VictorianPearl: My new AU fiction is finally here!
Syaoran: Starring me…mostly.
VictorianPearl: It may seem a little confusing at first, but everything will be explained to its full in time.
Syaoran: And don't forget, it's starring me!
Li: Ya, ya, we heard you the first time.
VictorianPearl: More comments will be at the end of the first chapter, enjoy.
Lucid Darkness
Chapter 1 Lands of Darkness
It was a dark day; the whole village seemed to be a shade of grey. Then again, it always seemed to be dark these days. It was a wonder that anything ever grew.
Syaoran slowly made his way through the village. His soft padded boots made barely any sound against the stone flooring of the village streets. The grey stone seemed to make the place drearier than it already was.
Syaoran took a look around him, the stores and houses were randomly scattered throughout the inside walls of the Sparrow's Palace Capitol. The capitol itself was a smaller portion of the whole land of Yen, also known as Sparrow.
A light wind blew as Syaoran continued. He came from a house where he lived with his mother. It was the most pompous building, beside the palace, in the Sparrow's Palace Capitol. It was where he trained night and day. It was where his sisters lived before they were married, and where his father used to dwell.
The Sparrow's Palace was now looming into Syaoran's view. It was the place where that cursed ruler Wu lived. That black palace was only the beginning of his problems. Syaoran hated that place with a passion. It was almost ironic that he was making his way toward it now.
Passing wooden shops with closed windows was an ill omen at this time of day, something evil was about to transcend. Syaoran hardly believed in such thoughts, but he was a sorcerer, and hardly did not mean not at all. In fact, everyone in this land was capable of some type of magic.
The streets were completely void of any living thing. The only living things Syaoran could see, if they were even considered alive, were the grey trees with decadent leaves. Their long, arm-like branches reached over houses and the capitol's walls. They seemed to be dead, yet always watchful.
Syaoran was almost to the Sparrow's Palace. He reminisced over what he was going to say. He had long decided to speak out against Wu. He was a psychotic and brutal leader. But those were not the only reasons Syaoran hated the man.
Wu would kill anyone he thought was a threat to his power. He was known for imprisoning loyal men who had "too much" power. He was a driven leader who relayed on false magic guidance.
Syaoran remembered when Wu killed all of the daughters in a family for one daughter's fault. The girl had been blackened by force; her body became as black as her soul. When Wu found this, all of the daughters were executed as a warning to others.
Sometimes, Syaoran wondered if his family was the only one whose hearts weren't completely poisoned. They had cold hearts, yes, but not black ones. Cold hearts could melt, but black hearts needed a stronger source of light.
Wu had also killed many healers. He had accused them of causing disease rather than healing the people of Yen. Syaoran knew the healers were innocent; they were merely people trying to do some good in the toxic of evil of the land. Wu's wrath had affected commoners and officials alike. He had recently gone as far as to have innocent children executed…murdered, in Syaoran's opinion.
Everyone was afraid of Wu; those who were not afraid were in league with him. All except Syaoran, he was the only one unafraid of the maniac on the black throne. He had a damn good reason not to be afraid too.
Syaoran closed his eyes and sucked in the thick air. He remembered how it all started, all of those years ago.
"Xiaolang, wave goodbye to father." Yelan said, one hand on her nine year old son's shoulder.
Syaoran lifted his left hand and waved furiously to his retreating father. His father's arm reached up and waved back to his family. He was leaving for war as commanding officer. Yen was on the verge of being breached. He would have to travel many miles to the land's eastern border to fight.
The Li family stood at the gate to their home. The large house they lived in was surrounded by lush green grass. They lived at the edge of the capitol where grass thrived. Syaoran's four crying sisters retreated into the house, but Syaoran and Yelan remained.
"Mama," Syaoran said, his eyes still on his father, "someday, I'm going to be a Black Bird in the armed forces and fight like father."
Yelan looked down at her son. "You are a little wolf Xiaolang. Someday you will be a grand warrior who will bring light."
"Like the starlight?" Syaoran asked.
Yelan smiled. "It will be brighter than that."
The two then followed the likeness of the four girls back into the house.
Syaoran had been training with his father since the age of four. He was good, but wanted to be as good, or even better than his father. He practiced all the time on the vast grass behind his house.
Once his father left for the war, Syaoran practiced with his pendant sword twice as often. It seemed to Yelan that he did it to overcome the loneliness rather than to become stronger.
A slow year passed and the army had still not returned from the war. A ten year old Syaoran was beginning to grow anxious. He had done a lot of studying over the past year as well training, and this gave him many ideas.
Not much longer after one year had passed, did they hear the sound of a knock at the door. An officer in uniform was standing in the doorway, but it was not father. He sadly told Yelan that her husband had died in battle.
Yelan collapsed against the doorframe. "No," she whispered, clutching the wood to keep herself up.
Syaoran went into shock; he ignored his sister's cries, everything in his world stopped turning. Father was gone and he wasn't coming back. Something in his head snapped and he darted out the door. He ignored his mother's cry of protest and kept running.
He didn't know how he ended up at the palace, but his feet took him straight there. Somehow, Syaoran felt that his father's death was connected to this place.
The next series of events were a blur for Syaoran. He ran into the palace. He had no idea how he managed to slip in past the guards or how his feet seemed to know where they were going. Syaoran had never been inside of the palace before.
Syaoran could feel his father's spirit leading him down the dark hallways and up the stairways. He came upon a room full of evil magic. He didn't like the feeling it gave him. It was too cold.
The room itself was indescribable. There were many shelves full of deep colored books, most covered with dust. There were many desks full of papers that held strange instruments on top of them. The walls were painted with skeletal figures that looked has if they were being hung.
In the wall was a humongous fireplace almost completely covered by the darkness. It was decorated with some type of black vine. The whole place sent shivers up Syaoran's spine.
Loud footsteps were heard echoing in the hallway. They were steadily coming closer and closer to the room. Syaoran looked for a hiding place. He dove into the first place he spotted, the fireplace.
He listened as the large double doors to the room opened. The footsteps entered before turning and closing the doors. They then walked over and settled comfortably in a chair.
Syaoran leaned forward a little to see who was sitting in the room. It was none other than Wu. Syaoran had only seen the man once or twice before, but he was hard to forget.
Wu was human-like and bird-like at the same time. His hands were shaped like claws as well as his feet. His cloak seemed to fall around him like feathers. Worst of all were his red eyes, they were in the shape of a bird's that is hunting its prey. Syaoran just hopped Wu couldn't see like a bird.
The double doors creaked open again. Syaoran recognized the Black Bird official that had been at his doorstep only a few moments ago. To Syaoran, those few moments seemed a lifetime ago.
"How did the news go over Hachiro?" Wu asked.
The man named Hachiro took a seat. "Well, the whole family's spirits are broken. Li's son took the news the worst."
Wu chuckled deeply. "Stupid little wolf, that child is more than he is worth. What of the rest of the family?"
"They were in tears." Hachiro replied. "I left them at the doorstep; I felt that I should get here quickly."
"Good man," Wu said, "I tell you, killing that Li was the best thing I ever did."
Syaoran froze. It was Wu's fault father was dead? He didn't die in battle? If anything, this fate was worse.
"Why did you kill the Li?" Hachiro asked. "I don't doubt your actions, but wasn't he one of the best officers?"
"Too good for his own being," Wu slammed a fist onto his chair, causing Syaoran and Hachiro to jump. "He was at the top and rising. He was catching the people's attention more than I. Worst of all, he had her."
Syaoran's young brain was trying to process, all of this new information. Wu had been jealous of father?
"How did you do it?" Hachiro asked.
"I poisoned the bastard's wine." Wu said, the smile on his face evident in his voice.
Syaoran was filled with anger he could hardly contain. Not only had Wu killed his father, but he hadn't even done it honorably! He poisoned father without a chance of defense.
"So, what is this going to do to help the government?" Hachiro asked.
Wu smiled. "It's going to put me back into total power."
Tears leaked out of Syaoran's eyes. Father's death was unjust. It wasn't fair; father didn't even want any more power than what he already had. But something tagged at the back of Syaoran's mind.
Worst of all, he had her.
"Come Hachiro," Wu said, getting up, "we have all of Yen to keep in order, let's get to business."
"Right sir," Hachiro said, getting up as well.
Syaoran waited until they had both left until he crawled out of his hiding place. His clothes and tear streaked face were covered with cinders. Had he really just heard that?
Angry and confused questions ran through Syaoran's brain. What would happen now? Could the Li family get revenge? What would he do? How did Wu not sense his aura?
The last question surprised Syaoran, but came back again. How was it that Wu did not sense him in the fireplace, even if he could not see him?
Syaoran felt a rush of his father's presence through him. That was it; his father had been keeping him safe. Had it also been his father who got him into the black palace? He didn't care; he now only wanted to get out.
OOO
Syaoran sighed again as he remembered telling his family about his discoveries. He had done endless hours of research on Wu's reign and his history of magic. He also researched his father's life, taking in as much information as possible.
Syaoran remembered how he suddenly noticed the way that Wu stared at his mother at social gatherings. Syaoran was surprised that he had never noticed it before. Now that he was looking for it though, it seemed very obvious.
Slowly over the span of the next eight years, Syaoran became more and more cold and distant to everyone with the exception of his family. He spent his time, now, either studying or training with his sword that his father gave him.
Now at the ripe age of eighteen, Syaoran walked up the steps of the Sparrow's Palace. He was carrying a few scrolls under his left arm. He had finally gathered as much information as possible. This would help him prove his point…hopefully.
Syaoran walked up to the front doors of the palace, there were two guards in front of the doors. He was right in front of the doors before two spears crossed in front of him.
"You cannot enter the palace." One of the guards said.
"Why not?" Syaoran asked.
"You do not have an appointment and have not been granted permission." The other guard replied.
"That is not my concern." Syaoran said.
He quickly dropped to the floor, supporting himself with one hand, and spun his leg under the guards' legs, causing them to fall backward. Syaoran stood quickly and burst through the doors, ignoring the soldiers' cries behind him. He walked down the center hall, past the staircases, and through the doors to the black throne.
"Settle guards," Wu said, smiling and holding up a hand, motioning for the guards to stop.
"You've gone too far Wu." Syaoran said, his voice echoing inside of the palace.
"Oh have I?" Wu asked mockingly.
Syaoran glared. "You've killed innocent people Wu. Your reign has brought nothing but grief and destruction. You've now moved to killing innocent children, and that's too far."
"Oh, but I didn't kill those children." Wu said sleekly. "I had my men do it for me."
"They didn't do anything to you; they hadn't done anything at all." Syaoran growled. He was having a difficult time keeping his temper, not that he was exactly trying to.
"Those children were infected with disease." Wu said bluntly. "I was doing Yen a favor."
"Wrong," Syaoran said, "they were full of hope and promise of change for the better. But that's something that you couldn't stand, just like my father."
Wu's eyes widened. "You've gone too far Li boy! This will mean certain punishment."
"You deserve more punishment than I for your crimes." Syaoran said, dropping his scrolls on the ground.
Wu stared at the scrolls, a scheme planning itself out inside of his mind.
"I'll tell you what boy. How would you like to be a recruited into the Black Birds? I would consider your service to Yen your way of paying your debt."
"Why?" Syaoran questioned. "So you can kill me like you did my father?"
"I did not kill your father, he died in battle." Wu said.
"Go to hell." Syaoran yelled, spitting upon the throne.
Wu's eyes came ablaze. "You go too far Li boy. Your punishment is now severe. I'll give you one last chance."
"I'd rather die." Syaoran stated coldly.
"That can be arranged." Wu said, leaning forward. "Guards, take him to the dungeons, he is to be executed at sunrise."
The guards grabbed Syaoran's arms. He did not resist them.
"This isn't over yet Wu." Syaoran yelled as he was dragged away to the magically bound dungeons.
OOO
Syaoran was sitting on the floor of the dungeon. The bars and walls of the cell were magically enforced so that no one could break out. Syaoran could break out if he used all of his magic, but what good would that do? He would be left weak and vulnerable, an easy target.
He really needed someone to talk to at that moment. As if answered by prayer, the door to the cell opened. Someone was making their way toward him.
"Mother," Syaoran called, moving to the bars of the cell.
"Xiaolang, I'm glad I came to see you." She said, hanging her head. It didn't quite sound like she was glad to see him though.
"Mother, what's wrong?" Syaoran asked, reaching through the bars and clasping her hand.
Yelan sighed. "Many things, Xiaolang, many things."
Syaoran tried to brush her look out of his mind. "Mother, I have a plan to help me escape, but I don't want you to be left alone."
"There will be no need for that." She said somewhat sadly.
"Do you want me to die mother?" Syaoran asked, his spirits falling.
Yelan gave a weak smile. "Don't be foolish, if you were dead I would not be able to go on. No, what has happened is worse, perhaps."
"What do you mean mother?" Syaoran asked, what could possibly be worse than death?
"I have agreed to wed Wu." Yelan said.
This was much worse.
"Mother, you cannot!" Syaoran said loudly, clutching both of her hands. "He is father's murderer, and you have agreed to be locked into marriage with him?"
"Hush, Xiaolang," Yelan said calmly, "I did this of my own will. I went to Wu once news of your death sentence reached me. I asked him if there was any other way other than to kill you.
"Wu offered that I marry him and in return, you would not be put to death. I accepted; loosing you, Xiaolang, I would not have been able to bear. At least now you will live on."
"But now that you have been imprisoned into wedlock, mother, we will both be alone." Syaoran said mistily.
"No," Yelan said, "Wu could not completely pardon your actions. You are to be exiled."
"Exiled? Then what difference is there of that and the one of death?" Syaoran pursed.
"You will not be permanently banished, only for a temporary period of time." Yelan said.
"What do you mean?" Syaoran asked. He was so worried for his mother. He knew that he himself could withstand whatever was thrown at him. But mother…she was becoming more aged and frail.
Yelan sighed. "To tell you the truth, I'm not completely sure. I know that he plans to have you leave the land for a certain period of time, but…who knows what his real plans are."
Syaoran brought his mother's hand through the bars and kissed the backs of each one. What mother was doing now, it wasn't much of a different fate than the first sentence.
"I will do as you wish mother." Syaoran said darkly.
"Don't worry Xiaolang." Yelan said. "Everything will turn out all right. If you would have been killed, who else would stand up to Wu?"
Syaoran sighed. His mother was right; he was Yen's only hope.
OOO
Syaoran wasn't quite sure what time it was. Sometime in the morning perhaps, it was hard to tell with the sky always being so grey.
Syaoran was standing in front of Wu's throne, waiting to hear what fate would befall him. He slowly glanced at his beloved mother, who stood off to the side of the throne. No matter what she said, her fate was worse than his own.
"Good morning Li." Wu said giddily. "How did you sleep?"
Syaoran made no verbal response. There was no way he would respond to Wu's quirky questions. If the positions were ever switched, he would make sure to spare Wu the excitement of simple talk.
"Not in the mood for talk I see. No matter, just listen; I'm sure you'll end up doing a lot of that."
What was that supposed to mean?
"I've decided to send you to a nice little place across the ocean. Wu continued. "A dark little land called Tomoeda. I'm sure the people there will just love you."
Syaoran's eyes narrowed, he had never heard of this Tomoeda place before. Were the people there monsters? Were people even there at all?
"Your banishment is to last one month." Wu said. "That is, if you even last that long."
Yelan cried out and ran to the throne, but the guards held her back. Syaoran figured that his mother suspected something like this would happen. She probably just didn't think it would cause such an effect on her.
"Take him to the haven!" Wu shouted.
Syaoran didn't struggle. He tried not to think about his mother crying in the background. He was taken to a black carriage and driven to the haven. He didn't know why he was going along with this whole thing. He decided it was because his father's death had still not been justly proven. Syaoran wouldn't kill Wu until he admitted he killed his father.
The carriage stopped and Syaoran was taken out. He saw the sleek ship docked on the haven. It was rather small and shaped like a sparrow. The ocean seemed smooth in the middle.
Syaoran was escorted by the guards down the dock to the ship. When they came to the ramp up the ship, the guards backed up.
"This is where you continue alone." One of the guards said. "May God take pity on your soul in Tomoeda. Even you may not come back alive."
Syaoran walked up the ramp of the ship, not reacting to the guard's words. He would have to see this Tomoeda place before he would react in any manner.
As soon as Syaoran was on the ship, it broke away from the dock and sailed away. It seemed as if the ship was like a sharp blade cutting through the water. The speed of the ship surprised Syaoran. It was probably propelled by black magic.
Syaoran did not look back upon the land of Yen. He instead, looked to the horizon. He could not see any outline of land that might be Tomoeda. He sighed. This was going to be a long ride.
Syaoran withdrew his pendant sword and stared at it in his hand. I promise you father, whatever I do, I will take Wu down and bring out the true cause of your death.
OOO
The ship arrived at the bank of Tomoeda. It seemed about the same as Yen. The sky was grey, a feeling of darkness filtered through the air. There were a few distinct differences though.
Tomoeda was incredibly green, even if it was a misty grey-green. Also, with the feeling of darkness in the air, there was also a feeling of mystery and old fear. The land of Tomoeda was being disturbed by his presence.
Syaoran hopped off the boat onto a rickety wooden dock. This place was as quiet as Yen was as well. What was lurking behind the veil of shadows?
There was no point in staying still, might as well go see what I'll have to live with for one month.
With that, Syaoran walked away through a lightly wooded area in hopes of finding some sort of habitat.
Syaoran walked for twenty minutes; perhaps, before he saw anything that gave some sign that something (preferably people) was living there. He came to a clearing. In the distance, he saw scattered houses. It was hard to see past all of the trees.
Syaoran was about to continue forward when he felt a sense of magic behind him. It was dark, but warmer than the magic he could already feel.
He looked behind himself, but he could see nothing. Whatever he had felt was gone now. Syaoran turned to head toward the town. He might find someone who would be willing to tell him about where he was.
As Syaoran walked toward what appeared to be a village, he caught sight of a small market place. Besides the shop keepers at their stands, there seemed to be hardly anyone at the place. The little market place had a small buzz of whisper and occasional talk. It was almost as quiet as Yen, enough to convince Syaoran that it was safe to talk to someone.
He stepped out from the trees into the marketplace. His soft boots made the same soft patting sound they made on Yen's stone streets.
The people immediately noticed the foreign sound and looked up to see Syaoran. As soon as they saw him, they bent their heads down to whisper to each other. Obviously they didn't get outsiders too often.
Syaoran ignored the people and decided to walk to a marketer at a booth. At least if he tried to talk to a shopkeeper they couldn't run away and avoid him…or so he hoped.
The first booth that caught his eye was one that was selling bright oranges. The shopkeeper was a girl who seemed a couple of years older than him. She had dark eyes and long, dark hair.
"Hello," Syaoran said as he approached the booth.
"Hello," the girl said unemotionally.
At least she's not frightened.
"Could you possibly inform me on where a new comer should go in this place?" Syaoran said, trying to act uniform.
The girl shook her head. "I would tell you to turn around and go right back where you came from."
"That's not really an option." Syaoran stated, somewhat bitterly.
"Then I would tell you to move on somewhere else." The girl said. "You do not want to trouble yourself with this already troubled land."
Syaoran wished it were only that easy. He, perhaps, would have moved to another place, but he already knew that Wu had sent spies to follow him. He had seen the birds flying far behind his ship. They would stay around long enough, just to make sure he stayed.
Syaoran didn't say anything else to the girl. He simply walked away.
"Good luck," the girl called lightly, "you probably won't get any from anyone else here."
He didn't doubt her, by the stares people were giving him, he could tell he was intruding.
Suddenly, Syaoran could feel another warm, dark, magical presence. It was much like the one he had felt earlier. He was so distracted that he accidentally ran into someone.
"Uhf," Syaoran gasped, stumbling back a bit. He had run into a man who looked absolutely terrified of him.
"You, you are filled with that same dark magic." The man said, pointing an accusing finger at Syaoran.
Syaoran frowned a bit. What did this crazy man mean by same dark magic?
"Don't you try and waltz through town normally too!" The man shouted.
"Look sir," Syaoran said, "I'm not doing any business here, I'm just-!"
"Liar," the man roared, causing Syaoran to glare at him. "Get out now! Leave. Be gone!"
"I wish I could." Syaoran said, frustrated with this odd man. He tried to walk by, but the man wouldn't let him.
"Oh no, you won't come and go so easily." The crazed man said.
Before Syaoran could respond, someone else spoke.
"Come now Dilbert, are the people of Tomoeda always this rude to people they've only just met?" A voice calmly asked.
Syaoran and the Dilbert man turned toward the voice. It belonged to a girl who could not have been older than Syaoran. He noted how differently she was dressed. While the people he had seen were simply dressed, she was dressed much more black and flowingly. The outfit made her, already fair skin seem even more so, also bringing out her light brown hair and deep green eyes. Actually, now that he looked, she seemed to be dressed as a-
"Witch," Dilbert cried, "you've brought him here!"
"I don't know about that." The girl said. "But I do intend to take him away without you yelling about anymore."
"We won't tolerate another one of your kind here witch!" Dilbert cried.
Syaoran noticed how the people in the market seemed to ignore the man's raving. He figured they must be used to it.
"If you want him to be gone, then move out of the way so that we may leave." The girl said.
She didn't wait for a response, she grabbed Syaoran's wrist and pulled him past Dilbert. She led him toward the forest.
"You'll never get away with this, evil, stained, girl, never!" Dilbert yelled.
The girl made no response. Syaoran saw what the man meant by "your kind". The girl's aura was veiled by a black one. He could barely make out the pink one underneath, just as his aura was veiled.
"Why do you stand to let him out in the streets?" Syaoran asked coldly, wondering why the crazy man was running about.
"I don't let him." The girl said, her gaze steadfast. "The people can't get him to leave Tomoeda; then again, they can't get me to leave either."
"So you're a witch?" Syaoran asked with a raised eyebrow.
"My magic is veiled by blackness, so they call me witch." The girl said regularly. "I'm sorry about Dilbert." She looked up into his eyes. "I'll show you this place. My name is Sakura."
OOO
VictorianPearl: And there is the first chapter of my first AU.
Syaoran: Congrats.
VictorianPearl: Expect an update about once a week. It will take two weeks for chapter two to come out because I'm going to Carmel with my family :D
Syaoran: I hope you have fun.
VictorianPearl: I do too. Please leave me reviews and you will be rewarded with a fatty second chapter once I am back. Oh yeah, the trip's the 18-22, so the second chapter should be up by the 26th or 27th.
