Everything was quiet outside the walls of Palas. Dilandau hovered, silent and invisible, above the water of the Asturian Bay. The Zaibach floating fortresses were dark. Deep pits were etched into the ground where the energy siphons had been anchored, surrounded by death. Where were the energy siphons? Why weren't they sucking the land dry?
The large ship Dilandau had been briefed on hung motionless in the sky above the city of Palas. It was nearly as large as the city itself and made Dilandau feel his eyes must be tricking him. It had no levi-stones to keep it aloft, and the air around it seemed completely still. Birds flew past it as if it wasn't there. He needed more information than he had received from his briefing.
"Batu, keep the dragonslayers here. I'm going to the fortress," Dilandau barked to his comrades.
"Aye, sir."
Dilandau entered an open docking station on the fortress, but none of the docking clamps engaged. Instead, he set the melef down on the edge and used the large hand to grab onto one of the docking arms. That would keep his guymelef in place while he found out what was going on. He opened the cockpit and jumped to the deck of the floating fortress.
The fortress docks were nearly empty, but a few melefs were still parked in alcoves on the deck. Usually, these docks would be bustling during an attack. Dilandau found an intercom on the wall and tried to activate it, but it would not respond. He unsheathed his sword just in case and slowly made his way through the winding halls of the ship. He heard footsteps and brought his sword up as he pressed himself to the wall before a turn. A young soldier came into view. Zaibach. Good. He resheathed his sword.
The sound made the soldier jump, and pull his own sword in response. He relaxed as soon as he saw Dilandau. "Sir," he said, still recovering. "Lord Dilandau, I'm so glad you're here." He lowered his own sword.
"Where is everybody?" asked Dilandau.
"Most of the crew has been assigned to the siphon engines to try to get them going again. Command is all on the bridge."
"Take me to the bridge." Dilandau followed the young soldier through the winding halls of the ship until they reached the doors to the bridge. The soldier entered first to announce Dilandau's arrival.
"Oh, thank the heavens above!" exclaimed one of the commanders. The man approached Dilandau and bowed. "First Commander Rynard, at your service. We have been trying to get word to someone."
"What happened here?" Dilandau asked, more calmly than he felt. Obviously, they had failed at the one thing they were supposed to do, and he would have been glad to be able to dispatch the lot of them - but that was not his mission. He glared at the commander.
"We aren't entirely sure," the commander started, affected by Dilandau's presence. "I'm sure you saw the giant ship out there?"
Dilandau nodded.
"Well, shortly after it arrived, something happened and every active energist went dead. The siphons were all deployed as commanded, but somehow they were turned to dust. I have all of the engineers currently examining the remains to figure out what happened. It was clearly the giant ship, but we still do not know how. Without power, we were unable to send messages, and all of our deployed melefs were shut down when the energists died."
Dilandau looked around the room at the command crew. They were all looking eagerly at him. He should pull his sword out right now and slaughter the lot of them for their idiocy. How could they let this happen? It never would have had he been in command.
He felt a jab at the back of his mind, chiding him for his hubris. He kicked Celena back where she belonged as soon as he felt her tickle his consciousness. He could not afford that kind of weakness now.
"All of the energists that were active died at the same time?" he asked.
"Yes," replied the nervous commander.
"And all of the deployed melefs died at the same time?"
"Yes sir," replied the commander again, with more confidence this time.
"And have you checked the dormant energists? Have you tried using them on a guymelef yet?" Dilandau had slowly advanced on the commander and was now almost nose to nose.
"Umm…" the commander was sweating now. "No, we haven't."
"And you didn't think, maybe, it could have been only the active energists they had control over?" Dilandau had raised his voice and was shouting into the face of the commander now.
The commander had shut his eyes, but he opened them now and met Dilandau's ferocious glare. "Your orders sir?"
"Check the damn energists! If they work, deploy the melefs and get. That. Ship!" Each word was punctuated by Dilandau punching the wall beside him until a sizable dent was visible. "Go! Now!"
The room, which had been paralyzed even before his entrance, sprung into motion now that they had actionable orders. The different department commanders hurried off to get their respective subordinates moving.
Dilandau gripped the bridge of his nose in frustration. How was Zaibach ever going to accomplish their goals when their fleet commanders were so useless. He just wanted to kill people. Was that too much to ask?
The air vibrated.
"It's happening again!" exclaimed the commander.
Everyone on the bridge rushed to the window overlooking the city. Nothing had changed, but the air buzzed. It rang in Dilandau's ears. A hole opened up in the sky and the massive ship slowly rose through it until there was nothing left. The hole closed behind it as if nothing had ever been there.
Lights flashed on the mainboard on the other side of the bridge.
The First Commander rushed over and began checking communications and operational systems. "It's working!" he called back to Dilandau.
"Of course it is," Dilandau scowled at the commander. "Now the fun can begin."
"Lord Van, there is an urgent message from Queen Millerna." The herald handed a piece of paper to Van.
Hitomi was using her newfound ability to channel the life-blood of Gaia to support the healers in one of the many temporary healing wards of the Fanelian castle. Every survivor of contact with the Floating fortresses' energy-sucking anchors was brought to a room like this. There were too many for Hitomi to see in one day, so she was doing what she could with the time she and Van had in Fanelia. She couldn't heal their wounds, but she could replenish the energy that was stolen so their bodies would have a chance to heal.
Van called her back over to his side.
"It's from Asturia," he said. "Zaibach has resumed their attack. It will only be a matter of time before they are able to do the same here."
Hitomi put her hand on Van's arm and looked over the message herself. "They are requesting our help."
"Yes, but we can't leave Fanelia unprotected." Van was clearly conflicted. He was responsible for Fanelia, and more than that, Fanelia was his home. But Asturia was where the frontline battle would take place. If Zaibach could take Palas, they would have control of the rest of Gaia. Hitomi could feel the frustration in Van's mind.
If we can stop this war, Fanelia will be saved as well, she said to only Van. We have no chance of stopping this war from Fanelia. The rest of Zaibach will come to Fanelia if Palas falls, and we will not be able to stop them then.
Hitomi could feel Van in agreement. He knew she was right. That didn't make leaving Fanelia behind any easier.
Van spent the next several hours secluded with his generals. It didn't sound from Queen Millerna's message as if Zaibach had been able to restart their efforts to drain Gaia's energy just yet, so Van focused on plans to hold off the Zaibach melefs and foot soldiers for as long as they could. All Fanelia had to do was hold them off long enough for Hitomi and Van to do something. If Hitomi and Van couldn't stop Zaibach, it wouldn't matter how well the soldiers of Fanelia fared this time; everyone would be doomed.
When his generals were as prepared as he thought they could be, Van rejoined Hitomi in the healing ward. She was bent over a patient flowing the energy from Gaia through her connection to Escaflowne and into the withered man on the cot. His skin regained color as she watched. Van approached from behind, but Hitomi knew it was him.
"Are you ready?"
"Ready as I'll ever be," she said.
"We don't have to do this," Van said for the billionth time. "You don't have to do anything. You can go back to the Mystic Moon and forget Gaia." Hitomi stood up from her work to face him. He took her shoulders and pulled her into a hug. With her head against his chest, Hitomi could hear the racing of his heart. Was he always this scared before a battle?
"Don't ask that of me, Van. You know I can't do that. Gaia is too much a part of me now." She looked up into his brown eyes. "You're too much a part of me."
Van bent his head to hers and kissed her. His lips thrilled her just as much as the first time. She would walk by herself into Zaibach if it meant she could stay like this with Van just a moment longer. "We have to go," he said, breaking the kiss.
They entered Escaflowne's temple side by side. The giant melef loomed in the center of the room, faintly illuminated by the light from the door and the glow of the energist in its chest. Van squeezed Hitomi's hand before climbing into the cockpit of the ancient guardian. He lowered the melef's hand and Hitomi climbed on, holding fast to the thumb so she wouldn't fall.
"Here we go." The temple doors were just barely large enough for Escaflowne to pass through. When they reached the outer wall, Escaflowne jumped down and transformed into a flying dragon. Van stood atop its back and Hitomi sat in front of him clinging to the dragon's neck. Wind rushed past Hitomi's ears and she felt her stomach drop out as Escaflowne lifted into the sky. For a moment, Hitomi was able to forget about their reason for being there and just enjoy the feeling of flying. She breathed in the crisp air. There was nothing else up here. All she could feel was Van at her back and the life-like energy pulse of Escaflowne's dragon heart.
"How long do you think it will take to get there like this?" Hitomi shifted to a more comfortable position.
"Too long," Van responded. "That message was already more than a day old. Even with Escaflowne, it may still take us another day to reach Palas."
Hitomi believed in her friends, but from what Van had said, Palas had already lost a lot of people in the first Zaibach attack, much like Fanelia. A day could make all the difference. Hitomi tried to shift again. She wasn't sure she could make it a whole day on Escaflowne's back either. It wasn't the most comfortable ride.
"Van, what if…"
"What is it?"
"Well, with Escaflowne awakened, I think I might be able to teleport us."
"Escaflowne as well? Hitomi, I can't ask that of you."
"You're not asking, I'm offering." Hitomi appreciated his concern, but this wasn't like before. He didn't yet understand. Awakening Escaflowne had changed everything. "Even before Escaflowne, I managed to transport everyone out of Zaibach."
"Yes, and you almost died." Van's voice cracked.
"But things are different now. I'm connected to Gaia! Just let me try," Hitomi pleaded.
Van was silent for many moments. Hitomi thought he had decided it was too risky. Maybe he was right. She still didn't know where the limits of this power were.
"Alright." Van looked down at Hitomi. He smiled at her. He was still scared, but she could feel his confidence in her. He put his trust in her judgment.
Hitomi smiled back, gratitude welling up within her. She turned towards Palas. "Alright, this might take a second." She closed her eyes and pictured the city in her mind. She pictured the practice yard just inside the walls. That should be enough space for them to arrive. What if there were people in the yard though? Escaflowne was already flying, perhaps they could arrive in the air. She pictured a spot in the air just outside the walls. She gripped the pendant around her neck and focused on that spot, imagining they were already there. Hitomi felt the pendant begin to warm in her hands. She felt a ringing in her ears and was blinded by a bright light through her closed eyelids.
The sounds of clashing swords and screams of pain opened her eyes.
They had flown right into the midst of the battle. The walls were crawling with Zaibach soldiers. They had already forced the Asturians back against the palace.
Hitomi didn't have time to celebrate her success. She stretched her sight to find her friends. So many of the life forces she sensed had the wrongness she had become so familiar with. She found Millerna barricaded in the main hall of the palace. She was guarded by many men, but Zaibach soldiers were gathered outside the door. Allen and Gaddes were fighting side by side at the wall, keeping as many soldiers out as they could, but Zaibach guymelefs were carrying soldiers over the wall. Palas didn't appear to have any melefs fighting on their side anymore. The Zaibach melefs used their liquid metal to tear holes in the outer walls to let more soldiers through. They shot spears of liquid metal at the Asturian soldiers.
Asturia was losing.
Without a word, Van transformed Escaflowne back to its fighting mode. Hitomi rode on the giant's shoulder as Escaflowne dove into the fray.
"Van, look out!" A liquid metal spear zipped past as Escaflowne dodged.
A piercing cackle echoed over the battlefield. Hitomi felt Van freeze. She tried to reach out to him with her sight, and memories of hot pain and a terrifying grin flooded her mind. She had avoided as many of Van's experiences in Ziabach as she could manage at the time, but she knew where these memories came from.
Van, you're here with me, she pushed into his mind. She tried to give him the images of the ancient Fanelia, and their first kiss.
Van shook the bad memories from his mind and a wave of fierce anger replaced the ice in his veins.
"Van Fanel!" cackled the approaching melef. "I'm so glad I finally get to kill you!"
Dilandau swung his melef's sword in a wide arc.
Van brought Escaflowne's sword up to block just in time.
The jarring vibration from the clash of swords almost threw Hitomi from Escaflowne's shoulder. Her feet slipped on the smooth metal and she dangled from her grip on the pauldron.
"Hitomi!" Van shouted, sensing her fall.
I'm okay, she called in her mind. Focus on the fight. Win.
Escaflowne blocked another swing from Dilandau. Hitomi almost lost her grip. She had to do something, but what? She reached out her sight to try to predict Dilandau's moves.
On the left, she signaled Van. Escaflowne dodged a swing on the left.
He's about to use the fire, Hitomi predicted.
Dilandau raised the left arm of his melef, ready to fire, but Escaflowne was faster. Van cut down before Dilandau could react, neatly slicing through the melef armor and severing the arm at the elbow.
A scream of fury came from the melef as it stumbled back. Dilandau used the liquid metal to transform the severed arm into a second sword. He came at them with unimaginable speed. Hitomi wasn't fast enough to predict his movements anymore. Escaflowne was driven back, unable to do anything but block attack after attack.
Hitomi tried to look deeper with her sight. She could feel Dilandau's fury. His mind was chaos. His moves were no longer calculated but appeared to happen before his mind was even aware of what he was doing. Hitomi's connection to him pulled her in. She could no longer hear the crashing sounds of war but was surrounded by the chaos and fury of Dilandau's mind. In the midst of the chaos was a small and remote area of calm. Hitomi tried to reach for it but was kept back as if she was trying to push through a force field. She reached out as far as she could go and almost touched the calm space.
Help me.
The small voice Hitomi heard was not Dilandau's. Celena? Hitomi called into the chaos.
"Get out of my head!" Dilandau screamed. His melef stumbled back and Escaflowne lunged forward, piercing the guymelef's energist. The melef tumbled to the ground. The cockpit opened and Dilandau climbed out and ran across the battle yard, away from Van and Hitomi.
Escaflowne took up the chase.
"Van, stop," said Hitomi. "Go help at the gates. Let me follow Dilandau."
Van opened Escaflowne's visor. "I can't let you go after Dilandau by yourself."
"Yes, you can. Van, if they break through the palace walls, it will be over. They need you there. Trust me." Hitomi held Van's gaze.
Worry and fear crossed his face, but it quickly transformed into fierce determination. "Do what you need to do." They nodded at each other and Van positioned Escaflowne's hand to lower Hitomi to the ground. "Come back to me when this is over."
"Always," Hitomi responded. She watched as Escaflowne bounded through the palace yard to engage with the melefs still attacking the wall.
What had she just decided to do? How was she supposed to stop Dilandau? She couldn't fight him. She had no sword skills or any fighting skills for that matter. Dilandau would cut her to shreds. What was she thinking? She searched with her sight to find where he had gone.
Dilandau was clamoring through the rubble heading back into the battle. He carried his sword in hand and cut down any Asturian soldiers he came across. They were no match for him. How would Hitomi be a match for him at all?
She reached out to his mind. If she had distracted him during his fight with Escaflowne, maybe she could do it again.
Dilandau, why must you fight? What is it you gain from this battle?
Dilandau stopped dead in his tracks. "Get out of my head, you bitch!"
You fought for Dornkirk because you were raised to, why keep fighting for Zaibach now?
Dilandau gripped his head. It wasn't pain he felt, but it was as if someone was digging around in his memories. Of course, that bitch from the Mystic Moon had to cause him trouble. He should have gotten rid of her when he had the chance, but the Zaibach sorcerers wouldn't allow it.
Why wouldn't they allow it?
Damn, could she read his thoughts now? She had been too important to them for some reason. Well, he could get rid of her now. If she could connect to his mind, he would mess with her right back.
They wanted to use you against your precious dragon, he lied. He did his best to focus on his best memories of torturing Van Fanel. He felt her shrink away from his memories. That was it, he could get rid of her.
The ring of metal sounded behind Dilandau. He was almost too late, but he swung around and blocked the blade before it reached him. He stared into the cold eyes of Allen Schezar. Great, just what he needed.
No!
That wasn't the Mystic Moon bitch. Celena had crept out of her hiding place just long enough to interfere again. Well perfect, they could both watch him slaughter their beloved Allen Schezar. An evil grin spread across his face.
Hitomi heard Celena's cry. She couldn't find where she was, though. The bubble of calm she had sensed before was hidden behind Dilandau's vicious excitement. Hitomi watched through Dilandau's eyes as Dilandau matched swords with Allen, unable to do anything.
"This stops here, Dilandau," Allen said through clenched teeth. "You won't do any more harm if I have anything to say."
"You have no say," spat Dilandau, swinging his sword around, only to be blocked again by Allen.
"You are my responsibility. I know Celena is there somewhere. I will get her back. I will save her from you." Their swords were pressed hilt to hilt. Their strengths were well-matched, and each pressed against the other waiting for their opposition to break.
"She can come out any time she wants. Isn't that right? She's just too much of a coward. I am her strength. I am the best of us, and she knows it. She can't do anything without me. All she can do is cower behind you." Dilandau forced Allen back.
Allen stumbled backward over a heap of rubble. He lost his grip on his sword and it fell out of his reach.
Dilandau advanced on him, sword point leveled at Allen's exposed neck. "Say goodbye to your precious Allen Schezar."
Hitomi reached down Dilandau's arm to try to loosen his grip on his sword. If she could see through his eyes, and hear with his ears, she must be able to do more. His stance faltered as he fought to keep his grip on his sword. Hitomi wasn't alone. She felt Celena lending her support. This was Celena's body after all. Hitomi could feel Celena granting her permission to be there.
Dilandau swung around trying to regain full control of his body. How could she do this? Celena only had control if she took over completely. How was the bitch Kanzaki able to do this?
Hitomi found the calm pocket in Dilandau's mind that housed the fearful Celena. We have to stop him, she said, trying to shield the thought from Dilandau's consciousness. She knew she failed. Their minds were connected. There was no way to communicate with Celena without Dilandau knowing.
I can't, whimpered Celena. He's too strong. I'm nothing.
That's not true. Hitomi tried to reach Celena. Wading through the darkness of Dilandau's mind was like swimming through molasses. Dilandau had done his best to force Celena out of his consciousness. She existed only in this one isolated space. Hitomi stood before it. The wall between Celena and the rest of Dilandau's mind was like a wall of flexible glass. Celena stood on the other side. She cowered in the small space, trying to shrink into herself. Celena, Allen needs you. I can't stop Dilandau without you.
Dilandau let out another shout. It shook the walls containing Celena. She crouched with her arms protectively shielding her head.
Don't be afraid, Hitomi consoled her. You are stronger than you know. Help me. Let my powers support you.
Celena looked up at her, wide-eyed.
They both noticed the soldier coming up behind them before Dilandau did. The soldier was from Zaibach. He swung his sword to end Allen's life.
Dilandau stepped in to block him. Their swords clashed, sending sparks flying into the dirt.
The surprise on the face of the soldier was only surpassed by Dilandau's own.
"Sir, what are you doing?" The soldier pulled back.
"He's mine," Dilandau quickly improvised. "No one will kill him but me." His face turned steely, and the soldier backed away, not wanting to incur the dragonslayer's wrath.
Celena stared at Hitomi in surprise through the mist of Dilandau's thoughts.
That wasn't me, Hitomi told her. See, you can do this.
"No she can't!" screamed Dilandau. He searched wildly around him. These mind games were getting the better of him, but a physical foe he could fight. He would have to find Hitomi to stop her from interfering, but that would mean leaving Allen here and losing his chance to destroy him.
He turned his sword back on Allen, who was trying to reach his own sword.
"I said I would kill you, and now I will." He kicked Allen's sword farther out of reach. "How sad, for the great Allen Schezar to fall in such a way. I wish we could have had our last great battle." He raised his sword to end Allen's life, but he couldn't strike. His arm would not move. He screamed in frustration.
Celena walked to the edge of her isolated space. This is all I can do from here, she said. A small tear slowly trickled down her face.
Keep him occupied, Hitomi told her. She finally understood what she needed to do. She began banging on the invisible force field between Celena and the rest of Dilandau's mind. Her hands bounced off it like a solid bubble. She drew on the energy from Escaflowne. This wasn't her physical body, so she wouldn't be limited by her physical strength. This was all made by Dilandau's mind. She just needed enough of Gaia's energy to break it.
Dilandau struggled against the invisible force that held him in place. He couldn't strike Allen, but neither could he lower his sword. It was as if his sword was stuck in space. He couldn't let go of the sword either. Celena had never been able to make this much trouble for him before. In battle, she had always been too meek to really stand up to him. Hitomi was putting too many ideas into her head. If he couldn't do something quickly, this would not end well for him.
Hitomi pressed against the invisible wall with all her strength. Celena stood in the cell, eyes closed, completely focused on keeping Dilandau from any action.
"Sir, what is the matter?" Dilandau had forgotten about the soldier. He was embarrassed to be seen so compromised. "Do you need assistance?"
"No!" screamed Dilandau, as he still fought to free his sword from Celena's control.
"Sir, Allen Schezar is getting away." The soldier charged after Allen. His duty came before his fear of Dilandau.
Energy from Escaflowne flowed through Hitomi. She mustered as much of it as she could, then pushed against the invisible wall with everything she had. She fell forward suddenly into the open space in front of Celena.
Thank you, Celena whispered to her, before she disappeared.
The soldier lunged to attack Allen. Dilandau jumped in front of the man just in time and locked swords with him. "That's my brother you're about to kill," Dilandau sneered into the man's astonished face. He ran his sword through the man's chest. An empty glaze spread over the man's face before he fell to the ground.
Dilandau turned to face Allen. Allen scrambled along the ground, but he looked up curiously at Dilandau who stood over him, hand outstretched.
"Brother," Dilandau said. No, that wasn't the unhinged chaos of Dilandau's voice that Hitomi heard. But it wasn't the fearful and distant voice of Celena either.
"Celena?" Allen asked as he took the outstretched hand.
"No," Dilandau started to say. "Well, yes." He looked confused for a moment.
Allen was on his feet, but unsure of how to approach the odd person who had helped him, after almost killing him minutes before.
"It is me, Allen. Celena, but… also Dilandau. I know everything Dilandau knows, I think. I am still Dilandau, I think?" Celena scratched her head as she tried to figure herself out. Hitomi could understand her confusion. She could still feel the fierceness of Dilandau, and the gentleness of Celena, but where there had been two distinct minds fighting for control of this body, now Hitomi could feel only one. She could feel that Allen would be safe with this person, whoever she figured herself out to be.
Hitomi pulled herself back to her own consciousness. She was lying in a patch of rubble on the outskirts of the fight. She had been left alone. Likey, anyone who saw probably had thought she was already dead. She needed to find Van again.