Vision Of Escaflowne Fan Fiction ❯ By the Hand of Destiny: Book One; The Journey to Destiny ❯ Chapter One; Destiny ( Chapter 1 )

The first chapter: ** Destiny is a strange young woman. Travelling with the elfin man Demitri and the shape shifter Blade, she does the bidding of the Old Ones, to alter the emotions of others and change the flow of Destiny. But what seems simple can sometimes be only the beginning of a much longer journey**

By the Hand of Destiny

By Dilandau's Girl, Tayles, and Fanilia

Destiny is what you make it.

Book one The Journey to Destiny

Chapter One: Destiny

I watched as the night wind blew softly through the forest trees, sending leaves scattering across the floor of the secluded glen. It had been so cold lately and the fire was warm, it's heat welcome as it warmed at least one side of my chilled body. I looked around as the fire's flames send shadows of light and dark dancing on the surrounding trees. I had some time to myself as I waited for Demitri to return. He had left a while ago to set an enchantment around the camp, one that would mask our presence here in the glen to anyone who would happen by. I could hear the wind; it seemed to be whispering my name, Destiny. Destiny is the name given to me by the old ones, unnamed ones that control the heavens. They are wise and they are vengeful, and I, insignificant mortal that I am, do their bidding. I use the abilities that they have bestowed, or cursed me with, to change destiny for them. I wondered at times why they didn't just do it themselves; maybe it was against some old one law, or maybe they achieved some thrill from watching as others performed for them. Anyway Destiny has been my task in life, thus the name. I wasn't always like this…

I shook my head to clear it, not letting my thoughts take the path they wanted to continue on, too much pain there to visit the past again. I needed to think about the lives I was about to change, or rather interfere with, this time. They came to me in the usual manor, the one that the Old Ones like best, in my dreams. Faces of people, or beings I had never seen before, along with names and histories. Well not exactly histories, more like the flavours of their emotions, some are sweet, while others are bitter. The flavours blend together to make the person who they are, and I could read them as easily as a scholar reads a volume of literature. There was one flavour that was common in all the ones chosen this time. They all, to some degree, had a lust for blood. None for the same exact reason, but still it was there in each of them.

Demitri, approached out of the surrounding trees, his white hair shining in the firelight, the wind blowing it slightly, giving me a glimpse of his pointed ears. He is short by human standards, but still taller than most elfin people and taller than I am. I was momentarily startled at his approach, though I thought I hid the fact, but again I was wrong.

"Destiny, you need to be more careful, if I can sneak up on you, anyone can. It's a wonder we haven't gotten caught by a Zaibach patrol already." His lecture wasn't over as he set down his staff and joined me by the warmth of the fire. "And I thought we agreed a small fire was all we were going to risk."

"By the spirits, are you elfin or an old lady, what with the way you go on sometimes? Isn't the enchantment working?" I chided him as he leaned closer to the fire to warm his hands. He's a beautiful man with all that unruly white hair and those big violet eyes, but he never seems to notice his looks, which only makes the females he encounters all the more interested in him. But speak of magic and those eyes light up, hoping to learn something new in his chosen profession. He noticed my scrutiny, giving me one of those 'what's going on in that mind of yours?' look, so I reached over and tweaked the pointy tip of the ear closest to me. "I can tune you out, but anyone else gets near here and I will know."

"Yes the enchantment is in place." Then realizing what I had just mentioned, about knowing if anyone getting near, Demitri's look changed to one of concern; past experience flashes through his mind. "You're not spreading yourself out too thin again, are you?" His voice only a whisper, but his intent clear as he reached over to gently grasp my hand.

"No I'm not. But Demitri, I'm going to have to pull all the way in if I am to make it all the way to Palas tonight. It will take all my energy, I'm afraid you will have to be on guard duty alone."

"I'm ready." Demitri replied as he stood retrieving his staff from the ground beside him, then moved to our packs, removing a pair of daggers from one. He never did like weapons of any kind, so I knew without words he intended to protect me with both magic and with his fighting skills should the need arise. I smiled at him, my thanks reflected in the green depths of my eyes.

All was ready as I settled myself into a relaxed sitting position and focused on the flames of the fire in front of me. I started to sink into the depths of my mind, into a familiar trance. I felt first my mind as it pulled in from the surrounding area to gather in my being, and then form my conscience into a sphere of pure energy. I felt a slight tug as the energy detached from my physical body to emerge into the night free from all confines.

I floated above the fire in the glen surrounded by trees, as I contemplated the beings below me. My body, 'home', sat by a brightly crackling fire; silver streaked tawny brown hair blowing slightly around small rounded shoulders in the chilly night breeze. My green eyes appeared hollow as if no one is at home. Further away stood an elfin man, alert, taking no notice of the woman by the fire, but intent on the surrounding area as he stood guard over his vulnerable friend. It was time to make the journey. Time and space folded and I was now hovering over the brightly lit night sky of Palas, the capitol of Astoria. I centred on the essence of my other companion, Blade, she was my link to my final destination and the beginning of the task at hand.

Blade was crouched in the shadows, watching the two she had been following for several hours. One was a woman, her curly red hair shrouded by a black cloak and the other a tall, blonde Knight of Calei. Momentarily Blade became ridged as the energy that is Destiny hovered near the tall shape shifter, dressed in black armour, blending with the night. Human eyes couldn't see this energy, but Blade, part wolf child could.

"What kept you Destiny? I thought I would have to interfere myself soon."

"Demitri was being overly concerned for my safety." I replied to the tall woman beside me. Blade's sense of self was so strong that I could see it surrounding the woman, giving her a regal, almost deadly air to all those she encountered. An air that fitted in perfectly with the tasks Blade was so efficient at.

This area of Palas was both business and residential, most of the merchants having apartments for the times when business kept them here for extended stays, or for housing the mistresses that most seemed to have in each large city.

The woman was checking around for any signs that she had been followed, she was alert, too alert for the man who followed her to remain undetected for much longer. He needed the element of surprise to unbalance her if she were to agree to his proposal. A noise drew her attention to his direction. So I reached out with the energy that was my mind to a nearby rat foraging in the trash for scraps of food. I touched the small repulsive mind of the rodent to trick it so it felt the presences of a larger, hungrier, and toothy predator behind him ready to pounce. With a loud squeal, he scrambled quickly away along the ally wall. The woman, Artemis was her name, cursed herself mentally. That moment of lost concentration was all I had needed to slip into her mind, coaxing her subconscious into believing she could not possibly be followed. After that she would ignore any other noises till it was too late. She turned and crossed the street, where she slipped into the ally on that side. The Knight followed her, and as she had been about to leap to the window of the building, he reached up with a pair of gloved hands to push her, but not to roughly, into the wall.

I had felt that the Knight had doubts about his proposal to this woman, Artemis; he didn't have any real leverage to convincer her to help him. Again I entered a mind, this time the Knight of Calei, and gave him the needed information in the form of a hunch, information concerning a man, a fight between friends, and a love lost. He would think that he had obtained the information in the usual way, with gold paid out to an informant. She would go with him, if for no other reason, for pride.

"My job is done here. Follow them Blade. They need to be in Zaibach in a fortnight, but no sooner. I am growing weak from this great distance. It is time to return." With that the energy disappeared, time and space fold and again I, Destiny, arrived back in the glen above the woman whose body is my home.

Destiny smiles…