[*impish grin* Hyuu! I got hit with a new story idea. Literally, my muse is very violent sometimes. *shudders* I really hope you enjoy this one. And as always please review. ^^]
Chapter 1 ~
The sunlight was already slowly fading as the sky overhead suddenly swelled, swirling lightly as it ballooned out and burst, four figures erupting from the center.
They came to an abrupt halt, staring in shock at the scene before them. The remains of a charred village lay a short distance away, roofs half caved in and walls crumbling. Syaoran pulled Sakura close, allowing her to bury her face in his side.
"We should look for survivors," he said quietly after a while.
Stillness filled the smoky air as they made their way from one dilapidated house to the next. Rubble lay in piles everywhere, some still smoldering. After some time Kurogane rose from searching a larger pile, wandering back into the waning sunlight. Fai followed him, hands clasped behind his head and a solemn look set on his normally cheerful face.
"Odd isn't it?" he asked, staring up at the dark clouds that hung overhead from the smoke.
"What is?" Syaoran inquired, quietly joining them, Sakura still at his side, face ashen as she absentmindedly stroked Mokona.
Kurogane turned away to stare back at the ruins of the village. "All that searching and not so much as a body. There isn't a single person here. It makes no sense."
"It looks like the village was attacked," Syaoran agreed. "But why would they burn it if no one's here? Even if they were all kidnapped why bother to burn the place? A warning maybe?"
"What have you got there, Sakura?" Fai asked, noticing something in her hand.
She gently held up a dirt covered rag doll, paisley dress singed in places and hair matted with dried mud. Tenderly she wiped a smudge from its face, tears glistening in her green eyes. Syaoran kicked at the dirt in frustration, opening his mouth to speak and then shutting it again as he noticed the slight shake of Fai's head.
"Is there a feather here or not?" Kurogane grumbled, wanting nothing more than to get away from this strange world.
Mokona's face scrunched as she concentrated. "Mokona's not sure. There's something very powerful here."
He rolled his eyes. "Of course."
"We should find some shelter," Fai suggested, glancing skyward. "It'll be dark in a few hours and I have a feeling we shouldn't camp out in this world."
"I don't know if I want to stay here," Syaoran replied, looking at the abandoned buildings around them. "Let's see if there's anything else around. What do you think, Princess?"
Sakura merely nodded, quickly swiping at her damp eyes. Slowly she trudged behind the others as they set out. She shivered, glancing back at the village. She could almost feel the gaze of the people who used to live there watching them as they left and she tenderly squeezed the doll. For some reason she couldn't bring herself to part with it. It looked so lost in the sea of disrepair.
"Princess, stay where you are!" Syaoran's voice suddenly cut through the silence and she glanced to where he stood atop a larger boulder some distance away.
Fai lightly pressed her arm as he darted past. He gasped, hand instantly coming to cover his mouth as the scent of burning flesh met his nostrils. Below them in a deep trench lay hundreds of bodies, piled one on top of the other. What little was left was still burning away. His stomach heaved and he quickly turned away.
Beside him Kurogane was sheathing his sword, a look of disgust in his eyes. Syaoran had been right to warn the princess. She didn't need to see this.
"What is it?" she cried, taking a tentative step closer.
Kurogane closed his eyes against the slaughter, but it was still there all the same, burnt against his mind. "We found the villagers."
~~ooOoo~~
The rain pounded the remains of the small farm house, splashing onto the floor in the corner where the roof had collapsed. Fai wandered over to the singed couch where Sakura slept, doll tucked close beside her. Syaoran had nodded out on the floor near her head, their fingers entwined. He still had a streak of mud across his cheek from earlier.
It had been Syaoran who'd suggested they try to bury what was left of the villagers. The rain had started up shortly after they had begun. While he could have finished the job faster by using his magic, somehow it didn't seem appropriate. Syaoran had insisted the princess stay back and Fai was glad she'd heeded his words. She didn't need to see how cruel some people could be.
He shook his head, trying to get the image out of it. He could still smell the acrid scent of burning flesh and instantly felt his chest tighten. Kurogane cocked an eyebrow as he opened the door, leaning against the frame and allowing the breeze to cool his brow.
"I'm fine, really," he lied, feeling his eyes on his back long before he'd walked up.
"I don't like this one bit," he muttered, crossing his arms over his chest as he stared into the darkness. "That was a slaughter back there. Women, children…"
Fai shut his eyes against the harsh words, remembering a very different heap of human bodies. "Can we please not talk about this anymore?" He begged voice barely a whisper as a sob caught in it. He stood, stepping out into the rain and instantly felt Kurogane's hand on his shoulder.
"Idiot, where do you plan to go in this weather?" he hissed.
"I…" he began, hanging his head so his blonde hair hung over his face. Kurogane leaned closer, gently pulling back the damp strands to stare at him. His blue eye swiveled in his direction, brimming with tears. "Kurgs…"
"Shut up," he answered, pulling him close and letting him sob onto his chest. While he may not know everything in his past, he knew enough to recognize that look. He'd worn it all evening while they'd buried the villagers; try as me might to hide it, it had shown through. Maybe someday he'd tell him, until then, this was where he'd be waiting.
~~ooOoo~~
The day dawned grey and rainy. Syaoran woke to Sakura turning over in her sleep. He rose silently, walking to the kitchen area where Fai had begun making a simple breakfast.
"Where did you find eggs?" he asked, leaning against the counter. His muscles were stiff after the work they'd done the day before.
Fai gave him an impish grin. "Well, I'd noticed a henhouse out back last night as we were running in. There were still a few eggs-"
"So you stole them?" Kurogane barked, stopping abruptly as Sakura walked in, rubbing her red rimmed eyes.
"Good morning, Princess," Syaoran said softly. She gave him a faint smile, coming to stand by his side and resting her head on his shoulder. He gently draped an arm around her. She looked like she hadn't slept well; she had dark circles under her slightly bloodshot eyes. "You ok?"
She nodded as Fai pushed a plate towards her. She accepted, more out of politeness than from actual hunger.
"So where is this power, Mokona?" Syaoran asked as Fai dished out the rest of the breakfast.
"Mokona senses it nearby. It's close."
"We'll head out as soon as we're done here," Fai suggested, then quickly leapt up.
"Fai," Sakura began, falling short as he held up a hand and Kurogane reached for his sword. He nodded back towards Syaoran who merely nodded, standing protectively before the princess.
"We're not alone," Syaoran whispered.