A/N: I apologize for the wait. I've been super busy with Thanksgivings and work. To make matters worse, it was like pulling teeth to get this chapter out. Hope I didn't fall short of your anticipation. As always, enjoy.

Bad Dreams

By angelwings1

Chapter 18

Slowly the High Priest strode inside. His perfect white robe covered with silver and gold dragons demanding the same authority of a king's crown. The dark circles under his eyes however threw off the intimidating atmosphere his clothes produced. The eighty-year-old man reached the spot before the throne, leaning heavily on his golden staff of a dragon's head.

The walls of faces shifted anxiously, their eyes eagerly watching the man who held the answers to their problems. There were so many questions hovering over their heads like dark clouds of a coming storm. It was overwhelming to the men and women who had always had such control in their lives. They were desperate for direction.

The High Priest knew this as he faced the swarm. He had never dream of the day when he would have to answer to more than the royal family of Fanelia. His hands were clammy, but his mind was at ease. The God of the sky had spoken to him during his meditation.

Hitomi hung at the edge of the throne's platform beside Merle. Her eyes were intently set on the High Priest. Everything lied at this man's feet. The thought was nerve wracking. In the valley, the temple had similar authority over the villages' ruler. The Elders consulted the gifts of the Mystics to find the Favored, the ruler of the Atlantis and of all the villages. Until this past week, however, she had never considered the dangers of religious power. The Elders and the High Priest could point to anyone to be leader, and if they were evil of mind they had the influence to place a puppet in the seat of power. She had prayed feverishly all night that the High Priest was not a man of individual pursuit.

Her face pivoted to see the Emperor of Zaibach. He wasn't hard to spot with his dark sentinels (save one) crowding his wheeled chair. The old man appeared unaffected by the tension surrounding him. His eyes were hard, but they were lacking the anxiety the rest of the room's occupants held.

Unexpectedly, his eyes snapped to her. Hitomi became rigid, but didn't duck her eyes. 'I will not cower.'

His bushy mustache twitched higher in one corner as he stared deep into her stormy expression. The seer flexed her fingers, eager to challenge the man. She knew an outright challenge was suicide against such a powerful Mystic, especially with the condition she was in, but she was frustrated with the way he was slinking his darkness through the castle. He was the source of these problems and not one noble outside her circle of friends noticed him. The emperor gave her a slight nod of the head before returning his concentration to a distant wall.

Her eyes narrowed. 'What will you do if Folken takes the throne from Van? More so, is Folken your puppet?'

She glanced towards the closed doors where the Fanel Brothers waited behind. Her weight constantly shifted back and forth on her feet as she patiently waited for the handful of youthful pages to line up behind the priest. The room became silent like a grave once the last twelve-year-old boy reached his formal position. Every ear was tuned in to the priest, waiting for his aged voice to speak.

With regal attitude, the High Priest lifted his hand to the guards at the doors. The Fanelian soldiers nodded and proceeded to open the way for their king, whichever it may be.

Folken was still hidden under the black confines of his long cloak. He almost seemed to float into the room as he marched forward. His was longer than she remembered from her visions, but he was definitely the same man. The only difference in him that she could see was the coldness in his eyes and the invisible darkness that trailed behind his body.

Hitomi cringed. Her hopes for goodness in the man fell to the floor. Even if there was a chance Folken wasn't a pawn of Dornkirk's, the shadow clouding his presence definitely wasn't a sign of pureness.

Her heart skipped when noticed Van had been stripped of his royal garments. The years of reign were to be forgotten during the trial and had reduced the Fanelian royal to commoner's clothes: a simple sleeveless red shirt, cream pants, dark boots, and gloves. The only indication of his rich blood line was the sword with royal Fanelian crest at his waist.

Hitomi frowned and studied her love's face. Van's face beside his brothers was so dark that he might as well have been covered by his own dark cloud. Hitomi watched him nervously as he strode passed her, his face ever forward. She could only imagine what short words were exchanged moments before the doors had been open.

Their strides matched perfectly, almost unspoken evidence of their blood connection. They both looked the king they should be with their straight backs and fiery eyes. The clip of their boots rang in unison up until they reached the center of the throne room. With practiced grace, the brothers knelt down on scarlet pillows before the High Priest. Together they gave short bows of respects. Hitomi's heart stopped as she awaited the beginning of the end.

"Lord Van Fanel," the High Priest began with a worn tone. "Please hand me the sword of Fanel."

The young man rose immediately from his seat. His eyes were filled with unnamed emotions as he crossed the short distance to the elder and held out the last connection to his kingship. The High Priest nodded his thanks and gentle pulled the sword from his former king. Once the metal had slipped from his fingertips, Van whirled away and returned with the same graceful sweep to his knees beside his brother.

The High Priest studied the two brothers with a well of sadness in his eyes before speaking out. "In the three generations I have served as High Priest to the Fanelian crown, I have never seen nor heard of such a situation falling upon the kingdom. There is no law for this confusion and thus, I am left to the guide of Escaflowne. For the last few nights, I have fasted and prayed to the God of the Sky. My one prayer was for him to grant me divine revelation."

His eyes darted over the masses. "I have, thus, been granted with such a revelation."

Merle gripped the seer's arm as they both held their breath. The air must have emptied from the room.

The priest inhaled deeply, trying to rally his courage for the next words. He stared at the brothers and remembered the days of their youth. Those happy days when they had sat in the temple for their lessons in religion seemed so out of reach as he studied the invisible line drawn between the two siblings.

"Last night, Escaflowne came to me in a dream," the Priest stated loudly. "The God of the Sky graced me with the images of the Blood Rite."

Hitomi frowned. She had failed to learn about this in the library.

"For you have not heard of the Blood Rite, I shall explain." The Priest continued after noticing the confused expressions. "The Blood Rite is the rite of passage that each new king must successfully perform before ascending the throne.

"A prince must go into forest alone and hunt down a dragon. If Escaflowne favors the hunter then the prince shall be victorious. After killing a dragon, he must bring back the dragon's heart as proof and lay it on the altar with the mark of his own blood as an offering to Escaflowne.

His golden scepter leaned towards the raven headed noble. "Lord Van Fanel has performed the Blood Rite. If Folken hadn't left the kingdom years ago, then he would have had been given the opportunity to fulfill the Blood Rite, but sadly, he left in the hands of Zaibach and forfeited his chance."

A hopeful glow lit in Van's eyes while a stone dropped into Hitomi's stomach. She glanced towards Dornkirk and noticed the emperor whispering to one of his sentinels.

"Without a Blood Rite for payment, there can't be ascension," the High Priest stated firmly, sweeping his eyes over every face. "Folken you might now be able to perform the ritual, but Escaflowne has already shown favor on a prince. Van is the rightful king."

Whatever response erupted through the room was faint in her ears. She was dimly aware that there was a round of cheers from the Fanelian soldiers as she watched the Zaibach emperor nod to his sentinels. A dark haze stabbed through his temple for momentary flash. She saw Van's happy glance in her direction, but she ignored it and frantically whirled to her right. Merle stumbled against her.

"Hitomi?" the she-cat inquired.

The seer's chest heaved in panicked as she sensed the dark haze closing in around her. Jade eyes wide, she snapped her face to the ceiling. 'It's now.'

Instantly, the room switched from cries of excitement to cries of fear. The glass from the windows shattered inwards as a large chunk of wall crumpled. Dust obscured the view, but Hitomi had no problem realizing a giant foot had landed inside the throne room. Everyone began racing in all directions, guards hurrying forward while nobles went for the exits. Hitomi remained stone still even though Merle persisted to tug at her arm.

The seer felt a ripple of power pass through the room and she swallowed against the nausea it caused. Her knee buckled, but she hurried to steady her balance using Merle's shoulder before she fell.

She heard her name, but its speaker was lost in the shouts and crashing as another wall collapsed. Clumps of ceiling fell all around like hail. Everything was a complete mess of chaos.

'Chaos.'

"What's happening?" Merle screeched, clutching desperately to the seer.

Hitomi raised her arm over her head to shield herself from the falling dust and stone. "Dornkirk is using the guymelefs to tear down the castle and scatter us."

"Guymelefs?" Merle shouted over the noise. "What guymelefs?"

Hitomi snapped her face to the she-cat, totally confused. The dust wasn't that thick to hide the giant feet stomping inside. Looking up, the seer concentrated on the guymelef's boots. It was mysteriously different from Zongi's curtain of magic, but it was definitely the same trick of bending light. She was surprised she could see them at all. With Zongi she had to be drawn into a vision to see beyond his mask.

'What?'

Something was approaching her left. It was Van, his mouth forming her name. Hitomi was about to stretch out her hand to him when black figures materialized on her left. She hurried to push Merle behind her as she faced the two sentinels. Ruby lips sneered, revealing fangs. "Our Lordship would prefer you didn't interfere."

Hitomi glared stonily at the pair, ready for whatever they had planned, when a third dark figure stepped in front of her within half a second. The seer blinked in surprise at the sentinel's back.

"You will not touch her." The third figure stated loudly. Hitomi immediately recognized the woman's voice.

"Celena?" She called out.

Abruptly a section of the ceiling decided to crash down. The seer hastily pushed her and Merle out of its path. She faintly heard Van calling for her, desperation lacing her name. They hit the floor, Hitomi's temple cracking against the hard stone.

Van scurried to escape another round of falling stone. Finding a break in the downpour, the young king frantically searched for the pair of girls. Everything was a mess of panic and disarray. Strange air currents pushed through the dust and new tremors shook through the castle. He could see faceless silhouettes racing about, but the scene was undistinguishable.

He heard Balgus ordering his soldiers to assist the nobles, but he wasn't sure where his friend was shouting from. His heart was trying to jump out of his chest. The cries were identical to the ones from long ago when the castle first fell. His home and family were in danger all over again. In the blink of eye, he was again a helpless child.

"Hitomi! Merle!" he shouted frantically, rushing into the thick clouds. "Hitomi! Merle!"

There was a rush of air to his left and the dust fell away to reveal a sunken crater in the floor. His feet slowed to halt as he stared at the oddity. The crater was void of any object that could have caused its depression. Even more disturbing was the fact that the crater was similar to those from a battlefield.

As his mind hurried towards an answer another blast of air pass on his opposing side followed by a loud crack. The king whirled on the noise and discovered an identical crater. Above him the ceiling exploded and crashed towards him. He intended to race out of the way, but the sight of downpour deterred by an invisible wall stopped him. His eyes squinted. 'An invisible enemy?'

The idea wasn't impossible, and probably the only solution to his confused brain.

"Lord Van!"

The king turned to his approaching general, jaw tight. His general frowned in confusion at his king's expression.

"Call out the guymelefs!" The king shouted, looking back at the footprints leading into his throne room. "We're being attacked by an invisible enemy!"

"My lord?"

..

Blinking rapidly, Hitomi tired to look beyond the darkness that surrounded her. She could make out a few shapes and breaks of light, but she didn't recognize where she was. She groaned softly as her head swayed and the dust filled her nostrils, causing her to cough. Her body ached all over.

Carefully, her hand spanned out over the rough floor and slid forward. Her fingers curiously felt over the chunks of rock and pebbles. Soon the tips of her fingers grazed a larger chunk of stone. Passing her hand over the rough surface of the wall, the seer's throat went dry. Hitomi pressed her cheek weakly against the floor and tried to swallow. They were buried.

Suddenly noticing the lump pressed against her side, Hitomi became awake.

"Merle?" the seer whispered gently, unsure was she was talking so quiet. When she got no response, the young woman began to grapple for the cat's shoulders. "Merle?"

A soft moan finally reached her ears, pulling out a deep exhale from the seer. There was unsteady movement under her hands and then the blink of eyes in the dark.

"Hitomi?" her voice trembled. "W-Where are we?"

"Some of the ceiling collapsed over us." The seer replied hoarsely. "We're lucky to be alive."

"You're bleeding!"

Hitomi started. "What?"

She felt a small hand cover her temple, bringing stars to the seer's eyes. Hitomi hastily pushed her hand away.

"Ow." She mumbled as she tenderly pressed her fingertips to the painful spot. The wet feeling had to be blood. Weakly, she looked towards the shining cat eyes. "Can you see?"

"Little bit." Merle admitted softly. "I wouldn't be a good cat if it I couldn't."

"Do you see a way out?" the seer questioned eagerly, forgetting her head wound.

The eyes darted from sight. "There's nothing at our feet, but there's a narrow opening ahead. We might be able to slip through it and find a way out that way."

"Okay," Hitomi panted lightly, the throbbing in her head growing. "You lead. You have a better chance at finding it in the dark than I do."

A small pause. "You sure? I mean, you're bleeding. I don't want to leave you behind."

The seer forced out a smile. "Come on. I'll be right behind you. Besides, staying here isn't helping."

Merle sighed. "Okay."

..

Dornkirk chuckled darkly as his chair's wheels squeaked free from the castle walls. "Oh, so perfect."

His followers remained silent, but attentive to their lord's mutterings. The emperor sneered hungrily as they drifted into the wilted remains of the great gardens of the castle. His wrinkled hand waved ahead at the path and surprisingly, the snow melted away in seconds, revealing the stone.

"Everything is perfect."

..

Van's face darted from side to side. "Hitomi! Merle!"

"Lord Van, there is nothing you can do!"

"Hitomi!" the king shouted louder. "Merle!"
A heavy hand yanked him around. Van glared at his general. "I won't leave them!"

"My lord, it is foolish to seek them in this mess." Balgus thundered over the clamoring of destruction. "We must withdraw from the throne room and lure them away. Only then can we search for the ladies and others."

Van angrily looked towards the clouds cloaking the room's contents. He faintly noticed his throne was on its side, bent and battered. Clamping his teeth together, the king pushed down the painful lump in his throat.

'…let's stand together.'

His spirit reached blindly out into the haze, seeking out the two women who meant the world to him.

'I can't do this without you.'

"I can't—"

The ring of steel broke through his voice.

..

"I found a way out!" Merle's muffle squeal was too far ahead.

Hitomi slid boneless against the floor, her panting breaths unsettling the layer of dust covering the stone. "Good…good…"

Her life force was spilling out over the stone. She knew it was because she had felt her knees and palms dragging through it for the last few minutes. She must have hit her head harder than she thought. Hitomi fought to steady her dizziness. To keep conscious, she concentrated on the cracks of light between the rubble and followed the maze of lines.

The pain proved relentlessly as another wave of needles pressed into her forehead. Groaning, she curled up into a ball.

"Hitomi?"

As she blinked to steady her vision, a whirl of images passed through her mind. Her mind's eyes flew like a hawk through the castle halls. Guymelefs, soldiers, and broken walls passed away, revealing an expanding landscape of whiteness. She flew over the snow, crossing the dead garden and fields to the ghostly temple. There wasn't a moment to appreciate the building's quiet splendor as she was surged inside and found the dark eyes of Zaibach emperor. Before she could gasp his name, she was pulled into the air and saw a familiar star drawn around his feet.

An unnatural light enveloped the charcoal lines and a magic filled the air. In seconds, all she could see was a never ending whiteness. Everything was wonderfully hot around her, coaxing down her limbs like a massage. She almost sighed in contentment. She was quickly jerked to a halt, however, when the pearly vastness shift before her and a pair of huge, evergreen eyes snapped open in the middle of sky. The intense stare was firmly planted on her.

Hitomi jerked back to reality, finding the whiteness replaced with darkness in a quick blink. She could hear Merle shuffling closer to her. "Hitomi?"

The seer didn't answer automatically, waiting for her mind to catch up with what she had seen.

"Dornkirk is in the temple," Hitomi stated fervently. "He's going to awaken Escaflowne."

There was a sharp intake of air. "What?"

"Get me out of here, Merle!" Hitomi insisted, forcing her limbs to drag her forward. "I have to go and stop him."

"But Hitomi!" The she-cat's voice cried out through the darkness. "You're not strong enough to face him. Let Van-sama handle him!"

"Van can't!" the seer grounded out through clenched teeth as she struggled against the ache in her limbs and the stab through her temples. "I'm the only one who can."

The memory of her cards, her visions, and the prophecy flashed a warning through her mind, but she angrily pushed them back. What other choice did she have?

'…stand together.'

Her heart constricted.

'…together.'

Her lips involuntarily mouthed a short name. Abruptly, there was loud sound of stone grating against each other over their heads. Hitomi instinctively covered Merle's body with her own and silently prayed. Dust and chunks of rock floated over their stiff forms as they awaited the expected collapse of their tunnel.

Hitomi lifted her head when she sensed a wave of energy pass through their tunnel. Her arms pulled the girl protectively closer to her side as she realized the outside noise was growing louder. A chunk of wall broke away and light blinded her. Squinted against the sudden brightness, she made out a messy head and broad shoulders.

'Van?'

A hand pressed against the side of the opening and new wave of energy raced along the stone. The magic slid into the cracks, filling the gaps and strengthening the ceiling's support. Hitomi was lost in wonderment and apprehension. 'That's not Van.'

"Hurry and get out!" A strong voice commanded, his echo bouncing through the tunnel.

Regardless if the person was enemy or friend, the seer hurried to push the cat-girl towards the opening. Hitomi anxiously glanced at the trembling walls as she waited for her turn to escape. Once Merle was clear, a gloved hand uncurled before the seer's face. Hitomi scowled at the dusty leather, torn between unanticipated indecision. The gesture was one of innocent, but the body attached to the hand was likely untrustworthy. She was almost certain the second she reached for it, the hand would transform into a viper and sink poisonous fangs into her.

"Hurry!" the man snapped, his hand shaking closer.

The walls shuddered overhead reawaking the fear in her blood. Hitomi scrambled to grab the gloved hand. When her fingers slipped around the smooth leather, a spark of electricity raced down her arm. She didn't have time to consider the odd sensation as she was hauled out of the tunnel and into the fresh air. As feet slipped out, the tunnel immediately collapsed into a suffocating cloud.

Hitomi trembled when she faced the broken pile. She could almost feel her bones being crushed beneath the heavy slabs. A giddy bubble of happiness filled her chest when she reminded herself she was very much alive. The seer whirled around with a grateful smile, only to loose it the instant she discovered the identity of their savior. She tried to pull her hand back, but his grip was insistent.

"Let go," she demanded softly as she continued to futilely tug for freedom.

Eyes the identical red wine color of the Fanelian King's eyes stared back at her, ignoring the massive destruction still ensuing around them. "I need your help."

"So do a lot of other people." She fidgeted while using her free hand to shove the cat-girl behind her. "I'd like to thank you for saving us, but I hate to give my gratitude if you rescued us merely for your own gain."

A wry smile. "I would have saved you even if I didn't need you."

The seer wasn't convinced, "I'm not a pawn."

"Dornkirk wouldn't see it that way."

"Are you asking for my help in Dornkirk's stead?"

"No, just I." Folken replied lightly.

This time he released her wrist. Hitomi possessively pressed it to her chest, eyeing him with suspicion. This man was the wild card in the deck. He was either a puppet or a victim, and she had failed to decide on which personality he served. Even now, she couldn't decide if he was lying to her about his request.

"I'm sorry," she answered, "But I'm needed elsewhere—"

"Balgus!"

Hitomi whirled in the direction of the cry, instantly recognizing the voice. 'Van.'

There was a break in the dust, revealing a shaft of light. The small particles floated angelically down the ray of sunlight, glinting like tiny stars. If it wasn't for the dark red spraying across the floor, the scene would have been picturesque.

The world reeled beneath her feet as she watched the general crumbled to the ground. Her mouth flapped open, wordless.

"Balgus!" the Fanelian king repeated brokenly, falling to his knees beside his friend and guardian. A giant sword was hovering over the royal's head. The hilt was invisible behind the concealing magic. The blade looked like it was slicing an opening in the air, revealing a hidden world. With her gift, however, she was vividly aware that it was a guymelef looming over the two men.

Without taking a chance to consider herself, the seer rushed for the Fanelian king. She had barely made two strides when a cold hand snagged her wrist and spun her around. Folken stared over her head, hard eyes clouded.

"Don't." He commanded sternly, his fingers tightening when tried to pull away.

She whipped head back towards the fallen figure, her hair slapping her cheeks. "B-But he—"

"You can see them." He interrupted. His tone carried a steely edge, almost crossing the line into a deeper emotion. "The guymelefs? Don't you?"

Hitomi struggled harder against his grip when the gray guymelef with the purple cape stepped closer towards the king. She needed to protect him from what he didn't see.

"Stop." He demanded.

Hitomi's glare was full of fire at the blue-haired man she knew only from talk and visions. There wasn't nothing to bind her to him, nothing to make her listen to a single command he uttered. Her efforts doubled when she felt the conflicting urge to listen to the royal sibling.

"They will take care of my brother." Folken replied evenly, still watching the young, anguished king.

Hitomi suddenly noticed the Fanelian soldiers rushing to Van. The image of her love's broken display with the bloody man at his knees sent a crushing blow straight into her heart. As they surrounded the royal in a protective circle, she realized she was allowing Folken to pull her towards the nearest door. Her senses rallied together immediately and she fought again for her freedom.

"Release me at once!" she cried, waving at Merle to keep back. Hitomi didn't want to risk Folken taking her captive as well. Merle followed behind showing no sign of deserting her anytime soon.

"I will once we are away from their reach." He replied mildly. They passed through an arch with the door hanging off the hinges.

"Away from who?" she rumbled angrily. "The guymelefs? Or the soldiers?"

Turning into a nearby corridor, the man released her imprisoned wrist and slipped his gloved hand back under the confines of his dark robe. Hitomi quickly put some distance between him and her. She studied him curiously, wondering what he felt after seeing his brother weep over his foster father. Was he upset? Pleased?

"Do you want to stop Dornkirk?" he abruptly inquired, dodging her questions.

Hitomi stiffened. Searching his eyes, she inwardly wished she could see beyond the mask of people. "Yes."

"So do I." He stated evenly, looking straight into her wide eyes. Hitomi unconsciously leaned forward. She wanted to believe him, to believe she could rethread the pieces of Van's broken life together starting with his forsaken brother. Was that why she wanted to believe him? So she was so desperate to bring some type of happiness back to Van's life?

She shook her head and stepped away. She used to be a rational person, who believed in nothing of what she heard and only half of what she saw. She could throw out everything for the mere chance Folken could change the darkness threatening to swallow up the castle.

She sensed Merle approach her shoulder and Hitomi instinctively found her hand. Looking pointedly at the expressionless man, the seer asked icily, "Why should I believe you?"

"Because I can tell you what he's planning," he replied softly, his tone almost soothing. Hitomi's eyes narrowed, watching the inky blackness she had spotted earlier when he entered the throne room swirl over his form. She swallowed nervously.

"Tell my you wish to stop him." She commanded.

He hesitated. "There's no time."

"If you don't tell me, it doesn't matter how much time is left. I won't help you." She grumbled.

He sighed through his nose, eyes darting to the girl cowering behind her. He hastily whipped out hands. She frowned in confusion as he began to tug off one of his leather gloves. Her eyes slowly widened at what she saw. The glove slapped loudly onto the stone floor as the man raised his hand for better inspection. She was still disoriented from all that had just transpired in the throne room, but she could blink away what she saw. His hand was virtually transparent. If he brought it to her face, she could have seen straight into his eyes. There was only a faint visible line of a silhouette and a pink hue clouding the space where his hand should be. Gaping at the sight of his ghostly hand, the seer looked to the sibling for an answer.

Folken stared at her grimly. "I lost this, years ago when I gave myself to Dornkirk as price for kingdom. I sealed away my soul. It has taken time, but I am finally ready to take back everything he stole from me."

Hitomi's jaw slid close as she studied the hand a second time. There was so much left unsaid and unexplained. She had a dozen questions shouting off through her head, but she clenched her mouth close. She nodded stiffly to man.

Folken's hand hurried to duck back behind his cloak, probably unused to the attention she was given. "Dornkirk has gone to the Temple. He plans to call on Escaflowne."

Her heart leapt into her throat as her vision replayed through her head. The bright green eyes at the end brought a cold dread in the pit of her stomach.

Her throat was dry as she tried to speak, "What does he think will happen? That a God will just materialize before his eyes? Does he even have that type of power to call on Escaflowne?"

The silence was all she needed for an answer.

She shuddered, stepping back as her thoughts spun out of control. Everything was falling into place. Too fast. Too wild. She tried to think of a course of action, something beyond going to the Temple.

"Please, Hitomi."

His voice. It sounded exactly like Van's when he said her name. She licked her chapped lips and looked down at floor, her eyes blindly focusing on the discarded glove. A dark shadow of foreshadowing drifting across her heart and she knew whatever happened in that Temple, she would have to face the consequences. She gave a short nod to the Zaibach soldier, never looking away from the leather.

A small hand tightened over hers and Hitomi blinked up at Merle's worried face.

"No, Hitomi." She pleaded softly, ears drooping. "Don't go."

The seer smiled bitterly. "You can't come with me, Merle."

"No!" she insisted loudly, gripping tighter. "What if you accidentally cause Escaflowne to rise? What if you get hurt?"

Hitomi shook her head and gently began to pull away the fingers digging into her arm, quietly overlooking how her claws had drawn blood.

"I will not let prophecy and visions decide my life." She stated numbly, her eyes glazed with tears. "All my life I have lived by them, letting them decide my path. Even when so much rest on these next few hours, I feel a need to listen to them, but if I want to change the future, then I must believe there is no such thing as predetermined fate."

Merle's eyes were filled with confusion as Hitomi tenderly pushed her small hands away. Several tears slid down the seer's face as her lips thinned. "I will not believe the God of my people has forsaken this world. I believe I am here to fulfill a purpose—a purpose I must choose to follow."

"I don't understand." Merle mumbled feebly.

Hitomi chuckled softly. "Honestly, I don't either. Not completely, anyway. I think God has given me this gift to stop things from leading onto the wrong path. He has given me the choice to stop it."

"But you said you never could stop it before." Merle cried.

"That's true." Hitomi replied lightly. "But that is because I believe there was nothing I could do to stop it. I never allowed myself to trust that people, including myself, could do more than fail."

Her eyes shifted towards some unseen point beyond the girl's head.

"His wings…" The seer muttered. "Van's wings shows that fate can change. Our people are not cursed as so many think."

She grimaced. "I had wanted Van to be with me, but I guess its better I did this alone. He doesn't have any gift to help me stop Dornkirk."

The she-cat hastily leaned forward. "Hitomi—"

"Please, Merle," the seer interrupted, eyes filling with new tears. "There's nothing you can do. Just please Van that I'm sorry."

Folken was already waiting a few feet away in the direction of the needed exit as Hitomi calmly turned away. Merle tentatively went to follow, but soon stopped as Hitomi gave her a wistful smile. Her tail was limp on the floor as she watched the seer head off into what the she-cat believed was the end of the world.

A/N: I can't believe this story is nearly over. Wow. Two chapters left before I close the cover.