After the Gallant Order had made its exit, Alcyone's and Hotaru's the wedding had been declared over. The two of themhad bid farewell to their guests, thanking everyone who had shown up. While doing so, many guests had asked questions about Prophet Sybil's prophecy, as everyone was on edge about another series of disasters approaching. Having no better idea as to what was going on, Hotaru could only ask everyone to stay calm and promise that he would protect Cephiro. However, he couldn't deny it would have been easier to keep this promise, if he was at his full power.
Before taking their leave, Tatra, Tarta, Eagle, Geo, Aska, and Sang Yung, all congratulated Hotaru on his marriage. While they themselves couldn't stick around due to lack of manpower and resources, they promised to keep an eye on Cephiro. When asked if the other countries should send help for Cephiro, Hotaru had turned down direct help, as it could alarm the people. Instead, he requested that Autozam, Chizeta, and Fahren would prepare to evacuate Cephiro's population, in case things really did get dire.
With foreign aid secured, Clef and Presea bid farewell to Hotaru and Alcyone, the Magic Knights, and the other defenders of Cephiro. The Master Mage promised he would look into the matter relating to the prophecy as well as what it could be referring to. While the rest of the defenders had wanted to stick together: Lafarga, Lantis, Ferio, and Ascot all knew they needed to keep an eye on the villages under their protection. As such the Magic Knights said good bye to them one by one, as Alcyone teleported them back home with several trips.
The next few days in the Martin Manor went by with high anticipation, as they waited for things to develop. The maids continued on with their daily tasks, though even without them saying anything, Hikaru and others could tell they were nervous. While collecting supplies, tax money, and news, Alcyone found out that news about the prophecy had already reached the town of Martin. While the people were anxious from the word spread by the Gallant Order, Hotaru was able to put their minds at ease, by reminding them about who their lord was.
By the time the third day rolled around and nothing major had happened, Hotaru got tired of waiting around. Teleporting around Cephiro, he spread an invite to all of his friends. While it took some persuading and a few incentives, everyone agreed, despite the timing of it seeming off with all things going on.
Gentle waves lapped against the shores of a distant and lonely, lush island, as the noon sun shone from up above. The island was round, quite large, and its outer ring was covered by jungle trees. At the center of the island was a deep-blue, fresh water lake, surrounded by tall grass fields. Despite the lushness and numerous fruit trees on the island, no one had yet inhabited it due to its remoteness from the mainland. Yet today, there were more than a few signs of civilization on its beaches.
Laying in a sun chair with her legs stretched out, Caldina was enjoying the warm tropical weather and the peace and quiet. She was just about to go for a swim, when a bright glint at the corner of her sunglasses caught her attention. Turning to look, she could see a group of eight people having appeared suddenly.
Hotaru, Alcyone, their maids and guests, had just teleported into the tropical paradise, leaving Hikaru, Umi and Fuu all gasping in amazement, looking around them. Even the maids, who hadn't been to a beach in ages, were shocked to see the vast blue seas and warm beaches.
"Where did you take us?" Umi's jaw dropped in wonder.
"It's a beach!" Hikaru laughed excitedly, running off.
"I cannot fault Ms. Hikaru for her astute observation," Fuu smiled, as Umi facepalmed.
"It's just an island past the mountains of my lands," Hotaru cleared things up. "I would have taken you to the coast but I doubt you wanted to deal with the fishermen."
"Hey~!" Caldina waved at them.
"Ms. Caldina here too it seems," Integra pointed out, before blushing brightly. "And bold as ever…"
Walking over to greet everyone, Caldina naturally drew everyone's eyes with her curves. While the Chizetan dancer had often worn revealing outfits, her current leopard print micro bikini and pink sunglasses left little to the imagination. While the Magic Knights were used to Caldina's showy outfits, the maids were all blushing bright red, with even Hotaru having to keep his expression in check.
"Glad to see ya finally made it here!" Caldina smiled happily with her hands on her hips. "What took you so long?"
"We needed to get everything ready first," Alcyone said with a smile.
"Good to see you again, Caldina," Hotaru greeted his former teacher. "I hope you enjoyed your stay here?"
"It has been lovely! The weather's so nice and warm here compared to our home!" Caldina stretched out, feeling energized.
"Now that you mention it, it is warmer here on this island," Fuu pointed out, looking around her. "I thought the weather was the same all around Cephiro?"
"It is, but it does vary a few degrees depending on the latitude," Alcyone answered.
"Mhm! Lafarga and I live in the north near his old home, so the weather's a bit cold for my likin'," Caldina admitted awkwardly, before smiling at them again. "Thanks for the invite, Hotaru-kun~!"
"'Hotaru-kun'?" Umi looked at her older friend curiously, causing him to turn away.
While Hotaru wanted to stay quiet about the topic, Livina didn't get the memo, "Lord Hotaru used to attend Ms. Caldina's school to learn how to read Cephiroan! He was the oldest student in her class!"
"Livina!"
Seeing Hotaru flush angrily, Umi, Fuu, Alcyone, and Envix couldn't help but laugh at his reaction. Even Hikaru, who had gone to collect some seashells, came back to laugh with everyone else. Knowing she shouldn't allow her students to be laughed at, Caldina tried to keep a stern face, but the good-natured laughter still made her giggle. However, as a tall figure walked past her, she couldn't help but peak past her sunglasses.
"Ascot, did you remember to apply sun oil to yourself like I asked you to?" Caldina asked in a strict, motherly tone.
Hearing the name of the summoner spoken, Umi twitched slightly, blushing slightly as she turned towards Ascot. Unlike Caldina, Ascot had dressed quite conservatively, wearing a black tank top and green swimming trunks. Despite this, seeing the young summoner without his robes for the first time, made her blush grow ever deeper. While not rugged, Ascot was tall and fit, with modest muscles peeking from under his pristine light skin. Seeing the summoner for the first time without his hat, she was surprised by how short the rest of his hair was compared to his visor-like bangs.
"No need for that, Caldina. Master Clef taught me a protection spell against the sun months ago," Ascot said confidently, before turning towards the others. "H-Hi there, Umi. Nice weather we're having?"
"Y-Yes, it's nice for a day at the… beach," Umi stuttered.
Understanding the full implication of those words, Umi blushed even redder and stiffer, before stomping her foot to the ground. Startling the others, the blue-haired girl elbowed her way past the crowd and grabbed hold of Ascot's wrist, before pulling him along.
"U-Umi!?"
"Don't take sunny weather lightly! We are oiling you up whether you like it or not!"
Seeing Umi drag the summoner away with her, the others smiled amusedly at the young couple, with Envix waving them off with an impish grin. As they were about to move on, they heard rustling from behind the trees that caught their attention.
"HEY! I thought I heard something from this direction!" a cheerful voice spoke up.
"Ferio!" Fuu yelled out in surprise.
From the foliage, Ferio walked out, carrying a pile of red and yellow fruits in his arms. The slightly tan, green-haired teenager was wearing pale-yellow swimming trunks and black-strapped, woven sandals. While shorter, Ferio's body was more toned than Ascot's, and to Fuu's surprise, covered in a variety of small scars. Having just giggled at Umi, she felt a bit ashamed to be blushing now, but with how casual Ferio was being, she knew she couldn't act timid.
"I was picking up some fruit for the barbeque, come along and follow me," Ferio pointed the way by tilting his head.
As Ferio led the way, he spotted two stragglers heading to the northern side of the island, "Ah… Umi! Ascot! You're going in the wrong way!"
Having been completely absorbed in their own thoughts, the two of them flinched before coming back. Following Ferio, the group quickly came across a sight of many familiar faces and more.
Clef and Presea were lounging in floating sun chairs, with Clef's set in an upright position as he read a book. The master mage was wearing black swimming trunks as well as a white bathrobe,his skin quite pale. Presea was relaxing next to him, taking in the sun's rays while wearing an orange bandeau bikini. Both of their hairs glistened in the sunlight, as they had just returned from a swim.
Little ways away from them, close to the shore, Zazu and Sierra were building a large sand castle, with a mixture of fantasy and sci-fi elements. The chief engineer of NSX was wearing red and white striped shorts and a large green sunhat, while Sierra wore a cream-colored bandeau bikini.
Further away from them, they could see Lafarga working a firepit next to a large wooden table and a familiar egg-shaped shelter. Over the fire, the apron wearing master swordsman was slowly rotating a large boar of some kind. On top of the table, they could spot Mokona sitting in a small sun-chair, drinking a blue drink from a glass with a straw. To free up his arms, Ferio walked over to the table to set down the fruits, next to Primera who grabbed a red plug fruit next to her, into a bowl filled with water.
"So, why exactly are we all on a beach?" Umi asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Well, you girls are here on a summer vacation and me and Alcyone have our honeymoon to celebrate," Hotaru said with a bright smile. "I figured we could all use some time to relax after working all last week."
"Shouldn't we be preparing for an impending disaster, instead of goofing off on a beach?" Envix asked bluntly.
"Maybe, but we have no idea when the said disaster will come," Hotaru shrugged. "So, we might as well make the most of it before the bad times roll around."
"Isn't that the opposite of what we should be doing?" Envix retorted with a deadpan voice.
Ignoring Envix's questions, Alcyone walked on forward, addressing the two people sunbathing, "Master Mage Clef, how are you doing?"
"Ah, Alcyone, your household finally arrived," Clef greeted his former student with a smile.
"How goes the research into the prophecy?" Hotaru asked.
Closing the book, Clef shook his head, "Not much luck yet. There are no mentions of the prophecy in the royal tomes, that much is certain. I also cannot find anything in Cephiroan mythology that could be linked to the disasters Sybil brought up."
Listening to the conversation between the two Master Mages, the knights and the maids had gotten their hopes up, before they had been shot down. The idea that after all they had been through, Cephiro would experience another total collapse, had been eating away at them for the past few days. The maids were worried that their families would have to experience another series of disasters, while they would be powerless to stop it. The Magic Knights were truthfully horrified that the world they had saved twice, was now once more in danger, right as they had gotten a glimpse of its beauty. This was doubly true of Hikaru, who had been the one to break the Pillar system.
As everyone was looking a bit glum about the news, Hotaru crossed his arms confidently, "In that case, the best we can do right now is observe the situation. And we are in just the right place for it!"
Seeing others look at Hotaru strangely, Presea spoke up warmly, "He is right, you know. If the first part of the prophecy mentions the seas overflowing, what better place to keep an eye out for it than the beach."
"But ermm… We don't have our swimsuits with us," Hikaru pointed out, looking at her vacation apparel.
"I don't think we even own swimsuits…" Integra admitted, remembering what little clothes she had brought with her when moving into the mansion.
"You can ask for some from Mokona and then change in the shelter," Presea explained. "That's what we did."
"I hope it doesn't give us anything weird…" Umi shivered. "Caldina might be able to pull off a swimsuit like that, but I don't know about us…"
Raising her eyebrow, Caldina laughed cheerfully, "Aaa-hahahahaaa! No worries lil' ladies! This fine piece is somethin' I bought from Chizeta! Finally getting' to use it!"
"You bought a swimsuit all the way from another country?" Livina asked amazedly. "Celebrities are something else…"
Nodding proudly, Caldina added, "I also bought Lafarga's swimsuit while I was at it!"
Giving today's chef another look, the girls' jaws dropped, seeing Lafarga wearing a white tiger print speedo behind his apron. His muscular, battle-scarred back side left Umi reeling, Integra wincing, and Caldina salivating, while the others tried not to stare.
Looking away from Lafarga, Hikaru glanced around the beach, trying to find the best spots for collecting seashells. But as she took mental notes of the beach, she realized someone was missing. While she could spot Primera, she couldn't see Lantis anywhere.
"Where could he be… Ah!"
Rising up from the waves close to the shore, the magic swordsman emerged from the water, with copious amounts of water falling down his tall, athletic build. Despite having his short hair flattened by the water and wearing black swimming trunks and goggles, he looked gallant as always.
Having swam for a good while now, Lantis walked over to a beach umbrella to grab himself a towel. With a satisfied smile on his face while drying off, Lantis thought it would be a good idea to relax for a while before going for another dive. But upon taking off his swimming goggles and spotting a red figure in his peripheral vision, his fatigue seemed to go away.
"Oh, Hikaru, didn't see you there," Lantis greeted the Magic Knight that had appeared next to him. "How are you doing?"
Having stared at Lantis for a while, Hikaru was flustered as he talked to her, "I-I'm doing fine! I just came to say that… uh, you looked happier than normal… Do you enjoy swimming by any chance?"
"Yes, it's one of my favorite pastimes," Lantis nodded, smiling boyishly. "I especially like diving, as there are so many things to see under the surface. How about you?"
Thinking about the question, Hikaru admitted, "I'm pretty good at swimming, but not too good at holding my breath underwater…"
"I see," Lantis stroked his chin, putting on his usual serious face, "Well, perhaps I can teach you a few things to help with that?"
Hikaru's eyes brightened as she smiled, "Okay!"
After requesting Mokona for a set of swimsuits each, the maids and knights quickly changed up inside the egg-shaped shelter. The inside of the shelter was the same as always, with its large pink bed, small kitchenette and couch, and was quite nostalgic for Hikaru, Umi, and Fuu. Though the trip down the memory lane was blocked off by the dozen or so baskets with everyone's regular clothes inside of them.
Swapping their clothes, they quickly joined others out in the sun, though some of them were feeling a bit shy. Hikaru's apparel was a bright red one-piece, sporting swimsuit with white straps that reminded her of her gymnast outfit. Umi was given a deep blue bikini with a scoop top and belted bottom, which she tried to wear boldly. Fuu had received a light green, frilly, skirted crop bikini, with small dark green bow ties that she found quite cute. Liviana rushed out quickly, wearing an orange asymmetrical one-piece, with two left shoulder straps. Despite being the most mature of the bunch, Integra was very shy about her dark green monokini. While she would've wanted something to better cover her from the sun, Envix eventually left the shelter in a purple hipster bikini.
With the girls having finished changing, Hotaru and Alcyone walked past them, entering the shelter. With their hosts and employers gone, the girls felt a bit awkward with everyone staring.
"Oh my! Ya'll look so pretty in those!" Caldina yelled out excitedly,trying to break the ice. "What ya think of Umi's swimsuit Ascot?"
"I-It l-looks great! It brings out her eyes…"
"I know right?" Umi said smugly, brushing her hair behind her to hide her blush. "I guess Mokona can have a good taste from time to time."
"Pupuu!" Mokona gave a tiny thumbs up.
"Speak for youself…" Integra griped, feeling awkward in her get up.
"Relax, will ya? You look good in that," Envix said, walking past her.
As Ascot and Umi stepped aside for a bit to talk and anoint sun oil, Ferio brought Fuu a yellow fruit before teasing her, "Your outfits keep getting cuter by the day."
"Thank you for your generous compliment," Fuu accepted the fruit, before looking at Ferio. "I keep seeing new sides to you too."
Letting an awkward chuckle, Ferio spoke in a slightly solemn tone, "I guess that's a good thing. We should make the most out of the time we have together. What would you like to do next?"
"How about picking seashells? Hopefully I will have some to take home as a souvenir."
As others were talking and getting things set, they were startled by a loud bang, as the door of Mokona's shelter was slammed open. Turning to look, they saw Hotaru and Alcyone come out, both of them having changed their clothes in record time. Hotaru was wearing his reinforced sunglasses, as well as black, skin tight swim shorts with gold and silver patterns. Alcyone had put on a straw sun hat and sandals, and wore a black, crisscrossing slingshot bikini with thick straps. While Alcyone's body was as curvaceous as always and her outfit somehow even more revealing, it was Hotaru that caught the others off guard. Although many of them had seen Hotaru's scars before, this was the first time they saw his post-growth spurt body bare. Having spent over a year exercising and eating healthily with Alcyone's instructions, his over two-meter-tall body was quite the sight to behold.
"Alright everyone!" Hotaru yelled out pompously. "We do not know when the sun will shine upon Cephiro next, so let's get this beach day started!"
Taking Hotaru's words into heart, the Magic Knights realized this was no time for them to be acting shy or reserved. They had come to Cephiro to have fun and spend time with their friends and loved ones, and now their vacation could be cut short at any minute.
After a little bit of practice in shallow waters, Lantis took Hikaru diving to a nearby coral reef. The colorful plants, corals, and rock formations were teeming with life, from exotic multi-finned fishes, to sea stars, and small bipedal, umbrella-shaped sprites. On one of her dives, Hikaru spotted a white, rabbit-shaped sea slug, which she patted on the head, before it ballooned to look almost like Mokona. Lantis meanwhile spotted a large, white, water-melon sized clam with red stripes, with a pink pearl inside it.
Up on the land, by Umi's and Fuu's suggestions, four of the couples had put up a net and were playing volleyball. With Ascot and Ferio on their side and Presea, Clef, Sierra, and Zazu on the other, the eight of them learned to play little by little. Although Fuu and Umi were the ones who knew the rules, it was Ascot and Ferio who drove their team's performance throughout the game. On the opposite side, Sierra and Presea picked up the pace on the behalf of their boyfriends, whose daily lives didn't include much exercise. In the end it was the team-work between Fuu, Umi, and their boyfriends that won the game.
Stepping away for a moment from tending to the spit roast, Lafarga took the opportunity to bask in the sun alongside Caldina. Spending all their days either protecting villages or teaching children, the couple rarely had time for some peace, quiet, and relaxation. Getting to enjoy the ambiance of the sea was also a rare treat, as they lived so far inland.
"Think we should go swimming before dinner now that we have the chance?" Lafarga asked his wife with his eyes closed.
"Maybe, but let's first take a nap," Caldina yawned, feeling warm. "We woke up quite early, after all."
While the two of them relaxed, Mokona and Primera manned the cooking spit. The two small fey kept the roast spinning by having Mokona jump on the handle to bring it down, while Primera used magic to lift it back up. It was tough work for the two of them, but from time-to-time others would help them out.
As everyone enjoyed their time at the beach, their eyes occasionally drifted toward the ocean, where an unusual vehicle bobbed atop the waves. Having requested a sailboard from Mokona, Hotaru had taken out to the waves to do some windsurfing. Having not much experience in the sport, Hotaru used his Aluminum Flight spell to keep upright and propel himself forward. Gliding across the waves, he was able to pick up quite the speed, as well as perform some magic assisted air flips.
Though Alcyone would have liked to join Hotaru for some wave riding, she was busy focusing on another task. With Liviana and Integra getting inspired by Zazu's and Sierra's sand castle, the two maids had started working on their own. Seeing this, Alcyone joined in, using this opportunity to test out different designs for her and Hotaru's future castle. Using Alcyone's ice magic and wet sand, the three of them were able to design some truly gravity defying sand castle designs.
Having not found interest in sunbathing, ball games, swimming, or castle building, Envix had requested to borrow Lantis's horse. Riding atop the black horse with a blue flaming mane in her swimsuit, felt quite liberating to Envix, as she circled around the island a few times. From time to time, she would fly up into the air to gaze at the horizon, both to enjoy the vast blue sky and sea, and keep an eye on the water.
Having had his fill of the ocean's swells, Hotaru navigated his sailboard back to the beach, gently bringing it to a stop on the shoreline. As he returned, instead of being welcomed by his wife, Umi, Fuu, and Hikaru all rushed over to him.
"Hotaru, could you help us out for a moment?" Umi asked excitedly.
Seeing their bright eyes, Hotaru smiled, "Sure, what can I do for you?"
"Ms. Umi says she needs you for a very special photo," Fuu explained, seemingly a bit curious herself.
"Mhm! And I need you in your giant form for it," Umi explained.
"What you have in mind?" Hikaru asked.
"I figured there were others who might enjoy a moment in the sun," Umi smiled mischievously.
Putting his clothes back on aside from his boots, Hotaru walked little ways away from the shore so that his feet were covered by water. As he towered over everything else on the island, the Magic Knights summoned their fully evolved Magic Knight armors, before calling forth their Mashins.
"Rayearth!"
"Selece!"
"Windam!"
One by one the giant technicolor robots with animal motifs appeared before them. Despite having already been warned about summoning them, the other beachgoers, especially the maids, were amazed to see the mechs up close. These gargantuan and majestic robots would have struck awe into everyone who saw them, had it not been for the giant brunet man behind them. With his older body and Titanium Power, Hotaru stood roughly three times taller than the mechs, with each of the Mashins reaching just above his knee.
"Girls from another world, why have thee summoned us?" Rayearth asked them in a gentle tone.
"Thee doth not seem to be in danger," Windam pointed out.
"We wanted to take a picture of you three!" Umi yelled up at them. "So that we have something to remember you by when we go back to our world!"
"Ms. Umi, are you sure this is a good idea?" Fuu asked worriedly. "Would it not be risky if someone were to see the photograph of giant robots?"
"It's all a matter of perspective," Umi wagged her finger before thrusting her chest out smugly. "Out here on the beach, there's nothing to give scale to objects, and with Hotaru standing behind them, the Mashins look like toy robots. It's called forced perspective!"
"But will it not look weird if you take the picture from here?" Hikaru asked, pointing at the mechs.
As Hikaru had pointed out, the girls were at best ankle height of the Mashins, even with their clawed feet half submerged in water. While they could've asked Mashins and Hotaru to back away to get a better shot, at that point they would have been far too submerged in water for the picture to make sense. Thinking for a solution to get a higher perspective, Umi eventually had an idea and turned over to Mokona, who was still turning the spit.
"Mokona~," Umi asked with an overly sweet tone. "Do you still have that winged flying thing of yours? If you let me borrow it, Hikaru and Fuu can spin the boar for you."
"Pupu puu!" Mokona agreed, hopping off the handle.
With Hikaru covering for Mokona, the little rabbit's forehead gem glowed blue, before summoning the silver, sapphire encrusted flying saucer with a metal sphere hovering over it. Hopping onto it with Mokona, the transport started rising higher. Falling over after trying to stay standing with her instant camera, Umi was forced to sit down on the wrap-around couch. But as they reachedthe Mashin's eye level and backed off a bit, Umi stood up again to get the correct height.
"Okay… let's try not to get anything unnecessary into the picture," Umi spoke to herself, looking through the optics before snapping the picture.
After the winged saucer landed and Hotaru shrunk back down, Umi showed off the picture to everyone. As planned, Hotaru looked like a simple foreign man with three, over-sized, custom built robot models, and slightly unusual clothes.
"Heh, I look like a total mech otaku," Hotaru chuckled, looking at his proud smile in the picture.
"It's crazy how much smaller the Mashins look next to ya!" Caldina gawked. "They're like lil toys!"
Envix looked at Hotaru worriedly, "How do the rest of us look to you when you get that big?"
"Snack-sized," Hotaru daunted, wrapping his arm around Alcyone before they both laughed.
As others laughed with them awkwardly, Clef turned towards the Mashins who were still standing motionlessly. Lately he had been doing a lot of research on the history of Cephiro for any potential clues for the Prophecy of the Broken Pillar. But now, he had the chance to ask about the past straight from the source.
Walking to the shore line, Clef bowed and spoke respectfully, "Great Mashin-samas! As you have watched over the balance and harmony of Cephiro since its very beginning, may I humbly request for your wisdom?"
"What doth thee wish to know, honorable Master Mage?" Windam asked, its orange eyes glowing.
Surprised to get such a respectful answer and that his idea worked, Clef asked in a clear voice, "We have recently been made aware of a prophecy regarding major disasters that will befall Cephiro due to the removal of the Pillar System! Do you have any information regarding the Prophecy of the Broken Pillar?"
The Mashins remained quiet for a moment, before Rayearth spoke up, "We has't not heard about a bodement like that before. Nowhere is it mentioned in the Legend of the Magic Knights, nor hast information regarding it been trusted to us."
"What doest this bodement say?" Selece inquired curiously.
"…I do not remember it word by word," Clef admitted shamefully, having only heard it once, "but the beginning says, that the lands will be drowned by the tears of the fallen Magic Knights."
Having listened to Clef's conversation, Hikaru stepped forth sternly, "Have there been many Magic Knights who failed before us?"
"Only a handful of Magic Knights hast perished on their missions," Rayearth answered directly. "Very rarely hast all three lost their lives at once."
"But if one Magic Knight dies, what happens to the others?" Umi asked worriedly.
"If a single Magic Knight falls on their journey, that means the others can still fulfill their duty to release the Pillar," Selece explained.
"Rarely did Magic Knights see adversity like you three," Windam assured.
"…But that still means some of the Magic Knights did lose their lives for the continuation of the Pillar system," Fuu said begrudgingly. "Furthermore, would it not be most likely for them to have lost their lives before reaching the first shrine? Would you know of the Magic Knights, who never had the chance to meet you?"
The three Mashins were quiet for a while, before finally moving, as they looked at each other with mechanical motions. Though the mechs' faces didn't display motions, there was an air of uncertainty raised by Fuu's heavy questions.
Eventually, Rayearth answered, "We cannot be certain."
Receiving the answer, the three knights all lowered their heads heavily, imagining all the potential poor souls who hadn't survived the journey they had. The sight of their pilots feeling so low filled the Mashins with an indescribable sorrow, as they wished they could have given them the closure they longed for.
"Was there anything else thee wished to ask?" Windam offered their collective knowledge.
Looking at Clef and then back at the Mashins, Hikaru shook her head, "None right now. Thank you for your help—"
"Actually!" Hotaru spoke up, lifting his hand up to talk. "I have a question for you three regarding my Mashin! Do you have any idea where Mazdakin is?"
With the Mashins tilting their heads slightly down towards Hotaru, he figured they were listening.
"I… I had a fight with Mazdakin and I really need him back!" Hotaru confessed. "If Cephiro will be under attack, going through disasters, or whatever else will happen, I would like to have his help!"
"Hotaru…" Hikaru gasped, as the others looked at him in shock.
"We… Doth not have the right to reveal that information," Rayearth proclaimed, its tone a balance of authority and regret.
Having had his hopes up for getting his most powerful weapon back, Hotaru was outraged, "But why not!?"
Before he could justify his right to know, the towering mechs started slowly turning translucent. Vanishing in flashes of red, green, and blue light, the Cephiroans were left standing in silence, with Hotaru gritting his teeth. Just as he was about to express his frustration, he sensed the weight of the others' stares boring into the back of his head.
"Hotaru," Clef spoke out in a concerned tone. "Is it true you have lost Mazdakin?"
"…Lost, is a strong word," Hotaru answered stiffly. "More like… scared him away?"
"Scared?" Umi repeated in confusion. "I thought it was a mindless Mashin like Zagato's, Emeraude's, or our shadows!"
"Well, I thought the same as well until…"
Returning back to the depths of their dark, void-like pocket dimension, the three Mashins returned to their vigil. While the dimension was empty of anything aside from the stone pillar in the middle of it, Cephiro's guardian gods didn't mind. In this world they were able to exist without form, to dream an endless sleep, of the eons they had existed. Long since had they overcome the desires and wants of worldly possessions or glory, needing only a place to call their own to rest and meditate.
But nowadays, the void they called home was no longer as empty as it used to be. Sitting with its legs crossed, facing away from the other three, was a silver and gold Mashin with dozens of lime-green orbs. Its mechanical bladed wings had been folded up and its large armored tassets were splayed out across the floor of their sanctum. Although the Mashins didn't regularly exhibit human emotions, Rayearth, Selece, and Windam could tell the newcomer wasn't in the best of moods.
The young Mashin's voice carried a hint of annoyance, "So… what did they ask you to do this time?"
With the others staying quiet, Selece answered, "Umi wanted to photograph us and thy creator as a memento to take to their world."
"…What's a photograph?" Quatsar asked in confusion.
"Something with great sentimental value, it appears," Windam answered, mostly unsure himself.
Mulling over the answer for a while, Quatsar eventually asked, "Did they not ask for me?"
"The man from another world did ask about thee," Rayearth acknowledged. "He requested for thy help in protecting Cephiro from an approaching disaster."
"Will thy assist him?" Selece asked.
"He won't need my help…" Quatsar continued moping. "…Did any of you reveal my name to him?"
With robotic precision, Windam announced, "No. It is the decision of each Mashin to reveal their name to the person they art to partner with."
"I did but that bastard went ahead and forgot mine…" Quatsar griped, crossing his armored arms over his chest. "I guess you could say I am lucky. ...But I am so bored here! I want to play in the sunlight with all the animals! I want to fly around Cephiro and see the seas and the funny looking mountains again! I want to fly around the sun again!"
Having run away from Hotaru some half a year ago or so, Quatsar had found himself in the Mashins' dimension. At first, he had been scared and alone, but soon found company in Rayearth, Windam, and Selece, who resided here as well. They had been too quiet for his liking, but after pestering them enough, they had agreed to play with him and tell him stories. Though he did have difficulty in understanding what they were saying at first. They had also listened to his gripes about Hotaru and about what he had been through while unable to talk or move on his own.
This had led to Quatsar asking why he hadn't been able to act when first created. According to Rayearth, Selece, and Windam, it took a full year for a newly born Mashin to mature to a point where they were able to talk or act independently. The shorter Mashins had also told Quatsar about times they had fought alongside Hotaru, and about how he was a respectable warrior. But Quatsar wasn't interested in hearing about this, as all he cared about was being able to leave this dimension again.
Standing up and towering over the others, Quatsar yelled, "How can I find a partner other than Hotaru!?"
"For that we cannot help thee," Rayearth spoke in a solemn voice.
"The ability to create a Mashin was originally intended for our creator only," Windam continued apologetically. "It was unintentional that mortals managed to find means to accomplish the same."
"The only way for thee to find another mortal to partner up with, is for them to approach thy avatar in thy temple," Selece explained in detail. "But alas young one, thee doth not have either."
"Shit! That's not fair!" Quatsar stomped his pointy foot down. "…What about those two then?"
Pointing towards the depths of the dark dimension, membranes of dark plasma faded out of the way, revealing two figures. While Quatsar was about fifty percent taller than the three ancient Mashins, these two were almost as big as him.
One of them was a black and red, heavily armored figure with minor golden decorations that resembled a knight. It had golden epaulet-like decorations on its broad black pauldrons, with red orbs in the middle. Its knees resembled red shields with golden trims and a large black cape was splayed out behind it. A long, curved shield was attached to its wrist and forearm. It had a black helmet with a red and gold visor and a dark gray head crest.
The other was predominantly white and blue, and appeared like a naked female demon with skin of metal. It had a smooth white abdomen, shins and thighs, with blue knees, breasts, and crotch. The feet were shaped like a pair of blue and gold high heels and its hands and arms were slender and white, with some blue details. Its pauldrons were wide, two-tiered, and spiky with a yellow orb on top of each. The Mashin'swhite face looked feminine and its head had four large horns growing from the sides. The robot had red eyes and a blue forehead, with a yellow gem on it. It had large black demonic wings on its back and long red hair growing from the back of its head.
These two figures, while always standing, had never once spoken or moved as long as Quatsar had been around. For this reason, Quatsar had never questioned about it before, but now, they might shed light on his situation.
"Do they have avatars, temples, or partners?" Quatsar asked.
"Their creators hast perished long ago," Windam informed with a dry voice. "Nothing can permanently destroy or kill a Mashin, as we art eternal beings. But if our creators die, our minds art locked in an eternal slumber."
"As thy creator's creators did not sign them new partners, these Mashins will forever remain locked in that state, for no fault of their own," Rayearth sighed solemnly.
"So… they're dead?" Quatsar asked, his voice barely a whisper.
"We cannot die, only slumber," the three Mashins repeated simultaneously.
As the dimension grew quiet once more, the central blue orb on Selece's chest started flashing. Looking down at it, the blue Mashin could see his S-shaped emblem glowing.
"Hmmm? What is going on…"
Once the Mashins had left, Hotaru had gotten everyone caught up on what had happened between him and Mazdakin. At first, he had told them about how his Mashin had changed its name and what he had done to it. Then he had to explain why he had done it, as Mazdakin had not listened to his orders and acted against him. Then he had been forced to tell them why Mazdakin had gotten angry at him in the first place, which ended up being a long list. Finished with his explanations, those who had listened weren't exactly happy.
"HOW COULD YA DO THAT, HOTARU!?" Caldina yelled at him, loud enough for nearby birds to take flight.
While Ascot and Ferio held their ears, everyone else staredat Hotaru with disappointed looks. None as fearsome as Caldina, surprisingly.
"How could ya treat a young'un like that!" his ex-teacher continued berating him. "He was only born recently and ya already beat him up!"
With Caldina poking at his bare chest with her finger nail, Hotaru was forced to take a few steps back, "…In my defense, one-year-olds aren't usually that mouthy or heavily armored. And I did try to reason with him first! I didn't think I'd…"
While Hotaru was trying to justify himself, he could spot Hikaru looking at him with a trembling lip and her eyes tearing up. Seeing his small friend look at him like a wounded puppy, Hotaru quickly found his tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth.
"Hotaru…" Hikaru whispered in a trembling voice, "did you really kill all those people?"
With Fuu, Umi, Ferio, and Sierra also looking at Hotaru in shock and repulsion, Hotaru couldn't find it in him to speak up. But before Hotaru could ask for forgiveness, Alcyone placed her hands on Hikaru's shoulders. As the sorceress looked the young Magic Knight in the eyes, the young girl's expression quickly changed to that of shock.
"I'm sorry…" Alcyone apologized, "but after the space pirates attacked, it was me who suggested that we would execute all the survivors. I… figured it would be better for Cephiro's safety."
As Hikaru still seemed torn about this, Clef spoke up as well, "And it was."
The Magic Knights gasped in shock, as Clef approached them, "It was I who asked Alcyone and Hotaru to take care of the space pirates when they arrived. They already had their weapons aimed at our villages, ready to unleash fire from the sky at any moment. Hotaru was the only one who could deal with them fast enough, to save innocent lives."
Though she was still angry at Hotaru for his actions, even Caldina defended him, "Space pirates are… no good, lil' missus; especially those who work under Admiral Grosser…"
Hearing how serious Caldina was and seeing Lafarga hugging her from behind, the Magic Knights slowly got over the shock of Hotaru's tale. As for the others, with Zazu and Ascot included, they couldn't exactly blame Hotaru for killing people to defend their home. However, with everything said, Clef still walked in front of Hotaru, with a serious expression upon his face.
"Hotaru, when you said we should not worry too much about the prophecy and take some time off," Clef spoke in a firm and strict tone, "I agreed to it, because I believed we could rely on you and Mazdakin."
Swallowing deeply, Hotaru couldn't deny the Master Mage's point. He was the Hero of Cephiro, which meant they trusted his judgement when he gave it. However, this was because the people believed he wielded power that could eclipse that of Zagato's, Grosser's, or Debonair's. If he only had one hundredth or one thousandth of the power he wielded with Mazdakin, that meant the stakes were now that much higher.
As Hotaru was trying to find a way to apologize, a deep voice rang inside Umi's mind, "Umi, dost thee hear me?"
"Selece?" Umi gasped in a surprised voice.
Focused still on Hotaru, the others were caught off guard as Selece's translucent figure appeared next to them. The projection of the Rune God wasn't as big as the real deal, but it still towered over even Mokona's shelter.
"I sense a disturbance in my sanctum," Selece spoke in a concerned voice. "A presence hast stirred in the depths of the Water Shrine. Please, can thee investigate what is going on?"
Before anyone could answer, Hotaru exclaimed, "We'll take care of it! Me, Alcyone, and the Magic Knights. Right now."
"Hotaru," Clef gasped, seeing him stare at the Magic Knights.
Placing his hand on his chest with a serious expression, Hotaru addressed the crowd, "Look, I invited you all here to relax while we should have been trying to figure things out. I said we could look after the ocean in case something happened, and now something is happening. So, to all of you, please make the most of this day, and let us take care of this problem."
"But shouldn't the rest of us come as well?" Lantis asked. "The rest of us also have the duty to protect Cephiro."
Placing her hand on his arm, Hikaru smiled confidently, "Don't worry, we will take care of it. If we need help, we will retreat and call for you."
With the others wishing the five of them good luck one at a time, Alcyone pointed out, "Before we leave, perhaps we should put our clothes on first?"
"Ah-!"
While putting their regular clothes on in Mokona's shelter, the Magic Knights had remembered a crucial detail about their Alcyone having never been to the Water Shrine before, instead of teleporting there directly, she was planning on taking them to the nearby Hotaru and Alcyone were ready to teleport to the other side of the world, Hikaru snatched Mokona with her, to help them make it to the underwater shrine.
"All set!" Hikaru said, holding Mokona above her head.
Just as they were about to leave, Clef interrupted then, "Before you all leave, I think it is finally time I give something to you three."
Summoning his large wooden staff, Clef struck the butt of it against the sand, before its large blue gem glowed. There were three bright flashes of light around the magic knights, in their signature colors, as another layer of clothing formed on them.
Once the light faded, they were dressed in sets of lightweight, gold trimmed armors. Two, small, double layered armored pauldrons covered their shoulders, with the lower layer reaching the upper arm. A simple, angled breastplate circled around their chest and back, with a matching armored corset wrapping around their waists. Below the corset, they had armored belts with round-tipped triangular tassets and a pointier belt buckle. On their right arm they had armored bracers with thick, round armor on top and were almost fully open at the bottom. On their left hands, they had fingerless, armored gloves that reached halfway up their forearms. Their legwear was of different length each, as per usual, but each of them had armored, shield-shaped knee and ankle guards. The armor pieces were shiny and color coded, being sapphire blue, ruby red, and emerald green, and decorated with matching round and oval gems.
"Sugoi!" Umi gasped, looking at her new armored set.
"It looks so much shinier than our old sets," Fuu gasped, admiring the details.
"These are armors made by yours truly," Presea smiled proudly. "I figured you three deserved custom-made armor sets after all you've been through for us. I hope you like them!"
Getting over the glimmer of her new armor, Hikaru threw her arms up, "They are wonderful! Thank you, Presea!"
Having said their farewells, the group of five teleported to the coast nearest to the Water Shrine. The girls expected to be greeted by the deep blue sea, but were shocked to be standing atop a tall hill in the light of the setting sun. From the hill they could see a large coastal village next to a sandy beach, with many wooden piers stretching out to the sea. The houses were wooden and tarred almost black, with slanted turf roofs, with the streets in between made with boarded walkways. Around the piers, there were several row boats and a couple of longboats. A stone brick aqueduct leading from a distant river flowed across the village, providing fresh water for the commune.
"Wait… since when was all this here?" Umi asked curiously, looking around. "Wasn't there a cliff here last time? Or are we in a different place…"
"No, it is the same," Hotaru answered with a deadpan voice. "It's just that last time most of this area had already crumbled into the sea. Welcome to the village of Vinci."
Making their way down the hill, they spotted several figures near the shoreline, little ways outside the village. Even though it was late in the evening, dozens of people were working on large wooden ships, with no signs of stopping. The men and women were hammering and sawing away, with some people even cooking food nearby so they could eat on the job.
"What are they doing working at this hour? Shouldn't they be getting ready for bed?" Hikaru asked, worrying for their health.
"I think the people of this village have already heard about the prophecy," Fuu pointed out as they walked across a dock. "They are taking steps to prepare for an evacuation should the seas begin to overflow."
Raising an eyebrow, Alcyone scoffed, "I'm not convinced that a bunch of large ships will be enough."
"Well at least they are trying to be prepared," Umi snarked.
"Pu-pupupu-puu," Mokona chirped with its arms crossed while being carried by Hikaru.
"No need to rub it in you two," Hotaru rolled his eyes. "Let's just get to the shrine before the people notice I am here."
Getting to the end of the dock, Mokona hopped down from Hikaru's arms before firing a blue beam of light from its forehead gem. Blue hexagram magic circle appeared over the water, before the metallic, winged saucer appeared on it. With everyone on board, the metal sphere that floated over the saucer glowed bright yellow, before forming a dome over them. With a single flap of its wings, Mokona's transport glided across the waves like a skipping stone, forcing its passengers to hold on tight.
"Can this! Thing! Ever! Travel normally!" Umi complained as they bounced on the waves.
"Puuuuuuu!" Mokona yelled cheerfully.
After bouncing what had to have been twenty times, the saucer came to a stop, before gently sinking under the waves. Though the descent was steady and peaceful, the passengers could barely even look outside, as they were piled on top of each other.
"Is everyone okay…?" Hikaru asked, her head still spinning.
"Ugh… I never thought it was possible to get seasick on a submarine ride…" Umi groaned, holding her hand over her mouth.
"It is always a wild ride on Sir Mokona's back," Fuu cracked up.
"Could you three please get off of me so that I can get off Hotaru?" Alcyone snapped at them.
"Why in such a hurry?" Hotaru answered from the bottom of the pile, wrapping an arm around Alcyone. "I'm quite enjoying the view."
Blushing at Hotaru's compliments as they stared into each other's eyes, Alcyone leaned against his chest relaxingly. With the Magic Knights getting off of her, she figured this was a good time to relax, as they hadn't had time for each other on the beach.
"Could you two get a room? Or stop flirting for a moment?" Umi snarked, earning a glare from Alcyone.
"Why don't you get out for a walk! It's our honeymoon!"
"Woah! Look at this!" Hikaru yelled, pressing her face against the glass.
Getting up slowly and reluctantly, Alcyone and Hotaru joined the girls in admiring the view outside. While the seafloor had been almost completely barren last time they were here, now it was almost overgrown. Sea grass, kelp, colorful corals and other fauna and flora covered the sandy sea-floor, despite the great depths. Hundreds of different kinds of fish moved in different sized schools and were showing off beautiful scale patterns and colorful fins. Even the massive pit that led to the Water Shrine was bordered by large, spiraling growths of vegetation and light giving crystals.
"Cephiro is… flourishing!" Hikaru adored what she was seeing.
"This is what the world was like before the wars," Alcyone sighed, feeling Hotaru place a hand on her shoulder. "To think that after we finally managed to turn things back to normal, it will soon be gone again."
"Pu-pu puu…" Mokona patted her on the leg.
With his companions starting to feel down again, Hotaru smiled, "Hey, chin up ladies. Unlike last time, we are here to prevent it before it even starts. Prophecy or not, it doesn't mean we cannot change our fate, or the fate of this world."
With today's events and Hotaru's earlier actions, these words didn't ring as true to the girls as they normally would have. But with Alcyone giving a convinced nod, the Magic Knights followed along warily.
As their craft descended deeper into the pit at the bottom of the sea, they could see a familiar underwater shrine at the heart of the abyss. The cobalt blue large pillars and stone arches outside the shrine used to have been covered in algae and slightly cracked. But now they were in pristine condition, shiny, and lit up by glowing crystals above them. The large, dragon-like face carving was more pronounced with luminous crystal eyes and the hexagonal carving above it was covered in gold leaf.
Making their way to the very sea floor, their craft flew in through the water-fall like doorway, into the entrance hall of the Water Shrine. While the outside of the shrine had been much more brightly lit than before, the inside looked pretty much the same as during their last visit. The ceiling was, the floor covered in perfectly cut, dark green stone tiles, and all around there were perfectly round and smooth, purple pillars. The only difference they could see, was that the innumerous round gems at the foot of the pillars were giving off a faint, ambient glow.
Getting off the vehicle, Alcyone looked around the shrine in awe, "This place is enormous! Just how far does this hall reach…"
"Who knows," Hotaru shrugged, helping the shorter ladies off the craft. "The sanctum of Selece is straight forward."
Walking across the silent halls of the underwater shrine, the sounds of their footsteps echoed off the pillars, with Alcyone's clicking at a particularly high pitch. Umi, who had last been in a trance-like state most of the time, was looking around nervously, having minimal memories of the Water Shrine. After reaching the giant doors of the inner sanctum, her memories started getting clearer. But there was one thing she didn't know for certain.
"So… how do we open these?" Umi asked, looking at the handleless doors.
"Last time they opened on their own," Fuu reminisced.
"Try touching them?" Hotaru suggested. "Worked with Presea's house."
With Umi placing her hand on the cold stone doors, there was a loud snapping sound, before the doors unsealed and opened outwards. Revealing the shrine's most sacred area, the quintet was shocked to find it empty. The room had always been sparse, having only a green altar with a wall carving on the back wall and few purple pillars on the sides. But now even the blue dragon statue was missing from the sanctum, leaving the group peering into the dark corners of the room.
"There's nothing here…" Hikaru pointed out, looking around carefully.
"Do you sense anything?" Hotaru asked Alcyone.
"Nothing…" Alcyone admitted.
With nothing happening, Umi placed her hand over her right ear before yelling, "Hoi, Selece! What gives? There's nothing here!"
Startled by Umi's shouting, the others barely reacted when the Mashin's voice echoed through the sanctum, "The presence is not in here. It is coming down from the depths of the shrine, to thine left."
Walking backwards from the shrine to keep his orientation, Hotaru stared into the darkness of the Water Shrine's sea of pillars. While he couldn't see what was causing the presence, he also couldn't see the end of the sideways corridor.
With no other options, the Magic Knights and the newlyweds started walking down the long dark hallway. To help them see and keep an eye on each pillar and their shadows, Mokona had summoned a beige lantern with pink trims. However, the light only better showcased the infinite depths of the Water Shrine, as they walked past thousands of pillars.
Holding the lantern up higher, Umi sighed frustratedly, "Just how big did they build this place?"
"It feels like it covers the entire seafloor," Fuu adjusted her glasses, trying to peer into the dark.
"We've only walked a mile at most," Hotaru scoffed. "In the future, there are shopping malls bigger than this."
"I hope I live long enough to see those!" Umi smiled wryly, before coming to a sudden stop. "Eek!"
"What is it, Umi-chan?" Hikaru whispered intensely.
"O-Over there…" Umi pointed with her finger, putting the lantern away.
Staring into the dark, all the group could see were azure blue lights of the pillar bases. However, as they watched more closely, they could see one of the lights was higher than the others, and moving. About the size of a basketball, the blue light hovered between the pillars, seemingly at random, as if searching for something. As they followed its movements silently, they could hear quiet, high pitched, rhythmic and repetitive sounds being emitted from it.
"Is that it?" Hotaru raised an eyebrow. "We sure that isn't just a lost fairy?"
Staring at the sphere of light, Hikaru couldn't help but get an ominous feeling from it, "I see no fairy inside it… We should proceed with caution."
Summoning her sword from her glove, Hikaru approached the light with her weapon drawn. As she got closer to it, she still couldn't see anything inside it. With Hikaru approaching the light, a chill ran down Fuu's spine, as she grabbed the lantern from Umi.
"Ms. Hikaru!" Fuu yelled, pointing the lantern at the light.
With the light shining on the sphere, Hikaru expected something to be revealed by it, but nothing. Instead, thelight quickly darted towards her like a cannon ball, prompting Hikaru to raise her Escudo sword. As the light impacted against the blade, there was a loud clang that almost struck Hikaru's hands numb, pushing her back. As the light flew past her, it managed to cut her cheek.
Seeing the light attack, Umi yelled, "What was that about, Fuu!"
"Sorry! I thought that it was an angler fish!"
"Apologize later, let's move!" Hotaru yelled.
Expanding out his Double Armor and activating Silver Speed and Tungsten Defense, Hotaru charged in with his double rapiers. Although his movements were faster, the sphere of light was smaller and able to fly, allowing it to slip past his attacks. While Hotaru could've used Aluminum Flight, it would cause his size to grow exponentially with Tungsten Defense active.
Joining the fight, Umi and Fuu summoned their swords, while Alcyone conjured her staff.
"Icicle Onslaught!" Alcyone yelled, shooting over the sphere.
Spraying sharp shards of ice at and over the sphere, Alcyone forced it to fly lower, allowing the others to try and get a hit on it. This however attracted its attention to her, as the ball of light flew straight at her, tackling Alcyone against one of the pillars.
"Uagh!"
"ALCYONE!" the others yelled, Hotaru loudest.
As Hotaru rushed in to pull Alcyone to safety, the Magic Knights extended out their arms.
"Flame Arrow!"
"Emerald Typhoon!"
"Water Dragon!"
Making quick movements, the ball of light dodged Hikaru's and Fuu's spells. Snatching Alcyone out of the way of the spells, Hotaru barely had time to shield her from the fireball and the winds with his cape. As he expected a torrent of water to arrive, he and the Magic Knights saw the dragon shaped geyser wrap its jaws successfully around the sphere.
"I did it!" Umi cheered, lifting her fist up. "…Huh?"
Looking closely, Umi could see her water spell trying to crush the ball of light, wrapping around it over and over. Eventually her water dragon was compressed into an elliptic sphere around the ball of light, its shade of blue turning deeper and darker. With water around it, the sounds of the orb lowered in pitch and increased in volume, sounding like someone was crying through helium. As the ten feet wide water mass moved with the light, albeit more sluggishly, the true nature of their enemy was finally revealed.
"It took over Umi's spell!" Hikaru gasped.
"Why is this happening!?" Umi freaked out. "Why did it take over mine?!"
"It must be able to absorb water into itself," Fuu pointed out.
Giving each other quick glances, Alcyone and Hotaru turned pale as they realized what this meant.
"'The lands will be drowned, as the tears of the fallen Magic Knights overflow the seas'…" Alcyone quoted in horror.
"We're under the ocean…" Hotaru gasped for breath, as a sinking feeling took over him. "EVERYONE! We must not let this thing get to the entrance! Fuu! Go with Alcyone and protect the exit! The rest of us will try and stop it!"
"Got it! Aaagh!" Fuu screamed, as a high-pressure water spout shot past her.
Looking at the floating mass of water, the Magic Knights could see several glowing spots inside it. As these spots coalesced into a single point, the weeping water mass fired a powerful blast from it. Rushing forth with his shield, Hotaru managed to get in Fuu's way, but the water jet blasted right through his round shield.
"Hotaru!" Fuu and Alcyone yelled in shock.
With his shield turning into particles of light, Hotaru raised a hand, "Don't worry, my armor is tougher than my weapons, now GO!"
Hurrying over to Alcyone before their foe could fire again, Fuu grabbed hold of the sorceress before they both teleported away. Appearing at the entrance of the Water Shrine, the two of them stared at the massive waterfall-like doorway, separating them from over a billion cubic kilometers of water. Staring out into the dark waters, cold sweat dripped down Fuu's neck as her knees quivered.
"If that thing reaches this doorway…"
"It'll be the single worst disaster Cephiro has ever faced," Alcyone said strictly, before ordering. "Quickly! Put up your barrier!"
"Yes!" Fuu nodded, before rushing next to the entrance. "Winds of Protection!"
Turning around, Fuu spread out her emerald wall of wind as wide as she could. However, despite her best efforts, she wasn't able to cover more than a third of the entire giant entrance.
Calculating the dimensions of the interior, Alcyone thought out loud, "Maybe I could create an ice barrier or something around it…"
"Windam!" Fuu yelled out, her armor changing.
Summoning her giant, emerald green, avian-themed mech behind her, Fuu was lifted up by a green light from its chest. Keeping her spell up, once she entered her mech, Windam raised its arms, amplifying her magic and creating a solid barrier. No longer struggling, Fuu calmed down and stared down at Alcyone.
"I can handle it; you go and help Hikaru and others! They will need your help!"
"Got it," Alcyone nodded before teleporting again.
With Fuu and Alcyone having teleported away, Hikaru, Umi, and Hotaru were trying their best to get under their enemy's skin. The weeping water mass had continued firing at them while dodging their attacks, using its watery shell as a barrier. Unable to get close, Hikaru had continued firing her spells at it, while Hotaru had been shooting with his monster gun. In the meanwhile, Umi had tried her best to stay out of the way.
"Why couldn't I go with Alcyone and Fuu as well!?" Umi shrieked, dodging between the blasts of water, flames, and bullets. "I'm completely useless against this guy!"
"You'd be useless with them as well!" Hotaru yelled, firing and reloading his shotgun.
"Umi-chan! Try to see if you can hit its core!" Hikaru suggested, before swinging forth a flaming wind cutter.
With the wave of fire blowing over their enemy and splitting its waters in half, Umi immediately spotted her opening. Rushing in as quickly as possible, she aimed the tip of her rapier at the exposed core. Before her blade could reach it, the blue sphere moved back and even dodged one of Hotaru's shots. Just as Umi was about to take another step to go after it, all the water the sphere had spilt was drawn back to it, as it filled itself back up.
As the water collected, the three of them couldn't help but notice how there seemed to be more water this time around. Instead of three meters, it was now over four meters wide, and its high-pitched weeping now sounded like full on sobbing. Looking around them, they could see thousands of half-melted ice shards being absorbed by their enemy, followed by the still solid ones.
Before their enemy could attack again, there was a flash of light as Alcyone teleported back again. The sorceress shrieked seeing the size increase of the water mass, before looking at the others accusingly.
"Did you give it more water!?"
"You're one to speak! Why does your ice melt so quickly!?"
"Hikaru's attack must have caused it to melt!" Hotaru pointed out.
"S-Sorry!"
Having had time to reload, Hotaru quick fired his monster gun at their opponent, scoring several direct hits. But as he watched his shots hit its surface, he could see them getting disintegrated by the energy transfer when hitting the water. His foe didn't even pay attention to him, rather focusing fire on the more vulnerable members of the team. Realizing there was now enough water to render his weapon useless, Hotaru packed it back into his gauntlet before extending his hand out.
"I've had it with this crybaby! Uranium—"
"No, stop!" Alcyone halted him. "If you fire that here, you will risk collapsing the ceiling! And then the sea floor!"
"Then what're we supposed to do!?" Umi asked frustratedly.
Noticing its foes no longer posed a threat to it nor further sustenance, the glowing sphere started moving forward. Dragging its liquid exterior with it, it floated through the air at an impatient pace, disregarding the bags of flesh it had been fighting against.
"And now it is ignoring us!" Umi yelled frustratedly.
Seeing her opponent drop its guard, Hikaru stowed away her sword before raising both of her arms. Red lightning bolts crackled between her fingers, as she charged up a red ball of electricity.
"Ruby Lightning!"
Noticing the red ball coming in fast, the blue sphere instinctively raised itself up slightly, before converting its liquid body into a donut shape. The Ruby Lightning passed through the hole, striking one of the pillars and blasting it apart. Despite the destruction caused by the spell, the weeping ball of grief continued on its merry way.
"Darn it! I hoped it had become slow enough!" Hikaru cursed, kicking a piece of rubble, before thinking.
"It does seem to get slower each time it grows…" Alcyone pointed out, before turning to Hotaru. "You thinking what I'm thinking?"
After nodding at Alcyone, Hotaru turned around, "Umi, can you fire one more water spell at that thing?"
"Sure, but why?"
"If we manage to slow it down enough, I'm sure Alcyone and Hikaru can finish it off," Hotaru explained calmly. "If not, it will at least slow its trip to the entrance, and give us enough time to think of a new strategy."
While not filled with confidence, Umi swallowed deeply before twirling around and extending her hands forward, "Sapphire Whirlpool!"
As Umi fired out and formed a powerful tornado of water around the grieving orb, it came to a halt as it was pulled in by the currents. Little by little, the mass of water sucked in the spell, growing larger and more misshaped, as the sphere could no longer keep its entire mass off the ground. Its sobbing became deeper still, now resembling a crowd of grief-stricken people. Seeing the swirling spell of wind and water halt the enemy, Alcyone acted next.
Spreading her arms wide, the sorceress yelled, "Frozen Finale!"
Unleashing a freezing cold blizzard, its gusts added to the windchill of Umi's spell, strengthening the vortex. With the icy grip of frost enveloping the water, the mournful orb struggled to distance itself from the vortex, but remained trapped within its own liquid body. Unable to get out, it began to thrash around to break the ice, but each time the layers of frost got thicker and thicker.
When only a small entrance remained in the ice, Hotaru yelled, "NOW HIKARU!"
"Ruby Lightning!" the red Magic Knight yelled, casting her charged up spell at full power.
The ball of red lightning soared towards the mound of ice, as Umi and Alcyone dropped concentration on their spells. There was one last flash of blue inside the unfrozen cavity, before the spell struck dead on. A brilliant red flash shone through the ice before a blast wave of crimson plasma erupted from the opening. The expanding heat cracked the ice, causing the mound to eventually explode.
Ready to pounce with his Titan Slicer if he saw anything moving in the rubble, Hotaru eventually sighed in relief as the steam dissipated.
"We got it…"
Far from the Water Shrine, inside a white mountain fortress, Prophet Sybil was sitting gracefully in the middle of her own sacrarium. Lieutenant Titan and Captain Darracq were standing by, overseeing the Prophet while she meditated, waiting for their signal to send out their troops. The white walls of the room and the sunlight flooding in through the windows, made the room almost blindingly white. However, the two officers had spent great many days in these conditions, and were used to the sanctified ambience of the sacrarium.
Kneeling in the middle of the room in a silent prayer, Sybil focused on the six gems atop the six crystal pedestals of her crystal altar. As of late, the blue gem had become more vivid in its hue, signaling the start of the first disaster. With minimal information on what would happen, the Gallant Order could only react as quickly as possible to what would go down. Though only the prophet's mouth was visible from underneath her black robes, the officers could tell she was in a good mood.
While they knew their duty and were ready to carry it out, Titan was growing frustrated with the wait. Lifting his legs up to get the weight off of his ankles, he tried his best to distract himself from his impudently growling stomach.
"If you need to eat, you can go," Darracq permitted his friend.
"Nah…" Titan grunted. "The disaster will strike the minute I sit down to eat."
Keeping his voice down low, Darracq shrugged, "If you say so."
"Your vigilance is appreciated, Titan," Sybil smiled, praising him motherly. "…Hmmm?"
Looking at the blue gem, Darracq thought he saw it flash, before the egg-shaped jewel lost all its color. Soon after, the grayed-out gem started to flake and crumble, as if turning into ash as it disappeared into thin air. As this happened, Darracq and Titan could hear Sybil gasp out loud, before standing up.
"It was… The first disaster was averted… already?" Sybil stuttered in shock.
"Okay, now I'll go eat," Titan said, taking his leave at a brisk pace.
As his second took a hike, Darracq rushed next to Sybil, "Are you sure, your grace? What could possibly have quelled the oceans' wrath?"
Still shaking, Sybil admitted, "I don't know… but one thing is for certain."
Turning to look at Darracq, Sybil spoke firmly, "Our swift actions in spreading the word about the Prophecy have secured Cephiro for now. This is a sign we must not rest! Send out all the messengers, make sure that everyone knows of the prophecy andprepares for the next stage! With any luck, this fortune may repeat itself."
Taking heed of the Prophet's words, Darracq nodded, "Understood. It will be done."
Returning back from the Water Shrine to the sandy beaches of the island, Cephiro's five heroes were given a warm welcome back. While the others had hundreds of questions about what had happened, the day was still young and the five of them had earned a break. Ascot and Umi went out to the sea on the back of one of Ascot's sea monsters, saying they would be diving for pearls. Fuu and Ferio joined in on the sandcastle building competition, using Ferio's earth and plant growth spells to help them out. Lantis and Hikaru took turns on Hotaru's sailboard, riding the gentle waves. Thirsting for another game, Presea's team challenged the maids and Caldina into a game of volleyball, with the Chizetan ex-dancer crushing the competition.
Having finally the time to relax by themselves, Hotaru and Alcyone took a large beach towel behind Mokona's shelter. Protecting themselves with sun oil, the newlywed couple laid down to bask in the sun in their swimsuits, kissing, flirting, and exchanging pleasantries every now and then. As the sun sank and the excitement of the day faded away, others found the two of them blissfully asleep, held close in each other's arms.
With Lafarga and Caldina having finished the luau, everyone joined around the large wooden table for a feast. Having had plenty of exercise throughout the day, it took a few servings before anyone was ready to ask what had happened at the Water Shrine.
"A monster?" Clef repeated in surprise.
"Yes, but it was unlike any I have met before," Alcyone clarified. "Not in appearance, butneither me or Hotaru could sense its presence, even when up close."
"Why was it crying?" Caldina asked, turning to look at Ascot.
Swallowing a cut of roasted pork, Ascot blurted, "I don't know. No monster I have ever met has cried before. Not even my beasts."
"Still, what a terrifying monster," Lafarga stated, looking out to the sea. "If you hadn't stopped it, who knows how much destruction it could have caused throughout the planet."
"Could it have been a spirit?" Hikaru asked worriedly.
"You mean a ghost?" Hotaru raised an eyebrow.
"The prophecy did say the grief of the fallen Magic Knights was the cause," Fuu thought about it, stroking her chin.
"There are no such things as ghosts on Cephiro," Clef stated firmly. "Or… that used to be the case."
"Could it have been an elemental?" Ferio suggested. "Similar to Inouva."
"If it was like Inouva I could have sensed it," Alcyone sighed frustratedly. "At least we now know the Prophecy isn't just a bunch of gibberish."
"All that matters," Hotaru stated firmly, "is that as long as we can stop these disasters at their source, we can save Cephiro. …Not how Iwantedto spend my honeymoon, but I am a man always up for a challenge."
Raising a beige, ceramic tankard of juice, Lantis toasted, "And you won't be facing them alone. We will all be with you."
With everyone nodding and raising their tankards, everyone toasted in the reddish-orange light of the setting sun, feeling more confident about facing the next disaster.
Author's Afterword: It feels good to finally be able to write more episodic chapters after season 2, and I hope everyone else is enjoying the change in pace. After the mostly light-hearted adventures of season 1 and the heavier, serialized feel of season 2, I am aiming to make season 3 feel like a mix of the two.
While the last chapter made me feel drained after designing so many wedding outfits (and then the Yule chapter with the Christmas clothes), I still couldn't rest this time around with the swimsuit issue. In any case, I felt like this would be a good spot for a fanservice episode, if this really was an anime. Being able to tie it to the main plot of the season was a great bonus.
This time around, our heroes got lucky with the early warning on the approaching disaster, but next time, we will get a better look at what these disasters are capable of.
As always, reviews, questions, and critiques are welcome! Let me know what you thought of the chapter! I would like to thank Antoinette Veronica and merendinoemiliano for the reviews on the Christmas chapter!
Remember, even if you leave a review on an older chapter, I will always be grateful and make sure to mention you in the next chapter!
The link to my Deviantart page with images on the OCs is available in my profile bio.