'Pretear's? Haven't heard that in a while.'
'So they do exist mother.'
'What? You thought they were joking?'
'Iie,' Celena shook her head, 'its just hearing it from you makes it more real.'
This was her ritual, the one thing that sustained her for years. In her room stood a mirror that was the only connection that she had with her mother who had an identical mirror. No one knew about these mirror's save Celena and her mother, Syrilla and she kept them well hidden. She had to; she would never let anyone know where she hid her precious daughter.
Syrilla touched the glass and sighed, wishing it was her daughter she was stroking, comforting. She had enjoyed watching her grow up, shared in all her happiness and sadness. But it was a poor substitute for actually being there. And 21 years on, she still couldn't see how she was ever going to hold her daughter ever again.
'The legend speaks of 7 knights, Wind, Sound, Light, Fire, Water, Ice and Flora.'
'I've only met 3,' Celena looked at her mother eagerly, 'so mother, am I a Pretear?'
Her daughter looked at her with such hope; she hated to crush it. But she couldn't very well keep the truth from her.
'Its unlikely Celena, Pretear's are pre-dominantly human. The knights can only find a Pretear because she reacts to their powers. The reason you reacted to it is because you are like them. You to are a being of magic.'
'Oh,' Celena said quietly, 'I see..' and to Syrilla it sounded as if she did. It still didn't make her any less anxious.
'Celena..'
'Its ok mother, don't worry about it,' she forced a smile, 'look, I've got some stuff to finish, I'll talk to you later ok?'
'All right, I understand. You need to think this through,' she added the last bit in her head. The image became smoky and then she found herself staring at her own reflection. She sighed as she looked at herself. Anyone else would taken in the flaming red hair and emerald green eyes and would say she hadn't changed. But all she saw was a woman, a Goddess, who weren't suppose to age, grow wearier as the years passed. Out living her husband, Celena's father who had been cast out of heaven for speaking his mind was bad enough, but living without her daughter had been sheer hell.
'Suzaku-sama..'
Her head snapped up at the mention of her title, a title that had been passed down since God knows when. She hurriedly hid the mirror in a secret compartment built into her bed.
'Yes,' she answered every bit the stern Goddess. The door opened tentatively to reveal a handsome green-eyed brunette. He was dressed in a long white coat and a pair of wire rimmed glasses sat on his perfectly shaped nose. His smile is gentle, a smile that a person could get sucked into. Syrilla let go a sigh of relief.
'Marshall Tenpuu, what are you doing here?'
'I am just here to tell you that Prince Aharn has left for earth..'
She could feel her heart stop, but her voice was calm.
'And, they are allowed to leave when they please. What is the point of this…'
'It is rumored that you hid your daughter on earth when you refused to have her betrothed to him.'
Her eyes narrowed.
'He is a monster, God or not. My daughter deserves better than that.'
'I agree, Tenpuu said quietly, 'even so the rumors say that he's found her and plans to bring her back.'
'What!?' Syrilla grabbed his collar before she could stop herself; 'you're lying.'
'Its true, General Kenren told me.'
Oh shit, General Kenren, Tenpuu's lover who would never lie to him.
'I've got to warn…'
'Guards have been assigned to watch you 24 hours a day, starting the moment Prince Aharn leaves,' Tenpuu took a deep breath, 'it is also rumored you kept in contact with her. How, no one is sure, but I would hazard a guess something like an earring, or a mirror..'
She stiffened.
'The guards, they are blessed with telepathic abilities. They will detect anything.'
'So I'm helpless,' Syrilla's voice was tinged with despair, 'I cut my daughter out of my life for nothing??'
'I wouldn't say that,' he pulled her in his arms, 'I think you've probably prepared her more than you thought you did. Trust in her Suzaku.'
'Why are you helping me?' she asked suddenly realizing.
'Because you helped Kenren once a long time ago and because,' Tenpuu let her go, as if suddenly remembering how much she outranked him, 'I have a soft spot for outcasts. Hell I'm in love with one.'
Syrilla smiled her first real smile in a long time, but her expression darkened.
'What now?' she said her composure returning.
'We wait, and hope,' Tenpuu put his hand comfortingly on hers.
***
'You came.'
Kei's voice from the tree made her look up. He was sitting almost femininely with one leg propped up. He didn't miss the flicker of disappointment that crossed her face.
'Yeah,' she fiddled with the hem of her shirt. Kei floated down and offered her an arm.
'Shall we?' She took his arm still a little unsure.
'Where are we going?' she asked. Kei smiled at her and handed her a bandanna.
'Tie this around your eyes, sorry safety precaution.'
Celena balked at the thought, but she supposed that it was fair. She tied it around her eyes, hating it when everything went black. But the feel of Kei's arm underneath hers was comforting. She could feel herself being led and out of respect she kept her mind's eye closed as well. But she was to well trained not to hear and take notice of everything that went around her.
Suddenly she felt something cold grip her heart. Something eerily familiar yet still terrifying. She grabbed Kei's arm harder, just to assure herself that he was still there. Then just as quickly as it had come, the feeling was gone. She breathed a little easier.
'Watch your step,' she felt herself being pulled through a magic barrier of some sort and the next thing she knew the blind was off. What was revealed to her took her breath away. It was an extremely beautiful garden, but it was like a garden out of an oil painting. Colors richer and more vibrant. Out of the bushes a small round bird with absurdly small wings came flying at her and landed on her finger.
'Tippi,' it said. 'Hello,' echoed in her mind.
'Hello,' she said back telepathically and the little bird chirped madly causing her to laugh. It flew off but returned a minute later a flower in its beak.
'A peach blossom, my favorite, thank you,' she said still using her mind. The Tippi turned bright red and then spontaneously rubbed itself against her cheek.
'Your welcome… Suzaku-sama.'
Celena froze at the sound of her mother's title. She had forgotten that Suzaku was the patron of all birds and it was then that she realized how easily she could be exposed if she wasn't careful.
'What was that about?' Kei asked quizzically as the Tippi flew off. Celena shook her head as if to clear her mind.
'I'm telepathic,' she said choosing her words carefully. Telepathic was more limited that psychic. Kei nodded happy with her explanation.
He then led her across a flower filled meadow to a little cottage style house. It was beautiful and pleasing to the eye like all things in the Leafe garden, the only thing marring it was the thin stream of smoke coming out the windows.
Smoke?
'Go! Temee! What the hell you think your doing,' Kei grabbed a bucket filled it with water and threw it in the window. A few minutes later another man exited the house, dripping wet.
'Dammit Kei! I had everything under control,' the man called Go stopped when he saw Celena looking at them, 'hello?'
'This is our new Pretear, Celena meet Go Knight of Fire ….and eternal burner of houses,' Kei crossed his arms in front of him.
'Nice to meet you,' Go said ignoring Kei's jibe. Go wasn't as pretty as Hayate, Sasame or Kei but he was handsome, with his shock of dark brown hair and an easy going nature reflected in his eyes.
'Likewise,' she sniffed the air, 'what were you cooking, smells good.'
'Caramel Florentines,' Go proclaimed happily before his expression fell, 'well at least it WAS suppose to be caramel Florentines before the caramel caught on fire.'
Celena let loose a giggle, but stifled it when she saw how serious Go was.
'Celena, it's nice to see you here.'
Celena turned in time to see Sasame drift out of the trees.
'Hi Sasame,' she looked behind him as if expecting someone, 'where's Hayate?'
'Off somewhere,' Sasame answered somewhat quietly. Celena turned around to Kei just missing the dark look that flashed across Sasame's night colored eyes. Kei just shrugged. Celena turned back to Sasame, crossed her arms and titled her head to the side quizzically.
'So? What do you want me to do first?'
Sasame pondered the question and then smiled.
'Nothing to strenuous on your first day, just a tour.'
'A tour?'
The tour turned out to be on horseback, well, on something that resembled a horse anyway. Sasame showed Celena as much as the Leafe gardens as he could before she almost tumbled of her horse and claimed exhaustion.
And that was how they ended up here, by the edge of a stream underneath a low tree, lying/sitting on grass that was softer than any carpet. Celena sighed.
'That was magical…for lack of a better word,' she rolled over on her side to look up at Sasame.
'Yes it was,' he replied, but his voice had a faraway quality to it.
'Are you ok?' Celena asked mildly concerned. It amazed her how much she had came to care for the platinum blond bishonen in such a short time. Their ride together had revealed Sasame not only to be a great listener but an extremely caring person as well. A person Celena honestly wanted to know more about.
Sasame gave a look that was indescribable but the slight upturned corners of his mouth were enough of an answer for her.
'Sasame…' she began.
'So here is where you guys went.'
Both of them turned to see Hayate coming down the hill. Celena felt her face light up.
'Hayate, come join us,' she patted the grass right next to her, 'Sasame has just been showing me around. It's beautiful, I cant imagine why you leave.'
'Because even perfection isn't perfect,' Hayate replied, 'yes earth may have its faults, but it still grows, nothing grows here. Everything has reached a pinnacle.'
'Just like heaven,' Celena added softly, 'or so I think,' she added hurriedly.
'Its getting late, do you have somewhere to go?' Sasame added suddenly. Celena glanced at her watch.
'I guess I should be getting back,' she said not really wanting to go. But Hayate seemed to agree with Sasame.
'We'll both take you back,' he offered.
***
They took her as far as the entrance to the park.
'Come back here tomorrow, that's when the real work starts,' Hayate said his voice serious, every bit in leader mode.
Celena started to voice her agreement when a flash of movement caught her eye. She then used her body to push both knights to the ground. Just in time as a flaming arrow seemingly came out of nowhere and exploded in the spot where they both had been standing.
'K'so!' Celena swore in a very unladylike way. She then jumped up to dodge another arrow that came flaming past.
'What the?' Hayate fumed.
'I can't see anyone,' Sasame said. Celena knew enough by now to what 'seeing' meant to Sasame. It meant he couldn't hear anyone either. Every living thing made a sound. The only thing that could move at that speed and not was…a God.
'Quiet,' she said sharply. Concentrating with every fiber of her being, she scanned the area with her mind's eye. Her eyes snapped open.
'Sasame. Over there,' she pointed. Sasame caught her drift and sent a sonic blast towards the direction that she had been pointing. She could sense the person quickly move to the left.
'Hayate!' she projected with her mind where their assailant was. Hayate was quick on the mark and sent a Wind Razor straight at him. It was a direct hit and before their eyes, they assailant appeared before them. It was a tall man, with long jet-black hair tied back in a ponytail. He was clutching a bow in his right hand, the other clutching his side where Hayate's attack had wounded him.
'Who are you?' Hayate asked. The man just gave them an unpleasant smile.
'My name is Fei Long. I serve under Prince Aharn.'
'Aharn,' Celena thought her eyes widening.
'What are you talking about?' Sasame asked. Fei Long's eyes narrowed.
'I don't have to answer questions,' Fei Long snarled and let loose a barrage of arrows. Both Hayate and Sasame put up barriers, but it became clear that it wasn't enough.
'Run!' Sasame managed to spit out at Celena.
'I'm not leaving you,' Celena said determinedly. Sweat began to drip down both of the knight's faces.
'It's our duty to protect you,' Hayate.
'I am not leaving!' she answered feeling more and more helpless. Sasame dropped to one knee, the strain visible on his face.
'Sasame!' Celena dropped down next to him. He gave her a weak smile.
'I'm ok, we can handle this guy. Just go!'
'This is all my fault. They cant handle him, they are going to get hurt because of me,' the thoughts swirled around in her head making her dizzy.
1 Remember…
Her head snapped up. Mother?
2 Remember what I taught you…
As it came filtering back, Celena set her jaw in a grim line.
'What do I have to lose?' she took a deep breath and put her hands together and concentrated.
'What are you doing?' Hayate yelled at her but she didn't hear it.
To the spirits that protect me..
My body is the vessel..
My spirit the door…
Become one with me…
She felt a heat infuse her body, she felt herself become stronger. She opened her eyes and she found herself dressed in flowing red robes, her hair lifted off her face. Sasame and Hayate couldn't believe their eyes.
'Get behind me,' she ordered. They don't know why, but both of them obeyed. With one swipe of her hand all the arrows scattered. Fei Long's eyes hardened.
'Impressive, but…' he leapt up high in the air but Celena quickly followed. She extended a fire whip out of her hand and managed to knock his bow and arrows out of his hand. Out of the air she extracted her own bow and arrow, made completely out of fire and shot one dead center. Fei Long moved but the arrow still managed to catch him on his shoulder. He hissed at her.
'You can't beat me,' Celena said flatly, 'give it up.'
'I'm not the only one, there are others. Prince Aharn will bring you back, whether you like it or not.'
'Urusei,' she put her hands together, 'fire.'
She could have sworn she heard the screech of a bird as she fired a fireball that threw him to the ground. But before he could hit it, he disappeared.
'Dammit,' she swore. But she suddenly felt dizzy and all her strength began to leave her. The last thing she felt before she blacked out was the sensation of falling.
'Sasame…'
'I've got her,' Sasame reached up to catch her before she fell to earth. He gently shook her, his mind frantic with worry.
'Celena? Celena wake up!' he felt for a pulse and breathed more easily when he found it strong.
'I think she's ok, she's just passed out,' Hayate crouched next to her. As their similar blue eyes met, they knew they were both thinking the exact same thing.
'What the hell just happened?'
Sasame swallowed, 'well, she's a Pretear alright.'
Hayate wasn't so sure, but he kept it to himself. Right now he was more concerned for Celena's welfare.
'We'll bring her back to the gardens. We have no choice.'
'So they do exist mother.'
'What? You thought they were joking?'
'Iie,' Celena shook her head, 'its just hearing it from you makes it more real.'
This was her ritual, the one thing that sustained her for years. In her room stood a mirror that was the only connection that she had with her mother who had an identical mirror. No one knew about these mirror's save Celena and her mother, Syrilla and she kept them well hidden. She had to; she would never let anyone know where she hid her precious daughter.
Syrilla touched the glass and sighed, wishing it was her daughter she was stroking, comforting. She had enjoyed watching her grow up, shared in all her happiness and sadness. But it was a poor substitute for actually being there. And 21 years on, she still couldn't see how she was ever going to hold her daughter ever again.
'The legend speaks of 7 knights, Wind, Sound, Light, Fire, Water, Ice and Flora.'
'I've only met 3,' Celena looked at her mother eagerly, 'so mother, am I a Pretear?'
Her daughter looked at her with such hope; she hated to crush it. But she couldn't very well keep the truth from her.
'Its unlikely Celena, Pretear's are pre-dominantly human. The knights can only find a Pretear because she reacts to their powers. The reason you reacted to it is because you are like them. You to are a being of magic.'
'Oh,' Celena said quietly, 'I see..' and to Syrilla it sounded as if she did. It still didn't make her any less anxious.
'Celena..'
'Its ok mother, don't worry about it,' she forced a smile, 'look, I've got some stuff to finish, I'll talk to you later ok?'
'All right, I understand. You need to think this through,' she added the last bit in her head. The image became smoky and then she found herself staring at her own reflection. She sighed as she looked at herself. Anyone else would taken in the flaming red hair and emerald green eyes and would say she hadn't changed. But all she saw was a woman, a Goddess, who weren't suppose to age, grow wearier as the years passed. Out living her husband, Celena's father who had been cast out of heaven for speaking his mind was bad enough, but living without her daughter had been sheer hell.
'Suzaku-sama..'
Her head snapped up at the mention of her title, a title that had been passed down since God knows when. She hurriedly hid the mirror in a secret compartment built into her bed.
'Yes,' she answered every bit the stern Goddess. The door opened tentatively to reveal a handsome green-eyed brunette. He was dressed in a long white coat and a pair of wire rimmed glasses sat on his perfectly shaped nose. His smile is gentle, a smile that a person could get sucked into. Syrilla let go a sigh of relief.
'Marshall Tenpuu, what are you doing here?'
'I am just here to tell you that Prince Aharn has left for earth..'
She could feel her heart stop, but her voice was calm.
'And, they are allowed to leave when they please. What is the point of this…'
'It is rumored that you hid your daughter on earth when you refused to have her betrothed to him.'
Her eyes narrowed.
'He is a monster, God or not. My daughter deserves better than that.'
'I agree, Tenpuu said quietly, 'even so the rumors say that he's found her and plans to bring her back.'
'What!?' Syrilla grabbed his collar before she could stop herself; 'you're lying.'
'Its true, General Kenren told me.'
Oh shit, General Kenren, Tenpuu's lover who would never lie to him.
'I've got to warn…'
'Guards have been assigned to watch you 24 hours a day, starting the moment Prince Aharn leaves,' Tenpuu took a deep breath, 'it is also rumored you kept in contact with her. How, no one is sure, but I would hazard a guess something like an earring, or a mirror..'
She stiffened.
'The guards, they are blessed with telepathic abilities. They will detect anything.'
'So I'm helpless,' Syrilla's voice was tinged with despair, 'I cut my daughter out of my life for nothing??'
'I wouldn't say that,' he pulled her in his arms, 'I think you've probably prepared her more than you thought you did. Trust in her Suzaku.'
'Why are you helping me?' she asked suddenly realizing.
'Because you helped Kenren once a long time ago and because,' Tenpuu let her go, as if suddenly remembering how much she outranked him, 'I have a soft spot for outcasts. Hell I'm in love with one.'
Syrilla smiled her first real smile in a long time, but her expression darkened.
'What now?' she said her composure returning.
'We wait, and hope,' Tenpuu put his hand comfortingly on hers.
***
'You came.'
Kei's voice from the tree made her look up. He was sitting almost femininely with one leg propped up. He didn't miss the flicker of disappointment that crossed her face.
'Yeah,' she fiddled with the hem of her shirt. Kei floated down and offered her an arm.
'Shall we?' She took his arm still a little unsure.
'Where are we going?' she asked. Kei smiled at her and handed her a bandanna.
'Tie this around your eyes, sorry safety precaution.'
Celena balked at the thought, but she supposed that it was fair. She tied it around her eyes, hating it when everything went black. But the feel of Kei's arm underneath hers was comforting. She could feel herself being led and out of respect she kept her mind's eye closed as well. But she was to well trained not to hear and take notice of everything that went around her.
Suddenly she felt something cold grip her heart. Something eerily familiar yet still terrifying. She grabbed Kei's arm harder, just to assure herself that he was still there. Then just as quickly as it had come, the feeling was gone. She breathed a little easier.
'Watch your step,' she felt herself being pulled through a magic barrier of some sort and the next thing she knew the blind was off. What was revealed to her took her breath away. It was an extremely beautiful garden, but it was like a garden out of an oil painting. Colors richer and more vibrant. Out of the bushes a small round bird with absurdly small wings came flying at her and landed on her finger.
'Tippi,' it said. 'Hello,' echoed in her mind.
'Hello,' she said back telepathically and the little bird chirped madly causing her to laugh. It flew off but returned a minute later a flower in its beak.
'A peach blossom, my favorite, thank you,' she said still using her mind. The Tippi turned bright red and then spontaneously rubbed itself against her cheek.
'Your welcome… Suzaku-sama.'
Celena froze at the sound of her mother's title. She had forgotten that Suzaku was the patron of all birds and it was then that she realized how easily she could be exposed if she wasn't careful.
'What was that about?' Kei asked quizzically as the Tippi flew off. Celena shook her head as if to clear her mind.
'I'm telepathic,' she said choosing her words carefully. Telepathic was more limited that psychic. Kei nodded happy with her explanation.
He then led her across a flower filled meadow to a little cottage style house. It was beautiful and pleasing to the eye like all things in the Leafe garden, the only thing marring it was the thin stream of smoke coming out the windows.
Smoke?
'Go! Temee! What the hell you think your doing,' Kei grabbed a bucket filled it with water and threw it in the window. A few minutes later another man exited the house, dripping wet.
'Dammit Kei! I had everything under control,' the man called Go stopped when he saw Celena looking at them, 'hello?'
'This is our new Pretear, Celena meet Go Knight of Fire ….and eternal burner of houses,' Kei crossed his arms in front of him.
'Nice to meet you,' Go said ignoring Kei's jibe. Go wasn't as pretty as Hayate, Sasame or Kei but he was handsome, with his shock of dark brown hair and an easy going nature reflected in his eyes.
'Likewise,' she sniffed the air, 'what were you cooking, smells good.'
'Caramel Florentines,' Go proclaimed happily before his expression fell, 'well at least it WAS suppose to be caramel Florentines before the caramel caught on fire.'
Celena let loose a giggle, but stifled it when she saw how serious Go was.
'Celena, it's nice to see you here.'
Celena turned in time to see Sasame drift out of the trees.
'Hi Sasame,' she looked behind him as if expecting someone, 'where's Hayate?'
'Off somewhere,' Sasame answered somewhat quietly. Celena turned around to Kei just missing the dark look that flashed across Sasame's night colored eyes. Kei just shrugged. Celena turned back to Sasame, crossed her arms and titled her head to the side quizzically.
'So? What do you want me to do first?'
Sasame pondered the question and then smiled.
'Nothing to strenuous on your first day, just a tour.'
'A tour?'
The tour turned out to be on horseback, well, on something that resembled a horse anyway. Sasame showed Celena as much as the Leafe gardens as he could before she almost tumbled of her horse and claimed exhaustion.
And that was how they ended up here, by the edge of a stream underneath a low tree, lying/sitting on grass that was softer than any carpet. Celena sighed.
'That was magical…for lack of a better word,' she rolled over on her side to look up at Sasame.
'Yes it was,' he replied, but his voice had a faraway quality to it.
'Are you ok?' Celena asked mildly concerned. It amazed her how much she had came to care for the platinum blond bishonen in such a short time. Their ride together had revealed Sasame not only to be a great listener but an extremely caring person as well. A person Celena honestly wanted to know more about.
Sasame gave a look that was indescribable but the slight upturned corners of his mouth were enough of an answer for her.
'Sasame…' she began.
'So here is where you guys went.'
Both of them turned to see Hayate coming down the hill. Celena felt her face light up.
'Hayate, come join us,' she patted the grass right next to her, 'Sasame has just been showing me around. It's beautiful, I cant imagine why you leave.'
'Because even perfection isn't perfect,' Hayate replied, 'yes earth may have its faults, but it still grows, nothing grows here. Everything has reached a pinnacle.'
'Just like heaven,' Celena added softly, 'or so I think,' she added hurriedly.
'Its getting late, do you have somewhere to go?' Sasame added suddenly. Celena glanced at her watch.
'I guess I should be getting back,' she said not really wanting to go. But Hayate seemed to agree with Sasame.
'We'll both take you back,' he offered.
***
They took her as far as the entrance to the park.
'Come back here tomorrow, that's when the real work starts,' Hayate said his voice serious, every bit in leader mode.
Celena started to voice her agreement when a flash of movement caught her eye. She then used her body to push both knights to the ground. Just in time as a flaming arrow seemingly came out of nowhere and exploded in the spot where they both had been standing.
'K'so!' Celena swore in a very unladylike way. She then jumped up to dodge another arrow that came flaming past.
'What the?' Hayate fumed.
'I can't see anyone,' Sasame said. Celena knew enough by now to what 'seeing' meant to Sasame. It meant he couldn't hear anyone either. Every living thing made a sound. The only thing that could move at that speed and not was…a God.
'Quiet,' she said sharply. Concentrating with every fiber of her being, she scanned the area with her mind's eye. Her eyes snapped open.
'Sasame. Over there,' she pointed. Sasame caught her drift and sent a sonic blast towards the direction that she had been pointing. She could sense the person quickly move to the left.
'Hayate!' she projected with her mind where their assailant was. Hayate was quick on the mark and sent a Wind Razor straight at him. It was a direct hit and before their eyes, they assailant appeared before them. It was a tall man, with long jet-black hair tied back in a ponytail. He was clutching a bow in his right hand, the other clutching his side where Hayate's attack had wounded him.
'Who are you?' Hayate asked. The man just gave them an unpleasant smile.
'My name is Fei Long. I serve under Prince Aharn.'
'Aharn,' Celena thought her eyes widening.
'What are you talking about?' Sasame asked. Fei Long's eyes narrowed.
'I don't have to answer questions,' Fei Long snarled and let loose a barrage of arrows. Both Hayate and Sasame put up barriers, but it became clear that it wasn't enough.
'Run!' Sasame managed to spit out at Celena.
'I'm not leaving you,' Celena said determinedly. Sweat began to drip down both of the knight's faces.
'It's our duty to protect you,' Hayate.
'I am not leaving!' she answered feeling more and more helpless. Sasame dropped to one knee, the strain visible on his face.
'Sasame!' Celena dropped down next to him. He gave her a weak smile.
'I'm ok, we can handle this guy. Just go!'
'This is all my fault. They cant handle him, they are going to get hurt because of me,' the thoughts swirled around in her head making her dizzy.
1 Remember…
Her head snapped up. Mother?
2 Remember what I taught you…
As it came filtering back, Celena set her jaw in a grim line.
'What do I have to lose?' she took a deep breath and put her hands together and concentrated.
'What are you doing?' Hayate yelled at her but she didn't hear it.
To the spirits that protect me..
My body is the vessel..
My spirit the door…
Become one with me…
She felt a heat infuse her body, she felt herself become stronger. She opened her eyes and she found herself dressed in flowing red robes, her hair lifted off her face. Sasame and Hayate couldn't believe their eyes.
'Get behind me,' she ordered. They don't know why, but both of them obeyed. With one swipe of her hand all the arrows scattered. Fei Long's eyes hardened.
'Impressive, but…' he leapt up high in the air but Celena quickly followed. She extended a fire whip out of her hand and managed to knock his bow and arrows out of his hand. Out of the air she extracted her own bow and arrow, made completely out of fire and shot one dead center. Fei Long moved but the arrow still managed to catch him on his shoulder. He hissed at her.
'You can't beat me,' Celena said flatly, 'give it up.'
'I'm not the only one, there are others. Prince Aharn will bring you back, whether you like it or not.'
'Urusei,' she put her hands together, 'fire.'
She could have sworn she heard the screech of a bird as she fired a fireball that threw him to the ground. But before he could hit it, he disappeared.
'Dammit,' she swore. But she suddenly felt dizzy and all her strength began to leave her. The last thing she felt before she blacked out was the sensation of falling.
'Sasame…'
'I've got her,' Sasame reached up to catch her before she fell to earth. He gently shook her, his mind frantic with worry.
'Celena? Celena wake up!' he felt for a pulse and breathed more easily when he found it strong.
'I think she's ok, she's just passed out,' Hayate crouched next to her. As their similar blue eyes met, they knew they were both thinking the exact same thing.
'What the hell just happened?'
Sasame swallowed, 'well, she's a Pretear alright.'
Hayate wasn't so sure, but he kept it to himself. Right now he was more concerned for Celena's welfare.
'We'll bring her back to the gardens. We have no choice.'