Hikaru lay motionless on the ground of an unusual yet familiar place. The surroundings were all the same no matter where you looked. The walls, floor, and ceiling all were a glowing swirl of red, orange and yellow. Hikaru moaned softly and slowly opened her eyes. She quickly sat up and looked around the room with a look of complete shock on her face. She jumped to her feet and ran forward hoping to touch a wall, but no matter how far she ran she never reached anything solid. Kneeling down, she tried to touch the ground but found that her hand went straight through into a fiery abyss.
"Thisthis can't be," she exclaimed looking at her hands. "This place, I know this place. Umi, Fuu, and I came here when we were first summoned to Cephirobut why am I back here? Why have I returned to the Spring of Eterna?"
"Silly girl," laughed a voice from behind her. "Do you honestly think that you are in that stupid spring?"
Hikaru snapped her head around to see Nova standing before her holding her X shaped weapons in either hand. She eyed Hikaru with an evil glare and then attacked. Hikaru just managed to jump out of the way and roll to the side. Nova turned and snarled at her miss and attempted to charge again. Hikaru pulled her sword from the jewel in her glove just in time to stop Nova's blades from slicing her in two.
"Give up!" Nova ordered. "This is your end. Cephiro with crumble and your world will too! Surrender to the dark!"
"Never!" Hikaru replied through gritted teeth. "I am going to put an end to all this once and for all."
"There will never be an end as long as both you and I exist. To end it all, both you and I must die," Nova laughed kicking Hikaru in the ribs and sending her flying across the floor.
Hikaru crashed into what felt like a wall but when she reached her hand out there was nothing but empty air. Using her sword for support, Hikaru stood and faced Nova.
"If that is what it takes, then I'll do it," Hikaru declared. "I'll kill you and then myself."
"You don't have the courage for such an act!" Nova taunted. "I can feel everything you do. You would not bring yourself to that, not with Lantis waiting for you."
"You're wrong, Nova! I will do whatever it takes to end this. If it doesn't, then ever one will die. I will not let that happen1"
This time Hikaru ran at Nova. Their weapons clashed and sent sparks flying in all directions. Nova back-flipped and used her weapons as a boomerang to attack Hikaru. Hikaru tried her best to dodge both blades, but one cut a deep gash in her shoulder. Hikaru dropped her sword and clutched her shoulder. Her white school blouse was damp with her blood. Nova caught her swords and licked the blood of the one that had cut Hikaru. Slowly she approached Hikaru, her expression full of hatred. She looked down at Hikaru and picked up Hikaru's sword.
"You thought that it would burst into flames?" Nova laughed.
"No" Hikaru gasped. "You are me, that is why you can hold my sword"
"Then, are you prepared to die by it?"
Hikaru closed her eyes. Memories of everything that had happened to her in Cephiro flashed before her eyes: Umi, Fuu, and her falling through the sky and landing on Fyula, meeting Clef for the first time, Presea making them weapons out of Escudo, the final battle, the truth about Princess Emeraude's capture, returning to Cephiro for the second time, Eagle dying to protect her, becoming the pillar, and now their current adventures in Cephiro. Her mind raced and tears began to stream down her face. An image of Lantis and her together in his bed played back in her mind.
"I'meveryone," she whispered.
*******
"Oh my," Fuu exclaimed looking around. "This appears to be the inside of Eterna!"
Fuu had only woken up moments earlier to find that she was in the same surroundings as Hikaru only instead of red, orange, and yellow, her world was in shades of green. Fuu looked around the area in hopes of seeing Hikaru and Umi lying on the ground.
"Miss Umi? Miss Hikaru?" Fuu said aloud already knowing that they could not hear her. "I wonder what is going on"
"I wish that you would just shut up," snapped a voice from above Fuu.
Fuu looking up to see Astral hovering above her head.
"Miss Astral!" Fuu exclaimed talking a few steps back.
"That's another thing I hate about my other self, you are too damn polite."
Astral took aim with her bow and arrow and fire several shots at Fuu. Before Fuu could even move, the arrows had pierced her skin. She collapsed to the ground were a small puddle of blood formed under her. Her glasses slipped from her face and landed on the ground in front of her. One of the lenses shattered and sent small fragments of glass flying all over. The swirling of the greens around her became blurred. She could just make out Astral approaching her and smashing what remained of her glasses with her tall black boot.
"How pathetic," she spat. "A Magic Knight can't even see without her glasses. Some legend you girls are. You are worthless, but, I believe that those other two are even more worthless than you are."
"Do notdo notdo not disrespect my friends," Fuu whispered. "Miss Hikaru and Miss Umi are the most important people to me."
"Are they?" Astral laughed. "I know that that is a lie. You really want this legend to end. You don't want to be a Magic Knight anymore. In fact, you wish that Cephiro would vanish and you could live in Tokyo in peace."
"No!" Fuu snapped as she attempted to stand. "I would never wish for Cephiro to be destroyed!"
"You forget, Fuu, that I know the deepest innermost secrets of your heart. I know that you want this legend and this world to stop."
*******
Umi sat up and looked around. Just like Hikaru and Fuu, Umi found herself in the same strange surroundings. Swirls of blue and cyan danced around her. Slowly she stood and brushed some of the dust from her blue skirt. She turned her head and saw a body lying face down on the ground behind her, his violet-gray hair askew.
"Clef!" she shrieked as she ran to his side.
Gently she rolled him over so that he was on his back. She brushed his hair from his face. The soft touch of her fingers caused Clef to open his eyes.
"Umi?" he whispered. "The last thing I remember was being in the throne roomthen everything went black"
He sat up and looked around the area. He jumped to his feet which caught Umi by surprised. She fell from her kneeling position and landing with a thud on her butt. Out of habit Clef reached for his staff, but it was no where to be seen.
"This place," he whispered.
"I know," Umi replied looking up at his profile. "Isn't it the Spring of Eterna?"
"No, it appears to be the same but it is a very different aura. We are inside your mind Umi. I can vaguely remember hearing a voice say that each of us would have to deal with our own selves within our own minds"
"Wait, then why are you here?" Umi questioned.
"Well," he smiled offering Umi a helping hand up. "It has to be because one of I was thinking of you while were being sent here."
"Or" Umi blushed. "Because I was thinking of you."
Clef looked down at Umi and became lost in her blue eyes. He reached out and laid hi hand under her chin. Shyly, Umi looked down at the ground. Her heart was pounding and she began to feel warm all over. Clef delicately lifted her chin so that she was forced to look him in the eyes.
"Umi, do you remember that incident in the hallway? The one where Mokona pushed me into you?" he asked already knowing that she did.
Umi nodded.
"I haven't either," he smiled leaning closer to her. "I don't know what is going to happen, but, if only once, I want to kiss you."
Umi's cheeks flushed as he drew closer. She could feel his soft, warm, breath on her porcelain face. Clef's nose touched Umi's and he lingered there for several moments before separating the gap between them. He brought his mouth to hers, kissing her sweetly and tenderly. Her eyes fluttered shut as she felt Clef wrap his arms around her waist, bringing her closer to him until she could not get any closer. Instinctively, she coiled her right arm around his neck and rested her left hand on his cheek. Then, she felt him start to deepen the kiss, and her lips opened almost involuntarily, with a gasp. His tongue gently slipped into her mouth, and she felt her own touching his, caressing it, stroking it. Her heart was pounding, her head was swimming, and she could feel her body temperature rising. Reluctantly, Clef pulled himself away but remained only centimeters away from Umi's rosy lips. Feeling bolder, Umi brought herself closer for another kiss when they were interrupted by the sound of two voices laughing behind them.
"Well well well," Noon growled. "Look at the two little turtle doves who have finally found each other's embrace."
"Yes, isn't it quaint," Stellar giggled. "Too bad that that will be the last time that they will ever share together."
"You two!" Clef snapped pushing Umi behind him as if to protect her from their glares. "What do you want?"
"I want what you want," Noon taunted pulling Stellar to him. "You see, I know your deepest desires. Unlike you, I am willing to act on them."
Noon kissed Stellar with such force that she had to lean back slightly. He cradled her in his arms and violently explored her tightly clothed body with his hands. Clef felt a warmth coursing through his body and Umi shivered. Finally Noon released Stellar and looked over at the two.
"You could feel that couldn't you?" he laughed. "You see, I am you."
"You can't deny the pleasure," Stellar replied eyeing Umi. "I know that you want to go further but feel that your duty as a Magic Knight is holding you back. You three are all feeling it. Hikaru has already given into it, but since she was the pillar after all, she has a stronger will than you do. She is able to balance. But you, you believe that you have to choose. That is why you want the legend of the Magic Knights to end, so you can be with that magician."
"The same is for you, Clef. It is your duty to protect these girls and you cannot chose favorites among them. Your feelings for this Magic Knight are complicating that task. If you let your emotions run your mind; you will prove to be a failure as guardian to the Magic Knights. You also wish for the legend, but you also wish for the end of Cephiro so that no more innocents will have to experience the pain that you have feltand the pain that this girl as felt."
Clef wanted to tear Noon to pieces. He wanted to yell, shout, scream at him that he was lying and that he only cared for the wellbeing of Cephiro and it's people, that they were his first priority. However, he knew that Noon was right. There was no denying that he had hoped with Hikaru abolishing the pillar system he had hoped that the legend of the Magic Knights had finally come to an end and that they would no longer have the need to risk their lives protecting this world, that they could come to Cephiro for the sole purpose of visiting. He dreamed of the day when he would no longer be an advisor to the girls, forcing himself to keep his distance from them and not getting emotionally attached. He had wished for it all to end.
Umi noticed Clef's silence and looked nervously back and forth between the guru beside her and the two shadows before her. She wanted to know what he was thinking, wanted to feel what he was feeling. She studied his facial expressions, his brow furrowed and his eyes were void of all emotion. Slowly she reached for his hand that rested at his side and took hold of it, giving it a gentle squeeze. Umi's soft touch woke Clef from his thoughts. He looked down at her and squeezed her hand back.
"You're right," he replied turning his gaze at Noon. "I'm not going to pretend like I haven't wished for this all to end. It's because of that fear that you were created and it will be because I can deal with that fear that you will return to where you belong."
"Clef's right," Umi smiled at Stellar. "I can't change the way things happen. All I can do it make the best of what I have. I shouldn't let my fears rule my life. I understand what it means to be a Magic Knight and I accept whatever this life will give me."
At their words, Stellar and Noon began to fade away. Clef approached Noon and offered his hand to him. Umi went to Stellar and opened her arms which she willingly ran to. Noon took hold of Clef's hand and smiled slightly. The two shadows vanished and returned to their homes inside their other selves. Umi still felt warm arms wrapped around her. She opened her eyes and saw Clef standing before her as he held her tightly in his embrace. The blue around them too began to fade.
"Let's go back," Clef smiled.
*******
Fuu searched the floor for her sword while she heard Astral laughing at her weak attempts. Fuu could hear the clanging of metal as Astral kicked her sword further and further away from her grasps.
"Why do you continue to fight?" mocked Astral. "There really is no point in it. The end is coming and there is nothing you can do to stop it."
"That may be so, but it will not be the end that you speak of," Fuu stammered. "I will not let any harm come to the people that I care about! I will protect all of them!"
"Do you honestly believe that you can protect them all?"
"Yes," she smiled in response. "Or I die trying."
Astral eyed Fuu for several moments.
"Alright, so you'd die for your friends, big freakin' deal. You still wish for your time as a Magic Knight to end."
"Well" Fuu replied as she rose to her feet. "I guess that I have always hoped that our mission as Magic Knights would end, so that I could just go on and live a normal life. Miss Hikaru, Miss Umi, and myself had spoken once about wishing that we could just come to Cephiro as we are, not because we had to protect Cephiro against some evil. But, I realize now that it is an honor to be a Magic Knight and I should not wish that I wasn't one. I understand now, it was my destiny."
Astral's expression shifted from cold and heartless to one of compassion. Even through Fuu's blurry vision she could see the change in Astral. A single tear fell down the shadow's face. Astral reached up and touched her cheek where the tear was. She looked at her finger where the salty orb rested.
"What I this?" she exclaimed looking at Fuu.
"That is a tear, Miss Astral," Fuu smiled.
"Damn you and your politeness," Astral laughed. "I guess that I really underestimated you, Miss Fuu."
Astral smiled at Fuu. She reached out her hand and rested it on Fuu's left shoulder. Fuu smiled as Astral returned inside her and suddenly all of Fuu's injuries healed themselves and her glasses were mended. The emerald swirls around her began to fade as she returned to her own world.
*******
Hikaru squinted expecting to feel Nova's blades cutting through her flesh. She slowly opened her eyes and saw Nova standing over her with her weapons still held over her head. Nova's eyes wore an expression like Hikaru had never seen before, they were sad.
"So, this is it, this is how it is going to end?" she spat. "You are just going to give up?"
"There is no point in this," Hikaru replied looking up at Nova. "We are just going to end up killing each other. There has been enough blood spilled with the legend of the Magic Knights. If you killing me will stop it all, then so be it."
"That's not why I'm here," Nova replied, her voice changing slightly so that it matched Hikaru's. "I am only here because you are afraid of something, and I am to help you realize exactly what it is you fear."
"I'm not afraid of anything!" Hikaru snapped.
"Oh, but I think you are. Do you remember how excited you were to become a Magic Knight? Remember the rush you got when Clef gave you magic? You have always loved the adventure, no matter how dangerous. But now, this world is being threatened and your storybook adventures are ending. You will no longer be able to come here. There will be no more escapades, it is ending. Your purpose in this world is finished!"
"My" Hikaru repeated.
"That's it isn't it," Nova squeaked. "You are afraid of not having a purpose. Once Cephiro is gone, who will you live for? Who will you fight for?"
Hikaru was about to speak, but then hesitated. The well being of Cephiro was all that she had been fighting for ever since she first arrived. There had never been a question as to what else she could be fighting for. Now that it appeared like it was all ending, who would she fight for? Suddenly the answer came to her.
"Then I don't need to fight anymore," she smiled. "I can just live now, as I am. There are other things in life worth living for. Too long have I fought, now I can just be. I can be with the people that I love. That is my new purpose."
"Then I am done," Nova smiled.
Just like the others, Hikaru's shadow faded away until she was nothing but a memory. Hikaru smiled to herself as the swirling flame around her vanished, never to be seen again.
*******
"Hikaru! Hikaru!" Lantis screamed as he gently shook the red-haired girl's limp body. "Come on, wake up!"
"Fuu, come on Fuu," Ferio coaxed as he stroked Fuu's pale cheek.
"They have been like this for too long," Lafarga whispered looking over at Caldina. "Is this how it is going to end?"
Everyone looked nervously around the room. Through the image in the water mirror, they could still see Mokona before Debonair with his giant wings and solemn face. Lantis felt Hikaru stir in his arms and a soft moan escaped her lips. He looked down and saw her looking right back at him. She slowly reached her hand up and brushed away his black bangs from covering his eyes.
"I did it," she smiled.
She looked around to see her fellow Magic Knights receiving a warm reception from everyone. Ferio hugged Fuu so tightly that she thought that she was going to burst. Umi laughed as Ascot tripped over his own feet running to see if she was all right. Clef chuckled to himself as Caldina and Presea danced around the room with joy.
"Magic Knights," the deep echoing voice of Mokona said. "I will give you 24 earth hours to escape Cephiro. Take its people with you to your world. Then"
"Then what?" Hikaru questioned. "What are you going to do with Cephiro?"
"I am going to stop the evil that threatens this world by destroying the very thing that created it. I will be able to freeze Debonair in her place for 24 hours, no more, no less. During this period of time you are to evacuate Cephiro. Then I will end it all."
"How are you going to do that?" Umi shrieked. "You can't mean that you are going to destroy Cephiro!"
"The only was to defeat Debonair once and for all is to sacrifice myself, and my second creation," Mokona responded as he began to glow.
"No! There must be another way!" Hikaru pleaded.
"You said first creation," Fuu stated. "Does that mean that you created Cephiro after you created Earth?"
"All will be explained in the end. Now go and do what you must to save Cephiro's people for the last time and be happy, Legendary Magic Knights."
A blinding light shot itself out of Mokona's jewel and hurtled itself as Debonair. The light surrounded the creature of darkness and she could no longer move or use her magic.
"Damn you!" she cursed.
Hikaru, Umi, and Fuu looked at one another. They were about to get up and start to relay Mokona's message to the rest of Cephiro when Clef's voice stopped them.
"Magic Knights," he smiled. "I think that everyone will agree that you have done enough for today. Let the people from Cephiro tell their people what to do. Let this be our help to you. Ascot, Presea, Lafarga, and Caldina, please separate yourselves and journey throughout Cephiro to tell people what to do. Tell them to enter the portals to Tokyo."
The four nodded and then ran off to do as Clef had instructed. After they had gone, he turned to the remaining five.
"This will be the last time you will be together in this castle, so don't waste it," he smiled.
"We won't" Hikaru smiled between tears.
Hikaru and Lantis walked out of the throne room and towards the gardens where they had first spoken. Ferio grabbed Fuu's hand and ran with her out of the throne room, Fuu blushing all the way. Umi stayed behind and sat down on the stairs before the great throne. Clef turned to her and noticed a small stream of tears falling down her cheeks. He approached her and laid a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him and managed a weak smile.
"I meant what I said," he smiled. "I don't want to see your sad face this night. I want you to be happy during your last night here in Cephiro."
Unable to contain herself, Umi jumped to her feet and tightly hugged Clef. She buried herself in his chest and cried. Clef dropped his staff and hugged her close. He softly kissed her forehead and looked her in the eyes.
"You really are a lot taller," she said. "It looks like you are just south of 6'1"."
"Yeah well, being nearly 800 years old and under 5 feet wasn't really working for me," he laughed.
He leaned down and softly kissed Umi on the lips. Clef broke away and took hold of Umi's hand. She followed his lead until they reached his chamber. She stopped before he opened the door and turned to face him.
"Are you sure we should be doing this?" she asked. "I mean, with Cephiro's destruction within 24 hours, is this right."
"Mokona wanted you three to be happy your last night," Clef replied slowly opening the door. "I don't know what will happen tomorrow, but I want to be able to say that I loved you to the best of my abilities."
Umi blushed at his comment. Clef opened the door to his room. It was shades of violet and silver. He stood in the doorway and reached out his hands for Umi to take hold. She did so eagerly as the door closed tightly behind them, leaving them one night together.
NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR
Hello everyone! I have never actually put a note at the end of my stories yet, but I felt like doing so this time. There will only be 2 more chapters in this story so get ready for some high emotions! Upon popular request, next chapter will be some lemony goodness between Umi and Clef like what was seen between Hikaru and Lantis earlier in the next chapter. Thank you everyone for reading my story so far! Not much more to go!