Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction ❯ Journey of Fire and Shadow ❯ Part Four ( Chapter 4 )
[ P - Pre-Teen ]
By: Feye Morgan 
Anime/Manga: Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Supernatural / Drama | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 07.05.2003 | Pages: 9 | Words: 3.5K | Visits: 230 | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Supernatural / Drama | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 07.05.2003 | Pages: 9 | Words: 3.5K | Visits: 230 | Status: Completed
Heh, I just realized I've forgotten to do the disclaimer for
the last two chapters. So...here it is.
Feye: Dilandau?
Dilandau: *blinks*
Feye: Aaaaaannd NOW! The grand prize! For one million
flamethrowers...DO I OWN ESCAFLOWNE?!?!
Dilandau: *pauses from torching the Vione* Um...no?
Feye: CORRECT! And there you have it folks! I do NOT own
Escaflowne!
Dilandau: So...where are my flamethrowers?
Feye: *sweatdrops* Um...ONWARD! Heh heh...
Dilandau: HEY! Where are my FLAMETHROWERS? FEYE!?!
A JOURNEY OF FIRE AND SHADOW: PART FOUR by Feye Morgan
~*~*~*~*~*~
Dilandau walked full-force into the king. Van Fanel backed
away, an apology automatically falling from his lips. Then he
paused.
~Oh my god~ Dilandau thought, panicking. He must not be
discovered this soon.
Van stared at Dilandau, who was looking down, hiding his
bright crimson eyes from view and holding his katina behind
his back. Van -knew- he had seen the worker from someplace
before...
"Excuse me, but have we met?"
Dilandau paused.
~There's no one around. Maybe I could just kill him right
here and be done with it. I could hide his body, and no one
whould know until it was too late...~
Dilandau discarded the thought almost as soon as it entered
his head. Tempting though it was, Dilandau realized that Van
would be missed before the voyage was done. Furthermore,
killing someone involved spilling blood, especially if a
sword was involved. If someone walked by while Dilandau was
cleaning up the mess, his charade would be over, and his
Dragonslayers' lives forfeit.
He also wanted to make Van suffer before he died.
"No, my lord. I do not believe so." Dilandau said, trying to
disguise his voice. As soon as the words fell from his lips,
the albino winced inwardly. His voice was too distinctive to
be changed.
Van frowned.
*That voice...I've heard that voice before...*
"Dilandau..." Van whispered. The name was almost inaudible.
~Damn~
Dilandau held his breath, his hands tightening on his katina.
Van shook his head.
*No, Dilandau is dead. I made sure of that. This fellow
simply looks similar to him*
Dilandau held back a sigh of relief when the king waved his
hand dismissively.
"I am sorry to have kept you from your duties." Van nodded at
Dilandau and walked on, apparently having dismissed him from
his mind.
Heart pounding in his chest, the albino slid into some dark
shadows by a corner, and attempted to calm his thoughts.
Holding himself back from killing Van had taken all of his
energy. As soon as the dark-haired boy's face had clicked in
his mind, the whispering had come back.
Ghosts of the underworld. They were reminding him of why he
had returned to the living.
~But did I really come back just to kill Van, or did I come
longing only for a second chance?~
The last vision Dilandau had endured in the realm of shadow
would suggest the latter, but Dilandau was still torn.
The albino bowed his head, the taunting mists threatening to
overwhelm him.
|One step at a time, Dilandau|
The calm, deep voice of Folken reached him from somewhere
deep in the recesses of the boy's mind.
~One step at a time. That's right. Get my Dragonslayers free.
THEN I will decide what to do next~
With Folken's wisdom holding the ghosts at bay, Dilandau
continued down the halls of the Crusade.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Seven soldiers in battered blue uniforms sat huddled in a
small cell. Three guards armed to the teeth paced back and
forth, stretching their legs. Had the prisoners not been in
an airship cell, the guards would have broken up their huddle
long ago. But as it was, they saw no need to keep the seven
from talking to one another. After all, there was no escape
from an airship.
"We came all this way, just to die again," Guimel sighed.
Gatti frowned. "That's not true. We saved Dilandau-sama,
didn't we?"
The slayers' eyes flicked briefly over to the guards, hoping
none of them had overheard.
Refina nodded. "Do you think he's very angry with us?"
Dalet grinned. "Furious, I'll bet. Especially with you,
Refina. Don't think he didn't get a glimpse of red hair
before you knocked him out."
The fiery-haired slayer gave a weak grin.
"I hope he doesn't try to come after us," Guimel said.
"Knowing him, he will," Migel muttered. He sighed, and then
shook his chestnut head. "There's nothing to worry about,
though. This cursed ship took off before he could ever track
us down. Besides, if he had made it here, they'd probably
have caught him, and we'd have heard about it."
This seemed to make sense to the rest of the slayers.
"Yes, Dilandau-sama is safe."
"I wonder where he'll go?"
"Probably to hunt down that blasted Dragon."
Refina's eyes narrowed at the mention of the hated king. She
smiled unpleasantly. "Dilandau-sama will get him. I'm sure of
it."
The friends spent some time discussing the possible
'interesting' modes for demise that their leader might have
in store for his archenemy. Their sadistic laughs rang eerily
off the cell walls.
The guards, judging by their expressions, were quite
unnerved, so that when a knock came at the prison door, they
were more than happy to answer it, secretly hoping that
replacements had come to relieve them. The slayers paused in
their discussion to view the visitor.
It was a worker, probably an engineer. The pile of clothes in
their arms hid their face.
"Here, I'll help you with that," one guard offered. There was
a muffled reply from behind the clothes. The guard leaned
forward, trying to catch what the person was saying.
The slayers heard a dull thud, and the guard's eyes rolled
back in his head. He slumped unconscious to the ground.
"What the-" the guards stammered.
"DILANDAU-SAMA!"
The two remaining guards froze, unsure of what had just
happened. The moment's hesitation was all Dilandau needed. He
spun swiftly, kicking one guard in the head with his foot. He
went down. The other guard backed away, hand fumbling for his
sword. Dilandau swiftly unsheathed his katina, and held the
point firmly against the man's throat. Eyes wide with fear,
the guard held his hands shakily above his head.
"W-who are you?" he asked in a terrified whispered.
The albino smiled wickedly. He removed his glasses and tossed
his head back, letting his hair fall into some of its usual,
distinctive style.
The guard's eyes opened even wider. He went white as a sheet.
"Albatou."
"Now, you just keep quiet, and you won't get hurt.
Understood?"
The man nodded as best he could with a sword at his throat.
"Good," Dilandau purred. "Now, unlock the cell door. No, the
one with -my- soldiers in it, you idiot. Don't try me."
The cell lock opened with a click, and Dilandau cracked the
hilt of his katina against the remaining guard's temple.
Smiling, Dilandau looked up into the faces of his soldiers.
To his surprise, they did not look happy to see him.
"Dilandau-sama..." Shesta whispered, face filled with horror.
"What?" Dilandau snapped, annoyed.
~Am I cut? Bleeding? What the hell is the matter?~
Dilandau growled.
"Dilandau-sama, you shouldn't have come after us," Gatti
said.
Dilandau's ruby eyes narrowed into slits. "What did you say?
Second-in-command, you forget your place. Don't you dare to
presume what I may or may not do. You remember what I told
Folken? I. Do. Not. Leave. My. Soldiers. Behind. Got it?"
"B-but Dilandau-sama!" Refina cried, stiffening for the slap
she knew was to follow. "You could get killed!"
Dilandau stormed over to her, his face inches from her own.
Refina forced herself to meet his eyes.
"You were certain to be killed. Do you think I am stupid
enough to walk in here without a plan? You have more sense in
your head than that, Refina. Do not disappoint me." Dilandau
held her gaze for another long moment. Abruptly he
straightened, and bent to gather the scattered engineer
uniforms he had 'borrowed'.
"You will all remove your uniforms and wear these instead.
Your faces are relatively unknown, so you will be overlooked
in these clothes." The general tossed a uniform at each
slayer. "Now."
While his slayers changed uniforms, Dilandau tore strips of
cloth from the guards' sleeved outer tunics and bound their
hands and feet securely. Careful not to jar them awake, he
then lifted them and placed them inside the cell, which he
locked. The albino smiled evilly and pocketed the keys.
"Everyone ready?"
"Hai."
"We will all separate into pairs once we exit this door. A
group of eight attracts much more attention than a couple of
workers. When the ship lands, get out as soon as you can. I
will be by the damaged wing, pretending to examine it. I know
enough about airships to pass as an engineer if I am
questioned. From there, we will plan what to do."
Dilandau replaced his glasses and ruffled his hair once more.
"If I hear one peep out of any of you, you'll wish I'd never
shown up," he growled.
The eight 'engineers' walked casually out of the prison
sector, branching off into the shadows of the corridors.
~*~*~*~*~*~*
Van paced the bridge impatiently.
"We will be arriving in Palas shortly, Van," Allen Schezar
said curtly. His argument with the young king had touched off
both tempers.
"It's about time," Van growled. Allen frowned disapprovingly,
and then sighed. Van had been irritable ever since Hitomi had
left. According to Van, just after the Fate Alteration
Machine had been destroyed, she had mysteriously vanished out
of his very arms. It was generally accepted that her time on
Gaea had expired, and she had gone home to her Mystic Moon.
::I wonder if I'll ever see her again:: Allen thought.
Van's sharp voice broke the knight's musings.
"How soon can we get the trial underway?"
Allen sighed. "Almost immediately. The people are flushed
with their victory over Zaibach, and they are eager to see
the remnants of their military might destroyed. I am sure
that Millerna-hime and Eires-hime will push for a trial as
soon as possible."
Van smirked. "Good."
"Why do you wish for their deaths so vehemently, Van?"
Van spun, fury twisting his features. "They destroyed my
entire COUNTRY, Allen! Fanelia! All of it! Gone! Burnt to
ashes!"
"You killed Dilandau. Isn't that enough?"
"No."
Allen closed his eyes and turned away to gaze out the helm
window. The sun was rising over Palas, bathing the city in a
golden glow.
::How deceptively divine. Looking at that city, one would not
guess that seven children are to meet their untimely deaths
there::
Allen frowned.
::But, they aren't children, are they? No, Zaibach made them
all grow up far too quickly. Zaibach ruined them, just like
they ruined Serena. Oh, Serena. How I wish you were not lost
to me forever!::
Allen glanced at Van. The arrogant king was pacing once
again, eyes fixed on the approaching capital.
::Hitomi, if only you hadn't left Van. You brought out what
good there was in him. Now I fear that all there is left is
anger. He will never be satisfied. He was not even satisfied
with the death of Dilandau, and the death of my dear sweet
sister::
Allen Schezar steeled his mind, and gazed stoically at the
shining golden city of death rising to meet him.
~*~*~*~*~*~*
Dilandau and Migel strode down corridor after corridor,
looking for the exit.
~This ship -can't- be this big. It doesn't -look- big from
the outside...~
Dilandau growled with frustration.
"Migel," he hissed, "do you remember which way you came in?"
Migel studied the hallways. Dilandau gritted his teeth, and
resisted the urge to slap his soldier.
"That way, I believe, my lord."
"You had better be right, Lavariel."
"Yes, Dilandau-sama."
Dilandau's ruby eyes narrowed into slits. They walked for
several minutes without encountering a single soul. Migel
grew increasingly nervous, well aware of his commander's
short temper. But, just as Dilandau was about to verbally
assault his companion, he paused suddenly, and held out a
hand, motioning for Migel to stop as well.
"Listen," Dilandau whispered.
The pair could hear cranks and groans emanating from the
mechanics of the ship. Wings furled and landing gear churned
down.
~We have arrived~
Dilandau braced himself for the jar of impact. To his
surprise, he barely felt the ship sway.
~Whoever is piloting this craft is good~
Migel looked questioningly at his commander. Still, Dilandau
motioned for both of them to remain still. The albino's ears
pricked when he heard footsteps approaching from behind.
Another engineer walked briskly past them, not even giving
them a second glance.
"Now," Dilandau said quietly, once the engineer was out of
hearing range, "we just follow him." The engineer, like his
fellows, would be heading towards the exit.
Dilandau smiled, and pondered his sweet revenge was he took
step after step to freedom.
*~*~*~*~*~*~
Shesta and Refina breathed in deeply, tilting their heads
back to let the sunlight bathe their faces.
"Free," Shesta murmured.
"Well, not quite free yet. They're bound to find the guards
and our discarded uniforms in the cell. Dilandau must have
'borrowed' these engineers' clothing from somewhere. We have
to get out of here before they put two and two together. Do
you see Dilandau-sama, Shesta?"
Shesta squinted, letting his eyes adjust to the bright
sunlight.
"There, by the damamged wing, like he said he would be."
The two slayers went to greet their commander. Migel was
there, as was everyone else.
"You're late," Dilandau said, his voice and face cool and
emotionless.
Shesta and Refina bowed their heads. "We're sorry, Dilandau-
sama."
Dilandau gazed at them for a moment before replying.
"Fortunately, not too late. Come on. Let's go." Dilandau took
the lead, walking away from the Crusade. No one saw them
leave. Everyone was already preoccupied with either checking
the ship or greeting the huge crowd of jubilant welcomers who
were presently occupied in swarming the airship.
"Where are we going, Dilandau-sama?" Guimel asked curiously.
"You were under the impression that we would be taking a
guymelef out, weren't you?"
Guimel turned red, knowing that he looked foolish in his
lord's eyes.
"Hai, Dilandau-sama."
"A guymelef would attract too much attention. With both the
Escaflowne and Scherezade nearby, we would not get far.
Especially not with the pathetic models Asturia uses. They
can't even fly." Dilandau snorted contemptuously.
The Dragonslayers were silent, not wishing to provoke their
leader by asking too many questions. But Dilandau must have
sensed their curiosity, for he smiled slightly, and
continued.
"We will be taking horses, Guimel. If I remember correctly
from the layout map in Zaibach, there should be a stable
somewhere nearby. It's a large one, so large that they won't
miss eight horses until we are a good distance away."
"But, Dilandau-sama," Gatti questioned, "won't they be able
to track us, even on horses?"
Dilandau pursed his lips, frowing.
~Van~
Suddenly his features lit up. His mouth twisted into the
infamous grin he usually wore when he was about to char an
object...or person...into cinders. An insane light shone in
the albino's blood-red eyes.
"D-Dilandau-sama?" Viole asked hesitantly.
"Yes, they will be able to track us. Van will be able to
track us. And he will come. Oh yes he will. And when he
catches us, we will be waiting for him."
The Dragonslayers smiled slowly, digesting their lord's plan.
"Where shall we lead them to, my lord?" Gatti asked.
Dilandau grinned. "Fanelia."
~*~*~*~*~*~
"My lord!" Gaddess burst into the helm, breathing heavily,
face pale.
Allen frowned. "What is it?"
"The prisoners...they're gone!"
"What?!?"
"And so is that little girl who came aboard!"
Allen's eyes narrowed. "What little girl?" he asked.
"There was a girl, about fifteen, I'd say, who approached the
Crusade while it was being repaired on the battlefield. She
was looking for her father. She said he'd been in the war,
and she couldn't find him."
Allen's mind turned.
::A girl? There should be none on the battlefield. How did
she get there? Unless...::
"Gaddess, what did she look like?"
Gaddess frowned slightly at the sudden urgency in his lord's
voice.
"Oh, she was tall, slender, with short grey-ish hair and
brilliant blue eyes. She had a standard banner wrapped around
her. I think she was cold."
"Did she seem lost? Confused? As if she didn't know where she
was?"
Gaddess thought. "I believe she did look a bit confused, my
lord."
"Serena..." Allen breathed.
Gaddess looked up sharply. "Serena? Who...do you mean your
sister, Boss? But, she's been missing for ten years!"
Allen barely seemed to hear his sergeant's words.
"Van? Where is Van?" Allen grabbed Gaddess by the collar.
"Whoa, Boss, take it easy! He's gone. I think he left in
Escaflowne to follow the prisoners."
::Serena::
Allen released Gaddess roughly and fairly sprinted to the
hangar.
::I must catch Van before it's too late!::
~*~*~*~*~* (AN: I don't know how far apart Fanelia and
Asturia are. I'm assuming they border each other, so I'm
figuring it's about three or four hour's ride on horseback
from Palas. I'm sorry if I have that wrong.)
The ride to Fanelia was long and quiet. The eight travellers
were engrossed in their own thoughts, Dilandau included.
Dilandau was puzzled with himself. He knew that he wanted to
kill Van more than anything at the moment.
~Or do I? Is his death really necessary?~
Dilandau supressed a shudder and the ghosts' whispering
brought back the memory of his vision of the Angel of Death,
himself. All that destruction and chaos was his fault. He no
longer felt guilty, however. Those crimes were in a past
life. He was reborn with a new chance, and had no intention
of repeating his actions.
~But do I really want to taint my new life with the blood of
yet another enemy?~
Dilandau bit his lip, frustrated. He hated Van with a
passion. He knew that for certain. So why was he hesitating?
|If you are not happy now, Van's death will not make you so|
The familiar calm voice crept over his mind like a warm
blanket. Mist swirled.
~Folken. How nice to hear from you again~ Dilandau thought
wryly.
|You wish for revenge, don't you, Dilandau?|
~Brilliant observation, Strategos~
Silence.
Dilandau growled silently. ~Sorry, Strategos~
Folken's presense radiated amusement. An apology? From the
cold, stony General of Zaibach? How interesting.
Dilandau fumed.
|Remember, Dilandau, you have faced and overcome your crimes.
Van, however, has not yet faced his own|
~What are you saying, Strategos?~
|Van will continue to hunt you down. He has embraced his
wrongdoings; he has 'shouldered the burden of war' as he once
phrased it|
~...~
|Puzzle it out, Dilandau. How painful was it for you to see
all the lives you had ruined?|
Dilandau's mind lit with the glimmerings of understanding.
~But Folken, how-~
|Ah, this part you would not know. Do you recall Hitomi
Kanzaki?|
~That girl from the Phantom Moon?~
Folken's presense nodded. |She had a pendant, one made
partially of drag-energist, and partially of a still-unknown
substance. In her hands and in Van's it had the ability to
bring on visions|
~Visions...~ Dilandau pondered this for a moment. ~But
Folken, then I'd have to find the blasted girl, and I haven't
got time for that!~
|She had returned to the Mystic Moon, where she belongs|
~Oh that's just peachy~
|When she felt the light pulling her out of Van's arms in the
Fate Alteration Machine Control Center, she gave him
something to remember him by|
~Should I care?~
|She gave him her pendant|
~...oh. And so I suppose the sentimental idiot has taken to
wearing it, then?~
There was no response.
~Folken? FOLKEN! Why do you always disappear like that?!?~
But Dilandau smiled in spite of it. He now had his answer.
"My lord." Shesta's voice brought Dilandau back to the
present.
"We have arrived."
Dilandau looked ahead. Down an uneven slope before him were
the ruins of Fanelia. The once proud country's buildings were
hollow and broken, the ground still black and dead. Here and
there, however, the purple blooms of the fireweed plant poked
around shattered columns and walls, assuring the return of
life in the future.
Dilandau rode down through the ruins, memories of fire and
shadow flashing through his mind. He shrugged them away as
they came. His past life would not burden him. He had known
nothing but pain then. But now, now was his second chance.
Eventually, they came to a stop in front of what had once
been the palace building. It was the only building in
relatively good condition, taking into consideration the
state that the rest of the country was in. Dilandau could
still make out the Fanelian crest upon the broken doors.
~What a perfect place to settle this~ Dilandau grinned. The
irony was almost too much.
"My lord! Look!" Migel pointed at the sky. Dilandau turned,
knowing what he would find.
A single speck of light, too bright for a daytime star, shone
from the direction of Asturia. It grew brighter.
"Come for me, Van. Come."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
the last two chapters. So...here it is.
Feye: Dilandau?
Dilandau: *blinks*
Feye: Aaaaaannd NOW! The grand prize! For one million
flamethrowers...DO I OWN ESCAFLOWNE?!?!
Dilandau: *pauses from torching the Vione* Um...no?
Feye: CORRECT! And there you have it folks! I do NOT own
Escaflowne!
Dilandau: So...where are my flamethrowers?
Feye: *sweatdrops* Um...ONWARD! Heh heh...
Dilandau: HEY! Where are my FLAMETHROWERS? FEYE!?!
A JOURNEY OF FIRE AND SHADOW: PART FOUR by Feye Morgan
~*~*~*~*~*~
Dilandau walked full-force into the king. Van Fanel backed
away, an apology automatically falling from his lips. Then he
paused.
~Oh my god~ Dilandau thought, panicking. He must not be
discovered this soon.
Van stared at Dilandau, who was looking down, hiding his
bright crimson eyes from view and holding his katina behind
his back. Van -knew- he had seen the worker from someplace
before...
"Excuse me, but have we met?"
Dilandau paused.
~There's no one around. Maybe I could just kill him right
here and be done with it. I could hide his body, and no one
whould know until it was too late...~
Dilandau discarded the thought almost as soon as it entered
his head. Tempting though it was, Dilandau realized that Van
would be missed before the voyage was done. Furthermore,
killing someone involved spilling blood, especially if a
sword was involved. If someone walked by while Dilandau was
cleaning up the mess, his charade would be over, and his
Dragonslayers' lives forfeit.
He also wanted to make Van suffer before he died.
"No, my lord. I do not believe so." Dilandau said, trying to
disguise his voice. As soon as the words fell from his lips,
the albino winced inwardly. His voice was too distinctive to
be changed.
Van frowned.
*That voice...I've heard that voice before...*
"Dilandau..." Van whispered. The name was almost inaudible.
~Damn~
Dilandau held his breath, his hands tightening on his katina.
Van shook his head.
*No, Dilandau is dead. I made sure of that. This fellow
simply looks similar to him*
Dilandau held back a sigh of relief when the king waved his
hand dismissively.
"I am sorry to have kept you from your duties." Van nodded at
Dilandau and walked on, apparently having dismissed him from
his mind.
Heart pounding in his chest, the albino slid into some dark
shadows by a corner, and attempted to calm his thoughts.
Holding himself back from killing Van had taken all of his
energy. As soon as the dark-haired boy's face had clicked in
his mind, the whispering had come back.
Ghosts of the underworld. They were reminding him of why he
had returned to the living.
~But did I really come back just to kill Van, or did I come
longing only for a second chance?~
The last vision Dilandau had endured in the realm of shadow
would suggest the latter, but Dilandau was still torn.
The albino bowed his head, the taunting mists threatening to
overwhelm him.
|One step at a time, Dilandau|
The calm, deep voice of Folken reached him from somewhere
deep in the recesses of the boy's mind.
~One step at a time. That's right. Get my Dragonslayers free.
THEN I will decide what to do next~
With Folken's wisdom holding the ghosts at bay, Dilandau
continued down the halls of the Crusade.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Seven soldiers in battered blue uniforms sat huddled in a
small cell. Three guards armed to the teeth paced back and
forth, stretching their legs. Had the prisoners not been in
an airship cell, the guards would have broken up their huddle
long ago. But as it was, they saw no need to keep the seven
from talking to one another. After all, there was no escape
from an airship.
"We came all this way, just to die again," Guimel sighed.
Gatti frowned. "That's not true. We saved Dilandau-sama,
didn't we?"
The slayers' eyes flicked briefly over to the guards, hoping
none of them had overheard.
Refina nodded. "Do you think he's very angry with us?"
Dalet grinned. "Furious, I'll bet. Especially with you,
Refina. Don't think he didn't get a glimpse of red hair
before you knocked him out."
The fiery-haired slayer gave a weak grin.
"I hope he doesn't try to come after us," Guimel said.
"Knowing him, he will," Migel muttered. He sighed, and then
shook his chestnut head. "There's nothing to worry about,
though. This cursed ship took off before he could ever track
us down. Besides, if he had made it here, they'd probably
have caught him, and we'd have heard about it."
This seemed to make sense to the rest of the slayers.
"Yes, Dilandau-sama is safe."
"I wonder where he'll go?"
"Probably to hunt down that blasted Dragon."
Refina's eyes narrowed at the mention of the hated king. She
smiled unpleasantly. "Dilandau-sama will get him. I'm sure of
it."
The friends spent some time discussing the possible
'interesting' modes for demise that their leader might have
in store for his archenemy. Their sadistic laughs rang eerily
off the cell walls.
The guards, judging by their expressions, were quite
unnerved, so that when a knock came at the prison door, they
were more than happy to answer it, secretly hoping that
replacements had come to relieve them. The slayers paused in
their discussion to view the visitor.
It was a worker, probably an engineer. The pile of clothes in
their arms hid their face.
"Here, I'll help you with that," one guard offered. There was
a muffled reply from behind the clothes. The guard leaned
forward, trying to catch what the person was saying.
The slayers heard a dull thud, and the guard's eyes rolled
back in his head. He slumped unconscious to the ground.
"What the-" the guards stammered.
"DILANDAU-SAMA!"
The two remaining guards froze, unsure of what had just
happened. The moment's hesitation was all Dilandau needed. He
spun swiftly, kicking one guard in the head with his foot. He
went down. The other guard backed away, hand fumbling for his
sword. Dilandau swiftly unsheathed his katina, and held the
point firmly against the man's throat. Eyes wide with fear,
the guard held his hands shakily above his head.
"W-who are you?" he asked in a terrified whispered.
The albino smiled wickedly. He removed his glasses and tossed
his head back, letting his hair fall into some of its usual,
distinctive style.
The guard's eyes opened even wider. He went white as a sheet.
"Albatou."
"Now, you just keep quiet, and you won't get hurt.
Understood?"
The man nodded as best he could with a sword at his throat.
"Good," Dilandau purred. "Now, unlock the cell door. No, the
one with -my- soldiers in it, you idiot. Don't try me."
The cell lock opened with a click, and Dilandau cracked the
hilt of his katina against the remaining guard's temple.
Smiling, Dilandau looked up into the faces of his soldiers.
To his surprise, they did not look happy to see him.
"Dilandau-sama..." Shesta whispered, face filled with horror.
"What?" Dilandau snapped, annoyed.
~Am I cut? Bleeding? What the hell is the matter?~
Dilandau growled.
"Dilandau-sama, you shouldn't have come after us," Gatti
said.
Dilandau's ruby eyes narrowed into slits. "What did you say?
Second-in-command, you forget your place. Don't you dare to
presume what I may or may not do. You remember what I told
Folken? I. Do. Not. Leave. My. Soldiers. Behind. Got it?"
"B-but Dilandau-sama!" Refina cried, stiffening for the slap
she knew was to follow. "You could get killed!"
Dilandau stormed over to her, his face inches from her own.
Refina forced herself to meet his eyes.
"You were certain to be killed. Do you think I am stupid
enough to walk in here without a plan? You have more sense in
your head than that, Refina. Do not disappoint me." Dilandau
held her gaze for another long moment. Abruptly he
straightened, and bent to gather the scattered engineer
uniforms he had 'borrowed'.
"You will all remove your uniforms and wear these instead.
Your faces are relatively unknown, so you will be overlooked
in these clothes." The general tossed a uniform at each
slayer. "Now."
While his slayers changed uniforms, Dilandau tore strips of
cloth from the guards' sleeved outer tunics and bound their
hands and feet securely. Careful not to jar them awake, he
then lifted them and placed them inside the cell, which he
locked. The albino smiled evilly and pocketed the keys.
"Everyone ready?"
"Hai."
"We will all separate into pairs once we exit this door. A
group of eight attracts much more attention than a couple of
workers. When the ship lands, get out as soon as you can. I
will be by the damaged wing, pretending to examine it. I know
enough about airships to pass as an engineer if I am
questioned. From there, we will plan what to do."
Dilandau replaced his glasses and ruffled his hair once more.
"If I hear one peep out of any of you, you'll wish I'd never
shown up," he growled.
The eight 'engineers' walked casually out of the prison
sector, branching off into the shadows of the corridors.
~*~*~*~*~*~*
Van paced the bridge impatiently.
"We will be arriving in Palas shortly, Van," Allen Schezar
said curtly. His argument with the young king had touched off
both tempers.
"It's about time," Van growled. Allen frowned disapprovingly,
and then sighed. Van had been irritable ever since Hitomi had
left. According to Van, just after the Fate Alteration
Machine had been destroyed, she had mysteriously vanished out
of his very arms. It was generally accepted that her time on
Gaea had expired, and she had gone home to her Mystic Moon.
::I wonder if I'll ever see her again:: Allen thought.
Van's sharp voice broke the knight's musings.
"How soon can we get the trial underway?"
Allen sighed. "Almost immediately. The people are flushed
with their victory over Zaibach, and they are eager to see
the remnants of their military might destroyed. I am sure
that Millerna-hime and Eires-hime will push for a trial as
soon as possible."
Van smirked. "Good."
"Why do you wish for their deaths so vehemently, Van?"
Van spun, fury twisting his features. "They destroyed my
entire COUNTRY, Allen! Fanelia! All of it! Gone! Burnt to
ashes!"
"You killed Dilandau. Isn't that enough?"
"No."
Allen closed his eyes and turned away to gaze out the helm
window. The sun was rising over Palas, bathing the city in a
golden glow.
::How deceptively divine. Looking at that city, one would not
guess that seven children are to meet their untimely deaths
there::
Allen frowned.
::But, they aren't children, are they? No, Zaibach made them
all grow up far too quickly. Zaibach ruined them, just like
they ruined Serena. Oh, Serena. How I wish you were not lost
to me forever!::
Allen glanced at Van. The arrogant king was pacing once
again, eyes fixed on the approaching capital.
::Hitomi, if only you hadn't left Van. You brought out what
good there was in him. Now I fear that all there is left is
anger. He will never be satisfied. He was not even satisfied
with the death of Dilandau, and the death of my dear sweet
sister::
Allen Schezar steeled his mind, and gazed stoically at the
shining golden city of death rising to meet him.
~*~*~*~*~*~*
Dilandau and Migel strode down corridor after corridor,
looking for the exit.
~This ship -can't- be this big. It doesn't -look- big from
the outside...~
Dilandau growled with frustration.
"Migel," he hissed, "do you remember which way you came in?"
Migel studied the hallways. Dilandau gritted his teeth, and
resisted the urge to slap his soldier.
"That way, I believe, my lord."
"You had better be right, Lavariel."
"Yes, Dilandau-sama."
Dilandau's ruby eyes narrowed into slits. They walked for
several minutes without encountering a single soul. Migel
grew increasingly nervous, well aware of his commander's
short temper. But, just as Dilandau was about to verbally
assault his companion, he paused suddenly, and held out a
hand, motioning for Migel to stop as well.
"Listen," Dilandau whispered.
The pair could hear cranks and groans emanating from the
mechanics of the ship. Wings furled and landing gear churned
down.
~We have arrived~
Dilandau braced himself for the jar of impact. To his
surprise, he barely felt the ship sway.
~Whoever is piloting this craft is good~
Migel looked questioningly at his commander. Still, Dilandau
motioned for both of them to remain still. The albino's ears
pricked when he heard footsteps approaching from behind.
Another engineer walked briskly past them, not even giving
them a second glance.
"Now," Dilandau said quietly, once the engineer was out of
hearing range, "we just follow him." The engineer, like his
fellows, would be heading towards the exit.
Dilandau smiled, and pondered his sweet revenge was he took
step after step to freedom.
*~*~*~*~*~*~
Shesta and Refina breathed in deeply, tilting their heads
back to let the sunlight bathe their faces.
"Free," Shesta murmured.
"Well, not quite free yet. They're bound to find the guards
and our discarded uniforms in the cell. Dilandau must have
'borrowed' these engineers' clothing from somewhere. We have
to get out of here before they put two and two together. Do
you see Dilandau-sama, Shesta?"
Shesta squinted, letting his eyes adjust to the bright
sunlight.
"There, by the damamged wing, like he said he would be."
The two slayers went to greet their commander. Migel was
there, as was everyone else.
"You're late," Dilandau said, his voice and face cool and
emotionless.
Shesta and Refina bowed their heads. "We're sorry, Dilandau-
sama."
Dilandau gazed at them for a moment before replying.
"Fortunately, not too late. Come on. Let's go." Dilandau took
the lead, walking away from the Crusade. No one saw them
leave. Everyone was already preoccupied with either checking
the ship or greeting the huge crowd of jubilant welcomers who
were presently occupied in swarming the airship.
"Where are we going, Dilandau-sama?" Guimel asked curiously.
"You were under the impression that we would be taking a
guymelef out, weren't you?"
Guimel turned red, knowing that he looked foolish in his
lord's eyes.
"Hai, Dilandau-sama."
"A guymelef would attract too much attention. With both the
Escaflowne and Scherezade nearby, we would not get far.
Especially not with the pathetic models Asturia uses. They
can't even fly." Dilandau snorted contemptuously.
The Dragonslayers were silent, not wishing to provoke their
leader by asking too many questions. But Dilandau must have
sensed their curiosity, for he smiled slightly, and
continued.
"We will be taking horses, Guimel. If I remember correctly
from the layout map in Zaibach, there should be a stable
somewhere nearby. It's a large one, so large that they won't
miss eight horses until we are a good distance away."
"But, Dilandau-sama," Gatti questioned, "won't they be able
to track us, even on horses?"
Dilandau pursed his lips, frowing.
~Van~
Suddenly his features lit up. His mouth twisted into the
infamous grin he usually wore when he was about to char an
object...or person...into cinders. An insane light shone in
the albino's blood-red eyes.
"D-Dilandau-sama?" Viole asked hesitantly.
"Yes, they will be able to track us. Van will be able to
track us. And he will come. Oh yes he will. And when he
catches us, we will be waiting for him."
The Dragonslayers smiled slowly, digesting their lord's plan.
"Where shall we lead them to, my lord?" Gatti asked.
Dilandau grinned. "Fanelia."
~*~*~*~*~*~
"My lord!" Gaddess burst into the helm, breathing heavily,
face pale.
Allen frowned. "What is it?"
"The prisoners...they're gone!"
"What?!?"
"And so is that little girl who came aboard!"
Allen's eyes narrowed. "What little girl?" he asked.
"There was a girl, about fifteen, I'd say, who approached the
Crusade while it was being repaired on the battlefield. She
was looking for her father. She said he'd been in the war,
and she couldn't find him."
Allen's mind turned.
::A girl? There should be none on the battlefield. How did
she get there? Unless...::
"Gaddess, what did she look like?"
Gaddess frowned slightly at the sudden urgency in his lord's
voice.
"Oh, she was tall, slender, with short grey-ish hair and
brilliant blue eyes. She had a standard banner wrapped around
her. I think she was cold."
"Did she seem lost? Confused? As if she didn't know where she
was?"
Gaddess thought. "I believe she did look a bit confused, my
lord."
"Serena..." Allen breathed.
Gaddess looked up sharply. "Serena? Who...do you mean your
sister, Boss? But, she's been missing for ten years!"
Allen barely seemed to hear his sergeant's words.
"Van? Where is Van?" Allen grabbed Gaddess by the collar.
"Whoa, Boss, take it easy! He's gone. I think he left in
Escaflowne to follow the prisoners."
::Serena::
Allen released Gaddess roughly and fairly sprinted to the
hangar.
::I must catch Van before it's too late!::
~*~*~*~*~* (AN: I don't know how far apart Fanelia and
Asturia are. I'm assuming they border each other, so I'm
figuring it's about three or four hour's ride on horseback
from Palas. I'm sorry if I have that wrong.)
The ride to Fanelia was long and quiet. The eight travellers
were engrossed in their own thoughts, Dilandau included.
Dilandau was puzzled with himself. He knew that he wanted to
kill Van more than anything at the moment.
~Or do I? Is his death really necessary?~
Dilandau supressed a shudder and the ghosts' whispering
brought back the memory of his vision of the Angel of Death,
himself. All that destruction and chaos was his fault. He no
longer felt guilty, however. Those crimes were in a past
life. He was reborn with a new chance, and had no intention
of repeating his actions.
~But do I really want to taint my new life with the blood of
yet another enemy?~
Dilandau bit his lip, frustrated. He hated Van with a
passion. He knew that for certain. So why was he hesitating?
|If you are not happy now, Van's death will not make you so|
The familiar calm voice crept over his mind like a warm
blanket. Mist swirled.
~Folken. How nice to hear from you again~ Dilandau thought
wryly.
|You wish for revenge, don't you, Dilandau?|
~Brilliant observation, Strategos~
Silence.
Dilandau growled silently. ~Sorry, Strategos~
Folken's presense radiated amusement. An apology? From the
cold, stony General of Zaibach? How interesting.
Dilandau fumed.
|Remember, Dilandau, you have faced and overcome your crimes.
Van, however, has not yet faced his own|
~What are you saying, Strategos?~
|Van will continue to hunt you down. He has embraced his
wrongdoings; he has 'shouldered the burden of war' as he once
phrased it|
~...~
|Puzzle it out, Dilandau. How painful was it for you to see
all the lives you had ruined?|
Dilandau's mind lit with the glimmerings of understanding.
~But Folken, how-~
|Ah, this part you would not know. Do you recall Hitomi
Kanzaki?|
~That girl from the Phantom Moon?~
Folken's presense nodded. |She had a pendant, one made
partially of drag-energist, and partially of a still-unknown
substance. In her hands and in Van's it had the ability to
bring on visions|
~Visions...~ Dilandau pondered this for a moment. ~But
Folken, then I'd have to find the blasted girl, and I haven't
got time for that!~
|She had returned to the Mystic Moon, where she belongs|
~Oh that's just peachy~
|When she felt the light pulling her out of Van's arms in the
Fate Alteration Machine Control Center, she gave him
something to remember him by|
~Should I care?~
|She gave him her pendant|
~...oh. And so I suppose the sentimental idiot has taken to
wearing it, then?~
There was no response.
~Folken? FOLKEN! Why do you always disappear like that?!?~
But Dilandau smiled in spite of it. He now had his answer.
"My lord." Shesta's voice brought Dilandau back to the
present.
"We have arrived."
Dilandau looked ahead. Down an uneven slope before him were
the ruins of Fanelia. The once proud country's buildings were
hollow and broken, the ground still black and dead. Here and
there, however, the purple blooms of the fireweed plant poked
around shattered columns and walls, assuring the return of
life in the future.
Dilandau rode down through the ruins, memories of fire and
shadow flashing through his mind. He shrugged them away as
they came. His past life would not burden him. He had known
nothing but pain then. But now, now was his second chance.
Eventually, they came to a stop in front of what had once
been the palace building. It was the only building in
relatively good condition, taking into consideration the
state that the rest of the country was in. Dilandau could
still make out the Fanelian crest upon the broken doors.
~What a perfect place to settle this~ Dilandau grinned. The
irony was almost too much.
"My lord! Look!" Migel pointed at the sky. Dilandau turned,
knowing what he would find.
A single speck of light, too bright for a daytime star, shone
from the direction of Asturia. It grew brighter.
"Come for me, Van. Come."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*