Braden was resting on the bed. He was very exhausted from all of the events that had been going on. Moving all of Cephiro to one castle had been enough. Now he continued to monitor the people as well as the invading countries. And Presea… she was on the go non-stop. She was probably watching for the Magic Knights as they battled. Braden knew that it was eating her up alive. Presea was like a bull in a china shop when she wasn't able to do anything in a time of need. Now all that she could do was watch, wait, and help those in the castle. He knew that she hated it. He knew that she wanted out. But now, Braden rested during the precious free time that he had. A noise made him open his eyes and he sat up quickly. A girl was standing before him. She looked almost like…Hikaru. Braden immediately sensed that it wasn't Hikaru. There was an evil presence in the room. The girl smiled. "Hello Braden." "Who…are you?" The girl laughed. "You can call me… Nova…"
Presea walked drearily down the hall. She worried for the Magic Knights. But there was only so much that one could worry. In reality, Presea was a bit bored. She wanted some action… just something to do besides watch and wait. Braden was taking a nap. She sighed. Right now she just felt like talking to somebody. Braden was that person. He always made her feel better. She stopped in front of the door and sighed. At least she still had her remaining family and friends. At least everybody was safe for the time being. Presea opened the door. Her eyes widened in horror and shock. She instinctively took a step back, her heart beating fast. Braden was sitting up in bed, unharmed. But… there was a girl standing at his bedside. Presea had never seen her before. "Braden?" Before Braden could respond, the girl giggled and said, "Thanks for the wonderful time, Braden. I'll see you later." She turned and walked toward Presea. As she passed, she smirked and then winked. "Hey!" Braden shouted. "Wait a minute!" But the girl was gone. Presea stared out the door and then slowly faced Braden. Her face was a mixture of hurt and shock. There was a long silence. Finally Presea whispered, so softly that it was almost inaudible, "Why Braden? After all that we've been though… after all that's been happening… Why?" Braden stared at his wife, his heart cracking slowly. He jumped out of bed. "Presea! It's not what you think!" "Oh really? Who was that girl?" "I honestly have no idea!" "Liar!" Hot tears were streaming down Presea's cheeks. Everything had been building up. All of her worries, fears, and frustrations… Her emotions were uncontrollable. "I thought that we were going to be together forever! I thought that you loved me! You said that you loved me!" "I love you with my heart and soul!" Braden said, and took a couple of steps forward. "You know that!" Presea shook her head. Braden continued, his voice angry and hurt, "You know that you're the best thing that ever happened to me! You know that I couldn't live without you! I love you, Presea!" He looked at her now tearstained face. She was still crying. Presea hardly ever cried. "Don't speak to me," she finally said, and turned swiftly. Braden lunged at her and grabbed her wrist. Quickly, he pulled her to him and wrapped his arms around her. "Please listen to me! Please!" He could feel her trembling. Then his heart ached as she broke away from his embrace. He looked into her eyes. They were full of question, yet they were glaring angrily. Now she spoke, her tone icy. "I never thought that you would do this Braden. I thought that you truly cared about me. All of these years…and it's a farce. I'm sorry that I'm not good enough for you." "But you are! I never did…" Presea couldn't control herself. She felt her arm raise…her hand lift…and come down swiftly across Braden's face. She heard herself scream in anguish at him, "How could you! Don't touch me…or speak to me anymore!" Then suddenly she drew back in horror. Braden had one hand on his cheek, pain written across his face. He didn't speak. Presea was breathing heavily. She felt more tears. Suddenly, as if it was instinct, she turned and ran. Faster and faster…away. Braden stared at where she had been standing. His cheek stung, but his heart stung even more. He knew that he hadn't wronged Presea, but it certainly looked as if he had. Braden knew that he had to make things right once again. Presea would calm down and then they could talk. But one thing nagged Braden in the back of his mind: Presea…never ran away.
Presea ran blindly down the hall, tears stinging her eyes. Why now? Why was everything bad happening now? Tears flowed like a river and spilled over her cheeks. "Presea!" She turned swiftly. Caldina was there with Ascot. A sob heaved through Presea's body. Caldina raised her eyebrows and looked back at Ascot for a moment. "What's wrong?" she finally asked Presea. "Caldina…" Presea couldn't speak. Tears took over once again. "Somethin's up with ya. Somethin' happened?" Presea nodded. "Come with us," Ascot said. "We were going to have some tea." "Yeah," Caldina agreed. "It might make ya feel better. We don't want the Magic Knights seein' us unhappy!" "You're right," Presea sighed. She walked with Caldina and Ascot to a room. Ascot went to get the tea while Caldina made Presea sit down. "Now tell me what happened." Presea closed her eyes. "Braden… I saw him with a girl." "WHAT? He loves ya! What's wrong with him?" "I don't know," Presea cried. "I know that we've both been tense and upset, but I never thought that this would happen. I'm still so in love with him. I…I thought that he felt the same way!" "Men," Caldina scoffed. "Ya love 'em and ya hate 'em." "Hey!" Ascot said as he sat down with the tea. "I didn't mean you. You're a kid anyway. A lovestruck kid… Presea, did ya know that Ascot had the hots for Umi?" "CALDINA!" Ascot turned bright red. A small smile appeared on Presea's face. "That's nice though, Ascot. It's good to have someone to love. Being lonely is one of the worst things, I think." "So what are ya gonna do Presea?" Caldina asked. "I still love Braden. I hate him though. How could he do this to me? I just don't know what to do anymore." Presea laid her head down on the table. "Guess what," Ascot said. " Hikaru got captured by Autozam!" "What!" Presea sat up quickly. "Why didn't you tell me!" "We were looking for ya," Caldina said, "So that we could tell ya. But you were so out of it that we figured that we shouldn't say anything." "No, thank you for telling me. But what about Umi and Fuu?" "They’re not back either. I think Lantis went after Hikaru. Supposedly Mokona sent a message to Clef, and we went to meet them, but all we found was Mokona and that pixie," said Ascot. "And Alcyone," Caldina added. "Alcyone!" Presea's eyes were wide. "Where is she?" Caldina and Ascot looked confused for a moment. "I think that she's with Clef and the guys right now," Ascot said. Presea silently gave a sigh of relief. Alcyone was in the castle and alive. That was the only good news that she had heard in a while. She made a mental note to speak with her as soon as possible. But something else bothered her. "Where are the Magic Knights now?" "Dunno… Probably fightin'. Knowin' Hikaru, they're all out and ok." "That's a relief." "Drink that tea," instructed Caldina. "It works wonders for the soul. I know." Presea obeyed. The tea was good and soon she felt warmer and happier. Then the door burst open and Mokona flew into Presea's arms. "Puuuuu!" It was followed by… "Hikaru! Umi! Fuu!" Presea cried and stood up. "Missies!" Caldina was right beside her. Presea hugged Hikaru. "I'm glad that you came back all right. We were worried." "Puu!" Mokona screamed. Presea realized that she had been squishing it. "Oh! I'm sorry!" she smiled. Meanwhile, Caldina was speaking at a fast rate. "Ah, I was worried too. Seems like Master Mage Clef got himself a message from Mokona. So Ascot, Lafarga, and I went to greet ya. But only Mokona and that tiny fairy were there." "Alcyone was there," added Ascot. The Magic Knights looked at one another. "Alcyone…why Alcyone?" Umi asked. Ascot shrugged. "I don't know. She seems to be unconscious. Oh, and Clef, Lantis, Ferio, and Lafarga are with her." "Lantis?" Hikaru whispered. "Oh, I see," said Umi. Presea changed the subject of the conversation. She had lost so much…and now it was time for her to make sure that she lost nobody else. "Hikaru, Umi, Fuu, I'm really grateful that your hearts are fighting for Cephiro. However, don't overexert yourselves. Right now there is no Pillar in Cephiro. If something was to happen to you in battle, there's no one to revive you like I was." Hikaru looked a bit downcast. She hesitated and then looked at Presea sadly. "You know that sword you made me Presea? It…snapped." Presea was shocked. "The sword made from escudo?" This was the ultimate defeat. What else could possibly go wrong? "I'm sorry!" Hikaru said quickly. "It was the sword that you risked your life to make. But because my heart was weak…" "No Presea!" Umi interrupted. "It was because I couldn't properly help Hikaru." "No, it was my fault." Fuu objected. "I'm not blaming any of you," Presea said, her tone soft. "However, escudo is the strongest ore in Cephiro. To snap that… Who in the world could?" "Her name is Nova. That's all I know," Hikaru said. Then something else clicked in Presea's mind. "But if the Magic Knight's sword snapped, what happened to the Ruin-God?" "When the sword snapped, Rayearth disappeared as well," Hikaru answered. "I see." "You guys!" Caldina shouted. "You're all so blue! If ya'll depressed too much, it's bad for ya looks! Durin' times like this… a bath! Let's take a bath!" Everyone looked at one another. Group bathing wasn't uncommon, but…now? "Why a bath?" Umi asked. Caldina smiled, "When you're depressed you're ice cold from the bottom of ya heart. If ya'll warm up in a nice hot bath, a good idea will sprout up!" Umi thought carefully. "That sounds logical…yet illogical." Mokona jumped from Presea's arms to Caldina's. "Puu!" "Ya agree with me? All right! I'll scrub your back for ya!" "Puu! Puu!" "Why Ascot, you've gone all red!" "Again," Presea laughed. "What's up with ya?" "Nothing…no nothing at all," Ascot stammered. Presea watched her friends argue playfully and watched the confused expressions on the faces of the Magic Knights. Even in these bad times, there was still some happiness. Soon all of them (minus Ascot) were wrapped in towels and sitting in a huge bath. Presea was enjoying the warm water while everybody else was having a conversation. She really didn't care what they were talking about. Then Caldina (who was less than modest) bounded over to Presea. "Hey, what's that scar ya have there? It kinda looks like a feather!" She was referring to the scar just below Presea's shoulder. "Ah, it's nothing," Presea said. "Don't be so modest!" "Really, it's nothing." "Ok then!" Caldina went back to talking with the Magic Knights. Presea sighed. That scar had been from the dagger…from Tristan. She and Braden had bonded that night when Tristan almost killed them both. Presea was happy that Tristan had redeemed himself though. If only Braden… "Hey!" came the shout of Ascot's voice. "What?" shouted Caldina. "Check it out!" An image appeared on a screen above them. Chizeta's battleship was approaching. "We'd better go," said Umi. Hikaru looked downcast. "Don't be sad, Ms. Hikaru. Watch everyone in the castle," Fuu suggested. Hikaru nodded and smiled. The two other Magic Knights were off once again. Presea got out of the bath as well. "Where are you going?" Hikaru asked. "First I'm going to pay some people a visit. And then I'm going to find a way to repair your sword."
The news of Alcyone's return to the castle had reached Master Mage Clef first. He had found her with Mokona and Primera, unconscious. Knowing the power that Alcyone had, Clef enclosed her in a magic bubble. Alcyone had been his top student when she went to the Mage Academy. Her father had been the same way. Now Clef stood in a room, deep in the heart of the castle, watching his former student. Lafarga and Ferio stood with him. Lafarga clearly remembered Alcyone as the blindly devoted sorceress from their days as Zagato's minions. All of them had realized their wrongs when they met the Magic Knights... except for her. Suddenly Alcyone stirred and opened her eyes slowly. "Alcyone," Clef said. The woman looked confused as she stared around the room. "This place…" she whispered. "You are inside the Castle of Cephiro," Lafarga told her. She looked at him. "Lafarga, where is Lord Zagato?" "High Priest Zagato is no longer here." Alcyone's eyes widened. She had seen him only a couple of hours ago…hadn't she? "Liar," she growled, "I just saw him…" Clef cut her off. "Alcyone, where have you been since Princess Emeraude disappeared?" "Master Mage Clef…" "Autozam, Fahren, Chizeta… Is there someone after Cephiro?" Ferio asked. Alcyone eyed him. "Who are you?" "I guess we've never met before. I'm the younger brother of Princess Emeraude, the previous Pillar." "Emeraude!" Alcyone shrieked. Her hands began to glow red. "Emeraude… who stole my Lord Zagato. Princess Emeraude!" She was in rage. "This world will belong to Lady Debonair. Things such as Pillars will never exist again! I want the Pillar's Cephiro to disappear for good!" She began laughing…a hysterical yet evil laugh. Her magic was uncontrollable as her hands got brighter. Clef quickly touched the bubble with his staff and Alcyone fell back. "Alcyone, was it?" came a voice from the doorway. Lantis entered the room, followed by Rogue. "Lord Zagato!" Alcyone shouted. "Who is Lady Debonair?" he asked. She smiled. Her tone was suddenly calm. "Lady Debonair is the being that the people of Cephiro wished for. Because the people of Cephiro wish it so, Lady Debonair has infinite powers. Lady Debonair is right by our side. Right by our side…" The men looked at each other. Right by their side? It was strange. "Alcyone, that's not right!" came another voice from the doorway. Presea walked in at a steady pace. Nobody would have guessed that she was so shaken inside. She walked confidently past Lantis and Rogue. "Presea? My…friend?" "It's me, Alcyone. And everything's going to be ok now." Alcyone looked lost. Presea looked at Clef and he nodded apprehensively. "She's dangerous," he cautioned. "I'll be careful." Presea went halfway into the bubble and clasped Alcyone's hands. "You must believe me." "What's happening Presea? Lady Debonair… Lord Zagato…" Presea sighed. Her poor friend was completely confused. "Let me ask again," Lantis said. "Where exactly is Debonair? Princess Emeraude…" "Emeraude!" Alcyone's eyes filled with anger. Presea looked at her. She looked…demonic. "Emeraude will pay! All of you will!" Her hands began to glow again. Presea could feel magic…powerful magic. Yet she couldn't let go. "Presea!" Clef called. "Please believe me Presea! Help me!" Alcyone screamed. "I…" suddenly Presea felt a jolt in her body. Alcyone's magic was too strong. "She's going to die if she can't break free!" Lafarga shouted. "Presea!" Rogue dashed across the room. He grabbed Presea's waist and pulled her back. Suddenly a huge flare of magic shot through Alcyone's hands. Presea screamed and she and Rogue both fell backwards… Clef quickly reinforced the magic bubble. Alcyone had collapsed inside and was absolutely steaming. Lafarga, Lantis, and Ferio checked on their fallen comrades. "Presea? Rouge?" Ferio asked. Presea's body convulsed and she sat up, breathing quickly. "I'm ok guys," she said. The three men sighed with relief. Presea turned to Rogue. "All right… you can get up now. Wakey wakey! Rogue?" "Let me check him," Lafarga said. Presea nodded and moved out of the way. The group waited anxiously as minutes seemed to drag on like hours. Finally Lafarga moved away from Rogue, his face grim. "Well?" asked Lantis. "He's dead." "Dead!" shouted Presea. "No WAY! He can't be dead!" She crawled over to Rogue and placed her ear on his chest. No heartbeat…could it really be true? "I refuse to accept this, Rogue!" "Presea, I'm afraid there's nothing that we can do," Clef spoke up. "Remember, since there's no Pillar, there's no way for him to return from the underworld." "I've got an idea…" Presea dragged Rogue's body over to Alcyone. "What are you doing?" Lantis called. "Please don't do anything reckless!" added Lafarga. Presea was determined. She hadn't been harmed by Alcyone's magic…so maybe it could actually be used to help revive Rogue. She placed one hand on Rogue's chest. She stuck the other one through the bubble. "Alcyone," she said. Alcyone looked at her suspiciously. "What?" "Take my hand right now." Alcyone frowned and took her hand. "Presea!" Clef warned. "Don't…" "Now use your magic. Zap me!" "Presea!" cried the men. Presea nodded to Alcyone. "Do it now." "I don't think that I…" Presea didn't want to put Alcyone though more torment, but right now it was her only hope. "Remember Emeraude? And Zagato? They…" "Emeraude!" Alcyone growled, her eyes flickering once again. "Yes! Emeraude!" "I hate that bitch! I hate her!" "Well what do you intend to do about it?" "Ice spear!" Alcyone shouted. Presea could feel the cold magic travel through her veins. It struck Rogue, making his body twitch. "Again!" Presea felt the magic once again. And then… "Ahhhh!" Rogue screamed, his eyes opened wide. Presea quickly withdrew her hand from the bubble. "I won't forget this favor, Alcyone." "No… problem," she collapsed. "Alcyone will be all right," Clef said. Presea turned to Rogue. His eyes were deep pools. "Rogue? Are you all right?" "Presea! Thank you." "I'm so happy that you're ok!" She hugged him. "That was interesting," Lantis muttered. "Presea's a magic conductor." "What?" "It's true," Clef said. "Presea, you could direct Alcyone's magic. Not everybody can do that." "It must be the reason why I can make the weapons the way I do." "I remember," Rogue whispered. "What?" They all asked. Rogue looked at Ferio and then at the rest of them. "I remember my past…everything." "Oh!" Presea gasped. Rogue's past had always been shrouded in mystery. His claim was that he had amnesia. The magic must have sparked his memory. "I'd like to tell my story, please?" Rogue asked. "We'd like to hear it," Presea answered. "We would most definitely like to hear it."
"My name was not Rogue… it was actually Roland. I was the oldest son of the royal family of Cephiro. The Princess Emeraude…was my younger sister. That means that you, Ferio, are my brother." "How?" Ferio asked. "I had a fight with my parents when I was nine years old. Eme was only a year old then. I wanted to go out and have adventures, but my parents wanted me to stay at the castle so that I could become a proper prince. We got into a yelling match and I ran away that night. It was winter then. I traveled along a stone road. It was so cold out, snowing too. I remember slipping on a patch of ice. And that was it. I hit my head on the road and blacked out. When I came to, a bunch of people were standing over me. I was in a warm and comfortable place and the people seemed friendly enough. One woman introduced herself to me as Melena. It was then that they told me that they were Questrian thieves. My mind was really fuzzy. One of the men asked my name and I couldn't remember it. So I told him 'I dunno. I'm just a Rogue.' The man nodded and said, 'Well, then we'll call you Rogue. You are under the care of the thieves now. We will train you and you will work with us as payment for your rescue.' I agreed because I was so grateful to them. And eventually I found the work to be fun. Then I met Presea and life has been interesting ever since. That's it." The group was silent. Ferio had tears in his eyes. "Mother and father once spoke of an older son. I was very young then. They said that he must have died, for they had searched the land for him and he was nowhere to be found. Now I see that it make sense. Thieves are experts at hiding after all…" "But now I'm back. And I'm complete." Presea stood and helped Rogue up. "I hope you all still accept me," he said. "Of course we do!" Presea exclaimed. "You're still like my family!" Rogue smiled and suddenly was caught in a hug from his younger brother, Ferio. "Welcome home, brother," Ferio said. "Welcome home."
Presea felt her soul rekindle when Rogue had opened the sealed chapter of his life. It was time for new beginnings as far as she was concerned. "I might not be able to save Cephiro with my sword," she whispered to the empty halls. "But I will save Cephiro by giving the sword back to the one who can." She passed a window. Lightning flashed outside. She glanced at it momentarily. "There is only one way to fix Hikaru's sword. The process of reviving the sword is long and stressful. The soul will get eaten away. I will not see Cephiro be crushed. I vow that I will revive Hikaru's sword… and give up my life if necessary." She flung open the doors of the throne room. Clef was standing there. He looked up to see Presea coming toward him. Something had changed in her since that moment. Was it the fact that Rogue was truly happy? Or was it the fact that Alcyone was in so much pain? He did not know. The only thing that he saw was determination in her eyes. "I will go now. I will revive Hikaru's sword," she announced. He did not expect to hear that. The process of revival…was practically suicidal. "It takes a very strong will to revive a weapon made from escudo. It will only work if the hearts of the Master Smith and the owner become one. But…even then you both may lose your lives." "I am aware of that." She turned and began to walk out. "Do not forget what's at stake for you!" Clef called. "Your death would affect hundreds of people! And Braden…" Presea shut the door before he could finish. Tears brimmed in her eyes. Did he have to bring up Braden at a time like this? "If I die now I'll never see him again," she said. "Puu?" She looked down to see Mokona. "Mokona are you worried about me?" It nodded and jumped into her arms. Presea wiped her eyes. "It's going to be ok Mokona. I will survive and everything will be all right."
Presea sat in a dim room. She could not keep her mind off of Braden. If she died… the thoughts echoed through her head. "I'll never speak with him… I'll die angry at him. What can I do?" Her emotions were welling up again. Suddenly the door opened. Hikaru looked at her friend. "Presea? What's wrong? Were you crying?" Presea forced a smile and stood up. "It's nothing." "Puu," Mokona said. Hikaru smiled at it. Presea placed a hand on Hikaru's shoulder. "Is your heart ready for this? Are you sure that you want to revive your sword? Terrible danger might befall you. You're ok with that?" Hikaru nodded sternly. "I decided on this battle a long time ago. I want to fight with Rayearth one more time…and with Umi and Fuu." "Your heart is truly determined, Hikaru. Come on then. We must go to the Chamber of Creation."
Once in the Chamber Presea felt herself change. In place of her ordinary outfit was the long white dress that appeared every time that she created a weapon. She was nervous. Anything could happen now. "You will now have to fight against yourself," she told Hikaru. "At all times believe in yourself. Here in Cephiro, the heart controls everything. Keep wishing. No matter what happens, keep thinking of your wish." Hikaru closed her eyes and Presea did the same. Slowly but surely…their hearts began to merge into one power. And Presea felt Hikaru being drawn away into an unknown corner of her heart. Danger was coming.
Meanwhile Braden was sitting in one of the studies, a piece of paper in front of him. 'Dear Presea…' he wrote. "No! This is all wrong!" He slammed his fist on the table and then sank down into his chair. "How can I apologize to her? What can I say? I love her! I love her so much… this has to end. I need to see her." He rose and left the room only to run into Stephen. "Stephen? I haven't seen you in a while." "It's good to see you too Braden." "Do you know where Presea is?" "That's what I've come to tell you about." "Oh?" "She's in the Chamber of Creation." "What?" A million thoughts swarmed Braden's mind. Why would she be there? "What happened? Why?" he asked. "In a recent battle, Hikaru's sword was snapped. I heard that Presea was beside herself. And then I heard that they were going to revive the sword." "Revive! Presea could lose her life!" "I know. So I've come to tell you." "Thank you Stephen!" Braden began to run down to hall. "What are you doing?" he called. Braden looked over his shoulder. "I have to see her! She can't die now! I must tell her that I'm sorry…and that I love her!"
Presea saw many images flash before her eyes. Hikaru's heart was troubled…extremely troubled. I don't understand these images! She thought. No time to wonder… I can't lose concentration. I have to hold on! Hikaru was being tormented by something. Someone…Presea looked closely into Hikaru's heart. Who…is that? It was a girl. She looked strikingly similar to Hikaru and familiar to Presea. Hikaru was battling the girl…and losing badly. It was only when Hikaru fell to the ground that Presea connected to girl to her own past. "No!" she gasped. Hikaru's soul was falling away from her. If the fight kept up this way then Hikaru would certainly be lost forever. "Hikaru!" Presea shouted. "Puu!" echoed Mokona. "Not yet," she muttered. "Hikaru's heart hasn't been lost yet. I will make sure that I call her back here." Mokona made sounds of protest. "It's all right," Presea reassured it. "Hikaru's heart is strong. We'll make it!" Then she was gone…out of body. Mokona could not do anything but watch Presea's body fall to its knees. Presea was far away now. She could feel her soul materialize in the dimension created by that girl. She heard Hikaru shout, "Nova!" Presea now knew exactly why she recognized the girl. But she couldn't think of herself. Not now…too much was at stake. "Hikaru! Remember your wish! You said you wanted to revive your sword even if it meant risking your life! What are you fighting for?" "Shut up!" Nova screamed and blasted an enormous ball of magic at Presea. She couldn't hang on. Please! Hikaru, please hear my message!
Braden wasn't the only one who had heard of Presea and Hikaru's plan to revive the sword. Lantis had also heard and now he sped toward the Chamber of Creation. He entered. He saw Presea sprawled out on the floor and Hikaru floating in the air. Suddenly she dropped to the ground. Something…no someone's shadow rose from her body. "Hikaru?" Lantis asked. It was not Hikaru, but Nova. She jumped and landed in front of Lantis. "I will kill Hikaru," she whispered in his ear. Then, with a giggle, she was gone. Lantis looked at the door and then back. Presea was conscious again. She sat up, her breath coming in gasps. Then she saw Hikaru. "Hikaru! Pull yourself together!" she cried. Lantis knelt beside them and gently lifted Hikaru. "Hikaru?" Her eyes opened momentarily. She smiled slightly. "I'm sorry," she told Lantis. "But…I love you." Then she lapsed into unconsciousness. "Hikaru," muttered Lantis. He looked at Presea. "We…made it," she breathed. Then she shook her head. "What did she mean? She loves you?" "I…" Lantis seemed almost uneasy. It was strange…a magic swordsman like himself uneasy? "Never mind," Presea said as she stood. "Would you take her to her room? I would help, but I'm feeling a bit woozy." "All right," Lantis agreed. He looked at Presea. She was struggling, he could feel it. "Are you sure that you can make it back all right?" he asked her. "Yes I'm sure. You take care of Hikaru. Make sure that she's all right." Lantis nodded and walked down the hall, Hikaru in his arms. Presea blinked and started from her room. She felt sick to her stomach. Nova… she had to be some sort of demon. It was Nova who had left Braden's room that time. Now Presea realized that Braden was being truthful when he told her that he had done nothing wrong. And she…had slapped him. She hurt him? Now Presea fell to the floor of the corridor. She was panting. Her soul…was so tired. "What have I done? What have I done?" Tears began to flow from her eyes. She felt so nauseous. The corridor felt cold and she began to shiver. Her vision was distorting. She could actually see Nova's evil face grinning at her. "Go away you bitch! Leave us alone!" she cried out.
Not far away, Braden walked swiftly through the corridors. The news of Presea and Hikaru trying to revive the sword was…insane. He knew that if something had gone wrong…then Presea might already be gone without him getting to apologize. Then he heard an anguished cry. He'd know the voice anywhere. "Presea!" Braden shouted. "I'm coming!" He ran toward the sound of her voice and found her in a heap in the middle of the corridor. Braden had never seen Presea in such bad shape. Even when she had lost her memory…and even when they were in hell… As he neared her he saw that she was drenched in sweat and shivering horribly. Her cheeks were tearstained and she was breathing hard. Braden knelt beside her. He took one of her hands. "Presea can you hear me? Please look at me!" Presea's eyes watered as they tried to focus on him. "Presea…oh God what happened to you?" "Braden?" came the shaky whisper. Then, with a sudden burst of energy, Presea threw herself at him. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I was wrong! I…" Braden put his arms around her. "It's all right. Stop now…don't waste the energy that you've got left." She shivered. Braden was definitely concerned because she was also burning up. "You're feverish," he told her. Presea nodded, but couldn't speak. "And delirious and who knows what else…" Presea almost collapsed, but Braden supported her. "Let's get you to the room. You're too drained to be on your feet."
Braden took Presea to their room and she immediately dropped on the bed in a deep sleep. While Presea slept, Braden sent for Terria. Terria had a medical background, and was the only person who Braden fully trusted to treat his wife. "So?" he asked her as she finished her analysis. "What's wrong with her?" "Soul drainage," Terria replied. "Normal Presea stuff. We've been through this a million times. This time it's just a degree worse because she had to revive a sword instead of create one." "The fever?" "It's a side effect. She needs sleep… and water. Rehydration is extremely important right now. Give her a few days and she'll be back to her normal self." "I hope you're right." "Have I ever been wrong? I've gotta go check up on everyone else now." "Huh?" "Well, Hikaru's still out. And Master Mage Clef… did something unthinkable. Seems like everyone's doing unthinkable things these days." "What did he do?" "He transported four people to the castle from a far distance. Now he's sick…probably drained like Presea. Umi, Fuu, and Ferio need to be checked just to make sure that they came through the transition all right. Ascot's another story. Seems that the crazy kid defended Umi against that Lady Debonair… you know, the one that everyone's concerned about." By this time Braden was just staring at Terria. She noticed a vacant look in his eyes. "Right. I see that I've totally gone over your head." Then she smiled. "Watch Presea. If anything happens, be sure to send for me." Braden nodded as Terria left the room. It had been a long day…too long.
"Novaaaa!" Presea bolted upright in time to see Braden jump. He stared at her, but she couldn't quite read his expression. "Braden?" "Presea…you're really all right." "I'm ok I guess…" she coughed. "Well, I guess I've been better." Braden sat next to Presea. "Lay down. You're still sick." Presea obeyed. "I really am sorry. I should have given you the chance to talk. I was so angry though. Everything just built up. Then Hikaru's sword broke, Rogue almost died, and Alcyone's all messed up…" "Shhh… it's ok now. I forgive you. What you saw would have made anybody suspicious." Presea nodded. "Tell me about Nova," Braden said. "Nova… I don't know much about her. The only thing that I know is that she was the one who was at your bedside." "Yes, she told me her name." "And somehow she is connected to Hikaru. I think she is anyway, but I can't be sure." "She did resemble her. I noticed it right away." "It's strange. I wish I could figure it out. Then there's Lantis. I think that Hikaru's in love with him." "Really?" "Yeah. He came to the Chamber of Creation just as we came to. He was worried about her. And then she told him that she loved him. I think they've been talking. I haven't really paid attention to what Hikaru's been doing out of battle. I don't like to interfere really. I had so much to think about." "Well, maybe you should talk to her about it." "Yeah, maybe I should." Braden took Presea's hand. "So… what happened to Rogue? And Alcyone?" "Rogue is Ferio's older brother. He almost died, but we brought him back and he just remembered out of the blue. Alcyone's in bad shape. We need to get Dylan to see her, but I don't know if he will." "He does seem distant these days." "I wish he'd just talk to her. She needs him. I think he needs her. Family feuds are never good," Presea sighed, and then realized how much truth her statement held. "Don't beat yourself up anymore," Braden said, immediately recognizing Presea's discomfort. "It's over. Now we have to focus on our friends." "Yes, I agree." Braden looked at the ceiling and then back at Presea. "These times are too hard. I'm just glad that you're ok. I don't know if I could make it without you. Especially now…" Presea just smiled. Then there was a knock at the door. The door opened slowly and Hikaru peered in, followed by Mokona. "Oh!" she gasped. "Um…hello. I'm sorry if I was interrupting. I can come back…" Braden looked at Presea and then at Hikaru. "No, no," he said. "I need to catch up with Rogue anyway. You didn't interrupt, so don't worry." He rose, but not before kissing Presea's cheek. "I'll be back later." Then he left. Hikaru hesitated at first, but then pulled up a chair beside Presea. Mokona jumped up on the bed. "Puu." Hikaru looked a bit downcast. It was obvious that she was worried about Presea's welfare. "I'm all right," Presea told her. "If you look like that, I'll be sad too." A small smile crept across Hikaru's lips. "When I was about the lose against myself, I heard your voice. Thank you." Presea was silent for a moment, thinking of how to bring up her next topic. "You know, about Lantis…" "I know," Hikaru interrupted. "He was the one who carried me to my room after I fell in the Chamber of Creation." Presea's eyes were wide. She didn't remember anything? She didn't remember telling him that she loved him? "You don't remember?" Presea finally asked. She sat up slowly. There was a look of confusion written in Hikaru's eyes. Presea smiled and hugged her. "Presea," Hikaru said. "If I can be of any help, tell me. I'll help you any time." Hikaru didn't fully understand Presea's sudden burst of emotion, but just hugged her back. "All right."
There was yet another knock at the door. This time Umi and Fuu walked in. "Oh Ms. Presea! We heard of your ordeal," Fuu said. "Are you all right?" added Umi. "Yes girls. I'm fine." Hikaru turned to her friends. "But what about you guys? And the invading countries?" "I think that Chizeta and Fahren won't be much of a problem now," Umi said. "What do you mean?" "We'll tell you more later, Ms. Hikaru. There is a more important matter now. Autozam has come dangerously close to Cephiro." "Then we have to go see what they want!" Hikaru said. Umi and Fuu nodded. Hikaru turned to Presea. "I'm sorry that we have to run out on you like this." Presea shook her head. "No, you must go. It is crucial that you do." The girls smiled and then left the room. Once they were gone, Presea sunk down beneath the covers once again. "There's nothing much that I can do now. I have to get up… I need to find Dylan or Clef or something. I'm strong enough. I know I can do it." She flung back the covers and struggled to stand. She stood still for a moment before trying out her legs. To her surprise, she could walk just fine. She quickly found her outfit and changed. It was time for her to get back to business.
Soon Presea found herself seated in a meeting room along with Rogue, Ferio, and Caldina. Caldina was slumped over the table. "Hey," Presea said. "What's up with you? You're supposed to be the cheerful one." Caldina smiled. "Yeah I know. It's just that Ascot was injured badly in that last battle. So was Clef. I just don't want anyone else to get hurt." "Me neither. I didn't realize how serious Clef's injuries were." "He's almost completely drained," Ferio spoke up. "It's unhealthy. If he keeps this up then he could die. We have to watch out for him." Rogue took out a dagger and began to play with it absent-mindedly. Without knowing it, he carved an intricate design into the table. Ferio looked at it and raised his eyebrows. Rogue shrugged. "I'm bored. There's so much going on that there's nothing going on at all." They all sighed. And then the door flung open. Braden stood in the doorway, panting. "Guess what, you guys!" "What?" Rogue asked, the others looked on in wonder. "The commander of Autozam is in the castle." "WHAT?" they all jumped up at once. "Don't worry. He's unconscious. The Magic Knights caught him as he was trying to enter the castle." "Eagle Vision…" Presea whispered. Then she gasped. "Are you all right?" Caldina asked. "You're not gonna faint on us or anything?" "No, no it's something different. It's a change of balance in the castle." Ferio looked alarm. "Do you mean that…" "I can sense magic balance," Presea said. "Something has shifted. Alcyone!" "Is she all right?" Rogue asked, his voice beginning to sound panicky. "I don't know. There's something wrong… very wrong! Ferio, I want you to check with Clef. Maybe he knows what's up. Caldina, find Lafarga and see if Ascot is up yet. Rogue, see what the Magic Knights are doing. Braden, you come with me!" The group split up. Presea grabbed Braden's wrist. "We need to run. This is urgent!" Then the castle shook violently. "Oh no… Cephiro's crumbling even more…"

*****

Part 3

Part 1