A.N. I missed writing fics! I had to reread the story for about 5 times in order to catch up with the plot. I also acquired the dvd of the MKR whole series recently and I rewatched it 3 times! I really love this anime! Thanks to those who reviewed the chapter 8: I think it is about time to continue writing this fic. I calculated it and it would take me around 10 more chapters before I can complete this fic. I'm sorry but that would take forever. Hehe… Thanks and enjoy reading!

Reflection in Glass

Chapter 9

Roses and Poisons

3rd POV

The scent of roses suddenly filled the crystal palace. It was a strange scent of rose, heavy and tinged with the faintest scent of blood. Whose blood was distinct in the air no one could tell. In everyone's hearts hovered a sense of immensity no one could place, a gloomy atmosphere no one could comprehend.

Fuu was immensely distraught over what happened. Everything that happened was greatly wrong. The reunion with their loved ones in Cephiro should have been a joyous occasion but everything had been greatly wrong from the moment they landed on Cephiro. Many things happened to Hikaru, Umi discovered Clef did not love her, there was a crazy woman ravaging a strong Cephiro and she discovered Ferio was bound to be married to a strange but beautiful girl. She did not know which of those things was the worst of all. She sighed heavily on her cup of tea.

Everyone was gathered in the main hall of the palace as they had to conduct an emergency meeting about the attack. The Cephiro fortress should have been impenetrable with the combined strength of all of the people. It was impossible that an outsider could have entered Cephiro, all the more infiltrate the castle grounds.

"It could only be three things," Clef suggested. "First, the strength of the faith of the people are weakening—"

"I think that is not the case, Master Clef," Ferio, whose hand was under his chin and whose face was in its most thoughtful expression, immediately disproved the idea.

"I believe so too. Ever since Hikaru had destroyed the Pillar system and given all the power to the citizens of Cephiro, the people had trusted themselves, knowing that faith in oneself is the key to survival in this world," Caldina, who was almost wrapped around Lafarga, shocked everyone with her most serious speech.

"Then, second… A more powerful being had infiltrated our defenses, which I myself do not believe as I believe in what Caldina has said. Also, we had our treaty with our countries like Autozam, Fahren and Chizeta and I do not think the enemy came from any of those countries. Which leads me to the third option and one I would rather not believe and I refuse to believe…" Clef stared at his staff as he spoke. His hands were shaking, a proof of the anxiety he was feeling.

"We have not experienced such a dilemma ever. It is not common that someone outside has more power than the Pillar. Even Debonair was not more powerful than the Pillar." Presea, who stood by Clef's side, said.

"Except, of course, if the enemy… is from Cephiro herself…" Lafarga's voice was soft and low but everybody heard it because it was what they all have been thinking of. The group fell silent for countless minutes until Umi stood up and tried to break it.

"Don't worry, as Magic Knights, if we still are, we will do our best to save this world from that nasty enemy."

Fuu also stood up and went to Umi's side. "Yes, Umi, but as we always do, we must know the enemy's intention before going in to this war. We want to protect Cephiro but if we can fix this in amiable ways, who wouldn't want that? I'm sure the enemy has her own reason for attacking us." Fuu's idea made sense to everyone. It was all they could plan on now, as the enemy is still unknown. They thought they ought to gather more information before taking any further steps.

"But what if our assumption is true… about the enemy?" Ascot suddenly asked. Everybody fell silent again in thought.

"Where's my Lantis?!" a earth-shaking voice that could come only from the tiny Primera, broke the flow of thoughts.

"Poopoopoopoooh!" Mokona's cute voice followed Primera's shrieking. Mokona jumped on Primera, as always, and tried to squish her.

"I can't- breathe!!! Get off me… You monster!" Primera's shrieks could be heard throughout the castle.

"Mokona, get off her!" Umi ordered the magical creature who obeyed her but promptly moved to pestering her. Fuu laughed but suddenly remembered something.

"Come to think of it. Where is Lantis-kun?" Fuu asked.

"I'll try to communicate with him." Clef volunteered. Lantis. Lantis… Can you hear me? Lantis?! Clef immediately panicked as Lantis was so powerful that he could here Clef's calls from even as far as miles away but he was not responding now that he was in the castle? "There's something wrong with Lantis, he's not responding!"

Clef immediately teleported himself to Lantis's room.

He opened the door of the room and he saw him on the floor.

He was bathing in his own blood due to the stab wound on his back. And he smelled of the Salix flower!

"Lantis!"

Crumbling pillars. Ruins of a lost world.

Sayonara, the wind whispered.

Hikaru stood in the front of the ruined castle of Cephiro, not the crystal castle during Cephiro's crisis but the new castle just like the one during Emeraude's reign. The birds sang a bittersweet love song. The dew was fresh on the leaves of trees and plants and the flowers bloomed and gave off their scent. The place was ruined but it was beautiful.

She walked through the rubble until she reached a fountain. She stooped down to reach for a drink when she noticed a sword stabbed in the heart of the destroyed fountain. It was her sword, her crown, the proof of her being Pillar before she gave it away.

A kaleidoscope passed before her eyes and she was transported to a place of nothingness, darkness, an abyss.

"Hikaru, do you like your new home?" a voice from nowhere asked her.

"Why do you do this? Please tell me…"

"You violate everything… It is not possible that you could return each time you want. You should not be happy. I was not happy. No one in this world will be… Unless you bear all the unhappiness that will befall them, then this world will crumble just like before, but on a faster rate." The voice told her in the most evil tone.

AN: Currently, while I'm typing this, I'm listening to the first opening song of MKR then the song Every Heart by BOA 

"If I do, will you stop what you are doing?" Hikaru asked the voice, which seemed to be of a girl's.

"Yes, and you will save all the people of the trouble." The voice sound pleased.

"Will you return Kai to normal?" Hikaru asked with a trace of begging.

"You know as well as I that his name is not Kai, it is—" the voice said in a tone of superior knowing.

"I know. Will you return him?" Hikaru interrupted the voice as she wished to confirm her conditions and intentions.

"Kai is mine to order but I guess I owe it to you. It is only because of you that he is alive. In that heart of yours there is a part that yearns for him that you have lost" the voice told her knowingly.

"Why do you hate me so?" Hikaru asked the voice and changed the topic.

"Because you are the very epitome of felicity and I hate it. You remember, in your dreams before? Everything will happen… Especially about the ones you love…" The voice said in a low tone.

"What should I do?"

"Lantis… Lantis!"

Everything was blurred when Lantis opened his eyes. He tried to focus on the silvery white color of the gemmed ceiling of Master Clef's room. He tried to get up but his back ached, like a fire spreading across his back bone. He settled on lying down as his head also started to feel like it was being split open. He breathed in heavily and stared at the ceiling. He was starting to think about how Hikaru was doing when the door creaked open.

"How are you doing, Lantis? Master Mage Clef sure had a hard time pulling you out of danger."

"You. What are you doing?" Lantis retorted back at the brown-eyed man standing at the edge of his bed.

"I'm just checking if you are all right. Hikaru would worry about you, you know." Kai smiled his sweet smile which he knew made Lantis even more furious at him.

"Why are you here?" Lantis tried to calm himself in order to probe Kai deeper.

"As usual, you are so predictable. You have not changed at all." Kai continued smiling at him then turned his eyes to Lantis's sword hilt. "I am amazed by that sword."

Lantis remained silent, pondering on what to do next.

"Don't worry about me. My mission is over and I am free to do as I chose. I would not kill you, that would make Hikaru sad and I will do my best to make her happy… in her solitude. Rest well. I need to go back to my prison." Kai turned around and headed for the door.

"Wait! What do you intend to do with Hikru?" Lantis bolted up as he tried to ask Kai. Pain seared throughout his body. The deadly venom had not yet wore off.

Kai looked back and smiled that sickeningly sweet smile of his. "You'll see soon enough. However, for now, rest well. You told someone before that you would not be willing to die just to be with the one you love."

Lantis stared hard at Kai whose smile spread much wider into a grin. He went out the room and the door closed without a sound.

"After all, you are not Zagato."

AN: Now, it is pretty obvious who Kai really is so that answers one question. Next chapter is about the enemy's conditions so that Hikaru can save Cephiro, but there are a lot of hints about what the condition is in this chapter. The enemy's identity would be revealed perhaps in chapter 12. I would be writing more chapters now since its only a matter of days before I become a full-pledged biologist (my pre-med course) and I plan to act like a bum all summer before I take up medicine proper (if I ever make up my mind). Thanks for all the support and I sincerely look forward to the reviews and suggestions for what will happen next. Thanks!