Chains of Destiny
Ch 2: Broken Walls and Dying Dreams
By Oniko
Lantis was seriously considering breaking Clef's jaw. At the very least it would make him feel better. On the other hand, Clef's good graces appeared to be the onlypath through which to see Hikaru.
The two men stared at each other before the doors to Hikaru's throne room. Lantis had just returned after a long absence. He spent the past four months crossing from one end of Cephiro to the other gathering information on the darkness manifesting at Hikaru's command. He wasn't even sure the order came from Hikaru at all, since she refused to see him, it came through Clef. And now the mage was saying that he still could not see her. That he was to give his report to Clef instead of Hikaru.
"Those are her wishes." Clef clarified.
Lantis frowned at him. He could not figure out why Clef was keeping him from seeing Hikaru.
"No." Lantis said and the statement was as unmoving as stone. "I will speak to her, and to her alone on this matter."
Clef frowned, obviously not happy with the position that Lantis was forcing him into. He bowed his head and stepped back to the door. "I will speak with her. Wait here."
Lantis sighed as Clef retreated. He wished someone would talk to him. Hikaru was avoiding him and Clef was treating him like he had somehow done something wrong. The mage was obviously trying to hide his disapproval but Lantis knew his teacher well enough to read the signs, and so did a number of others. Servants, guardsmen, and other people of the court were walking on eggshells around him, and whatever it was it had to do with Hikaru's so-called "illness."
He hadn't realized he'd been pacing and when the throne room door opened he found himself further from them then he really wanted to be. Clef stood there looking very unhappy. "She has agreed to an audience."
Lantis frowned at Clef not understanding what had upset the mage though he followed Clef into the room without voicing any of his questions. Hikaru sat on the throne with her hair flowing around her like liquid fire. The room was empty of anyone else and Clef's voice echoed between the marble pillars as he formally announced Lantis.
"Thank you, Clef." She said dismissing him. Her usually gentle voice was cold and her crimson eyes were distant. Lantis froze and allowed his formal mask to slip over his features. He didn't recognize this girl, it was like some stranger had replaced Hikaru. Clef bowed to the cold woman on the throne and left.
"Your report, Lord Lantis?" She prompted him. When unsure fall back on protocol, he couldn't remember who taught him that but it had served him well in court over the years as both Cail and High Priest. He bowed formally and began to give his report coolly and concisely.
The changes in Cephiro were drastic and deadly, many had already lost their lives to the manifestations of their own fears. The Forest of Silence was filled with monsters, more so then even the rest of Cephiro, and inexplicitly magic no longer worked there. A plague had decimated the population to the north of Cephiro, and a drought to the west was turning the fields into a desolate wasteland. The sea was no longer safe for fisherman or ships, no had seen anything but many who go out don't return on the evening tides. Periodically he would come across rumors of Ferio, seen in wilderness fighting monsters or helping a lost child home. But where ever he was Ferio didn't want to be found. Ascot, on the other hand, appeared to have left Cephiro entirely. Neither of the boys had been much the same since Umi and Fuu left to never return.
All the while he gave his report he watched the woman before him. Her eyes were the first to break the cold mask. As he talked about the plight of the people of Cephiro in a cool, formal tone her eyes slowly softened and anguish filled them. He felt a sense of relief, whatever had happened this was still Hikaru. Everything would be fine once they could talk he could get her to see that this wasn't her fault. She was the Pillar that upheld Cephiro but she could not be expected to protect the people from themselves.
Though he could see her pain he was still unsure of his welcome so he kept his voice and mannerisms carefully formal and neutral. Towards the end of his report tears started to gather in her eyes sliding down her still, silent face. He hesitated and fell silent. As he watched Hikaru's mask shattered and she collapsed into tears. Lantis ran the few steps to her side and gathered her into his arms. It took him a moment to decipher the words she was mumbling over and over again into his shoulder. "I'm sorry."
... ... ...
It was the middle of the night and Lantis was fast asleep when Hikaru crawled out of bed. She looked down at the sleeping man. Four months had not been nearly long enough. After weeks of work, meditation and prayer, her heart was finally re-aligned with Cephiro. She was shocked to see how prevalent the darkness had grown in so short a time. She was just beginning to get everything under control again when Lantis came home and ruined everything.
She only heard bits and pieces of his report mostly she just watched him. The hurt and confusion in his eyes were clear obvious to her even if anyone else would just see his cold mask. Seeing him again, it was as if the past four months had never occurred and her heart broke at the pain in his voice. He thought she was crying for the people of Cephiro. She wasn't. She was crying for him, and her. For there was only one option left open to her if she could no longer fulfill her duties as the Pillar.
She didn't bother with her hair, she couldn't afford the time. The sleeping draught she slipped to Lantis would only last for so long. She slipped on a simple shift and silently crept out of the room. The guard at her door snapped to attention.
"Tell Clef and Presea to meet with me in the throne room in three hours." She ordered without really looking to see if the guard heard her. Her mind was preoccupied with the task she faced.
The ceremony was long and arduous, both physically and mentally exhausting. Cephiro's creator didn't want Pillars doing this on a whim. She wasn't sure if the spell was completed successfully or if the ones it would summon would be strong enough for the task ahead, but in the end she sat on her throne awaiting Clef and Presea with Mokona in her arms.
They came, yawning and rubbing their eyes, but they came at the time she specified. Clef took one look at her holding Mokona and snapped fully awake "Hikaru! What have you done?"
"What's going on?" Presea asked, alarmed and confused by the tone in Clef's voice.
"I have summoned the Magic Knights." Hikaru said. She marveled at how calm she sounded, stating her own death. "I know this is hard. Knowing the truth that you do, but please I need you to do your duties. I need to be able to depend on at least the two of you, if no one else."
"Is there no other way?" Clef asked.
"No. None." She said firmly.
He closed his eyes and leaned heavily on his staff of office for support. "Then I will do what I must though it pains me."
"Thank you." Hikaru said, she turned and looked to Presea who stepped back at the intensity in her gaze.
"Hikaru…I don't know if I can forge escudo…again." Presea stammered.
"You are the Master Smith of Cephiro you are the only one who can forge weapons from escudo." Hikaru said, and in her voice was the true power of the Pillar. By strength of her will alone that statement became fact. Her voice softened no longer the Pillar speaking, just Hikaru. "But will you? Will you do this for me and save Cephiro?"
Presea bowed her head, meeting Hikaru's intense gaze hurt. She didn't want to do it, but she knew her duty. "I will."
"Good. Give Mokona to the girls when they get here. I suggest that both of you leave the palace quickly, now, under cover of darkness." Hikaru said. "Don't speak to anyone of this."
"Hikaru you can't hide this." Clef said. "The summoning with resonate through all of Cephiro."
"I know." Hikaru smiled sadly "That is why I want the two of you far away from here when he realizes what I have done."
Neither Clef nor Presea needed to ask who she was referring to. Presea took Mokona from Hikaru and clutched the soft creature to her chest. "Oh, Hikaru, I'm so sorry."
Hikaru smiled at her "I know, Presea, just be strong for me okay?"
Hikaru was at dinner when the magical shockwave hit. The Magic Knights had arrived and anyone with a drop of power knew it. Clef and Presea had been gone for several days. Few people commented on their sudden absences as it was in both of their natures to take periodic retreats. With luck both would be so far in hiding he wouldn't find them until after their tasks had been completed. Almost as if her thought had summoned him, the doors to her room flew open and Lantis stormed in. And he was livid.
"What have you done?" he demanded.
"What must be done." She said calmly picking up her desert. Redberry cake, her favorite. "For the good of Cephiro."
"Damn Cephiro, Hikaru you can't do this." He slammed his fists into the table.
"It's already done." She took a bite of the cake. The berries were a bit young still but she'd wanted to enjoy some of her favorite things one last time before she faced the Magic Knights.
"Why? Will you at least tell me that?"
"Would you understand? Would you even try?"
He looked at her with pain in his eyes. "Hikaru, why can't you trust me?"
She slammed her fork down, angry. Angry was better then crying which is what she felt like doing. "People are dying and it's my fault. Don't start. It is my fault, I lost my heart to you and Cephiro paid the price. I can't see the darkness anymore, I can't tell if my prayers are doing any good. If I can no longer be the Pillar that Cephiro needs, someone must be. Someone with a strong heart. So I have to…step down."
" 'Step down?' Hikaru, they will kill you. Have you even thought of what that means? Did you even think of what that would do to the rest of us, to the people who love you?" His tone softened and he said gently "Hikaru I love you and I couldn't bear to lose you."
"I did think about it, long and hard." She said, her voice still hard and cold. "Why don't you think about the people of Cephiro, everyone who dies out there has a family and friends, people who love them. And those people shouldn't have to fear the monsters, they shouldn't have to fear death. It is my job to protect them and I can't do it anymore."
"Forget about them, for once in your life be selfish and forget about them. Live. Live with me, we could be happy together. We were happy together."
"Don't you understand that I can't. That is why I was chosen to be the Pillar in the first place because I cared about others more than myself, more than my own happiness." She looked up at him with tear sliding down her cheeks and her voice was thick with emotion. "And the one moment of personal happiness I had with you ruined everything. People died because of me. I cannot allow it to continue."
Lantis suddenly grabbed her wrist and pulled her up from the chair, dragging her out the door as she shouted objections. She begged, she shrieked and pleaded. She fought him as he dragged her through the halls but her heart wasn't in it and Lantis ignored her weak blows.
"What are you doing?" She shrieked.
"I will not stand by and do nothing while they kill you. I will protect you with the last breath in my body if need be. Your will or no."
"Lantis, please don't do this." She was vaguely aware of passing halls and people until Lantis came to an abrupt halt at the juncture of two main hallways. She peeked around him to see Lafarga, the Captain of the Guard and a small array of guardsmen fanned out behind him.
"Lantis. What is the meaning of this." Lafarga demanded.
"Do you know what she had done?" Lantis asked in return. "Am I the only one left in the dark… no I can see you know nothing."
"Lafarga, help me." Hikaru demanded trying to twist her wrist from Lantis' grip.
"Lantis, release the Princess and explain yourself." Lafarga ordered coldly.
"She summoned the Magic Knights." Lantis declared without letting go of Hikaru. Lafarga froze and stared at the two of them. The moment stretched on until Hikaru commanded. "Lafarga do your duty and help me!"
"I know my duty, Princess." Lafarga said. Hikaru could feel Lantis tense for a fight. "Men, stand down. Let them pass, out duty is to protect the Princess, as is the High Priest's" he said the last almost apologetically as he fell into step behind Lantis "Where are you taking her?"
"As far away from Cephiro as she can safely get. She is still the Pillar and I don't want her powers aiding the Magic Knights. Lafarga find me Ferio and Clef, we may need them."
"And Presea?"
"If you can." Hikaru stumbled and nearly fell in shock listening to Lantis' words. Of course, she was still the Pillar and had more powers available to her then just cleansing the land. She ceased struggling and let Lantis drag her along as she prepared to truly fight. Because she knew as well as he did that if he followed through with this the Magic Knights would be forced to kill him to get to her. She didn't want that to happen. She didn't want any more people to die because of her. Especially not someone she loved.
By the time Lantis pulled her out into an open courtyard she was prepared. There was very little warning when the earthquake hit, and it was a bad one. The land rippled and flowed like water. Lantis lost his grip on her as they were thrown to the ground. Hikaru stood and staggered to the nebulous safety of a nearby doorway. She had almost made it when a strong arm wrapped around her waist and lifted her off the ground. She shrieked and kicked out at empty air and the ground raged and shook in response to her emotions. Lantis dragged her up to sit before him on his summoned spirit animal, his night black horse. The horse rose up into the sky away from the shaking earth. "Hikaru, stop it."
She rested her head on his shoulder and watched the shattered palace falling away below them. "I can't"
... ... ...
Lantis watched the Magic Knights fly away on a griffin Clef summoned. The three girls looked so very young. It was hard to believe that Hikaru and her friends had been about the same age when they were summoned to Cephiro. "You didn't tell them did you?"
Clef didn't react, he had been fully aware of Lantis' presence from the beginning, not that Lantis had been trying to hide. "No. Do you think they would be able to do it if they knew the truth?"
"No. They probably wouldn't." Lantis said walking up to stand next to Clef. Who turned to look at him and Lantis fell back a step in shock. "What happened to you?"
Clef no longer looked like a young boy. Instead an elderly man stood there wearing the Master Mage's clothing and leaning heavily on his staff of office. "I'm old Lantis. Over a thousand years old. I have seen this land destroy everything I have ever loved. I'm old and I'm tired. And I think…I think I've lost the heart to go on."
"Clef…" Lantis started to speak but could find no words.
"Just, please, take me to see her." Clef said. "I would like to see Hikaru one last time."
"As you wish."
... ... ...
AN: It never ceases to amaze me how much and how little can be written in 15 minute blocks (ie over breaks and lunch). Anyways this chapter was easier then the last but also hard in that I'm trying to make this story work for both the manga and anime versions. Well, please tell me what you think, I thrive on reviews.