Escaflowne:   Mirrors

Episode 16:  Bloodiness

            Seguir            returned to the forsaken hotel a banner of triumph.  He uncovered his head as the door closed behind him and his golden blond hair shone strongly in the failing green lamplight which, by day, did not seem as sickly.  With his emerald eyes free to vision, he strode into the lobby area of the empty building searching for his daughter to tell her the good news.  "Ayen!?"

            "In here, Daddy!"  The call came from a door off to the side and near the back.  He cantered in and creaked the grubby wooden plank aside finding his fourteen-year-old girl wearing an apron and headscarf while washing dishes over a filthy sink.  She was a brilliant contrast to the grays and grimy blacks of her surroundings.  She turned her green eyes on him. "You sound happy!  It's good to see you back AND smiling!  I was worried when you left this morning that you'd be mugged or something.  I don't think I like it in Zaibach, weird men kept looking at me when I was working behind the bar.  I asked the mean guy if I could do dishes or something instead.  This place is better but it's really gross."

            "I'm sorry to put you through this."  Seguir said, compassionately.  "But I've got good news!  I found a job!  If I get up there fast enough tomorrow morning I'll have a paycheck and you won't have to work anymore."

            "That's excellent!"  She cheered.  "Things are working out after all!"

            "Let's not get our hopes too high."  Seguir warned.  "We're not secure yet, but we're getting there.  In a little bit we'll be able to afford our rent and some decent clothes and some better food.  Before long perhaps we could get our own apartment and move out of here.  For now we'll just be glad for what we have.  Here, I'll help you with those."  He got in beside her and helped her dry the chipped plates and mugs.

            Meanwhile, across the city Millerna, Daiji, Hakai and Allen were getting themselves into Zaibach uniforms.  The superior council had decided on a route and entrance according to Reeden and Llave's report while the others were speaking with Dilandau.  The new arrival was leaning with his arms and legs crossed and staring out the window at the city.  Yosu was standing nearby, watching.  The red-eyed young man laughed a little to himself.  It was a cocky, high-pitched nasal sound.  "The lousy thing is that the dump looks the same after loosing a war as it did when it was winning one."

            Yosu 'hmph'ed through his nose.  "So you're still loyal to Zaibach?"

            Dilandau moved his sharp eyes up to the orange-haired figure.  "You're Van aren't you?"

            Yosu narrowed his brown eyes.  "Yes."

            "I knew I didn't like you."  He said.  "No, for your information, I don't give a flying crap about Zaibach.  It was a place I once worked.  Actually, I was kind of a slave now that I think about it.  It's a lot like being here." He paused and sharpened his eyes, then turned back to the window.  "I don't care as much about your purpose or your opinions or your fricken ideals as I do about kicking some butt.  I'm cooperating because I can have some fun for now."

            "You're selfish."  Yosu spat.

            "You're annoying."  He replied.

            "Okay, we're ready."  Allen announced, adjusting his disguise.  He was completely changed, removed from his blue and white puffs and placed in the dark black and blue-violet of an enemy uniform.  His lengthy blond hair was tucked in the neck of his suit and a helmet was placed on top. 

Daiji appeared next to him tugging his neck.  "Ug, it's tight."

            "I'm getting nervous."  Millerna said, adjusting her male outfit.  "I don't feel comfortable."

            Jiai checked her over.  "Millerna, there's blonde hair coming out of your back."  She stepped over and tried to adjust the packing job, but found two slits running up and down the back of her double's suit.  "What are these?"

            "I recall mentioning –" Van began, "that the enemies we fought yesterday were Draconian."

            "If they've built wing slits into the standard uniforms I think its safe to assume that they were purposely Draconian."  Dryden assumed, finding some on Daiji's back as well.  "Very interesting."

            "We'll ask Eries about that too."  Millerna said, assertively.

            "Are we going to leave sometime?"  Dilandau called, sounding cynical.

            Hakai hopped around in his uniform, which was a little big for him.  "I'm ready to go!  Lets go lets go lets go!"

            "I'm prepared."  Allen announced, monotonically, unhappy with the idea of two Dilandaus running around.  He pointed one finger at their guide.  "I'm also prepared to use whatever force necessary to keep you in line!"

            Dilandau re-crossed his arms and stared needles into his ex-brother.  Hakai answered for him.  "He doesn't need you to threaten him, Hairboy!  Dil's gonna do what you want because He feels like it!"  Dilandau grinned at that.  He liked his double.

            The sixteen-year-old boy cleared his throat and struck a dignified pose, well aware that he was the leader of this little outfit and intending to get the most satisfaction out of his gifted power as he could.  He came off the wall and paced in front of his recruits.  "Alright, Losers!  You're my soldiers now so you gotta do what I say.  I'm not stupid and I know you don't trust me.  That's perfectly mutual!  I don't give a crap about a single one of you, but I know you need me and you'll follow my lead no matter what.  I wont leave you behind if you keep up and do everything I say.  We're breaking into a fortress, yes, but even a safe can be cracked if you know how."  He turned on his heel and faced them like a decorated general.  "Am I clear?"

            "Yeah yeah."  Daiji said.  "Lets just get going."

            Dilandau got up into his face and pointed a disciplinary finger at him.  "You're not going to like me."  Without moving a muscle he shot his red eye to Allen.  "Watch yourselves, you'll get Hell if you ask for it."  He then pointed to the door.  "We're going!  Move out!"  Hakai saluted and lead them off toward the exit, but the rest of the group wasn't going to let their friends venture into untold danger so easily. They ambushed at the door with farewells and assurances.

            "If you need to be rescued…" Hitomi said, "Millerna, Allen, …think really hard and ask for help with your heart.  Amano and Jiai will feel it though the connection."

            "I remember when we decided that, thank you, Hitomi."  Allen said.  "And you are positive it will work."

            "I am."  Jiai said with confidence.  "I'm absolutely positive that whatever Millerna tries to communicate I will understand."

            Amano scratched his head.  "Although I don't like being used as a human walkie-talkie."

            Allen was satisfied with Jiai's answer and cast an impatient eye at his double before re-addressing Hitomi.  "Okay, then I am also fully confident."

            Millerna was nervous as the time to leave arrived.  She rushed out of rank and into her lover's arms. "Dryden…"  He held her tightly, trying hard not to imagine the ways this adventure could turn out unfavorably.  She gave his neck a squeeze goodbye and came off him with her hands trembling.  "I'm not sure I can do this…"

            "You can."  He said.  "But you don't have to.  If you don't want to go, staying here and being safe is a good plan to."

            "No, no, I can do it."  She said.  "If I just think about how much I want to talk to Eries and all that can be gained, I'll be able to do it."

            "Okay."  He smiled at her as best he could and the sight gave her a little more strength.  "Take care of yourself though.  You know I'll blame myself if something happens."

            "I'm coming back."  She assured.  "I just found you, I'm not going to loose you again."

            "I'm looking after her, pal!"  Daiji assured.

            Dryden couldn't help but laugh.  "Okay, I'll blame you then."

            Daiji pointed to his chest.  "You'll still be blaming yourself."

            Millerna laughed too.  Dryden shoved him.  "Great!  You come back too, okay."

            Jiai jumped onto Millerna. "Bye!  I'll think about you the whole time and make sure you're okay!" Yukari and Hitomi joined in the farewells. 

            Van looked to Allen.  "I'll have Escaflowne ready.  Watch out for enemy soldiers, they'll probably be on high alert.  Don't take any risks.  If Dilandau tries to take you somewhere dangerous, don't hesitate to come back.  If it sounds like Zaibach is getting ready to attack send back a warning."

            "Don't talk to strangers, blah blah blah."  Hakai rolled his eyes and elbowed Dilandau.  "What's with the lecture."

            "Shut your mouth."  Van hissed.  Allen cleared his throat to redirect Van's attention.

            "I'm well versed in the procedures, Van, thank you, I'm well prepared to take over control of this mission if the need arises."

            "It won't."  Dilandau told him.  "Everything's taken care of."

            "I'm WELL prepared."  He said, resting one black-gloved hand on his sword handle.

            Suru came up and gave Hakai a big hug around the waist.  "Goodbye Hakai!"

            Her brother's face blanched.  "YCK!!!  Suru!  Get off!"

            She stood back and waved at him.  "Be careful.  I'll miss you!"

            His white was replaced with a bright red embarrassed blush.  "Ugg… Su!"

            She smiled up at her brother's taller companion. "You too, Dilandau.  You be careful."  Dilandau studied her perplexedly.

            Suru's sappy comment to Dilandau made Hakai angry.  "We will already!  Can we leave now!"

            "Finally."  Dilandau agreed.  "Yo Losers!  We're going."  The five of them marched out in military style.  They left the merchant ship and the safety of their comrades behind them and weaved their way into the streets toward the palace.  They were unaware of how commonplace they actually looked.  Unbeknownst to them, Trapan's Draconian forces were seeping into the alleyways like ants in a hill.  One Maginot clumped across the landscape, sending its delegated ground troops into every home and business searching for their target.  Trashcans were overturned in indigent back alleys, driving the homeless from their shadows.  Every soul was pressed for information about the whereabouts of the Nadejes.   It was the group traveling without their captain, Areolar's troops, that found the Asturian's path from day before in his job-search, and it was only moments before they found the shop where he'd been accepted.  "I've got a lead!"  A soldier shouted as he barreled out of the store.  "Over here!"  The rest of his platoon joined him in the street.  He pointed off down the road over the heads of the constant Zaibachian city traffic.  "That way!"  The soldiers abandoned their search and followed his direction down the hill, perpendicular to Dilandau's troops who were approaching from the other way.

            "This is the way I came."  Hakai reported to his double.  "When I chased out the last bunch."  He turned and looked up at Dilandau, whose extra three years had given him nearly a foot of extra height.  "You memorized this place?"

            The other glanced backward at the rest of the group and answered when he was sure that no one would hear.  "No.  Heck, I usually saw this city from the cockpit of a melef!  I'm just walking toward the palace.  I can see it through the buildings."

            "Flying one of those big suit things must be fun."  Hakai said.  "I mean stomping around shooting fireballs – "

            "Actually, apart from the fire, there's this crap called liquid metal that you can shoot out – "

            Allen watched Dilandau speaking casually and was struck with how normal he seemed.  It was almost impossible to comprehend after all the trials and pain Allen and Celena had endured because of him, but this freak-of-nature homicidal maniac, who was, in essence, an innocent girl turned inside out, seemed like a normal sixteen-year-old boy.  Granted a normal teenage boy with a severe social disorder and massive mental issues, but still a thinking, feeling individual.  Allen fought himself down.  How could he believe that?  Dilandau was a plague.  He was a disease.

            In moments they were facing the outer wall of the palace.  Millerna hadn't calmed down and was fighting to keep her arms from trembling.  Daiji put his hand on her shoulder for support.  Dilandau turned to everyone.  "Okay, here's the deal.  From here on out, you're not people, you're robots."  He narrowed his eyes and snapped at Daiji.  "Get your hand off her!"  The large man jumped nearly out of his skin and landed at attention.  Dilandau continued.  "Do what I do exactly as I do it.  Got that?"  The all nodded.  The albino peered around the corner of the same gate opening used by Reeden and Llave earlier.  There were posted soldiers here and there, but the body of the army was holding vigils inside.  Trapan had called out all of his forces to scout the city for Seguir under the guise of the external guard.  The courtyard before him was mostly clear apart from squads on their way out.  He spied the nearest guard a few yards away.  The soldier looked bored and yawned widely as three soldiers dashed out of the perimeter at a run.  The sun was setting above the silhouette of the palace.  Dilandau ducked back into the shadow and sent a hoarse whisper back over his shoulder.  "Run behind me in pairs.  Stay at the same speed.  Follow a step behind each other no more no less.  Go!"

            They took off at a less-than-even pace, taking a couple of seconds to fall into rhythm.  Dilandau led them across the sun struck center yard, conveniently looking like the pods of migrating soldiers populating the plaza.  They passed through the gate and into the compound seamlessly.

            At the run-down hotel, Seguir and Ayen paused in their dishwashing when hey heard the door to the lobby thrown open.  The Asturian pressed his ear to the door, not daring to open it.  His daughter held the pendant tightly in her soapy hands.  "What is it?"

            "Shh."  He listened closely, picking up the signature tones of Zaibachian voices.

            "If you are holding a man and young girl here we demand you turn them over immediately in the name of King Zaibach!"

            Seguir felt his heart stop and clog his throat.  They'd been found out!  He turned urgently to Ayen.  "Is there another way out of this room!?"

            "Yes."  She answered.  She could see the panic in his face.  "The back door… this way."  She shoved through the tools, each clatter making Seguir's heart stop.  She unlatched and shoved the nasty door outward, the hinges squeaking loudly. 

He gave her a bit of a shove out into the dark alleyway.  "We've got to move fast!  Get to the Pravada and leave this place."

            She gasped suddenly and grabbed his sleeve.  "But wait!  Van's sword!  I left it upstairs!"

            "We can't go back."  Seguir insisted.  "They've come for us!  Do you remember where we hid the Pravada?  In that old building at the edge of the city?"

            "Yes."  She nodded, her green eyes pale in the faint green lamplight and her own panic.  "I remember!  Should we run?"

            "Yes!  For your Life!"

            The pack of mock soldiers dashed their way into the loading dock, their haste completely commonplace in the bustle of the palace guard.  Hakai recalled the entrance he'd used to sneak in before and lead them along the wall.  Dilandau stopped him when they were out of sight and turned to his followers.  "Stone faces, people.  Not a blink out of step or you'll blow us wide open!  I'll get us past the guards if you pretend you're not alive."        

            They all nodded and slipped into their role, some finding it harder than others.  Allen tried to hide his skepticism behind a straight mouth and placid eyes.  The demon child was going to march them straight into the thick of it and they were following without question. 'He's probably going to turn us in,' the knight thought, 'that would teach me for letting my guard down, but I can't stop him.  I have to protect Celena no matter the cost.'  He cheated a snarl in frustration, realizing that his devotion to his sister meant that he had to protect Dilandau with his own life if necessary.  Millerna was following behind him next to Daiji.  She checked side to side as they headed for the door, finding the level of activity concerning.  At the same time they were headed straight for a guard.

            The man looked up, surprised and leveled a weapon on them.  "Hey!"

            "Let us in, runt!"  Dilandau snapped, impatiently.

            The guard dropped his halberd and flushed white as death.  "A ghost!"  He'd fainted in an instant, allowing an open portal inside.

            Daiji raised his eyebrows to the body as they passed.  "That was strange and unexpected."

            Dilandau snuffed and kept walking.  "I've got powers you wouldn't even understand."

            "Now we need to find the throne room and my sister." Millerna voiced, glad to be out of the hangar.

            "What happened to shutting up?"  Dilandau hissed. "I've got it!  You don't have to remind me your highness."   He laughed to himself.  "If you'd given me a sword we'd have been there by now."

            "Now you're asking too much."  Allen shot in outrage, making Millerna suddenly afraid of being discovered.

            Hakai snorted from beside him and spoke ahead to their leader.  "Never mind him! He and Amano are exactly the same."

            Daiji smirked.  "There's a reason."

            "Shutup!"  Dilandau said again.  "What do you think that just because we're inside it's a cake walk?  Do you WANT to get caught?"

            "Do you want us to get caught?"  Allen accused under his breath.  Dilandau didn't hear or at least neglected to comment, winding them into the heart of the palace as if he owned it.  He held his head high.

            'Now this I've got under control… I could find my way around here without eyes.'

            "Ayen stop!"  Seguir grabbed her shoulder and tugged her with him into the shadows.  Two foot soldiers dashed past on their way into a neighboring building.  She clasped his restrictive hand, her heart pounding loudly.  He waited and watched from the corner of his eye.  Once the coast was clear he took her hand and led them at a run through the streets.  The Pravada wasn't much further.  When they reach it they could run away… but to where?  Fried?  No, Fried was crawling with Factionaries.  Perhaps the swamps of Chesario.  They would sink into the mud and disappear.  As the ran the buildings declined in condition, holes in the walls and collapsed roofs becoming frequent and then common as they stomped the soot in the creases of the cobblestone streets. At a fleeting glance he caught sight of a grounded airship, the hull torn apart in places and lights on inside.  He gasped.  Was that…?

            "Daddy!"  Ayen was pointed the other direction, a Maginot had appeared on the horizon headed their direction.

            He grabbed tighter to her hand and increased their speed.  "Its not too much farther!  Don't let up!"

            The Atlantican pendant bounced off her chest as the stumbled along behind him.  As the sun set above them, she could feel the pink stone beginning to shine.  It was growing warmer and brighter even as thick clouds gathered above them, darkening the darkening sky.

            On the Merchant ship, Hitomi was feeling anxious.  She clutched at her throat, rubbing it raw trying to find a chain to cling to.  Her eyes stared straight ahead, an anxious fear clouding them.  She had a nasty feeling knotting in the pit of her stomach and an inexcusable urge to flee.  They were going to be caught, she knew it, but she had to believe that it would be all right.  She didn't know why she was so shaken.  Yosu paced in front of her with Merle and Koneko watching.  His sister spoke over the sound of his footsteps.  "Yosu?  Do you think Daiji and Hakai and everyone will be okay?"

            "I can't say."  He answered.

            "But how do you feel?"  She pressed him.

            "Hmn."  He continued back and forth with no real response.

            Merle's ears flattened along her neck.  She slumped and sighted.  "The air is really thick.  It feels like its going to storm."

            "Hitomi?"  Koneko turned her question to the girl lost on the window seat.  "What do you think?"

            The brunette looked up, startled.  She nearly spat out exactly what she thought, but stopped when she realized what she was saying.  "I don't… I mean…"

            "Come on, Hitomi."  Merle begged.  "You always got feelings and stuff before.   You could tell the future."

            "I want to know too…"  Jiai said from the other side of the window seat where she was facing away from the steadily graying sky. 

            Hitomi clasped her hands together.  "I don't like this at all.  I don't like the feeling I'm getting.  I feel like I'm… they're… going to be caught."

            Koneko slumped.  "That doesn't make me feel any better."

            Jiai balled her hands in her lap and turned out the window to see the dirty city lit in green.  She noticed Dryden when she heard a frustrated groan from the window next to hers.  She turned her aquamarine eyes and studied him as he stood staring intently in the direction of the palace.  Van stepped up next to him.  "There's a lot going on out there.  You can see Melefs and soldiers filling the streets from the cockpit.  Something's got them moving."

            "Everyone's fine."  He said quickly.  "There's no reason to think otherwise.  They aren't looking for us.  They haven't found Millerna yet."

            Van leveled his eyelids at him.  He could tell that the Merchant was trying to convince himself more than anyone else.  The young king disliked the hypocrisy.  "Whose to say they aren't looking for us."

            "Van!"  Yukari shouted.  "Don't say things like that!"

            Amano put his hand on her shoulder.  "Van, we're worried enough.  Don't make it worse by reminding us of stuff like that."

            Suru wandered over and stared woefully out the window at the cityscape, for some reason drawing Van's attention to her large blue eyes.  The roving melefs were just coming into view among the rooftops.  She pulled Leptelepitos up but the arms and pressed her to her chest.  "I miss Celena."  Van paused and turned back to the window where the flashing green and ugly grime of the hostile city was growing more pronounced in the gloom.

            Dilandau marched them through the back hallway.  "This place is always neglected.  It's a dead end."

            "When why are we coming down here?"  Allen asked tersely.

            "Would you shut up already!?"  Dilandau groaned.  "Who's the guide huh?  Who?"  Allen frowned but was silent.  Dilandau snubbed him.  "That's what I thought."

            "Dilandau," Millerna appealed respectfully, making Allen even angrier, "why are we going down this hallway?"

            "There's a grate down here that leads to an air vent."  He said.  "The throne room has no windows, so they circulate air through  pipes in the walls.  Gotta keep those royals breathing afterall.  This one snakes around and spits you out behind the tapestry wall in the back.  The opening is hidden by the country seal and a purple curtain.  There's nothing to stop you sneaking in if your quick enough and small enough."

            "Uh," Daiji ventured.  "I don't think I qualify."

            "You and Schezar'll stand guard."  Dilandau answered.

            "Hold it!"  Allen protested.  "I'm not letting you and Millerna go in alone."

            "Then find another way in." The boy responded snottily.

            "That's your job."  Allen snapped.  "I'm not letting Millerna be unattended with a maniac like you."   

            "I don't like it either."  Daiji agreed. "I promised Dryden I'd keep track of you Millerna.  I don't like standing in a dead end hallway and hoping you're okay."

            "Dil and I will keep her okay."  Hakai said dutifully.

            Allen crossed his arms.  "I don't find that any more reassuring."

            "Allen," Millerna appealed with a piteous expression on her face, "Please!  I have to see Eries.  I believe Dilandau - that he can get me inside.  I appreciate your concern, but he hasn't given us a reason to distrust him so far."

            "Millerna!"  Allen cried.  "Do you know who you're talking about?"

            "Let me go please!"  She begged.  Her eyes were large and hopeful. They looked like Marlene's.  Allen faltered in his resolve.  She turned to Daiji who nodded gravely.  Empowered she looked to Dilandau.  "Where's this grate?"

            "Back here."  He moved down the hall and pointed up near the ceiling where a metal grate was covering a two-foot by two-foot hole in the wall.

            Hakai rushed forward.  "I'll get it!"  He used his double's shoulders as a step up and forked the grate off the wall.  Daiji dove to catch it before it hit the metal floor. Allen rolled his eyes back and exhaled.  The man with the grate shoved himself up and propped the cover against the wall. 

            "That was close."  He scratched his neck and watched as Hakai pulled himself up into the opening.  "How did you know about this, Dilandau?"

            "Ah, I'd send Gatti in here all the time."  He answered.  "This place wasn't really used when Dornkirk was all mummified.  His mondo boat cart didn't fit, plus they'd have to punch holes in the roof for that telescope thing.  The guys and me – we'd sneak in and trash it every now and then for fun.  Miguel'd make pipe bombs and Gatti'd run in with 'em and hide 'em under the thrones and stuff.  You should have seen us back then when we were eleven or whatever!  It was great!"  Recalling all this made him flinch and his mood changed drastically.  "Nevermind!  Its none of your frickin' business!"

            "I'll scout it out!"  Hakai announced, disappearing through the hole.  In moments he could be heard calling back, his voice echoing off the metal walls.  "Clear!"

            Dilandau gave Millerna a leg up, glaring evilly at Allen as she vanished through the hole.  Then it was the guide's turn.  He jumped for the ledge but was a little short.  Daiji stepped in to give him a foothold.  Dilandau was shocked for a moment, but accepted his help with an aloof snort and his nose in the air.  "I could have done it myself."  With that Daiji and Allen were left alone in the hall.

            The inside was just as Dilandau had said, the three of them dropped down behind a heavy purple curtain and crouched against the wall, peaking their heads out to see the body of the throne room.  All they could see was the back of the thrones and hanging tapestries, but there were voices.  Millerna recognized two of them immediately as the King and Queen.  Lyse was speaking.  "There has to be something I can do for you, Eries."

            "You have done enough, Lyse."  Her flat lifeless voice answered him.  "You cannot cheer me tonight.  Not with the news I received today."

            Millerna reacted to her sister's sadness and dashed from the wall.  Dilandau and Hakai grabbed for her but missed, each assuming identical expressions of distress and outrage.  The Queen came into the lamplight and around the thrones.  She skidded to a sudden stop when halberd-wielding guards barred her path.  The Zaibachs turned, Millerna catching the Queen's pale blue eyes.  "Eries!"

            She reacted, recognizing the voice but not believing her own ears.  "Who's there?"

            Millerna tore off her helmet as Dilandau and Hakai joined her.  "Eries!  It's me!  Millerna!"

            "Millerna!?"  Eries bolted to her feet. 

Lyse nearly fell from the throne, catching himself in time to signal the guards.  "Stand down!"

            Eries descended the thrones and parted the solders to reach her sister.  Her hands flew to the 16-year-old's cheeks.  "Is that truly you?  We had heard you'd been taken!"

            "There was a mutiny at the castle!"  She answered.  "Haman and Seguir turned against me.  All of the Asturian guards were corrupt so I escaped."

            This was news to the older sister, but she masked any reaction with royal blandness.  "The same for Fanelia?"

            "Yes."  She answered.  "Zaibach is attacking!  Please tell me you had nothing to do with it!"

            "Zaibach has finally attained peace."  Eries answered.  "We are still collecting the pieces.  We could neither launch  nor survive an attack."  She turned over her shoulder.  "Lyse!"

            "I didn't do it!"  He assured her.  "Millerna, are you saying we're at risk of a mutiny here too!?"

            "We've been followed by several mecha soldiers since I left Asturia."  Millerna said to Eries.  "They've attacked us many times, and they are operating here now under your army's direction!"  She took her sister's hands.  "We have to get you out of here!"

            "It's him."  Eries concluded showing more anger than Lyse had ever seen.  "The messenger from before.  His attitude, that untrustworthy aura, he is behind the mutiny if there is one."

            "Mutiny!"  Lyse was sweating and trembling.  "And I've filled the palace with guards!  Oh I've doomed us!  Doomed us!"

            "That's you're king?"  Hakai cried.

            Dilandau agreed.  "What a wuss."

            Eries turned her most reassuring voice to him.  "Lyse, calm yourself."  He had learned to read her subtle expression changes and took a deep breath, finding the faintest tint of consolation in her voice to be immensely soothing.  Eries turned to Millerna.  "We cannot leave Zaibach.  Our responsibility is here."

            "But you're in danger!"  Millerna cried.  "I can't let you stay!"

            Just then Areolar, his brown eyes pleased with his power over the king, marched in with a set of soldiers.  He was intending to update King Zaibach on the "crisis", feeling that if he made the king feel involved his control would be complete.  He was taken by surprise to see the strangers standing with them.  Eries immediately face him.  "Soldier!  I have reason to believe that an attack has been planned against the heads of state!  Explain yourself!"

            "That is outrageous your highness!"  Areolar hissed. 

            She came to stand directly in front of him.  "I believe you are behind this.  Clear  your name!"

            He hated the Queen.  "You accuse too rashly." 

            "No!  You lie!"  Millerna shouted at him. "You are planning to take over Zaibach!"  She stood next to her sister.  "Just like in Asturia!"

            Areolar narrowed his eyes on the girl.  "The Child Queen."  Millerna looked puzzled and angry.  All Areolar had learned from his conversations with Trapan was coming back to him.  If she was here, then the rest of her party must also be here.  And, more than likely, the King and Queen knew everything.  Trapan wanted Zaibach for the restoration, and the Erreder would not fail.  Not like his commander.  He would never stoop to running away from a difficult situation.  The blond threw his hand to his sword.  "No human can bar the path to the future!"  As if this was a battle cry, the attending soldiers turned their halberds on the people they were assigned to protect.  Those guarding the thrones pinned Lyse to his seat, those by the door rushed to arrest Dilandau and Hakai, and the Aston sisters were faced with the end of Areolar's blade.

            "I warn you soldier."  Eries said, professionally.  "This action is in direct violation of the crown.  You will be punished accordingly."

            "You were always in the way."  He snarled and with a lunge, he stabbed her through the stomach, the blade slicing under her ribs, tearing through her life.  Millerna's eyes gaped as she witnessed the puncture, the spurt of blood, the end of the steel appearing from the back of her sister's royal robes.  While the stab seemed to occur in slow motion before the girl's eyes, the removal was fast and seamless, making a sound like wind through a crack in a wall.  Blood flew from the edge as it regained the air and was made ready for more attacks.  The majestic queen fell to the floor.

            "NO!!!"  Millerna found herself screaming at the bleeding shape on the floor, tears coming painfully to her widened eyes.  "No!  ERIES!!!!!"

            "ERIES!!!!!"  Lyse cried in anguish, his chest pressing against the point of a halberd pressed into his shirtfront as he strained in disbelief.  The soldiers were stunned at what their captain had done.  He himself was invigorated, his brown eyes alight with the thrill.  Slain the Queen.  Death was such an easy and fulfilling way to remove those in the way. 

             Dilandau used this pause to his advantage.  He smacked the blade out of the hand of the closest guard.  "Hakai!  Get her out!"

            The boy ducked around the guard and grabbed Millerna's arm.  "Come on!  This party's over!  Let's get out of here!"

            "Eries…"  The 16-year-old cried, flooding tears in waterfalls down her cheeks, her hands trembling.  She was drug unconsciously sideways by the blond, never removing her eyes from her sister.  Painfully, Eries looked up to meet her gaze, the clouds of death thickening across her blue eyes.

            "Millerna…"

            "HEYA!"  Dilandau hacked at the guards, whirring with violence, taking them out one by one.  He headed straight for Areolar.  "Come get me, toughguy!  I want to taste your blood!"  Areolar had no choice but to fight, throwing his bloodstained sword up to block the hasty impassioned blows.  Millerna was removed through the front door, the sound of sword clashing falling on her deaf ears.

            Daiji and Allen had heard the commotion and hurried around to the main entrance.  They met Hakai and Millerna in the hall.  Daiji looked at Millerna's stricken, backward glancing face and snapped at Hakai.  "What happened!?"

            "They killed the Queen!"  Hakai answered.  "There's a major fight going on in here!  A mutiny like the other places!  We're in the middle of a huge takeover!"

            "So Zaibach wasn't in charge."  Allen growled.  "It was a victim as well… and we arrived just in time to see it fall."  He grabbed Daiji's arm. "Its not safe here, the whole palace will be swarming in minutes."

            "We'll run for it."  Daiji resolved.  He took Millerna's arm from Hakai and suddenly realized how badly she was in shock.  She wouldn't move willingly and could not stop staring backward at the door.

            Allen noticed someone missing.  "Where's Dilandau?"

            "We left him fighting with those guys."  Hakai replied.

            Allen drew his sword.  "Go on, I'll catch up with you!"

            "Right."  Daiji agreed.  He gave Millerna a tug but she was completely out of it.  Her trembling fingers were in her mouth and her eyes were quaking.

            "Eries…"

            The 21-year-old picked her up over his shoulder and began running after Hakai.  Millerna realized the door to the throne room was retreating from sight, leaving her dying sister behind.  She understood that she would never see Eries again.  "NOOOOOOOOO!   ERIES!!!!!!!!"

· Escaflowne 

Jiai leapt out of her chair, her hands pressed over her rapidly beating heart.  A horrible feeling had hit her like cold water and taken her breath away.  She was nauseous and dizzy, her spine flooded with waves of shock and dread.  The rest of the room rushed over to her.  "Jiai!?! What is it!?"

            "Something –"  She sobbed, tears squeezed from her tightening eyelids.  "Something has happened!  Something awful!"

            "Awful like what?"  Koneko pressed.

            Van began to storm off.  "I'm going."

            Hitomi grabbed his hand.  "Wait!"  Then turned to Amano.  "Do you feel anything?"

            "I … guess…"  He scratched his neck.  "I feel angry and anxious, a sick uncomfortable gut feeling, but that may just be me… I can't tell."

            "I don't like it."  Dryden fretted, sounding taxed and beaten down. "I don't like it at all."

            "Someone-"  Jiai sank down into the window, pulling her legs and arms up around her.  "Someone died…"

            Everyone stared, ice hitting their veins.  Van was the first to move.  "I'm going."  No one stopped him as he struck out for Escaflowne.

            Allen clanged into the middle of the fight, fending off the attacking soldiers.  Dilandau had successfully dispatched most of the attackers and was brimming with energy as he engaged the captain.  The head rush had constricted his eyes and grown a maddened grin on his face as he worked at hacking and thrusting, no rhyme reason or method to his style.  The sharp edge of the defender's sword had been worn down, chunks in places splintering off as Dilandau chopped at it.  Areolar was loosing his confidence and becoming a survivalist, parrying where he could, backing away from the monster he was facing.  Allen threw his sword in between them and knocked Dilandau off his trip.  Lyse watched frantically from the throne, bound by spear points.  Areolar fled to his pack of guards, his arm shaking.  Allen had one goal in mind – get Celena out of there and back to safety.   He twisted the maddened boy's sword blade with his own and flung it from his hand and across the room.  Dilandau watched it go in shock and was scooped up by the knight.  It wasn't until he was being rushed from the room that he had a chance to react, coming back into his right mind and thrashing furiously.  "No fair!  Let me go!  I wasn't done yet!  I wanted to kill him!"  Allen didn't say a word as he ran to catch up with Millerna Daiji and Hakai.

            They wound back through the halls, Hakai in the lead, avoiding soldiers where they could and knocking them down where they couldn't.  The news of the mutiny was spreading throughout the building as they made their escape.

            Prestress watched from his cockpit, seeing soldiers dashing into the building from their places at the perimeter of the palace.  His sharply slanting golden eyes narrowed.  Whatever was going on was none of his concern.  One of his ground troops ran up to him.  "Sir!  The Man and Girl have been spotted northwest of here!"

            Prestress trained his glance in the more appropriate direction.  "That is Areolar's sector."  He called to his fellow Maginot pilots.  "Vector!  Torsion!  Resultant!  Northwest!"

            The other three came about and marched after him, leading their squads of ground troops.  Virial watched from the rear, suspended in a bath of liquid metal, proud in the cockpit of the Red Demon Melef.  Swooping from the sky he caught a gleam of white against the blackening storm clouds.  Escaflowne was on the scene.  "The Dragon!  Here!?"  He moved in the liquid and readied his right arm for firing.  "This could be a positive or a negative turn of events.  They could ruin our chances of obtaining Atlantis.  On the other hand, after we do gain the pendant, the Dragon is here for the picking."  He narrowed his lavender eyes on the melef as it transformed and clomped down, throwing dirt clouds from its feet.  "I'll keep it busy until then."

            Van called a lot of attention to himself by merely showing up.  The four Maginot stalled in their pursuit to stare. Resultant clenched his teeth with glee.  "Yehaw!  Escaflowne!"

            Vector stepped in to bar his associate's path.  "This is not our path now.  One issue at a time."

            "Atlantis Resultant!"  Torsion shouted.  "You can get revenge later!"

            He fumed.  "Believe me, I will."

            Escaflowne wasn't looking for the Nadejes, it was looking for a fight.  Van saw the four moving off and headed in that direction.  "You're not getting away this time!  You'll pay for the lives you've taken and the pain you've caused us!"

            "Vector!"  Prestress prompted.

            "Continue as you were!"  Virial interrupted, appearing behind them.  "I will fight him."

            Resultant snarled in secret.  First Torsion now Escaflowne, his ex-commander was robbing him of all he desired and deserved.  His bloodlust was overpowering.

            Van stopped dead when he saw what was headed toward him. "Dilandau!?!"  It was a ghost from the past.  " It can't be – unless what Jiai felt was – "  There was a certain degree of rage in action behind his eyes.  "I knew we shouldn't have trusted him."  With a lunge, he attacked and parried by the protrusion of a long and glinting clema claw.  This was the beginning of a fencing match that Van found completely unexpected.  His opponent was reacting more reserved, more conservatively.  Un-Dilandauic surely.  Van reconsidered and changed his style to incorporate a more strategic approach.

             Seguir had seen when Escaflowne flew overhead and paused.  "That's…!  That means that ship I saw… that must be the Eyes' ship!"

            "What!?"  Ayen tightened her hold on his hand. "My double!?  Does that mean that Van is on that ship too!?"

            Seguir didn't answer her.  Escaflowne's current fight was an effective diversion and the Pravada's storehouse was just ahead.  He tugged her hand. "Come on!"

            The pack of them were at the edge of the palace wall.  Dilandau had calmed down enough to give up on Areolar and looked over the scene.  Hakai tugged his sleeve.  "Major huh?  People are going nuts around here!"

            "Escaflowne."  Allen pointed, seeing his comrade through the buildings.  "Van's out."

            "Hey!"  Dilandau cried, spotting the red giant.  "That's my melef!  Who stole it!?"

            "Nevermind." Daiji said, Millerna still hanging, mourning over his shoulder.  "Let's get back to the ship before this place turns into another Chesario."

            "Second."  Allen agreed.  "I'll need to get to the Scherazade."

            They dashed along the road and found themselves barred by a wealth of cross-traffic.  All of the Draconian soldiers were running toward the northwestern corner.  One stopped and addressed them.  "Soldiers!  Nadeje was spotted this direction!  Don't tarry, we need to capture him!"

            "Uh, Yessir!"  Daiji saluted and watched the man dash off with the rest. 

            "Nadeje!"  Allen cried.  "He's here!?"

            "And they're after him."  Daiji said.  "Aren't he and the Maginot on the same side?  I'm confused."

            "What the heck!?"  Dilandau shouted.  "Who are we talking about and why have we stopped to care!?"

            "Good point."  Daiji said.  "We don't have time to analyze this yet."

            "Lets get outta here!"  Hakai called leading the five of them across the street and through a back alley.  They moved down the narrow green-lit side roads, soldiers passing them going one directions and citizens passing headed the other.  Thunder rumbled overhead.  Soon the Merchant ship was moving into view among the rooftops, a large shadow in the masked sunset.  Reeden and Llave were posted at the top as lookouts. 

            Binoculars followed their progress as they inched closer and closer.  Reeden barked to his companion.  "Chip!  Go down and tell the bigwigs that they're on their way!"

            "They are!?"  Llave cried, happily.  "All of them!?"

            "Yeah all of them, get going!"  Reeden called down into the cockpit to his fellow Crusaders.  "Teo, go open the door will ya?"

            Llave hopped down next to Gadess who was overseeing the bridge, saluted quickly and dashed from the room.  Gadess nodded to Teo.  "Go ahead and do as he says, open up the gangplank and close it once they're inside.  I got a feeling we should put this place behind us."

            "Yeah Cap'n!" 

            When Allen and company finally approached, the door was being cranked down.  The knight thrust Dilandau and Hakai up first, speaking to Daiji as he did.  "I'll get to the Scherazade and you get Millerna upstairs."

            "Alright."  Daiji entered next.  "Make sure Van knows everyone's okay… well, everyone of us at least."

            "Hurry."

            Teo resealed the hull as soon as his boss was on board.  Allen turned to him.  "Go tell Dryden to get this ship in the air!"

            "Roger that Boss!"  The group split company, Allen headed for the hangar and the rest going upstairs.  The bunch of them met the others on their way down, Dryden and Hitomi in the lead.  Teo stopped the Merchant before he could meet.  "Boss says to take off."

            "I've already given the order."  Dryden answered hastily.

            Hitomi met Daiji.  "Oh my gosh!" She looked around.  "Where's Allen!?" 

            "Headed for his melef."  Daiji replied, then called over her head to his double. "Dryden!!!"  He met his double's gaze and directed to the burden on his shoulder.  Dryden came over as fast as he could and Millerna was given to him.  "She's okay, but she's in major shock.  Her sister… "

            Millerna felt Dryden's arms around her and her eyes shot to him like a magnet, phase two of her condition taking hold.  Her eyes swelled with fresh tears and she collapsed sobbing into his chest.  "It's terrible! It's terrible!  Oh Dryden… Eries she…"  Her sobs were absorbed by his shirt.  He pulled her tighter into himself.

            Daiji continued the story.  "We were there just in time for the mutiny.  We were right, Zaibach wasn't behind it, but we didn't save them either.  Their own military turned on them.  All we did was watch the country fall."

            "I guess this was a waste."  Dryden said, sounding guilty.

            Suru ran up from behind and grabbed her brother and Dilandau by the hands.  "Hakai!  Dilandau!  I'm glad you're okay!"

            Both of them removed their fingers from her with identical jerks, shaking them out as if ridding them of germs.  Hakai frowned.  "Su!  Not in front of Dil!"

            Yosu, Yukari and Amano showed up, Jiai behind, not looking well.  Yukari clung to her boyfriend.  "Is everyone alright!?  Where's Allen?"

            "He's getting his Guymelef."  Hitomi told her.

            "Yeah, ya got any spares?"  Dilandau demanded.  "Some phony's out there in MY Oreides and I gotta go kick his butt!"

            Amano scowled at him "We don't have any "spares"."

            Yosu backed him up, "Not like we'd let you into one anyway."

            "What the crap!?"  Dilandau crowed.  "What'd I ever do to you!?"

            "Let's get back upstairs."  Dryden said, assertively.  "Get ready to take off.  We can't do any more damage around here than we already have."

            Allen tore his hair out of his collar, letting it fall over his back.  Without his white puffed sleeves, some of it fell back into his face as he strapped into the Scherazade.  The Merchant ship was going through takeoff procedures as he charged out of the hangar and jumped into the fight.  Virial was still getting used to his new suit as he experimented with the liquid metal blades and lances.  He shot three streams of the semisolid material out at Escaflowne who deflected them with the gleaming blade of its long sword.  The metal caught the glimmer of the last of the setting sun as it began to disappear behind the ruins and storm clouds.  Allen charged up behind him, his sword ready.  "Van!"

            "Allen!?"  Van turned quickly.  "Is everything alright!?  Jiai had some kind of episode – "

            "They killed Queen Eries!"  Allen said briefly, deflecting one of Virial's ribbons.  "They are holding the King captive!"

            "They What!?"

            "We're getting out of here."  Allen told him.  "We need to get somewhere safer.  Fried, or maybe Egzardia.  We're pinned in this corner surrounded by oceans and Asturia.  Once the Merchant ship is in the air, we'll run to meet it and leave this hornet's nest behind."

            Van stared through the grate of his helmet with an expression of shock and anger.  He didn't lie the way his stomach was digesting any of this.  "Running away again."

            Virial took some steps backward and switched to the flamethrower setting.  Vector tuned in his mission making Prestress and Resultant stop behind him.  The 19 year old was furious.  "What gives!?"

            "There are two fighting with the Commander."  The big man said. 

They turned and saw the Scherazade.  Prestress looked to the back of his large companion.  "Which path now?"

            "Follow Torsion." Vector told them.  "I will aid Virial."  He lumbered lead-footed toward the spar. 

Resultant frowned deeply.  "He's out of his mind!  I'm not sticking around here while he gets to fight!"  HE ran, his eyes on Escaflowne.  "Not when I am the one who deserves it!"

            "Resultant!"  Prestress cried.  "That is not our course!"

            "What's going on!?"  Torsion demanded, coming alongside the beast man.

            "We must find Atlantis."  Prestress said, resuming his previous direction, keeping a wary eye on the battle as he moved away from it.  Torsion stared as Vector stepped up to the fight.  With one heavy swipe of his short sword he barreled the Scherazade over sideways.  Allen crashed into Van, who fell down into some buildings.  Virial turned.

            "Vector?"

            "Commander!"  Vector called back.  "You were overpowered."

            Resultant charged up behind and jumped on Escaflowne.  Van threw up his arm to deflect the sword, a wound opened below his elbow. 

            "Van!?"  Allen cried.  He grabbed Resultant's Maginot by the shoulders and threw it aside.  Van got up and readied his sword.  The two Maginot and the Dragon Melef surrounded them.

            Meanwhile, Seguir had made hi way into the hangar.  The fight had given him an excellent opportunity, the search party was reduced dramatically by the arrival of the two enemy melefs.  Maybe now their chance of escape was higher.  He clambered into the cockpit.  "Ayen, are you secure?"

            She clung to her previous position on his shoulder.  "I'm alright Daddy!"

            "Let's get out of here!"  He brought the Pravada to life and stepped out into the hazy early storm early dusk daylight.  Prestress spotted him and came on.  The Pravada took off running.

            The Merchant ship rose from the ground nearby.  Seguir stopped quickly, sensing the movement.  Van and Allen saw it too.  The knight stepped back, aiming for a retreat.  "Let's go!"

            Escaflowne lunged and scathed the arm of Vector's Maginot.  He turned to his fellow soldier.   "Go ahead!  I'll follow by air!"

            "Right!"

            Allen ran for the ship.  Torsion spotted him and followed but he'd jumped into the safety of the hangar before she could reach him.  Resultant saw her, standing separated from the safety of the rest of the group.  Escaflowne sliced down on him, forcing him to one knee.  Van turned to Vector and bashed him in the mouthpiece with the butt of his sword.   With a quick glance to Virial he transformed to flight mode.  The Dragon soared after the flying ship, and the Demon Melef followed without hesitation, the three remaining leapt into the air.

            Vector, Resultant, and Virial soared above the city.  Resultant looked down.  They were just above Torsion, who had remained on the ground and was walking to aid Prestress's hunt for Seguir.   He saw his chance.  "One Revenge at a time!"  Without warning, he left flight mode and dropped down to the city, landing behind Torsion's Maginot.  He whipped out his sword and pulled her to his chest, his blade cutting across her throat threateningly.

            Torsion was taken by surprise.  "Ah! Who's there!?"

            "Think you can get out of rejecting me, huh?   You'll see, I would have been everything you've ever wanted."

            She recognized the hissing in her ear.  "Resultant?"

            Virial noticed and found himself seized with a freakish shock.  The Machine's gears ground on each other, he stared fixedly as he maintained his intercept course with Escaflowne, his eyes zooming in on the two Maginot, watching steadily what was happening below.  The lavender irises gaped as Resultant took his short sword and plunged it into her melef at an upward, slanting angle.  She felt it charge through her cockpit and watched the gargantuan blade rise across her face. She drew back with a cry, its sharpened edge opening a slit in her right cheek.  The weapon had also split her shoulder apart separating tendons, nerves, and ligaments.  Blood poured out of her suit down the length of the sword.  More from fear than pain, she screamed.  "GLAUCUS!!!!"

            Virial dropped from the sky.  He lost his shell in an instant and released a fury he never had exposed before.  His wings crowded his cockpit, white feathers soaking up the liquid metal becoming gummy, sick and ugly.  He swiped at Resultant with one Clema Claw.  The short sword zipped out of the woman's suit.  "Scream for him, Torsion!  Scream LOUDER!!!"

            Her melef was gravely injured, the cockpit door falling open with a crash and she slumped out to land in the sooty Zaibachian dust, her wounded arm lying limp and gathering filth in its sticky stains.  The commander stared down at her.  "TORI!"

            Prestress had his golden eyes focused on the green Pravada, unaware of the crimes being committed behind him.  Seguir tried to activate his aerial boosters and escape by air, Ayen held with all her strength to his forest-green cape.  She noticed the machine come to a stop and looked up.  Spying Prestress coming after them, she began to panic.  "Daddy!?  Why have we stopped?  Why have we stopped!?"

            Seguir stared straight ahead in shock.  Ayen had been watching behind and not ahead.  Her father was unable to answer.  A large, black, gleaming shape had risen from the skyline. Its eyes were green as it stared at them.  The energist on its chest began to glow like red flame.  Ayen noticed the pendant around her neck was glowing vibrantly.  She grabbed at it, but could feel it emitting energy through her hands.  It caused her hair and dress to move as if in a wind.  The shape was the Tamarak, and the Atlantican elements that made up its construction were calling out for the power that she held.

Prestress stopped to take in the situation.  He was broadsided by another melef.  A Teiring; the make associated with the intensified luck soldiers.  He fell into a building, smashing the walls in as the swift new melef passed without hesitation.   He found himself caught up in the cables of the destroyed building, and fought to free himself as he turned to see where the rogue Guymelef had gone.  It had headed to where three of his companions were caught up in a struggle.  Lightning flashed overhead.  "What is that?"

            Resultant flashed his blade in front of Glaucus's face, a stream of Torsion's blood running down it.  "What do you think of your sweetie now?"

            "If you've killed her…"

            "I didn't commander, I couldn't kill the woman I love!"  He said snidely.  "She'd be mine if not for you."

            "Resultant!"  Torsion yelled from below, one hand held fast to her bleeding shoulder.

            Glaucus glanced quickly down and stepped in between her and her attacker.  "What are you doing?"  His brow creased sharply over his lavender eyes.  "Why have you attacked her?  She is your comrade.  This thing you've done… it's insulting to not only yourself, but your family, your people and your ancestry.  All we as a race have worked for… you… you've dismissed it in one moment!"

            "I've never heard you talk like this, Commander."  Resultant noted.  "And you're right, I am a Draconian, and the gods will reclaim the world.  But my passion is Revenge.  Revenge against those who take what I value away from me.  Draconian or not, it makes no difference.  Escaflowne and the allies took away my home.  Men swarmed in and destroyed my family.  And you…"  He checked the side quickly, the Teiring coming over the landscape toward them.  It had one arm prepped with a bright, sharp claw blade.  Resultant set his blue eyes on Glaucus with a cocky smirk. "You my dear Commander, have taken the woman I love away from me and you will pay for that!" 

            "Resultant!"  Torsion pleaded.  The Maginot thrust his sword to stab at Glaucus and was blocked by his Demon Melef's arm.  A flash of green flew in fast, kicking up dust.  She released her bleeding shoulder to shield her face.  The intruding melef collided with the Oreides, grabbing his helmet piece and sneering.

            Glaucus, in shock, stared into the face of the new man.  The shield folded back and revealed the self-conscious, almost gleeful expression worn by the pilot.  "Areolar!"

            "Areolar!?!"  Torsion cried, her hand smearing the blood on her face.  As she stared in disbelief, Resultant watched with satisfaction.  Without acknowledging his sister on the ground or breaking eye contact with his Commander he plunged a clema claw up and under the armor, slicing through the cockpit.  The force threw liquid metal out of the cockpit face grate.  Glaucus would not feel the pain, a white-hot screen was filming over his eyes.  He gasped and a lungful of liquid metal drained into his mouth.  The thickness could not be coughed up, his body incapable of trying anyhow.  Torsion's eyes froze wide, trembling. Her brother ripped his claw out of the dying man's body, a stream of gray liquid metal spewing like a fountain from the gash.  The Melef sank down to one knee then fell like a rock, leaking out blood and fluid in a great pool.  Torsion reacted, her legs wobbling over her feet as she rushed over, her dead arm clutched against her stomach.  "GLAUCUS!"

The Pravada and the Tamarak were at a standoff.  The Stallion Melef stepped closer and a voice seemed to radiate from it, louder than could be emitted by a normal man.  "Here!  You will no longer run!"

            Seguir stepped backward, recognizing the greasy lilt in the projecting voice.  "Trapan!"  Ayen's blood ran cold.

            "You will return Atlantis to its rightful owners!"  The pilot appeared on the curve of the guymelef's neck.  The eyes of the suit glowed even brighter with him just above the head.

            "No one is meant to use this power!"  Seguir called back.  "The power of Atlantis is a relic!"

            "It was created by Draconians in an age long ago!"  Trapan reminded him.  In a flash, a lightning bolt flushed the sky.  After an instant of blindness, the two could see a pair of white wings extended from Trapan's back.  His sneer stretched with the rolling of the thunder.  "It must return to us."

            "It destroyed us!"  Seguir cried. "You're going to destroy us again!"  He stepped back and toward the mountains.  "You have already torn apart families and killed innocent people in this crusade of yours!"

            "You are hurting, Hero."  Trapan said in mock and underhanded sympathy.  He reached into his cloak and removed his glowing sword, the pink and green stones shining bright and powerfully intimidating in his hand.  He leveled it at the Pravada.  "This is about your wife and daughter is it not?  Allow me to heal it!"  His blood-bound melef shot a stream of liquid metal from its altered arm.  The Pravada recoiled but Ayen was picked off its shoulder.  Seguir reached for his sword.  "NO!"

            "Daddy!"  The girl was reeled in, the liquid metal pinching her arms to her sides.  The struggled but could do nothing but watch him in his suit as she was pulled away.  She found herself once again looking into Trapan's serpentine face.

            The oily figure frowned down at her.  "You have been more trouble than you are worth, Youth!"  He grabbed her pendant and yanked it from her neck, snapping the chain.  She cried out at his touch, afraid he was going to hurt her, like he'd hurt her before.

            Seguir charged toward them.  "Let her go, Trapan!"

            "She is the cause of your pain."  Trapan announced.  He held up the pendant that was glowing through his fingers.  "I will release you from this pain."

            Seguir gasped.

            In a whip like motion, the metal ribbon threw her into the air and toward the Pravada.  She screamed as her Fanelian dress caught up in her legs and her hair blew into her eyes.  She fell through the thick sky, not knowing where she was going or when she would hit something.  The Pravada dropped its sword and stepped out to catch her.  "AYEN!"  Seguir couldn't reach her in time, the buildings and lightening flashes obscured her from sight long enough to confuse his eye. 

            She had only one option to save herself both she and he knew, and from somewhere inside her heart she heard a woman's voice cry "Wings, Ayen!"  With a rush a pair of Draconian Wings extended from her back.  The feathers caught the wind and turned her right side up again.  Seguir let a sigh take him but the moment was swiftly dismissed.  Trapan had approached and a sharp blade was rippling out of his modified right arm.  Ayen was not safe yet.  The Asturian was suddenly possessed by instinct.  He unstrapped and the front of the Pravada opened.  Two hands jumped to his chest where the shoulder buttons of his uniform were secured.  The back fell off his official shirt and out came a pair of powder white wings, strong and broad.  He soared through the air, his eyes locked with his daughter's.  They both reached out, their eyes green, both the light of fear and the threat of hope unfailing in each, even as another lightning bolt streaked the sky.  The world seemed to slow and condense around them.  A flash of lightening lit the action of the Tamarak, its brightly glinting claw swinging high and coming down.

            Ayen was picked from the sky like an insect, sliced and smashed down out of Seguir's reach.  White feathers fell detached as she vanished.  The force of the blow killed her instantly.

            Hitomi suddenly went cold and the world inside her went black.  She felt herself telescope inward.  Yosu caught her as she fell backward.  He stared anxiously in her face and his or Van's voice echoed loudly in the empty space of her life.  "HITOMI!!!"

            "AYEN!!!"  Seguir froze in air, watching dust turn up from the ruined square of cityscape.  A feather floated down across his face, the immaculate edges brown with dust and frayed as it spiraled unevenly in the air.  He reached out and it tipped from his fingers as it made its way to the grave sight below.  He was broken.

            Trapan held the pendant high before his face and looked over his shoulder at the drifting and defeated god.  "Now the source of your pain is gone."  His voice held confidence in the expanse of the sickeningly still sky.  "I expect you to run no longer.  You will join with us in the realignment of the natural order and bow to the master.  We will meet again, Hero, or I suppose that such a title is no longer appropriate is it?  Your heroics failed and your damsel is no longer of this world."  He descended back into the seat of his Melef and began to walk again, stepping heavily down on the place where the dead lay, smashing the pieces of a leveled wall and dismissing the gathered dust.  Seguir sank down to the ground, his wings stiff.  Touching down, he stumbled to the broken wall, gray dirt and feathers blowing in the growing gusts of storm-blown wind.  He spotted the edge of a wing sticking from under a slate.  Tears in his eyes, he grabbed at the edge, even though the scene betrayed no hope of life.  Even if there had been a chance, the slab was too heavy for him to lift.  After a time of vain trying, his hands and back were aching and he could do nothing but slump to the ground, put his face in his hands and cry.

            Torsion breathed quickly and shallowly.  She stood before the Oriedes's cockpit door, blood running down her arm and face, tears of fear and disbelief cleaning stripes in the stains over her cheeks.  She approached, her unsteady feet slipping in the bloody metal runoff.  "Glaucus??"  Her arm flopped down to her side and she reached to the faceplate.  It was still dripping ooze and she couldn't bear to look.  She began to pound on the hatch, "Open.  Open, let him out…"  The melef was cold as stone, not moving, not letting her in or him out.  There was no one to release.  She could see velvet red blood tracing ribbons in the streams of metal like marbled columns.  She pressed her face against the scuffed and stained metal.  "No…"  She slid down the surface into the puddle at her feet.  "No…"  Tears, blood and silver stained her face and hands.  She curled up in the pool and sobbed.  She was the closest she would get to him.  They never even kissed.  The man she loved was dead.

To be continued