Here ya go!!! Dun dun dun! Chapter 21!
Dilandau sat up in his bed, wet with the sweat from his dreams. He was trapped again, trapped in a body that wasnt his. Hearing, seeing, and feeling everything this girl did but unable to move as his own. I wont be trapped againhe thought laughing to himself as if it was a joke. He had Hitomi, and he was sure that with her, he would be able to stay him without the help of Zeyran and Seiz. They kept his body in the state it was, but it had been weeks since he had any of the posion Zeyran would feed him in her sadistic little ritual. The waystones he had used those as well, they drained his body, taking months from his life in the few seconds he used them.
He could feel himself changing, psychically mostly at this point. He needed to get to Zeyran, he had gone to long without her. Your so weak! He thought, he was, he still relayed on this enchantress to keep him whole, otherwise who knows what he would become. The girl Selenawas her name, he was her, he remembered being called by the people she was surrounded with. She was dead though, he felt her die, he saw he die when Zeyran killed her. But theres stillthere was still the chance of him becoming someone else; the blood that flowed through him and gave him life wasn't his. He was just a mutt, a mix between two people to be his own and Zeyran was keeping him this way.
He wanted to head straight to Fanelia, but as it stood he needed to head to Cimedian. He was angered by the fact that he was avoiding a battle; because he hadn't obtained the power he was promised. Zeyran said she could extract Hitomi's powers, then he could control Gaea, he would be the one pulling puppet strings.
He had gone through the ritual and surrendered his being to this dark magic that coursed through his body untamed. He was having trouble containing even a small portion to conjure even the simplest chant now. Something was going wrong, and he could feel it. Being a Quartz was relatively easy at first, it came natural. He grew more powerful over the years, Zeyran had taught him well. However in her absence so much had been happening to him, that he wasn't sure it was going specifically as planned anymore.
His body quivered in pain, his muscles were all tense, all he could do for the moment was lie back down. Shifting to the other side of the bed that was not drenched in sweat he tried to find the comfort of sleep again, but to his disappointment it wouldn't come. The taste of bile in the back of his mouth was either coming from his nausea or giving him the nausea feeling he couldn't tell anymore.
He threw the sheets and pulled his aching body from the bed finally, giving up on the resting idea. He headed to the door and opened it slightly meeting the standing guards gaze.
"Bring me the girl...." he said icily.
The guard nodded with a terrified look and darted down the hall to retrieve the woman he demanded to see.
She would find a way to rid him of this scorching pain willingly, or he would make her.
The room was tall and circular, Grato stepped forward with what he only felt as shame. There was a table lining the circular walls with 11 representatives of the Ispano's seated staring at him. Their eyes were cold, and showed the stern gaze that set his shame to a new peek, not that it wasnt already there since he had left the Tsuni's side in Austria. He was a leader, a leader that turned on his people to do the will of one woman who they wouldn't see as the key to their survival in the future. However he seen it or anyone else it needed to be done, he had to do this.
"You left us Grato, you left and now we have suffered over the years." The Ispano that made the middle of the two sides, next to his empty spot stood.
"It waz her last requezt." He hung his head down. He understood why he had to leave and he brought this to his brother in confidence, hoping he would see the importance but still he wasn't even able to sway him.
"We did what she asked! We full filled our purpose Grato! What more could you leaving for the last 62 years help Gaea's situation!" His voice bellowed throughout the room.
The rest of the legacies nodded and mumbled together their eyes focused on Grato with intense anger.
"I do not regretz decizion Torlo, It hadz to be done." Grato tried to raise his head but he wasn't sure he could feel any more confident under the circumstances.
"You crafted another Gymeluf..." The voice came from the start of the seated 11 legacies.
She met his gaze, her look he hadn't seen in 3 years, but it still brought a pain of familiar sadness through him.
"I did." Grato said simply, he had no choice; he would have never done it if she was not there. She came looking for him, which he left her specific instructions not to. She was suppose to listen to him she was his Colron. She disobeyed, and if they not wound up in the circumstances they were, he would of never crafted that Gymeluf. He should of punished her, he should of made her pay for disobeying him, but he didnt see that way like the rest of his kind. If Dilandau had known she was not only his other half of spirit, but a legacy too she might not have been freed when he agreed to the construction of his Gymeluf.
"This is severe Grato, under no circumstance were we to craft another!" He waited for an answer.
"It waz not with Tsuni soul!" Grato defended himself, he felt he had to, because if he didn't take action it would be blamed on his colron.
"That is of no matter! We used our source in agreement to only construct the power for the Tsuni. We used it for her and that was the end of our agreement. You used more of our source, more than any one of us could to make another, without our knowledge. What were you hoping to accomplish?"
"I crafted it to save my Colron Ferish, it was my decision, and I take all the responsibility." He finally held his head; he had to make them believe.
Gasps could be heard around the room.
"Ferish! Is this true!?" Torlo looked at her with intense fury.
"She came for me, to bring me back. She did nothing wrong Torlo." Gratoroared above all the now raising anger from all of the legacies.
"QUIET!" Torlo pounded against the table in one swift action that brought everyone to silence.
"I have to leave again, but I need the Ascalon." Grato met his brother's gaze. He couldn't help but feel the pressing matter on why he left the Tsuni's side pushing him to just get what he came for. How he ever thought he could simply come back and not deal with the Legacy never crossed his mind, just the matter at hand.
Torlo couldn't speak he just stared. His brother had left them to fend for the last 62 years to fullfil the wish of some Tsuni that had nothing to do with their race. They weren't even from Gaea, they happen to stumble upon the Tsuni's calls and helped, the legacy agreed to help her. They werent a race that had no compassion. They seen the turmoil Gaea suffered, and felt some pull to help. They crafted her vision, her Escaflowne, and delivered it like asked. They also crafted a partial armor, for a partial vision she had seen, but never finished it. Even acquired the certain energist she had asked for, from her dragon.
"I don't know where to start! You're going to leave again without asking the rest of the Legacy, or your taking an incomplete set of armor for something that we know nothing about! We hold no loyalty to this world and its inhabitants yet you defy your own race to ensure their survival, what about us brother?!" Torlo's eyes blazed, he was quivering with anger.
Grato stood, not sure what to say. It was true, if he remained gone much longer, he was sure things would have drastic repercussions for his race. Grato I could not ask you of this if I didn't think our world held some influence over your lifehe knew this, Grato always seen life beyond their race. He felt more compassionate to those not of the Ispano, he could hear their thoughts, and in doing so he knew their honesty, integrity, and compassion for others. It was inspiring to him, the Tsuni that he met all those years ago altered his begin when he heard her thoughts. She was the first being he had ever met aside from his race.
"I muzt." He wasn't going to provide anymore answers, he knew what he must do and he was full in his rights as a Legacy to obtain the Ascalon and take it.
"Im going with you!" Ferish came from around the table and dropped to her knees in front of Grato.
"As your Corlon I hope that you take my request to be at your side." She didn't bring her gaze to his, she left her eyes out of this.
"No, no we can't be without two Legacy's it is hard enough to monitor and balance the power for our race as it is, do you not remember what you returned to Ferish?"
Ferish titled her gaze back to Torlo, and to her disappointment she heard Grato agree with him. She slunk away not giving him another glance and exited the room.
"I be back, I fix thiz Torlo." Grato bowed but got no response from any of the Legacies. Just icy cold stares.
There were thousands of men before her, spreading over the vast plains that at one time were probably peaceful and beautiful. Today they would be blooded, and haunted with the outcome regardless of which way it went.
She tried to turn her head, move her body but as she became more away, she wasn't able to do either. She felt froze, only her eyes were moving. The only movement she felt was the shifting animal she sat upon.
Her wrist burned, it felt like her skin was melting away, and as she became more apparent of the pain, she became more worried about her situation. She tried to yell but even her face was stone, she didn't control her body, nothing was hers except her thoughts and even then those felt foreign.
Call them Almi his voice echoed through her thoughts, it was so loud she would have covered her ears, but her arms stood heavy like brick and her head pounded. She felt a warmth building inside of her, it was familiar, and she had experienced this before, but not here…no not here.
It was soothing to her, it at least was for the moment, until her wrists burning climbed her arm, she screamed again, but only in the shell of a body did her cries make any noise. She couldn't say how long it took for the pain to reside but it did, and left her arm throbbing in pain, but at least it was better.
Her eyes still locked to the army before her, trying to see if she recognized anyone, maybe she could make sense of this, she didn't know what was going on. The banners that were stationed at the front of the armies were familiar; she strained to remember each one. Palas…Leeranshe strained against her body to run forward, that was Palas's army leading! Leeran had to be there! No he's not there she thought, it made sense for some reason he wasn't there because…because she couldn't recall.
"Tell my brother that he and his allies can back down now, or I will show no mercy." His voice, his voice was like death to her ears, but rage built in her heart when he talked.
A lone rider appeared from her side galloping ahead to meet the other representatives in the middle of the field. She wanted to call to them for help, she couldn't help the feeling of terror that built in her.
The interaction seemed quick, and the lone rider galloped back, with eyes that she recognized – regret.
"He would like to relay that you have gone mad, and they will not give you Gaea so easily." The rider wasn't in her view anymore but she could hear him, she could hear the fear and sadness.
Bring them forth now Almi! His voice again echoed through her and she cried in pain as it pounded at her head.
Almi closed her eyes, unwillingly, and did only what she could, she listened. She heard the feet of the horses restless as they dug at the ground, men shifting in the armor, and the one sound that brought more confusion to all of this, dragons. What am I doing she thought, but she knew, she had done this before, another battle, many battles, all ending in pure massacre.
Their bellows echoed throughout the plains, Almi could not only hear them but she felt them. She struggled to open her eyes and see, but when she did, she knew it wasn't a feat that she accomplished on her own.
Her vision didn't see an army in front of her anymore, but a white dragon. A massive white dragon Sersantis she thought. This dragon was so familiar but unfamiliar, she had seen a sleeker version that the one who's sapphire eyes bore into hers. This dragon was broader, and if she could distinguish he looked remarkably older.
"Perfect." Kegran's voice approved.
The dragons large head pulled down to be eye level with Almi's, and seemed to be waiting for something. She felt quick flash of surprise but it was quickly replaced with obilgations as she knew what was happening when her hand raised and pushed between the two large eyes; she felt herself surge with heat.
It was hot, remarkable hot, her body screamed for release as she saw her vision blur. The white of the dragon seemed to form into a swirl and eventually darkness. But she was aware, and alert. Before she could panic the darkness began to lighten, forms began to come into her sight and then the details of everything fitting with those forms finished. She almost wished she could have stayed in the darkness.
She saw a new mass of armies below her, Kegran standing before them with an un-mounted horse next to him and he was staring at her with sadistic satisfaction. She screamed at him but it came out in shocking bellow that caused his army to shift uneasily. She knew what was about it happen, Slaughter them all.
The pain that was once in her wrist burned her throat and she tried to lounge at Kegranin this foreign massive body. She clawed at her neck as she felt herself being pulled to the ground, twisting as the pain seemed to spread. She saw him grinning at her, his wrist illuminated a deep blue that caught her attention. The bracelets it seemed to hit her with force, he was controlling her with the bracelets. But she knew this, she knew their purpose she saw their creation.
It burned with the pain of the souls that he sacrificed to control her powers. He killed them in an onslaught to keep her his pet, and she couldn't defy the thousand souls he welded into those bracelets for him. It wasn't until the pain ebbed and she regained her footing she realize why Kegran stared at her with such satisfaction, her head twisted overlooking her new form of the dragon that stood once before her.
She took in the whole situation as her eyes scanned the scenery one more time. A new element added to Kegran's army, dragons, and hundreds of them. Slaughter them all! He echoed again this time with more demand to his tone. She felt her massive body turn and she bellowed in anger as she lifted to the skys, heading for the army that stood in Kegrans way. She felt a cool tear push from her eyes as she took a forming hot breath and exhaled blue flames into the army that Kegran called his enemy.
"GET UP!" Hitomishot up as her cot shook and the guard's voice screamed next to her ear.
"You would think you were dead!" He said roughly grabbing her, she was out of breath, and wet. Wet with sweat, it dripped from her brow and soaked her clothes. The guard pushed her to her feet roughly and undid the chain. Hitomi tried to catch her breath and regain her composure but he shoved her out the door and she fumbled her way through the corridors with him prodding her from behind.
"I… just… need a minute." She said holding out her hand trying to beg him for a moment. Her vision swayed and kept the area spinning and between him pushing her and the walls she was starting to feel pretty bruised. They had been walking for awhile, up stairs and down corridors she had no idea where she was.
"One minute." He looked down at her; he didn't look like he was going to give her a minute she thought, maybe 30 seconds.
Hitomi slumped against the wall trying to focus on one spot in the ground, and to her amazement the world slowly stopped spinning. She focused harder and before she knew it the ground was level and she felt her sense of equilibrium back.
It wasn't until she gained it back that she released her next discomfort was the sweat drenched clothes she wore that was now bringing a chill to her bones. Am I running a fever? She thought knowing this problem before on her earth days. Sweats followed by a cold chill usually meant fever, but then again she never had past flash backs that she didn't even know who she was either.
"Get up now let's go." The guard pushed her with his long pole and she abided, at least she could walk without it being jabbed into her ribs or back.
"Where am I going?" She hoped it wasn't anywhere with Dilandau but the possibility of that was slim. He was the only person here that wanted anything to do with Hitomi,and the last time she had seen him outside her room, she ended up having a clone and sent onto Fanelia. I hope Van is ok she wouldn't lie she had thought of almost every possible outcome of the situation leaving her with the bags under her eyes.
"To see Dilandau in his quarters." The guard jabbed her again, this time uncalled for. I would let you have it if I could she thought angrily, as she was tired of feeling helpless and a personal punching bag to anyone that felt willing to take a strike at her.
Only until we get to the orb she didn't know why, but something was telling her to go there, she would get the help she needed or at the very least the answers. She felt it in her visions, her strange personal other half that she thought she knew but then at times didn't know was near it, and it made her feel whole.
He killed so many, he must pay and when she took in what a strange familiar voice echoed in her head, she gasped when she didn't know who "he" was. Make him payshe echoed again, but who Dilandau? Or the King that plagued Almi's world, but he was already gone, Make them all pay.
"SHUT UP!" She screamed and turned to meet the guard who recoiled in shock.
"I didn't even say anything!" He defended himself and jabbed her in the ribs, this time with more force causing Hitomi to double over and groan in pain. She knew he didn't say anything but the reaction to the voice seemed to be instinct.
"Now get up, we've already spent enough time on your little breaks. We didn't even have that far to go to being with!" He lifted his pole to jab at her again, bringing it down to meet her shoulder this time.
Hitomi heard him gasp as she met his disbelieving stare.
"Stop touching me." She said firmly, holding the long pole arm in her hand. Even she was a bit taken back that she stopped him in force by simply grabbing the end of the pole.
Hitomiheld it firmly in her fist and she regained her footing, letting it go she turned and walked willingly down the wall, knowing she put an end to the uncalled for jabbing. She grinned in satisfaction as she could only imagine the still shocking feeling the guard was feeling, maybe after all she would be able to save herself.
The guard knocked on the door and waiting before Hitomi heard the stranded voice of Dilandau ordering them to enter.
The guard pushed her forward into the room and shut the door not even entering. Hitomi took a deep breath as her body instantly felt weak, and her stomach churned hopefully not bringing up the content of her meal she had not even an hour ago. With instinct she placed her hand over her mouth, not that it was helping her feeling at all. She weakly walked over to a chair that sat near a desk on the other side of the room.
"So you are still perceptive to your surrounding..." His voice was strained and she could see where all the feeling was emanating from.
Dilandau hunched over his bed with sweat beading from his body in nothing but his breeches. Hitomi tried to swallow away the feeling as she took in his very toned frame for the first time, he could have been beautiful if he wasnt so conflicted.
"Come here..." His voice more forceful and demanding as he too seemed to be fighting back the nausea.
Hitomi obeyed, unsure of why she went so easily, she felt compelled but not forced. She walked slowly, fighting the feeling as it seemed to make her feel sicker the closer she got to him.
She looked at him, he looked weak, beyond just his body symptoms that showed his psychical signs, but his eyes reflected something deeper. His face was broader, defiantly, his eyes thinner than before, he was changing, he wasnt the same sleek feminine featured Dilandau she had witnessed months ago.
"Why..." Was all she could muster.
"I was hoping you could help me..." He finally said after a long silence. He pulled his gaze aware from her, obviously ashamed of asking. He's different her thoughts echoed as if confirming what she was seeing.
"Its not weak to ask for help..." she went to touch his shoulder showing him comfort, but he withdrew as if anticipating her to do so.
"What do you know of being weak! You never had to be at the hands of those who made you what you are! Waiting for them to find a cure, a solution to the problem they created. To watch the man you were made to be become more in everyone's eyes than you! Second best if that! To have someone else plaguing your every thought, judging your every choice! What do YOU know of being weak!" Dilandau scream as he spoke, the hurt relevant in his eyes, the pain tormenting his body.
"I..." She felt the sickness residing, but she couldnt explain what her body was feeling, it was conflicted with so many feelings.
"Dont you dare pity me! Dontyou dare..." His body shook uncontrollably.
"When am I going to learn..." It seemed to be a rhetorical question but Hitomi asked anyways
"Learn what?" She whispered back, trying not to disrupt the unstable situation that was Dilandau
"I'm tired of hating..." His voice wasnt the same, it was deeper, and Hitomi's attention became focused on him intently. Familiar
"I can help..." She stood slowly walking to him, she wanted to help, I do? she thought.
"I dont find faith in your forced feelings." His lips curled as if he was getting ready to snarl at her, his body still shaking as he leaned to the night stand for support.
"Your only telling me half of it Dilandau!" Thats when she closed the gap between him and her, her hands pressing firmly on the sides of his face. Her grip was firm and when their eyes met his light red iris's were a deep brown, and she gasped as a name escaped her lips "Folken"
Her world became dark instantly, and reappeared with such quickness she didnt have a chance to blink. But Dilandau didnt stand there in his conflicted form, instead she stood in a darkened clearing, colored with hues of gray and white. No color, no life, emptiness. She turned trying to see if any one was there, but for miles of flat plains was nothing but colorless swaying grass to her knees.
"Hello?" She echoed loudly, and her voice carried like thunder, becoming louder the further it went.
"Hitomi..." She turned at her name, his voice was soothing, and firm.
Folken stood, in what appeared to be a spirited form. She could see the distant plains through him, but he was formed enough to make out his distinguished features that could only belong to him.
"Folken...what?" she looked around again as if trying to figure out how she stood here looking at him, and not in the room with the man that she could have been crazy enough to say was becoming the spirit before her.
"I, I could ask you the same." He looked at her confused.
"I was with Dilandau, and then I touched him, and I came here." Hitomi wasnt sure where to start but that seemed like a good start as any.
"Dil-an-dau..." Folken seemed to be trying to remember the name, pronouncing each syllable as if it was the name itself.
"I saw you, strapped to a table, to a girl, you were giving her your blood. I think, I think that girl was Celena, the girl that is Dilandau." She stepped forward again meeting his gaze.
"Dornkirk, he said I could save her, I could save her with my blood. I gave it to her, she...she is him?" It seemed as if it all hit him at once, the shock clearly relevant on his faded face.
"I dont think she is anymore, Folken what is this place?" She figured she would ask, it seemed to be the next pressing question on her mind.
"I think its Limbus Infantium, the domain between life and Ourania" He looked at her as if his explanation was sufficant.
"Excuse me?" She wasnteven going to try and repeat what Folken has said.
"Ourania - where spirits go, our energy is return to Gaea, in her heaven, but if they are linked to the world, they cant return and they cant be parted, we come here." He turned and looked behind him.
"Linked... like your blood?" Hitomi stepped forward again, closing the space between her and Folken.
"In one way yes..."
"Why am I here then?" She looked at him hopeful he would know the answer.
"I dont quite know but she tells me you've come for me." Folken looked back up to the sky.
"Who's she?" Hitomi asked looking at what Folken was seeing, but the grey clouds rolling in the sky light a brewing thunderstorm didn't provide her with any comfort.
"Almi... she says you'll set them free." He looked back at her, and Hitomi felt the anger, pain and sadness seer through her body. She tensed in pain as her eyes locked to the rolling clouds that began forming a sea of screaming faces, thousands of women, men and children screaming echoed through the barren plans.
She tried to scream, but nothing came, and if it did she couldnt be sure as it drowned in theirs.
Her body felt the wind being pulled from her chest as she tried to grasp for the air that was being stolen. Stop! Your killing me! And as abruptly as it all started it stopped, and darkness came again but thousands of voices formed together echoing Save us!
She crumpled to the floor beneath Dilandau's feet, the tears pooling from her eyes. Her body shivered with a deep cold that bit pain at the tips of her fingers and toes. It was so painful she was never so glad when darkness took her.
Allen stood overseeing the maintenance to his Levi ship The Selena. It was only fitting he be able to name something after her, she did enjoy flying before she fell to the state that she did. He had heard through the palace that Hitomi had returned, and now more than ever did he need to keep his distance, but that didnt help that he wished she would seek him out. It took so much convincing not to go see her, but with the way things were his logical overruled his heart.
"This is a fine Levi ship." A cool voice broke his concerntraction.
His eyes met the woman whom almost took him by surprise. He swallowed hard, not sure of what to say for one. She really was unlike any woman he had ever seen, and if he dare say it she looked like the perfection of beauty.
He simply nodded not sure what to say for once, surprise never sat well with him.
"Lady Amelia, you are Allen Schezar correct?" She bowed slightly.
"I am, I apologize for not knowing who you are M'lady, but I am sure if we had met before I wouldnt of forgotten a face." He took her small hand and placed a kiss, he couldn't help but notice how soft her skin felt against his.
"We haven't, but I have been in Fanelia long enough to know who you are when I see you, your reputation is inspiring." She smiled.
"Oh I assure you, some of the tales that are the idle conversations of many flatter even me." He grinned.
"Modest too, well so far Imnot disappointed." She gave him a flirtatious grin.
He could read between the lines even if he didnt have a way with women.
"Would you like to accompany on a walk? It is a very nice day and I heard some good things about the palace garden, but it seems to be better enjoyed with two." She held out her hand as if already knowing the answer.
Allen smiled and took her hand, escorting her. Zeyran let a smile that could only mean the most devious plans were coming unfolded before her, and Allen didn't even notice. We will have our power Seiz and I will have Dilandau everything was working out perfectly.
Im pretty sure you thought we were going to get to the Van part but I did start writing that but something told me I needed to write this first. I couldnt stop writing it, it just flowed so easily, I tried to add some Van part leading up to the next chapter but it didnt come! Im sorry! But at least I gave you the start of the next chapter.
Am I jumping around to much?
I dont want to its just I dont want it to seem like I miss on characters for a few chapters like Grato and Kelta who I should have been putting snips in as their rolls are becoming large, its so hard to pack it all in! Like you know Grato disappeared for awhile there but lets pretend he was on his own little escapade this entire time haha! (Because he really was I just never highlighted it.)
However Im already feeling like other chapters needed certain things added to them at certain points to make this flow better, but I think I can manage and then revise later ya?
And honestly I think I made a mistake I might have caught them all I spell Selena like Celena and I have yet to remember just how it is really spelt (I like Celena honestly) so it might be done both ways do know I am talking about the same girl just didnt catch it - I mean to spell it like Selena for the story as I think thats how Escaflowne did it ya?