Secret of the Firebird

The story of the Knights of Light and Darkness had ties to the legend of when Millennia and Cobalt first battled each other. That was how everyone's friends from the other worlds knew so much about it. For Yugi and his friends, this was the first time they found out. As for Max, she already knew, but there were still some things she was about to learn.

That night, when she returned home to her estate, she held the Cobalt Star shards in her hands and began speaking to the Dark Lord himself. "My Lord, I have some things I need to discuss with you."

Sensing it in her tone, a small miasma emerges from the shards and takes on the form of a white-haired, dark-skinned man clad in blue robes. "You seem troubled, my dear. Is it because of what has been going on in these past few months?"

"A little bit," she replied. "Since you told me to follow Yugi and his friends to the other worlds to covet the shards, I've had some excitement, but I've also felt a hint of worry and fear. I didn't want to show it, but those feelings have grown throughout the journey."

Just like with the Great Goddess and her heroes, Max has been receiving words of advice and handy tools to help her on her journeys from the Dark Lord. She was also warned that she, too, would be tested in every way possible. Before, when she was sent to the world of the Sailor Scouts, Max was warned that she would encounter an old friend from her past. For Max, it was an unpleasant surprise that her old friend would be Fiore and that the Dark Lord would choose him and assign him with the task of occupying another world. Furthermore, Yugi and his friends are learning more about Max and who she really is and it's really causing her much concern.

"I know I shouldn't worry," continued Max. "Yugi and the others promised not to let anything they would find out affect their friendship with me, but I can't help but feel doubt; not just towards them, but towards myself. They trust me, but for some reason, I tell myself I don't deserve their trust."

"Why do you think that?" the Dark Lord asked out of curiosity.

"Because I noticed I've been going through some changes lately," she answered. "I know I shouldn't be concerned because people go through different kinds of changes in their lives. Other than that, all my life, I've taken on different forms and used different identities, but for some reason, I feel scared, like this is something I can't control and what may become of me will do a lot of harm."

"So you've noticed." The Dark Lord gently smiled. "Max, not only are your powers developing exponentially, but your body is becoming that of a warrior."

"A… a warrior," she echoed. "But wasn't I already?"

"Inside, yes, but on the outside, slowly, but surely," he answered. "You see, the dark power inside of you is neither good nor evil, but how you use it can affect you. Use it for evil, and it will turn you into a monster on the outside. Use it for a more just cause and you will become a true Knight of Darkness." It was like that with any power, so that didn't worry Max too much. Still, Max had heard about the legend of the Knights of Light and Darkness, that they were two magicians who were neither with nor against either deity, but wanted to bring harmony between their people.

"Max," Cobalt was saying. She looked at him and gave him her attention. "In the final battle against Naraku, something compelled you to help the princess, is that not true?" Seeing her nod, he asks her, "At that moment, what were you thinking? What were you feeling?"

She was quiet for a minute, but after thinking about it, she had an answer. "I was worried, scared for her. I remember when she used the Millennium Star before, Emily died."

The Dark Lord remembered that as well. When he could no longer sense Millennia's presence after the last stand against the Leviathan, he thought that the Great Goddess was gone for good and felt distraught. But to his relief and joy, she returned.

"I was afraid that if the same thing were to happen again, then there would have been no way to bring her back," continued Max. "I knew that if she died, without her, I wouldn't be able to find the rest of your shards because your fate is linked to Millennia's."

As true as that was, it wasn't really Max's answer. Cobalt knew as much and demanded, "Tell me the real truth, Max. Is that really why you stepped in?"

Max couldn't hide it. She answered, "No. Really, it was because… I didn't want to lose Emily. Not because our destinies are tied, but because… she's…" she gulped, then confessed, "because she's important to me. She may be my rival, but she's also my friend. And though I don't care to admit it, I do worry about her and I do think about her."

Satisfied with her answer, Cobalt smiles and says, "Very good. I also know that you know that the princess feels the same way for you. That is why she risks her life even for you."

Max knew. She always heard Emily preach about fighting to save everyone she loves and Max knew that she was included. "She always says each of her friends is special to her and that she'll protect everyone and everyone includes me too. Her friends are the same way. If they didn't care about me so much, none of them would go out of their way for me." That was when she began thinking about the times Yugi and the others risked their lives to protect her and save her from the people who took advantage of her.

"Believe it or not, Max, the princess is changing as well," said Cobalt. "When she first assembled the Millennium Star, her body was slowly changing into that of a princess. Now, like you, she is changing into that of a warrior. But no matter how much the both of you change, you will still be each other's special friend."

Max didn't want to doubt his words, but she had to ask, "Do you really think so?"

He nods. "So do you understand, Max, as to what happened back there?" He asks, talking about the fight with Naraku. "The Firebird couldn't be released," he pauses, then tells her, "until you and the princess realized how important you were to each other."

After thinking about what she had discussed with the Dark Lord, she smiles and replies, "Yes, I think I do understand." She stops smiling and asks, "But wait, how will that affect you and the Great Goddess?"

"That we shall leave for you girls to decide," he tells her. "But always remember why the two of you are important to each other." And he fades and returns to the shards in Max's hands.