*This chapter is sorta long, but it has a lot in it. It took me awhile because I kinda lost my battle scene so I had to rewrite a new one, but I like this one better anyway so it all worked out!*

Chapter 17 Prophecy and Destiny

They were met at the palace by the head of the guard, Lantis. He looked unemotional as always, but Umi and Fuu both noticed the secret glances that he and Hikaru stole at one another. Umi pointed it out to Fuu when they both caught themselves looking at each other and looked away quickly. They watched with mild amusement, until Clef's voice broke the feel.

"Princess Emeraude? She is safe?"

"My brother is watching her," Lantis told him, and Clef nodded.

"Zagato will care for her, but he will be needed. She knows this, yes?"

"She has been told, by Persea, and by him," Lantis answered solemnly, sounding hurt.

"Then she knows the consequences?" Yukito's voice was as cold as she had heard it since the fight with the Dark One.

"She knows of them," Lantis glared, and Umi got the feeling that they were not good friends.

'We should spend more time at the palace,' Rayearth said in Umi's head.

'Aye, many smart people,' Windam added.

She smiled, and Yukito and Clef looked at her, and as if it was a confirmation, both looked down and shook their heads.

"I know she knows not of your consequences," Lantis said roughly to Yukito, who glared fiercely, "For she would not be smiling so."

"Would you rather see her tears or her blood?" Yukito hissed.

"If she endangers her, them, us," Lantis corrected himself several times, "I swear on my honor she will pay."

"She will endanger no one, if anything the Fire Knight will endanger her. She is inexperienced in the sword and the mind. She knows not of the world, too innocent," Yukito was in a fierce battle.

"It's better to be innocent than to know too much though isn't it Son of Cephiro? I see you live by that rule in your handiwork," Lantis looked at Umi, and Yukito drew his sword.

"Do you wish to repeat that?"

"I will," Lantis said mildly and drew his own sword.

Everyone gasped at the sudden flashing of metal; they had heard nothing of the battle.

"Both of you stop it," Clef instructed, "We need to speak to everyone," he directed this toward Lantis who muttered but bowed and left to answer to the wishes of the Master Mage of Cephiro, "What were you thinking? You draw your sword at every disturbance. Did it ever occur to you that we might need him alive for this?"

Yukito glared, "He bothers me."

"Only because he's one of the few who can challenge your skill," Clef muttered.

"No, only because he's one of the few who will dare to speak back to me," Yukito responded, and no one even accused him of arrogance with his sword drawn and ready to use, though, it was on everyone's mind.

"That's going to get him in trouble one day," Hikaru mumbled instead, and Fuu nodded in agreement.

§§§~~~

Persea handed Zagato his new sword, and he admired it, "Lafarga yours will be next, but I can't tax myself. The quality of the sword deteriorates if I am forced to make more than one weapon a day. Lantis yours will be after that, Ferio yours next."

"Arigato Persea," they all chorused, and she smiled.

"Anything to aid you."

"Assuming…no, when we win," Fuu corrected herself, "What then?"

They all looked around, wondering what the outcome of this would be.

"Well…" Clef wasn't sure how to answer it, "I suppose you go home."

"No!" Umi screamed, and they looked at her, "I can't," she whispered, and tears welled in her eyes, "I can't…"

"Umi," Yukito put a hand on hers, "No one will force you to leave."

"Except Cephiro," Caldina said a bit too loudly.

"What?" Hikaru asked, and Lantis took the liberty of explaining.

"Cephiro doesn't like intruders. The Magic Knights are destined to…to love Cephiro from afar. They cannot live here," he said gently and looked at the Magic Knight of Water. they tried to be gentle with her, but it was devastating. They knew that she would go home to nothing, because it was obvious that her mother was already dead. They weren't sure that Umi wouldn't be dead within the month of her return. With no mother, and no one to look after her, no way to support herself, even in the internment camp, the hope of her survival seemed slim. No orphanage would accept her because she was Japanese, and no one would ever want to take her in.

"You can come and live with me," Hikaru offered, and Umi looked at the girl with a slight sense of hope.

"You mean that?"

"Of course! My parents would be glad to help, and you'll love my brothers! I mean, it's the least I can do for another Magic Knight. Besides, we shouldn't worry about that now; we have an enemy to defeat."

They smiled at each other and nodded.

§§§~~~

"Do you plan to tell her?" Clef asked Yukito quietly when everyone else had gone to bed, "Are you going to tell her before the time comes?"

Yukito looked down, "I don't know…" he sighed, "I don't know at all."

"She deserves to know, but it is your choice."

Yukito looked into Clef's eyes; it was the first time he had ever said something like that to him. He was trusting him with something as important as this, and he felt a sudden deep affection for the Master Mage, something he hadn't felt for him in years…friendship, "Arigato."

Clef smiled, "You have proved yourself, even if you are hasty with the blade, and Yukito," Yukito turned as he was about to walk out, "Son of Cephiro, I will be loosing something."

Yukito looked down and smiled slightly, then left.

§§§~~~

Umi stretched in the sun and went downstairs to find that she and Clef were the only ones up, "Well that's a new one," she admitted, and he turned and smiled at her.

"What?"

"Being the first one up, that never happens," she laughed.

He smiled at her and asked her if she'd care to see the gardens. She agreed, and for awhile they walked in silence through the gardens.

"You and Yukito, why can you not get along?" Umi asked quietly, and Clef looked at her intently as they stopped at a fountain and sat down. Umi looked away and let her fingers trace the water.

"Why do you always look away when you speak to me?"

"I asked first," she countered, and he smiled.

"Yukito is stubborn, that's' really all there is. I can understand, if I was in his shoes… I just try to lead him the right way. I don't approve of the way he's lived his life; I don't approve at all. He's like my brother; I don't want anything to happen to him even if he doesn't believe it. We've been friends for a long time," he tried to explain his position, their strange friendship, but he didn't understand it completely himself.

"Oh," for awhile she was silent, and then she spoke up, "I look away from you because your eyes frighten me."

"Oh?" he had heard that before, "That's not the first I've heard that, I hate to say, though, I never have gotten a solid reason why."

"Because," she looked into them for a second, "I don't know exactly, but you just know too much, like you can see all the way through me or something. I'm not sure, but it scares me."

"Why though? What's wrong with me seeing who you are?" he questioned, "Do you not like yourself?"

She looked away and into the water, "Not really."

He smiled slightly, "You should, you're a wonderful person, that anyone would die to be around," the severity of his words hit him like a knife.

She blushed, "Arigato."

Their eyes met for a long time before Umi blushed again and pulled away from his gaze, "Well the others are probably up already," she began, and he nodded.

"Probably."

'Clef!' Yukito's voice was in his head, 'Kino is here; he's penetrated the light, and Umi's not!'

'Relax,' Clef told him, 'She's with me, Kino is here? Where?'

'Lantis is holding him outside the gates; I don't know how though,' Yukito told him.

'Right we're on our way,' Clef stood, Umi with him. She drew her sword and ran into the palace, the Master Mage after her.

"What about the weapons? How is Lantis doing that with his normal sword?" Umi questioned as they ran.

"Lantis is one of the strongest swordsmen in Cephiro; he can do a lot with his sword, but unfortunately his magic is nothing compared to the Dark One's," Clef explained, "He won't last long."

"Hikaru," Umi whispered, and Clef told her softly.

"It's not him that is destined to fall."

They ran outside and found the others waiting while Lantis battled with the Dark One.

"Kino," Clef hissed and raised his staff, "Be gone, for it is not yet time!"

"It will never be time Clef, never," he threw his magic at the Mage, but a shield from Fuu protected him.

"Arigato," he mumbled, and she smiled.

"Over here," Umi challenged, making Yukito's eyes dart to her thirsty ones.

He laughed and met her sword; she winced from the fierce blow, and he grinned. He threw her sword from her hands, and approached. She scrambled back, but he just approached quicker. She stumbled and fell, and he put a hand under her chin and pulled her up with his magic.

"Umi-chan!" Hikaru threw her sword down onto the Dark One and lashed into his back. He shouted and turned, giving Umi a chance to scramble away.

"Hikaru-san!" Fuu knew the outcome; she knew the strategy. She put her sword in the way, and was thrown to the ground in an instant.

"Summon…the…Rune…Gods," Zagato struggled with the Dark One with magic and sword.

They nodded to each other and held their hands up so their ovum gems glinted in the sun and threw magic around the room in streams of red, green and blue.

"Rayearth!"

"Windam!"

"Selece!"

Spirits flew from their gems and landed, materializing before them. The flaming Lion, the wind Phoenix, and the water Dragon.

"Get on us," Rayearth urged, and they nodded and jumped on.

The Dark One's eyes darted; he knew that he would be facing the Rune-Gods, but he didn't know that this would be them.

'Seven hundred years, and he doesn't even know how powerful we are,' Rayearth tisked in her mind.

'I…I knew,' his voice, scared, made her jump.

'Kino thee should have come with us,' Selece informed him.

'You're wrong!' a new voice snarled in her mind.

"What?" she whispered, but didn't have time to ask. The next thing she knew Selece was flying towards the Dark One, and she had her sword raised.

"Akai Inazuma!" Hikaru shouted when the sword blade almost hit Umi. Selece dodged the Fire, and the Dark One hissed a warning at Hikaru and threw her to the ground.

"Hikaru!"

"Hikaru-san!"

She struggled up and glared at the Dark One, "You die, now," she whispered and threw herself at him; her sword out in attack position. Suddenly her lessons from Kendo took over and she dodged and hit, blocked and threw. And he was struggling, moving backwards.

"Midori no Senpuu!" Fuu shouted and a whirlwind threw itself at him, helping Hikaru in her fight.

The Lion Rayearth snarled as he sank his mighty jaws into the Dark One's arm. He shouted and threw his magic at Fuu and Hikaru, "Meddlesome Knights!"

They skidded on the ground, both unconscious.

"Fuu!"

"Hikaru!"

Lantis and Ferio raised their swords charged at the Dark One, who threw them off quickly.

"Fuu," Ferio whispered and put his hand on Fuu's as his eyes closed.

"Hikaru…" Lantis struggled up, but quickly fell again, "Must…protect…"

"Fuu! Hikaru!" Umi screamed, tears in her eyes, "Selece we have to get revenge," she whispered and clenched her fists.

The Dragon soared into the air, and Umi drew her sword.

"Umi! Don't!" Yukito shouted, but it was too late; she was too far up to hear. The Dragon spiraled down onto the Dark One, and he put his sword up. Selece saw the glint of the blade and turned the other way. Umi threw her sword down and just barely glanced his shoulder, but it was enough. He threw his weight into her and knocked her off the Dragon. She screamed as she fell five feet and hit the ground. She stood, barely able to move and held her sword though they all knew she wouldn't be able to wield it.

"Stop it!" she screamed at him as he came near and shut her eyes tight, "Leave us alone!" her hair blew in a breeze that wasn't there and when she opened her eyes they were glowing a bright blue. She raised her hands, "Koori no Yaiba!"

He put up a shield, but it tore through and hit him badly. He screamed in agony, and retaliated; he drove her into the ground, screaming in pain.

Yukito's eyes flashed, his mind screamed, 'Umi…'

'Fight!' Windam shouted in her mind even as she writhed in torture.

'Son of Cephiro does thou love her?!' Rayearth demanded.

'If thou loves her thou should fight!' Selece commanded.

"Maybe," the Dark One looked at the Son of Cephiro, "Maybe he doesn't want it to end."

"I want it over," Yukito said strongly, "I want it all over; I want you dead."

"I see," the Dark One looked at Umi, who was bleeding profusely but watching intently, "Do you want to say anything to her then?"

"Always remember," Yukito looked at her, and tears fell down her cheeks. He turned back to the Dark One and pulled his sword. It flashed a white light and Dark One drew his own blade that burned black.

"Yukito don't do this," Clef begged and pulled the sword down.

"You know that there is no choice; Cephiro does what it wants," Yukito held the sword in front of him.

The Son of Cephiro and the Dark One pulled each of their swords down upon the other; they met with a sickening crash.

The Magic Knights and the castle inhabitants alike couldn't even fight, all they could do was watch the battle.

The Dark One pulled the energy from anything evil nearby. He pulled it from the monsters, from the hearts of the people, from there themselves. As he drew in everything evil the blade grew darker and darker until it was so encased in darkness you could no longer tell that it had once been a steel sword.

The Son of Cephiro in turn drew in all the good, the very essence of the land, and his sword began to glow a burning white. A white that you almost had to look away from; a white that the Dark One had to shield his eyes from.

Clef raised his own staff and a blue light fell over it.

"The Black, the White, and the Blue," Lafarga whispered, and his blade slacked in his hand. They all looked toward Umi who had tears streaming down her cheeks though she had no idea why.

Yukito looked back at her, and in that split second the Dark One threw his sword onto him, cutting deep in his side.

"No!" Clef was too late with his shield, and Yukito hit the ground.

"Yukito!" Umi screamed and flew down to him; Selece stood near. Everyone around them looked torn; tears were streaming down their cheeks.

"Damn it," he muttered and stood.

"Don't, you'll hurt yourself," Umi begged, and he shook his head and drew the sword once more, 'You will never hurt this land again," he threw his blade, the Blade of Cephiro, onto the Dark One. Clef said a spell and in a burst of blue and white light the Dark was vanquished, and the Dark One was no more.

When the light faded they looked at the girl by his side, choking on her tears, "Come on Yukito, get up," she begged, but there was no response, "Please, come on."

Umi put her hands on the deep wound, and her hands shook as she stared at the blood, "Clef!" she screamed.

He ran to her and set his staff down by Yukito. He knelt next to Umi and put his hands on the wound and closed his eyes.

"Leave it," Yukito said harshly; his voice was strained, "You know it's tainted beyond repair; it was done with the Dark Blade."

"What?" Umi whispered, "You'll die if he doesn't fix it."

"I'll die anyway," he said softly, "Everyone dies, this is my time, there's no sense clinging onto life."

"Yukito let me try," Clef begged, but Yukito shook his head.

"The prophecy has fallen," he began to sweat from loss of blood and cried out in pain, "Gomen," he looked at Umi then back at Clef, "Take care of her for me."

Clef nodded and clasped Yukito's hand, "I will, I promise."

Yukito turned to Umi and put a bloodied hand on her cheek, "Gomen nasai, I wanted to stay with you."

She closed her eyes and touched his hand, "This is the prophecy? What you were hiding?"

"H…hai," he winced, "Now do you understand?"

"I'm glad you didn't tell me," she smiled weakly, "I understand now."

"I knew you would. You have to go on though; you can't stop living."

Even barely alive he knew her, "There's no point, before I met you I was empty and alone. I don't want to go back there, and I don't want you to leave me. You can't."

"This isn't my choice," he said softly, "It is the way it had to happen."

"No it doesn't," tears fell onto him, and he closed his eyes, "Yukito!"

He opened his eyes and looked into shimmering blue; he could tell it was his time, his vision was blurred, "Always," he coughed up blood, "Always remember."

"I will, but Yukito…" she begged.

"Sh…" he closed his eyes, and she lay on his chest and sobbed.

"Yukito!"

As she cried his body began to fade and then it was gone. She lay on the ground and cried harder than she ever had before.

Everyone was silent, frozen, no one could speak. She didn't even notice the gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Umi," Clef said softly, "It had to happen this way, for the good of Cephiro, for your safety. I can't take away the pain, but you have to understand that I lost something too; we all did."

She closed her eyes and couldn't force words; she just stood and walked into the palace. She dropped her sword, and it clambered to the ground.

"She has no will," Ferio whispered, and Clef looked at the scene. The Knights sheathed their swords with unbelieving expressions, even the Rune-Gods were solemn.

"Guru…gomen," Lafarga said softly.

"I too am sorry," Lantis apologized somberly.

"It wasn't your fault," Clef's voice was stable though they knew behind the mask he wanted to leave like Umi.

"But if we had tried to…" Lafarga began.

"To fight?" Clef shook his head, "You wouldn't have stood a chance and then there would be more senseless deaths."

"But if I had not been so jealous…" Lantis was able to admit the emotion.

"You would have been killed; the only one who could even come close to defeating him was Yukito. He did his task, he made his mark and now he is free," Clef removed the guilt from their shoulders, "Now I should tend to the Water Knight."

Fuu and Hikaru simultaneously approached Clef and asked if they could come.

"I was just going to give her a draught, but the comfort would be good for her," Clef nodded in agreement.

§§§~~~

They found her sobbing in her room. Her chest heaved with the motion of her cries. They were stifled by only the pillow which she clutched to her face. Her armor was mysteriously gone, and her bags were packed.

"She plans to leave," Fuu pointed out.

"She's not going anywhere in this state," Clef told them.

She looked up at the voices and turned away; they had always seen her strong. But here, now, heartbroken, she was as weak as a newborn kitten.

"Umi-chan," Hikaru sat on her bed, "It'll be okay…"

"No it won't!" Umi screamed and sat up, "No Hikaru, it won't."

"Sure it will," she put on a smile, "In time…"

"In time I will still be alone and without him. If we had never met he'd be safe. It's my fault!"

"No Umi, don't think like that," Clef stood at the base of her bed, "It was going to happen no matter what; you cannot prevent destiny."

"But…" she looked at him, her eyes shining. She didn't have the strength to turn away so she just looked into those sapphire eyes and tried to turn away, but he held her gaze, "Stop!" she screamed and jumped up, running from the room.

*I really only edited the battle scene I've been so lazy with editing lately ugh. Sorry about that, I'll edit the next chapter…I think…*

Tori Quote of the Chappie:

"And in the doorway they stay

And laugh as VIOLINS fill with WATER

SCREAMS from the BLUEBELLS

Can't make them GO AWAY!"

~Tori Amos, Girl, Little Earthquakes