Steadfast Hearts

[nephlitesgirl]

Chapter 15

Mokona hopped ahead of the magic knights into what appeared to be a cave.

"Where did Mokona go?" asked Umi.

"I think Mokona is trying to tell us where the final Rune-God is," said Hikaru. She had quite a knack for understanding everything Mokona was trying to tell them. It was something that boggled Umi's mind.

"So the Rune-God is in this place? Okay................." said Umi.

"I think we should find out. However, we should be on guard, because something tells me that monsters are lurking inside," Fuu spoke up.

Umi groaned inwardly. There Fuu was again, saying things that would make others nervous. The most frustrating thing was that she was usually right.

"Something tells me the same thing, but you don't have to say it out loud. It makes it harder to go in," said Umi, exasperated.

"Never mind that. Let's just go," said Hikaru. She led the way. Umi and Fuu followed.

"Pu pu pu pu pu pu pu, pu pu pu pu pu pu pu, pu pu pu pu pu pu, pu pu pu pu pu pu!" chanted Mokona as he skipped and hopped. Soon, he came to a stop. The magic knights came to a stop, too. They were standing in front of a gargantuan room.

The magic knights were surrounded by what appeared to be a volcano. It was hotter than the first two places the Rune-Gods were found. Mokona hopped into Umi's hand.

"You know something? I'm grateful to Presea for allowing us to have Mokona as a guide," said Hikaru.

"Same here. Sir Mokona has been a great asset for helping us find the Rune-Gods," agreed Fuu.

Even Umi, who was generally irritated by Mokona, had to agree.

"Although he always ran away when it was time for battle, he helped us out the best he could. Thanks a lot, Mokona," said Umi.

"Greetings, legendary magic knights," boomed an unfamiliar female's voice.

The three girls looked up, and saw a woman they had never seen before. This woman had longish chocolate coloured hair and gray-blue eyes. She wore a stylish charcoal coloured dress.

"Who are you?" asked Hikaru.

"My name is Dinah. I am High Priest Zagato's maidservant," said the woman.

"Zagato!" spat Umi venomously. Just hearing the name made her stomach churn.

"U-mi!" hissed Hikaru.

"Please pardon Miss Umi's behaviour. We won't have to battle against you, will we?" asked Fuu.

Dinah smiled at this question. "Not to worry. I am not here as an enemy," Dinah reassured them.

The girls gave a sigh of relief.

"I have been anxious to meet you girls," said Dinah.

"Oh? Why is that?" asked Umi, a bit skeptically. She was not sure whether this woman could be trusted or not.

"There is something I would like to tell you," said Dinah.

"Go on," urged Fuu.

"Do not be fooled by Lord Zagato's exterior. He is not who he appears to be," said Dinah.

Umi muttered to herself about this. She thought Dinah was insane. All Zagato had done was cause trouble for everyone, and here she was, giving him the benefit of the doubt. She wouldn't trust Zagato further than she could throw him.

"What do you mean by that?" asked Hikaru.

"Deep down, he is a sweetheart. It is a side of him that I miss. And the stress of this battle has affected my health," explained Dinah.

Something in Dinah's eyes made the magic knights feel for her, Hikaru especially. This made Hikaru even more determined to get through to Zagato. And although she didn't know exactly what was wrong with Dinah, she felt sorry for her, too.

The light was beginning to cause Dinah some discomfort.

"Magic knights....I'm afraid I must go now. I'm not feeling very well. Please consider what I said," said the sorceress. She disappeared into the shadows.

At that moment, the doors to the shrine opened. Before Hikaru could react, a strong reddish coloured wind swept her into the fire shrine. Her eyes went blank, as if she were in a trance. The doors to the shrine closed.

"Miss Hikaru!" screamed Fuu. She and Umi banged on the door, but it was no use. It was bolted shut.

********

Zagato heard everything Dinah had said. He was flabbergasted by what he heard. He didn't understand why Dinah would give him the benefit of the doubt when his desire was clearly evil. And he wondered why she didn't tell him what troubled her before. Surely he would have at least considered what she was saying when his actions were putting a strain on her health.

'No matter. I shall speak to her about this after I take care of these magic knights,' thought Zagato. He revealed himself.

"I've been waiting for you, magic knights," he said.

"Zagato!" gasped Umi and Fuu.

Zagato fired an energy ball at Umi and Fuu. The attack transformed the girls back to ordinary humans. They screamed in pain as their armor disappeared.

[nephlitesgirl]

Chapter 16

Hikaru finally came out of her trance.

' What's happening? I sense something,' thought Hikaru. She cautiously walked through the ring of flames. She stood still, and waited to see what would appear. In front of her was a creature with a white body, red eyes, and a mane made of flames.

'What is this? Could it be a lion? Or perhaps a wolf?' wondered Hikaru.

The creature spoke. "What is thy name?"

"Hikaru. Hikaru Shidou," answered Hikaru. She felt a bit nervous all of a sudden. This was her chance to revive a Rune-God. She hoped that she wouldn't fail miserably. There was too much at stake for that. She put her apprehensive feelings aside and focused her attention on what this lion-like creature had to say.

"My name is Rayearth. I have slept in this fire shrine for eons, awaiting the arrival of a magic knight. I am a legendary Rune-God," said the creature.

"Legendary Rune-God?" asked Hikaru.

"Young woman....thou hast been summoned from another world by the pillar of Cephiro. Dost thou wish to become a true magic knight?" asked Rayearth.

"Yes I do. I want to become a magic knight and save Cephiro. I also want to fulfill the hopes and dreams of the people who helped us, as well as save Princess Emeraude," said Hikaru.

"If that is so, then prove unto me the strength of thy power. Show unto me the strength of thine heart," said Rayearth.

"Strength of my heart," mumbled Hikaru. She wasn't exactly sure what that was, but she would have to figure it out quickly.

"Show unto me the strength of thine heart, which makes thee worthy of becoming a legendary magic knight," said Rayearth.

The flames swept Hikaru out of the room.

*******

She got up slowly, and looked to see how Fuu and Umi were doing. They were lying on the ground with no armor. Hikaru wondered who was capable of doing that to them. At that moment, Zagato appeared.

"Who are you?" asked Hikaru.

"I am Zagato," answered Zagato.

"Zagato," gasped Hikaru.

"You have defeated the servant I've sent after you, you revived 2 Rune-Gods, and now you're at the shrine of the last Rune-God. I didn't expect you to get this far, but this is the end," said Zagato.

Hikaru decided to put off trying to help him, for she knew she had something more important to do. She also wanted to make sure the others knew of her decision first.

"You controlled Ascot, Caldina, and even Lafarga, Captain of the Guard who protected Princess Emeraude. How could you?! And tell me why you abducted Princess Emeraude," demanded Hikaru, " she's the most important person in all of Cephiro."

"Princess Emeraude will not return, and neither will this world, Cephiro," said Zagato nonchalantly.

Hikaru couldn't believe what she was hearing. It sounded like he wanted to kill Princess Emeraude. She didn't understand how Dinah could still be by his side after all this.

"What did you say?" asked Hikaru, bristling with anger. "What do you mean by that? Don't you care what happens to Cephiro?"

"No, I don't. There's only one thing in this world that I wish for," replied Zagato.

"Zagato, it's all your fault that Princess Emeraude and everyone else is suffering," said Hikaru angrily. "Can't you see how much this is hurting Dinah?"

Zagato was taken aback by this. Dinah never say anything about this to him before, so he was shocked that she kept inside for so long. Still, he was not about to be tossed down a peg or two by a child, no matter how formidable she had become.

"It is none of your concern," he said, firing a blast at Hikaru. She screamed as her armor disappeared.

"Magic knight... understand that it is impossible for you to defeat me," Zagato told Hikaru.

Hikaru stood in front of her two best friends.

"You're far too weak to shield them," said Zagato.

"I'll protect my best friends to the end," said Hikaru stubbornly.

"Unfortunately, this is the end, magic knight. Die!" said Zagato, launching another ball of energy at Hikaru.

Hikaru held up her hands in a defensive position, even though it would not be enough to shield herself. Luckily, the attack did not hit her. She looked up to see why. The one who protected her appeared. It was Lafarga the swordmaster. Hikaru was happy to see him. Zagato was annoyed by the interruption, but decided that it didn't matter.

"It appears that you have been released from my mind control spell, haven't you Lafarga?" he asked.

Lafarga was in no mood for Zagato's taunting and gloating. He ignored the question.

"Cephiro belongs to Princess Emeraude. It's not yours to use as you please. High Priest Zagato, as Captain of the Guard sworn to protect Princess Emeraude. I will defeat you!"

"You cannot hope to win a battle against me," scoffed Zagato.

"Perhaps I can't win, but neither can you," said Lafarga. He attacked with his sword, but even his proficient swordsman skills were not enough to inflict a wound on Zagato. Zagato dodged the attack with lightning speed.

"Blast you, Zagato!" spat Lafarga. He prepared to attack again, but could not see him. Much to his surprise, Zagato was right behind him.

"Don't move," he ordered. "Your sword will have no effect on me whatsoever." He attacked Lafarga from behind. Though Hikaru cried out a warning, it was too late. Lafarga took the full brunt of the blow.

Though quite in a bit of pain, he was determined not to give up.

"This match isn't over yet. Come on!" challenged Lafarga. Hikaru was worried for his safety.

"Lafarga, you mustn't try to fight him anymore," said Hikaru, worriedly.

"I have been given the momentous honor of being the princess' protector. You may have defeated me once, but I refuse to allow it to happen again! Zagato!" said Lafarga.

"If you want to leave here unharmed, you should give up while you can. Otherwise, I am not responsible for what happens," warned Zagato.

Hikaru stood in front of Lafarga, arms spread out. She was determined not to let Zagato inflict any more damage on Lafarga. Lafarga was surprised by this. Zagato found this utterly amusing, and foolish as well.

"You puny human with no armor, are you going to protect Lafarga now?" mocked Zagato, as if he were talking to a small child.

Hikaru clenched her teeth.

"Like I said, it is truly impossible for you to defeat me. However, if you give up now and move away quietly, I promise to send you safely back to the world that you came from," said Zagato. "Leave this battle now, or prepare to die.

Hikaru was tempted to take Zagato up on his offer, but was determined not to. At that moment, Rayearth reminded Hikaru to prove that she was worthy of donning him.

"I'll say this once more. If you back away quietly now, I will spare your life," said Zagato.

But Hikaru was not going to do it. There were many people counting on her, and there was too much at stake. "I will never run away from you, Zagato!" she vowed.

"In that case, you have chosen death," said Zagato. He fired another attack. Unexpectedly, Dinah appeared out of the shadows and stood in front of Hikaru. She had seen what was going on in the battle, and could bear it no more. She knew that she promised to be careful, but she felt she had to do it. She took the brunt of the attack. She was willing to accept the penalty if it meant that the magic knights would live. She collapsed in pain.

Hikaru was astonished by this.

' Why did she do that?' Hikaru wondered.

Umi and Fuu were surprised, too.

' Looks like I was wrong about her. Maybe she really can be trusted,' thought Umi.

[nephlitesgirl]

Chapter 17

Dinah finally regained her consciousness. She was surprised to see that she was in her room. The last place she recalled being was the fire shrine where the Lord of Fire lie dormant. She sat up with some difficulty. Her back and shoulders ached terribly, but that was nothing compared to what could have happened to her. She had protected Hikaru from Zagato's attack.

' Was Lord Zagato angry about that?' wondered Dinah. Speaking of Lord Zagato, where was he? What happened after she passed out? She was eager to know the answer to the last question that came to her mind. She would not have to be curious about it for long. At that moment, Zagato walked in. He had a grim expression on his face. She also noticed that his left shoulder was bleeding.
What was going on here? She braced herself for the harangue she was guaranteed to be in for. But there was a painful silence between her and Zagato for several moments. Since Zagato didn't say anything, Dinah spoke first.

"What happened to your shoulder? Did one of the magic knights do that to you?" she asked worriedly.

"Yes. It is not serious," answered Zagato.

"What happened after I lost consciousness?" asked Dinah.

"That magic knight succeeded in reviving the scarlet Rune-God," answered Zagato. He filled her in on all the other details.

Dinah felt horrible all of a sudden. She knew that Hikaru had succeeded partially because of her interference. Yet she felt that she had to do it. She hoped that Zagato would not question her loyalty. She decided to just deliver a simple apology.

"I know that it is partially my fault that the magic knight of fire had succeeded. And I broke my promise to you. I never meant to betray your trust. Please forgive me," apologized Dinah.

Zagato's eyes met hers, and he saw fear in them. It was obvious that she expected a merciless punishment, like the one he gave to Alcyone. But he didn't do that.

"Why did you do it? And why did you speak well of me during your meeting with the magic knights?" asked Zagato.

"I think it is time for this farce to end. I know they were preparing themselves to defeat you, and I couldn't bear that. I wanted them to understand you the way I do. That way, they would consider sparing your life," answered Dinah.

"You feel that way, although my unyielding wish is what the world would call an evil desire?" asked Zagato incredulously.

"That is not true," Dinah said gently, "you have a good heart. You wish for the freedom of Princess Emeraude's heart. There's nothing wrong with that. It just does not have to mean the destruction of Cephiro and its people.

Zagato couldn't believe this. He had displayed the actions of a villain, and here Dinah was, telling him he was not evil. She was just as loyal as Inouva was, although she displayed questionable actions at the fire shrine.

"Do you honestly believe that there is another method?" he asked Dinah.

"Yes. Remember what your younger brother once said?" asked Dinah.

Zagato thought back to when Lantis had told him his opinion of the pillar system. He had said that a world that was truly beautiful could still be beautiful without a pillar. If Dinah had done nothing else, she had made him consider what his younger brother would think of his actions if he were in Cephiro at the moment.

"Yes, I remember," replied Zagato.

"Why not put his theory to the test?" asked Dinah.

Hmph. If it were that simple. Unless there was something that Mage Clef had not told him and Princess Emeraude about the laws that the pillar was supposed to follow, which was a great possibility.

"I will remember your words, Dinah," said Zagato. With that, he left the room.

Dinah hoped that he would at least consider what she said, and end the war.

*******

Princess Emeraude had just finished communicating with the magic knights. She had given them information on her whereabouts. She hoped that they would make haste, and that Dinah was able to convince Zagato to stop all of this. Zagato appeared before her.

"Zagato, haven't you done enough? I would have loved to have freedom, too, if I could," said Princess Emeraude.

"Yes, I know. It isn't your fault. However, something must be done about the pillar system that is causing your suffering," said Zagato. He winced at the pain in the injured shoulder. Princess Emeraude became worried.

"You were hurt," she said.

"It's nothing," said Zagato, brushing it off.

But Princess Emeraude's sapphire blue eyes were filled with concern. She chanted a healing spell, and a golden coloured energy sphere appeared. She placed her hands on the shoulder wound, and it disappeared. Zagato thought this was a waste of energy, and didn't understand why she would do it for him.

"What do you think you are doing, healing this wound?" asked Zagato.

Tears cascaded down Princess Emeraude's cheeks like a waterfall. Zagato had just about enough of seeing Princess Emeraude's tears.

"Emeraude....it seems that I can only make you cry, even though I wished to see your smile more than everyone else in Cephiro. Somehow, I alone am responsible for all of your tears," said Zagato. He dried her tears.

"I love you," Zagato whispered to Princess Emeraude.

"Really?" she asked.

"Your suffering ends now," he said. He left the water dungeon.

"Zagato! Wait!" cried Princess Emeraude.

Just then, Dinah entered. Princess Emeraude was relieved to see her.

"Dinah! It's you," she said.

"Yes. I have spoken to Lord Zagato about this, just as I promised," Dinah told Princess Emeraude.

"Were you able to convince him?" asked Princess Emeraude.

"He didn't say whether he would end it or not, but he said he would think about what I am saying," answered Dinah.

Princess Emeraude was relieved. She hoped he would make the right decision if he loved her like he said he did.

*******

Meanwhile, the magic knights finally made it to the castle. Hikaru was able to convince Fuu and Umi to try negotiating or compromising, instead of fighting. However, their Rune-Gods were still with them, just in case they would be needed.

"So, you girls have succeeded in becoming the legendary magic knights. I commend you," said a deep voice. The girls looked up and saw Zagato standing on top of the crystal formation.

Umi was about to retort something nasty, but Fuu told her not to start.

"We have not come for a battle. We have a question for you," said Hikaru.

"Hmm?" asked Zagato. He thought this was quite interesting. What question could they possibly want to ask him?

"What is it that you long for that you find more valuable than Cephiro?" inquired Hikaru.

"What will you do once I give you an honest answer?" asked Zagato.

"Maybe we can help you," replied Hikaru, calmly.

Zagato found this meeting amusing. How could three naive little girls possibly help him when they knew very little of the situation. And why would they want to help him after all the misery he had put them through? Was it because of what Dinah said? Or was it something else? Whatever the reason, he decided to comply.

"It is Princess Emeraude's freedom," he told them.

"Huh? I'm confused," said Umi. But Hikaru and Fuu understood....sort of.

"You're in love with Princess Emeraude, aren't you?" asked Fuu.

"You are correct," answered Zagato. He decided to go ahead and tell them everything. He told them about the destiny of the magic knights. They were amazed to learn that their destiny was to put the pillar to rest.

"What?!" exclaimed Umi. She thought Zagato was lying, but she decided to keep her mouth shut for once. Something else dawned on the magic knights.

"So, is that why you were doing everything you could to prevent us from becoming the magic knights?" asked Hikaru.

"Very observant, magic knight," replied Zagato.

Hikaru finally understood now. But she still believed that there was another way to do this. What he did wasn't right.

"Do you have to do it this way? Can't you find some other way?" questioned Hikaru.

Zagato had to admit that these girls were pretty wise. They sounded like Dinah. And one thing he noticed was that the magic knights had soft, tender expressions on their faces. He realized that there was more to them than he had realized. He found himself unable to compete with them any longer. He made up his mind to see if Dinah was right.

"From this moment forward, you girls will no longer be considered enemies," said Zagato, relenting.

"Really? Does that mean we can be friends now?" asked Hikaru.

"Yes," answered Zagato. He told them where Princess Emeraude was, and left to take care of some business.

[nephlitesgirl]

Epilogue

The magic knights began their ascent to rescue Princess Emeraude. The crystal formation was blocking the entrance.

"Well, it was nice of Zagato to tell us where Princess Emeraude is and all, but he never told us how to get to her. That's real helpful," said Umi, sarcastically.

"It appears to be a crystal formation," stated Fuu.

"This is the barrier that protects the castle. It was created within Princess Emeraude's heart," said Rayearth.

"Thou canst breech the barrier with thy magic," said Windam.

"So is Princess Emeraude beyond this barrier?" asked Umi.

"The pillar of Cephiro lies within," replied Selece.

"Okay, guys! Let's rescue Princess Emeraude!" blared out Hikaru.

Fuu and Umi nodded. The 3 magic knights destroyed the barrier with their attacks. They soared toward Princess Emeraude in their Rune-Gods, and floated to the ground. Princess Emeraude looked up.

"Legendary magic knights...you're finally here," she said.

"Yes...Zagato told us where to find you," Hikaru told her.

"He even told us about the destiny of the magic knights. Now we know why he was doing everything he could to prevent us from becoming the magic knights," said Umi. "Is it true that you summoned us here to kill you?"

"Yes it is true. I had made the foolish choice to live with the man I love as the pillar," said Princess Emeraude.

"The man you love?" repeated Fuu. Hikaru remembered the conversation she had with Zagato awhile ago. He had admitted that he was in love with Princess Emeraude.

"You mean Zagato, right? He told us how he felt about you," Hikaru told Princess Emeraude.

Princess Emeraude nodded. "He realized that I was hiding my feelings from him. But our love for one another could never be allowed to bloom because I'm the pillar of Cephiro. It is essential for the pillar to pray for the land's stability without interruption, and my love for Zagato hindered that. I felt that I had committed the greatest sin and that I could never be forgiven. So I summoned you girls here to kill me. The pillar is not allowed to take her own life, and no one in Cephiro is allowed to cause the pillar bodily harm in any way. However, Dinah convinced me not to have you girls kill me."

Hikaru was happy to hear that. She didn't think she would have been able to kill Princess Emeraude without any regrets. Umi and Fuu felt the same way. Now Hikaru knew why Zagato detested the pillar system so greatly. No one deserved to be without freedom. If only there were some way the pillar system could be destroyed. They would have to ask Mage Clef about that.

"Well, we're here to rescue you as promised," said Fuu.

"I thank you, girls from another world," said Princess Emeraude.

Hikaru, Fuu and Umi used their magic to break the glass. It cracked and shattered into smithereens. Princess Emeraude got out of the way just in time. She thanked the magic knights again.

"I see that you have freed Princess Emeraude, girls from another world."

Hikaru, Umi and Fuu wondered who said that. It sounded like Mage Clef, but they couldn't be positive. They were so sure that they would never hear from him again, like he said in their last conversation. Unless, of course, Zagato had set him free. To make sure that it was not just wishful thinking, the magic knights looked up. Sure enough, Mage Clef was standing on top of the cliff.

"Clef, you're okay!" said Hikaru, relieved.

"It's nice to see you again, Mr. Clef," said Fuu.

"It's really you, right?" asked Umi. She recalled the time Caldina created Clef as an illusion. Although Zagato had promised that they would be friends from now on, she still wanted to make sure she could trust him.

"Yes it's me. Zagato released me from the spell," said Mage Clef.

"He did?" asked Umi. "Wow......." She was beginning to think maybe Zagato could be trusted.

"So is there any way Princess Emeraude can be free from praying for Cephiro without having to die? And would Cephiro still stand?" asked Fuu.

"Hmm...there is one way, but it is very risky," answered Mage Clef.

"Which way is that?" asked Hikaru. She wondered if it was what she had in mind.

"She can abolish the pillar system itself," replied Mage Clef.

Princess Emeraude thought about this. It was still her unyielding wish for Cephiro to be saved, yet she thought it would be nice to have a future where she could be happy with the one she loved, though not in death alone. She now realized how deeply her captivity hurt some people. Perhaps this decision was selfish of her, but desperate times called for desperate measures. She made her decision.

"I will do it," she said, firmly. She transformed into her adult form, as her child-like form was weakened. She felt the power surging within her. Hikaru, Fuu and Fuu looked on in awe. They never thought that Princess Emeraude had the ability to do that.

Princess Emeraude clasped her hands together. "I hereby rid Cephiro of its pillar system! From this moment on, Cephiro's people will be able to pray for themselves and for this land as well!" she proclaimed. With that, Cephiro was no longer bound by the chains of the pillar system.

********

"Thank you for what you've done. It was you who gave me hope when all hope seemed lost," Princess Emeraude said to Dinah, a bit later.

"It was my pleasure, your highness. You and Lord Zagato were good to me as well," replied Dinah.

Princess Emeraude returned to the magic knights. "You girls from another world set me free and showed me that destinies could be changed. For that, I am forever grateful."

"Well, thank you for helping us at the Spring of Eterna," replied Umi.

Hikaru just remembered something. The task was not completed yet. Cephiro still needed to be restored to the peaceful land it once was. She and the other girls still had a way to go before they could return to Tokyo. She mentioned this to Umi and Fuu.

"You're right! How could I have fgorgotten about that? How silly of me," said Umi. She decided to not worry about the fencing tournament anymore. She realized that there were more important things to worry about. She talked this over with Hikaru and Fuu, and they nodded in agreement.

"Princess Emeraude? Zagato? We will stay in Cephiro until it is restored back to normal," said Hikaru.

"In that case, you may stay in the castle," said Zagato.

The magic knights couldn't believe their ears. Zagato was being generous.

"Really?" they squealed in unison.

Zagato nodded. "It is the least I can do to erase the pain I have caused you girls," he replied.

Princess Emeraude smiled at this. It was the first time she had smiled in years. Zagato was glad to see a smile on her face for once.

"Thank you, Zagato. We will be right back. We're going to visit Miss Presea," said Hikaru. She and the other girls left the castle.

Dinah decided to give Princess Emeraude and Zagato some time alone. She went to her room to rest.

"Emeraude...please forgive me for all that has happened," said Zagato, taking Princess Emeraude's hand in his. This gave Princess Emeraude butterflies in her stomach. She had always longed to feel his touch.

"Never mind that. I am just glad that it is all over," said Princess Emeraude.

Zagato smiled, and stroked Emeraude's long flowing blonde tresses. It felt as soft as silk. Princess Emeraude stroked Zagato's ebony coloured hair. She knew that everything would be all right.

END

A/N: This fanfic is dedicated to Zagato's voice actor, Lex Lang, for it was his interview he did for his role as Zagato that gave me the idea for this story.