A Happy Reuinion
Ten years had passed since the Children of Millennia met and became friends. Now that they were all grown up, they were all going their own ways. It was fun going on adventures, training, playing, and just being together, but childhood fun doesn't last forever. Time has ways of changing people and things, but friendships can withstand the tests of time no matter where anyone is.
Kisara, now a woman, had been flying around the desert with Kirara. Still living the life of a free spirit and trying to protect her secret, she still didn't feel ready to live in the palace with her friends. But she still loved them and often thought about them. That was when she asked herself, "I wonder what everybody's doing now." She hadn't seen her friends in so long since she left to start her own personal training. Then she decided, "You know what? I think we should head home, Kirara."
Hearing that, Kirara sighs with contentment. Even she wanted to be back with her friends, humans and Magical Creatures. Then she growls, sensing trouble.
"What's wrong, Kirara?" Kisara asks. Kirara takes her closer to the ground and flies faster.
The trouble Kirara was sensing was coming from Freya. She and Sakuya were trying to escape from a group of Goblins. A Goblin shot an arrow from his bow and pierced Freya's leg. She fell and began groaning. Sakuya used her Shadow Ball attack to keep the Goblins from coming, but they didn't stop. Luckily, Sakuya was quick and nimble and could avoid being attacked with a weapon like an axe or arrows. But she had to protect her human companion.
As the Goblins were discussing their plans on how to eat their victims, Kirara swooped down and pounced on them. Kisara held out her hand. Freya held Sakuya in one arm and used her other hand to grab her cousin's. It hurt to climb, but Freya endured the pain and sat up on Kirara's back as they were flying away.
They stopped at the south bank of the Nile River. Kirara and Sakuya approached the water and started drinking while Kisara attended to Freya's wound. It hurt to remove the arrow and it also hurt just as much as her wound was being washed. Kisara tore some of her dress and tied it around the wound to stop the bleeding. This was something the girls were accustomed to since they had spent most of their days in the desert and didn't have a lot of essentials.
"We can't keep doing this," Freya suddenly said. "We can't keep getting ourselves into this kind of trouble. We've run out of ways to protect ourselves and we're at the point where we're going to have to start stealing for health and comfort. We're not criminals. We swore we would be good people."
"I know," said Kisara. "Besides, we've completed our training, we can control our Dragons better now, and the royals may even be ready for us to live among them." She sighs and adds, "Besides, I really miss everybody."
The memory starts to come back. Several years back, Kisara and Freya decided that they wanted to go on a journey and have their own personal training. There was more to it than that. The girls confessed to their friends how worried they were about letting everyone at the palace learn about their secrets. Seto and Mahad had the same fear about the White and Black Dragons being sealed in stone tablets. Even though they knew royal sorcerers knew magic that could help Kisara and Freya understand and control their gifts, they couldn't risk false promises and lose two friends they cared about.
For their journey, the girls were given food, money, new clothes, and medicine for themselves and their guardian beasts. They were even promised that the palace was their home and that they could return whenever they wished. Now the girls had to forage for themselves by picking food from trees and shrubs as well as fish in the river since they had no money left. They even outgrew most of their clothes and had to wear something less comfortable. In fact, the dresses they had on now were quite scratchy. It wasn't completely hopeless for them. After all, they still had the Moogles and would often stay in their village. Even the Mana Dragon and her kin watched over the cousins.
After thinking about it, Kisara finally spoke up and told her cousin, "Maybe we should go back, Freya. We've been away for a long time. Let's go home." Freya nods in agreement, but decides she wants to rest a while before reuniting with their friends.
Kisara and Freya weren't the only ones having thoughts about the matter. Mana was also out by the river doing some personal training of her own. Now that she was older, she could do much more like bending the different elements of nature, cast illusions, and communicate with her comrades mentally. However, she was still only a student and had a few complications. It wasn't hopeless for her. She did have her friends and teachers.
Walking along the bank, she made water rise up to her head like a rainbow. She tried to make the water look like a hoop a fish could swim through, but it ended up taking the form of a sphere. The fish still swam around, but didn't have a lot of room. Gently, Mana placed the fish back in the river. Facing her front again, she saw the cousins and their guardian beasts. Mana couldn't believe her eyes. She called out to the girls to get their attention.
Kisara and Freya both face their side and see her in the distance. "Is that?" Kisara asked.
"Could it be?" Freya added. Hearing Mana call their names, they find that their assumption is right. "It is! Mana!"
"Mana!" Kisara called.
"My friends," Mana cried as she was running towards them, "my friends!" Knowing Freya can't stand up well yet, Kisara stays by her and waves towards their friend. Mana finally approaches them and starts hugging them. "Oh, it's been too long. I've missed you both."
"And we've missed you," Kisara told her.
Seeing a stain of blood on Freya's leg, Mana asks, "Freya, what happened to you?"
She follows her gaze and tells her not to worry. "It's not serious. What are you doing all the way out here?"
Mana gets down and places her hand over Freya's wound to heal it. Healing magic was one of the few spells Mana could perform well. "I was just practicing my magic. I also needed a little time to myself. A lot of changes are being made."
The girls wanted to ask what kinds of changes were being made at the palace, but they also wanted to know how everyone else was doing. "Well, how have things been with you and the rest of our friends?"
Mana decided to talk about herself first. She was now eighteen years old. Much older, but still somewhat of a child and immature than the rest of her friends. Needless to say that she was still only an apprentice in the magical arts. "Just wait, soon I'll be full-fledged magician just like Mystery and Master Mahad."
"Master?" asked Freya. "He's a master magician now?"
"Yeah," Mana answered. "He and Mystery completed their training a few short years ago. More than that, Master Mahad is also a member of the royal court just like Seto."
"What about Joseph?" inquired Freya. "Wasn't he training to be a member of the royal court also?"
Mana remembered that Joseph had been training for the same thing. In fact, Master Shimon recognized Joseph's loyalty and determination and thought he would be deserving of his place. Joseph felt honored, but he kindly refused. He still felt that he wasn't ready and had a lot to learn. Shimon saw how comfortable Joseph was with his current place and decided to respect his decision. Sad to say that not all was well for Joseph. His parents were killed in a fire that was set to their house by bandits. The house had been rebuilt, but the monsters, food, and crafts were all stolen. Joseph decided to give his parents' house to royal servants who recently got married.
Joseph wasn't the only one who lost his family. Mystery's parents Shira and Serin were also murdered many winters ago. Criminals came to the city seeking revenge against Mystery for stopping their kidnapping of children and selling them into slavery. They found her home, but not her. They soon decided, what better way to carry out their revenge than to take the lives of those she loves dearly? Shira and Serin tried to get away, but had been slashed many times. When Mystery heard that her parents were under attack, she tried to save them, but their wounds were too great. Treating wounds and replenishing energy was one thing, but no spell could revive the dead. Shira and Serin were given a proper funeral and sent to their personal resting places. Mystery decided that she wanted to give her old home away the same way Joseph did.
Just hearing the story made Kisara and Freya cry. "They were good people," Kisara sobbed. "Why would anyone want to do anything to hurt them?" She and Freya never actually met the families of their friends, but had often heard stories.
Even Mana started to cry just thinking about it. "I know. It's just not fair."
Kisara dries her eyes. "Are Mystery and Joseph all right now?"
"Well, they both still feel sad just thinking about it, but they remember that they have us. They may have lost their parents, but they're not without families. Seto learned that when he was in their place and met all of us."
"How is Seto?" Kisara asked. "You said he became a member of the royal court also."
"That's right," Mana answered. "A few short years ago; shortly before Mahad did. And he's also a great sorcerer." Seto had proven his intellect and skill to be outstanding. But that wasn't the reason he chose to become a member of the royal court. He did it for the love and devotion he had towards his friends and family and wanted to be there for them. "I guess I should mention this," Mana was saying, "Seto and Joseph talk a lot about you girls. Like the rest of us, a day doesn't go by without thinking about you. They say that when you come back, they want to ask you girls to marry them."
Their eyes widen of excitement. "Marry them?" Freya echoed. She said that she wanted to stay with Joseph forever and Kisara wanted the same thing with Seto. Just thinking about it made them both happy, but they also wondered, "But would it be all right for Seto and Joseph to have a courtship with commoners like us?"
"Of course it would," Mana answered. "They discussed it with their masters and made it clear that their love for you was true. Besides, all the fun we had and the bonds we made all those years ago make it all the more reasons."
"Speaking of marriage," Kisara was saying, "I know Atem and Mystery are betrothed to marry. Well, of course, but I'm wondering, are they married yet?"
Mana shakes her head. "Not yet. They're getting married on the same day of their coronation. You see, the current pharaoh hasn't been well lately and he's about to pass the crown."
Kisara and Freya were shocked to hear that. "Mana, if it's not too much to ask, do you think you could take us to see the king?" inquired Kisara.
"It's not too much," she insisted. "Come on, we'll go right away." And the girls climb on Kirara's back.
As they make their way to the palace, Freya decides to get back to the last topic and ask, "Mana, I know we sort of got off the matter, but how are things with you and Mahad?"
Mana felt a little embarrassed hearing that, but she knew where Freya was going and had talked about it with her many times before. "I still want him to know how I feel about him," she shyly responded. Mana knew that she was so much younger than her master and it would be forbidden for a master magician to have a courtship with his apprentice, but she loved Mahad for who he was and wanted him to love her in the same way. Mana had always looked up to him and admired him, but as the years went by, her love for him grew stronger and pure.
Freya and Kisara knew how Mana was feeling. They didn't have much advice except to think about all the times they spent together and to consider his own feelings. Other than that, they told Mana to have courage and be honest.
Mana saw that her friends were right. She faces them and thanks them. "Thanks for being so understanding."
Kisara looks back and tells her, "And don't worry, I'm sure he'll understand. Besides, I always saw how you two were whenever you were together." She smiles, winks and adds, "And the rest of us will be with you if you need us."
Mana's eyes widen with excitement. "So you girls are coming home?"
She nods in answer. "We thought it over before you came by. We want to be back with the rest of our friends. But I don't think we're ready for marriage just yet."
"That's all right," said Mana. "There's still a little time." She also remembered how worried her friends were about letting their secrets get out. But Kisara and Freya could control their Dragons now and contain them. Thinking about it, she remembered how worried they were about fitting with the rest of the royals. "I'm sure everyone will welcome you as one of us. After all, you're daughters of Millennia. So I'm sure we can find a place for you." Then she got an idea. "Hey, how would you girls like to be Mystery's handmaids?"
Kisara and Freya actually weren't sure about it. They weren't very knowledgeable and didn't know the ways of royalty, but Mana promised them that everyone would be there to help them. The cousins decided to consult with the king about the matter while they would be paying their respects.
When they came to the palace courtyard and saw some royal subjects doing battle with their guardian beasts, Mana started to become worried. "Oh, no, is it that time already? I'm so late!"
The cousins face her and ask, "Oh, Mana, did you have someplace you needed to be? We're both sorry!"
Mana smiles and relaxes. "Oh, no, I'm not that late," she assured, to make herself and her friends feel less worried. "But I do have someplace I need to be."
"Do you need Kirara to give you a ride?" offered Kisara.
She kindly accepted her offer and climbed on the cat's back. "Good luck with the king," she called as she was flying back out to the desert.
Kisara and Freya felt happy to be back home. Well, they wouldn't actually consider it like that until they met and caught up with their oldest friends. Other than that, they had to make themselves known to a lot of people and get the king's approval. They felt embarrassed about looking so shabby and filthy, but hoped his highness would recognize them and welcome them.
On her way to the courtyard, Mystery took notice of the cousins. Happy to see them, she quickly approached them. Kisara saw her coming and held out her arms to hug her.
"Kisara, Freya," Mystery said as they were hugging. "Welcome home. Oh, you have grown beautifully."
"So have you," said Kisara. "We met up with Mana and heard everything."
Freya, now hugging Mystery, spoke up and added, "It's good to be home again, but we need to see the king." When they let go, she continues, "We heard he wasn't feeling well and we want to pay him our respects. Besides, we've got a lot of things we think he needs to hear."
Mystery nods. "Yes, he is weak. But come with me and I will take you to him." Mystery had learned to speak properly over the years. It was something she needed to be accustomed to if she was going to be the new queen.
They came to the royal chamber where his highness was. Atem, the soon-to-be king, had just exited after having what seemed like was going to be a last conversation with his father. He had just been told personally that he would be king. Of course, there was still the coronation and wedding. Before Mystery met her friends in the courtyard, she had her final conversation and received his blessing.
Finally, Kisara and Freya were able to see King Aknamkanon. They knelt beside him and said their names in hopes that he would remember them.
Thankfully, he did. "Kisara, Freya, you've come home. Reshiram and Zekrom have told me about your journeys."
Freya nods. "Yes, and we've completed our training." Tears start to fall from her eyes. "Oh, my pharaoh, I know we haven't always been around much to commit ourselves just as the rest of our friends, but it was for their safety and so we wouldn't overwhelm you."
"Words are unnecessary," the king told them. "Your masters have told me about your gifts. Know that it changes nothing. I have always considered the both of you my children and I stand by that. You have my word that my subjects and magicians will not seize your powers and that they will protect you just as you have always protected my son and the rest of your friends. I am grateful to the both of you. Kisara and Freya, you have taught me that no matter how different one may seem or the quality of their gift, they should not be feared. To be afraid of someone because of that matter brings about hatred and violence."
"Yes," Kisara answers in agreement; her eyes, now having tears falling from them. "And we are just as grateful to you as the rest of our friends. By taking us in and accepting us for who we are, the way we are, you have given us a home and a real family. You have been like a father to us. Oh, if only we could give you in return all that you have done for us." Then she removes her amulet from around her neck and holds it out to him.
"Keep it," said King Aknamkanon. "Your light is meant to protect those you love dearly, Kisara. And Freya, your hopes are also meant to be shared. I gave you those amulets to carry those pieces of wisdom and embrace your gifts. You learned right away what I meant when you received them." He smiles and adds, "I believe in you just as I believe in the rest of my children. As mentioned many times before, you and your friends are Children of Millennia. Stay together as you continue to fulfill her wishes and ensure that peace remains in Egypt."
Kisara and Freya both knew that their king was one of Millennia's finest followers and dreamed that her wishes would one day come true. They both gave their word that they would continue to protect their friends and help them to preserve their leader's dream. In return, King Aknamkanon gave the cousins his blessing and promised to watch over them for he knew of their love for their friends. The cousins continue crying and smiling. It made them happy to be welcomed and accepted and to know that they would be protected. They loved their king just as they loved their friends.