Author email: ibebexcoco@hotmail.com
Category: Romance, Drama and Angst (kinda)
Keywords: Clef and Umi and Eagle
Spoilers: none
Ratings: PG-13, but may go up
Summary:
Strong, what is more to describe the Water Knight? But appearances are deceiving. Can you really prove she is? Hidden behind masks, it's a routine. Strong, that's what you can use to describe Eagle. In a coma for so long he still lives and hope is always present. When he wakes everything changes. Strong, another word to describe the Master Mage but is he really? All these spell and powers, does it really make you strong? Hidden behind books, he doesn't need to pretend. Hidden between something they don't need to pretend... pretend that they are strong.
Disclaimer:
This story is based on characters created and owned by Clamp. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Authors Note:
Character Pairings include Clef/Umi/Eagle triangle, Hikaru/Lantis, Fuu/Ferio and more when needed.
I know someone's waiting
Years of dreams just can't be wrong
Arms will open wide
I'll be safe and wanted
Finally home where I belong
Well, starting now I'm learning fast
On this journey... to the past
Home, love, family
There was once a time I must have had them too
Home, love, family
I will never be complete until I find you
-- Journey to the Past Aaliyah
Chapter Four: Their Past
Warmth was the first thing Hikaru felt when she woke. Taking a glance around her surroundings, she registers no recognition. "Where am I?" Her voice echoed back to her as soon as the phrase left her mouth. Tilting her head up she found an opening, looking down she found herself floating on top of lava?! Hikaru gave a squeak and tried to find a way out, only to find herself confine in the circular walls. Upon closer inspection it was no wall, it was rocks. Putting one and two together she figured that she was in a volcano. "Hope someone out there likes fried Hikaru." A warm laugh replied back to her dry remark. Turning in circles she found no one. "Who's there?" A bubble came from the lava beneath her. Hikaru watched in amazement as the lava created an opening for her.
She felt her body being pulled through, taking a big unneeded breath she went through like a diver into water. Blinking in surprise she found herself in front of a throne room or at least that's what it looked like. Red pillars were carved with intricate designs of lions running, one lion's horn stuck out holding the Burgundy curtains to the side. As Hikaru took a step forward on the crimson carpet, she noticed the walls of the room were made from velvet. The crimson carpet led to a small step of stairs revealing another set of curtains. "My dear Knight of Rayearth, I finally met you." Hikaru's eyes filled with confusion, how did she know who she was and why was she here? "My dear knight, this is a Sacred Dome dedicated directly to the Rune God Rayearth."
Hikaru took a step closer and made out a silhouette figure behind the curtains. Her eyes followed the movement of the figure's hand, "Look upon those walls and tell me what you see." Hikaru gave a short nod and walked closer to the walls, her heels clicking upon the marble floor. The velvet somehow faded away, revealing a fire wall. Hikaru could see imprints on the fire walls and reached out a hand to touch it. "Put your hand down if you don't want them to entrap you." Hikaru gave a startled gasp and took a step backward, finally realizing what the pictures were. They were all girls, just like her. "They were the Knights of before. They, like you had set forth upon missions of either one chaos or another. They however did not complete it, failing in doing so they were not able to live on. Forever will they be trapped in the fire walls, reminded of their failure."
Hikaru looked closer and noticed that they all had a lone braid but yet their face was covered. "Every time they fail, the Mistress Mage would have to sacrifice herself so everything would be start anew. New Knights would be announced. Across from this wall is the Mistress Mages that had sacrificed everything for the good of Cephiro." Hikaru made her way toward the carpet, feeling a bit down. "You must not fail or you will forever be damned. To destroy the chaos that's forming, you must first go upon the Mountain of Ignatius and free your Soul Goddess. Your guardian is chosen for you and you will know who once you free your Soul Goddess. Your sword changes as you and your soul bond more also when you follow your heart. Your magic will increase. Good luck Donnor of Rayearth."
"Wait!" Hikaru walked up the first two steps, "Who are you?"
"Believe it or not but I am your ancestor. I have been here since the dawn of time, the beginning of life and will always be here. Now run along Hikaru and make me proud." Before Hikaru could ask more, a strong tug at her navel sent her into darkness again.
Relaxation ran through Fuu's body as she gains her senses back.
Sitting up she felt the softest grass underneath her. Standing up
she took a closer look at her surroundings, she was in a forest
with lush trees and healthy looking green grass, rays of light
shone down illuminating the forest creating a feel of an
enchanted forest. "Welcome Knight of Windam" Fuu watch in
fascination as vines parted to form an arch way leading into a
garden. "Come forth" Fuu found herself obeying and walked closer
to the garden. Looking down she notice the grass she was walking
on was darker then the other grass, making it look like a set of
carpet.
A large fountain greeted Fuu once she entered the enchanted garden. A stone phoenix had its wings wide open as if to take flight, water flowed from its open beak. "This is the Hidden Garden dedicated directly to the Rune God Windam. We worship him through the earth where it will be carried off by the wind. Don't be afraid child, come forward." Fuu took small steps and looked with curiosity, noticing that vines hanged down covering a person behind it. "Look upon your left and you'll see statues." Fuu turned and indeed there were statues; they were all girls with armors, armors that looked like hers. "They were once Knights of Windam like you. They failed to bring Cephiro peace and chaos was afoot. Mistress Mages had to start Cephiro anew by sacrificing themselves. They are all on your left."
Fuu however continued to stare at the fallen Knights; they all look so much like her. "If you fail Knight of Windam, you will be like them. But in order to control destruction you must first head to the Citadel of Odin. Its location is the direction the wind blows from. Your armor and magic will be stronger than before. Your sword, well lets just say follow your heart and bond toward your soul." Fuu didn't have time to speak as she was thrown into the darkness once more.
Comfort was the only thing that can explain what she was feeling.
Opening her eyes softly, she gasps in surprise at her unusual
surrounding. The soothing ocean surrounded around all of her,
comforting her, protecting her and holding her. "Donner of
Selece, follow my voice and enter my domain." A flash, no more
like a glitter, shined somewhere farther down. She felt herself
being entranced to it, it was so captivated. As she got closer
she found herself looking at a palace under water. "So much like
Atlantis." Peering into the entrance, she took a step in. It
rippled like a liquid door and she was dry once inside. "Child of
Selece, how nice of you to join me. Welcome to the Forbidden City
dedicated directly to the Rune God Selece." Umi glanced around
with amusement. Sapphires were hanging down as curtains, tinkling
when Umi lifted it to go through.
The walls were all made of glass giving a perfect view of the ocean. Umi took a step closer to the indoor waterfall; she could sense someone behind it. Two satin cerulean blue curtains were pulled back revealing two dragon made entirely from ice stood facing each other at the two sides of the waterfall, it's heights was all the way up to the ceiling. The glass floor was like a small miniature ocean filled with small animal life. "What do you want?" Umi's voice rang sharply in the room, blending with the sound of the waterfall. "It's more like what do you want. Look next to the dragon with sapphire eyes, what do you see?"
Umi took cautious steps forward, looking closer she noticed a compartment with water cells that went on for what seem like forever. Each water cell contained a girl, with blue hair and wore armor. However the hair covered the eyes.
"Who are they?"
"They were the previous Knights, they all failed Selece, me and Cephiro. Forever will they be locked in the cells never to be free; it was constant reminders of what they accepted but yet took for granted." Umi walked backward to the middle of the room.
"Is there more on the other side?" The laugh that came from the mysterious woman was like a bucket of cold water over her head. "No, they were the Mistress Mages that had to start Cephiro all over again. In order to do so they must be sacrificed. There are three different kind of Mistress Mages; Rayearth, Windam and Selece. They must die altogether if they want Cephiro to be rebirth, from there new Knights are summon." Umi nods slowly, letting the information sink in. "Now that evil is afoot you must head to the Glaciers of Glyndwr and free your Soul Goddess. Your armor and magic is stronger than ever. Your sword would only evolve through the following of your heart and the bonding of your soul. Be careful my child." With that Umi was swallowed in darkness.
"Hikaru, Hikaru come on wake up." Who is repeating her name? Is
it time for her to wake up? Why is everything so black?
"Its time to go back Hikaru"
Suddenly Hikaru snapped her eyes open surprising Lantis and the others in her room. "Are you okay Hikaru?" Hikaru could only nod, "Where's Fuu and Umi?"
"Fuu, my sweet Fuu. Open your eyes, please." The pleading tone didn't go unnoticed to her. She wanted to so desperately open her eyes but she was so tired. "It's time to wake my dear."
Fuu's eyes flutter open as an anxious Ferio grabbed her into his arms. "You scared me out there Fuu. Are you okay? Any pain?" "No, bring me to the others."
"Umi? Umi the others are awake, nap time is over." Umi could feel someone calling to her, that voice was so familiar but she long for another voice. "Be on guard my dear child"
Umi practically bolted up from her bed, her ocean blue eyes scanning around the room. Hikaru and Fuu had arrived and everyone gathered in her room.
"Hikaru... Fuu..."
The others watched surprise as they burst into tears. "Hikaru? Tell me what is wrong? Why are all of you crying?" Hikaru held onto Lantis with her small hands, "I don't want to be like them." Lantis looked confuse. Who was she talking about? Lantis did the only thing that came to mind during situations like these he wrapped his arms around her and shield her from all the pain that had directed itself at her. "It's okay Hikaru, I'm here and nothing will harm you."
"Fuu? What is going on?" The Donnor of Windam looked up and her tears glittered in the sun's ray. "They all died, they all failed. I don't want to be like them at all." It only made Fuu cry harder. Ferio could feel his heart break as his angel broke down in front of him. She was breaking inside yet he can't do anything. "I'm sorry Fuu. I'm sorry I can't protect you." Ferio could feel tears gathering, "But I promise you that as long as I'm here nothing will get to you again."
"Umi! You got to stop and tell me what is going on?" Umi glanced between Eagle to Clef. "They all died! I don't want to have another one died because of me. But I know I'm going to die, I'm so weak." Clef grabbed onto Umi's arm and shook her, ignoring the tears that fell like rain. "Who died for you? Who died?" Eagle pushed the Master Mage's hands away and held the Magic Knight of Water protectively. "You're hurting her! You think they'll talk like this? They're visibly shaken by something, at least wait till they calm down."
They all watched at Eagle's outburst with shock. But Umi's soft sobbing brought their attention to her. She slid off the bed and walked to the window facing the ocean. "I saw the knights before me. There was so many, they all failed their mission and would always be imprison. This group of woman called the Mistress Mages sacrifices their selves every time the three knights failed. Imagine! If I died, not only will one life be gone but so will another! They live for me and die because of me!" Umi slid onto the floor and everyone watched in sorrow as the strongest emotional knight broke down. She clutched her knees together and her blue hair pooled around her as she laid her head onto her knee.
"Umi" The two other knights joined their partner and hug each other through their tears. "Be strong my dear knights and you will make it through."
Walking closer to the devastated knights, he placed a comforting hand on their shoulder briefly. "If you wish I can bring you to meet your Mistress Mages." Umi stares at Clef for a split second before standing up abruptly. "We can't! I must head to the Glaciers of Glyndwr; I'm supposed to free my Soul Goddess." Hikaru's tears cease at the mention of the Soul Goddesses. "I should be at Mountain of Ignatius; my Soul Goddess is waiting for me." Fuu nods, "Citadel of Odin is where I shall go to free the Goddess meant for me." "What are Soul Goddesses Clef?" Ascot asked, watching Clef's expression change. "Soul Goddesses are similar to the Rune Gods; each Knight has a different one."
The watched as Clef disappear and reappear with a book in his hand. "Resting in the center of Mount Ignatius to the very core is the Soul Goddess, Fiammetta. From where the wind blows Citadel of Odin floats, hidden inside is the Soul Goddess, Anemone. Within the depths of the Glaciers of Glyndwr, to the ocean's bottom resides the Soul Goddess, Ava." Clef sighs, "You must find them one way or another. With them is a creature that will act as your guardian and pinpoint of where three hidden keys are. Once you got those keys you must come back so together you will head to find the fourth and last key. With four keys come four treasures in which we can lock Morganna forever."
"So we have to split up?" Hikaru's voice trembled at the very thought, she couldn't bear to part with her friends, no family. "Yes you must head in separate directions, it will be faster and time is against us. Now pack and rest, your journey starts tomorrow." They all nod and head to exit through the door they came in from, giving a last look at the Water Knight. Clef and Eagle however, left behind. "How did you know about the Soul Goddesses?" Clef's voice broke the silence in the room, catching Umi's attention. "I was in the Forbidden City dedicated directly to the Rune God Selece. Someone was behind the waterfall but yet I couldn't see who it was." Clef smiled a bit, "She was your ancestor, the first Water Knight. After saving Cephiro she was appointed the Priestess of the Forbidden City. She was to protect the bodies of the Mistress Mages and also the the bodies of fallen Knights."
Eagle walked up to Umi and wrapped his arms around her surprising Clef and the Water Knight. "I have something to confess Umi; I want to be more than friends with you." Umi stepped out of his grasp and smiled faintly. "I'm sorry Eagle but now is not the time. I have to rest." Umi turned around and walked to the balcony. Eagle gave a frustrated sigh and walked out of her room, closing her door behind him.
Clef walked and took a seat next to her. "He really likes you." Umi turned and face him with a heart broken expression. "But do you?" Clef closed his eyes and turned to leave. "Get some rest Umi, you'll need it." Unknown to him and her, a tear managed to slip down and fell before she went back to her bed.
A[N]- Sorry for the delay! Like?