Tanominotsuna (Last Ray of Hope)
By LantisHikaru
Chapter One
Only one word could describe it - beautiful. Maybe peaceful can describe it too. Whatever the word was, it was hard to find a one-word description for this land. Beautiful rivers flowed as clear as crystal while leaves of various plants glistened with dewdrops. Strange creatures roamed the land, freedom dancing in their eyes. It was a peaceful place...was.
A deer-like animal gingerly approached the stream. It took a few quick glances to the side before it lowered its head to get a drink of water. Suddenly, the ground shook and the creature's eyes snapped open. The response didn't take long. Using its powerful legs, the creature jumped over the long forgotten stream and scampered off into the forest.
The creature was right to be cautious. What was once a peaceful, stable land without a Pillar became destructive and shaky. Why? It was hard to say. It first started beautifully. People were living in harmony; happiness was commonplace. Then, heads turned the wrong way. Greed came into play and people started praying against each other. What were the gods to do but grant everyone their wishes? Cephiro became unstable again. Luckily, it was not as bad as it was during any other time when the Magic Knights were required to fix the situation. However, the prince of the land certainly hoped it had been.
Ferio sighed as he stood, unfazed by the earthquake. The riots grew worse everyday. First, it was "he did that" and "I deserve this." Now it was "I want that, so give it to me!" The prince shook his head. Did the people of Cephiro have to act so selfish? Just as he stood to open the door, he felt an assuring hand on his shoulder and smiled.
"Master Mage," he whispered.
Clef, ever the silent type, nodded in acknowledgement. After years of separation from the Magic Knights, he decided that it would be best to take on an older, more respectable figure and willed himself to be taller. He traded his once adorable baby face to a more mature, respectable image. Everything else seemed to be the same from the shoulders down, including the flowing robes he wore. Ferio was glad that Clef took on a height that was just taller than his own. He enjoyed looking up to the Master Mage he had come to respect so much. The two sighed in unison and opened the doors to the balcony to hear the riots.
Outside wasn't much better. Torrents of yelling and screaming roared across for miles. Many fights had already broken out as the crowd continued rioting, yelling, and fighting, unaware of their prince and their guru who watched them in utter frustration. Ferio shook his head while clutching it from his building migraine.
"We have come to address your riots! Please stop fighting this instant!" Clef yelled to no avail.
The people continued to bicker amongst themselves, ignoring the Master Mage completely. Clef felt a vein ready to pop in his forehead as the blood surged from his anger. 'How dare they disrespect the Master Mage?'
Suddenly, a blue beam appeared from nowhere and caught the attention of the crowd.
"Silence!" the voice boomed, instantly silencing the crowd.
Clef nodded at Lantis who approached the two on the balcony. Ferio sent him a weak smile, signaling his gratitude. The ever-present fairy was absent from her position on Lantis' shoulder signaling that Lafarga was already present among the crowd and Mokona and Caldina were on their way. Ferio stood up from his chair and faced the crowd.
"My good people of Cephiro, what is the problem?" he inquired.
Ferio winced inside. My good people of Cephiro? What is the problem? He knew he'd much rather say, "What the heck's goin' on?" but of course, business was business. Ferio realized that Fuu would have been exploding into laughter if she were here. He almost laughed, almost.
"The sudden storms are wiping out our crops!" an old man yelled in a hoarse voice.
"The monsters are tearing down our villages!" a woman chorused.
The people started bursting out complains in any random order as though there were a prince for each of them. Ferio stood composed in front of his people even though he was practically crumbling inside from frustration. Clef tapped his staff on the balcony rail to get attention.
"We are already doing our best to control the monster reports. Lantis and Lafarga are only two people, yet they have already taken care of most of Cephiro's monsters. As for the sudden storms, the only way to help yourself is to pray enough that your crops would be safe from all danger," Clef explained.
'If only they would stop acting like greedy, spoiled children,' Clef thought remorsefully.
The people started muttering amongst themselves again, discussing whether that was a valid solution or not. An ominous feeling shadowed over the Master Mage who gazed at the crowd. Somewhere, in the midst of the confusion, someone was going to say something stupid today. They always did...
"We need a Pillar! The land can't sustain itself. Things were so much better with the Pillar, even with the whole commotion with Zagato and the Magic Knights!"
...and there it was...
"Yea, either the Master Mage or our prince should take the position as Pillar!" another cried.
Ferio sat down and rested his forehead in the palm of his right hand while Clef sighed and shook his head. Of all things...
"I refuse to be the Pillar. My sister has already suffered greatly from its responsibilities, and the Magic Knights have already sacrificed too much for this," Ferio answered.
Clef nodded in approval, showing that he agreed with Ferio's words. The crowd screamed out in outrage. How could the two most important people in Cephiro refuse such a high position?
"Then let one of us take that position!" another stupid one yelled.
The crowd shouted in approval, but Clef shook his head.
"Only those of a strong heart and will may have the privilege of taking on such a task. None of you who are present today qualify for the position," he answered only to have the crowd yell at him in disapproval.
"Kill the prince and the guru! They only want power!" yet another dumb one shouted.
Ferio sighed yet again while Clef clutched his staff. The magical weapon started to tremble in his hands, signaling that the Master Mage was about to break it from his frustration. Clef slowly let go of his vice-grip...
"After all the things we've done for them..." he muttered.
The crowd continued the chant in agreement while Clef shook his head and turned his gaze away from the crowd. Enough was enough. Ferio watched him with a doleful I-told-you look plastered on his face. The two stood up to leave the balcony, sending Lantis to his feet immediately to escort them out.
"If you refuse to do such a thing, Guru, summon the last Pillar of Cephiro!" Another foolish yell... Clef stopped in his tracks.
"Princess Emeraude is dead," he answered in an icy tone. Clef knew what they were going to say, but tried to push it out of his mind.
"Then let the Knight of Fire finish her reign!" the shout came.
Lantis suddenly stepped out of his usually poised self and snarled. Let the love of his life be a Pillar and suffer for these foolish and selfish beasts? Never! He'd rather die! Lantis' hand unconsciously found its way to the hilt of his sword...
"Lantis, come," Clef called.
Lantis froze when he realized what Clef meant and sighed in relief that he didn't lose his composure. Lantis followed Clef and Ferio off the balcony and used his magic to shut the door on the protesting mob.
=Earth=
"...then x equals 23."
The instructor nodded in approval of the student's answer. A fiery-haired girl sat trying to understand the new numbers and letters that appeared on the board. Her turn was coming up soon, but she still didn't figure out her math problem. She tapped her pencil a few times and started scribbling down what would probably lead her to the solution, when she suddenly froze and dropped her pencil.
"Oh, Pillar, where are you?" "Save us!" "We don't want any more monsters." "Save our crops!" "Help our land, Cephiro!" "Kill the Prince and the Guru. They only want power!" "Let the Knight of Fire finish her reign!" "Pillar, come save Cephiro!"
Voices flooded into her head. What could a confused girl do but clutch her head and hope they go away? The last quote touched her heart. Hikaru had no choice but to listen, even though she didn't want to.
'Make them go away,' Hikaru pleaded to no one in particular.
Umi saw her friend in a bad condition and decided that she had to do something to snap Hikaru out of it. Umi did the only thing that she could do - she cleared her throat as loudly as she possibly could. Just as she expected, every eye in the classroom turned to her, including the two ruby ones.
"Is there a problem?" the instructor questioned.
"Oh, it's nothing. I just, ahem, had something caught in my throat," Umi lied. The instructor nodded and continued with the day's lecture.
"Shidou-san, your answer for the next problem, please." Hikaru stood and explained her correct answer, much to the delight of the instructor.
"Very good, Shidou-san!" and the lecture continued.
Hikaru sighed in relief as she sat down. When the instructor turned his back on the class and started writing down various math scribbles on the board, Hikaru turned to face Umi.
"Arigato," she mouthed, and Umi winked in response.
School had finally ended. Students ran cheerfully out the door, relieved that the day was finally over and they could return to their video games, computers, and whatever else they had at home for entertainment. The three knights of Cephiro slowly descended the stairs and walked down the street. The Knight of Water broke the silence among them.
"What happened back there, Hikaru? You weren't thinking of Lantis again, were you?"
Umi poked Hikaru teasingly, leaving Hikaru nothing to do but blush until her skin matched her hair color perfectly. Umi and Fuu giggled at Hikaru's reaction while Fuu wondered aloud if such a complexion of red was possible without passing out. Hikaru remembered the voices that flooded her head and shook her head no to Umi's question.
"It's nothing, really," Hikaru lied.
She absolutely hated lying to her friends, but this was something that she just couldn't tell them. What would they think if she told them that the people of Cephiro were rioting against Ferio and Clef and were calling her back to be the Pillar for good? Fuu observed the worry filling in Hikaru's eyes and immediately noticed the lie. The Wind Knight's eyes clouded over in concern for her friend.
"If there is a problem, do not carry the weight by yourself, Hikaru-san."
"Yeah, what are we, chopped liver? We'll be here for you, through thick and through thin!" Umi chimed.
Hikaru smiled at her friends. They were so good to her...
"Arigato, Umi-chan, Fuu-chan."
...and that was why she just couldn't tell them...
LantisHikaru: This isn't the best one I've written, so I'm definitely going to need some feedback. Please tell me how it is!