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Clef entered the training hall where Lantis was monitoring Ferio from the control room. Ferio was busy attacking the holographic demons that from what Clef could tell were from advance mode. From Ferio's face though, it seemed that it was a piece of cake. Clef sighed and entered the control room to join the Black Knight. "Fuu said no…" Lantis pointed out as Ferio slashed the last demon from an aerial attack. Clef frowned as he saw Ferio landed kneeling down.
The White Prince opened his eyes and looked up at the control room, "I said advance mode Lantis, not children's play." He stood up with a bitter face wiping the sweat from his forehead.
Lantis answered through the microphone, "That was the advance mode, Ferio. Can you explain to me again why I have to be here? I have a wedding to attend to before the sun sets." He said it with sarcasm and doubted the White Prince would find the humor.
Ferio stretched his arms," One: You, my friend, are the only one authorized to open the advance level (which isn't that helpful). Two: you should relax from all those preparations," the White Prince paused and continued, "It's too much stress to get married. Three: you asked me to carry your sword in that wedding ceremony, right?"
Lantis looked skeptically at Clef and answered the White Prince, "Yes, I did."
Ferio held fast on the hilt of his sword, "Then … for fun," grinning evilly, "I challenge you."
Lantis frowned, "You lost me there, what are you talking about?"
"I want you to train me since this advance mode of yours isn't helpful. Or else I won't carry your sword."
"Listen Ferio, Eagle can't come on the wedding so I'm asking you. You're not making any sense," Lantis turned off the microphone and spoke to Clef, "Ferio is insane. It's my wedding day and he wants me to use my energy to train him."
Clef sighed, "I don't think he ever was concerned about you. Our White Prince is broken hearted," the Guru raised his staff, "He's right about one thing. You should relax about the wedding preparations. Stay here and monitor us."
"Us?" Lantis watched the Guru's staff glow and teleported him in the training hall.
"What's this?" Ferio sneered.
"You asked for advance mode. I'll give you one," Clef rubbed his nose. He took his stand; his left foot was forward with all his weight, the sphere of his staff was cupped by his left palm and the slender ivory stalk grasped by his right hand, "and I can probably help you with…"
"Your not here for a match," Ferio interrupted because he didn't want to hear HER name, "You're here for a lecture. I don't need a lecture."
"I'm willing to give you both," The Guru's sphere glowed.
Ferio grinned, "I'll take the match." The White Prince jumped in the air for another aerial attack.
The thing was, Ferio had never seen Clef fight. Lantis thought that no one had ever did. The Guru moved at the precise moment when Ferio's blade was about to hit the middle of his staff. It was an attempt of a light attack by the White Prince. Ferio thought he could swerve the magician's stick and scare the guru off. At that flawless moment, Clef moved and hit Ferio's back with the surface of his sphere. It was a light attack executed perfectly. It was to mock the White Prince. The White Prince didn't appreciate the gesture. Out of patience and feeling humiliated, he attacked without thinking. Clef swiftly avoided the White Prince's strikes.
Ferio's mind was somewhere else. It kept on thinking about that sweet face that attracted his eyes. He had been heart broken by those sweet angelic eyes. By the most charming face he had ever known to exist. He had openly told his true feelings. She embraced him. She kissed his lips. She let him love her until he couldn't believe he could exist without her. They were happy. Wasn't that enough to exchange vows so that they could be husband and wife? She did not want to marry him! The White Prince thought that everything --the warm embraces, the soft kisses, and the feeling of love and being loved in return-was a lie. That sweet face and those sweet eyes were illusions. They were beautiful, Ferio still could see that, but through them was nothing, she was empty person. She was nothing inside.
The White Prince continued to strike and didn't see whom he was fighting with anymore. He was willing to fight and his opponent was a good fighter. He didn't see who it was. He was too consumed with his thoughts. "I hope you have a lot of healing potions…" he said with uncaring eyes.
Clef grinned for the upcoming attack.
Lantis couldn't believe the match he saw before him. Clef had the upper hand. It was the most impressing game that he had ever seen. Not even acknowledging that the Guru even knew how to fight amazed him. How Clef remained in-shape boggled his mind. This was no ordinary match. The White Prince fought with anger and anger is always dangerous. It can serve as your weakness but for Ferio it gave him amazing strength and ability, how Clef managed to control that energy coming out from the White Prince's aura was incredible. The Black Knight watched in awe.
Ferio kept on sneering and Clef knew that it wasn't really about him. Ferio sneered every time he told himself that he was so stupid to fall in-love with this empty person. He felt even more foolish feeling that he really can't survive without HER. Every time he blinked he remembers her running to his arms, he remembers her returning his kiss, and he remembers her lips move saying she loved him. His thoughts captured that perfect picture of her eyes. His ears ring waiting for that sweet tune of her voice.
Clef just thought of how to defend himself from Ferio's anger. The Guru knew how dangerous anger could become. All this time he had been playing with Ferio in a dance. Clef attacked with a tap of the shoulder and on Ferio's side. He didn't intend to strike. He wanted to keep those intentions in control even though he knew Ferio's intentions might not be the same.
"You already are a part of me, Ferio" He remembered the Wind Glider shake her head and burst into tears, "But I can't marry you." Fuu stood up as fast as she could and crawled as fast as possible away from him. Ferio froze. He didn't know what to think. He didn't have words to say. He lost himself when she left him there… frozen.
Tears rushed down Ferio's now demonic face and all the power inside him were uncontrollable. Lantis gasped and took his sword to aid the magician. Clef frowned. He knew that this was a serious game now. Ferio had snapped. The White Prince swung with all power without thought, without voice and without his soul. This prince was still human though and he gave a millisecond pause difference out of all the continuous strikes to breathe air. That was when the Guru took advantage. His sphere glowed and beamed Ferio to the other side of the training hall. Ferio was blinded for a few seconds. Lantis could hardly believe what he had seen.
One thing passed through Ferio's thoughts, "But I can't marry you" --- Fuu.