Autozam's pride, the battleship NSX was parked in the fringes of Cephiro's atmosphere. The ship was monitoring events down below, hence the close proximity to the enemy territory. While observing of the movements of their enemies should have taken priority, there was a far more pressing matter at NSX's repair bay
The repair bay was a large room dedicated to fixing everything from personal equipment to the O-series mechs. The floors were covered in dark-olive metallic sheets, some of which acted as elevator platforms. The walls were silverish metal with ladders and personnel-lifts going up and down, allowing access to several tiers of walkways. The ceiling was dark green in color with rectangular light giving panels in several rows, spaced out by robotic arms attached to the ceiling.
The sides of the room were covered in repair stations and workbenches for smaller repairs, as well as larger test areas for developing new weapons. All conceivable tools and appliances were in use and all the mechanics on board NSX were busy at work. The simultaneous whirring of hundreds of power tools created a deafening cacophony, as the mechanics worked on their lead mech.
The lead mechanic, Zazu Torque, was currently operating the massive robotic arms that hung from the ceiling. Using their mechanical hands, suction cups, and multipurpose tools, he was removing and reattaching the FTO's largest parts. The mech consisted of over 358 000 moving parts and circuits, and right now, each of them required inspection.
As he was concentrating on work, he was interrupted by a gentle voice, "What seems to be the progress, Zazu?"
Behind him he saw a young man with white hair, mahogany eyes, and a smiling expression. Eagle was wearing his usual commander's uniform and seemed to be in a far better shape than yesterday. Having returned from his battle against the foe known as Nova, Eagle had barely been able to walk on his own when extracted from FTO's cockpit.
"Oh! Eagle!" Zazu said happily, halting the robotic arms before letting go of the controls.
And next to Eagle, stood a tall muscular man with dark hair, "Attention! Commander on deck!"
Hearing the cacophony of power tools stop, a feeling of dread set upon Zazu, as the mechanics quickly stopped what they were doing and saluted. Zazu only had time to raise his arms to try and stop Geo, until he heard a loud crash behind him. This was followed by several metal pipes falling, FTO's left arm dropping, an explosion, and the sound of the fire extinguishing system activating.
Not daring to turn around, Zazu instead jumped and grabbed hold of Geo's sleeveless uniform, clinging to him like a monkey. With Zazu staring at him angrily only an inch away from his face, Geo couldn't help but lean back nervously, raising his arms up.
"You damn big OGRE! I have told you a thousand times not to interrupt the mechanics while we work!" Zazu roared in his face.
"S-Sorry…" Geo apologized. "I will get you some good liquor as an apology…"
"Neglecting our recent setback," Eagle spoke in a calm yet inquisitive tone, "how much longer until FTO's new upgrades will be ready?"
Letting go of Geo's shirt, Zazu hopped down before crossing his arms and tapping his foot, "The better question would be when we get the repairs done! We are still finding broken components deep inside the fuselage! If we didn't have footage of your previous fight, I would imagine you tried fighting a shoot star!"
"Zazu, I asked you a question," Eagle interrupted him, with a slightly sterner tone.
Realizing Eagle was being serious, Zazu sighed before scratching his head, "We are still trying to develop weapons with greater damage output and penetration. We have ideas, but the energy output is the problem. The FTO was meant for quick hit-and-run tactics, not heavy firepower. If you want heavy caliber weapons, we have three choices on how to power them."
"Go on," Eagle asked, showing he was in no hurry.
"Well…" Zazu thought about it, before walking over to a computer terminal. "We can momentarily redirect all the power from the engines to the weapons system. It is reliable but it will leave you a sitting duck while the weapons charge up. Another option is to have a separate pre-charged powerpack built into the left arm. It will allow for the weapons to fire immediately whenever you want, but can only hold a charge for one shot. The third option is that we just try and supercharge FTO's energy output even further, but that will just end up frying your mind."
Thinking about the different options thoroughly, Eagle eventually asked, "Would it be possible to have all three? Powerpack for starters, engine shutdown for charging up, and supercharger for emergencies?"
"Eagle, that is far too risky!" Geo objected, but was silenced by his commander's arm gesture.
Zazu thought about the suggestion for a moment, before answering, "It can be done, but the upgrades will be delayed even further."
"That is fine," Eagle nodded, holding his arms behind his back. "With a foe like the one we are facing now; we cannot take half-measures. Let's just hope we do not miss out on a window of opportunity because of these delays."
"Commander!" a voice yelled out from behind them, as a soldier rushed over to Eagle.
"At ease, soldier. Speak," Geo ordered.
The soldier held up what looked like a handheld monitor, before speaking, "Our bio-trackers are indicating that two of the Magic Knights have left the enemy base."
Looking on the monitor, Zazu, Eagle, and Geo could see a rough digital map of what remained of Cephiro, with several blinking lights. For a moment, Eagle saw a green and a blue blip disappear off the map, leaving a red blip at the center of the map and a silver blip moving towards the center.
"The only ones left defending Cephiro's castle are Hikaru and Commander Hotaru…" Eagle said, trying not to let his frustration show. "What rotten luck we have."
Having been somewhat victorious against Luna and Terra, Hotaru made his way back to the Sanctuary with a smile on his face. With Umi and Fuu successfully captured, his battle plans had advanced to their next phase; forming allegiance with Fahren and Chizeta. He hoped that both Umi and Fuu could establish a firmer connection with the two nations, due to the information he had shared with them.
The reason why he hoped for this was because he hadn't really talked with the girls about the plan after his initial briefing. Due to their short falling out, Hotaru hadn't had time to think of a detailed plan for the girls. But, as always, he had faith in their own ability. After all, they had succeeded in making friends with the princesses, even if it had taken a while for that friendship to blossom.
Reaching the gigantic oval entrance of Sanctuary's central tower, Hotaru was surprised by a sizable welcoming committee. Ascot, Caldina, Clef, Ferio, Hikaru, Lafarga, Presea and Sierra were all present to welcome him. In fact, the only ones of his closest acquaintances who weren't present were Lantis and Alcyone, but this didn't surprise him.
Landing in front of the crowd, Hotaru was quickly hugged by Hikaru, "Hotaru-san you're okay!"
Despite being taken aback by this, Hotaru returned the hug gently, while saying confidently, "Of course I am okay. If anyone would survive all that, it would be me."
Although Hotaru tried to act casual about the hug, the others could see an unintentional smile creep up on his face. This made them look at Hotaru smugly, which earned them a sharp glare from the paladin.
"Awww, ya two really look like siblings when ya get so close together," Caldina teased, making a cutesy face.
"I've already made that joke myself," Hotaru rolled his eyes while smiling.
"Congratulations on finally succeeding with the wind cutting technique," Lafarga commended Hotaru proudly. "I have never seen anyone manage such a large slash before. It was a magnificent display of skill and power."
Hotaru smiled widely; however, this was dampened by the reality of the situation, "Thanks, but I still need a lot of practice with it. One use and my arms feel like they are about to pop off…"
"And I don't think you can sing an entire verse before using it every time," Ferio patted him on the back while grinning with his eyes closed.
Hotaru's eyes widened as he flushed from embarrassment, before asking, "Oh… You heard that?"
"Zagato could have heard it," Presea blurted, shaking her head. "I swear, you are in greater need of singing lessons than I am!"
Hotaru looked down at Hikaru, asking dispiritedly, "It wasn't that bad, was it?"
Hikaru's eyes narrowed before her face twisted into an awkward smile, "I… Uhm… I'm not really a fan of heavy metal, so I cannot judge?"
"At least you guessed the genre correctly…" Hotaru sighed.
Hotaru was about to head over to the central tower's bar to get some liquid courage to train his singing, when Clef walked over to him.
"So, what do we do now, Hotaru?" Clef asked. "I know things went according to plan, as much as I can tell, but I worry for my students."
"Well… I had originally thought we would just wait for Umi and Fuu to do their best. However…" Hotaru said, before turning towards Ascot and Ferio.
"Huh?" Ascot straightened up, noticing he was being stared at.
"What?" Ferio tilted his head,
Hotaru stroked his chin, before smiling deviously inwardly, "In the original story, you two set off to rescue Umi and Fuu when they were captured. Now that the girls know what they are doing I thought it wouldn't be necessary. But… With Luna and Terra around, they might need backup."
"Re-Rescue Umi?" Ascot blushed slightly, his heart jumping at the thought of it.
"I see, that would certainly be something I would do," Ferio nodded pensively.
Seeing his friends getting in on the idea, Hotaru couldn't help but grin slightly. While Ferio didn't need his help with Fuu, he wanted to nudge Ascot into the right direction with Umi. Making sure he came to her rescue this time around as well, was a necessary step.
"Hold on a minute!" Caldina spoke out, walking in front of Ascot and pointing her fan at Hotaru. "Somethin' like that would be far too dangerous for Ascot to do! There's no way I would let him go! Especially with those two dangerous things running around!"
"Caldina!" Ascot objected, before Hotaru brushed the dancer's fan away.
"You failed to stop him last time and you will fail to do it this time as well," Hotaru said coldly, looking unflinchingly into Caldina's eyes. "However, you are right."
Ascot and Ferio were about to object, until Hotaru looked at them seriously, "You are not in a hurry to rescue the Magic Knights. You will potentially be facing evil Mashins, so make sure to properly prepare yourselves. Mentally and however else you can."
Hearing the grim tone of Hotaru's words, the three of them all could tell how seriously he was taking this. While Ascot wanted to save Umi, he knew this was not a time to be rushing head first. Caldina was mad at Hotaru for brushing her concerns aside, but it was clear he knew how risky it was for Ascot to go after Umi. As for Ferio, while he had seen himself as a burden for the Magic Knights at the tail end of their adventure, he couldn't just abandon Fuu again. Even if it meant facing off monstrous Mashins.
"We will be careful," Ascot promised.
"And we will bring them back safely," Ferio added, before both of them took their leave to prepare for the rescue mission.
As the others watched them leave, Lafarga spoke out stoically, "Love really can embolden the heart."
Hearing the sword master's words, over two thirds of the people present blushed. While the women were just a bit embarrassed by these words, Hotaru's earlier joy and optimism shriveled up completely. If he remembered correctly, Alcyone had promised this morning that she would have the answer as to whether or not their relationship would continue by evening. The anticipation of this made his heart sink.
He was snapped out of his thoughts, as he felt a small hand grab his armored gauntlet, "You look pale, Hotaru."
Seeing Hikaru's worried expression, Hotaru sighed while trying not to look too shaken, "I am just… I'm a bit uncertain about my current love life."
"I see…" Hikaru nodded, feeling the same way. "Well, my father always told me that if I ever felt uncertain, I should remember our family motto."
"What's that?" Hotaru tilted his head, not remembering the Shidou family having a motto.
"'Accomplish your original intent'," Hikaru said with a wise and mature tone, mimicking her father.
"Naruhodo," Hotaru nodded back. "…What does that mean?"
"Beats me," Hikaru smiled, causing Hotaru to pratfall, "but it does help me clear my mind."
"I will try and keep it in mind…" Hotaru grunted, as he got back up, before being pulled aside by three other women.
Forced face to face with Caldina, Presea, and Sierra all of a sudden, Hotaru for a moment wondered if he had insulted them or if they were coming onto him. Looking over their heads at Clef and Lafarga, both of them seemed just as confused by all this. Shifting his sight back on the ladies, he noticed that the three of them were all blushing, and yet wore dead serious expressions.
"Speakin' of love life," Caldina spoke in a quiet yet demanding voice, to a point where it sounded threatening, "ya know a lot 'bout the future, don't ya?"
"Relatively, yes?" Hotaru downplayed his knowledge, before it clicked. "Oh! I see what you mean…"
"If you do, can you please tell if any of us… get lucky?" Presea whispered while blushing awkwardly.
In the past, Caldina had tried to get Hotaru to wingman her in setting her up with Lafarga, an attempt which he had teasingly thwarted. Now that Caldina knew about his past, pulling the same stunt might have been dangerous. He wanted to give out a straight answer, but Sierra's and Presea's presence made things awkward.
If I say that Caldina's relationship with Lafarga is a successful one but have no idea what happened with the other two, it might discourage them. Furthermore, I have no idea how these sisters have even decided to deal with their feelings towards Clef? …Does Sierra even have feelings towards him?
Staring at Sierra with a side eye, he could see the blonde blacksmith blush and avert her gaze slightly. Taking this as a yes, Hotaru decided the best course of action was to let nature take its course.
Placing his hands on the shoulders of Caldina and Sierra, who stood to the left and right of him, Hotaru answered maturely, "Just be honest with your feelings and the rest will take care of itself. It takes bravery and commitment, but it is worth the trouble."
The three women's expressions loosened up a bit, before Caldina and Presea gave him a warm smile. Sierra smiled as well, but her's seemed a bit more forced, which made Hotaru hope for the best for her.
"Alright, we will do our best," Caldina smiled confidently.
"We wish you good luck with Alcyone as well, Captain Hotaru," Presea winked at him.
Giving a light chuckle at Presea's joke, Hotaru smiled confidently as he took his leave, "Haven't you heard? It's commander now."
Purple lightning flashed across the pitch-black sky over Debonair's dark lair. While flashes of lightning were a common sight in this dark and twisted world, the weather was stormier than usual. Wind blew in short but powerful gusts in multiple directions and the lightning struck every odd second. It was as if the skies themselves were upset at the ground beneath them.
Inside the dark tower, Debonair's three youngest daughters were gathered in their usual dwelling and kneeling down in a row, in front of their mother. Although their mother had always been unusually tall and somewhat ghostly in appearance; Debonair was now almost twice as tall and her body was completely opaque. However, her increased size and visibility weren't what made them anxious.
Their mother exuded an aura of pure repressed rage and disappointment, yet didn't show a drop of anger on their face. Nevertheless, this was enough to make the two elder daughters shiver in fear and suspense. As for the youngest of the three, she was smiling sadistically, despite everything else.
After finally getting her anger fully in control, Debonair spoke in her usual cold and cruel manner, "You three have failed me. Not one of you has successfully managed to eliminate the Magic Knight you were born from."
"W-We're sorry, Mother…" Terra apologized with a trembling voice, her wings shaking.
"Fu-fufufufu," Nova giggled, gleeful at her sisters' struggle. "Not so easy to kill them, is it?"
"It was all Hotaru's fault!" Luna said defensively, her fish-like tail slapping the ground angrily. "Had you let us kill him outright, then we would have succeeded!"
Debonair could feel her anger flare up once more at Luna's insolence, but at the same time, she couldn't deny her point. To finish off that man of many names sooner rather than later, would save her much headache. However, to do so would rob her of her ultimate victory; the final humiliation.
"Truth be told, mother dearest," a suave male voice spoke out, "this might work for our advantage."
Turning to the direction of the voice, Debonair saw a sinister young man with horns walking out from the shadows of her lair. He was smiling confidently and approached his sisters with open arms. She had always been happy to see her eldest child smile, but now, she couldn't help but feel wary of him.
"What have you in mind, Romeo?" Debonair asked, curious as to what the demon had in mind.
Placing his hands on the shoulders of Terra and Luna in an intimate manner, Romeo informed, "The Magic Knights have now been split between Cephiro's Sanctuary, Fahren's Dome, and Chizeta's Bravada. As long as they stay separate, my sweet little sisters can keep them busy during our assault."
"So the resistance we will be facing on Coronation Day will be…" Debonair thought out loud, before smiling wide and wickedly. "Yes… The Magic Knights will be hopeless to stop us! …But what about your maker?"
Romeo grinned at Debonair with his eyes closed, "Stella and I have almost finished all the preparations, he will not be bothering you. As for the rest of Cephiro's ilk, they will be busy dealing with our… other forces."
Having been stuck between two dark presences for a while now, a weight was lifted off the three sisters, as their mother started laughing. With their mother in a better mood, they knew that Romeo had spared them from the worst of it.
As Debonair took a break from laughing, she looked at Romeo with a smile, "Very well then, my handsome little man. I will forgive my sweet little daughters, this time. Luna, Terra, Nova, make sure to keep the Magic Knights separated, and mother will be pleased."
Finished lecturing her adoptive daughters, Debonair's visage started turning transparent, until she disappeared completely. Her bone chilling and cruel laughter echoed throughout their hideaway, long before she disappeared. With their mother gone, the three sisters stood up slowly.
"So… are we not going to help each other in taking down the Magic Knights?" Nova asked, slightly nervous.
"You need to learn independence, Nova," Luna said snootily, fixing her pearl necklace that now reached her sternum. "Besides, now that they will be separated, it won't be an issue for us to kill them outright."
"Hikaru might not have her friends by her side, but that doesn't mean she is alone!" Nova insisted, jealousy lighting her heart on fire.
Straightening her silk robes and long ponytail, Terra agreed with Nova's concerns, "She is right, the Magic Knights have other allies aside from each other."
"Maybe, but Umi and Fuu are going to be alone, that's all that matters," Luna stated, completely ignoring Nova.
As Nova was about to flush red with anger, she felt a pair of large hands on her shoulders. Turning around, she saw Romeo smiling at her charmingly, before lifting her chin up.
"Don't worry your cute little head, Nova," Romeo comforted his baby sister. "I will make sure to keep the people of the Sanctuary busy. You just focus on playing with Hikaru to your heart's content."
Nova's expression brightened up and her eyes sparkled with happiness, "Thank you so much, Big Brother!"
"Don't mention it," Romeo chuckled, before turning his attention to Nova's older sisters. "Now, how about we all take a moment to relax and recuperate?"
Luna and Terra both shirked back a little, as Romeo walked closer to them. They weren't yet used to their brother's larger size and less friendly appearance, but this wasn't the only cause for their discomfort. With nary a hesitation, Romeo walked over to the siren and the peri, placing his hands on their hips and bosom, before pulling them close.
"Big brother… We really shouldn't…" Luna objected, her voice growing quieter.
"Umi and Fuu will be busy at Bravada and Dome for a while," Romeo spoke in an inviting yet subdued voice. "So, why don't you let big brother show you a way to play that not even the Magic Knights have yet experienced?"
Though the sisters didn't know exactly what Romeo was talking about, they couldn't help but tense up from the topic. Even though they were dealing with the same, always helpful big brother who they had known their entire lives, something felt wrong. It was like some primal urge was telling them to stay away, to protect themselves.
A cold shiver ran down Terra's spine, before she pushed away from Romeo, "I… don't feel like we should. Maybe we can play some other time?"
"Yes… I-I need to go practice my s-singing…" Luna stuttered, using water currents to carry herself away from Romeo.
With the two more voluptuous sisters walking away from him, Romeo shifted his lime-green eyes at Nova. The pink-haired elf seemed hesitant at first, twitching in her skin-tight black outfit, before speaking in a clear voice.
"I… I don't want to disappoint Mother again," Nova's voice squeaked, as she forced herself to turn down Romeo's offer, "so… I will go practice as well. See you later…"
With Nova rushing off to the depths of the lair, Romeo was left alone in the purple central room of the tower. With his advances turned down by all three, he gritted his teeth and snarled with his lips closed. He had been sure that the shadow knights wouldn't say no, leaving him disappointed and frustrated. However, he wasn't going to make an uproar about it.
If I try to persuade them any further, I will come across as desperate. If I try to force them, the main bitch will try and intervene… maybe. Martin always made this look easier than it is… No matter. Soon, they will have no choice but to accept their place.
Placing his hands in his pockets, Romeo started walking towards the exit of the lair, his eyes gleaming sharply, "I guess I should go and pay my next of kin a little visit."
After Hotaru took his leave, Caldina had gathered her thoughts and courage, and walked straight over to Lafarga. While confessing her feelings in front of a bunch of people would have served her the best, she knew this would leave Lafarga in an awkward spot. The good-natured Captain of the Guard would not have been able to turn her down in front of a bunch of people, to spare her feelings. As such, Caldina had instead offered him an invitation to her apartment, so that they could talk in private.
Just as Caldina was about to make an excuse about needing to clean up before he arrived, Lafarga had requested to come over later. Agreeing to this, Caldina has rushed back to her apartment to get ready. After stowing away her gold coins and empty wine bottles, she looked around to make sure there was nothing else out of place.
Her apartment wasn't a large one, but it was considerably more stylish than her old hideout in Cephiro's wilderness. Even her quarters at the royal castle hadn't been as clean and spiffy, even though she rarely used them. What's more, Caldina's apartment captured many of the key aspects of Chizetan architecture.
The smooth, olivine walls were framed and decorated by golden strips and arches that reached all the way to the ceiling. The floor was made out of smooth, dark grayish pink crystal with a golden, ornate, intricate pattern circling the entire room. At the center of the room was a large, shiny, green carpet with gold and black borders. Each doorway had potted plants on both sides of the door, giving the room a decent amount of organic greenery.
The room was lit up by white shining orbs, attached atop golden lamps. Her living room had very little in terms of furniture, just a turquoise floating arm chair and two white, curved tear-drop shaped tables. Though there was only one place to sit, it fit her plans just fine.
Remembering back to the days of her childhood, Caldina had always dreamt of having a home just like this. But as a poor street urchin, she had never been able to afford to live in the richer districts of Chizeta. Although the circumstances of her getting here were questionable at best, she still felt accomplished for having done so.
While waiting, Caldina stood in front of a large, arched mirror that hung above her apartment's dressing table. She was checking herself, to make sure she looked as presentable and beautiful as possible. Her leotard was straight, her hair was in check, and her white shawl had no stains. Usually if she wanted to seduce a man, she would try and put on as much make-up, perfume, and jewelry as possible. However, she knew that Lafarga, who had lived his entire life on Cephiro, was a man who appreciated natural beauty.
Should I go without lipstick as well? …I've worn it so long; I look silly without it. My lips have always looked so skinny without the pink that it adds. It almost feels as if I am wearing nothing at all without my old friend…
Taking a look at the rest of her in the mirror, Caldina couldn't help but chuckle at her own thoughts.
Then again, look what I'm wearing! …I wonder if I should have gotten something more modest? Lafarga did ask to come over later, I bet he decided to put on something snazzy! Most likely a suit… No, a cute leather jacket! Maybe just a silk vest to show off his muscles~?
Deep in her fantasies, Caldina's heart skipped a beat as she heard a knock on her door. She quickly finished her preparations, before calming herself down.
"May I come in?" a deep voice asked from behind the door.
Standing up straight, facing the door, Caldina welcomed him, "Please, do come on in~!"
As the obsidian door of her apartment opened, her earlier fantasies were dashed. Lafarga walked in wearing his usual grey clothes and blue armor, with his sword hanging from his hip. However, it seemed that the swordsman was in a better mood than he had been yesterday.
"Sorry I made you wait," Lafarga apologized, sounding formal, but having a hint of joviality in his voice.
"Oh my, what has gotten ya in such a good mood?" Caldina tilted her head, with her hands on her hips.
"Does it show?" Lafarga asked, blushing slightly. "I was… I was just testing myself out on the training grounds."
"Training grounds…" Caldina repeated, furrowing her brow, until it hit her. "OH! Ya mean ya finally got rid of your 'weakness'?"
Lafarga nodded, smiling slightly now, "Exactly. I am still not back to my full power, but I am getting close."
"Already?" Caldina asked disappointedly, leaning her head to the other side. "I had hoped to help ya myself with it. What changed?"
"Well… I had some discussions with Hotaru and the other guys for starters," Lafarga recounted yesterday and today. "They helped me get to grips with my new view on our world. But after that, seeing Hotaru push back two Mashins with my technique, I just… felt inspired."
"I guess that would be motivatin' for ya fighter types," Caldina thought out loud while staring at the ceiling. "Anyway, go ahead and take a seat."
"Thank you," Lafarga nodded, walking towards the arm chair, before stopping, "where will you sit?"
"No need to worry about that," Caldina smiled, resisting the urge to wink.
Sitting down comfortably, the turquoise arm-chair bounced slightly underneath the captain. Sitting and relaxing, Lafarga watched Caldina lean back against her dressing table. The light of the lamp next to her reflected off of her shiny smooth skin and golden leotard, creating a sensual contrast with her dark skin. Like a fine piece of art, Lafarga would have wanted to admire her longer, but knew he shouldn't stare for too long.
"What is it that you wanted to talk about?" Lafarga asked stoically, staring into Caldina's aquamarine eyes.
Caldina chuckled lightly, before smiling warmly and longingly, "I wanted to help ya out with your 'condition', but now that it has been taken care of, I cannot help but think of Ascot…"
Lafarga was about to raise an eyebrow, until he picked up on what Caldina meant, "Ascot… you mean how Hotaru said that you failed to stop him from saving Umi?"
"Yes," Caldina nodded, feeling a slight twinge of pride. "I never realized his heart had matured as much as his body did. It feels like only yesterday when he could barely defend himself. And now, he is tryin' to protect others…"
Seeing Caldina smiling while staring at the ground, Lafarga couldn't help but smile as well, "People change when they have someone to care about. This is all the truer to us people of Cephiro."
Caldina smiled brightly and giggled upon hearing this, getting up off the dressing table. She then walked in front of Lafarga, bowing down close to his face, causing the swordsman's stoic expression to falter.
"Hey, hey, does that mean you can change too, Lafarga?" she asked cheerfully, dialing down her accent.
Not wanting to get his hopes up, Lafarga asked, "Change how?"
Holding her arms behind her back, Caldina leaned in closer teasingly, "Would you change if you fell in love with me?"
Trying to remain stoic, Lafarga looked away while blushing slightly, "W-What are you saying?"
Realizing Lafarga was playing dumb, Caldina knew she couldn't use half measures. Whether it was Lafarga's lack of self-confidence or interest in her, she would make her feelings clear. To show she wasn't going to let him off the hook, Caldina straightened up her posture and placed her hands on her hips.
"I swear…" she pouted dramatically, before taking her seat.
Lafarga's stoic façade was broken almost instantly, as Caldina hopped onto his lap elegantly. Caldina's white shawl fluttered in the air for a moment, before gently covering them both. In all his life, Lafarga had never held a woman on his lap before, and found the experience astonishing to say the least. Caldina was lighter and far warmer than he had expected, and up close, far more beautiful in her own unique way.
Realizing she might've been serious about her words, Lafarga tried finding the right words, "Caldina…"
"I'm originally from Chizeta," Caldina interrupted him, reciting a confession she had prepared. "To tell the truth, what happens to Cephiro don't have much to do with me."
As she brought up her past, guilt made Caldina's voice go lower, as she recounted her past motives, "I fought in the previous battle because I was bein' paid. I was thinkin' of goin' on another journey when I got my cash…"
With Caldina going silent, Lafarga was about to comfort her, before the Chizetan dancer wrapped her delicate arms around his neck. As their blue eyes met, Lafarga couldn't help but smile when Caldina brought her face close to his.
"But after seein' Lafarga workin' so hard to evacuate everyone, without even thinkin' twice about it as Cephiro crumbled around ya," Caldina poured out her heart passionately, before pausing for a moment to calm her heart, "...I fell in love."
Before Lafarga could open his mouth, Caldina started rambling nervously, "Well, I've always gone for the serious, stubborn, and misunderstood types!"
To calm Caldina down, Lafarga placed his hand onto her arm gently, before closing his eyes to clear his mind. Understanding Caldina's point of view better now, he needed to let her know his motives as well.
"I was controlled during the battle brought on by High Priest Zagato and I couldn't do anything. Even when Zagato took control over you and Ascot, it was Hotaru who found a way to solve the situation," Lafarga sighed with a heavy heart, before looking at Caldina determinedly. "That's why I want to fight so I have no regrets this time."
"…To protect Cephiro?" Caldina asked quietly, unsure if she had reached his heart.
Lafarga nodded quietly, before gently placing his large hand onto Caldina's cheek, "And to protect you, who decided to stay in this country."
It took but a moment for these words to register for Caldina, at which point she gasped from happiness, before embracing Lafarga tightly. She wrapped her arms around his neck, lowered her face against his unarmored neck, while pressing her chest against his breastplate. With Caldina clinging to him with all her heart, Lafarga gently and carefully wrapped his large arms around her. Her body felt soft and delicate, yet he could feel strong athletic muscles underneath her warm body. As they continued their embrace, Caldina's warmth made its way all the way into his heart.
When the lovers finally pulled back from their embrace, they looked deep into each other's eyes silently. It was only now, at the eye of the storm of all the events, that they realized just how much they had yearned for each other. Whether it was acceptance, understanding, or stability, they now had found it all in one another. As their hearts opened up to one another, Caldina leaned in for a kiss, with Lafarga receiving her lips.
Lafarga had never shared a kiss before, nor had he ever dreamt it to be nothing more than a gesture between lovers. But as Caldina's tender lips met his, he felt a whole new sense of fulfilment. While Caldina had plenty of experience from her jobs from around the different worlds, she immediately could tell Lafarga's kiss was special. Though coarse and inexperienced, it carried with it a sense of commitment and love.
Once Caldina and Lafarga had taken their leave, Clef had returned to the Sanctuary's throne room. The brightly lit round room encircled by marble pillars with golden decorations, was where he spent most of his time these days. Its blue ceiling that could be converted into a projection of the outside world, gave him a clear view of the events around him. He was used to throne rooms, having spent many a moment in the vicinity of past Pillars of Cephiro.
This time however, it was him on the golden throne, in a lavish throne room, reigning over a giant opulent castle. And yet, while circumstances had thrusted him in the position of a leader, he was no king. Heavy was the head that held the crown, so he had heard, so he had seen. And yet, supporting the Sanctuary was as far as his powers and skills extended. He couldn't imagine how much strain Princess Emeraude and the Pillars before her had been under, supporting all of Cephiro.
With that in mind, Clef looked at the large golden throne in front of him, on which he had never actually sat upon. Though the low-seated throne was literally made for him, the thought of actually sitting upon it went against his nature. He was but a temporary leader, or as he would put it, an imposter.
Cephiro needs an actual ruler, not just a Master Mage to look after it. Hotaru, I know you said that it was for the better for us not to know the identity of the next Pillar. But without being able to guide the next Pillar, I feel so useless…
Standing on the golden platform that the throne sat upon, Clef's thoughts shifted back on the Magic Knights. Ever since they had returned to Cephiro, he had been worried for their safety. When they chose to continue fighting for Cephiro, he was both happy and anxious at the same time. In the past few days, the girls had fought several times, putting their lives on the line, while he was forced to stay here in the throne room.
If what Hotaru says is true, we have managed to avoid the biggest tragedy that befell the Magic Knights so far. Hikaru's sword is intact and Umi and Fuu managed to get captured by Chizeta and Fahren. But… was it really safe to let them go? The dark presence that permeates Cephiro, no, Debonair, keeps getting stronger each day. I can feel it.
Remembering Hotaru's words about Debonair growing stronger because of fear, Clef did his best to steel his heart. And yet, the thought of those girls being further outside of his sphere of influence and protection than ever before, gnawed at his nerves.
"Umi… Fuu… please be safe," Clef said a little prayer, before he heard the throne room door open.
Turning around, he could see a tall blonde woman in a short orange dress with long white sleeves walk in. Her movements were careful and her expression was stiff and nervous. She came to a stop once she reached the middle of the throne room, and sighing deeply to calm her nerves.
"Presea," Clef addressed her calmly, to try and help her relax. "Is something wrong?"
Breathing in deep, Presea gathered her thoughts before opening her eyes, "Master Mage Clef, there is something I must confess to you."
"What is it?" Clef asked, worried as to what it might be.
"…Ever since I was an apprentice to my old master, you have been a small part of my life," Presea confessed, before hurriedly explaining herself. "Not like that though! W-What I meant is… ahem, you were always on my mind."
Realizing Presea's jab at his height was accidental, Clef just smiled warmly, "Do go on."
Blushing deeply from innumerous reasons, Presea continued, "When you arrived at my workshop fifteen years ago and took me to the mansion in the Forest of Silence, I was so happy to be of use to you. But it was only during the years I spent in isolation, that I was truly able to explore my feelings."
Clef was about to apologize for keeping Presea isolated, before she interrupted him, "I realized that I enjoyed having you on my mind. And… I would like to make you a larger part of my life…"
Smiling widely, with her moistening brown eyes glistening, Presea placed her hands on her chest, "Master Clef… I love you."
Taken aback by this confession, Clef was lost for words. He almost let go of his staff in shock, but managed to catch it midway. Collecting his thoughts, Clef tried to figure out a way to respond to Presea's feelings.
"Pre-Presea," he stuttered, before the throne room door opened once more.
A sense of déjà vu took him over as he could see a tall blonde woman in a short white dress with long orange sleeves walk in. Unlike her sister, Sierra's motions were confident and the look on her face was determined. Once next to her sister, Sierra knelt down on one knee towards Clef.
"Si-Sierra? What are you doing?" Presea asked, blinking confusedly at her little sister.
Looking up towards Clef, Sierra spoke clearly, "Master Mage Clef, just as both me and my sister look alike, it seems that our hearts are the same as well. I too, am in love with you."
This sudden confession shocked both Presea and Clef equally as badly, with their jaws dropping to their collar bones. Presea's knees were shaking and Clef was close to having to sit down on the golden throne, but managed to prop himself against its armrest.
"Si-Si-Si-Si-Si-Sister! What the Hell!?" Presea yelled in an uproar, finally getting her tongue untied. "Are you trying to steal your virgin sister's first love!?"
"HOWEVER!" Sierra yelled out, garnering the attention of both parties. "My sister is the one who fell in love with you first. As such, I do not wish to get in between you two."
Presea's heart calmed down a little after her sister's second announcement, but she was still wary of her.
"…But that is only if you can love Presea as much as she loves you," Sierra continued, staring at Clef with her sharp brown eyes, speaking with powerful conviction. "If you can accept her right here and now and turn me down, I will happily let you two love each other in peace. However, if you cannot, I will be trying to win over your heart, just as my sister will."
While Clef was left speechless and stunned by Sierra's passionate words, her older sister wasn't. Pulling Sierra up by her ponytail, Presea lifted her little sister up onto her feet, before pulling on her cheeks.
"I tell you about my feelings in full confidentiality and you decide to take it as a challenge!?" Presea yelled out tomboyishly while punishing her little sister.
"I'm sorry but I can't help it if he stole my heart too, nee-san!" Sierra yelled in pain, not putting up a resistance.
Seeing the two sisters arguing in this manner was surprisingly nostalgic to Clef. He remembered a time around fifty years ago, when he and Alcyone had been visiting the master blacksmith. Sierra had been visiting her sister at the same time and the two sisters had gotten into an argument over a glazed bun. There was something amusing about seeing the twins fight over him in the same manner. However, as Alcyone wasn't around to eat the bun while they were distracted, he had to break up the fight himself.
"Enough with you two!" Clef yelled out with authority.
The two sisters stopped fighting almost instantly, before both of them got down onto their knees right next to each other. It was clear they were both expecting a scolding for their bad behavior, but that wasn't why Clef had stopped them.
"Presea, Sierra, I am truly flattered to have earned the affection of two fine women such as you," Clef complimented the blonde twin blacksmiths. "However, I am afraid I must turn down you both."
"Eh!?" both of them gasped, before Presea asked with an aching heart, "Why is that? Master Clef… am I not your type?"
"Nothing of the sort," Clef shook his head, before sighing deeply, forcing himself to speak. "Do you two know why I remain as young as I do?"
Presea and Sierra looked at each other, before Presea answered, "I figured you just found it to your liking the most."
"I thought it was to show off your eternality," Sierra confessed.
Clef shook his head again, "Both wrong."
For the first time since the Sanctuary had been built, Clef sat down on the golden throne. Not because he wanted to, but because he needed to. If he was going to open wounds as old as these ones, he needed a seat that wasn't tied to his own magic.
"Long time ago," Clef began his story, his eyes staring at the floor, "I used to be a young man around… same height as the two of you. I was the apprentice to the previous Master Mage, whom I surpassed at a… relatively young age."
Although Clef stumbled on his words and was talking in circles, Presea and Sierra listened to his tale intently. The idea that Master Mage Clef had looked older back in the day than now, was almost as shocking as hearing Hotaru's confessions.
Clef squeezed the robe he was wearing, before continuing his story, "Once I took up this mantle, I was tasked with assisting the current Pillar as their attendant and advisor. It all went well; I taught new mages and sorcerers, selected the Pillar's other key assistants, took care of magical beasts, and… Fell in love."
Flabbergasted by Clef's confession, the twin's gasped and their eyes widened, as they had never heard of Clef having a significant other.
"Wh-What happened?" Sierra asked.
"Who were they?" Presea begged to know.
Clef tried his best to keep a stiff upper lip, before staring up at the blue ceiling, "Her name was Sentia. She was a beautiful and talented priestess, who always made everyone around her smile. After years of admiring her, I confessed to her and… she said yes."
Having been sure that Clef had been turned down, the twins were ever the more surprised to hear Clef and Sentia getting together. Especially since they still had never heard of her before, so something significant must have happened.
"Sentia and I lived together happily for many years, and I was the happiest I had ever been in my life," Clef reminisced in a melancholy voice. "We were about to consider starting a family, when she fell ill. She had caught a disease when we were taking a trip over to Chizeta that had no known cure."
"Then what happened?" Presea asked impatiently, dying to hear the rest. "Wouldn't the Pillar have been able to heal her?"
Clef shook his head, "No, for the Pillar was unable to grant any wishes or prayers at that time."
"Why not?" Sierra asked, horrified by the implications of this.
"While the previous Pillar and I were good friends, I had completely ignored their feelings during my relationship with Sentia," Clef admitted shamefully. "While their heart had been willing to only love Cephiro as a whole, this dedication had been slowly eroded away by me and Sentia. According to the Pillar's words, they too wished to be able to love the way we did."
Failing to hold back his tears anymore, Clef wiped his eyes into his long sleeve, before continuing his story. "Unwilling to give up on Cephiro, the Pillar continued trying to find ways to forget their wish and to pray once more. Eventually, they were able to revert themself back into a young child, lessening their urge to love. But by then, Sentia had already succumbed to the disease…"
Seeing the incredibly old and powerful Master Mage reduced to a crying child, Presea and Sierra began to shed tears as well. They had never known that the man they loved held such a sad history, having always thought that Princess Emeraude's case had been the worst of it.
"To help them out…" Clef sobbed, sniffing loudly, "I chose not to love another person ever again. I reverted back into a child like the Pillar did, so I wouldn't be tempted by romance. As we both knew my friend's era as the Pillar would soon come to an end, we prepared a new Pillar, Emeraude. I taught her what had happened with Sentia and advised her to keep herself young as well. When she was ready, the Pillar summoned the Magic Knights and I bid farewell to my old friend."
Crying alongside the Master Mage, Presea and Sierra tried to get a hold of themselves, but couldn't. While the story had been sad, they were even more mortified by the reason why Clef had turned them down.
"I am… truly grateful that the two of you would find it in you to love me," Clef admitted, wiping away his tears into his soaked sleeve. "But as long as Cephiro has a Pillar, and as long as I am the Master Mage, I cannot risk falling in love again."
"But you have been the Master Mage for so long!" Presea cried out, gripping her chest. "Would it not be time to let someone else take up the mantle?"
Clef shook his head again, before getting up off the throne, "The Master Mage and the Pillar go hand in a hand. Whoever is to take my place, would have to forgo their love as well. And the only one who could take up my place is Alcyone…"
"Then… there really is no hope in you loving again?" Sierra asked, wiping her tears.
"I am afraid not…"
With all of her friends going their separate ways and Umi and Fuu being captured, Hikaru was left alone to her own devices. She knew she had been tasked with keeping the Sanctuary safe while the other two Magic Knights were away. But what was she supposed to do when they weren't under attack?
She had thought of taking a nap at their apartment, but by now she felt like she had had enough rest. She also didn't feel hungry or anything else, and everyone she figured she could talk to were busy. Just sitting back and relaxing had crossed her mind, but the silence had become unnerving. What's more, it felt like Nova could reappear at any minute, if she stayed put for too long.
As such, she decided to take a walk instead. Remembering the way to the little room she had bumped into Lantis and Mira, she decided to go there first. From there, she continued walking in an opposite direction than the one Lantis had carried Mira. As she did so, she thought about the different options for what to do before the others came back.
Let's see… back at home I would either hang out with friends, do homework, clean the dojo, or practice kendo. None of those are really an option right now. Hotaru said this place was stocked like a hotel. There's the bathhouse and a bar, but I have already taken a bath, and I don't like drinking. Alcyone brought in some books but I don't know if I can read Cephiroan. There's the game room but I don't have anyone to play with!
As she was getting frustrated by her lack of options, her thoughts once again turned to home.
"I wish I could play with Hikari… I don't even have any of my plushies to play with…" she sighed out loud, before something grabbed her from behind. "AAAAAH!"
"Pupuuu!"
"Mokona!" Hikaru yelled, both upset and happy to see the little ball rabbit. "Did you come to keep me company?"
"Puu puu!" Mokona nodded, before hopping over Hikaru's shoulder and into her arms.
"Thank you Mokona!" Hikaru smiled, feeling a bit better carrying her little friend. "Where you want to go?"
"Pu-puu!" Mokona pointed towards two o'clock with its ears.
Following Mokona's directions, Hikaru couldn't help but smile as it felt nostalgic. She was used to running after the little rabbit fay, so being simply pointed forward was a nice change of pace. However, she quickly started wondering where Mokona was leading her, after the thirteenth turn.
I wonder if Mokona is lost? Happens to the best of us! …But doesn't that mean I am lost too?
As the thought of her being forever lost in the winding corridors of the Sanctuary and dying of thirst popped into her mind, Hikaru heard running water. Following Mokona's directions, the curving crystal corridors eventually led her to a large, tall room with golden walls and a bright red ceiling.
It was a huge multi-tiered indoor garden with a large fountain at the center of it. The sides of the upper tiers were full of lush, leafy trees, and the bottom tier was covered in thick bushes. Small artificial waterfalls flowed down from the upper tiers to the lower ones, irrigating the flora. At the top of the walls, near the ceiling, were large half-circle shaped windows with what looked like sunlight shining down into the room.
A red carpet with a hexagonal pattern led from the entrance to the large fountain, which then split into a round walkway around the room. A big, lilac, stretched octahedron-shaped crystal floated above the fountain, with a red orb inside it. The way it defied gravity was completely ignored by Hikaru, as she looked to the other side of the fountain.
Wearing his usual black clothes, golden headband, and no armor, Hikaru saw Lantis sitting on the edge of the fountain. Two birds, one yellow and one blue, were sitting on his shoulders, brushing themselves off. Just as Hikaru thought of leaving and letting Lantis enjoy his solitude, Mokona jumped down from her arms.
"Pu-pupupu-puu!" Mokona chirped happily around the fountain, before jumping into Lantis's lap.
Without disturbing the birds, Lantis caught the bouncing ball of fluff into his arms, at which point Mokona let out a content 'puu'. As Lantis turned around slowly, Hikaru realized she had been spotted. She was about to apologize for disturbing him, until she saw his face. While Lantis had always had an impeccable poker face, Hikaru had gotten used to the subtle changes of his expressions.
The sharp corners of Lantis's eyes were drooping, his brow was slightly lower than usual, and the corners of his mouth were curling down ever so slightly. As he saw her, Hikaru could see him try and put up a slight smile.
"Hikaru…" he addressed her in a deep and caring, yet somewhat strained voice. "Shouldn't you still be resting?"
"I-I am fully rested now, don't worry," Hikaru tried convincing him, before asking, "but… You mind if I sit next to you?"
Somewhat surprised by this request, Lantis nodded, "Go right ahead."
As Hikaru approached him, she couldn't help but feel slightly nervous. She wasn't afraid of Lantis anymore, not like before. Lantis was a good person with a gentle soul, that much she had learnt during their time together. But being close to him still made her heart flutter and her palms to get sweaty. And yet, she wanted to get close to him, in order to ask about his feelings.
As she approached Lantis, a pale green bird flew over to him as Lantis held out his left hand. Being closer now, she could see the colorful birds in more detail, bringing out the animal lover in her.
"What pretty birds!" Hikaru yelled out cheerfully, getting closer.
Despite getting right up close to them, the birds didn't seem to mind at all. As she sat down next to Lantis, Hikaru noticed just how many birds there were inside the garden. As she admired them, Hikaru almost forgot her original reason for getting closer to Lantis.
"You like birds?" Lantis asked carefully with a deep voice.
"Yeah," Hikaru nodded, smiling widely and laughing as the birds flew around her.
Realizing she was acting like a little kid in front of Lantis, Hikaru tried to calm herself down and sit up properly. But as Lantis saw her blushing, he brought his left hand close to Hikaru, causing the green bird to hop onto her shoulder. Gasping happily at the little bird sitting on her shoulder, Hikaru was amazed as more birds started landing on her.
Listening to Hikaru laugh and play with the birds, Lantis couldn't help but crack a smile as well. While he knew Hikaru was a good person, he hadn't accounted for her loving animals as much as he did. With all that had happened yesterday to both of them, Lantis was glad to be able to share this moment of peace with her.
As Hikaru finished playing with the birds and let Mokona play with them in turn, she glanced at Lantis again. The magic swordsman stared back at her, seemingly waiting patiently for her to talk.
"Lantis… Are you feeling alright?" Hikaru asked, peering deep into Lantis's eyes.
Lantis's smile withered slightly as she asked this, "What do you mean?"
"When I arrived, you seemed bothered by something," Hikaru explained, remembering the sad look on his face. "If you want to talk about it, I am willing to listen."
In order not to worry Hikaru, Lantis was thinking of brushing Hikaru's concerns off as her just imagining things. However, as he thought about it and remembered that Hikaru was Hotaru's close friend, it was likely she would find out about it sooner or later. As such, Lantis took a deep breath before began to explain.
"You remember when Eagle told us he had another reason to conquer Cephiro? I talked with Hotaru earlier today and," Lantis sighed deeply, "…he told me."
"What is it?" Hikaru asked, her eyes widening.
"…Eagle's sick," Lantis revealed begrudgingly. "He has a terminal illness that befalls people who over exert their mental energy."
"That can't be!" Hikaru gasped, loud enough for the birds to fly away. "…Is there anything that can be done?"
Lantis nodded, "Yes… Before you arrived, Hotaru walked past here. Since he didn't have time to explain to me during the sauna…"
"You two were in the sauna together?" Hikaru blurted, blushing slightly. "I didn't know you had gotten so close…"
"It was a group thing—! Never mind…" Lantis blushed while facepalming. "The point is… that he shared with me his plan to save Eagle's life. It is not perfect, but I feel it will be enough."
"I'm glad…" Hikaru sighed in relief, before raising an eyebrow. "But why were you so sad earlier? Isn't that good news?"
"It is," Lantis admitted, nodding respectfully. "But… Eagle is my best friend and I feel like I have failed him."
With Lantis's expression turning glummer by the moment, Hikaru asked softly, "Why?"
"Because I failed to notice that Eagle had grown ill. I should have been able to sense that something was wrong with him. And…" Lantis tried to continue, but was forced to swallow a lump in his throat before doing so, "…I also failed to protect him."
Seeing tears appear in the corners of Lantis's eyes, Hikaru gently brushed them aside, before smiling comfortingly, "Nothing of the sort. You fought admirably yesterday and you both looked after each other like old comrades."
While Hikaru's words of encouragement were sweet, they only stung Lantis's heart more, "No. I meant in the past life. In the story Hotaru heard of, Eagle died trying to rescue me from Nova and to protect you. Because of me… Debonair killed him, before his illness even had the chance…"
Learning of Eagle's fate, Hikaru went almost catatonic from the shock. She had heard from Hotaru that her and Eagle had been uneasy allies, but she never expected the Commander of Autozam to sacrifice himself for her. As the shock of the news finally got to her, Hikaru began to tremble and shed tears of her own.
How could things get to such a point? Yesterday me, Lantis, and Eagle were able to fight off Nova… How could Lantis have gotten captured by her? How could… unless…
With her tears flowing down her cheeks, Hikaru muttered, "It's not your fault… It's mine."
Noticing little Hikaru crying as well, Lantis asked in a concerned voice, "Why do you think so?"
"Nova… she captured you in order to get to me, I think…" Hikaru sniffed, wiping her tears into her sleeves. "She must have been able to do so, because I am weak…"
"You are not weak," Lantis objected sternly.
"But I am!" Hikaru objected back, lifting her knees into her lap. "I could barely hold my own against Nova, I was completely defeated by Eagle, and almost died against Regalia! Without Fuu, Umi, Hotaru, or any other people by my side, I am weak. I am a failure as a leader…"
As Hikaru buried her face in her knees, Lantis couldn't help but stroke her soft red hair gently, "Being a leader doesn't mean being strong on your own. Eagle is not a leader because he is strong, he is strong because of the people he leads."
Though Lantis's words made her feel slightly better, Hikaru still felt glum, "Maybe… But I am not even sure why I am the leader of the Magic Knights. Hotaru just started calling me that as a joke, and… and…"
Hikaru's eyes narrowed into dots, as it all dawned on her at once. Knowing now that Hotaru had been familiar with them all from a story, she realized he hadn't been joking. She had been the leader of the Magic Knights, in a story about the Magic Knights.
I… would have been the first to learn magic, if Hotaru wasn't around. I would have been the one to defeat Zagato first as well. I was the only one whose heart produced a shadow… And the one to deal with the nation that was an actual threat to Cephiro. But… that can't be, I am just a little girl with… nothing inherently special about them…
Seeing Hikaru was completely frozen, Lantis waved his hand in front of her eyes, but there was no reaction. He was about to ask if she was okay, until Hikaru finally spoke again.
"Was I the main character…?" Hikaru whispered as she thought out loud, staring into the distance.
"Hmmm? What was that?" Lantis asked concernedly, not quite hearing what she had said. "Are you okay, Hikaru?"
"…Yeah, I'm fine," Hikaru forced herself to smile.
As her head was starting to hurt from the revelation, Hikaru decided to ignore the earlier trail of thought for now. Instead, she tried to relax once more with Lantis, but as she straightened her legs, she lost her balance. Hikaru was about to fall backwards into the fountain, until Lantis caught her just in time, with only her braid getting wet.
"Thanks," Hikaru smiled awkwardly, as Lantis held her upper back with his large hand. "So ummm… anything else you want to talk about?"
As Lantis couldn't come up with a new topic, the two of them decided to just sit back and relax for a bit. Although neither of them had really solved the problems they had, having been able to talk about them had lifted their moods a lot. As Hikaru was about to chuckle at the memory of the advice Fuu had given her, she remembered something Lantis had said yesterday.
"You… You said you wanted to end the Pillar system," Hikaru said hesitantly. "How do you plan to do that? Did you ask Hotaru about it?"
"He was in a hurry, so we haven't had time for a lengthy discussion," Lantis admitted, while feeding a bird some crumbs from his hand. "As for how… I'm not sure yet. But if Cephiro truly is the land where will and heart determine all, then I will try my best to try and change it to one where the Pillar is not needed to support it."
As Hikaru imagined Cephiro without the sacrifice required by the Pillar, she could only smile, "It does sound like a wonderful idea…"
With his stomach still full of butterflies, Hotaru finally reached the door of his apartment. As of late, he had come to dread opening this obsidian door, for whenever he did, it entailed tears. Granted, when he had left this morning, things had seemed a lot better than yesterday. Though whether this was a sign of things to come or just the calm before the final storm, he couldn't tell.
I haven't yet decided if I will break up with you or not, Alcyone's words echoed in his mind.
Hotaru had prepared to lose Alcyone several times over already. Not just after revealing his secrets, but long before that during his adventures. Preparing for failure had become part of his lifestyle a long time ago in his previous life. But as much as Hotaru had prepared himself to hear the answer, he couldn't accept it. At this point in time, anything other than Alcyone accepting him back, wouldn't be good enough.
"I don't even know what I will do if she decides to leave me…" Hotaru said while shaking, before clenching his fist. "The same as always you dolt! Fight with all your heart and will to live to see tomorrow!"
Gritting his teeth, Hotaru yanked the door open, as if heading towards battle. But as soon as he opened it, he was flabbergasted by the sight of it all. The lights of the central room had been dimmed and several candles had been placed throughout the room. The crystal dinner table had been set for two and lit up by golden candelabras. The table was covered by an array of different dishes, bowls of fruit, drinks, a basket of bread, and a dessert tray.
Before Hotaru could take a closer look at all the different foods, an almost ghostly figure walked out of the kitchen. It was Alcyone, carrying a tray with two bowls of some kind of soup. She was wearing a familiar, turquoise, overly long, and slightly frilly pajama dress. Alcyone had removed all her jewelry, leaving her only in her pajama dress, which seemed to hug her figure.
"Welcome home, Hotaru darling," Alcyone smiled at him sweetly, before placing the tray down on the table. "I prepared something nice for us both~."
"A-A-A-Are you alright, A-Alcyone?" Hotaru stuttered, feeling like he was dreaming.
"I am fine," she smiled sweetly, before walking closer to him. "I wanted to show you just how much I love you, despite all that has happened."
"A-A-And that outfit?" Hotaru asked, swallowing deeply.
While the pajama brought back some painful memories for him, he wasn't entirely displeased to see it. However, it was strange to see Alcyone wearing it again, as she hadn't worn it ever since they had moved to their new apartment. In fact, he was surprised she still had it, but she did have the tendency to gather things into her forehead gem.
"Oh this?" Alcyone asked teasingly, shifting her pajama's shoulder-width opening slightly lower. "I was feeling nostalgic and wanted to remind you of the times we spent in that little hut of ours. It was a bit cramped, but it was cozy~."
"Yeah… I guess Mokona's shelter had its benefits…" Hotaru ruminated while converting his armor into a pair of gauntlets. "But you still didn't have to go through the trouble of making all this."
As Hotaru waved his armored hand in the direction of the table, Alcyone giggled at his gesture, "Oh but I had to. It was the least I could do after everything you have done for me. Not to mention all the trouble I have caused you…"
"We are both guilty of that," Hotaru chuckled, before getting closer to Alcyone and placing his hand under her chin. "Still, I do believe I enjoy women who can be a bit difficult."
Smiling sweetly, Alcyone grabbed hold of his hand before walking him over to the table, "I will keep that in mind. But for now, make sure to eat your fill. You've had quite the battle."
Sitting down as prompted, Hotaru proceeded to start with the soup Alcyone had brought. It was creamy and cheesy vegetable soup with finely diced veggies, topped off with something that resembled ground nutmeg or cinnamon. Tasting it carefully, Hotaru was welcomed by a smooth, warm, and tangy flavor, followed by a familiar sensation, which caught him off guard.
Right… I've been eating food made by the staff for over a week now, I almost forgot. Food made to you by someone you love and loves you back, really hits different…
With his guard being lowered and his hesitation disappearing, Hotaru rubbed his eyes to keep tears from fogging up his vision. He took another spoonful, savoring it to the best of his ability before swallowing.
"This is delicious, what do you call this soup?" Hotaru asked, trying to start a conversation.
"Oh it… It doesn't really have a name," Alcyone answered, smiling at Hotaru's happy reaction. "I just came up with the recipe today. I had the ingredients so I figured I would experiment."
"…You keep amazing me with your cooking skills," Hotaru complimented her, before dipping a piece of bread in the soup.
Taking a bite of the bread, he almost choked on it, as he saw the bedroom door open behind Alcyone. Before he had time to swallow and warn her, a tall figure dressed in a white trench coat and black pants, casually walked out of the master bedroom. At first Hotaru was completely at a loss as to who this person was, until he saw the horns on his head.
"Oh, is the food ready? I am starving," Romeo declared calmly before grabbing a piece of pie and eating it on the go. "Mmm! Delicious!"
"What are— Who are you!?" Alcyone asked, staring at the horned figure aghast.
"Alcyone… get away from him," Hotaru warned her, gripping the table tightly.
Depending on what Romeo would do, Hotaru was prepared to activate Steel Strength and Silver Speed at a moment's notice. Granted he wasn't sure if hitting Romeo with a table would do anything, as he was no longer the little imp he remembered. Romeo was now the same size as he was, and looked far more similar, his face and eyes almost identical to his own.
"Calm down my good man," the demon spoke in a polite tone. "I am just here to exchange some pleasantries and enjoy a bit of familial hospitality. After all, we're like brothers, aren't we Martin?"
"I think of you more as a sleep paralysis demon," Hotaru snarked, before converting his gauntlets back into a full suit of armor. "But since I am awake right now, my only choice is to put you to sleep."
Seeing Hotaru stand up and ready for a fight, Romeo gently reached over to the table. He grabbed hold of a large piece of roast meat with a bone going through it. Bringing it up to his mouth, the demon devoured the roast in but a few seconds, as his jaw moved at a supernatural speed around it. After placing the bone down softly, Romeo grabbed Alcyone's napkin and wiped his mouth clean.
"May we be excused for a minute?" Romeo asked the raven-haired beauty next to him. "My older brother seems to be in the mood to play and I do not wish to disturb such a lovely spread. Come along Martin."
After turning the lights of the room fully on, Romeo walked over to the center of the room, signaling Hotaru to follow him. While his shadow's actions could have been considered peculiar, to Hotaru, they were all warning signs of things to come. His casual mannerisms showed Romeo wasn't afraid of Hotaru, despite being the one most familiar with him. The way he had eaten the roast in mere moments with speed and precision, told he had access to his spells. The fact he had done it all without uttering a word, before moving gracefully once more, frightened him the most.
If he can activate my spells without saying their names, I am in an insane disadvantage! Let's hope he is limited to using two of them at once… and he doesn't feel like going titanium.
As Hotaru stood before him, Romeo couldn't help but smile, looking down nostalgically, "You know, I have waited to meet you for so long, it feels a bit surreal. I mean sure, we got to talk in your dreams a few times by now, but meeting you face to face? Honestly, I was sure I would have to look all the way up just to see your face. But now we can finally talk eye level and—"
*WHAM*
Just as Romeo had closed his eyes for a friendly smile, an insanely heavy fist punched him straight in his left eye. The punch had been so fast and surprising that it knocked Romeo into the air and off his feet, causing his body to crash to the ground. As Romeo landed, he shattered an indentation of his body on the crystal floor. Had he not had Tungsten Defense active, that punch would have taken off his head.
Rubbing his eyes while getting up, Romeo grimaced, "When the hell did you learn how to cast your spells without saying a word?"
"I learnt it watching you," Hotaru smirked, keeping his dukes up, ready for a counter attack.
In reality, Hotaru had simply activated his spells by whispering, while Romeo was doing his speech. Despite having punched his shadow with both Tungsten Defense and Silver Speed active, Romeo seemed to be in a lot better shape than he had hoped. In return, his shoulder was aching from having knocked up a super heavy opponent without Steel Strength active.
But even as Romeo stood back up, Hotaru had a powerful advantage, "So, you gonna start crying or you gonna punch back?"
"Hotaru!" Alcyone yelled, taking a few steps forward. "You mustn't endanger yourself like that!"
"Stay back, Alcyone!" Hotaru commanded her.
"Unarmed women should not get involved with the bouts of men," Romeo gave a warning, before raising his fists.
Before the raven-haired woman could object, all the candles in the central room were blown out, as Romeo charged forth at a super-sonic speed. Going for a low right hook, the demon aimed straight for Hotaru's chin, but this was a feint. Romeo was about to strike Hotaru with a left jab as soon as he dodged, but instead, the brunette young man moved forward.
There was a loud clang as Romeo's fist connected with Double Armor's chest piece. Hotaru was pushed back by the force of the blow while a numbing pain ran through Romeo's arm. As the horned demon reeled back from the pain, Hotaru quickly followed with a hook kick right into Romeo's chest.
Pushed back by the kick, Romeo managed to stay standing despite his feet scraping the floor. Although he had been calm and gentlemanly until now, Romeo couldn't help but get excited by all this. His lime-green eyes gleamed and his teeth were bared by his grin.
"If this is how you wish to play, then so be it!" Romeo declared, before charging at Hotaru once more.
As two lime-eyed fighters exchanged blows again, the entire room shook. Alcyone could only yelp as a blast of wind caused her pajama dress and hair to flutter back. So that the clash wouldn't ruin her and Hotaru's meal, she cast Barrier Circle to keep the table safe.
While putting up a barrier due to a fist fight would by all means be overkill, so was the battle that was taking place before her eyes.
A hundred blows rained down upon the combatants every second, as the two halves of Martin's heart beat each other up. Neither side was giving the other even an inch, facing each other's punches head on. As if by an unsung agreement, both fighters were aiming at each other's torsos, not punching above the neckline or below the belt.
As the beat down continued intensifying, the entire apartment began to tremble. Light shockwaves were carried throughout Sanctuary's central tower, making people wonder if there was a small earthquake. Only three people, Lantis, Clef, and Hikaru, could sense the battle raging above them.
The sound of the constantly clashing fists made the roaring of thunder seem like a kitten's purring. Despite both of their bodies starting to ache, neither Hotaru nor Romeo was willing to stop. As sparks began to fly from their hard-as-metal bodies, both of them started slowly smiling.
Unable to hold back a slight chuckle, Hotaru started quietly singing, "Standing here, I realize…"
"You are just like me, trying to make history…" Romeo responded, grinning as well while throwing punches.
"But who's to judge…"
"The right from wrong~!"
"When our guard is down, I think we'll both agree~!" Hotaru sang out loud.
Hotaru's lime green aura started to flare out along with Romeo's as their punches got even heavier. The tremors throughout the tower started spreading to the rest of the Sanctuary, causing people to cling tightly to each other in panic. The crystal floor beneath the demon and the paladin began cracking open, as the both of them sang in unison.
"That violence breeds violence! But in the end, I wouldn't have it ANY OTHER WAY~!" the two of them finished their duet, before starting to laugh.
Having not understood the lyrics in the slightest, Alcyone watched from the side confused, as the battle came to a halt. The apartment was a complete mess as the tremors had caused the furniture to move and cracks to form in the crystal floors and walls. Despite the room barely holding together, both Hotaru and Romeo were laughing like crazy while holding their battered and bruised bodies.
"Oh god I miss having actual music from my world…" Hotaru cried while laughing, wiping away a tear.
"Yeah…" Romeo agreed, brushing his ruffled black hair back. "Fights are nowhere near as much fun without background music."
Looking around at the mess they had caused, Hotaru's good mood was soured quickly. He didn't know how much damage they had caused in the grand scheme of things, or what it would take to fix it. However, he couldn't help but smile, for his trust in his advantage had paid off.
"While that was fun, you have to admit," Hotaru smiled confidently, before spreading his arms. "You may be as strong as I am, but without Escudo armor, you cannot beat me in a war of attrition."
Placing his hands in his pockets, Romeo chuckled heartily, "It is a cool suit of armor, I'm not going to lie. However, did you really think that I was going all out?"
"—What?"
Pulling his hands out of his pockets, Romeo tensed up the muscles in his body. At first Hotaru expected him to start bulking out or going super Saiyan, but instead, his shadow's skin began to crawl. First his shoulders rose up and his elbows bulged out underneath his clothes, before veiny growths appeared on the backs of Romeo's hands. His knees swelled as well, followed by large protrusions appearing on his shoulder blades.
Before Hotaru had time to express his disgust at all of this, Romeo's skin-tone horns turned pitch-black. This change triggered a chain reaction, as the demon's clothes burst open in several places. Each protrusion extended into long, thick, black spikes that curved upwards on his back, knees, and elbows, and inwards on his shoulders. Finally, the growths on Romeo's hands burst open into black, two-foot-long, sharp, forwards pointing claws.
With his foe covered in black horns, Hotaru quickly realized what his shadow had meant.
Pointing his wrist-sword-like horns upwards, Romeo smiled, "I'll be frank, I don't know if even these will be enough to penetrate your armor. But they sure give me the reach advantage…"
Seeing this, Hotaru quickly reached for his armored tassets. Pulling out his twin rapiers from the white glowing orbs on his hips, Hotaru took a defensive stance. Keeping Romeo as far away as possible, Hotaru did his best to stay light on his feet.
"Unfortunately for you, I still have something longer than an arm's reach," Hotaru taunted, trying not to be intimidated by his foe's new appearance.
Instead of a reply, Romeo just smiled.
While Hotaru was prepared for his opponent to try and get around his weapons, he was stunned as Romeo charged right ahead once more. Quickly moving his rapiers in front of him to block his foe's horns, Hotaru intercepted Romeo's attack. But while his grip on his weapons held firmly, it was his blades that gave way under the force of Romeo's attack. There was a loud crack as the rapiers were smashed to pieces with the black horns.
As his rapiers broke apart and turned into particles of light, Hotaru quickly rushed back, taking significant distance from his opponent. As the light particles floated in the air, they were quickly absorbed into the lime green orbs on his tassets. As the orbs began to glow white once more, Hotaru sighed in relief, knowing his swords hadn't been lost forever.
"You may have your weapons, but unlike our clothes and bodies, they do not gain the benefits of our spells," Romeo said smugly, showing off his horns once more. "These babies are just as dense and durable as we are! They are the most lethal weapons on Cephiro!"
Unable to deny the power of Romeo's transformation and with Alcyone still hiding behind her barrier, Hotaru's options were limited. The only thing he could do right now, was to try and get information on his foe.
"You were not like this when we last met… How did you manage to get so strong!?" Hotaru asked, demanding an answer to his shadow's sudden power up.
Romeo smiled widely, lowering his arms, "Let us just say that thanks to your little confessional, your heart was in the right place for me to continue my growth."
Paying close attention to Romeo's words, it finally clicked for Hotaru, "You bastard… It really was my guilt that gave birth to you!"
Throughout his adventure, Hotaru had felt slightly guilty for always having to lie to those around him. The Magic Knights, Alcyone, Presea, Clef, he had denied the truth from all of them all this time. While the constant guilt wasn't strong, it had been enough to give rise to Romeo. And once he had told everyone the truth, the guilt and loathing he felt had increased to far higher levels!
I will do that which you NEVER could, Romeo's past words echoed in his head.
"You manipulated me into revealing everything!" Hotaru yelled angrily. "Because of your threat to reveal everything in my stead…"
Romeo smiled amusedly, before shrugging casually, "If that is what you choose to believe, so be it. For it doesn't matter! For there is no way for you to stop me!"
"Oh? And what makes you so sure?" Hotaru asked, trying not to let his opponent think he agreed with him.
"Because I know you inside and out!" Romeo stated while spreading his arms to his sides in a grandiose fashion. "I know everything there is about you and how you think! I am your past, your present, AND your future!"
"And you really love monologuing…" Hotaru muttered under his breath.
Trying to come up with an idea, Hotaru looked down at his Double Armor. He remembered Clef mentioning how it still had the potential for further evolutions. However, no matter how much progress he had made, the armor hadn't changed in the slightest. If he could get his armor to evolve, Hotaru was sure that he could defeat Romeo here and now.
When in doubt, fool hardy undeterrable determination it is!
Steeling his mind and heart, Hotaru pointed his finger at Romeo while looking at him unflinchingly.
"You may have gotten stronger thanks to the hell you put me through by forcing me to confess my secrets to my friends!" Hotaru stared Romeo down angrily, spitting out the words while baring his teeth. "But there is NOTHING left that I would feel guilty over that you hold over me anymore!"
Romeo stared at Hotaru for a moment, before lowering his arms onto his sides, a smug grin spreading across his face. After staring at him contemptuously for a while, Romeo began tilting his head back while laughing in an increasing volume.
"Hmhmhmhmhm-hahahahaHAHAHAHA!" Romeo laughed in a devilish and bone chilling fashion, before inhaling sharply. "You really don't get it, do you?"
Slightly put off by his shadow's confidence, Hotaru asked, "Get what?"
"Like I said, I know everything about you," Romeo grinned, glaring at Hotaru, before pointing his finger at him in return. "For example, did you ever wonder, whose body you were reborn in?"
With the question brought up, Hotaru's hostile expression loosened up almost immediately. He had wondered the question hundreds of times throughout his life, but had never received an answer. As far as he knew, DNA testing and such had only been recently invented, and it wasn't easy to be submitted for testing. Considering he had been reborn; some unknown deity could have been responsible for creating him a new body, for all he knew. But now, could he really be getting an answer?
Straightening their pose and deepening their voice for dramatic effect, Romeo spoke, "Your birth name is Aston! The bastard-son of High Priest Zagato and Princess Emeraude, and the Crown Prince of Cephiro!"
A complete silence fell over the room, which was only broken by Alcyone's surprised gasp. All three of them stayed frozen in place for what felt like an eternity, until Hotaru inhaled deeply.
"Pfff— BWAHAHAHAHHAHA!"
With the wind blown out of his sails by Hotaru's laughing, Romeo stared at him unamused, "What's so funny?"
As Hotaru continued laughing, all the tension in the room seemed to disappear. Even Alcyone dropped her concentration of her barrier, as she was weirded out by Hotaru's obnoxiously loud laughter.
"Is— Is— Is— Is that the BEST you could come up with!" Hotaru stuttered, while choking on his laughter. "You couldn't come up with something a bit more convincing than that!?"
"IT IS THE TRUTH!" Romeo yelled, losing his temper for the very first time throughout their encounters.
"Yeah, right! Did Debonair tell you that?" Hotaru brushed him off, before finally getting his laughter in check. "Listen, I MET both Zagato and Emeraude, and FOUGHT them as well! You telling me they wouldn't have recognized their own CHILD!?"
Romeo clenched his fists tightly, before finally managing to calm down, retracting his spike, "…You know what, if you don't want to believe me, so be it!"
As Romeo turned around on the spot, Hotaru watched confused as he marched back to where he had come from; the master bedroom. As the crystal door with golden decorations closed, Hotaru quickly ran after him, not wanting to lose track of Romeo. As he pulled the door open, he was met with an empty room, with only the furniture to greet him. Looking around, Hotaru spotted the large, wall-sized mirror that had been fixed since it cracked over a week ago.
So, he really CAN make his way in through the mirror?
"Hotaru, are you alright?" a concerned voice asked him.
Turning around to face Alcyone, Hotaru wrapped his arms around her and hugged her close. Alcyone returned the gesture in kind, resting her chin against his shoulder.
"Yeah… I am fine," Hotaru sighed in relief, wondering if he should get rid of the mirror.
"…Do you believe him?" Alcyone asked carefully behind Hotaru's ear. "About being Aston?"
Hotaru shook his head, rubbing his cheek against Alcyone's hair, "Nah, he was just trying to make me feel guilty again… but…"
It would explain why I wasn't able to harm Emeraude…
Up in Cephiro's mesosphere, the NSX continued looming over the broken world below. Within the depths of the ship, Commander Eagle Vision was sitting in his private quarters, being guarded and kept company by his second in command Geo. As the repairs being done on the FTO were still unfinished, Eagle was paying close attention to his enemies. Using a handheld personal computer with a holographic screen, Eagle quickly scrolled through data reports and readings. Despite going fast, he was able to obtain all the information he needed to figure out the current state of the battlefield.
"The Magic Knights are divided," Eagle informed Geo, with an analytical and concerned voice. "One is in Chizeta's mobile fortress, Bravada. Another is inside Fahren's mobile weapon, Dome. Only Hikaru is currently in Cephiro's castle."
"That cute little miss…" Geo smiled with his eyes closed, remembering the red-haired girl. "She was quite polite despite eating all of my snacks."
Finished with the reports, Eagle turned off his computer, "The proof of the Pillar that Lantis told us about is likely inside that castle."
As Eagle put away his computer, Geo couldn't help but glare at him with discontentment.
"Now would be the time to invade the castle of Cephiro, if we had FTO operational," Eagle stated matter-of-factly, with a twinge of irritation in his voice.
"Eagle," Geo addressed him in a deep voice.
"Yes?" the commander addressed his hulking friend.
"Is it all right?"
"Of course. Commander Hotaru is still in the castle as well. Without the upgrades we would not be able to assure a victory."
"Not that," Geo rolled his eyes, realizing the vagueness of his question. "I meant that you and Lantis trusted each other and were best friends."
Geo thought back on the times when Eagle and Lantis were almost connected at the hip. They would often take the FTO on joyrides in the biotope gardens and enjoy naps in the artificial sunlight. While he and Zazu would often come along to keep them company, they felt like third wheels.
"And that was why Lantis, a traveler, stayed in Autozam all that time," Geo pointed out, his voice serious and strong. "Lantis trusted you and told only you many secrets about Cephiro. That quiet guy discussed his deepest feelings with you."
Nostalgic about the times the four of them had spent together, Geo couldn't help but get a sour taste in his mouth, "And yet… Is it really all right?"
Realizing his second in command's worries and misgivings, Eagle smiled brightly, "It doesn't matter anymore…"
"Huh?"
"It doesn't matter anymore," Eagle repeated, smiling even wider with his eyes closed.
"You…" Geo gasped quietly, taken aback by his commander's determination.
With Geo no longer seeming doubtful, Eagle relaxes his facial muscles, before trying to finish off coming up with strategy. But as he closed his eyes again, he could feel a stabbing pain in his trachea. Placing his right hand over his mouth, Eagle started coughing, each cough feeling like a stab into his insides.
"Eagle?" Geo addressed him, thinking he just had gotten something stuck in the wrong pipe,
But as Eagle's coughing fit didn't stop, Geo started feeling worried, before Eagle fell down on the floor on his knees. Eagle gasped painfully between coughs, as he tried to cover his face with his right arm that had a mechanical gauntlet around it. As the coughing continued, Geo rushed over to his side, trying to help him out.
"Eagle, are you all right? Eagle!" Geo asked, trying to get a response.
With Eagle continuing to gag, Geo was unable to understand what he was saying. But then a sight of something red caught his eye. As Eagle coughed, droplets of blood dripped down his hand and onto the floor. Geo's eyes widened as he saw the growing pool of blood before Eagle's knees.
"Ealge…" Geo gasped, before getting up and reaching for the intercom on the table. "Zazu! Zazu!"
"Stop it!" Eagled yelled painfully, before smashing the intercom to pieces with his armored arm.
Panting painfully, Eagle got up off of his knees and stood up slowly. His body was aching and his mind felt feverish, as he tried to put up an air of confidence.
"Sorry for yelling," Eagle smiled, sweat dripping down from his headband. "But I'm all right…"
Not believing Eagle for a second, Geo was ready to catch him when he almost collapsed again. Holding Eagle up, Geo could feel through his heavy commander's uniform how his body was heating up.
"So you have been hiding something from me…" Geo scolded him, while doing his best to not let his worry show.
Looking sheepishly into Geo's eyes, Eagle smiled awkwardly, still woozy in the head, "I wonder why I have such bad timing… To be like this in front of you, Geo…"
Forcing a smile despite his body aching, Eagle held back his emotions, "If I had died from this disease a little sooner, I might not have had to betray Lantis."
Catching his breath first for a while, Eagle continued giving Geo the explanation he owed him, "When we heard the Pillar was gone and I was assigned to invade Cephiro, it was on that day that the symptoms began."
Taking another pause, Eagle stared forward determinedly, "It doesn't matter anymore… If I'll die anyway, it doesn't matter what Lantis thinks since I'll be beyond pain."
"Eagle…" Geo's voice trembled at his commander's motivation.
Knowing now fully why Eagle was so ready to invade Cephiro, Geo hugged his old sick friend close to his chest. Although he didn't like the idea of fighting against Lantis, he had now made up his mind. No force on Cephiro could prevent him from trying to obtain the proof of the Pillar, if it meant saving his commander.
Author's Afterword: This chapter consists mostly of similar scenes told from the perspectives of different characters. I hope I managed to make all of them unique in their own way, as well as change and adapt them accordingly. As this chapter covers the events of episodes 13 and 14, it was supposed to involve a few short scenes with Umi and Fuu. But I figured it would be more coherent to include those scenes in the next two chapters.
As teased in the last chapter, the first big revelation of the series is here, the true identity of Hotaru, or at least his body. Or has it? Whether this twist turns out true or not will be revealed in the next chapter. However, if you have paid attention to the earlier chapters, you might already know the answer.
As for the other revelations, Caldina's and Lafarga's romantic scene remained the most unchanged of the bunch. Our favorite Captain of the Guard's recovery is going along smoothly and with Caldina by his side, his… fuck it, let's just be clear here, I made a pretty obvious impotence reference with Lafarga XD. In any case I am hoping to develop this relationship further in the future chapters.
The meeting in the throne room was in turn the one with the biggest changes, considering we got both twins around this time. I am sure everyone was expecting Presea to eventually reveal her feelings, maybe some of you even guessed the love triangle. But I doubt many would have expected Clef's backstory. Since there are many Clef fans, I am hoping I fleshed out his personal history in a respectable manner in your opinion.
Now with Hikaru's sword not getting broken, this ended up in taking away a lot of scenes of Lantis and Hikaru's relationship developing. As such I decided to hasten the garden scene from later on in the show. Plus, as I mentioned before, I am purposefully adding more personality to Lantis's stoicism. Even the sole Cail of Cephiro needs to show some vulnerability at times.
What I was the most excited for in this chapter, was the scenes with Romeo. He has been a mysterious figure in the shadows, and I am finally getting to unveil more about him. So far I hope I have made three things clear about him. He is unpredictable, twisted, and knows more than you do.
As always, reviews and speculations are welcomed and appreciated. My thanks go to our recurring anonymous Guest for your review on the last chapter!
P.S! Due to the Cloudflare issue that bugged FFN this past week, I am informing everyone that Saving the Villainess can also be found on Archive of Our Own under the same name.
