*If you're confused hang in there, all will be explained *gains mysterious voice* ^.^ Oh I love this story so far, it's something new for me, something I haven't experienced since oh…when I wrote Torn Between War and Destiny which was like…a year ago so yey! And in this one, maybe I won't have Umi and Clef's love for one another drag on, I know that's getting redundant. But, I promise you there will be conflict, I've got to beat up on her, she's my favorite*

Chapter Five: The Palace of the Keepers

The two walked up the steps of the Palace, and Clef felt rising anxiety. The Keeper of Magic held all the Magic in Cephiro; he was more powerful than even the Master Mage.

"If…he has his wits about him," Quies read Clef's thoughts…literally.

"Won't he?" Clef asked skeptically.

"Not if he loses himself in trying to keep what was never his," she responded.

Clef closed his eyes, trying to picture Umi in their holds. His pace quickened as they walked around the beautiful Palace. It was so gorgeous that it took even his breath away, and he lived in the Palace of Cephiro. The walls and pillars were white marble, but they flashed rainbow colored despite, screaming of magic. When he looked into the floor, he found it was glass and he could make out images floating in the glass. He shuddered and looked back up; they were past Keepers, serving their own kind of sentence. For a minute he understood why Silvius had fled his own sentence. Still, even admiring the beauty of the Palace, Clef was wary. He felt that he was being watched. A shadow behind a pillar would catch his eye and make him turn and glare. A feeling of footsteps behind him would make his eyes dart.

"It's Castellum, the Keeper of the Palace," Quies answered his questions.

"Could you please stay out of my thoughts?" Clef growled.

"Oh, I could go deeper, I could go to your dreams, your subconscious, if you wish," she grinned mischievously.

He glared but didn't pursue.

They reached two large stone doors that looked unmovable. Carved into them were many keyholes and images of the Sacred Village. Keepers without faces moved through the town, all headed toward unknown destinations.

"Castellum, please let us in," Quies called, and a small, paranoid looking man appeared out of thin air in front of them. He only stood about five feet and was very thin. He twisted his long fingers around each other and looked from side to side nervously.

"You won't find Veneficus in there Quies," his small voice seemed to pierce the silence of the Palace. He winced and cowered from the sound echoing on his beloved walls.

"I know where he is Castellum," Quies interrupted sharply. "And I plan to get in this way."

"He'll be angry, he's entertaining," Castellum informed her.

"I honestly could care less, now let me in," she snapped.

"As you wish," he put his hands together in a praying position, backing up and disappearing as he did. Clef watched him vanish, then there was a lurching sound as the doors began to swing open.

Quies nodded and smiled as they slowly walked across the threshold of the great stone doors. Clef looked to the right and saw Castellum, bowing as the doors closed.

"Welcome to the Throne Room," Clef turned to look at Quies for a split second while she spoke, and when he turned back, Castellum had vanished.

"He's gone to warn Veneficus. His loyalty to the Keeper of Magic is his duty. He has no other purpose but to protect this castle and its inhabitants. He can never leave," Quies explained as Clef turned and was able to finally get a good look at the room in front of him.

There was a long red carpet that led up to an ivory throne. On each side of the isle were five pillars, leading down to the throne, behind each of the five pillars were another three pillars, but other than that, the room was entirely empty.

"Quies!" a young man jogged up to her, and she smiled warmly. His shoes made a loud clicking against the stone.

When Clef was able to get a good look at him, he saw a man that looked about the age of Quies, though it was impossible to tell if that prediction was true or not since, Quies herself could be thousands of years old. His jet-black hair was disheveled and thrown over solid black eyes that were molded almost like an owl's. His armor was similar to Lantis', but his cloak boasted small blue and white stars. Clef felt a small gust of wind when he got close to him.

"Noctis," Quies grinned.

"Who is he?" Noctis' eyes fell over Clef in distaste and anger. "He is not a Keeper."

"No, Noctis, this is…" Quies started.

"Quies, you'll get your title stripped or be forced into the floor!" Noctis protested. "You can't…"

"I can't love him, as I can't love you," Quies responded softly; Clef was sure her eyes were shimmering now. "He is the Master Mage of Cephiro Noctis; he has come to reclaim the Water Knight."

"No," Noctis protested flatly.

"What?" Clef demanded; his voice was oddly angry.

"She is the best thing that ever happened to this Palace."

"Noctis!" Quies screamed. "She will kill Veneficus! He cannot be permitted to fall in love with her!"

"He already has Quies; he will choose punishment," he answered flatly.

"No! I will not allow it! It is still young! We can cleanse it! I will not have another fall victim to her!"

"How many have fallen victim to you Quies?" he demanded, and she stepped back. "How many have you taken to the floor? How many will you take after me?"

"I did not choose the path for me," she whispered. "You knew long before we met who I was Noctis, but you will not stop me from saving Veneficus and the rest of the Keepers. It is my duty, to this Village," she stayed strong, and Clef commended her.

"Don't you understand?" Noctis begged with her. "Veneficus is happy, truly happy for once. After he has served his punishment he can rise again, and be happy, with his love."

"One has already served punishment for her!" Quies cried, "And she has served for someone else," she added, softer still. "She does not love him," she accented this last sentence and pushed past Noctis.

He grabbed her wrist and pulled her close to him.

"Let go of me Noctis," she ripped away. "I will not see you go to the floor," tears streamed down her cheeks.

"Veneficus is not the only one who will choose punishment!" Noctis called after her, but she shook her head and turned, glaring at him.

"I do not love you Noctis!"

His head shot down, and he closed his eyes. Clef could feel his heart break. Before another thought went through Clef's head, Noctis grabbed his cloak and disappeared.

§§§~~~

Umi raised her head though it felt as if it weighed a thousand pounds. She rubbed her temples and looked around her. The room she was in was extremely elegant. The walls were painted a light blue, and the bed she was lying in was a canvas waterbed with a light blue drape over it. Overhead were stars that twinkled in the daylight, "Wow," she whispered. When she touched the stars they burned under her fingers, forcing her to pull away. She threw her feet over the bed and looked out in the room. It was simple; the floor beneath the bed was cold glass. When she looked into it, she saw faceless figures, almost swimming, trying to break the glass. She screamed and when she looked up, she met the eyes of a relatively handsome man. She jumped back and tripped over a table, falling to the ground with the faces. She struggled to get off the floor, and he watched, amused.

"Don't worry, they can't hurt you. They're serving punishments for various things, eventually they are freed," he explained, and she looked down and shuddered. That would be a punishment…"My name is Veneficus, I am the Keeper of Magic."

She looked at him confusedly, "Am I-am I supposed to know what that is?"

He laughed and shook his head, "You once did, but that may take awhile to regenerate."

"Is he going to come for me?" Umi didn't want to use his name. She felt oddly vulnerable in this place, as if there were more eyes than the ones beneath her.

"Silvius? No, he was shunned from here long ago. The Gate Keeper has been informed that he is never to enter the Village again. You're safe, so long as you're here," he answered.

Umi heaved a sigh of relief, and Veneficus smiled; it was a trusting smile. "So…um…where exactly is here?"

"You are in the Sacred Village, in the Palace of the Keepers."

"I really don't know what you're talking about," Umi never was one to be shy, and this man did seem friendly.

"Well it is quite a long story that may take awhile to explain. Perhaps, after we've received our guests?" he suggested, and Umi's eyes widened.

"Guests?" her hands began to tremble. The way he said guests didn't make it seem warm and fuzzy.

"No one will ever hurt you so long as you're in my protection," he assured her, and she nodded, trying to accept that.

"Are you friends with Clef?" she inquired meekly.

"I've never met him, though…I feel the opportunity is slowly rising," he looked toward the door that led to the throne room and smiled.

§§§~~~

"That was Noctis," Quies wiped a tear, "he's the Keeper of the Night. From what he says, it seems you'll have to convince not just Veneficus that this is the right thing. It seems that some of the Keepers believe that betrayal is right in the name of love. I have a feeling that that may have been brought on by your dear Water Knight."

"It was difficult, punishment is not for the weak hearted. In the end, we will be happier," Clef resolved, and she shrugged and shook her head.

"In the end, Veneficus must remain in the Palace of the Keepers, and she must remain outside it."

"That I would agree with entirely," Clef mumbled, and she smiled back at him as she pushed open the door to Veneficus' chambers.

The first room was living quarters. Quies closed her eyes and concentrated. Clef felt the magic swell up around her. When she opened her eyes, she knew where they were and headed to a door to her right. She opened it, and they found Veneficus, staring at the door quite smugly; Umi was sitting on the bed behind him.

Umi jumped up upon seeing Clef; her face was alight with delight, "Clef!"

"Umi," he sighed and went to her, embracing her quickly before stormy eyes forced him to release her.

"Veneficus, what are you doing?" Quies demanded of the Keeper of Magic.

"Quies, I will see you to the floor for this," he hissed.

"You are the only one headed to the floor Veneficus, and for what? A woman that doesn't belong to you and never will?" Quies questioned angrily.

"What do you know?" Veneficus snarled, and his good looks were marred. His blond hair moved from over his angry yellow eyes, and Umi jumped back.

"Silvius brought her here to trick you," Clef tried to be patient, but the feeling of the Keeper of Magic made his skin itch. "He wanted to see you in the floor; he wants his title back."

"Silvius wouldn't do that! He's a Keeper!" Veneficus shouted back. "You only want her for yourself Master Mage!"

"She is a human being! She has her own emotions!" Clef argued.

"Veneficus, this will get you nowhere," Quies tried to keep their anger down, for fear of them killing everyone. "Clef is right, Silvius has turned on us. We knew long ago; his tricks have deceived you. Why would he bring her here if he did not wish to tempt you?"

"To keep her protected," Veneficus answered.

"You said you weren't in line with him!" Umi screamed.

"I'm not! We are…enemies…" he whispered, and then realized they were enemies. For the past two hundred years they had been mortal enemies. Silvius wouldn't bring Umi here for protection; he had brought her here to tempt him.

"You understand?" Quies felt the recognition and sighed.

"I…understand…but I…" he faltered. He did still have feelings for the beautiful Magic Knight.

"Will be cleansed," Quies smiled weakly. "You will be cleansed with Noctis."

"But Noctis…" Veneficus started.

"I will not see him go to the floor Veneficus. I love him too greatly for that, so to keep him safe I lied to him. He will be Cleansed with you, and we will all be safe," Quies looked at the floor and closed her eyes.

"I understand," he nodded. "What must I do?"

"Go to Animus, I assume Noctis is already there. She will be expecting you. She has seen your memories," Quies instructed, and he nodded and left the room without so much as a goodbye.

"What will happen to him?" Clef asked softly.

"Animus is the Keeper of Memories, she will clear them. She will make it so you never existed. She will make it so I, never existed," Quies looked down, and a single tear hit the ground.

"I am sorry," Clef whispered, and she looked up and hugged him quickly.

"It is the life of the Keeper of Dreams. I never chose my path, but I walk it. I must live with what I have and accept it. You, on the other hand, have had many choices, and most of them have been correct. I will be seeing you soon," she smiled and then turned to Umi. "You are the Daughter of the Water; you will understand your path soon enough. Trust those your heart loves Water Knight, for it is all you have," she hugged her quickly and then called out.

"Porta! Send them home!"

When they opened their eyes once more they were in the Palace of Cephiro, on the second day of their departure, and they still had two days to wait for the other four.