I got then entire story from the King of Fanelia and the Duke or Freid. As it stood the Duke was also the ruler of Asturia due to his lineage on his mother's side. Being that he was the only male in the line of succession and neither direct-lined females would marry, he had been thrown both kingdoms in the past year. It didn't take that much to lose me in the history lesson. Unfortunately it had come about that the man that had unlocked my dreams and died trying had a companion… he now stood before me and I had been invited to allow him into my mind once more.
"The other man died… I can't allow this." The cloaked man sat in a chair before me, our knees almost touching we were so close. Kaen stood behind me, leg bandaged from the break before and glaring most viciously.
"I do not believe that this man should be allowed inside Hurin's mind. It is a place meant to be kept sacred." His hand rested on my shoulder, a pillar of iron strength that I wished I had a sliver of.
"We will not force the matter… but you have mentioned that the dream the last Praktu pulled from you was involving a dead race… or near dead. Van of Fanelia may in fact be the last blooded relation to the direct line of the Draconians." Millerna sat on the far side of the table, Dryden at her side while I ignored the penetrating gaze of Van. I could only stare the 'praktu' in the eye while he examined me visual. The only reason I even considered allowing this fruitcake into my mind of all places is because the Child-King, Chid had brought these men from Freid.
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But I had killed the first one with him just being inside my brain…
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"You can try, but only if you can swear that you won't die…" The Praktu looked at me as if my concern had been something he'd not expected, but really what could I do? I was still not don't coping with my firs death at my hands… it was not going well. The only saving grace this time had been that Kaen had been found and was alive… I don't' think I'd ever cried so much honestly.
"I will delve only as deep as you allow me… should I encounter resistance, I will retreat…" He waited and I nodded for him to go ahead with whatever he was going to do. I didn't expect to feel different when he started, but god did I.
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` "I wish to go into the place where you have stored your dreams… In this state you cannot act of your own accord so you must tell me when you wish me to stop… understood Keori?" I answered with a 'yes' even though I couldn't see anyone speaking. Inside the confines of my head I actually managed to feel naked. "I will not delve into personal affairs if it can be helped, but some actions or situations will evoke an emotional response that I can do little but say I will not speak of them outside this place." That gave me a slight edge to work off of… until he opened up the memories involving my mother and father.
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My mother and father at my school during my 7th grade.
Father taking me to the library.
Mother scolding me about the cards.
Father's death.
Mother's denial.
My last day at school before coming to Gaia.
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The dead people at the village.
Allen and his Guymelef.
The Airship and Celena
Falling to what looked like my death.
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The images shifted to Ragan and the beast tribe people.
The kiss.
Running far away.
Kaen.
The ship to Palas and the Dancing Flower
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The attack… the invisible enemy, running, Kean, the giant dragon, Escaflowne…
Van of Fanelia…
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The world Shattered.
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An enemy emerged from a rip in the sky and poured in from a place that was nowhere and everywhere. The bore silver and green banners that flapped angrily in a breeze from another world while myriads of men and women with black wings dropped down into a mountain pass clouded with cloud while I watched it happen in a field of floating rocks above…
….The pendant is breaking… it is cracked.
…A flash of light shone against the darkness and I stood with my hands around the pendant. I was in danger, the pendant was a torch in the shadows and I needed to be hidden. Needed to be silent…
…Hands clapped around me and spun me so I faced them. They took then pendant and its light faded away… it was more damaged now.
…Still nothing but darkness… Have I always been here? I face in the darkness… the face from before and the same hands… I can't see them and suddenly I taste saltwater and it burns while if fills my lungs… I'm drowning. I'm dying.
…Keori… Keori… I'm being kissed again… Someone different than before…
… I pendant shatters…
…darkness…
…darkness…
…blood… blood and the bodies of almost everyone I had just been in the room with dead at my feet… a green and silver banner in my blood soaked hands… my clothes are torn… I smell something burning…
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"Keori! Keori!" I could hear someone saying my name and it sounded wrong. I felt something moving me around, shifting me, pushing and pulling. "Get him away! Get something for the blood!" My hands felt numb and my legs suddenly weighed too much to move. I could feel my lungs filling with air, but it tickled… did they say blood?
"What were you thinking?" Chid… the boy with so much responsibility… he will never be a child. Not truly.
"She is aligned with the evil that is coming! I saw you all dead at her hands!" Something tipped over and I tried to move to see what it was.
"I need a shredded blanket or table clothes; something to press hard against the opening. Allen, get the man out of here… Van… Van!" Something moved me and I felt something warm on my back. "Make sure you are comfortable… you won't be able to move till I finish… Dryden. Give my medical bag… If I don't' start now… she'll die…"
"Keori…" They can't be talking about me… so who is bleeding… Why can't I see? "Will she be alright?" …Chid sounded too worried… I wonder what is wrong…
"If she dies… I will kill that Praktu myself…" I wonder what he did. Someone sounds angry…
"He is a civilian from Freid and in Asturia… he is under Asturian Law and subject only to King Chid…" I shifted and pain shot through my and ripped a scream from me against my will.
"She's feeling pain… that's a good thing… If she were getting worse she wouldn't' be feeling anything…"
"Keori… stay with us. Don't leave like this… Can we give her something for pain? She is crying and I can only imagine what she is feeling…"
Muffled voices echoed in my head and then they cleared again.
"I can't... I just can't. If I do they could kill her. We are trying to save her right? Then get away and don't presume to know what she needs…" More angry voices… they kind of sound like mother and father when I saw little. They never argued often or anything, but once in a while Father would wish Mother to do something and I could only wish they would stop… I was no longer a child though.
"All of you…. Shut up…" Allen called out and I heard two sets of footsteps running down a hall or something and entering the room.
"Hurin."
"Keori."
"I hurt… what is wrong with…" I coughed and my eyes opened while I bit down on my lip accidently. I had never felt pain like this in my life.
"Don't move. I will explain… everyone. Leave…" Everyone but Millerna and Van left the room. I wondered why he stayed of all people. I knew him the least after all.
"Can you move your hand and arm Keori?" I was confused by the question and instinctively tried to move them. They were heavy and sore.
"No… What is wrong with me… What have you done?" Panic set in.
"While in trance with the Praktu from Freid… something set him off and he attacked you. He feared for the life of his king and the King of Fanelia… do you remember what you saw in the dream?" Millerna held my hand and brushed her finger a cross my cheek.
Was I crying?
"N-no… Yes. You all died… The people came from the mountains and killed everyone. The all had black wings. Like Van's… The pendant was stolen I think, but I got it back… and it shattered… and I drowned…"
"Relax… it was just a dream… calm down Keori…" She tightened her hands around mine and I fought to keep my breathing low because it hurt otherwise.
"You weren't there… I could taste the water in my mouth! I looked down at you all and you were all silent, unmoving… covered in blood… I didn't do it! I didn't do it!"
"We know… we just need to figure this out. Keori. I promise you, I will bring you home as soon as I can. I will make sure I bring you home." Suddenly the room became silent and I wondered if something had happened to my ears and I heard Van's name whispered.
"What is wrong? What is happening?" Van answered me.
"We need you to get strong. With the Escaflowne working again, I can defend you. We will not allow whoever is coming for you to take you… Millerna. Take care of her. I need to talk with Allen and track down Alseides. We have to see if it is working as well and if it can be piloted." The door opened and closed again.
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What was left unsaid was that when Van had mentioned sending Keori home and having meant it with completely honesty and truth, a small crack had formed in the pink pendant on the bedside table.