Chapter 8 - Dreams and Roses

7. Dreams and Roses

AN: Update finally, I beg your forgivness for this chapter taking me so long. With the ending of my senior year and getting ready for my classes at the collage I'm about to lose what few marbles I have left. And prom is is less than a week and I don't have a date...this is starting to sound like a myspace entry, anyways. Enjoy the chapter, forward.

Once again I don't own Rayearth otherwise this would be the third season and it wouldn' t have ended at just two.



“The dream reveals the reality which conception lags behind, that is the horror of life, the terror of art.”
~Kafka~


“So…he interfered?” Impreza was sitting in a throne like chair; it was smooth and seemed to be made from some dark stone like volcanic glass. Her silver eyes stared at the cup she held in her hand as she trailed a pale slender finger along its brim. The goblet appeared to be filled with red wine, or one can only hope that’s what it was.

Sentra kneeled in front of her mistress, “Yes milady.” She had just finished recounting her visit to the palace and her run in with Camry. ‘The fool...’ she thought. ‘Who does he think he’s meddling with, some trifling little enchantress?!’ She wanted to laugh at the stupidity but she was before her lady and remained silent. Suddenly she heard quiet echoing footsteps and lifted her head to see the newcomer. “Sister?”

Impreza looked up from her brooding at her wine glass, “Ah Solara I was about to call you.”

Solara stepped forward with smooth, gliding steps, the exact opposite of her quick tempered sister she had the aura of a calm, leveled headed woman. Though both women were lithe and limber, Solara towered over her tiny, fairy like sibling. She came and stood next to Sentra, her long, strait golden hair tumbled around her. Unlike Sentra’s fiery green stare, hers was a calm sharp icy blue.

“Lady” Solara bowed slightly as she came to her sister’s side and kneeled, her hair pooling around in her like a waterfall of sunlight. “What are your orders?”

“We make our move soon, but not yet, I have waited too long for this moment to let it pass too quickly to enjoy” Impreza stood from her seat. “The thing we have all been yearning for will soon come to pass and the reckoning for what Cephiro has done to the ones we held most dear will be paid for in blood.”

She went across the room to a table where glittering silver armor was laid out, a long sword with it. “Cephiro will soon pay for its crimes, this time it will be its own blood instead of the blood of the Pillar” Her black gloved fists clenched as she leaned upon the table her pale face looking back at her from the polished breast plate. “All shall be done…soon”

She pushed away from the table and headed toward the doors, “Solara go to the other side with Sentra; see what else you kind find out about Cephiro’s favorite little knights. If we are to destroy them we must know what they hold most precious.”

“Milady, what of Camry?” Sentra stepped toward the woman. Her sister, who had been looking across the room, quickly turned her eyes upon the back of her mistress who had stopped in the doorway.

Impreza stood motionless for a moment, “He will be dealt with.” Then she was gone the hem of her long black dress flaring as she quickly turned and went out the door, the sound of her booted heels made an ominous clicking sound on the stone floor.

The two women were left alone in the room and Sentra stared at the door way long after Impreza had left before she finally turned to Solara. She stared long and hard at her sister wondering about her reclusive nature of late. After a moment she sighed, “When…will it begin?” She leaned upon the door frame and Solara’s cold blue gaze flicked to her at the sound of her voice.

“Soon.” Solara brushed past her. “We must go; we have orders to carry out”

The younger woman looked after her as she went down the hall and then hurried to catch up. “I hope mistress deals with that upstart Camry soon; he has become bolder of late. He interfered with my assignment.” Sentra’s anger crept into her voice; she hated nothing more than failing her mistress.

“You should not take him so lightly” Solara pulled her glove jewel from her pocket; the gem looked like it’d been carved from a large chunk of amber the size of a child’s fist. “He is not a fool, you know that.”

“Do you think it’s true? The rumors about him, do you think he really has that power?” Sentra asked as they prepared to cross over.

“How should I know, why don’t you ask him next time you meet?” Solara snapped suddenly and that was the end of the conversation.

o               o               o

Darkness.

That was all she could see. Hikaru was quite confused as she took in her surroundings. She could see nothing; there was nothing beneath her and nothing above her. It was like she was floating in some space less void.

“Where am I?” she asked aloud, her voice reverberated all around her, bouncing off invisible walls.

“Magic Knight…”

Another voice echoed around her. ‘I know that voice!’ Her head snapped around looking for its source. Suddenly a small flame appeared in front her and grew into a roaring blaze, “Rayearth…” she whispered as the mashin’s mighty form loomed above her.

“She who became Pillar of Cephiro, do thou know the darkness that grows to meet thee? Can thou feel it as it rises to choke out the light?”

Just as quickly as Rayearth had appeared the darkness evaporated and the Fire Knight stood among glowing pillars and spouts of flame. The Fire Shrine. “I know something is coming. But I do not know who or what it is.” The mashin lay before her in its animal like form large scarlet eyes bore their way into her soul.

“Thy enemy is ancient and yet new. They hold a power almost as great as that of the Pillar. Knowing this will thou fight if Cephiro calls, even if I can not come to aid thee in this battle?”

“Yes.” Was her simple answer, she knew she’d fight once again for this land she had come to call her second home. The home of so many people she held dear, Lantis’ face flashed in her mind, Umi and Fuu, all her friends. “I will fight to protect what is precious to me.”

“Then I shall restore all my powers to thee, but I can not be summoned to aide thee in this battle. We are needed by the creator in this new universe. I trust in thine strength of heart, she who became Pillar. Go forth unto battle, Legendary Magic Knight.”

Rayearth suddenly stood and charged forward, Hikaru felt the familiar magic surge through her body as the fire engulfed her. “Trust the one with eyes like thine.” Rayearth’s last words echoed in her ears as the shadows descended around her once more. Suddenly she felt gravity take hold and she plummeted downward with a high pitched scream.

o               o               o

Hikaru sat up with a start and looked around wildly, her heart thudding in her chest. She was in her room. A dream. She let a sigh escape her and looked down at her glove gem that had mysteriously appeared on her hand from where she’d left it on the table; it flared as if it were newly made. Her newly reawakened power surged through her in heavy pulsing beats to match the pulse of her blood. Closing her eyes she looked within herself and calmed her heart slowly.

After a moment she opened her eyes and looked around her room and smiled as she saw Lantis sitting in a chair by her bed. “Lantis” she reached out and placed her small hand on the cail’s who slept wearily beside her. It took only the gentle touch to wake him, his dark blue eyes snapped open instantly.

“Hikaru…” The cail couldn’t hide the look of relief that crossed his face. He stood in a surprisingly brash act and sat down by her side taking her face in his hands and gently kissed her. After a moment he pulled back with a heavy sigh, his forehead almost touching hers. She looked up at him through half-lidded eyes her face flushed and warm beneath his fingers. “You are the only person in all of Cephiro who can frighten me so” he shook his head and gave her that small rare smile of his.

“Sorry” she smiled back weakly. “Is Fuu alright?” Lantis had still not released her from his tight grip not that she really minded his hands were warm on her face.

“Yes, she’s fine. She was uninjured in the fight.” Lantis shook his head. “That was foolish of you but…” at this he gave her a very exasperated look as he gently let her go, “I almost come to expect it now.”

Hikaru pouted at this and started to speak but he stopped her.

“Not now, you should rest.” He gently pushed her back into her pillows, “We’ll have much to do in the morning. You’ve missed quite a lot while you were asleep.”

“Really? What happened?!” She sat up again eager to hear.

“Hikaru…”

“Alright, alright…but I’m not even sleepy” In truth she was feeling tired again but she wasn’t going to tell him that.

“Just rest for awhile” he sat back down in the chair by the bed.

“But what about you? Lantis you can’t sleep like that.”

“I’ll be fine. I’ve slept in far worse places.” He settled back into the chair and put his feet up.

The redhead eyed him for a moment and seemingly decided to give into his stubbornness. Giving a heavy sigh she laid back down pulling the covers up. ‘I wonder what happened while I was asleep?’ was her last thought before sleep claimed her again.

o               o               o

It was early morning when Fuu woke suddenly from a strange dream of her own, the stars were still out and she sat up slowly. Her glove gem, which she had taken off before going to bed, was now upon her had once again glowing softly as Windom’s last words to her seem to echo in her mind.

“Beware the dark warrior, for roses are not all they seem.”

“Roses…?” She asked aloud wondering what the wind mashine could mean. Suddenly the weight next to her shifted and Feiro sat up yawning as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes.

“Fuu…what is it? Can’t you sleep?” He squinted at the eerie green light emitting from her gem. It flared and flickered casting pale streaks across their faces.

He’d pleaded with her to let him stay the night, she knew he was worried and didn’t want to leave her alone. First Umi and then Hikaru, she could be next on the growing list of injured. “I’m fine. I just had a dream, that’s all.” She ran her finger tips over the gem, “Just a dream…”

“Bad dream?” he asked and sat up more propping himself up on his elbow.

“No…just… unexpected” she let a heavy sigh escape her lips. “I think Windom was trying to warn me about something.”

“Windom? Your mashine…what did he warn you about?” His eyes grew serious quickly all sleep gone from them.

““Beware the dark warrior, for roses are not all they seem.” ” She quoted as the glowing of her gem faded and the room was plunged back into darkness.

o               o               o

He’d always liked the quiet, Camry let out a soft breath from where he stood on the edge of the Forest of Silence. The night air was a little chilled but his breath didn’t fog, he gazed into the distance at the red moon that set in the south. The last of the pale light made his eyes flare with an eerie shimmering light.

“I hope there’s enough time,” he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small square cloth about the size of a handkerchief, “before it begins.” He gently folded it in half and then folded it in half again. Holding the cloth in one hand he held his other hand above it palm down. “To seek an item. To seek a person. To seek a location. To seek an item. To seek a person. To seek a location. Guide my search…that which flies…to the location that I seek.” A tiny light emitted from the square of cloth and it rose, taking the shape of a small bird it flittered off into forest.

Camry chuckled, “I’m glad she taught me how to do that, otherwise this might have taken too long.” He hurried forward on light, swift feet into the trees after the bird.

o               o               o

The sound was soft in her ears at first, just a pale whisper of many voices. It was like the soft whistling of the wind on a breezy day but it soon grew louder into the roar of the sea and it throbbed upon Umi’s eardrums. And the roar slowly turned to a voice.

“Magic Knight…”

The voice boomed and Umi nearly jumped out of her skin.

“Who’s there?!” she called out to the emptiness.

“Magic Knight…” The voice of her mashine entreated her again.

“Selece?” Turning from side to side she peered into the darkness looking for the mighty dragon. At the sound of splashing she looked down and realized she was standing in water up to her knees but she could not feel its gentle touch against her skin.

“Ok…I’ve cracked…I’ve lost my mind or maybe I really did drown and I’m dead…but somehow I don’t think the after life would be this wet…” She prattled for a moment then something moving upon the edge of her sight made her turn. Something fluttered a short distance away, it was blue. As she watched it grew closer, a blue butterfly. “A butterfly? Here?” She reached out to it but the tiny thing disappeared like smoke in the wind.

When she looked up to find where it had gone Selece loomed above her, his large nostrils flared with warm breath only a few feet from her.

“Legendary Magic Knight.”

“Selece…Why are you here?” Umi stepped forward and reached up placing a hand upon the dragon.

“Magic Knight, I come to in thee in this form for I can not return to aide thee as in the past.”

“What?! You mean this new enemy? The person who attacked Hikaru? Why can’t you help us?”

“I am needed by the Creator in this new universe, but the Creator knows of the darkness that looms upon this land. I have returned to restore thine powers, if you will have them? Will thou defend Cephiro once again?”

“Yes, I will.” Umi stood strait returning the mashin’s gaze. “I will fight.”

“Thou have become strong magic knight, with every new battle thou shall grow stronger; today more than yesterday, tomorrow more than today.”

The water began to swirl around Umi slowly at first and then picking up speed as the mashine spoke.

“In the near future thou will find a new source of strength, more powerful than any thou have had before. Thou are due to be transformed. Go forth with hope Legendary Magic Knight.”

The water erupted around her and shot up in a pillar and she lost sight of the mashin as she was swallowed within the water.

o               o               o

Umi’s eyes slowly slid open squinting at the early morning light pouring into the open window. She sat up rubbing her eyes, ‘Was that really a dream?’ she wondered but then something glowing softly caught her gaze. Her glove gem mysteriously formed on her hand flaring with a bright azure light. “Selece…” she put her hand over the gem and it pulsed with light for a few seconds and then stopped.

After staring at her hand as the light faded she seemed to suddenly recall the previous night’s events. “That’s right, Eagle!” she looked around the room but she was alone “I wonder where he is…and how did I get back in here?”

Standing she picked up a small bag with some of her things and headed toward the bathroom. “I might as well get cleaned up and then go see how Hikaru’s doing.”

o               o               o

After keeping watch over Umi most of the night and into early morning Eagle had made the sensible decision to listen to his empty stomach and go and find something to eat. He left the peacefully sleeping Umi and went down the hall, he really had no idea where he was going and would have probably gotten lost if he hadn’t decided to keep track of Umi’s aura while he was looking so at least he could find his way back to his room.

An hour of walking later he had not found the kitchen but had stumbled onto one of the many palace gardens; this one in particular was full of fruit trees. Standing beneath one of the rather large trees he eyed the rather strange fruit. It looked like apples but the apples in Autozam where a pale yellow and these were an odd reddish-purple. Debating for a moment he figured that they probably wouldn’t grow anything poisonous in the garden; he reached up standing on his toes and grabbed one.

He was one his third one by the time he headed back down the hallway to his room, enjoying every bite of the fruit as he went. “I’ll have to ask the Guru about sending some of these to Autozam.”

He took another bite and pushed open his door and was met with a warm, humid blast of air. A quick glance at the empty bed confirmed Umi was awake; he glanced toward the bathroom in time to see her come out. She had changed clothes and had her hair band between her lips as she brushed her powder blue locks.

Umi blushed heavily when she realized he’d caught her primping, she giggled trying to hide her embarrassment. “There you are. I was wondering where you’d wondered off to.”

“Sorry, I got a bit hungry” grinning he held up his hand with the half eaten apple as proof.

The water knight only smiled and shook her head putting her hands on her hips after she’d pushed her hair band into place. “I should have known nothing comes between a man and his stomach.”

“Well…” he took another bite of the apple and swallowed it. “Considering I haven’t eaten in over a year you will have to forgive my horrendous behavior” he winked and she giggled again.

“Yes, I guess I’ll just have to forgive you.” She sighed as her laughter subsided, ‘He’s just as easy going as Feiro…without being so annoying. How can Fuu stand it?’ she wondered. One last check in the mirror she was satisfied and tossed her brush with the rest of her things. “Do you want to come with me?” she asked as passed him heading for the door.

“And where might we be going?” He asked as he followed her faithfully back out into the hallway.

“To see Hikaru!” She closed the doors and almost jogged down the hallway towards Hikaru’s room.

His eyes lit up immediately and he quickened his pace to match hers.

o               o               o

Hikaru and Fuu looked up at the sound of gentle knocking on the door. Lantis had left a few minutes before to speak to Clef and Feiro was sitting next to Fuu at the end of Hikaru’s bed. “Come in!” The fire knight chirped happily.

Umi poked her head in, “Hikaru how are you feeling?” She smiled, “Hey Fuu, Ferio.”

“Umi! I’m great, I feel much better! You guys worry too much.” Sitting up more she sat cross-legged next to Fuu.

“Hikaru you were severely injured we had every right to be worried” Fuu patted her hand.

“Sorry Fuu, I didn’t mean to make you all worry.” she pouted a little.

“Well anyways now that you’re all better…” Umi drawled with a mischievous smile.

“Oh no…” Feiro grew wide eyed, “Time to run for cover she’s got something planed.”

“Quiet you!” Umi hissed and Fuu glared at the golden eyed prince. “I actually have a surprise!”

“A surprise, really?” Hikaru looked overjoyed with the idea. “What is it?”

“It’s not a ‘what’…” at this Umi opened the door fully and reached for something just out of eyesight, “but a ‘who’” and she pulled into view a chuckling Eagle.

Fuu and Feiro gaped in surprise and a grin spread across Hikaru’s face from ear to ear.

“Eagle!!!” she squeaked and went from sitting to a strait jump in about two seconds flat, launching herself across the room. Ferio dashed out of the way just in time as she landed in Eagle’s arms. The later stumbled back a few steps before wrapping his arms around the now very hyper magic knight. “Eagle!!!” she tied her arms around his neck, her tiny feet hanging about a foot or so off the ground.

Eagle barely reacted fast enough to catch her and let out a slight ‘oof’ as she knocked a little of the air out of him. He recovered quickly and hugged her tightly, “It’s great to see you too Hikaru.”

It felt good to have the tiny girl in his arms; he’d really been worried about her. During his coma she and Lantis had been the two who came to see him the most, and being an only child he’d come to feel like she was the little sister he’d never had. “So according to Umi you got yourself into quite a bit of trouble?”

At this Hikaru frowned, “Aw Umi why’d you tell him and make him worry? I was fine!” she glared over Eagle’s shoulder at her friend.

“You were not fine. I about dropped dead of fright when Lantis carried you in!” Umi shot back crossing her arms.

“We know you mean well Hikaru but you mustn’t be so reckless” Fuu stood up as Ferio offered her a hand.

“I know…” Hikaru said in a guilty toned voice, “but I didn’t want you to get hurt Fuu.” She looked teary eyed at her friend, “As long as you were safe I was sure I’d be alright, I knew you and Lantis would help me. Though…” At this her nose wrinkled at the unpleasant memory, “It did hurt quite a bit.” During this time she had not unwound her arms from Eagle’s neck and he was supporting all of her tiny weight, though quite easily.

“Speaking of Lantis,” Eagle interrupted and changed the subject, “He and Clef were talking about contacting Autozom. I really would like to talk with Geo and Zazu, I bet they’ll be surprised” He grinned and gently set Hikaru down on her feet and ruffled her hair. “Wont they?” he asked her.

“We should surprise them too!” She hopped up and down, “That’d be great!”

“That’s exactly what I was thinking.” He winked, “But you know I’m going to need some help.”

“I’ll so totally help!” Umi jumped in.

“Me too!” Hikaru added and she and Umi had surrounded the blond man quickly. “I’m sure Fuu will…?” at this she turned around to look at Fuu with a questioning stare.

Fuu blinked rapidly and then stuttered out, “Well, I suppose so…”

“Ya, this’ll be great! So how are we going to…?” Hikaru and Umi huddled around Eagle and drug Fuu with them. They talked quietly in their little group and Ferio watched with an ever larger sweat drop growing.

“This is going to be interesting…” he grinned and slipped out the door to give fair warning to Clef that a conspiracy was in the works.

o               o               o

Half an hour later Clef, Lantis, Ferio and Presea had gathered in the throne room, the later on being informed of the Magic Knights’ plan had only laughed shaking her head and had agreed to keep the secret.

Clef sighed as the girls chattered with Eagle out of range of the viewing screen. He’d reluctantly agreed to let them carry though with their plan but now he was beginning to regret it, “Girls please do try to keep the antics to a minimum.”

“It’s just a little fun that’s all, don’t worry.” Umi said as the other two knights followed her over to the viewing screen. She gave Eagle a thumbs up from where he sat out of sight for the moment. He grinned in return as Autozom picked up the connection that’d been sent out.

Geo and Zazu popped up on screen, “Hey it’s Hikaru!” Zazu waved. Most often it was Clef and Lantis who regularly updated and a lot of the time the Magic Knights weren’t even there much less all three of them at once so something had to be up.

“Is everything all right there? Has something happened?” Geo asked a worried look crossing his face.

“Well do you want the good news first of the bad?” Umi sighed putting on her most serious face.

Zazu and Geo exchanged looks, “The bad first” Geo answered.

Clef stepped in for the more serious side of the exchange, “There have been some occurrences of late that have begun to worry us. You know the weather in Cephiro has become less predictable now that the Pillar system is gone but lately it’s been very strange and storms are becoming more prevalent.”

“So just the weather is weird?” Zazu asked seemingly relieved by that idea.

“No,” Lantis stepped in, “There have always been monsters in Cephiro, even when the Pillar was in power, but there was an attack in the south a few days ago that was just not normal and…” he paused for a moment. “The Magic Knights were attacked.”

There was an uneasy silence for a few seconds until Umi cleared her throat.

“I was attacked first.” She started, “By a creature in the Forest of Silence, it tried to drown me in the river I was able to escape from it but not without a great deal of exertion on my part. I passed out for quite some time afterwards. A normal monster is created by fear but this one was different it was more like a creature Ascot would summon.” She crossed her arms in deep thought, “there was something wrong with that creature, something that screamed ‘evil’ and I don’t ever use that word lightly.” She added in a cold, dead serious tone.

“So then someone sent a creature to attack you?” Geo asked and Zazu peered over his shoulder. “And the question is who?” he rested his chin in one of his hands.

“Yes, that was what we were trying to figure out when Hikaru, Lantis and I returned to the forest later.” Fuu interjected, “But before we reached the river a woman attacked us.”

“What?!” Zazu nearly hopped over Geo’s shoulder, “You mean a person actually attacked you and not a creature?”

“Yes, Hikaru fought her mostly. The woman said her name was Sentra she was quite powerful and her swords skills proved quite formidable as well.” Lantis added and glanced down at Hikaru who smiled back weakly.

“Hikaru was injured pretty severely by a magic attack she took to protect me, Clef was able to heal her wounds up but she just woke up this morning.” Fuu turned her worried green eyes to Hikaru for a second.

“I told you guys I’m fine, really I feel completely normal.” Hikaru pouted.

“Then don’t scare us like that again.” Umi took her by the shoulders and shook her slightly.

“We contacted you to inform you of the situation. If it escalates we may need some assistance from Autozam.” Clef added and Geo nodded solemnly.

“This woman,” Geo asked, “Did she seem like she was from a particular country?”

“No…” Hikaru had bowed her head down. “The way she fought and how easily the magic came to her…she seemed like…she was from here in Cephiro. Her anger was so blatant, so much hatred, I didn’t understand it. She asked me what was most precious to me, if it was Cephiro or something else…I still don’t quite understand what she meant…” the girl looked a little upset and Lantis placed a hand on her shoulder.

“Man,” on screen Zazu flopped over the armrest of the chair Geo was sitting in, “This is so depressing. What’s the good news?”

On this note most of the faces brightened on the Cephirean side.

“Well…” Umi started but was interrupted.

“Cheer up Zazu it’s not all bad” Eagle slid into view behind the Magic Knights.

There was a stunned silence on the Autozam side for a split second and then…

“Eagle! Whoa, when did you wake up?!” Zazu nearly jumped over Geo, the elder man swatted at him to get off. “How are you feeling? Have you been awake a long time? Is this for real, wow! Eagle!” The stream of questions coming from the mechanic was endless.

There was quite a bit of laugher that had to subside before Eagle could answer.

“I woke last night so I haven’t been up and about too long. I’m feeling much better. How are things there, I do hope there’re doing better than here?” Eagle’s eyes traveled from Zazu to Geo.

“There’re improving, the help from Cephiro is slowly helping to halt the decay of our atmosphere. I don’t think we’ll see a full recovery in our lifetime but maybe by the time this one’s grown it might be green again.” At this Geo crammed Zazu’s hat onto his head with one of his large hands.

“Geo lay off, you’re gonna break my goggles!” the boy complained.

There was more laughter and continued chatter about this and that and as time passed people began to trickle off in ones and twos until only Clef, Lantis and Eagle were left. Hikaru and Umi waved as they headed to leave, saying something about it being way past breakfast

Eagle watched them leave, almost tempted to follow, he was getting hungry again himself and he smiled after Umi as she gave a wink and followed Hikaru.

Geo had known Eagle for a very long time, they’d grown up together and Eagle was very good at hiding what he was feeling and thinking but Geo had know him long enough to at least noticing something. There was something different about his friend but he just couldn’t put his finger on it.

He watched the magic knight’s leave the view screen saying something about breakfast and Eagle turned to watched them go. A slight smile tugged at his lips, almost unnoticeable but it was there just long enough. ‘Humm’ Geo thought as Eagle turned his attention back to the screen the smile now different, back to the same one he’d often showed during his illness, when he was hiding something, same old Eagle.

o               o               o

The early afternoon sun beat down upon Fuu as she poured more tea for Ferio. They had left the meeting after the talk had turned to trade and the next import ship to arrive, now that Eagle was awake they were to expect Geo and Zazu on the next one to arrive in a week. Now that a permanent road had been established the time it took to reach Cephiro was considerably shorter.

Hikaru and Umi had met them in the hall and they had decided to eat out on the balcony with the view of the sea far below. The water and fire knight had left a moment before to go down to the kitchen and bring back their meal and Fuu was about to leave and go to pick fresh fruit to add with the breakfast/lunch for it was almost midday now.

“Would you like apples or pears this time?” she asked as she gently set down a full cup of tea in front of the Ferio.

“How about both?” he asked playfully as he took a sip of tea.

Laughingly she set the tea kettle down with a quiet clink, “Alright both then. I’ll be right back.” She went to leave but a warm hand stopped her she turned back to meet his gaze. He’d stood and grabbed her wrist, “Ferio, what’s wrong?” she asked confused.

“Nothing, just…be careful. Ok?” He smiled at her his eyes calm yet worried.

“I will. Don’t worry I’m just going to the garden, I’ll be back as quick as I can.” She smiled to reassure him.

He leaned forward and placed a quick kiss on her forehead. “I know, hurry back.”

She blushed in her usual manor provoking a chuckle from him as she hurried out toward the closest garden.

Hurrying through the corridor she reached the garden Eagle had been in early that morning and quickly set to finding ripe pears and apples. Reaching for a pear she snagged her hand on a creeping vine with thorns. “Ouch…” she rubbed the scratch gently.

“I don’t remember there being any thorn plants here.” Her eyes traced the vine back down the branch searching for its source, there were small flowers blossoming from its base, “Roses…” Windom’s warning rang clear in her memory once again. “Roses are not all they seem…” she clutched at her arm full of fruit, a nervous feeling growing in the pit of her stomach.

“Wise words from such a young child.”

The Wind knight whirled to face the strangely familiar voice that addressed her, “You’re…!”

Sentra sat in the tree opposite the one Fuu had been picking apples from, the tiny woman glared down with angry green eyes. “Wise words from a murderer.”

This time the dark sorceress was not alone another woman stood one limb higher her deep golden hair so similar to Emeraude’s that Fuu lost her voice for a moment. Her own green eyes widened with fear. She dropped her arm load of fruit and drew her great blade in a quick flash of green. “Who are you, where do you come from?” Her knuckles were white gripping the hilt of the sword.

Sentra dropped down silently to stand only a few meters away from her. The other woman remained in the tree seemingly disconnected from the whole exchange. “As I have already told you, I am Sentra of Cephiro.”

“What?!” Fuu took a step back as the woman advanced. “What do you mean?”

“Tell me little green one, what do you think happens to the ones who fail the test?”

A harsh flash of violet blinded Fuu for a moment. When she could see again Sentra held her sword. The blade was somewhere between Umi’s light fencing sword and her longer heavy one. “Test…what do you mean test?” Fuu watched the two women carefully but did not see the rose vine starting to wind its way toward her feet.

“What do you think happens to those who fail the test to become the Pillar of Cephiro?”

Fuu had barely enough time to register this thought when the rose vines suddenly snapped tight around her ankles dragging her feet out from under and she hit the ground with a sickening thump. The vines clawed their way up her legs cutting and slicing flesh as they went. The cuts stung at first and then they began to burn, a horrid burning that felt like someone had put liquid fire in her veins. The vines continued to wind tightening their deadly grip upon her squeezing the breath from her chest. Even more sickening was the more she bled the more the roses bloomed, the more blood the more blossoms.

The Knight of Windom dragged in a breath and let out an agonizing scream as the vines tighten around and then cut the scream short.

AN: This is my longest chapter to date. Woot! I hope the Knight's dreams didn't feel too repetative, but I needed each of them to have a dream so I tried to change each one up as much as I could. Thoughts, comments? Let me know that you think. Much love to my reviewers (Keli, I heart you) And you will have to live without a tiny sneek peek, I'm in a hurry to update. So you'll just have to wait. Over and out.     VKiera

You are not authorized to comment here. Your must be registered and logged in to comment