The Legend of Liocorna

Disclaimer: I do not own Escaflowne, only the new ideas I put into this continuation! And I'm proud of them! *g*

Chapter 9: Unicorn

Dim light shone carefully over the treetops and the animals of the forest started to awaken to its warmth. The fire had burned out during the night and the light hadn't managed yet to fully brake the darkness in the cave with the two sleeping figures.

He had his arms around her waist, pressing her bare back close to his bare chest, his head on the side of hers.

Hitomi was already awake but kept her eyes closed, savouring the feeling of his skin so close to hers, his even breathing soothing and calming. She had her hands on his arms, stroking them with her fingertips.

It was a moment meant for eternity but yet so fragile like made out of glass, easy to break and shatter into thousand little pieces.

Van shifted in his sleep, murmuring something about pestering advisers and wanting to kick them all the way to the Mystic Moon because of some stupid marriage proposals.

Hitomi smiled sadly. There was probably no way she could possibly return with Van at the moment. By the time this was over and she didn't bring anyone into danger with her mere presence anymore, he may already have been married to a beautiful princess and be deeply in love with her. It was just to dangerous for him to be around her all the time. She would have to leave him soon before anything else happened. She shouldn't have followed the Crusador. The enemy had probably thought her to be on board although... wasn't `he´ also after Van because of his draconian blood? Didn't `he´ want those powers, which were so different and yet nearly the same as hers? They had tried to get Van or at least something which would bring her right into their Hands. She would have to warn him, she couldn't be around him all the time, bringing him more and more into danger. Danger he might not quite understand, for he probably could not understand the power behind it.

But that was not the only problem for her right now. Since she had woken up, she somehow felt strange, as if there was something new in her body, forming itself. She already had a good guess what it was, but didn't quite know what to think about it in such a situation.

Great! Who else would happen something like this to in such a moment other then me? *sigh* But I had seen it. I had known it but didn't do anything against it, for I didn't want to. It was one of those occasions you couldn't and didn't want to fight fait. If only...

Hitomi felt Van stir and slowly wake up. His arms pulled her a bit closer to him as she felt him kiss her in the crook of her neck, a sigh escaping her lips. His breath tickled over her ear as he spoke and made her shiver slightly.

"Morning beautiful. How was your sleep? And don't pretend to be still asleep; I know you're not."

She smiled a small smile and turned a bit around in his arms to face him. Seeing his reddish brown eyes covered with black strands of his messy hair and his smile he only gave her calmed her and made her forget those worries for at least a short moment.

"I have slept better then in the last few months. And a good morning to you too, my Angel."

Hearing that name come from her mouth, made his face light up more and he kissed her slowly and lovingly. After they had separated, Hitomi buried her head in the crook of his neck while his one hand came to rest on her hips and the other rapped around her upper part of her back just beneath the shoulder, hand coming to rest on the side of her breast, cradling her intimate. One of her hands played with the pendant still around his neck.

He hasn't taken it of... even after so long...

Van's voice brought her back to reality:

"What will happen know, Hitomi? What will we do?"

"I don't know. I wish I knew the way I have to go from here. I only know, that it is to dangerous for you and the others to be around me for to long."

"Why that? Hitomi, what is really going on? You seem to know, whose behind all these attacks and why he is doing this. Also what happened to you when you left? You have found the place you have been looking for, the one you said you had dreamed about, am I right?"

"Yes. I managed to find it after about searching for a half year, showing me the truth. I stayed there for some time learning everything I needed to know.

I later tried to get back to you, to keep my promise but soon realised it meant bringing everyone near me into danger, if I showed myself again. So I decided to stay hidden in the dark always on the run. Running from the one who tried to capture me and everyone dear to me. I could only watch from afar without the enemy noticing my presence, but when they finally decided to attack Fanelia I couldn't let them destroy it again after you had put so much work in it."

"Oh Hitomi..." was all Van could say as he gently kissed the single tear from her face. He rested his forehead against hers, which was still covered by the white headband, staring into her deep emerald eyes. They were so full of pain, hurt and loneliness it teared his heart apart. He took a deep breath before he spoke once again:

"Come with me, Hitomi. Come with me to Palas and I'm sure we will find a solution to this all. I know we can make it together. Besides the others will also want to see you."

"But...I can't... I...."

"Sush... Everything is going to be fine. Please, come with me."

Hitomi sighed deeply: "Okay, I will come with you to Palas, but please do not expect me to enter the city. It would be much to dangerous if the enemy found out about this. And please don't tell the others. I don't want them to worry about me."

Van smiled and kissed her again as he whispered a soft "Thank you" to Hitomi. He would somehow manage to bring her to go with him into Palas. He had sworn that he would protect her at all costs. And that was exactly what he would do and nothing she said otherwise would change his mind.

~~~~~~~~~~ Days later ~~~~~~~

Nearly two days had gone since Van and Hitomi had left the cave. They had taken so long because of the enemy soldiers still seeming to search for them. Once or twice they had been confronted by them and had seen no other way then to fight them. Van was astound by the way Hitomi fought. She way good at it with her two long dagger like swords making it look like a silent dance. When he had asked her about this and where she had learned it she only said that she had learned it at he same place like the rest o the things she knew. She didn't say anything else and Van let it be for he saw the look of pain in her eyes if she dared to speak.

On the second day they finally came near the capital of Asturia, Van flying them most of the way but suddenly, Hitomi noticed something:

"Hey Van. There seems to be smoke coming from Palas and it is a bit to much for my taste."

Van narrowed his eyes to have a better look. Big clouds of grey smoke were rising from the position where Palas, the capital of Asturia, lay. It was to much for a simple fire outside the city walls on a near by field . Way to much.

"This doesn't look good at all. I think we have to expect the worst. Let's land."

Hitomi only nodded as Van started to descent. They landed in a small forest near the city and carefully crept towards their destination.

What they saw when they looked through the bushes shocked them more then suspected.

Palas was already half covered in ashes and fire. The palace stood still untouched, but the town at the shore of the ocean was one big wreck with burning ships all over the docks.

In the middle of the city where the marketplace had once been centred, was now the centre of the battlefield between Enemy Guymelefs and Soldiers against those of Asturia. Van and Hitomi could make out Schereazarde, Allen's Guymelef right at the front of the battle. Hitomi let out some curses Van didn't quite understand from the context and the language ( probably from the Mystic Moon, but they still don't seem nice ).

"This does NOT look good. What now?"

Van thought for a moment before he got an idea:

"Remember the time we had been captured by Zaibach and we called Escaflowne? If I'm correct Allen brought it here so maybe we can call it. It will distract the enemy and I can try to help in battle."

Hitomi looked a bit worried and nervous:

"It seems to be the only way. But are you sure?"

"Don't worry, nothing is going to happen to me. Trust me." Van said and gently took Hitomi's hand in his, smiling at her. She smiled back and kissed him lightly on the lips before taking his other hand. They closed there eyes and both concentrated on Escaflowne. Luckily Van had his eyes closed and was concentrating on something else, or he would have probably noticed the aura forming slightly around Hitomi and the light coming from under her headband.

They both stopped when they heard a crash nearby and looked up. Right in front of them stood Escaflowne in his dragonform, waiting for his pilot to climb up. Van took one last look at Hitomi and prayed that she would stay out of harms way, then climbed his Guymelef and headed towards the battlefield.

~~~~~~~~~ At the battle ~~~~~~

Allen cursed inwardly as he was surrounded by three enemy Guymelefs at once. First there had been the attack when they had flown to Palas on board of his Levi-Ship loosing van in the progress and only two days one day after they had landed in Palas and had gathered men to make search troops to be on the lookout for the King of Fanelia, when there had come the message of the Enemy making its way towards them. They had to abandoned the attempt to find Van so they could make everything halfway ready for the upcoming battle. But when the fight had started, it seemed already clear that Palas would fall. He hoped that Van was alright and that the enemy hadn't found him. If only...

*CRASH*

Allen and the others around him (even the enemy) jumped nearly a mile into the air as a earth shattering crash came from inside one of the hangars, where the Guymelefs were kept. Only seconds later the hangar doors burst open with another crash and broke into million little pieces. Out came Escaflowne, which they had brought to Palas after the loss of his pilot Van Fanel. Without seeming to notice the battle around it the ancient Guymelef took another gigantic step out of the hangar and transformed into a dragon, making its way to the forest.

Allen couldn't make any sense out of his behaviour and couldn't even follow it as the battle raged on. Again Allen had to defend himself against his three opponents. Sparks flew as his sword clashed with one of his attackers and missed barely the attack of the second one with his metal claw. Out of the corner of his eyes he saw the third charging up to throw an energy ball at him not caring about his other two companions. Just as the Guymelef was about to shoot something swished over Allen and slice the enemy with his sword in half. The `thing´ turned and took out the one Allen's sword had clashed with and Allen was able take out the third one. He heard something land beside him and a very familiar voice:

"Hey, seems I just made it to rescue you on time!"

"Van!?! You could have shown up a bit earlier you know. Where on Gaia have you been?"

"Long story, but first let us show those bastards what we are made of!"

"Right!"

And so the fight went on. The appearance of Escaflowne and his pilot brought new hope to the soldiers of Asturia, but the situation did not turn for the good of them. The enemies kept coming on and on and Van cursed inwardly. If Palas and with it Asturia fell, there would be no more hope for the other still free countries to have a chance against such a strong force. And if it nothing miraculous like in Fanelia happened soon, then the city would be definitely lost.

As if someone had picked up his thoughts, a light spear came down from heaven and clashed into the enemies troops. Another and another followed the first and soon the air was full of falling light spears raining down onto the enemy exploding and turning to fire all around them. Men turned to ashes, screaming in pain as the fiery light swallowed them whole. Guymelefs turned into liquid metal melting into a useless heap on the ground, burying and burning there pilots alive. But the spears only attacked the enemies. To the great astonishment of everyone else no one from Asturia took harm by them leaving them staring at the massacre of their foes by some good like attack.

Slowly the rain of light spears ceased and stopped totally soon after it had begun. Van still couldn't believe his eyes. Probably over the half of the enemies troops had been destroyed except for those who had managed to get around the attack. But from the looks of it, it where only a about half a docent or so Guymelefs and a few docent soldiers.

Van whirled around when he heard Allen call his name. An enemy Guymelef had somehow managed to flee from the light spears and was standing only a few meters away from him arm raised as he shot an energy ball at him. Van knew it was to late to get out of harms way and waited for the deadly attack, but just as last time something stopped the ball from even coming near him. It exploded half way towards him. Van saw a smaller light spear clash together with his foe, vaporising it instantly. The second thing he noticed was something white and blurry race past him and the next thing happened so fast, he didn't even have time to follow it completely. The white thing charged at some of the enemy soldiers creating a big white ball around it. On coming into touch with them, the ball also exploded, killing over half of the rest of the soldiers, who had survived and three more of the Guymelefs, which also hadn't had enough time to react. The white blur didn't seem affected by this and turned around again to dash past him.

Without thinking Van quickly jumped out of his Guymelef and followed the thing with his eyes. It came to a stop under the leftovers of the city gate and turned around one last time. Van's breath was caught in his throat at what he saw...

The crystal white fur shimmered in the sun as the reature pounded his left front, silver sparkling hoof on the ground, silky (and also white) tail swishing from side to side as the mane flew in the wind. A silvery, blue shining Horn was glowing on its forehead. It was a unicorn!

Van had heard things about these sort of creatures but it was always said, that they didn't live anymore on Gaia. It shone such unnatural and magical beauty that he couldn't take his eyes away from it. And then it happened... The unicorns eyes came in contact with his and what he saw made Van's eyes widen even more. He couldn't not think straight anymore at the emotions and thoughts tumbling through him, he couldn't even speak properly.

"Wha...? But how...? It... couldn't...be!!"

The Unicorn turned his gaze away from him. It neighed and got up on his hind legs whirling around and galloping at an incredible speed towards the forest.

"GET IT!! IT MUST NOT ESCAPE US AGAIN! WE MUST BRING OUR MASTER THE LAST MEMBER OF HIS CLAN!"

The roar had come from one of the left-over enemy Guymelefs. Without caring about anything else, most of the enemy dashed after it leaving the Asturian to stunned to go after them. Van didn't notice anything of this. The eyes of the Unicorn where still deeply burned in to his eyes and he wondered, if such a thing was possible.

Chapter end