DISCLAIMER: I do not own Magic Knights Rayearth nor do I claim to. I just like the show and wanted to write a little something for it.

Sestercentennial - Means 250 years

Squall - Is another term for a storm.

_[ STORY ]_

Zazu sat lazily in the co-pilot seat beside Geo staring with his hands behind his head at the sub-commander well he made adjustments to some controls as they made their final approach towards Cephiro airspace.

"Zazu make yourself useful and…"

"What do think had the commander so upset?" the young mechanic asked interrupting his elder crewmen.

"We'll know when we get him onboard, so as I was saying make your self-useful and make sure the jump pod is ready," Geo said never taking his eyes off the console.

"I already did…four times, everything is in perfect working order," Zazu said stretching.

"Alright then I'm leaving you in charge well I get Eagle," Geo ordered imputing a final command bring the ship to a stable orbit around the blue world.

"Hey, that's not…"

"Zazu do as I say and stay here, okay."

"Alright, alright no need to take my head off," the younger man said.

"And have a medical team meet me in the launch bay if you could," Geo asked heading towards the bridge doors.

"What…why?"

"Eagle asked for one; I don't know why" he answered leaving the bridge.

As the jump pod made it way to Cephiro's surface Lantis waited in the hallway before a window watching the cloud-covered sky, he was deep in thought as the events of the last few days played through his mind particular the one that transpired just hours ago.

Clef's condition had taken a turn for the worse; the mage was permanently bedridden not even having the strength to sit up. The episodes that plagued him had intensified to the point of rendering the man in a constant state of delirium in one of the ever increasingly rare instances of coherence, he called for Lantis.

When the Kailu entered the bedchambers, he was not sure what he expected, but he was wholly unprepared for the sight that met him. Lantis know his mentor was gravely ill and had not seen him since he announced his impending demise, but Clef was white as snow; his lavender hair plastered to his sweat strewn brow.

Lantis approached the bedside with care, taking the chair Presea had persistently occupied the last three days he had asked she leave to get some rest, but when she refused, he brought the concerns of her friends to her attention. Telling her, she would be of more use to not only them, but to the ailing mage, if she let them take some of the work she imposed on herself, that's when she realized just how selfish she had been. Everyone was as concerned as she was and by not letting them help her she was making the others worry about her as well with that she left reluctantly

Lantis sat vigilantly for some time before he heard a weak voice barely above a whisper.

"Lantis…" Clef called his eyelids fluttering open.

"I'm here master," he answered leaning forwards.

"Lantis…a long time ago...'cough'…I commented on you and your brother of who would surpass me first…do you…'cough'…recall that day…," Clef asked closing his eyes once more.

"It was a long time ago, but I remember," Lantis answered sitting back.

"Not long after…I had decided ...to see if you would…want to continue you're magical training...'cough'…to become my successor as the master mage of Cephiro…but you had left before I had the chance… to ask."

"You wanted me to be your successor? Why?"

"I see quite a bit of myself in you…you care for this land, and its…people very much...'cough'…you are a very accomplished magician as well as having learned swordplay and being quite adept at it...'cough'…makes you unique Lantis and I…would still like for you to take the title…beyond a few spells known only to myself and my predecessors you...'cough'…would be…"Clef never finished as his small frame started convulsing, a black liquid oozing from this nose.

Lantis was startled, then leaped into action he called for the others then he did what Lafarga could not and bound himself to Clef his intention to ease the pain by taking some of it upon himself. The instant the connection was made his vision filled with white and the feeling of being pierced with a thousand shards of glass washed over every inch of his body.

The pain was dulling as Lantis came too his head throbbing from hitting it on the floor. His fairy companion Primera hovered above him, he could see she was talking, but her voice was muffled, and her movement was like looking through water, he caught Presea's bobbing form as she slowly ran from the door to the other side of the bed followed by the magic knights.

Lafarga and Ascot headed to him; he didn't see if they reached him before his world became black. He woke once more laid out on a litter strung between Lafarga and Ferio this time as they headed down a hallway all the fogginess was gone through his right arm was utterly num. After they let him up, a visiting healer checked him over before being left to himself, and that was how he found himself staring out a window at the small Autozam craft with his arm in a sling the feeling had yet to return.

_[ TO BE CONTINUED ]_