A gentle breeze brushed against her cheeks, whispering wordlessly in her ears, tugging at her long blue hair. Her pure sweet voice carried upon it, seemingly moving to the tune.

"A twinkle in the night sky, far, far away

A golden star I gaze upon in my dreams.

On this sleepless evening,

I sing alone.

Tomorrow I'll sing with you

On the wings of a dream."

The circulation of the tender air was broken as she breathed in deep, relishing the feeling of relaxation. She closed her eyes, leaning farther out on her railing, longing to sprout wings and fly through the clear summer sky, just like her best friend could.

"Tomoyo-chan!"

The twenty-year-old Tomoyo opened her eyes to the sky, smiling to herself.

Speak of the devil… she thought, giggling inwardly. She glanced down, seeing her best friend, Sakura Kinomoto, waving wildly. She returned the wave with a widening smile.

"I'll be down in a moment!" She turned and rushed through her deck doors, closing them behind her; she sprayed a fresh layer of cherry blossom body spray and headed down the stairs. Her dress, falling to just above her knees, was beige, with hot pink flowers lining along the hem at the bottom. It was held upon her shoulders with clear spaghetti straps.

"Hurry up or we'll be late!" Sakura cried, grabbing Tomoyo's hand and taking off in the direction of downtown. Tomoyo laughed at her friend's impatience and let her drag her along.

"Ah hah!" Sakura shouted, pointing frantically at a brown-haired boy sitting on the patio of the girls' favorite pub. His head turned revealing a smile on his face. Tomoyo waved as the girl's approached.

"Li-san, it's so good to see you!" Tomoyo exclaimed, overwhelmed at seeing their childhood friend. She hugged Syaoran, and stepped back to Sakura's side.

"It's been much too long, Tomoyo-chan."

"Ten years later and you still haven't given up on your camera," Syaoran stated sarcastically. Tomoyo beamed proudly, holding up a glistening silver and black video camera. She looked at Syaoran, whose smile had dropped, and so had Sakura's. She sighed, knowing something was up.

"What's the real reason, Li-san?"

"The real reason for what?"

"The real reason you came here. You have to tell us something, do you not?" Tomoyo's voice became soft, almost inaudible. She clearly knew what it was.

Sakura searched her friends face. She's got it all figured out, and I'm the one with magic…

Syaoran sighed, looking down at his hands which were folded in his lap.

"The real reason…err…there is someone…after you two."

"What?" Sakura asked dumbfounded. Syaoran looked irritated for a moment, but the feeling passed as soon as it came. Tomoyo gathered her thoughts, and breathed in deep, as if looking for courage.

"What kind of "somone" are we looking at?"

"A human and his…pet."

"Pet?" Sakura asked. Syaoran nodded.

"Correct. It's a creature made from the shadows, it has unstoppable power. The only things that can fight it are the Sakura Cards, but even those aren't strong enough to defeat it."

Sakura's shoulder slumped.

"So…there's no hope in getting rid of it." Syaoran shook his head. His arms were folded across his chest now, showing his discomfort.

"It's not just us they're after…" Tomoyo said with fear surfacing in her voice.

"They're after me, as well."

"But if the Sakura Cards can't defeat it, then what can?" Sakura's voice was rising, along with the fear. Suddenly the ground shook violently, causing things from higher up buildings to fall. A flower pot went tumbling down right above Sakura.

"Look out!" She and Syaoran leapt away just as it shattered at their feet. Tomoyo let out a breath of relief, until the ground shook again.

"That would be the creature."

"Inside! Quick!" Syaoran ordered, herding his friends inside the pub. There was a horrible loud high-pitched screeching sound, and the windows of the pub shattered. Everyone dropped to their bellies in attempt to avoid the flying glass.

Tomoyo's hands flew up, her arms shielding her face as she fell back. In Sakura's eyes, her friend fell in slow motion as the glass shot towards her.

"Shield!" There was a blinding light at first, and then nothing. Tomoyo waited for the pain to strike, but nothing happened. She looked up to the sound of shattered glass clattering noisily to the green marble floor. A worried looking Sakura turned her face to Tomoyo's, panting slightly.

"That was quick thinking, Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo breathed. She placed her calm hand on Sakura's own shaky one, and helped her up as she stood as well.

"I think we need advice from Eriol-teme," Syaoran suggested from behind the girls, quietly.

"Syaoran! Don't call him 'teme,' please!" Syaoran backed off from Sakura's sudden defensive attitude, putting his hands up in an 'I-didn't-mean-it' action.

"Sorry! Jeez," he added under his breath. He led the girls out of the now ruined pub and turned towards the house on the topmost hill just inside of Tomoeda.

A high pitched ringing of a bell traveled through the splendid halls, reaching the ears of its possessor. He opened his mouth, his voice coming deep and strong, carrying to the kitchens where a ruby-haired woman worked busily for dinner.

"The door, Nakuru-chan," he said.

"Right away, Eriol-kun," She chimed brightly, placing her oven mitts down and skipping joyfully to the door. She opened it and stopped in surprise, her smile fading. "Err…Eriol-kun? Do you want visitors before dinner?"

"Yes, Ruby, I've been expecting them."

"Oh…OK!" She practically shouted in happiness. She took Sakura's hand and started to show her the way. Sakura reached out for Tomoyo's, and she grabbed hold. Syaoran just followed quietly, showing signs of a scowl creeping across his fine features. They entered a deep room, going back further than the dim light reached. Shadows stretched along the walls, making the room all the more eerie. In a tall-standing chair sat a blue haired boy with circular glasses over his large grey eyes.

"Welcome, my old friends."

"Eriol-kun!" Tomoyo and Sakura squealed. They ran over and as he stood they jumped on him in hugs.

Eriol chuckled, embracing the girls in return.

"Just as childish as I remember." He turned to Syaoran, then. "How did you know I was back here?"

"I was seeing Meilin-nii-chan to the airport when I saw Ruby in a car, so I decided to follow, and saw you get in. But forget that, Eriol-san. We need your help."

Sakura's head felt light and dizzy, her eye lids felt heavy with a dreadful sleep. Her lips were hot with a nameless fear. The whisper of the ticking clock seemed to explode in her ears, and when Eriol spoke, everything seemed to shatter and her head imploded and she squeezed her eyes shut…but everything seemed normal again. The impossibly loud noises were quiet whispers, the clock barely making a sound, Eriol's hushed voice barely audible.

"This shadow creature was ordered to attack here?" Eriol let the information sink in as Syaoran nodded sorrowfully. He glanced at Sakura, who was cringing slightly, rubbing her forehead, and he frowned in concern.

"I know something about this creature," Eriol said. "You can fight it with magic, but it takes tremendous power to defeat it, as it flees whenever it is hurt badly."

"Some monster that is, more like a tame lion." But Eriol shook his head discouragingly.

"This monster revives itself, and each time it comes back, it is ten times stronger."

Syaoran's smug little smile faded.

"Oh…" his shoulders slumped in defeat. Suddenly, the ground shuddered, lamps clattered and crashed to the floor. Sakura jumped up to her feet in alarm, as Ruby still hugged Tomoyo, only more protectively this time. Sakura turned to her.

"Keep Tomoyo-chan safe, okay?" Ruby nodded. Sakura turned to Syaoran and nodded. "Let's go."

A flash of blue lightening split the sky, followed by a deafening crack of thunder that rolled on until it was silenced by a tremendous roar, uttered from deep within the city. The pair took off towards the burning buildings as a giant shadow outlined with flame rose above the fires with reaching tongues that licked the darkening sky, abolishing houses and business offices.

Sakura stopped as her legs felt like straw. She watched the flames rise in slow motion, her family's faces appearing in her minds-eye. Fear twisted her stomach into impossible knots, her head felt light and dizzy. Syaoran stopped just ahead of her, turning to look at her as she collapsed to her knees. Hot tears welled up in her eyes, blurring her vision. She barely noticed Syaoran's fuzzy figure run towards her, the sound of him dropping his sword, and his strong rough hands gripping her shoulders.

"We can do this Sakura! We need to!" He helped her up, a burning sensation in her head, it traveled to her throat, chest, stomach, leaving strength where ever it hit, and finally her legs. She stood with a new passion burning in her heart as she threw out two cards. Her staff came down upon them and a bright let shot up from the cards, a wild wind whipped about her.

"Watery, Rain, drench this beast until there's nothing left! Release!" The cards shuddered violently and the vicious Watery and the gentle Rain appeared before her. Then they twirled and twisted teasingly among the creature, pouring water over it as they moved. A final, ear-breaking screech was let out from the creature and it flew off towards the night sky.

"Good…now everything can go back to normal!"

"But it's not normal! Did you not hear Eriol-kun? He said the creature vanishes when it's badly wounded, and it'll come back, ten times stronger!" She stopped at her sudden anger and dropped her head, tears reaching her eyes again. She turned away from Syaoran, not wanting him to think she was weak. But she suddenly felt a warm embrace, and she turned into it, her tears disappearing, but her body trembling on controllably.

"C'mon, let's get you inside."

By the time they reach Eriol's mansion, Sakura felt sick to her stomach. When Ruby offered them her specialty hot coco, Syaoran took it gratefully, but Sakura bolted to the bathroom, and gagged until everything she ate or drink that day came rushing up her throat, and she kneeled in front of the toilet. She heard footsteps, praying it was Tomoyo.

And it was, but with her was Syaoran. She smiled apologetically to Sakura, kneeling beside Sakura and petting her head gently as Sakura began to feel sicker and sicker, but with nothing in her stomach to come back up. Syaoran held her hand, squeezing it tightly, as if that would stop her trembling. She felt so cold to his touch. Finally, her puking stopped, but her violent shaking did not. Eriol spared a bedroom with three beds for Tomoyo Sakura and Syaoran to share. They soon all headed off to bed, the friends' bedroom door closing quietly, and the lights flicked off one by one.

Syaoran fell into a dreamless sleep, and Tomoyo imbedded herself in pleasant dreams.

Morning came, and Sakura awoke, still feeling sick and green. She turned over in bed, but no one was there. So she reached up to feel her forehead, and felt the heat burning her head.

"Sakura-chan?" She jumped so violently that she was on her feet and out of bed. She relaxed her shoulders, sitting down quickly, for the quick movement and sudden rush of blood made her dizzy. She looked at Tomoyo and smiled. "How are you feeling?" Tomoyo sat beside Sakura.

"I'm…I'm fine. Really," she tried to reassure her best friend.

Tomoyo's gentle and radiant face went serious.

"Sakura-chan, are you still sick? Do you have a fever?"

Sakura figured it'd be no use trying to lie to Tomoyo, the girl would figure it out in two minutes anyway.

"I have a fever, yes. But it's not bad! Please, just let me try and defeat this creature!" Tomoyo hesitated, but grinned at her friend's determination. Tomoyo waited for Sakura to dress and the two went down for breakfast. Eriol smiled kindly to Sakura.

"I'm glad you're better, Sakura-chan." A shadow flitted across her eyes, and Eriol caught this, frowning only slightly, but keeping his smile. "Please…sit."

Sakura smiled back, unaware of what Eriol had seen. As Ruby served breakfast and sat down beside Tomoyo, Eriol told Syaoran he needed to speak with him. The brown-haired boy followed Eriol, who looked back at Sakura, into the deep, dim den.

"What's going on Eriol-san?"

"I was looking at Sakura-chan when something strange passed over her eyes." Syaoran straightened immediately. Eriol had told him something else of the creature, of its power to possess and being with magic. His eyes widened.

"Not Sakura-chan. Why not me!" Syaoran cried.

At the table, Sakura heard the muffled shout of Syaoran, but was unable to make out the words. The sun rose above the far-off horizon, setting the white fluffy clouds aflame with thin tendrils of fire. The sun's fingers reached through the open window, dancing on Tomoyo's dark eyes as she grabbed plates for everyone to eat on. Ruby called Sakura's name to pass something, and when Sakura's eyes fell on Ruby's, the red-head's eyes widened as a red flame circled Sakura's pupil in either eye. She dropped the plate and it shattered noisily to the ground.

Syaoran looked to the door, and Eriol bolted before he could even think. Syaoran panicked and followed. Eriol burst in and the girls were staring at Ruby. Eriol looked at Ruby's terror-stricken face.

"Nakuru-chan, come here. We need to speak with you." The girl followed the boys into the den. Spinnel Sun floated down and rested on Sakura's head. She giggled slightly, about to accuse Kero, when she realized it wasn't Kero.

"Would you like some breakfast, Spinnel?" Tomoyo asked kindly.

"No, thank you. I'm not like that ravenous beast, Cerberus." He laughed quietly, and settled on the table beside Sakura. Tomoyo noticed the little panther keeping a close eye on Sakura, and she began to worry.

"What did you see, Nakuru-chan?" Eriol pressed. A sweat had broken on the blue-haired man's brow. Syaoran had never seen Eriol so worried or…upset. Eriol had began to pace, listening to Ruby as she explained what she saw in Sakura's eyes.

"We need to get her out of here." Eriol finally said. Syaoran's eyes widened, but he lowered his head.

"Who will go with her?"

"All of us. Unless, someone wants to stay behind," he added.

"Then we should tell the girls?" Ruby queried.

"Yes."

Tomoyo smiled at the approaching group, but she only smiled for Sakura. She knew something was about to happen.

"Sakura we…something is happening, and we need to get out of here. Now," Syaoran tried to explain.

"But what about my family…Onii-chan and Father?"

Eriol only shook his head. He was calm now, but also impatient to get out.

"We have to go Sakura-chan. It's the only way to—prevent the creature from attacking our hometown once more."

At that, a determination leapt like a fire in her eyes. She stood, nodding slowly, grabbing her jacket.

"Where will I go?" Sakura asked. Tomoyo's heart skipped a beat, afraid that the boys were sending Sakura alone.

"I'm going with her!" She cried. Eriol smiled gently, nodding.

"We're all going with her, don't worry."

"What about Yue and Kero-chan?" Sakura whimpered. Syaoran shook his head.

"They'll be busy protecting the city. Okay?" Slowly, Sakura nodded. She never noticed her illness had vaporized completely, but when she put a hand on her forehead in frustration, there was no heat beating endlessly from her head. She decided to hide her surprise, turning to Eriol once more.

"I'll need to grab some stuff—"

"No time…Nakuru-chan will lend you two her clothes."

They looked to Ruby who grinned from ear to ear and took them upstairs to grab their essentials.

"Where will we go, Eriol-san?" Syaoran asked.

"To the forests of Japan."