Escaflowne Ep. 16: The Guided Ones

A mustached man, Allen’s father, Leon, climbs a cliff and almost slips. He looks down and continues onward, eventually reaching the summit where a pillar of light delivers a young girl to the summit. On the Vione, the two leopard girls, Naria and Eriya talk to Folken. They speak of a group of sorcerers they came with, who Folken says will be taking Dilandau away. They promise Folken their bodies and souls. On Dryden’s ship, Dryden decides to send his assistant and his ship back to Asturia. He is finished translating the log from Allen’s father, saying it is written in the language of the Mystic Moon. He says he will going to the place Allen’s father had sought, the Mystic Valley, and expects the others will be coming along with him. Dryden tells Allen that the only way to find out the truth about his father is to go. Van says he wants to find about the Draconians there. Later, as the Crusade heads off, Dryden starts reading to everyone from the log. Leon talks about heading towards the Asgard continent, where he thinks the Mystic Valley is. He thinks the power of Atlantis is there. On board a ship heading there, the captain wants to head back due to the bad weather, but Leon holds a knife to his neck demanding they continue on. The ship is struck by lightning and crashes into the ocean. Leon wakes up later, floating on some driftwood near the Asgard continent. He thinks back to the girl he met years before. He reaches shore and starts walking. He says everything he wants is there. Allen gets upset upon hearing that his father abandoned his family just to find a girl. Meanwhile on Earth, Amano and Yukari talk to Hitomi’s mother about Hitomi’s disappearance. Yukari mentions her dreams of seeing Hitomi again, and Hitomi’s mother thinks Hitomi is alright. The Crusade continues to head over the ocean towards the Mystic Valley. Gaddes talks to Reeden, then to Pyle, who is along with some other men taking parts from Guymelefs stored aboard Dryden’s ship. Dryden continues to read Leon’s diary, saying how he reached a mountain in a freezing blizzard. He entered a cave and met an old man named Isaac. Isaac, who looks exactly like Emperor Dornkirk, tells Leon that he is searching for the Mystic Valley as well. Back on Earth, Hitomi’s Mother shows Amano and Yukari a photo album and tells of a day that her mother was transported to a weird place one day when coming home from school. Isaac tells Leon his tale and says he’s from the Mystic Moon. Everyone is surprised by this. Amano and Yukari see the picture of Hitomi’s grandmother, who looks very similar to her. Hitomi has a vision of Leon climbing a cliff and watches as Hitomi’s grandmother is transported there in a pillar of light.

Hitomi watches in shock realizing that she’s looking at her grandmother. Leon reaches the summit and walks up to Hitomi’s grandmother. That night, they sit by the edge and talk. Suddenly, the pillar of light appears again and she is transported away. Hitomi remembers her grandmother and clutches her chest. In Zaibach, a sorcerer sees General Adelphos, requesting permission to bring Dilandau back to Zaibach since he is ill. Adelphos gives permission, saying that it was the sorcerers who brought Dilandau to him in the first place. Dilandau is transported away from the Vione and screams out for his Dragonslayers as the sorcerers experiment on him. They plan on performing another fate alteration experiment on him once they return to Zaibach. Dornkirk is told by Folken that the Crusade is headed to the Asgard continent. He believes they are heading to the Mystic Valley. Dryden continues to read the diary. Leon and Isaac head through a foggy landscape, but Isaac soon vanishes in the fog. Leon continues toward the Mystic Valley, hoping to see Hitomi’s grandmother again. Allen is upset and leaves the room, and Dryden taunts him before he goes. Hitomi goes up to Allen, who looks sadly out the window. Allen says he can’t forgive his father, who abandoned his family. Hitomi walks up to him and says he wants to forgive him since he kept his diary. Allen says he was afraid to know why his father abandoned him and wonders if Hitomi will forgive him. Van goes to look for Hitomi and Allen. Allen walks up to Hitomi. Suddenly, the ship shakes, heading through a stormy landscape and Hitomi falls into Allen’s arms. Van walks in shocked. Dryden enters shortly afterwards and says they’re almost there. Everyone heads to the bridge. The Crusade avoids a levistone and flies through the clouds to a snowy landscape, devoid of anything interesting. Dryden’s shocked to see nothing’s there and realizes a page is torn out of the diary. The Vione appears ahead of them. Naria and Eriya head out to capture Van and fly above the Crusade. Hitomi thinks of seeing her grandmother years before when she gave her the pendant. Hitomi prays for them to reach the Mystic Valley. The others think of their reasons for coming to the Mystic Valley and their desire to find it. Naria and Eriya attack the ship, but suddenly Escaflowne‘s energist glows, causing a pillar of light to appear, transporting the Crusade into a strange disc-like portal which Folken calls the Gate of Atlantis.