A/N: sorry for the very late update but I've been working on course work for my GCSE's … the schools decided that 9 isn't enough so I have to do one more … sighs evil school… Yes so please bare with me as updates will we kinda later from now on… till I have nothing to do… (Yer like in June when I leave ¬¬')

Chapter 11 The Golden Door.

Things had not been the same since they group had found out about the missing ancient Guymelef. Chid was sorting a search for it as well as Millerna whom had contacted Asturia in the hope to find such a Melef before Zaron did.

Hitomi had become frustrated with Allen and Kari for they kept quiet on all questions asked even those about the murder case.

"I can't stand it any more Van. It's driving me crazy. All I want to know is the meaning of these visions and dreams I keep having. I want to know how they all fix together." Hitomi had told Van of the vision she had had of whom she believed was Kari on Zandria as a child.

Van was sat in the small room watching Hitomi pace up and down.

"Well demand they tell you. To be honest I want to know what's going on, everything just seems so complicated." Van sighed. Hitomi stopped pacing.

"You're right it is; and confusing. I just don't know what's going on." Van stood.

"Very well let's go find out." Van took Hitomi by the wrist and began walking round the castle. They soon came across Merle.

"What you doing Lord Van.?" Merle came up and stopped in front of them both.

"We're looking for Kari and Allen. Do you know where they are?" Hitomi asked.

"Yer… they left a few moments ago." They both groaned. "I guess you could catch up to them if you really wanted too."

"Right. Which direction did they go in?" They all started walking again.

"Erm… in to the small wood behind the castle I think."

Van, Hitomi and Merle all walked to the wood (although it was more like an orchard) to talk to Allen and Kari. They did catch up with them to find that they were talking with Jhono.

They looked up from their conversation.

"Can we help you?" Jhono was the first to speak.

Jhono was sat on a stone bench his walking cane by his side. Kari was sat next to him, it still shocked Van and the others to see Kari with black and white hair as it did not seem to suit her. Allen was stood he wore his usual trousers and white shirt though had a sword hanging by his side, a rare sight in these past few months.

"We came for answers." Van stepped forward; Hitomi holding his hand.

"What kind of answers Draconian?" Jhono stood holding his cane tightly.

"Straight ones. Answers that make sense to the questions." Hitomi spoke that time impressing the Zandrion king.

"Very well and what are these questions?" Jhono stood upright.

"Who is Kari?"

"What kind of question is that?" Jhono was appalled.

"Who is she, what is she, who was the servant boy on Zandria, why was she the only survivor of Zarons attack on Zandria?" Jhono sighed and sat back down, it looked like his leg was causing him to be in a lot of pain.

"I will answer all but one of those questions."

Kari sat looking at her father, these questions Hitomi wanted answered were reasonable but the one about a servant boy, even she didn't know.

Jhono was about to speak when Hitomi had a premonition. She saw an arrow flying through the tress and hit Jhono in the heart from behind. She gasped and came back to reality. Kari stood and held Hitomi by the shoulders.

"What did you see Hitomi? What was it?"

"JHONO!" Van yelled as he saw what looked like twenty arrows hit him in the back.

"Father!" Kari turned to her father, kneeled and held him up by his shoulders. "Father! Please say something."

Jhono coughed up some blood and whispered two simple words. "I'm sorry." He died in his daughters arms.

"Well I wonder what he meant by that?" Everyone apart from Kari looked up at the figure that walked out from the trees. Who else but Zaron. "You want to know who that servant boy was Miss. Kanzaki. Can't you tell?" Zaron grinned and looked down at the weeping Princess, her father lay on the ground.

"It was you." Zarons eyes saddened.

"That ring that Kari wears round her neck. It wasn't her mothers, it was ours." Everyone gasped; Kari raised her head ever-so-slightly.

"You see Schezar when you left to become a Knight, she returned to Zandria; where we met once again." Zaron began to walk around the small group of people. "All though she loved you she began to fall in love with me, but you know what pushed her into my arms, do you want to know what did it. When she went to her friend Marlene and she found out that she was carrying your child." Zaron laughed. "Oh it broke her heart."

"You lie." Allen stood his fists clenched it looked like he was about to hit Zaron and hit him hard when they all heard the faint sound of Kari's voice.

"Marius… Marius… you killed him… you killed them all… why… why did you kill them?"

Zaron sat on the stone bench in front of Kari and the deceased Jhono.

"I'm sorry about Marius Kari. I never knew he tried to help you get away when Memross wanted to erase your memories of me." Hitomi gasped.

"Hmmm…" Merle had been thinking. "So you and Kari were together… then she had her memory erased… so you killed everyone and repeatedly try and kill Kari…. That doesn't make any sense." Everyone could sense that that comment made Zaron angry.

"You don't understand. They erased her memories like they were nothing; they planted false ones within her head. Made her believe all this shit about me. That I was a monster. You can't understand the way she looked at me, when she came out her room the next morning." Everyone began to feel sorry for Zaron as he spoke all apart from Allen that is; he could never give sympathy to the devil.

Zaron stood as Kari rose from her father's side.

"That doesn't excuse you of everything you've done, of all the people you killed. You killed my soul that day as I walked among my people, looking for any sign of life from any of them." Kari began to cry. "YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO KILL THEM ALL!" Kari gasped as a pillar of light came from the sky and bathed her, her father's corpse and Allen in light. In a flash they were all gone.

"Kari…Kari wake up... we have to go now… come on Kari."

"Where are we going? Marius…where are you taking me?"

"You've never been in this part of the castle before but don't worry everything will be alright."

"Marius please this is scaring me… Please Marius tell me what's going on?"

"I'm so sorry my little princess."

"What the... let go of me, MARIUS…MARIUS."

"How is she doing?"

"Fine, we will be able to start soon."

"Good I will go and find Memross."

"Marius…Marius please…help me…"

"She is stirring we must not let her awaken… her powers ar-"

"I'm here my little princess don't worry I'll get you out of here…what was I thinking… what good can this bring?"

"Marius what is the meaning of this? How dare you betray us."

"Memross I can't let you erase her memories of Zaron it isn't right. What happens if she becomes unstable… starts remembering things she's not meant to?"

"That will not happen."

Everyone returned to the castle to spread the news of Jhonos death and Kari and Allen's disappearance. The news did not go well with Millerna.

"What do you mean they're gone. Gone where?" They had not mentioned anything of what they had learnt to Millerna or Chid.

"We don't know Millerna, all we know is they were taken away in one of those pillars." Van was trying to stay calm; he had a strange feeling that something was not right.

"Maybe you could use your pendulum like before Miss. Kanzaki" Everyone turned to the small man in the door way.

"Mr. Mole man when did you arrive here?"

"Oh I've been here longer than you think." Mole man held in his hands a rolled up map. "Well give it a go." Mr. Mole man laid the old looking map on a small table as Hitomi sat down.

"Do you think you could find them." Millerna was still a little sceptic on the matter of Hitomi's powers.

They all watched as the deep pink pendulum began to swing. Dryden had come to watch as well. Hitomi sat with her eyes closed as she searched.

"It's no use I can't pick them up." Hitomi lay her hand down.

"Sure you can, lets try again." Van placed his hand over Hitomi's, she nodded. Hitomi raised her hand again this time with Van helping. They would both search.

Soon the pendulum stopped over a small forest north of the castle, though it soon started spinning again.

"That's odd." Those in the room stared at the spot where the pendulum had stopped. "I could have been sure we picked up on their energies." Chid looked at the map more closely.

"There's very little in that forest. A few small villages and possibly a few shrines."

"That's it!" Dryden stood up.

"What's it?" Millerna asked.

"The shrines… the Zandrion Shrines, it was believed that they acted as a gateway between Gaea and Zandria. Perhaps it isn't just a belief." Dryden was very excited at his possible answer to their disappearance. Though he sat back down and frowned.

"The tales also say that only a Zandrion could live on Zandria, it wouldn't make sense if Allen was there, well is he was I doubt he would be alive." Everyone became miserable at the thought.

"Well we will just have to give it a go wont we" This time it was Millerna who stood, Chid stood as well.

"I think aunt- Millerna is right, Kari and Allen are friends of mine and I don't want to think they might be hurt or in danger so I will make arrangements to take us to the shrines at once."

It was not long after that they were on their way to the Zandrion shrines. Chid had managed to get the old Crusade crew to take them there; well it was not that hard all he had to do was mention that it involved Kari and the crew were happy to do it. They had mentioned before that they were all close to Kari and Allen most of them from Quintez or members of Allen's old bandit gang.

They had to land some distance from the shrine as the trees left no room for a landing. As they reached the Zandrion Shrine the undergrowth became denser and walking became hard. Van had to cut a path through to the clearing.

The entire floor of the small clearing was covered in brambles and vines. In the middle stood the large, rectangular, white marble shrine. Van cleared if from some of the vines to reveal the top. Like all Shrines this one too had writing on the top, it was easier to make out than others as the plant growth had protected it from the elements.

"It's all in Zandrion." Dryden confirmed as he scanned the text.

"Can you read it?" Van was the one to ask the prime question.

"I can make some of it out… I think…though it will take me some time."

"We don't have a lot of time, who knows what could be happening to Allen."

Millerna was not happy. She still clearly felt strongly for Allen. Dryden sighed.

"'These shines were built as a link between Gaea and our kind'." He read a little more as he worked out the next sentence. "'like the Mystic Valley we may enter Zandria'…Erm… it's worn a little here its hard to make out." Dryden leaned over the writing some more.

"What's it say after that then, maybe you could work it out?" Hitomi also looked at the odd text.

"Erm…Something…Something… 'To all whom…try to enter not of full blood.' "

Hitomi looked towards Van. "Oh! I've got it 'eternal suffering to all whom try to ent…" Dryden drifted off as the words he spoke sunk in.

"I don't like the sound of that." Merle clung to Vans arm tighter, and Hitomi stepped down from the shrines side. As she stepped backwards she tripped and her left foot sank into the ground.

"What did you do?"Came a cryas the earth shook.

"I don't know!" Hitomi replied.

When the shaking subsided everyone crowed round the opening which had appeared, as they looked down the black hole lights emerged on both sides showing a vast white stair case, so vast the end could not be seen only the dimming lights.

"God I can't believe it the stair way to Zandria, only one book has every spoke of it." The others watched as Dryden fumbled in his cloak; he soon pulled out a small, tattered, brown book with green Gaean writing on the cover. He read aloud after flicking through several pages.

"'And on these gate ways a great stair case flows, lit by a thousand touches. The black walls covered with golden writing which tells the Zandrions history from the darkest past to the current day.

Magic fills the stair way which protects its people, only those of true blood can enter. At the end of the Zandrion stair case is a corridor also filled with its peoples past. It is said that magic quills etch into the wall everything that happens and as their legacy grows the corridor grows.

At the end of the corridor is a golden door which spans the width and height of the hall way, only an incantation is said to open the door. One that no man has come to learn, as it is wrote in the ancient Zandrion language and is impossible to translate.'" Dryden slammed the book shut looking very pleased and smug that he had though of it.

"If we can't open that bloody golden door what's the point of walking all that way?" Moaned Merle.

Van unsheathed his sword and began walking towards the stairs.

"You're not going down there are you Van?" Millerna asked.

"If it's the only way to get any answers to all this than yes. I am." Hitomi walked up and took Vans free hand; they began walking together Merle close behind. The stair case was wide so two people could stand shoulder to shoulder. Millerna walked with chid, Dryden walked after them scanning the walls moving from left to right, then finally Chid's adviser whose name was still unknown.

The stair case was long yet beautiful the black walls contrasting the golden writing of the Zandrions, everyone looked at their language, lines and dots it was unfamiliar and hard to make out any word. More touches lit themselves as they walked forward down and down the straight stair.

After what could only be thought as many agonising hours, did they spot the end of the stair way and the beginning of the corridor, the black wall with its gold writing continued as well as the creamy coloured floor. They stopped. Van let go of Hitomi's hand, they had not come across any trouble and everything seemed too easy.

Van walked the last few steps his sword at the ready. As soon as Van placed both feet flat on the floor a faint figure appeared in front of him. The figure amazed them all for you could see through her and that her legs were no where to be seen. The woman had long white hair and large piercing blue eyes, in her hands a long shimmering scythe.

"State your name to enter." Said the figure, her ghostly voice echoing.

"Van Fanel of Fanelia." Van stood ready to fight.

"Searching archives." Everyone watched, waiting; the tension rising among the group.

"Van Fanel of Fanelia. Blood type Human, Draconian… Access to Zandria denied" The woman raised her weapon above her head, van stood ready to block the oncoming attack as she brought the scythe down.

"VAN LOOK OUT!" Shouted Hitomi as golden ropes came out from the walls gripping van by the wrist and ankles.

Van struggled as the scythe edged closer, he closed his eyes expecting to be sliced in half. But there only came a gasp. Van slowly opened one eye then noticing he was unscathed opened the other, the scythe only millimetres away from his head. The figure lifted the scythe and backed off.

"Manual override… security procedure number four, zero, eight, one. Terminated." The figure disappeared as well as the roped releasing Van; he let out a sigh of relief.

"Oh Van; I'm so glad your Ok." Hitomi hugged Van.

"I wonder what happened." Millerna asked mainly directing her question at Dryden.

"Hmmm… well the system said it was a 'manual override' so someone must have stopped it." Dryden looked as he was about to say something more when his direction turned to the black wall.

"What is it?" Merle asked looking as well.

"This line mentions Kari as well as Van's brother Folken." Van walked slightly back up the stairs; he looked at the writing which was completely odd to him.

"What's it on about?" Van had sheathed his sword.

"Something about them meeting I guess, it's all in ancient Zandrion I only know snippets though names are a snap… looks like they met when Kari was four years old." Everyone was silent, wondering.

"That means we have nineteen years of events to walk through, we better get going." Millerna started to walk ignoring the others.

The walk seemed to take longer than their walk down the stair way which was impossible since Dryden figured the stair walls had over two hundred years of information on them, and these walls only had nineteen.

Merle had continually looked around, she had not said anything in a while.

"Hey! Anyone else notice that this Hall has got wider and higher?" Van who was leading the group stopped and looked around. Merle was right there was much more space in the hall then before.

"We must be getting closer to the Golden door." The group had found it odd that they had only travelled in a straight line, they were amazed by the security program.

Was this magic or an unknown form of technology?

Suddenly out of know where they were there at the Golden Door. No one had seen it in the distance, as they imagined they would have and everyone was amazed at the sheer size of it.

In front of them was the large golden door they had heard of. It spanned the corridor like the book had said but they never imagined this. The top was hard to see and the entire group could stand shoulder to shoulder and still have room. The thought came to them that a Guymelef could easily pass through, perhaps a small vessel even. On the door were beautiful images of animals, houses, plants, rivers and people they could spend forever looking at the door and never know every part of it. There was no handle and no sign of Zandrion writing.

"What do we do know then?" Asked Chid.

"Perhaps I can be of some service." Chids adviser stepped forward and pulled a small piece of paper from his pocket. He handed it to Hitomi. "Please read this out facing the door." Hitomi took the paper and looked at the man. "I was given instructions to do so."

"Who from?" asked chid curious of his advisers actions. Chid had insisted it was not important for him to come but he had said that if anything happened to Chid he would not be able to forgive himself.

"I can not say my lord." He bowed. "I must leave now; there is no need for myself to enter such a place…I will be waiting at the castle for you my lord." He bowed again and began his way back down the hall.

When he was out of sight Hitomi turned to the door. She read the writing on the paper to herself first, took a deep breath then read aloud.

"Zandrions of past and future,

Open the gateway to the heavens.

Shine the light of everlasting life.

Let us return and close the hell behind."

They all stood waiting for something to happen, they were all sure that this was the incantation but nothing happened, not even a flicker of the lights.

"Well that was a waste of time…stupid door." Merle began moaning again.

"Why didn't it work? Now we'll never find Kari." Hitomi crouched down wrapping her arms around her knees.

Slowly the door began to glow the light becoming brighter and brighter, soon everyone had to close their eyes for the sheer intensity of the light became too much.

"What's happening?"

A/N: well that's the rest of Kari's family gone…next chapter 'truths out'… bet you can figure out what that's about.

Disclaimer: I do not own Escaflowne or anything to do with it. But i do own Kari n a few other ppl that turn up like poker n maria(the list is very long ish) so plz dont use them wiv out asking (y ne one would i have no idea)