Disclaimer #2:

CLAMP is out there doing it's thing. I just write the fanfiction.

Introduction:

Roight, then. On to the next chappy. Just for info, I can make the chapters longer or shorter depending on what my reviewers want. When I wrote this, I kinda wanted to end each chapter with a cliff-hanger, so some of them got to be reallylong. But if no one cares, I'll just keep them in between five and ten pages. That way I won't have to edit so much at a time.

Oh, and one more thing. Don't freak at the weird jumps in this story. I'm not saying exactly when in the series this story takes place because some of the events wouldn't match up chronologically. Basically, it's somewhere before the time Hikaru breaks her sword, and after the time when Umi and Fuu have left on their respective errands to Chizeta and Fahren. If things don't seem to add up, just go with it. It'll make sense in the end, I promise.

Here we go, then! The next chapter awaits!

"We can't just let them go out like that!"

Presea's argument bounced off the walls of the large council chamber, echoing faintly in the slight silence following her words.

Master Mage Clef, all three-feet two-inches of him covered in ceremonial robes, dropped his head in his staff-free hand and sighed.

"What would you have us do, Presea? We can't just not let them fight!"

Presea shook her head angrily, much as she had for the last four hours.

"Maybe not, but we can't just send them out there by themselves. We have to protect them!"

Caldina, lightly dressed even in the cold chamber, chimed in.

"C'mon, Clef, Presea's gotta point. If we leave 'em out there by themselves, they'll get hurt, and I'm not gonna take the blame."

Clef rubbed his head, frustrated. Lafarga stepped forward to put a consoling hand on Caldina's shoulder. The pink-haired illusionist stepped back, deflating slightly. But Presea was still upset.

"Look at what just happened! Umi went out, unattended, to fight Chizeta. She was captured! She might have been killed! And what do we do? We send her back out to fight them again!" She slammed a fist down onto the table Clef had conjured earlier for their war council. It hadn't stayed a "war" council for more than half an hour, becoming instead an arguing ground for the beloved but useful Magic Knights, and what their role should be in this war. Ferio had stormed out earlier, saying he needed to think.

Clef laid his staff down on the table, reaching over to touch Presea's clenched fist.

"Sierra, I know this must be hard on you. Seeing the girls your sister gave her life for go out into danger. It is difficult for me, too."

Presea looked up at the mention of her true name. She had been playing Presea for so long she had nearly forgotten what her real identity was. Clef's gentle reminder did nothing to soothe her temper.

"It's not just Presea's sacrifice! It's my own, as well. I know now why she loved them as she did. They're wonderful, kind girls who care too much for this country and not enough about themselves. I love them just as much! It's terrible to watch them go out and get hurt! You can't let them, Clef, you can't!" Her voice raised as she spoke, ending in a half-shriek as she let go of her emotions. Clef had been trying to pacify them all until now, but this last was just too much.

"Curse you, Presea, do you think you're the only one who cares!?!?" Clef slammed a hand into the table, causing a faint dent to appear in it's surface. Swiftly, the magic swirled and moved to recreate the table, but Clef was not paying attention.

"I care for them too! Do you think you're the only one that is hurt every time they remember what happened to our last Pillar? It kills me to watch as the tears form in her eyes from the very memory! Everytime she goes out, I have to stop myself from running forward and dragging her back, forcing her to stay here where she'll be safe! But I can't! I have to let he-…them go! Why? Because they are the ones that will save Cephiro! Without them, we cannot win! I have to let them go!" He slammed a hand into the table again, breathing hard. He stared at the new dent, the anger slowly draining out of him.

Everyone stared at the Master Mage. Presea's face was pale, startled, almost fearful. Lafarga's eyes narrowed, as though something had bothered him very much. Caldina started, but then peered closely at the mage, her anger forgotten.

"Clef…" She started. Clef looked up with an apologetic expression on his face.

"I'm sorry, friends. I spoke in anger. However, I do not believe that-"

"Clef, are you-…" Caldina interrupted him, leaning forward intently. Clef stopped speaking, staring at Caldina with an expression of curiosity mixed with a touch of something else. Caldina stood, walked over to where Clef was sitting. She put a hand on either of his shoulders, and knelt, looking deeply into his eyes for something the others could not quite understand.

Suddenly she backed up, her hands jerking up to cover her mouth. A faint "oh" of surprise echoed slightly in the cavernous chamber.

"Clef…you are…"

"Caldina," he said, a note of warning in his voice. But Caldina didn't listen, too caught up in her discovery to pay attention.

"Clef," she crowed, "you're in love with-"

The door banged open harshly, a gust of wind sweeping through the chamber. They all looked towards it, waiting for whomever it was. Slowly, through the darkness of the outer chamber, a figure emerged. Tall, black-cloaked, and bulky enough for two people. It took a moment for the council to realize who it was.

"Lantis?" Caldina stopped her wild victory dance to look at the black haired warrior who had just entered. He looked very strange, with lumps poking out around his shadow-cloaked form. But something was different about him. His face was just a little to emotionless, a little too apathetic. And he was walking extremely fast. If it had been anyone less dignified than Lantis, one could have said he was running.

"Lantis! What is it?" Clef asked.

Then Lantis came fully into the light of the chamber, and the burden he held in his arms became clear.

"I'm sorry," he said, his words clipped and precise, "but it seems that every time I come in here I'm saving someone."

"Lantis! Who is it? Is she alright?" Presea questioned in a worried tone, but her face had cleared of its anger and fear, and she seemed much more relaxed.

"Where'd you find the little missy, Lantis-baby? Prob'ly not out in that wind, huh?"

Lantis shook his head, the lines around his mouth tightening.

"No," he said, tightly. "Not out there."

Lafarga sensed the strangeness of his tones, and glanced sharply at him, calculating.

"Not out there? Then, someone was hurt inside the palace?" Clef asked, startled.

Lantis said nothing, his face paling a little more. He clutched harder at the figure in his arms, as if afraid to let her go.

"C'mon, Lantis, don't be a stump. Where'd you get the little missie?"

Lantis stared hard at the pink-haired lady, almost as if he was looking through her.

"I found her… in her room, near the rooms of the other Magic Knights." He seemed to spit the words out, but then he set down the girl in his arms, and he was forgotten.

Long, unbound red hair flowed down her shoulder, tangled and frayed from her hurts. Her face, usually pixie-like and happy, was covered in bruises, blood flecking her cheeks and seeping from a deep gash in her forehead. Her once white nightgown was now stained a rust color from the multiple slashes through it. Cuts ran along her arms and legs, blood only starting to halt it's too-swift flow. One of her arms hung limply, as if broken. Her eyes were shut, but tiny lacerations ran along her eyelids.

"Hikaru…" Clef whispered faintly, a broken sound in his voice.

"Oh!" Presea made a small sound in the back of her throat, dropping to her knees beside Hikaru's still body. Caldina gasped in shock, stepping back and running into Lafarga, who immediately put his arms around her, staring in disbelief at the still form of his favorite Magic Knight.

"What…what happened?" Clef forced the words past a suddenly closed throat.

Lantis shook his head, his movements still to precise.

"I don't know. I was going to her room to check on her, since we haven't gotten to find out what happened in the Crown room. I found her…like this." His words were strained, harsh.

"Oh, my Hikaru, my little girl…" Presea was holding Hikaru's still form in her arms, tears running down her cheeks. She looked up despairingly at Lantis, her eyes pleading.

"She's not…she's not…"

"She's alive." He said, for the first time showing a touch of relief on his otherwise implacable face. Clef sighed, relieved, and Presea collapsed on Hikaru's faintly moving chest, sobbing. Caldina burst into tears as well, burying her face in Lafarga's chest. But his face, though softening momentarily at this news, hardened again as he looked at Lantis. Lantis stared back, and something in his eyes caused Lafarga's accusing gaze to drop. Lantis looked at Clef.

"Master Clef. Can you heal her?"

Clef nodded tightly, looking far too pale. Lantis nodded.

"Good. I have to talk to someone. And if it's his fault…" This last was muttered softly, and Clef couldn't catch all the words. The Master Mage was sure that no one else had heard. Lantis turned, his long cape swirling around him, and strode quickly out of the room. For a moment, Clef felt the tight shield surrounding the only Magic Swordsman drop, slightly. And the waves of pain and anger emanating of off him made the Mage stumble as he dropped to his knees beside Hikaru. But then the unconscious Magic Knight diverted all his attention, and Clef forgot about everything else.

Hmm….who does Caldina think Clef is in love with? What happened to Hikaru? Why did Lantis find her? Who does Lantis think hurt Hikaru?

Questions, questions….all will be answered swiftly if my story gets reviewed! Say anything! Anything at all. Questions, comments, insults, flames, stabs with small pointy objects…whatever you want. Review!

Arigatou. And by the way, I'll try to keep the titles down…it's just so habitual to have people talking with the honoraries, I don't quite remember how to just write someone's name without some kind of title….grar…

Okies! 'til next chappy!!!

Ja ne!