My long term project for this fandom - one which I hope I'll never abandon!

I bring to you an epic twist of all those stories that have the girls returning to Cephiro. It's gotta happen the other way around sometime, don't you think? Hikaru/Lantis as the main couple of course - the ship of awesomeness - and many other quirky pairings right up there. Just wait and see...I have plans for this baby!

Part 1

Clef couldn't believe what he was seeing. Couldn't believe that things were unfolding the way they were...he was probably cursed to train wayward charges because, until now, each and every one of them had gone against his wishes and done something incredibly stupid. Like one of his most level-headed and mature students was doing now.

A few feet away from him, Lantis busied himself with tightening belts and buckles and securing the reins - in terse silence - of his summoned beast; completely ignoring his presence.

Bullheaded.

Stubborn.

Lantis was still not listening to him. No. His pupil was showing him exactly how much he valued his master's opinion right now. And such a receival of his opinion - never before done with such indifference and perhaps even a touch of disrespect - baffled the Master Mage...

"This is madness. You can not possibly leave Cephiro."

Nothing. Lantis didn't even bother to look at him in any way - instead checking his provisions like the good little soldier he was. Obviously having thought his every action down to the minutest detail; when...the mage couldn't quite understand. Or maybe didn't want to.

Understanding would surely lead to the conclusion that Lantis was not leaving on a whim, but rather that he'd been analyzing this possibility for the last five years or so. Ever since that time had come and gone...

And Clef was weary of coming to the conclusion that all his pupils chose, sooner or later, to disobey him in some way. Be it terribly damaging or not.

He gripped his staff harder and a spark of lightning traveled through the blue gem. But he couldn't...not here. It was unthinkable of him to act so rash.

"Do you think that just because you fell in love with a slip of a mortal girl who became a Magic Knight, you get to do what you want again?"

The tension rose a notch, heating the air and electrifying the atmosphere between them and Clef pursed his lips when Lantis turned to regard him with eyes so light in hue that they seemed to have changed from violet to blue.

Of course! Of course that Hikaru would be the reason why this was all happening - though she certainly wasn't to blame directly. It wasn't like Lantis was fleeing Cephiro for any other reason but her. His beloved Magic Knight.

"Watch yourself, Master Mage." Lantis intoned, coldly enough that the shield hanging above the entrance frosted over; a sign that the control over his magic was only skin deep at the moment. A sort of warning. "You were the one who taught me lightning and ice based attacks and I won't shy from using them against anyone who insults her. You can't stop me from doing whatever I want."

"Do you think that you can go to this Tokyo place, Lantis? You do not possess the power of the gods...it's illogical to consider that they will help you unless you pay a hefty price - and even then, think of the consequences please! You don't know the language, the people, you'll most likely have to renounce your knowledge of magic." One last try, Clef thought despairingly, one last effort to convince him. Even though he himself didn't believe half of the things he was saying - as long as Lantis was convinced, he would try until the end.

Lantis raised his head to look at the dawn and in his eyes Clef saw the unshakable determination, which his older brother had once shared. "Do you honestly think you are helping your cause by telling me all this? I relish the thought of such simple things...even I am tired of acting courtly by day and slaying monsters by night."

"Her wish rid us of many problems..."

"Her wish took almost all her heart and nearly killed her in the process." The intensity in his voice was so unusual that Clef couldn't help but be speechless in front of such a passionate outburst. From Lantis of all people. "Hikaru gave and gave and all Cephiro did was take everything she had to offer - her heart, her love, her strength - and then send her back home as soon as it no longer needed her aid."

Lantis turned his back at him to reign in his anger, but even the dim light couldn't quite hide the forceful way he was clenching his fist at his side.

Lantis had always been a great swordsman - greater than Lafarga - and a skilled mage - with enough willpower and mental resources to equal the fearsome power of Zagato - and before he'd left Cephiro, Clef had always considered him to be tame and docile. He'd always blended perfectly in court and he'd always done whatever was required of him obediently.

All of his actions had been dictated by the necessity to protect the innocents around him; without asking anything for himself, except a home and perhaps a few small favors from time to time.

But ever since he'd returned to Cephiro, it had slowly become obvious that he'd gained a new edge to his already iron will. A possessiveness which a knight of the land should've never had. A readiness to fulfill his own desires as well.

"Umi," the name of the third knight came as a guilty afterthought, "and Fuu were just as important as Hikaru was. I do not hear them praised to the high heavens for their sacrifices!"

Lantis smiled from across his shoulder, knowingly, eyes dark but cool. "I thought that praising them was yours and the Prince's job. For me, those knights can only be friends and nothing more, but," Clef blinked to dispel the brief - incredible - likeness of Lantis with his brother at the very moment, "you seem to be a bigger fool than I thought."

"Excuse me?"

"What else could I call a man who mourns the loss of the woman he loves yet does nothing to get to her, even though the oportunity is presented to him?"

His lips curled downwards and his eyes reflected displeasure again. "And I won't even mention Ferio. I thought that he was braver than to cower behind his royal robes. I thought his devotion to the Wind Knight was more important than his position."

Clef slammed his staff in the marble floor, creating a visible dent, and frowned thunderously. "And who will rule this forsaken country of peace if not Ferio?"

"Of course, Master Mage," Lantis murmured almost patently dutiful, "I am sure that Ferio, who was forced to survive the cruelties of an outside life, with no one to help him and no family background to keep him going, is as fit to rule this country as much as anyone else in Cephiro."

Clef inhaled sharply and opened his mouth to say something...but found himself oddly at a loss of proper words.

Because he didn't make a point of lying to himself and others and because Ferio was indeed not as fit to rule as, perhaps, Emeraude had been.

Lantis didn't seem to want to bother with useless answers anyway, choosing to settle himself proudly on the saddle of his black steed - Saigon - and drawing his cape closer, to ward off the chill of the early day.

Preparing to ride off.

"If you'll give me leave, I will be on my way now. I know when I have overstayed my welcome and the way to the Fire Shrine is still many days away." He lowered his head in an informal sign of respect and murmured thoughtfully, "Just remember - there are still two more rune Gods in this land. What can be worse than failure?"

There were no goodbyes said. Clef watched as Lantis rode by him, slowly picking up speed as he approached the ledge and finally plunging into the bright sunrise and out of sight...

And somehow, it felt surreal to loose yet another of the few people he had kept close to himself for the last few centuries, Clef thought sadly.

He sighed.

The High Council would not be happy to hear that the second ranked Mage - the only Magic Swordsman to boot - had chosen to shirk his duties in such a way.

Another boundary against possible enemies gone, most likely never to return...

This was bound to turn into an awful mess.

I always did think that Lantis did what he wanted. He's in character and very much sexy. xD