A Clef and Umi Story By: Vanilla Fox

Disclaimer: MKR, all characters and related indicia are © CLAMP.

Author's Note: *smile* Thank you so much for those reviews. I found them very pleasant. And I hope that you received my reviews. I try to review you guys back. ^_^" But sometimes, I just can't find your pennames. By the way, the reason I'm updating so quickly is because I'm not going to do so for a while. Give me a few days. I have other stories to attend to. GOMENASAI! *bow*

Chapter 4 [Prisoner]

The Mage Master stood there, with his staff in front of him and his arms crossed, as he took the attacks for her she saw his clothes tearing, bruises forming, blood, scratches... And she wanted to do something, she really did, but she couldn't. And she watched as Kane laughed, and his attacks intensified. They got stronger and more frequent, until, finally, Clef flew off, over her. The cloaked man continued laughing, and laughing, until he reached her, and his bubble captured her. Last thing Umi knew, she was in a transparent globe, flying behind Kane, as he disappeared into a black hole.

"UMIIII!!!"

Clef raised his upper body and looked at the place where Kane's portal had been, distress and anger very evident in his face. "NOOO!!!" He shouted, falling back and trying hard to stand up. His staff provided as a cane. He stood up, and started chanting, but a cough cut it short. Presea ran up to him. "Master Clef! Enough! Please don't do this!" He flung out an arm to stop her, and took a step back, to avoid it. Ferio came up behind her. "Guru Clef!" He turned around with much difficulty and glared at all of them. "Enough! I have to get... Umi..." He swayed dangerously, and his eyes narrowed, as if his vision had gotten blurry. But it didn't stop him from trying.

Again, he began his chant, everyone watching him helplessly. As soon as light began to surround him, he gritted his teeth in pain, but he wouldn't stop, and continued chanting. "Guru..." Caldina whimpered. Everyone stood by, not daring to do anything, until Lantis came up and whispered "Sorry." before punching him in the gut. Everyone gasped as he fell unconscious in Lantis' arms. He supported Clef, and looked at LaFarga. "Clean everything up. Presea, can you help me bring him to his room?" She nodded, and scurried over, taking Clef's other side.

Lantis looked up into the sky. I suppose you know what I mean now, Umi.

The Water Knight, however, was thinking of more than what Clef had done. She was thinking, foremost, of how to get out of her present prison. Her hands were shackled way above her, and she couldn't bring them down. Her black dress blended in with the background, but she could see that in some parts, it was torn in some places, and there were grass stains at the lower parts. She frowned adn pulled at the chains above her, but after an hour or so of torture, she realised that all means of escape were futile.

Normally, she would've shouted and screamed, just as she'd done in Chizeta, but although rare for her, she was scared. She was very scared of Kane, though she didn't show it. Showing it would be weakness, and she certainly didn't want him knowing that she was scared of him. Exhausted and frustrated with her unsucessful attempts, she closed her eyes and leant against the wall. Almost immediately, there was an explosion of blue sparks behind her eyelids, and Selece's original form was right in front of her, regal, commanding, and intimidating.

"Selece."


Umi's voice was barely a whisper as she stared at the dragon, who was now looking different from before. He was armoured, and the shiny silver reflected Umi's disheveled form, Umi noticed this with a wince, but ignored her vanities and extended a hand to touch his bejeweled forehead.


"Wha-"


"This is what Kane wants."


"Huh? Yeah... he was saying something about the tiara producing something...?"


"The pillar.... Emeraude has produced three orbs, of power. And they were meant to only appear when there was trouble, and when she had power to do so. However, somehow, Kane found out about it, and now, he wants it."


"Where am I, Selece?"


"I don't know, Umi. But I must tell you to not lose hope. The rest are coming soon. Cefiro's healers have exhausted their energy, and Hikaru and Fuu are healed. They're coming."


"Un. Selece.... why are the orbs so important?"


"They are the strongest that can be. And the Magic Knights donning them will be able to defeat any enemy..."


"So why did Emeraude produce them now?"


"Maybe she sensed Kane?"


"Well, yes... I suppose. But-"


"Umi! I must leave now! Someone is coming. Do not be afraid of Kane, I will be in your subconscious, though you won't feel me. And no matter what, you must hold on. You are strong!"


"Selece!"

Umi gazed at the swirling, vanishing blue light, and looked down. "Yes, I am strong." Suddenly, she felt someone or something pull at her, and she found herself gasping for breath and awake at the dungeon where she was.


"Ah... the Water Knight finally awakens."


Repressing a groan, Umi looked into the flaming eyes of her feared enemy. "Kane." Though she felt like whimpering it out, it came out as if spat, and full of hate and malice. He shook his head, his marble face cracking into a smile. "Tsk, tsk. The honorable Water Knight shouldn't talk so. Why the hostility, Umi?" She glared at him and shook her shackles, as if to make for him. Then, he laughed. "Yes, yes... I shall have some fun while waiting for the Master Mage to give me the orbs. But then again, I might not give you back. I think I'll have fun playing with you..." Umi voiced down a whimper as he smiled cruelly and transported them to a throne room. Only one thought crossed her mind then.


Clef.... The mage woke up suddenly, his eyes opening wide and surprising Fuu, who was looking at him from his bedside. He sat up, and ignoring the feeling of swimming around in his head, he frowned. "I need to get to UMI!" Fuu rushed over and tried to push him down. "Hush. Clef, yes, they're working on it! Don't worry; we'll have a chance to rescue her. We know when to get her!!" Fuu's sentence ended in an exclamation as Clef turned bright piercing and unblinking eyes at her.
"What?! Where? How? Explain at once!" He commanded her with an imperious tone.

Fuu whimpered at this and realizing that he was scaring her, Clef's face softened. "I'm sorry. I'm just worried. I couldn't do anything..." Fuu smiled at him and patted his back. "Don't worry. We have a chance. Firstly, we know where Kane's castle is. Secondly, we can teleport there, and thirdly, you are at a full energy, meaning you can do the spell as soon as we are ready."

Clef smiled at her and threw the sheets of him. "Where are my robes?" He asked her, as he saw that he was still in hospital robes. She laughed. "Don't worry about them. Presea has made new armour for us, and you are to don a stronger one. He smiled. "Well, you've been busy. I'll be ready as soon as I can." With that, he threw a cloak on, and proceeded to go somewhere were he knew he had something important to do.

When everyone was gathered, he set his face in a grim stony expression, and concentrated, extending his staff in front of him. Everyone shifted with latent energy and magic, which pumped adrenaline, and walked forward determinedly as the portal opened, with little difficulty.

Nobody would forget the expression of utter surprise in Kane's face, but neither would they forget Umi's condition when they got there, perhaps several hours after he had brought her to his throne room for his amusement.

"They're here."

Umi smiled at the sudden flash of light, and the portal, through which she could see Cefiro's throne room. Her friends had finally come for her, and she was glad, not to mention relieved. She felt as if every bone in her body had been broken, which in this case, actually had happened. Of course, he had healed her afterwards, he couldn't risk her dying, and he would lose all source of amusement.

She smiled at Clef, or, at least because he was there. She tried to raise her hand, but every little movement made her feel like she had been pierced through with nails, which, again, had actually happened. She smiled only, knowing that she would be all right. Kane gave a roar of anger and dropped the knife that he had been holding. There were several marks and drawings on Umi, made out of blood. Clef growled at this, and froze him on the spot, his face one of complete fury. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO HER?!" Kane, though, only laughed, but stopped abruptly at the sudden pressure he felt. Clef's other hand was in front of him, making a squeezing motion.

"You will pay for this..." He flung his other hand, and Kane flew into the wall, staying stuck there, on the crater, though Clef had let go, and was rushing for Umi's body, which Fuu was bending on. But she wasn't doing anything. She was only crying at the sight of Umi's condition. "Clef... look at what he's done to her!" He shook his head, and levitated her, not wanting to risk injuring her by touching her. And the two of them rushed to the portal as the others worked hard to keep the monster away. Kane gave a burst of power as he saw Umi disappear into the portal, and during his brief explosion of light, everybody had gone, and there was nothing in the hall except a pool of blood where Umi had been, and a small bloody crater in the wall where he had been thrown against. With a snarl, he stood up and stalked out, his cape billowing ominously behind him.

"Umi- will she be alright?" Hikaru asked as Clef and Fuu bent over her. Clef murmured something, his face full of hate, and Fuu and Hikaru backed away. Though they weren't trained in sensing things, his aura's anger was so strong even they felt it. Much more for the trained Cefirans who were waiting outside. Presea had gone out of the room immediately after she had opened the door, having been hit by such a strong feeling. She had been winded and still was. Cauldina, who had been comforting her, looked at the ominous door from which behind was a very angry Master Mage.

Cefiro had stopped freezing and icing up, but it had been replaced by worrying clouds which loomed everywhere. Finally, they all stood up as Hikaru went out of the door, which she closed immediately behind her, knowing of her friends' sensitivity towards Clef's aura. "How is she, Hikaru?"

Despite the circumstances, everyone looked at Lantis with surprised and questioning eyes. Now that was unusual, him asking on Umi, and being the first one to do so. But Cauldina ignored him for the time being, she would grill him later. For now, she turned her eyes on Hikaru's teary face, as she told her story. "We...we watched a kind of record- on her thoughts, and what she had seen. Selece had shown it to us. And, and... Well, he had tortured her. For nothing but amusement."

She was crying openly now, but nobody had made a move, they were too busy hanging on her words. "He... he had maimed her, first by casting spells on her, then locking her up in this chamber... where she suffered seeing all her worst fears... then, then, he had played with her various instruments. He put her in an iron maiden!" Everyone looked away at his, but Hikaru wasn't finished. "He... he... healed her, then..." She fell silent, as she fell to the ground in a dead faint.

Lantis had caught her, and looked at all of them squarely. "I'll bring her to her room. Does anybody have a dreamless sleep spell with them?" LaFarga produced one from under his cape, and Lantis thanked him silently, disappearing around the corner. But as soon as he gone, the door opened and Clef motioned for all of them to come in.

A/N: Well... it's kinda longer than usual, isn't it? I don't know... but anyway, I finally resolved this. But please, please, please review? I'm not being uptight, but I want to know whether you want me to write down the more... detailed torture scene, not involving the iron maiden, but the tools, and the bone breaking, etc, etc... Please, review me on this! Thanks so much, everyone!!

Btw, I'm not insulting your intelligence or anything, but just in case, an iron maiden is like a coffin, except that on the inside, there was nails all over, and when they close it, well... you become swiss cheese.

Ja- ne, Vanilla Fox