Disclaimer: I do not own Escaflowne, nothing more to say.

Forgotten by Destiny

By Ryoko Porter

Part Twenty

Merle couldn't stand the pain any longer. When she'd hit Hitomi the rush of justice was too much for her to bare. The sweet brilliance of the release simply felt too good, a feeling she wasn't prepared for. It frightened Merle to recognize that she could feel so good anymore. But she wouldn't deny herself such happiness, not after being denied for so long.

She'd long learned how to control the power of the gem, from observation of how it worked. It took will power and pain, and a strong sense of greed. One had to be willing to steal from others to make their wishes come true. Merle didn't know whose fate she was stealing at this moment, freezing the city with her ice bullets. But whoever it was, they were quite sadistic. She watched as the ice spread over buildings and people, staying them forever in their fear and pain. Just like her.

Merle wasn't surprised when she heard distinctive sound of the Escaflowne's movements behind her. She didn't turn as Van called out to her from within the huge armor, trying to ignore her love's pain. Now more than a third of the city was under her spell, forever frozen.

'MOMMY!'

Merle's eyes widened in shocked horror at the sound. The power elapsed as she looked down at her daughter who had her wings spread, ready to fly after her. Looking over the city with newly clear eyes, she was alarmed at what she'd done. Seeing the pained eyes of the frozen parents clutching onto their frozen children, Merle was repulsed. It hurt her to see what she'd done in her lapse of self-gratifying-pity.

Full of abhorrence toward herself, Merle pulled into the fetal position. Still hanging in the air, she tried to comfort herself as she'd done for the last twelve years. Rubbing her arms in hope to keep whatever warmth was left within her, she didn't notice the shift in the energy. She didn't see the ice slowly start to melt, or the return of the red power.

Gradually Merle came to a decision, the idea one that took time to sink in. She couldn't let anyone use this power again; it did too much damage. It only hurt others for the wishes of whoever held it, whether they were worthy or not… whether she was worth it or not. She'd abused its power also, nearly as bad as Hitomi had. Her wishes may have been less drastic or even greedy, but she'd made so many more than Hitomi had. The two of them were proof enough that the power of the jewel was dangerous. It was seductive and cruel. It had to be destroyed.

Merle pulled out of her fetal position. She didn't know how long she'd been deliberating, but Van was still in the Escaflowne watching her. Some of the frozen houses had part of their roofs poking out of the ice. And Hitomi was holding Namir from flying up to her. Saying her final 'sorry and goodbye' silently to the city and everyone she loved, Merle made the wish 'to be far away'.

Like one of her blue bullets, Merle shot off into the distance.

End Part 20.