jiai stood on the other side of Daiji looking concerned. Hakai was staring out the window, feeling a creepy sense of familiarity eating at his nerves. His sister and Celena were playing dolls o the floor, Leppy under Celena's control and Suru controlling a book with a pretty girl on the cover. Van continued ranting.
"We can't just walk in unnoticed! We probably should be mile away from here! Staying parked on the doorstep will surely get us stepped on!"
Hitomi didn't like his yelling and spoke futilely to him. "Van?"
He didn't even notice her attempt. "We are the most wanted people in all of Gaea, they'll recognize our faces in an instant!"
"Why do you assume that Zaibach is dangerous?" Dryden asked. "Sure the Draconians on board this ship were in Zaibach uniforms, but there's been no declaration of war, and Eries is ruling here. Even if there was some sort of plan, she would agree to see us if Millerna requests it. And if you notice, the other threats came from Asturia. Even without proof we should use caution but there's no reason to draw swords just yet. Not everything has to be do or die you know."
"But it's happening all over Again!" He slammed a fist down on the corner of the steering column, making Kio jump. "Zaibach launched the war before! Since everything's repeating itself, they've got to be the ones starting it now!"
"But there's no proof!" Dryden pressed.
"It's Germany!" Yosu agreed, standing next to Hitomi, who felt like she was able to breath again. "It's obvious that they're behind it, because it's the same thing that happened on Earth!"
"I'm not suggesting we waltz in with a banner and a cheer!" Dryden cried. "I'm not an idiot!" He looked to Van. "You're not going in, Millerna's not going in, Hitomi, Merle, and I'm not going in until we're sure its safe."
"Wait!" Millerna interrupted. "Eries is my sister! I should be able to go!"
"If it's safe." Dryden told her. "I propose a scouting party. Just to check the palace grounds out and see if there's anything suspicious going on."
"Made of who!?" Van asked, critically. "Daiji? Amano? Don't be absurd!"
"Hey!" Amano defended. "What do you mean by that!? We could handle it."
"You haven't been to Zaibach before!" Van accused. "You don't know your way around the city or how to act to keep from being noticed. How can you expect to sneak into a royal castle!?"
"It worked with yours!" Amano hissed. They launched into a heated argument. Yosu joined in gladly. A couple of the Crusade crew on board joined either side. Hitomi and the other girls tried to quiet the room down with little luck. Daiji tried to intervene only to end up joining it. It took Yukari standing on a stool and shouting to bring about order.
"Okay! SHUT UP! SHUT UP! Everybody calm down!" They looked up to her and stood down. She nodded at them. "Thank you."
"Well if we're going to send someone in, it should be someone unassuming." Yosu said. "Maybe one of us, or a crewmember. Obviously some of us look more like certain people than others, so that should probably play a part, especially if they're looking for us."
Reeden was listening in from the ladder to the crow's nest. "I'll do it."
Everyone turned, surprised, having forgotten that he was there listening to them. Dryden raised his eyebrows. "A volunteer?"
"I c'n get in." Reeden said assuredly.
"Oohh! Can I go?" Koneko called.
Yosu turned sharply to her. "No."
"Party pooper." She huffed.
"Sir." Llave, the strawberry-blond crewmember reappeared and bowed, his short curled hair bouncing. "I'll go with him."
"Really?" Dryden asked, sounding skeptical. "I don't know, Llave, it's going to be stressful."
"I'll do it for you sir!" Llave assured. "You need someone unassuming, that's me!"
"Two?" Amano asked. "Is that enough?"
"Good enough for me." Yukari said.
"Then head out I guess." Dryden shrugged. "What's the use in waiting around? Just see what condition the palace is in. Don't take any risks or do anything foolish, all we need is a general observation. I don't even want the two of you stepping inside the gate understand? Report back as soon as you can."
"Right." Reeden answered.
"Yes sir!" the other agreed.
Reeden smacked Llave's arm. "C'mon, Chip, let's go." His companion rubbed his arm, confused, then followed him back to the stairwell to lead them to the gangplank. On their way out, they caught Hakai's eye. The boy suddenly received a blinding flash of mischievous inspiration.
He dropped down next to his sister and Celena. "C'mon, Su, let's follow 'em."
"No, Hakai." Suru whispered, appalled.
"We can't just sit around this stupid ship anymore!" He replied hoarsely. "We gotta explore this place!"
"I don't want to go out there." Suru said. She looked up to Celena. "It's a scary place. I'm scared to go out there."
"I'm not afraid!" Hakai boasted. "I'm going whether you're coming or not! Stay if you're chicken!" He dashed off without a second's thought.
Suru's meek call went unanswered after him. "Hakai! Come back!"
* Escaflowne *
The streets of the outermost layers of Zaibach were just as filthy at day as they had been at night, but that couldn't stop Mr. "Pascinian Valence" Nadeje. He was job hunting and hoping to find a place that sold cheap Zaibachian clothing. Costumes for he and Ayen were priority as soon as he found some more money, he could only pay for their hotel room for so much longer with what he carried in Asturian change. At the moment he only looked a little less obvious in his hooded cloak than he would in plain Asturian finery. He was finding his nationality to be a hindrance. Most of the employers would reject him the minute he opened his mouth declaring "No Foreigners" with a bitter twinge that made him suspect that the whole country was still suffering from the war. If only he wasn't Asturian – if only his judgment had led him to another country – if only he'd never been discovered by the faction. Yes, then everything would be better. If the faction had never found his secret, they happy at home in peaceful Asturia. He would be upstanding and honest, and perhaps Perda would still be alive.
No, no maybes. His wife WOULD still be alive.
But what could he do about that now? The Master had snared him and it was all he could do to run away with the bear trap still biting his leg. If only he could see the outcomes of his choices. Now that was the bottom line. Divination would make everything better.
He stepped up to a store that was drab and gray. It looked like every other store he'd visited. He hoped it wouldn't result in the same response. Trying his best to wish for success, he entered. It seemed like every building and every face was lit in green. It made all the people and places look ill. The proprietor here was no exception: overweight, unkempt, and unhappy. He looked just like every other disagreeable person he'd met in this part of town.
The man barked gruffly at Seguir as he entered. "Whaddaya want?"
Seguir tried to hoarsen up his voice and frowned to seem more local. "I'm looking for - I want work!"
"Work?" The man laughed. "Don't we all! What does a foreigner want work here for?"
His act fell through, but to avoid looking petty, he stayed scratchy while speaking more naturally, at least for himself. "I need work because I need money."
The man laughed again and shook his head. Seguir could sense another rejection coming on, but the shop-keep responded favorably. "My only help was just drafted. I could only use you if you stayed back and did stock work and the neighbors didn't see your foreign-ness in the store."
"I'll do anything." Seguir replied, pointedly, squaring up his shoulders but feeling pathetic. If he played his cards right, the great Captain of the Asturian Palace Guard would finally have a paycheck as a stock boy.
The guy shifted through some papers before answering. "Ah, I can't take you today. I got stuff to put in order. Come back tomorrow and you'll have a job."
Seguir nodded quickly.
"Ya gotta be here early though, or I'll give the job to someone else."
"I'll be here at dawn." Seguir replied. The man shooed him out and he was back to the streets. He smiled under his hood as he headed for 'home', the filth looking slightly less filthy in the light of hope. 'The first step is down – maybe things will turn out all right after all' On his way through the crowd, he was hit broadside by a blond boy. The pre-teen dashed around and left a stream of upset people in his wake. He shoved Seguir as he ran past.
"Watchit, geezer! Outta my way!"
The boy vanished among the throngs except for the trail of turned heads continuing through an intersection toward the palace. Seguir stopped and stared into the center of town where the spires of the Palace Zaibach stood gangly over the slums. For some reason, that boy seemed very familiar.
* Escaflowne *
Hakai was catching up with the two scouts, causing ample disruption and distraction as he went. Reeden was speaking with Llave, a conversation in which he did most the talking and his companion listened patiently. Although the two of them were about the same age, Reeden fancied himself more world-wise and capable – translating therefore into superior – and smacked Llave in the arm every now and then to make sure he was still paying attention. "You see, Chip, in these kinda jobs ya gotta be natural, ya know. Ya gotta be seamless." Llave smiled pleasantly and nodded. Reeden smacked him again. "What I'm tellin' ya, Chip, is ya ain't seamless! If you wanna pull this off ya gotta relax."
"But I am relaxed." Llave said, his light, childish green eyes looking innocent and child-like. He had a natural pep that Reeden was beginning to find annoying.
"Then stop been so dern cheerful!" The other snapped. "Just that stupid look on your face'll give us away!"
Llave blinked cluelessly. "What look are you talking about Reeden?"
"Ya know, just…" He stopped and realized that his companion was totally oblivious, "just keep quiet!" Then added; "And stop smiling!" Llave nodded and tried to pull his face out straight to banish the smile. It looked like every available muscle in his face was straining and Reeden rolled his eyes. "What the heck!? That's not any better! Look just, nevermind! Do whatever!"
At that moment, Hakai ran up from behind and gave the two of them a shove. They reacted quickly, Reeden throwing his fists up for duking and Llave freaking out until he realized who it was who had pushed them. The blond pointed to the newcomer. "Oh! Look! It's the boy from the ship!"
"What!?" Reeden pointed an accusing finger at the 12-year-old. "What d'you follow us for, kid!? You think this is a joke or something!?"
"None of your beeswax!" Hakai shouted, snottily. "I've been holed up on that rig for long enough! I'm not doin' nothin' any more, I'll do what I want!"
"Then go get lost!" Reeden replied.
"No!" Llave fretted. "No, we can't lose him! What would Dryden say!? We'll get in trouble!"
"I don't give a darn what Dryden says!" Reeden responded. "I'm not taking him with me! 'E's not MY responsibility! The kid's insane, and we're not supposed to takin' risks!"
"Then I'll take him with me." Llave said decisively. He turned a baby-sitter tone on Hakai. "You'll be nice won't you?"
Hakai snorted. "Nice my butt!" He shoved through them. "Outta my way!"
Llave jumped aside. "Oh my goodness!"
"Great!" Reeden huffed and took off running after the boy. "Now look what you've done!"
"W-What did I do!?" Llave asked, running after him.
Reeden shouted over his shoulder. "He's gonna ruin everything! We gotta catch him!"
* Escaflowne *
Eries stood in the closed, windowless chamber that was her throne room. She felt so isolated from her new country in this place. Asturia's throne room was open to the air, connected to the town around it. If Zaibach were like Asturia, she would have known about this new threat much earlier. As it was, she felt like she was in a box. That man – the one who had told her about Asturia's invasion – he had a suspicious atmosphere. She didn't trust him, but she couldn't afford to dismiss him. This was the first word she'd heard from the outside for along time. Plus her senses were giving her the sense that at least some of what he'd said was true, and she couldn't help feeling anxious about her sister. Millerna was 'taken', he had said. Did 'taken' mean kidnapped or… worse? She couldn't decide which outcome was least horrible and struggled whether or not to begin grieving yet. If only she hadn't had to leave her all alone in that palace. If she'd been there, the invaders would have been stopped, she was sure of it. She knew how to deploy troops, build defenses, read warning signs, and all manner of procedures that Millerna hadn't had time to learn from her father before he became ill. Now that she thought of it, she, the queen of Zaibach, wasn't allowed to use her know how here either.
Lyse entered with a pair of guards and saw her standing there. His shoulders sank. With a weak hand he directed his convoy to take their place by the entrance. Eries had been given to him, but he treasured her. He accepted the sorry truth that he was no use as a leader. Eries was his support, strength and crutch. He felt a duty to her, if only as a close friend. "Eries – " She ignored him. He thought she hadn't heard him so approached. "Eries?"
"Don't try to make excuses, Lyse." She said, flatly. "I haven't the heart to accept your comfort or support."
"You can't expect me not to try and help you, Eries." Lyse said. "It hurts me too when you're sad."
"You should leave then, and we'll both feel better."
"I don't know what you're trying to tell me." He admitted. "If you are worried about an invasion, there are guards everywhere and we're even mobilizing a melef perimeter guard. We'll be completely safe."
"Its not that." She said, tersely, surprised at how quickly she was falling apart and turning away.
"Oh." He understood. "It's our sister then." He tried to sound hopeful. "I'm sure Millerna's fine! She's seen war before and – and she knows how to look after herself."
Eries turned weakly. "Stop."
Lyse did not obey her. "And don't forget – she's got great people working for her! And there's that knight Allen that always keeps his eye on her… he'll make sure-"
Eries removed herself from his presence and flew to the door as a flock of birds would vacate a tree when disturbed. The king could do nothing but watch her go wit a heavy heart, knowing that he'd overdone it. He looked to the floor and combed through his hay-grass hair as he drug his train through the dark.
All around, the Guymelef army was moving into positions. Alseides, the standard Zaibachian melefs, were piloted out of the hangars and took up perimeter watches over the roofs of the city. Among them, filtering about were the four Maginot, but not the Tamarak. The Stallion Melef remained in its place of honor, the obsidian armor shining in the dull gleam of the bunker. Every building in Zaibach was closed to keep out the dust and pollution that found its way into ever crack of the desert-like country. Trapan stood at the melef's hoof like feet. He stared up at it lovingly and his Machine, the Commander, watched in wait. Virial was not showing any visible signs of curiosity through all his layers but he'd never seen the head of the Master's army behave this way. Trapan spoke. "The Tamarak is magnificent is it not?" Virial remained silent as his leader raised a hand toward his suit. He was too far to reach, but the red energist at the chest began to glow, as if pleased by the very possibility of his touch. "I am bound to it you know," he lowered his hand and the glow died, "If I were human, it would be by blood."
"Sir?"
"The Tamarak came to me in the north." He said. "It lay under snow and ice on the plains of Asgard. Expulsion of Atlantis. The Master assured me of its use and its power. Created by an ancient civilization that existed before the fall of the Draconians, this creation was meant to share the blood of its master. I however, need no blood to bond with this creation. It is mine in spirit, in will, in wish." He turned to Virial. "It is mine." He moved away and the melef seemed to fall into shadow as he did. Virial followed patiently, anticipating the reason for this sudden tour of the Guymelef hangars. Distantly, he could hear the perimeter melefs suiting up and shipping out. The suits towering above him now, in the dark, were outdated, specially built, privately owned or kept secret. Trapan walked and spoke without acknowledging him. "I've missed it." He reached a corner of the room that seemed to be separate from the other parked suits, the haunted edge had the feeling of a condemned house. Virial could see the outline of windows latched shut above it and a hulking, dusty frame. Trapan stopped by this and turned partially. "You'll no longer pilot it."
Virial stopped. He could feel the attachment between the leader and his melef, but wondered why he was taking it back. Was this punishment? But Trapan pulled a rope lever to open the windows above the phantom melef. The light poured down on a new and fearsome machine. Red and sleek, the armor sloped around its hulking frame, an invisibility cape hanging off its massive shoulders. It was a technological Frankenstein, pieced back together and shut away to hide the legacy it held from a time when it roamed free in the war torn world. When it was salvaged from the final defeat, those of the new regime were panicked at its survival, as if it was an omen. It was shut away, and now it stood before him, unbound, just forgotten among the lines of mecha. Forgotten and ignored.
"Oreides." Trapan's slick voice said. Virial looked to him, the cloaked man smiling riley. "The Fire Demon. Only two of its make were ever constructed. Its twin was destroyed in the final stand of the Zaibachian war. This was abandoned. The Demon himself abandoned it. I have been anxious to see it move again."
"Sir?"
'This is your new melef." Trapan said. "Use it appropriately." He turned and left him there. Virial nodded his salute, but when his superior was gone, he inspected the suit in private adoration, both legendary and dangerous, the Fire Demon was his own.
* Escaflowne *
Hakai made it inside the perimeter of the palace guard much too easily. For some reason, his random dashings had found a hole in the wall that was not being guarded and a hidden stretch of walk that let him straight into the compound. He wasn't looking out for danger, or even committing half a mind to what he was doing, he was just running madly in a fit of glee. Reeden and Llave peeked from behind a jutting wall to watch awestruck what he'd done.
"How in the heck - !?" Reeden cried. "That kid's unbelievable!"
"Do we follow him?" Llave asked.
"Of course!" Reeden snapped. "We have to follow him! Plus he's led us right into the palace, we'll be able to find a ton 'a stuff in there!"
"But Dryden said under no circumstances – "
"Look, which way do you wanna piss Dryden off? Go inside or loose the kid?" Reeden spat.
"Hey! You two!" A voice called. The two spies froze and turned slowly to face a Zaibachian guard who stood on the handle end of a very sharp spear. "State your names! What are you doing here!?"
"We're – we're uh – " Llave stammered. Reeden stared pitchforks at him from the corners of his eyes. Llave tried to piece an excuse together by counting on his fingers. The guard grew more and more suspicious. "We're Lost!" The merchant crewman cried. He smiled, pleased with himself. "That's it! We're lost!"
The Crusader smacked himself in the face.
The guard jerked his spear. "Get your hands up! You're under arrest."
Reeden took the matter into his own hands. He grabbed the spear behind the pointed head and used his wrist as a fulcrum to bang the guard under the chin. The man fell back against the wall and Reeden grabbed Llave's vest. "Come on!"
The two dashed around and across the borderline. Another guard spotted them and took up pursuit, blowing a whistle. Llave fretted as he was led across the compound. "We're in trouble! What are we going to do now!"
Reeden cursed under his breath, then barked back to his companion. "Just shut up and run! We're gonna have to lose these guards and get into the palace to find the kid!"
Llave's green eyes went wide. "Go IN!?! We weren't supposed to go IN!"
"Its perfect to make sure the place is safe!" Reeden reported.
Llave was breaking a sweat. "Doesn't this prove the contrary?"
"Grrrr." Reeden fumed. "SHUT UP AND RUN!!!" The two of them cut into the open cargo doors of a military storage hangar. There was no sign of Hakai anywhere, and no thought to find him as the two fugitives dashed among rows of supplies. Reeden looked back and noticed four guards after them now, more than likely more would be coming. He could hear them shouting to each other.
"The Resistance! Those guys are trying to take over the palace! Get them!"
He led Llave into a second bunker full of barrels and crates with numeral tags printed across them. Llave stopped to pant behind a stack of barrels. "Were are we going? Do you know?"
"Duh I don't know!" Reeden shot back. "Does it look like I've done this before!?"
"I thought you said that you knew about "jobs like this"!" Llave cried.
"Hush!" Reeden hissed. "I got a sense of where we need to be, and it's not here! But we gotta lose these freaks first!"
"How are you doing to do that!?"
Reeden checked back into the aisle they had run down. The guards were on their way. He drug Llave around to the other side and shoved their sheltering stack of barrels down on top of their assailant's heads. The tower hit the opposite aisle and brought another stack down to bar the way, leaving hard tack lying in crumbs on the floor and four dazed and subdued Zaibachian soldiers. Reeden nodded at the efficiency of his work, then slapped Llave in the chest again. "C'mon, Chip, lets go."
Llave was speechless and stammered as he pointed. "L-Look what you did!"
Reeden grabbed his arm and drug him from the hangar. "Come on…" Just outside the storage bunker, Melefs were massing. They glanced up to watch as they dashed toward the main building. The Alseides all made their ways casually toward perimeter guard posts but among them were three Maginot headed toward a hangar on the opposite side of the compound. Reeden took a double take, ducked aside and directed his companion with a point. "It's them!"
"Them?" Llave asked, cluelessly.
"Those lousy creeps that follow us everywhere!" He said. He turned to Llave. "They're the ones who attacked yer ship yes'erday! This place ain't safe if they're here! They'll be lookin' for the boss and e'ryone!"
"We have to get out of here." Llave agreed. "And Millerna can't get in to see her sister. That's too bad. She'll be disappointed."
"Let her be." Reeden replied. "Now we gotta go back and tell 'em what's goin' down."
"No but wait!" Llave bade. "What about that boy?"
"Ah man…" Reeden moaned. "Why can't we just leave the kid!?"
"Oh! We can't do that!" The blond cried. "That's terrible!"
"I know, I wasn't serious!" He shot back, then looked to waiting door. "I bet he's in there. C'mon, Chip, let's get." The two of them slid along the shadowed side of the bunker until they hit their target: a supply door leading them straight inside the body of the palace.
Unbeknownst to them, across the complex, one Maginot was not in use. Torsion was perfecting hasty repairs to her craft. It was mostly a ploy. She wanted to get away form the other captains, especially her brother. And she wanted to catch Virial alone again. It seemed like the only times in the past that she and Glaucus were ever alone were when repairs were being performed, so that was what she set about doing. If she hung back, perhaps he could find her. As she sat on the lap of her melef, turning screws and tightening bolts, she heard the approach of another melef.
"Torsion!"
She recognized Resultant's delinquent voice instantly and became suddenly disgusted. The feeling gurgled up like acid from her stomach as he stopped just behind her. She had become very comfortable with the idea that she was spoken for, and didn't want to deal with his flirting. She let him know how she felt by snapping at him with her back turned. "What!?"
Resultant clenched his teeth one long spider-like bang caught between them. "What's wrong with you!?! Are you just in a fight with your brother or are you snappy all the time now!?"
"I'm sick of you!" She replied. "Why don't you mind your own business?"
"This is my business!" Resultant shouted at her. "Since when were you getting fresh with the commander, huh!?! You're not a teenager, Torsion, stop messing around on the job!"
"Hey!" She turned on him, her eyebrows twitching in fury. "I've got an older brother on my back, I don't have to answer you for anything! But in defense of my character, you ARE a teenager! You don't know anything about real love and all you DO is mess around! You are stupid and arrogant and horribly annoying! I wouldn't mind if you never spoke to me again!"
"Hey, You don't mean that!" Resultant said, trying to pass it off as an empty result of anger. Torsion wasn't joking and his response only made her angrier.
"You know what?" She fumed, sneering at him. "Don't speak to me again!"
"What!?" Resultant cried.
"Don't speak to me or look at me or dare to associate yourself with me ever again! I don't need your bating, I have Glaucus and he is who I'll answer to. He's the only person I'm going to respond to ever again. He has enough power, he can have your killed if he wants! So take than and sit on it, and I hope it impales you!"
Resultant was infuriated, but he noticed soldiers standing around them on the ground, listening intently to the exchange. The 19-year-old had little choice but to leave her there. One thing he did choose, however: Virial was the reason for this change. Areolar didn't trust him anymore because of the way he responded to his sister, and deep down inside, Resultant's loyalty had disappeared and been replaced with a cold-iron hate. This was the kind of hate he held for someone who had taken something from him. This was the hate he harbored for the Allied forces, and for Escaflowne. He'd been left alive to get revenge and he knew a man who would help him do it. He stomped toward the palace, a fire burning in his eyes. He shoved past Prestress and Vector who were waiting outside the hangar for him. When he left, they didn't follow, but waited silently watching him go. When he disappeared inside the main hangar the beast-dragon spoke. " He has a purpose."
Vector nodded inside his suit and stepped the machine around to see the scene that Resultant had left behind. The familiar woman and her melef confirmed his suspicions. "Ill purpose."
"Should we watch Torsion?" Prestress asked. "It is what Areolar wanted us to do, but would that be even of us? Would she do the same if we were in her place?"
"My loyalty is to Virial." Vector replied. "I hold no other oath but to him. Still I can sense his loyalty to her. I feel he would have me protect her and I shall."
"And Resultant -?" Prestress asked.
"Does he plan to go through me? He will fall before me if he does." Vector looked with dullness back after Resultant who was no longer in sight. "My course is set."
Prestress leaned back, his long neck arching down as he closed his golden eyes. "I have no counterbalance," he looked up at Vector, "but if he would kill me to get what he wants, I shall respond the same. There is no need to balance my presence here, now. Your loyalty to me requires my loyalty to you and therefore to all you deem fit to defend."
"Your compassion has its limits." Vector said to him.
Prestress straightened again inside his cockpit. "Compassion is slant. There is no certain return for such an uneven thing."
"Let it be slant then." Vector finalized. He stood strong and alert, a tower of muscle. "I have one course to follow slanted or not."
Prestress sighed his own amen. "Then may it be straight."
* Escaflowne *
Hakai had wandered about the palace for a good ten minutes without getting caught. The whole had endeavor had been simple. His interest had led him naturally to all the important spots of the establishment: the quarters, the sorcerers chamber, the dungeons, the Guymelef bay, the training ground… now he'd found the long hallway to the long hallway past the throne room. The architecture was black polished marble with intricate line patterns and pointed designs. The room itself was enormous, possessing one entrance and surrounded on all sides by undecorated hallways spare this grand entrance. It was a striking contrast from all other areas in the palace, which were lit by green lamps and decorated in minimalist style. Here there were torch brackets and the flames there glowed redder than heart in comparison. There were guards posted alongside these, covering the engraved door, but they had moved aside to let the King pass. Hakai ducked around the corner and watched as the monarch left under guard cover, muttering to himself. He turned, luckily to head the opposite direction down the Imposing Hall. Hakai could barely make out what he was saying. "Eries is upset and I can't fix anything for her. I've flooded this place with guards like that captain said. Those resistance fighters will not take this place like they did Asturia and Fanelia. Am I doing the right thing? I'm only looking out for her welfare, why would she still be troubled? Could it be that she's blaming herself for Asturia? I can see – if my sister was 'taken', I would be worried. Maybe I just don't know enough for this kind of thing…" He sighed and disappeared around the far corner.
Hakai snuck back toward throne room entrance but saw two guards reappear to close and bar the door. "Rats." That ended that tangent, time to find somewhere new to explore. He headed down the hallway perpendicular to his access hallway and found a decorated staircase. The guard at the bottom wasn't paying attention so Hakai hopped on the banister and slid down, using him as a landing pad. The soldier let out a squawk but hit his head when he fell and was knocked unconscious. Hakai sat on his back and laughed. "This is so much fun! If only I had some matches or something!" The man underneath him groaned and he punched his metal helmet into the carpeted metal floor. He grinned in satisfaction. "Stupid freak. Who hired you anyway!? Worthless loser." He got up and dashed down another hall. He ran helter-skelter until the furnishings dwindled to nothing and the decorations surrendered to gray conformity. Reaching an open doorway, he found himself in the Levi-ship dock. He wandered in, staring up at the ships tied down nearby. Right in front of him was the Congruency, Areolar standing on the gangplank, giving orders to those still on his commander's ship, his back facing the boy and unaware that they were so close to a member of the Eyes' party.
Suddenly he was snatched and pulled behind a stack of unloaded cargo, his mouth and arms restricted by hands. "Heh!" Reeden whispered. "I TOLD you he'd come to us if we just waited!"
Llave had both hands over Hakai's mouth, doing all he could to keep him quiet. "But –" The 12-year-old bit his palm and the blond let out a "Yeow!"
Reeden freed one thrashing arm and slapped a hand over his compatriot's mouth to stifle the yelp. "Shut up! Do you wanna get caught or what!?"
Llave shook his head frantically, tears of pain in his eyes. Reeden peered around over the wooden crates then jerked Llave's head toward the great open hangar doors and their probable escape. "C'mon, let's go."
"Mmph Mmphmmmph Mmph!"
"Shut up!"
They snuck along the wall from cargo pile to cargo pile and under the bellies of ships until they reached the lip of the wall. At this point the lookout peered his head around the corner and quickly ducked them all down again. A Maginot thundered past in haste, its footsteps shaking the ground beneath their feet and knocking Llave off his squat. The machine stopped in front of the Congruency, sinking to one knee as the cockpit door opened. The three foreigners quickly dashed out of the chamber. Resultant came like a ball of fire from his melef, leaping down to meet Areolar with a malicious glimmer in his blue eyes. "Areolar!"
The captain stopped his orders and looked sidelong at him.
"You want to kill Virial!"
The captain was taken by surprise, checking that none of his men heard the cry. He turned his full attention to Resultant, answering evasively. "What?"
"You want to kill him." Resultant repeated, calmer, "for Torsion, you want him dead so he'll leave her alone."
Areolar cocked an ear and looked oddly at him, suspecting that he should be outraged but finding confirmation bias in his motivation. "Why?"
"I want to help you do it." The shadows on Resultant's face seemed to contrast more as his voice grew sinister. "I want you to kill him, but I want to get my sword in him before the job is over. I want revenge."
"Revenge?" Areolar asked, liking his offer more now that they shared a wish. "Is revenge all you think about?"
"It is all I live for." Resultant replied, gravely. "Its what they all will die for."
To Be Continued…
