Vision of Escaflowne: Silent Attack

By: Shadow Chaser

 

Timeframe: Three years after the end of Escaflowne, something unknown and deadly has put every single kingdom in the world of Gaia on alert.  Calling Hitomi Kanazaki back to the world from the Mystic Moon (Earth), she is their only defense against this killer of humans and humanoid alike.

 

Author's Note: I did not watch the Escaflowne movie.  I only based this fic off of the subbed version of Escaflowne.  Though I think the dubbing of it is pretty good with the exception of a few things that I don't really like in there (mind you, like Allen's American voice; and how the cut the poor episodes to pieces…).  Escaflowne and all characters do not belong to me; they belong to Emotion, Sunrise Inc.  East Rali, Gyei von Colewrich, Scina Abira, Gerowyn Chambers, King Abira, and Letkus Astian belong to me…if you want to use them ask me.  Also, copy righted by Lucasbooks/Lucasfilm and Michael A. Stackpole is Scina's type of fighting style. (I took it from I, Jedi - by Michael A. Stackpole).  Another fighting style is the Gatotsu Stance and its various forms.  Those are copyrighted by whoever owns Rurouni Kenshin.  I just used it cause I needed some type of fighting skill for East.  I like to thank Sephy for proofreading this fic for me…bunches of hugs to you Sephy!  Started: 9/20/00.  Completed: 8/19/01.

 

Characters:

Van Slanzar de Fanel - king of Fanelia - pilot of Escaflowne

Allen Crusade Schezar - knight of Asturia - pilot of Scherazade

Hitomi Kanazaki - high school senior - prophetess

Merle - cat woman - thief and spy

Gyei von Colewrich - knight of Fanelia - pilot of Tiberian

East Rali - knight of Draconia - rare full Atlantean

Scina Abira - Crown Princess of Perid

Millernia Aston - Queen of Asturia

Dryden Fassa - King of Asturia

Gerowyn Chambers - Lord of Fanelia - one of the 8 advisors to Van

Letkus Astian - knight of Fanelia - one of the 8 advisors to Van

 

Unknown Terms:

Camose - a cross between a horse and a camel…well, at least that's what its supposed to be

 

Story:

 

Chapter One - Gaia's Prayer

 

It was so cool out, a rare time during these summers, a young man with ashen, coal black hair that covered his eyes partially thought.  He stared out into the distance, watching the waning glow of the sun dip down, signaling another night in the land of Gaia, moreover in the kingdom of Fanelia.  Fanelia, how long has it been…almost three years, almost three years since he and a handful of people defeated the malevolent Zaibach Empire.  Three years since the death of his brother Folken; three years since he said goodbye to a girl that he had come to deeply care for.

"King Van," a rumbling deep bass voice said behind him, startling him from his thoughts.  Van Slanzar de Fanel turned around, his red-black cape swirling behind him as it was draped over his clothes.

"Yes, what is it Gyei?" Van asked, a bit annoyed.  He had specifically told no one to disturb him while he was here on the balcony of his palace.  But if Gyei, his chief commander of his forces was here, then it had to be very important.  Gyei von Colewrich was a long time associate of his, more like a contact for him in the various kingdoms that dotted the planet of Gaia.  He was Van's eyes and ears, but now, Gyei had returned to lead Van's loyal soldiers, even though Van could lead them quite well himself.

"Your Highness, there's something that is unusual in the region of the Wandering Earth, my spies had discovered this," Gyei said in a grave voice and Van took the small beige parchment from his hands.  He unrolled the parchment and his eyes widened at what he saw.

"No…who could have…" Van started then trailed off as he kept looking at the parchment.

"Its true Your Majesty…all of Gaia might be in a deep predicament," the knight of Fanelia said giving Van a grim look.  "We might not be able to stop it if it happens," he whispered and Van nodded slightly.

"Did you inform all the other kingdoms about this?" Van asked, rolling the parchment up and he gripped the middle of it, as if his life depended on it.  He was boiling angry on the inside, but he didn't show it on his features because he didn't need to show one of his loyal knights that he was worried and angry.

"No, not yet-" Gyei started but Van cut him off.

"I'll inform them myself.  Get my Camose ready by tomorrow dawn, I'll be leaving then," Van ordered.

"But Sire, who will accompany you?" Gyei asked worried for his king's safety.

"I'll only take you with me, tell Lord Gerowyn Chambers to remain as head advisor until I return.  He is the one I trust most out of all the eight advisors that the peasants elected," Van said and Gyei tried to suppress a chuckle.

"I assume you don't like those other 'old bastards and geezers' that you so often called them.  Very unwise to call them that King Van, but I will do as you command," Gyei said and thumped his chest as a salute to Van.

Van watched him leave the clanking of his armor echoed down the long halls of the castle.  He turned back around and faced the darkened skies; the parchment still gripped tightly to his hand.  Whatever that thing was in the Wandering Earth area, it was definitely after something.  Van hoped that it wasn't his Escaflowne…but if the thing was after his Guymelef, then he would have to do something drastic…something that might even cost him his life.

"Hitomi…you're the one that could protect us, protect me.  I can protect you…but…" Van sighed as he reached from his neck for a silvery necklace chain that hung on the inside of his clothes.  He pulled it out and glanced at the pinkish bulb that hung on the end of the necklace.  She had given it to him, saying that she had to go back to her world, and he could remember her by this.  I wish I could see you again Hitomi, only even for a second, Van thought watching the thing swing in his hand like a pendulum.  He breathed out another sigh and stuck the thing back underneath his shirt.  First thing first, he had to warn the other kingdoms and hopefully form an alliance of some sort with them.

                                    *                      *                      *

A young petite cat-like girl watched the young king from her room window in one of the higher areas of the castle.  She saw him talk with Gyei von Colewrich; then the knight left, leaving Van alone again.  Merle wouldn't admit it, but she felt something for the young king…she wished that they were more than just friends, but she knew that Hitomi Kanazaki, the girl from the Mystic Moon was in Van's heart.  She was nothing more than a dear friend, perhaps a sister to the king.

"Dammit Hitomi, you had to keep Van to yourself, but…" Merle whispered then fell silent as she thought of all the time Van and her used to play around the palace.  Even Van's now deceased older brother Folken played with them.  It was the happiest times of her life, but Merle realized that Hitomi needed a chance, a chance that she the cat girl got for fourteen years.

With that thought, Merle realized that she too missed the young prophetess, it was three years since she had gone back to her world, the Mystic Moon, and Merle missed the times they fought with each other, the time they stuck through thick and thin.  Hitomi, why can't you come back? Merle wondered as she saw Van walk into the castle.

Her instincts told her to go and talk to Van, but she kept quiet.  She didn't want to bother him right this moment; maybe he needed time alone.  I'll talk to him tomorrow, Merle promised herself as she crawled into her bed that was in her lavish room, draperies flaunting every edge of the room.  She was grateful that Van treated her like a princess, even though most of the others treated her like dirt.  Van was the only one that cared for her…

                                    *                      *                      *

Wake up; wake up, a soft voice whispered into Van's ear.  Van slowly opened his eyes to see the glowing image of his mother, kneeling beside him.  He saw bits of green mixed with earth brown dirt.  Van suddenly sat up as he realized something was wrong with this picture.  "Where am I?" Van asked, watching his mother guardedly.  He didn't like anything that was out of place, and he didn't really trust that this spirit was his mother.

"You in the dream plane, this you see is what used to be Atlantis," his mother, Varie said, her voice soft and melodic.

"Dream plane…" Van echoed, then glanced at her, his eyes narrowed, "why bring me here?"

"I sensed that you had an internal conflict with yourself for sometime," Varie said, opening her soft white wings to their full span and she fluttered a few inches off the ground.

"What conflict?  I don't even have any," Van scoffed, still not wanting to admit his feelings for the girl from the Mystic Moon.  He didn't like people that wanted to pry into his feelings.

"You do, Van Slanzar de Fanel a son of the Draconians-you just don't want anyone to know.  You feel something for Hitomi Kanazaki the prophetess from the Mystic Moon, our home planet.  Look…" Varie said and waved a hand in the air.  A small portal what looked to be like a viewing portal appeared out of thin air in the dream plane.

Van watched as the Mystic Moon zoomed all the way down towards a red-white oval thing.  He realized that it was the track that he had arrived on top of when he was slaying the dragon, three years ago.  He saw Hitomi, readying her self on the track.  A young woman was there, cheering her on.  There were other runners on the red-white track; suddenly there was a banging sound and Van saw Hitomi shoot off like a frog on a lily pad.  She ran, her face showing concentration.  He silently cheered her on, wanting her to win, when suddenly the image changed to what looked like a room with lots of desks.

"Why did you change that?" Van asked as he watched an old man walk up to the front of the room and began to say things about histories and that such.  Van saw Hitomi, looking out of the window, her gaze far away.  He saw her scribble something on her paper and suddenly recoiled in shock as he saw on her paper, a very detailed drawing of his Escaflowne.  She misses me, he realized as the truth dawned on him, and she couldn't come back to his world without a link.

"You have to take care of her, she's the one that could save this world," Varie said then suddenly there was a bright flash and Van shielded his eyes.

When he reopened them, he found himself lying on his bed, staring at the curving designs of his ceiling.  He sat up, running a hand through his raven black hair and blinked his red eyes against the fading images of his dream.  It was so vivid, was it real; did Hitomi really miss him?

There was a soft knocking to his door and Gyei's gruff voice came through the other side of it, "My King, if we are to leave, now is the time before anyone notices.  I've already told the guards where we are headed so they will not alert anyone."

"Give me a minute," Van replied back and got out of his bed.  He looked over to his formal 'kingly' uniform but rejected the idea of wearing it.  He glanced to his rust red shirt and pants and decided that they were the right outfit for him to wear when meeting the other kings.  He had to show them that he meant business and needed their help.

Changing out of his nightclothes and putting his pants on, Van looked at himself in a mirror, the pink bulb of the pendant hanging in the middle of his bare chest.  He concentrated for a moment then white wings spread out from his back, growing to their full size.  Those were his link to his past; they were also the same wings that saved Hitomi on more than one occasion.

Focus, Van chided himself as his wings vanished back into his back and he pulled over his red shirt, feeling the familiar fabric cling to him.  He grabbed the parchment and his sword.  It was the same sword that had killed many people, but it was also a line of defense and it had the royal marker of his ascension if he needed the proof.

He opened the door and nodded to Gyei, who was dressed in his armor.  "Where's our first report going to be?" Van asked as both of them walked quietly out of the castle and towards the stables where the Camose were.

"The Kingdom of Asturia, King Dryden Fassa and Queen Millernia Aston," Gyei replied and Van nodded.  Convincing them wasn't going to be so hard, but it might take some work.

                                    *                      *                      *

"Lord Van?  Lord Van!" Merle's voice echoed through the deep recesses of the castle.  She ran from one room to the other and then skidded to a stop as she recognized one of the council members.

"Sir Astian!  Sir!" Merle called bringing the young man's head around to face her.

"What is it child?" the knight Sir Letkus Astian asked, a bit impatient with the foreign girl.  He didn't know why King Van would keep such a despicable and horrid looking alien around.  If he was a close advisor and Van was a bit more reluctant to listen, then the cat girl would be gone already.

"Do you know where is King Van?" Merle asked, her eyes worried with plea.

"He left this morning with pressing business, he won't return for a few days.  Until then you'll do yourself good by staying out of our way," Astian said in a snide voice.

Merle watched the knight walk off and stuck her tongue out behind his back.  "Hmph," she sniffed as she spun around and walked towards the courtyard.  Why did Lord Van leave without her knowledge?  Was it something that Sir von Colewrich talked with him last night about?  Was it because he found something?

Now don't worry Merle, Hitomi's voice echoed in her head and Merle jolted up as she glanced around wildly.  "Hitomi?" Merle whispered looking around from her position in the courtyard bench.  But only wind answered her, blowing their cool breeze, ruffling her pink hair.

"Lord Van, please be safe, I sense something wrong," Merle whispered glanced down towards the brown ground, her feet tracing a few circles.

                                    *                      *                      *

It was uproar, Lord Gerowyn Chambers decided as he watched the various council members besides him and Sir Astian shouted their protests at him.  King Van had pressing business for what reason he was not told, but it was finally good to be rid of him for a while, only if it was a few days.  The kingdom didn't need this young man to rule them; he wasn't even fit even though he was of Draconian descent, those abominations, and also the son of former King Goau de Fanel.

"Is this what you were hoping for Lord Chambers?" Letkus Astian asked, leaning down from where he stood.

"Well, I was expecting something like this, but this is even better than I thought," Gerowyn replied, glancing at the talk blue haired man.  Many said that Astian looked a lot like Folken Lakur de Fanel, the late brother of the young king.  The eerie resemblance even caught Gerowyn off guard as he thought he was looking at Folken instead of Letkus Astian.

"So, when do we make our move?" Astian asked standing back up and looking at the rest of the six council members shout at each other.

"Not yet, Astian, not yet.  We first have to play our cards carefully, and then get rid of the people who might be loyal to Van de Fanel.  Finally we'll take some of them hostage then demand where the guymelef Escaflowne is.  I want that suit, it was destined to become mine, not part of the Fanel line," Gerowyn explained, grinding his teeth together as he thought up all the ways he could kill the young king.

"Yes sire as you wish.  Right now we have to get the rest of them to follow," Astian replied and walked away from Gerowyn.  He took a seat next to fellow council member Trayest.

"Gentlemen, I understand that you wonder why has our king gone…" Gerowyn started in a loud clear voice that cut through all the chatter.

                                    *                      *                      *

Chapter Two - Girl of the Mystic Moon or Gaia?

 

"Hitomi?  Hitomi?" Yukari Uchida shook the shoulder of a girl with strawberry blonde hair and sleepy green eyes.

"Uh…what?" Hitomi Kanazaki asked, glancing up at her best friend.  She blinked her eyes to clear away the sleepiness and realized that she had fallen asleep on the lunch table.  Oh great, I'm a senior and yet I fall asleep, Hitomi thought to herself as Yukari laughed.

"You obviously were dreaming about something good, cause you were murmuring a name 'Van' or something like that in your dreams.  Was it that same Van you told me about when you came back from the column flash of light?" Yukari pried, as Hitomi looked a bit downcast.

"Yes…" Hitomi whispered hesitantly, "I miss him so much."  She hugged herself as an odd chill ran all over her.  "Every day for these last three years since I came back, I feel as if I was missing a part of myself.  I denied it at first that I was in love with him, but that feeling became stronger," she blurted out then shut up.

"It's okay," Yukari comforted her friend and Hitomi laughed a bit sheepishly.

"I'm sorry for piling all this on you Yukari.  Ever since Amano left for America, things haven't been the same has it," Hitomi said, smiling weakly.

"Yeah, but you still excel in track," Yukari agreed then the bell for the school over rang and Yukari giggled.  "Well, now Miss Super-track-star, time to get changed and prepare yourself for the trials."

Hitomi raised an eyebrow at her best friend's mood and ran a hand through her short hair.  She knew that Yukari was really in love with Amano, yet she seemed to be in a good mood.  I must have hit something that she doesn't want to talk about.  "Yeah I guess your right," Hitomi finally agreed and stood up from her seat.  She tossed her brown bag lunch into the trashcan and picked up her blue-green bag.  It was the same old bag that had followed her when she went to Gaia and back, the same bag that Van had seen.  Van what are you doing now? Hitomi wondered looking at the clear blue sky.

"Hello!  Earth to Hitomi!" Yukari's voice broke her out of her thoughts.

"Oh, sorry Yukari.  Meet you on the track!" Hitomi called out as she jogged away from her friend and headed towards the girls' locker room.

                                    *                      *                      *

Hitomi glanced at herself in the mirror and reached for her necklace, but only encountered her chest bones, nothing, no silver thing hanging from her neck.  She remembered that she had given the pendant to Van before she had left Gaia for the last time, telling him that he could remember her by the pendant.

"The pendant, my connection to Gaia…gone," Hitomi sighed as she sat down on the bench in the locker room.  She still could tell the future from her dreams, but even her Tarot cards were gone, lost somewhere.  I've given up on fortune telling, but those dreams still stay.  Suddenly she doubled over in pain. 

Flash!

She saw numerous guymelefs marching towards the kingdom of Fanelia, intent on destroying it like it was three years ago.  A man with blue hair that resembled Folken de Fanel stood on one of the shoulders of the black guymelefs.  But suddenly she saw the Scherazade, Escaflowne and an army of other guymelefs opposing those in black.  Then there was another flash and Hitomi saw Van, drenched in his own blood, fighting off an unseen opponent.  He was dying, loosing a battle; Hitomi suddenly recoiled as she saw Van fall to the ground, dead.  His outstretched limp hand held something in it…her pendant.

Flash!

"Oh my God," Hitomi whispered as she kneeled on the cold hard concrete ground.  "Not again, not again," she whispered as she saw a swirl of blackness, then the ground rushing up to her.

                                    *                      *                      *

"Hitomi!" Yukari's worried voice pierced into her foggy consciousness and she opened her eyes slowly to see her best friend's concerned gaze.  "Hitomi are you all right?  The others said that they found you in here.  You've been out for about five hours," Yukari spilled.

"Huh?  Its night already?" Hitomi questioned puzzled.  She glanced around and saw that she was in the nurse's office.  Her family was also gathered around and they seemed to be relieved.

"Yes Hitomi dear, do you want to go home now?" her mother asked brushing a lock of her hair out of her face.  Hitomi blinked a bit as she felt tears creep up to her eyes.  "Why are you crying dear?"

"I don't know why…" Hitomi whispered then rubbed the tears away with the sleeve of her track outfit.  "Um…not yet, I want to practice my laps before I go, Yukari will stay with me, you can go home," Hitomi answered, not too confident of her own voice.  She didn't know why tears suddenly burst into her eyes, maybe because it was her prophecy…  She watched her as her family left and Yukari looked at her with serious brown eyes.

"You had a vision," she stated flatly.

"Yes I did, and it was about Van," Hitomi agreed sitting up.

"Does it mean you're going back to Gaia?"

"I don't think so because of the pendant.  I gave it to Van remember?" Hitomi reminded her.

"But it is weird that you'd be having premonitions of him."

"Yeah, weird…"

                                    *                      *                      *

Hitomi put the vision in the back of her mind as she looked at the lit track lanes before her eyes, the darkness of night just crawling at the edges where the light didn't shine.  She needed to concentrate and make a good score on her run, she had to or else she wouldn't make the varsity team this year.

"Run, focus, run, focus," Hitomi repeated the chant to herself as she warmed up and placed her feet on the running block.  She crouched down and waited for Yukari to start her run.

"Ready!"

She tensed.

"Set!"

She stuck all her weight on her pushing foot just like Amano had taught her.

"Go!"

Hitomi dashed from the running block, her hands flying up and down her sides as she kept her gaze even.  She glared on ahead on the curve of the track lines.  She flew down the track and saw Yukari in the distance, cheering her on.  Hitomi grinned a bit then suddenly felt paralyzed.  She saw a blue light surrounding her, trapping her within its embrace.  Not again, Hitomi realized the familiar blue light.  She glanced frantically at Yukari who had a surprised look on her face.

"Yukari! Tell my parents where I've gone!" Hitomi shouted to her best friend as she flew up with the column of the blue light.  The last thing she saw was the planet of Gaia, rushing up her, and then it was blackness.

                                    *                      *                      *

Chapter Three - Alliances and Enemies

 

Van knelt down on one knee keeping his gaze always on King Dryden then stood up slowly.  He stood with his hands on his sides and sensed that Gyei was also patient in waiting for the new king to speak to them.

"King Van de Fanel of Fanelia, Sir Gyei von Colewrich, what brings you here to the kingdom of Astoria?" Dryden asked, his manner regal and formal.  Van knew that without the scribes and other people around, the king would not act so formal, so precise.  But then again, the king was never regal or formal even with those people around.

"Sir, I bring urgent news that my knight here has discovered," Van said slowly and handed one of the attendants the parchment, which was given to Dryden.  "The Wandering Earth where the former Zaibach Empire used to reside in is developing something sinister.  My knights tell me that they could not even fathom what was building in the Wandering Earth, but they did discover that it could destroy all of Gaia.  I am here to ask you for a military alliance that we may stop this 'plague' from spreading all over our planet," Van asked.  He didn't like all those formal words he had to use, but this was a court with a few people that opposed him and he had to be careful with his choice of words.

He waited, his eyes moving only slightly to look at his surroundings.  There were numerous people, some peasants and a few children were running around, but most had awed expressions on their faces as he had made his announcement.  He noticed a long blonde haired man with an oval face that struck out his bright blue eyes, standing behind a few of the peasants, his expression was grim.  Allen Schezar…Van recognized the playboy knight.  Though he looked as if he could be a weak knight, Van knew the power and honor behind those looks; Allen was a good friend, an ally, someone he could trust.

"King Van, what you're saying is that you think this thing…could be 'alive' some how?" Queen Millernia interrupted the silence.

"Yes Queen," Van agreed, and noticed a sort of smile tugging on King Dryden's lips.  He didn't like that hint, it meant that something was going on that made Dryden think that this was a funny situation or it was just something…

"Councilmen, please escort everyone out into the outer rooms, King Van, Sir von Colewrich, my Queen, and Sir Allen Schezar need to discuss this alone," Dryden suddenly spoke up.

Van realized that Dryden had already made up his mind about the situation…he smiled inwardly, the young king was just playing around…much like he used to.  He waited for all the others to file out before approaching Dryden, more at ease without all the courtiers and servants around.

                                    *                      *                      *

"Sire, is King Dryden always like that?" Van heard Gyei questioned as they mounted their Camose.  He laughed lightly at Gyei's comment.  Everyone who had met Dryden always reacted in some odd fashion.

"Yes he is…he's a good man for those traits," Van reassured his knight as they galloped out of Astoria's gates and towards the kingdom of Perid.

"Traits?  Being bossy, arrogant, and saying that he's smarter than most of us…you call those good traits?  Sire, have you lost your mind?" Gyei exclaimed and Van laughed, something rare for him.

"Gyei…no I have not lost it.  I'm serious, Dryden is more than what meets the eye and what more than the mouth could say," Van said and rode ahead of him.  Out of the corner of his eye he saw Gyei shake his head, still not convinced.

                                    *                      *                      *

Merle pinched her heels on her Camose's flank moving it to a fast walk.  She approached the gate and glanced at the guards guarding the gate to Fanelia.

"Halt!  Who are you and where are you headed," one of the guards said in a gruff voice startling her.

"Uh…Merle sir.  I want to know where did Lord Van head to," Merle said, and recognized the guard as one of the Allen Schezar's men who had come with Van to rebuild Fanelia, one of the few in the kingdom that respected her for what and who she was.

"Oh Merle…well, Van doesn't want anyone to know…" the guard started looking around hesitantly.

"Oh please, I just want-" Merle started.

"Oh all right…fine.  He went to Asturia, should be back in a few days," the guard gave in and Merle grinned happily.

"Thank you!  Thank you!" she said and kicked her Camose into a gallop, leaving the gates of Fanelia and headed out towards the distant country of Asturia.  If I keep at it, hopefully I can make it to Asturia in before nightfalls…I just hope that Lord Van is still there.  There's something-fishy going on in the palace and he needs to be warned, Merle thought with determination as her Camose kept at a canter/gallop pace.

                                    *                      *                      *

Millernia glanced around at the pretty surroundings of one of the exquisite courtyards that dotted the palace.  Van had come just at the right time, something was bothering her and Hitomi's tarot cards sometimes glowed in her room, warning danger and that sort.  She wished that the girl were here, here so that she could maybe find out what was the problem.

"Hitomi, you're probably enjoying yourself right now on the Mystic Moon, doing whatever activities you enjoy," Millernia sighed as she shuffled a bit in her long flowing dress.  The clear beads to her snow-white dress sparkled as they hit the sunlight streaming into the courtyard.  She didn't really like dresses and preferred to be in a combat suit or something, but as peace was settling, and she was Queen, she had to wear dresses.

"They're not that bad once you get used to them," Dryden's voice said from above and Millernia looked up to her husband's face, his eyes sparkled slightly in the shadows where the sun did not shine.

"Dryden…" Millernia whispered as he took a seat next to her.

"You're also worried about Hitomi aren't you my dear," Dryden asked placing a comforting had on her pale shoulder.

"Yes…I'm also worried about the Wandering Earth.  Van's visit to warn us wasn't a coincidence.  The tarot cards that Hitomi left behind were acting up quite a bit, something that I've never seen before.  The death card kept appearing up from the deck, glowing in my face," Millernia explained shuddering a bit as chills ran up and down her arms.  She felt Dryden take her into his arms and she leaned against his strong form.

"Don't worry Millernia, we'll try to stop this from happening," Dryden comforted her.

"Ahem," there was a clearing of a throat, rather loudly, and both turned around to see Allen Schezar, standing near the edge of the courtyard.

"Yes, Allen, what is it?" Dryden asked, slightly annoyed at the knight.  He didn't like anyone barging in on his private moments with his wife since they rarely got any time together with the political outwork that Dryden had to oversee.

Allen opened his mouth to speak when suddenly a blue column of light flashed into the middle of the courtyard, startling both Dryden and Millernia.  They stepped back as something materialized in the middle of the courtyard.  When the blue light faded a young girl dressed in an oddly familiar uniform was lying there, her blue-green bag resting beside her.

"Hitomi!" Allen cried out kneeling down besides the unconscious girl and cradling her head in his lap.  He stroked her hair out of her closed eyes and Millernia could see almost tears spring to the corners of his eyes.

"Allen, move a bit, I have to see if she is all right," Millernia said, shoving the knight a bit as she laid the young teen on the ground.  She checked her pulse and found that it was strong.  Peering into one of her eyes, she saw that they were okay.  "She all right, just unconscious," Millernia said as Dryden and Allen looked over her shoulder.

"Allen take Hitomi to the West Wing guest room.  We're going to let her rest there," Dryden ordered and Allen nodded, bending down and scooping Hitomi gently off the ground.

"I'll go with him to make sure she is okay," Millernia said and followed Allen.

                                    *                      *                      *

Lord Gerowyn Chambers paced around one of the darkened halls of the palace.  He had not received any new orders from his chief commander, which puzzled him.  Something was wrong, very wrong.  If King Abira didn't say anything…then he would have to start the take over himself.  "It has to be done now, or else we won't get this chance," Gerowyn hissed to himself, punching his left fist into the palm of his right hand.

"Lord Chambers, the council are all done away with," Astian's mellow voice said from the shadows of the darkened hall.

Gerowyn jumped around in surprise and almost had a heart attack as he thought he saw Folken de Fanel back from the dead.  He shook his head to clear out that image and reminded himself that it was only Letkus Astian.  "Did you inject the serum into their wines?" he asked.

"Yes sir.  They should be convulsing and thrashing about in their last moments of death.  Post analysis will show that all of them had too much to drink and hemorrhaging of the livers and stomach caused their death," Astian replied grimly and Gerowyn smiled to himself.

"Excellent," he said, rubbing his hands together, "what about that cat-girl?  Is she dead?"

"No sir, she is not to be found anywhere within the palace or the city," Astian replied and Gerowyn felt anger boil up from deep within himself.

"Damn you!  She's the one that is closest to Van himself!  She could be a potential problem and you let her escape?  Summon the guards from the gate, I want to speak with them," Gerowyn ordered and left the hall, his long blue-black cape billowing around him.

                                    *                      *                      *

Hitomi opened her eyes slowly, seeing everything as a blanket of fuzz.  She blinked a couple of times clearing her vision and realized that she was staring up at a wooden ceiling filled with patterns on the wood.  She glanced downwards and saw a light blue-white blanket covering her.  She glanced over to her right to see a woman she had never thought she see again.  "Millernia," Hitomi whispered softly, startling the young woman from her sleep.

"Hitomi!  You're awake!" Millernia exclaimed and hugged Hitomi who returned the hug slowly.

"Uh, Millernia, it is you…" Hitomi said as both parted.  She sat up on her bed and looked at the pretty young lady tears filling her eyes.

"Yes its me…and you are really back from the Mystic Moon," Millernia exclaimed and Hitomi felt suddenly all giddy as if Millernia was a friend that she had never seen since she was young.

"We missed you," a soft baritone voice said from the doorway brining Hitomi's eyes to Allen Schezar.

"Allen…" Hitomi whispered then suddenly found herself wrapped tightly in his embrace.  She returned the hug and felt a gentle kiss from Allen that traced her right ear.  "Allen…I…I missed you," she whispered into his ear.

"I know…nothing has been the same since you left Gaia to return to the Mystic Moon; sure there's peace and all but its been…dull," Allen replied trying to make the situation less strained.  He released her and stepped back, looking at her fondly.  She had grown into a beautiful young lady, but those eyes still held a spark of fierceness and kindness he had last seen three years ago.

"Where's Van, and Merle?" Hitomi asked looking around for any sign of the King of Fanelia or the cat-girl.

"Um…Hitomi, Van's going around Gaia warning them about something in the Wandering Earth.  Merle's in Fanelia," Millernia explained and Hitomi's eyes widened as she remembered her prophecy.

"No…I have to warn him, that's why I came back.  The Wandering Earth, they are the problem…I have to warn him about the dangers," Hitomi blurted out.  She glanced at Allen who had a concerned look on his face.

"Hitomi, you should get some rest…" Allen started the trailed off as the room suddenly got dark on its own and phantom wind became to swirl everything around, papers and light objects.

"My cards!" Hitomi gasped as her familiar Tarot cards added to the small tornado that was forming in the room.  She watched in horror as a card appeared in the middle of tornado, the Death card.

"What the hell is this?" Allen said as he and Millernia stood next to Hitomi, shielding their eyes with their hands.

Hitomi watched as the Death card spun around a few times then dissolved forming a moving picture.  She saw a raging battlefield with guymelefs parts strewn about along with human ones.  Fires blazed through the area consuming everything.  Then suddenly a liquid shadow moved into the view followed by another.  There was a small figure on top of one of the shadows and she hopped down.  Hitomi couldn't make her face out since it was blurry but she saw Allen and Van draw their swords out.  She could see the others backing away in fear, but both stood their ground.

Suddenly the mini tornado stopped and everything fell to the ground.  The room became light again and Hitomi shuddered slightly.  "Was…that?" she started.

"Death…Allen and Van in the same picture," Millernia said numbly.

"It won't happen," Allen said snapping Hitomi out of her daze.  She glanced at him and saw determination etched onto his face.  "My Queen, permission to head to the Wandering Earth with the Crusade to investigate King Van's findings?" Allen asked Millernia who had a very quiet expression on her face.

"Queen?" Hitomi whispered as she watched Millernia's expression.

"Granted," Millernia said after a moment's hesitation.  Hitomi realized that Millernia still liked Allen even though she concluded that Millernia was married to Dryden after she had left Gaia three years ago.

"Hitomi would you assist us in this search?" Allen turned to Hitomi who had a confused look in her eyes.

"Yes…I guess," Hitomi agreed hoping that Allen could fill her in on all the details for this 'search'.

"You're not going without me, I want to know what's going on with Lord Van," a voice spoke up from the window and Merle's head popped in.

"Merle!" Hitomi exclaimed so glad to see the cat-girl even though they were slight rivals.  She hugged the cat-girl as Merle pounced into the room gracefully.

"Hitomi, you came back!" Merle started before giving her a narrowed eye; "do you have anything to do with Lord Van?"

"Um…yes, I guess.  But I have to warn him," Hitomi explained and suddenly held her hands up in protest as Merle's eyes blazed with fury and hints of jealousy.

"So you're still after him like the foreign girl you are," Merle snorted with contempt and spun around, her back facing Hitomi, her tail swishing the floor.

Hitomi sighed in frustration, "Merle, come on…can't we just look for Van together, I mean like we used to three years ago?"  She noticed that Allen had a neutral expression on his face while Millernia was trying not to laugh.

"Oh…fine," Merle agreed and turned around giving Hitomi a grin.

Hitomi returned the smile then turned to Allen, "Allen when is the Crusade ready to leave?"

"In about twenty minutes.  We're headed to the Wandering Earth," Allen replied evermore the honorable soldier.

                                    *                      *                      *

"Look out!"

"Hey!  Watch where you point that thing!  I'm a cat-girl walking here!"

"Ahh!  Stop poking my eye out!"

Allen sighed as he tried to keep the noise of his crew moving about on the Crusade, preparing it for its voyage to the Wandering Earth.  After working with them for so many years, they were still the same old crew; the same old salts.

"Man, us old farts are still around, lugging our tubs of lard around," Gaddes commented and Allen raised an eyebrow at his comrade's comment.

"Didn't know that we were getting old," Allen countered, startling Gaddes.

"What?  Oh sir!  Sorry, I didn't know you overheard," Gaddes started, trying to cover up what he said.

"Its okay Gaddes, we're not getting younger by any day…but…" Allen said trailing off as he spotted Hitomi chatting away with Millernia, the two of them walking slowly towards the Crusade.  She looked like an angel, the fact that if she had wings like Van did, then she would be an angel.

Quiet, she loves Van, but cares for you like a brother; Allen shut up the voice inside him.  But you do still feel something for her; the voice countered back and Allen gritted his teeth.  Yes, he still did harbor some feelings towards the young girl, no woman, but…

"Allen?  What are you frowning about?" Hitomi's quiet voice spoke up from his side, startling him.

"Huh?  Oh, Hitomi," Allen stated glancing at her, "nothing, just thinking of the past."

"Oh…" Hitomi said, suddenly quiet and Allen wondered if she was thinking of the same things he was.  "Well," she started brightly; "the crew's ready for take off Captain."

Allen nodded slightly distracted.  He glanced down at Millernia who had a sad, yet hopeful look on her face as she stood a bit away from the Crusade.  Allen saluted to her before taking Hitomi's hand and leading her to the bridge of the massive flying ship.

"Sir!  The Crusade is prepped and ready for your command," Gaddes announced saluting to Allen as he walked onto the bridge.

"Let's go," Allen ordered, "unfurl the sails and cast off."  He glanced at Hitomi who had a worried look on her face.  "Don't worry Hitomi, whatever is at the Wandering Stones we'll find and get to the bottom of it.  Van will be safe for the time being, don't worry," Allen assured her.  He saw her nodded, still a bit distracted.  What feelings do I still harbor to her…?

Silent Attack, Chapters 4-8