The Ramarian Crisis

By DarkHorse

Chapter 8: Confessions

Palace Central Archives, Cephiro

L antis slammed the huge leather-bound book shut. He had been in this dusty, totally dusty palace library for the last four days trying to find a way to breach whatever wall existed between Cephiro and Earth. He had gone through hundreds of ancient tomes, scrolls and books only stopping to drink and eat. Occasionally, Mokona, the as yet to be identified rabbit-like creature, would keep him company but he wasn't much conversation or practical help. But his presence comforted him and for some reason pushed him onwards.

Why am I doing this? Lantis asked himself for the hundredth time. Because you are worried about Hikaru, that's why. The answer that his brain conjured up managed to irritate him some more. He kept telling himself that he didn't need to worry about the Princess because she was the Pillar and therefore had access to vast amounts of power. But then he remembered what Master Mage Clef told him. That Hikaru's powers are not as vast or limitless on Earth as it was in Cephiro. In her world she was vulnerable. Exactly how much less powerful she was on Earth was totally unknown.

This infuriated Lantis even more. There were endless questions and so few answers. Cephireans were not known for their diligence in keeping written records of their past. Which is why when the Magic Knights were first summoned, hardly anybody knew about them or what their purpose was. So inadequate were the historical archives of Cephiro that Lantis had yet to come across the name of the Pillar that preceded Princess Emeraude. Although there were hundreds of volumes in the library, they were mostly literary pieces, poems and odes written by bards who did nothing but lie back and paint the beauty and wonder of a Pillar-supported planet with their words. Whatever historical accounts Lantis found in the tomes were written as folklore. Trying to filter out myth and legend from fact was difficult at best.

All in all, people just depended on the highest-ranking sorcerer of Cephiro to provide the answers. And the only reason why Mage Clef could answer those questions because he was there to witness the events that now was considered as recent history. But what if he passed on? Who would be able to guide the people, to provide them with answers to the most basic questions that a Cephirean will need to know?

With a deep sigh, Lantis brought his head slowly down to rest on the book he had just closed. His thoughts returned as they always did to the image of a strangely beautiful petite redhead whose spirit was filled with joy, strength and love. There has to be a way to reach Hikaru. He knew deep down in his gut that she was in danger. He was confused that she would spurn him, reject his offer to come along and help. But he couldn't let something like that deter him.

Out of sheer exhaustion, Lantis closed his eyes. And he dreamt.

* * * * *

"Lantis!"

He heard his mother call. As was his custom, he was perched on a branch high up on a tree, leaning lazily against the trunk. "I'm up here, Mother!"

Helena, mother to both Zagata and Lantis, was a woman who looked much younger than her age, but then so were many who lived in Cephiro. She was tall just her sons were tall and she had straight black hair that reached to her waist. She was looking up at Lantis with mock anger on her face. She could never be truly angry with her sons. She could not be blessed with better sons than Zagato and Lantis. "There you are on that tree again!"

Lantis looked down at his Mother and smiled. With a mock grimace of his own, he alighted nimbly from the tree until he was standing in front of his Mother. Only then did he give her a smile, which Helena was only too pleased to return. She looped her arms around her son's right arm and led him into the house. "What is it Mother?" Lantis asked, intrigued that he should be led into the house when it was a perfectly wonderful day to be out.

"I need to show you something," was his Mother's simple reply. They entered the house through the back door. It was not a very fancy home but it was spacious and comfortable. Helena gestured that Lantis should sit down by the dinner table. "Just stay right there," she said disappeared into the next room. Lantis heard her footsteps go up the stairs and enter a room, which he knew to be his Mother's bedroom. There was a bit of noise, which he could only assume was the opening and closing of a drawer. All through this, the younger son waited patiently.

Presently, Helena reentered the dining room carrying a wooden box in her hands. It seemed very old. Other than that, there didn't seem to be anything remarkable about it. She seated herself beside Lantis, laying the box on the table. With a puzzled expression, he looked up at his Mother. "So, what is this you were going to show me?"

Helena simply pushed the box towards him. "It's inside the box."

With brows furrowed, Lantis pulled the box towards him and slowly lifted the lid. What he saw in the box caused his eyebrows to both rise. He reached in and pulled out a large circular medallion by the chain. He dangled it before him to examine it. Like the box, it was old. But that was as far as the similarity went. For the medallion was obviously something of great value. It was made of gold and it had intricate symbolic patterns all throughout its circumference. At the very center was a reflective surface made of something he could not readily identify. With his left hand he scooped up the artifact and as soon as the skin of his hand touched the surface, he shuddered. Lantis felt the power of the medallion.

He shot a glance at his Mother. "What is this?"

Helena smiled at her son. "What you have in your hands is our family's most precious possession. It has been with us for thousands of years. It is the called the Fenestra."

"Fenestra," Lantis repeated softly as he gazed into the golden medallion. "What does it mean?" he asked as he looked up once more at his Mother.

Helena tilted her head to the side and furrowed her brows slightly. "I'm not really sure. What I know is that the word comes from an ancient language. I also know that the medallion has strong magic. You felt it didn't you?"

"Yes, Mother, I felt it. So why are you showing this to me?"

"I'm giving it to you."

Lantis' eyes widened. "Why me? Why not give it to Zagato? I mean he's the older one."

In response, Helena reached out and held her son's hands with the medallion in between. "Something in my heart tells me that it is you who should hold onto this. I cannot explain it. But I do need to follow my heart." She paused. "So, I entrust it to you. When the time comes, you'll know what to do with it."

Lantis was intrigued by the mystery of it all but he nodded solemnly. "In that case, Mother, I thank you. I will take good care of this."

Helena reached out to tenderly touch her son's face. "I know you will, son. I know you will."

* * * * *

Lantis glanced at Hikaru and noted how exceptionally vulnerable she looked. They were in the lush indoor garden of the palace, sitting on the ledge surrounding the fountain. It was the last beautiful place that Cephiro had. His world was crumbling and will continue to crumble until a new Pillar emerged.

"Legendary Magic Knight, exactly what is it you are fighting for?" He asked at last.

Hikaru's eyes widened at the unexpected question. Her expression changed to one of determination as she turned her head to return his gaze levelly. "I'm fighting for me, myself."

Lantis considered her answer briefly. And then without warning or preamble, he pulled out the medallion he had brought along precisely for this moment. He held it up by the chain in front of the Fire Knight.

Once more, Hikaru's eyes widened with surprise as she beheld what looked like a large pendant to her. "What-what's that, Lantis?" Her voice was especially soft as she asked the question.

"It's something that my Mother once entrusted to me."

Mokona suddenly appeared and jumped up on Hikaru's lap. He pushed Hikaru's arm upwards causing her hand to scoop up the medallion. The sudden movement and its implication caused her looked down sharply at the little creature. "Mokona!"

"Oh!" She exclaimed as she felt the full weight of the medallion drop on her hand. This caused her to look back up at the magic swordsman. She thrust the object back towards Lantis' hand with both of hers. "I can't possibly accept something so important to you." She was already feeling giddy from the contact of their hands when suddenly she found her hands trapped by both of Lantis' with the pendant in between. "What are you…?"

"I'm sure that someday, this will protect you," Lantis said gazing deeply into the Fire Knight's warm sienna brown eyes.

"Lantis…"

"Pu! Pu! Pu!"

* * * * *

"Pu! Pu! Pu!" Mokona repeated called out to the sleeping magic swordsman.

Lantis snapped his eyes open without lifting his head from the book. Slowly he closed it again. Hikaru…got to find a way…wait a minute! Lantis brought his head up sharply and looked at Mokona who was already perched on the table eyeing him thoughtfully. The Fenestra! He immediately stood and walked briskly towards a shelf filled with what appeared to be ancient volumes. His finger traced the exposed spines of books, searching for…there! The Book of Ancient Artifacts.

Filled with renewed purpose, Lantis returned to the table and dropped the book right in front of Mokona. The little creature's ears drooped. "Puuuu…" He said with a trace of sadness in his voice.

"I'll rest when I find the answer I'm looking for, Mokona and not before," Lantis declared as he began rapidly flipping the pages of the book.

* * * * *

The Shidou siblings were kneeling at the center of the dojo with Hikaru facing her three brothers. The dojo was where they held all family conferences. In Hikaru's opinion, there was no other place than this to reveal the truth. She instinctively brought her hand to her chest where she wore Lantis' pendant. She did this whenever she felt nervous and strangely, the feel of the object, even through the thin fabric of her nightgown, gave her comfort.

Hikaru debated with herself for several more moments whether the way she was intending to tell them was the right way. She knew that Umi and Fuu were going to reveal the truth to their respective families in the same way too. She raised her head to gaze into the eyes of her beloved brothers. They were all focused on her, anxiety and concern etched on their faces. She nodded imperceptibly as she made her decision.

"Dear brothers," she began, "what I'm about to tell you will be very hard to believe. I will try to answer all your questions. What I ask from you is that you keep an open mind."

Satoru, Masaru and Kakeru exchanged glances before turning their attention back to their little sister. Satoru nodded towards Hikaru. "We're listening."

Hikaru reached into the pocket of her robe and took out the gauntlet she received from Clef those many months ago. Looking down on it, she realized that she hadn't used the gauntlet for several weeks now. There was no longer any need for it since she could will out her sword and armor without it. She raised her eyes to Satoru. With the gauntlet in hand, she stretched her arm to present the object to her brothers.

Satoru looked at the object and then at Hikaru before glancing back down to the proffered object. He reached out and gently took it from Hikaru's hand. Masaru and Kakeru leaned over to more closely examine that thing in their elder brother's hand. It looked like a fingerless glove. Satoru allowed them to touch it. It was white and extremely smooth, having the consistency of glass and yet with the pliancy of rubber. The glove also had intricate designs made out of what looked like gold. However, the most remarkable thing about it was the ruby-like ornament imbedded at the center. When the brothers gazed into the ornament, they could see what looked like an ocean of flames in its depths. As one, the brothers glanced at Hikaru with the same question in their eyes.

"The story I'm about to tell you revolves around the gauntlet you have in your hands, Elder Brother," she said, "allow me to relate this story first without interruptions. As I said earlier, all your questions will be answered."

Hikaru took a deep breath and began to tell her enthralled brothers about her adventure that began that day her class had a field trip at Tokyo Tower. She told them about how Umi, Fuu and herself were summoned to Cephiro to fight a war they did not want to fight in the beginning. She told of how they met Master Mage Clef and told that they were to become Magic Knights. Clef had all given them gauntlets, the accompanying armor and the ability to use magic. She wanted to skip the part where her good friend, the Master Smith of Cephiro, Presea had died in her arms but decided to tell it anyway since it was integral to the story and because she had to tell them that it was from her that she and the others were able to acquire their evolving swords made from a rare and magical ore Escudo.

She told them that their mission, as they understood it in the beginning, was to save Cephiro. Cephiro was crumbling because Princess Emeraude, its Pillar, the one person whose strength of will alone supported the entire world, had been kidnapped. As a direct result, the planet became infested with a variety of monsters, plagued by increasingly foul weather and strong earthquakes. She related how it was the Pillar's high priest, Zagato that imprisoned the Pillar. She continued on to tell them about how they had to endure having to journey on foot over most of Cephiro to search for and revive the legendary Rune-Gods. She explained that the Rune-Gods were like huge robots except that they had a will of their own. They needed these immense beings to help them in their final encounter with Zagato.

Hikaru paused noticeably before resuming her story. The brothers noted that her eyes were misty and that she was fighting to control her emotions.

"Are you alright, Hikaru," Satoru reached over to hold her hand. So far, Satoru held his neutral mien but inside, he was extremely worried. Except for the gauntlet in his hand, he had no other proof that his little sister's story was real and not a product of a delusion borne out of a recent traumatic event.

Hikaru patted her brother's hand. "I'm okay, Elder Brother," she sniffed. She was very close to breaking down and her brother's physical manifestation of concern was not helping. She dabbed her eyes with her fingers and with another deep breath, resumed her tale.

"Umi, Fuu and I were successfully able to revive the Rune-Gods. We had one each. Together we were able to defeat…and destroy Zagato," her voice faded noticeably. She sighed and then continued. "It was shortly afterwards that we discovered our real mission.

"When the current Pillar is no longer able to sustain Cephiro, the Magic Knights are summoned to destroy that Pillar. We discovered that Princess Emeraude was in love with Zagato. Zagato loved Princess Emeraude in return. The reason why he imprisoned the Princess was to protect her from…to protect her from us." Tears were already flowing copiously down Hikaru's cheeks. She had taken to looking down at her hands, no longer able to keep eye contact with her brothers.

"When Princess Emeraude realized that we had killed her one true love, she attacked us. We pleaded with her. We did not want to kill her too. But we had no choice. She was extremely powerful and she would have killed us if we didn't kill her first. Also, it was only when we fulfill this mission of destroying the Pillar will we be able to return to Tokyo."

"And that's the reason why you were so depressed when you got back from your field trip?" Satoru asked gently. Hikaru merely nodded, still keeping her eyes down. "How long were you in Cephiro?"

The brothers saw Hikaru's brows furrow briefly. "About a month." She began dabbing her eyes again with her fingers. Satoru exchanged uncertain glances with his two younger brothers.

"Hikaru, you realize that you were able to…ah…stay in Cephiro for a month since that field trip, because you were home with us that very same day."

Hikaru nodded and then raised her eyes, which were still wet. "Time runs much faster in Cephiro than it does here on Earth." She drew in a deep breath to steady her emotions. "Anyway, this is the part where I show you some proof that I'm not going crazy." She glanced at Satoru. "May I have my gauntlet back please?"

"Certainly," Satoru replied, handing the object to Hikaru. The three brothers watched as their little sister stood and put the gauntlet over her left hand. As soon as she did this, she began to glow with reddish light. Before their very eyes, they saw Hikaru's nightgown and robe transform into a short red, white and gold battle dress complete with a red flowing cape, white knee-high boots and white gloves. In her right hand, she held a broad sword with a golden tip and red flame-patterned cross guard. On her head was a crown, also of red, white and gold, which gleamed with otherworldly light.

All wide-eyed, the Shidou brothers instinctively scrambled to their feet and backed away. Swallowing hard, Satoru found his voice. "H-Hikaru?"

"I-is that you, Hikaru?" Masaru stammered.

"It's me, dear brothers," Hikaru said, smiling gently. "Please don't be frightened."

"I-it can't be," Kakeru stammered.

"Please," Hikaru took a step closer.

Satoru and the others took a step back out of reflex. Satoru immediately regretted the move. He could see the pain in his little sister's face.

Hikaru's smile faded abruptly and scowled. She began to glow again, causing her brothers to wince. In an instant, she dismissed her Magic Knight's battle dress and summoned instead a white gi. Hikaru lowered her head. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

* * * * *

Umi's parents sat on the couch completely stunned. Umi was standing before them dressed in her blue and black battle dress, light blue flowing cape that reached regally to the floor, white elbow-length gloves and thigh-high boots. She was holding her razor-sharp rapier with blue wing-shaped cross guard in her right hand, pointing downwards. With an almost imperceptible flick of her wrist, the rapier disappeared in a flash of blue light, causing her parents to flinch once more. Still wearing her battle dress, she approached her parents and knelt before them, taking her father's hand in both of hers.

"Daddy," Umi's voice was low and pleading, "don't be frightened. It's me, Umi, your little girl."

"U-Umi," Mr. Ryuuzaki's voice had a scratchy quality. He had to swallow hard to clear the catch in his throat. "S-so it's all true."

Mrs. Ryuuzaki was trembling with fear and uncertainty, clinging on her husband's arms tenaciously. "I-I can't believe you went all through that…!" Tears of grief and horror were threatening to spill down her face.

Umi removed one hand from her father's and transferred them to her mother's. "Mother, we were perfectly alright. Nothing would have been able to harm us, not with our magic and our sword."

"Are you sure, Umi?" Mrs. Ryuuzaki's tone was doubtful.

"Positive, Mother. Don't worry." Umi smiled but deep down she hated having to lie to her parents.

"Okay," Mrs. Ryuuzaki conceded. "You look really lovely in that…uniform, Umi."

Umi beamed. "Thank you, Mother!"

"So," Mr. Ryuuzaki spoke with a measure of his confidence back, "those men who attacked you were after your gauntlets?"

Umi turned to her father and shook her head slowly. "Not exactly, Daddy. We think that they are after Hikaru's ability to open up portals."

"Hikaru has the ability to open portals? But neither you nor Fuu have that power?"

Oops! thought Umi. She had not intended to let them know that it was only Hikaru that possessed the power to open portals. Well, too late now. "Ah yes, Hikaru is the only one with that power."

"Why?"

"She is the…ah…new Pillar," Umi looked away, unable to meet her parents' eyes.

"She's the new Pillar?" Mr. Ryuuzaki repeated, incredulity on his face. "Isn't she too young to be the Pillar?"

"The Pillar is selected based on the strength of his or her will. Hikaru had the strongest will of all in Cephiro," Umi declared matter-of-factly. She was actually quite proud of her redheaded friend. Looking back, she realized that Hikaru was special. From the first day, it was her boundless energy and dedication that allowed them to endure the hardships, to brave the dangers and to keep trying even when the situation seemed utterly hopeless.

For several seconds no one spoke. And then Mrs. Ryuuzaki's eyes widened. "Umi, does that mean that Hikaru is destined to share the same fate as the late Princess Emeraude?" The thought totally appalled her. She had come to like redheaded friend of her daughter.

"No, Mother. Hikaru gave the power or at least part of it to the people of Cephiro. Now, the citizens of that land will no longer have to depend entirely on a Pillar to sustain and support their world."

"Well," Mr. Ryuuzaki was nodding in approval, "that seemed to be quite clever of Hikaru."

Umi beamed. "Isn't she?"

"Anyway, I think we are overlooking something vital here," Mr. Ryuuzaki said thoughtfully, "why would the men who attacked you want the power to open portals?"

* * * * *

"It appears that the men who attacked us were working closely with the aliens that entered our atmosphere several days ago," Fuu replied evenly. Her parents have calmed down considerably, thanks to the support that Kuu gave. When she transformed, she allowed herself to levitate in the midst of a small whirlwind she created. Looking back, it was almost hilarious the way her parents had freaked out. Kuu was instrumental in a large part for making sure they understood that the girl floating in mid-air was truly their younger daughter.

"So what do we do now?" Mr. Hououji asked, still worried about the danger his daughter was still in.

"Father, this is our problem," Fuu answered, firmly returning her father's gaze. "We cannot allow you to be involved. It's too dangerous."

Mr. Hououji started to frown deeply. "And you're saying it's not too dangerous for you? If you think I'm going to allow my daughter to go out there and face this threat alone--"

"But I'm not alone!" Fuu surprised her family with her tone of voice. They have always known the youngest Hououji to be mild-mannered and calm. The Fuu in front of them now was frightening in her intensity and resolve. "Hikaru and Umi are there and will be there with me always."

"Fuu, you've always been rational," Mrs. Hououji spoke for the first time, "think about this clearly. There are police officers stationed just outside our hotel room right now. I'm sure that police officers are also assigned to watch over your friends Hikaru and Umi. Do you understand what that means?"

Fuu glanced at her mother with uncertainty in her eyes. "I'm afraid, Mother, that you've lost me."

"What she's saying, Fuu," Mr. Hououji took over, "is that based on what your friend Umi discovered, the Japanese and the United States governments may now be aware of your abilities. Your Mother fears that in addition to fending off aliens and thugs, you will also be fending off government officials."

The last statement threw Fuu off. It was clear that the implication did not even occur to her at all. "I didn't realize…"

"Of course not," Fuu's father countered, "I don't care how powerful you or your friends have become. You are still just fourteen years old!"

Fuu had always considered her father to be wise. She had allowed her own bloated sense of self-importance to make her forget that, to make her feel that she no longer needed anybody to watch out for her. She hung her head in shame.

Mrs. Hououji rose to her feet and approached her younger daughter. "Oh Fuu, no need to feel ashamed." She hugged Fuu to her. "You are still a child. You and your friends did not deserve to go through the trials and hardships you endured while in Cephiro."

"I was also concerned about you, Mother," Fuu insisted although without the defiance that marked her earlier statements. "There was one situation we had to face in Cephiro where we couldn't subdue our enemy because she held one of our close friends as hostage. That same thing could happen to you."

Fuu pulled back slightly from her mother to meet her father's eyes. "So what do you suggest we do, Father?"

* * * * *

The Shidous were once again kneeling on the wooden floor of the dojo. Satoru gazed at his sister, wanting to go to her and comfort her and yet something held him back. He had just learned that Hikaru was the new Pillar of Cephiro, the goddess of that world. Hikaru flinched when he used the word "goddess" but was there a better term for what she was?

On top of that, he learned that aliens were after them because of Hikaru's ability to open portals, which allowed them to travel great distances in such a short span of time. It wasn't common knowledge yet but there have already been numerous speculations on television and print about an impending alien invasion. The mini-invasion that occurred several days ago had already flustered both the Japanese and American governments. If the rumors were true that a whole fleet of these aliens were just waiting outside the solar system, then it would take years before they even reach Earth. But if they are successful in getting a hold on something or someone with that capability, then…the very concept made Satoru shudder.

For her part, Hikaru had begun to feel extremely uncomfortable in the presence of her brothers. The way they appraised her with their eyes was different. She was no longer just Hikaru, their sister. If there was a way for her to reveal the possible intent of the aliens without revealing her Pillar-hood, it escaped her for the moment. At any rate, it was useless to ponder on that. She gazed longingly at Masaru and Kakeru. They were her demonstrative brothers, quick to hug and comfort. Now they returned her gaze warily, as if uncertain whether such a behavior was still appropriate. Just one more thing to not like about being the Pillar. Hikaru sighed inwardly.

Satoru cleared his throat, causing everyone to look at him expectantly. "Okay, we have a problem that is not going to go away. We need to find a way to resolve this and frankly, a resolution escapes me at the moment."

"One thing is for sure," Kakeru interjected, "we need to prepare to defend and fight."

Hikaru narrowed her eyes towards Kakeru. "Wait a minute, what do you mean 'defend and fight'? I did not tell you about our secret because we needed your help. With all due respect Kakeru, but I cannot involve you in this problem."

Kakeru frowned at his little sister. "Little sister, we are involved whether you like it or not. What are you expecting, that we just let you fight the battles? Don't be too cocky, Hikaru."

"I'm not being cocky! These aliens are dangerous and--"

"Hikaru," Satoru interrupted calmly, "no matter how powerful you and your friends have become, you cannot deal with this alone."

"But Elder Brother--" Hikaru protested but stopped when Satoru raised a hand.

"Please listen, Hikaru," Satoru dropped the hand and began speaking in his usual calm voice. "On the one hand, you've got aliens and possible members of our very own criminal network after you, on the other hand, it is very possible that either the Japanese or the American government or both will want to exploit your capabilities. Have you stopped to consider that?"

Hikaru meant to shake her head, insisting that this was her problem and therefore she was the one to solve it. But she couldn't shake the feeling that there was wisdom in her brother's words. The truth was she had not considered the possible involvement of the governments in question. If they joined the mix, could she, Umi and Fuu handle it by themselves? The other question to ask is, could she in good conscience involve her brothers, allow them to risk their lives to fight? Will it not hinder her the way that she was hindered when Lantis was taken hostage by her alter-ego Nova?

When Hikaru did not respond, Masaru thought to press the issue. "Hikaru, I know you are worried about us. I know you are afraid of what might happen if we fall into danger. But we are warriors too. Perhaps not the kind of warrior that you have become, but we are warriors nonetheless. We can promise you that we will be careful--"

"Yeah, no heroics," Hikaru said firmly, her brows furrowed.

"Yes," agreed Masaru, "no heroics. But if we get hurt, then so be it. Such is the life of a warrior."

Hikaru's fists were clenched on her lap. "Since I cannot stop you, then so be it," she said, her voice taking on a steely quality. It was the first glimpse the brothers have of the Pillar in their little sister. "But don't expect me to like it, because I don't."

Satoru nodded thoughtfully. "So it's agreed then. The first thing we need to do is meet with the parents of both Umi and Fuu to start planning. Let's do it tomorrow afternoon. Hikaru," he said glancing at the youngest Shidou, "please arrange it, right here in the dojo."

"Very well," the Fire Knight replied monotonously. The brothers glanced at each other once more. It was not going to be easy.

* * * * *

Tim Warner studied his two visitors behind the report he was perusing. The first was General Roger Masterson, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. He was every inch an officer, which showed in the way he kept up his physique. The blue eyes behind thin-rimmed glasses was every bit as alert and intelligent as one could ever want in a general. His second visitor was Carl Parsons, Director of the National Security Agency. He had a kind of mousy look about him. He was a typical nerd, which probably explained why he had three failed marriages.

Finally, he dropped the thick bound report on his desk and leaned forward. "So, Roger," Warner said facing the general, "you asked for this meeting…"

"Right," Masterson agreed as he glanced at both the DCI and the NSA Director, eager to begin. "I assume both of you read my recommendations about what to do about the three girls…" When he got nods from both men, he continued. "Okay, I feel it's my job to consider all possibilities, hence the report. In that report I've outlined two possible scenarios that we use to neutralize the threat to our national security."

"I agree that it's a roundabout way of telling us that we either have to kidnap the girls or dispose of them," Parsons countered irritably. "I mean, c'mon guys, aren't we too old for fairy tales? How could you possibly take this seriously, General?"

Masterson leaned back on his chair as he considered the man before him. "Have you not been reading the reports on the Tokyo investigations? There is enough circumstantial evidence in there that we cannot ignore. If those girls truly have the capability to open up wormholes…think about the possibilities, Carl."

Warner picked up a pencil on his desk and began toying with it, his focused on the object in his hand. "And the reason why we're meeting here in secret is because we don't want the President to know?"

The general glanced at the DCI warily. "He would never go with my recommendations."

"Of course not," Warner confirmed, "because it's illegal."

"That has never stopped the United States government from taking measures to ensure its security. You, Tim, should know that."

"I still don't like it," insisted Parsons earning a glare from the general.

Warner, on the other hand, was still toying with the pencil but obviously in deep thought. "It could be a black bag operation."

Masterson had to control himself. He didn't want to appear to be too eager. But the truth was, he was eager. He could already imagine the various possibilities if the U.S. possesses the capability to travel great distances in a blink of an eye. And if those girls possess that capability, who knows what else they can do?

Warner was eyeing the general surreptitiously, already guessing at his thoughts. He would have to agree with the general. This was too good an opportunity to pass up. He loved his country and he would want nothing more than to ensure that it remained to be the one superpower on Earth. He glanced at Parsons and realized that the NSA Director had caught him eyeing the general. He raised his head and stared hard at Parsons. "What will you do, Carl, if we decide to go through with this?"

"Dammit Tim! You can't do this!" Parsons slammed his hand on Warner's desk. "It's illegal! Plus those are only girls. Am I the only one sane here?"

Unable to hold himself back, he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he faced Parsons squarely. "You aren't looking at the big picture, Carl. Our national security depends on this."

Parsons jumped to his feet and started pacing. His left hand snaked into his pocket while the other going through what little hair he had left on his head. "Jesus Christ! What are you asking me to agree with here? First, we are going to invade a sovereign country, an ally for crying out loud! And then you want to kidnap three innocent fourteen-year-old girls." He stopped pacing and turned to stare down Tim Warner. He was returning his stare coolly. Warner knew he couldn't refuse. He had helped him out of a jam fourteen months ago and so he owed him. Now he was collecting. Fuck!

Parsons closed his eyes tiredly and then immediately opened them. "Alright. But you better make sure that the person you assign to this knows how to use his head."

"Of course, Carl. After all, it's our necks that's on the line here," Warner replied matter-of-factly.

With a wave of dismissal, Carl Parsons turned and stormed out of the office. Warner and Masterson were left looking at each other. "Okay," Warner finally said, "let's do it."

He lifted the phone.

* * * * *

Master Mage Clef was returning to his working chamber sufficiently buoyed by the earlier festivities he had joined. The village of Scythia located in the southern part of Cephiro had honored him with a luncheon as a token of their gratitude for helping them settle what would have been a major territorial dispute. Now that the welfare of Cephiro rested on the shoulders of its citizens, the sorcerer had found himself more and more involved in the day-to-day activities of the people. He realized that he actually enjoyed it. During the time of the last two Pillars, there were hardly any disputes because peace and tranquility were part of what the Pillar prayed for. But looking back on those times, Clef realized that what may have existed before were not true peace especially if it was forced upon the people.

The people themselves seem more confident and assured because they were the ones responsible for shaping their future. It gave them a sense of importance and well-being. Like so often these past months, Clef thanked the powers that be that Hikaru was the current Pillar and that she had the courage and strength to change the Pillar System in Cephiro.

The massive doors to his chambers automatically opened as he neared it. The moment he stepped in, he noticed another presence in the room. It didn't take long for Clef to recognize the tall black clad man waiting for him at the center of the cavernous room.

"Ah, Lantis," Clef said by way of greeting, "it has been many days since I last saw you."

"Greetings, Master Mage Clef," Lantis replied, not so much as a smile on his face. Clef could see that he looked very haggard as if he hadn't slept in days.

"It seems this is not a social visit then," Clef said, a slight furrow appeared on his brows. He conjured up two chairs and gestured to Lantis to take one of them. Clef seated himself opposite the magic swordsman. "So, you have a question."

"Master Mage Clef," Lantis began, looking directly at the sorcerer, "what can you tell me about the Fenestra?"

Clef nodded solemnly as he averted his eyes from Lantis' penetrating gaze. He had expected that Lantis would ask about the medallion. He was aware, because of Mokona's reports, that it was information about the medallion that the man before him spent days chasing after in the central archives. Finally, he met Lantis' eyes. "First tell me what you know and then I'll you what I know."

"Very well," Lantis said, straightening slightly. "I know that the medallion has been in our family for thousands of years now. I know that there is inherent magic in it. I just learned that the word 'Fenestra' comes from an ancient language used on Earth and it means 'window'.

"Based on my research, reflective surface on the medallion is made of Escudo and was imbued by one of the earliest Pillars with the power, among other things, to create a portal between Earth and Cephiro. This was given to the First Magic Knight as a reward so that the Knights could go back and forth between our worlds at will.

"It is not clear when our family got hold of it and why," Lantis concluded. His eyes now search those of the Master Mage.

"I'm afraid I don't have much to add to your story. I do know that the Fenestra was passed on from Magic Knight to Magic Knight. When a trio of Knights would retire, they would surrender the medallion to the current Pillar. The Pillar would always use it to reward Magic Knights for their deeds." Clef paused, his eyes narrowing in deep thought. "At one point, the Magic Knight that currently had the Fenestra decided that he would no longer return to Earth and instead, make his home among us in Cephiro. That Magic Knight is one of your ancestors. Since that time, your family kept and treasured the medallion."

"You know I gave the medallion to Hikaru, right?" Lantis asked.

"Yes, I know," Clef said with a slight smile on his serene face.

"Is the Fenestra the reason why Hikaru is able to create portals?"

Clef shook his head. "No."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Two reasons: first, you still had not given her the Fenestra on her first return to Cephiro before she begame the Pillar. And second, she was not wearing the medallion on her last visit," Clef stated simply. "When we met her in the Grand Hall carrying Kuu, I probed for the medallion and was surprised to note that she was not wearing it. I naturally asked her about it later and she said she kept it in a safe place in their home."

"Crazy girl," Lantis said shaking his head in frustration. "She's supposed to wear it for protection."

Clef smiled, amused at the concern the magic swordsman had for the Pillar. So like his older brother. It was when he remembered the fate of Zagato did his expression turn somber. "Don't be too hard on the girl, Lantis," urged the sorcerer, "she obviously values it highly."

"I have one last question."

The mage nodded. "You want to know whether you can open a portal from here even if the Fenestra is on Earth." Lantis nodded in answer. "Theoretically, if you focus hard enough on it, the same way you did when you created that shield around Hikaru when Debonair attacked her. However, it could be dangerous."

"I'm willing to take the risk."

Once again, Clef nodded. "You make your own decisions, Lantis. I can no more stop you than I could stop the sun from rising."

Lantis rose from his seat. "Thank you for your help, Master Mage Clef."

Clef stood as well. "I wish you good fortune, Magic Swordsman."

Lantis nodded and began to walk out of the chamber. Just before he reached the doors, he turned once more towards the sorcerer, a smile growing on his face. "You knew all along didn't you?"

The highest-ranking sorcerer in all of Cephiro merely smiled.

NEXT:

Chapter 9 - Best Laid Plans

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

Again, I've used the term "rune-god". Please bear in mind that this fanfic has been influenced by the English-dubbed version of MKR. I now know that the proper Japanese word used for these immense beings is mashin but I don't like using this term because these beings seem to be more than just "machines". For those of you who feel they need to be strict about this, my apologies. To the others who don't mind, after all, it's just semantics, please enjoy.

All C&C are of course welcome! I am accumulating all C&C and will make one final revision for the entire story before posting it in my upcoming web page. I may decide to post it again in FFML when that time comes.

To those who have given C&Cs already, many thanks to you.

DISCLAIMER:

Magic Knight Rayearth and all the characters in that anime/manga are properties of CLAMP. These are used here without permission.