Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction ❯ When Escaflowne Rescued Trilladen ❯ On Being Discovered ( Chapter 19 )

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CHAPTER 19

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On Being Discovered.

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Dilandau strolled through the streets of the capital, utterly fascinated. He saw huge granite statues that lined the streets about every 5 meters. They were gigantic and resembled deformed dragons with clipped wings, big round eyes, and wide grins lined with sharp teeth. He grinned in amazement taking in everything like a gauche tourist. Citizens would stop and stare wide eyed and opened mouthed at the stranger dressed in a tattered long gown looking almost feral.

As Dilandau walked further into the city he drew a large crowd of gawkers. No one had seen anyone new or strange in the city ever! Dilandau's appearance into their world caused quite a stir. Some panicked and ran to the temple. Others dropped what they were carrying. Children stared wide-eyed and some silently cried as they stared. No one could ever remember seeing a stranger before.

Dilandau loved being the center of attention and decided to have some fun with it. He walked up to a man holding scrolls in one arm, dressed in a bed sheet looking like a fool. He stopped just in front of the man and hauled off and punched him hard in the stomach. The man wasn't prepared for such a hard blow, being relaxed and content all of his life. Dilandau's blow ruptured the man's spleen and within a minute he was coughing up blood and dying. The crowd quickly became caught up in horror at seeing their first murder and did not have the presence of mind to stop Dilandau, or even to run from him. The people hovered close to their life long neighbor and watched him die crying in grief and horror. Dilandau guffawed in sheer delight.

Some of the older men looked up in a rage to glare at Dilandau. They were shocked to see him indulging in a hearty laugh over the death of a beloved citizen. The oldest and grayest one hobbled up to him, glancing down at the ground as he made his laborious progress to gain secure footing for old weak legs. His toga was wet down the front as it draped down one shoulder. Wet from tears of grief and rage.

"You've killed him. He's lived in peace all of his blessed life and you laugh as he writhes in pain from his death throws. Who are you? Why have you come to us here? We are a peaceful people! Never can I remember a time when... I have seen one man strike another, and ...you've killed him... and find it funny?" His emotions surged through him so violently he could barely draw in air draw breath let alone speak.

"So? It's not like it's the first time. Don't you know people are killed everyday? What makes this one so special? Maybe you should be next! Yes I think you should. You tell me though, how would you like to die? I could suffocate you." Dilandau chuckled. "I like burning things but flesh stinks and you're too close. Ah, I'll choke. Let's see, I need a pebble..." Dilandau looked his nose down at the anguished old man and then rolled his eyes. "Never mind, you take things far too seriously."

Dilandau swaggered away, chest out, chin up. But inside something felt heavy. It was his heart. He stopped and rubbed his chest, wondering why his heart felt heavy and thudded hard with every beat. It's not like he cared what the old man said. He started up his stride looking for some form of entertainment. People sank into the shadows of the buildings as he walked by. The dusk was soon upon the island, as the Mystic Moon shone with a bright blue hue.

Before realizing it his steps moved forward to an incline in the terrain. He was climbing the mountain as if the moon was guiding him. The trees and shrubbery seemed to part to form a path that went upward. Curiosity overcame him and he was spurred on. His feet ached from the confining shoes he was wearing. For the first time he looked down at his apparel and almost fell over seeing himself in a woman's gown. What in blazes am I doing in this? Angrily he kicked off the shoes and tore up the dress that was already in tatters. He wore the ripped thing like a tunic and kept climbing.

He came to a clearing near the top and saw remnants of buildings, ruins now. Pillars and whole blacks of granite littered the field. Another one of those deformed dragons lay on its side on the ground. He saw a woman and man huddled together for warmth. He strode over to them to interrogate them.

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Allen sat down on the bed and held his head in his hands. His hair fell forward like a curtain hiding his face that was taut with anxiety for his sister. He rubbed his temples and then lied down and closed his eyes hoping for sleep. The moment they were closed visions of his sister's face invaded his mind and he knew it was impossible to sleep. Edwina entered their captain's quarters of the crusade to find him like that and thought he was sleeping. She eased down on the bed next to him and tenderly kissed his left temple when he startled her by grabbing hold of her and pulling her down on top of him.

"I thought you were asleep." She murmured as she rested her head on his chest.

"I can't. I can't stop thinking about Celena. I need to find her. I did find her, and now she's gone again. " He released a heavy sigh.

She hugged him tighter as if to protect him. His moods were somber ever since Celena had been taken. She knew he was living in a private hell. She took up residence herself the day she left her parents behind, praying that they were safe, and wondering if they were too. Tears formed in her eyes. The burden of troubles bore down heavily upon them both. Sniffling quietly she tried to wipe the tears away without him noticing, but he did. He rolled her onto her back and covered her with his body. His hands smoothed away the unruly tendrils of jet-black hair from her face and wiped away her tears. Since her true gender had been revealed she decided not to bother cutting it. It was a riot of thick waves that curled at the ends framing her face.

"I would have liked a real wedding." She said.

"You'll get one. We'll have our union blessed too. I couldn't take you as anything but my bride, and I wasn't about to let you stay a virgin. Not after the way you tortured me these past weeks." He said smoothly.

She looked up at him and wanted him, but it wasn't to be. Gaddes banged on the door.

"Commander we've spotted a three ships in battle formation headed our way! You're needed." He barked.

"You know, ever since I dragged him away from Yukari he's been impossible." Allen shook his head, aggravated that he must leave his bride behind. As he got up to leave he looked back at her and smirked knowingly, "Miss me."

Yukari? But she's pining away for Amano! What does Gaddes want with her?

The ship crusade was indeed under attack! A jet-propelled fighter had fired at them and the cumbersome outdated crusade took a direct hit. Jet-propelled fighters were new to Gaea. They were built as small fast attack ships. Because they were so small, the levitation rocks were nestled under the fuselage about the size of large melons that held one pilot and one munitions expert. Behind the fuselage was a single engine jet that was positioned in the center of the craft. On either side were rotation flaps that bore down the direction of the aircraft. Under Asturia's new young King Chid, these innovations were making huge strides that helped bring the nation's already formidable reputation to a feared new level of respect.

"Why are your own countrymen attacking?" Van yelled.

The missile hit one of the sails, and in the explosion completely ripped off the sail and mast that was fastened to it. The other side of the ship with the undamaged sail began to lunge forward as the crusade's momentum resulted in a jarring rotation. The crusade was out of control and would crash into the nearest mountain range if not taken into hand.

Allen was busy barking orders when Princess Edwina made her way into the ships bridge, clinging for dear life to anything that offered support for her footing to remain secure. She was terrified. She screamed when a crate full of swords spilled out in front of her. The dangerously sharp swords swiveled around her feet. She was leaping and jumping away from them in a distorted dance of terror, trying to save her feet from being severed.

Allen heard her distress, but couldn't leave the bridge he nodded to Amano who sprang to action to save the princess. What he saw stunned him. Swords, caught up in the spinning momentum of the crusade, were twirling around on hilts as blades exposed were spinning like propellers. It looked choreographed, like the swords themselves were ballerinas moving to some unknown magical music hell-bent on ritualistic destruction of the Princess. She screamed again as one of the swords nearly sliced the side of her foot. She felt the rustling of air on her foot as it passed by.

Without thinking, just reacting, Amano ran to her, grabbed her and lifted her up, turned and started to run back to the bridge. The same sword that just missed the princess found a target in Amano. A clean devilish gash spanned down his left calf as the sword lurched angrily to his foot. Crying out in pain, his Achilles tendon was severed and retracted like a tautly stretched rubber band into the upper half of his calf, just behind his knee in a agonizing burning knot. With one great heroic effort, his last thought was to throw the Princess away from the danger of the room and into the corridor that lead to the bridge. He did so and with that last bit of energy spent he passed out amidst blades of steel twirling and spinning around him in a dance of death.

Princess Edwina wouldn't go back to the bridge. She landed hard on her butt, spun around to her knees and went in after Amano. She wasn't strong enough to carry him, but she pulled him out as the swords took a few more slices into his side. Van was there within moments and pushed her back into the corridor for safety and grabbed Amano and retreated into the corridor. Amano's blood was everywhere on the floor. Van held him secure at one end while the Princess held his feet while the crusade's spinning grew faster and faster from the gaining momentum. They were going to crash.

The only blessing from this was that the crusade was too difficult a target for the other ships to gain a clear shot. If that had been so, all of its occupants would be dead by now. Allen knew crashing was inevitable. He screamed for Edwina and for everyone to hold on as the crusade rolled and banged into the mountainside, the two levitation rocks supporting the craft busted away and the ship fell hard into the mountainside. Smoke and gravel clouded the crash scene. The jet fighters circled around their prey once, twice, confirming the crash before heading off.

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Hitomi was sitting with Helliese when the vision of the crusade's violent crash invaded her senses. She lurched forward, her hands stopping her head from slamming into the floor in front of her. Her eyes were wide open and the quick tears that sprang from them stung in their surfacing.

"Van! VAN! He's hurt. So is Allen and Amano is dying! Gaddes is trapped under the ship's hull in a eddy in the steel! He'll suffocate and his head is bleeding! The generals are all dead! The crusade crashed! We have to tell Folken. Only he can save them now! HELLIESE STOP THE SPELL! THEY HAVE TO SEE US!"

Helliese immediately chanted the magical words and the girls seemed to appear out of thin air to a guard standing by the corridor that lead the way out of the loading deck. His eyes went wide! "HUH? What the..."

"You, with the stupid look on your face, take us the Lord Folken immediately!" Helliese yelled at him.

He saluted her more out of habit when given stern orders than anything. Helliese rolled her eyes and barked at him. He turned and ran towards the bridge of the flying fortress made into a floating towboat.

"Lord Folken, these women need to see you!" He spoke loudly as soon as his feet hit the deck.

"What women?" Folken's eyes narrowed as irritation ebbed into him.

"I believe he's referring to us." Helliese stated. "There's an emergency. The crusade has crashed and the men are hurt and dying. Get us there now." She ended imperiously.

"What are you doing on my ship, and how would you know the crusade has crashed?" Folken's voice became dangerously calm.

Every woman there shifted her weight, trying not to feel intimidated. Finally Merle stepped out of the group from behind to address him. "It's Hitomi. She's clairvoyant and she saw it happen. King Van is hurt and we have to get to him. Be angry with us later, just rescue them now. They were headed..."

"I know where they were headed!" Lord Folken was seething. "Do you know how much danger you are in? And I'm not talking about the enemy!" He stomped away.

Merle ran after him. "Lord Folken, you've got to do something! The crusade is down! You must believe us!" She caught up to him and grabbed his hand...his metal one.

In a fit of temper he hurled her up off the floor, squeezing her tight, nose to nose. "Is there anything else you wish for me to do?"

She began to tremble and tears welled up in her eyes. "No. Just save them, please!"

He planted a hard kiss on her mouth and dropped her and she landed on her feet-of course. He stormed off to rescue his brother. It was that or he would throw her over his knee and spank her! Damn it, she's under my skin like a tic! Why didn't she obey me? Especially after the talk we had, I thought she understood!