This is the second chapter, this part is about Sakura. Well, I guess I have nothing more to say, so let's begin.

Disc: All belong to Clamp

Chapter 2 : Mānte

"Sakura, are you sure you want to go alone?" Tomoyo asked.

"Yes, Tomoyo. I have said it thousand of times. I can do it myself, don't worry." Sakura answered while Tomoyo helping her to comb her hair. Sakura's hair is just a shoulder long.

Today Sakura is wearing a blue sky kimono with snow pattern on it. The blue color is degrading until the bottom part so it seemed like there is a pile of snow at the bottom. She took the Clow card from the bed and put it into inner part of her kimono.

The sun hasn't rise yet but if they look through the glass window at their room now, at the far east sky, they can see a thin white line indicating that dawn is near.

"At least let me accompany you until outside the cave if I am not allowed to enter." Tomoyo persuaded Sakura.

"Ok, Ok…" Sakura sighed. "I really cannot win from you, hahh…"

Tomoyo giggled while checking Sakura's kimono. She is wearing such a beautiful kimono for today's ceremony, Tomoyo thought. No… all kimono become beautiful if Sakura is the one who wears it. She corrected her thought.

Tomoyo herself also wearing a long kimono. The base color is black with red glowing butterfly shape as the pattern. "Nah, you're all set." Tomoyo said.

"Ok, let's move before the sun rise." Sakura said as she took off her necklace. Tomoyo moved a few steps back.

"Release." Sakura whispered. A gust of wind blew surrounding her. A magic circle with moon and sun shape inside the circle, appeared out of nowhere below Sakura.

Her key shaped necklace turned into a silver colored staff. Her staff's height is as tall as her and seems made from white gold. At the top of the staff, there is bird's head shape. The color is the same except for the both side of the birds' head where there is a small white wing sprout. The eyes of the bird have curve that deep enough to fit in a small stone, but in present it is empty. At the bottom, the staff becomes triangle shape. Sakura hold the staff and each time the staff knocked the floor, it gave out a long, soft and quiet 'ting' sound.

Sakura walked out of the room followed by Tomoyo. After a few steps, Sakura halted.

"Ah, today is the ceremony that you have said if I am not wrong, is it Princess Sakura?" A guy with wide smile waited at the corridor to the castle entrance. He is wearing a white fur cloak and holding a staff. His staff is milky white, with an uncompleted ellipse shape at the top of the staff. At the connection between the staff and ellipse there is a horizontal crescent moon. There are many small and beautiful crystals surrounding the ellipse. At the center of the ellipse there is a big shining stone hanging without any holder.

"Fye-san, why are you awake? It's no even dawn yet." Tomoyo asked.

"Ahaha… I just want to send off our dear princess into her ceremony. Am I prohibited to do that?" Fye smiled once again and asked Sakura.

Sakura observed Fye expressionlessly. After a few moments, Sakura answered solemnly.

"Thank you Fye-san, for your attention. But I hope our kingdom's matter is your main concern. Not me."

Sakura walked away without any further delay. Tomoyo sadly watched Sakura who had walked away then she said with weak smile, "Thank you very much for your courtesy, Fye-san. Excuse us." And she added in whisper, "Sorry."

Fye smiled back politely and watched the two women walk away with mysterious smirk.

Sakura and Tomoyo reached the castle's yard. Sakura pulled out a card, threw it into the air and thrust her staff toward the card while saying the incantation, "Fly!" The card disappeared, the staff's wing grew bigger then it floated horizontally in the air.

"Ok, we're all set." Sakura said while sat sidesaddle. Tomoyo did the same and after that, the staff ascended then flew to the direction of the cave at the west side of the kingdom.

At the mouth of the cave, Tomoyo landed first. Sakura ascended again and in the air she closed her eyes, held her palm, released it, a small transparent box appeared on her palm. Then she enlarged the box until it surrounded the cave. Sakura descended, held her staff, closed her eyes, turned back the staff into normal and her left hand holding the card that has a picture of a bird with wide wings and there is a 'FLY' word below the picture. Behind the card there is a print of magic circle as same as the magic circle that appeared whenever Sakura uses her card.

"Ok you wait here, Tomoyo."

"Yes. I understand. Don't push youself, ok?"

Sakura just smiled and entered the cave. The cave is not completely dark because there are some holes at the top that let the sunlight shines through. After a few moments, she reached the end of the cave. There are two statues stand at each opposite corner.

"I am the successor of the Clow Card, Sakura Kinomoto. I come here to do the ceremony." Both of the statues shone brightly. Sakura blinded by the light. She needed a few moments to regain her vision. After she can see, the statues had already gone. It is replaced by 2 living creature. No, it is more proper if I say, one creature and a human (or something that shape like human).

"Do you recognize who are we?" One of them asked Sakura.

Sakura shook her head.

"Well, I ain't surprised. You're still 6 years old when we first met. Let us introduce ourselves once again. I am Ceroberos." The first creature introduced itself. Its shape is like a lion with yellow shining fur. It has something like a circle shaped mirror at its forehead and in its chest; furthermore there are white wings at his back. There is some kind of shield around the mirror.

"I am Yue." This guy is very handsome. He has a hair that is very long until it can touch the ground and is being tied pigtail model. He is wearing a white suit and has no shoes. Dim silver light emerges from his body. He seems very angelic especially because he has white wings grow from his back.

"Have you known why you are here?" Ceroberos asked.

Sakura shook her head and clutched her staff hard, worried if she had to fight them alone. Yue observed her and added after saw her tensing, "We're not here to fight with you."

"Ha? Do you think we are here to battle with you?" Ceroberos asked in astonishment.

Sakura answered, "Just imagining the worst case." Ceroberos laughed loudly.

"Isn't that is just natural to think about the worse? I was being told by all the cards to do a ceremony here, today." She sulked.

Ceroberos is still laughing.

Sakura's annoyed.

"The Clow cards that you are using now are consuming Clow Reeds power that was remained inside them. The power has started to diminish and the cards need new supply of energy -- so do us as the Card Keeper. You must have realized it too. The card's power has decreased a lot since the first time you use it and the card has turn cold instead of warm." Yue explained, ignoring the laughter of Ceroberos. He stopped a while to let Sakura abstracted the information.

After a while, in silence since Ceroberos had stopped laughing, "So… what can I do?" Sakura asked.

"The only way you can do it is by changing the card and your magic circle." Yue said.

"How can I change those things?"

"Think of how you want the card appearance to change and for your first time we will dissolve to your staff to help you focus your energy. Just take out one card and try to change it with your power." Ceroberos added.

Without waiting approval from Sakura, Yue's and Ceroberos' wings start to grow. They are covered by their own wings and white light. Magic circle appeared, both of them is similar to Sakura's but below Yue there is only Moon embedded in the circle and below Cero there is only Sun embedded in the circle. Both of them then changed into white smoke and they stormed into Sakura's staff.

Well… Since this have to be done, I might as well try it, Sakura thought.

She took out 'FLY' card and concentrated as she is holding the card.

How do I want the card to be changed? How do I want the magic circle to be changed? She thought.

She pictured the Clow's magic circle in her mind and then suddenly the star shape occurred in her mind!

"Change!" She shouted while throwing her card and thrusting her staff to the air as usual.

All of the sudden, she felt all of her power being absorbed. She noticed the magic circle that had appeared indeed different from before. It has a star now in the middle of the circle beside the usual moon and the sun. The Fly card fell back to Sakura's hand. The card also had changed from before. Instead of brown and white background, it is now in soft pink. The magic circle printed behind the card also has a star inside it now. Ceroberos and Yue dissolved back from the staff, wrapped by their wings, and the magic circle appeared back below them. It is the exactly same magic circle as Sakura's. Then their wings shrank back to original size.

Sakura felt very weak and her feet can't support her any longer. She fell down and sit at the ground.

"How do you feel?" Ceroberos asked kindheartedly.

"Bad. My power seemed like being sucked out of my control."

"Of course you did because we sucked your energy to change the card. Next time you have to focus the energy yourself. As we have said before, we will obtain our energy supply from your magic power. So we will stay by your side until the time the card will be sealed back." Yue said.

"Wait a minute! Can't you all produce your own energy? And when the card should be sealed back?"

"I can. But he can't." Ceroberos answered.

"I am Yue. I am the Moon. I can only absorb energy from my creator to exist. Since my creator has long passed away, I have to obtain new energy from new card master to keep alive. I managed to suppress my energy usage by sleeping in all these years. Now I have to awaken because the time you customize your card is the time when you're fragile to danger. You don't have to worry about your energy being sucked, I only take a little. One of our tasks is to protect the card master until the cards are sealed back."

"Are you saying that I cannot protect myself? You also haven't answered my second question." Sakura said, frowning.

"The card will be sealed back when the time has come -- we don't know when the exact time is. As what you have felt, you must have known it is impossible to change more than one card a day in your state. That situation will become worse if you meet an enemy."

Sakura is about to returned another protest when she heard Tomoyo's scream.

Tomoyo! But I cannot use the FLY now! My power hasn't return!

Ceroberos stepped forward and said, "Climb to my back. I'll take you out in no time."

Sakura has no other choice. Tomoyo's safety is the first priority.

Yue, Ceroberos with Sakura sit at her back, flew quickly to the cave entrance.

The sun has risen. Syaoran and the other are getting ready when they sense there is something coming. Kurogane hid behind trees. Meilin climbed a tree and the arrow already ready with her bow. Syaoran stuck his ear at ground's surface.

"Footsteps. Many! They are coming in group!"

As soon as Syaoran finished his line, a group of wolves appear. Well, It seemed like wolves except it have 2 tails and the eye color is red. The group consists of 6 wolves.

"Gyaaa!" Meilin fell down from the tree where she hid before. She had a scratch at her left arm from the wolves' claw. Blood is dripping from her wound. Behind her, appeared another 2 wolves. One of them lunged toward Meilin.

"Meilin!" Syoran run to her place, unsheathed his sword, swing it to scare the wolf. But there is another one coming; Syaoran won't be able to make it in time. Exactly when the wolf almost bit Meilin, Kurogane is there to scratch its face. It jumped back painfully. The others dashed toward them, Kurogane face them then shout, "Hikougeki!"

He stabbed his sword to the ground. There is a big clatter and the wolves were thrown back. After the dust disappeared, there is a wide creak shape like a crescent moon between the wolves and Syaoran's group. Now the wolves is growling but not attacking. They are observing Syaoran's group. The position now is two wolves at Syaoran's left and 6 wolves at his right.

"Meilin, are you Ok?" Syaoran asked.

"Uukh… I'm Ok. I managed to see it coming before its teeth rib my neck." Meilin answered painfully while try to stand up.

"Kheh! What a good morning exercise." Kurogane said.

"This situation is unfavorable to us. Besides, the wolves are strange. I've never seen species like them before. Meilin, can you run?"

"Yes, don't worry."

"Ok, on 3 run back to the forest. THREE!" Syoran shouted.

Syaoran's and group run to the forest and the wolves followed at their tail.

"Damn! Where should we run to!"

"I don't know! I'm thinking!" Syaoran answered while Kurogane swung his sword to one wolf that had managed to jump closer to him. If only there is a place fit enough for three of us without giving them more space to surround us…

"A rock cave! I see a rock cave in front of us! We can use the entrance as our defense!" Syaoran shouted.

They sprinted until the cave entrance and turn back facing the wolves that had leapt toward them. Meilin shoot her arrows and managed to scratch two wolves. Kurogane and Syaoran are busy moving back and forth trying to evade plus attack the wolves.

Inside the cave…

Hmm…? Seem like very noisy out there. Hasn't Sakura make a barrier here? Tomoyo walk out to the entrance. She had decided to wait a little deeper inside the cave.

Kurogane feel something approaching from behind the cave. He waved his sword to his back. Tomoyo surprised to see a sword swung in her direction.

"Aaah!" Tomoyo fell back and sit at the ground.

"A woman?" Syoran frowned.

"Syoran, it's strange! I don't see the wound that we have given them. Can they heal themselves?" Meilin started to panic because her arrows don't remain many.

"I notice that too… I don't have idea… Looks like everything seemed impossible is possible here. I never expect to see another human in this forest. But now here we are, cornered by wolves with a woman inside a cave. Well, I will not be surprised now if I see an angel coming down from the sky…" Syaoran answered, half joking.

"Hei you, what are you doing here?" Kurogane started interrogating Tomoyo while monitoring the wolves.

"It should be me who is asking. Why all of you can enter here? There should be a barrier…"

"Barrier? We don't see any of them… What kind of barrier?" Syaoran confused.

"Of course you're not supposed to see it. The thing that you fight…"

Tomoyo never finish her line, there is another shouting heard from inside the cave.

"Tomoyo!"

Sakura appeared with Ceroberos and Yue. She jumped down and paced hurriedly to Tomoyo's place.

"Are you Ok? Are you hurt? What happened?" Sakura lost control and kept questioning Tomoyo.

"I'm Ok, Sakura. I'm Ok. It's just that some unknown people manage to enter the barrier along with the two-tail-wolves."

Syaoran and Kurogane freezed after see Ceroberos and Yue. The wolves also noticed more opponent and they had stopped attacking.

"Wow… I was only joking about the angel part…" Syaoran whispered.

The wolves take this chance and leapt inside the cave. They are aiming for Sakura!

"Look out!" Syaoran warned Sakura.

Ceroberos and Yue stood protectively in front of Sakura.

"Don't you dare to touch her, low magic creatures!" Ceroberos said.

He spit up a few fire ball while Yue held his left palm at his side then he connected his right palm with his left. He pulled his right hand quickly while his left hand stand still and a sword made from white metal came out from his left palm. The sword is long, emanating dim silver light exactly like him, and the metal is very thin.

"We better do nothing now. I don't think this is our field…" Meilin said. But Syaoran and Kurogane have already fought with the last wolf that tried to pass them.

Ceroberos managed to hit 2 of the wolves with his fire ball, while Yue slice the other two with silver crescent blow that came out every time he swing his sword. The wolves that were hit turned into dust. Another 4 left. Sakura pulled out the Ice card. She shouted, "Change!"

Ceroberos and Yue threw a quick glance and frowned but said nothing.

This time Sakura doesn't feel her energy being sucked; however the card had a hard time to change. A line emerged from the lowest part of the card, slowly moving upward. The part that is already passed by the line has a pink background. Sakura had to push with all her will and might to move that line upward. At last Sakura manage to change the card.

She felt all her power had been drained out just to perform the changing, but no, she can't stop here.

If I faint now, Tomoyo will face danger! I have to terminate all the wolves first. She thought.

Sakura had already limped and Tomoyo noticed that.

"Sakura, don't push yourself!"

"I'm Ok," Sakura smiled weakly before shouting, "ICE!"

Syaoran and Kurogane sensed a danger and Syaoran warned Meilin, "Jump out of the cave! NOW!"

The magic circle appeared beneath Sakura, the card turned into an ice spirit that flew encircles the surrounding, and the cave surface started to freeze from the point where Sakura stand to the cave entrance. Ceroberos and Yue aren't affected by the card at all. All the wolves had been trapped in the ice.

Syaoran and his friends managed to jump out exactly when the entrance surface started to freeze. Ceroberos and Yue utilized this chance and destroyed the wolves that were left.

"What are they? Monster?" Meilin stated in terror.

Syaoran and Kurogane gave a silent answer.

Sakura fainted after she had used her card. Tomoyo caught her exactly when she almost hit the floor.

"Sakura! Sakura!" She shouted, panic. Ceroberos and Yue approached her with anxious look.

Yue picked her up bridal style from Tomoyo and examined her.

"She has no problem... She is just falling asleep…" Yue said.

Ceroberos and Tomoyo sweat drops.

"We'll introduce ourselves later. Do you know where we can let her sleep peacefully?" Ceroberos asked.

"Yes. We should take her back to the castle." Tomoyo answered, relieved and held Sakura's staff.

"Ride on my back, Tomoyo-san. Please show us the way."

Tomoyo nodded.

"Have they all frozen in there?" Meilin asked, curious.

Again, Syaoran and Kurogane just gave her a silent answer. Exactly when Syaoran decided to check the condition inside, he was surprised by something that flew out from the cave. Beneath the sunlight, now he can see 4 figures. A woman that was almost sliced by Kurogane, rode on something that has a shape like a lion but with wings, a handsome guy with very long hair and there are wings at his back, he is carrying… the most beautiful woman he had ever seen before. Syaoran kept watching them flew to the east until they had disappeared from his sight while Kurogane watched his student.

"Sakura… what a beautiful name…" Syaoran whispered to himself.

Okay, that's all for this week. I will upload the next chapter in another two weeks. Please tell me what you think about this story! I accept any critic, opinion, praise (if there is any, haha...), anything! Feel free to contact me also in I will be very happy to reply your email!