Chapter Two: The New Journey Begins!

"So, Cephiro needs the Magic Knights again, ne?" Yukito asked. Clef nodded.

"You're the only ones who can possibly save Cephiro. And also probably the only ones to figure out who the new Mashin are and who their chosen Knights are." Clef said, as he led them into a room at the back of the house.

"I remember this place! It's the armory!" Hikaru said, her voice echoing slightly.

"Hoee! Look at all the weapons!" Sakura yelped, amazed. Clef looked closely at Sakura.

"Excuse me, your name is Sakura, isn't it?" Clef asked.

"Hai!" Sakura replied, with a smile.

"Yukito, there might be a reason as to why Sakura is here with you now." Clef said. Yukito raised an eyebrow.

"Really? What would that reason be, Madoushi?" Yukito asked.

"She could be the Magic Knight of the Sun." Clef said. All of the Magic Knights fell over from the shock.

"What're you saying, Clef?! We'd always heard that there were only FOUR Magic Knights! Why are you saying there is a fifth one now?!" Umi asked, as usual throwing a conniption fit about it. Clef winced, but spoke with his usual calm.

"The reason why she wasn't summoned with you four the first time was probably because she wasn't in the same place at the same time like you were. And another reason could be that the Sun Knight is only summoned once every one thousand years" Clef said.

"That makes sense. Sakura-chan had to stay home because of an illness that day when we were first summoned to become Magic Knights." Yukito murmured.

"There is one other thing that I have neglected to mention. Yukito, Umi, Fuu, Hikaru, do you remember the sword that hung over the mantle in the library of this house?" Clef asked. Hikaru and the rest nodded when they remembered the ornate sword.

"Yeah! But what about it? Was it a special sword?" Hikaru asked.

"It was. You see, that sword was a key to a Mashin." Clef said.

"Okay, keep on surprising us, Clef!" Umi muttered.

"Okay. The sword is missing. It disappeared the day Ferio disappeared." Clef said, getting an exasperated look from Umi and an increased look of worry from Fuu.

"Madoushi, since Sakura-chan is one of us, she's going to need armor and a weapon." Yukito said.

"And magic!" Hikaru added. Clef nodded.

"Accept! Magic Gift!" Clef shouted, as golden light surrounded Sakura. When the light had faded, Sakura was left standing with some armor that looked exactly like the armor Yukito and the others had started out with.

"Sugoi!" Sakura chirped, thrilled about wearing her own armor.

"Oh great! She's got the armor we started out with! Does this mean we'll have to make the whole journey again?!" Umi asked. Clef sighed and shook his head, feeling a headache coming on.

"Not the whole way. Remember, she doesn't have to face a High Priest or a Pillar. But the stakes are just as high. You remember the way to Eterna, don't you?" Clef asked.

"Yes, we do. But who will forge the sword when we get back? Where will we go to get that done, since the creation room was smashed to pieces the last time we were here?" Yukito asked.

"I'll send Lantis to your location as soon as young Sakura comes out of the fountain. In turn, he will lead you to the new castle where the sword will be forged." Clef said, then turned to Sakura.

"Sakura, do you feel it? A feeling different than any you have ever felt before?" Clef asked.

"Yes………….it's like a fire in my heart…………..words………there are words….." Sakura murmured.

"That is your magic." Clef said, as Sakura smiled, then looked back at the professional Magic Knights.

"Clef-san, what about our swords?" Fuu asked.

"Look around. Call it to you. It should come. And Sakura, choose a weapon you can use for the time being." Clef ordered, as he sat down on the cannon. Quietly, Yukito and his fellow Knights closed their eyes and concentrated on their swords. Sakura stifled a gasp when she saw four separate lights emanate from different locations inside the armory. Seconds later, four swords were floating in front of the four Knights.

"Sugoi…………." Sakura murmured, then she chose a broadsword from the wall.

"Good choice, Sakura-chan! I think that's the sword Yukito-chan used when we went through the Forest of Silence." Hikaru said, with a smile. Sakura beamed at Yukito, who smiled back and swung his sword, glad to feel its familiar weight after so long.

"Now, I must go. The search team I was leading is probably beginning to worry. Good luck, Magic Knights." Clef said, as he teleported away, leaving the five teens in the abandoned house.

"Well, Minna-san, let's go. We now know what our mission is." Yukito said, quietly.

"Hai. The sooner we help Sakura-san get her Escudo, get her sword made, and awaken her Mashin, the sooner we can figure out where Ferio is." Fuu murmured. With a look of sympathy, Yukito put a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry, Fuu-san, we'll find him. Ferio-kun is not one who will give up so easily." Yukito said, confidently. Fuu nodded, with a weak smile, showing that she wasn't as confident as her friend.

"Yeah, Fuu-chan! Don't give up! If Yukito-san has faith in him, then you should too!" Sakura said, enthusiastically. Fuu stared at Sakura, in disbelief, then smiled, wholeheartedly.

"If Sakura-san says it's possible, then I must believe it. Arigato, Sakura-san!" Fuu said, now appreciating Sakura's bubbly personality. This personality was perfectly reflected in Hikaru.

"Then let's go! Ferio is out there waiting for us!" Hikaru shouted, leading the charge into the former Forest of Silence. And ahead of them all the way was Mokona, taking them on a nostalgic, and also uncertain, trip into the depths of the forest.

"Kazuhiko, Ran, Gingetsu, are you three ready?" the female commander asked, coolly.

"Yes ma'am." Ran replied, smartly.

"Ready and waiting for your order, Commander." Came Gingetsu's reply.

"I'm ready when you are." Kazuhiko said, crisply.

"Then let's launch." The Commander said, as she fastened herself into the cockpit of the FTO.

"Okay." The three replied.

"FTO, Go." The Commander whispered. As it had with Eagle before her, the FTO lurched to life. With a smile, the Commander confidently piloted her late brother's mecha.

"LTO, Go." Kazuhiko murmured, as his mecha followed his Commander's.

"RTO, Go." Ran said, with barely contained excitement in his voice.

"ZTO, Go." Gingetsu said, his voice almost inaudible. Once all of the mecha were launched, the Commander sneered, Cephiro wouldn't know what hit it.

"Attack." The Commander snarled, her command being followed without question.

Yukito gasped and stopped in his tracks.

"Yukito-san! What's wrong?!" Sakura asked, suddenly worried about him.

"Fuu-san, Umi-san, Hikaru-san, it's time to don the Mashin. Cephiro's about to be attacked!" Yukito said, seriously.

"Are you sure, Yukito?!" Umi asked.

"Yes! Let's find a clearing and don the Mashin! We don't have any time to lose!" Yukito shouted. Without hesitation, the three female Knights (with the exception of Sakura, of course) whipped out their swords and followed Yukito, who was following Mokona, to a huge clearing. From there, Sakura watched in astonishment as the four teens raised their swords into the air.

"Selece!" Umi shouted, her armor changing as she shouted the name.

"Windam!" Fuu cried, her armor doing the same.

"Yue!" Yukito called, his final armor appearing in a dazzling white flash.

"Rayearth!" Hikaru shouted, her crimson final armor appearing instantaneously. Seconds later, four robotic looking things appeared before the four Magic Knights and, as Sakura watched, they were drawn into them.

"Hoeee…………….." Sakura said, as she watched Yukito and the others disappear into the Mashin and watched them take off.

"Pupupu?" Mokona asked, when it noticed Sakura's expression change.

"I hope they're gonna be all right. They will be, won't they, Mokona-chan?" Sakura asked, almost tearfully.

"PU!" Mokona shouted, cheerfully. Sakura smiled, and looked back up at the sky.

"Someone, please watch over them." Sakura thought, not knowing that someone was watching over them. An unexpected someone.