I don't own MKR. CLAMP DOES! I do, however, own the first three English volumes! ^_^ *drools over Ferio*

The Dragon in the Mirror

Prologue – Night Watch

It was a bright night in the land of Cepphiro. The stars shone, filling the night's sky with a million points of light, adding to the moon's radiance.

Lantis rode across the meadow on his proud horse, his dark cape waving behind him like a second shadow. Gradually coming to a stop, the swordsman watched the castle, memories and emotions a mess in his eyes.

"It is quite a view, I agree."

Without even turning his head, Lantis nodded his agreement.

"Yes. It is."

Silently catching up to the dark haired man, Dal Lafarga smiled slightly.

"And to think it has been close to destruction several years ago."

"Years for us; minutes to them."

The blond man looked at his comrade with curious concern in his eyes.

"Probably even less."

"You still miss her."

"You don't say."

Lafarga shook his head and let a soft sigh escape his lips. Shaking his head, he placed his hand on Lantis's shoulder plate. It felt cold to the touch, a symbol to the barrier the dark hair man placed around his soul.

"We all miss them, Lantis…"

"Do you?"

"…and await their safe return to us one day."

"Which will be when, Lafarga? Years to us are  seconds to them. They blink, and another eon would have passed here. Is that a way one should live? Is that a way one should… love?"

Knowing not what to say, Lafarga spoke in a soft, sober voice.

"I am not the one to talk to in that matter. The one I love is here with me, reaching for me when I reach for her. You would do far better speaking to others in your position."

"And those would be?"

The answer was well known. However, pain clouds one's logic.

"Ferio. Ascot… Clef."

A long silence ensued; neither man felt too uncomfortable, as silence was a natural thing between them. Finally, it was broken.

"It will be dawn soon. We should head back."

"You go ahead. I'll be right behind you."

Nodding, Lafarga directed his horse at the castle's direction, and left. Now being alone, Lantis raised his eyes to the moon.

'Are you watching this as well, Hikaru? …My Hikaru…'

The moment, however, was abruptly ruined, as an inhuman scream tore through the air. His horse went wild for several minutes, yet was soon under Lantis's control. Turning sharp dark eyes to the source of the noise, the swordsman gasped in surprise, shock, and fear.

On the highest turret of the castle, framed by the milky round shape of the moon, was a girl. A young girl. She seemed to be around the age of the Knights, her height and general figure matching theirs. One of her legs was stretched forward, the other bent up, giving her arm a resting place. The other arm supported her. Her silvery hair waved in the breeze, like his cape, and had a faint blue hue to it. She seemed so peaceful, and surrounded by the moon, she would've made out to be an angel… Had it not been the two wings sprouting from her back, greatly resembling those of a demon's. A shiver ran down Lantis's spine as the girl turned to look at him.

"Lantis?"

Snapping back to reality by Lafarga's voice, Lantis shook his head, then returned to look at the turret. All he saw staring back at him was the moon as the wind continued to dance in the sky.

"Are you all right?"

The swordsman rubbed his eyes before answering.

"Yes. Just tired, I guess. Starting to see things."

He got a chuckle in return.

"Perhaps you are so bored, your heart wishes interesting things for you to see."

Lantis had to chuckle in return to that. It made sense. Kind of, anyway.

"Go ahead. I'll catch up with you."

"Like you just did?"

Silently, the two began riding back to the palace, Lantis's gaze wondering back to the turret. An angel with the wings of a demon… could it mean a new threat? He had hoped not. As much as he wanted to see his Hikaru, he did not want to put Cepphiro in danger.

However, the thing bothering him most was not the fact that the girl was there. But rather, the fact that her wings didn't seem that demonic at all. Rather… they were those of a dragon's.

A/N: short stuff. I know. Next chapter soon!