Moon Knight
Chapter One: Summons and Magic
TOKYO TOWER
"What is this? Prep school field trip day?!" one girl remarked, as a whole troop of preps walked past them.
"Look! Here comes another school! Tomoeda High by the looks of it." Another said, as a mixed group of students walked in, just as a short, red haired girl barged through, trying to get to the prep school group. Instead of getting to her destination, she rammed right into one of the Tomoeda students, bowling him over.
"Gomenasai! I didn't mean to knock you down! Are you all right?" the redhead asked, as the boy looked down at her, with a calm smile on his face.
"It's all right! No harm done! Here, let me help you up!" the boy said, his mahogany eyes as warm as his smile. The redhead found herself blushing as the boy helped her up and it deepened when he dipped a polite now to her. Then, as though they had sensed something, the redhead, two other girls, and the boy all glanced at one another. It was then that a brilliant light lit up the sky.
"Help me save my world, Legendary Magic Knights!" a young girl's voice pleaded, before the floor gave way from beneath the four hapless teenagers. Seconds later, they found themselves falling through thin air. Without even thinking, the boy gathered the three girls into his arms and prepared for the worst. The worst never came. Instead of landing on hard ground, they landed on something soft.
"Eh……….? Nani??" the boy asked, as he released the three girls and looked around.
"Look at that! A volcano, an ocean, and a mountain floating in the sky?!" the redhead stated, as she pointed out each of the locations.
"And a midday moon hanging over the mountain?" the boy said, as he pointed out the moon.
"Where in the world are we?!?" a blue haired girl asked, sounding completely agitated about the whole situation.
"I don't think we're in Tokyo, anymore." The boy said, as he adjusted his glasses slightly.
"I don't think so, either." The third girl agreed, her voice soft and calm, despite the situation.
"What are we riding on, by the way?" the redhead asked, as she looked down at what she was sitting on.
"A giant flying fish, by the looks of it." The boy said, before the fish stopped at a cliff and sent them all tumbling.
"Ouch." The blue haired girl muttered, before giving the fish a scathing look. While the girls argued about where they were, the boy took a good look at his surroundings. He was amazed by the beauty he saw around him, but chuckled and shook his head when two of the girls face-faulted because of something the redhead had said.
"There's one good thing about being here." The blond said, cheerfully.
"Oh? What's that?" the blue haired girl asked.
"We have time to properly introduce ourselves!" the blond said, getting an excited agreement from the redhead and a face-fault from the blue haired girl.
"Good idea." The boy agreed, as he rejoined the group.
"I'll go first. My name is Houoji Fuu. I am fourteen years old and in the eighth grade." The blond said, with a smile.
"Okay. I'm Ryuuzaki Umi. I am also fourteen and in the eighth grade." The blue haired girl said, with the usual pompous air of a prep.
"I'm Shidou Hikaru, minna! I'm fourteen and in the eighth grade!" the redhead shouted, cheerfully.
"What?!" Fuu and Umi asked, in unison.
"We're both the same age?!" Umi yelped.
"No way! You look so young!" Fuu chimed in. The boy stood by and laughed, as Hikaru's age was questioned. Then they turned to him.
"What's your name, sir?" Fuu asked.
"My name is Tsukishiro Yukito. I am in the tenth grade and I am sixteen years of age." The boy replied, his hair looking almost silver in the sunlight.
"Enough of the chit-chat!" a male voice shouted, from overhead. Yukito jumped in front of the three girls, determined to protect them from anything. The owner of the voice landed in front of them, in a swirl of gold and silky white robes. When he stood to his full height, he was almost a head taller than Yukito!
"So you are the Legendary Magic Knights that Princess Emeraude had summoned…But you are only children!" the man said, his tone condescending.
"But still, we are here. Wherever here is." Yukito said, watching the other man carefully. Then the stranger smiled.
"Don't look so tense. I will not harm them, nor you, for that matter. My purpose is to teach you four magic. The magic you will need in order to become Magic Knights." The stranger said, when he'd noticed Yukito's expression.
"Magic Knights? Sir, where are we and who 'summoned' us? Why are we here?" Fuu asked, getting a strange, sad look from the man.
"You are in Cephiro. You were summoned by Princess Emeraude to become the Legendary Magic Knights. You are here to save us, but you can't return to your own world." The stranger said, quietly, even though he had a pained look on his handsome face. The four teens stood where they were in shock. They would never return to earth?! Yukito looked down as the girls started bemoaning their extremely bad luck. His thoughts now turned to his grandparents. What would they do if he never came home?
"Are you sure?" Hikaru asked, in a tone that was a far cry from what it had been earlier. The stranger turned to her and noticed the sadness in her eyes.
"So I will never see my parents, or my brothers or friends ever again?" Hikaru asked, as tears came to her eyes. The man then got an almost ashamed look on his face.
"Well, there is one way." the man said, in almost a whisper. But Yukito had heard and was angered by it.
"Then why didn't you say so?!" Yukito asked, doing something that was completely against his nature, grabbing the man by the collar of his tunic and shoving him against the trunk of a tree, as the girls watched in amazement. Then Fuu and Umi piped up, equally as angry as Yukito.
"Please! Tell us how to get home!" Fuu shouted.
"Stop lying and tell us how!" Umi screamed, while Hikaru stood behind them, looking completely confused. The man was completely taken by surprise. He'd never expected the youths from another world to be so violent!
"Yukito-chan, please put him down. He's the only one who can tell us." Hikaru said, gently, putting her hands on his arms and gently pushing them down, seeing that Yukito was slowly calming down.
"Please tell us….What is the one way to go home?" Hikaru asked, as she kneeled before the man, her eyes beseeching. The man's expression changed from surprised to grim.
"You must save Cephiro." The man said, as the four teens gazed at him, in complete surprise.
Meanwhile, far away, someone was watching the exchange between the man and four teenagers. With an eerie smile, he walked into a chamber that contained a cascading waterfall. An elfin figure, who was sitting at the edge of the pool beneath the waterfall, looked up as the dark figure approached.
"So, what did the mirror reveal, Zagato-sama?" the elf asked, as he turned his golden eyes upon his master.
"The Legendary Magic Knights have been summoned to this world." Zagato replied, with an icy smile.
"Hmm…..I see…." One voice murmured, from behind the waterfall.
"That could be a tad problematic." Another voice said, coolly.
"Are there four of them, as in the legend?" a boy's voice asked, from behind the waterfall.
"Will they become Magic Knights and revive the Mashin?" the first voice asked.
"This will be interesting." The boy's voice said, mischievously.
"Silence! Zagato-sama is about to speak!" the elf shouted, authoritatively. All of the other voices fell silent.
"The four summoned ones are still children. They cannot revive the Mashin." Zagato said, confidently.
"But, they are now with Madoushi Clef." Zagato said, with a tinge of annoyance in his voice.
"That annoying sorcerer?!" the boy's voice asked, in disbelief.
"Not good!" the second voice said, knowing about the mage.
"Alcione." Zagato said, turning away from the waterfall.
"Yes sir?" the first voice replied.
"You must take care of this problem." Zagato said, with a sinister smile. Behind him, the water parted to reveal a beautiful, yet scantily clad, woman.
"As you wish, sir!" Alcione replied, with almost contained joy in her voice, before teleporting herself away.
"I remember hearing a voice……at Tokyo Tower, before we were swept away." Hikaru said, thoughtfully.
"Me too!" Fuu agreed.
"I also heard it." Yukito agreed, as Umi murmured her agreement.
"Help save our world….." Fuu trailed off.
"Legendary……" Umi continued.
"Magic Knights!" Yukito and Hikaru finished. The man nodded, solemnly.
"Ever since Princess Emeraude, the pillar of Cephiro, was abducted, peace and order have disappeared from our world. Before, everyone lived happily….People, spirits, and creatures got along well. Since we lost Princess Emeraude, Cephiro has become a nightmare of war and chaos." The man murmured, not noticing when a monster appeared behind him.
"Look out!" the four teens yelped, leaping back away from the man.
"Sundace! Lightning Flash!" the man shouted, blasting the monster with a bolt of lightning.
"Wow." Hikaru muttered, in complete amazement, voicing hers and the others astonishment for them.
"The light tore that monster apart!" Umi said, as Yukito stared at the blackened ground in complete disbelief.
"There were no such monsters in Cephiro before. We're in the Forest of Elements. I can't believe there are monsters roaming these sacred woods. It seems we must hurry." The man said, as he gazed up at the leafy canopy above him.
"When the princess disappeared, why did Cephiro fall apart?" Hikaru asked, giving Yukito a quizzical look as he looked closely at the ground where the creature had been.
"Like I said, Princess Emeraude is the pillar of this world." The mage said, somberly.
"Pillar?" Yukito asked, entering the conversation after he'd taken a closer look at the scorched ground. The man nodded.
"Princess Emeraude protected the peace and order in Cephiro with her prayers." The man said, as he gazed out at the ocean, his eyes getting a wistful, distant look in them.
"With her prayers?" Umi asked, looking a little surprised by that, though she had no idea why.
"In Cephiro, everything is controlled by one's will. Here, in Cephiro, belief is power." The man finished, turning and looking at them, with a look that was a mixture of hope and grief.
"Princess Emeraude brought peace and order with her belief. She protected our world from fear and strife. Until…….." the man trailed off.
"Someone abducted her?" Yukito asked.
"Who?! Who kidnapped the princess?!" Hikaru asked, sounding anxious.
"It was High Priest Zagato." The man replied, with grim certainty.
"Zagato?" Hikaru asked, as she and her new friends gathered close.
"Zagato kidnapped the princess and took her somewhere." The man said, gloomily.
"You don't know where? Even with your powers?" Yukito asked, now looking worried.
"Zagato's power is second only to that of the princess. And………." The man trailed off, his eyes looking distinctly sad and depressed.
"And what?" Hikaru pressed, trying to get more information from the sorcerer.
"Never mind." The man said, shaking himself from that train of thought and looking away.
"Then the only way to go home is……..!" Fuu started, then the man cut in.
"As I said before, in Cephiro, one's will controls all." The man said, then turned and looked at them, his eyes taking on an almost ancient look.
"The princess wished you to our world. If you can become the Magic Knights as she wished, and save Cephiro, then her wish would be fulfilled. Then you could go home." The man finished, looking older than he looked in that single moment, than he had the entire time he'd been talking to them.
"I don't believe it." Umi muttered, looking exasperated.
"It sounds like a fantasy game." Fuu added, as Yukito nodded his agreement. But Hikaru was another story.
"We can save the princess and become the Legendary Magic Knights!" Hikaru said, enthusiastically, getting sweat-drops from her companions.
"But why us?" Fuu asked.
"Good question." Yukito murmured, thoughtfully.
"Yeah, why us? Why not someone from Cephiro?" Umi agreed, as Hikaru perked up and looked directly at the mage.
"That's right! What about the people of Cephiro?!" Hikaru asked.
"If the princess is so important, then why not have the people of this land rescue her?" Yukito asked, bringing his concerns to the fore. The mage turned a downcast gaze to the ground.
"Many have tried. Sorcerers, knights, warriors, all have fought Zagato to save her…….but none have won." The mage said, somberly.
"H-he's that strong?!" Umi asked, freaking out at just the thought of going up against Zagato.
"They still fight now, even though the people of Cephiro cannot win." The mage said, grimly.
"Why not?" Hikaru asked, turning to look and seeing that the mage had taken a seat on a tree stump.
"What is wrong with them?" Yukito asked, as he and Hikaru took a seat across from the mage.
"Nothing is 'wrong' with them, but the Legendary Magic Knights must come from another world. To become a Legendary Magic Knight, one must revive the Mashin. But first, you need armor." The mage said, as he grasped the hem of Hikaru's skirt and looked closely at it. Yukito tackled him.
"Try that again and I will break your arms!" Yukito shouted, furiously.
"Yeah! What were you thinking, you pervert?!" Umi screeched, while Hikaru looked cluelessly on.
"I'm not a pervert!" the mage retaliated, as he pushed the infuriated young man off of him. Then, with a desperate move, the mage waved his staff and a brilliant flash emanated from it, surrounding the three girls and one guy. When the light had died down, the four teens stood together, each of them wearing armor.
"Yeah!" Hikaru shouted, gleefully.
"What's this?" Umi asked, looking confused.
"What just happened?" Yukito asked, as he looked himself over.
"We really are in a fantasy game!" Fuu stated, looking at the new garments that were now placed over her normal clothes.
"Do you know magic?" the mage asked.
"Of course we don't! If we did, we'd just zap ourselves back home!" Umi said, angrily.
"Not even one spell?!" the mage asked, with exasperation now coming onto his features. The four teens shook their heads.
"Oh well. Then I'll have to give you each a specialty." The mage said, as he raised his staff over his head.
"Accept! Magic Gift!" the mage shouted, his voice echoing with power. This time, magical elements surrounded the four would-be Magic Knights. Hikaru was surrounded by fire, Umi by water, and Fuu by wind. Yukito, on the other hand, found himself bathed in the softest of moonlight and could feel it's warmth sink into him.
"Each kind chose you…….." the mage muttered, in complete amazement.
"Kind?" Yukito asked, as he and the other three would-be Knights looked at the mage.
"Magic chooses its owner. In Cephiro, magic is mainly used by the heart. Depending on the user's will, magic can be strong or weak. The four of you were just chosen by four kinds of magic. That light……..Indeed, you four can become the Magic Knights…" the mage said, just as Umi started off on an ego trip. Yukito chuckled when the mage whacked her on the head with his staff when she said something nonsensical. This started off yet another argument between the two.
"I think those two have a future together." Yukito whispered, into Fuu and Hikaru's ears.
"Yes, I agree! Look at how well they get along!" Fuu whispered back, as Hikaru giggled and looked over at the arguing couple. Then Fuu straightened up and looked at the mage.
"Would you teach us how to use it, then? You were kind enough to give it to us, we should use it properly. Just like with medicine, you must read the instructions before use." Fuu said, trying to ease the situation with wise words, while Umi muttered something about magic not being the same as aspirin. Then the mage turned to all of them, his expression curious.
"What's your name?" he asked, to Hikaru first.
"I'm Hikaru." Hikaru replied.
"Hee……ka…….roo?" the mage asked, sounding the name out because it was so foreign to him.
"That's right, Hikaru!" Hikaru encouraged. The mage smiled a small smile.
"Okay, Hikaru……." The mage said, before being rudely interrupted by Umi and Fuu.
"Hey you! I'm Umi!" Umi shouted.
"And my name's Fuu!" Fuu added, while Yukito stood quietly by, his smile not fading as the mage looked over at him.
"What's your name, young man?" the mage asked.
"My name is Yukito." Yukito replied, already having forgiven the mage for what he'd done earlier. The mage turned a peevish glance onto Umi and Fuu, then turned his attention back to Hikaru. With an authoritative move, the mage pointed two fingers at Hikaru's forehead, his expression serious. Hikaru then closed her eyes, somehow knowing that something serious was going on.
"Can you feel it inside? You have powers……….different than before………" the mage said, gently, yet firmly.
"I feel it…….something warm deep within me……..I can almost express it in words……" Hikaru murmured, her voice so soft that the group had to strain their ears in order to hear her.
"That's your magic." The mage said, then turned and looked as birds filled the air, their voices shrill with fear. Then one landed on the mage's shoulder and squeaked in his ear, frantically.
"What?! One of Zagato's disciples?!" the mage yelped, his eyes taking on an almost panicked look.
"Zagato?!" the four would-be Magic Knights yelped, their faces taking on the same expressions as the mage's.
"That's the guy who kidnapped Princess Emeraude!!" Umi yelped, as the screaming of the birds continued.
"That means he's the villain!" Fuu said, still thinking that she was in a fantasy game.
"Hurry up and teach me magic, too!" Umi shouted, before lightning tore across the sky and thunder drowned out the panicked cries of the birds.
"It's too late!" the mage shouted, as the wind picked up, whipping his robes around him.
"What?!" Umi and Fuu cried, while Yukito and Hikaru both looked defiantly up at the sky. With desperation in his eyes, the mage then used his staff to replace the flying fish with something faster.
"Cleft! Pet Summon!" the mage shouted, as a griffin emerged from the staff. Yukito, Hikaru, Umi, and Fuu all stared in astonishment at the new creature.
"Hurry and climb on!" the mage shouted, motioning to the griffin with his staff.
"But what about you?!" Hikaru asked, as she was helped aboard by Yukito and Umi.
"I'll stay here." The mage said, bravely.
"No way!" Hikaru shouted, as the griffin started to take off.
"I'm fine, go on!" the mage replied, as the wind kicked up by the griffin's wings blew his robes back.
"Tell us your name!" Hikaru shouted, suddenly. The mage looked confused, then cursed himself for not having told them earlier.
"It's Clef! Madoushi Clef! I've vowed to guide you, protect you, and help you become the Magic Knights. I promised the princess!" the mage shouted, as his lavender hair was blown back, revealing his dark blue eyes.
"Clef! I'll stay with you and help you fight!" Hikaru said, as she tried to get down, but was prevented from doing so by Umi and Yukito.
"Don't worry! You must go!" Clef shouted, almost feeling sorrow well up in his heart at seeing them go.
"Clef!!" Hikaru shouted, with despair in her voice. Clef smiled at her, reassuringly.
"Go west! In the Forest of Silence, Presea's waiting. You'll find weapons, and Mokona!" Clef shouted, before the four would-be Magic Knights were out of earshot.
"Clef!!" Hikaru shouted, one last time, before the griffin flew too high for them to see him. Clef turned when he heard hoofbeats and knew that a former student had arrived.
"It's been a while, Madoushi Clef." A woman's voice purred, as Clef glared at the owner of the voice.
"After all that I taught you…..How shameful to see you working for Zagato. Alcione." Clef said, his voice angry.
"And I thank you, Madoushi. For teaching me such powerful magic. Like this one……" Alcione said, lifting her staff into the air over her head.
"Allayah! Ice Attack!" Alcione screamed, sending thousands of ice shards flying at her former teacher. Clef barely had enough time to use his own magic against her.
"Cresta! Shield!" Clef shouted, but not before a good-sized shard of ice passed through his left shoulder, forcing him to his knees.
"Indeed, as I would expect from my teacher, the Supreme Sorcerer of Cephiro…" Alcione said, with contempt in her voice, smiling when she saw blood flowing freely from Clef's shoulder.
"I taught you magic so you could protect Princess Emeraude;……………not so you could threaten peace here in Cephiro." Clef gasped, as he stubbornly stood back up. Alcione laughed at him, her eyes as cold as the ice she'd just thrown.
"As strict as always! But enough of this chitchat, Madoushi Clef. Move out of my way! If you don't…….." Alcione threatened, leaving her last words hanging in the air.
"If I don't…..?" Clef asked, obstinately.
"Cleft! Pet Summon!" Alcione shouted, summoning a hideous two-headed beast and putting it in front of her while she took off.
"Madoushi, I cannot win fighting against you one-on-one. My mission is the disposal of the fledgling Magic Knights." Alcione said, with a vindictive sneer, as the beast snapped at her former teacher.
"Have fun with this two-headed cutie……..in the meantime it's time to wipe out those four children." Alcione said, as she flew away from the scene.
"Wait! Alcione!" Clef shouted, then got back on the defensive when the beast swiped at him with a huge clawed paw.
"See you later, Madoushi Clef!" Alcione shouted, over her shoulder as she rode off. Clenching his teeth, Clef bit back curses as he fought with the monster that had been unleashed by his former pupil. Then his thoughts drifted to the three girls and their male companion.
"Magic Knights, summoned from another world…………if you should fall to Alcione, then you cannot revive the Mashin and become the Magic Knights……….for your enemy is far stronger than Alcione. Children of another world, you must overcome many tribulations and save Cephiro!" Clef thought, as he fought desperately. The beast was quick, but not all that bright. With a backflip that sent pain slicing through his wounded shoulder, Clef got behind the creature and used the same spell he'd used for the previous monster.
"Sundace! Lightning Flash!" Clef shouted, as, once again, lightning disintegrated the monster. Little did he expect what would happen next. The moment the lightning hit the monster, the monster itself exploded, and the force of the blast threw Clef from the cliff.
"Magic Knights……..survive…………." Clef thought, before lapsing into unconsciousness.
"Clef." Hikaru murmured, looking worried and sad. Yukito gently ruffled her hair as he sat down between her and Umi.
"Don't worry. I am sure he can take care of himself." Yukito said, but even his eyes had a hint of worry in them.
"Yeah! You saw how powerful he was! He'll beat them in no time!" Umi said, with confidence in her voice. The confidence was abruptly cut off when an explosion was seen and heard behind them.
"That light!" Hikaru shouted, as they all turned around and stared in horror at what was going on behind them. Then another sound came to their ears; the sound of hooves.
"What's that sound?" Fuu asked.
"Sounds like a horse, coming this way. But we're in the air, how could a horse be coming this way?" Yukito asked, then spotted something coming towards them.
"Then, I wonder who that is?" Fuu asked, as she pointed out what Yukito had seen. As the rider approached, it was evident that it was not Clef, but a woman astride a flame-maned unicorn.
"B-by any chance is that…..?!" Umi asked, trailing off as the woman's intentions became clear.
"Get down and hang on!" Yukito shouted, as the woman got close enough to attack.
"Arile! Ice Spear!" the woman shouted, sending huge chunks of ice flying at them. With a loud squawk, the griffin swerved to avoid the ice, nearly losing its riders in the process.
"Looks like she's not on our side." Fuu said, as the woman came in for another strike.
"What about Clef? Does this mean he's lost?!" Umi asked, prepared to duck again when the woman attacked again.
"Let's go back and find him!" Hikaru shouted, as Yukito dodged a piece of ice that the woman had thrown at him.
"Wait a minute!" Umi shouted, then ducked as the woman threw some more ice at them.
"If we go back, we might be able to help him! I can't stand to just let him die!! Let's go back!" Hikaru shouted, desperately.
"We must not go back." Fuu said, gently.
"Fuu-san's right, Hikaru-san. Madoushi Clef had said so himself. He wants us to save Cephiro." Yukito said, agreeing with Fuu, albeit reluctantly.
"The Madoushi put us on this huge bird so we could continue with our quest to save Cephiro, not to stay with him. So, if you care about him at all, we must not go back." Fuu said, grimly, as the sad look returned to Hikaru's features.
"Whether we go back or not, first we have to stop that crazy witch." Umi said, giving Hikaru an encouraging smile.
From far away, Alcione watched the four teens scrambling to avoid getting hit with her attacks.
"They really are children. It's sad, but they must die, for Zagato-sama's sake." Alcione said, to herself, smiling at the thought of destroying the Magic Knights for her beloved master.
"She's too close! We can't escape!" Fuu shouted, as Yukito tried throwing used ice shards back at the woman, only to duck and have them propelled back at him again.
"How are we supposed to fight without weapons or anything?! Ooooohhh! I'm gonna get that mage when I next see him!" Umi said, furiously, then turned to Hikaru, who still looked worried.
"Such a pesky mage couldn't lose that easily! I'm sure he's still alive!" Umi said, reassuringly. Hikaru's features immediately brightened.
"Yeah, I'm sure of it!" Hikaru said, as Yukito and Fuu both breathed a sigh of relief. Hikaru was back to being her bouncy self again. Before the griffin could get any farther, it was stopped by the rider maneuvering her unicorn to block their path.
"Hello there, little Magic Knights." Alcione purred. Hikaru glared balefully at her, and Yukito did the same.
"And…….Goodbye!" Alcione said, charging her weapon for a blast.
"Hold on! Are we finished?!" Umi yelped.
"In a normal fantasy game, you don't meet such a strong opponent at the first stage……only after a few levels!" Fuu commented.
"This is real, Fuu-san! And this woman is trying to get points for herself!" Yukito shouted, looking up when Hikaru stood up.
"Hikaru, get down!" Umi shouted, frantically.
"Frankly, whether one is sitting or standing does not affect the danger level." Fuu stated, matter-of-factly.
"Shut up!" Umi screeched, showing that her nerves were at the breaking point. With deadly grace, Hikaru pointed at the woman, as though about to scold her.
"What are you up to, sweetie?" Alcione asked, with false gentleness. It was then that Hikaru surprised them all.
"Flame Arrow!!!" Hikaru shouted, her voice echoing with power. With a roar, an arrow made of fire soared in the direction of the unsuspecting Alcione, forcing her to retreat and incinerating her steed immediately. Then, as suddenly as Hikaru's strength had been there, it was gone, and she toppled over, landing neatly in Yukito's arms.
"Incredible! Amazing!" Umi gushed, as Hikaru came to her senses a little bit.
"That's the magic Madoushi Clef taught her!" Fuu said, as Yukito took off his school jacket and draped it around Hikaru's shoulders.
"So, what do we do next?" Umi asked, sobering a little while Hikaru recovered.
"I believe Clef-san told us to go west." Fuu said, as she looked around, trying to establish where west was.
"That's right! He'd said that we'll meet Presea in the Forest of Silence." Umi added.
"He'd also said something about weapons." Yukito said, shading his eyes as the sun peeked through some clouds.
"Maybe someone will lend us some weapons there." Fuu suggested.
"That would help." Umi said, giving Yukito and unreadable look as he stretched out in a comfortable position and proceeded to take a nap.
"Yukito! Honestly! Sleeping at a time like this?!" Umi scolded. Yukito looked up at her.
"We'll need all the rest we can get. This quest is guaranteed to keep us on our toes." Yukito said, as Fuu nodded quietly in agreement.
"Are you okay, Hikaru-san?" Fuu asked, getting a somewhat groggy nod from Hikaru for a response.
"Best to let her rest, especially, since it seems that using her magic took a lot out of her." Yukito said, as he settled onto his back and drifted off to sleep.
"Do you think this creature knows where it is going?" Fuu asked, as she watched Hikaru snuggle up against Yukito and go to sleep.
"Well, it would only make sense if it did. I mean, why else would Clef send us off on this thing, other than the fact that it is faster than the fish?" Umi said, as she watched the two exhausted Magic Knights sleep. The flight was relatively quiet until a few hours later, when Hikaru awoke, to find herself with her head on Yukito's chest. At first she blushed, the she smiled. He looked so peaceful while he was asleep.
"He's sorta cute, too." Hikaru thought, as she gazed at his face. She then looked and saw that her friends, Umi and Fuu, were asleep as well. With a contented sigh, Hikaru got up and looked around. She felt completely refreshed.
"Have a good nap, Hikaru-san?" Yukito asked, as he sat up and rubbed his eyes, reminding Hikaru of a small child who had just woken up.
"Hai. Thank you for letting me sleep. How long have we been flying?" Hikaru asked, as she handed Yukito's jacket back to him, getting a smile out of him.
"I'd say about four hours, at the most. We're still not where we need to be, but we're getting closer." Yukito said, as the griffin let out a chirp and turned its head to look at them.
"Hello! Thank you for getting us this far!" Hikaru said, as she gently patted the griffin's huge beak. The griffin purred in pleasure.
"Can you understand what he's saying, Hikaru-san?" Yukito asked, as he patted the beak as well, laughing when the griffin purred appreciatively, enjoying the attention it was getting.
"Yeah! He's just like Hikari, only bigger!" Hikaru said, happily.
"Hikari?" Yukito asked, confused.
"Hikari's my pet dog! We grew up together…..he's the best dog." Hikaru said, suddenly looking sad again. She jumped when a hand touched her shoulder, and she turned around to find Umi and Fuu smiling at her.
"Hey, when we get back, introduce me to your dog!" Umi said, with a smile.
" I want to meet you dog, too!" Fuu said, cheerfully.
"Don't forget about me!" Yukito said, getting a laugh from the girls and laughing at himself for his statement.
"Okay!" Hikaru agreed, happily. Yukito smiled, happy to know that Hikaru was going to be all right.
Meanwhile, Princess Emeraude languished in her watery prison, her heart wrenching sobs reaching no one. Well, almost no one.
"Please, save Cephiro…….before it's too late…." Emeraude sobbed then sat up when a voice came to her ears.
"So, you used the last of your powers to summon the Magic Knights." A male voice said, almost taunting in it's use.
"Zagato….!" Emeraude gasped, as the spectral image of the High Priest appeared before her.
"Stop your futile attempts, Princess Emeraude. The Legendary Magic Knights will not revive the Mashin." Zagato said, confidently.
"Why? Zagato, why are you acting like this? Don't you care what happens to Cephiro?" Emeraude asked, mournfully. Zagato only smiled a chilling smile, before vanishing from the princess' sight.
After almost a day, the Magic Knights finally spotted their destination.
"A forest!" Hikaru shouted, pointing the landmark out for them, excitedly.
"Finally." Yukito said, almost sounding glad that the flight was coming to an end. With ease, the griffin landed in a clearing and allowed its riders to jump off.
"Thank you." Hikaru said, before turning and walking away from it.
"Hey! Minna! Look at that!" Umi shouted, pointing out a small house just adjacent to the clearing they were standing in.
"Wait here!" Hikaru called out, to the griffin, before going into the next clearing with her friends.
"Excuse us!" Hikaru called, as they approached the door of the dwelling.
"Anyone home?" Fuu said, as she cupped her hands to her face in an attempt to make her voice louder.
"Maybe no one's home." Umi suggested.
"Then that would make this trip a wasted one." Yukito said, in exasperation, as Hikaru tried the doorknob………… and found the door to be unlocked!
"The door's unlocked." Fuu stated, as she stuck her head in and looked around.
"Rather careless, wouldn't you say?" Yukito asked, getting an agreement from the girls.
"Well, why just stand here? Let's go in!" Umi said, looking a little bit frustrated by the whole situation.
"We shouldn't!" Fuu said, disagreeing with Umi for the first time.
"Look, this crazy world's different than earth. We're supposed to be adventurous!" Umi said, as a look of apprehension crossed Yukito's face.
"Well, I guess so…….." Fuu trailed off, as she, Umi and Hikaru darted inside.
"Wait!" Yukito shouted, moving quickly to keep from being left behind. As they searched the house, they became aware of some sounds coming from a well-lit room at the end of a hallway.
"Someone's in there!" Umi said, as she and her compatriots peeked inside, then hesitantly entered. It was a huge library!
"Wow! Look at all the books!" Yukito murmured, as he gazed about the room, in awe. Then they spotted a chair with its back turned to them. There were papers and books flying everywhere.
"Excuse us, are you Presea? Madoushi Clef told us to come here……" Hikaru began, before the chair whirled around to reveal………a rabbit-like creature!
"What the……….?!" Yukito yelped, completely surprised by the appearance of the creature.
"P-Presea?!" Hikaru stuttered, shocked. Before anything more could be said, a cage fell from overhead, trapping all four of the hapless teens inside.
"This just hasn't been our day…….." Yukito muttered, putting his head to the bars, while the girls ran around in panicked circles near him. Then laughter erupted from the hall, startling all of the captives.
"I've got you now, Mokona! So it IS you who keeps messing up my study! Now I've got proof!" a tall, blond woman crowed, as she entered the room, laughing maniacally. Yukito exchanged a glance with Umi, Fuu and Hikaru, then looked at the woman.
"So, how should I punish you? Should I pull your ears until they stretch out?! Or should I hang you upside down from the porch?" the woman continued, enjoying the thoughts of torture, at least until the creature in the chair started making a mess again.
"M-Mokona?!" the woman yelped, when she saw that Mokona was out of the cage. Then she whirled around and saw the three girls and single boy standing there, looking downright dejected.
"Are you the ones who keep messing up my study?" the woman asked.
"No ma'am." Yukito said, politely, preventing Umi from going off by clamping a hand over her mouth.
"So why did you end up in the cage?" the woman asked, crossing her arms.
"We came into the room and it suddenly fell on us." Hikaru replied, honestly.
"That's what the cage is for. To trap whoever messes up my study!" the woman said, matter-of-factly. Yukito rolled his eyes; here it comes.
"So it WAS you! You were messing up my study!" the woman shouted, pointing her finger at them.
"IT'S NOT US!" Umi replied, in kind, as Fuu tried to hold her in check.
"We could not be the ones who keep messing up your study. After all, we just arrived in Cephiro. And besides, that animal is going nuts playing over there." Fuu said, as she pointed out the happily cooing Mokona and the fact that it was throwing papers again.
"MOKONA!!" the woman shouted, furiously, surprising the creature, so that its ears stood straight up. Yukito chuckled and shook his head. It reminded him of his best friend's little sister back on earth.
"What're you laughing at?!" the woman asked, perturbed by that. Yukito looked calmly at her.
"It just reminds me of someone back home, that's all, ma'am." Yukito replied, with a smile.
"Hmph. You may be polite, but that doesn't help you any! Even if you didn't mess up my study, you're still intruders!" the woman said, obstinately.
"Us?!" Hikaru asked, looking horrified.
"So, how should I punish you?" the woman asked, then started going into her torture tirade again.
"Wait! We are….!" Umi shouted, practically beside herself in rage. As the woman continued on with her tirade, Hikaru took notice of the creature called 'Mokona'.
"Hello, Mokona! You're a cutie! My name is Hikaru!" Hikaru said, introducing herself to the carefree creature. Yukito leaned against the cage; what had started off being a field trip had turned into a nightmare!
"This is indeed a problem. But it's true, we did barge into her house……maybe we deserve to be punished." Fuu said, getting an immediate response from Umi.
"We didn't barge in! The door wasn't even locked! It's her fault! She could have been robbed!" Umi screamed, not noticing when Yukito stuck his fingers in his ears, prepared for even louder screaming. That got the woman's attention.
"What did you just say?!" the woman asked, whirling around to face them.
"You could have been robbed……?" Umi asked.
"No! Before that!" the woman said, anxiously.
"The front door was unlocked! We shouldn't have gone in but we called and no one answered!" Umi shouted.
"Now we're getting somewhere." Yukito muttered, unnoticed by the others.
"My lock was specially designed by Madoushi Clef. No one in Cephiro can open that door without this key." The woman said, as she showed them a key that was covered in runes.
"Sounds almost like something I saw on TV once." Yukito remarked, as he looked over the girls' shoulders and looked at the key. Ignoring the comment the woman looked in at them, very much calmed down.
"Are you four the ones summoned by Princess Emeraude, the Legendary Magic Knights?!" the woman asked.
"That's what I've been trying to tell you!" Umi screeched, furiously.
"So it's really beginning…….the Legendary Battle……" the woman murmured, as she pulled on a lever and raised the cage. Before they knew it, the Magic Knights were free!
"Welcome, Legendary Magic Knights! I am Presea, Chief Artisan of Cephiro." the woman said, with a smile. The four Magic Knights stared in astonishment at the woman, who until that moment had been a stranger. With a gleeful bounce, Mokona hopped right into Hikaru's arms.
"Judging from the smile on Mokona's face, there's no mistake." Presea said, confusing Hikaru.
"About what?" Hikaru asked.
"Madoushi Clef had contacted me and told me that if the Legendary Magic Knights come by, to provide them with weapons." Presea said, then noticed the worried look Hikaru gave her friends.
"Presea-san, if I may, how long ago was it that you'd heard from Madoushi Clef? We need to know." Yukito said, boldly. Presea looked away from them with sadness in her eyes.
"It's been almost a whole two days now. I haven't heard from him in a while. I'm sorry." Presea said, when she saw the sorrowful look on Hikaru's face. With a sigh, Hikaru forced her worry for Clef to the back of her mind and looked back at Presea.
"Do you have some weapons we can use?" Hikaru asked, trying her best to not think about Clef.
"But of course. I am, after all, an Artisan. My job is to make weapons and armor." Presea replied, with a cheery smile.
"You can make weapons?!" Umi asked, in disbelief.
"You must be very good at what you do, Presea-san." Yukito complimented, as he motioned to a sword that was on display on the wall.
"Why, thank you. You are very polite." Presea said, pleased with Yukito's manners.
"Wow! This world has everything; beasts, sorcerers…..and even a weapons maker!" Umi said, not believing what she was hearing.
"And she's so nice too!" Fuu commented, then added, "In typical fantasy games, you have to buy weapons with earned money. We are so lucky that here they're free!"
"Who said free?!" Presea asked, looking completely confused.
"You're charging us?!" Umi yelped, getting a cringe from Yukito, since she'd just about yelled in his ear.
"There's no such thing as a free lunch." Fuu muttered, looking a bit miffed with herself. As they were talking about that, Hikaru was searching her pockets for anything she could use for payment. She looked as though she could cry; all she found was a piece of candy! With tears in her eyes, she held the candy out to Presea, trying to keep from crying while she did so.
"I left my wallet in my backpack…….I don't have any money on me…..only this candy…." Hikaru said, sniffling as she stood there, ready to be turned away and refused for a weapon. Presea was stunned, this girl was willing enough to give everything she had for a weapon!
"I don't need money." Presea said, gently.
"But you said it's not free." Hikaru said, getting the attention of the others in the group. Presea smiled.
"Follow me." Presea said, motioning for them to follow her down the hallway. As the girls walked after Presea, whispering about how they might have to pay the debt a new weapon would cause, Yukito found himself thinking about the explosion they had all seen from the back of the griffin after they had left Clef.
"How could anyone have survived that?! If what Presea said is true, then our friend, Madoushi Clef, could very well be gone. Poor Hikaru-san, she's going to be heartbroken." Yukito thought, as he quickened his pace to catch up with the females. They came, at length, to a normal looking door at the other end of the hallway. With a deft move, Presea unlocked the door and opened it, revealing an amazing sight to the four teens.
"Wow!!!" Hikaru said, in astonishment as she stared at the room's interior.
"Wow, is right! Look!" Yukito said, as he also gazed into the room with wonder filled eyes. Weapons of all kinds lined the walls; swords, spears, bows and arrows, even boomerangs!
"You made all of these?!" Hikaru asked.
"That's right." Presea replied, with pride in her voice.
"Now, choose a weapon." Presea the said, getting yet another outburst from Umi.
"I thought you'd said that these weren't free!" Umi shouted, her voice reverberating strangely inside of the armory.
"We don't have any money from Cephiro…….." Fuu said.
"I told you, I don't need money!" Presea said, with a laugh.
"Then what do you mean?" Yukito asked, as he looked all around him.
"Choose your favorite weapon from here. But I am only lending these to you. They are not yours." Presea stated, matter-of-factly.
"They're not ours?" Umi asked, calmly this time.
"The weapons I create are not just for just anyone. Each and every weapon is made just for one person, and only for that specific person." Presea said, as she watched the Magic Knights with interest in her eyes.
"So these weapons….." Hikaru trailed off.
"Yup, they're not yours. I'm going to make you special weapons. Just for you!" Presea said, with a smile.
"Just for us………." Hikaru whispered, as a slight breeze stirred the air, ruffling their hair as they stood there, pondering the words Presea had just spoken.
"So, take a look around here and choose one weapon you like." Presea said, as she casually leaned on a cannon.
"But you'd just said that these aren't ours……" Umi said, still not quite getting it.
"I know. But it would be suicide to leave this Forest of Silence without any weapons." Presea said, coolly.
"So what's next?" Hikaru asked, as the other three Knights looked around for a weapon that would suit them.
"I told you! I'm going to make you weapons that only you can use. In order for you to become the true Magic Knights of the Legendary Battle, I'm going to make the best weapons ever!" Presea announced.
"Arigato." Yukito said, with a smile, his brown eyes sparkling in the sunlight.
"The boy is rather cute, when he smiles, but I can already imagine how protective he is of the girls!" Presea thought, as she watched the four look around.
"So, now you can go and get me the materials!" Presea announced, getting face-faults from everyone in the room.
"M-materials?!" Umi stuttered, dropping the sword she was looking at and wincing when it hit the floor with a loud 'clang'. Presea nodded.
"It's a rule here in Cephiro. When warriors and knights request a new weapon from an Artisan, they must bring their own materials." Presea stated, enjoying the looks of exasperation she got from the four Magic Knights.
"So that's……………." Fuu started to say, before a loud roar emanated from outside.
"What was that?!" Umi asked, as they all stood still and listened.
"Sounds like a monster has gotten in! Hurry! Choose a weapon!" Presea shouted, as she closed the door and grabbed a sword from the wall. For a few panicked moments, the four teens scrambled around in search of a weapon, then Yukito came up with an idea.
"Hikaru-san, Umi-san, Fuu-san, pick weapons that you know you can use accurately! If you do that, we'll have a better chance of winning!" Yukito shouted, as he grabbed a broadsword and held it at ready. The three girls stood and stared at their male companion for a moment then turned to one another.
"What have we got to lose? Let's try it!" Umi shouted, as she grabbed a slender fencing sword and stood beside Yukito. Hikaru then took another broadsword from the wall and Fuu grabbed a bow and quiver of arrows. They were all ready when the monster broke through. It was a horrendous sight; a brown monster that looked almost like it was made entirely of mud!
"I'll distract it, you girls think of a plan that will destroy it!" Yukito shouted, as he leaped at the monster, brandishing his sword. Presea was impressed by the young man's courage and watched as he got it to chase him out of the house.
"C'mon! He can't hold it off forever!" Hikaru shouted, as she went to help Yukito. With a nod of agreement, they all followed Hikaru to where Yukito now fought.
"Hang in there, Yukito-chan!" Hikaru shouted, as she joined him in facing the beast.
"Hikaru! Try using your magic!" Umi shouted, as Fuu fired an arrow at the monster.
"Wait! Magic won't………..!" Presea shouted, getting cut off as the monster knocked Yukito off of his feet, sending him sprawling.
"Yukito-san!" Fuu shouted, as she rushed over to him and fired off another arrow when she got there.
"Are you okay?!" Umi asked, as she got to his side. She gasped when she saw blood trickling down his right arm.
"I think so………my arm hurts a little, though." Yukito said, with a wince, as he sat up and looked over at Hikaru. She was now yelling over to Presea and asking about a tablecloth.
"Tablecloth?" Yukito wondered, watching in mute astonishment as Hikaru backflipped over the monster and draped the cloth over its head. With a mighty effort, Hikaru and Presea pushed the monster into the pond, watching as it disintegrated in the water.
"Good work, minna!" Yukito shouted, cheerfully. Hikaru smiled, then noticed the blood on his arm.
"Yukito-chan! Your arm…….!" Hikaru said, as she ran over to him and looked at his arm.
"Let's get that wound tended to before it gets infected. Come inside." Presea said, as she led the four Magic Knights back into her home. As evening shadows fell, Yukito found himself sitting at a window and gazing out at the moon. What were his grandparents doing now? How were his friends going to tell them that he'd disappeared?
"You look kinda depressed. What's the matter, kid?" Presea asked, as she sat down beside him and looked at him.
"I'm just thinking about my grandparents. They must be worried sick about me." Yukito said, smiling sadly as he thought about them.
"It must be hard getting taken from your own world and thrown into one that you don't understand. But those three girls seem to help keep your mind off of your troubles, ne?" Presea asked. Yukito nodded.
"They almost remind me of sisters, in the way they bicker and talk to one another. We've barely known one another for a day and already I believe I would give my life to protect them from harm. We all got into this together and I am determined that we see it through together. I will get them home, some way or another." Yukito said, honestly.
"I see. You're like an elder brother to them, protecting his sisters from harm. You're a good kid and I believe you'll make an even better Magic Knight. Now, come on, you need to get some sleep before you leave tomorrow. I still need to tell you what kind of ore you need for your weapons." Presea said, as she led Yukito away from the window.
"You're right, Presea-san. Thank you for you hospitality." Yukito said, politely.
"No problem, kid." Presea replied, as she saw the youth to his room and bid him goodnight.
The next morning, the four Magic Knights stood outside of Presea's home as Presea prepared to see them off.
"Now, you must follow Mokona to the Legendary Spring of Eterna. Once you get there, you will find the ore you will need for your weapons." Presea said, as Mokona bounced up to Hikaru and hopped into her arms.
"Presea, what is the ore called, anyway?" Umi asked, out of curiosity.
"The mineral you need is called Escudo. It is the strongest ore in all of Cephiro, and the only ore that is used when making weapons for the Legendary Magic Knights." Presea replied, as she looked down the path that led into the Forest of Silence.
"Remember, magic does not work in the Forest of Silence and be sure to follow Mokona. Mokona will guide you." Presea said, watching as Yukito glanced at his companions, his eyes taking on a protective look.
"But what about Yukito-san's arm? Is it well enough for such a journey?" Fuu asked, as she touched Yukito's arm.
"The salve I put on it last night will help with the pain, but the bandages will need to be changed before bedtime tonight. Mokona has what you will need for that and more. I wish you all good luck." Presea said, then added, "If you will, please tell me your names!"
"I'm Hikaru!" Hikaru chirped, happily.
"I'm Umi." Umi said, flipping a strand of her blue hair back away from her shoulder.
"My name is Fuu." Fuu said, with a smile.
"And I am Yukito." Yukito said, finally.
"Hee-ka-roo, Oo-me, Foo, and You-key-toe? Bizarre names……." Presea said, befuddled by the names of the four teens.
"That's similar to what Clef had said about Hikaru-san's name." Yukito said, with a grin in Hikaru's direction.
"Safely bring back the Escudo and I promise I will make you the ultimate weapons." Presea said, then added, "And I will tell you if I liked this thing!" Presea said, pointing at the candy Hikaru had given her sometime the day before.
"Okay!" Hikaru said, enthusiastically.
"And Mokona, take good care of them." Presea said, to the white creature in Hikaru's arms. Presea smiled as she watched the four start on down the trail.
"See ya later, Presea!" Hikaru called, turning and waving before heading on.
"We'll do our best!" Umi added, albeit halfheartedly.
"I hope we'll live to see you again." Fuu said, with a worried look.
"Hey, don't jinx us, Fuu-san." Yukito teased, as he jogged after them. Before they disappeared into the forest, Presea looked up at the sky with a somber look.
"May Princess Emeraude bless them!" Presea thought, as a few dark clouds gathered in the horizon. As they walked farther away from Presea's house, Hikaru knew, deep down in her heart, that things were going to be all right.