The Legend of Liocorna
Disclaimer: As always, I don't own Escaflowne and will probably never ever own it *sniff*.
And here you've got the 14th chapter *throws chapter at eager waiting readers*. All I can say is read and ENJOOOOOYYYYYYYYYY…!
Chapter 14: Up and Away
"And I thought that it was scary in Palas…" Allen mumbled to himself, standing beside his all over Gaia respected Guymelef Schereazarde. It was standing together with Van's Escaflowne in the back near the entrance of the temple in the shadows, as part of their strategy for emergencies. They had decided that especially Van should stay in the background along with Hitomi, just to make it not to obvious for their foes where they were. Allen was functioning as a guard and if necessary distraction.
Hitomi and the rest were currently also standing with Van and Allen beside their Guymelefs, watching and contemplating.
The sight that was given before their eyes was very unnerving (and if I mean unnerving, then it really isn't looking good!).
Although the enemy had already arrived a while ago, the fighting still hadn't started yet and it did not look like it would start very soon. The only thing the opposite side had done so far was to position their Guymelefs all around the temple on top of the rocky cliffs, standing and seeming to watch the growing confusion of the troops in the valley. No one had had a clue as to what exactly the enemy was going to do or what they were waiting for. Also very extraordinary was the fact, that no foot soldiers were to be seen although they shouldn't had managed to get down from the cliffs without notice and shooting arrows wouldn't be much of help to them from that distance. As far as the spies did manage to report, there was no other living soul up there except those Guymelefs and probably their Pilots, but they were not coming out of their Guymelefs resulting in only more confusion and slightly growing panic under the troops of the Duke of Freid.
They didn't dare to launch an attack just yet, since the consequences could not be determined by anyone.
Back besides he two well-known Guymelefs stood the party of heroes from the last war and was just as irritated as the rest of their soldiers.
"What are they planning to do? Over half of the day has already gone by and those Guymelefs didn't move an inch and no one has seen anyone leave them." Dryden scratched his neck in utter confusion. "We don't even have a way of attacking them properly without taking a much to big risk for our own men. Besides, no normal human should make it to stay so long in a Guymelef and doing nothing not even getting out to eat and drink something. You don't suppose they got all their equipment with them inside Van?"
"Surely not Dryden. It would take away much needed space in a Guymelef to work it freely. There is no way they could have their rations with them in there."
"Maybe, just maybe, there aren't any people inside those Guymelefs…"
Everyone's attention turned to Hitomi, her brows furrowed in what seemed deep concentration or thought. What she said didn't quite make sense and Millerna was the first to take on suspicion:
"Well, could there be a way for doing that? Is there a way?"
"It could be through the mind. Remember how Van and I did that when Zaibach captured us? Maybe they also have found a way… It just came to my mind a few minutes ago?"
Van thought for a moment: "It could be that way even thought it must be hard to control so many, but we can't be sure."
"Can you make something out, Hitomi? Track them down or even just find out, if there is someone in there and if we could somehow attack?" Merle interrupted.
Hitomi sighed as the contours of her face relaxed a little and she closed her eyes in frustration:
"I already tried, but I did not dare to go mentally to near. There is a mental barrier only a few meters from the cliff and whoever did that would sense me directly. And I have no idea what would be the outcome of that meeting. All we seem to can do is wait, but that's no good either since they could also be waiting for something or someone. I just hope it's not who I think it is…"
Hitomi murmured the last sentence under her breath but Van standing near her couldn't help but overhear it. And the tone she used was not very encouraging either. If Hitomi hoped so badly that that certain someone would not come, he really didn't want to meet that guy. Not now, not ever.
And right now they had enough other problems already, like how to find out what the enemy was up to and what they could do about it. He turned his head and full attention towards the beautiful creature with those dazzling emerald green eyes, which could enrapture you and maybe never let go, right beside him:
"What about the temple? Did you by chance find anything that could help us out in any kind of way? Really anything that could do something against those Guymelefs up there, be there someone inside of them or not?"
Hitomi had nearly been the whole morning in that temple. Together with Dryden a few times even Chid, she had gone the temple up and down, trying to make out any writing in there, may it be on the wall, the floor, a pillar, behind a statue, on the doors or in one of the few books resting within the temple. They had searched every little inch and corner nearly a docent times probably, but Hitomi had always been very careful not to touch anything, not even the books, Dryden had done that all and Chid had shown he the sword again, the key to the first seal. As far as they had already found out there were at least three seals. The first had been the sword, but since that seal had been opened during the war with Zaibach it hadn't helped much. The power that had then been set free, was only about a fourth or fifth of that was probably in the temple and some of it also had returned to this past destination when the Fait-Altering machine had been destroyed.
The second seal seemed to be a sort of mental seal connected with every draconian or anyone that had draconian blood in them. The power behind that seal could probably only be released if a Draconian tried to control the power there and with it the seal, but that was better left unharmed for now. Another option to break seal seemed to be to kill even the last Draconian that remained on Gaia, which was even more unnerving since they had to assume, that Van had to be the last one.
The third and last seal was a blood pact. Since only Draconians could control the power in the temple a non Draconian would need the blood of a Draconian, because in it always flowed at least a tiny bit of that power.
And THAT was the most unnerving part of it all. It all fitted perfectly with Hitomi's Vision she had told them recently about, about the one with Van's death. If that person she had seen in her dream really managed to kill Van and take his heart's blood, there would be no stooping him from controlling the power and just thinking about what that guy, whoever he was, could do with that power, not a single one of them wanted to imagine.
The only thing that could help them somehow now, was that Hitomi and Dryden had come up with something in the temple that they could use against their foes. But from the looks on their faces, there seemed to be no good thing to tell as Hitomi started to speak:
"That's the next negative aspect of our situation. There are many secrets in there and many kinds of descriptions for different kind of spells, but none of them would probably be able to help us without letting to much free of the power from the temple without attracting immediately attention. The only thing we could somehow try is to link Escaflowne with the power, but it would be a to great burden for you alone, both physically and mentally. It would be for you as if you were Escaflowne yourself, meaning that the slightest injury on Escaflowne, even if you are not fighting with it, could end in a bleeding wound which could kill you and anything near the heart would probably kill you instantly. So the idea is not really and option, the only thing that it would bring, that you could manage to control nearly all the power through Escaflowne, but it is a much to great risk. And any other solution we could use would be about the same."
Merle huffed in frustration after Hitomi had finally finished:
"Oh goodie… Why don't we just his the white flag right now? Wouldn't make any difference if you ask me."
"But there has got to be away guys! Just think what can those Guymelefs do to us right now if they would attack? Could we throw there attacks somehow back to them?" Millerna asked quite worried now. The whole thing was beginning to stress her out; you could clearly see that by how she squeezed the side of her dress hard with her hands.
Dryden could only shake his head and sigh: "What would you do my dear? Hold up a mirror in front of you to block them of or…?"
Hitomi suddenly interrupted: "The idea from Millerna might not even be as far fetched as it may sound Dryden…"
"Huh? Did I hear right? Do you really mean to tell us that there could be something about the idea that could help us? What sort of idea do you have in mind Hitomi?"
"Well, some of those Guymelefs shot energy balls, if I have heard right. If we can somehow manage to build a barrier with and altered energy – not the exact opposite energy or the barrier would only neutralise the other energy – it could reflect those attacks and at least a bit of the problem would be solved…"
Allen joined the conversation: "But we don't even know, if those Guymelefs are the ones with the energy and they will not have positioned only those around here so we still would have to block of all those attacks."
"But it would at least reduce the attacks and maybe, just maybe we can even manage to build up the barrier in a way that it will fend of other attacks also……… (!!!!) What's that?!?"
Allen looked around frantically:
"What's what Hitomi? Is there something happening up there? I can't see any change."
"No. Something in the air has changed so abruptly it can not be normal."
"I can feel it, too. As if a stinging cold had settled under my fur. Don't you feel it also Lord Van?" Merle whispered quietly.
"Yes, yes I feel it. Something seems to be coming rapidly. But I don't know what."
Hitomi gasped in horror her eyes wide:
"It cannot be! How did he…?"
But Hitomi didn't manage to finish her sentence as the surrounding suddenly bustle with life at an alarming space. The Guymelefs on the cliffs suddenly jerked and stood up. Somewhere in the valley a warning bell sounded but instead of attacking, the enemy retreated. But that was not the situation they had hoped for.
It did not take long until a sudden darkness revealed itself, coming from behind the enemy lines. It sent ice cold chills down the soldiers spine and scarred them out of their wits. It slowly crept itself around the enemies' Guymelefs, swallowing them whole, but they did not seem to be affected by it at all, not like down in the valley, where panic was starting to spread. Soldiers were running around, trying to get as far away from the horrible darkness as they could, fleeing out of the valley and into the woods and the cliffs all around. It steadily made it's way down the edge of one side of the cliffs without wavering, heading directly for the temple.
Van, Allen and all the others could only stare and watch in horror as it came nearer and nearer with each passing second.
Finally, it was Hitomi's voice of command that made them come out of their trance:
"Quick, we got to make it to the temple and fast! It's our only way to safety! HURRY!"
Without even waiting for a reaction of the others Hitomi dashed to the temple, but they followed her quickly, the darkness slowly but steadily following them.
Escaflowne and Scheherazarde kneeled there forgotten, but at a muttered word command coming from Hitomi's lips while still running, anyone who would have looked in the direction of the two Guymelefs, he or she would have seen Escaflowne's energist glow for a second before a white shimmering barrier surrounded the two machines securely. The creeping darkness saw this, but since he was not very much interested in the Guymelefs, it just went around the barrier. He would have destroyed them, had he come near them without further thinking since they seemed of no importance to him, but before he wasted his powers on a that pathetic shield, he let them be and moved on.
Panting heavily, the group of heroes finally made it into the temple.
"Close the doors, quick!" Chid managed to shout to the monks still in the temple and they obeyed there ruler as fast as they could, since the darkness was also starting to affect them. One of them started the mechanism and the two heavy and thick stone doors marked with old runes of protection by Draconians slowly closed shut.
There was an erie silence after the doors had sealed shut except for the panting of the small group. The screams of the soldiers outside faded instantly and the fear from the darkness was also beginning to lessen.
Allen breathed out in relieve: "Now that was close. We should be safe in here, shouldn't we Dryden?"
"I suppose so, those door have Draconian seals build into them, no one from the outside should be able to open them." He pushed his glasses back up his nose. "But I think that our little green eyes missy has some things to explain. Say where IS Hitomi?"
Everyone looked around bewildered, but there was no trace of her until a monk informed them that he had seen her heading towards the small room where the books lay. Immediately they dashed after her. Van was the first to reach the room. He found Hitomi in front of one of the big and oldest books going through it's pages. She was murmuring something softly to herself, something he couldn't understand. Her brows where pulled together in deep concentration. As she looked thru the book with quick eyes and hands.
"Hitomi? What are you doing?" Van asked confused and concerned.
The others had also arrived looking bewildered at Hitomi.
"Searching" , that was the only reply they got.
"Searching? Searching for what? I already went through all those books there is nothing of use to us in them right now." Dryden answered irritated.
"I'm searching for something specifically. It should be inn this book as far as I know."
"???????"
"Hmmm... what's this?"
"What's what? Hitomi, what are you doing?!?"
Hitomi had come to the back of the book going over the binding of the back with her index finger. Suddenly, in one swift movement, she picked up one of her long daggers and sliced open the binding. A monk, who had followed them, nearly fell over in shock, since those books were sacred to them and normally treated very carefully and Allen had to catch him. Hitomi ripped open the binding and retrieved from a hidden slit n the book one single sheet of even older looking paper. She looked it over carefully and van standing behind her, could see a sort of pentacle with strange words all around it. Van eyes widened in astonishment when is mind registered that it was the were the same sort of words that prophecy of the Liocorna Clan had been written.
After looking at the paper for a few seconds Hitomi crumbled the paper in her hand and with a flick of her wrist, set it on flames in mid air until there were only ashes left. She turned around and strode back out of the room with quick steps brushing past Van and the others who still stood there in utter confusion.
As Hitomi was halfway down the corridor again, Van finally gained control over his feet and legs again. He ran after Hitomi and caught her wrist making her stop and turn around. The look he saw in her eyes was determined and persistent with what seemed a slight panic, but he had no time to ponder over that. As he returned her gaze, anger slowly starting to rise deep inside of him.
"Hitomi. What on all of Gaia are you doing? I want some answers and now."
"Now is not the time. Firstly we got to get out of here and fast, before the darkness can get us." Hitomi answered calmly making Van only more angry.
"And how are you going to get out of here? Teleport? *humph* Besides, the doors are as thick as the could be and enchanted, no one is going to get into this temple from the outside."
Sudden anger flashed in her eyes and it sent ice cold shivers down his spine. He didn't know why it affected him so much but the air around Hitomi suddenly seemed to heat up around her and a slight aura showed itself for a split second, but was gone the instant Van saw it. With a quick swift turn of her wrist she early managed to free herself from Van's grip, her hands clenched into fists.
"You really think that those would keep him out? There may be some spell on that door through those runes but it's rather pathetic right at the moment and not even in full power since the power is sealed away deeply. And letting the seal free now would result in the power from the outside and the power from the inside to hit each other with full force, probably ending in a huge explosion that would wipe out all of half of Freid surrounding us at least! Besides those doors were made to protect from spells cast by humans and such things, but that "thing out their is NO human! It doesn't even have a body to begin with, but he will get one if he gets his hand on you and the power inside this temple, forming it the way he needs it to be without a second thought of what will happen to his surroundings near him!"
Van and the others who had joined them starred utterly confused at her, eyes flashing with uncontrolled emotions and power within her so strong Van took a step back. And as if to underline Hitomi's words, the whole temple suddenly shook and trembled. All their eyes flew to the doors that where stating to crumble, long gashes starting to form inside of them. That all to well known fear started to creep up upon them again and Van realised that he had not only shivered because Hitomi had shown him her anger, she had done that lots and lots of time in her past. It hadn't only been the anger in her eyes but she had sent him some of that same fear that thing was sending all around. It had probably been only tiny bit of that same fear the… the "thing" outside was sending his way, but it was the same nevertheless.
Hitomi's harsh sounding voice brought him once again out of his trance:
"We've got only little time left. We got to get out of here and quick. Duke Chid is the sword still in the main room of the temple?"
"Y-y-yes it s-s-should still be there."
"*sigh* That's good. It should help us get away from here. Follow me."
Hitomi headed to the main room of the temple, where Chid's father, the old Duke of Freid had once showed them. The sword was there and Hitomi picked it up carefully. A slight glow tinged the pink orb at the handle as Hitomi carried to a spot in the right corner of the room and the others followed her, not knowing what else to do. The temple still trembled and it wouldn't be long until that darkness out there broke in. When they came to the spot where Hitomi was kneeling, Van recognised the carving on the floor. It was the same pentacle as it had been on the sheet of paper.
He which in shock as Hitomi slit her right index finger across the blade of the sword and then drew the liens of the pentacle and the words with her blood again. The writing started to glow as Hitomi softly chanted unknown words and as the chant ended and the last word glowed she took the sword that was once seal to the key to the power of Atlantis and smashed the pink orb right in the centre of the pentacle.
A blinding white flash erupted around them, engulfing them with one swift movement. Van felt the familiar sensation of being lifted of his feet just before the world around him turned black.
Chapter end
Muwahahahaha… A Cliff-hanger once again! Ain't I mean *gets squashed by rotten tomatoes* Hey, cut that out!! At least this chapter is longer then all the other once and I'm very proud of it. Next chapter will be up ASAP!!! CIAO!