A/N: Sorry, I've been working so hard on my other fanfiction that I've completely neglected this one. This chapter is kinda long, I hope that makes up for it.

Chapter Twelve

Eagle led them silently through the palace, and all the while all Fuu and Umi could do was send each other nervous glances. "Would you like to see the fencing rooms?" he asked suddenly, and Umi grinned and nodded.

"That'd be lovely," she smiled. At last, something she could relate to in this cold world.

He smiled back and nodded as they descended a spiral staircase into a dungeon-like atmosphere. Umi gulped as they walked further and further down, thinking that maybe the hasty decision had not been a good one. After all, they were with a strange man in a strange place walking down a very shady staircase. She was thinking about suggesting that they go back when they reached the bottom and a huge blue door.

Umi walked up to the door and touched it gently. When she touched it, she felt a shock, and an image of her walking into this very same room appeared to her. She was wearing armor in this image though, strange…

"Umi?" Fuu's voice was in her head, and she shook it off and stepped away from the door. She shivered when Eagle walked past her and demanded to know what had happened.

"Just déja vous I guess," she whispered. "It was weird…"

"What did you see?" Eagle persisted.

"This door, only…it seemed like it was another time…and I was wearing armor, like modern-day armor. I was walking through. I could almost picture the inside…"

"Must have just been a coincidence. Have you slept recently? You might be coming down with a fever. Maybe we shouldn't go in, maybe you should go to bed," he suggested hurriedly.

"No, I'm fine," Umi tried to move past him so she could open the door. The feeling she got was that she needed to know what was inside that door.

"No really, you might be getting sick. I should take you to Guru Clef," he wouldn't let her through.

"No, really, I'm fine," Umi growled and tried to walk by him once more.

"You should really rest if you're seeing things," he whispered and grabbed her wrist, holding it so tight she could barely breathe through the pain.

She ripped away and grabbed her wrist, seething in anger. She dared him with her eyes to try her once more, and her hands clenched. Fuu's eyes darted from one to the other, and Eagle nodded and moved away from the door, glaring hatefully behind her back. Fuu watched and waited for the next move.

Umi let her fingers slide across the engraved 'S' in the door and the floral patterns before she pushed it open and walked inside.

It was a simple room, with racks of swords on one side, and mats lay out in the middle. It had tapestries hung upon the walls of fight scenes of a girl that hid her face but was all dressed in blue and had long blue hair that flew behind her. Umi walked to the tapestries and tried to make out the face, but every time she came close to one the face seemed to vanish and fade. The woman had no face, but she felt a longing in her heart to see that face, to look into the eyes of so great a warrior. And a great warrior she must have been. She had fair skin and a fragile look, but she was the essence of strength. There were images of her riding a large blue Dragon that faded and trembled when Umi touched it. She jumped and gasped but then reached out to touch again. She could almost feel the scales beneath her fingers. She smiled and looked at the other images. The girl was standing with two others, these didn't have faces either, and Umi squinted, trying to make something out through the nothingness.

"Eagle?" she asked as she walked from tapestry to tapestry, seeing the girl closely watched by Ascot and Clef in almost every one. "Do you know anything about this girl? Did she live here?"

"A long time ago," Eagle whispered and smiled almost cruelly. Fuu looked at this cold light in his eyes and shuddered.

"Who was she?" Umi asked as she reached up and touched the image of the girl dueling a stranger that seemed to be from a distant land; he wasn't wearing the clothes that were common to Cephiro at least.

"She was…" Eagle began.

"A Legend," a powerful voice boomed behind them, and all three spun to meet the flashing eyes of the Master Mage of Cephiro.

"Guru Clef," Eagle bowed.

"Get out of my sight," Clef hissed, and Eagle nodded and bowed again before exiting the room. "I'll deal with you later," he vowed under his breath.

"You two, I don't want you anywhere alone with Eagle ever again, understand me? Hikaru-hime may have blind love for him, but I don't trust him. You two for your own safety must heed my word," he instructed, and they nodded though neither understood. Umi would have been defiant, but she suddenly felt very tired.

"I think…" she whispered and shook her head, trying to ward off the feeling of dizziness. "I think…" but she couldn't fight it off. Her body was weak, and the strength seemed to just run out of her. She fell into Clef's outstretched arms as he shook his head and pulled her properly into his arms.

Fuu watched nervously. "What…?" she whispered after Clef had set her down and checked her pulse.

"It's the room, it…has different effects on different people," his phrasing was careful, and Fuu caught something deeper in it.

"Oh, will she be all right?" she would be easier on him than Umi, she would let it go…for now.

"She'll be okay," Clef smiled and picked her up again. "Once she has a good rest. Fuu maybe you should get some rest too; you're not looking in the best of shape either."

She was feeling very tired, "I'll just see how Umi is and then I'll go get some sleep," she decided, and he nodded, and they walked in silence through the halls toward Umi's room.

They were walking in total silence; the only sound was Fuu's boots against the cold stone of the palace, when they heard a voice from the end of the hall.

"Guru?" they turned and quickly saw Ascot. "Guru, gomen nasai, my behavior was rash and…Umi?" his face was paled in horror. "Umi? What's wrong? What happened to her…the enemy…"

"She's fine Ascot," Clef calmed him only some. "She only had a feinting spell."

He sighed heavily and nodded, "Do you want me to take her then?" he asked quietly, and Clef looked toward her room silently and turned back to him.

"Of course, that way I can check up on Ferio since I know you're okay," he smiled and transferred the weight of the girl into Ascot's arms. He looked at her once, gently, and Fuu couldn't believe those were the same harsh eyes that had just looked down at Eagle so disgustedly.

"Now that I know that Umi is in good hands maybe I'll come with you Guru, to…ask you some questions…" Fuu smiled sheepishly, and Clef chuckled softly and nodded.

"This way then, I'll be seeing you at dinner Ascot," Clef instructed harshly, and Ascot lowered his eyes and nodded.

"Why did you do that?" Fuu inquired when they were far enough away.

"Ascot won't eat or sleep until she awakens, and I know that she won't awake until late tomorrow. I can't stop him from not sleeping, but I can force him to eat, and if I'm lucky, I can slip him a potion at dinner to make him sleep," Clef explained. "He doesn't make the most wise decisions all the time, and I try to push him that way."

Fuu smiled and her respect for the Master Mage increased. She had respected him from the moment they came to Cephiro, but everything he did showed power and never ending strength. She respected that and was awed by it. She saw the same spirit in Clef as she did in Umi, though Umi's was slightly more broken because of the hard times she'd seen. Fuu couldn't help but feel that some of Umi's torment in her past life was her fault. Her past life…so their lives really were changing then?

Clef noticed that Fuu was in deep thought, so he didn't interrupt her until they reached Ferio's door. Fuu looked up when he stopped and noticed that she had been so wrapped up in her thoughts she hadn't even realized they had reached their destination. Fuu almost wished that she could go back to her thoughts because now that they were finally here she could feel the anticipation growing in her stomach. She wasn't sure why she was feeling this way, but she guessed that it had something to do with the Prince of Cephiro.

That thought sent her wondering. When they had come here Ferio was surely Ferio, wasn't he? He was a college student, a friend, maybe more…but now that they were here he was suddenly a Prince? And what about Hikaru and Lantis? They were all students, even Clef and Eagle. So where was her place in Cephiro? Where did she and Umi fit in? Is that what they were hiding? It had to be…

The door opened, and Fuu met the amber eyes of the Prince of Cephiro almost unintentionally. She noticed that his eyes didn't stray to the Master Mage even though it was he who spoke, "Ferio I just came to see if you were…" he looked at Fuu, "all right."

"I'm fine Guru," he smiled at Fuu, "now," he whispered so that Fuu barely caught it, but it made her pulse speed up and sent her blood racing. She could feel herself blushing and didn't dare speak, because she knew she would say something stupid. She couldn't stand to stare into his intense eyes any longer either though, so she lowered her eyes to the ground and pretended to be interested in the texture of the stone.

"Well if you're okay then, I'll be seeing you at dinner," he turned, and his cape swooshed behind him as he summoned his staff back to his hands.

Ferio turned to him for the first time and looked perplexed, "He always has his staff, where was it a minute ago?" he asked no one in particular, but since Fuu was the only one there, and she happened to know the answer she looked up and answered.

"Because…well…it's kind of a long story," she giggled helplessly and shook her head, looking down again. What was she doing? Being fickle like this? Falling for the mere image of a boy?

"Well we have a while until dinner, why don't you come in and explain it?" he suggested and opened the door for her.

Fuu didn't want to be cornered, knowing she would say something stupid that would give her away, but she also didn't want to be rude, so she walked inside and took a seat on his bed when he offered. "Well," she began and told the story of what had happened in the dungeon and what Clef had done and then told the story of Umi passing out. She finished with Ascot's arrival and their departure to see him. She vented all her confusion and frustration on him in one story, and he stayed completely silent until the very end, being as patient with her as she could.

When she looked up she looked into his amber eyes and saw tears, "I'm so sorry Fuu-chan," he whispered softly and shook his head, wiping away the tears that threatened to fall from his lashes.

"What did you call me?" she asked in a very tiny voice.

He looked up and into her emerald eyes and realized what he had said, "Nothing," he answered quickly. "I was just…never mind…"

"Fuu-chan…he used to call me that…" she smiled as she pictured her lover, in this very palace. He was standing in a long hall, not facing her. All she could see was his robes and his deep green hair. She ran toward him and could feel his name brimming on her lips, but she opened her eyes, and it was all gone.

"Hai?" Ferio was sitting on the edge of his seat; all his hopes were bubbling to the surface once more.

"Nothing," Fuu shook her head and smiled. "Just a silly vision, it must just be the atmosphere, or I need some sleep. If I'm not careful I'll end up like Umi-san," she laughed and stood.

His heart fell into his stomach, and his hopes were shattered. "Yeah," he muttered. "Maybe…"

"Well, it was very good having someone to talk to Ferio, I'll see you at dinner," Fuu stood and offered a hand for a shake.

Ferio grinned and bowed before taking her hand and bringing it to his lips. "See you at dinner Fuu-chan," he whispered but before she had a chance to answer, Lantis burst through the door and turned to Ferio, "She's here," he said quietly, and Ferio nodded and walked out quickly, leaving Fuu in the room, alone, and very confused.

*

"This is not your place Shadow!" Clef's voice echoed across the steps as he held his staff in front of him. "Get back to the land we banished you to!"

"No!" she shouted and sounded almost like a four-year-old having a temper tantrum.

Fuu watched in the bushes outside the castle. She watched the battle that raged on the steps of the castle. She had followed Ferio and Lantis very silently, intrigued. Now that she saw what was happening once more she was mortified. Somehow she felt as if Shadow had her eyes on her, as if she knew she was there though no one else seemed to.

"I will not leave Clef! This is my new home! I'm sick of the dark! I want to come out of the shadows, I will be Queen of the Light and the Dark and everyone will love me. Those who do not will die!" she shouted and raised a hand.

"No!" a beam of blue magic deflected her spell that was aimed at the bush where Fuu sat, trembling.

Ferio suddenly knew what she was aiming at, as did Hikaru.

"Did you know she was there?" Ferio demanded of Clef, who nodded.

"But I could do nothing to stop it," he answered mildly. "Ferio, get her inside, you are her protector."

Ferio nodded and ran toward the bush where Fuu sat, quivering.

Clef protected them with his magic as Ferio ushered her inside quickly. Fuu heard a shout of pain and screamed for the Guru, but Ferio forced her in the castle.

"What do you think you were doing?" he questioned viciously as they entered. "You could have gotten killed!"

Fuu opened her mouth to speak, but he shook his head.

"No time for explanations, don't move from this spot unless you hear her enter or us call for you, no exceptions," he ordered, and she nodded numbly as he drew his sword and ran out once more.

*

Ferio ran out to see a dreadful scene. Clef was lying on the ground, injured obviously, with Ascot and Lantis on both sides, keeping him from harm. Shadow was trying to reach him desperately, but somehow the two of them were fending her off.

Ferio drew his sword and with his anger charged forward. He slashed off one of Shadow's hands, and she screeched so shrilly and so loudly that they had to clench their hands to their ears to keep from feinting.

"You will pay for this Prince! We'll see if the Wind Knight regains her memory!" she screamed and vanished. Ferio paid this warning no heed and turned to look at Ascot who was leaning at Clef's side.

"Guru, what's wrong?" Ascot was asking Clef whose voice was weak and barely audible.

"She just…attacked…rest is all…" he whispered and closed his eyes. "Source is drained…only a drainage spell…temporary…"

Ascot sighed and nodded, closing his eyes heavily as he looked up, "His magic has only been temporarily drained. As soon as he's rested and regained his powers he'll be fine. We just have to get him inside."

They nodded and Lantis and Ferio helped Ascot get him to his feet. They then draped one of his arms over both Lantis and Ferio and walked inside, escorted by Ascot.

Fuu watched them walk past, horror in her eyes. Ferio turned to meet her eyes quickly and shook his head but smiled weakly, "It's only temporary," he said softly, and Fuu nodded, the terror in her eyes decreasing.

They set Clef down on his bed gently, and he moaned and turned in pain.

"What's wrong Ascot?" Ferio asked, and Ascot looked down at Clef.

"When your source is completely zapped it's almost as if all the spirit has been drained out of you. It's as if you've lost your soul, your Will, everything in you dies. It's extremely painful getting it all back. Guru Clef is in for a long, painful night. Someone should be with him at all times. I'll take the first shift, and you two go to dinner and tell everyone. Have someone come down after and let me know what's going on," Ascot instructed, and the other two nodded and left.

"Guru, this is not a time for you to be invalid, please hurry and get well. We need you, Umi needs you," he whispered and watched as the Master Mage began to fight the long battle to health.

*

Ascot sat with Clef until dinner was finished and Fuu and Ferio came to relieve him. He smiled at the two and walked from the room, weary and famished.

"He'll go and sit with Umi now, he won't eat," Ferio muttered under his breath.

"Shouldn't you…?" Fuu began, but Ferio stopped her.

"Presea will be sure to bring him food shortly. She'll see that he didn't go get something and find him relatively easily," he explained.

Fuu smiled, and Ferio looked at her curiously.

"What?" he demanded, and she laughed softly.

"You all operate so easily, like you've been doing this forever. You know everything about one another," and suddenly the severity of her words didn't seem so light anymore. They weren't something to laugh about.

"It's because we have," Ferio looked perplexed at her sudden downcast appearance.

"Ferio, do you remember me?" she asked softly, and his eyes widened.

"What?" he whispered.

"Do you remember me?" she repeated.

"Of course," he answered.

"How?" she persisted.

"How…I…" he got choked up. How could he tell her how without revealing everything?

"Do you remember me as a student? Do you remember how we met?" she questioned.

Ferio wanted to tell her about the first time that he had ever laid eyes on her, so long ago, in the Forest of Silence. He would never forget that day, the first time he saw her, so beautiful, angelic almost, laughing with her friends though they were obviously very lost. He could never forget the way he guided them and was lost again, then reappeared in the mountains. The way she looked when she once again discovered him, alive and without many serious injuries. He wanted to tell her how beautiful she was at all these times, living in his mind, but especially right now, right in front of him. He was snapped from his thoughts with her voice.

"We met at a party, you saved me from all the eyes," she wanted to cry at his blank look.

"What?" he whispered. Party? What was she talking about? That wasn't how he met his Fuu-chan.

"You don't remember," she shook her head. Another piece to the puzzle. What was going on? Why couldn't she understand? What was it she wasn't remembering? What was more important for her to remember?

"Leave the Magic Knights be!" Clef shouted in his delirium, and Fuu's eyes shot toward him.

"Magic Knights?" she whispered and felt a start in her heart. Something dark pushed her to the ground, and she fell to all fours, coughing. When she coughed, black blood fell onto the floor, and she looked in horror as she realized it was coming from her.

Ferio knelt by her side and touched her arms, trying to help her up, watching in disgust as she choked on her own blood. He led her out of the room.

"What…?" she demanded, and Ferio closed his eyes and knew the only way out of the spell.

"He's crazy, the words don't sound like words. I don't know what he's talking about. It's his fever," he lied fluently, and Fuu looked him in the eyes and suddenly the darkness seemed to disappear, and her coughing stopped.

"Oh," she whispered and coughed once more, softly, but no blood appeared. She put a hand to her head and knew that she had to lie down.

"Go to bed," he instructed. "I'll look after Clef until Lafarga and Caldina arrive. Hurry now, you'll get sick if you stay up much longer."

She nodded, thankful for the diversion and walked toward her room; Ferio watched her until she was out of sight and then looked down at Clef.

"You almost gave away everything," he told the Master Mage, but since everyone was safe for the moment didn't pursue it, especially because it seemed that Clef had problems enough of his own at the moment.

*

Fuu fell into the bed, exhausted. Before she knew it she had dozed off. In her dreams she dreamt of a Prince sweeping her off her feet, even after their bad start. She dreamt of the best friends that she could fight beside and of a huge winged Phoenix that was her soul. She felt free and happy. She felt her magic course through her and her bow that molded in her hands. She felt her sword that was unique and molded just for her and smiled. Sadly, the dreams would never be remembered. She would wake in the morning feeling refreshed but somehow unsatisfied. She would try to bring her dreams to memory, but they were memories, and they were waiting for another time. For now, she would just have to wait, as would everyone else.

All the while, Shadow was growing more bold, and she knew just where to attack now. All she would have to do to have Cephiro would be to kill the two Knights that had yet to regain their memories. All she had to do to kill them would be to tell them what they had to remember. The dark spell would work quickly; she just had to seek them out when that damn Master Mage didn't sense her, and when their protectors were far enough away. The time would come when they would be alone, and then…death.