Magical Knight Evangelion Wing

From the warped mind of the Scriviner: 
A Magical Knight Rayearth/Evangelion/Gundam Wing 
Crossover/Alternate reality story

Chapter I: The Hope of Cephiro

Part II: Trial by Fire
	Dawn broke across the land of Cephiro. A thin 
line of green fire running the length of the horizon 
as the sun rose reluctantly. It seemed almost as if 
it didn't wish to see the terrible spectacle about to 
unfold. 
	In a vast clearing within the even vaster 
Sacred Forest of Silence stood a great black citadel 
of soaring towers, jutting gargoyles and sprawling 
buildings. In a perfect circle around it was a thin 
blue line, visible even from the furthest possible 
distances. A single road led into and away from the 
citadel's massive iron braced wooden gates, moving 
deep into the forest.
	Around the citadel stood men and women. Giddy 
with lack of sleep, but firm in their conviction. 
Each armed, armored and trained. On their white 
tabards the brilliant red cross sigil of the God of 
Cephiro was emblazoned, each having been personally 
blessed by the Lord's vicar on Cephiro, the Cardinal. 
	They stood, arrayed in massed ranks, easily 
numbering in the hundreds. Closer to the citadel, 
within the line stood several small tents, one of 
which actually straddled the blue line, all hastily 
erected. Between each, men and women moved busily, 
preparing for what was to come.
	At the edges of the clearing stood even more 
men. Harsher, larger men than those encircling the 
citadel. Where the defenders of the Citadel numbered 
in the hundreds, its besiegers numbered in the tens 
of hundreds. Their breastplates bore the rising 
dragon insignia of the House Kushrenada. Arrayed 
behind the men standing in a skirmish line were what 
seemed to be thirty huge suits of armor, easily 
fifteen feet each. They were motionless save for 
their huge capes billowing weakly in the gentle 
morning breeze. More would have been brought, had the 
forest been more forgiving.
	The air was crisp and cool, but there was a 
palpable energy and tension to the atmosphere. On 
both sides, the men knew some of them wouldn't be 
walking away from this encounter. Both sides were 
certain of the righteousness of their cause and the 
necessity of the undertaking. As the predawn darkness 
was dispelled and their foes came clear, a ripple of 
energy ran through the massed ranks at the edge of 
the forest. Standing at the head of their company was 
a single man in deep blue armor, mounted on a 
magnificent white charger. To his side a second man, 
in red armor. 
	The man in blue, his face hidden by his helm, 
but the bearing and firmly controlled power of the 
man obvious to any. This was the Soldier of Cephiro, 
Treize Kushrenada. He raised a hand, the power of the 
Soldier reaching hungrily from him to his troops. It 
leapt from soldier to soldier. Presence. Triumph. 
Strength.
	The men behind Treize stood tense and ready, 
hungry for the conflict to begin. Their anxieties and 
fears melting under the pure, white-hot strength of 
the Soldier's Presence. It was true some of their 
countrymen, misguided and beguiled by the power of 
the Cardinal would suffer for this, but better that 
the few be sacrificed than the whole of the land die. 
They were of one mind. To crush the hated foe. To 
crush the one who hid in the Holy Citadel. The 
murderer. The Black Cardinal.
	Treize lowered his hand, urging his mount 
forward and around him resounded a terrible cry torn 
from a thousand throats, his men too surged forward. 
Closer to the citadel, horn blasts sounded, signaling 
the cross marked troops to stand their ground. 
	Treize's men rushed headlong, crashing like 
waves against the rocks. Swords clashing. The screams 
of pain and anger resounding. The assault on the Holy 
Citadel had begun.
- - -
	Hours. The battle had been raging for hours. On 
both sides men and women were tired and yet the 
fighting continued in brief skirmishes. But the few 
defenders of the Citadel were being run ragged, as 
the besieger's fresher troops rotated onto the field 
of battle.
  	During the lulls, individuals in white tunics 
from the Citadel moved across the clearing, taking 
the wounded with them, carrying them to the tent 
which straddled the thin blue line, regardless of 
their standard. 
	The sun beat mercilessly down on everyone, 
further dispiriting them. What few clouds there were, 
were high and thin and did little to shield the land 
from the sun's heat.
	One breathless soldier, his long hair matted 
and sweaty from the long hours of battle and his 
armor, leaned heavily on his halberd. He was 
relatively uninjured, but he ached from the constant 
fighting and was glad for this respite, however 
brief. The crimson cross on his chest continued to 
give off its soft lambent glow, despite the 
brightness of the sun. 
	His companion glanced at him. They were both 
tired. But the grim look on the shorter haired man's 
face, even through his spectacles, forced the long 
haired soldier to straighten up. The short haired man 
had a minor gash on his forehead and the blood was 
running down his temple.
	"This has got to end soon," the long haired man 
wailed.
	"We're out of reserves. Unless the Cardinal 
does something drastic soon, we're as good as dead," 
the shorter haired man replied.
	The long haired man grumbled back sourly, "I 
don't even see why we need to be here. The AT field 
can't be breached anyway." 
	The short haired man shook his head, "Not by 
the conventional forces, but what if Lady Une's out 
there? We can't let her get within range of the 
Cardinal's field cause I'm not laying long odds 
against it lasting against her."
	"That's a great thing to hear," the long haired 
man muttered, annoyed.
	"Less talk, more action," the short haired man 
grinned weakly.
	"Join the Federation Militia, they said... see 
the world they said... they didn't say anything about 
getting killed during a damn civil insurrection." The 
long haired man continued to grumble.
	"Save your breath, I think we've got trouble 
again." The short haired man pointed as the skirmish 
line of the besiegers reformed for yet another sally.
	The long haired man sighed, mouthing a quiet 
prayer as he readied his weapon once again. His arms 
aching from the strain. 
	The charge neared their defensive position, 
rushing forward with a pitiless, unstoppable drive. 
The cross marked defenders were too strung out and 
too tired to survive this assault. This wasn't even 
considering the fact that the thirty Melef armors 
were still being held back by the enemy commander. 
	There was a sudden thunderclap heard across the 
entire field. The sky, blue and hot and bright, was 
scoured by a sudden powerful gust, dragging huge, 
ominously black clouds across the sky with horrifying 
speed. The brightness of day shifting to almost total 
darkness. The wind moaned loudly, drowning out nearly 
all other sounds.
	There were appalled screams from the charging 
soldiers, as they lost sight of their objective 
falling over one another, crashing into one another 
as the blanket of night swept over the entire 
battlefield. Cries raised over the wind screamed of 
Craft! Of Magic turned against them. They screamed of 
the Cardinal calling forth a storm to smite the 
besiegers.
	Then the light! The sudden terrifying burst of 
light from the sky, as the clouds swirled, spinning 
as though caught in a storm. The terrible, pure, 
white light lancing through the storm's eye. A beam 
reaching from heaven to touch the very earth. All 
over the field, fighting ceased for a brief moment as 
all stared. Within the beam, descended three figures. 
	The first, arrayed in gleaming white, a short 
sleeved tunic and loose pants, seemed to be a boy. 
But his harsh countenance and cold eyes betrayed 
something far older. The second, equally 
intimidating, was a girl in loose leathers. Her eyes 
seemed to gleam with a painful eagerness as she 
surveyed the battlefield. The third, another girl, 
seemed the least frightening to the watching 
soldiers. She wore a red tunic, black breaches, and 
over that a long red coat, edged in gold. She seemed 
so much younger than her two companions and almost 
pitifully vulnerable.
	As their feet touched the ground, landing right 
in front of the Citadel's defenders, there was once 
more a resounding thunderclap as the beam guttered 
out and the wind too dropped to merely a continuous 
gust, but the dark, heavy clouds remained. The 
temperature had fallen from the earlier stifling heat 
until now it was bone chillingly cold. The harsh 
breath of the soldiers formed a thick mist as they 
exhaled.
	From the far end of the battlefield, at the 
edge of the clearing, the ringing voice of the 
commander, Treize, resounded, "Regroup! Regroup!"
	The smaller girl, the third, blinked in 
surprise as though coming out of a trance and asked 
plaintively, "Where are we?"
	The boy glanced over his shoulder at her, his 
eyes seemed to soften for a moment then refocused as 
he turned to gaze at the massing soldiers. He 
answered coolly, "The Holy Citadel. We must defend 
it."
	"Who do you think you are giving us orders?!" 
The girl in the leathers began to complain, but the 
boy snapped a harsh look in her direction and to her 
own surprise she fell quiet. 
	The boy nodded once and seemed to concentrate 
for a moment. He gave a soft grunt, as a huge pair of 
luminous white feathered wings burst from his back, 
unfolding gloriously.
	"How did--?" the girl in red began to ask, but 
before she could complete her question, the wings 
gave a mighty beat, sending the boy shooting into the 
air.
	"Well if that guy can do it, so can I!" the 
girl in leather declared loudly, sweeping her orange-
red hair away from her eyes as she too began to 
concentrate.
	The girl in red asked her companion almost 
desperately, "Asuka! What's going on? That was Hiro, 
right? Where'd he get those wings?"
	"Not now!" Asuka snapped at the shorter 
redhead, "I think I can--" there was a sound like 
tortured screaming as metallic tendrils seemed to 
slide from underneath her outfit, forming an 
intricate, interlocking webwork, a gridlock. Yes. 
That was the term, she thought to herself as the 
metal wove into a complicated armor about her body. 
This was gridlock. She knew and she didn't know HOW 
she knew. It was just there, like she knew how to 
summon it. 
	"That's better!" Asuka declared, charging off 
across the clearing to the nearly formed line of 
soldiers. She bound forward, closing the distance 
with incredible speed, a wicked, eager smile on her 
face as she did.
	"But wait! Asuka!" The girl in red shouted 
after her, but she was too far ahead.
	"Um..." the long haired soldier said 
hesitantly.
	The girl turned to face him smiling sheepishly, 
"Er... Hi, I'm Hikaru."
	"I'm Aoba," the long haired soldier replied 
with a worried smile on his face, "Are you three 
angels? Did the Cardinal send you?"
	"No," Hikaru said still smiling sheepishly. 
"Um... we're here to help?" she added uncertainly.
- - -
	The events outside barely registered on the 
tent that straddled the thin blue line. The triage 
was filled to beyond overflowing with the injured 
from both sides. There could be little that could be 
done to alleviate it. The Healers of the Citadel were 
precisely that. Regardless of what side these 
soldiers served, they, as Healers, would minister to 
them. Regardless of the danger. They were Healers. It 
was their duty.
	The sudden darkness did not even stop the 
ceaseless rhythm of treatment and ministration, as a 
few of the Healers murmured simple spells to call 
forth small glowing globes to illuminate their work.
	The sudden drop in temperature was received 
with welcome by at least one of the apprentice 
Healers. She sighed thankfully as she finished 
cleaning and dressing the large, ragged sword cuts on 
her patient's leg and arm. He'd be lucky to walk 
again, she thought, remembering the terrible 
lacerations. He was a soldier from the Kushrenada 
camp. What did they call themselves? OZ, was it? A 
boy, no older than herself. She eyes him regretfully, 
his black hair in a simple crewcut, his firm jaw 
clenched tight against the pain. Such a waste, she 
thought to herself, dragged into war so young.
	"Hikari?" the senior healer called to her from 
his own patient. The light globes highlighting his 
gray hair and the planes of his face, deepening the 
lines of exhaustion and weariness already there. He 
looked far older than his already respectable age.
	Jarred out of her musings she turned to him 
immediately, "Yes, Master Fuyutsuki?"
	"We don't have time for you to gawk at each 
patient all day." He said in a level tone. He saw the 
shame in her expression and his own voice softened 
for a moment, "I know it is difficult, child, but 
there will be time for thinking later. For now, there 
is only the Healing."
	"Yes, master." She nodded, moving quickly to 
the next patient, pushing a few strands of her brown 
hair from her face. She was pretty in a shy, 
understated kind of way, but she certainly wouldn't 
have acknowledged it. Her movements were spare, but a 
long way away from matching the tireless efficiency 
with which the true Healers ministered to their 
patients. As she neared the next bed, she heard the 
thunderclap and felt a slight tremor run through the 
ground.
	She looked up, worried and confused, and found 
the everyone else had also stopped what they were 
doing. In the center of the room one of the light 
globes drifted aimlessly away from the Healer who had 
summoned it, seemingly tossed on random gusts of 
wind. It touched the ground with a bright flash, 
temporarily blinding everyone nearby. As the light 
subsided three individuals stood in the surprisingly 
uncluttered center of the triage.
	The first was a girl in a rough brown robe of 
homespun, the edges trimmed in brilliant green thread 
that seemed to contrast sharply with the simplicity 
of the rest of her garment, her short blue hair loose 
and her eyes were a piercing vibrant red, curiously 
devoid of any expression whatsoever. Beside her was a 
blonde, blue eyed boy in a simple long sleeved shirt, 
a tan vest and rugged brown pants, his face in an odd 
kind of placid repose. Next to him was another girl 
in a simple, thick, green robe, edged in swirling 
white patterns.
	A few of the Healers immediately raised their 
hands in warding gestures, preparing spells in their 
minds to stop the intruders. Their knowledge and 
power over the living body gave them matchless skills 
in methods of stopping it from doing harm.
	The boy raised his hands and said in a quiet 
voice, "We mean you no harm. We're here to help."
	Master Fuyutsuki stepped forward, his fingers 
still prepared to give the finishing motion which 
would afflict the three with a very nasty case of 
full body muscle cramps. "Who are you?"
	"I'm Quatre Rebaba Winner," the boy replied, 
then gestured to his companions, "These are Fuu 
Honjou and Rei Ayanami. We're not here to hurt 
anyone. We just want to help." He blinked then, as if 
in surprise almost as though wondering what he was 
doing there.
	Fuyutsuki looked slightly alarmed for a moment, 
as his instincts and training came to the fore. "Are 
you alright?" he asked in concern.
	Quatre blinked again, "Yes. I'm fine. Uh..." He 
glanced at blonde next to him, "How did we get here 
again?"
	She looked back at him also slightly puzzled, 
"I have no idea."
	The blue haired girl glanced at the two of them 
impassively. "Let's not waste any more time," she 
said in a low whisper, walking towards the rear of 
the tent.
	Fuyutsuki seemed horrified. Children? Offering 
him assistance only to forget what they were doing 
here? Especially while they were still in the middle 
of an attack. He glanced around the room, as the two 
blondes, Quatre... and Fuu, he recalled, Yes, Fuu, 
stood looking around in polite bafflement.
	He sighed. Perhaps they could be of some help. 
He raised his voice, "Hikari."
	Hikari snapped out of her contemplative mood. 
Her eyes having rested continuously on the handsome 
golden haired stranger. She turned quickly to her 
master, "Yes, Master Fuyutsuki?"
	"You're in charge of them," Fuyutsuki said more 
brusquely than he'd intended, "Make sure they don't 
get in the way."
	Hikari gave a nervous gulp and nodded. To 
appear as suddenly as they had in the triage, which 
itself was warded and protected against intrusion, 
they were either very powerful, or knew someone who 
was. Either way she wasn't certain she could look 
forward to this. 
	Slowly, the Healers began to return to their 
work. Hikari led her two charges off to one side of 
the tent. "This way, sir, ma'am." 
	She smiled tentatively and the two returned her 
smile. "Is there anything in particular you can do?" 
	The two blondes traded uncertain glances. 
"Um... nothing in particular comes to mind," Quatre 
replied.
	Fuu looked around weakly, "I still remember 
some of my first aid classes."
	Hikari did her best to hide a sigh. They were 
obviously untrained and more than a little confused. 
Best to have them help out with the unskilled labor, 
she added to herself.
	"We need to sort these poultices for the 
injured and a few more hands would be welcome," she 
said to the two worriedly, glancing at one of the 
scattered tables within the triage.
	Quatre nodded and hazarded a smile, "Sure."
	Fuu looked at the injured in the tent, a mildly 
horrified expression on her face. "So many of them," 
she murmured.
	"What are you doing?!" A horrified voice was 
raised suddenly to the rear of the tent.
	Fuyutsuki's head snapped up immediately. Every 
other eye in the room that was capable of it turned 
in that direction. Standing in front of a large table 
was the blue haired girl tipped the dregs and remains 
of vessel after vessel of powdered herbs, leaves, 
roots, and other remedies into her hand. The Healer 
in charge of the dispensary, a slender redheaded 
woman with long curly hair, watched her, horrified. 
"Do you realize what you're doing?! We're already 
nearly out of those herbs as it is! Do not do that!!"
	The blue haired girl, Rei, looked up from her 
handiwork, one hand cupped and filled to overflowing 
with the detritus of the containers. She eyed the 
Healer who was accosting her impassively. Not knowing 
why, the Healer's voice suddenly gave out. She looked 
into the eyes of the girl before her, into those red, 
red eyes which seemed to pin her where she stood. 
That gaze which seemed to tell her that she was 
nothing, those totally impassive eyes which if they 
held the gaze long enough seemed the stark, 
terrifying understanding that the one watching was so 
far above you that you were nothing to them. Less 
than nothing. Utterly immaterial. The Healer 
staggered back in fear as Rei turned her gaze away, 
giving no more thought to the woman.
 	The blue haired girl raised her left hand which 
held the powders and shredded leaves. She closed her 
hand into a small fist. On the back of her hand there 
seemed to be a crystal embedded, a rich, clear wooden 
brown. The crystal pulsed once, like a beating heart, 
as Rei opened her hand once more, scattering the dust 
along the ground.
	Fuyutsuki finally snapped out of his surprise, 
"What do you think you are doing, young woman?!"
	Rei caught him with her disquieting gaze for a 
moment before replying in her whisper, "Helping."
	And with that, shoots and tendrils began to 
grow from the ground where she had scattered the 
dried and shredded herbs. They grew with startling 
rapidity, from the mere hints of tendrils to full 
grown bushes and shrubs within seconds. 
	Fuyutsuki's jaw dropped as he recognized what 
she had done. A feat of one of the Ten Legendary 
Crafts. He whispered, his voice tinged with fear and 
awe, "The Heirophant. The Heirophant of the Circle."
	Rei looked at the stricken Healer who was 
beginning to recover herself and said, in her 
dispassionate whisper, "Gather as much as you need. 
They will replenish themselves."
	Hikari leaned close to Quatre and asked in 
stunned amazement. "How did she do that?" 
	Quatre simply shook his head, "I wish I knew."
- - -	
	Within the thin blue line of the AT field, one 
of the tents, unlike the others in its near vicinity 
had no one entering or exiting busily. It was a zone 
of surprising quiet in the midst of the defender's 
territory.
	"What the hell is he thinking?!" A man in the 
gray and blue plate armor demanded angrily, eyeing 
the tactical map spread out in front of his makeshift 
desk. He was tall man, broad shouldered and 
powerfully built. His features, while rough hewn, 
held a certain surprising smoothness to them, a long 
aquiline nose and broad forehead emphasizing his 
furious blue eyes. His blonde hair was cut short and 
slicked back, very practical. Around his neck he wore 
the rising dragon crest of House Kushrenada, but over 
his armor was the white, cross-marked tabard of the 
troops still proclaiming their loyalty to the Pillar.
	The other man in the tent, half shrouded by 
shadows eyed the blonde man warily. Where the other 
man was broad, this one was whipcord lean, but had a 
certain wiry strength to him. His features were 
angular and would almost qualify him as handsome were 
it not for the day's worth of stubble on his chin 
which gave him a certain scruffiness despite the 
elegance of his movements. His long, wild, black hair 
was tied off in a short, loose ponytail. He was 
dressed in solid black, with an occasional hint of 
silver and white here and there which seemed only to 
accentuate it.
	The man in the armor pushed the small markers 
representing their units around the map, desperately 
trying to visualize what possible strategy the enemy 
commander could be using. It made absolutely no sense 
to him and in his mounting frustration and worry he 
asked suddenly, "What does he hope to gain by this 
continued frontal assault? Even if he had ten times 
more men and we had ten times less we could still 
hold him off until Yuletide!"
	"Your brother's a cunning man. I'm certain he's 
got a plan," the slender man replied off-handedly.
	The blonde focused his eyes on the slender man, 
barely containing his irritation, "Kaji, if you 
aren't going to be of any assistance; Shut. Up."
	Kaji shrugged, grinning crookedly at the 
armored man, "As you command, Lord Rafaga." Despite 
the honorific, the tone was obviously mocking.
	The blonde, Rafaga, walked around the table 
once more, ignoring Kaji and trying to see the map 
from all angles. He muttered under his breath trying 
to work out what possible advantage the assault he'd 
been performing for the last few hours gave Treize. 
Certainly the Federation forces were being worn down, 
but between the natural defenses of the Citadel and 
the AT field the Cardinal had created, there was no 
way for their forces to breach it. Certainly not with 
a mere thirty melefs. Not even if his brother sent 
Lady Une. She couldn't possibly get close enough to 
even begin to neutralize the field. The deployment of 
his own forces precluded that possibility. There was 
something else, he knew, he just wished he could see 
it! Then there was the Cardinal's own behavior. It 
was beginning to border on the disturbing. He knew 
perfectly well that a man of Zagato's power was 
entitled to a few eccentricities, but to do nothing 
BUT maintain the defense on the Citadel, the 
stronghold which would ensure control over the Forest 
of Silence, surely there was something wrong with 
that. Rafaga was certain that Zagato could easily 
maintain the field and still mount some sort of 
offense to sweep away their attackers. He was 
powerful enough. So why--?
	"The board's all wrong." A slightly puzzled 
voice stated just a little to his side.
	Rafaga whirled quickly in that direction, 
moving quickly into a ready stance, his sword, a 
silver longsword, also bearing the crest of 
Kushrenada. He leveled his weapon at the two shadowed 
figures.
	Kaji raised an eyebrow, not moving from his 
restful slouch. He was rather surprised at the 
intrusion. Which in and off itself was worrisome 
enough. It took a great deal of skill or power to 
surprise Rafaga Kushrenada, much less himself.
	The two intruders each took a step forward. 
They were both boys, looking little more than 
fourteen. The first wore a short, black, high 
collared robe with long sleeves and cinched at the 
waist by a red sash. Underneath it he wore black 
trousers. There was surprisingly little emotion in 
his face, but his eyes were intense. 
	The other boy was dressed in a similar outfit, 
a black high collared shirt, with the sleeves rolled 
up to the elbows, and loose black slacks tucked into 
his boots. The only hint of color in his outfit was a 
blue kerchief tied around his neck. He was smiling 
apologetically at the two men. "Erhm... hi." He said.
	"Who are you and how did you get in here?" 
Rafaga asked harshly.
	"We are here to help," the first boy said 
flatly, "I think you recognize this." He raised up 
his right hand, holding up the back of it for the two 
men's inspection. Imbedded there was a circular, deep 
red gem about two inches in diameter. Deep within it, 
there was a black flaw which seemed to pulse 
slightly. The flaw resembled an hourglass. 
	The first boy glanced impassively at his 
companion who looked back at him blankly, then his 
face betrayed surprise as he raised up his own hand. 
"Where'd I get that?" the second boy asked, looking 
at his hand in disbelief.
	The second boy had an azure gem the same size 
as his companions embedded in the back of his own 
right hand. The stone while clear, had surprising 
depth. If one stared at it for too long, one could 
almost get the impression that the crystalline azure 
of the gem went on for infinity.
	Rafaga choked out, "Craft Marks. Children with 
Craft Marks."
	"Not just any Craft Marks," Kaji said, his dark 
eyes focused on the younger pair, "Two of the ten 
lost Crafts. Timekeeper and Journeyman."
	"Not lost. Hidden." The first boy corrected.
	"The Legendary Circle of the Evangelion?" 
Rafaga asked not daring to believe it."
	"There will be time to answer questions later, 
for now we are here to help coordinate your defense," 
The first boy spoke coolly.
	Rafaga glanced at the two for a long hard time, 
before finally relenting, "Alright."
	"Board's all wrong," the second boy said again, 
his attention having been caught by it. He flipped 
his long braid over his shoulder and quickly moved to 
the side of the map. A look of concentration passed 
across his face as he reached out and began gathering 
up the tokens representing the Kushrenada besiegers. 
With almost very little conscious thought at all, he 
began placing the tokens on other spots. Even to the 
extent of nudging a few tokens no more than a tiny 
fraction of a hair off of their original location. He 
stepped away from the map eyeing it thoughtfully, his 
eyes glowing a faint blue. "That... that feels right. 
That's how they ought to be placed." He blinked as 
the glow faded from his eyes and added in a low 
mutter, "Although I'd like to know HOW I knew that."
	Rafaga eyed the board, studying the 
implications of the new positioning. There were 
several units just inside the forest off the 
Citadel's flank. Near the triage. His eyes widened as 
he realized finally what his brother had intended all 
along. He whispered, "Gods and Fortunes."
	The first boy spoke softly, as though replying 
to his unvoiced thoughts, "Yes. He'll continue to 
draw the attention of your defenders with these 
frontal assaults, before finally driving an attack 
against the triage, using it as an entry point into 
your defenses."
	"He wouldn't dare! No one would DARE harm a 
Healer's triage!" Rafaga roared.
	Kaji shook his head, watching the two boys 
thoughtfully, "The Timekeeper's right." He nodded to 
the first boy. "Seems to me Treize doesn't need to. 
If he can hold the triage hostage, the mere threat 
will be enough. He doesn't need to bothering harming 
it, he can easily use it as a passage in. That plus 
he can withhold healing to your men. Sounds like 
something he'd think of."
	"Some of his men aren't as wounded as they 
seem." The first boy added, looking at Rafaga through 
his long bangs. "The healer's are indiscriminate in 
who they heal, aren't they?" 
	Rafaga nodded numbly, "The triage is already 
infiltrated. We need to send an alarm. Shift the men-
-"
	The first boy cut him off with an abrupt 
gesture. "No need. The triage is defended."
	Rafaga bristled at the tone of command in the 
boy's voice, but found to his own surprise something 
within him responded to it. At some level, he 
understood that this nameless boy quite possibly did 
know better than he. He didn't know how. Or why. But 
he knew it to be so. He relaxed a little, still 
astonished at how level his voice was as he spoke, 
"Very well then. What about the other locations." He 
paused for a moment, then added, "My lords?"
	"Their attacks will occur..." the first boy 
closed his eyes briefly then touched the gem on the 
back of the second boy's hand, "Duo, move them as I 
direct you." His eyes flared red briefly as he spoke 
again. "In twelve minutes, these units will move in 
to attempt to flank that unit. In thirteen minutes, 
this particular unit will attempt to pull back to 
rotate in fresh troops..." 
	The tokens representing the units were moved by 
Duo's hand, matching the movements the first boy 
described. Within moments, Rafaga found himself with 
the tactical intentions of his opponent's next half 
hour's worth of moves and he worked feverishly as he 
thought of the counters to those movements. With a 
roaring bellow he called for the heralds and signal 
men to pass on his orders. They could win this yet. 
He smiled grimly.
	Kaji merely watched the two boys thoughtfully. 
Such power as to frighten even the Rogue of Cephiro. 
In the hands of children. He shook his head 
worriedly. 
- - -
	The soldiers who stood guard next to the 
massive Melef armors watched the dark sky worriedly. 
This was not a good sign. The citadel's defenders had 
apparently managed to summon help from elsewhere, 
even through the magical barriers of the Forest of 
Silence. This was not a good thing.
	Even now they could see at least three new 
additions to the ranks of the defenders. All 
obviously skilled in unknown Crafts. One a winged 
man, another an insane redheaded woman in gleaming, 
shifting armor, and the third a girl who seemed to 
burn like a fiery beacon, inspiring their foes to 
fight harder. The continuous assault that their 
forces had been maintaining was beginning to slow and 
in a few cases, a few of the defenders had gone so 
far as to chase their attackers nearly halfway across 
the field before pulling back.
	The mad woman in the strange quicksilver armor 
leapt and moved like a jackrabbit. She seemed to be 
invulnerable to their blows looked as though she were 
inviting them to strike at her, returning blow for 
blow, crushing weapons and armor with her bare hands 
as though they were brittle glass. She had single 
handedly wiped out an entire platoon and was all but 
wading through their forces, obviously heading for 
the command tent. 
	In the sky, the winged man rained down arrows 
of pure light which struck men down unerringly. None 
of their own weapons could hit him at that range.
	Lord Treize seemed to take no notice at all 
seated on his mount just behind the line of skirmish. 
He had not allowed any of the men to shift their 
positions. Not even the ones who seemed to have the 
almost useless duty of guarding the unused Melefs. 
Many wondered at this, but none dared question the 
Soldier.
	One of the men standing guard near the melefs 
remarked to his comrade, "They're cutting right 
through our lines..."
	Another man simply shook his head, "The Lord 
Treize knows best. We must trust in his plan."
	"His plan gains you nothing." A cold voice 
snapped harshly behind them.
	The two men and others near them turned to face 
the speaker and found themselves staring at a 
scowling boy of fourteen, with a broad forehead and 
black hair slicked back into a short ponytail. He was 
dressed in a black outfit of soft leathers with 
silver buckles that left only his arms bare, save for 
the bracers he wore. As the men hastened to sound the 
alarm the boy raised his right hand. On the back of 
it was a round, pure black gem. 
	The boy glared harshly at them for a moment 
then spoke the words in low precise tones, "Shadow 
Veil." 
	The men were suddenly blanketed by pure black. 
Blacker than pitch. Blacker than the deepest 
moonless, starless night you could imagine. They 
cried out in fear and swung their swords wildly at 
where they thought the boy was. There were a number 
of sickening crunches... then several jarring thuds 
amidst the relative quiet of this part of the field, 
before the veil of ebon darkness vanished. At least a 
dozen men lay injured, cut by the blades of their own 
companions, and perhaps two dozen comatose, each with 
a single black wound gaping in their chests. The boy 
stood in the midst of it all holding a wickedly 
carved, matte black dagger. He gestured idly with the 
weapon and the dagger seemed to bleed into the 
darkness, becoming a small bank of inky shadows in 
his hands, before melting away to nothingness.
	He glanced over his shoulder and called out, 
"It's clear, woman. Get to work."
	The girl who stood behind him, half hidden 
among the large mechanical armors shook her head in 
confusion, "How..? Where?" Her hair was long and pale 
blue, her large eyes a similar, though darker shade. 
She was dressed in a simple, blue, long-sleeved tunic 
trimmed in white lace at the cuffs and throat. As 
well as a leather breaches and sensible high cut 
boots. 
	"What's going on?" she demanded the boy in the 
black.
	"Blast it, woman! We have a plan! Remember your 
part in it! They sent us here because it was 
essential that we remember! You can remember, can't 
you?!" He demanded furiously.
	"Remember what?!" She shot back.
	The boy scowled, "The two of us were sent here 
to fulfil our part of our plan... I remove the guards 
while you..." he closed his eyes trying desperately 
to remember, he knew this would happen. They all did. 
He didn't know why... or how... or what this plan 
was... just that they were banking their lives and 
those of the people in the Citadel on it. He muttered 
a profanity and locked gazes with her, "You're 
supposed to do something, woman! I cannot recall 
either! Just try!"
	The girl frowned back at the boy. Her memories 
were a jumble. She remembered Tokyo tower. Then the 
fall. She even dimly remembered this boy, although he 
wasn't clad in black before. His name was Wu Fei or 
something. Her name was Umi Ryuzaki. Yes, those were 
still clear. Then the three men with staves. And a 
light. And crystals. Something very important about 
crystals and angels and something about a plan and 
memories, but she couldn't remember! She knew it was 
there, just at the back of her mind, so tantalizingly 
close and yet just out of reach!
	"I don't know! I don't remember anything about 
any plan!" She shouted back at him almost 
hysterically. She looked in horror at the battle 
raging further down the field, then at the scattered 
bodies around Wu Fei. There was the sharp coppery 
tang of blood in the air. And the choking dust. And 
the cold scent of fear. She shook her head, 
terrified, "We're going to get killed here!"
	The boy gestured impatiently at her and the 
shadowy knife appeared in his hand once more. He 
moved with incredible swiftness, leaping easily over 
the bodies, and leveled the point of his weapon at 
her throat 
	His voice held cold fury as he spoke, "Do what 
you have to do or I will kill you myself and we will 
all be doomed."
	"Y-you can't be serious!" She sputtered, trying 
to inch away from the sharp point as it poked her 
lightly, not enough to draw blood. She looked into 
his eyes and saw his rage. He WAS serious. He WOULD 
kill her. She recoiled in fear and panic, but 
something inside her, like a powerful, raging storm 
howled in rebellion. She caught the feeling. Grasped 
it and rode with it. The anger and power rising like 
a tide within her. She would NOT be spoken to in such 
a manner. She would NOT be threatened. She simply, 
flatly would NOT.
	Her eyes flared a vivid sea blue and her right 
hand lifted of its own accord. On the back of her 
hand was imbedded a single circular sea blue crystal 
which flared as her eyes did. She roared out the 
words, "Tidal Blast!"
	Around them the water which had been sitting 
quietly inside the melefs' boilers and cooling 
systems suddenly burst out of their containment. The 
water, almost like a living thing, snaked out of the 
ragged holes they'd torn through the armors' the 
streams whirling and dancing merging into a single 
mighty torrent twenty feet high. Wu Fei saw it, 
stunned as the torrent hung in the air for the 
briefest of moments, the tip looking vaguely 
draconian before it suddenly oriented on him and the 
entire raging mass of water slammed into his chest, 
knocking him to the ground, driving him into the soft 
dirt from the shear force of the impact.
	Umi also stood stunned, her hand still held 
over her head, as the water turned the dry hard 
packed dirt into mud and blasted a couple of the 
injured and comatose soldiers away. "What... was 
THAT?!"
	From where the force of the water had embedded 
him into the ground Wu Fei gave a pained laugh, 
clutching weakly at his ribs as he did. "That is what 
you were supposed to do!"
	She blinked in surprise at him, wondering to 
herself if the blow had addled his brain before she 
glanced around her at the ruined melefs. A few had 
begun to collapse. None of them looked to be in any 
shape to be used. She struggled with thought for a 
moment. Yes. This WAS what she was supposed to do. 
She could clearly remember Trowa's soft, precise 
voice speaking to them. Speaking about the plan. Wu 
Fei would clear the path for her and she would be the 
one to destroy their armored divisions. She couldn't 
remember when he'd said it to her nor any of the 
other circumstances, but the memory was startlingly 
clear.
	She looked stupidly at the Chinese boy for long 
moments as he picked himself up, his face once more 
grimly set. He did not look much the worse for wear 
save for several bruises on his face and arms. 
	"That is much better, Ryuzaki," Wu Fei said, 
almost approvingly. She noted that he'd actually used 
her name for a change. "I..." he hesitated, obviously 
struggling once more to remember something else, "I 
am to remain and continue harassing them from behind 
the lines. You, I think..." 
	"I take care of the rest of their armored 
troops if any. They won't be as well guarded as 
these, so I won't need to stay with you." She 
answered without thinking. 
	Wu Fei turned her words over and over in his 
head for a moment. Yes. That seemed to fit with the 
plan. Whatever the plan was. "Good," he said to her, 
"Go with fortune, Mariner." He didn't know why he had 
called her that... but it seemed to fit as well.
	She too found her voice and replied, almost as 
if by instinct, "Go with fortune, Stalker."
	He nodded curtly to her and stepped between the 
shadows of the broken hulks of the melefs, vanishing 
into the darkness.
	Umi stared after him blinking in confusion. 
"Wait! How... do I get to the other units?" she asked 
helplessly, unfortunately, no one was close enough to 
hear her.
- - -
	Hikaru stood near the edges of the defender's 
fallback position, a borrowed sword in one hand. She 
watched in fascinated horror as Asuka and Hiro tore 
into the ranks of the enemy. Although she had trouble 
thinking of them in those terms. They were people 
too. The defenders were rallying around Asuka and 
Hiro, cutting through the ranks of the Kushrenada 
men.
	The expected charge had broken even before it 
had a chance to gather properly. The two soldiers 
closest to her, Aoba and Makoto, her new friends, 
were smiling grimly. 
	"They're being pushed back!" Makoto declared 
happily.
	"I can't believe that one girl is doing that 
much damage." Aoba replied staring after the 
scattered and battered men in Asuka's wake.
	Hikaru nodded slowly. "I'm having trouble 
believing any of this myself."
	Makoto looked skeptically at her, "Um... didn't 
you know they could do that?"
	Hikaru shook her head, "No. People are getting 
hurt out there! This can't be right!"
	Aoba replied quietly, "It's a war on, miss. 
People are bound to get hurt."
	"It's still not right..." Hikaru said, 
obviously very upset. She was biting her lower lip 
and looked close to tears.
	"Sorry," Makoto said uselessly. "Your friends 
look like they're having fun, though," he added.
	"I have to stop this!" Hikaru said breaking 
into a run suddenly. "I remember now!"
	Aoba called after her, "Hey! Don't go there!"
	Makoto didn't bother shouting and just gave 
chase. She was running right into the thick of the 
fighting that hadn't been touched by her two 
companions yet.
	He watched as her entire body began to glow 
red, edged in gold tinges. As he neared her, he could 
feel the air around her getting distinctly warmer. 
The sounds of battle closing around them as Hikaru 
continued to run, he managed to put a hand on her 
shoulder, but pulled his hand back suddenly. He'd 
been burned. Her skin felt like it was on fire. He 
stopped and stared as she ran faster, straight into 
the lines, the glow around her body resolving into 
weaving, dancing flames. He could hear the distinct 
roar of distant flames as she moved between the men. 
Behind her, she left a trail of flames in the dried 
grass, the flames grew and spread quickly, resolving 
into a line of fire, weaving across the battled as 
she ran. More of the enemy soldiers broke off and 
wheeled away, shying back from the burning runner. 
The murmurs rose up from both sides. Terrified from 
the Kushrenada men, hopeful cheers from the 
defenders. The word 'Firewalker' was called out 
repeatedly. And 'Sunrunner'. Names out of old legends 
and stories told to children. But it was the legend 
come to life.
	Hikaru hadn't even noticed. Her eyes had gone 
blank and unseeing as her assigned task came back to 
her. The plan. Her part in the plan. Separate the 
fighters. Isolate the enemy. 
	In silence she ran, the wall of flames trailing 
her closely.
- - -
	The winged boy soared over the battlefield. In 
his hands was a glowing white bow. He nocked no 
arrows, but merely had to draw back the gossamer 
string and a shaft of pure light would appear. He was 
too far for any of their bows to be of any use. Zechs 
fumed and bridled at being held back by his lord and 
commander. Treize appeared unconcerned. Even as the 
shafts of light unerringly struck down their men. The 
men would be unharmed, but they were dazed and 
useless, paralyzed by something. More than a few had 
gone into convulsions. 
	The girl in the armor was a greater concern. 
She'd burst through their lines like a wildcat, 
whirling fists, driving kicks, she tore into them 
like they were paper dolls. One girl who seemed to be 
all of fourteen years was making a mockery of battle 
scarred veterans. He was already grimly considering 
the possible consequences of engaging her. She seemed 
to ignore their weapons. And worse, her blows seemed 
to ignore their armor. 
	Zechs turned his masked face to Lord Treize, 
hoping to ask him to relent, hoping to beg the 
Soldier to allow him onto the battlefield. Even now, 
fires seemed to be bursting out of nowhere along the 
skirmish line, scattering and frightening the men, 
dividing the battlefield.
	Treize had held him well back for some reason. 
He knew there was a plan to this, some method to this 
madness, but he could not see it. Their most powerful 
weapons were sitting and waiting. The Crafted among 
them and the melefs they'd worked so hard to drag 
through the forest. 
	He was about to speak when a sudden thundering, 
an explosive tearing sound occurred behind them. He 
wheeled his mount around, freeing his sword from its 
sheath quickly and interposing himself between the 
source of the sound and Treize. He called on his 
power, narrowing his eyes as he called on the aspect 
of Watchfulness. He saw. The melefs... the melefs had 
been torn apart! He stared in surprise. The guards 
set before the armors were all scattered around them, 
most unmoving, as though dead. And standing amongst 
them was a single woman with long blue hair. 
	Treize's eyes narrowed for a moment, then 
turned to look at Zechs. He gave a wry smile and 
said, "So much for those. The time for waiting is 
over. Engage the Lightbringer. See what he is capable 
of, but do not go too far. I only wish you to test 
his mettle."
	"Lightbringer, my lord?" Zechs asked. He was 
glad to finally be able to enter the battle, but his 
confusion was evident.
	"I hadn't anticipated this, but perhaps I 
should have." Treize replied, seemingly unconcerned, 
"They are the bearers of the Lost Crafts. The winged 
boy is the Lightbringer. The girl running amuck 
amidst our lines is the Smith, and unless I miss my 
guess, the young lady who just destroyed our melefs 
is the Mariner."
	Zechs turned to glance back at the flying boy 
in awe. "The Hidden Crafts of legend. The Circle has 
formed and they stand against us." His voice was 
practically a whisper. "I thought they were just 
stories..."
	Treize nodded, "It would appear that they are 
not."
	Zechs returned a curt nod and raised a hand, 
"It shall be done, my lord." His raised hand began to 
glow, the shadowy image of a sword forming in his 
grip. He wheeled his mount to stare directly at the 
winged boy and declared, "I invoke the power of 
Purpose!"
	His eyes flared a brilliant white behind his 
mask as he spurred his mount forward. As the horse 
galloped, it's feet touched the ground more and more 
lightly, until it ran on the very air. 
	Treize watched his right hand man rise into the 
air and nodded. He kicked his own mount forward 
riding towards the edge of the clearing. He had 
accomplished what he needed to do here. It was time 
to play his next move. He was certain it would be 
countered. But he didn't worry. It was all going as 
he had expected. 
- - -
	Quatre looked up suddenly from where he and Fuu 
were engaged in sorting through the herbs for the 
poultices. Everyone else was busy now, having 
returned to the steady rhythm of treatment and 
healing. From the sounds they could hear, it was 
obvious that the fighting had begun with renewed 
enthusiasm. Although oddly enough, more than a few 
enemy soldiers were being brought in with no obvious 
wounds, save a whitish circle, right over the heart. 
They seemed unharmed but were unable to move or feel 
anything below the neck.
	"What is it?" Hikari asked Quatre, following 
his gaze.
	Quatre looked around, an intent and puzzled 
expression on his face, "Something... there's 
something big and heavy coming this way."
	Fuu stared at him. "What do you mean?"
	"I... I don't know." Quatre replied hesitantly. 
"Rei?" He turned to the only member of their small 
group who seemed to know anything.
	Rei, who was kneeling near the plants, glanced 
over her shoulder at Quatre and shrugged. 
	Quatre put down the herbs deliberately and 
said, "I'll just go check on this. I won't take 
long."
	Fuu stood up, "I'll go with you."
	Hikari nodded respectfully to them both, "If 
you say so my Lord, my Lady."
	The two made their way out of the healer's 
triage. They stepped out of the flap of the tent on 
the exterior portion of the thin blue line. The 
battle was still raging a good distance from them but 
Quatre's glance was towards the edge of the forest 
closest to them.
	Fuu glanced at him, "Is something there?"
	Quatre gave a distracted nod, "Yes. I think... 
I can feel something. The ground shifting slightly 
under something heavy." He got down on one knee, 
putting a hand to the ground. "There's something just 
inside those trees..."
	As he spoke there was a sudden rustling among 
the foliage before five massive armored figures 
strode out of the line of trees. The ground quaking 
as they strode forward. The two gave a startled cry 
as the figures rushed towards the triage, their feet 
lifting off the ground as they flew in precise 
formation, huge swords brought to the fore.
	Quatre shouted at Fuu, "Get inside and warn 
them! I'll try to hold them off!"
	"Hold them off with what?" Fuu shouted back at 
him.
	"I don't know! Just get inside!" he said, 
rising to his feet and pushing her gently towards the 
entrance. He stared intently at the onrushing 
figures. Melefs. That was the word which came to him. 
There were people in those things. He couldn't let 
them pass. He began to remember that much. There was 
something else which was coming back to him. He could 
stop them. He knew he could. He didn't know how he 
knew. But he knew it nonetheless. He raised his 
marked hand, his eyes closed as he felt something 
inside him, something heavy and massive. Like the 
weight of the world pressing on him. He drew on it, 
letting it shift from his chest, up to his shoulders, 
into to his hand. He strained, shifting more and more 
of the weight into his upraised hand until he 
couldn't hold it up anymore.
	He opened his eyes and found that the melefs 
were scant yards away, practically right on top of 
him. He closed his hand into a fist, allowing it to 
drop. His fist plunged at the ground, almost faster 
than the human eye could follow, his hand drove into 
the ground as he cried out, "Rampart!"
	It began as a swift ripple. As though the 
ground around him were water and he had just 
disturbed it by touching its surface. In a leading 
wave heading directly towards the approaching melefs, 
the ground rippled and bucked, shifting, roiling, 
until just underneath the lead melef, the ground 
suddenly rose up, into a massive, solid wall of earth 
and stone. The lead melef was caught by the sudden 
rise, it's front smashed in as it became trapped in 
the once fluid earth. The other four were no more 
fortunate. Moving too fast to stop themselves or to 
even veer off, they smashed headlong into the wall, 
which proved to be far too sturdy to give. Pity the 
same could not have been said about their armor.
	Quatre stared at his handiwork. It most 
certainly was his. No doubt. He could hear muffled 
groans and scraping from inside the melefs. The 
pilots were obviously not too badly injured, but 
their armors were now so much scrap. He grinned and 
turned to run inside and tell Fuu.
	"Hey, Fuu I jus--" his words were cut off 
suddenly by a sudden sharp pressure against his 
throat.
	Quatre blinked. His eyes adjusted quickly to 
the light inside the triage. At least a dozen of the 
'injured' Kushrenada soldiers were holding scalpels 
and knives to the throats of several of the healers. 
Even Rei and Fuu were being held. Fuu looked worried. 
Rei, if anything revealed no expression whatsoever, 
save mild annoyance.
	The girl they'd met, Hikari, was being held by 
the crewcut soldier about their age she'd been 
treating earlier. The one with the cuts on his arm 
and leg. The boy spoke in a thick accent, but his 
words were clear enough. "Alright. We don't wanna 
hurt nobody, but we will if we got to."
	Healer Fuyutsuki opened his mouth as if to say 
something, but the man behind him pressed the scalpel 
a bit more against his throat, just enough to draw a 
pinprick of blood. 
	The crewcut boy spoke again, his voice harsh, 
but regretful, "Don't nobody try to cast nothing. We 
see anybody making gestures or anything and throats 
start getting cut."
	Hikari shouted at the boy behind her, "Why are 
you doing this? No one is supposed to bring war to a 
Healer's triage!"
	"Sorry, miss..." the boy replied. He did seem 
honestly apologetic, "I got my orders."
	Rei ignored the arguments and asked Quatre in a 
soft voice which carried surprisingly well from 
across the tent. "How are their reinforcements?"
	"Smashed." Quatre replied softly, leery of the 
point pressing against him.
	The boy behind Hikari frowned, "Yer lyin'!"
	"I got a look outside, sarge," the man behind 
Quatre spoke up. "There's a wall out there that 
wasn't there earlier."
	"Enough." Rei said simply and gave a small 
gesture. Her eyes flashed green for a moment. 
"Tangleweave."
	From the ground erupted whipping tendrils and 
vines, each unerringly seeking out the soldiers. 
There were sudden cries of alarm and surprise, as the 
vines ensnared each of the soldiers, pulling them 
effortlessly away from their captives, despite their 
resistance. In a matter of moments it was over, the 
twelve Kushrenada soldiers were pinned to the ground 
by rampantly overgrown vines.
	Fuyutsuki blinked, touching his injured throat 
gingerly. Such power... but he caught himself. "Gawk 
later! Everyone, back to work!" he chided the other 
healers, who in fits and starts returned to their 
tasks. Now, slightly thrown off rhythm by the 
presence of the trapped soldiers.
	Quatre walked quickly over to Fuu and looked at 
her, "Are you okay?"
	Fuu nodded, "I'm fine." She glanced around at 
Rei's handiwork and peered out of the doorway to 
catch a glimpse of the new stone wall. She gave a 
small wry grin. "Am I the only one can't do anything 
here?"
	Quatre smiled back a little, "Maybe we just 
haven't figured out your powers yet."
	"I guess," Fuu replied.
	Rei glanced out the door and said to the two, 
"Stay here." Before she walked deliberately out of 
the tent.
	The two watched her leave and shrugged.
	"Do you think we should go after her?" Fuu 
asked.
	Quatre replied, "I don't know. I think she 
knows what she's doing."
	"Okay," Fuu said worriedly.
	"I hope she knows what she's doing." He 
corrected himself.
- - -
	Asuka was having the time of her life. She was 
wading right into the thick of things, picking people 
up, tossing them aside, kicking, punching weaving. If 
she'd ever been to one, she might've been tempted to 
compare the experience to a mosh pit, with the 
exception that she'd been totally immune to injury 
thus far. She didn't understand precisely what was 
happening, but she knew she was giving people really 
serious things to consider before tangling with her 
again. She could barely see through the press of men, 
waving their swords and spears and other weapons at 
her. None of them mattered of course, as she casually 
batted them aside. Her gridlock armor, whatever it 
was, was open framed but kept her from injury. It 
unfortunately did nothing to keep out scents. The 
smell of blood and dust and sweat were thick around 
her, as the men clustered close trying to dog pile 
her. She lashed out with a kick and knocked three 
more soldiers into the ground, almost effortlessly.
	The stench was beginning to wear on her, but no 
other sort of fatigue seemed to have touched her. 
She'd already lost all track of time and could barely 
remember anything but the fighting. The exhilaration 
of the adrenaline rush as she beat aside dozens of 
men. How long had she been fighting? Minutes? Hours? 
Days? She didn't know anymore. There were always 
more. More eagerly coming to her to be taught well 
deserved lessons. And she was loving it.
	As she shrugged off two men who'd tried to 
tackle her, a new scent assailed her, cutting easily 
through the pastiche of blood and sweat surrounding 
her. Smoke. She could already feel it at her back. 
Heat. The soldiers she'd been fighting backed off 
hurriedly, leaving her in the middle of a widening 
circle. Red and yellow light playing on their armor 
as they moved away. Asuka whirled around to find 
Hikaru, running towards her, her body ablaze, a line 
of fire being left wherever the short redhead's feet 
touched the ground. Surprise gave vent to a small 
gasp from Asuka as Hikaru stumbled suddenly on the 
uneven ground. She tried to catch herself, but too 
much of her concentration had gone into her running. 
She pitched forward, propelled by her momentum and 
fell into Asuka's arms. The flames surrounding Hikaru 
dimmed, then quickly died before they could even 
touch the armored redhead.
	Hikaru smiled weakly up at Asuka, "I did it. I 
did my part of the plan."
	Asuka held her gently, wondering if the girl 
had gone delusional on, "What plan?"
	"I... I don't remember." Hikaru murmured, "But 
I did my part. I think."	
	Asuka looked out across the field to find most 
of the enemy retreating. It was definitely working. 
They were pulling out... even further back in than 
their camp, they were trying to run into the Forest 
of Silence itself. How did she know what that forest 
was? She frowned to herself, something was nagging at 
her, but she couldn't say for certain what it was. 
Like she'd forgotten something, but remembered enough 
to know that she HAD forgotten it.	
	Hikaru raised a hand and pointed, interrupting 
her musings, "Look!"
	Asuka looked at what Hikaru was pointing at. In 
the air, Hiro was engaged in fighting Zechs. Hiro had 
the advantage of speed as he ducked and flew trying 
desperately to stay out of reach of Zechs' glowing 
sword. Every so often he would loose a glowing shaft 
from his bow, but Zechs easily intercepted each shaft 
with his sword, wheeling his mount about in midair, 
fighting as easily as though they had been on the 
ground. They remained locked in a dance of avoidance 
and interception for long moments before Hiro 
miscalculated a turn, flying within range of Zechs 
sword. The mounted soldier did not waste the 
opportunity, spurring his mount forward to slash at 
the winged boy as he passed. There was a brief flurry 
of feathers and both combatants hung in the air for a 
moment...
	"He's falling!" Hikaru shouted, struggling to 
her feet.
	Asuka winced. That looked like it hurt. She 
glanced at Hikaru, who to her surprise was already 
running towards where Hiro was falling. Zechs was 
following him down, the glow about his sword taking a 
blood red tinge as he charged downwards, after the 
winged boy. She shook her head and took off after 
Hikaru. Time for her to save the day again. She 
didn't know why... but all of this felt very 
strangely familiar.
- - -
	Hikaru concentrated on Hiro as he fell... it 
was a long way down and while his wings were slowing 
his fall somewhat, if he fell wrong he could still 
hurt himself pretty badly. Maybe even die. He looked 
like the man on the horse had managed to hurt him. 
She felt that same tingling warmth which had 
enveloped her earlier beginning to surface... but not 
the roaring flames... just the speed. She needed all 
the speed she could get... to catch him before he 
hit...
	She gave a loud cry as she lunged for him as he 
passed, catching him in her arms, keeping him from 
hitting the ground. She lost her balance once more 
and did her best to roll with the fall, putting a 
hand over Hiro's head protectively to keep him from 
getting knocked around too much.
	Hikaru groaned softly as she lifted her head. 
She was on top of him... and he didn't seem too much 
the worse for wear. Except for the dampness she felt 
on her chest. She looked down and her breath caught 
in her throat when she realized how much blood there 
was. There was a massive gash on his chest that was 
bleeding profusely. Her own robe was already soaked 
through, forming a darker stain of red. He seemed to 
be unconscious... his wings and bow were shimmering 
softly, fading as they vanished.
	She heard a soft sound behind her. She glanced 
over her shoulder to find the masked man getting off 
his horse and standing just behind them, his sword in 
hand. 
	"You did this!" She shouted angrily at him, 
tears forming in her eyes.
	He gave no response, most of his expression was 
hidden, but the grim set to his jaw and the measured, 
purposeful stride gave no question to his intentions. 
He was going to kill Hiro. And no one was going to be 
able to stop him.
	Except her.
	She rolled off of him, taking care to keep from 
moving him too much lest the bleeding get any worse. 
	She stood facing him, tears leaking from the 
corners of her eyes as she felt the flames beginning 
to flicker into being around her body. "Back off! 
Back off now!"
	He raised his weapon almost lazily, the blood 
tinged glow from it was near blinding. Hikaru stepped 
away from Hiro, putting herself between him and the 
masked man. Her flames began growing in size, roaring 
around her. The heat began to char the edges of the 
man's cloak, and the ground was getting badly 
scorched.
	She felt for the warmth within her. The spark 
of fire which she's been calling on. She had to stop 
him. Hiro would die if she didn't she knew she had 
to. She could hear words being whispered to her 
through the crackle of the flames... her eyes 
narrowed on the fiery red gem on the back of her hand 
as she raised her fist. The words rose to her lips as 
she opened it, flinging the heat and power and anger 
she'd been holding in all day at the sight of all 
this war... focused on the man in the mask.
	"Fireball!" She cried, a huge gout of flame 
leaping from her outstretched hand racing for the 
masked man. The man barely had time to react, 
swinging the sword between himself and the flames, 
desperately trying to hold it back with his weapon. 
There was a moment when it seemed as though he would 
win, as he somehow forced the flames back a few 
inches... but his eyes locked with hers and in that 
brief moment he realized just how young she was... 
the power of Purpose fled him, the flames surged 
forward, enveloping him. 	
	He staggered back, still burning, and made a 
slicing movement with his sword. The flames were 
swiftly doused as he eyed the red haired girl and the 
injured boy. Distantly, he could hear the buglers 
sounding the retreat and smiled grimly. 
	"An excellent first showing." He said to the 
girl. "I did not catch your names..."
	She simply glared at him.
	He shrugged and walked back to his horse, "I am 
very impressed with both of you. Perhaps we shall 
meet again." As he mounted his horse. He favored her 
with a tight lipped smile, "I am Count Zechs 
Merquise, the Cavalier of Cephiro. Please make sure 
he survives. He is a worthy adversary." And with 
that, he spurred his mount, galloping off towards the 
edge of the clearing, where the rest of his side's 
men were gathering.
	She collapsed to her knees next to Hiro, 
looking desperately for some way to stop the 
bleeding. He gave a pained groan as his eyes 
fluttered open and looked into her face.
	"Don't move... it looks pretty bad..." she 
managed to say.
	He gave a weak nod. His piercing gaze catching 
her eyes. Hikaru's only thoughts were about how much 
pain he was probably in. But the intense look in his 
eyes never left her. She gulped nervously. There had 
to be something wrong with him. Despite herself... 
despite the battlefield, the blood, the dust of the 
battlefield, she found herself blushing as he 
continued to hold his gaze on her.
	"It's not too deep." A soft voice said from 
behind her.
	Caught by surprise Hikaru quickly turned to 
look. Standing just behind her was Rei, holding a 
wooden staff. She knelt next to Hikaru, lightly 
placing a hand over the injury. 
	"Are you sure?" Hikaru asked worriedly.
	Rei nodded once. She ran a finger over the 
gaping wound, tiny green tendrils sprouted along the 
clean edges of the cut, which reached across the gap 
and pulled themselves together, pulling the rest of 
the wound shut. "He needs to be taken to the 
healers," Rei said quietly.
	Hikaru nodded, relief on her face. She noticed 
Asuka approaching them at a run and smiled a little. 
Asuka could help carry him. Everything was going to 
be okay. She hugged Rei from her relief, a little of 
the blood staining Rei's brown robe, "Thank you! I 
was getting worried!"
	Rei blinked, looking both surprised and 
embarrassed at the sudden hug. She took a moment to 
regather her composure and thought for a moment. 
Looking down at Hiro, sifting silently through her 
memories... old and new. Finally she replied, "So was 
I."
- - -	
	Rafaga smiled grimly as he watched the 
opposition sound the retreat. They had won. His 
brother did not even appear to be bothering to simply 
pull back to their original camp. They were moving 
into the Forest of Silence itself. Moving well back. 
They'd done it. They'd held the citadel.
	Standing next to him was the Journeyman... he 
chided himself for forgetting the boy's name... no... 
not boy. The Knight. He was a Knight of the Circle. 
That he would not forget. Duo. Yes. That was his 
name.
	"Gone," muttered softly.
	Duo nodded, his eyes looking out into the 
distance, "Yeah. I think... they're pulling well 
back. They're taking the road out."
	Rafaga nodded, "Thank you."
	"Anytime." Duo smiled.
	Trowa, coming out of the tent stepped up next 
to his companion then looked up at Rafaga, "That will 
be all from them for this day."
	"This is your prediction, Lord Timekeeper?" 
Rafaga asked softly.
	Trowa cast a glance in the direction of the 
forest's edge and nodded. "As far as I can see."
	Rafaga allowed himself to relax slightly. He 
was surprised as how quickly this had resolved. And 
with surprisingly few casualties on either side. All 
things considered. It could have gone much worse.
	Kaji smiled playfully as he stepped up to them 
from around the corner of the command tent. "Well, 
it's good to see even you get to win once in a while, 
eh, Rafaga?"
	Rafaga shouted at him, "Where have you been?" 
	He shrugged at Rafaga, dismissing him, "About." 
He turned to face the two younger men and said, "Oh, 
I believe I picked up a stray, my Lords of the 
Circle."
	He stepped aside, revealing a rather confused 
looking Umi behind him.
	"How'd we end up here?" she asked.
	"Hey! It's you again! nice to see you didn't 
get killed or something." Duo grinned.
	Trowa gave her a glance and almost, but not 
quite, smiled. "It would appear that our plan worked 
like clockwork."
	"Yeah... I... um... I guess it did. I just 
don't remember most of it..." she looked acutely 
embarrassed about that. Or perhaps it had to do with 
Trowa looking at her.
 	Rafaga ignored Kaji and looked at the girl, 
"And you are..?"
	"She is another of us." Trowa said flatly.
	"General Rafaga, sir... this is Umi Ryouzaki." 
Duo said.
	"The Mariner." Trowa added.
	"Three of the Circle..." Rafaga murmured.
	"All ten are here, actually." Kaji smirked at 
Rafaga's shocked expression. He turned and bowed to 
Umi, taking her hand and lightly kissing the back of 
it as he smiled at her. "It was a pleasure meeting 
you dear lady. And an even greater one to have helped 
you reach your companion. I shall be on my way."
	Umi blushed up at Kaji and nodded mutely. He 
favored her with a last playful wink as he turned and 
walked off.
	Rafaga glanced after him, scowling dangerously, 
"Where do you think you're going?!"
	Kaji glanced over his shoulder at Rafaga, "I'm 
sure the Pillar and the Prince Consort will wish to 
hear of this. I'm also sure they'll be wanting to 
meet the Knights of the Circle. Do you really want to 
keep my from doing my job, my lord Rafaga?" He smiled 
innocently.
	The armored man bit back a reply and nodded 
curtly. It never paid to get in the way of the Rogue 
of Cephiro. No matter how much he made an annoyance 
of himself.
	Umi glanced after Kaji as he stepped into a 
bank of shadows and seemed to vanish. Just like Wu 
Fei had done earlier. She shook her head, trying to 
clear it. This was just too much to handle all at 
once.
	Rafaga moved next to Trowa and said, "I shall 
send men to find your other companions. You dine in 
the Citadel tonight."
	Duo grinned, "Alright! It's been a long day. A 
little food couldn't hurt."
	Rafaga nodded and turned away calling orders 
out to runners.
	Trowa gave him a slight nod and turned back to 
Umi, "How much do you remember?"
	"Um... I think I remember you telling me what I 
had to do..." she answered uncertainly.
	Trowa murmured softly to her, "Anything more? 
Because the memories are already starting to leave 
me, as well. Aside from Rei and Hiro, the two of us 
seem to remember them the best." 
	"What about me?" Duo asked.
	Trowa gave him a look which seemed to indicate 
more or less what he thought about Duo's memory. Duo 
scowled slightly at him for a moment then chuckled, 
"I guess that answers that question."
	Umi closed her eyes for a moment... trying to 
remember... then a word occurred to her. "Angels? 
Something about finding angels?"
	Trowa's eyes narrowed as he nodded. "Yes. The 
angels. That's part of it... we have a long way to go 
yet."

End of Part II


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