*I thought I was going to be able to write all snow day that we had, but I was called into work early so I had to work all day instead. It wasn't bad, but I didn't get to make this chapter, or any others I wrote, as long as I wanted to. Gomen about that and how long it's taken me to update. There's so much to do at school! Ah!*

Chapter Seven: Awakening

The next morning we were blessed with a miracle. Presea awoke and requested our presence. We stepped into the room and bowed to her, with tears in our eyes and no words had to be spoken because she had heard of and had felt our strength. She took all three of us into her arms and kissed our foreheads and then released us with a few tears.

"I was okay to die for you three," she told us as she wiped a few tears away.

"But we weren't okay with that!" Hikaru shouted, and she laughed weakly and thanked us again.

We sat there all morning and would have no breakfast until it was brought to us. We stayed with her and talked and laughed and pretended the shadow of war wasn't growing darker and coming swifter. We were just ourselves that morning, and I wasn't even aware when Nori slipped into the room and joined in on the conversation.

When midday came around, and we saw that Presea was getting tired, we stood and took our leave, then headed back toward the gardens where we were sure to find someone and make plans on what to do next.

The person we found in the gardens wasn't one that we wanted to deal with.

There was a girl; she was the same height as Hikaru with blood red hair that fell down her back in gentle waves. When she turned around she laughed cruelly, and threw the flower she had plucked to the ground.

Hikaru was trembling with rage as the girl looked up and gave a wistful glance to Lantis as he walked into the gardens. "Hikaru," he took her shoulders and looked into the other girl's eyes, with deep hate lying there. "Akuro."

"Lantis," the Dark Lord of Fire smiled weakly and offered her hands, which he scowled at. He stepped in front of Hikaru and drew his sword.

"You will do no more harm here."

"You were different for me Lantis!" the Dark Lord of Fire shouted. "You were different! You made me feel again and then you took that away!" here she turned and glared at Hikaru.

"You tricked him!" Hikaru screamed and drew her sword that glowed golden in her hands before turning a deep shade of red.

The Dark Lord of Fire drew her sword and scowled before hissing a multitude of curses at Hikaru that I would not repeat for a million lifetimes of prosperity and happiness. The words she spat made my skin boil, and a temper such as I had not ever experienced flared in my heart. I wanted to destroy this creature that so openly destroyed my friend. Because in the midst of all her mindless name-calling she put in explicit details of the time she and Lantis had spent together.

Hikaru's mind was caving in; her heart was failing.

"Hikaru-san," Fuu called, and Hikaru nodded, and her vision became clear. Her grip on her sword tightened, and the first stroke she made was so full of power and anguish that sparks flew from the blade. When they fell they were full of Fire, and the Dark Lord was scorched, but not terribly. Every stroke Hikaru made, more Fire began to grow on the sword until finally it was engulfed in flame. Then the world seemed to lurch beneath our feet, and suddenly the ground was splitting and a wall of lava was pouring toward the Dark Lord. She jumped over it and reached Hikaru as flames spouted from the Dark Lord's fingers. Her eyes were mad with fury.

A call and a spiral of Water from me smothered her attack, which caused her to scream, but she didn't lunge at me, instead kept her mind focused on her real prey.

"Hikaru!" Lantis called when the Dark Lord gained the upper hand, and almost drove Hikaru into the ground.

I guess it was Hikaru's anger that saved her, because a few whispered words between the two sent Hikaru upward with a burst of renewed energy, and the Dark Lord of Fire sprawled onto the ground. Hikaru stood over her with hate in her eyes, hate I had never seen in those innocent, forgiving eyes. It made me cower in fear; I can't imagine what it must have done to the Dark Lord of Fire.

Her terror was so terrible as the lava changed direction that she began to whimper in terror. Then she called quickly, strong and loud, for a mount that was engulfed in flame. It looked almost like a wolf, but it was horribly mutated, what I could see. Its fangs were too long and its claws too mighty. Its back was scarred with boils and burns, and I pitied it as they ran from the room, vowing, as they all had, to be back.

§§§~~~

Hikaru hung her head in shame as we reported the damage done to the gardens to Clef. He sighed heavily and shook his head, knowing there was nothing we could do immediately. It needed time and hard work, neither could we spare. So they would have to go looking the way they did for now. As for the damage to the palace, a spell and a few small words closed the hole in the floor and replaced the tiles and paint. The lava had mysteriously disappeared, but we didn't question it. We were, after all, in Cephiro.

When all that was done it was late, and we were in need of a rest. I couldn't help but feel that another day had been wasted. Why could they find us and we couldn't find them? Why did we have to fight them on their terms, why not fight on ours?

I was weary and not wanting another lecture from Clef as I went to retire.

"Umi," he took my arm and held me back. Nori looked at me with a distance in his eyes as I told him to go ahead without me. I was surprised to find that we were separating. I was surprised to find that I was somehow relieved. It made my stomach clench because I knew what it meant.

"What?" I asked, and my head swam for several different reasons.

"I want to tell you about your armor, what it does. There was a reason I blessed yours Umi, and not the other two."

"Okay," I sat with him near the fire, and his eyes turned to it. They glazed over, and gave me the vantage of staring at him without him even realizing it. I found myself lost in blue depths. His silvery-lavender hair fell over his crystal blue eyes, hiding depth and secrets I would never be privy to. They were eyes made to drown in, and I couldn't swim.

"You're more careful Umi, you're more careful with yourself. Hikaru and Fuu fight with passion, protecting the ones they love. You don't have that anger, that passion; you're safe and careful with yourself and with them. You don't rush into things without thinking; you're cool and calm, collected. You're the one I can most count on to survive. That's why your armor is blessed and not theirs. You can reach me through it. Open your heart to me through it, and you'll be able to speak to me. Ask anything of me and it will be yours. Whether it be magic or…" he faltered and looked at me, then threw his head back to the fire. "Or-or reinforcements."

I nodded and thanked him softly, for I knew that that was a great compliment.

"And I want you to live," he added quietly, and I nodded.

"And I won't let you down," I smiled softly, but was not greeted by one of his small smiles. His eyes were dangerously intense. Was he on the verge of tears?

"I'm serious."

"I know," I was getting a little scared by his behavior.

"Just so you know," he let his head hang, before he dismissed me.

I walked back to my room feeling confused and tired, and very much alone. Being alone and in the dark kept me up despite my weariness. Wanting to know what was going on in the Master Mage's eyes woke me at an early hour.

I walked downstairs to be greeted by no one but the Master Mage, as I knew it would be.

"Down so late to be up so early," he informed me. "Didn't sleep well?"

I shook my head and accepted a drought that tasted better than English tea and worked better than a glass of expresso. Within a few minutes I was alive and awake and ready to start the day. I smiled at the idea, "We should have these on Earth."

He smiled and nodded, "You should have a lot of things on Earth."

"Yeah…" I sighed and thought about the things we should have. The look in my eyes made him laugh softly, and I grinned.

For a long while there was silence.

"Umi…I…"

I looked up at the Master Mage who sheltered his eyes with his lavender bangs and shook his head as Hikaru bounded in.

"Never mind," he jumped from the window he was sitting on and walked from the room.

"Clef…"

Hikaru looked at him confused as he walked by and then looked back to me. She pointed a finger, but I shook my head and sighed, just as confused as she.

It didn't take him long to reemerge. When he heard voices from the dining room again, many voices, he appeared and sat at the head of the table. Everyone was silenced when he walked in, watching expectantly.

"I found them," he said quietly; his voice was scratched and weary. He looked as if he had done something extremely exhausting.

Immediately, Hikaru, Fuu and I jumped from the table and demanded to know where.

He smiled gently at the reaction and showed us an image with a flick of the wrist. It flickered, which made us curious, but when it was clear we saw a small camp inside the Forest of Silence.

Fuu gasped, "No magic can penetrate the Forest."

He smiled again and shook his head, "Not many, I agree."

So that was what he had done, I thought to myself and gave him a stern glance. He shook his head and looked down; he wouldn't meet my eyes again.

"Well what are we waiting for?" Hikaru demanded and clenched her fists.

"A plan," Lantis answered and put a hand on her shoulder.

"You can't just go into those woods with all those Dark things out there and expect to be triumphant," Ferio added, and Fuu turned her head.

"So you don't believe in us?" she asked softly, and he shook his head and bit his lip.

"That's not what I meant Fuu-chan, and you know it."

"It's never what you mean Ferio," her voice was deadly and quiet; a combination we had never heard from Fuu.

After a long awkward silence Ferio turned and walked from the room, Fuu scowling at him as he went.

Clef sighed heavily and tried to explain to us, but Fuu would hear none of it.

"What are we going to do?" I asked then, trying if nothing else, to change the subject. I felt Fuu's heart clench and break. I knew Hikaru must be feeling the same, but she was too forgiving to display it publicly.

"We are going to find them," Clef answered. "They're not protected by those monsters, not more than Selece, Rayearth and Windam can handle. You won't have a problem. Once they're found…" he trailed off, because he knew he couldn't say we wouldn't have a problem.

I put my hands to my neck where she had touched and shuddered. I closed my eyes and breathed in deep.

Clef put a hand on my shoulder, and I opened my eyes and stared into deep blue. My eyes darted when Nori cleared his throat and I met his flashing eyes.

Clef pulled back and smiled weakly.

My head was spinning, and I wasn't sure what was happening. Maybe it was a mistake to bring him here, I thought to myself. He does get jealous from the most ridiculous things.

"Well than let's go!" Hikaru clenched her fists, and we nodded and donned our armor. We were about to run from the castle, but Clef stopped us.

"First you're to learn about your weapons and magic."

"100 days have made me older since the last time that I saw your pretty face

1000 lies have made me colder and I don't think I can look at this the same

But all the miles that separate disappear now when I'm dreaming of your face

I'm here without you baby

But you're still on my lonely mind

I think about you baby

And I dream about you all the time

I'm here without you baby

But you're still with me in my dreams

And tonight it's only you and me…"

~3 Doors Down