Chapter 16
Clef had fallen to the crater floor. He trembled as his body felt the light returning. His cloak changed colors, as well as his eyes. Wide open, the seemed entranced and the pupils contracted. The light was returning to his face, but he still shook.
Emerria gently took a stray lock of his hair in her fingers of her good hand and brushed them away from his face. "Master..." she said softly. She sat down beside him and pulled his body into her lap. She wasn't going to let anyone touch him yet but her. "Master, I'm sorry for what I had to do." She looked at his bruised body and saw what her attacks had inflicted. A shining tear fell on his cheek as his eyes closed briefly.
He opened them again slowly to see a fuzzy visage of his student. Emerria's face was hovering above him, trembling slightly and shimmering tears fell like rain. Her face was swollen and bruised, a gash ran along her arm, her dress was torn and muddy, and he could tell by her breathing that she had a broken rib. The hand she held to her face seemed limp and he looked at it closely and noted her broken wrist. A splash of another tear brought him back to intimate reality...... He had done this to her. HE had attacked under the influence of the evil he had dreaded.
"Oh..... Eme-chan...." a long unused voice croaked. He sat up, only to note that one of his ribs was cracked, and he felt as though he had lived through an rock slide. "Eme-chan?" he questioned in a soft voice, and looked at her as her head snapped up at his voice.
"Master Clef?" she said questioningly, as if she hadn't seen him in years. Her eyes were wide with wonder, and her lip trembled. They stared at each other for a moment...... and then Clef decided that it was over. He gently leaned over and brought his hand to her chin. He pulled her closer and, running his hands into her thick hair, he kissed her.
A voice above them shouted out. "YES!!!!!!" Recocgnizing the voice, he continued kissing her and let the crowd gather around Hikaru. Slowly, he felt her melt into his arms and as she did, he could tell that she needed Fuu's magic quickly. He broke the kiss and looked at her warmly for a moment, and then looked up. Tired, but happy faces were above them, and Clef smiled at them. Many smiled back, but Lantis rather began to get them out. He jumped back into the crater and gently picked up Emerria. She was weak and was loosing blood from the gash on her arm. He passed her into Eagle's arms and he set her on the ground so Fuu could heal her.
Lantis stood in the crater over Clef for a moment. "Master Clef..." he began in the deep baritone voice. "It amazes me what has happened here."
Clef looked down solemnly. His pristine white cloak was stained with blood, and he could feel the heaviness of his heart. "Yes... It does."
Lantis helped Clef up, and then watched as he walked slowly and painfully up the crater walls. "Clef......" Lantis said, and the figure turned. "Take a moment and feel like yourself again..."
On to Chapter 17
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