1The four travelers sat in the cramped, frozen cellar, huddled together for warmth and trying to come up with a plan. The walls were dark, long covered in a layer of ice that made their clothes wet and froze the skin. The situation was desolate, and it was made all the worse by the absence of their ever-cheery blonde compatriot.

Kurogane had tried cutting down the door with his sword, but to no avail. The walls seemed imperious to any of his attacks. Syaoran, in a burst of genius, tried to melt the ice and warm the cellar with the fire cast from summoning his sword, but the ice was much to thick, and only made puddles of freezing water that quickly solidified.

"We have to get out of here." Kurogane muttered to himself for the umpteenth time. Being trapped was putting him on edge, making him unable to see clearly.

"We know, Kurogane-san, but we still don't have any idea how to." Syaoran sighed despondently.

Sakura hung her head in the corner. "I'm sorry, everyone. This is all my fault. If it weren't for my feather we wouldn't be in this mess... I just wish I could..."

"No, Princess." She was interrupted by Syaoran putting a hand on her shoulder. She lifted her head to meet his gaze. "We all knew what we were getting into when we came on this journey. You are not to blame. I chose this, not you."

Sakura sniffed and wiped an imaginary tear from her eye. "Thank you, Syaoran-kun. And you too, Kurogane-san... you both chose to help me when I needed it most, even though I could give you nothing in return, even though you hardly knew me. And Fai-san too, none of you even knew who I was, but you still stood by me. Thank you so much." She smiled.

Inside his chest, Syaoran's heart cracked a little further. The Princess's heartfelt words only served to remind him that she would never remember him, never remember their time together as children, or his love for her.

"Poor Fai-san... he looked so frail when we saw him last... I wonder where he's gone to... and if we'll ever see him again..." Sakura mused to no one in particular.

"Heh, stupid mage probably landed himself on some beach with a margarita and is running around like a fool right now." Kurogane muttered half-heartedly.

"Kurogane-san, what's a margarita?" Puzzled Syaoran, eyebrows quirked.

"..." The warrior creased his eyebrows. "You know what, I don't really know. Mage was talking about it back in the Hanshin Republic... some sort of beverage..."

The air lifted a little bit in the cramped cell with talk of far-off places, but quickly settled back in the silence that followed. They were still trapped in a dark, cold cellar with no way out.

"I wish there was something that would free us from this place." Sakura suddenly exclaimed, breaking the silence. Within seconds, Mokona had transformed to bring some sort of object forth from his mouth - a glowing blue and gold ring, the size of a small plate, spiraling with Cyrillic runes.

"What the heck is that?" Kurogane questioned, raising his eyebrows.

"I'm quite glad you asked."

The voice belonged to none other than Yuuko herself, speaking from a projection of Mokona's jewel.

"It is a torc - a ring placed around the neck that imbues the wearer with magic so long as it is worn. Sakura, it will work for you and do as you command. Use it to free yourself and your companions and reprieve your feather." The Witch explained.

"But... what about the price? Surely something of such great power must come with a great price." Syaoran inquired, wary of her answer.

"The price for this has already been paid by another. Now go, time is of the essence. Find the ruler of this kingdom and retrieve the feather before it is too late." Yuuko warned them.

"Too late for what exactly?" Asked Kurogane, but the witch was already gone.

A tense silence passed between them as they exchange nervous glances. Then Sakura, with utmost care, placed the torc around her neck and bent its arms to conform to her shape. The ring then no longer glowed, but turned to a brilliant golden color, disguising itself as an ordinary piece of jewelry.

"I... I don't know how to use this magic..." she muttered.

"Try willing it to do as you want, maybe it will work for you." Her companion suggested.

She walked towards the barred door and stood before it. Open! she though to herself, and then, there appeared upon the door a circle of glowing blue runes. They quickly faded, and the door was opened.

Then the dimensional travelers escaped into the passage that lie beyond, and set off to find and reclaim the Princess' feather before it was too late for an outcome they did not know.