Disclaimer: I don't own MKR... (but I wish I did.)
Yatta! Chapter 6! ^_^ Enjoy!
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Back in Ferio's room, Fuu and Ferio helped Clef off of the floor. Clef winced slightly as they pulled him up, one arm around each of their necks, but not a sound escaped his lips. They helped him to a chair and Clef began to explain.
"So it is the curse from the Prophecy..." Ferio whispered.
Clef nodded, then winced slightly. He gently touched the wound in his side.
"Clef-san," Fuu spoke up. "If you could just remove the front of your robes, I can tend to your wounds."
Clef hesitated, but snapped off the armor hanging on and around his shoulders before removing the front part of his robes, revealing a bare chest. Fuu examined the arrow wound in his side.
"Ferio?" Fuu turned to the wolf demon behind her. "You don't happen to have any bandages, do you?"
Ferio nodded and walked over to a large dresser. He opened the top drawer and took out a few cloth bandages. He returned to Fuu's side and gave them to her.
"Thank you," Fuu said. She looked around the room and saw a pitcher of water on Ferio's bedside table.
"May I use that?" she asked.
"Sure," Ferio said. He handed Fuu the pitcher and Fuu smiled sweetly at him. He blushed slightly, then sat down on his bed.
Fuu took a small piece of cloth and dipped it in the water before beginning to dab at Clef's wound with it. Clef shifted around in the chair slightly, not liking the feeling of the cold water against the open wound. Fuu dropped the bloodstained cloth to the ground and began to wrap the bandages around Clef's waist, covering the wound. She was almost finished when there was a knock at the door.
"Prince Ferio?" a voice asked from outside.
"Yes?" Ferio called back irritably.
The door opened slightly and Ascot stuck his head inside. "I'm sorry to disturb you, but... Doushi Clef?" Ascot spotted Clef sitting by the window, his side bandaged.
"Clef?" a female voice came from behind Ascot. Umi moved past Ascot and into the room.
"Umi!" Fuu cried in surprise.
"Fuu!" Umi called back before Clef caught her eye. He was hurriedly finishing the job of bandaging his side.
"Clef!" Umi exclaimed before rushing to his side. "You're hurt!"
"U-Umi!" Clef stuttered. He blushed hotly as he hastily returned the front of his robes to their proper place and secured his armor. "Erm... well, yes. But, it's not serious..."
"Clef?" Ferio asked. "You know this girl?"
"Uh..." Clef began.
Clef was spared when Lantis and Eagle moved into the doorway.
"Prince Ferio," Lantis said. "Please pardon the disturbance—"
"Umi! Fuu!" Hikaru cried from behind Lantis and Eagle. The two men stepped aside with puzzled looks as Hikaru raced into the room.
"Hikaru!" Umi and Fuu cried in unison.
The men stared baffled at the three girls as they exchanged warmhearted greetings. Finally, Lantis and Eagle approached Ferio.
"Prince," Lantis said. "Eagle and I believe the legendary curse from the prophecies is among us."
"I've noticed..." Ferio glanced at Clef, and Lantis and Eagle followed his gaze. Eagle raised an eyebrow at the humanized Clef, but Clef was to deep in thought to notice. Examining his short fingernails, he thought that if he ever accidentally locked himself out of his room, he wouldn't be able to pick the lock with his claws. Umi sat nearby, fussing over his injuries.
"I went to the library, and read the prophecy over," Ferio said. "but the bottom half of the page was completely illegible."
"That would be my fault," Clef said absentmindedly.
"What do you mean?" asked Ascot, who was standing nearby.
Clef sighed heavily and looked up from his fingernails. "I suppose it's time everyone knew the truth..."
"Truth?" Ferio asked.
"I destroyed the bottom of the page in the book," Clef said.
"Why?"
"Because the contents of the rest of the Prophecy was frighteningly disturbing," Clef explained. "I knew when the time came that the Prophecy came true, you would be too panicked."
Ferio, Lantis, and Eagle exchanged glances.
"The Prophecy foretells the end of the demon race," Clef said grimly. "The slaughtering of the last of the demon kind."
Fuu's hand flew to her mouth in shock and the rest of the inhabitants of the room only stared, wide-eyed, at each other.
Finally, Ferio spoke.
"Why didn't you tell us sooner?" Ferio growled.
"Haven't I already explained myself on that matter?" Clef replied.
Ferio clenched his teeth. He was about to shout back a witty reply, when Presea rushed into the room.
"Prince Ferio!" she called as she crouched down on the floor in deep respect. "The captured Demon Slayers... they have escaped!"
Hikaru, Fuu, and Clef exchanged frightened glances and Umi stared at Clef pleadingly.
"What?!" Ferio roared.
"I'm sorry!" Presea apologized hastily. "I was going down to the dungeons, but when I arrived, their cell was empty! The door was wide open!"
Ferio cursed loudly to himself and addressed Clef.
"Clef!" Ferio demanded. "Can you sense them? Are they in the castle?"
There was no reply.
"Clef!" Ferio demanded again. He turned around to see Clef shaking his head slowly.
"No, Ferio..." Clef said. He stood up and looked around at Hikaru, Umi, and Fuu. "Girls, your charade has gone on long enough."
"Clef!" Umi objected. She stood quickly and grabbed his arm.
"Don't worry," he whispered. "I won't let anyone harm you."
Umi bit her lip nervously.
"Fuu..." Ferio's reflected an angry pain. "You... you're a demon slayer? This whole time... you were deceiving me?"
"Ferio!" Fuu pleaded. "It's not like that!"
"You plotted to kill me?"
"No! I mean—those were my original intentions, but—!"
"You—!" Ferio began.
"But I want to help you!" Fuu yelled.
There was a long silence.
"Hikaru?" Lantis asked, his eyes reflecting the same pain as Ferio's. "You as well?"
Hikaru nodded. "But I also want to protect demons."
Ferio shook his head. "You really mean it?" he asked.
Fuu nodded. Ferio shot Clef a questioning glance and Clef nodded his approval.
Ferio smiled charmingly. "Thank you."
Suddenly, a flaming arrow shot through the window. It barely missed Umi's head and she screaming, clutching Clef tighter.
The arrow fixated itself in the floor and stuck from the marble at an angle.
Ferio darted towards the window and looked outside to see a mob of human soldiers standing at the base of the castle, poised for battle.
Ferio clenched his teeth and began to shout orders.
"Presea! Round up the soldiers! Get as many big weapons as you can!" he shouted.
"Right!" Presea responded and raced from the room.
"Ascot!" Ferio turned to the green-clad man.
"Yes," Ascot replied.
"Get your monsters ready," Ferio instructed.
"Of course," Ascot ran from the room as well.
"The rest of you come with me," Ferio said. Everyone in the room stood and crowded around Ferio. He turned to Fuu and put a hand on her shoulder.
"Are you sure?" he asked.
"Sure?" Fuu asked.
"Are you sure you want to fight against your own kind?"
Fuu nodded. "I want to protect you," she said. "Humans have done demons a great injustice." She reached up and kissed Ferio lightly. He smiled.
"Thank you, Fuu." he said and turned to the rest of the group. "All right! Let's move!"
Ferio stood by the door, watching everyone file out, but when Clef tried to exit the room, Ferio blocked the door way.
"Where do you think you're going?" Ferio asked.
"I want to fight along side my companions," Clef replied through clenched teeth.
Ferio shook his head. "You're useless in battle with that wound in place of your magic," he said. "You'll get yourself killed."
"Ferio!" Clef objected.
"No," Ferio replied firmly.
"Come on, Umi," Hikaru said to her friend from behind Ferio. Umi was still by Clef's side.
Umi shook her head. "I'll stay here with him."
"Umi!" Hikaru pleaded. Umi just shook her head and Hikaru sighed. "Fine."
Hikaru turned and followed Lantis. Ferio was about to leave when Clef placed a hand on his shoulder. "Ferio."
Ferio turned around.
"Be careful," Clef said.
Ferio smiled and nodded before heading into a curse-driven battlefield.
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Yay! Well, there it is! Chapter 6! W00t! ^_^ It may be a little bit short, but writers-block can do that, ne? Hehe... thank you again to all the reviewers! This story is far from over! Stay-tuned for the start of the war!