Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction ❯ Return to Fanelia ❯ Thirty-two ( Chapter 32 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Hitomi ran towards the door. It wouldn't open. So she started pounding on it as hard as she could. "Van! I can't get the door open!" she screamed. He ran over to her and gave it a try. Soon they were both pounding on it.
"Ugh… can't get it open!" Van yelled.
"How much time do we have left," Hitomi asked.
"About 3 minutes," Van responded.
"Oh, jeez… I just remembered that there's a door release somewhere around here. The doors lock to keep people from using the self-destruct mechanism," Celena stated.
They began to search the room. "Can't you remember where it is, Celena?" Hitomi asked. They continued to search while she thought about it. Celena walked to the door. Next to the door she knocked twice and a panel flipped up.
"Oh no," she fretted, "there are two buttons. If only I could remember which one worked."
Van and Hitomi walked to the door. "How much longer, Van?" she asked him.
"About a minute and a half. We need to get out of here now!" Van replied as worried as she was.
"Well, here goes nothing," Hitomi replied as she pressed the button on the left.
Beep… Click… 'Oh no! This is the end! I chose the wrong button!' she thought.
They waited a second. 'Hey, we're not dead yet…" Hitomi began to feel more confident. Suddenly the door popped open.
"Hitomi! You've got about a minute. Run for it!" Van shouted while getting into Escaflowne.
"Right Van!" Hitomi replied her and Celena dashing out of the door. Hitomi easily passed Celena, since she was in track. She hated to leave her behind, but this was the best way to do it.
Hurriedly she scrambled into Sherizad. Celena was trying to follow, but she was very weak. Instead of just waiting for her, Hitomi went after Celena and picked her up…
* * *

The floating fortress exploded. Flames shot across the sky, lighting up the dreary evening. All heads turned toward the debris that was plummeting toward the ground. 'I hope Hitomi got out all right. I haven't seen her,' Van thought as he flew back to Freid.
Upon returning he was greeted by Chid. "Fanelia, I'm so glad to have you back. The fighting went well, and all of the enemy's soldier's either fled or were killed. In fact few escaped. Where is Lady Hitomi?" Chid asked.
"You mean she hasn't returned yet?" Van suddenly began to worry. "Oh no," his greatest fears were being realized, "she must have still been in the ship when it exploded!"
"She went down with the ship!? What grave misfortune!" Chid was deeply saddened by his friend's death.
"I must tell Allen about this horrible news. His sister would have been killed as well," Van had to stay strong and not cry, although his heart was broken.
Chid, as well, was having a hard time keeping his promise that he made to the Duke of Freid. The two of them solemnly shuffled inside the palace.