"Today feels different from yesterday... The sky is brighter... It's like I can see the sun from down here..." Umi gazed out the window. The light outside seemed so dazzling that she shielded her eyes with both hands. "Isn't it?"
"Indeed..." Fuu said, bustling back and forth setting up breakfast on their room's table. "I'm so happy! Hot drinks and cakes! Let's eat!" she cheerfully invited.
Umi grinned mischievously. "You seem so happy... Come on, spill it! What happened between you and Ferio two nights ago, yesterday, and last night?"
Fuu blushed.
"You're blushing!" Umi chuckled, determined to tease her friend.
Fuu covered her face with her hands. "Stop it, Umi..."
"Oh, I know! He gave you that!" Umi pointed out.
Fuu noticed the golden ring on her left ring finger. She blushed even deeper. "Don't misunderstand! I didn't..."
"Yes! You accepted it?" Umi pulled Fuu to sit down. "Tell me... Oh, no need! I know you did! Wow, you're really grown up! I envy you!"
"Stop it, Umi... Let's just eat... He and I just toured around the castle." Fuu scooped a piece of bread into her mouth. "Let's eat. Come on." She bowed her head deeply, hiding her face.
"You really like him..."
"Umi..."
Umi grabbed Mokona, who was happily hopping around. "Do you know what love is, Mokona?" She continued teasing Fuu. "Fuu is in love! Can you ask her how it feels for me?"
Fuu couldn't take it anymore. "So, what about you? You went with Ascot, didn't you?"
"You wouldn't believe it if you heard this. Ascot bred monsters in Cephiro. I saw it and they're really useful for defending the castle. I've been thinking of a strategy..."
Fuu glanced at Umi, raising an eyebrow. "Hey, I haven't heard the voice of someone who should and usually does."
Umi instantly fell silent. "True." She turned to the redhead sitting quietly by the window, looking out without being disturbed by the noise and discussion they were having. "Hikaru?"
Umi and Fuu exchanged looks again. Hikaru didn't respond to them. Hikaru wasn't listening... Her mind was wandering somewhere else.
Umi approached. She just touched Hikaru, but Hikaru was startled. "Hey, what's wrong? Are you okay?" Umi felt Hikaru's forehead... "Are you sick? You are a bit warm, you know?"
"Are you tired? You seem out of energy. Are you not sleeping well?" Fuu asked with concern. Hikaru just stared at her. "Hikaru, with my power, I can't heal exhaustion. Please, take care of yourself."
Clearly something is troubling her, "How can I sleep if every night I'm searching for you guys?" She tries to lighten the mood. Umi and Fuu exchange glances once more. There's a sense of guilt on their faces, and Hikaru notices it. "Hey, it's okay! I'm fine... Maybe I'm just hungry... Yeah, it's nothing." Hikaru realizes she's lying. Every night she searches for Lantis...
"'I'm fine,' I don't believe you, Hikaru," Umi leans closer to Hikaru. She tightly grips Hikaru's hand and feels how cold it is. "If you want us by your side, we'll be there. You just need to say it."
"Umi..."
"You're always so careless and never complain even when you're hurt or sick. You always think of others before yourself. So, nothing is more meaningless than your 'I'm fine,' Hikaru," Umi sighs. "I don't want to scold you... But what are you hiding this time? What don't you want us to know, Hikaru? What are you hesitant to tell us?"
"Don't pressure her, Umi. She'll talk when she's ready. Right, Hikaru?" Fuu hands her a cup of drink. Hikaru takes it and stares down at its contents.
"Fuu... thank you..."
"Hikaru, I want you to hear this." Hikaru lifts her head and looks at Fuu. "We came to Cephiro to fight together again. We go to different schools and live in different areas, but what we experienced together in Cephiro is a memory only we share. That's why, Hikaru, I want you to know, I consider you and Umi my friends, the most important friends in my life. Once my sister advised me that it would be very difficult for you if you had no one else who understood your suffering. But if you're not alone, you can share your worries and work together to find solutions to your problems. That way, you'll truly be fine. Many things will happen, and I agree with what you once said that as long as we're together, we'll be our best selves. The three of us, together..."
Hikaru sets her cup down. Suddenly, she stands up and hugs Umi and Fuu tightly for a while. "Thank you... Umi... Fuu..." Mokona hops around near them. "Do you want a hug too? Come here!" Hikaru opens her arms, and Mokona jumps into them.
Umi pats Mokona's head and strokes its soft white fur. "Haha... you feel nice. I bet you'd taste good!"
"PUU!" Mokona jumps away and runs to a corner of the room. "Puu!"
"Dipped in tea, Mokona would be a tasty snack..." Fuu teases.
Umi and Fuu laugh, chasing Mokona around the room. Mokona is too fast for them. It returns to Hikaru for protection.
"They're not really going to eat you, Mokona!"
Umi quietly approached and startled Mokona. However, she herself screamed in horror when the ground beneath them shook violently. Light was visible from outside, continuously striking the castle's defenses...
"Cephiro is under attack..." Hikaru stared wide-eyed at everything unfolding. Another strong tremor shook them again, this time successfully knocking them to the floor along with their room's belongings. "Are you two okay?"
"Hikaru!" Fuu called out.
"Are you alright?" Umi asked. "We should get out of here!"
Umi pulled Hikaru and Fuu out of their room. Mokona was safe in Hikaru's embrace. They ran and joined the human flow also trying to save themselves. It was their first meeting with the people of Cephiro. They descended from the high floors of the castle, heading towards the safer underground bunker. A group of sorcerers guided them, showing the way to evacuation.
Fuu wanted to follow them, but Hikaru stopped her. "We need to go to Clef's place!" She was so restless, not expecting the castle's defenses to be so weak that they couldn't withstand an attack from outside. They ran as fast as they could, pushing through people... There were scared screams, crying children... Everyone was in a panic...
Another attack... So blinding...
"Are you all okay? Is anyone hurt?" Hikaru quickly asked as they rushed into Clef's room. Presea and Ferio were there. "Where are the others? LaFarga, Caldina, Ascot!" She also wanted to ask about Lantis, but stopped herself.
"We're alright. They've joined the sorcerer forces to protect and calm the people," Clef answered.
The three of them gasped for breath... Hikaru, Umi, and Fuu felt relieved.
"What's the explanation for this, Master Clef?" Hikaru asked. "The castle's defenses... The land splitting and shaking..."
"Cephiro is beginning to collapse again, and it coincides with attacks from the Fahren people..."
"Fahren?!" All three were deeply shocked.
"We don't have much time..." Umi said tensely.
"That's right..." Fuu agreed. "We need to do something. Lets join the battle."
But Hikaru had a different thought. "Is it true that Cephiro won't survive without the Pillar?"
"Cephiro will even disappear."
Hikaru shocked them. "If you really need the Pillar to save Cephiro, why not let those people in? One of them is a potential Pillar of Cephiro, isn't he?"
"It's not that simple. If one of them indeed qualifies, what will they do to Cephiro? They only pursue power and authority from being a Pillar! What will they give or leave for the people of Cephiro?"
"What matters now? If you're worried about something like that, why not rally people to fight and defend themselves instead of hiding? Why not prepare people to fight?"
"Hikaru... Please..." Umi wanted Hikaru to stop talking.
"We don't have soldiers..." Ferio responded. Bitterness escaped his lips. "There are no experienced fighters. We can only defend ourselves as best we can..."
"If you have the strength to defend, you also have the strength to fight back... At this point, Cephiro must fight! You won't achieve anything if you hesitate. You can't live with one hand pushing away the Pillar while the other hand desires them. You have to choose and face all the risks..."
Clef was deeply contemplative. He felt like he had experienced this before. He tightly gripped his staff... His body shivered with something he found hard to comprehend.
Everyone fell silent. Fuu touched Hikaru's shoulder, "Is that what you've been thinking all this time?"
Umi covered her mouth, realizing the mistake she had just made with Hikaru. She always wanted Hikaru to be honest with her, yet she had asked Hikaru not to say anything. "Hikaru..." Umi wanted to apologize, but Hikaru didn't give her the chance.
"We can't continue to hesitate and risk the lives of Cephiro's people," Hikaru said firmly. "Now tell me, how do you choose the Pillar? I will find that hidden one for you! We will resolve this."