The Truth About Inouva, and the Return of Memories!
If you were to compare an image of Cephiro from when the Magic Knights first arrived to one of its current condition, anyone who hadn't watched its descent in real time would tell you that they were two completely separate places. The green hills, azure lakes, floating islands, basically everything that gave Cephiro its beauty was gone, leaving a barren, rocky wasteland that never even saw the sun anymore through the near pitch-black clouds above, the occasional flash of lightning being the only reminder that Cephiro still even had a sky.
Time was clearly running out, but the good news was that the Magic Knights no longer had any obstructions to slow them down, barreling full-speed through the lifeless, desolate world. Yet, a particularly loud clap of thunder stopped Hikaru in her tracks, drawing her eye to the slight amount of crimson where she hoped the sun was. Noticing her apprehension, her three comrades stopped by her side, their concern shown clearly upon their faces.
"Hey, is something the matter, Hikaru?" Umi wondered.
"Miss Hikaru?" Fuu asked.
"It... It doesn't get sunny in Cephiro anymore..." Hikaru stated, like that wasn't obvious enough.
"Yeah." Logan agreed. "The first thing I noticed when we got here was how the bright sunlight made everything even more beautiful. And now it's just dark and shitty all the time..." He muttered, only for a sudden earthquake to put the four of them on their toes. Lightning crackled above, startling Mokona into Hikaru's arms, humming in terror.
Looking up just in time, the four teens noticed the ground splitting apart, the newly forming chasm heading right towards them. Fortunately, they were able to get their bearings just in time to leap out of the way at the last second, safe from falling into the abyss, the four of them staring down into the gap that could have sealed their fates.
"The ground split open!" Umi stated in alarm.
"It looks like this world is really beginning to crumble..." Hikaru trailed as the ground shook again. But this time, there was nothing, no monster, no destruction, no minion of Zagato. Instead, the gem on Mokona's forehead began to glow once again.
"Pupuuuuuu..."
As the Magic Knights turned their attention towards the beam of light, following it to its natural end, staring into the circle as Clef's image appeared once again.
"It's Clef!" Hikaru announced with glee.
"Clef! How are you?" Umi greeted, knowing that he could hear them.
"I get you're a stone statue right now, Shortstack, but you could have hit us up earlier." Logan sighed.
"We haven't heard from you in quite a while." Fuu restated, "We've been worried about you, Mr. Clef. Are you alright?"
Yet Clef remained silent, running an icy cold feeling through their hearts. Was he okay? Why wasn't he saying anything? "Hey... Clef?" Hikaru asked, her heart pounding in anticipation of bad news.
"You alright, Shortstack...?"
"Children from another world..." Clef's voice suddenly boomed, making everyone take a collective sigh of relief. "I believe that this will be the last time I communicate with you..."
"Oh, Clef..." Hikaru muttered.
"I can no longer suppress Zagato's magic which has turned me to stone."
"Clef! You can't give up!" Hikaru pleaded.
"The collapse of Cephiro is nearing... Hurry... Before it is too late... Lord of the Sea, Selece. Lord of the Sky, Windam. The four of you have triumphed over many hardships and have awakened two Rune Gods... Yet two still remain."
"Don't remind me..." Logan groaned.
"I'm afraid that before you are able to grant Princess Emeraude's wish, you will collapse with Cephiro, and be eradicated from this world..."
"Collapse...?" Umi pondered.
"Eradicated...?" Fuu questioned.
"Yes. The four of you will never be able to return to your world." Clef stated, making all four Magic Knights' hearts drop. "Please, hurry! Children of another world... Continue to follow Mokona for guidance, and revive the final Rune Gods. With all four, you will become Magic Knights..."
"Clef!" Hikaru called.
"Don't go!" Umi pleaded.
"I have one more thing to say to you... Your true enemy is-" Yet the Master Mage was unable to finish his revelation, the image fading and his voice disappearing in merely a second.
"Oh, Clef..." Hikaru muttered, knowing they would likely never hear from him again.
"Pupuuu..." Mokona hummed sadly, his ears drooping.
"We can't let this get us down." Logan announced. "We're runnin' outta time, but if we haul ass, we might just be able to pull this off and save this world."
The girls all nodded, understanding that if they didn't at least try, then everything they had done up until then would be for naught...
Once again, the only sound that filled the underwater dungeon was the cries of Princess Emeraude. Even from his palace, Zagato could tell that she was speaking to him directly, the voice of her heart echoing within his.
"Zagato... Please stop this... At this rate, the damage cannot be undone..." The captive Pillar begged. "Zagato..."
Yet the High Priest remained unfazed, merely clenching his fist and turning away from the vision, his cape billowing from the sudden motion, the sound of its flapping and his footsteps filling the room as he made his exit, the vision of Princess Emeraude fading as he left. The halls remained silent, the castle's three inhabitants spread so far apart that despite their small numbers, their footsteps could simply not echo far enough. At least, this was the case until Inouva, Zagato's most trusted ally, entered the throne room, his stone cold expression unchanging.
"Lord Zagato." Inouva greeted, refusing to kneel before his master. Yet the High Priest said nothing. Inouva was one of very few people that Zagato did not demand respect from, so his actions were inoffensive. "My lord, what is the condition of Princess Emeraude?"
"She's the same." Zagato admitted. "She has not wavered since the battle first began. Her tears have not stopped for a single moment."
It was then that Inouva knelt, looking up to maintain eye contact with the surrogate ruler of Cephiro. "Alcyone, Ascot, Caldina, and Lafarga... None were able to defeat the Magic Knights. And of course... Neither could I..." Inouva explained, remembering his own humiliating defeat by the Rune God Windam. "My lord, I only request that you grant me permission to go after those Magic Knights one last time. Those four children from another world were able to defeat me in this form. But if I were able to revert to my original form, I could use all of my powers. Lord Zagato, I ask that you please consider what I am saying to you."
It was then that the High Priest rose to his full height, towering above the still kneeling Inouva. "Lord Zagato!" Inouva called in a heartbeat, wanting to ensure his master heard him out. "I know the reason you have kept me at your side, my lord! It is because I was a creature the Princess presented to you as a gift!" Inouva's words rang true, forcing the High Priest to regard the man that had become much more to him than the creature the Pillar had given him so long ago. "My last request is that you change me back to my original shape. Change me back to what I was before any of this ever happened, my lord!"
"Inouva." Zagato declared. "You are not ordinary. You are a creature with the highest magical powers. And you realize that was the only reason I was able to turn you into a human as you wished."
"Yes, it is true that I always wished to take this form." Inouva admitted. "I know that it is unreasonably selfish that I now ask you to change me back. It was I that informed you that by taking this shape, I would be able to wield a sword and take command over those that we'd gathered to defeat the Magic Knights. However... However, now that the Magic Knights have somehow managed to get as far as they have... Now that two Rune Gods have been revived, I must use every ounce of power I have!"
"Inouva..." Zagato muttered, regarding his right-hand man.
"My lord, please grant me one more chance to repay you for always keeping me at your side, even if only I was a gift from Princess Emeraude."
Zagato's face darkened as he tilted his head down slightly, the shadow cast by his crown's visor hiding his eyes. "Once you revert to your previous form, you will never again be able to take a human shape."
"Yes. I understand, my lord." Inouva said, lowering his head in acceptance.
"Inouva, why do you remain so completely devoted to me?"
"Because I have seen you beside the Princess all this time, my lord. And I have seen you reveal your emotions as well. Cephiro is a land of the will. The heart will always triumph. There's no chance your wish will not come true."
Zagato finally smiled upon hearing Inouva's words, albeit a grim, almost sadistic smile with no real light behind it. "You say that, even though it is an evil wish that will destroy everything of value in Cephiro."
"No." Inouva denied, catching the High Priest off guard. "Let them call you evil, Lord Zagato. It does not matter to me. The only thing that is important to me is making sure that you are able to reach your goal."
Zagato was silent for a moment. A man he had never once demanded respect from, and yet one he respected the most. "Alright." Zagato declared, Inouva looking up at him with a smile of genuine happiness, despite the implications of this decision. Zagato raised his hand, holding it out towards Inouva. Both began to glow with a light of pure energy. Within, Inouva's silhouette began to rise, twitching and changing as stifled, pained grunts came from the creature he was reverting into. The sounds quickly began to change from human to beast, and Inouva let out one final scream as the transformation concluded.
When the light dissipated, Inouva was gone. In his place was a snow white creature most comparable to a wolf. The same violet gem resided on the familiar's forehead, just below its razor-sharp horn and rabbit-like ears, and Inouva's golden, cat-like eyes were still visible. But Zagato was not afraid. He knew this creature well.
"Inouva..."
Inouva turned, regarding his master one final time, howling loud enough for even Alcyone, far on the opposite end of the castle to faintly pick up on. Then, there was another flash, and Inouva was gone. And Zagato could only hope he would return victorious...
After their final conversation with Clef, the Magic Knights hadn't stopped a single time. Despite how weary and tired they were becoming, they knew they couldn't waste any time. Even when the ground shook once again, signaling the further collapse of Cephiro, they didn't stop. Only when the lightning in the sky began to pick up did they finally cease their progress, especially since one of the bolts was heading right for them. Thankfully, it just barely missed them. Yet it was still too close to be an accident.
"What's that?!" Hikaru wondered, noticing a shape staring down at them from a small platform jutting out of the ground. But before it could be made out clearly, another bolt of lightning flew past them, splitting apart one of the few trees left standing. Turning back from the burning pieces, the four teens glanced back at the creature.
"What is that!?" Umi demanded.
"A monster, obviously..." Logan muttered, not entirely concerned at the moment. Yet his nonchalant attitude would swiftly die as the wolf-like beast let out a piercing howl, beginning to glow with magic energy, sending a beacon into the air, dark lightning crackling around it. Said dark energy congressed in a single point, then struck down directly at the Magic Knights. The attack would have blown them to pieces had they not been able to jump out of the way. The lightning had missed, but something was wrong, very wrong.
Logan hadn't been struck, but his arm burned. The veins glowing a brighter purple than before. And considering the fact that more and more of his arm felt like it was lighting ablaze, he knew the curse was spreading fast. And there were only two people he knew that could do this. And considering he and the others weren't dead yet? It was an easy deduction.
"Inouva!?"
"That's correct, Magic Knight." The creature's chilling voice echoed within their minds. "And surely you know that I cannot allow you to go any further!" Inouva declared, beginning to laugh a mad cackle as his very being lit up in pure magic energy before leaping from the platform, reducing the entire thing to pebbles in an instant. He then dove into the ground, becoming a shockwave that the four teens barely had time to turn and see before it engulfed them, their screams being lost in the sound of thunder and flying debris...
Ferio would have liked to say he had a nice view. Although with Cephiro's current condition, there wasn't much of either. He sat on the edge of a cliff, looking out across the ruins of the once beautiful land, watching the dark clouds roll overhead, and lightning strike the ground. "Man, the skies of Cephiro used to be so beautiful until now..." The swordsman muttered. "Hikaru, Umi, Luigi..." He looked down to the orb in his hand, contemplating calling the one Magic Knight he was most concerned about. "...And Fuu. I sure hope they're safe as they continue on their journey. Please, do everything you can to protect those four kids you summoned from another world... Please, Princess Emeraude..." Ferio requested, closing his eyes and thinking back to the earliest memory he had...
The clattering of the box containing the orbs, the guards rushing into the room to apprehend him, and the words of Princess Emeraude as he knelt before her, the one time he'd seen the Pillar with his own eyes.
"That item is something I gave to this young man as a gift. He did not steal it." But then the memory changed. She smiled at him, almost as if she was happy to see him. "Ferio..."
"Huh...?" Ferio remembered saying aloud, back then, and in his own mind. His mind flashed back to a time even before that, a memory so old he'd forgotten everything about it. All he knew was that Princess Emeraude was before him, tears in her eyes.
"Ferio..." She repeated, only for a sudden realization to snap the swordsman back to reality.
"Wait a second! What the- That day, when I was wandering around the castle... Instead of punishing me, she let me keep this orb..." Ferio recalled, having never truly thought on the matter until now. He continued thinking. Hearing the Pillar repeat his name again. "I've never really thought about it until now, but how the heck did Princess Emeraude know my name? We'd never met before..."
Another flashback. Now Ferio was even younger than he was in previous memories, not even having the scar across his face. "Ferio..." Princess Emeraude repeated once more.
"A child..." Ferio muttered, at this point dedicated to figuring out a logical conclusion for this mystery. "But who is that child!? And why is she calling my name?"
Inouva's mad laughter continued to fill the air as the Magic Knights got to their feet. Perhaps even now he had been holding back, as they didn't feel as injured as they did when Lafarga had attacked them. Well, at least most of them...
Logan coughed a bit, his entire arm erupting in pain now as he weakly stood up, nearly pulling Hikaru to the ground trying to use her as a support.
"So... You are still standing." Inouva remarked. "But it is futile. You see me now in my true form, Magic Knights! And, you see... Now that I have reverted to this form..." The creature trailed off, once again shifting into pure energy and charging straight for the four of them. Or, so it seemed. "...You cannot win!" The maddened Inouva declared triumphantly, watching the Magic Knights all brace for impact. He watched as Logan turned to Hikaru, likely in an attempt to try and block Inouva, yet the latter was one step ahead, quickly summoning a barrier for the boy to smack against just before he could reach his girlfriend, hitting the dirt and only being able to hear the screams of the girls as Inouva's attack took them, with Fuu's voice standing out amongst the chaos.
"Ferio!"
"I've... I've always been alone all my life." Ferio reassured himself, unaware of his friends' plight. "I've never known my parents, and I've never had any brothers or sisters..." He stated, only for a new memory to enter his mind. One he'd never seen before. "Wait a minute..."
His mind wandered to that memory. A bright, sunny day. The Cephiro that Ferio had come to love as his home. He could hear a voice, a young boy calling out for someone.
"Sister!" The boy shouted. "Sister!"
Princess Emeraude came into view, being escorted somewhere by one of the guards. Yet she took the time to look back, her warm smile contradicted by the sadness apparent in her gaze. "Ferio... Well... We shall never meet again..." She explained, turning to face the young Ferio. "My only dear, sweet, little brother..."
A loud crash of thunder shook Ferio back to the present. But he had seen everything he needed. "No way! I'm... I'm Princess Emeraude's little brother!?"
Another memory. Most likely not too long after the previous one. A slightly older Ferio stood before Princess Emeraude, who still appeared no different than she had in any of his memories. "Elder sister, I have one small request before we say goodbye..."
"A request?" The new Pillar asked, knowing said request was going to be within her power.
"Yes. I want you to erase all of my memories." The memory version of Ferio stated. "As the Pillar of Cephiro, you will have to support this world. I want you to have fewer problems to worry about... If I'm never going to see you again, I want to live alone, so I can be sure I'll never bother you again as long as I live. So please... You should try to forget that you ever had a brother, too..."
"I remember..." Ferio muttered. "I received this orb from her when I left the castle..."
"Even if I erase your memories, Ferio, I do not think I will ever be able to forget you, so that I can hear your voice from far away..." Princess Emeraude explained as a bright light appeared beneath the young Ferio. "So I can hear you from wherever you may be, so I do not forget the voice of my dear, sweet little brother..."
"I see..." Present-day Ferio realized, staring at the orb in his hand. "So that's why I've always been so worried about you... The reason I couldn't just stand by when I first found out that Cephiro was starting to crumble... Why I couldn't bear the thought of you in danger... It was because... You were my one and only sister!"
"Alright, Inouva..." Logan muttered, sitting up against a piece of debris, coughing more. "You know that could have killed me, so why didn't you do it? Isn't it your whole job?"
"Not quite. In fact, I do not need to lift a finger to end you."
"Eh? What the hell do you mean?"
"Your curse, of course."
"Oh, so am I finally going to get some answers? 'Bout damn time..."
"Cease your senseless blabbering." Inouva demanded. "As it so happens, I had managed to wring the answer out of Alcyone. And if you truly wish to know, should you not be able to stop its spread before it can reach your heart... Your life is forfeit."
Logan just sighed. "Can't say I'm surprised... But what the hell does that have to do with you not making it do just that?"
"That would be because Lord Zagato has a proposition for you. One that may just save your life."
"Okay. That's surprising."
As soon as Ferio connected the dots, he took off. Where was he going? He wasn't quite sure. Was he going to tell Fuu about what he'd learned? Was he seriously going to have the balls to take Zagato on alone? He was trying to figure that out. But as he ran, he heard a voice from the orb, and it certainly wasn't Fuu.
"Ferio... I see that your memory is returning to you." Princess Emeraude said.
"Sister!? Sister, is that you!?"
A gasp from the other end. Either of joy or sadness from the Pillar. "Are you willing to call me your sister once again...? The reason all the memories in you that I once erased have begun to return is because my powers are weakening, and the seal on your memories has finally been broken..."
"Please... Please tell me how I can help you get out of this situation, sister!"
"Only the ones summoned from another world can do this... And at this moment, they are in life-threatening danger... Ferio, please... I need you to lend me all of your strength..." The captive Pillar begged as Ferio picked up the pace, running faster than he ever had in his life. "Please, save the Magic Knights!"
"So... What actually is this 'proposition'?"
"I cannot tell you. Lord Zagato has wished to inform you himself."
"Really? Then why doesn't he come down himself so he can kick our asses when I turn him down?"
"If you allow me to take you to Lord Zagato, you will know."
"Psh, as if."
"You are making an unwise decision."
"I'll only hear him out if he comes down here like a man and tells me himself. That way, in the case I don't accept his 'generous offer', I can die with the ones I love." Logan explained, watching Hikaru come up next to him. Behind them, Umi was checking on Fuu, who was just waking up from the blast.
"Get ready!" Hikaru announced. "I'm sure he'll try to finish us off with his next attack!" She declared, forcing another laugh out of Inouva.
"I congratulate you heartily for surviving as long as you have, but this is as far as you go!"
Ferio never stopped running, now speaking frantically into the orb that he now knew was a gift from his dear sister. "Hikaru, Umi, Fuu, Luigi! If you guys can hear me, you gotta let me know right now!"
Fuu, upon hearing her boyfriend's voice, immediately woke right up. "Oh, Ferio!" She whispered, reaching for her own orb. "Ferio, I'm so glad you're alright!"
"Don't worry about me! The creature you are fighting has one weakness! The gem on his forehead! You must attack that gem!"
"That's... Actually really fucking obvious now that I think about it." Logan sighed.
"It's no use!" Umi explained. "Our swords and magic have had no effect on it so far!"
"Umi, I want you to take care of Fuu." Hikaru declared.
"You two can't fight it alone! Don't be reckless!"
"Heh, weren't we facing similar odds with Lafarga?" Logan quipped, his sword glimmering with power.
"And besides, we promised everyone that no matter what happens we will become the Magic Knights, and we will save Cephiro! So don't ever give up! Right, everyone!?" Hikaru added, turning to face the other two Magic Knights.
"Die! Magic Knights!" Inouva bellowed, preparing another attack. Yet Hikaru and Logan charged forth, the former holding her sword out and absorbing the magic energy within it, spinning around and sending it all back right into Inouva's forehead gem, changing him back from energy to flesh and blood, a shocked look on his wolven face. His gem cracked, and he let out a roar of agony.
"It's your turn!" Hikaru announced pushing Logan forward, giving him a running start as he held his sword out, slicing directly down on the gem, a flash of light indicating a successful strike, and the light kept moving, all the way though Inouva.
"My lord... Zagato..." Inouva called out, wishing to inform his master of his fate.
'Inouva...' Princess Emeraude mourned from her prison, sensing the death of her favorite creation, despite how far it had fallen.
'Inouva...' Zagato mirrored, feeling nothing but anger and hate towards the ones who dared destroy his precious gift, and most loyal confidant.
"Ha ha...! Eat that, Inouva..." Logan muttered as the light from Inouva's demise finally faded out behind him. But then exhaustion set in, and he began coughing once more, eventually falling face-first onto the ground.
Some indeterminate time later, Logan's consciousness began to return, and the first thing he saw was red, right in his face, and something he would not complain about seeing in the future. Hikaru was laying on the ground next to him, an arm wrapped around his side. Was she really that worried about him? "Hey! You're awake!"
"Well, if that's not the cutest thing I've ever seen..." Ferio remarked.
"Oh, Mario! You're here!"
"Yeah, we're all okay." Umi reassured him.
"And because of Ferio, we were able to defeat that beast Inouva had become." Fuu explained.
"I know. I was there."
"Well, no..." Ferio admitted. "To tell you the truth, it was Princess Emeraude who told me about his weakness."
"Princess Emeraude...?" Hikaru wondered, only for Ferio to pass his own communication orb to her. "Isn't this your orb, Ferio...?" She asked, still taking the magical device.
"Princess Emeraude's powers have become severely weakened. The only way she'll be able to communicate with you now is through this orb." Ferio explained. "That's why it's important that you hold onto this thing from now on."
"But Ferio... Is something wrong?" Hikaru questioned, only for Ferio to stand up, take a step back, and kneel before all four of them.
"The only ones who can save our Princess Emeraude are the Magic Knights from another world. Hikaru, Umi, Fuu, and Logan. Please, save the princess, and save Cephiro."
High Priest Zagato was not happy. Not only at the demise of Inouva, but at Logan's refusal to hear his proposition, and the nonchalant nature with which he did it. Yet as if no force wanted him to rest, Alcyone appeared before him, immediately kneeling.
"My Lord Zagato. I have returned with a plan to defeat the Magic Knights once and for all." She announced, yet Zagato did not want to hear it.
"You have done enough. The curse you inflicted upon the boy will be his downfall. And with only three Magic Knights, the legend cannot come to fruition."
"My... My lord?"
"The destruction of all four of them is a pleasure, not a necessity. Though I do wish the boy would hear what I have to say. Unfortunately, now I have no choice but to meet his demands."
"Lord Zagato, you aren't saying-"
Yet Zagato simply turned, flaring his cape in the sorceress' face and making his way towards the exit, ignoring her pleas for him to stop and reconsider. 'I suppose if you want something done right, you must do it yourself...'
Word Count: 4,692
got distracted by kh3 critical (big surprise) and also my internet is bad. fortunately, this show is not.