Event Year: 1996

Dryden discovers the location of the Mystic Valley (and purportedly also, the entrance to Atlantis) in Allen's father's diaries. In the process, Allen confronts his bitterment towards his absent father, and Hitomi discovers her grandmother also visited Gaea. The party is pursued by Folken's floating fortress until Hitomi's pendant and prayer opens a portal to Atlantis.

Van is enveloped into the world of the dead, and Hitomi goes to retrieve him — but not before envisioning the destruction of Atlantis. The previous battle's trauma disorients Dilandau as well, so Folken sends out Naria and Eriya (the intensely loyal leopard girl twins who directly answer to him) to continue the mission of capturing the Escaflowne.

Van is enveloped into the world of the dead, and Hitomi goes to retrieve him — but not before envisioning the destruction of Atlantis. The previous battle's trauma disorients Dilandau as well, so Folken sends out Naria and Eriya (the intensely loyal leopard girl twins who directly answer to him) to continue the mission of capturing the Escaflowne.

In the last battle, Van incurs life-threatening injuries which Hitomi discovers to match Escaflowne's battle damage exactly. Fortunately, Dryden (Millerna's betrothed) appears and uses his knowledge of ancient technologies to summon Escaflowne's original builders. The Ispano repair Escaflowne and in the process, heal the pilot whose blood pact intertwines his fate with the Escaflowne's. Thus restored, Van rushes to mete out vengeance upon the Dragon Slayers, despite the consequences.