Escaflowne is property of its owners.

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Second Moon

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SAND CASTLES

(Oneshot)

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They rode one after another at a cautious pace. The two men seemed to be one in the washed gold of the mid-morning sun, casting a stark shadow across the rocky mountain path. Brown stone giants stood around them, caressing the clouds above; living valleys and deep forests were visible from there, soaked in the restless blue of the rivers and springs. Smaller, chained protrusions like the scales of a dragon stretched out into the distance. One of the men turned to his right. An inhospitable colossus of dark stones that slept within its veil of sulphur was only a short distance from them.

"If I recall correctly, that's the route to a Wolf Clan village."

"General?"

"I'm sure. Arzas. On the other side of the Gorge of Fire. Isn't that so, Gaddes?"

"Uh... yeah. There should be a path that cuts through the volcanic terrain. If the volcano hasn't erupted recently it should be free."

"Good. Let's go."

"What?"

"Let's go. By your calculations we are two moons ahead of schedule, so we have time to make this little detour before reaching the capital of Fanelia."

"You sure Allen? This is the shortest route but also the least travelled one. Fanelia is pretty safe but we can't rule out danger."

"Don't worry. We weren't the Abaharaki for nothing."

"But we were young and beautiful back then!"

Waiting for no reply, General Allen Schezar turned his horse towards the path that led to the blackish rocks. His long hair billowed like a cape of gold embroidered with silver. Keeping his eyes on the back of the receding general, Gaddes Arbekin reached into the pocket of his green tunic and pulled out a worn yellowish paper. The map showed that this was the point where they were assaulted by Dilandau years ago, when they were on their way to Torushina with the Wing Goddess. Gaddes pocketed the paper and rode after Allen to catch up.

They also looked like an adventurous Lord and his loyal old page riding through a midlife crisis. The truth wasn't far from that: youth had already abandoned them, the venture made no sense, and the dusty roads didn't deserve better clothing. Plain villager's robes, faded black riding breeches, and worn copper boots blended with the white gleams in their hair and the dust clinging to their bodies like oil on the stove. The formal clothing they would wear to enter Fanelia's capital was in their luggage, strapped to the sides of their horses, along with provisions for the long journey.

Allen was sturdy. The tanned skin of the humid sun of Palas, the coastal capital of Asturia, made his blue eyes shine in the cleanliness of his face, threatened by various lines carved as furrows still inappropriate for his age. His rank only shown by the military hilt of his bastard sword, hanging from a thick brown belt tied at his hips, above his red robes. Gaddes was dark and long. His wide mouth and brown eyes looked tired and furrowed down. His face covered by a bushy starry night beard, and along with his splashed hair, short on the sides and longer on top, they made his head look more rectangular than it was. His weapons were a crude broad-bladed sword, common among Asturian peasants, and a set of six slender knives in small compartments on his black leather belt.

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Dark rocks crossed their way and the ground gave off greyish vapours that hid the horizon for several metres, making the journey uncomfortable. The heat was dry and the noses burned.

"This is the same path the king took when Dilandau tried to take the Wing Goddess," Allen informed as Gaddes fell in beside him.

"I didn't pay attention to what Van was doing," he confessed, wincing at the pungent smell of sulphur released by the rocks, "I was too busy dispatching the dragon-slayers."

They rode at a steady pace. Gaddes wanted to ask why they were turning off the road and burning their noses to visit a beast-man village. He guessed that, like the magma flowing under the stones, Allen's silence also meant that an idea had melted in his mind and wouldn't erupt until he wanted it to. And, at least when they were mercenaries, Gaddes figured the vents out before the general decided to report it. It didn't matter. He trusted him, knew that whatever they did in the village was important.

They reached the canyon that would head them to the path leading to Arzas. The nightmarish hot vapours dissipated and cold rock surrounded them. The imposing walls seemed to reach up to the sky and supplant it. The intense light of midday couldn't sneak into the place and left only a faint bluish luminosity reflected on the rocks. The temperature change and the light air were a delight.

"How long ago was it?" Allen's voice doubled in the solitude of the stone corridor.

Gaddes raised an eyebrow.

"When the Winged Goddess descended?" he asked hesitantly.

"Yes."

"I don't know," he admitted. "Sometimes I feel like that happened in another life."

"Incredible."

"It is. I never imagined that the Mystic Moon existed. Much less that a girl from there would be the one to start the end of the war. I thought that Van would do it. But do you know what else I thought? That he was so lost and so full of rage that I feared he would replace Folken and become the new enemy."

"Hmm" Allen nodded. "I agree with you. Honestly, Gaddes, we were lucky that only the girl from the cat tribe knew of my intentions to have the king killed in battle. He was a headache."

"Hah!" Gaddes's deep laugh echoed throughout the place. "Of course he knew it! It seemed to me that Van wanted to die but didn't know how."

"Luckily he always survived," Allen said. "Without him, the Wing Goddess would never have descended into Gaia, would never have summoned Escaflowne, and we all would probably have died at the hands of the Black Dragon Clan."

"But General," Gaddes complained jokingly, "if that's the way it goes, if we hadn't accepted Van into the Abaharaki, he would have grown old a virgin."

"Let's not fall into that impossible spiral, Gaddes..." Allen continued with the joke, traces of his smile could be heard in his words. "Everything was actually the mole man's doing!"

Both men laughed boisterously, animated and rosy-cheeked, at how funny and terrifying that was. The remnants of their laughter were slowly surrounded by useless thoughts until they were stranded in an enclave: they belonged to the past, and reflections of that nature tend to be the least flexible in the present. The "ifs" were thorns stuck painfully in the most tender places of their flesh.

What if things had been different? All possibilities fell short in the face of the certain death that the future held for them. In battle, most likely. Without achieving anything, almost certainly. Gaddes consciously ignored his own role in the events, not considering his actions important in the grand scheme of things: the ones who would be remembered by history would be King Van Fanel and the Wing Goddess Hitomi Kanzaki. And he, Gaddes, only belonged to a dead, vague and non-individualized collective called Abaharaki. And afterwards, only the King and the Goddess would be remembered, without names or surnames or kingdoms or allies. And long after, mentions of them would have been eroded by the waves of time.

In the distance, at the end of the tunnel, the green light from the hills blazed like a star. Gaddes dismissed his own pathos. What did he care whether he was remembered or not? What mattered was enjoying what remained of life. The past was but a shadow cast by the brightness of the present.

Gaddes untied a bag at his side and procured two pieces of beef jerky. He held one out to Allen but the general held up a hand in denial.

"A couple more hours and we'll be there, I'll wait until then," he said. Gaddes shrugged and chewed on the tough meat like a wild yak.

'I'm tired of dried meat rations,' he explained, chewing, "a freshly made stew is what we need."

"So do I. The Wolf Clan is among the most hospitable of the beast-men, so let us not despair."

As they advanced, the canyon gradually became a cave. The high rock walls overlapped each other, lowering their height until they almost touched their heads. They exited the tunnel and the horses whinnied with delight. The canyon gave way to a warm meadow with some tall trees brushed here and there. In the background, the mountains on whose slopes Arzas rested, rose until they merged with the clouds. Gaddes raised his right hand to cast a shadow over his eyes—he searched to locate the time in the sky.

"General, maybe we should spend the night in Arzas. When we get to the village, the horses will need to rest."

"You're right," Allen said. "We'll have to abuse their hospitality."

The sun was merciless. It was scorching both with its heat and with its also-intolerable sunlight. Their journey continued with the occasional breaks to let the animals drink from nearby streams. The silence increased the sounds of life around them, not a sound beyond the rustling of the leaves, the shrill whistles of the birds, the rhythmic murmur of the ditches and springs.

"I wonder how's Van?" Gaddes muttered, almost to himself as soon as the thought crossed his mind.

"We'll find out when we get to the capital," Allen replied. "To tell you the truth, I am also curious. Despite my position, I haven't seen him since and have only heard words from others about him."

"I stayed with him for a while longer, eradicating the bandits and reclaiming land for Adom before going to Asturia with my family. The idea of founding Fanelia was hardly a dried seed in his pocket. Amazing, don't you think? Van became a real King." Gaddes held out a hand in front of him and made a gesture of presenting something to an unseen audience. "Welcome all of you to the New Kingdom of Fanelia! The only kingdom in the whole of Gaia where humans and beastmen live together in harmony!"

Allen laughed heartily, and Gaddes bowed on his horse, a smirk on his lips.

"If this was a royal road, we would've been arrested by now for insulting the king."

"Luckily it isn't, and I doubt Van would sentence us to death. Oh! But my wife would say something like, 'Off with his head for making fun of the King of Fanelia!' It gives me chills to remember that when I met her she didn't even breathe every time she saw him walk through the camp."

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As the prairie turned into a forest, Gaddes began to suspect what the detour was all about. Allen was reviving the dead of a time he looked back on longingly. The times in the Abaharaki were the closest thing for him to having a family. Allen had been like his brother, and now they were two mature men who shared a common past. They'd lost all communication for years. Gaddes was surprised when he saw the great Allen Schezar standing in the shed of his house, dressed in the exclusive navy blue uniform of a general from Asturia, inviting him to accompany him to the capital of Fanelia in an urgent and secret matter. What situation? He didn't know that yet. Why on horseback? His ass demanded an answer. Why did Allen ask him as companionship instead of choosing soldiers under his command? He had no idea. Gaddes had long since retired from the front lines and enjoyed everyday life with his family amidst the fragrance of the purple furrows of his lavender crop, the sweet smell of his vineyards, and the warm green of his olive groves. Allen looked out of place on the warm porch, holding out his hand. That image belonged to the memories of his youth when his younger self accepted that other invitation to join a group of mercenaries. A long time had passed since the end of the war. The last time they saw each other was during the last years of the Abaharaki.

When Folken was defeated at Torushina and the Black Dragons lost their main head, the Abaharaki too began to crumble like a sand structure hit by the swell of a calm and unhurried sea.
The first to leave was Van, who took with him the Goddess Hitomi and the cat Merle. And although the boy never spent much time with anyone, the meaning of his absence weighed heavily on everyone.
Next was the mole-man. He disappeared along with some of their remaining treasure.
Then it was "the princess" Millerna. Gaddes could have sworn that she'd never leave Allen, he had sensed the attraction between them from the moment she first joined the group, but he was wrong: Millerna went back to Torushina with Dryden.
With no Millerna and no war, the Abaharaki were left without monetary backing and so focused on offering their services against what was left of the Dragons. However, as victories mounted around Gaia, men and ancient bloodlines raised new armies to restore past glories. And so, progressively, they stopped being hired. Orto and Teo left when Basram succeeded in forming a fairly stable government. Kio and Pyle returned to Daedalus, now called Daelia, to help rebuild their hometown. The others decided to continue as mercenaries and travel the roads of the continent in hopes of obtaining clients.
Gaddes felt lost. What would he do when everyone was gone? He had no place to return to, even though Zaibach was his hometown, it was a very poor region that the war didn't surprise at all. His family perished long before the Black Dragons came to burn the sticks and stones they had for a country. The bloodthirsty injustice against his people was what led him to meet Allen and accept his hand to form the Abaharaki.
When Van contacted the remnants of the group looking for help against Dilandau's bandits and with the intention of retaking Adom's southern territories taken by Cesario, Allen had already left for Asturia. Gaddes and what remained of the group accompanied the young King. Those were intense years. Van was no longer the asocial boy they knew, his rudimentary and violent manners replaced by a graceful layer of calculated charisma. A lethal dragon in smiling human skin. After the last victory against Cesario, Gaddes accepted that the Abaharaki no longer existed: Kattu had died; Riden was in another army division and didn't know anything about him; Van and Merle were becoming more inaccessible; and Gaddes himself had already started a family with Rutt, a dark girl who served garrisons in the camps.

The sandcastle was dissolved by the tides of the inevitable.

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The forest opened into a meadow. A slippery path could be distinguished among the green pastures at the feet of their horses; three lines marked it, showing that carts and messengers used to pass through that place.

"Gaddes," Allen's solemn tone and dull gaze surprised the man, "do you think we'll have another war as bloody as the Black Dragons'?"

Those words filled his chest with dark dread.

"What are you talking about, Allen?" he asked in a sunken voice.

The General raised his eyes to the sky where the white clouds floated, the moon could be seen with its great carved eye, impartially observing their innumerable tragedies. Gaddes followed suit.

"For a few years now, the silhouette of the Mystic Moon has been distinguishable."

"What?" he bellowed incredulously. "Impossible!" He narrowed his eyes. "I don't see anything."

"Look carefully."

Gaddes studied the surroundings of the moon until his eyes ached. And that's when he saw it. A silhouette easily lost in the snowy summer clouds. Almost transparent. Hanging like the shadow of death over a wounded animal. The Mystic Moon.

"It's not possible… Hitomi returned to the Mystic Moon shortly after Folken was defeated…" he said at last.

"We know that the Wing Goddess only descends before a Draconian, with the sole purpose of summoning Escaflowne," Allen explained condescendingly. He gave Gaddes a hard look that made him look down at his scrutiny. The general went on in a slow voice. "Van is the only draconian who could operate it. He has built an empire out of ashes. Lifted every stone of Adom and renamed them Fanelia. Expanded the territory to twice what it was before it was destroyed. Took over Zaibach, half of Cesario, took advantage of Freid's poverty to seize its northern territories and now he has entered Tasmantis. He went from being the protector of a handful of beast-men villages to forming one of the most powerful empires in just a few years."

"I understand, Allen, and it makes sense for you to think so, but... it's not what you think," Gaddes countered.

"I know you hold him in high regard, you fought alongside him for several years."

"No, you don't understand... The thing with Cesario happened because—"

"I don't understand?" Allen interrupted, outraged. He cut Gaddes off, forcing him to slam his horse to a stop. "Do you really believe that?"

"Yes, I do!" Gaddes roared. "Cesario had the opportunity to hand over the territories that were Adom's, they were sacred to the beast-man tribes that were displaced by bandits and armies. Cesario refused and even dared to destroy some temples and kill their slaves... The inhabitants were the ones who fought to be part of Fanelia!"

"That's ridiculous. Tell me, why would King Tagousu give up the territory that Van and the beastmen neglected for years?"

"They were looted by him when Adom fell! The world is sick of war, General, we know it. People just want to live in peace, and Van offered the chance to bring dignity back to his people." In a calmer voice, he added. "I appreciate that he indexed Zaibach, you have no idea how poor that territory was. I can't give an opinion on Freid and Tasmantis, I was no longer there, but I know it must have been like Cesario."

"There is no such thing as charity in politics." Allen replied dryly, clenching the horse's reins in his fists. "Zaibach is a land with great natural resources, especially rich in ore. The Black Dragons made sure to extract as much as possible, hasn't Van done the same? A large army needs all the resources possible. You are blinded, Gaddes."

"No I'm not."

"Van isn't much different from Folken. Weren't you afraid that he would take his place? He's been doing it without anyone else lifting a finger!"

"The place of destruction and death! Not as a reunifier!" Gaddes shouted. "Didn't Asturia take territories that weren't previously part of its map at the point of the sword? Asturia had been destroyed just like Adom for years and never managed to do the same as Fanelia!"

"We're not getting anywhere," Allen said with a shake of his head. "I'll confess something to you." He shifted the reins to be as close as he could get to Gaddes, lowering his voice as if he were confessing something of life and death. "King Grava is concerned about Fanelia's recent expansion and, honestly, I'm worried too. Van's marriage alliance with the ancient kingdom of Ramsar has given him direct access to Tasmantis, the western continent. It had been years since the last time Fanelia took part in any conflict and since the royal wedding his army has been occupying some cities of Freid, plus our spies have reported that he's building a huge fleet of warships... The Mystic Moon has been seen in the sky ever since!"

"I'm sure things aren't as they seem," Gaddes replied weakly.

"Maybe…"

Silence enveloped them again, a frightening one that kept knives in the dark, waiting for the strike. Allen in an effort to bring the tension level back down, said, "Let's keep going. With a full stomach we'll be able to think clearly," and he started the horse without waiting for a reply.

"Yes, General," Gaddes murmured.

The argument left a palpable gap between the men, they rode further away from each other without slowing down.

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The mountains were huge colossi of rock and snow, the road widened and the grass that covered it became sparse. Dozens of rustic buildings made of wood, straw and brightly colored fabrics could be seen in the distance, scattered like wild flowers on the slopes of the mountain, surrounded on the sides by an intense forest. Some villagers were out of their houses doing different weaving and handicraft activities; the little ones ran from one side to the other. The wind carried their laughter towards them, but the peace that perspired in the small village failed to enter their hearts.

Gaddes had never set foot in Arzas, but he had heard so much about it that he felt he already had been there. The Goddess Hitomi had told him that Van had been recovering from his encounter with Dilandau in that village. Van had also told him a few things in their campaigns against Cesario: it was his refuge in his childhood and his plans to reunite Adom were born there. And long ago, in the Abaharaki, Merle mentioned that she had met Van in that village . Among other things. Such an ordinary and secluded place actually seemed to be a crossroads of destiny.

The villagers stopped their activities upon hearing them approach. The children stopped their games and gazed at the specks of dirt kicked up by their horses. The beast-men quickly judged them and continued their work, stealing a glance at them from time to time. Except for a grey-furred woman in a white robe, cinched at the waist with a purple sash, who rose from her loom and disappeared into the houses.

They arrived at the entrance to the village, delimited by two large wooden columns driven into the ground and adorned with embroidered fabrics of various colours. Then they dismounted and tied the horses to a low fence from which hung wooden buckets with hay and water, used to feed the travelling animals. They stood there for a moment without really knowing what to do, waiting to be received. The flock of child-beasts ran past them, giggling and playing an unknown game. They didn't stop to help out the little human girl who was pushed down while they passed. Gaddes smiled as he remembered his own children when they were a destructive whirlwind that left all corners of the house turned upside down.

"Hey," he called, leaning down when she didn't get up. "Are you okay?"

"No, I'm on the ground," she replied solemnly, turning her head to the other side.

"I can see that. Come on, get up," Gaddes insisted. The girl made no move to detach herself from her place.

"I can't, I'm cursed!"

Gaddes scratched his cheek. The country games of beast-children were strange to him. But he decided to join in, saying:

"Aah... okay, then I lift the curse!"

"No, no!" The girl moved her arms on the ground, "You have to touch me and say 'uncursed'!"

Allen sighed loudly at the ridiculous childishness. The great Allen Schezar having offspring and messing with them? He could never imagine it. Gaddes ruffled the little girl's dark hair with his hand and in a cheerful tone exclaimed:

"Uncurs—"

"Viane, don't annoy the travellers!"

A woman's shout pierced the air and he quickly brushed his hand away. The child jumped to her feet. Her shoulder-length dishevelled hair swayed like a wild vine in the wind, revealing peculiar unripe eyes that flicked from seeing the faces of the strangers to their clothes and stopped at the sword Allen carried on his hip. Her long, sleeveless purple robe was smeared with mud, dirt, and other unknown things only a child could know; they brought out the clarity of her skin. At her waist was tied a red sash whose end hung to her knees on the right side. She wore brown boots larger than her feet and made her look like a childish and feminine version of an adult more tenacious and powerful than her. Gaddes exchanged a look with Allen.

The woman came running up to them and bent down in front of the little girl, wagging her brindle tail.

"How come you're so dirty!..." all her attention on shaking the little girl's clothes, raising slight clouds of dust. Then, without turning, she addressed them, "An apology, this girl's manners aren't the best."

Gaddes recognized the woman. It was the feline that accompanied Van everywhere: Merle. The last time he saw her was at a camp celebration after finally defeating Dilandau and his gang of cretins. But that had been a long time ago, and even then he perceived the grace of the feline tribe in her, very different from when she was still a teenager. The sensuality highlighted by her simple white dress, loose enough to denote the size and shape of her breasts and short enough to expose her fleshy brown thighs with black lines. Her pink hair, cut short to her shoulders, curled inward on her body and framed it with an exotic touch, bringing to life her already mature features and her bluer than sky eyes. Merle sensed that someone was looking at her inappropriately because she glared at them and if they hadn't been old acquaintances, she would have ripped their faces to shreds with her claws.

"But what... Allen? Gaddes? Is it you? What are you doing here?" She asked, impressed.

"Merle? It's nice to see you again," Allen said gallantly. "I didn't expect to see a familiar face here, you've changed a lot. We're on our way to the capital of Fanelia and decided to stop at the village to rest before continuing on our way."

"Wow. Look at yourselves!" Merle took the girl by the hand and got to her feet. The child was still trying to get the dirt off her face to no avail, but she continued until she was satisfied and wiped her hands on her clothes, getting even dirtier. "Allen," Merle said, pointing at him, "You have so many wrinkles!," the general smiled surprised at her words. Then she turned to his companion. "Gaddes, what happened to your hair! And that beard?" The man ran a hand through his hair, aware of how there were fewer and fewer black hairs to show off. At least he still had hair. At least Merle was still the same disrespectful woman as ever.

"Time goes by and it doesn't go by for nothing, little Merle. Though not so little anymore..." He replied, with a sly smile that made the girl frown. "Sooo… Who is this brave warrior?" He said, crouching down again to be at the girl's height, who hid behind Merle and clutched her leg, showing only her light-colored eyes and her dishevelled hair.

"She's... Viane," the girl replied cautiously, "one of the youngest members of the tribe."

"Hi, Viane." Gaddes greeted the girl with a wave of his hand. "I am Gaddes, but you can call me Uncle Gaddes. This is Allen," he pointed to the silent general who didn't take his eyes off of them, "but I don't know if you can call him uncle. Do you want to ask him?"

Viane didn't say a word and hid her face further behind Merle's legs.

"Shy, huh?"

"It's a farce," the feline rolled her eyes, "this girl is too naughty. She always comes up with ways to get on my nerves!"

"She's just a kid, it can't be that bad," Allen interjected. Gaddes noticed the slight furrow in his brows and the eyes afire. His stomach turned into a knot.

"How old is she?" He asked then, trying to lighten his suspicions.

"Five after winter begins."

"What's Viane doing in a Wolf Clan village?" Allen questioned without taking his eyes off the little girl.

"Same as you, maybe?" Merle replied, put her hands on her hips and glared at Allen, her pupils like the darkness of a gorge. The general gave the woman an indifferent look before closing his eyes and lowering his head in apology.

"I'm sorry," he answered, "I was out of place. I'm not trying to excuse myself, but the journey has been long and we're tired. Can we be received in the village to rest our horses, spend the night and have dinner? We'll be on our way at dawn. We won't disturb you."

The general hadn't looked up again. Merle bit her lip, furrowed her brow and seemed lost in her thoughts, until suddenly her face smiled fully.

"I don't see why not, but Ruhm has the last word, he's the leader of the Clan. I know that someone should've already warned him of your arrival, but it'll be better if I go and explain who you are." She skillfully took the girl in her arms. "Say 'see you later' to your new friends."

Viane watched them curiously and said a quick 'goodbye' before burying her face in Merle's shoulder and wrapping her arms around her neck. Merle and Gaddes laughed at the girl's action, Allen flashed a slight smile. She apologised for keeping them waiting outside and walked off into the village.

"We never went to Arzas," Allen said quietly in a low voice as Merle was a safe distance out of earshot. "Got it, Gaddes?"

"I don't understand what you mean, General," Gaddes answered with an innocent smile on his face and a burden relieved from his chest, "Clearly, we're travelling along the royal path to Fanelia, which is very long and tedious. And there are still seven more moons to go before we reach the capital!"

Merle walked in the distance along the main road of the village. Viane poked her head over the woman's shoulder and didn't take her eyes off them until she disappeared into the mazes of wood and straw huts.

Gaddes couldn't help imagining those tiny, dirt-filled hands building a sandcastle. Far away from the waves, away from the tide, away from other people crafting their own castles near the water. Far, far away from everyone, so they could never destroy it.

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Thanks for reading!

Zw