Chapter II: Portals, Swords and Injuries
Hikaru awoke to the faint beams of sunlight attempting to gain entrance into her room through the shutters on her window. Sitting up, she rubbed the remaining sleep out of her crimson colored eyes. She
pulled back the warm sheets and stretched as she got out of bed. Slipping out of her pajamas, and into her training clothing, she quietly made her way over to the unoccupied room. This was the room in
which she spent at least an hour in meditation every morning. It was early the sun hadn't even threatened to rise yet.
Hikaru sat down on the cool wooden floor. She straightened her back allowing herself to sit upright. Closing her eyes, her breathing gradually slowed, as did the beating of her heart. Hikaru almost always found a sense of balance and peace when she went into her daily meditation.
She knew it was time to get up and get ready for school when she heard Masaru yelling at Kakeru to `wake up' in the distance. That's how it was most mornings. She could tell time by her brothers.
"If you don't get up now, you'll end up being late for school!" Masaru yelled into his younger brother's ear.
"Okay! Okay! I'm up already!" Kakeru shot back.
"You're impossible Kakeru! You're in your first year of College and still can't wake up without your big brother booting you out of bed! But Hikaru's up nearly every morning in meditation or practicing her katas!" The second eldest brother of the Shidou household scolded.
"Yeah, well she goes to bed earlier than me!" Kakeru defended.
"And I go to bed later than you! So that's no excuse!"
Hikaru chuckled a bit at her brothers' daily bickering. She headed back to her room to change for school. Then walked over into the kitchen to find Satoru cooking breakfast.
"Good morning, Satoru!" Hikaru enthusiastically greeted.
"Good morning Hikaru." Satoru said, turning his attention away from the stove for a moment. "You're just in time for breakfast." He passed her a plate with eggs, and toast on it, a somewhat westernized breakfast.
"Thank you!" She said as she graciously accepted the meal and set it down on the table. Then went to retrieve four glasses and set them on the table as well and poured orange juice into each glass. Just them her two other brothers entered the room, "Good morning!"
"Good morning." Kakeru in turn greeted. "You're pretty happy this morning, what's up?"
"Hikaru is almost always happy in the morning, unlike you." Masaru taunted.
"Well, how would you feel if every morning someone splashed cold water on your face?" He threatened.
"Here." Satoru said, handing Hikaru a small grocery list. "These are a few things we need. Can you get them after school?"
"Sure." Hikaru replied as she finished the last of her breakfast. She took the list and placed it in her pocket. Then went over to the jar where they kept all of their grocery money. I need to go now, I'll see ya later guys!"
"Bye Hikaru!" The three brothers said in unison.
"I surrender!" The tall sandy blond haired girl declared, as she fell down on her knees. She rested her rapier on the floor beside her, "It's too early in the morning for this!"
A sly grin formed on Umi's face over the recent victory, "Well Mei, I guess you should not have challenged me now should you?"
"I didn't think you'd be so tough on me!" Umi's friend protested.
"Well sorry. But when someone challenges me, I don't hold back, regardless of the time of day! You don't become the school's best fencer by being soft on the enemy!" The light blue haired girl lectured. It was towards the end of today's fencing class and Mei had been foolish enough to challenge her to a match, wagering that Umi was only bluffing at how skilled she'd become since the last time they'd
spared. She lost that bet though, for the match had only lasted a few moments before Umi rained victorious by Mei's forfeit.
"Why'd I even bother, that win was way to easy." She couldn't resist gloating.
"Hey, don't let one easy win between us go to your head. You've got a big enough ego as it is already!"
"And just what's that supposed to mean?!" Umi shook her fist.
A whistle blew in the other end of the gym, as the instructor gestured everyone to come over. One by one each girls returned their swords over to the small equipment room, where they had gotten them. Then quickly proceeded to move over to where their instructor was. After listening to the brief announcements being made and going over the routine steps, all the girls should practice in their free time, they were dismissed to change and head over to their morning classes.
Umi searched through her back after taking her seat, "Shit!"
"You forgot your notes again didn't you?" Mei teased. "Looks like you're hallway bound."
" Oh, shut up Mei! Sometimes you can be as annoying as Mokona!" She
accidentally blurted out.
"Mokona? Who's that?" Mei asked with raising suspicion.
Lantis was nearing his destination. It was midday now, and for the most part, it had been a beautiful, sunny, warm day. The weather had recently made a change. The sky had become considerably darker, the temperature in the air had dropped and an eerie breeze had crept up. Energy fluctuations had also been occurring. Silently Lantis ran along the pathway, deciding that his horse would create far too much noise, and actually slow him down if he were to ride it. The path was very narrow, rocks and tree roots jutted out of the ground. If he were to try riding his horse, he would have chanced injuring its legs. What ever lay a head of him; Lantis figured it best to hold the element of surprise.
As Lantis reached the clearing he discovered a fairly tall, dark haired young man, with blacked earth surrounding him. The clearing had once been a field of grass and wild flower, but no longer. Now it was just scorched ground and rock. It must have been caused by previous attempts to open this portal that Clef had been talking about.
"Who are you?" the young man questioned as he turned to face Lantis, a thin sword was raised and he assumed a fighting stance.
Lantis was taken a back slightly. Though he had been running, he'd done it rather stealthily. `He should not have been able to detect my presence,' Lantis thought. `Unless he posses the strongest of magic...' That would make sense, no one else appeared to be nearby,`but no magic is emanating from him.'
Narrowing his eyes, Lantis spoke in a deep, low voice just loud enough for the other man to hear. "I was just about to ask you that very question," Unlike the man standing ten feet away from him, Lantis did not prepare to attack, he merely stood there, observing.
"I have no wish to fight with you. However, if you are going to get in my way, then I'll just have to remove you." As if on cue, a small portal appeared shooting out tendrils of electricity in every direction. For a split second, Lantis was able to make out his face. His features mirrored little to no emotion, his hair was predominantly a darkish blue. This man's posture was much like his own. Lantis had never seen this person before, and yet he felt as though he knew him from somewhere, but where is what eluded him.
With out warning he broke in to a run towards Lantis, who in turn, reached behind his back and brought forth his own sword. Sparks flew as the two blades clashed against each other while the men dueled.
"Who are you?" Lantis question as he parried an attack.
"I'm Sakuya." He replied as he continued his assault.
"Sakuya?" Lantis repeated. A strange name. The faint memory of the conversation he and Zagato had had, threatened to resurface, but now wasn't the time. Lantis was pulled away from his thoughts and back to reality as a searing pain shot across his upper left arm. Stunned, he grunted in pain as he felt a warm trickle run down his arm. The first splash of blood had been spilled across the dead ground.
"And you are?" The proud young Sakuya inquired in an arrogant tone. He snapped his wrist, jerking the blade of his sword to the side. Allowing the remnants of Lantis' blood to fly off.
`He's strong,' the Magic Swordsman realized. He'd underestimated this mysterious stranger. He had skill, obviously no novice and showed promise as a swordsmen.
"I am Lantis,"he answered as he studied the young man's movements. The pain in his arm hadn't subsided, however the burning sensation of a fresh wound was no longer apparent. His injury would require tending to later.
Sakuya once again took up the offensive side, forcing Lantis to once again take the defensive. The sounds of blades crashing against each other could be heard over wild thunder in the near background. The two weapons fiercely struck each other again, and again, each with deadly force.
Lantis was steadily gaining the upper hand, becoming more aggressive. Allowing himself to go along with the flow and rhythm that had developed. Enabling him to sense Sakuya's on coming attacks. He skillfully slashed at his opponent's neck, missing only by inches as his blade slid across the other man's face. Sakuya snapped his head to the side as he felt the bladed force of energy tear into his skin. It was now Sakuya's turn to bleed.
Slowly he raised his hand up to his cheek where Lantis had just slashed it. He gazed down at the dark crimson liquid that now ran down his fingers. `Never have I been injured like this...' granted it wasn't a serious wound, but it would most likely leave a scar. `How dare he...' He looked up to his adversary, killer intent in his eyes. "I've not the time to be playing these foolish games with you." He jumped back, secretly forming a ball of energy in the palm of his hand, and firing it.
He'd yelled something, but Lantis was unable to decipher the word. The attack released was so unexpected that Lantis had little time to react. Seconds before impact Lantis attempted a shield. The energy wave hit. The shear force was so strong. He felt a sharp pain shoot across his right temple as he was propelled back wards, his shield proving to be less affective than he would have liked. He was engulfed in a bright light as he fell back. The last thing he remembered was laying on cold wet ground in a small pool of his own blood before he passed out.
TBC