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The Edge Of The World: The two cat-girls land as the Crusade disappears in a beam of light from a giant circular craft hanging in the sky. There is a glimpse of a baroque exterior rim from the viewpoint of the Crusade. Then they are looking down on an Atlantean landscape. Hitomi de-materialises from the Crusade's cockpit, followed in rapid succession by Van and Allen. Despite being dismayed by the disappearance of their leader, the crew land the Crusade. Van finds himself in what looks like part of ruined Fanelia, Van sees his mother. Allen sees his lost younger sister, Serena. Hitomi sees a vision of Atlantis, and it's destruction, and the transfer of the residue from Earth to Gaea. She describes all this in detail to her companions. Hitomi reads from an Atlantean inscription which explains that the Dragon Clan are descendants of Atlantis, that the Atlantean secret was a machine that turned human thoughts into power, and that with it the Atlanteans were able to transform their appearance and give themselves wings. Their wishes created a new planet - Gaea. The Traveller appears; Allen recognises him as his lost father. Van meets Balgus. What Balgus tells Van is not at all to his liking. He tells Van that his vision is an Atlantean vision of death and destruction, and that he must fight against this with Escaflowne. Millerna asks Hitomi what she sees, as Hitomi watches what is being experienced by the others. She sees Allen talking to his father, and Van being menaced by ranks of what looks like the Dead. Hitomi's attention, and the viewer's, returns to her surroundings. The company gathers around her. Van's mother appears to Hitomi and tells her that she is a seeress. She warns Hitomi of aspects of the situation with Escaflowne, etc, saying that Hitomi's wishes and prophecies are bringing about a sad future. Hitomi feels responsible for what has happened and is happening. Hitomi's grandmother appears again. Allen sees how his father was killed by mechanized Zaibach troops during his search for the mystery of Atlantis, and is able to forgive him for never returning. Donkirk,the Zaibach leader, is handed the book, with two pages torn out. He isn't pleased at not being told the secret. The book is dropped by the dying traveller's body; he is also holding the pendant. Hitomi's grandmother appears beside him; he asks her why, and gives her the pendant. She disappears again in a beam of light. The same book materialises again at the elegantly furnished rooms of Allen's mother. Allen's father explains what he felt about her, and about the girl from the Mystic Moon. Allen's father explains that he realised that he loved his wife after all, and that he had discovered the Atlantean secret was to do with wishes. The Cat-girls fly up to attack the Atlantean vessel, and appear suddenly, looming over the company. Escaflowne appears also, and confronts the cat-girl mechas. Hitomi has a vision of Van, and then her grandmother, again. A beam of light is seen from the Atlantean vessel, and cracks appear at its circumference. Abruply it vanishes in a violent disturbance, sucking Folken's airship away like a leaf going down a drain! The Crusade, the company and Escaflowne are left standing in a freezing empty valley. Van's mother appears again, and hands her son a new energiste for Escaflowne, and tells him that his wishes will determine the future of Gaea. The Gravity Of Destiny: The scene in which Van gets a new energiste repeats. Then Escaflowne, Van and Hitomi disappear in beams of light, then Allen runs into one of the beams after them. The beams of light disappear upwards, leaving the remainder of the company dismayed. In the Zaibach capital, scientists watch ranks of green tubes. Domkirk says "Unmei kaihen" which is repeated by the scientists. Van, Hitomi and Allen materialise alongside Escaflowne. Van climbs up the guymelef, touches the now-green jewel on its breast and is thrown off as by an electric shock. "It's a huge building," says Hitomi. The floor on which they stand is elevated till they are in sight of Domkirk, who is encased in a semi-mobile life support system. A lengthy dialogue with Domkirk follows, with him introducing himself as the Zaibach leader, Van snatching and brandishing Allen's sword as he confronts the man responsible for the destruction of his kingdom, and Domkirk being asked by Hitomi if he is in fact "Isaac" He is. Domkirk now has everything in his hands that he needs to complete the work of his Fate-changing machine. Domkirk says that Escaflowne is partly an Atlantean machine. Domkirk goes on to explain how he founded his Empire, a fate-changing exercise in itself -after arriving from Earth and finding himself in a starving and war-torn country. Finally there is a scene of a moon blowing up, at which Hitomi faints. The scene changes to Millerna and Dryden on an airship, and back to Hitomi, Van and Allen now imprisoned in three suspended cages. Soon after they regain consciousness, Van cries out in pain. Allen guesses that this is to do with Escaflowne. We see that the Zaibach scientists are attempting to dismantle Escaflowne and rip off the jewel. Hitomi reaches through the bars to grasp his hand and exhorts him to call the guymelef, which he does, with spectacular results. Once freed, they make their way through the passages of the great building. Van has to battle another robot, so they split up. Hitomi and Allen look out over the Moloch-oid expanse of the city, and Allen tries to reassure her that Van will survive. Behind them, a troop of soldiers bursts out onto the terrace. Allen vows to sell his life dearly. At this moment Van, riding dragon-mode Escaflowne, rises into view. Understandably, Hitomi looks delighted. They escape by air, pursued by several Zaibach guymelefs. "Faster! Faster" Van cries, as the enemy guymelefs close in, readying their liqiuid-metal weapons. Escaflowne develops a rocket engine, and streaks across the sky, flashing past Folken's aiship and evading all pursuit. Escaflowne slows, and Hitomi says, "Allen, you're hurting me." Allen, who has been holding her tightly, releases her. Hitomi says to herself that Domkirk came from Earth, and that they are all fated people. |
