"We saw him outside the castle..."
Caldina thought. "Lantis does spend a lot of time out there. I don't know what he's doing."
"Really, what part of Cephiro needs visiting?" LaFarga still sounded displeased.
"Hey, don't trouble these girls' hearts. If you don't like him, keep it to yourself." Caldina tried to calm LaFarga.
"I have reasons not to like him, and I think they should consider the worst-case scenario. He came back from Autozam, which is an enemy of Cephiro. He always goes out for hours, and when the castle was attacked, he wasn't there to help us, even though he's a magic swordsman!"
"Hey, hey..." Caldina warned him. "Don't jump to conclusions. Maybe he's actually doing something good..."
LaFarga didn't listen to Caldina. "Maybe he's an Autozam spy."
"No!"
...
Hikaru was startled by her own voice, waking up from her sleep, gasping for air. It was truly a nightmare. Snippets of the conversation echoed in her ears as if it had just happened. Hikaru felt uneasy with her sleep this time. How could such distressing knowledge seep into her dreams?
Hikaru blinked drowsily, but was instantly fully awake. She was shocked to find herself alone in the room. She looked to her right and left. "Umi? Fuu?" She felt scared. "Don't joke around, guys. Where did you go? Umi? Fuu?" Hikaru called out again. She quickly covered her mouth when Mokona, sleeping beside her, started to stir.
Hesitant and cautious, Hikaru got out of bed and changed her clothes. She looked around, wondering if she should search for the two girls. There was no time to braid her hair again; she went outside with her heart pounding. She shouldn't be sneaking out at this hour. The castle looked eerie with the world so dark and lightning flashing everywhere.
Hikaru walked alone, wandering through the deserted corridors of the castle. The view of Cephiro outside remained the same. How long had this been going on? How long had the scenery remained unchangingly dark like this? Everyone was indeed protected by the mental shield... Hikaru gazed at it, that amazing protector. But who could protect the hearts of the people? The fear was real... The vulnerability causing it was also real.
What we are facing this time is so heavy... Terrifying... Destruction, death, the end of Cephiro looming and happening soon. The people of Cephiro believed there was only one way to save them. The Pillar. But, if a new Pillar was chosen... the same tragedy might repeat. The Pillar could not kill themselves and being the strongest, they were invincible. That's why they had the ability to summon the Magic Knights, to kill them. If a new Pillar was chosen, then other Magic Knights could be summoned again, and they would experience the same nightmare.
Must this sad thing repeat? Couldn't this be ended? Surely, there was a reason to stop all this, right? Hikaru looked at the entire castle before her. She knew that since the Pillar was gone, this place was maintained by the strength of many people... They worked together to protect their lives in the final chance they had. Couldn't the same spirit be used to protect a single country? If so, then... there was a way.
Hikaru entered a glass-walled room she hadn't expected to be an indoor garden. Trees grew there, with broad-leaved plants and flowers adorning the corners. The sound of trickling water echoed, flowing through tiered channels from a large pool surrounded by tall, intricately carved walls shaped into a semicircle. A large chandelier made of sparkling crystals hung above, emitting a warm light like the sun.
This place would be perfect for calming herself if not for the presence of that person. Hikaru gasped at the glass door threshold. She gripped the wall tightly, her legs suddenly weak with fear. Hikaru stepped back. She couldn't meet him. This would be another nightmare. She felt she had to leave this place. She had to go...
Go?
Hikaru's steps halted, and she looked back at Lantis, who was clearly visible to her, sitting by the marble pool edge, eyes closed as if deep in thought. He seemed to be resting. The young man had removed his armor, making him appear like an ordinary young man.
People hated him... People were suspicious of him, afraid of him. But what bad thing had he done? They were merely guessing and, without strong evidence, chose to believe the worst. We, too, were prejudiced, even though the ones who actually did wrong were us, the Magic Knights. We killed his brother, Zagato...
Don't go... Hikaru clasped her trembling hands tightly. I had the chance to flee, but I chose to come back. I was given a chance to hide, but I chose to fight. I brought Umi and Fuu to this place. If he intends to take revenge on us... I must do something to stop him.
Hikaru took a deep breath. She turned her body and stepped back into the garden. It wasn't until Hikaru was close that Lantis finally noticed her presence. He opened his eyes, staring at Hikaru, and Hikaru's steps halted. She didn't dare to look at his face; she tried to speak, but her throat felt tight. She struggled to start with the words she had chosen, but it was difficult...
"Um... th-they say that you are Zagato's younger brother..."
Lantis didn't understand where this painful topic was heading. He didn't expect anyone to dare disturb him like this. He wanted to leave or, conversely, to drive this red-haired girl away. But when he saw the fear and how she struggled to gather the courage to appear and speak, Lantis swallowed his frustration and decided to listen.
The silence between them broke after a moment as Lantis finally spoke, "That's true."
"I-I... I am the one who..." Suddenly, Hikaru lifted her head and, with all her courage, expressed what she really wanted to say. "You can take revenge on me if you want! No, no. Taking revenge on me alone might not be enough. Do whatever you want to me, but please... don't hurt Umi and Fuu!
"I know, I am selfish... Umi and Fuu have really changed since we returned to Tokyo. I feel pressured, and they keep comforting me. I know they cry when they're alone. I don't want them to be hurt again. So, if you want to take revenge on someone, just do it to me!" Somehow, her eyes welled up with tears... "Do it to me, please..." She quickly wiped away the tears she couldn't hold back any longer.
Lantis saw her distress and felt concerned. "You care about them a lot..." Hikaru nodded. "Listen. I don't want to take revenge on you or do anything to you. You, the Magic Knights... you were summoned from another world. You knew nothing. I have no reason to blame you."
"But, I...!"
"You too," Lantis interrupted Hikaru. "You also cry when you're alone, don't you? You need to think about your own happiness before worrying about others'."
Hikaru gasped. She hadn't expected to hear something so sympathetic from Lantis.
Lantis continued, "There is no reason for you to keep blaming yourself for everything that happened. If I have to blame something, the only thing I will blame is Cephiro."
Hearing that, the weight that had burdened her soul lifted. The cold vanished, replaced by warmth. She didn't know where it came from, but she felt something bright enveloping her. Hikaru and Lantis looked up simultaneously, gazing at the glass ceiling above their heads.
"For the first time, the sun shines on Cephiro..." whispered Lantis. The dark clouds parted, revealing the blue sky behind them and the dazzling sun... even if only for a moment. "It seems morning has come. Wake up, Primera. We're leaving..."
Hikaru was still mesmerized by the spot where she had seen the sun for the first time since she arrived in Cephiro.
"Master... Did you wake me?" Primera, a fairy, appeared from a hidden spot in the garden, looking sleepy. As soon as she saw Hikaru standing beside Lantis, her drowsiness vanished instantly. "Wait... What is happening here?!"
Hikaru was about to greet her, but Primera interrupted with her shrill voice. "Do you think you can steal my beloved while I sleep?! Lantis is mine!" she declared. "He is my protector after the forest I lived in was destroyed... Oh, he's so wonderful." Primera blushed but quickly turned fierce again. "So! Even though I'm small, don't expect me to back down in a battle for love!"
"L-love?" Hikaru was utterly confused. She looked at Lantis and then back at Primera.
"Don't listen to her..." said Lantis.
"Oh, Master Lantis..." Primera whined, fluttering around. She turned to Hikaru again. "Stay away from Master Lantis. Understand?"
Hikaru ignored her, watching Lantis walk away. "Wait," she pleaded, chasing after him. "Wait..."
"What more do you want?"
"You said you blame Cephiro... Do you also think the Pillar System is wrong?" Lantis stopped, genuinely surprised despite his calm demeanor. "Please, answer me..."
"I don't want... to talk about that." There was something bitter in Lantis's voice.
"Where are you going?"
"That's none of your business." Lantis started to leave for real this time. Hikaru chased him, but Lantis had already summoned his magical horse and mounted it.
"Wait! Don't you care? People suspect you... Don't you want to clear things up? Tell me, where are you going? You're not a spy for Autozam, are you?"
Lantis didn't answer. He shot out through the large hole in the ceiling. Hikaru stood frozen in place. She shouted as loud as she could, hoping Lantis would hear her. "You told me to think about my own happiness. Why don't you care even about yourself? What are you chasing that you don't care about yourself?" But Lantis was already far away. "Can't we be friends?" Hikaru asked the empty air.
...
"Don't you care? People suspect you... Don't you want to clear things up? Tell me, where are you going? You're not a spy for Autozam, are you?"
Lantis knew it didn't feel right to leave the girl like that, but he didn't want to discuss anything further. He was pressed for time; he had an extremely important mission to complete. There was no time to think about anything else, including himself... But the girl said something strange... What did she know about the Pillar System?
"Master..." Primera called. She looked down at the castle, which seemed tiny from her vantage point. Hikaru was still there; Primera could see her with her sharp vision. "That strange girl... She's still there."
Lantis remained silent. Ahead of him were three paths of light created by the three countries, Autozam, Fahren, and Chizeta. They had reached a point high enough that all of Cephiro was visible from there.
"Primera, do it now..."
"I know," Primera replied. She closed her eyes, and the crystal embedded in her chest began to glow. She concentrated.
"Once again, can you sense the presence of the Pillar candidates?" Lantis asked urgently. "In Cephiro?"
"Right. There's no one. There's no one with great power initiating a connection... except for those who have already arrived."
Those who have already arrived? Lantis looked at the three warships from the other countries, becoming clearer. "Are there really any Pillar candidates among them? Do you know, Primera?"
"They've made their way to Cephiro. I guess we'll never know who they are until they enter the selection tower." Primera opened her eyes but quickly grew faint and lost consciousness. Lantis swiftly caught her.
"Primera, you're exhausted..." Primera weakly nodded. "I'm sorry, this is indeed very hard on you. Forgive me..."
"It's alright... This way, I can repay my debt to you," Primera said before falling asleep.
A Pillar candidate from another country. But is there no other way than to let them approach Cephiro? If they approach Cephiro with all their might, I don't know what else I can do to prevent it... Lantis thought.
The Magic Guru must already be aware of this. He knows the impossibility of finding a Pillar candidate from Cephiro itself. But he won't let the candidates approach easily... Is it to avoid war on the land? Even if they are candidates, they carry the missions of their respective countries... Without the selection process, they will kill each other to compete for the Pillar position. So, is it better for me to wait and see who comes out as the winner?
Right. I can only wait. I will wait... Lantis gripped his sword tightly. He didn't like this choice that required him to be patient.