AN: So...hi. At least it's not in December this time right? Haha, these days I don't get as much time to write as I use to, but we're almost to the end now! I'll get there eventually. Just to keep my everyone informed, most of all my newer works are now being published to Ao3 under my pen name VKiera, along with a few of my older stories. Ice and Snow, however, I will continue to update here until it is complete. After that I'm planning a massive overhaul/edit rewrite on many of the older chapters and then it will also get ported over to Ao3. Can you believe it's almost been ten years since I started this massive crazy idea? What on Earth are you people still reading this mess for?

Now drum roll please for the next chapter of Ice and Snow!

22. Price

"For what we want most...there is a cost must be paid in the end."

~Tia Dalma-Pirates of the Caribbean

Umi woke sprawled on her back. She blinked with uncertainty as cherry blossom petals fell down around her. The branches of a sakaru tree hung above her, swaying in the breeze.

She could see nothing else.

Her eyebrows scrunched together as she took in the unfamiliar surroundings, "Where am I?"

"In dreams."

She almost screamed at the sound of the answering voice; she sat up and whirled around to look back up into the tree. A girl sat perched upon a lower branch, her sheer white dress fluttering in the gentle breeze. She gazed down with a soft smile. Umi felt she had nothing to fear, someone who smiled like that could not be a bad person.

Okay, Hikaru was having way to much of an effect on her, that was such a Hikaru thing to think.

"In dreams? How?" She walked towards the girl, who looked no older than Umi herself, perhaps even a little younger.

The other girl shook her head, her short hair swayed with the movement. "I'm not sure how you came here, but I do know that only the soul can enter dreams."

The soul?

"That's right I…" Umi paused, hands clutched at her chest, "I gave my time to..." She closed her eyes, 'Eagle'. Tightness griped her chest, she felt ill at ease, her heart raced. 'Was Eagle alright? Did the battle still rage on? What about Hikaru and Fuu? Would the time she gave Eagle be enough?'

"Are you alright?"

Her eyes opened, "Yes, I'm alright."

"But you look like you're in pain." The girl in the tree unfolded her legs, as if she were going to come down, yet she remained. Tilting her head to the side she gazed at Umi a long moment. "Can you tell me what is bothering you?"

o o o

Both knights gasped for breath when Eagle finally pulled them through to the other side. He turned weary eyes to their surroundings, "Everything is breaking apart."

The ground around them buckled and cracked, falling away and disappearing into the void. To their left a giant slab of ice creaked and groaned as if under tremendous strain. Sounding as if at any moment it would also fall away.

How were they going to find Umi and Camry in this?

Hikaru gazed back at Eagle; he was panting, leaning on his knees. He'd given too much of himself already. If this continued at this rate… He was so pale. She reached out to him, fearful he would pass out.

He gave her a weak smile in return.

"Not everything is collapsing. Look over there!" Fuu pointed over Hikaru's shoulder. In the distance a small ring of ice and snow remained. It seemed, for the moment, untouched by the chaos that tore apart the rest of the land. If they strained their eyes, they could just make out a blur of color within the circle.

Without another word they dashed towards the two fleeting figures in the distance.

They dodged and leapt over deep crevasses and jagged pillars of ice. Narrowly avoiding those that shot upwards as the land buckled. Fear drove them forward, despite their fatigue. They knew the crumbling land would not last much longer.

Eagle staggered, trailing just behind Hikaru, his feet felt heavy, weariness gnawed at him. His movements were sluggish, as if he his whole body were weighted down. Stumbling he caught himself just before hitting the ground. Grateful for Fuu's grip on his arm, she helped him back up onto his feet. They were almost there, just a little further.

"Camry…"Hikaru gasped breathlessly upon reaching the small unbroken area of ice. The land had not broken apart because Camry had turned his own willpower to the task of keeping it stable. He knelt with Umi next to him, one arm supporting her. His breaths came and went in ragged gasps.

"There's little time left. I can not keep this area stable much longer" Turning he offered Umi to Eagle but the commander shook his head.

"I'm afraid I'll drop her if I try to carry her, my strength is spent." Even as he spoke he leaned against Hikaru. Though he still reached out with his other hand to brush Umi's hair back, she looked as if she were sleeping. "If we're going to help her we have to find a way to reach the Time-Space Witch."

"Reach who?" Hikaru asked, both she and Fuu looked puzzled at the mention of the Witch.

"You've spoken to the Witch then?" Camry asked, seemingly unsurprised.

"Yes, in a dream. Right before I came back from ..." Eagle paused and chose not to finish. "Do you know her?" he asked instead, swaying as the ground shook beneath them.

Camry gave him a humorless smile, "Know is such a strong word. I don't think anyone could ever truly know the Time-Space Witch, but yes I have met her once, a long time ago."

"Who is this Time-Space Witch." Fuu moved over to Camry looking over Umi to make sure she was uninjured in any way. She was relieved that to find no physical damage or injuries. Umi seemed perfectly fine in that regard.

"Someone who can grant wishes," Camry answered. He fidgeted with something in his pocket, a considerate expression on his face. "If you can pay the proper price to her."

"Price?" Hikaru questioned, "What kind of price?"

Camry and Hikaru's words jolted a memory lose in Eagle.

"…and your price young man…"

The witch's words echoed in his memory from his dream, so vivid now.

"That would depend upon what we ask of her. The greater the wish, the greater the price paid in return. She will drive a hard bargain." Camry paused and turned from Hikaru to Eagle. "To pull someone back from the brink of death is no easy task. The price will be steep."

Undeterred by Camry's words Eagle responded, "None the less, we must try. We must find the Witch, I think she's the only one who will be able to help us."

"I might know of a way." Camry shifted Umi in his arms to pull out the glass orb in his pocket, holding it out for the others to see.

"What is that Camry?" Fuu studied the small object. It looked like an overpriced decorative paper weight. The ones that usually have something embedded in them. Upon closer inspection she realized that the pattern held within it was strangely familiar.

"Hey, there are mashine symbols in it!" Hikaru realized at the same moment as Fuu. "Although I don't know that forth one, it looks like the number eight."

"Or an infinity sign," Fuu added.

"It's a mandala circle made by a powerful magic user. It can amplify and concentrate magic and spells cast while standing at it's center. If we are to seek the Time-Space Witch the only way to do that is to jump dimensions."

"But Camry, none of us have that kind of ability…" Fuu looked up to him expectantly, "Unless you…"

He chuckled, "Oh really, then what is it exactly you do to get to Cephiro from your own world?"

"Oh…well, I suppose, but that path was opened when Hikaru became Pillar. Aren't we just traveling down a road that's already built?"

"True, but I think with a bit of help from this we should be able to build a road to jump dimensions. After all, we have a former Pillar and two failed Pillar candidates. I think we should be able to manage something."

"Um…" here Hikaru chose to interrupt, "But where are we going exactly? How do we find the Witch? I mean, I'm sure we'll figure something out and I've never built a road before but if it'll help save Umi…"

"I've some experience in that." Eagle drew a deep breath, trying to chase off the haze of fatigue that laced his thoughts. "Though I've never built a road to another dimension, but for Umi I'd certainly give it my best."

Both Fuu and Hikaru nodded in agreement.

"As for where we need to go…" Camry motioned to Eagle. "I know your strength is nearly gone but you'll have to hold her for a moment." He passed Umi over to him.

The ground quaked again as the breaking ice drew even closer. Hikaru and Fuu both held up a supporting hand to Eagle. Helping him keep his balance while carrying their friend. He cradled her to his chest as if she were as breakable as a china doll.

"Ready yourself, I'll break the seal on the mandala and cast a spell that will lead us in the right direction. After that it'll be up to you all to make the road." The glass orb began to glow white hot in Camry's hand.

The two Knights and the commander steeled themselves. Eagle knew best of all the amount of will power this was likely to require. Just making a road from Autozam to Cephiro had been a feat unto itself and they were both in the same dimension. Then it had only been a matter of distance, not a matter of time and space.

"Whatever happens, we have to find a way to help Umi," Hikaru said and took a deep breath. Fuu squeezed her hand and gave a reassuring nod.

Camry held the orb above his head and threw it down, the glass shattering, releasing the seal. The bright golden circle flared to life below them, stretching out beneath their feet until they all stood within its bounds.

"To seek an item. To seek a person. To seek a location. To seek an item. To seek a person. To seek a location. Guide my search, that which flies, to the person that I seek."

Camry chanted the spell, light flared in the circles center. It gathered until it collected into a more solid shape. A golden, smoky image of a butterfly fluttered in front of them for a brief second. "Now! Follow it!"

As they gathered their will the light from the seal wrapped around them forming a bubble. Light flared as it condensed inward on itself. Eagle suddenly felt the feather stored in his glove gem flare to life and in the blink of an eye they were gone.

With their departure the last of the other side crumbled away into nothingness.

Back in Cephiro Clef's gaze darted up from his current task of healing a soldier from Farhen. He could feel the tremendous magical shift that had occurred. The Knights have jumped between worlds? The old mage closed his eyes, silently praying for their safe return.

o o o

"Oh, I see" the girl in the tree responded after hearing Umi explain what had occurred.

She'd told her the entire tale. Their true duty as Magic Knights, the final battle for the Pillar, how they had returned. Eagle waking from his coma. The attacks on her friends, Cephiro, everything up to the last battle itself. Giving her time to Eagle to save him and to give him the chance to change the future.

"You must love him very much. Eagle, you called him?"

Umi had the decency to blush and nod. "He'll probably be upset with me. I promised him I'd look after myself, even if something should happen to him, but I just couldn't let him die. I couldn't! And I know it's dangerous, but he'll find a way, I know he can. With Hikaru and Fuu, with all our friends with him. I think…"

"That everything will surely be alright?" The girl finished for her.

Umi looked up, a bit startled, but as she let the girl's words sink in, she found herself smiling. "Yes, I'm sure that everything will be alright." She really did believe that, "Say what's your name?"

Green eyes smiled down at her, "Sakura." She left her perch in the tree, half falling, half floating down to Umi, "Your's?"

"Umi."

"Don't worry Umi. I'm sure Eagle will understand, once you've explained things to him." Sakura reached out and took her hand, "He doesn't seem the type to stay angry, from what you've said. You weren't trying to sacrifice yourself. You just wanted to do everything you could, right?"

Umi nodded and Sakura continued.

"Then you'll be alright. A friend of mine told me that once and it made me feel better about the choices I've had to make." Sakura smiled but this time it was a little pained. "Though I was warned that I was certain to get a sound scolding when I met my friends again."

A soft laugh escaped the Water Knight, "Yes, I'm sure we'll both defiantly get a scolding."

Sudden movement on the edge of her sight caught her attention. Just over Sakura's shoulder something flickered, catching the light. It flew past them and Umi turned to it, "A butterfly?"

The image jarred her memory; Selece's words returning to her.

"In the near future thou will find a new source of strength, more powerful than any thou have had before. Thou are due to be transformed. Go forth with hope Legendary Magic Knight."

She'd seen a butterfly then too…What had Selece meant by transformed? That she'd change somehow?

'To change the future is to change yourself.' Eagle's own words came to mind.

"Have I changed…?" she asked aloud.

"Umi?" Sakrua called her, clearly worried again.

Umi watched the butterfly flicker and move further away. She felt compelled to follow it, almost like she had to follow it. She stepped towards it and suddenly the whole world tuned upside down around her. A storm of pink flower petals obscured her vision. "Umi..." she heard Sakura one last time before everything went dark and she felt like she was falling.

o o o

Eagle blinked, finally able to see again as the bright light faded. He found himself along with his companions standing in the yard of a very peculiar house. Dropping to one knee to better manage Umi's weight he studied their surroundings. Large building, many levels high, flanked them on either side. The house looked rather out of place amongst them.

"Where do you think we are? Did we find the right place?" Hikaru asked also taking in the rather familiar looking landscape.

"I'm not sure exactly, but this looks a great deal like a major city in our world..." Fuu gazed up at the skyscrapers on either side of them. For all she knew they could actually be in Tokyo, the skyline did look awfully familiar.

"Wait, we're in your world? We're on Earth?" Eagle recalled the name the Magic Knights had given the planet they were from. His memory of seeing the world once during his own battle against Hikaru for the Pillar was hazy at best.

"I'm not certain, we could be on Earth. From what I can tell we might actually be in Tokyo, but if this is the home of the witch we're looking for I've never seen it before." Fuu gazed up at the house in front of them, it was an odd mix of western and eastern construction. She'd never seen such a thing, in Tokyo or anywhere else for that matter. "Witches, magic, all those things are just stories in our world. At least I've always thought they were, our first encounter with magic was our first trip to Cephiro."

Fuu considered that they might have to reconsider that notion now. If this truly was the home of the Time-Space Witch they were seeking. She tried not to think too hard about the implications if it turned out to be true. She already had a bad enough headache.

"Well if this is Tokyo then it's a really good coincidence. It'll make going home and getting back to Cephiro a lot easier." That had been worrying Hikaru ever since they arrived. By the time this was through none of them would have the energy to transport themselves again without some kind of help. Using the doorway they normally traveled to Cephiro through would be a welcome alternative.

Camry smiled then, "There is no such thing as coincidence…"

"There is only hitsuzen" A unfamiliar female voice finished for him.

Eagle turned to the one who had spoken. Standing in front of them was a woman with long dark hair. Her clothing was reminiscent of the style of Farhen, but not identical, it oddly reminded him of a butterfly.

Was this the Time-Space Witch? Her gaze was familiar to him now, looking back on his dream. It was hard to forget eyes like that. They were old, akin to Camry's, like deep pools of memory. Memory and a great deal of magic, if the small bit of her aura Eagle could read was any indication.

"Yuuko" Camry greeted her.

"Camry. I see the spell you purchased from me was well used."

"Are you the Time-Space Witch?" Eagle forced himself to his feet, taking a step towards her.

"I have been called that by some," she replied, gazing directly at him before letting her eyes settle on Umi. "You have a wish, do you not?"

"We need your help!" Hikaru answered, "Our friend Umi, she needs your help!" The redhead gripped her gloved hands in front of her, pleading with the witch, "Please help her!"

"Yes please, her life is in danger!" Fuu added, "We were told that you could help us, if a proper price is given?"

"If it is possible for me to do and the proper price is paid, then yes," Yuuko glanced at Camry for a moment.

He only smiled and said nothing.

"What kind of price?" Eagle asked returning the witch's attention to him.

"That would depend upon the wish." Yuuko placed a hand on Umi's forehead; a glow emitted from her fingertips for a brief moment.

"This girl is currently in the dream that people pass through on the edge of death. You and this girl have become mixed together, where one ends the other begins, a shared red thread of life." Yuuko withdrew her hand. "Her time is now yours, is it not?"

"Yes, she gave me her time." Eagle looked down at Umi's pale face, it pained him at the thought of her being alone in the dream world.

"She's not alone you know."

Eagle's gaze jerked back up to Yuuko. Had she read his thoughts? Before he could question her about it she instead questioned him.

"Your wish then?"

Eagle started to speak, to tell the witch to give Umi's time back. It was his life that had been lost after all, perhaps it was his time.

But he did not want to die, he did not want to leave all that was important to him behind. He had made a promise to Umi, he would not leave her behind. Had not Hikaru also once told him to live for those he loved most? And his mother's words,

"…don't choose death to protect your love, no matter what, to protect your love, you must live."

His arms tightened around the unmoving girl.

"I want to save Umi."

"You wish to give the time you received back to this girl then?" The witch's gaze was sharp, her voice dark and laced with foreboding.

"No, it would cause her and my friends too much pain if I did that. I wont die, but I will not let her die either!"

"You know, another young man made a similar request of me recently." The witch gazed off smiling for a moment as if she were looking at something else far away that only she could see. "I can do what you ask, it is a difficult thing to pull someone back from the edge of death, but not impossible." Yuuko gave them a small smile. "But both you and this girl must hand over payment to me and the payment must have equal value to your wish…"

Eagle spared a worried glance at Hikaru, Fuu and Camry. All shared equally worried expressions, he looked back down at Umi. What would they do if he couldn't pay the price? If they to go back to Cephiro without her? He shook his head, he didn't want to think of his life without this girl in it, not now, not ever. There had to be a way, somehow they had to help her.

"Fortunately you are not the only one with this wish, if all of you pay together, you might just have enough."

Eagle looked up, surprised, almost not allowing himself to hope.

"What would be our price then?" Fuu's voice did not waiver. She knew without even looking at Hikaru that both of them would do all they could for Umi's sake. Heavy price be damned.

"Your price is your swords"

The two standing knights startled a bit, both catching oneanother's gaze in trepidation. To give up their sword would be to give up their powers, their titles. They would never be able to call upon their mashine again should the need ever arise.

They would no longer be…The Legendary Magic Knights.

Hikaru moved first, drawing her sword from it's resting place. "I'm certain that even without my sword I'll still be able to help Cephiro and I hope that after today, we will no longer need them."

The witch wisely did not touch the blade, it floated above her outstretched hand, "Maro, Moro." At her calling two small girls came running from the house and stood behind her, she passed the sword to one of them.

"If it's for Umi, then it is a price I will willingly pay; I will also place my hope in a future where we will no longer need them." Fuu drew her sword as well and it was passed to the other witch's assistant.

In a sudden flare of blue Umi's sword burst from her glove gem to join its siblings.

"This girl also has the same wish so she must also pay a price." Yuuko returned her attention to Eagle. "The two of you are the ones who most require my help therefore the greatest burden of price falls upon you both. This girl's sword will only serve as partial payment. I believe you have something in your possession that can make up the difference?"

Eagle wondered if she would also ask for his sword, but that didn't feel right. The witch had said the payment had to have a high value, something equal to his wish. His sword wasn't as important to him as the Magic Knight's were to them. What could he have that would be worth so much? What could he give that would make up the difference for Umi and pay for himself?

Yuuko reached out and tapped a finger to the large stone on his glove, "You have something here."

Eagle startled, suddenly remembering.

The feather.

As soon as he thought of it his glove gem flared, the item in question appearing in a soft flash of light.

"Why this feather? Do you know what it is?"

The feather floated up, born upon a nonexistent breeze to Yuuko's open hand. "It is a shard of memory, a crystallized fragment of the heart of someone with a very strong will. In the wrong hands it can be very dangerous, as you have already seen. If you agree to hand it over to me for safe keeping it will be enough payment for your friend."

Eagle studied the feather, wondering how part of a person's heart could become a feather. It did contain a great deal of some kinda of power, but he certainly did not want to keep it. Especially if it was someone's memory. He nodded his consent, he had no real right to keep something like that anyhow.

Now that Umi's price had been paid that still left his own. His could feel his own heartbeat flutter wildly against in his writs as he waited with bated breath for her to name it.

"As for your price young man…" Yuuko's eyes darted to Camry before quickly looking back at Eagle. "Your trip back to Cephiro will be one way."

"What…" One way? What does that mean?

"It other words, once you return to Cephiro you can not leave. You can never return to your own country, nor may you go to any other."

Both Hikaru and Fuu gasped.

"You mean he'll never be able to go home?!" Hikaru looked wide eyed at the witch and then at Eagle. Her heart ached at the thought, she knew how much Eagle loved his own homeland. He'd been looking foreword to returning while recovering from his illness.

Fuu said nothing but looked down at her shoes. It was one thing to give up their powers and titles, but…for Eagle to never go home again? She remembered how terrible it had felt when they had first arrived in Cephiro and Clef told them they could not go home.

"Well young man? Knowing all that, will you still pay the price?" She did not look up at the others, her gaze solely on Eagle.

Eagle closed his eyes. Autozam. His country, his people, Geo and Zazu, his home… He looked down to Umi, pale faced and eyes still closed.

"I understand that the price will be difficult to pay and that many people will not understand my choice. Some may even be hurt because of it, none the less I will pay the price."

"Very well, your payment is accepted. Truthfully, even with that price you would still not have enough, but I have received the balance of payments previously." Here the witch's gaze flicked over to Camry.

"…!"

Eyes wide, Eagle looked back over his shoulder. An equally surprised Hikaru and Fuu gawked at Camry.

"I told you before didn't I? That I didn't want you and I to have the same scar?" Camry smiled gently, "I could not change the path for myself — or Solara, but for you all this I could manage."

"But Camry -what did you give her?" Hikaru took a step towards him.

"Don't worry, it's not something I'll need after this is all done."

No one seemed satisfied by his answer but Yuuko interrupted. "You will have to go back into dreams to bring back your friend. I can send you there, but it will be up to you to find you're way back out."

Eagle gave one last look at Camry and then stood, setting Umi down gently between Hikaru and Fuu.

Hikaru reached out and grabbed his hand, "Be careful okay? We'll wait right here for you both to come back."

"Yes, do not worry. We'll look after everything here Eagle. Please return with Umi as soon as you can." The Wind Knight smiled gently.

He squeezed both girls' hands tightly, "I will."

"Are you ready then?" Yuuko asked.

Stepping forward Eagle kneeled down and the witch extended a hand towards him. Light flared at his feet and a magic circle identical to the one that brought them there appeared.

"How will I find her once I'm within dreams?" The circle began to spin beneath his feet, wind from it kicking up and tossing his cloak and hair in its current.

Yuuko smiled, "She'll find her way to you."

Eagle looked down as the magic gathered beneath him and then back up, he blinked, surprised.

Hikaru, Fuu and Camry were gone, the yard he was just in was on where to be seen. The witch as well was nowhere in sight.

There was now only empty blackness all around him.

He peered into the gloom, but he could see nothing. No shape or form. Only empty space.

"A dream," he murmured, taking a step forward.

On the edge of his sight something flickered, golden and bright, but elusive as smoke.

It moved and twisted, nearly corporeal, but still shifting and moving like shifting sand until it took a familiar shape.

A butterfly?

It flittered in front of him briefly and then flew off into the empty dark.

Eagle followed.

AN: I hope this chapter wasn't too terribly confusing, or long winded, haha, if anything needs clarifying please let me know in the comments! Looks like we have about one more chapter to go! With a possible epilog. I'll try my best not to take another year. haha. No promises. Real life is pretty unforgiving. Thank you for reading and the continued support over all these years. :D

-VK