Vision of Escaflowne is owned by its respective company, not by Yuki Fanel

 

Sacrifice

By : Yuki Fanel

 

 

Shinobu. Open your eyes. See the truth. Fanelia is in danger. Save her from the Zaibach.

***

 

“Hahaue!”

          She screamed herself awake, thrashing beneath the sheets violently. Upon calming down, she rubbed her aching temple a bit, soothing it with the pressure applied firmly by her fingers. *That same dream.*

“Shinobu-chan? Are you well?” her father entered the room, his body revealing scratches and soot.

“I am well. What happened to you?” she rose from the bed, heading to her closet.

“We need to hurry. Get dressed with your tunic and pants then…” the urgency in his voice edged dangerously to anger.

“What’s wrong, chichiue?”

“It’s nothing. Just get dressed.”

“We lost the war, didn’t we?” her voice was flat and dry.

“…yes.”

“The Zaibach are coming in and we need to escape?” she raised him an eyebrow.

 

*Damn this questioning! She’s acting like Hitomi!*

“Just get dressed.”

          With his last statement, he left the room in silence.

 

*Damn those Zaibach! Mother shouldn’t have allowed them to survive. She should’ve done something about them!* Dressing in her hunting clothes, she searched for the pendant beneath her bodice. She held it out into the moonlight that shone from her window. The jewel gleamed as if with indescribable power. *Hahaue used this. Maybe it could help me too.* She tucked it again in her bodice and ran out of her room.

 

***

 

Van searched the halls for his daughter. He had left her room to find Merle and when he returned she was gone. *Where did that girl go? I’m going to grow a beard in searching for her!* He cursed silently and ran, the clanking of the sword in its scabbard annoying him slightly.

 

He called for her name, leaning over the ledge searching her from the higher corridors of the castle. He spotted her amidst the running people, her long brown hair tied into a braid. Where is she going?

“Shinobu!!!”

 

***

 

The houses were burning, the streets of Fanelia were scraped of its life. Blood was eminent everywhere she turned. If she weren’t going to see a body lying on the ground, it would be a head or any body part removed from its original body. *How could they do this? We have done nothing to them!* She ran in no direction, just going through the roads her mind would tell her to. Tears welled up in her eyes, unable to take the destruction that befell her homeland.

 

She stopped running when she caught sight of a group of armed men closing in on a man sitting on the ground. He looked dazed, gripping blindly on the ground for the sword that lay a few meters away. Without thinking, Shinobu screamed and ran towards one of the men. She clawed blindly at his face, screaming until her mouth went dry. The man took her by the wrist and flung her aside.

“Who do you think you are, girl? You think you can go against an armed man with only your nails?” the group laughed at her.

 

Her tears flowed, fear and anger all mixed up in her mind. *Do as I taught you , Shinobu. Use the pendant.* Her crimson eyes gleamed with hope. Drawing the pendant from her bodice, she held it out and began singing.

*Use the wishsong. Free the innocent Fanelians.*

 

Win dain a lotica

En val tu ri

Si lo ta

Fin dein a loluca

En dragu a sei lain

Vi fa-ru les shutai am

En riga-lint

 

Her voice rose over the burning flames like the smoke. Her voice ruled over the screams of the Fanelians. Her plea to the pendant brought such power, the men drew back from her, screaming like mad. They dropped on the ground, lifeless. *Free Fanelia. Do it, Shinobu. Do it for your father.* The melody rose from her throat, sailing through the wind like a feather. It came without question, flowing smoothly as if it had been sung for years.

 

She stood, new hope blossoming in her heart. Fanelia is going to be saved. Just then, pain erupted from her back. She heard the skin rip noisily as pure white wings spread in full length. *Continue singing. Forget about the pain. Remember that this is just part of it. The pain will be gone. Sing, Shinobu. For me and for all of Fanelia.*

 

Win chent a lotica

En val turi

Silota

Fin dein a loluca

Si katigura neuver

Floreria for chesti

Si entina

 

The pendant in her hand glowed brightly, blinding the man that sat on the ground. White light exploded, engulfing all of the land and what was within. Nothing can be seen. Just white light. Just the purity of the soul that wished for peace in every person’s heart.

 

***

 

Van took her in his arms and pressed her close to him. He whispered her name repeatedly, rocking her gently in his arms. The Zaibach was gone and all was bright again after the white light had driven the Zaibach away. He smiled despite the sorrow that wounded his heart.

“Shinobu. Why did you do it? Why did you have to sacrifice your life for the safety of this country? You were all I had. All I had. All of Fanelia cannot compare to you. What should I do now?”

 

          Tears flowed from his eyes steadily, falling onto Shinobu’s pale cheek. His smile had disappeared. He clenched his teeth, unwilling to shout out his anguish. *Please be happy with Hitomi. Be happy with your mother. . I love you, Shinobu. I love you. You’re my only treasure. My only Shinobu.*