Hitomi and Van, the boy that slew the dragon, arrive in a strange land called Gaea where the Earth and Moon can be seen in the sky.  They travel to Van's home city where he is a prince and now, with the heart of the dragon called an energist, he is to be crowned king of Fanelia.  Just after the coronation however, mysterious invisible enemies appear and wipe out the town.  Van and Hitomi flee to the temple where he releases Escaflowne.  He attempts to fight even with the overwhelming odds but Hitomi, seeing the death of Balgus, screams and the Escaflowne is transported away in a beam of light.