The Ramarian Crisis
By DarkHorse

Chapter 8: Confessions

*Palace Central Archives, Cephiro*


  Lantis slammed the huge leather-bound book shut. He had been
in this dusty, totally dusty palace library for the last
four days trying to find a way to breach whatever wall
existed between Cephiro and Earth. He had gone through
hundreds of ancient tomes, scrolls and books only stopping
to drink and eat. Occasionally, Mokona, the as yet to be
identified rabbit-like creature, would keep him company but
he wasn't much conversation or practical help. But his
presence comforted him and for some reason pushed him
onwards.

  *Why am I doing this?* Lantis asked himself for the
hundredth time. *Because you are worried about Hikaru, that's
why.* The answer that his brain conjured up managed to
irritate him some more. He kept telling himself that he
didn't need to worry about the Princess because she was the
Pillar and therefore had access to vast amounts of power.
But then he remembered what Master Mage Clef told him. That
Hikaru's powers are not as vast or limitless on Earth as it
was in Cephiro. In her world she was vulnerable. Exactly how
much less powerful she was on Earth was totally unknown.

  This infuriated Lantis even more. There were endless
questions and so few answers. Cephireans were not known for
their diligence in keeping written records of their past.
Which is why when the Magic Knights were first summoned,
hardly anybody knew about them or what their purpose was. So
inadequate were the historical archives of Cephiro that
Lantis had yet to come across the name of the Pillar that
preceded Princess Emeraude. Although there were hundreds of
volumes in the library, they were mostly literary pieces,
poems and odes written by bards who did nothing but lie back
and paint the beauty and wonder of a Pillar-supported planet
with their words. Whatever historical accounts Lantis found
in the tomes were written as folklore. Trying to filter out
myth and legend from fact was difficult at best.

  All in all, people just depended on the highest-ranking
sorcerer of Cephiro to provide the answers. And the only
reason why Mage Clef could answer those questions because he
was there to witness the events that now was considered as
recent history. But what if he passed on? Who would be able
to guide the people, to provide them with answers to the
most basic questions that a Cephirean will need to know?

  With a deep sigh, Lantis brought his head slowly down to
rest on the book he had just closed. His thoughts returned
as they always did to the image of a strangely beautiful
petite redhead whose spirit was filled with joy, strength
and love. There has to be a way to reach Hikaru. He knew
deep down in his gut that she was in danger. He was confused
that she would spurn him, reject his offer to come along and
help. But he couldn't let something like that deter him.

  Out of sheer exhaustion, Lantis closed his eyes. And he
dreamt.
                              
                          * * * * *
                              
  "Lantis!"

  He heard his mother call. As was his custom, he was
perched on a branch high up on a tree, leaning lazily
against the trunk. "I'm up here, Mother!"

  Helena, mother to both Zagata and Lantis, was a woman who
looked much younger than her age, but then so were many who
lived in Cephiro. She was tall just her sons were tall and
she had straight black hair that reached to her waist. She
was looking up at Lantis with mock anger on her face. She
could never be truly angry with her sons. She could not be
blessed with better sons than Zagato and Lantis. "There you
are on that tree again!"

  Lantis looked down at his Mother and smiled. With a mock
grimace of his own, he alighted nimbly from the tree until
he was standing in front of his Mother. Only then did he
give her a smile, which Helena was only too pleased to
return. She looped her arms around her son's right arm and
led him into the house. "What is it Mother?" Lantis asked,
intrigued that he should be led into the house when it was a
perfectly wonderful day to be out.

  "I need to show you something," was his Mother's simple
reply. They entered the house through the back door. It was
not a very fancy home but it was spacious and comfortable.
Helena gestured that Lantis should sit down by the dinner
table. "Just stay right there," she said disappeared into
the next room. Lantis heard her footsteps go up the stairs
and enter a room, which he knew to be his Mother's bedroom.
There was a bit of noise, which he could only assume was the
opening and closing of a drawer. All through this, the
younger son waited patiently.

  Presently, Helena reentered the dining room carrying a
wooden box in her hands. It seemed very old. Other than
that, there didn't seem to be anything remarkable about it.
She seated herself beside Lantis, laying the box on the
table. With a puzzled expression, he looked up at his
Mother. "So, what is this you were going to show me?"

  Helena simply pushed the box towards him. "It's inside
the box."

  With brows furrowed, Lantis pulled the box towards him
and slowly lifted the lid. What he saw in the box caused his
eyebrows to both rise. He reached in and pulled out a large
circular medallion by the chain. He dangled it before him to
examine it. Like the box, it was old. But that was as far as
the similarity went. For the medallion was obviously
something of great value. It was made of gold and it had
intricate symbolic patterns all throughout its
circumference. At the very center was a reflective surface
made of something he could not readily identify. With his
left hand he scooped up the artifact and as soon as the skin
of his hand touched the surface, he shuddered. Lantis felt
the power of the medallion.

  He shot a glance at his Mother. "What is this?"

  Helena smiled at her son. "What you have in your hands is
our family's most precious possession. It has been with us
for thousands of years. It is the called the Fenestra."

  "Fenestra," Lantis repeated softly as he gazed into the
golden medallion. "What does it mean?" he asked as he looked
up once more at his Mother.

  Helena tilted her head to the side and furrowed her brows
slightly. "I'm not really sure. What I know is that the word
comes from an ancient language. I also know that the
medallion has strong magic. You felt it didn't you?"

  "Yes, Mother, I felt it. So why are you showing this to
me?"

  "I'm giving it to you."

  Lantis' eyes widened. "Why me? Why not give it to Zagato?
I mean he's the older one."

  In response, Helena reached out and held her son's hands
with the medallion in between. "Something in my heart tells
me that it is you who should hold onto this. I cannot
explain it. But I do need to follow my heart." She paused.
"So, I entrust it to you. When the time comes, you'll know
what to do with it."

  Lantis was intrigued by the mystery of it all but he
nodded solemnly. "In that case, Mother, I thank you. I will
take good care of this."

  Helena reached out to tenderly touch her son's face. "I
know you will, son. I know you will."
                              
                          * * * * *
  
  Lantis glanced at Hikaru and noted how exceptionally
vulnerable she looked. They were in the lush indoor garden
of the palace, sitting on the ledge surrounding the
fountain. It was the last beautiful place that Cephiro had.
His world was crumbling and will continue to crumble until a
new Pillar emerged.

  "Legendary Magic Knight, exactly what is it you are
fighting for?" He asked at last.

  Hikaru's eyes widened at the unexpected question. Her
expression changed to one of determination as she turned her
head to return his gaze levelly. "I'm fighting for me,
myself."

  Lantis considered her answer briefly. And then without
warning or preamble, he pulled out the medallion he had
brought along precisely for this moment. He held it up by
the chain in front of the Fire Knight.

  Once more, Hikaru's eyes widened with surprise as she
beheld what looked like a large pendant to her. "What-what's
that, Lantis?" Her voice was especially soft as she asked
the question.

  "It's something that my Mother once entrusted to me."

  Mokona suddenly appeared and jumped up on Hikaru's lap.
He pushed Hikaru's arm upwards causing her hand to scoop up
the medallion. The sudden movement and its implication
caused her looked down sharply at the little creature.
"Mokona!"

  "Oh!" She exclaimed as she felt the full weight of the
medallion drop on her hand. This caused her to look back up
at the magic swordsman. She thrust the object back towards
Lantis' hand with both of hers. "I can't possibly accept
something so important to you." She was already feeling
giddy from the contact of their hands when suddenly she
found her hands trapped by both of Lantis' with the pendant
in between. "What are you.?"

  "I'm sure that someday, this will protect you," Lantis
said gazing deeply into the Fire Knight's warm sienna brown
eyes.

  "Lantis."

  "Pu! Pu! Pu!"
                              
                          * * * * *
  
  "Pu! Pu! Pu!" Mokona repeated called out to the sleeping
magic swordsman.

  Lantis snapped his eyes open without lifting his head
from the book. Slowly he closed it again. *Hikaru...got to find
a way...wait a minute!* Lantis brought his head up sharply and
looked at Mokona who was already perched on the table eyeing
him thoughtfully. *The Fenestra!* He immediately stood and
walked briskly towards a shelf filled with what appeared to
be ancient volumes. His finger traced the exposed spines of
books, searching for.there! The Book of Ancient Artifacts.

  Filled with renewed purpose, Lantis returned to the table
and dropped the book right in front of Mokona. The little
creature's ears drooped. "Puuuu." He said with a trace of
sadness in his voice.

  "I'll rest when I find the answer I'm looking for, Mokona
and not before," Lantis declared as he began rapidly
flipping the pages of the book.
                              
                          * * * * *
  
  The Shidou siblings were kneeling at the center of the
dojo with Hikaru facing her three brothers. The dojo was
where they held all family conferences. In Hikaru's opinion,
there was no other place than this to reveal the truth. She
instinctively brought her hand to her chest where she wore
Lantis' pendant. She did this whenever she felt nervous and
strangely, the feel of the object, even through the thin
fabric of her nightgown, gave her comfort.

  Hikaru debated with herself for several more moments
whether the way she was intending to tell them was the right
way. She knew that Umi and Fuu were going to reveal the
truth to their respective families in the same way too. She
raised her head to gaze into the eyes of her beloved
brothers. They were all focused on her, anxiety and concern
etched on their faces. She nodded imperceptibly as she made
her decision.

  "Dear brothers," she began, "what I'm about to tell you
will be very hard to believe. I will try to answer all your
questions. What I ask from you is that you keep an open
mind."

  Satoru, Masaru and Kakeru exchanged glances before
turning their attention back to their little sister. Satoru
nodded towards Hikaru. "We're listening."

  Hikaru reached into the pocket of her robe and took out
the gauntlet she received from Clef those many months ago.
Looking down on it, she realized that she hadn't used the
gauntlet for several weeks now. There was no longer any need
for it since she could will out her sword and armor without
it. She raised her eyes to Satoru. With the gauntlet in
hand, she stretched her arm to present the object to her
brothers.

  Satoru looked at the object and then at Hikaru before
glancing back down to the proffered object. He reached out
and gently took it from Hikaru's hand. Masaru and Kakeru
leaned over to more closely examine that thing in their
elder brother's hand. It looked like a fingerless glove.
Satoru allowed them to touch it. It was white and extremely
smooth, having the consistency of glass and yet with the
pliancy of rubber. The glove also had intricate designs made
out of what looked like gold. However, the most remarkable
thing about it was the ruby-like ornament imbedded at the
center. When the brothers gazed into the ornament, they
could see what looked like an ocean of flames in its depths.
As one, the brothers glanced at Hikaru with the same
question in their eyes.

  "The story I'm about to tell you revolves around the
gauntlet you have in your hands, Elder Brother," she said,
"allow me to relate this story first without interruptions.
As I said earlier, all your questions will be answered."

  Hikaru took a deep breath and began to tell her
enthralled brothers about her adventure that began that day
her class had a field trip at Tokyo Tower. She told them
about how Umi, Fuu and herself were summoned to Cephiro to
fight a war they did not want to fight in the beginning. She
told of how they met Master Mage Clef and told that they
were to become Magic Knights. Clef had all given them
gauntlets, the accompanying armor and the ability to use
magic. She wanted to skip the part where her good friend,
the Master Smith of Cephiro, Presea had died in her arms but
decided to tell it anyway since it was integral to the story
and because she had to tell them that it was from her that
she and the others were able to acquire their evolving
swords made from a rare and magical ore Escudo.

  She told them that their mission, as they understood it
in the beginning, was to save Cephiro. Cephiro was crumbling
because Princess Emeraude, its Pillar, the one person whose
strength of will alone supported the entire world, had been
kidnapped. As a direct result, the planet became infested
with a variety of monsters, plagued by increasingly foul
weather and strong earthquakes. She related how it was the
Pillar's high priest, Zagato that imprisoned the Pillar. She
continued on to tell them about how they had to endure
having to journey on foot over most of Cephiro to search for
and revive the legendary Rune-Gods. She explained that the
Rune-Gods were like huge robots except that they had a will
of their own. They needed these immense beings to help them
in their final encounter with Zagato.

  Hikaru paused noticeably before resuming her story. The
brothers noted that her eyes were misty and that she was
fighting to control her emotions.

  "Are you alright, Hikaru," Satoru reached over to hold
her hand. So far, Satoru held his neutral mien but inside,
he was extremely worried. Except for the gauntlet in his
hand, he had no other proof that his little sister's story
was real and not a product of a delusion borne out of a
recent traumatic event.

  Hikaru patted her brother's hand. "I'm okay, Elder
Brother," she sniffed. She was very close to breaking down
and her brother's physical manifestation of concern was not
helping. She dabbed her eyes with her fingers and with
another deep breath, resumed her tale.

  "Umi, Fuu and I were successfully able to revive the Rune-
Gods. We had one each. Together we were able to defeat.and
destroy Zagato," her voice faded noticeably. She sighed and
then continued. "It was shortly afterwards that we
discovered our real mission.

  "When the current Pillar is no longer able to sustain
Cephiro, the Magic Knights are summoned to destroy that
Pillar. We discovered that Princess Emeraude was in love
with Zagato. Zagato loved Princess Emeraude in return. The
reason why he imprisoned the Princess was to protect her
from.to protect her from us." Tears were already flowing
copiously down Hikaru's cheeks. She had taken to looking
down at her hands, no longer able to keep eye contact with
her brothers.

  "When Princess Emeraude realized that we had killed her
one true love, she attacked us. We pleaded with her. We did
not want to kill her too. But we had no choice. She was
extremely powerful and she would have killed us if we didn't
kill her first. Also, it was only when we fulfill this
mission of destroying the Pillar will we be able to return
to Tokyo."

  "And that's the reason why you were so depressed when you
got back from your field trip?" Satoru asked gently. Hikaru
merely nodded, still keeping her eyes down. "How long were
you in Cephiro?"

  The brothers saw Hikaru's brows furrow briefly. "About a
month." She began dabbing her eyes again with her fingers.
Satoru exchanged uncertain glances with his two younger
brothers.

  "Hikaru, you realize that you were able to.ah.stay in
Cephiro for a month since that field trip, because you were
home with us that very same day."

  Hikaru nodded and then raised her eyes, which were still
wet. "Time runs much faster in Cephiro than it does here on
Earth." She drew in a deep breath to steady her emotions.
"Anyway, this is the part where I show you some proof that
I'm not going crazy." She glanced at Satoru. "May I have my
gauntlet back please?"

  "Certainly," Satoru replied, handing the object to
Hikaru. The three brothers watched as their little sister
stood and put the gauntlet over her left hand. As soon as
she did this, she began to glow with reddish light. Before
their very eyes, they saw Hikaru's nightgown and robe
transform into a short red, white and gold battle dress
complete with a red flowing cape, white knee-high boots and
white gloves. In her right hand, she held a broad sword with
a golden tip and red flame-patterned cross guard. On her
head was a crown, also of red, white and gold, which gleamed
with otherworldly light.

  All wide-eyed, the Shidou brothers instinctively
scrambled to their feet and backed away. Swallowing hard,
Satoru found his voice. "H-Hikaru?"

  "I-is that you, Hikaru?" Masaru stammered.

  "It's me, dear brothers," Hikaru said, smiling gently.
"Please don't be frightened."

  "I-it can't be," Kakeru stammered.

  "Please," Hikaru took a step closer.

  Satoru and the others took a step back out of reflex.
Satoru immediately regretted the move. He could see the pain
in his little sister's face.

  Hikaru's smile faded abruptly and scowled. She began to
glow again, causing her brothers to wince. In an instant,
she dismissed her Magic Knight's battle dress and summoned
instead a white gi. Hikaru lowered her head. "I'm sorry,"
she whispered.
                              
                          * * * * *
  
  Umi's parents sat on the couch completely stunned. Umi
was standing before them dressed in her blue and black
battle dress, light blue flowing cape that reached regally
to the floor, white elbow-length gloves and thigh-high
boots. She was holding her razor-sharp rapier with blue wing-
shaped cross guard in her right hand, pointing downwards.
With an almost imperceptible flick of her wrist, the rapier
disappeared in a flash of blue light, causing her parents to
flinch once more. Still wearing her battle dress, she
approached her parents and knelt before them, taking her
father's hand in both of hers.

  "Daddy," Umi's voice was low and pleading, "don't be
frightened. It's me, Umi, your little girl."

  "U-Umi," Mr. Ryuuzaki's voice had a scratchy quality. He
had to swallow hard to clear the catch in his throat. "S-so
it's all true."

  Mrs. Ryuuzaki was trembling with fear and uncertainty,
clinging on her husband's arms tenaciously. "I-I can't
believe you went all through that.!" Tears of grief and
horror were threatening to spill down her face.

  Umi removed one hand from her father's and transferred
them to her mother's. "Mother, we were perfectly alright.
Nothing would have been able to harm us, not with our magic
and our sword."

  "Are you sure, Umi?" Mrs. Ryuuzaki's tone was doubtful.

  "Positive, Mother. Don't worry." Umi smiled but deep down
she hated having to lie to her parents.

  "Okay," Mrs. Ryuuzaki conceded. "You look really lovely
in that.uniform, Umi."

  Umi beamed. "Thank you, Mother!"

  "So," Mr. Ryuuzaki spoke with a measure of his confidence
back, "those men who attacked you were after your
gauntlets?"

  Umi turned to her father and shook her head slowly. "Not
exactly, Daddy. We think that they are after Hikaru's
ability to open up portals."

  "Hikaru has the ability to open portals? But neither you
nor Fuu have that power?"

  *Oops!* thought Umi. She had not intended to let them know
that it was only Hikaru that possessed the power to open
portals. Well, too late now. "Ah yes, Hikaru is the only one
with that power."

  "Why?"

  "She is the.ah.new Pillar," Umi looked away, unable to
meet her parents' eyes.

  "She's the new Pillar?" Mr. Ryuuzaki repeated,
incredulity on his face. "Isn't she too young to be the
Pillar?"

  "The Pillar is selected based on the strength of his or
her will. Hikaru had the strongest will of all in Cephiro,"
Umi declared matter-of-factly. She was actually quite proud
of her redheaded friend. Looking back, she realized that
Hikaru was special. From the first day, it was her boundless
energy and dedication that allowed them to endure the
hardships, to brave the dangers and to keep trying even when
the situation seemed utterly hopeless.

  For several seconds no one spoke. And then Mrs.
Ryuuzaki's eyes widened. "Umi, does that mean that Hikaru is
destined to share the same fate as the late Princess
Emeraude?" The thought totally appalled her. She had come to
like redheaded friend of her daughter.

  "No, Mother. Hikaru gave the power or at least part of it
to the people of Cephiro. Now, the citizens of that land
will no longer have to depend entirely on a Pillar to
sustain and support their world."

  "Well," Mr. Ryuuzaki was nodding in approval, "that
seemed to be quite clever of Hikaru."

  Umi beamed. "Isn't she?"

  "Anyway, I think we are overlooking something vital
here," Mr. Ryuuzaki said thoughtfully, "why would the men
who attacked you want the power to open portals?"
                              
                          * * * * *


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