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Prophecy Of Death: The crew of the airship Crusade are also imprisoned. Astoria has placed a bounty on the fugitives' heads because of the destruction of the energiste mine. Hitomi is taken from the cells, put in a large room and told to stay there. On the other side of a set of bars, the prince says that he doesn't understand. Hitomi is hypnotized and questioned by the shinobi and reveals that she comes from the 'mystic moon'. He asks about guymelef-spotting, finds out about the pendant and tells her to hand it over. Hitomi points at the shinobi and cries that he is not what he appears to be, he's a murderer. A blackness from the floor attacks the shinobi, sucking his life force. As he is about to go down he grabs Hitomi, who struggles. Hitomi has foreseen the death of the shinobi, Zonghi. Practu says he's tired. To the others it seems that Hitomi is either dead or in a coma. Pandemonium breaks out. A guard, running by the cells, tells Van that Hitomi is dead. Allen grabs the prince, who has ventured too near the bars, and uses him as a hostage to get the cells unlocked. Millerna tries artificial respiration on Hitomi. Van takes over and eventually succeeds in reviving her. On reviving, Hitomi again denounces the shinobi and cries out. The shinobi escapes. Hitomi explains that the man was a Zaibach shinobi. Van and Hitomi are set free, and on the back of Escaflowne, pick a direction. Meanwhile the shinobi is reporting back to Dilandau that the 'girl from the mystic moon' is responsible for 'spotting' the Zaibach guymelefs. Dilandau then recalls various incidents, mostly humiliating. The shinobi is enveloped in the metal tentacles extruded by Dilandau's guymelef. As the shinobi is crushed, Hitomi, who has been linked with it, cries out "Cruel!" and faints. Whether or not Dilandau intended it, this puts Van at a severe disadvantage. Even if she doesn't fall off, she can't help him 'spot' his enemy during the imminent battle. However, Hitomi recovers, and tells Van how to "see" the enemy, as Van flies Escaflowne around the area, being shot at by Dilandau's guymelef before Van launches a counter-attack. Dilandau is knocked down a flight of stone stairs. "That girl from the mystic moon!" he curses. Meanwhile the others have found the husk of the man earlier taken over by the shinobi, thus proving Hitomi's assertion. One is impressed by Hitomi's bravery during this powerful air combat sequence. Military buffs meanwhile may care to evaluate Van's performance in terms of the doctrine of Air-Land Battle: his mecha is no more powerful than those of the Zaibach and lacks their superb camouflage, though it does have the ability to attack while in flight, while the Zaibach mecha apparently cannot. Van turns up when not expected, uses Escaflowne's flight mode effectively, and makes maximum use of superior direction-finding and threat spotting gear, and superior tactics. Thus he is able to make a severe nuisance of himself against strong and numerically superior opposition. The Secret Door: King Freid holds an audience to decide what to do about the alleged threat of Zaibach invasion. He is distrustful of the Astorians who have fled their country. Prince Chid interrupts, only to be told that his advice is not welcome. Princess Millerna enters, and addresses the King rather more diplomatically, telling him that she has renounced her country. Allen affirms his loyalty. Folken talks to the Zaibach ruler, Domkirk, and Hitomi is mentioned. They realise that her 'seeing' and other abilities are interfering with their plans. Freid Province prepares for war. Millerna attends to Allen's bandages. As she does so, Allen is reminded of another woman, Millerna's older sister Marlene. Merle asks where Hitomi is. Hitomi, standing alone on a balcony, has a frightening vision of the shinobi being crushed to death. Merle overhears and mocks Hitomi, before saying that Van is looking for her. Van and the crew of the Crusade are sharpening weapons, including Escaflowne's giant sword, which has been notched in practice against Allen's mecha. Hitomi comes in with Merle. In confident mood, Van makes optimistic statements about the forthcoming battle. Distressed, Hitomi contradicts him; she does not want to be involved in making any more dire divinations of the future. She runs away, leaving Merle to ask what's with her? Hitomi sits alone by an ornamental pond. Millerna walks in the grounds, then enters a suite of elegant rooms, once used by Marlene, where King Freid is standing by a portrait of Marlene. Millerna plays a music box. Idly, Millerna presses one of the figurines on the music box, and the top swivels around to reveal a book; evidently Marlene's diary. Millerna reads it, while elsewhere Hitomi is with Prince Chid. Chid asks Hitomi if she is unable to sleep, and they talk. Chid is distressed by his family's high expectations of him. Hitomi says that her grandmother told her people have mysterious powers. Meanwhile Van practices his archery. Millerna reads a diary section in which Marlene sees Allen Schezar at a martial arts tournament. Hitomi lays out the Tarot cards for Prince Chid, and suddenly visualises Marlene, Chid's dead mother. Hitomi tries to cover up her surprise by saying that nothing's the matter. Meanwhile Millerna reads the diary section that reveals that Marlene and Allen were lovers. The Zaibach invade in strength, and Boris reports to the King that the enemy are advancing in large numbers. Folken's dialogue is about the military operation. As they prepare to resist the invasion, Van, getting into Escaflowne, asks Merle about Hitomi, and Millerna tells Allen that she wishes to speak to him. At once Allen asks if it's about Marlene. Allen says that Prince Chid is probably his son, horrifying Millerna, when King Freid interrupts them, saying angrily that Chid is his son. |
