Mulder grabbed Scully by the shoulders. "Scully, you can see them?"
"I don't know, nothing that I see makes any sense." Scully shook her head, willing the visions from her mind.
Millerna watched the scene with a mild sense of dread. This woman claimed to be from the Mystic Moon and now she was seeing visions of the Zaibach Empire's most heavily-guarded secret, their rumoured Flying Fortress. Even some of the most talented tacticians in Asturia were not privy to such information.
"Is she truly seeing the future? Is Van alright? Is this even possible?" Millerna whispered to herself in awe.
"It is certainly possible; how can you deny that which is right before your eyes, Princess Millerna?" Mulder turned back to Scully. "If you can find him then we can save him. We can get to wherever they are taking him before they even bring him there!"
The excitement in Mulder's voice was not lost on Scully. Did he think that these visions were enjoyable, that she took pleasure in seeing images of destruction, things which were seemingly unstoppable? No, this was worse than a nightmare; death itself was shrouded at every turn.
"What do you plan to do, Mulder? You want to endanger your life and mine to chase after a floating battle station in the sky? You would rush in unarmed and blinded by your own beliefs for what? Your sister?"
Mulder tensed, his face flushing, but he ignored Scully's questions. "We are running out of time. If we do not move quickly Van will be lost to us."
Millerna rested her hand on Mulder's arm, hoping to calm his unbridled obstinacy. "You cannot hope to achieve anything on your own. I am much too far from Asturia to ask for any aid and at this time Basram is not equipped for war."
"If Allen were capable I know that he too would fight to rescue Van. Only the three of us can comprehend the horrors that Zaibach intends upon Gaea. I may not be a Knight of Caeli as Allen is, but I am a man of my word. I will help find Allen's sister. And my own."
Scully shook her head. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Every instinct was telling her to keep away, to not get involved, to stay safe, to get home. But the flashes were coming to her quickly now, as if warning her that this was not her choice to make but fate's to decide.
Her purpose.
"There is nothing you can do without an army at your side, Mulder." The fight had disappeared from her voice.
Scully watched as Mulder's studied her intently – hopefully – the certainty on his face washing away the last of her willpower. His passion overwhelmed her, his determination inspired her. She relished in his trust.
"I will be fine, Scully. As long as you are with me."
"Foolish Lord Van…" Dilandau's eyes gleamed with unbridled ecstasy. "Did you think you could escape the clutches of Zaibach? Our spies are everywhere."
"What do you want from me?" Van spat back, fearing that he already knew the answer. His wrists chafed against the knotted ropes that had been tied.
Dilandau smirked. "You have no desire to see brother dearest?"
Merle's ears perked up. "Folken? Folken is alive?"
Van grunted in reply, unwilling to confirm or deny.
"You did not tell your little friend, Van?" Dilandau mocked. "How unfortunate, it would have been such a sweet family reunion."
"If it is me that Folken wants then let Merle go."
"I do not believe you are in any position to make demands of me, Lord Van."
Van was unrelenting. "I speak to my brother alone or not at all." He stared Dilandau down.
Dilandau growled, pushing Van forward roughly. "Very well. I can not wait to hear what delectable punishment is in store for you. I will relish in your torture, King of Fanelia." Dilandau whispered menacingly.
"Van-sama!" Merle called out, but was pulled back forcefully. Van was hastily dragged out of sight.
Mulder glanced at Scully, noticing her composure had returned.
"Any more visions?"
"No." She admitted. "They stopped as quickly as they began. I know that they took Van to the flying fortress, but I have no idea where that is." Scully's frustration was evident. She had no control over when she saw the visions; often times it felt as if they did more harm than good.
"That is alright, we are almost there."
"Almost where?"
"I have a few friends who can help us to locate the Zaibach base."
"How? Millerna said that even her military personnel wouldn't know where to look." Scully asked in shock.
Mulder grinned. "These guys are of a more illegal variety than Princess Millerna's militia. Their fringe methods would get them locked up if they attempted to carry them out in a nation like Asturia."
"And what exactly does 'illegal' mean in the world of Gaea?" Scully asked with a lopsided smirk directed Mulder's way.
"Apothecarial research, smuggled technologies, heretical interpretations…"
"You keep quite the company."
They shared a smile as Mulder directed them both into the dark, hidden entrance of the Lone Gunmen base.
"Byers, Langly, Frohike." Mulder greeted.
"Mulder! So then you are alive still. You were correct, Langly." Byers, a distinguished-looking man, remarked.
"Mulder may be rash but he has enough wits to outsmart Zaibach." Langly, a man with long blond hair in disarray, replied.
"And who might this be?" The shorter man, Frohike, asked, staring pointedly at Scully.
Scully hesitated. She had expected the encounter with Mulder's friends to be strange – everything in Gaea had been so far – but had never expected this.
Mulder noted her apprehension with amusement. "Don't worry, Scully, they are more afraid of you than you are of them." He joked. "This is Dr. Dana Scully...from the Mystic Moon."
The Lone Gunmen gaped in shock. Scully waved sheepishly. "Hi."
"Are you certain? Mulder, if this is your version of humour..." Frohike warned.
"Look at her clothes, Frohike. Quite clearly not anything I have ever seen in Gaea!" Langly said.
Byers studied Scully, catching sight of her necklace. "Is she...?" Mulder nodded in affirmation.
"Am I what?" Scully retorted, causing the Lone Gunmen to back off slightly. "Who am I supposed to be anyway?"
"The Genesis Method." Byers started carefully. "Legends have been passed down from generation after generation speaking of One who will be able to travel between worlds - ours and the Mystic Moon.
"She will bring forth the Destruction." Langley continued. "Only she will have the strength."
Scully blinked. "Destruction of who?"
"That is not clear." Frohike admitted.
"The Destruction of the Zaibach Empire!" Mulder cut in. "The time for republic rule is over. The people of Gaea will not remain oppressed for much longer."
Silence fell over the group at Mulder's steadfast determination.
"Do you see visions?" Byers asked Scully.
"Yes." Scully allowed all of the information she had been given wash over her. "I have seen them take Van. They took him to the Zaibach Flying Fortress."
"The Dragon is said to play a role. You cannot let Zaibach have Van Fanel." Langly recalled. "But it has been too long; by the time you reach they may have transferred him elsewhere."
"Do you know how we can reach him? Where is Zaibach going to take him? We need to be one step ahead." Mulder asked urgently.
Frohike grinned. "Lucky for you, Mulder, we have contacts all over Gaea."
"We have heard whispers that there was a breach in Zaibach security at these coordinates." Byers explained, handing Mulder the information.
"Experiments…yes." Scully murmured her agreement.
Byers eyed Scully curiously, but continued. "Perhaps they have taken Van there."
"It will be near impossible for us to get to it undetected."
"I have been working on a cloaking prototype guymelef adjustment. It has not reached perfection as of yet but it may serve your purpose." Langly proposed.
"Perfect. I knew I would be able to count on you, boys." Mulder turned to Scully. "Ready to show Zaibach what we are made of?"
"Mulder, I am more than willing to try and help Van, but the Genesis Method... none of it makes sense. I don't understand why I would be able to save anything; I don't believe I am who you think."
Mulder took her hand, squeezing it gently with his own. "You are, Scully."
There was no room for argument.
"Van."
"Brother." Van replied coldly.
"Van, you know that all I have sacrificed has been for your sake." Folken explained.
Van's eyes widened in rage. All for his sake? It was the most absurd statement he could have ever expected out of Folken's mouth.
"My sake? You abandoned our kingdom, our family, our home. You joined our enemies and helped them to destroy Fanelia. You stood here watching them burn it all to the ground! What have you done for anyone but yourself?" There was pure venom in his words. "You are unaware of the meaning of sacrifice...brother."
Folken gave him a sad smile in return. "There is much you are unaware of."
Van watched as large, broad black wings protruded from his brother's back. Pitch dark feathers flew everywhere, covering the floor at their feet.
"Folken!" Van called out protectively, momentarily forgetting himself. "Your wings...?"
"Never reveal your secret to Zaibach, Van. Never let them realize the gift our mother's blood has given you." Folken retracted his wings once more with a sharp wince. "You may never deem me worthy of the Fanel name again, but I beg that you please respect this one single request of mine."
Van took a step forward. "Folken, if you are here against your will, if they have done all of this to you then get away. Quickly. Come with me and we will escape from Zaibach!"
Folken turned his back to Van, replacing the dark cloak on his shoulders. "I am here of my own accord, brother. I answer only to the Emperor now."
Two Dragon Slayers rushed into the room, bowing in reverence to Folken.
"You are to retrieve all you can from him about Escaflowne. If he refuses to speak see to it that you use proper techniques of persuasion."
"I will not allow your Zaibach emperor the pleasure of using the Escaflowne for his own means. I would rather die, Folken!"
"The End is coming far sooner than you know, Van." The Dragon Slayers began bounding Van's legs with heavy chains. "You would be wise to cooperate."
Merle paced the area of her jail cell restlessly. Van was in danger and she was stuck in prison. She had attempted to pick the lock with her claws, but Zaibach dungeons were apparently cat-proof. Merle grumbled, peering into the endless darkness before her.
"Let me out of here you murderers! Where is Van-sama? Where are you keeping him?"
Merle waited for the reply she knew was not coming.
"There is no use in it, little sister."
Merle turned to find two older catgirls - one silver and one gold - staring back at her, devilish grins affixed on their faces.
"Down here...no one can hear you scream."
"The Gunmen outdid themselves this time." Mulder hopped into the guymelef's cockpit.
"You can pilot one of these things?"
Mulder nodded. "You cannot lead the life of a wanted man without learning a few tricks first." He maneuvered the melef to offer an outstretched hand. "Hang on tight."
Scully blanched. "You're gonna fly this terrifying... thing and I'll have to 'hang on'?"
"I will keep you safe, I promise you, Scully."
She sighed. How could she argue with that?
"Then let's get this over with."
Mulder climbed out of the guymelef after gently setting Scully down. She had been oddly calm during the journey, her mind preoccupied. He surmised that though she had not had any further visions that her intuition had imparted its share of grievances.
Whatever they were going to discover in Zaibach would change everything.
"These are the coordinates Byers gave us."
It was a grey, shadowed, nameless building, with boarded windows. The lamps were unlit, seemingly had been for quite some time.
"The door is open." Scully said. "We have to go in."
Mulder knew better than to argue.
They entered, Mulder taking the lead as he carried his pistol in his hand. A soft humming noise emanated through the halls, drawing them deeper.
Mulder stopped in his tracks.
Scully looked up to see a girl - a young woman - suspended in the air, her arms and legs trapped by spheres of light. Wires were connected to every square inch of her body, pulsating with raw energy. It was a horrible sight to bear.
"Samantha."