Gundam Wing Fan Fiction / Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction ❯ Pure Blood ❯ Part Six ( Chapter 6 )

Disclaimer: I do not own The Vision of Escaflowne or Gundam Wing. They are owned by Sunrise and Bandi and their own respective creators.

Pure Blood Part Five: Torn Wings and Forshadowing

By: Elf

"Erst wenn die Wolken schlafen gehen

Kann man uns am Himmel sehen

Wir haben Angst und sind Allein

Gott weiss ich will kein Engel sein..."

(At first when the clouds go to sleep

The Angels can be seen in Heaven

We are afraid and alone

God knows that I won't be an Angel)

(--From "Engel" by Ramms+ein)

Duo heard Hitome cry, "Van, watch out!" He spun around as Heero and Allen ran past him. He saw the shard of liquid metal come flying at Van. He couldn't move; he watched in a fascinated horror as it crept closer and closer to Van.

Folken pushed the angelic king out of the way just in the knick of time. Duo cried out in horror as the metal ripped through one of Folken's ebony wings. The Tratior's scream rang out across the ship as blood spirted from the onyx wing. Feathers fell to the ground, stained with crimson blood.

"Folken!" Duo shouted. He felt close to the fallen prince for some strange reason. Maybe similar destinies or something about having a kindred spirit out there for one and another.

"Brother!" Van screamed as he caught Folken's falling body, cradling it to him closer.

Duo heard Dillandeu laugh, "Oh, it seems I missed. Well, I won't this time. Say good bye, Van!"

Duo grit his teeth and began to run. He thought, Over my dead body, Phyco Boy. I'll kill you with my bare hands if I have to. He ran into the hanger and strait to his guy melon, or whatever the hell it was called. He opened up the control chamber and harnessed himself in.

Duo looked over to see the newly repaired grey guymelef running out of the hanger. He saw Allen standing there and cursing at it. Heero strikes again, Duo thought with a grim smile as he began to fly.

He flew out into the fray of battle, turning the liquid metal into a curved blade, a weapon he knew how to use all too well. He was surrounded by other melefs, clashing blades. He suffered a blow from the side, shaking him in his harness.

"What the fuck?" he asked as he turned the liquid metal into a shield, blocking another blow. They were moving faster. Their response times were much quicker. Heero in that grey one was beside him, using his sword swiftly and dangerously.

"Is it just me, or are they faster and better?" Duo asked his friend.

Heero grunted. He took a blow and grunted. "Heero?" Duo asked frantically, looking down at the guymelef. Allen was at the control chamber. Duo grit his teeth and began to slash into the suits frantically, trying to buy his friend some time.

Allen plucked Heero out and gently set him down. Hitome had climbed down and rushed over, helping Allen take Heero. Duo gave them cover as Hitome took a still very injured Heero to safety.

He looked up to see Van holding Folken's bleeding form. Van's wings had withdrawn, but Folken's, being as badly injured as they were, had not. Blood was dripping onto the floor of the deck, hitting the guymelefs.

******

"Brother, Folken," Van frantically said, shaking his brother.

Folken smiled, his white hair falling into his eyes. Van noticed the violet tear drop tattooed under his left eye. He said, "I knew that Zaibach was going to do something. I just didn't know how drastic they were."

"You were trying to protect me," Van realized.

Folken nodded and flinched, "And Fanala. If I couldn't be the king that they needed, then maybe I could help another way."

"I understand," Van said, looking at the bleeding ebony wings.

Folken said, "The Draconian's blood . . . He's the reason that the Samurais are going to be near unbeatable. Dornkirk can change fate. He's going to make this world his."

"Damn him," Van cursed, reaching out to try to stop the bleeding. He asked, "How can I stop him?"

"He's got a Fate Alteration machine of some sort. He's pretty afraid of your Hitome," Folken said.

Van looked down to see Hitome rushing a hurt Heero back to safety. Allen was in Scherazade, fighting along side Duo's black guymelef. He noticed that both Duo and Allen were giving Hitome cover as she scrambled to safety.

He was still amazed by her. She had saved them in their first meeting with her visions. She had been taken to another world and met, in his now more mature mind, a brash, young prince and stood up against a dark and invisible enemy. His Hitome, Van did like the sound of that.

He stood up and gave a primal scream. His wings unfurled once again. He picked up Folken's prone form and said, "Hold on, brother." He swooped down from the post. He knew exactly what he had to do.

He flew to Hitome and Heero, now at the blow deck's door. They both walked in and Van gently laid Folken down. He shouted, "Millerna, you're needed!" He knelt beside Folken.

"I understand, brother, now, I have to fight," Van said, squeezing his hand one last time. He stood up before Folken said anything else and flew like an avenging angel to the hanger. He drew his wings back and then climbed into Escaflowne. A battle had to be waged. Now.

******

"Damn, how did they get so fucking fast and good?" Duo shouted to Allen.

Allen answered, "I don't know, but you're doing an excellent job of keeping them back."

"If I would have had my Gundam right now, I'd be able to kick all of these assholes' asses," Duo shouted back. To his horror, they all went into cloak mode. "Fuck!" he shouted as he looked around, wanting to slam his hand into something, but since he was hooked into the machine . . .

"I can't see them," Allen shouted.

Duo looked around, licking his lips. Come on braniac, you're supposed to be really smart. Think of something before you get your ass kicked, he thought to himself as he looked around.

"To your left, Allen!" Van's voice shouted.

Allen managed to block shards of that liquid metal just in time. Duo turned around to see a shimmer in the distance. He pumped his left arm hard and pulled a sharp lever. Heat flooded throughout the control chamber, setting the guymelef on fire, sending smoke everywhere.

He could see some of them. "Oh yeah," he cheered to himself as he began to attack. He swung into action, slicing through one of them completely in half.

"Duo! Watch out!" he heard Van's voice cry.

Duo felt something rip through the suit. A shard of that liquid metal barely missed his side. He gasped in pain as he looked at it, twisting to avoid it. He took a shaky breath and managed to turn his damaged guymelef around.

"Hello Duo, we met again, I see," Dillandeu chuckled demonically.

Duo licked his lips and narrowed his eyes. He sneered, "So, we do, little albino fucker. Come on, pretty boy, show me what ya got."

"I'd be happy too. First thing, BURN!" Dillandeu shouted in a manic tone.

Duo made a shield with his arsenal, stopping some of the fire. The temperature in the suit rose considerably. Duo took deep breaths, finding it hard to breathe. Sweat trickled from the young pilot's brow as he held on. He could feel that the suit was severely damaged. It was having trouble responding to him. "Fuck!" he shouted as the suit gave way and it crashed to the ground.

He heard Dillandeu's manic laughter as he pointed the weaponry at him. Duo closed his eyes and said, "This is it then. Come on, send me to Hell." He heard a sharp sound of metal clashing with metal and opened his eyes to see Escaflowne's sword crossed with the newly formed blade from the red guymelef.

******

Van could see that the black guymelef was severely damaged. Then he saw it fall and he heard Dillandeu's demonic laughter. He turned around to see Dillandeu ready to destroy Duo's melef, with him in it.

So he reacted.

He rushed at it, swinging his sword upward. He slammed it into the outstretched liquid metal, separating it into harmless, beautiful strands. He clipped his sword up, catching the other guymelef. He could see the demonic outline of the red suit as he fought it, using his new ability that Hitome had taught him.

He remembered what Heero had said, about a young girl turning into Dillandeu. Could have Zaibach altered a person's fate that much? To change a person so completely? Could Dillandeu truly be an innocent girl? Van thought as he slammed into the machine. Dillandeu was giving him a good fight as he laughed sadistically, clashing blades and such.

In his thoughts, he was momentarily distracted. "Get him!" Dillandeu shouted and Van turned around as he saw several tenticals of the liquid metal raging at him. He tried to move out of the way, but they were too fast for him.

He closed his eyes. If Escaflowne was destroyed, then he was as good as dead. Somehow, they had won.

******

"Van!" Folken and Hitome shouted at the same time. Hitome ran out of the makeshift infirmary, not listening to Millerna's protests. Merle was along side with her, bounding just as fast as the track star on all floors. Hitome knew instinctively that Van was in danger.

They reached the deck of the airship at the same time. Hitome's breath caught as she looked around. "Van!" she cried as the Escaflowne was pierced by thousands of those liquid metal spears.

"No! Lord Van!" Merle cried out, wrapping her arms around Hitome. Hitome held her close as tears formed in her eyes. She heard Van cry out in pain. Allen's melef turned around to strike, but it was fought off by two of the others. She and Merle sunk to the ground as Escaflowne fell to the ground.

It didn't get up.

"Damn you all to Hell!" Duo Maxwell shouted as he climbed from the control chamber. His long hair fell into his face, escaping from his braid. There was a sort of unholy light in his eyes as he gracefully jumped off of the guymelef.

Hitome saw the Dragon Slayers began to retreat, their job done. Dillandeu's crimson guymelef turned to face the angry teenage boy. "You are still alive?" he asked, his manic voice sounding surprised.

Duo tilted his head up and sneered, "It'll take more than you to kill the God of Death, Dilly."

"Ah, so the demon is more than what he seems," Dillandeu asked in a mocking tone.

Duo stood there, seething, helpless. Allen's guymelef fell as well. Hitome shouted, "Allen!" Merle bounded over to the Escaflowne, heedless of the danger. Hitome followed her, a sickness forming in her chest.

If Van was dead . . .

She pushed the thought back. There was no way that Van could be dead. He was the strongest, most stubborn person that she knew. There was no way that he could be dead. It was impossible. The thought of those sherry colored eyes dimmed forever was too disturbing to think about.

Dillandeu laughed at Duo and taunted, "I'll leave you alive, I think. I've got Van already and I'll let you live with that guilt. You couldn't save him or your friend, and to think, you almost stringed up your best friend." Then he laughed once more as he flew away.

Hitome's hands were on the chest plate, prying them apart. "Come on," she whispered as she felt them to give. She heard Merle sobbing in the background. She heard footsteps and looked to see Allen running to get help. She looked down to see Van lying in the control panel, blood running in crimson rivulets down his head, arms, chest, and legs. His clothing was soaked with blood, but he was still breathing.

Hitome unlocked the harnesses. "Let me help," Duo said, wrapping his arms around the fallen king. Hitome nodded, blinking back tears. The only thing that could help her Van was having Escaflowne repaired. Duo eased him out.

"He shouldn't have been hurt that much," Duo stated as he looked around the control panel.

Hitome swallowed and croaked out, "It's not that, Duo. Van's connected to Escaflowne."

"Fuck, so you're saying that whatever happens to Escaflowne happens to good ole' Van here?" Duo asked, his violet eyes wide with surprise.

Hitome nodded as she pushed strands of Van's raven hair off of his tanned features. She said, "The only way to help him is to repair Escaflowne."

"Lets get him to safety then," Duo said in a grim voice as he began to carry him to the infirmary.

******

Brother and brother were lying side by side in the infirmary. Duo looked at Folken's bandaged wing. It had almost been completely ripped off. Then he looked at Van. He was bleeding from the inside it looked like, wounds that Duo, so acquainted with Death, had never seen. Heero was sitting up in a chair, dressed in one of the knights' clothing, while Relena was getting him to drink something. Hitome and Merle stood by Van, clutching each other like a lifeline.

It's my fault, I did this, Duo thought as he looked at the fallen Draconians. He clinched his fists to his sides. Allen broke the silence, "Dryden isn't here to help us this time and we don't have the money to pay the Ispanos to repair Escaflowne."

"Escaflowne is an Ispano guymelef, isn't it?" Heero asked as Relena moved away. He held the cup of whatever in his hands as he watched everyone with hooded dark blue eyes.

"Van's connected to Escaflowne, whatever happens to Escaflowne happens to him," Hitome said, reaching out and touching the fallen king's hand.

Heero stood up, the white tunic and leather leggings hanging loosely on his slender frame. Despite the ill fitting clothing and the injuries, he still looked like the Perfect Soldier, like he could fight anything. "Can't you fix it?" Heero asked the various soldiers and Allen.

"We don't have that sort of knowledge," Allen said, shaking his blond head.

"He'll die," Hitome whispered, running her fingers through Van's raven hair. Merle was crying softly, holding onto the girl.

Duo looked up and said in a steady voice, "I can fix it." Hell, he was taking a bet, but he was sure that he could. He could fix anything. It was what he did. He could salvage and repair anything. He couldn't repair human life, but he could sure save technology.

"What makes you so sure that you can?" Allen hissed, looking directly at him.

Duo tilted his head proudly. He wasn't sure what to say though. Yeah, it's a natural talent, that's all good, he thought sarcastically as he looked at the knight.

"He can," Folken rasped, sitting up.

Millerna pushed him down and said, "You shouldn't do this. You need to rest. One of your wings was almost completely ripped off. If it wasn't for Van's fast actions, you wouldn't be alive."

"I must repay my brother then," Folken said, his sherry eyes boring into Millerna. He looked at Allen and said, "Look, I know you have no reason to trust me, but I know he can."

Heero spoke up, "It's a natural ability to him. Like Hitome's physic gift, except he can use it at will. If it can be saved, he can save it."

"Heero's right, his reputation precedes him on our world," Relena said surprisingly.

Duo smirked and said, "I'm gonna need all the men that you can spare. And you've gotta listen to every word I say to the letter. If you fuck up, then Van's gonna die. Got it?" There were several nods. Duo crossed his arms and genially smiled. He said, "Then, lets do it."

******

The screams were horrible. Relena stood there as Allen pushed the thrashing Van back to the bed. "What's happening to him?" she asked Heero, who was standing next to him.

"He's feeling all of the repairs to Escaflowne. Whatever Duo's doing, he can feel it," Heero said in his cold monotone.

Relena watched in horror. She hated this world. She wanted to leave whenever it was possible. It was so different and harsh. Even more bloody than the one she hailed from.

"Van, you've gotta hold on!" Allen shouted as he pushed Van down. "Get me some rope!" the knight shouted. Relena flexed her fingers and spun away, unable to watch.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Hitome holding Van's hand through all of it. She turned around and watched Hitome. She stroked his hair and held his hand as he thrashed and screamed in pain.

Heero said, "I'm going to check on Duo. Stay here." With that, he left her alone with the hellish screams.

******

Heero walked out to the hanger. Duo was working frantically on repairs, screaming curses at the soldiers who were helping. He was keeping away from the control chamber, Heero noticed. Then, suddenly, the arm fell off.

There was a loud, piercing scream from the infirmary. Duo flinched and looked down. He shouted, "You stupid fuck! Get that arm back there and tighten it five minutes ago! Be careful, Van can feel every mistake you do!" He went back to work, his long hair fallen in his face, his braid long ago giving up on him.

Heero walked over to the fallen arm and studied it. He saw what was wrong with it. There was a bolt loose. He bent down and tightened the joint before it was placed back onto the machine. He watched. It was looking better. Under Duo's direction, the soldiers were turned into an efficient army of mechanics working on this one guymelef.

He watched for a few hours as they quickly worked, slightly amazed and jealous at Duo's natural ability. It was finished. The machine was clean, well repaired and ready to use. Knowing Duo, there had probably been some other additions as well.

The other knights, exhausted, began to walk away. Duo trudged over to him and yawned. He was half awake, Heero realized as he looked at his friend. They said nothing as they walked back to the infirmary.

Van stood up and the bloody bandages fell from him. He flexed his arms and studied his flawless skin. "I did it," Duo said in a weary voice, his eyes struggling to keep open.

Van looked over at Duo and smiled. He kindly said, "Thank you." Then he turned to Allen. "Set a course for the Zaibach capital. We have business to settle before it's too late."

Heero almost automatically looked at Relena. He had a feeling that she would say something, that was simply how she was. She said, "Look, can't you try to settle things with Zaibach differently, like write up a treaty or something?"

"No," Duo said fiercely. Everyone looked at him. He still looked tired, but there was a strong determination in those elfin features of his as he looked at everyone with his huge, violet eyes. He said, "They are pure evil Relena. They manipulate people and don't care. They twisted me around so much that I almost killed my best friend and I was enjoying every minute. They need to be stopped, and now."

He squared his shoulders. Heero almost smiled to himself. It was a look he knew very well. It was the look of sheer determination that Duo got whenever he refused to be stopped. He said, "I'm gonna repair my guymeleon or whaver the hell it's called, and then I'm gonna be ready to kick Dillandeu's ass."

"Dillandeu is mine," Van said.

Heero looked at his weary friend. He told Duo, "Get some rest."

"My suit needs repaired," Duo stated, the weariness creeping into his eyes once more.

Heero reached out and grabbed Duo's neck. He found the pressure point that would knock Duo out almost immediately. Duo's eyes widened before they closed and he slumped to the ground. "You're no good like this," Heero stated calmly as he turned away, ready to repair the guymelef.

******

Heero flexed his wings. All the guymelefs that were able were ready for take off. Heero, not having a melef, did have a quiver filled with arrows, a long bow, a crossbow, and a sword for a last resort. He was ready to fly. Actually, part of him was exited about this battle.

He looked over at the black guymelef. Duo was checking his repairs and making a few adjustments of his own. They had washed and repaired his uniform that Zaibach had given him, but Duo had added something to the elaborate costume. The heavily filigreed collar had been replaced by the all too familiar priest's collar, signaling that the God of Death was indeed back from Hell.

He jumped from the melef and walked over to Heero. Heero didn't bother sheathing his wings, besides, he liked the cool breeze ruffeling through his feathers. Duo said, "This is it." He sounded excited too. A broad grin was plastid across his face.

Heero said, "When my assistors built this world, they sealed their doom. Fate isn't meant to be played with."

"So, who's gonna stop them?" Duo asked, grinning.

Heero, who had a plan long ago while repairing the guymelef, looked at his friend. He answered in a normal voice, not the monotone, "You and Van are going to fight any and all guymelefs. Allen is acting as a shield as I try to get Hitome to the fate alteration machine."

"Why?" Duo asked, crossing his arms. He was still grinning. Heero had a feeling that he'd grin strait into Hell.

Heero looked out into the brilliant crimson sunset. Earth and the moon could easily be seen now, a strangely beautiful and familiar sight. Heero was thinking about staying here after the battle was over. He felt comfortable here, at ease that he didn't have to hide here. He didn't feel like that on Earth or on the colonies.

He was, pure and simply, home.

He was remembering his child hood, his parents, and the fate of the Draconians and the other things that were now all too familiar to him. He still had all of his training and he was going to keep the name Heero Yuy, but he was home. And he knew his home's abilities.

"Because the necklace that Hitome has the ability to change fate as well, to the person's will," Heero stated calmly.

'Lets go," Duo said with a grin, looking out into the sunset.

To Be Continued!

Author's Notes: I know, its coming long and drawn out, but isn't it worth it? Hopeful, not including the epilogue, the next chapter will be the last. I've just gotta do some research first and we'll be all good. Oh, and I really like the song Engle. It fits Duo in an insane way.