43Hitomi found herself waking again in the darkness of her cell. The blackness of the room was disorienting, but she was more alert than before, and no longer had a headache. She was able to think clearly for the first time since being ambushed in the woods. Van must have seen them coming. Had he been attacked as well? He had been alone, Hitomi could tell that much. Even Van would have had trouble up against a Zaibach Guymelef. Was he alright?
She tried to stretch her vision to sense his presence and was again repelled by the wrongness that surrounded her. It felt more like her vision, though, with distinct locations instead of the permeating cloud she had felt before. Had the vision she witnessed somehow attuned her to the feeling? She closed her eyes and clenched her teeth against the discomfort as she tried to locate the wrongnesses. There were small clumps of the feeling all around her, including one strong but singular spot directly outside her door. The door was there. Despite the blackness, she could feel it. She rose from the concrete floor and crouched beside the location the door should be. She ran her hand along the wall until she found the seam where the door began.
Hitomi cheered herself silently for her small success. She felt again for the wrongness outside the door. As she concentrated she began to recognize some of what she was feeling. The wrongness was not entirely different from things she had felt before. She thought back to her first experiences with it at the edges of Zaibach territory; how it was dotted across the ground, just like the life forces of animals she was able to sense, but somehow completely wrong; so much so that it was painful and her mind pulled away from it. She wanted to pull away now, but this was too important. Now that she was able to concentrate on the wrongness in such close proximity, she could tell it felt similar to other life forces she had felt. In fact, it almost felt like more than one life force was trying to share the same space, but were struggling against each other. She was witnessing and feeling an intense struggle. It was terrible, and nothing about it felt like the natural world Hitomi's senses had become accustomed to.
Hitomi stretched her vision out to see how many of these wrong creatures were near-by. As she searched farther she found more and denser clumps of the same feeling. There were whole groups squished together in small spaces so tight it was hard to tell one from the next. The individuals were of different sizes and shapes too. They felt like small black holes swallowing the light around them while they raged their overlapping struggle. Now that she could focus on them she could feel herself being pulled in just as she was being repelled. I started making her a little dizzy.
She was shaken from her search by the sound of footsteps outside her cell. She heard muffled voices she could not make out, and she instinctively shrunk away from the door.
The door opened and bright light spilled in, briefly blinding Hitomi. She felt strong arms grab her, just as they had before, and drag her from the room. Her eyes quickly adjusted to the light this time and she was able to look over her shoulder as she was dragged away to see the guard who was posted outside her cell door. He was the wrongness she had felt. He appeared perfectly human. He was tall, with dark hair and a thick neck and jaw, but there was nothing about his appearance that would have suggested the terrible battle he had raging inside him. Something was terribly wrong with this man.
Hitomi's heart wrenched and she called out to him, " I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I don't know what to do! I'm sorry!"
He looked back at her with a confused expression, and then her captors pulled her around a corner and he was gone from sight.
Van heard the whoosh of wind rustle the trees around him.
Hitomi, I-
He was cut off by one metallic tendril slicing through the dense forest. He didn't have Hitomi's senses, but he knew he was surrounded. He drew his sword in a flash and deflected the tendril, the force throwing him back against a tree. Another tendril shot out at him from the other side, and he deflected it as well. Another, he sliced. Another, he dodged. He rebounded off of the trunk of a tree and struck a thrust into the empty darkness with a yell. He struck hard metal, and a large melef decloaked in front of him. Another three decloaked behind him. He didn't stand a chance against four full Zaibach melefs and he knew it, but he had to get to Hitomi. He stood with his sword braced in front of him, breathing heavily.
"Dilandau said this would be hard," chuckled one of the melefs in a voice obscured by static.
"We better not mention it, if he has a hard time with the girl..." said another.
"Right, don't want to get flamed..." said a third.
The girl... Were they talking about Hitomi?
"How do we do it without damaging him, though. Dilandau said-"
Had Dilandau already retaken his position? Van's mind reeled.
"Dilandau won't care, so long as he gets to kill him himself."
If Dilandau was going after Hitomi, there would be no way for Van to get there in time, even if he managed to escape these melefs. He would be too late. His only chance would be to let them take him and hope they rejoined Dilandau.
The melef in front of him advanced on his position, ready to strike.
He lowered his sword.
"I'll go with you," he said to the four melefs.
There was total silence in the forest except for the wind through the trees.
"That makes things a lot easier," said one of the melefs behind Van.
"We can't have him trying to escape along the way, though," said the one in front.
"Batu, take him out," said another behind Van.
Van heard the creak of the melef and turned to see one large arm come down directly at him. He did not try to dodge the strike.
Van was shocked awake by a splash of cold water on his face. He shook the water off and opened his eyes to see Dilandau in full Dragonslayer armor standing before him.
"Finally," Dilandau crooned, "I was starting to think you were already dead! I'm glad to see I still get to kill you myself." His grin was as malicious as Van remembered.
The square room they occupied was completely empty, save for the upright plank that Van was strapped to. All the stone was grey and flat, unlike anything Van had seen before. There were no windows and only one door on the opposite wall. The bright light in the room emanated directly from the ceiling above Van's head, but he could not see the source. He squinted against the brightness of it. His head throbbed.
"Do you know why you're here?" Dilandau asked, with a sneer. He didn't wait for Van to respond. "Because you are stupid. My soldiers said you handed yourself over. Now, why would you do that?"
Van's throat felt raw, but he managed to croak, "To come to fight you of course."
"Ah! You make me feel so special, Van Fanel, but I know that's not the reason," sick sweetness dripped from Dilandau's words. He was enjoying this. "You thought you would be able to save the girl didn't you?"
Van swallowed at the mention of Hitomi. So Dilandau had captured her after all.
"Well, too bad for you, she's already been submitted to the sorcerers, and you are stuck here to play with me. And guess what? They were so happy with the success of my mission that they said I could keep you!"
The glee in Dilandau's voice turned Van's stomach. He could barely see the placid face of Celena in this maniac. If he could free himself he would slice Dilandau in half without a second thought to be able to reach Hitomi. As soon as he thought it a stab of guilt ripped through him. He would never be able to look Allen in the face. Of course, that would only be a problem if they all survived.
Dilandau noticed the pain on Van's face but misunderstood the cause.
"Yes, the sorcerers will not be kind. She won't be the same person when they are through with her, if she even comes out of it alive. And all the while, you'll be here with me, unable to do anything."
Van knew Dilandau was just trying to rile him up, but it worked anyway. He strained against the cuffs that bound him to the table. He had one cuff on each hand, a band across his chest, and he could feel both ankles strapped as well. A metal vest encased his upper torso. They had been careful, even his wings would be no help now.
Dilandau rushed towards him and clamped a hand around his neck.
"I could kill you any time you vile piece of flesh," he seethed into Van's face, "but I won't do it until you beg me to. And you will, believe me. You will beg me to take the last drop of life from you before I am done with you. I will break you. I will make you give up. I will take that fire from you, Dragon King."
With that Dilandua stormed from the room and slammed the door on his way out. Van was left alone.
Allen woke slowly. The room smelled of herbs and it helped to clear his head. He tried to move and pain stabbed through his lower body, causing him to almost blackout.
"Don't move," a sweet voice said beside him. He felt a soft hand squeeze his. He opened his eyes to Millerna's kind face above his. "You could open your wound." Millerna turned to look out to the room. "He's awake. Let Gaddes and Daniel know." She turned back to face Allen. "I'm so glad you're okay. We have much to talk about, but for now rest. Gaddes will fill you in when you are ready. I have to leave you for the moment." She leaned down and kissed his forehead lightly, then got up and left.
He wanted to say something, but he couldn't make his mouth move, yet. It had been so long since he had seen her. Her face was still kind, but it had been aged and hardened by the demands of ruling Asturia. He hadn't had the chance to speak with her before the mission. It was his fault, he knew. He had been too preoccupied with Celena. Nothing else held his attention for long.
Celena was gone.
Moments later Gaddes and Daniel were beside him.
"Sir, it's good to see you awake," said Gaddes, familially.
Allen opened his mouth to speak and felt like it was full of sand. "Water," was all he managed.
Daniel got up and fetched a goblet of water. Gaddes helped him sit up a little while Daniel helped him down the goblet.
"How?" was all he said next.
"Hitomi found us," said Daniel.
Allen jolted up to look around, but the pain knocked him back down.
"She's not here," Daniel continued, "She tended your wound, and is probably the only reason you are still alive, but..." Daniel seemed unable to finish. Gaddes picked up the story.
"We were on our way to bring you back here when we were set upon by Dilandau and his dragonslayers."
Allen felt a stab of a different kind. Celena, his sweet sister was back to being a dragonslayer for the enemy. How had things managed to go so wrong?
"Hitomi," he rasped.
"Hitomi was taken by the enemy," Gaddes concluded. "Before we were attacked, Hitomi said something about Van."
Allen's head was spinning. They had taken Hitomi while he had been unconscious with a mortal wound, and yet they had all survived to return to Asturia.
"How did we get away?" he managed to say.
Gaddes and Daniel shared a glance.
"That's the strangest thing, Sir," said Gaddes. "Dilandau ordered his men to stop when they were about to attack. They were going to cut you down and Dilandau intervened. They left without touching the rest of us."
"After that," Daniel continued, "Asturian troops found us and escorted us the rest of the way. Millerna completed your care and you've been unconscious here ever since. We had no way of knowing if you would wake up again."
"How long," Allen croaked.
"Five days," said Gaddes.
"Five days!" Allen exclaimed. "Hitomi has been in the hands of Zaibach for five days?!" Allen forced himself to sit up despite the pain in his leg. "What are your plans for rescuing her?"
Gaddes and Daniel looked at one another, then Daniel answered, "There are no rescue plans as of yet. Asturia has been dealing with some more pressing matters."
"Zaibach has officially sent a message to the countries of Gaea," interjected Gaddes. "Two days ago a melef appeared outside the gates of Palas, but did not attack."
"He came bearing a message from Zaibach's new leaders. They call themselves The Order," said Daniel. "They have requested the mandatory presence of all the leaders of Gaea at a 'Meeting of the Minds' as they call it, hosted inside the walls of Zaibach."
"That sounds like a trap," said Allen.
"That's exactly what Millerna said," responded Gaddes. "Unfortunately, it is mandatory. They have stated that a failure to appear will be seen as an act of war. You can imagine the response that inspires at this point. Everyone wants to avoid another war with Zaibach if at all possible."
"But King Aston is too ill to attend... Has Millerna agreed to this?" Allen was horror struck at the idea of Millerna having to willingly walk into an obvious trap.
"More ill tidings," said Daniel. "King Aston is dead. That is, in fact, the reason Millerna couldn't stay with you to tell you all this herself. The coronation of King Dryden of Asturia is this evening, and as the Queen-apparent Millerna must be there to crown the new King. "
It was a lot to take in. So much had changed in the last weak after two years of one day bleeding into another. Celena was gone, behind the walls of Zaibach and behind the walls of Dilandau's mind. Hitomi, also, was held captive, and Van was unaccounted for, most likely trying to rescue Hitomi. For all Allen knew they could all already be dead, but they were all in Zaibach.
"Are the requested leaders allowed accompaniment of any sort?" he said.
"You are thinking just what I was thinking," smiled Gaddes. "Yes, they are allowed a small escort of no more than three."
All three men smiled conspiratorially.
"Then, three men of Asturia will escort the Good King Dryden to his 'Meeting of the Minds".
Allen attended the coronation of Good King Dryden that evening from a balcony above the throne room. The whole affair was somber, given the current atmosphere, but the necessary pomp and circumstance were still observed. Dryden was dressed more lavishly than Allen had ever seen him, with heavy brocade robes trimmed in gold. Millerna wore a long white dress, edged with pearls with a train that trailed behind her halfway down the aisle. She carried King Aston's crown as she slowly made her way down the aisle. Eries stood behind Dryden in front of the throne. When the music ended and Millerna stood in front of Dryden. Eries read the coronation proclamation, and finished by addressing Dryden.
"Kneel, Dryden Fassa of Asturia, son of Meiden Fassa, and Prince Consort to Queen-Apparent Millerna Aston," Eries proclaimed to the assembled nobles.
Dryden kneeled in front of Millerna and bowed his head. Millerna placed her hand on his head and said a few words that couldn't be made out from the balcony. She then handed the crown off to a servant beside her and placed a ring on the ring finger of Dryden's left hand. She reclaimed the crown and placed it upon Dryden's head.
"Rise, King Fassa of Asturia," said Eries.
Dryden rose, and Millerna turned to stand beside him facing the hall.
"I present to you King Dryden and Queen Millerna of Asturia. Long live the King," proclaimed Eries.
The hall erupted in cheers of "Long live the King!" chanted throughout. Allen hoped they would be right.
Allen, Gaddes, and Daniel met with Dryden and Millerna the next day in the King's meeting chambers.
"So we are agreed," said Allen, who was sitting in one of the armchairs. Though the wound on his leg was closed, it was still too painful to stand on. "Gaddes, Daniel and I will accompany Dryden to Zaibach."
"I still don't like it," said Millerna. "If it is a trap, which I have no doubt it is, they will have all of you. How do you intend to mount a rescue if you are already in their clutches? And Allen, how do you plan to fight in that state? They did not give us a timeline. They could come to collect you all today for all we know."
"Yes, they will have all of us," agreed Dryden, "but they will not have the true ruler of Asturia that they think they have. You will still be here to prepare for what is to come." He put his arm protectively around her waist. Millerna stood rigidly beside him. Allen could see that Millerna had not yet warmed to the situation, only to the duty she knew she must perform.
"As for my state," said Allen, "I'm not in as bad a state as it seems. I can walk, and fight, it's just painful. You did a superb job. I could mount a rescue today if I had to." This wasn't entirely true. Even sitting in the chair, Allen was nearly gritting his teeth against the pain, but he wouldn't let them keep him from this mission even if it meant death.
Millerna gave him a look that said she could see through his reuse, but she said nothing.
"We are also prepared for the possibility that it is a trap," said Gaddes. "If they try anything, we will be ready."
Millerna sighed. "Yes, we are agreed. Now we wait."
Zaibach did not come to collect them that night, nor the night after. Allen spent his time exercising his leg to bring the strength back and overcome the pain. He had begun wearing his sword at all times again, as he once had, and practiced with it against Gaddes three times daily.
Daniel was most often found in the vast libraries in the palace of Palas, researching anything he could find about the sorcerers of Zaibach.
Millerna and Dryden held council meetings through most of the day discussing what to do in the event war could not be avoided. There were plans set for the building of new Guymelefs to bolster the ranks, and a strict training regiment for the guards. All preparations were to be done as discreetly as possible. The rest of the council were finally more than ready to comply and provided no protest against Millerna maintaining ruling the council while Dryden was away, and to continue to do so in the event that Dryden did not return.
Four days passed before Zaibach returned.
It was sunset and the city was relatively quiet. The council had just finished meeting for the day and the councilors were dispersing from the palace. Allen and Gaddes were sparring in the courtyard.
Suddenly, six Zaibach melefs decloaked outside the walls of Palas. A booming voice could be heard throughout the city, emanating from all of the melefs at once.
"Country of Asturia, we have come to collect your King for the Meeting of the Minds. He will be present outside the walls within the next half hour and will board our leviship, or the walls of Palas will be razed and we will collect him ourselves."
"Friendly, eh?" quipped Gaddes.
"It inspires great confidence in their diplomacy skills," responded Allen, sarcastically. "I guess it's time," he finished more seriously.
Both men sheathed their swords and made their way to join Dryden and Daniel at the entrance. The four men left the palace with Allen and Gaddes flanking Dryden while Daniel followed. They made their way quickly through the city past the silent watching eyes of the Asturian civilians.
They made it to the gates just as the sun dipped below the horizon. A large leviship was waiting for them there with a gangway down to the ground for them to board. None of them paused or looked back to the city. They confidently made their way up the ramp and into the belly of the beast.
