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Nikholas "elf" F. Toledo
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DiScLaImEr!!!
RAYEARTH is the property of CLAMP/ Kodansha
This series has caused me a lot of headache. And I don't see relief
coming anytime soon... WHEN DOES THE HURTING STOP!!!
warning: Do not be deceived... this is not a lemon... [though this part
does have some goings-on that you might not want young'uns to see - Ed]
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Reunions and Tragedies
Chapter V
An Evening Without Angels
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"And if God will send his angels
And if God will send a sign
Would everything be alright?"
- U2 'If God Will Send His Angels'
His fingers stroked her breast, kneading the soft skin and
teasing the hard nipples. The swollen weight filled his hands - she
moaned and arched her back, his hands twisted in her midnight hair
as he lowered his mouth to suckle one of those luscious mounds. He
closed his eyes and stopped thinking.
He felt. He felt his own body, taut and pulsing with want. He
felt her body, soft and warm and willing. He felt her stroking his
length slowly, her touch on his manhood hungry and assured. Her
lusty moans filled his ears as she spread her legs and guided him
inside her. He sank his flesh between her moist thighs, feeling her
legs clamp strongly about his hips. Expertly, lustfully, she met
his thrusts, undulating beneath him.
When he opened his eyes, he found himself staring down at the
face of an innocent instead of a temptress. His fingers were
tangled in her red hair, not the swath of midnight-black of his
mistress. Her eyes delved into his own dark soul, searching for the
goodness that he once possessed. He wanted to turn his head away,
ashamed of what he'd become.
She closed her eyes, tears seeping beneath her long lashes.
He leaned down to kiss her tears but something held him back.
Cradling her face between his hands, his gaze roved over her
anguished features.
_Why do you cry, little one? Did I cause you this pain?_
He dare not ask the question aloud, for he was afraid to hear
her tell the truth. Nothing could hurt him more than hearing her
say that she feared him. She was purity, goodness and light - he
was far from being worthy, in fact, he was the opposite of
everything she represented. But that didn't stop him from needing
her.
She moaned. Gone was the moment, like a dream fading away.
The face of the innocent beauty before him dissolved into that of
his sensual mistress. The eyes that stared dazedly up at him were
shrewd, cunning, and at the moment lustful, mirroring his own dark
soul.
The heat continued to build up once again, his body gripped
by the inescapable, inexorable drive for release. He pounded
ruthlessly inside her, her nails digging unto his back. Then, at
last, he came to the peak with a visceral groan...
Pleasure, guilt, and release.
Ruin.
He knew it the instant he knew anything. For once, the heady
relaxation of climax did not roll over him. Instead, it was a
wholesale loathing.
"What took you so long?" he heard his mistress huskily croon
against his ear. She teasingly scraped her nails along his biceps,
her long, smooth legs tangling with his.
He deftly eased himself from her embrace and turned over on
his back, his violet eyes staring at the ceiling. He couldn't wait
to get off the bed, away from the memories, away from scents of
that fevered coupling. Away from her. He sat up and started
thrusting the covers aside.
The woman frowned. She had sensed his cold withdrawal even
before he left the warm silken sheets of the bed. Still, she
relished the sight of those red marks her nails made on his
smoothly muscled back.
The man shrugged into his robe and walked towards the
balcony. He leaned over the marble ledge, cradling his forehead
between his hands. Moonlight glinted dully against his raven black
hair. He brought his troubled eyes up to the vast starlit darkness
beyond, wondering about the red-haired vision who had invaded his
dreams for the past three nights.
His dreams were all the same. It would start with him
standing out in the open, surrounded by a warm golden glow. A
gentle breeze blew and snow white feathers began falling from the
sky. They gracefully twirled in the air, locked in an endless
waltz. Then he looked up to see her floating within a rosy beam of
light, her flame-red hair flowing behind her as she gravitated
towards him. She wore a gauzy white shift that billowed about her
slight form, arms spread out in welcome, her hands reaching out for
his.
He lifted his hand, not really knowing why. She held his hand
lightly, then he felt a warm tingling in his fingers as she
entwined her hand around his. The sensation crept up his hand, then
his arm. It filtered its way through his body, in a soothing wave.
It was a physical sensation, but it was more than that. He suddenly
felt warm, aware, and unafraid. Then he gasped when he realized
precisely what the feeling was. It was total, complete peace and
joy.
He looked into her eyes that glimmered like the dusky crimson
sky. She smiled lovingly at him, but with a tinge of sadness, and
leaned closer to whisper something. He never got to hear it, the
sound of rushing water drowned it out and the world exploded in one
blinding flash of light. After that, everything would suddenly turn
black, leaving him alone once again in the cold, impenetrable
darkness.
He would wake up feeling utterly cheated, wallowing in
desolation and in anger. Burning with anger at her desertion after
showing him such wonder, such beauty... such love? No, it couldn't
be love. It doesn't exist; SHE doesn't exist. Both of them were
mere illusions. Inside him, there was nothing... nothing but a
deep-searing emptiness at the loss of that dream.
He thought he could get away from it; he took his mistress to
bed tonight, hoping to keep the dreams at bay. It didn't work, all
he could think of now were her tears. All he wanted now was to be
alone.
"It's late, my dear Alcyone - better go back to your chambers
and get some rest," he said with his back to her. It was an order,
not a request, and they both knew it.
"Come back to bed and let's see if I can..."
He slanted her a grim look that killed the words in her
throat. She used him just as he used her to ease his lust, nothing
more. This was an unspoken agreement between them, one that Alcyone
would like to conveniently forget. It was times like this that he
would have to remind her of her rightful place.
"I'm not in the mood to play substitute for my brother in
your fantasies for the rest of the night; maybe some other time."
He watched her eyes flash with anger, but for all the rage
she was feeling, her voice was tauntingly sweet when she spoke,
"Well, I didn't hear you complaining when you had me beneath you."
"I had to admit, your performance, in or out of bed, is
quite... exceptional." He walked up to her, a silk wrap dangling in
his grasp. "But I grow weary of this 'sport'," he continued
mercilessly, his mocking voice dropped to a punishing whisper as he
placed the silk wrap on her lap, "It was good while it lasted, but-"
Burning with contempt, she swung her hand to strike him. He
caught it in his vice-like grip even before it made contact with
his cheek. He twisted her wrist until she gasped out in pain.
"You forget yourself, my beautiful witch. You're in the
presence of the most powerful being in this land," he murmured
silkily, his violet eyes glittering like shards of glass. "Do you
dare to entice the Pillar's wrath?"
"Forgive me, sire." She practically hissed the apology
between her teeth, keeping her head bowed, so as to hide the gleam
of wrath in her eyes.
"It's good that we understand each other perfectly. You may
leave now."
Alcyone grabbed her wrap and made her exit with indignant
grace, promising herself that she would extract vengeance in due
time.
The man knew exactly what Alcyone was thinking. Hell hath no
fury like a woman scorned, they say, especially if that woman also
turned out to be the Mistress of Magic. He wasn't the least bit
bothered by Alcyone's unspoken threat. Such things were trivial
matters to him.
"Besides, it's the least of my worries," he told himself as
his eyes once again riveted towards the balcony. This time, a
golden explosion of light split the darkness outside. He watched it
with an equal mixture of dread and excitement: It was a two-faced
omen that heralded either doom or rebirth, or maybe even both.
No sooner had the light faded did he hear the sound of
hurried footfalls approaching his chambers. The window panes of the
open balcony doors reflected his minister's troubled face. He
entered the room and knelt down on one knee. His short silver-white
hair was in disarray, as if he'd just run his fingers through it.
"Sire, somehow she has managed to summon the Knights. Shall I
gather the palace guards to go look for them?"
"Yes. And I want them alive, Innova." He watched the man's
golden eyes widen in surprise. "Is that clear?"
Innova was about to protest, but he held himself in check and
bowed his head. "As you command, sire."
"Good." He smiled coldly as he stared at his own reflection
on the window pane.
_Well done, Emeraude, I guess my dear brother also had a hand
in this. Send forth your Magic Knights - that I may crush them
together with your hope of stealing Cefiro from me!_
________________________
Umi woke up with a scream as a huge green tentacle slithered
up her leg. She kicked at it frantically, but somehow, it still
managed to wrap itself around her ankle. Her terror-filled eyes
followed it towards a huge plant monster, very much like a Venus'
flytrap that mutated by horrific proportions.
"Help me! Please, anybody!!!" she sobbed out as the thing
began to drag her across the forest floor.
She started clawing for a hold, grabbing onto grass, plants
and tree roots along the way. Her panic escalating with every inch
she moved towards its wide open jaws, the foul smell of its acidic
saliva making her gag.
"Let go!"
Suddenly, she felt the thing's hold on her ankles slacken,
then the terrible bloodcurdling shriek of a wounded creature filled
the air.
She got up and ran, not bothering to look back to see what
caused the monster to let go. She didn't have any particular idea
where she was heading, until she came upon a clearing and saw Fuu
lying unconscious on the grass.
"Fuu. C'mon, Fuu, wake up!" she urged, kneeling beside the
blond girl while checking her for any signs of injury.
"Fe... Ferio?" Fuu opened her eyes and groggily focused them
on her friend. "Umi, where's Ferio? Have you seen him?" she asked,
scanning the perimeter of the clearing.
"No. I seem to have lost Ascot, too."
"Wait, did you hear that?" Fuu was suddenly alert, picking up
the distant voices mingling with the sound of horse's hooves
against the ground.
"That must be them! They must've sent a search for us." Umi
excitedly got up but Fuu was quick to pull her back, instead.
"Umi, wait!" she whispered, "We're not exactly sure who those
men are. I think we'd better hide here first and see if they're the
Castle guards and not Gryff's men."
"Right. This looks like a good hiding place."
The two girls crawled inside the hollowed trunk of a huge old
tree. The darkness was enough to hide them, but Fuu was still
thankful for the thick shrub that grew just in front of the
opening. They huddled together and waited for the soldiers to
arrive.
"They should be around here, somewhere. Search the area, you
are not to return to the castle without them!" the silver-haired
man shouted to his convoy.
"But, my Lord, the men are afraid to enter The Forest of
Silence. They say that no one has ever entered the forest and come
back alive..."
Fuu gasped, her eyes widened in shock, "Innova!"
Umi peered behind the bushes and, sure enough, there was
Innova, looking very much alive. His golden eyes glittered in the
torchlight as he glowered at the soldier.
"Superstitious fools!!" he spat out, thoroughly disgusted by
the fear he read in their eyes. "Yellow-bellied cowards, the lot of
you!"
He drew out his sword and lashed out at the soldier, causing
him to fall off his horse. Innova leaned down and his pointed the
sword against the man's chest. "Believe me, you have more to fear
from me than from any monster lurking inside that forest!" He
sneered menacingly, "Now, get to work!"
A sharp whistle pierced the air.
"Ah, it seems that they already found someone." Innova
wheeled his horse around, "Remember, your orders are to find them
and bring them to the castle alive. Fail me and you forfeit your
lives," then headed off towards the edge of the forest.
Umi blindly reached out for Fuu's hands; they were cold and
trembling with fear. The seconds seemed to stretch to infinity as
they waited for the guards to either find them or leave. Then,
after what seemed to be a lifetime of suspense, the guards finally
decided to head off deeper into the Forest of Silence.
"What is going on here!" Umi cried, pointing at the direction
Innova took, "HE was supposed to be DEAD?! Right?!"
"I don't know," Fuu whispered, hugging herself to stop
trembling, "I seriously don't know."
The two heard a faint rustling at their right. They looked at
each other and started to run when-
"Umi... Umi, where are you?" Hikaru emerged from behind the
tall bushes followed by Lantis.
"Hikaru!" they cried in unison.
"Fuu! Umi!"
The three girls embraced each other and laughed, in spite of
their tears. There were still so many things left unexplained, but
it felt good to know that the three of them were together once
again. And together they would find the answers.
"Shh, I'm alright now, I really am," Hikaru whispered
soothingly, returning her friends' fierce embrace.
"You know I don't trust you when you say that," Umi said,
wiping her tears with her fingertips. "But this time, I think I'm
willing to take your word for it."
"But how did you know that we were here?" Fuu curiously
asked.
"Just luck, I guess." Hikaru turned to the blue-haired girl,
"I heard you screaming a while back. It sounded you were running
away from something."
Fuu frowned when Umi unexpectedly blanched.
"Was this before you found me at the clearing?"
"Yes," Umi replied.
"What was it that you were running away from?" Fuu worriedly
asked.
"Uh... nothing, I just got startled by some creature, it was
pretty harmless, really. I think it was more frightened than I
was," Umi lied, not wanting to compound her friends' fears.
"What I don't understand is how we ended up here. One moment,
I was riding a four-winged bird through the sky with Ferio, then
that light came - it was like time stood still and I felt a strange
sensation like falling."
"Me, too. But in my case, Ascot and his Griffin seemed to
have vanished into thin air."
"And there's another thing, Hikaru." Fuu's voice dropped to a
whisper, "We saw Inno-"
"Guru Clef!" Umi greeted excitedly, breaking away from the
rest of the group. He was standing at the other edge of the
clearing, facing them.
Umi smiled warmly at him, "It's been quite a long time," her
blue eyes speaking volumes.
Clef reached out to take her hand and returned her look,
"Yes, I know." His hold tightened meaningfully as he read the
emotion in those sapphire depths.
"Guru Clef, can you tell us what happened?" Fuu asked from
behind Umi, effectively breaking the spell between the two.
Lantis eyed him warily and placed a restraining hand on
Hikaru's shoulder, "Lantis, what's wrong?" she inquired.
"I'm not sure. The last time I saw the Guru, he changed into
a more mature version of himself."
"Kinda like Ascot?"
"Yes. Now, it seemed that he reverted to his previous form.
It just doesn't make any sense."
Guru Clef caught Lantis' close scrutiny, "I will tell you all
you need to know. But now, let me bestow upon you, once again, the
right to wield the powers that you have mastered as the Magic
Knights of Cefiro."
Burning red flame wrapped around Hikaru. A gust of green wind
surrounded Fuu and blue waves rose about Umi. When everything
settled down, each of them emerged in a different garb.
Fuu wore green socks and ankle-high white leather boots. Her
white sleeveless dress was short at the front but quite longer at
the back. A green underskirt that fell just above the knees and a
sash of the same color around her waist complemented the dress.
Attached to the edge of her golden triangular breastplate was a
green velvet cloak. On her left hand, she wore a cut-off green
velvet glove with an emerald-green crystal on top.
Hikaru wore a crimson tunic edged with gold over a rose
sleeveless dress. Both dress and tunic were longer at the back,
with the front ending at mid-thigh. A wide leather belt cinched her
waist and her white leather boots reached almost to her knees. She
wore gold armbands, each sporting a smooth red crystal at the
center. The velvet crimson cloak had a hood with two carved gold
clips holding it in place about her shoulders.
Umi wore a royal blue dress with a divided skirt that reached
hovered the ground. Underneath, she wore a short pleated skirt and
around her small waist was a wide leather belt ringed with
rectangular blue crystals. Thin silver rings held her blue cloak
fastened to the edge of her breastplate. She wore knee-high boots
with silver kneecaps, each sporting a blue oval-shaped crystal,
topped with blue silk that ended at mid-thigh.
"All right! That's more like it!" Umi cheered.
Lantis turned to Guru Clef, a pensive frown creasing his
handsome face. After their transformation, there was no doubt that
this was the real one in front of them, "Guru Clef, if you're here,
then we have an imposter inside the castle."
"WHAT?!" Fuu and Umi cried, his statement capturing their
undivided attention.
"Not exactly, the person you saw was..." Clef stopped when
they heard the unmistakable sound of horses. Lantis was about to
draw his sword when Clef stopped him.
"No. It's best that we avoid any confrontation with them."
"Who are they?" Lantis nodded towards the direction of the
torchlights.
"Later. It'll be easier for me to explain if you're to see
everything for yourselves."
________________________
"... just wandering around, as if looking for..."
"Near the edge of the Forest of Silence?"
"Yes, Sire."
"After all this time..."
"He used to be one of the youngest fighters..."
Ferio drifted in and out of consciousness, the back of his
head throbbing painfully. He could hear snatches of conversation in
the background but could not make anything of it. He opened his
eyes and tried to focus on the two shadowy figures standing at the
doorway. But since the light was behind them, he was unable to make
out their faces.
"And the Knights, have you found them?"
Innova hesitated before answering, "My men are still scouring
the forest, sire."
"Very well." The Pillar glanced back at the bed, "Send
someone to guard him and see to his needs when he wakes up. He
could prove to be very useful to us."
_That voice, it sounded like - like Lantis. Were he and the
others able to save Fuu?_
He asked himself even as the sound of their retreating
footsteps echoed down the hall, telling him that he was alone once
more.
He remembered the light, golden and warm. The two of them
were falling in space. He only had a chance to give her the other
half of the communicator before everything faded out.
Ferio could feel the darkness closing in around him once
again. Suddenly, a woman's low voice brought him back. It wasn't
Fuu's; the voice was brittle and a trifle husky, not sweet and shy
like hers. He turned his head and his amber eyes locked with a pair
of cold blue-violet orbs. The woman sat next to his bed with her
long midnight hair flowing behind her. Her smooth alabaster skin
glowed in the darkness, her lips a vivid slash of red made for
seduction.
"You were supposed to be dead!" she sneered, leaning her arm
forcefully against his throat.
"Alcyone?!" His eyes widened as he choked against the
pressure she was applying on his trachea.
_ME, DEAD! Doesn't she have this the other way around?!_
"You were supposed to have drowned in the Lake of Eterna,"
she continued, voice dripping with malice. "Watching you die
should've been enough - I thought I've finally gotten my revenge
against your bitch of a sister. But seeing you now disabused me of
that notion."
She pulled out a dagger and dragged the pointed tip across
his cheek, drawing blood. "I could easily kill you right now, but
His Majesty actually believes that you're invaluable to us."
"Useful, in what way?" His mind quickly filtered through the
shocking turn of events. Somehow, Alcyone was still alive and
thirsting for his blood, but she dare not carry out her threat for
fear of angering 'His Majesty'. She also mentioned revenge against
his sister... but Emeraude was dead, along with her beloved Zagato.
"You'll know soon enough, my pet," she whispered and kissed
him hard, full on the mouth. She opened her free hand, a small ball
of light glowed in the center of her palm. "But I have to make sure
you wouldn't tell on me when His Majesty sends for you."
________________________
Guru Clef, Lantis and the three Magic Knights were flying
above the vast forest riding Fyula, a magical creature resembling a
huge fish whose fins served as wings. It was the same one that the
girls had ridden the first time they arrived in Cefiro.
They didn't have to go far; they were now directly above a
magnificent tower capped with gold that stood at the very heart of
the forest. They landed in front of the structure; Clef then tapped
his staff against the ground and the huge bronze doors opened of
their own volition. A long stretch of carpeted hallway greeted them
- it had a striking similarity to the grand hall of the Crystal
Castle.
"This way." Clef indicated the archway to their right.
"I hear music," Umi whispered, as if she was in church.
They were standing on a wide balcony that provided a great
view of the domed pavilion and the gardens under the light of the
full moon.
"That must be where it's coming from," Hikaru absently
replied, totally enraptured by the sweet sound.
The music was almost like a wind-chime's voice, soft and
atonal, all but lost to their ears but registering nonetheless, as
if through the sixth sense. It seemed to fill the air, and yet had
no single source.
They finally reached the marble entrance of the pavilion.
Moonlight streamed through the long tainted windows. The tips of
the arches touched the line where the roof and the wall met, the
windowsills only a few inches from the ground. A woman playing a
harp sat on a stone bench, her classic profile silhouetted against
the windows.
"Princess Emeraude!?" Fuu found it necessary to lean against
one of the marble pillars for support. She might not have been
wearing her glasses, but she would have to be blind to mistake the
woman for anyone else.
But this was not the child-like princess that called out to
them from Tokyo Tower. This was the woman who had loved and lost.
The one who sought revenge with such passion yet begged to be
vanquished in the midst of the battle to save her world - to be
free to follow her beloved in the afterlife.
"But... but, that's impossible, we..." Umi faltered, not able
to continue past the lump in her throat.
_... we killed her,... I killed her. And I almost destroyed
everyone I held dear, because I wasn't able to forgive myself, back
then,_ Hikaru said to herself.
The woman kept on playing, her music was memory's song -
dreamlike, preverbal and impossible to hold...
"Zagato?!" Lantis' attention was riveted on the man who just
emerged from the shadows.
A tall, imposing figure dressed in black robes approached the
woman, his stride confident and sure. Long straight black hair hid
his face from view, but there was no mistaking the smile that lit
up the woman's ethereal beauty. Only Zagato was capable of that
effect on the Princess.
_Light and Shadow,_ Umi thought to herself, watching the
loving look that passed between the Sol and the Princess. They were
perfect together.
Emeraude stood up and glanced at their direction. She
whispered something to Zagato and left the pavilion through one of
the open glass doors.
Zagato looked at the three Magic Knights and saw the
remembered pain etched in their eyes. How he wished that the land
had chosen someone else - someone who wasn't familiar with the
legends of Cefiro. Then, suddenly, he found himself staring into a
pair of violet eyes whose color was an exact replica of his own.
Lantis.
_Would he leave like he did before or would he stay to see
this new continuity to its bitter end?_
________________________
Lantis jack-knifed into a sitting position. His labored
breathing echoed in the still darkness that surrounded him. Outside
his window, the moon revealed its face from behind the clouds,
filling the room with an eerie light. He wiped the sweat from his
brow. He stared down at his trembling hands almost half expecting
them to be covered with blood.
"Hikaru."
He barely recognized the anguish-filled voice as his own.
Thrusting away the covers, he quietly got out of bed and
hastily threw on his clothes. Running down the deserted hallway, he
turned right at the corner and stopped in front of the first door
he came upon. He jerked the door wide open, light from the hallway
flooded into the room. Umi and Fuu were asleep in their own beds.
Hikaru's bed was empty.
Unbidden, the nightmare flashed across his mind's eye, making
his blood run cold. He swallowed past the tightness in his throat,
forcing down the panic that was clawing at his gut.
"I must find her."
________________________
Hikaru shivered against the cold night wind and pulled her
robe tighter. She couldn't sleep. So much has happened, so many
questions running around her head that she didn't know where to
begin. She sighed and leaned against the balcony overlooking the
still waters of the small lake.
"Shouldn't you be resting, little one?"
She started at the familiar voice and the feel of the warm
cloak being draped around her slight shoulders. Hikaru couldn't
help but smile at his kind gesture.
"Lantis, you worry too much. I'm -" The words fled from her
mind the moment she realized who she was talking to.
"Zagato?!" she gasped, "What are... I mean, I thought you
were Lantis. You two sound almost the same."
"I know," he gently said, then smiled.
Hikaru found herself gaping at him. The smile transformed his
austere features, softening his usual stoic expression. She
couldn't help but think if this was the side of Zagato that
Emeraude fell in love with. With that thought came a small stab of
pain. Years have passed, but the tragedy had left an indelible mark
on her and her friends.
"Hikaru."
"Huh?"
"I'm sorry, I know this isn't easy for you and your friends.
Seeing me must be like reliving a long forgotten nightmare."
"Yes." Hikaru flinched at her own honesty. "I only wish that
things could've been different."
"Do you know why you were summoned?"
"Yes," she answered, "to save this world."
"And to save this world means the death of the Pillar,"
Zagato said, giving voice to her worst fears.
"No!" Hikaru burst out, "Not another life..." She hugged
herself and whispered, "I don't think I can go through that again."
Zagato's lips tightened into a grim line. He knew that she
was hurting. There was no other way but to tell her the truth.
"Come with me. I wish to show you someone."
She looked at his outstretched hand and heard the plea for
trust in his voice. She couldn't help but be wary of him. Still,
she wordlessly gave her trust when she placed her hand in his
grasp.
One moment they were standing beside the balcony, the next
thing she knew, they were in this huge cylindrical room. The moon
shone from the skylight and scented white candles illuminated the
room. Hikaru gasped, her eyes widening in surprise at the figure
before her.
"Princess Emeraude!"
Emeraude was encased in a huge crystal hovering over a
circular pool of water. She was dressed in a simple off-shouldered
white gown. Eyes closed, her dark lashes rested against her smooth
white cheeks. Her hands lay folded along her chest. She seemed to
be sleeping... or dead.
"Who did this to her?!"
"The Pillar of Cefiro."
Hikaru was clearly taken aback by Zagato's answer. That was
the last thing she expected to hear from him.
"And all this time, you thought that SHE was the Pillar," he
continued.
Hikaru could only nod her head in reply. If not Emeraude,
then who was the Pillar? And what did Emeraude do, to warrant this
kind of punishment?
"But, I just saw her... in the pavilion... playing the harp."
"That was just a mere projection of her thoughts," Zagato
explained. He touched the crystal reverently, as if he could feel
Emeraude's soft cheeks through the hard glass.
"She's alive. Her body may be trapped, but her mind remains
free." His mournful voice suddenly turned cold, laced with
bitterness and contempt. "This is what the current Pillar of Cefiro
is capable of. Now, do you see why we need your help?"
"Why did the land choose such... such a cold-hearted Pillar
in the first place?"
Zagato stared at the dust dancing in the moonbeams, lost in
the memories of the past. "There was a time when other worlds
wanted to claim Cefiro for their own. The land chose a leader who
was not only well-versed in the arts of magic, but a skillful
warrior, as well. The Pillar created a formidable army to protect
Cefiro from the invaders. Soon, they finally gave up and peace came
to our land once again."
"He - the current Pillar is a man?"
"Yes," Zagato turned to face Hikaru, "But power could be a
heady aphrodisiac - it could be addictive. The Pillar was no
exception."
"What happened?"
"He turned the tables and invaded the neighboring worlds. The
land was not pleased with this - Cefiro needed a protector, not a
conqueror - so it chose Emeraude to be the next ruler.
"But the Pillar refused to step down from power," he
continued, watching Hikaru walk towards the pool.
"And he did this to her because she was a threat to his
position," Hikaru whispered, unable to believe that the Pillar
could be capable of such greed and cruelty.
"... then again, maybe he did it to save this world."
"Lantis!" Hikaru gasped as she turned around to watch him
emerge from the shadows. Lantis stopped in front of her and warily
eyed Zagato, challenging him to refute his statement.
"The Pillar doesn't care for anyone but himself, his position
and the power that comes with it," Zagato said.
Lantis never got to answer back - his eyes widened as the
water in the pool suddenly came to life and menacingly rose up into
the air. The water solidified into an icy glittering spear, ready
to strike.
"HIKARU! Look out!!!" He lunged for Hikaru and brought her to
the ground with him. The icy spear struck the stone floor scant
inches away from them. Lantis held her close, and put up a barrier
to protect them.
"Get us out of here! NOW!" he demanded angrily, shouting at
Zagato.
Once again, they were back on the balcony. The sky had
already turned a soft lavender hue, heralding the break of dawn.
Hikaru shuddered in Lantis' protective embrace. Her troubled eyes
met Zagato's worried gaze. Somehow, she knew, she knew that the
spear wasn't aimed at her.
It was aimed at him. At Lantis.
________________________
Fuu woke up with a start, she drew her brows together and
tried to remember what was it that woke her up in the first place.
She listened carefully - there it was, the sound of a child crying.
She gingerly got out of bed and padded barefoot into the
hallway. The child's crying were now reduced to hiccuping sobs; Fuu
decided to follow the sound, and was surprised by the sight that
met her when she rounded the corner.
_Gryff!?_
He was carrying a young girl in his arms, stroking her blue-
black hair and talking to her in a soft comforting voice. They
seemed to be so absorbed in each other's grief that they failed to
notice her.
"Oh, Gryff!" the child sobbed, "I thought the Pillar's men
caught up with you - all this time, I thought you were dead!"
"Shhh... It's alright. I'm here now, there's no need to cry."
"Promise me you won't go after the Pillar, Gryff," the little
girl demanded in a very mature voice. "He won't rest 'til he finds
either of us."
Fuu saw Gryff's face hardening at the little girl's request.
"Asuka, I can't. He-"
"Killing the Pillar won't bring your men back, Gryff! You'll
end up dead, just like them!"
"I'm also doing this for your own safety!" Gryff explained,
"You are the last heir to the throne of Fahren. If the Pillar gets
his hands on you, everything your people had fought for will be
lost."
"I don't care!" She wailed, burying her face in his chest,
"All that matters is that you're alive and safe!"
"Grow up, Princess!" Gryff's voice suddenly became stern as
he grabbed her shoulders and roughly held her away from him, "Your
responsibility lies with the people of Fahren, not with me!" He
shook her hard, "Do you understand THAT, Your Emperial Highness?!"
"Stop it, Gryff!" Fuu shouted, coming out of her hiding
place. Asuka stopped crying and watched her approach them with
curiosity. Gryff was first surprised, then irked by the intrusion.
"Who is she?" Asuka asked suspiciously between sniffles.
"Stay out of this, Fuu," Gryff warned, his voice grim.
"Can't you see? She's just a scared little child," Fuu
explained, "You can't blame her for wanting you to be safe, you're
all she's got..."
Gryff looked down at the princess' pleading expression and
knew that Fuu was right. He and Asuka shared a common bond; they
were the only ones who managed to escape the Pillar's castle alive.
His men were tortured to death while her family was slaughtered by
the Pillar's men.
"Gryff, who is she?!" Asuka repeated, impatiently tugging at
his sleeve.
Fuu smiled at the little girl, "Hello, Princess Asuka. My
name is Fuu."
"Are you Gryff's friend?" the little princess asked.
"No."
"Yes."
Fuu and Gryff answered at the same time. He glared at her -
she smiled back.
Asuka looked at the two of them, sighed, shook her head, then
asked, "What are you doing here?"
"I'm here to help."
________________________
"Umi, wake up."
"Whaddyawant?" Umi sleepily muttered against her pillow.
"Umi, it's Clef. Please, wake up."
"What are you doing here, is something wrong?" she asked,
sitting up on the bed.
"I'm not sure." He looked at the two empty beds. "Come with
me," he replied, holding out his hand to her.
Umi didn't argue nor bother to ask where they were going. She
simply placed her hand in his and allowed him to lead her out of
the room and into the deserted hallway. They entered a room with an
oval-shaped full-length mirror set against the wall.
Guru Clef waved his staff and their reflection began to swirl
around. It turned into a whirlpool of colors and started to glow
until all the colors were drowned in a flash of white light. When
everything settled down, she suddenly found a lavender-haired man
staring back at her from the other side of the mirror.
"Guru Clef!" She looked at Clef who was standing beside her
then back at his 'older version' right across the mirror. "It's
YOU! But how..."
"Very simple." The one in the mirror answered. "I am his
counterpart in this alternate reality."
"So how come you're there, and he's here?"
"Emeraude wasn't strong enough to summon you here. We had to
trade places in order to open the gate between the two Cefiros."
"And now, I have to go back," the Guru Clef beside Umi
replied. He turned to her and reached for her hand, "If the choice
were up to me, I would chose to stay here, with you. But -"
Umi knelt down and embraced him, "Hush, I understand," she
whispered.
"Guru Clef, it's time," the one in the mirror spoke.
"Promise me that you'll take care of them. That they will
return to their world alive and well," Clef demanded of his 'twin'
inside the mirror.
"I promise to do my best," he solemnly replied.
"Goodbye, Umi." Clef cradled her face between his hands and
kissed her on the forehead. "Take care of yourself."
Umi watched him approach the mirror, he glanced at her one
last time before walking through the glass surface. The moment he
disappeared, the other Guru Clef emerged from the other side. He
waved his staff in the same fashion that Clef did, and closed the
portal. The mirror was once again just an ordinary reflective glass
surface.
"Guru Clef! You're back!!!"
Umi whipped around to see a dark-haired little girl burst
into the room and throw herself at 'Guru Clef'. The girl's high-
pitched voice vaguely reminded her of someone... of a Chinese
Princess that Fuu introduced to her once back in Cefiro.
_Hmm... what was her name again? Arashi... Akasha... Asa..._
"Princess Asuka, what are you doing up this early?" 'Clef'
asked.
"Asuka! Princess Asuka of Fahren!?" Umi burst out.
The little girl blinked at her, "Uh, yes. How'd you know who
I was?"
But Umi was in for another surprise when Gryff appeared at
the doorway; she pointed a finger at him and growled, "You... you
monster! I'll make you pay for what you did to my hair!"
She lifted her left hand, encased in a white leather glove
that terminated at a deep point at the top of her hand, leaving her
fingers bare. The crystal at the center glowed as she passed her
hand over it. She extracted a thin bladed sword similar to a
fencing epee, its hilt resembling a dragon's wings spread in
flight.
She pointed her sword at him and issued a challenge, "Draw
your sword! After this match is through, you'll be sporting a new
haircut!!!"
"No, thank you. I rather like my hair the way it is." Gryff
grinned, "Besides, I suggest we talk this one over. I'd like to
apolo-"
"Haiyaaa!!"
Gryff was quick to dodge her initial attack, drew his saber
and settled into a fighting stance.
"O-kay, if that's the way, YOU want it -"
"Stop it, you two! Someone could seriously get hurt!" Fuu
cried.
"Tell that to this blue-haired termagant! I was apologizing
when she started it!" Gryff shot back as he valiantly parried Umi's
wild blows.
"SHUT UP!" Umi screamed as her sword hilt locked with
Gryff's.
She was taken by surprise when he suddenly eased his weight
off the sword, causing her to stumble forward. Gryff saw an opening
- he chucked Umi under the chin then grinned, "Anyone ever told you
that you're cute when you're riled?"
"Don't give me that crap!!!" Umi blushed furiously.
_If he thinks that he could ruin her concentration by pulling
a cheap shot like that-_
Her sword went flying straight out of her hand and into
Gryff's. He felt the hilt, solid and still warm from her grasp,
then it suddenly liquefied and dripped between his fingers.
"What the-?!" As it fell, the sword morphed back into its
original shape. A metallic clatter echoed around the room when the
sword hit the marble floor.
Gryff's jaw dropped as he stared at it in puzzlement.
Suddenly, the hair at the back of his neck began to prickle,
warning him of imminent danger.
"Water Dragon!!!"
"Umi, no!" he heard Fuu scream. Turning around, he saw a
tidal wave shaped like a dragon heading straight for him. Gryff
made a desperate lunged for cover behind one of the marble columns,
sailing through the air and landing in a forward roll to cushion
his fall. He landed a few meters away from safety.
_Too late,_ Gryff thought to himself as he crossed his arms
and braced himself against the watery blow, acknowledging with grim
resignation that he had just underestimated the Knights once again.
"Winds of Reprimand!"
His cloak wrapped around him, he felt his hair whip around
his face, forcing him to close his eyes. In the darkness, all he
heard was the sound of water crashing angrily against a barrier.
Then silence. He opened his eyes and found himself watching the
water run down the wall of air that just saved him.
"Are you alright?" Fuu asked, helping him up to his feet. Her
hands clutched at his sleeve.
_She... she saved me._
Gryff stared at Fuu in stark disbelief. He unconsciously
patted her hand and was caught totally unprepared when she smiled
her relief. His mind came up blank when he tried to think of
reasons why she even bothered saving his neck.
"Fuu, what'd you do that for?!" Umi, sounding like she'd just
been betrayed, demanded. "Just whose side are you on?"
He watched the quick flash of pain that crossed Fuu's lovely
face at her friend's accusation.
"No one's," she firmly answered, "Gryff is not our enemy,
Umi. He was actually trying to do his best to apologize-"
"I don't want his apology!" Umi heatedly argued.
"Well, I'm not exactly waiting with bated breath for your
forgiveness, either!" Gryff angrily shot back.
"Good. 'coz I have no intention of giving it to a lying
deceitful bastard like you!"
"Hah! You're not exactly a prime example of an emotionally
stable person, if you ask me."
"FINE!" Fuu finally exploded, "If this inane petty quarreling
will make both of you happy then, by all means, proceed. I've had
it with you two. I'm going to find Hikaru." She turned around and
started to walk out of the room.
This outburst of hers naturally took everyone by surprise.
Fuu NEVER raises her voice in anger. Fuu NEVER gets riled.
Fuu approached everything with a cool and impeccably logical mind.
She was a sweet, kind and sympathetic person who has the patience
of a saint.
Or so everyone thought.
"Fuu, wait!" Umi cried out. Her friend turned around and
looked at her expectantly. Umi sent a rebellious glance in Gryff's
direction, who in turn gave her an annoyingly innocent blank look.
"Arrrgh! Oh, alright!" Umi grumbled, "I'm sorry I lost my
temper."
"Hmmm... I can't seem to hear you." Gryff cocked his head to
one side and inquired in a smug tone that never failed to make
Umi's hackles rise. "Are you, by any chance, apologizing to me,
Miss Ryuzaki?"
"Why you-" Umi growled - she was starting to emit a faint
blue glow. "You heard me just fine the first time, you jerk! Now
let's see you do it!"
Gryff seemed to have a great difficulty clearing his throat.
Umi, on the other hand, prayed for him to choke on his damn pride,
thinking it would be a fitting demise for the arrogant captain.
"Umi..." Fuu warned, then sent a chilling glance at Gryff's
direction, "And stop provoking her, Gryff."
"Well, I'm waiting." Umi crossed her arms and started tapping
her feet impatiently against the floor.
"I, umm... ah, sorry about the kidnapping and everything," he
stammered, watching Umi's expression. "I made a grievous error in
judgement."
Granted that he'd been wrong about the entire situation:
He held two innocent girls as hostages, destroyed his own
military career, managed to royally tick Geo off, wrongfully
accused Lantis of being a power-hungry bastard... hell, the list
just goes on and on. A 'grievous error in judgement' doesn't even
begin to describe it. But, for the purpose of saving space, let's
just say that Gryff made an utter ass of himself.
"I apologize," he said with gravity.
But he sure as hell wasn't wrong about Umi.
The first time he saw her, he knew she was a stuck-up,
snobbish, prima donna. And he couldn't be more right. He looked
straight at her and didn't bother to hide the message in his eyes:
_Damn, but you just love to see me grovel, don't you?_
Umi raised one delicate eyebrow and smiled but said nothing.
Her eyes answered for her instead:
_Absolutely._
"And about your hair," Gryff felt a small thrill of
satisfaction when Umi's smile turned sour, "the ends were starting
to split anyway." He shrugged, "Guess I just saved you a trip to
the salon."
Umi counted to ten... then twenty, and reached forty-three
before she finally managed to rein in her temper. "Don't worry, I
intend to return the favor, sometime in the near future."
Fuu, oblivious to the animosity that passed between the two,
clapped her hands and smiled. "There, isn't this a lot better than
having you two sniping and biting each other's heads off?" she
asked in her most sweetest voice.
"Gryff, I see that you're well acquainted with the two
Knights. How long have you known each other?"
The question seem to have jerked Umi and Gryff from their
'outglare-me-if-you-can match'. It was a timely reprieve, since the
two of them were already starting to send off electric sparks.
"Long enough," Umi muttered, sheathing her sword back into
the jewel on her glove. She looked at Clef straight in the eye and
asked, "This isn't exactly the first time you two met, either,
right?"
"We've met before. And, I must say, the situation is a vast
improvement this time around," Clef replied, then seemed to
reconsider his assumption, "Or is it? I see that you've been
venting your vengeance on the wrong people, Gryff."
- end of chapter 5 -
=========================================================================
Thank goodness, I finally managed to finish the damned thing.
Time check:
Status check on elf: Tired. Body wants to sleep, brain however refuses
to cooperate. Yup, an insomniac.
Whew! This fic had been stagnating in my harddrive for almost uh... 5
months? (I'm not so sure, it maybe longer.) Heck, I was even able to
write AND finish a chapter of a new Rayearth fic (Through the Looking
Glass) before ending this one.
For those who already read thrulg01, a double thanks. (Since you're
obviously reading R&T, too.) For those who haven't, try checking it out
sometime. C&C, comments, torching, flaying, greetings, Ads, plugging,
paging, decent proposals, indecent proposals <S&M included>... (uh, did I
just said or rather wrote that? Whatever!) are very much welcome.
Check out the other guys' work on this Zu.
=========================================================================
Other parts at: http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Flats/3145/reunions.html
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