Hello everyone!

I'm back with Chapter One of Unbroken Promises, and I must say that I'm a lot more proud of this one than I was of the Prologue. -smiles- It's definitely not perfect, and its still way too short, but it's better than some others I've written...

Thank you SO much for all the reviews! I never expected to get that many reviews for that sucky prologue.

Another thing, I don't think I put this on the prologue or the summary, but this is Clemi. I luffs that pairing.

Review Responses:

Shimmering Rose Petals: Thanks! Yes, I know that it's too short. I think I'm going to go back sometime later and add a lot more description to it.

Kattygirl32132: Hmm… yes, I must warm you; I adore cliffies… most of my chapters will end on one. Luckily, this chapter doesn't, but enjoy it while you can! . And post soon on your fic! yay Clemi

Water-Mage2: Thanks! Yeah, I know it was too short… See above in Shimmering Rose Petal's response.

Kita1: Thanks! –laughs- This one will have its share of OCs… at least two more besides Rilen… .

Mimiluv: Thanks! You find out why Rilen is after them in this Chapter… :hugs back:

Pokemongirl2523: Special in a good way or special in a bad way? -grin-

Chapter One

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Cephiro
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Cephiro's Castle was completely and utterly destroyed.

"What the hell happened here?" Hikaru breathed, staring around at the destruction with huge eyes. The other two girls blinked at her. They had never heard her swear before, but, then again, as they themselves gazed around at the remains of the Castle, they really couldn't blame her.

"Hikaru! Umi! Fuu!" A voice cried out behind them and the three Magic Knights whirled around. Presea ran toward them, skidding to a stop only about a foot from where they stood. She brushed a lock of blonde hair out of her eyes and rubbed absently at the mud that coated her cheek. "Thank Mokona that you're here!"

"What happened?" Fuu asked softly. Presea sighed.

"I don't really know! A girl appeared out of nowhere and attacked the Castle! A bunch of people are hurt, and some people were even killed." The girls gasped and Presea lowered her eyes and nodded sadly. "Ferio, Lantis, Ascot, and Lafarga are fine, just a couple of bruises and cuts, but Caldina was knocked out." She bit her lip nervously. "I have no idea where Clef is. He disappeared when she attacked the Castle, and I haven't seen him since! I really hope that nothing happened to him… " Umi clenched her fists. Clef… I hope nothing happened to him. It would be just like him to pull some foolish stunt and get himself killed.

"I'm alive." A hoarse voice said from behind them and all four spun around. Umi took a sharp breath and involuntarily took a step toward him.

"Clef…" His robes were ripped and covered in grime. His headdress was completely gone, his soft lavender hair was now completely streaked with crimson blood, and a deep slash crossed his right cheek. He was leaning heavily on his staff, and Umi got the impression that he would have collapsed without it.

"Clef! What happened to you? What happened here? Do you know who that girl was!" Presea asked him urgently, her hand clasped tightly together in front of her. He slowly nodded his head, as if it pained him.

"Yes. I do. Her name is…"

"Rilen." Umi cut in without thinking. Everybody stared at her and she colored slightly. She bit her bottom lip; she knew that they were all waiting for an explanation- especially Clef, who was staring at her with a wary look in his clear blue eyes that sent a chill tingling up her spine. "We all felt something strange when this happened." She said, gesturing around. "That's how we knew to come here. I don't know about the other two, but I heard someone scream that name." She purposely left out that it was Clef's voice that she had heard, though from the odd look he was giving her she thought that he knew. Hikaru and Fuu shook their heads.

"I see…" Clef said slowly. "Well, I do not know if it was a good idea for you to come here. Rilen has a grudge against the Magic Knights. She… she…" He stopped, took a deep breath, and flexed his free hand. "She killed the last Magic Knights. The ones before you." They all just stared at him for a moment.

"Oh! I think I heard about that once… a long time ago…" Presea frowned in concentration, than shook her head in defeat. "I don't remember."

"She was powerful enough to kill all of the Magic Knights?" Hikaru asked quietly, and the Mage sighed.

"Yes. She was. Revenge can be a powerful ally."

"Revenge?" Fuu asked him, her cool eyes staring straight into his. Clef hesitated.

"Her mother was the Pillar before the Princess Emeraude. She gave birth Rilen some time before they were found out, and she had to summon the Magic Knights. Rilen has always hated the Magic Knights for killing her parents. She swore long ago that she would kill the Magic Knights, and she has taken that now to mean all the Magic Knights." Clef sighed again. "She wants to kill you. That is her mission here."

"Not if I have anything to do with it." A firm voice said from behind Clef. It was Ferio, somehow looking incredibly… noble in that instant. His cape was whipping about him in the wind and his hand was gripping his sword hilt. Fuu smiled brilliantly at him and he gave her his trademark cocky grin.

Clef didn't even turn around to see who it was, and it was then that Umi saw again how hard he was gripping his staff, and how heavily he was leaning against it. She wondered if he could turn around, even had he had wanted to.

"How long have you been standing there?"

"About as long as I have." Hikaru almost jumped a foot in the air when a deep voice spoke from right behind her head. Everyone laughed, and Lantis allowed himself a small smile. The tension was broken, at least partly. Lantis' dark gaze flicked over to the Wind Knight. "We need your healing skills over where we have gathered all of those that are injured."

"Oh!" Fuu said, startled that she had forgotten.

"Ah, yes. Follow me." Ferio said, motioning with his hand. The pair trotted off, Umi, Hikaru, Presea, and Lantis trailing close behind.

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A Couple Hours Later
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"Why did she come back, Mokona?" The lavender haired Mage murmured softly, gently stroking the fluff-ball's ears back. He could swear that the Creator almost purred.

/It is the way of the human heart. She wishes revenge upon the people that she considers the ones that killed her parents… and she made that oath… / Mokona's deep voice echoed solemnly in Clef's mind. Clef leaned back against a large piece of rubble and gently massaged his temples.

"How am I supposed to fight Rilen?" He said, placing his slender hands over his eyes.

/You will find a way, Guru Clef. I have confidence in you./ Then the Creator's voice took on a slightly teasing tone. /There's someone coming that wants to talk to you. I'll leave you two alone! Have fun/ Mokona rapidly bounced off before Clef could whack him, though Clef wasn't sure he would have had to strength to even lift his staff. The Mage glanced up and saw the blue-haired Water Knight making her way toward him through the rubble. I suppose it's impossible to hide anything from the Creator of Cephiro.

"Umi." He acknowledged, and she gave him a sweet grin and flopped down next to him.

"Hey Clef." She said cheerfully, and he gave her a tired smile.

"Clef…" She said, her head half cocked, her blue eyes meeting his. "Are you all right?" He seemed to try to sit up straighter.

"I'm fine." He said wearily, "Just tired…" He paused, "And surprised." He shook his head slowly. "I was… there when she killed the last Magic Knights." Umi's breath caught in her throat and her eyes widened. He… he was there? When she killed the last Magic Knights?

"You were?" She asked him breathlessly. The small Mage nodded slowly.

"Yes. I was. I was not Master Mage then, not even close. At the time, she was far more powerful than I was… and there was nothing I could do."

"At the time…" Umi's voice trailed off. "What about now?" Clef said nothing, and the following silence was stiff with fear- Umi's… and Clef's. Then he spoke again, in a very strange, low voice that she had never heard from Clef before.

"I watched them die, Umi… I stood there, unable to do anything as Rilen killed them." He took a shuddering breath and looked away. Umi's eyes filled with tears. She had never seen Clef so disturbed…

Neither said anything for a few minutes, and then Clef sighed softly. "I never thought I would see her again. I never thought that she would come after you three." Umi had never seen his blue eyes so haunted. Even though his eyes were now aimed in her direction, he was not seeing her, he was seeing back into his memories… He slowly shook his head as if to rid himself of the images. He reached up and slowly rubbed the deep gash on his cheek.

"You really should get Fuu to heal you…" She said, trying to change the subject. She hated seeing him like this… it really disturbed her. He shook his head.

"No. There are people that need her healing more than I do. I'll be fine." He said unconvincingly. Umi half-heartedly scowled at him. It was just like her Clef to refuse healing for himself so that others could be healed, even though he knew as well as she did that the slash would probably scar. Umi rested the back of her head against the boulder and forcibly wrestled her mind away from the fact that their shoulders were nearly touching.

Clef reached up and rubbed his eyes. He was tired… so tired. He had used up far too much of his energy trying to defend the Castle- and all for no point. Rilen had broken through anyway… He closed his eyes, not having enough energy to keep them open any longer.

They sat there like that for several long moments, neither moving, until Umi glanced over at him. Her face changed, and she stared, fascinated. Guru Clef was asleep. Umi had never seen him sleep before, and for once in his life, he looked truly young. Umi had never thought of him as a child, and never would, but he would have been mortified if he realized that Umi had seen him looking this vulnerable. A soft smile lit her features and she settled back against the rubble, and closed her eyes as well.

Was it good or did it suck?

Please review!