Disclaimer: MKR and all of its charactres belong to Clamp. I do own just Hoshi Ryuuzaki and Yoru, the bad guy.
Notes: Again, thanks for all your comments. You are great, really!
-CHAPTER 11
"Ascot! Ascot!" Ferio's voice called out for him. He had run away without giving them the time to made him think about what he was doing. The King assumed that that girl had to be important to him. If it was for the fact of Hoshi being Umi's daughter or just because he cared of her he didn't know, nor he cared to be honest. It was just fine seeing Ascot getting his mind off of the Water Knight and start thinking to someone else.
"Where the hell is he?!" Ferio exclaimed nervous, Lantis just made him sign to stop and be silent.
"can you sense it?" the swordsman asked, the boy's mouth dropped out in shock
"yes...it's very...strong..."
"and dark" Lantis added
"it comes from the deep of the Forest, near to Presea's armoury..." he commented
"yeah...we should go, Ascot could be in trouble..."
"fine, let's move then" the King said running.
Suddenly they had to shut their eyes because a flashing gold light, when they opened them again they found Umi and Clef in front of them
"Clef, Umi what are you doing here?!" Ferio asked surprised
"my daughter is here and you ask me what I am doing in this damn forest?!" the Knight yelled, Clef placed a hand on her shoulder to calm her down
"I felt the energy and I think it has to do with Hoshi...so we went here to check the situation..." Clef explained
"how do you know Hoshi could be involved?" Lantis asked, Clef looked at the rainy sky and at the lightning
"you know in Cephiro doesn't rain, and all this could be only Hoshi's work, she have got both water and light under her control" the Master Mage said
"I didn't thought about it" Ferio admitted.
Umi looked around her
"I thought Ascot were with you..." she said
"indeed, but he run away in the deep of the forest when he felt the energy. He thought Hoshi could be in trouble." Lantis explained, Umi smiled sweetly: Ascot was really a dear boy. Suddenly a scream echoed in the Forest
"Ascot!" Umi exclaimed running away
"wait Umi!" Clef exclaimed, but she was already gone. He sighed, she was impossible, so headstrong and strong willed. Every time she had to fight he always got worried for her, when she clasped her foil she stopped being the rational and cold Umi everyone knew. She did always fight with passion, not thinking to her life or the risks she was facing. She knew that defending Cephiro was her task and she did it with all her heart. The Master Mage sighed
"Fuu, Hikaru, can you hear me?" he said telepathically
"Guru Clef, what's wrong?" the Wind Knight asked
"we found the girl but we need your help..."
"Where are you?" Hikaru asked
"in the Forest of Silence, near to Presea's armoury"
"we'll reach you in a few...is Hoshi ok?" the Fire Knight asked again
"I'm afraid not...we must fight" he answered
"don't worry Guru Clef, we are coming...we'll fix all this, as usual" Fuu said
"thank you Magic Knights" he said.
"Mizu no Ryuu!" Umi exclaimed launching her attack against the black thing who was surrounding Ascot.
It immediately disappeared letting the boy falling on the floor, she immediately run towards him who was lying on the ground.
"Ascot!" she exclaimed, the boy didn't answered
"Oh Pillar, Ascot, please say something!" she yelled shacking him violently, the summoner let go a weak moan
"thanks to God you are alive" the Knight whispered holding him
"U...Umi..." he said
"shhh...don't talk, it's just a waste of energy..." she said smiling sweetly
"awww...really a nice portrait..." a husky voice said, Umi turned and saw her daughter coming down
"Hoshi! What the hell are you doing?!" she yelled furious, the girl laughed
"oh mum, you ain't seen nothing yet" she said unfolding her sword, Umi looked shocked at her
"what...where did you took it?"
"in an armoury not far from here..." she answered tossing the weapon in her hands.
Umi startled, it had to be Presea's Palace. She remembered how full of weapons was that place, and the worse thing was that every single sword was terribly strong and tidy. Presea was the greater smith of the kingdom, all of her weapons were frightful.
"you know mum" the girl said caressing the blade of her sword
"it's so sharp-edged, so in perfect conditions...I think that it will be the perfect weapon to finish a such good fencer like you..." she laughed.
Umi swallowed, that couldn't be her daughter, there must be a mistake. Ok, she was a liar to her but there were such difference from being angry with her and wanting to kill her.
"Hoshi, hun, put that sword down" she said imposing herself to be calm, the arm of the girl shook, she could tell she was gonna lowering it.
"do you really want to obey to her?" the husky voice echoed in Hoshi's head
"I..."
"the woman who lied to her own daughter...she doesn't deserve you, my darling..."
"but she's my mother she..."
"a good mother could never cheat on her daughter like she did...Hoshi, hun, you know that I wish for your best...keep my advice and get rid of her" suddenly the girl's head ached, her red eyes got more shining, then she launched herself again her mother.
Umi dodged the fence and warded it off with her own sword, she gasped looking at her daughter's eyes
"Hoshi, what happened to you?!" she yelled in panic, the girl laughed and launched a strand of black magic against her.
Umi went flying on the floor, her armour had a huge hole on her chest, she gasped seeing it. Nothing could scratch a Magic Knight's armour, neither Clef's spells. Whatever was that thing that was controlling her daughter was very powerful.
Before she could realize what had just happened, Hoshi launched herself again her mother again, this time the blade of her sword stuck in the Water Knight's arm. Umi hissed in pain but she refused yelling.
The girl in front of her laughed
"does it hurts, mom?" she asked
"don't call me mom! You aren't my daughter, what the hell did you do to her?!" Umi yelled
"Umi, you are smart dear!"
"who are you? And whatever you are get your damn hands out of my daughter!" she yelled shaking in rage, Hoshi smirked
"I'm one of the most ancients deities of this place. I'm Yoru, Lady of the Rage" she explained, Umi looked confused at her, the goddess chuckled
" Long time ago, even before the Pillar system was put into practice, only deities lived in Cephiro, humans were just our slaves. But one day one of us fell in love with a human girl and he gave up on his eternal being. Other deities were moved by his behaviour and allowed him to keep magic. He was the first Master Mage.
Later, some deities decided set human free, not everyone agreed with them and there was a long terrible war.
When it finished, men were free and they were given the ability to learn how to use powers and magic. Since that moment Cephiro started using the Pillar System and the gods who lost the war were imprisoned in caverns under the kingdom." She explained
"but...how did you get..."
"...free? Simple, Magic Knight, I got free after Debonair's attack, and I hidden here waiting for a good moment to come out and conquer Cephiro. I hate you Magic Knights because you have the task of defending and protecting humans who live here. And you are nothing just like them. You deserve to die and when I will be done with you and Cephiro will be mine, everything will be like it was thousands of years ago, and your beloved Runegod will suffer what they imposed to us" she explained in a creepy husky laugh. The Magic Knight instinctively covered her ovum gem with her hand, no one could take Selece away from her.
"Dream on!" she yelled standing up , then she was going to attack her but the dark goddess just moved her hand and a red light hurt Umi sending her on the floor again, she tried to move but she couldn't.
"you see Water Knight, I think I'll wait to kill you...I want to see your beloved Mage's expression when you'll die in front of him...and of course, I'm curious to see the reaction of your precious friends...you will be the first, then the other two Knights will reach you in the other world" she said teasing her.
"I won't be so sure!" a voice exclaimed
"Akai Inazuma!" Hikaru yelled and a bright red lighting hurt Hoshi's body making her collapse on the floor, then Fuu run to Umi and took her hand
"Iyashi no Kaze" she whispered, and in a few a soft green wind surrounded Umi.
The Water Knight stood up "thanks Fuu" she said dusting herself off, then she looked at Hikaru who was charging on the goddess with her sword
"Hikaru, stop!" Umi yelled launching herself on her friend and blocking her attack
"Umi, what the hell are you doing?!" Hikaru asked trying to get free
"you can't do this! It's my daughter the one who you are attacking!" she yelled
"Umi, I must attack her, or how in the world can we save this place?"
"I don't know, but don't hurt her...you could kill Hoshi"
Yoru laughed
"how sweet Umi chan...but you have to choose: your daughter or Cephiro? This is a hard choice..."
The Water Knight clenched her fist
"get away from her" she hissed
"I'm afraid I can't...you know, she was so angry when I found her, her heart was the perfect place for me..."
Umi sighed and, closing her eyes, throw her sword on the floor
"leave her, take me" she said, the goddess looked at her with an interested expression
"nice proposal..." she said smirking
"Umi chan, what the hell are you saying?!" Hikaru yelled
"Umi, don't be stupid!" Fuu said
"I'm serious Yoru, leave my daughter alone. A Magic Knight's heart should be more attracting than a angry 14 years old girl's one" Umi repeated
"fine Water Knight, we got a deal" she said, then in a few the black aura came out from Hoshi's mouth and wrapped itself around Umi's frame lifting her up. She screamed, her head ached and her limbs were burning, she shut her eyes. After a few she felt her body crashing on the wet floor of the Forest of Silence.